Esta dissertação tem como objetivos verificar as propriedades psicométricas da Escala de Atitudes Ambientais para Crianças (EAAC; adaptada de Leeming, Dwyer, Porter & Bracker, 1995) e da Escala Infantil de Satisfação com o Ambiente (EISA; criada pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Psicologia Comunitária); verificar a associação entre bem-estar pessoal (mensurado através da Personal Wellbeing Index) e variáveis ambientais e analisar as atitudes ambientais das crianças da amostra. Foram realizados três estudos, com 1746 crianças (53,5% meninas) com idades entre 8 e 13 anos (M = 10.17; DP = 1.492) residentes de Porto Alegre (54.9%) e do interior do Rio Grande do Sul (45.1%). Os resultados do primeiro estudo indicaram que os instrumentos analisados, EAAC e EISA, apresentam bons índices de ajuste para a amostra pesquisada quando da realização na análise fatorial (exploratória e confirmatória). Com relação ao segundo estudo, as análises de regressão multivariadas indicaram que o PWI é explicado pelos itens da EAAC em 11.5% e pelos itens da EISA em 14.4%. Estão associoados ao bem-estar pessoal: a satisfação com o ambiente residencial e escolar, as atitudes ambientais que envolvem a família, o contato com a natureza e o contato com animais. O terceiro estudo buscou verificar se existem diferenças entre grupos para as atitudes ambientais e os resultados indicaram que as crianças que estudam em escolas públicas, assim como as crianças que vivem em cidades do interior e as crianças mais novas, tendem a desenvolver mais atitudes favoráveis ao ambiente. Em uma etapa qualitativa do terceiro estudo, as crianças mencionaram preocupar-se com a crise ambiental e apresentaram atitudes ambientais voltadas a ações cotidianas e de ativismo. / This dissertation aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Children’s Environmental Attitudes Scale (EACC; adjusted from Leeming, Dwyer, Porter & Bracker, 1995) and of the Children’s Environment Satisfaction Scale (EISA; developed by the Grupo de Pesquisa em Psicologia Comunitária); to verify the association between personal wellbeing (measured by the Personal Wellbeing Index School Children) and environmental variables; and to analyze the environmental attitudes of the children in the sample. There were conducted three studies with 1746 children (53.5% girls) aged between 8 and 13 years old (M = 10.17; SE = 1.492) residents on Porto Alegre (54%) and on inner cities of Rio Grande do Sul State (45.1%). The results of the first study indicated that EAAC and EISA scales had good overall fit rates when exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses were performed. In the second study, multivariate regression analysis showed that the Personal Wellbeing Index is predicted in 11.5% by the EACC items and in 14.4% by the EISA. The personal wellbeing is associated to: satisfaction with school and residence environment; family environmental attitudes; contact with animals and contact with nature. The third study aimed to check if there are differences of environmental attitudes between the groups. Outcomes indicated that children of public schools, children of inner cities and younger children tend to develop more favorable environmental attitudes. During the qualitative stage of the third study, children mentioned that they worry about the environmental crisis and presented environmental attitudes related to daily actions and activism behaviors.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivos verificar as propriedades psicométricas da Escala de Atitudes Ambientais para Crianças (EAAC; adaptada de Leeming, Dwyer, Porter & Bracker, 1995) e da Escala Infantil de Satisfação com o Ambiente (EISA; criada pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Psicologia Comunitária); verificar a associação entre bem-estar pessoal (mensurado através da Personal Wellbeing Index) e variáveis ambientais e analisar as atitudes ambientais das crianças da amostra. Foram realizados três estudos, com 1746 crianças (53,5% meninas) com idades entre 8 e 13 anos (M = 10.17; DP = 1.492) residentes de Porto Alegre (54.9%) e do interior do Rio Grande do Sul (45.1%). Os resultados do primeiro estudo indicaram que os instrumentos analisados, EAAC e EISA, apresentam bons índices de ajuste para a amostra pesquisada quando da realização na análise fatorial (exploratória e confirmatória). Com relação ao segundo estudo, as análises de regressão multivariadas indicaram que o PWI é explicado pelos itens da EAAC em 11.5% e pelos itens da EISA em 14.4%. Estão associoados ao bem-estar pessoal: a satisfação com o ambiente residencial e escolar, as atitudes ambientais que envolvem a família, o contato com a natureza e o contato com animais. O terceiro estudo buscou verificar se existem diferenças entre grupos para as atitudes ambientais e os resultados indicaram que as crianças que estudam em escolas públicas, assim como as crianças que vivem em cidades do interior e as crianças mais novas, tendem a desenvolver mais atitudes favoráveis ao ambiente. Em uma etapa qualitativa do terceiro estudo, as crianças mencionaram preocupar-se com a crise ambiental e apresentaram atitudes ambientais voltadas