Master of Science / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Stephanie Rolley / More than 5% of the 65 and older population utilize nursing homes, congregate care, assisted living, and board-and-care homes, with about 4.2% of these individuals occupying nursing homes at any given time (Administration on Aging, 2008). The rate of nursing home use generally increases with age and studies have shown that by the year 2030, the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults over the age of 65 is expected to be nearly 3 million (SAGE, 2010). With this overall increase in potential resident populations, those aging adults who identify as LGBT are faced with additional unique challenges commonly not encountered by their heterosexual counterparts. The majority of LGBT elders fear they will experience discrimination in long-term care organizations, with more than half maintaining that staff or even other residents will abuse or neglect them (Knochel, et al., 2010). Unrevised long-term care organizational rules combined with prejudice and hostile treatment from staff members can create unwelcoming environments for LGBT elders who are generally unable to advocate for themselves. Challenges that aging LGBT adults face in long-term care settings will be reviewed and discussed in this report. In addition, this report will provide educational guidelines to assist long-term care organizations in developing an educational model targeted at addressing LGBT elders’ concerns. When staff within a long-term care community lack proper training on and understanding of LGBT concerns, it can negatively affect the quality of care provided to these members. As such, the educational guidelines will encourage an educational model incorporating cultural competency training among the long-term care staff and organizational leadership, and will utilize community development principles to ensure inclusiveness and increase social capital.

This study developed a Methodology for the systematic and strategic fostering of creativity in graphic design education at university level. The thesis identified four social-psychological factors that have an effect on graphic design students' creative ability, namely their level of intrinsic motivation for creative activities; their ability to maintain autonomous, self-regulative behaviour that is conducive to creativity; a healthy self-belief in their creative ability and the minimization of negative stress in the educational milieu where creative tasks are undertaken. Each of these factors imply a range of strategies that may be used to maintain and stimulate creativity in graphic design education, such as the use of certain types of feedback, evaluation procedures that supports creativity, the creation of a safe, democratic, non-controlling classroom climate or the deliberate use of music and humoristic activities in the educational milieu. Additionally, a range of cognitive strategies that may be used for idea generation in graphic design are proposed. They include divergent thinking techniques, such as 'Random Association'; 'Morphological Synthesis'; 'Metaphors and Analogies'; 'Mind-mapping'; 'Idea Checklist'; 'Visual Thinking' and 'Sense Connections'. Each technique is described in terms of its unique methodology, advantages, creative potential and its applicability to graphic design. The study also proposes a tactical approach to the creative process, suggesting various cognitive strategies that may be used for each phase of the creative process. These strategies ensure that the whole spectrum of cognitive activities required for the successful production of a creative product is executed. The sum of these cognitive and social-psychological strategies provided the basis for the development -of two theoretical constructs that may be implemented as part of an undergraduate graphic design curriculum to cultivate creativity in students. They are: (1) a Learning Program in Creativity studies that consists of a number of study units and aims to provide tuition in the theoretical foundation that students need to enhance their creative ability (2) a range of General Guidelines that aim to provide educators with a range of didactic strategies and practices to support and stimulate creative ability in graphic design students. / Thesis (Ph.D. (History of Arts))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

