The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the guided daydream technique as a method for selection of a vocation and major area of study by college students seeking vocational counseling. Choices made by each student were rated by three judges relative to their degree of correspondence with the results of a specific battery of vocational tests which that student had taken. The ratings of these students' choices were compared with similar ratings made by the same judges on a control group of students who had also made choices of vocation and college major but had not participated in the guided daydream session.

Research report submitted to the Faculty of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Educational Psychology) Johannesburg 1994. / This thesis discusses the need for research paradigms within the human sciences which will address human development needs with in the South African context. it documents a research methodology designed to address the development of human relations in organizations so as to facilitate the construction of nurturing and learning environments. The concept of mental health and its interconnection with the development of human relations in organizations is explored to enhance the understanding of the needs of employees in organizations within the South African context. The research process advocates consultation and negotiation of issues relating to human relations and mental health, It also provides opportunity for the exploration and co-creation a bridge between mental health, development of human relations in organizations and research. The research was conducted within the parameters of the ecosystemic paradigm and influenced by social construction theory. It incorporates both quantitative and qualitative methods. / AC2017

M.Ed. / The research in this qualitative study focuses on the role of the educational psychologist as consultant in Inclusive Education. The rationale for the investigation is derived from the changing and expanding role of the educational psychologist. This role has been implicated by the move from excluding learners who experience barriers to learning from mainstream schools, towards a policy of Inclusive Education. Inclusive Education aims at restructuring and transforming schools and curricula, in order to promote needs-driven, holistic, effective, community-based and quality service delivery. However, the implementation of Inclusive Education poses complex problems to those involved. Knowledge, skills and attitudes are required in which most teachers, parents as well as personnel at the education support services are not yet trained. This necessitates a comprehensive solution, such as collaborative consultation. The educational psychologist thus needs to reflect on her current role, and should change and expand her role to that of a consultant. The report of the study commences with a theory framework in which collaborative consultation is explicated. The nature of collaboration as a constructivist learning and problem solving process, in whole school development for Inclusive Education, is discussed. Thereafter collaborative consultation as an ecosystemic approach to, and reflective practice in whole school development, is discussed and illustrated. The chapter ends by a summary of the role, knowledge, skills and attitudes of the consultant in whole school development for Inclusive Education. The theory framework is followed by a chapter on the design of the qualitative study, substantiating the choice of format and methods of data collection and analyses. A rich and tightly woven description of the chronological course of the research process is provided, when examples of raw data and data analysis from the sketches and transcriptions of the focus group and individual interviews are presented.

D.Ed. / Humanity needs to survive both physically and emotionally in a rapidly changing postmodern world, which has numerous problems. Critical thinking, and particularly strong sense critical thinking, could be a powerful enabling factor when dealing with these challenges. Education has long recognised its responsibility of teaching learners to think, but it is doubtful whether this goal has been achieved. The paradigm shift from content-based to outcomes-based education, with critical thinking as one of the twelve essential outcomes, makes this time in the history of South African education a particularly positive period in which to teach critical thinking The problem is however that no research has been done regarding the teaching of critical thinking in History - a subject that can ideally promote critical thinking - in South African primary schools. Two subordinate research questions were posed, namely what repertoire of critical thinking skills grade seven students of multicultural primary schools commanded in the History class and whether grade seven teachers taught their History students critical thinking activities. These questions provided information that assisted in answering the main research question regarding the generation of a possible approach for the facilitation of critical thinking in the History class, that would enable the teachers of grade seven learners in multicultural primary schools in the N5 District to teach critical thinking, and that could be implemented by educational psychologists. The intermediate research objectives were to determine the presence and nature of the critical thinking skills of learners in a grade seven History class of a multicultural primary school in District N5 in Gauteng; and to explore whether the History teacher of the grade seven class in a multicultural school teaches critical thinking to his learners and if this did occur, to describe what methods the teacher follows to achieve it. These intermediate objectives were utilised to achieve the overall purpose of this study, namely to develop and describe an approach for the facilitation of critical thinking in grade seven History classes in District N5, that would enable teachers to teach critical thinking and could be implemented by the educational psychologist. This study comprised prolonged, in-depth observation by means of videorecordings, of the critical thinking activities of the learners in a grade seven History class and their teacher, for a period of ten months. It was found that very little critical thinking was demonstrated in the classroom. The results of this research, along with information gained from a literature study, formed the basis of principles which were developed for an educational psychological approach to critical thinking instruction. The initial group of principles alluded to the general aspects of a critical thinking instruction program; the school environment required for such a program to thrive; and the needs and circumstances of the teachers who are to implement it. The second group of principles referred to the program content and highlighted the importance of teaching for, of and about critical thinking; the need to include the three themes of critical thinking, namely affective critical thinking operations, macro critical thinking operations and micro critical thinking operations; as well as the need to facilitate metacognition, to teach critical thinking for transfer and to assess critical thinking. The third group of principles concerned the role of the teacher and were directed at classroom organisation and climate; the structure of the lessons; and the teaching methods to be considered. The final group of principles focused on the education of teachers, district officials, principals, school management teams and parents regarding critical thinking instruction. An educational psychological approach to critical thinking instruction, which was contextualised for a district based on the principles of project management, was described.