a ações cotidianas e de ativismo. / This dissertation aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Children’s Environmental Attitudes Scale (EACC; adjusted from Leeming, Dwyer, Porter & Bracker, 1995) and of the Children’s Environment Satisfaction Scale (EISA; developed by the Grupo de Pesquisa em Psicologia Comunitária); to verify the association between personal wellbeing (measured by the Personal Wellbeing Index School Children) and environmental variables; and to analyze the environmental attitudes of the children in the sample. There were conducted three studies with 1746 children (53.5% girls) aged between 8 and 13 years old (M = 10.17; SE = 1.492) residents on Porto Alegre (54%) and on inner cities of Rio Grande do Sul State (45.1%). The results of the first study indicated that EAAC and EISA scales had good overall fit rates when exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses were performed. In the second study, multivariate regression analysis showed that the Personal Wellbeing Index is predicted in 11.5% by the EACC items and in 14.4% by the EISA. The personal wellbeing is associated to: satisfaction with school and residence environment; family environmental attitudes; contact with animals and contact with nature. The third study aimed to check if there are differences of environmental attitudes between the groups. Outcomes indicated that children of public schools, children of inner cities and younger children tend to develop more favorable environmental attitudes. During the qualitative stage of the third study, children mentioned that they worry about the environmental crisis and presented environmental attitudes related to daily actions and activism behaviors.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivos verificar as propriedades psicométricas da Escala de Atitudes Ambientais para Crianças (EAAC; adaptada de Leeming, Dwyer, Porter & Bracker, 1995) e da Escala Infantil de Satisfação com o Ambiente (EISA; criada pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Psicologia Comunitária); verificar a associação entre bem-estar pessoal (mensurado através da Personal Wellbeing Index) e variáveis ambientais e analisar as atitudes ambientais das crianças da amostra. Foram realizados três estudos, com 1746 crianças (53,5% meninas) com idades entre 8 e 13 anos (M = 10.17; DP = 1.492) residentes de Porto Alegre (54.9%) e do interior do Rio Grande do Sul (45.1%). Os resultados do primeiro estudo indicaram que os instrumentos analisados, EAAC e EISA, apresentam bons índices de ajuste para a amostra pesquisada quando da realização na análise fatorial (exploratória e confirmatória). Com relação ao segundo estudo, as análises de regressão multivariadas indicaram que o PWI é explicado pelos itens da EAAC em 11.5% e pelos itens da EISA em 14.4%. Estão associoados ao bem-estar pessoal: a satisfação com o ambiente residencial e escolar, as atitudes ambientais que envolvem a família, o contato com a natureza e o contato com animais. O terceiro estudo buscou verificar se existem diferenças entre grupos para as atitudes ambientais e os resultados indicaram que as crianças que estudam em escolas públicas, assim como as crianças que vivem em cidades do interior e as crianças mais novas, tendem a desenvolver mais atitudes favoráveis ao ambiente. Em uma etapa qualitativa do terceiro estudo, as crianças mencionaram preocupar-se com a crise ambiental e apresentaram atitudes ambientais voltadas a ações cotidianas e de ativismo. / This dissertation aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Children’s Environmental Attitudes Scale (EACC; adjusted from Leeming, Dwyer, Porter & Bracker, 1995) and of the Children’s Environment Satisfaction Scale (EISA; developed by the Grupo de Pesquisa em Psicologia Comunitária); to verify the association between personal wellbeing (measured by the Personal Wellbeing Index School Children) and environmental variables; and to analyze the environmental attitudes of the children in the sample. There were conducted three studies with 1746 children (53.5% girls) aged between 8 and 13 years old (M = 10.17; SE = 1.492) residents on Porto Alegre (54%) and on inner cities of Rio Grande do Sul State (45.1%). The results of the first study indicated that EAAC and EISA scales had good overall fit rates when exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses were performed. In the second study, multivariate regression analysis showed that the Personal Wellbeing Index is predicted in 11.5% by the EACC items and in 14.4% by the EISA. The personal wellbeing is associated to: satisfaction with school and residence environment; family environmental attitudes; contact with animals and contact with nature. The third study aimed to check if there are differences of environmental attitudes between the groups. Outcomes indicated that children of public schools, children of inner cities and younger children tend to develop more favorable environmental attitudes. During the qualitative stage of the third study, children mentioned that they worry about the environmental crisis and presented environmental attitudes related to daily actions and activism behaviors.

No description available.

La satisfaction environnementale est un concept central en psychologie environnementale. Pourtant, un peu curieusement, elle reste peu explorée dans le cadre organisationnel et notamment dans le monde francophone. Notre travail de doctorat conçoit la satisfaction environnementale au travail comme l'évaluation globale qu'une personne fait de son lieu de travail et ce, quelle que soit l'échelle de référence spatiale sur laquelle elle se place. Une échelle a été construite pour mieux comprendre ce concept et son articulation avec les concepts issus de la psychologie environnementale et de la psychologie du travail qui lui sont proches. Notre recherche se décompose ainsi en 3 objectifs. Le premier objectif s’appuie sur le paradigme de Churchill (1979) et porte sur la construction (étude 1) et les validations exploratoire (étude 2) et confirmatoire (étude 3) d’une Échelle de Satisfaction Environnementale au Travail (ÉSET). Le deuxième objectif confronte la satisfaction environnementale au travail à différentes variables issues de la psychologie environnementale (étude 1) et de la psychologie du travail (étude 2). Le troisième objectif confronte l’ÉSET à l’épreuve interculturelle en comparant la satisfaction environnementale au travail des employés de bureau français et italiens, selon une approche émique (étude 1) et étique (étude 2). L’ÉSET présente des caractéristiques psychométriques satisfaisantes pour son utilisation par les chercheurs en sciences humaines mais également par les gestionnaires de ressources humaines. Elle pourrait conduire à des applications visant l’amélioration de la qualité de vie dans les environnements de travail. / Environmental satisfaction is a key concept in environmental psychology. Surprisingly however, it has been little explored in the French-speaking organisational framework. Our research defines environmental satisfaction at work as an individual’s overall assessment of the workplace, regardless of the spatial scale (workstation, office, organization, neighbourhood). We have constructed a scale in order to better understand this concept and its links with concepts from both environmental psychology and occupational psychology. Our study has three objectives. The first is based on Churchill’s paradigm (1979) and involves the construction (study 1), and exploratory (study 2) and confirmatory (study 3) validation of the Environmental Satisfaction at Work Scale. Our second objective involves examining environmental satisfaction at work in relation to variables from environmental psychology (study 1) and occupational psychology (study 2). Finally, we examine the ESET from an intercultural perspective by comparing the environmental satisfaction of French and Italian office workers taking an emic (study 1) and an etic (study 2) approach.The ESET possesses satisfying psychometric characteristics that can be used both by researchers in social sciences and by human resource managers. This scale can help improve the quality of life in work environments.

Submitted by Marilene Donadel (marilene.donadel@unioeste.br) on 2017-09-25T19:19:08Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Andressa_R_Ames_2017.pdf: 2124271 bytes, checksum: b4da96386f4f6f9c50807d02f76429cd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-25T19:19:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Andressa_R_Ames_2017.pdf: 2124271 bytes, checksum: b4da96386f4f6f9c50807d02f76429cd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-23 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The present study aimed to understand how children aged 10-12 years old get involved with the environment and how they perceive the different environmental risks. It also sought to analyze if there is a relationship between environmental satisfaction and environmental attitudes, to evaluate and compare how children perceive the risks of local disasters and other risks that affect the planet as a whole, as well as whether there are differences by sex with regard to environmental attitudes. The study used a mixed methodology, using as data collection techniques the questionnaire and the focus group. The following instruments were used in the quantitative study: the scale The 24 Risk Items of Slimak and Dietz (2006) reduced to 13 items; The Environmental Attitudes Scale for Children (Galli, 2014; Leeming & Dwyer 1995); The Children's Scale of Environmental Satisfaction (CSES) of Galli (2014), and an ad hoc scale that assessed the Perception of Disaster Risk Exposure (PDRE). The focus group has emphasized issues such as environmental problems, disaster risk perception, environmental satisfaction and environmental attitudes. 886 children participated in the quantitative study, of which 478 (54%) were female and 405 (46%) were males, with an average age of 10.66 years (SD = 0.62). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate statistical techniques (factorial analysis, correlation, linear regression, t-test for independent and dependent samples), with the assistance of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, v. 23.0). Twenty-four students participated in the qualitative study, seven of them female and seventeen male, all of them students of the sixth grade of the public school in Cascavel-PR. Qualitative data were analyzed using the Content Analysis method. The results indicated that environmental attitudes influence the environmental satisfaction of children. In turn, the greater the perception of disaster risk, the lower the environmental satisfaction of the child. Female children had higher mean environmental attitudes when compared to males, and these differences were significant in the variables "Turn off water from the sink when brushing your teeth to save water" and "Close the refrigerator door while deciding what to catch". The study showed that children have higher averages in the perception about the importance of risks related to the global context than local and that this perception about the importance of global risks predicts environmental attitudes. / O presente estudo teve como objetivo compreender como as crianças com idade entre 10-12 anos se relacionam com o ambiente e como percebem os diferentes riscos ambientais. Buscou ainda analisar se existe relação entre satisfação ambiental e atitudes ambientais, avaliar e comparar como as crianças percebem os riscos de desastres locais e outros riscos que afetam o planeta como um todo, bem como se existem diferenças por sexo no que diz respeito às atitudes ambientais.O estudo utiliza metodologia mista, tendo como técnicas de coleta de dados o questionário e o grupo focal. Foram utilizados os seguintes instrumentos no estudo quantitativo: a escala The 24 Risk Itens de Slimak e Dietz (2006) reduzida para 13 itens; a Escala de Atitudes Ambientais para Crianças (Galli, 2014; Leeming & Dwyer 1995); A Escala Infantil de Satisfação com o Ambiente (EISA) de Galli (2014) e uma escala ad hoc que avaliou a Percepção de Risco de Exposição à Desastres (EPRED). O grupo focal teve como temas norteadores os problemas ambientais, percepção de risco de desastres, satisfação ambiental e atitudes ambientais. Participaram do estudo quantitativo 886 crianças, sendo 478 (54%) do sexo feminino e 405 (46%) do sexo masculino, com média de idade de 10,66 anos (DP=0,62). Os dados quantitativos foram analisados por meio de técnicas de estatística descritiva e multivariada (análise fatorial, correlação, regressão linear, teste t para amostras independente e dependentes), com o auxílio do Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, v. 23.0). Do estudo qualitativo, participaram 24 alunos, sendo sete do sexo feminino e dezessete do sexo masculino. Todos os estudantes cursavam o sexto ano do ensino fundamental da rede pública de Cascavel-PR. Os dados qualitativos foram analisados através do método de Análise de Conteúdo. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que as atitudes ambientais exercem influência na satisfação ambiental das crianças. Por sua vez, quanto maior a percepção de risco de desastres, menor a satisfação ambiental da criança. As crianças do sexo feminino apresentaram maiores médias nas atitudes ambientais quando comparadas às do sexo masculino, sendo que essas diferenças foram significativas nas variáveis “Desliga a água da pia quando escova seus dentes para economizar água” e “Pede para sua família reciclar algumas das coisas que vocês usam”. O estudo mostrou que as crianças possuem maiores médias na percepção sobre a importância dos riscos relacionados ao contexto global do que local e que essa percepção sobre a importância dos riscos globais prediz atitudes ambientais.

