Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2001. / The aim of this study was to examine the impact of socio-economic factors on scholastic performance (achievement) ofleamers in the secondary school. The study was conducted in the Southern Region of the Northern Province, in the Nebo District. The Southern Regio which is made up of basically Nebo and Sekhukhune, forms part of the former Lebowa and is basically rural. A literature study was-conducted, which unravelled and brought into surface factors of social and economic nature, which are contrary to effective learning and contributes towards poor performance, especially in public secondary schools. Literature study revealed that learners from disadvantaged backgrounds especially in the rural communities have their learning process heavily affected and disturbed by social and economic factors. An empirical survey was also conducted to establish the views and opinions of parents, educators and the learners themselves. A qualitative research method was used. Letebele Marishane Secondary School in Ngwaritsi circuit was used as a case study. Educators completed questionnaire whilst learners and parents were engaged in focus group interviews (discussion groups). Information gathered through observations was also taken into account. Both the literature review and the empirical survey agreed that the learner's background that is his/her family, home environment; his/her neighbourhood and other factors of economic and social nature can impact positively or negatively on performance in the classroom. That is, according to information gathered, learners from advantaged backgrounds stand a better chance in the classroom than learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is evident therefore that poverty that prevails amongst the rural communities impacts on learning and performance in the examination and other classroom activities.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Mathematics Education)) -- UNiversity of Limpopo, 2013 / In this study, I presented the exploration of Mpho’s growth in mathematical understanding. Mpho is a grade 10 mathematics learner. To fulfil such, a qualitative research method was employed. I explored her growth in understandings in the context of co-ordinate geometry, exponents, and functions. Data generation, management and representation were guided by the notion of teaching experiments. Analysis was done through mapping learner’s growth of mathematical understanding using Pirie-Kieren’s (1994) model. Findings suggest that learner’s growth in mathematical understanding can be observed, mapped and improved with the aid of probing questions.

Thesis (MEd. (Mathematics Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / In this study, I presented the exploration of Mpho’s growth in mathematical understanding. Mpho is a grade 10 mathematics learner. To fulfil such, a qualitative research method was employed. I explored her growth in understandings in the context of co-ordinate geometry, exponents, and functions. Data generation, management and representation were guided by the notion of teaching experiments. Analysis was done through mapping learner’s growth of mathematical understanding using Pirie-Kieren’s (1994) model. Findings suggest that learner’s growth in mathematical understanding can be observed, mapped and improved with the aid of probing questions.

D. Tech. Education / Language is considered to be a crucial means of gaining access to knowledge and skills. It is the key to cognitive development which promotes or impedes scholastic success. Communicative or language competence refers to the capacity of persons to select, recognise and organise the language variety appropriate to the occasion, situation and subject matter at hand. Language competency assists learners to construct and integrate acquired information to one's own understanding. It is therefore pivotal to encourage education reforms through core knowledge that building a strong oral language and early development could result in future academic success. This study examined the influence of language competence on the academic achievement of Grade 12 learners in selected schools of the Capricorn District (Limpopo Province in South Africa). The purpose of this study was to establish the challenges that learners and educators experience in communicating for teaching and learning purposes. The study also investigated the language factors that influence their academic achievement.

Thesis (Ph. D. (Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The purpose of this research was to investigate teachers’ professional proficiency in terms of geography as a subject and English as the language of learning and teaching, the level of difficulty of the textbooks in terms of their difficulty of terminologies and structure, and the impact of code-switching from LoLT into local African languages on learners’ growth in geographical terminologies and communicativeness in English thinking in geography. These issues were considered by the researcher as barriers to learning and teaching of geography in grade 12 in the Limpopo Province. For the investigation of the barriers, the researcher chose research design comprising qualitative, quantitative, explorative and descriptive approaches pertinent to the study. The central figure in the investigation was the learner; the study was underpinned by the constructivist approach. The researcher considered triangulation of methods when gathering data due to the comprehensiveness of the sought data. The method employed was to gather literature on similar studies conducted by scholars elsewhere to shed light to the researcher of the problem under investigation. Structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, participant observations were used to collect data on focal learning and teaching activities. The researcher was keen in determining how teachers employed their preferred methods of teaching geography and the attitudes and perceptions of the learners to the activities that were part of the lessons. The researcher involved (n=16) subject teachers, and administered a 20-item questionnaire to learners. (n=407) responded to a 15-item questionnaire. Curriculum teachers (n=10) were interviewed separately from the pool of the said (n=16), subject advisers (n=2) were interviewed to provide first-hand experience. The findings affirmed that there was poor professional proficiency; textbooks were a recognized learning barrier to second language English learners in terms of the difficulty of the language which was linked to geographical concepts coined in English, teachers’ lack of linguistic competence in LoLT to supplement the difficult textbooks. The result was that this led to resorting to code-switching that deprived learners of practice in the language to attain effective learning and good performance in examinations.

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies / See the attached abstract below

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)

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2012 / The aim of this is to investigate the factors which play a role in the poor performance of the Grade 12 in the secondary schools in the Mogalakwena Circuit of the Limpopo Province. The researcher engaged a qualitative type of methodology. An interview schedule was compiled. A semi-structured interview was conducted on the subject of research. Secondary schools were sampled for the interview process. Data were analyzed manually and mechanically. Factors affecting learner performance were found to be basic. The human and material demands were found to be inhibiting learning. Solutions from within and without the schools were recommended to help reduce the problem of Grade12 failure rate.

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)

Please read the abstract in the 00front part of this document / Thesis (PhD (Comparative Pedagogics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted