In practice, the learner with low self worth struggles to achieve certain goals and does not experience success in the classroom. Teachers involved in the lives of these learners do not always have the skills to motivate and handle them in the classroom. The general aim and focus of the research study therefore is to identify the needs of educators in a primary school setting in order to accommodate the learner with low self worth in the classroom. The theoretical framework of this study is based on the Gestalt theory, focussing on the phenomenological method of awareness. The researcher made use of a qualitative research approach and the empirical data was collected by means of focus groups. The collected data was analysed by Creswell’s spiral of data analysis. In conclusion, the researcher identified that educators have a need regarding their training, parental involvement, personal and professional support, and a need for a guideline to accommodate the learner with low self worth in the class. In closing, the researcher made some suggestions regarding future training of educators, practice and possible ideas for future research based on the needs of educators identified through this study. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Gestalt theory and Positive Psychology formed the underlying theoretical frameworks of this study. Both Gestalt theory and Positive Psychology adopt a positive outlook towards human nature with the possibility of individuals becoming self-supporting and fully functioning. Both theories also regard awareness to be paramount in establishing healthy self-regulation and optimal well-being. Both Gestalt theory and Positive Psychology provided the link between the concepts, and were also used to describe the main concepts in the study. A review of the literature shows that children living in underprivileged communities often face many environmental stressors that can impact on their well-being and optimal psychological, cognitive, emotional and physical functioning. When this occurs, children are often not able to meet very important needs. They may have to find alternative ways to „survive‟ and protect themselves from certain stressors and cope with their environment. Very often these coping strategies are dysfunctional and certain parts within the child can become cut off or pushed aside, severing healthy contact with the environment. The child may also experience a sense of numbing and lack of awareness of senses, emotions and thoughts. The child is therefore living out of awareness. The literature suggests that the process of artmaking can contribute to facilitating awareness, which can enhance selfunderstanding and possibly lead to a greater sense of well-being. The researcher attempted to explore the kinds of awareness that could be facilitated through the artmaking process. A qualitative research design with a phenomenological strategy of enquiry was used for this study. Seven children in middle childhood living in a low socio-economic community took part in the study. They were between the ages of eleven and twelve years and had suffered some form of environmental stress. They had been subjected to substance and alcohol abuse, violence, death and divorce. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were used in order to understand what awareness may have been facilitated in children during the art-making process. The data collected were analysed thematically. The results revealed that the art-making process enabled the participants to experience certain kinds of awareness. The participants became aware of certain emotions and feelings like happiness, enjoyment, calmness, pride and mastery, as well as feelings of anger, sadness and denial. The participants were able to recognise and express positive emotions, but it appeared that the more complex emotions were recognised although not expressed. The most common emotion experienced by the participants was the sense of happiness and enjoyment they seemed to feel as they worked with the different art materials. It appeared that the playful nature of the art-making process kept them engaged and in contact with the process. The participants also became aware of a range of tactile experiences that each art medium offered; clay, paint, collage, hand printing and texture rubbings. These tactile experiences led them to an awareness of feelings and associations. The findings also indicated that the participants became aware of a sense of agency, as they appeared to have a sense of control and empowerment over the art mediums. This element of control over the art mediums seemed to afford the participants the ability to change what they did not like in their art work. This ability to change things appeared to feed back to, and enhance, their sense of empowerment. Through the findings of the study, as well as from the literature, this quality of empowerment, control and change is important for children in need living in a stressful environment, as it may foster a sense of agency that they may not find from their environment. Another significant finding seemed to be the participants‟ awareness of their context in terms of an unavailability of certain environmental resources to fulfil their needs, namely financial resources and nurturing. The participants‟ awareness centred around basic survival needs, for example lack of sufficient food, but also their awareness of relational needs and challenges, for example overcrowded households, alcohol-abusing parents and divorce. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Gestalt theory and Positive Psychology formed the underlying theoretical frameworks of this study. Both Gestalt theory and Positive Psychology adopt a positive outlook towards human nature with the possibility of individuals becoming self-supporting and fully functioning. Both theories also regard awareness to be paramount in establishing healthy self-regulation and optimal well-being. Both Gestalt theory and Positive Psychology provided the link between the concepts, and were also used to describe the main concepts in the study. A review of the literature shows that children living in underprivileged communities often face many environmental stressors that can impact on their well-being and optimal psychological, cognitive, emotional and physical functioning. When this occurs, children are often not able to meet very important needs. They may have to find alternative ways to „survive‟ and protect themselves from certain stressors and cope with their environment. Very often these coping strategies are dysfunctional and certain parts within the child can become cut off or pushed aside, severing healthy contact with the environment. The child may also experience a sense of numbing and lack of awareness of senses, emotions and thoughts. The child is therefore living out of awareness. The literature suggests that the process of artmaking can contribute to facilitating awareness, which can enhance selfunderstanding and possibly lead to a greater sense of well-being. The researcher attempted to explore the kinds of awareness that could be facilitated through the artmaking process. A qualitative research design with a phenomenological strategy of enquiry was used for this study. Seven children in middle childhood living in a low socio-economic community took part in the study. They were between the ages of eleven and twelve years and had suffered some form of environmental stress. They had been subjected to substance and alcohol abuse, violence, death and divorce. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were used in order to understand what awareness may have been facilitated in children during the art-making process. The data collected were analysed thematically. The results revealed that the art-making process enabled the participants to experience certain kinds of awareness. The participants became aware of certain emotions and feelings like happiness, enjoyment, calmness, pride and mastery, as well as feelings of anger, sadness and denial. The participants were able to recognise and express positive emotions, but it appeared that the more complex emotions were recognised although not expressed. The most common emotion experienced by the participants was the sense of happiness and enjoyment they seemed to feel as they worked with the different art materials. It appeared that the playful nature of the art-making process kept them engaged and in contact with the process. The participants also became aware of a range of tactile experiences that each art medium offered; clay, paint, collage, hand printing and texture rubbings. These tactile experiences led them to an awareness of feelings and associations. The findings also indicated that the participants became aware of a sense of agency, as they appeared to have a sense of control and empowerment over the art mediums. This element of control over the art mediums seemed to afford the participants the ability to change what they did not like in their art work. This ability to change things appeared to feed back to, and enhance, their sense of empowerment. Through the findings of the study, as well as from the literature, this quality of empowerment, control and change is important for children in need living in a stressful environment, as it may foster a sense of agency that they may not find from their environment. Another significant finding seemed to be the participants‟ awareness of their context in terms of an unavailability of certain environmental resources to fulfil their needs, namely financial resources and nurturing. The participants‟ awareness centred around basic survival needs, for example lack of sufficient food, but also their awareness of relational needs and challenges, for example overcrowded households, alcohol-abusing parents and divorce. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This study investigates the signal processing required in order to allow for the evaluation of hearing perception prediction models at low signal-to-noise Ratios (SNR). It focusses on speech enhancement and the estimation of the cues from which speech may be recognized, specifically where these cues are estimated from severely degraded speech (SNR ranging from -10 dB to -3 dB). This research has application in the field of cochlear implants (CI), where a listener would hear degraded speech due to several distortions introduced by the biophysical interface (e.g. frequency and amplitude discretization). These difficulties can also be interpreted as a loss in signal quality due to a specific type of noise. The ability to investigate perception in low SNR conditions may have application in the development of CI signal processing algorithms to counter the effects of noise. In the military domain a speech signal may be degraded intentionally by enemy forces or unintentionally owing to engine noise, for example. The ability to analyse and predict perception can be used for algorithm development to counter the unintentional or intentional interference or to predict perception degradation if low SNR conditions cannot be avoided. A previously documented perception model (Svirsky, 2000) is used to illustrate that the proposed signal processing steps can indeed be used to estimate the various cues used by the perception model at SNRs successfully as low as -10 dB. AFRIKAANS : Hierdie studie ondersoek die seinprosessering wat nodig is om ’n gehoorpersepsievoorspellingmodel te evalueer by lae sein-tot-ruis-verhoudings. Hierdie studie fokus op spraakverbetering en die estimasie van spraakeienskappe wat gebruik kan word tydens spraakherkenning, spesifiek waar hierdie eienskappe beraam word vir ernstig gedegradeerde spraak (sein-tot-ruisverhoudings van -10 dB tot -3 dB). Hierdie navorsing is van toepassing in die veld van kogleêre inplantings, waar die luisteraar degradering van spraak ervaar weens die bio-fisiese koppelvlak (bv. diskrete frekwensie en amplitude). Hierdie degradering kan gesien word as ’n verlies aan seinkwaliteit weens ’n spesifieke tipe ruis. Die vermoë om persepsie te ondersoek by lae sein-tot-ruis kan toegepas word tydens die ontwikkeling van kogleêre inplantingseinprosesseringalgoritmes om die effekte van ruis teen te werk. In die militêre omgewing kan spraak deur vyandige magte gedegradeer word, of degradering van spraak kan plaasvind as gevolg van bv. enjingeraas. Die vermoë om persepsie te ondersoek en te voorspel in die teenwoordigheid van ruis kan gebruik word vir algoritme-ontwikkeling om die ruis teen te werk of om die verlies aan persepsie te voorspel waar lae sein-tot-ruis verhoudings nie vermy kan word nie. ’n Voorheen gedokumenteerde persepsiemodel (Svirsky, 2000) word gebruik om te demonstreer dat die voorgestelde seinprosesseringstappe wel suksesvol gebruik kan word om die spraakeienskappe te beraam wat deur die persepsiemodel benodig word by sein-tot-ruis verhouding so laag as -10 dB. Copyright / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted

The provision of leisure and recreation has the potential to vitalise and change lower socio-economic communities. The benefits of leisure and recreation participation are, however, absent in the lower socio-economic communities of Danville and Elandspoort, as recreation and leisure activities are not seen as necessary needs that should be provided for the residents. Lower socio-economic status communities tend to suffer as a consequence of the often subliminal assumptions and reactions of well-meaning people. A major barrier to the implementation of recreation programmes in lower socio-economic communities remains the fact that these programmes often fall into the ambit of non-profit organisations, whose first priority does not usually include recreation provision. Second-order cybernetics theory is introduced in this study as a possible alternative approach to recreation provision in lower socio-economic communities. Engaging in a second-order cybernetics approach, the recreation provider can look beyond the feedback patterns utilised by a community to maintain its status quo, and work with and within a community to establish a sustainable recreation programme. Through the use of a second-order cybernetics approach, the residents of a lower socio-economic status community will no longer be regarded as the ‘observed’ participants of a programme that has been designed by an ‘observer’ and ‘expert’ recreation provider, but will, rather, participate in and share the responsibility of designing their own recreation programme for the community. The following three hypotheses were formulated:<ul> <li>Recreation provision in lower socio-economic communities will benefit from a second-order cybernetics approach.</li> <li>Sustainable recreation provision in a lower socio-economic status community will enhance the quality of life of the residents engaging in the activities available within the community.</li> <li>Second-order recreation provision in a lower socio-economic community will create an environment that is likely to be beneficial for social change</li></ul> In order for the hypotheses to be tested, the aims of the study were:<ul> <li>To examine the influence of recreation and leisure opportunities as a means of improving and maintaining social cohesion and quality of life in lower socio-economic status communities.</li> <li>To identify the barriers to providing and maintaining a comprehensive, sustainable recreation programme in a lower socio-economic community.</li> <li>To understand the way in which the residents of Danville and Elandspoort view recreation and recreation provision within the communities.</li> <li>To identify the similarities and differences between the current approach to recreational provision in the lower socio-economic communities of Danville and Elandspoort and a second-order cybernetics approach.</li></ul> Grounded in a qualitative framework, the research methods for the study included a literature review, the use of focus groups and vignette techniques, and observation. The sampling for the focus groups was done by means of convenience sampling. In total, six focus groups, which were segmented by place of attendance, participated. A total of 60 participants were used in the study, excluding the residents to whom the researcher spoke throughout the course of the study, and as part of the observation. It was found that a positive relationship exists between lower socio-economic status and inappropriate recreation programming. Lower socio-economic status communities are excluded from participation by means of several barriers, including factors such as cost of participation, registration fees and transport. An important barrier to recreation participation in the lower socio-economic status communities of Danville and Elandspoort that was identified in the study was the absence of recreation facilities in the communities. Residents confirmed that television and the consumption of alcohol were the main recreation activities in the communities. The responses provided in focus group discussions confirmed the fact that residents felt excluded from society, and that they also assumed that leisure and recreation activities were privileges that were reserved only for the middle and higher socio-economic status communities. Residents within the communities did not only feel excluded from society, but also felt powerless to do something about the situation. In response to the question concerning their perception of quality of life within the communities, participants demonstrated that they felt that recreation programming would be a positive contribution to the communities’ perception of a better quality of life. A second-order approach to recreation provision in the communities of Danville and Elandspoort will assist in facilitating a process of social change within the communities by including residents in the planning and provision of a community recreation programme. In order to utilize the full potential of leisure and recreation provision in the lower socio-economic communities of Danville and Elandspoort, the following aspects are suggested for the undertaking of any further research: <ul> <li>The potential of leisure and recreation provision to facilitate social change in a lower socio-economic community.</li> <li>Real barriers versus perceived barriers to recreation provision and recreation participation in a lower socio-economic community.</li> <li>Second-order cybernetics recreation provision as a community development approach: implementation and evaluation of change and sustainability within the community.</li></ul> AFRIKAANS : Die voorsiening van rekreasie in ‘n lae sosio-ekonomiese status gemeenskap het die inherente vermoë om ‘n positiewe verandering in die gemeenskap te bring. Die voordeel van rekreasie kan egter nie in die lae sosio-ekonomiese status gemeenskappe van Danville en Elandspoort verwesenlik en bydrae tot ‘n hoër persepsie van lewenskwaliteit nie, aangesien rekreasievoorsiening dikwels nie gesien word as ‘n nodige behoefte in die versorging van lae sosio-ekonomiese gemeenskappe nie. Die voorsiening van behoeftes in lae sosio-ekonomiese gemeenskappe val dikwels onder die vaandel van geloofsgroepe (kerke), nie-winsgewende organisasies en vrywilligers wat, alhoewel met goeie bedoelings, dikwels onbewustelik as ‘kenners’ namens die gemeenskap besluite neem. ‘n Tweede-orde kubernetiese benadering tot rekreasievoorsiening word in die studie voorgestel as ‘n moontlike alternatief tot die huidige benadering in lae sosio-ekonomiese status gemeenskappe. Die gebruik van ‘n tweede-orde kubernetiese benadering gee die rekreasievoorsiener die geleentheid om verby die gemeenskap se terugvoer patrone te kyk, en saam met die gemeenskap ‘n volhoubare rekreasieprogram te ontwikkel. ‘n Tweede-orde kubernetiese benadering tot rekreasie voorsiening verander die posisie van die gemeenskapslede van ‘geobserveerde’ deelnemers aan ‘n rekreasie program ontwerp deur ‘n ‘observerende’ rekreasiekundige, na ‘n deelnemende rol in die ontwerp van die rekreasie program vir die gemeenskap. Die volgende drie hipoteses is geformuleer in antwoord op die navorsings probleem: <ul> <li>Rekreasie voorsiening in lae sosio-ekonomiese gemeenskappe sal positief beïnvloed word deur ‘n tweede-orde kubernetiese benadering.</li> <li>‘n Volhoubare rekreasie program en geleenthede vir rekreasie deelname in die lae sosio-ekonomiese gemeenskappe van Danville en Elandspoort sal die gemeenskap se persepsie van lewenskwaliteit verhoog.</li> <li>‘n Rekreasie program met ‘n tweede-orde kubernetiese benadering in ‘n lae sosio-ekonomiese gemeenskap sal bydrae tot ‘n omgewing ontvanklik vir sosiale verandering.</li> </ul> Die doelwitte gestel vanuit die hipoteses is as volg: <ul> <li>Om die invloed van rekreasie en vryetyds-besteding geleenthede op die sosiale samehorigheid en handhawing van ‘n positiewe persepsie van lewenskwaliteit in die lae sosio-ekonomies gemeenskappe van Danville en Elandspoort te ondersoek;</li> <li>Om die struikelblokke tot die aanbied van ‘n volhoubare rekreasieprogram in ‘n lae sosio-ekonomies gemeenskap te identifiseer;</li> <li>Om te verstaan hoe die inwoners van die lae sosio-ekonomiese gemeenskappe van Danville en Elandspoort rekreasie voorsiening in die gemeenskap sien en ervaar;</li> <li>Om ooreenkomste asook verskille tussen die huidige benadering tot rekreasie voorsiening in die gemeenskap, en ‘n moontlike tweede-orde kubernetiese benadering te identifiseer.</li> </ul> Navorsing in die studie is kwalitatief en navorsingsmetodes sluit in ‘n literatuurstudie, fokus groepe, vignette tegniek, informele onderhoud en observasie. Selektering vir die fokus groepe is gedoen deur gerieflikheids-selektering, met indeling volgens die plek van bywoning: twee sopkombuise in Elandspoort, ‘n sopkombuis in Danville en ‘n ma-en-baba sentrum in Danville. ‘n Totaal van sestig deelnemers is gebruik in die studie, uitgesluit die gemeenskapslede met wie die navorser gepraat het deur die verloop van die studie. ‘n Positiewe verhouding is gevind tussen lae sosio-ekonomies status en swak rekreasie voorsiening. Lae sosio-ekonomiese gemeenskappe word uitgesluit deur die bestaan van verskeie struikelblokke tot deelname aan rekreasie, insluitend koste van deelname, registrasiefooie en vervoerprobleme. ‘n Belangrike struikelblok tot deelname aan rekreasie geidentifiseer in die studie is die afwesigheid van rekreasie fasiliteite in die gemeenskap. Inwoners het bevestig dat televisie en verbruik van alkohol die belangrikste vorm van rekreasie in die gemeenskap is. Reaksies van deelnemers aan die fokusgroepe het bevestig dat inwoners uitgesluit voel van die samelewing, en dat die aanname binne die gemeenskap bestaan dat rekreasie en vryetyd-aktiwiteite die voorreg van middel en hoër sosio-ekonomiese status gemeenskappe is. In reaksie op inwoners se lewenskwaliteit is daar deur die deelnemers aangedui dat rekreasie aktiwiteite in die gemeenskap sal bydrae tot ‘n positiewe persepsie van lewenskwaliteit. Om die volle potensiaal van rekreasie voorsiening in die gemeenskap van Danville en Elandspoort tot reg te laat kom, word die volgende aanbevelings gemaak ten opsigte van verdere navorsing: <ul> <li>Die potensiaal van rekreasie en vryetydsbestuur in die fasiliteitering van sosiale verandering in ‘n lae sosio-ekonomiese gemeenskap.</li> <li>Werklike struikelblokke teenoor die ‘persepsie’ van struikelblokke in ‘n lae sosio-ekonomiese gemeenskap.</li> <li>Implementering van ‘n tweede-orde kubernetiese rekreasie program in ‘n lae sosio-ekonomiese status gemeenskap.</li> </ul> / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

