This study was prompted by the recent increase in academic and public interest in neuromusical brain research, which provides information about how the brain processes music. It is the task of neural science to explain how the individual units of the brain are used to control behaviour, and how the functioning of these units is influenced by an individual's specific environment and relationships with other people. However, the concept of neuromusical research is relatively new to music education. In any learning experience, brain processing (of information) is not an end in itself. The skill of 'thinking' is dependent on the whole integrated mind/body system, with skills being a manifestation of conscious physical responses that demonstrate knowledge acquisition. Howard Gardner's 'Theory of Multiple Intelligences' lists the musical intelligence as one of eight autonomous intelligences: linguistic, logic-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental. All of these intelligences can be developed to a reasonably high level. This thesis uses David Elliott's praxial philosophy as a conceptual basis. Elliott's four meanings of music education: education in music, by music, for music, and by means of music, have been selected to determine the parameters for an 'inclusive' understanding of musical intelligence. Scientific research findings, brain based data, and behavioural results with educational implications have been used to define what is meant by the musical intelligence, and its role in whole brain learning. Whole brain learning (also referred to as 'accelerated' learning or 'super' learning) is examined in the framwork of IQ (intellectual quotient/intelligence), EQ (emotional intelligence), and SQ (spiritual intelligence). It is important to note that the brain imposes certain constraints on the learning ability of individuals, but that there are also numerous benefits to be derived from an awarenss of brain functions pertaining to education in general and music education in particular. These constraints and benefits are an important feature of whole brain learning, with the musical intelligence playing a vital role. / Dissertation (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Music / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the possible facilitation of emotional intelligence with learners who experience verbal learning disabilities. An empirical study of limited extent was conducted from an interpretivist-positivist paradigm. I followed a multi-method approach and employed a case study design, involving two learners as participants, both of whom had been diagnosed with verbal learning disabilities. I utilised qualitative as well as quantitative data collection methods, including observation, informal interviews, analysis of documents, a reflective diary, field notes (qualitative strategies) and the Bar-On EQ-i:YV™ self-report questionnaire (quantitative technique). After having obtained baseline information with regard to the emotional intelligence of the two participating learners at the onset of the study, I identified two skills that could potentially be enhanced, namely intrapersonal and adaptability skills. I then planned and facilitated intervention with the two participants, focussing on these two skills. Upon completion of the intervention, I re-administered the Bar-On EQ-i:YV™ self-report questionnaire to compare the results of the pre- and post-tests. The findings of the study were, firstly, that learners with verbal learning disabilities often experience challenges in terms of the emotional intelligence skills identified by Bar-On and Parker (2000). Secondly, it seems possible to facilitate the improvement of emotional intelligence skills with learners who experience verbal learning disabilities. Besides improvement in terms of their intrapersonal and adaptability skills, the participants displayed enhanced interpersonal and stress management skills. / Dissertation (MEd (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

The aim of this work is to evaluate possibilities to integrate wireless devices for home automation in BeeeOn system developed on the Faculty of Information Technology in Brno. This thesis describes USB modules that allow connenction to these devices. It describes the communication protocols that the modules can handle and devices using these protocols. It also deals with FHEM system, its features and possibilities of communication with the BeeeOn system. A reader can also find decription of implementation of every module created to provide support of wireless devices to the gate of BeeeOn system.

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to investigate how manufacturing organisations can decrease their environmental impact in the supply chain. To meet the purpose, two research questions were formulated:  1. How can a manufacturing organisation reduce its environmental impact caused by transportation?  2. How can a manufacturing organisation reduce its environmental impact caused by production?  Method – To provide the opportunity to reach a conclusion and to create a basic understanding of the research area, a literature review was conducted, which formed the basis of the theoretical framework. Through a case study at a manufacturing organisation, interviews and document analyses were used as sources for empirical data. In order to develop solutions and recommendations, collected data and theoretical framework were analysed and discussed.  Findings – The research findings indicate that there are several possible measures to implement to reduce an organisation's environmental impact in the supply chain. A decisive factor is creating a holistic and fundamental understanding of sustainability and enabling everyone involved to work according a common view and in the same direction. In addition, a requirement to pursue the same goal is that all stakeholders are involved where a prerequisite is a well-functioning internal communication.  Implications – The research did not contribute to any new theories, but through the research analysis, statements and theories from previous research were strengthened. The research suggests actions that can be used for organisations to reduce their environmental impact, but also to increase the understanding of why actions should be implemented. Society has an important responsibility for motivating and provide conditions for manufacturing organisations to reduce their footprint. This research is considered to lead to an improved environment in the form of lower emission levels where both organisations and the entire community take responsibility for the planet.  Limitations – The case study is designed as a single-case study which, from a validity perspective, is not considered as advantageous as a multiple case study because the results are difficult to generalize. In order to strengthen the study's reliability, several functional units and / or organisations could have been included in the study.

En jämförelsestudie har genomförts mellan två värmesystem. Analysen har genomförts med ett flerbostadshus som referensfasighet. Fastigheten är lokaliserad i Södertälje kommun. Analysen går ut på att bestämma vilket värmesystem som är fördelaktigt vid renovering av äldre flerbostadshus med avseende på energi och kostnad. De systemen som har behandlats är ett centralt värmesystem med motströmsvärmeväxlare och ett centralt värmesystem med frånluftsvärmepump. Det centrala värmesystemet (Eq aggregat) är ett centralt från- och tilluftssystem med återvinning (FTX system). Systemet använder en motströmsvärmeväxlare för överföring av värmeenergi mellan från- och tilluften. Det centrala värmesystemet (Energi well) är ett frånluftssystem (FX system) med en ny teknisk lösning. Systemet återvinner värme ur frånluften med hjälp av kondenserande frånluftsvärmpumpar. Värmepumparna finns i en frånluftskammare på vindsvåningen. Den återvunna värmen förs sedan vidare till undercentralen för att värma upp varmvattnet. Analysen har genomförts med hjälp av teoretiska energi- och kostnadsberäkningar, intervjuer och faktainsamlingar.  Energiberäkningarna har bestått av en energibalansberäkning för att få fram den köpta energiförbrukningen. Kostnadsberäkningar har bestått av en livscykelkostnads kalkyl och en kostnads beräkning per producerad värmeenergi. De resulterande värdena för båda värmesystemen har sedan jämförts med varandra. Resultatet visade att värmesystemet Energy well var mest fördelaktig ur både energi och kostnad perspektiv. Den årliga köpta energiförbrukningen var                          lägre än värmesystemet (Eq aggregat) med en motströmsvärmeväxlare. Driftkostnaden var  lägre än Eq aggregat, installations-kostnaderna var  lägre än Eq aggregat och slutlig var livscykelkostnaden  lägre än värme-systemet (Eq aggregat) med motströmsvärmeväxlare. Men underhållskostnaden var  högre än värmesystemet Eq aggregat. Slutsatserna för de teoretiska undersökningarna gav bättre värden för värmesystemet Energy well. Vilket innebär att Energy well är mest fördelaktig utifrån energi- och kostnads perspektiv. Däremot ger värmesystemet med motströmsvärmeväxlare en lägre risk att ett driftfel inträffar i verkligheten. / A comparing study between two different heating systems has been accomplished. The analysis has been conducted with an apartments building as a reference project. The building is located in the municipality of Södertälje. The goal of the analysis is to determine which of the heating system is beneficial for older apartment buildings in terms of energy and cost. The systems that have been treated are a central heating system with a counterflow heat exchanger and a central heating system with an exhaust air heat pump. The central heating system (Eq unit) is a central exhaust- and supply air system with heat recovery. The system uses a counterflow heat exchanger to transfer the heat energy between the exhaust- and supply air. The central heating system (Energy well) is the latest technical solution of a central exhaust air system. The system recovers heat from exhaust air by condensing exhaust air heat pumps. The heat pumps are in an exhaust air chamber and it´s placed on the attic floor. The recovered heat energy sends then to the mechanical room to heat up the water system. The analysis has been accomplished by using theoretical energy- and cost calculations, interviews and data collection. The energy calculations are based on an energy balance equation to determine the bought energy consumption. The cost calculation is based on a life cycle cost equation and a cost equation per produced heat energy. The results of both heating systems have been compared with each other. The results showed that the heating system Energy well was most beneficial in both energy and cost perspective. The annual consumption of bought energy was                          lower each year than the heating system (Eq unit) with a counterflow heat exchanger. The operating costs of the system were  lower than Eq unit, the installation costs were  lower than Eq unit and final was the life cycle cost  less than the heating system (Eq unit) with counterflow heat exchanger. But the service cost was  higher than the heating system Eq unit. The conclusion of the theoretical investigations gave better values ​​for the heating system Energy well. This means than Energy well is most beneficial from the energy and cost perspectives. Contrariwise has the heating system with counterflow heat exchanger a lower risk of an operational failure to occur in reality.

Background: Data regarding both drug-related and non-drug-related costs in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) are scarce, mainly due to the difficulties in data acquisition in experimental designs. Likewise, the reported impact of drug costs on total direct costs varies across different studies. In addition, the influence of comorbidities on both treatment costs and health-related quality of life has not been adequately evaluated. Methods: A sample of office-based neurologists (n = 315) in Germany was asked to examine up to five consecutive patients with PD (n = 1449) on a specified day during the study period. Patients of all ages were eligible and their evaluation was performed using standardized questionnaires. Results: PD-specific therapy costs increased with the stage of the disease, early onset of the disease and disease duration. The major costs were due to PD-related therapy, whereas other medications only resulted in minor costs. Disease stage mainly influenced direct therapy costs, with an observed increase of total daily costs from €7.3 to €11.3/day. In addition, disease onset at age < 65 years resulted in total daily costs of €11.2 compared to late onset of disease (> 75 years) with daily therapy costs of €5.3. In this patient group neuropsychiatric comorbidities such as dementia and depression were only insufficiently treated. In addition, these comorbidities severely affected health-related quality of life. Conclusion: Therapy costs were influenced by disease stage, disease onset as well as present comorbidities. Furthermore, comorbidities such as depression and dementia were diagnosed but were not adequately treated.

No description available.

Ao ser excitado do estado fundamental para o estado singlete excitado, o Pka do equilíbrio ácido-base das antocianinas apresenta um deslocamento de ca. 4 para ca. -1. Esta característica de superfotoácido, aliado à técnica de fotólise por pulso de laser, permite a perturbação da posição do equilíbrio ácido-base no estado fundamental. O acompanhamento da cinética de reestabelecimento do equilíbrio inicial, existente antes do pulso do laser, permite a determinação das constantes de desprotonação kd e protonação kp no estado fundamental. Este método foi aplicado para a determinação das constantes de protonação e desprotonação das seguintes antocianinas sintéticas e naturais: 4-metil-7-hidroxiflavílio (HMF), 4\', 7-dihidroxiflavílio (DHF), malvidina-3-glucosídeo (Oenina), malvidina-3,5-diglucosídeo (Malvina), pelargonidina-3,5-diglucosídeo (Pelargonina) e cianidina-3 ,5-diglucosídeo (Cianina). Assim, as constantes de desprotonação do estado fundamental são: kd = 1,4 x 106 s-1 (HMF), 3,1 x 106 s-1 (DHF), 5, 1 x 106 s-1 (Oenina), 3,8 x 106 s-1 (Malvina), 1,3 x 106 s-1 (Pelargonina) e 1,8 x 106 s-1 (Cianina). As constantes de protonação do estado fundamental são:kp = 3,56 x 1010 L mol-1 s-1 (HMF), 3,06 x 1010 L mol-1s-1 (DHF), 2,51 x 1010 L mol-1s-1 (Oenina), 2,9 x 1010 L mol-1s-1 (Malvina), 3,6 x 1010 L mol-1s-1 (Pelargonina) e 2,2 x 1010 L mol-1s-1 (Cianina). Nosso método é a única técnica que permite a determinação direta destas constantes. Este método também permite a determinação de kd e kp em meios micro-heterogêneos. Através de medidas de kd , foi possível provar que ocorre a estabilização do cátion flavílio de HMF em micelas aniônicas de SOS (dodecilsulfato de sódio). Em micelas não iônicas e catiônicas, por outro lado, ocorre a desestabilização do cátion flavílio, que se manifesta através do aparecimento de reatividade ausente em solução aquosa. Os resultados da aplicação deste método revelam ainda que o principal processo de dissipação da energia da luz, absorvida pelas antocianinas, é a transferência de próton no estado excitado e não a fluorescência. / Upon excitation from the ground state to the first excited singlet state, the pKa of the acid-base equilibrium of anthocyanins exhibits a large shift, from ca. 4 to ca. -1. This characteristic of super-photoacidity, coupled with the technique of laser flash photolysis, can be employed to perturb the position of the acid-base equilibrium in the ground state. Monitoring the kinetics of relaxation back to the initial equilibrium position that existed prior to the laser pulse permits determination of the rate constants for protonation (kp) and deprotonation (kd) in the ground