M.Ed. / The goal of this research study was to provide Psycho-Educational guidelines to assist adolescent learners to manage aggression in a constructive manner. The participants in this research study were adolescent learners at age of fifteen to seventeen years in Secondary Schools in the of Klerksdorp area. Adolescence is a phase in human development that is synonymous with change, namely, physical, emotional and cognitive changes. It is a crucial phase of development. Aggression is simply defined as a behavior that is intended to hurt someone either physically or psychologically (Weiten, 1992:397). However there are many theorists who define aggression differently but state anti-social behavior as a characteristic. The researcher wanted to formulate guidelines after exploring and describing the perceptions of black adolescence on aggression. It was because this aggressive behavior was impacting on their future successes. The research objectives were as follows: „« To explore and describe the perception of black adolescents of aggression in an informal settlement „« To formulate guidelines to assist black adolescents to manage aggression in a constructive manner. The qualitative research approach helps the researcher to understand and interpret adolescents¡¦ perception on aggression. The information gathered in this study would help determine topics for further research on adolescents¡¦ perceptions on aggression. Focus group interviews were conducted. This study was explorative and descriptive as it aimed to obtain adolescents¡¦ perceptions on aggression. The researcher attempted to find out how adolescents perceived aggression by conducting focus group interviews. Interviews were conducted with four groups. The major themes were: „« Black adolescents in an informal settlement school express different views on what aggression is „« Black adolescents in an informal settlement school experience forms and acts of aggression at school „« Black adolescents experience a sense of being so victimized in schools that it made their school lives miserable. „« View points that necessary structures should be put in place with the objective of providing guidelines to assist black adolescents in an informal settlement school to manage aggression in a constructive manner From the interviews conducted, recommendations were made to reduce the problems caused by aggression. / Prof. C.P.H. Myburgh

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (MPhil (Curriculum Studies)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / A new Outcomes-based Education (OBE) system, as well as a new Further Education and Training (FET) framework, has been proposed by the government to address past inequalities and provide a skilled labour force. The introduction of OBE has necessitated a paradigm shift in both educational and assessment practices. The FET policies, led by the introduction of the Green Paper for FET in 1998, aimed to inform the FET institutions on the implementation of outcomes-based assessment. However, the implementation of these policies has posed many obstacles and challenges. Lecturers are unsure about the implementation strategies, and their attempts to cope with these uncertainties are seldom effective. Consequently, lecturers struggle to bring their assessment practices in line with the policies. This was the research problem of the study. The aim of the study was to determine discrepancies between the policies and the practices. The FET policies and related literature were consulted to determine how assessment practices should change. Subsequently, a questionnaire and focus group discussions were used to determine the current assessment practices of lecturers at the Klerksdorp campus of Vuselela College. Thereafter, the requirements of the policies and the current assessment practices of the lecturers were compared to determine the extent to which the lecturers had adopted the new assessment practices. Various discrepancies were found. The first discrepancy existed between the implementation strategies of the new FET curriculum and the actual implementation process at the college. No learnerships had been implemented in the N-courses and the implementation process had been delayed several times. A second discrepancy existed between the requirements for lecturers to be registered as assessors and the registration process. Lecturers completed the training courses but struggled to register as assessors. A bottleneck existed with the registration process because of the number of lecturers that had to be registered. In addition, the training did not provide the lecturers with sufficient knowledge to implement outcomes-based assessment while the training was presented on the wrong National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level. Another discrepancy existed with regard to the implementation of the learnerships and the implementation of outcomes-based assessment. Lecturers were only expected to implement outcomes-based assessment in courses where learnerships had been implemented. This meant that lecturers who lectured on N-courses were still required to use more traditional assessment methods. While some lecturers preferred paper-based assessment methods, other lecturers felt that the restrictions imposed by the DoE were depriving them of the opportunity to use more alternative methods. Problems such as an increase in the workload, administration and paperwork and learner numbers were also experienced. Regarding these discrepancies, it was firstly recommended that the DoE be realistic about implementation dates and be transparent about delays and problems. Lecturers could assist the DoE in the implementation process by writing unit standards. Secondly, it was recommended that the DoE should have an efficient structure in place to deal with the vast number of lecturers that would have to register as assessors. This can be done by employing extra human resources. Better training is necessary to support and empower lecturers to implement outcomes-based assessment. Thirdly, lecturers could be encouraged to implement the new assessment practices by giving them recognition for good work, providing them with assistance and appointing lecturers who act solely as assessors. These discrepancies are more related and the recommendations more useful to this particular college than the assistance that is provided by the DoE by making the college aware of the obstacles and challenges that the new assessment practices pose.