Abstract in Afrikaans and English / This study was initiated when the researcher became aware of the problem that learners from low socio-economic environments tend to experience barriers to learning in numeracy and literacy. These barriers were identified in a class of Grade 1 learners through extensive literature study, after which the development, teaching and learning of numeracy and literacy in grade 1 were investigated. The researcher then developed intervention programmes for literacy and numeracy, each running for a period of six weeks, in order to overcome learners’ difficulties in these learning areas. Each programme was subdivided into three shorter programmes of two weeks each, which addressed different aspects of literacy and numeracy. Each sub-programme was supplemented by a schedule of daily activities in order to reinforce learning. Learners’ competence in literacy and numeracy was assessed before starting the programme and re-assessed at the end, using the same tests they had done at the beginning. Learners’ marks in both sets of tests were compared, which demonstrated their progress or non-progress after having participated in the intervention programmes. / Inleidend tot die studie word ‘n uiteensetting gegee van hoe die navorser bewus geword het van die navorsingsprobleem, wat as volg gestel word: Die navorser is bewus daarvan dat leerders uit ‘n lae sosio-ekonomiese milieu gewoonlik struikelblokke in leeraktiwiteite in gesyferdheid en geletterdheid ervaar. Deur literatuurstudie is die struikelblokke wat graad 1-leerders in geletterdheid en gesyferdheid ondervind, geïdentifiseer. Vervolgens is die ontwikkeling, onderrig en leer van geletterdheid en gesyferdheid volledig uiteengesit en intervensieprogramme in geletterdheid en gesyferdheid saamgestel om leerders se struikelblokke tydens leeraktiwiteite te bowe te kom. Drie intervensieprogramme in geletterdheid en drie in gesyferdheid is saamgestel, wat elk vir twee weke gevolg is. Volledige skedules van daaglikse aktiwiteite wat by elke program uitgevoer is, is ook ingesluit. Leerders se bedrewenheid in geletterdheid en gesyferdheid is geassesseer voor daar met die programme begin is. Na afloop van die intervensieprogramme het leerders weer dieselfde toetse afgelê waardeur hulle vordering of nie-vordering bepaal kon word. Verskeie tabelle is saamgestel wat leerders se vordering aantoon. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

Text in German with summaries in German, English and Afrikaans / Bibliography (pages 133-140) / Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Milieufixierung der Gemeinden des Bundes Freier evangelischer Gemeinden in Deutschland, ihren möglichen inneren und äußeren Ursachen und deren Überwindung durch aktuelle oikodomische Entwürfe. Dazu werden zunächst die Auswirkungen der Milieufixierung anhand der Mitgliederentwicklung und des eingeschränkten Konversionswachstums sowie des Stagnierens und Eingehens von Gemeinden nachgezeichnet. In einem zweiten Schritt werden mögliche Ursachen anhand der Geschichte und der spezifischen Ekklesiologie und Organisationsstruktur Freier evangelischer Gemeinden diskutiert und die sozialen Veränderungen innerhalb der bundesdeutschen Gesellschaft der letzten Jahrzehnte, insbesondere die Herausbildung von Milieus, aufgezeigt. Der Hauptteil der Arbeit besteht in der systematischen Analyse und dem Vergleich von fünf oikodomischen Modellen, die innerhalb des Bundes Freier evangelischer Gemeinden Anwendung finden. Verglichen wird hier insbesondere die milieuüberwindende Potenz dieser Entwürfe. Abschließend werden in Form von sechs Thesen mögliche hilfreiche Schlussfolgerungen für den praktischen Gemeindebau im Bund Freier evangelischer Gemeinden gezogen. / The study discusses the milieu fixation found in the Free Evangelical Churches in Germany, the potential internal and external causes of it and asks how milieu fixation might be overcome by current oikodomic strategies. The effects of milieu fixation are evaluated by looking at membership development, slow congregation growth owing to lower levels of conversion, and the reasons for stagnation and decline in congregations. Thereafter the history of specific ecclesiological and organisational structures of Free Evangelical congregations (FeG), as well as the social changes in German society in recent decades, are examined and analysed. A specific focus is placed on identifying possible causes leading to the formation of milieus. The main part of the study consists of a systematic analysis and comparison of five oikodomic models applied in the Federation FeG, together with a comparison of potential models for reversing milieu fixation. Finally, six propositions are laid out to draw a possible conclusion for practically building up the church in the Federation of Free Evangelical Churches. / Hierdie studie bespreek milieufiksasie wat in die Vrye Evangeliese Kerke in Duitsland aangetref word, die potensiële interne en eksterne oorsake daarvan, en hoe milieufiksasie deur huidige oikodomiese strategieë te bowe gekom kan word. Eerstens word die uitwerking van milieufiksasie geëvalueer deur na lidmaatskapontwikkeling, lae gemeentegroei as gevolg van bekering, en redes vir stagnasie en afname in gemeentes te kyk. Daarna word die geskiedenis van spesifieke ekklesiologiese en organisatoriese strukture van Vrye Evangeliese gemeentes (VeG) en die maatskaplike veranderinge in die Duitse samelewing in onlangse dekades bestudeer en ontleed. ’n Spesifieke fokus word geplaas op die identifisering van moontlike oorsake wat tot die vorming van milieus aanleiding kon gegee het. Die belangrikste deel van die studie bestaan uit ’n sistematiese ontleding en vergelyking van vyf oikodomiese modelle wat in die Federasie van VeG toegepas word, ’n vergelyking van potensiële modelle om milieufiksasie om te keer. Ten slotte word ses stellings ontleed om tot ’n moontlike gevolgtrekking vir praktiese kerkbou in die Federasie van Vrye Evangeliese Kerke te kom. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

The research study investigated management strategies through which school effectiveness could be enhanced in primary schools situated in Gauteng Province. The enhancement of school effectiveness necessitated the discussion on school improvement to find ways to turn around the situation in dysfunctional schools in the province. The province is characterised by urban and suburban areas, townships, and informal settlements. Teachers in schools in these areas are well qualified. However, different challenges in these areas impact upon the enhancement of school effectiveness. A literature review was conducted to provide a conceptual framework and explain concepts such as effective management, administration, leadership, principal effectiveness, and teacher effectiveness. The literature review also investigated the factors that impact upon school effectiveness and school improvement and explored the historical development of School Effectiveness Research (SER) in the United States of America, Europe, Australia, and Africa to expound the problem investigated. An empirical investigation using a qualitative approach was conducted. Six primary schools were selected using purposive sampling to ensure that different demographic areas were covered in the research. Purposive sampling allowed the researcher to target schools from high and low socio-economic areas because they often experience different challenges concerning to school effectiveness. Data were collected through individual interviews with principals and officials from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) at the district and teachers in focus groups. Key findings were identified. Participants from the three categories respectively identified several characteristics of effective schools which concurred with the literature on school effectiveness. They also identified two features of effective schools which were unique to the study: in effective schools, there is little or no learner and teacher absenteeism; and school values which shape the behaviour of learners are clearly articulated. School values include trustworthiness, respectfulness, honesty, responsibility, striving for excellence and good leadership. School effectiveness is hindered by the current process of appointing principals which does not always succeed in selecting principals with the required leadership qualities and management skills. Further, the incorrect implementation of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in schools hinders teacher development and leads to poor teacher performance. / Die navorsingstudie ondersoek bestuurstrategieë waardeur die effektiwiteit van primêre skole, geleë in die Provinisie van Gauteng verhoog kan word. Die verhoging van effektiwiteit in skole het die bespreking oor skoolverbetering genoodsaak om maniere te vind om die situasie in disfunksionele skole in die provinisie om te draai. Die provinsie word gekenmerk deur landelike en stedelike gebiede, lokasies, en informele nedersetttings. Onderwysers van skole in hierdie gebiede is goed gekwalifiseerd. Verskeie uitdagings in hierdie gebiede het egter n uitwerking op die verhoging van effektiwiteit in skole. ʼn Literêre oorsig is uitgevoer om n konseptuele raamwerk te voorsien en om konsepte soos effektiewe bestuur, administrasie, leierskap, effektiwiteit van die skoolhoof, en onderwysers te verduidelik. ʼn Kwalitatiewe benadering is gebruik om die empiriese ondersoek uit te voer. Ses primêre skole is gekies en doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik om te verseker dat verskillende demografiese gebiede deel was van die navorsing. Doelgerigte steekproefneming het die navorser toegelaat om skole van hoë en lae sosio-ekonomiese gebiede te teiken omdat hulle dikwels verskillende uitdagings aangaande die effektiwiteit van skole ervaar. Data is versamel deur indivduele onderhoude met skoolhoofde en amptenare van Gauteng Onderwys Departement (GDE) by die distrik en deur fokusgroep onderhoude met onderwysers. Sleutelbevindinge was soos volg. Deelnemers uit die drie kategoriëë het onderskeidelik geidentifiseer met verskeie eienskappe van effektiewe skole wat ooreenstem met die literatuur op effektiwiteit in skole. Hulle het ook twee kenmerke van effektiewe skole wat uniek was tot die studie geïdentifiseer: in effektiewe skole is daar min of geen afwesigheid van leerders en onderwysers; en skoolwaardes wat die gedrag van leerders vorm word duidelik verwoord. Skoolwaardes sluit betroubaarheid, respek, eerlikheid, verantwoordelikheid, strewe na uitenmendheid en goeie leierskap in. Effektiwiteit in skole word verhinder deur die huidge proses van aanstelling van skoolhoofde wat nie altyd daarin slaag om skoolhoofde te kies wat die nodige leierskap en bestuurseienskappe het nie. Verder, die verkeerde implementering van die Geïntegreerde Bestuurstelsel (IQMS) in skole belemmer die ontwikkeling en lei tot swak prestasie van onderwysers. / Dinyakisiso tse tsa go ithuta di be di tsomana le mekgwanakgwana ya bolaodi bja thuto go tiisetsa gore dikolo tsa motheo Profentsheng ya Gauteng di soma mesomo yeo e nepagetsego. Tiisetso ya go soma mesomonepagetsego ya sekolo e dirile gore go ahlaahliwe hlabollo ya dikolo go humana ditselana tseo ka tsona re ka hlabolang dikolo tseo di sa someng botse mo profentsheng. Profentshe ya Gauteng e na le dikolo tsa motsesetoropong le tsa mo go bego go dula batho basweu fela. Barutisi mo mafelong a ba na le di thuto tse maleba. Fela, dihlotlo tseo dileng gona mo mafelong a di huetsa tiistso ya go soma mesomonepagatso sekolong. Go dirilwe tekololeswa ya dingwalwa go hlalosa dikgopolo tse bjalo ka taolonepagatso, boetapele, mesomonepagatso ya hlogo ya sekolo le mesomonepagatso ya morutisi. Tekololeswa ya dingwalwa e nyakisisitse dintlha tseo di huetsang mesomonepagetso sekolong le hlabollo ya sekolo go lebeletswe tswetsopele ya dinyakisiso tsamesomonepagatso ya dikiolo dinageng tsa United States of America, Europa, Australia le Afrika go hlalosa bothata bjo bo nyakisiswago. Go dirilwe dinyakisiso ka poledisano go somiswa mokgwa wa kwalitetifi. Go kgethilwe dikolo tse tshela tsa fase ka go somisa kgetho ka maikemisetso go direla gore go akaretswe dikolo go tswa mafelong a go fapana. Kgetho ka maikemisetso e dumelela monyakisisi go tswa mafelong a batho ba go ba le sa bona le mafelong a batho ba go hloka sa bona ka ge ba itemogela dihlotlo tse fapaneng mesomonepagatso. Tshedimoso ye e kgobokeditswe ka dipoledisano le dihlogo tsa dikolo motho a le nosi le bahlankedi bammuso wa Kgoro ya Thuto ya Kgauteng motho a le nosi le dipoledisano ka sehlopha. Dintlha tsa dipoelo di be di le mo go latelago: Batseakarolo go tswa mafapeng a go fapana ba hlaotse diponagalo tsa dikolo tseo disomago ka nepagalo tseo di dumelelanago le tekololeswa ya dingwalwa. Gape ba hlaotse dipanagalo tse dingwe tsa moswana nosi: Dikolo tsa go soma ka nepagalo ga di na barutwana goba barutisi ba go se tle sekolong. Meano ya sekolo e akaretsa botshephegi, tlhompho, boikarabelo le go somela bobotse ka go fetisa le boetapele bjo bo botse. Mosomonepagatso ya sekolo e sitiswa ke tshepediso ya go thwala dihlogo tsa dikolo yeo ka nako tse dinwe e sitago ke go hlaola hlogo ya sekolo yeo e nago le boetapele le bolaodi bjo bo botse. Gape, go tsentshatirisong wo o fasagetseng wa tshepetso ya bolaodi bja hlabollo ya barutisi go sitisa tswelopele. / Educational Management and Leadership / Ph. D. (Education Management)