This is an investigation explaining the relationship between the home environment and mathematics performance of 12 grade eight students from a high school in Durban, South Africa. One of the data collection methods was a 25-question test, based on the TIMSS test, namely a TIMSS equivalent mathematics test. The test was analysed and its relation to the South African syllabus, the students' familiarity with the type of questions and the multiple-choice mode of answer used in the TIMSS study, was investigated. The test scores were also used to identify high performing and low performing students to be interviewed about their mathematical, personal and home backgrounds. A student questionnaire was administered to these selected students as a basis for the interviews. An in depth one on one interview and records of the students' achievements in grade 7 and grade 8 in languages and mathematics, as well as school family records were used for the analysis. The life stories of the six high performing and six low performing students were then constructed and analysed with respect to: their achievements in mathematics and language; their home backgrounds; how their mathematics performance is affected by their home environments; and the effect of parental involvement in their lives. Finally research findings from the interviews on the home lives and experiences of the 12 grade 8 students from a high school in Durban are presented. Implications are put forward and recommendations made. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

This study explores the factors that promote parental involvement at a secondary school in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The study was conducted with twelve learners from grades 10 to grade 12, six educators and six parents. The theories on parental involvement that guided the study were the ecological theory of Bronfenbrenner and the role theory. The methodology used to obtain data were interviews with learners, teachers and parents. The literature review looked at the extent of parental involvement, the barriers experienced by parents and the benefits of parental involvement. The literature also looked at views of how parents can be encouraged to become more active in schools. The qualitative method was utilized to determine the factors promoting parental involvement. The focus group was used with the learners and the semi structured interviews was used with the teachers and parents. Themes were formed using the collected data that was organized and analyzed The findings of the data showed that there is a need for greater parental involvement. Parents and teachers agreed that there are certain barriers that prevent parents from becoming more involved in the education of their children. There is a need for a concerted effort amongst parents and teachers to communicate and work as a team for effective teaching and learning to take place. Schools need to consider that parents face problems and they need to work with parents to overcome these barriers. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 95-96).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-96). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Miami University, Dept. of Psychology, 2004. / Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 26-30).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1996. / Title from title page screen, viewed May 23, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Paul J. Baker, Kenneth H. Strand (co-chairs), Sarah Booth, Anita H. Lupo. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-90) and abstract. Also available in print.

Recent factors identified as contributory to poor mathematics performance in South Africa include lack of parental involvement coupled by the divorce of mathematics education to children’s everyday lives. This exploratory study, therefore focused on home activities grandmothers engage their Grade 2 grandchildren that may promote mathematical skills of Foundation Phase learners. This study followed a qualitative, interpretive and case study research design, to explore home activities grandmothers engage their Grade 2 grandchildren that may promote mathematical skills of Foundation Phase learners. A small scale study of six grandmothers and three Grade 2 teachers were sampled through purposive and snowball sampling. In line with the protocol of the case study, semi-structured individual face to face interviews and shadowing were used to collect data. One striking feature of the main findings was the diversity mathematics applications home activities contained. These include physical, financial and fun playful home activities. Data also revealed that these home activities could reinforce numbers and what numbers mean; reinforce shape recognition and spatial relationships; complement matching, classification and sorting and reinforce measuring and time. This implies that curriculum must incorporate children’s social capital. Both teachers and grandmothers acknowledged that children’s mathematics education is complex and an effective partnership between grandmothers and teachers is needed if children are to be competent in mathematics.

The aim of this study was to explore fathers’ role in supporting their children’s learning in selected urban primary schools in the East London Education District. Epstein parental involvement theory informed the study. The study was located in the interpretivist research paradigm and it qualitative in nature. It followed a case study research design. Participants were selected through the use of purposive sampling. A total of fifty two (52) participants were selected and these included school teachers, fathers and learners. Semi-structured interviews (for school teachers and fathers) and focus group interviews (for learners) were used in the four selected primary schools. The data was coded and thematic content analysis was used. The findings from the research indicated that fathers’ and teachers had a very limited understanding of fathers’ support in children’s learning. They generally thought that it was confined to activities done at school such as payment of school fees and levies, providing labour for the construction or renovation of school buildings and providing teaching/learning resources. Participants confirmed that the majority of fathers were too poor and with low education to be meaningfully involved in their children’s learning. However, there were a few fathers who believed that their socio-economic status did not prevent them from participating in their children’s learning. They actually indicated useful ways in which they could be involved. It was found that a minority group of fathers who were unemployed spent time helping their children in their learning whilst, those working worked long hours and had no time to help their children. Among the significant findings of the study was the fact that educated fathers were too involved in their children’s learning and even reserved time on weekend to be part of their children’s life and learning. The research also revealed that fathers and teachers had wrong perceptions about themselves and each other in connection with limited fathers’ support in their schools. The study recommends, among other issues, enhanced school/parent partnership with emphasis on the involvement of fathers in academic activities meant to improve their children’s learning.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

D.Ed. / A child is educated with the aim of being able to comply with all the demands of life. One of these demands is having an occupation. In our contemporary society, the demand for work is far greater than the supply, which leads to unemployment. This is one reason for the actuality of this research. The lack of entrepreneurs is a national problem. Generally, parents are of the opinion that someone out there is waiting to employ their child. Children are thus brought up to believe that they must be employees or job seekers. At an early stage, the awareness and attitudes of the youth can be changed by means of entreprenedrial education as a method of combatting unemployment. This study concerns the task of the parental home as creator of a culture characterised by entrepreneurship. A twofold approach, consisting of a literature study (chapters 2-4) and an empirical study (chapters 5-6) was used. The purpose of the study is to determine: • what is understood by entrepreneurship (chapter 2); • the task of the parental home (chapter 3) and • the contribution of the parental home to the encouragement of entrepreneurship (chapter 4). The empirical investigation was undertaken with reference to the above theoretical framework. Teachers and businessman in the Springs Magisterial District were involved in the research. The purpose of this research is to determine which factors or circumstances in the parental home encourage entrepreneurship. Since this information could not be acquired by means of a known or existing instrument, a suitable instrument was designed.