This study developed a Methodology for the systematic and strategic fostering of creativity in graphic design education at university level. The thesis identified four social-psychological factors that have an effect on graphic design students' creative ability, namely their level of intrinsic motivation for creative activities; their ability to maintain autonomous, self-regulative behaviour that is conducive to creativity; a healthy self-belief in their creative ability and the minimization of negative stress in the educational milieu where creative tasks are undertaken. Each of these factors imply a range of strategies that may be used to maintain and stimulate creativity in graphic design education, such as the use of certain types of feedback, evaluation procedures that supports creativity, the creation of a safe, democratic, non-controlling classroom climate or the deliberate use of music and humoristic activities in the educational milieu. Additionally, a range of cognitive strategies that may be used for idea generation in graphic design are proposed. They include divergent thinking techniques, such as 'Random Association'; 'Morphological Synthesis'; 'Metaphors and Analogies'; 'Mind-mapping'; 'Idea Checklist'; 'Visual Thinking' and 'Sense Connections'. Each technique is described in terms of its unique methodology, advantages, creative potential and its applicability to graphic design. The study also proposes a tactical approach to the creative process, suggesting various cognitive strategies that may be used for each phase of the creative process. These strategies ensure that the whole spectrum of cognitive activities required for the successful production of a creative product is executed. The sum of these cognitive and social-psychological strategies provided the basis for the development -of two theoretical constructs that may be implemented as part of an undergraduate graphic design curriculum to cultivate creativity in students. They are: (1) a Learning Program in Creativity studies that consists of a number of study units and aims to provide tuition in the theoretical foundation that students need to enhance their creative ability (2) a range of General Guidelines that aim to provide educators with a range of didactic strategies and practices to support and stimulate creative ability in graphic design students. / Thesis (Ph.D. (History of Arts))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Value and character education possess the inherent building blocks for the preservation of a healthy society. It is the art of life that keeps the environment friendly, free and safe allowing earth's inhabitants to play, to live and to work in peace. Value and character education possess values that remove evil from society and institutions such as schools, colleges, universities, etc. One of the primary aims of value and character education is to allow learners to experience life at its' fullest. The main purpose of this study is the development of an effective character building program for a specific further education and training college. It is obvious from the available literature that society is experiencing a crisis regarding values, character and morality. The decline of human and societal values portrayed in the media has compelled the current government to initiate a value educational program in schools. The values of the government however, are focused on nation building, democracy and human rights with the purpose of overcoming the inequalities and injustices of the apartheid system. However, the inhabitants of South Africa seek more than aspects based on democracy, nation building and human rights. They seek values that promote moral behaviour, values of work ethics and values that are aimed at developing their full potential. Value and character education could probably ensure the provision of a successful life and future for today's youth. The researcher has therefore investigated and analysed the precise meanings of the following terms: values, norms, principles, standards, ethics, character education, values education. Various character educational programs that succeeded in oversees countries were also studied. Focus was also given to educational guidelines including principles, outcomes and promising practices that the lecturer could use in the classroom to stimulate the students and to promote character education. To determine what the present value orientation of the students are, a questionnaire was compiled for further education and training colleges in the North-West Province. To ascertain the opinions and contributions of values education and character education, semi-structured interviews were held with the student council, the head of the support services and an official of the student support services. The overall aim of the study is: To create a character-building program for further education and training colleges after establishing the value orientation of the students. This empirical research has pointed out specific problem areas and has shown that it is not only essential but also urgent to implement a value and character educational program for further education and training colleges. Guidelines for such a program have been set on the basis of this study. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Value and character education possess the inherent building blocks for the preservation of a healthy society. It is the art of life that keeps the environment friendly, free and safe allowing earth's inhabitants to play, to live and to work in peace. Value and character education possess values that remove evil from society and institutions such as schools, colleges, universities, etc. One of the primary aims of value and character education is to allow learners to experience life at its' fullest. The main purpose of this study is the development of an effective character building program for a specific further education and training college. It is obvious from the available literature that society is experiencing a crisis regarding values, character and morality. The decline of human and societal values portrayed in the media has compelled the current government to initiate a value educational program in schools. The values of the government however, are focused on nation building, democracy and human rights with the purpose of overcoming the inequalities and injustices of the apartheid system. However, the inhabitants of South Africa seek more than aspects based on democracy, nation building and human rights. They seek values that promote moral behaviour, values of work ethics and values that are aimed at developing their full potential. Value and character education could probably ensure the provision of a successful life and future for today's youth. The researcher has therefore investigated and analysed the precise meanings of the following terms: values, norms, principles, standards, ethics, character education, values education. Various character educational programs that succeeded in oversees countries were also studied. Focus was also given to educational guidelines including principles, outcomes and promising practices that the lecturer could use in the classroom to stimulate the students and to promote character education. To determine what the present value orientation of the students are, a questionnaire was compiled for further education and training colleges in the North-West Province. To ascertain the opinions and contributions of values education and character education, semi-structured interviews were held with the student council, the head of the support services and an official of the student support services. The overall aim of the study is: To create a character-building program for further education and training colleges after establishing the value orientation of the students. This empirical research has pointed out specific problem areas and has shown that it is not only essential but also urgent to implement a value and character educational program for further education and training colleges. Guidelines for such a program have been set on the basis of this study. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

This study explored the utilisation of a music anger management technique as an effective therapeutic aid in addressing the problems that children in residential care have in managing and expressing their anger. A literature review was conducted which provided evidence that music can be a helpful tool in teaching children appropriate ways to manage their anger. An empirical study was conducted and five participants were chosen through a sampling process. Background information of the five participants was obtained and data analyses were presented from the data gathered in the pre- and post-assessments processes before and after the implementation of the music anger management technique. The data that gave rise to several empirical findings were then reduced. From the empirical study, it can be concluded that the music anger management technique can be used effectively to improve inappropriate anger management. Getting firsthand experience of the implementation of the music anger management technique led me to derive psycho-educational guidelines, which can assist the educational psychologist in using the music anger management technique in addressing unmanaged anger in children in residential care. / Further Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

Title: The importance of nature as a learning environment by mapping forest clubs and forest kindergartens in the Liberec region from from the point of view of educators. Objective: The aim of my thesis is to map forest kindergartens and forest clubs in the Liberec region. Further, by using semi-structured interviews to obtain specific information about the operation and educational activities of the forest kindergartens and clubs in the district. Results: Literature about pre-school pedagogy, alternative ways of education, forest kindergartens gave us insights into the topic. From semi-structured interviews that I conducted with various teachers of forest kindergartens or clubs in the Liberec region, I received necessary information. The functioning of forest kindergartens and forest clubs is different in many ways. Opening hours of kindergartens are about 7:00 to 17:00. Their approach to children is inspired by Waldorf and Montessori pedagogy. The timetable of the day differs, but the materials they use are similar and come from nature. All respondents mentioned that parents cooperate with them. It was evident that all of them have good relationship to nature and see its positive influence on children. Crucial final information is that the way of education changes from authoritarian to liberal,...

This study explored the utilisation of a music anger management technique as an effective therapeutic aid in addressing the problems that children in residential care have in managing and expressing their anger. A literature review was conducted which provided evidence that music can be a helpful tool in teaching children appropriate ways to manage their anger. An empirical study was conducted and five participants were chosen through a sampling process. Background information of the five participants was obtained and data analyses were presented from the data gathered in the pre- and post-assessments processes before and after the implementation of the music anger management technique. The data that gave rise to several empirical findings were then reduced. From the empirical study, it can be concluded that the music anger management technique can be used effectively to improve inappropriate anger management. Getting firsthand experience of the implementation of the music anger management technique led me to derive psycho-educational guidelines, which can assist the educational psychologist in using the music anger management technique in addressing unmanaged anger in children in residential care. / Further Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)