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

M.Ed. / Truancy, which according to Thompson and Rudolph (1992:513), is a deliberate absence from school without a valid reason, is a problem that probably dates back to the initial institution of large scale formal schooling. Although it may seem obvious that the reason for truancy is related to the fact that the truant prefers to be elsewhere, or that he finds the school an unpleasant place to be, the underlying reasons for truancy are more difficult to pinpoint. Research conducted in 1991 and 1992 in the United Kingdom (O'Keefe, 1994:48), and which included 150 schools, revealed that a significant number of pupils of compulsory school—going age become involved in truancy. Statistics reported by the research team themselves, based on a survey which involved questionnaires, suggested that if the results of their survey could be extrapolated to all schools, then a 95 per cent confidence interval for the mean truancy level in schools, is between 29.7 per cent and 32.4 per cent. About two thirds (68%), of all schools should have truancy levels between 22.7 per cent and 39.3 per cent, and 96 per cent of all schools should have levels between 14.4 per cent and 47.4 per cent. If these statistics could be used as a guide to estimate an average of truants per school, the enormity of the prevalence of truancy becomes evident. According to McWhirter and McWhirter (1993:58), truants tend to have what is termed a "dropouts perspective". They claim that dropouts inter alia tend to leave school for the following reasons: * a dislike for school, with the opinion that school is boring and not relevant to their needs * low academic achievement and poor grades * poverty, a desire to work full-time, and a need for money, and * a lack of belonging and a sense that nobody cares about them Some of these attributes might thus also obtain for many truants. Paterson (Wardaugh, 1990: 744), proposes two broad categories of truants, namely the "endangered" truant (also termed the delinquent or morally endangered truant), and the "fearful" truant (also termed the school phobic or abused truant). The "endangered" truant is prone to falling into trouble when absent from school, while the "fearful" truant wishes to go to school, but is afraid to do so. Truancy is also listed by Kapp (1990:119) as one of the behaviours manifested by juvenile delinquents along with various other delinquencies such as theft, running away from home, use and distribution of drugs, burglary, vandalism, assault and robbery, thus suggesting that truancy is associated with these misdemeanours. Healy (Tyerman, 1968:10), notes that truancy is the root of all these misbehaviours, and he described truancy as "the kindergarten of crime". In 1944 Burt (1944:455) already referred to truancy as "the first step on the downward stair to crime". According to Hersov and Berg (1980:67), truancy is a reliable predictor of difficulties in later life. They also report that school truancy significantly predicts four subsequent child events: being held back in elementary school, dropping out of high school,leaving the parental home before the age of 18, and marriage before the age of 18. Thus, it would appear that the prognosis for truants in terms of completing their schooling, securing stable employment and fulfilling responsible citizenship, without being a burden to their future spouses, families, communities and the state, is rather uncertain. Against this background, there can be little argument that the phenomenon of truancy is serious enough to warrant a counseling programme that will be effective in treating truants in the light of their problems in such a way that they will obtain a balanced perspective of the value of regular school attendance. In South Africa, the incidence of truancy, in the old racially biased provincial education schooling system of the House of Assembly (HOA), could be measured quite accurately, simply by consulting the class register over a period of time. Through investigating the circumstances surrounding the absenteeism the teacher could quite easily determine whether such circumstances met the criteria for classification of such absentees as truants. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the schools which were under the jurisdiction of the former Department of Education and Training (DET), of which the researcher was an employee for a number of years. Not only were records of attendance not kept properly in many instances to be able to determine how often a pupil was absent, but even if attendance records had been kept properly, the possible reasons for staying away from school, such as political violence, intimidation, and caring for younger siblings, do also not meet the criteria for classifying such an absentee as a truant. What is however also true, is that large numbers of former DET pupils could have exploited the prevailing situation at the time and could have stayed away from school for reasons that may well have qualified them as truants. Many schools served by the former House of Delegates (HOD), and the former House of Representatives (HOR), were, maybe, just as seriously affected by the political climate as the DET schools. The level of absenteeism related to unrest situations in the former HOD and HOR schools makes it just as difficult to distinguish between the "truants" and the "bona fide" absentees during those turbulent times. For this reason it was decided to restrict the scope of the present study to truants in schools which traditionally fell under the provincial education system of the former House of Assembly.

Thesis (MEdPsych)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was undertaken with the view to explore the experiences of tutors of children with the dual diagnosis of Autism and Down syndrome during the implementation of an Applied Behaviour Analysis support programme The parents of the children willingly participated in a research project of the Department of Educational Psychology and Specialized Education at the University of Stellenbosch. A private individual funded the project. The aim of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an Applied Behavior Analysis support programme over a period of 26 weeks on an individual that has Autism. The programme impacted the daily lives of the tutors. The question soon arose as to how the intensive contact between tutor and the child would be experienced by the tutor. A literature review was conducted to obtain a perspective of research done in this field. I fulfilled the dual role of researcher and trainee educational psychologist. The social contructivist framework was chosen as the preferred educational psychological framework from which to approach the study, while the participatory action research paradigm lent itself to describe the individual experiences of the tutors. The experiences were gathered from interviews, observations, video material, journals and reflections. The research report describes a variety of possible experiences the tutor underwent and the repercussions thereof. Suggestions were made as to how adaptations to the programme could serve to expand the training of educational psychologists and tutors. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is onderneem om die belewenisse van tutors van kinders met die dubbel diagnose van Outisme en Down sindroom tydens 'n Toegepaste Gedragsmodifikasie Analise program te ondersoek. Die ouers van die kinders het vrywilliglik deelgeneem aan 'n navorsingsprojek van die Departement Opvoedkunde en Spesialiseringsonderwys van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Fondse vir die projek is van 'n privaat persoon ontvang. Die doel van die projek was om die effektiwiteit van die program oor 'n tydperk van 26 weke te evalueer. Die tutors se daaglikse lewe is deur die program beïnvloed en die vraag het ontstaan hoe die intensiewe kontak tussen kind en tutor deur die tutor beleef sou word. 'n Literatuurstudie is onderneem om inligting oor bestaande navorsing in te win. Ek het tydens die projek die rol van beide navorser en opvoedkundige sielkundige in opleiding vervul. Die sosiaal konstruktiwistiese raamwerk is bespreek as 'n sinvolle opvoedkundige sielkundige raamwerk, terwyl die deelnemende aktiewe navorsingsparadigma homself daartoe leen om die belewenisse van die tutors te beskryf. Die belewenisse is ingesamel deur middel van onderhoude, observasie en video materiaal, 'n joernaal en refleksies. Hierdie navorsingsprojek beskryf 'n verskeidenheid van die moontlike belewenisse van die tutors sowel as die moontlike nagevolge daarvan. Voorstelle oor moontlike aanpassings in die program word gemaak om sodoende die opleiding van tutors sowel as opvoedkundige sielkundiges in opleiding te verbeter.

This study addresses young children's involvement with comfort objects, including why children have them, how they are used, when attachments to such objects are cause for concern and how teachers and parents can respond to promote the young child's development. The child's becoming and development is examined in this study. The researcher also reviews major transitional object theories in terms of origin, development and psychological meaning. This study aims to explore this phenomenon from a psychological - educational perspective and to formulate a set of guidelines for parents and professionals whose children use comfort behaviour. Information was collated from case studies, a questionnaire and a detailed study of literature. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

This study addresses young children's involvement with comfort objects, including why children have them, how they are used, when attachments to such objects are cause for concern and how teachers and parents can respond to promote the young child's development. The child's becoming and development is examined in this study. The researcher also reviews major transitional object theories in terms of origin, development and psychological meaning. This study aims to explore this phenomenon from a psychological - educational perspective and to formulate a set of guidelines for parents and professionals whose children use comfort behaviour. Information was collated from case studies, a questionnaire and a detailed study of literature. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

D.Ed. / World-wide, as well as in South Africa, divorce is on the increase. Divorce appears to be an intensely emotional experience, whilst the problems of families in the process of divorce are unique in each instance. The trauma resulting from divorce is intensified when disputes arise over the distribution of property, the payment of maintenance, and custody of and access to children. Three questions for research arise, namely: "How do the members of a family in the process of divorce interact in their daily lives? How will an educational psychologist's knowledge of this contribute towards a conceptual framework in order to diminish the trauma of divorce and to facilitate adjustment after divorce? and "In what way can the educational psychologist make a contribution in custody disputes that will be in the best interests of the children?" The purpose of this research is, therefore, to examine and describe the process of divorce, to utilise this information to develop an educational-psychological approach towards families in the process of divorce, and, thirdly, to formulate guidelines for handling custody disputes. This qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research focusses on the lives of four groups of respondents in the divorce situation, namely divorced adults, children under the age of 8 years, adolescents whose parents have already divorced, and adolescents from homes where the marriage is in the process of breaking up. The research was carried out in three phases. Phase one comprised the exploration and description of the process of divorce, and this data was used in phase two to generate an approach for educational psychologists. In phase three guidelines were developed for an educational-psychological approach to families in the process of divorce. During phase one the collection of data was done by using explorative multiple case studies. The data was analysed using Giorgi's phenomenological approach and Kerlinger's guidelines for a content analysis. To further augment the data a review of the literature and comparison of the information with similar research has been done. Various themes were identified with regard to divorce as phenomenon and the way the different parties experienced and coped with divorce. During phase two these themes were highlighted as areas that should form part of an educational-psychological approach to families in divorce. During phase three guidelines were developed down for the handling of families-in-divorce. The focus had been especially on the role of the educational psychologist as therapist, mediator end evaluator before, during and after the divorce. Emphasis was specifically placed on the interests of the children, which should take precedence. Criteria for the determination of the best interests of children were also developed. This research aims at contributing to a better understanding of families-in-divorce and also provides a comprehensive approach with guidelines for an educational-psychological approach with regard to divorce referrals.