M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract.

M.A. (Applied Linguistics) / The aim of this study is to point out how visual literacy can enhance the learning process, especially relating to study by means of distance education. The concepts of literacy and visual literacy are defined and discussed. Special attention is paid to the concept of academic literacy and what it entails. The conclusion is reached that visual literacy's an integral part of literacy as traditionally defined, and that no-one can be truly literate in the media-oriented society in which we live, without being visually literate. The concept of distance education is explored and recent developments at Technikon SA are outlined,as well as difficulties experienced by students who study through distance education. The discussion is focused on reasons why students enter the tertiary education system under prepared and why levels of visual literacy are generally very low. The pictorial approach to the design and production of study material for distance education is explained and discussed. Various visual elements of study material are discussed with regard to the promotion of leaning and the development of visual literacy. Recommendations are made pertaining mainly to the design and production of study material at Technikon SA. Low levels of visual literacy tend to be overlooked in current development of study material. The process of visual literacy development should be integral to the objectives of study material design.

M.Ed. / A number of studies has shown that adult education is a matter of great concern in South Africa, and the Northern Province has been earmarked as one of the regions with which needs thorough redressing and restitution of equality. This is because this region is constituted of rural areas characterised by poverty, unemployment and lack of proper housing and infrastructure. Many adults, most of hem middle-aged, and teenagers are illiterate because they either missed out on school or dropped out of school. It therefore becomes important that, given the situation in the province, ABET centres and relevant programmes be established and provided in order to fight against illiteracy. The literature shows that good provision in adult education should go hand in hand with the identification and assessment of the needs of adult learners. Whatever investigation is made on the needs of adult learners, the social and cultural background of the learner should be considered because it is the context which guides and influences expression of their needs. This suggests that appropriate methods for conducting ABET needs assessment should be selected and used - methods which will adapt to the background of the adult learners. The aim of this study, therefore, is to describe the process of conducting a needs assessment for the development of a programme for adult learners using the hermeneutic-dialectic methodology, and simultaneously assessing the viability of this methodology for developing appropriate needs assessment instruments in rural areas of South Africa. This study was approached from a constructivist (interpretive) perspective. This perspective is one which asserts that there exists multiple realities which are socially constructed. Within this perspective, the hermeneutic-dialectic methodology is suggested as a way of conducting research. Using this methodology as a framework, the open interview method was used in order to elicit constructions of participants. It became evident that the hermeneutic-dialectic methodology may be one of the appropriate methodologies which can be used for conducting needs assessment in rural areas. This is because the methodology adapts to the social and cultural background of the adult learners.

M.Ed. (Subject Didactics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Phil. (Adult and Community Education) / The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996: 13) stipulates that everyone has the right to Basic Education and Training and to Further Education and Training, which the state through reasonable measures must make progressively available and accessible to all citizens. It has often been acknowledged that a well-developed Adult Basic Education and Training sector in the country could make a major contribution to South Africa's economic growth and general social development. The Adult Basic Education and Training Sector is meant to address the transformation of "night schools" into meaningful Adult Basic Education and Training centres. In 1997 the Department of Education adopted a framework for the implementation of Adult Basic Education and Training. This multi-year plan, informed the development of Adult Basic Education and Training plans at provincial level. Therefore, the Gauteng Department of Education's Adult Basic Education and Training plan set out a multi-level programme of action for four years, (1997-2000), which plan has now been strengthened by the promulgation of Adult Basic Education and Training Act No. 52 of 2000. The plan strategy as stipulated by the Department of Education (1997:4) sought to provide strategic direction for the transformation of Adult Basic Education and Training Centres in order to respond to the Education and Training needs of the citizens of this country. The plan also identified priorities, including timeframes that guide the restructuring of the sector. The policy framework as stated above, is quite clear in terms of what needs to be done to restructure and transform Adult Basic Education and Training centres. However these centres remain untouched by the envisaged developments. The pace at which change is happening is very slow. Therefore, this study sought to establish what are the stumbling blocks to the reorganisation of these Adult Basic Education and Training centres.

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

D.Ed. / This research project lasting from 1994-1996 is a comprehensive description and evaluation of the environmental education programme offered at Delta Environmental Centre. It is an evaluative case study of a progamme in environmental education. The principal aim of the project was to evaluate the environmental education programme offered by Delta. This was achieved through a comprehensive description and documentation of the various features/aspects of the programme. Because the research is based upon the Fourth Generation Evaluation approach (Guba & Lincoln 1989:50/252), the views, claims, concerns of the Delta Environmental Education Officers and other significant stakeholders form the major part of the research. Through interviews, factors influencing the programme and some aspects of the Centre were elicited by the research process. Both the Environmental Education Officers and the other stakeholders (Sponsors, the Honorary President and founder of the Centre, the Chairman, the former Chief Executive of Delta and the former Chief Educationalist) made important and valid recommendations which, if taken serious by the management of the Centre, will influence the future direction of the Centre. From the available documents such as internal educational reports, newsletters, magazines and pamphlets, together with the interviews conducted, the history and development of the Centre and its environmental education activities was revealed. The Centre has changed over the years and the changes are reflected on the many mission statements the Centre has produced. These are reviewed on an ongoing basis to keep up with changes in environmental education. This has led to very successful educational activities reflected in the methods employed by the Officers and the content of the programme. The methodology is central to the teaching and learning at the Centre. It emerged from the interviews, that the instructional strategies are varied and geared to different age levels and backgrounds of the groups. Creative teaching methods such as dramatisation, games and role play (Shongwe 1992b:44) are used very effectively at the Centre. In addition to such methods is observation, self-discovery, hands-on activities and experiential learning where pupils are given the opportunity to experience and encounter natural features of Delta Park. The pupils visiting the Centre bring along certain experiences, needs and expectations that should be recognised by the Environmental Education Officers if effective teaching and learning is to be achieved. The pupils, through a questionnaire, articulate these and this is one area that needs further investigation and formal research. The role of the Centre was explained, priorities were set and recommendations for improvement were made by both the Environmental Education Officers and the other stakeholders. It is recommended that the Centre should go beyond the teaching foundations of ecology to issues that are more relevent to the day to day living of people. The programme should incorporate more problem solving skills that will assist the pupils to solve real problems back at home. Teachers should be exposed to environmental management techniques which might be translated into the promotion of environmental values and ethics as part of the day to day running of schools. Techniques such as how to draw and implement an Environmental Management System (EMS), an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and to conducts environmental audits at school be promoted. The programme has changed over the years for the better. Among other factors, the working conditions, the personality of the Officers and their outonomy, are the main contributing factors influencing the effectiveness of the Centre and its environmental education programme. These are unique findings as there is no evidence from literature that this has ever been articulated. The research confirms the relevance of qualitative research and the use of the case study approach as most appropriate for research in environmental education. Fourth Generation Evaluation is also most suitable for an evaluation of an environmental education programme. Finally, the research recognises the contributions by the Centre towards the development of environmental education in this country on non-formal basis and argues for a balance between this approach and formal education. The research concludes that the environmental education programme at Delta is effective and based upon sound environmental and educational principles. High and strong commendations to the staff and the management of the Centre. The Centre is one of the most important and well suited establishment to facilitate the incorporation of environmental education in the formal curriculum.

M.Ed. (Media Studies) / This study on the utilization of radio and television in formal education has been undertaken for the following reasons: the 1981 HSRC reports on education placed particular emphasis on educational technology of which radio and television are important components; to date little research has been done on this subject in the RSA; in formal education in overseas countries similar problems to those experienced in the RSA are relieved to a large extend through the implementation of radio and television; no television programmes are broadcast during school hours in the RSA, thus making this communication channel available for direct lesson transmission. A number of overseas radio and television projects on formal teaching have been studied with the aim to determine which general tendencies could be singled out on these projects. From these projects particular conclusions have been drawn on the following: viability; resistance against such projects; other media that have been used with radio and television; target groups which could be reached; changes which would have to be effected in the conventional education programme; contact with groups of experts; possible ways to implementation and the role of research. A number of conclusions were reached, amongst others the following: radio and television have to be implemented in formal education in the RSA as soon as possible; radio and television programmes in formal education must initially be aimed selectively at those target groups where the greatest need for such programmes exist; producers of programmes for formal education must co-operate with experts. in relevant fields of study; provision has to be made for the training and retraining of teachers who will employ radio and television programmes. Finally a number of recommendations were made concerning the research which will be imperative for the successful implementation of radio and television in formal education in the RSA.

M.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract