Purpose and research questions- This research was based on students enrolled on courses at Rhodes University's Centre for Social Development, an Institute delivering Early Childhood Development courses in the Grahamstown area. Having provided the students with access to a career path and its courses, it was imperative to assist the students to develop a standard of academic literacy comparable to that of in-service education students, in the Intermediate and Senior Phases. This study was influenced by Gee's (2004) definition of literacy as 'mastery over a discourse'. Gee (1990) termed discourse as the socially accepted way of thinking, believing and being. The study therefore investigated the enablers which assisted students to produce academic texts. This was achieved by finding out how the students and the course facilitators construct academic literacy; in other words what their discourses were regarding academic literacy. In order to ascertain this information, the students and the course facilitators were asked what reading and writing the students had done prior to enrolling on the course, what they had brought to the course, what the students and the course facilitators thought comprised a successful academic assignment, and how the students were supported in their academic literacy during the course. Data was gathered through interviews with both students and course facilitators, analysis of course assignments, and assessment reports written by the course facilitators. This data was analysed, looking for discourses on similarities and contradictions. Critical Discourse analysis was used to investigate the discourses that the course facilitators and students were using. Findings: It was evident from the data that the autonomous view of literacy was predominantly used. The course facilitators and, to a limited extent, the students, saw literacy as a set of technical skills that needed to be mastered. The students and course facilitators did not take into account that literacy is a social practice, and that literacy occurs within a particular social context and cultural context. The course facilitators tended to hold a deficit discourse related to the perception of inferior education under Bantu Education, which was seen as an inhibiting factor to academic literacy and academic success. The discourse of second language was also an issue that both the course facilitators and the students noted which prevented students' academic literacy. Christie's (1985) Received Tradition of Literacy, which focused on the forms and functions of literacy, was a discourse that both the students and the course facilitators ascribed to. Conclusions and recommendations: The course facilitators' and students' discourses were very similar, both being embedded within the autonomous and deficit models of literacy. It is recommended that course facilitators become cognisant with the models of academic literacy and that they become aware of the various discourses evident on the course and articulate these discourses for themselves. Furthermore they should assist the students by clearly articulating and unpacking the course requirements regarding academic literary.

Thesis (MEd )--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is an interpretive formative evaluation of a Professional Development Programme in Environmental Education. The specific aim of the study was to evaluate the extent to which the programme has enabled professional development of teachers; the degree to which the processes of this specific Professional Development Programme (PDP) has enabled implementation and the nature and the amount of take- up of the PDP processes. The data for this research were generated through semi structured interviews, focus group discussions and observations of teachers‘ projects. Thematic analysis was used as a method of data analysis. Constructivist, formative evaluation informed the epistemology and ontological perspectives that guided data analysis and interpretation and discussions that were made in this research. Data indicate that professional development programmes involving various stakeholders need to be well controlled and co-ordinated. Communication and motivation need to be integrated into the PD programme by the leadership. The Professional Development Programme was done in isolation and lacked a deep epistemological and ontological grounding, showing minimal research in the process therefore, the communication and motivation need to be integrated into the PD programme by the leadership. Department of Education officials indicated that they were not involved in the planning stage and fulfilled more of a management and co-ordination role. They were not able to monitor the process because they were not informed or assisted to develop a monitoring tool and besides their workload prohibited them from doing so. Teachers reflected various dimensions of take-up from the programme but they were not able to realize the action project (except in two schools). Teachers expressed difficulties in implementing the programme because of full schedules and curriculum commitments in school programmes. This research has presented the sentiments of the respondents (participants) in this PDP and has come to the conclusion that this Professional Development Programme has potential and improving aspects of it (see chapter 6) will go a long way towards improving the sustainability of this programme, and improving the quality of teachers that are trained in this kind of programme and even beyond. The PDP has enabled professional development in many ways (See chapter 4 on take-up). However, monitoring and implementation came out clear as those aspects of professional development in the programme that require much attention if the programme is to improve and become more sustainable. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis behels 'n verklarende, formatiewe evaluering van 'n Professionele ontwikkelingsprogram in Omgewingsonderwys. Die hoofdoel van die studie was om die mate waarin die program onderwysers in staat gestel het om professioneel te ontwikkel, te evalueer insluitende die mate waarin die prosesse van die spesifieke Professionele Ontwikkelings Program(POP), implementering in staat gestel het, asook die aard en hoeveelheid opnames van die POP-prosesse. Die data van die navorsing is verkry deur semi gestruktureerde onderhoude, fokusgroep besprekings en waarnemings van onderwysers se projekte. Tematiese analise is as metode van die data analise gebruik. Konstruktivistiese-, formatiewe evaluering het die Epistemologiese en Ontologiese perspektiewe bekend gestel wat data analise en interpretasies en besprekings wat tydens die navorsing gemaak is, gelei het. Data dui daarop dat Professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme wat verskeie belanghebbendes insluit, goed beheer en gekoördineer moet wees. Kommunikasie en motivering moet ingesluit word in die POP-program deur die leiers. Die Professionele ontwikkelingsprogram is in isolasie uitgevoer en het 'n aansienlike gebrek aan Epistemologiese en Ontologiese begronding gewys wat minimale navorsing in die proses getoon het. Kurrikulum Adviseurs het aangedui dat hulle nie betrokke was vanaf die beplanningstadium nie en dat hulle ‘n bestuur en koördineringsrol vertolk het. Hulle was nie in staat gewees om die proses te monitor nie, aangesien hulle nie ingelig of gehelp is in die ontwikkeling van 'n moniteringsinstrument nie, wyl hul werklading hulle ook verhoed het om dit te doen. Onderwysers het verskeie dimensies van opnames vanuit die program getoon maar kon nie die aksie projek laat realiseer nie (behalwe in twee skole). Onderwysers het probleme in die implementering van die program getoon weens vol programme en kurrikulum verpligtinge binne die skool programme. Hierdie navorsing het deur om die sentimente van die respondente (deelnemers) in die POP te vertoon, tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat hierdie professionele ontwikkelingsprogram die vermoë het en met die verbetering van sekere aspekte daarvan (sien hoofstuk 6), ver sal gaan in die verbetering van volhoubaarheid van die program, en deur die verbetering van die huidige onderwysers se kwaliteit wat opgelei is in hierdie program. Die POP het in baie opsigte professionele ontwikkeling tot gevolg gehad (sien hoofstuk 4 oor opnames). Nietemin het monitering en implementering duidelik na vore gekom as professionele ontwikkelings aspekte,wat indien nie genoegsame aandag verkry, die program geweldig kan laat misluk.

Thesis (Ph. D. (Educational Administration) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / Refer to the document

M.Cur. / The South African Nursing Council requires that a student nurse, when following a course which leads to registration as a nurse (general, psychiatric and community) and midwife, must receive instruction in environmental health. A conceptual framework was compiled after a literature study to create possible subject content and practical learning opportunities which belong in the curriculum of the student nurse. During an investigation in part into environmental health aspects in the Southern Transvaal Region the following was accomplished: - The theoretical subject content with regard to environmental health was identified. - The practical learning opportunities to which a student nurse must be subjected were determined. - A guide was compiled which can serve as a manual to persons who are involved in the 1nstruction of student nurses in environmental health. It is clear that health inspectors desire greater participation in the instruction of student nurses in environmental health than is the case at present. In order to create a more significant environmental health component in the curriculum of the student nurse some recommendations were made. Remediation will therefore become a reality in the implementation of the recommendations. Primary recommendations include the following: - Greater participation by health inspectors in the instruction of student nurses in environmental health. - The subject content of environmental health. - Learning opportunities which can be planned for the practical instruction of student nurses in environmental health.

The purpose of this project is to develop a training manual that will provide a common foundation for all faculty, regardless of their academic field and to take a comprehensive approach to teaching and understanding environmental education within the context of different cultures. It looks at what shapes environmental attitudes and how these attitudes vary between cultures.

This study investigated perceptions of preservice primary student teachers of their teacher preparatory program. In particular, the study wanted to find out if the Philosophy of Kagisano, which encompasses the five national principles of democracy, development, self-reliance, unity, and botho, was integrated in the training of the preservice primary student teachers. The study addressed the following three research questions: 1. How do preservice primary student teachers perceive their preparatory program, including the integration of the national principles? 2. What pedagogical methods/teaching strategies and assessment techniques do teacher educators in primary colleges use? 3. How do primary teacher educators integrate the national principles (philosophy of Kagisano) throughout the program, including in their content, teaching strategies and assessment techniques? This qualitative case study used semi-structured, in-depth interviews with the participants, document analysis and classroom observations for collecting the data. Seventeen preservice student teachers at Fellow College of Education in Botswana were interviewed individually. These were third and final year students with a specialty in Social Studies. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and the grounded theory was used to analyze the data. The findings indicated that preservice teachers were taught “more” theory than application. The content that was taught at the College of Education was a repetition of the junior and senior secondary school content. The study also found that college lecturers do integrate the five national principles of democracy, development, self-reliance, unity, and botho in their content, and teaching strategies but did not integrate them in their assessment techniques. Furthermore, the study found that some inconsistency in the grading of students’ work existed. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Educational Studies

This study is contextualised within the field of post-graduate, continuing teacher education, and the vibrant and demanding policy context that has characterised higher education in post-apartheid South Africa. Situated within a module specifically designed to address what is commonly understood to be the academic literacy development needs of students in the Bachelor of Education Honours programme at the former University of Natal, it aims to unveil the lived experiences of students taking this module. The module, Reading and Writing Academic Texts (RWAT), was developed in direct response to academics’ call that something be done about the ‘problem’ of students’ reading and writing proficiency. As a core, compulsory module, RWAT was informed by Systemic Functional Linguistics and drew on Genre Theory for its conceptual and theoretical framework. It foregrounded the genre of the academic argument as the key academic literacy that was taught. The motivation for this study came from my own increasing concern that the theoretical and conceptual framework we had adopted for the module was emerging as an inherently limiting and formulaic model of literacy, and was resulting in students exiting the module with little or no ‘critical’ perspective on any aspect of literacy as social practice. I was also keen, in a climate of increasing de-personalisation and the massification of education, to reinstate the personal. Thus, I chose to focus on individual lives, and through an exploration of a small group of participants’ ‘lived’ experiences of the RWAT module, ascertain what it is like to acquire an academic literacy. The key research question is, therefore: What is it like to acquire an academic literacy? The secondary research question is: How is this experience influenced by the mode of delivery in which it occurs? For its conceptual and theoretical framing, this study draws on social literacy theory and phenomenology, the latter as both a philosophy and a methodology. However, although the study has drawn significantly on the phenomenological tradition for inspiration and direction, it has not done so uncritically. Thus, the study engages with phenomenology-as-philosophy in great depth before turning to phenomenology-as-methodology, in order to arrive at a point where the methods and procedures applied in it, are justified. The main findings of the study suggest that, despite the RWAT module espousing an ideological model (Street, 1984) of literacy in its learning materials and readings, participants came very much closer to experiencing an autonomous model of literacy (Street, 1984). The data shows that the RWAT module was largely inadequate to the task of inducting participants into the ‘situated practices’ and ‘situated meanings’ of the Discourse of Genre Theory and/or the academy, hence the many ‘lived’ difficulties participants experienced. The data also highlights the ease with which an autonomous model of literacy can come to govern practice and student experience even when curriculum intention is underpinned by an ideological position on literacy as social practice. Finally, the study suggests that the research community in South Africa, characterised as it is by such diversity, would be enriched by more studies derived from phenomenology, and a continuing engagement with phenomenology-as-a-movement in order to both challenge and expand its existing framework.

In this study, it is argued that a bi/multilingual instruction is extremely beneficial for bi/multilingual students in higher education in South Africa. Since the adoption of democracy in 1994, cultural and linguistic diversity has become the norm in classrooms at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth. The testing of bi/multilingual strategies in this study (i.e. translation and development of multilingual glossaries; code-switching by tutor and students during teaching and learning; code-meshing by students online; and reading, speaking and writing bilingually), is an attempt to pedagogically adapt the curriculum to students’ needs. The data was collected from students in their Tourism Communication tutorial. The study was conducted in order to demonstrate that students benefit from bilingual pedagogies, which mobilise isiXhosa and English as languages of learning. Data was collected from tests, a questionnaire and interview, summaries, online discussions, written assignments and reflective journals in order to determine to what extent students’ performance was enhanced by bilingual tuition.

The internationalization of distance learning in special education is at a pivotal point in expansion. Even with concerted efforts through traditional means to increase the supply of special educators, shortages persist; therefore, teacher preparation programs are turning to online education. This dissertation study was a formative program evaluation of a bilingual, two-course sequence within a web-based special education master's program offered at the University of North Texas (UNT), in Denton, Texas, and at the Universidad Casa Grande (UCG) in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The research design was based on the unfolding model of program evaluation, and it included mixed-methods of data collection. The model focused attention on (1) scientific evidence, (2) cost-benefit differential, (3) underlying values, and, (4) unintended consequences. Data came from archived documents as well as six semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and survey data from 23 student participants. The findings for the general-orientation course, Special Education Programs and Practices, revealed mixed results concerning multicultural awareness on the part of student participants. However, it seemed to have influenced their lesson design and made a difference in other areas. Some multicultural awareness concepts frequented the discussion board. The specialized course, Assistive Technology, which had more frequent communication between UNT and UCG on the discussion board, suggested larger increases in students' multicultural awareness. With respect to both courses, the stakeholders recommended that the structure be strengthened for non-bilingual instructors and students to be able to communicate more freely. Translation issues were a top priority in both courses. The study has implications for other international distance education programs.