state. This method was applied to the following natural and synthetic anthocyanins: 4-methyl-7-hydroxyflavylium (HMF); 4\', 7-dihydroxyflavylium (DHF); malvidine-3-glucoside (Oenin); malvidine-3,5-diglucoside (Malvin); Pelargonidine-3,5-diglucoside (Pelargonin); and. cyanidine-3,5-diglucoside (Cyanin). Thus, the ground state deprotonation rate constants (kd) for the acid form were found to be: 1.4 x 106 s-1 (HMF); 3.1 x 106 s-1 (DHF); 5.1 x 106 s-1 (Oenin); 3.8 x 106 s-1 (Malvin); 1.3 x 106 s-1 (Pelargonin); 1.8 x 106 s-1 (Cyanin). The corresponding rate constants for protonation of the ground state of the base (kp) were: 3.6 x 1010 M-1s-1 (HMF); 3.1 x 1010 M-1s-1 (DHF); 2.5 x 1010 M-1s-1 (Oenin); 2.9 x 1010M-1s-1 (Malvin); 3.6 x 1010 M-1s-1 (Pelargonin); 2.2 x 1010 s-1 (Cyanin). Our method is currently the only one that permits direct determination of these rate constants. This method also allows the determination of kpand kd in microheterogeneous media. Thus, employing measurements of kd, it was possible to demonstrate that anionic SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) micelles stabilize the flavylium cation form of HMF. In cationic and nonionic micelles, however, the flavylium cation is destabilized, which manifests itself via the appearance of reactivity that is absent in aqueous solution in the absence of these surfactants. Finally, the results of the application of this method show that the primary energy wasting process for radiant energy absorbed by anthocyanins is excited state proton transfer rather than fluorescence.

Ao ser excitado do estado fundamental para o estado singlete excitado, o Pka do equilíbrio ácido-base das antocianinas apresenta um deslocamento de ca. 4 para ca. -1. Esta característica de superfotoácido, aliado à técnica de fotólise por pulso de laser, permite a perturbação da posição do equilíbrio ácido-base no estado fundamental. O acompanhamento da cinética de reestabelecimento do equilíbrio inicial, existente antes do pulso do laser, permite a determinação das constantes de desprotonação kd e protonação kp no estado fundamental. Este método foi aplicado para a determinação das constantes de protonação e desprotonação das seguintes antocianinas sintéticas e naturais: 4-metil-7-hidroxiflavílio (HMF), 4\', 7-dihidroxiflavílio (DHF), malvidina-3-glucosídeo (Oenina), malvidina-3,5-diglucosídeo (Malvina), pelargonidina-3,5-diglucosídeo (Pelargonina) e cianidina-3 ,5-diglucosídeo (Cianina). Assim, as constantes de desprotonação do estado fundamental são: kd = 1,4 x 106 s-1 (HMF), 3,1 x 106 s-1 (DHF), 5, 1 x 106 s-1 (Oenina), 3,8 x 106 s-1 (Malvina), 1,3 x 106 s-1 (Pelargonina) e 1,8 x 106 s-1 (Cianina). As constantes de protonação do estado fundamental são:kp = 3,56 x 1010 L mol-1 s-1 (HMF), 3,06 x 1010 L mol-1s-1 (DHF), 2,51 x 1010 L mol-1s-1 (Oenina), 2,9 x 1010 L mol-1s-1 (Malvina), 3,6 x 1010 L mol-1s-1 (Pelargonina) e 2,2 x 1010 L mol-1s-1 (Cianina). Nosso método é a única técnica que permite a determinação direta destas constantes. Este método também permite a determinação de kd e kp em meios micro-heterogêneos. Através de medidas de kd , foi possível provar que ocorre a estabilização do cátion flavílio de HMF em micelas aniônicas de SOS (dodecilsulfato de sódio). Em micelas não iônicas e catiônicas, por outro lado, ocorre a desestabilização do cátion flavílio, que se manifesta através do aparecimento de reatividade ausente em solução aquosa. Os resultados da aplicação deste método revelam ainda que o principal processo de dissipação da energia da luz, absorvida pelas antocianinas, é a transferência de próton no estado excitado e não a fluorescência. / Upon excitation from the ground state to the first excited singlet state, the pKa of the acid-base equilibrium of anthocyanins exhibits a large shift, from ca. 4 to ca. -1. This characteristic of super-photoacidity, coupled with the technique of laser flash photolysis, can be employed to perturb the position of the acid-base equilibrium in the ground state. Monitoring the kinetics of relaxation back to the initial equilibrium position that existed prior to the laser pulse permits determination of the rate constants for protonation (kp) and deprotonation (kd) in the ground state. This method was applied to the following natural and synthetic anthocyanins: 4-methyl-7-hydroxyflavylium (HMF); 4\', 7-dihydroxyflavylium (DHF); malvidine-3-glucoside (Oenin); malvidine-3,5-diglucoside (Malvin); Pelargonidine-3,5-diglucoside (Pelargonin); and. cyanidine-3,5-diglucoside (Cyanin). Thus, the ground state deprotonation rate constants (kd) for the acid form were found to be: 1.4 x 106 s-1 (HMF); 3.1 x 106 s-1 (DHF); 5.1 x 106 s-1 (Oenin); 3.8 x 106 s-1 (Malvin); 1.3 x 106 s-1 (Pelargonin); 1.8 x 106 s-1 (Cyanin). The corresponding rate constants for protonation of the ground state of the base (kp) were: 3.6 x 1010 M-1s-1 (HMF); 3.1 x 1010 M-1s-1 (DHF); 2.5 x 1010 M-1s-1 (Oenin); 2.9 x 1010M-1s-1 (Malvin); 3.6 x 1010 M-1s-1 (Pelargonin); 2.2 x 1010 s-1 (Cyanin). Our method is currently the only one that permits direct determination of these rate constants. This method also allows the determination of kpand kd in microheterogeneous media. Thus, employing measurements of kd, it was possible to demonstrate that anionic SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) micelles stabilize the flavylium cation form of HMF. In cationic and nonionic micelles, however, the flavylium cation is destabilized, which manifests itself via the appearance of reactivity that is absent in aqueous solution in the absence of these surfactants. Finally, the results of the application of this method show that the primary energy wasting process for radiant energy absorbed by anthocyanins is excited state proton transfer rather than fluorescence.

lnternasionaal, sowel as nasionaal bestaan daar besorgdheid oor leerders se ontoereikende prestasie in wiskunde. In postapartheid Suid-Afrika is ontoereikende prestasie in wiskunde 'n wesenlike probleem. Talle studies is reeds onderneem om hierdie verskynsel te verklaar omdat wiskundeprestasie van kardinale belang is vir enige ontwikkelende land. Navorsing het onder meer aangetoon dat wiskundeprestasie op skoal een van die beste voorspellers van sukses op tersiere vlak is en dat daar 'n statistiese betekenisvolle verband bestaan tussen wiskundeprestasie en aspekte van studie-orientasie in wiskunde (insluitende studiegewoontes, wiskunde-angs, houding jeens wiskunde, effektiewe tydsbestuur, ouerverwagting, asook leerders se sosiale en ervaringswereld in wiskunde). Verskeie ander faktore beïnvloed ook wiskundeprestasie, met inbegrip van bekwaamheid, belangstelling, leerders se agtergrond en die gehalte van onderrig. Oor die afgelope 20 jaar fokus navorsers op onder meer die invloed van sosiale, kognitiewe en metakognitiewe, konatiewe en affektiewe fasette van prestasie in wiskunde. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die fasette van emosionele intelligensie en die dimensies van studie-orientasie in wiskunde wat moontlik 'n rol kan speel in die middel-adolessent se wiskundeprestasie. Die studie het veral gefokus op die aard van emosionele intelligensie en studie-orientasie in wiskunde, die aard en betekenis van wiskundeprestasie, die mate waartoe ('n kombinasie van fasette van) emosionele intelligensie en studie-orientasie middeladolessente se wiskundeprestasie voorspel en hoe verskillende taal-, geslag- en graadgroepe (in hierdie studie verteenwoordig) se prestasie in hierdie opsig vergelyk. Die studie het plaasgevind vanuit 'n sosio-konstruktivistiese paradigma wat uit die interpretivistiese paradigma ontwikkel het. Seide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe datainsamelingstegnieke (KWAN-kwal) is in hierdie studie ge"implementeer ten einde die moontlike verband tussen emosionele intelligensie, studie-orientasie in wiskunde en die middel-adolessent se wiskundeprestasie te ondersoek en te beskryf. Altesaam 435 leerlinge in graad 9 en 11 aan die drie Engelsmedium-hoerskole in die Mafikeng area het aan die studie deelgeneem. Die kwantitatiewe komponent van die studie het bestaan uit die implementering van twee gestandaardiseerde vraelyste. Leerders is gevra om 'n El-vraelys, naamlik die Bar-On EQ-i: YV™ en die Studieorientasievraelys in Wiskunde (SOW) te voltooi. Kwalitatiewe tegnieke wat in hierdie studie ge"implementeer is, sluit in fokusgroeponderhoude, observasie, veldnotas en die gebruik van 'n reflektiewe joernaal. Daar is een fokusgroeponderhoud by elk van die drie deelnemende skole gevoer om die leerders wat aan die navorsing deelgeneem het se menings en opinies rakende wiskunde en wiskundeprestasie te peil. Die resultate het aangedui daarop dat 'n kombinasie van die