No summary available / Mathematical Sciences/Teacher Education / D.Phil.

Multicultural education has its goals and objectives focused to meet the needs of all learners from different cultural backgrounds. Our teaching strategies need to be flexible to accommodate suggestions to enhance optimal actualisation of the potential of all learners. One of the major problems that exist in multicultural schools is the presentation of low self-concepts by Zulu-speaking adolescents. A self-concept enhancement programme was considered as a possible technique to build positive self-concepts in these learners. Pre-test and post-test results indicate that the Self-Concept Enhancement Programme (SEP) may be one of the ways of building positive self-concept in Zuluspeaking adolescents in multicultural schools. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.(with specialisation in Guidance and Counseling)

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Masters Degree in Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / Abstract Over the past few years, higher education institutions (HEI’s) have experienced dramatic changes, in their structuring, funding and student numbers. The tertiary education sector in South Africa faces many new challenges, including, more recently, various mergers and the transformation of technikons into universities of technology. This transformation as not only brought about a change of status in these institutions, but also the mergers of intrinsically different institutions. The broadening of access to higher education under the present government policy has seen a growth in the number of international student applications to tertiary institutions. In an increasingly competitive market for international students, institutions need to provide an optimum service. International students’ perceptions of HEI’s facilities and services are becoming more important. It is apparent that there is a need to measure international students’ expectations and perceptions of service quality at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). The aim of this study was to investigate customer service quality at DUT. The objectives of this study were: to determine international students’ expectations of customer service at DUT; to evaluate international students’ perceptions of customer service at DUT; to identify any gaps between expectations and perceptions of customer service at DUT; and to identify customer service expectation and perception differences according to biographical variables. The instrument used to assess the international students’ expectations and perceptions of service quality was the SERVQUAL questionnaire, measuring expectations and perceptions according to the five quality dimensions. For the purposes of this study, a census was conducted. Hence, a survey was conducted among all international students enrolled in the 2010 academic year. One hundred and ninety two international students were surveyed using the SERVQUAL questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Conclusions and recommendations were thereafter drawn from the literature and the findings of the study. The study shows that international students’ expectations of service quality exceeded their perceptions on the five service quality dimensions used in the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The smallest dimension gap score proved to be tangibles and reliability, both being equal, while the largest gap score of the study proved to be empathy followed by assurance and responsiveness. Therefore, it is recommended that DUT attend to these gaps and ensure that necessary strategies are implemented so that international students receive a high level of service quality in all areas of the service dimensions.

Submitted in fulfillment for the Master of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Promulgation of the Higher Education Qualifications Framework (HEQF) tasks the Council for Higher Education (CHE), South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and standards generating bodies (Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)) with guiding institutions through the implementation of the new framework. Implementation is through a phased approach spanning a five-year period beginning in January 2011 and with anticipated culmination in December 2014. As the Higher Education Framework Handbook (CHE 2011:2) states: ‘all existing institutions, public and private, offering existing and previously accredited higher education programmes will be impacted upon by this process in some manner or form, whether it be through a minor name change or a complete renewal of the programme content.’ Consequently, universities of technology (UoT’s) have embarked on a curriculum renewal process and the Civil Engineering Department of Durban University of Technology (DUT) is no different. It is within this context of participation and multiple contributory environments of different role-players that this study was founded. This research explored the Civil Engineering industry’s involvement in the curriculum renewal at DUT with the intention of understanding its contribution and influence in the renewal process and particularly in terms of curriculum design. The scope of the study was restricted to DUT Civil Engineering Department and their graduates, with subjects selected from a convenience sample of DUT Civil Engineering Department’s database of employers that have in the past and presently employ DUT graduates and/ or Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) students. The sample constituted organisations from the contracting, consulting and para-statal fields of employment. A questionnaire was designed containing both open-ended questions and rating scales that explored and probed the Civil Engineering industry level of involvement in the curriculum and curriculum renewal activities at DUT. In addition, interviews were conducted with seasoned Civil Engineering staff that have interacted with industry at various levels to gain their view of industry’s involvement with design of the Civil Engineering curriculum. Data from both questionnaires and interviewees overwhelmingly suggested that industry is not directly involved with the curriculum renewal currently underway at DUT, some respondents only gathered that such an activity was taking place through the medium of the questionnaire. This suggests that the resultant curriculum will be void of much industry engagement and influence. The nature of engagement that does occur is largely through the utilisation of DUT graduates or WIL students. Engagement occurs most commonly when curriculum issues are raised by staff at interviews of employers during WIL, suggesting that the nature of association with DUT is limited to employment of students or graduates. It is inferred that industry has very little direct input into the curriculum. DUT Advisory Board is considerably under-utilised for its intended purpose of engaging industry on curriculum issues, and its existence is unfamiliar to industry at large. As much as the Advisory Board is the most appropriate avenue to discuss curriculum issues, it has limitations in that its function is not entirely realised. The data generated also resoundingly suggests that industry is fully supportive of an inclusive participation process. Data further suggest that industry genuinely wants to be involved in curriculum discussions, and decisions for reasons ranging from participating to create more relevant course content, to contributing to creation of graduates with more appropriate employability attributes. Participants from industry further intimated that their role remains for on-site experiential learning: they provide the working knowledge to complement the academic knowledge provided by DUT. They also consider themselves to be providers of other facets that contribute to a holistic graduate, and assume further roles such as those of mentors and supervisors. The likely outcomes of their influence would be rapid engagement of graduates within the Civil Engineering field. A symbiotic relationship therefore becomes apparent between DUT and industry, where with more input into the curriculum by industry; a more work- orientated graduate is produced to better serve the needs of industry. The following recommendations emerge from the findings of this study: Since most of industry’s engagement occurs during WIL interviews, it would be prudent if a generic curriculum- based questionnaire is devised. This should be filled in by employers during student WIL visitations by staff in addition to the existing questionnaire. In doing so DUT would be proactive in literally ‘taking curriculum issues to them’. The DUT Civil Engineering Department should target those companies that have an interest in making a concerted effort by enlisting them onto the Advisory Board. From an institutional perspective DUT should be more proactive and advertise the existence of such an entity, created solely for curriculum discussions with the public, and particularly with industry. Assessments, course content and the project component of the programme generated considerable comments from industry that the Civil Engineering Department could take into consideration during the curriculum renewal process.

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / In South Africa, a dire need exists for a psychological approach that would be appropriate and adequate for all South Africans while opposing remaining historical inequalities. Psychological services are saturated within the predominantly white private sector but scarce for the predominantly disadvantaged who are dependant on public services. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the perceptions of Community Psychology among psychology Honours/Bpsych students. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed in this study. A self-constructed questionnaire was used for obtaining data. A convenience sample was obtained from the universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch and the Western Cape. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The outcomes of this study are firstly, that there is no significant relationship was established between race and tendency to study community psychology with the exception of the first year. Secondly, the relationship between gender and tendency to study community psychology was also non-significant. The results of the qualitative findings did however suggest that negative perceptions of community psychology are evident among students thus suggesting that they are deterred from pursuing it as a career.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: In the last two decades there has been an increase in the numbers of visually impaired students accessing universities in South Africa. However, very few studies have documented the experiences of these students. Through the lens of a phenomenological understanding of disability, this study thus aimed to capture the lived experiences of visual impairment, as recounted by participants from two universities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: Data were collected and analysed according to the principles of the interpretative phenomenological approach. I conducted semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews with 23 participants, and 13 students participated in focus group sessions. Results: The analysis yielded important findings. First, participants described the challenges related to the transition from school, namely: orientating themselves to the new physical environment; making new friends; and deciding whether they wanted to disclose impairment. This transition was sometimes closely tied to introspection and a new sense of self. Mainstream versus special schooling experiences seemed to shape this transition and their experiences in higher education to a degree. Second, participants discussed complex social interactions with nondisabled peers, in which the latter reportedly offered help, and avoided or stared at participants, leaving them feeling “not seen”. In response, visually impaired students often denied impairment and concealed their emotional pain. Third, within the learning environment, the participants were sometimes confronted with unwilling lecturers, a lack of communication amongst important role-players, late course material and/or headaches and muscle tension from the effort of reading with limited sight. The students recounted that they commonly self-advocated and took the responsibility upon themselves to get special accommodations. There were also many positive accounts of supportive lecturers and disability units who did more than was required of them. Discussion: Overall, these findings showed that the experiences of students did not seem to differ according to the institution they attended. Their visual category and/or secondary schooling seemed to have played a more significant role where their experiences differed. The findings also revealed that, in addition to the typical demands of university studies, the participants also took a lot of responsibility upon themselves to manage their studies and their physical and social environment. Participants seemed resilient and innovative, yet the effort sometimes drained their energy and left them frustrated. Despite valuable steps towards inclusion, these visually impaired students were still not fully included on tertiary campuses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding: Die aantal visiueel gestremde studente in Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite het oor die afgelope twee dekades toegeneem. Die ervarings van hierdie studente is egter deur baie min studies gedokumenteer. Die studie het dus gepoog om, deur middel van 'n fenomenologiese begrip van gestremdheid, die deurleefde ervarings van visiuele gestremdheid, soos vertel deur deelnemers van twee universiteite in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika, vas te lê. Metodes: Die insameling en analise van data is uitgevoer volgens die beginsels van die intertavistiess fenomenologiese benadering. Ek het semi-gestruktureerde, in-diepte, individuele onderhoude met 23 deelnemers gevoer en 13 studente het aan fokusgroep sessies deelgeneem. Resultate: Die analise het tot belangrike bevindinge aanleiding gegee. Die deelnemers het eerstens die oorgang vanaf skool en die verbandhoudende uitdagings beskryf, naamlik, om hulself te orienteer tot die nuwe fisiese omgewing, om nuwe vriendskappe te smee en om te besluit of hulle hul gestremdheid bekend wou maak. Hierdie oorgang het soms nou saamgehang met self-ondersoek en „n nuwe begrip van hulself. Dit blyk ook dat hoofstroom of spesiale onderwys tot „n mate die oorgang en algehele ervarings op universiteit gevorm het. Tweedens, het die deelnemers komplekse sosiale interaksie met nie-gestremde eweknieë bespreek. Volgens die deelnemers, word hul dikwels deur nie-gestremde studente aangestaar, vermy of gehelp, wat eersgenoemdd dikwels “onsigbaar” laat voel het. In reaksie hierop het die visiueel gestremde studente dikwels hul gestremdheid, asook hul emosionele pyn, ontken en verbloem. Derdens, was deelnemers soms gekonfronteer met onwillige dosente, kommunikasiegapings tussen kern rolspelers, laat kursusmateriaal en/of hoofpyne en spierspanning weens die inspanning van lees met beperkte visie. Die studente het vertel dat hulle oor die algemeen self-voorspraak doen en die verantwoordelikheid op hulself neem om spesiale aanpassings te verkry. Daar was ook heelwat positiewe kommentaar aangaande ondersteunende dosente en gestremdseenhede wat dikwels meer gedoen het as wat van hulle vereis was. Bespreking: In die algeheel gesien, blyk dit nie dat die ervarings van studente verskil na gelang van tersiêre instansie nie. Dit wil voorkom dat visuele kategorie en/of sekondêre onderrig „n groter rol in die verskille tussen studente gespeel het. Die bevindings dui ook daarop dat, afgesien van die tipiese vereistes van tersiëre studies, die deelnemers baie van die verantwoordelikheid moes dra om hul studies en die sosiale en fisiese omgewing te bestuur. Alhoewel deelnemers veerkragtig en innoverend blyk te wees, het die inspanning hulle dikwels gedreineer en gefrustreerd gelaat. Ten spyte van waardevolle vordering ten opsigte van insluiting, was hierdie visueel gestremde studente steeds nie ten volle ingesluit op tersiëre kampusse nie.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study deals with the relationship between university-based journalism education and journalism as a social practice. It is argued that the construction of this relationship can be better understood in context of its location within the history different conceptions of social knowledge. The purpose was to gain insight into how this relationship was shaped by the location of journalism education within global and local histories of such knowledge. This goal was pursued through an exploration of the international development of university-based journalism education and a more detailed consideration of the South African example. The study consists, firstly, of a literature review which demonstrates how the construction of the relationship between journalism education and journalism as practice has been implicated in the history of different conceptualisations of authoritative knowledge. The review traces the role played by Mass Communication Studies and Cultural Studies in shaping this relationship. It is concluded that the way in which these two fields have located themselves within the politics of authoritative knowledge has contributed to the marginalisation, within journalism education, of critical engagement between academic knowledge and knowledge of journalistic practice. The review also teases out how South African journalism education has positioned itself within the broader history of universitybased journalism education. It is concluded that although the marginalisation of critical education is reproduced within the South African example, a close study of journalism education in this country reveals the potential for a more critical engaged approach to teaching. The study includes an empirical research component focusing on South African journalism education. This serves as a more detailed exploration of the themes emerging from the literature review, pursued in context of an examination of a historically situated example of university-based journalism education. A central aim of this empirical component of the study was to explore the potential for the realisation of a critically engaged tradition in journalism education in South Africa. The study drew, for this purpose, on interviews with individuals who have experience both of working as journalists and of studying and teaching in university environments in South Africa. One conclusion drawn from these interviews is that journalism education, as it exists in this country, has primarily defined itself in relation to a mainstream and ‘liberal’ understanding of authoritative journalistic knowledge. It is demonstrated that it becomes possible to imagine a more critically engaged and transformative relationship with journalism practice if teaching acknowledges the existence, in the South African context, of alternative approaches to authoritative journalistic knowledge. It is also shown that within existing traditions of critical education, the relationship with practice tends to be one of the ‘deconstruction’ of the liberal conceptualisation of journalistic knowledge. The study proposes that ‘critical engagement’ needs, instead, to be reconceptualised as a relationship of ‘supportive critique’ with historically situated examples of journalistic practice. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die geskiedenis van die verhouding tussen universiteits-gebaseerde joernalistieke onderrig en joernalistiek as ‘n sosiale praktyk. Die studie voer aan dat die ontwikkeling van hierdie verhouding beter begryp kan word deur dit te kontekstualiseer binne die geskiedenis van sosiale kennis. Die bedoeling was om insig te verkry in hoe die verhouding tussen universiteitsgebaseerde joernalistieke onderrig en joernalistiek as ‘n sosiale praktyk gevorm is deur ontwikkelinge in internasionale sowel as in die plaaslike Suid-Afrikaanse verband. Met die oog hierop word ‘n oorsig van die internasionale ontwikkeling van universiteits-gebaseerde joernalistieke onderrig verskaf sowel as ‘n nadere ondersoek van die Suid-Afrikaanse geval. Die studie bestaan, eerstens, uit ‘n literatuuroorsig wat demonstreer hoe die uitbou van ’n verhouding tussen joernalistieke onderrig en joernalistiek in die praktyk ingebed was in die vestiging van gesaghebbende sosiale kennis. Die literatuur-oorsig beklemtoon die invloed van onderskeidelik Massa Kommunikasie Studies en Kulturele Studies op die ontwikkeling van hierdie verhouding. Een gevolgtrekking is dat die rol wat dié twee studievelde gespeel het binne die politiek van sosiale kennis bygedra het tot marginalisering van ‘n kritiese verhouding tussen akademiese kennis en kennis van joernalistieke praktyk. Die ontwikkeling en rol van joernalistieke onderrig in Suid-Afrika word ook ondersoek binne die breër geskiedenis van universiteits-gebaseerde joernalistieke onderrig. Dit word bevind dat hoewel kritiese onderrig ook in Suid-Afrika gemarginaliseer is, ‘n nadere studie aantoon dat daar wel potensiaal is vir ‘n meer kritiese benadering in joernalistieke onderrig. Die studie sluit ‘n empiriese navorsingsprojek in van joernalistieke onderrig in Suid-Afrika. Die temas wat as deel van die literatuuroorsig bespreek is word sodoende in hierdie besondere historiese konteks ondersoek. ‘n Belangrike doelstelling van hierdie empiriese komponent van die studie was om die potensiaal vir ‘n meer krities-betrokke tradisie in joernalistieke onderrig in Suid- Afrika te ondersoek. Onderhoude is gevoer met individue wat ondervinding het van joernalistiek in die praktyk sowel as van joernalistieke onderrig. Een gevolgtrekking uit hierdie onderhoude is dat Suid-Afrikaanse joernalistieke onderrig tot dusver sigself in eerste instansie defineer het in relasie tot die hoofstroom van joernalistieke praktyk en deur middel van ‘n ‘liberale’ konsepsie van gesaghebbende joernalistieke kennis. Die navorser voer aan dat ‘n meer kritiese en transformerende verhouding tussen joernalistieke onderrig en die praktyk van joernalistiek wel moontlik word as die bestaan van alternatiewe benaderings tot gesaghebbende joernalistieke kennis binne die Suid Afrikaanse konteks erken word. Binne bestaande tradisies van kritiese onderwys word die verhouding met die praktyk dikwels gedefinieer as ‘dekonstruksie’ van die liberale konseptualisering van joernalistieke kennis. Hierdie studie stel voor dat ‘n kritiese benadering tot onderrig in joernalistiek eerder gebaseer moet word op ‘ondersteunende kritiek’ wat gebruik maak van histories gekontekstualiseerde voorbeelde van joernalistieke praktyk.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Stellenbosch has implemented an extensively revised undergraduate medical curriculum. Exit outcomes, that have been entitled the Profile of the Stellenbosch Doctor, have been formulated for the programme. The revised curriculum is presented in three phases. Phase I involves the study of non-clinical subjects under the guidance of the Faculties of Natural Sciences and Economic & Management Sciences. Phase II involves the study of subjects that lay the groundwork for the third phase. Phase III involves the study of pre-clinical and clinical subjects in an integrated fashion. The intended outcomes of phases II and III were elaborated by the formulation of specific learning outcomes. Determining whether the specific outcomes formulated for each module are achieved will be one aspect of quality assurance in the revised curriculum. This could be done by investigating the relationship between assessment and the specific outcomes. If, however, specific outcomes for the various modules are not congruent with the exit outcomes for the programme, then student assessment will be invalid as regards the programme outcomes. This study therefore entailed a formative evaluation of part of phase II of the revised curriculum. The aims of the study were, firstly, to determine the degree of congruence between the specific outcomes formulated for phase II and the exit outcomes for the programme and, secondly, to explore why the observed degree of congruence exists. The research strategy employed was a case study. The research techniques used were a document analysis and two questionnaire surveys. The study found that most specific outcomes formulated for phase II of the curriculum are congruent with one or more exit outcomes for the programme. However, few of the exit outcomes are addressed to any great extent by specific outcomes. This raises the concern that assessment of students based on the specific outcomes as presently formulated might not demonstrate development of students towards achievement of the exit outcomes. There are indications that this lack of congruence could be due to i) a large number of competing demands on lecturers' time; ii) lecturers not wanting to spend time doing work prioritised by others as important; iii) perceptions that work related to the revised curriculum is being forced on staff without necessarily consulting them; iv) a lack of reward for good teaching; v) the perception that the strategies adopted for the revised curriculum will not necessarily benefit students. Recommendations are made as to how these findings could be confirmed and strategies developed that could be utilised to ensure a greater degree of congruence between the specific and exit outcomes in future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Fakulteit Geneeskunde van die Universiteit Stellenbosch het 'n omvangryke hersiening van hul voorgraadse geneeskundige kurrikulum geïmplementeer. Uitgangsuitkomste, getiteld die Profiel van die Stellenbosch Dokter, is vir die program geformuleer. Die hersiene kurrikulum word in drie fases aangebied. Fase I behels die studie van nie-kliniese vakke onder leiding van die Fakulteite van Natuurwetenskappe en Ekonomiese- & Bestuurswetenskappe. Fase II behels die studie van vakke wat die grondwerk lê vir die derde fase. Fase III behels die studie van prekliniese en kliniese vakke op 'n geïntegreerde wyse. Die beoogde uitkomste van fases II en III is uitgespel deur die formulering van spesifieke leeruitkomste. Die bepaling van of die spesifieke uitkomste wat vir elke module geformuleer is, bereik word, sal een aspek uitmaak van gehalteversekering in die hersiene kurrikulum. Dit sou gedoen kon word deur die verwantskap tussen assessering en die spesifieke uitkomste te ondersoek. Indien die spesifieke uitkomste vir die verskeie modules egter nie met die uitgangsuitkomste vir die program kongruent is nie, dan sal studentassessering ongeldig wees wat betref die uitkomste van die program. Hierdie studie het dus 'n formatiewe evaluering van deel van fase II van die hersiene kurrikulum behels. Die doelstellings van die studie was om, eerstens, die graad van kongruensie tussen die spesifieke uitkomste wat vir fase II geformuleer is en die uitgangsuitkomste vir die program te bepaal en, tweedens, om ondersoek in te stel na waarom die waargenome graad van kongruensie bestaan. Die navorsingsstrategie wat gebruik is, is 'n gevallestudie. Die navorsingstegnieke wat gebruik is, is 'n dokument analise en twee vraelys ondersoeke. Die studie het vasgestel dat die meeste spesifieke uitkomste vir fase II van die kurrikulum geformuleer wel met een of meer uitgangsuitkomste kongruent was. Min van die uitgangsuitkomste is egter in enige groot mate deur spesifieke uitkomste aangespreek. Die wek besorgdheid dat assessering van studente gebaseer op spesifieke uitkomste soos dit tans daar uitsien, nie noodwendig die ontwikkeling van studente in die rigting van bereiking van die uitgangsuitkomste sal demonstreer nie. Daar is aanduidings dat hierdie gebrek aan kongruensie die gevolg mag wees van: i) 'n groot aantal kompeterende eise op dosente se tyd; ii) dat dosente nie tyd wil wy aan werk wat deur ander as belangrik bepaal is nie; iii) persepsies dat werk wat met die hersiene kurrikulum verband hou op personeel afgedwing word sonder om hulle te raadpleeg; iv) 'n gebrek aan beloning vir goeie onderrig; v) die persepsie dat strategieë wat gebruik word vir die hersiene kurrikulum nie noodwendig tot voordeel van studente sal strek nie. Aanbevelings word aan die hand gedoen oor hoe hierdie bevindinge bevestig kan word en hoe strategieë ontwikkel kan word wat benut sal kan word om in die toekoms 'n groter mate van kongruensie tussen spesifieke en uitgangsuitkomste te verseker.

The aim of this study was to find out the academic and social experience of Lesotho students who studied at institutions of higher in the Western Cape between 1990-1997.

The purpose of the study wass to describe the professional and personal development of nursing students who were placed at the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Abused Women and Children for the service-learning trial run of this Gender-Based Violence module i