Thesis (PhD (Education)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / 334 leaves single sided printed, preliminary pages i-xiv and numbered pages 1-322. Includes bibliography, abbreviations and list of figures. / Scanned using a Hp Scanjet 8250 Scanner to pdf format (OCR). / ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The world is at a rapid pace being confronted with the need to shift national education policies that reflect basic human rights, with equity and fairness to the forefront. Along side of this herald are demonstrations of active mobilizations on the part of institutions of higher learning to "internationalize" their policies and programs to help to produce global citizens that effectively interact in international settings. As South Africa experiences changing scenes in educational reform government officials, practitioners, and educators face a number of challenges. Particularly, those related to cultural interactions when engaging in activities across the diaspora of school environments. Often these challenges serve as impediments to open communication, understanding and sensitivity amongst diverse cultural groups. As these impediments are faced in classrooms teachers increasingly find themselves at a deficit to adequately host learning environments conducive to its participants. Institutions of higher learning have a responsibility to provide the kind of intercultural dialog that entrenches policies and program curricula that speak to the needs of diverse communities, in particular those preparing future teachers. The research introduces the concept of global education communities to contribute towards shaping the kind of institutions that provide opportunities for students to practice, and become skilled in intercultural understanding. The research also raises serious discussion through the proposal of the elements of intercultural education towards contributive measures to address intercultural education, communication, and training. A case study of a four year pre-service general education training program (BEd GET) at the University Stellenbosch was conducted to trace and examine the presence of intercultural education. Data was collected by means of triangulated document analysis, interviews, and questionnaires. The research looked to a metaphoric analogy using Appreciative Inquiry, power with, and elements of intercultural education. The data was analyzed using qualitative strategies including classification and category construction, with imaginative variation and heuristic inquiry. The findings revealed that themes from intercultural education found expression or appearance in some aspects of the program outcomes, various module offerings, and teacher practice and approaches of the BEd GET curriculum. While the research also revealed that intercultural education does not appear to be a wholly attended pedagogy and practice in the GET program, the findings and interpretations revealed that intercultural education has numerous opportunities for expression and appearance to lay foundations for intercultural practice in theory. Another dimension of the research also revealed that students and lecturers collectively were not familiar with the concept of intercultural education, nor could a distinction between multicultural, and intercultural education be made. Furthermore, students' understandings and feelings reveal some resistance to themes in cultural diversity. The findings seem to reveal a need to incorporate strategies that raise intercultural consciousness. In view of the University of Stellenbosch's plan to internationalize, the findings present critical implications and recommendations toward incorporating intercultural pedagogy and practice into the methodological framework of the BEd General Education program. It finally poses future program and module development with respects to intercultural education and practice through the suggested use of the Hammer and Bennett's (1998, 2002) Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wereld word teen 'n versnelde tempo gekonfronteer met die noodsaaklikheid om nasionale onderwysbeleid wat menseregte, veral billikheid en regverdigheid, op die voorgrond stel. Saam met hierdie oproep is daar aanduidings van die mobilisering van institusies van hoer opvoeding om hu1le beleid en programme te "internasionaliseer" om burgers te vorm wat effektief met 'n globale wereld kan omgaan. Soos wat Suid-Afiika veranderende situasies ervaar in onderwyshervorming, word amptenare, praktisyns, opvoeders en ander betrokke in onderwysgemeenskappe gekonfronteer met 'n verskeidenheid uitdagings. Veral die verbonde aan kulturele interaksies betrokke by 'n diaspora van skoolomgewings. Die uitdagings dien dikwels as hindernisse vir oop kommunikasie, begrip en sensitiwiteit tussen verskillende kulturele groepe. In besonder wanneer hierdie hindernisse in klaskamers aangedurf word deur onderwysers wat meesal self 'n tekort aan voldoende leerervaring het om leeromgewings in belang van die deelnemers te fasiliteer. Hoeronderwys institusies het 'n verantwoordelikheid om beleid en programkurrikula te voorsien wat interkulturele dialoog verskans wat spreek tot die behoeftes van diverse gemeenskappe, veral die wat voornemende onderwysers voorberei. Die navorsing stel die konsep globale onderwysgemeenskappe voor om by te dra tot die vorming van institusies wat geleenthede skep vir studente om interkulturele begrip te oefen en vaardig daarin te word. Die navorsing stel elemente van interkulturele onderwys voor wat kan dien tot die bevordering van dialogiese betrokkenheid in interkulturele onderwys, kommunikasie en opleiding. 'n Gevallestudie van 'n vierjaar voordiens algemene onderwysprogram (BEd Algemeen) by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch was ondemeem vir spore van en om die voorkoms van interkulturele onderwys in oenskou te neem. Data is versamel deur middel van 'n getrianguleerde dokument analise, onderhoude en vraelyste. Die navorsing kyk na 'n metaforiese analogie waarin waarderende ondersoek, mag-met, en elemente van interkulturele onderwys gebruik is. Vir die analise van die data is kwalitatiewe strategiee gebruik, wat klassifikasie en kategorie konstruksie in kombinasie met verbeeldingsryke variasie en heuristiese ondersoek insluit. Die bevindings toon dat temas van interkulturele onderwys uitdrukking vind of verskyn in aspekte van die programuitkomste, verskillende module aanbiedings, en onderwys praktyke en benaderings van die BEd Algemeen kurrikulum. Terwyl ook bevind is dat interkulturele onderwys nie werklik in die pedagogie en praktyk van die program figureer nie, toon die interpretasie talle geleenthede om interkulturele praktyk te vestig en tot uitdrukking te bring. 'n Ander faset van die navorsing het getoon dat studente en lektore kollektief nie bekend is met die konsep van interkulturele onderwys nie, en dat dit nie onderskei kon word van multikulturele nie. Boonop, het studente se begrip en gevoelens 'n neiging tot verset teenoor temas van kulturele diversiteit getoon. Die bevindinge suggereer 'n behoefte aan die insluiting van strategiee om interkulturele bewussyn te verhoog. In die lig van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch se planne om te internasionaliseer, hou die bevindinge kritiese implikasies en aanbevelings in vir die inkorporasie van interkulturele pedagogie en praktyk in die metodologiese raamwerk van die BEd Algemeen-program. Dit stel die ontwikkeling van modules in interkulturele onderwys en praktyk voor deur die gebruik van Hammer en Bennett se (1998,2002) Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).