fasette van emosionele intelligensie en die dimensies van studie-orientasie as moontlike voorspellers van die middel-adolessent se wiskundeprestasie beskou kan word. Die volgende Elkomponente het as voorspellers van wiskundeprestasie na vore getree: Algemene gemoedstoestand, Aanpasbaarheid en lntrapersoonlike gedrag. Die volgende SOW dimensies was voorspellers van wiskundeprestasie: Probleemoplossing, Studiegewoontes, lnligtingverwerking en Wiskundeangs. Temas wat uit die kwalitatiewe aspek van my studie na vore getree het as moontlik bydraend tot leerders se ontoereikende wiskundeprestasie, verwys spesifiek na uitdagings op makro-, meso- en mikrovlak binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. ENGLISH : There is both internationally and nationally great concern about the poor achievement of learners in mathematics. Inadequate performance in mathematics is a substantial problem in post-apartheid South Africa. Numerous studies have been undertaken to explain this phenomenon, since mathematics achievement is of cardinal importance to any developing country. Research has shown inter alia that mathematics achievement at school is one of the best predictors of success at tertiary level and that there is a statistically significant correlation between mathematics achievement and aspects of study orientation in mathematics (including study habits, mathematics anxiety, attitude towards mathematics, effective time management, parents' expectations, learners' social world and mathematics experience). Various other factors also affect mathematics achievement, including competence, interest, learners' background and the quality of tuition. Over the past 20 years, researchers have focused on issues such as the impact of social, cognitive and metacognitive, conative and affective facets on achievement in mathematics. The aim of this study was to examine the facets of emotional intelligence and the dimensions of study orientation in mathematics that might play a role in the mathematics achievement of the middle adolescent. The study focused especially on the nature of emotional intelligence and study orientation in mathematics, the nature and meaning of mathematics achievement, the extent to which (a combination of facets of) emotional intelligence and study orientation predict(s) the mathematics achievement of middle-adolescents and also compared the performance of the different language, gender and grade groups (represented in this study). The study was based on a socio-constructivist paradigm, which had developed from the interpretivist paradigm. Both quantitative and qualitative data-gathering techniques (QUAN-qual) were implemented so as to examine and describe the possible relationship between emotional intelligence, study orientation in mathematics and the mathematics achievement of the middle adolescent. Altogether 435 learners in Grades 9 and 11 from the three English medium high schools in the Mafikeng region took part in the study. The quantitative component of the study comprised the implementation of two standardised questionnaires. Learners were asked to complete an El questionnaire, the Bar-On EQ-i: YV™, and the Study Orientation Questionnaire in Mathematics (SOM). Qualitative techniques implemented in the study included focus group interviews, observation, field notes, and the use of a reflective journal. One focus group interview was conducted at each of the three participating schools to gauge the views and opinions of learners participating in the research on mathematics achievement. The results indicated that a combination of the facets of emotional intelligence and the dimensions of study orientation could be considered potential predictors of the middle adolescent's mathematics achievement. The following EI components also emerged from the results as predictors of mathematics achievement: General mood, Adaptability and Intrapersonal behaviour. The following SOM dimensions were predictors of mathematics achievement: Problem-solving behaviour, Study habits, Information processing and Mathematics anxiety. Themes that emerged from the qualitative aspect of my study as potential contributors to learners' inadequate mathematics achievement refer specifically to challenges at the macro, meso and micro level within the South African context. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted