Thesis (M. Tech.) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2010 / The aim of the study was to determine the problems encountered by educators who teach Computer Applications Technology (CAT) and Information Technology (IT) in the FET band in the Bloemfontein area, Free State. The main contribution of the study lies in the identification of those problems. By knowing and understanding the problems, the Department of Education and the stakeholders will seek solutions to rectify the problems which will lead to the successful implementation of IT and CAT. The assumptions of the study were that many educators lacked basic ICT skills and pedagogical training, and there were not enough computer stations for learners. Both the qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in the study. The researcher used the survey research method and data was collected through the use of questionnaires and interviews. Simple random sampling was used to ensure that each member of the population in the study had an equal chance of being selected. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in analyzing the data from the questionnaires. In order to analyze the qualitative data from the interviews, the researcher described the sample populations, ordered and coded the data (data processing), and displayed summaries of data in such a way that interpretation became easy. This was done by preparing tables, diagrams and pie charts. According to the results of the study, the problems that the educators encountered include a lack of sufficient didactical training for educators, learners don’t have computers at home to practice on, a lack of financial support to provide relevant facilities for schools, such as computer laboratories and learning materials in IT/CAT, educators spend too much time on paper work and do not have enough time for teaching, and IT/CAT teachers become ‘do-it-all’ teachers with regard to any work on the computer, such as fixing the computer, designing the school website. Regarding the identified problems, recommendations were made, such as the Department of Education must review the curriculum of IT and CAT, sufficient subject related training and didactical training for IT and CAT educators should be provided by the Department of Education on a regular basis.

Educational Studies / MED (EDUC MANAGEMENT)

Text in Afrikaans / Various technological developments have taken place in the last century, but most of them had very little or a minimal influence on higher education. It has often been speculated that technology would increase the pass mark and retention of students, but to date that has not happened. Where has technology failed? Or is it not technology that has failed, but, rather, the educational model? These questions will be addressed in this study. Riegelman, Povat, Ott and Piemme (1985:279) state that knowledge doubles every three to five years and that lecturers can no longer be mere disseminators of knowledge. Therefore, the present-day student should be guided to find knowledge him- or herself within a broad framework. This means that the educational model of higher education institutions needs to be renewed. The traditional lecturer-centered teaching approach should give way to a more student-centered learning approach. However, the problem is that there are not yet guidelines [or a model] for the use of, for example, the Internet in such a new educational approach. In this study, the focus is on the creation of a didactically justifiable model [guidelines] for the use of the Internet in a multi-mode educational approach, since the Technikon currently does not have such a model. This model and these guidelines should enable the lecturer, as the teaching-learning manager, to plan, develop, implement and evaluate a multi-mode teaching-learning programme. However, before any didactic model is, or guidelines are, developed, it is essential to determine the starting point from which the design should be done. In order to arrive at a well-founded starting point, a comprehensive literature study of local and international publications was undertaken, personal interviews were conducted and specialists locally and abroad were visited. In this manner, an illuninating overview was obtained of that which has already been done to deal with the set problem, as described in the previous paragraph. The research for the development of the model [didactic guidelines] was preceded by a three-year institutional study, in the course of which trends, needs and perceptions were debated at an institutional forum chaired by the researcher, namely, the TLTR [Teaching, Learning and Technology Roundtable]. The report on this study is divided into six chapters and represent the problems identified by the TLTR, which form the foundation [core] on which the model and guidelines are based. The questions are as follows: Who are we and how do we currently execute our core task? [How do we teach?] Who are our clients and what are their needs? [How do they learn and how do they wish to be served?] How could we use technology to facilitate our task and teach our students effectively without sacrificing quality? [What teaching-learning opportunities are there?] The theoretical study that provides the answers to the above questions is embodied in a model [guidelines] for the use of the Internet within a multi-mode educational approach. This model is then evaluated by 106 lecturers and 437 students to: Determine the lecturer's attitude to the proposed model, determine the lecturer's perception of the differences between on-line and contact instruction management, and determine whether there are any differences in the learning experience(s) of students who receive instruction by means of an Internet-supported programme and students who receive contact instruction. Lastly, attention is given to a number of related findings and recommendations that flow forth from the study. These aspects also lead to recommendations on future research in this field. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Changes in Education usually brings along with it problems of curriculum implementation, such as assessment, evaluation and curriculum design. One of the major problems is how learners are going to be assessed for progression and how the teachers are going to adapt to these new approaches. In this research the focus was on the following problems: Are the new assessment criteria met by the facilitator? Can the opinions/ideas and attitudes of facilitators be transformed? Do facilitators understand the new assessment criteria and how to use them? To find out how knowledgeable the educators are on assessment criteria and what the educators average attitudes are towards the new assessment criteria. In the empirical research data was gleaned by means of questionnaires. Thereafter, correlation coefficient was used to determine the correlation between variables and the t-test and chi-square test were used to test the null hypothesis. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Language proficiency in the language of learning and teaching (LOLT) is essential for academic success. In South Africa and elsewhere, many secondary school learners lack the required academic proficiency in English, the language of learning and teaching. The English language proficiency of Xitsonga speaking Grade 7 learners was evaluated in order to suggest ways in which these learners could be helped to maximise academic success. The author investigated theories of first and second language acquisition by means of a literature study and presented an overview of language policy in South African schooling before and after 1994. A sample of Grade 7 Xitsonga speaking learners was selected from three secondary schools in the Tshwane metropolitan area, Gauteng Province. Language proficiency levels were determined by means of the Human Sciences Research Council's Standardised English Reading and Writing Proficiency Tests. These tests were also translated into Xitsonga and administered to the learners. The tests were administered a month apart in each of the schools. The tests revealed that: * there is a significant correlation between the learner's performance in the reading and writing performance test for both languages * the learners' reading and oral skills in both languages correlate * irrespective of the level of language proficiency, most learners performed poorly in their reading skills, such as, recognising inferences related to tone, punctuation, different types of discourse as well as the prevailing atmosphere. The greatest weaknesses were in learners': * failure to understand instructions, which meant that their responses to task demands were inadequate * inappropriate use of tone register and spelling errors * incorrect use of punctuation and verb tenses. The analysis of the learner's performance in both English and Xitsonga showed that these learners were generally not capable of handling the requirements of the Grade 7 curriculum. It was recommended that the learners be guided to make optimal use of existing facilities, such as, libraries. This could enhance the learners' language development. Using learners' L1 as a medium of instruction for cognitively demanding texts and intensive in-service and pre-service training for language teachers are also recommended. / Educational Foundations / D.Ed. (Comparative Education)

Post-apartheid education policy as enshrined in the South African School's Act no 84 of 1996 transformed the education system. The policy ensured the right of access to the school of one's choice and lead to the migration of learners from township schools to former Model C and independent schools. The study aimed to investigate the management of learner migration using a literature review and a qualitative inquiry. Data was gathered through interviews with principals, School Management Team members, parents and learners who had migrated. The findings indicated that learner migration as determined by parents' social and financial capacity is; steered by factors such as a school's sound culture of teaching and learning on account of good principalship, dedicated educators, motivated learners and good discipline. It was recommended that the culture of teaching and learning should be cultivated in all schools through capacity building workshops for educational managers and educators to curb excessive Ieamer migration. / Further Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Education Management)

Since 1994, South African education system has been undergoing continuous transformation which had an impact on the quality of teaching and learning. There appeared to be a huge underperformance in the High School and FET College learners which for many years forced Universities to embark on bridging courses in order to enroll new students. Furthermore, a misalignment of college’s National Technical Diploma (NATED) programmes that did not afford college graduates an opportunity to register with Universities nor Universities of Technology brought about the questioning of the quality of teaching and learning in the FET College sector. Tabling the unified quality improvement plans in education in South Africa, the Education Ministry introduced an integrated approach to measure teaching and learning with the view of identifying improvement strategies. However, the implementation of this integrated tool called the Integrated Quality Management System had educators and managers attaching ambiguous meanings to the system. The IQMS instrument is meant to be a dependable quality assurance tool to measure and improve the quality of teaching and learning. The ambiguity lies with educators and managers referring to IQMS as a means to acquire 1% pay progression and the possible return of the old apartheid systems’ inspectorate. This research study was promulgated by a concern on the effectiveness and efficiency of implementing the IQMS instrument to measure the quality of teaching and learning in South African FET sector. In exploring literature on the concept of quality teaching and learning in the FET sector in South Africa, the researcher identified that similar trends of integrating quality management systems in education are being followed globally. The difference to the South African system is the attachment of the salary progression of 1% as an incentive to performance. In view of the introduction of the new system of education and training, the researcher realized that ‘short cut’ processes were followed in preparing educators to be able to offer new education programmes using the OBE system of teaching and learning. That appeared to be another shortfall to the adequacy of implementing IQMS as a quality assurance instrument to measure the quality of teaching and learning in the FET sector in South Africa. In addition, there appeared to be conflicting trends in the FET sector where the same sector provided curriculum 2005 programmes for schools which differed from college programmes offering National Certificate Vocational {NC(V)}. Both sectors were expected to use IQMS as a tool to measure the quality of teaching and learning with the view of enhancing improvement thereof. Furthermore, the end product of the FET sector for both schools and colleges is the Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC). Unfortunately, it was difficult for the education department to achieve its objectives because time frames to prepare educators and the critical element of providing adequate human resources for the implementation of IQMS could not be met through Umalusi the national quality assurance body for the sector. The FET Sector which is expected to deliver Education and Training to produce quality students for HE sector and the world of work is faced with shortfalls of quality delivery. The driving force of this research study was to explore the dependability and adequacy of implementing IQMS as a quality assurance instrument to effectively and efficiently measure the quality of teaching and learning to meet the expected outcomes. It is in this regard that the researcher through empirical evidence realized that IQMS did not have theoretical grounding hence there are no principles, procedures or processes that govern the implementation of this very important system. In addition, the empirical evidence from the qualitative study proved that quality delivery of teaching and learning has been monitored using diverse assessment practices. A variety of assessment tools like the TQM and QMS which exist in FET Colleges with the summative IQMS in FET Schools of which the three practices are premised around Quality Management. Quality Management refers to a process where quality delivery in a school, college or any other organization is systematically managed to maintain the competence of the organization. It is in this regard that TQM, QMS and IQMS refer to Quality Assurance Practices in any organization that is geared to effective and efficient client relations. / Teacher Education / D.Ed. (Education Management)

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Verskeie tegnologiese ontwikkelings het die afgelope eeu plaasgevind, maar die meeste daarvan het weinig of 'n minimale invloed op hoer onderwys gehad. Daar is baie gespekuleer dat die tegnologie die slaagsyfer en die retensie van studente sal verhoog, maar tot nou toe was dit nie die geval nie. Waar het die tegnologie gefaal, of het die tegnologie nie gefaal nie, maar die onderwysmodel? Hierdie is van die vrae waarop in hierdie studie gefokus word. Riegelman, Povat, Ott en Piemme (1985:279) stel dit dat kennis elke 3 - 5 jaar verdubbel en dat die tyd verby is dat dosente slegs uitdelers van kennis kan wees. Die hedendaagse student behoort daarom begelei te word om self kennis binne 'n bree raamwerk te vind, en dit kom daarop neer dat die onderwysmodel van hoeronderwysinstellings om vernuwing vra. Die tradisionele dosentgesentreerde onderrigbenadering moet plek maak vir 'n meer studentgesentreerde leerbenadering. Die probleem is egter dat daar tans nog geen riglyne [of model] bestaan vir die gebruik van byvoorbeeld die internet binne so 'n nuwe onderwysbenadering nie. Hierdie studie is daarop gefokus om 'n didakties-verantwoordbare model [riglyne], vir die gebruik van die internet binne 'n multimodus-onderwysbenadering daar te stel, aangesien daar tans nie so 'n model by die Technikon is nie. Hierdie model en riglyne behoort die dosent as onderrig-leerbestuurder in staat te stel om 'n multimodus onderrig-leerprogram te beplan, te ontwikkel, te implementeer en te evalueer. Voordat enige didaktiese model of riglyne egter ontwikkel kan word, is dit noodsaaklik dat vasgestel word vanuit watter vertrekpunt die ontwerp gedoen moet word. Ten einde tot 'n gefundeerde vertrekpunt te kom, is 'n omvangryke literatuurstudie van plaaslike en oorsese publikasies en persoonlike onderhoude en besoeke aan kundiges plaaslik en internasionaal onderneem. Sodoende is 'n insiggewende oorsig verkry van wat reeds gedoen is om die probleem, wat in die vorige paragraaf beskryf is, te hanteer. Die navorsing vir die ontwikkeling van die model [didaktiese riglyne] is deur 'n driejaarlange institusionele ondersoek voorafgegaan, waartydens tendense, behoeftes en persepsies op 'n institusionele forum onder voorsitterskap van die navorser, naamlik die TLTR [Teachning, Learning and Technology Roundtable] gedebatteer is. Die verslag van hierdie ondersoek word in ses hoofstukke verdeel en verteenwoordig die probleme wat deur die TLTR ge"identifiseer is en wat die fondament [kern] vorm waarop die model en riglyne gebaseer is. Die vrae is soos volg: • Wie is die Technikon Pretoria en hoe word daar tans aan die Technikon onderrig? • Wie is die Technikon se klient(e) en wat is hulle behoeftes? [Hoe leer hulle en hoe wil hulle bedien word?] • Hoe kan die akademici van die Technikon, die tegnologie gebruik om hulle taak te vergemaklik en die studente effektief te onderrig sonder om kwaliteit in te boet? [Watter onderrig-leergeleenthede bestaan?] Hierdie model is deur 106 dosente en 437 studente geevalueer om: • die houding van die dosent teenoor die voorgestelde model te bepaal; • die dosent se persepsie van die verskille tussen aanlyn- en kontakonderwysbestuur vas te stel; en • te bepaal of daar enige verskille in die leerervaring(s) van studente bestaan wat onderrig deur middel van 'n internetondersteunde program ontvang, en studente wat 'n kontakprogram ontvang. Laastens is aandag aan 'n aantal verbandhoudende bevindings en aanbevelings wat uit die studie voortvloei, geskenk. Hierdie aspekte het aanleiding tot aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing binne die veld gegee. / Various technological developments have taken place in the last century, but most of them had very little or a minimal influence on higher education. It has often been speculated that technology would increase the pass mark and retention of students, but to date that has not happened. Where has technology failed? Or is it not technology that has failed, but, rather, the educational model? These questions will be addressed in this study. Riegelman, Povat, Ott and Piemme (1985:279) state that knowledge doubles every three to five years and that lecturers can no longer be mere disseminators of knowledge. Therefore, the present-day student should be guided to find knowledge him- or herself within a broad framework. This means that the educational model of higher education institutions needs to be renewed. The traditional lecturer-centred teaching approach should give way to a more student centred learning approach. However, the problem is that there are not yet guidelines [or a model] for the use of, for example, the Internet in such a new educational approach. In this study, the focus is on the creation of a didactically justifiable model [guidelines] for the use of the Internet in a multi-mode educational approach, since the Technikon currently does not have such a model. This model and these guidelines should enable the lecturer, as the teaching-learning manager, to plan, develop, implement and evaluate a multi-mode teaching-learning programme. However, before any didactic model is, or guidelines are, developed, it is essential to determine the starting point from which the design should be done. In order to arrive at a well-founded starting point, a comprehensive literature study of local and international publications was undertaken, personal interviews were conducted and specialists locally and abroad were visited. In this manner, an illuminating overview was obtained of that which has already been done to deal with the set problem, as described in the previous paragraph. The research for the development of the model (didactic guidelines) was preceded by a three-year institutional study, in the course of which trends, needs and perceptions were debated at an institutional forum chaired by the researcher, namely, the TLTR [Teaching, Learning and Technology Roundtable). The report on this study is divided into six chapters and represent the problems identified by the TLTR, which form the foundation [core] on which the model and guidelines are based. The questions are as follows: • Who are we and how do we currently execute our core task? [How do we teach?] • Who are our clients and what are their needs? [How do they learn and how do they wish to be served?] • How could we use technology to facilitate our task and teach our students effectively without sacrificing quality? [What teaching-learning opportunities are there?] The theoretical study that provides the answers to the above questions is embodied in a model [guidelines] for the use of the Internet within a multi-mode educational approach. This model is then evaluated by 106 lecturers and 437 students to: • Determine the lecturer's attitude to the proposed model, • determine the lecturer's perception of the differences between on-line and contact instruction management, and • determine whether there are any differences in the learning experience(s) of students who receive instruction by means of an Internet-supported programme and students who receive contact instruction. Lastly, attention is given to a number of related findings and recommendations that flow forth from the study. These aspects also lead to recommendations on future research in this field. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Current socio-cultural and technological changes world-wide and their epistemological consequences in educational discourse form the study's backdrop. It is hypothesised that changes in our surroundings, globally and locally are inevitable. To make sense of evolving realities, our conceptual schemes should change. The latter problematic was investigated as part of analytic-philosophical research within the qualitative paradigm. This comprises an extensive literature study, disciplined subjectivity and consistent argumentation. A small scale document analysis of selected study material was conducted to ascertain the prevalent epistemology in the local context, the Faculty of Education, Unisa. Major findings emerged: In the field of Education, particularly in an Afrikaner research tradition, an essentialist and foundationalis! epistemology has prevailed. The latter assumptions of knowledge are typical of the Enlightenment paradigm and a Newtonian worldview. Furthermore these views were exacerbated by the academic isolation of the apartheid years and the limitations posed by distance education. Lecturers are often impoverished by their unfamiliarity with their students' life worlds, and a lack of exposure to the Other or 'difference'. A close link" between epistemology and the ability and willingness to participate in transformation processes exists. A transformed educational discourse is essential and should be reflected in a living educational theory, whereby assumptions of knowledge should exhibit integrity and wholeness. A relational ontology and a participatory worldview replace e substantialist ontology and a correspondence theory of tru!h. Assumptions of knowledge require ongoing contestation, whilst thinking modes and metaphors of an emerging paradigm can facilitate conceptual transformation in a postmodern, postindustrial world. Complexity theory yields alternative metaphors and modes of thinking conducive to a dynamic surrounding. Mechanistic metaphors should be replaced by an organic and dynamic discourse. A position, wherein humankind is regarded as 'opposite' of the world, is no longer useful. The metaphor of the hologram is appropriate. Emphasis is given to wholeness and ethical responsibility instead of prediction and control which led to the earth's exploitation. Scientific certainty gives way to nonlinearity and unpredictability within boundaries of patterns. Simultaneously this creates hope, because small inputs can eventually make a difference to an interconnected world. / Comparative Education / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Technology Degree in Information Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2014. / The implementation of Microsoft (MS) technologies and solutions as organisational infrastructure within the higher education arena has become a popular choice both internationally and within South Africa. With benefits such as reduced costs, improved productivity and improved service delivery to both staff and students, MS technologies and solutions seem to be the preferred choice for many institutions worldwide. The Durban University of Technology (DUT) was the first university of technology in South Africa to implement all nine MS technologies simultaneously. Since migration to the MS platform in 2009, DUT staff have raised concerns regarding the new solutions, particularly with reference to aspects such as security, accessibility, and reluctance to use self-help tools to improve their IT experience. Migrating from a non-integrated system to an integrated MS platform thus resulted in IT service delivery becoming a contentious issue. . This study discussed: the quality of IT service delivery regarding the MS infrastructure within the DUT; the types of MS technologies and solutions implemented; the resulting impact that these have had on the full time administrative and academic staff at the DUT; and their perceptions and expectations of IT service delivery. Using a mixed methods research approach and underpinned by the modified SERVQUAL framework viz. RATER, the quality of this service was investigated. This study yielded both positive and negative findings regarding expectations and perceptions of the quality of IT services. Results indicated that although staff were generally positive about the migration and satisfied with the resulting IT service delivery, there was room for improvement in terms of the quality of IT services offered by DUT’s Information Technology Support Services Department. Based on the findings, recommendations for improved IT service delivery (ITSD) and IT service management (ITSM) were proposed. It was also recommended that the framework deemed most suitable in the MS dominant IT infrastructure, is the MS Operations framework.