Encore peu explorée à ce jour, la thématique des inégalités environnementales fait l’objet d’un intérêt grandissant en France. Parmi les multiples définitions proposées et les quelques tentatives d’évaluation réalisées, une acception semble toutefois plus fréquemment rencontrée. Cette dernière renvoie à l’existence d’inégalités sociales dans l’accès aux ressources environnementales et l’exposition aux nuisances, risques et pollutions. Cette thèse s’est donc proposée, à l’échelle de la région Ile-de-France, d’explorer les relations qu’entretiennent les caractéristiques physiques de l’environnement et les caractéristiques socio-économiques des individus et des territoires. Partant d’indicateurs statistiques usuels, sociaux et environnementaux, deux typologies multicritères ont été réalisées à l’échelle des 1300 communes franciliennes. Leur croisement permet de confirmer l’existence d’une correspondance globale entre les caractéristiques environnementales et sociales des communes et ce, à la fois à l’échelle régionale ainsi qu’à l’échelle plus réduite des départements de première couronne francilienne. Nos résultats révèlent toutefois des liaisons plus ou moins prononcées selon les facteurs environnementaux renseignés et plus particulièrement selon la nature même de ces facteurs, porteurs d’aménités ou de désaménités environnementales. Cette première lecture est alors complétée par une enquête par questionnaires auprès des habitants de 6 communes franciliennes (600 personnes). L’enquête, centrée sur le vécu environnemental des habitants, réaffirme en premier lieu l’importance de la qualité de l’environnement en tant que facteur de choix et d’arbitrage résidentiel des ménages. Parmi les variables renseignées, deux registres explicatifs apparaissent plus particulièrement structurants des différences de satisfaction constatées: (i) l’ancrage résidentiel et la relation affective qui s’instaure au lieu de vie ; (ii) la confiance que les individus accordent aux moyens d’action collectifs pour prendre en charge les attentes qu’ils expriment en matière d’environnement. Aussi, l’analyse des déterminants de la satisfaction environnementale révèle que la satisfaction serait peut être moins directement dépendante des variables socio-économiques stricto sensu, des caractéristiques « objectives » de l’environnement, que des capacités et aptitudes différenciées des individus de contrôler leur environnement et d’agir sur celui-ci. Ce faisant, les informations livrées par le ressenti de la population in situ adressent des questions à la mesure empirique des inégalités environnementales et au cadre d’analyse, encore aujourd’hui en débat, de telles situations inégalitaires. / Still little investigated until now, the issue of environmental inequalities is a subject of growing interest in France. Among numerous definitions and a few evaluation attempts, one understanding seems to be more common. It refers to social inequalities in regard of both the access to environmental resources and the exposure to nuisances, risks and pollution. This thesis’ purpose was to explore the relations between the physical characteristics of the environment and the socio-economic characteristics of the individuals and the territories on the scale of the Paris metropolitan area. Two multi-criteria typologies were carried out on the scale of the 1300 cities belonging to the Paris metropolitan area, based on usual statistical indicators – both social and environmental. The crossing of these typologies confirmed the existence of an overall match between the environmental and social characteristics of the cities. This appeared to be true both on the regional scale and on a smaller scale, the departments of Paris’ inner suburbs. Our results revealed connections that are more or less distinct depending on the examined environmental factors and particularly on the very nature of these factors, i.e. whether they encompass environmental amenities or desamenities. The empirical research in form of questionnaires and distributed among inhabitants of 6 cities of the Paris metropolitan area (600 people) completed this first approach. The survey, focusing on the personal environmental experience of the inhabitants, initially reaffirmed the importance of environmental quality as selection criteria and residential arbitration for the households. Among the examined variables, two explanatory registers appeared especially structurant of the recorded differences in satisfaction: (i) the residential anchorage and the emotional relation taking place in the living space ; (ii) the trust individuals grant to means of collective action to convey their environmental expectations. Therefore, the analysis of the determinants of environmental satisfaction unveiled that satisfaction would be be less directly related to neither sole socio-economic variables or “objective” environmental data than to the individuals’ differentiated capacities and aptitudes to control their environment and act upon it. Hence, the information collected on site driven by the population’s feeling questions the empirical measurement of environmental inequalities as well as the framework of analysis for such unequal situations– at this stage still an ongoing discussion.

Le confort est devenu un enjeu major dans le monde de travail. Parmi les diverses disciplines qui s’intéressent à ce concept, nous avons choisi d’articuler deux disciplines, l’architecture et la psychologie environnementale, pour mieux le cerner. Ainsi nous nous sommes appuyés sur les travaux de Vischer (2004) et Rioux (2013) en psychologie environnementale et ceux de « la démarche HQE » en architecture pour définir le confort par deux dimensions : physique et psycho-environnemental (évaluatif et psychologique). La dimension physique sera cernée par « la démarche HQE » et la dimension psycho-environnementale par la satisfaction environnementale au travail (confort évaluatif) et l’attachement au lieu de travail (confort psychologique). Notre travail de doctorat se propose de comparer le confort psycho-environnemental des soignants dans deux structures hospitalières tunisiennes se différenciant par leur architecture (pavillonnaire et monobloc) et de cerner l’impact des variables psycho-organisationnelles (épuisement professionnel, stress au travail et stratégies de coping) sur le confort psychologique dans ces deux hôpitaux. Une enquête par questionnaire a été menée auprès de 297 soignants travaillant dans les deux hôpitaux. Les résultats montrent notamment que les soignants de l’hôpital monobloc sont plus attachés mais moins satisfaits de leur environnement de travail que ceux de l’hôpital pavillonnaire ; ils se sentent plus épuisés et stressés et utilisent davantage de stratégies de coping centré sur l’émotion. L’impact des variables psycho-organisationnelles sur le confort psychologique des soignants diffèrent en fonction du type d’hôpital. / Comfort has become a major issue in the world of work. Among the various disciplines that have been interested in this concept, we have chosen to articulate two disciplines, notably architecture and environmental psychology. As such, this research relies on the work of Vischer (2004) and Rioux (2013) in environmental psychology and those of the « HQE Approach » in architecture in order to define comfort in terms of two dimensions: physical and psycho-environmental (evaluative and psychological). The physical dimension will be identified through the « HQE Approach » while the psycho-environmental dimension will be detected via the environmental satisfaction in the workplace (evaluative comfort) and via the attachment to the workplace (psychological comfort).Our research is meant to compare the psycho-environmental comfort of professional care providers in two different Tunisian hospital structures and whose difference lies in the architecture (pavilion and monobloc). The research attempts to detect the impact of psycho-organisational variables (professional burn out, perceived occupational stress and coping strategies) on the psychological comfort of professional care providers in these two different hospitals. Therefore, a questionnaire survey covering 297 professional care providers working in the two hospitals has been relied upon as a research tool. The findings of the analysis tend to indicate that monobloc professional care providers are more attached to their workplace but they are less satisfied with their working environment than those working in the pavilion hospital. They are more exhausted and more stressed and they rather use the coping strategies which is centred on emotions. The impact of psycho-organisational variables on the psychological comfort of professional care providers depends on the type of hospital.

Many students in South Africa are unable to cope with the academic demands of tertiary education as they are not fully prepared for Higher Education (HE). Various inefficiencies in the South African HE system have been identified, including low throughput rates, student dissatisfaction, unsatisfying graduation rates, learner dropouts, learner repetition, motivation, self–efficacy, attitude, personality differences, maturation, the retention of failing learners and unit costs. Student performance and satisfaction cause concern for the government and the HE sector. The purpose of this study is to understand student satisfaction amongst Open Distance Learning BEd Hons students. It further aims to improve student satisfaction and quality in the programme by recognising the context sensitive needs, expectations and experiences of students from different cultural–language groups, as well as constructing guidelines to improve satisfaction. The purposeful sampling consisted of Second year BEd Hons teacherstudents enrolled for open distance learning at the School for continuing teacher education (SCTE). A total of 34 students participated in the study. This number comprised of fifteen students from the focus–group interviews and nineteen students who completed open–ended questionnaires. Students were chosen according to three criteria dimensions: major language groups, gender and number of years teaching experience. This study followed a qualitative investigation of two semi–structured, open–ended focus–group interviews in the format of conversations, as well as documentary analysis of the teaching and learning policy of the North West University (NWU), and an open–ended questionnaire. The data were taperecorded for accurate transcription and analysed by using Atlas.ti. Through the use of Atlas.ti, I constructed categories of recurring patterns in the dataset, and explored the relationships of these categories. Different strategies were used to enhance validity and reliability respectively. The findings indicated that students’ satisfaction with HE environment is influenced by the quality of the programmes offered to them, communication between lecturers/facilitators and students, environment at the learning centres and the support that students received from HEI. The students in their capacity as clients with Higher education institutions (HEIs) are influenced by the support they receive from their work environment, as well as the level of appreciation they receive from HEI regarding their own culture and values. They also value iii the environment they experience during course facilitations at the HEIs. The various student attributes also play a significant part in their satisfaction levels towards the HEIs. Findings also highlighted that students were not satisfied with the support they received from the Open distance learning (ODL) unit. It is clear that the students’ perception of the quality of the programme influences their level of satisfaction. Students are mostly satisfied with the quality of the programme but they feel the communication as well the support from HEI and ODL is not adequate. The students indicated that HEI and ODL do not display sufficient understanding and concern for students. They feel there should be a greater commitment from HEI and ODL to understand and consider the profiles of the students. HEI and ODL should actively consider the background, culture, values, attributes, and personal, as well as domestic circumstances of their students. The BEd Hons programme is a valuable and popular programme, but the responsibility rests with both HEI and ODL to ensure that both the quality and delivery of this programme are enhanced and improved so as to guarantee higher levels of satisfaction amongst students. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Many students in South Africa are unable to cope with the academic demands of tertiary education as they are not fully prepared for Higher Education (HE). Various inefficiencies in the South African HE system have been identified, including low throughput rates, student dissatisfaction, unsatisfying graduation rates, learner dropouts, learner repetition, motivation, self–efficacy, attitude, personality differences, maturation, the retention of failing learners and unit costs. Student performance and satisfaction cause concern for the government and the HE sector. The purpose of this study is to understand student satisfaction amongst Open Distance Learning BEd Hons students. It further aims to improve student satisfaction and quality in the programme by recognising the context sensitive needs, expectations and experiences of students from different cultural–language groups, as well as constructing guidelines to improve satisfaction. The purposeful sampling consisted of Second year BEd Hons teacherstudents enrolled for open distance learning at the School for continuing teacher education (SCTE). A total of 34 students participated in the study. This number comprised of fifteen students from the focus–group interviews and nineteen students who completed open–ended questionnaires. Students were chosen according to three criteria dimensions: major language groups, gender and number of years teaching experience. This study followed a qualitative investigation of two semi–structured, open–ended focus–group interviews in the format of conversations, as well as documentary analysis of the teaching and learning policy of the North West University (NWU), and an open–ended questionnaire. The data were taperecorded for accurate transcription and analysed by using Atlas.ti. Through the use of Atlas.ti, I constructed categories of recurring patterns in the dataset, and explored the relationships of these categories. Different strategies were used to enhance validity and reliability respectively. The findings indicated that students’ satisfaction with HE environment is influenced by the quality of the programmes offered to them, communication between lecturers/facilitators and students, environment at the learning centres and the support that students received from HEI. The students in their capacity as clients with Higher education institutions (HEIs) are influenced by the support they receive from their work environment, as well as the level of appreciation they receive from HEI regarding their own culture and values. They also value iii the environment they experience during course facilitations at the HEIs. The various student attributes also play a significant part in their satisfaction levels towards the HEIs. Findings also highlighted that students were not satisfied with the support they received from the Open distance learning (ODL) unit. It is clear that the students’ perception of the quality of the programme influences their level of satisfaction. Students are mostly satisfied with the quality of the programme but they feel the communication as well the support from HEI and ODL is not adequate. The students indicated that HEI and ODL do not display sufficient understanding and concern for students. They feel there should be a greater commitment from HEI and ODL to understand and consider the profiles of the students. HEI and ODL should actively consider the background, culture, values, attributes, and personal, as well as domestic circumstances of their students. The BEd Hons programme is a valuable and popular programme, but the responsibility rests with both HEI and ODL to ensure that both the quality and delivery of this programme are enhanced and improved so as to guarantee higher levels of satisfaction amongst students. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.