This study was conducted at a school designated as a higher primary school comprised of grade 0-9 learners (GET band) in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. With the advent of the new curriculum in South Africa, we are also grappling with the implementation of the new curriculum at this school. This motivated me to investigate the benefits of eliciting and integrating learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences during teaching and learning of acids and bases. Essentially, the study sought to gain insight into whether engaging learners during practical activities using easily accessible materials from their homes facilitated meaning-making of acids and bases. This study is located within an interpretive paradigm. Within this paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was conducted with the researcher’s Grade 7 class. To gather data, document analysis, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, lesson observations, stimulated recall discussions while watching the videotaped lessons as well as focus group interviews with learners were used. An inductive analysis to discover patterns and themes was applied during the data analysis process. The validation process was done through watching the videotaped lessons with the teachers who observed the lessons. Also, transcripts of the interviews and a summary of discussions were given back to the respondents to verify their responses and check for any misinterpretations. Rich data sets were analysed in relation to the research questions which were: How do Natural Sciences teachers elicit and integrate learners’ prioreveryday knowledge and experiences to facilitate learning of scientific concepts of acids and bases in their classrooms? Does engaging learners in practical activities using everyday substances enhance their conceptual development and understanding of acids and bases? The findings from the study revealed that the use of learners’ prior everyday knowledge and experiences during teaching and learning of acids and bases facilitated meaningful learning. Furthermore, linking learning to learners’ everyday experiences enabled them to learn scientific concepts in a relaxed and non-threatening environment. It is thus recommended that teachers should be supported in their endeavours to incorporate learners’ real life experiences during their teaching and learning repertoires. Notwithstanding, as much as there were benefits in this study there were, however, also some challenges that were encountered, such as language, which warrants further research.

The aim of the research reported in this document was to explore the ways in which first year Journalism students at a South African University construct themselves as learners. The research adopted a case study approach of purposively selected first year journalism students. In exploring this area, focus group and individual in-depth interviewing were employed which illuminated important aspects of learner identity construction. In order to make sense of these self-constructions, the research was located in the larger debates on discourse as espoused by Michel Foucault who argues that discourse constructs subjectivities. The research demonstrated that there were various discourses at play which influenced how these learners spoke and behaved. The influence of these discourses on learners' experiences varied at different times of the year. For example, the awarding of the Duly Performed (DP) certificate for students who met the minimum attendance and work requirements of a particular course, the giving of tests, exercises and examinations were some of the technologies that 'forced' students into compliance. In terms of identity formation, the heterogeneous nature of 'being' a journalism 'student' revealed that the different discourses at play influenced learner behaviour and that their identities continued to change over the year. Doing additional subjects such as Sociology, Drama, Art History and others at the same time as Journalism and Media Studies also meant that the learners had to negotiate the differing role requirements.

In this study the main focus is on the experiences of former street children as learners. The main emphasis of this study is the manner in which such experiences influence these children’s learning towards constructing new identities. By examining the experiences of former street children in a school environment, namely a teaching and learning environment, this study will contribute towards the literature by providing focused and relevant information pertaining to the way former street children experience learning. By focusing on these particular learners from the street, the study attempts to explore and build an insightful knowledge in terms of understanding how former street children perceive learning in relation to their present personal and past life on the streets. Through this study the researcher will hopefully be able to determine how former street children feel, experience and relate to teaching and learning within a school context. Data collection for this study included the researcher’s observations and face-to-face unstructured in-depth phenomenological interviews with learners who are formerly from the streets. Among others, the study found that these particular learners have low self- esteem, a low opinion of themselves, and lack of self- confidence. The study also revealed that some of these learners are struggling academically and would appreciate it if academic was parallel with vocational skills so as to equip them for the world of work. It also transpired that learners who have relationships with those who have not been to the streets changed their lives for the better by learning from their peers but those who have relationships with other former street children at this school continue to engage in deviant behaviour, for many schooling has helped them to reclaim their childhood identity.

Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Bedryfsielkunde)

Thesis (DEd (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / This study investigates the impact of a Gross Motor Development (GMD) programme on the lives of learners in marginalized multi-grade environments in rural areas of the Western Cape. Numerous studies globally suggest that gross motor development programmes bring stability, positive motivational changes and structure in learners’ lives constrained by challenging socio-economic environments (Portela, 2007, & Lopes et al., 2013). A transformative research paradigm was employed in order to address the research questions posed by this study. A purposive sampling technique was used to collect data from three schools, one in each of three Western Cape rural educational districts that border the Cape Metro; West Coast/Hopefield, Cape Winelands/Wellington and Overberg/Grabouw. In all three schools the Centre for Multi-grade Education had an academic research/training and support partnership. Within a trans-current mixed method design, qualitative data are used to substantiate and augment phenomena exposed by the quantitative data. The data in the qualitative phase of this study are collected using observations, reflective journals and journal notes. The research investigated the influence of an 18-month gross motor development programme on learners’ lives in three multi-grade schools in the Western Cape of South Africa. A sample of 50 (N=30 males and N=20 females), grade 4-6 multi-grade learners participated in the study. The gross motor skills were assessed using Project 4 – IMAD+ Test Battery, previously developed by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Centre for Multi-grade Education. The test battery consisted of a series of physical exercises designed to assess gross motor proficiency. The scholastic achievement of learners was understood from the Annual National Assessment scores (ANA) of 2013.The data revealed that a total gross motor ability percentage score change occurred in the sample 50 (N=30 males and N=20 females) from 32.12 % to 56.82 %, indicating a significant overall gross motor improvement of 24.7 % in an 18 month period. Improved self-esteem, positive attitudinal and motivational changes and increases in class attendance occurred among the learners. This improvement aligns itself with research that indicates that the development and improvement of motor skills through physical activity are related to positive development of self-esteem among learners (Corbin, 2002:128-145). This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on education at rural, marginalized schools, and suggests that providing learners with the opportunity to participate in a structured programme is likely to improve motivation which will contribute toward positive scholastic achievement. It is recommended that policymakers should encourage and implement structured gross motor skills development programmes at school. Further research on the influence of GMD provincially and nationally should be encouraged.

Submitted in fulfillment of requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Food and Nutrition, Durban University of Technology, 2017. / The focus of this study is to develop a capacity building programme that prepares students for service learning (SL) with the purpose of developing social responsibility and active critical citizenship underpinned by a social justice paradigm at a University of Technology (UoT). In developing countries such as South Africa that still experience severe injustices and inequality of access to, for example, certain services such as health services, it is impossible to ignore issues of human and social development and poverty reduction when promoting the university’s role in development. The developmental role of HEIs has been reinforced through the introduction and formalization of Community Engagement (CE) as a core function of higher education together with teaching and learning and research. When examining the role of universities in educating students for social responsibility and critical citizenship, it is evident that the biggest area of growth of CE has been in the form of Service Learning (SL) and community service. The study posits that in the South African context of HEIs, the potential for fostering, specifically critical discourse and creative thinking exists in what are termed as traditional universities because of the nature of the varied disciplines offered at these institutions. On the other hand, UoTs focused predominantly on the technical study field and on training students for the market place. The emphasis on Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and industry placements narrowed the focus and excluded insights into South Africa’s diversity and socioeconomic issues in the curriculum. The concept of social responsibility within a social justice paradigm is a foreign concept at UoTs in particular. To facilitate SL within a social justice paradigm and to address issues of injustice and inequality in SA at universities, the question that needs to be asked is: how should the preparation of students be shaped to adequately prepare them to become justice-orientated, socially and civically responsible students without compromising their work preparedness? This bigger question leads to the specific question of the study, which is: if the department of Food and Nutrition Consumer Sciences at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) is to develop justice orientated, socially and civically responsible students, what theoretical and philosophical considerations should guide the development of a SL capacity building programme? To achieve the purpose of the study the following objectives were identified: firstly, establish the effectiveness of the current preparation of Food and Nutrition students for SL to foster justice-orientated social and civic responsibility; secondly, determine the theoretical and philosophical considerations that should guide the development of students’ justice-orientated social and civic responsibility through SL in the field of Food and Nutrition; thirdly, develop and implement a SL capacity building programme to foster social responsibility and critical active citizenship within a social justice paradigm; finally, develop a framework for a social justice-orientated SL capacity building programme post evaluation A sequential exploratory mixed methods research protocol was applied in this study. The research process consisted of three phases. Phase I entailed the exploration of the research question with qualitative data collection (focus groups) and analysis. This phase was followed by a developmental phase (Phase II) during which the qualitative results and the theoretical and philosophical considerations evident in the literature were used to develop a capacity building programme. The programme was implemented and the impact of the programme was evaluated in Phase III through the application of the Civic Attitudes and Skills Questionnaire (CASQ). Purposeful sampling was applied in Phases I (qualitative phase) and III (quantitative phase). During phase I five focus groups were conducted (n = 43). Phase III sample consisted of two groups namely, the experimental group (n = 19) and a control group (n = 24). Focus group interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim after which the data was coded followed by a thematic analysis. The data from the CASQ was captured on Microsoft Excel® and analysed according to CASQ scales using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 to determine mean and standard deviations. A paired sample 2-tailed t-test was used to determine statistical significant differences between the pre- and post-test. Results from phase I confirmed students’ understanding of CE is mostly a charitable view with little emphasis on addressing social justice issues. The results showed that SL as currently planned and executed seems to perpetuate and reinforce existing social hierarchies and paternalism. The most common expectation of participating in CE from students was to apply skills and theoretical knowledge in a community setting. Students also commented that they expected to be developed personally and to learn about others. Additionally, it is evident from the results that students did not indicate any changes in their social justice awareness. The programme developed in phase II was within the framework of four dimensions including self-awareness, awareness of others, awareness of social issues and change agent as critical to preparing students for SL with the purpose of fostering social responsibility and active critical citizenship within a social justice paradigm and guided by the Ubuntu philosophy, Freire’s critical pedagogy and Mezirow’s transformative learning theory. The results of phase III showed that the experimental group who participated in the capacity building programme showed a significant increase in the social justice related subscales indicating their intentions of future civic action and change in social justice attitudes. The results in the control group demonstrated a decrease in the mean values in the post-test for the social justice subscales. The experimental group also showed an increase in the interpersonal and problem-solving skills, leadership skills, diversity attitudes and course value subscales but it was not significant. An opposite pattern was demonstrated in the control group with significant decreases in the interpersonal and problem-solving skills, leadership skills, diversity attitudes and course value. The results showed the significant impact of the capacity building programme on students’ awareness and understanding of social justice issues. Overall, the findings of the various phases assisted in refinement of the framework for a social justice orientated SL capacity building programme. The developed framework consists of five key components: philosophy that guides social justice oriented service learning; theories that underpin service learning; a pedagogy that would effectively enhance a social justice oriented SL experience; and praxis that integrates theory and practice. / D

Drawing on critical realist philosophy as a meta-theoretical framework, this study explores the conditions that enable and constrain the infusion of service-learning in university curricula. In this study, four discipline-based cases are analysed within the context of an overarching case of one South African university. The study reports on case study research into four disciplines, broadly representing the disciplinary array offered at Rhodes University, a small traditional research-intensive university in South Africa – four cases are thus embedded within a larger over-arching case. Margret Archer’s analytical dualism is used as an analytical lens for the inquiry. It offers tools for examining the conditions for the emergence of service learning and the form it takes in each case. Archer’s framework requires the artificial separation of structural, cultural and agential mechanisms for analytical purposes in order to establish the dominant factors impacting on the infusion of service-learning in curricula. An analysis of the interplay between structure, culture and agency uncovers insights into the conditions that enable or constrain the adoption of service learning as a pedagogic tool in specific disciplines. Curriculum decision-making is a central consideration in this study. Basil Bernstein’s theory of cultural transmission provides an external language of description to theorise the pedagogic choices made in specific contexts. This body of theory provides analytical tools for generating nuanced explanations of the significance of knowledge and curriculum structures as enabling and constraining mechanisms when pedagogic decisions are made. The study shows that the nature of the discipline has a significant influence on the emergence of service-learning and the form it takes in each context. Key agents draw on available structural and cultural mechanisms to either maintain the status quo or they exercise their personal properties and powers to mitigate existing conditions. The first case examines the emergence of service-learning in a ‘hard pure’ discipline where structural and cultural conditions constrain the emergence of innovative pedagogic tools. In this case a key agent draws on a confluence of personal, structural and cultural emergent properties to initiate a service-learning course at the honours level. Factors that make service-learning possible in this case include the key agent’s seniority within the institution, his status as a prolific researcher, the possibilities for application of disciplinary knowledge, and a strong institutional discourse of service to society (RU in Society) and an institutional and departmental discourse privileging academic freedom. In the second case the conditions in the ‘hard applied’ discipline are largely enabling, however the emergence of service-learning is facilitated by the interplay of the following agential, structural and cultural emergent properties: corporate agency taking advantage of the outward focus of the discipline (a region in Bernsteinian terms) and drawing on what is termed the RU in Society discourse. The third case represents a ‘soft pure’ discipline, where service-learning does not emerge within the formal curriculum, but in a largely marginalised departmental outreach programme. This discipline is inward facing and although its knowledge base draws on challenges and phenomena in society, it remains at an esoteric level accessible mainly to the discipline community. Agents in this department draw on the insular structure of the discipline, in conjunction with the strong Academic Freedom discourse to develop a form of service-learning that furthers disciplinary aims, albeit within the context of limited engagement beyond the boundaries of the discipline and the institution. In the case of the ‘soft applied’ discipline the structural and cultural conditions are largely enabling. However the emergence of service-learning in this discipline relies on the advocacy of a powerful social agent in the department with an interest in socially equitable practice; she draws on the RU in Society discourse to promote direct engagement with communities beyond the university boundaries. The study is set in a research-intensive university and it is perhaps not surprising that the service-learning courses in three of the four cases are framed by research projects. This suggests that in the context of this kind of institution it may be imperative to draw on research activities as the basis of infusing service-learning in the curriculum. The findings of this study challenge the implicit assumption in policy documents that it is possible to institute service-learning in all disciplines.

This study focuses on the processes of primary maths teacher learning and how their identities and practices evolve in relation to participation in a primary maths focused in-service teacher education programme, called the Numeracy Inquiry Community of Leader Educators (NICLE).Additionally it investigates activities, relations and forms of participation within the Community of Practice (CoP) which enable or constrain evolving primary maths identities and practices and how these relate to the broader context. The study draws from the situative-participationists (Lave, 1996; Wenger, 1998; Sfard & Prusak, 2005; Wenger et al, 2002) theoretical framework supplemented by Bernstein’s (2000) pedagogic identity model. Using a qualitative educational interpretive approach I sampled 8 primary teachers drawn from NICLE and gathered data through participant observations, interactive interviews, document analysis and reflective journals. Analysing the key data themes that emerged from teacher learning stories, which I have called stelos, the study explains the nature of the primary maths teachers’ learning, transformation and participation experiences in NICLE using the synonyms reinvigoration and remediation and activation and relating these semantics to the teachers’ mathematical identities and histories. The study also explains the processes through which primary maths teacher identities evolve in relation to participation in an in-service CoP as ‘insiding’ and ‘outcropping’. Interpreting qualitative data from the empirical field indicates that teachers participating in NICLE mostly took-up into their maths classrooms key numeracy-domain concepts, resources and issues presented by primary maths experts which are informed by research and theory that link to practices. Teachers collaboratively and actively engaged in a range of activities that relate to classroom practices. Teacher learning was also enabled when teachers engaged in maths overlapping communities of practice, shared classroom experiences in friendly ways with fellow NICLE teachers and engaged with NICLE presenters who mutually respected and regarded them as professionals. Such affordances were said to enable teachers to engage learners in maths classes and improve their understanding of specific primary maths concepts. On the other hand teachers felt challenged by the travelling distance, limited time and also raised the tension of how to scale-up maths professional development initiatives to include schools from their community. The study makes a theoretical contribution by illustrating how Bernstein’s pedagogic identity model and its elaboration by Tyler (1999) provides analytical tools to interrogate macro educational changes and connect these to the micro processes and teacher identities.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for a Masters of Management Sciences: Human Resources Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / Modern human resource management practices have the potential to ensure successful businesses and organisations. This is more so where the most significant resource in the organisation are people. This study seeks to examine the leadership and managerial style that ideally could be useful in promoting and developing sustainable businesses with the focus of the study being in community arts centres. This study may be able to contribute to identifying and/or developing future entrepreneurs who may have an interest in opening their own community arts centres and businesses. The results of successful art centres may result in a proliferation of such centres and ultimately offering alternative careers and the opportunities for growth and development for the young South African. This may result in the creation and development of a more robust creative art and drama industry. While it is acknowledged that various other resources are critical for a business to develop including finance, the focus on the management of people forms the basis of this research. The Department of Arts and Culture has identified cultural industries as one of the drivers of economic growth and job creation. Early indications are that the cultural industries are already making a significant contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product. The Department of Trade and Industry estimates that the craft sector alone contributes about R2-billion (about 200 million Euros) or 0.14% to South Africa’s GDP annually (Department of Arts and Culture 2013). Community art centres could be the seeds for the growth of the cultural industry. The study included 101 participants, made up of eight (8) centre managers, 69 administrative staff members and 24 centre users. The key findings in this study covered the identification of the leadership, managerial qualities and attributes needed by owners and employees to successfully run/manage a business such as community art centre; to determine whether there is leadership development taking place as a strategic intent so that the next level of managers can head up these centres as well as encouraging some staff to pursue the entrepreneurial route and finally examining human resource principle, processes and practices that are useful when leading and managing a successful community arts centres. / M

The introduction of outcomes based education (OBE) in the form of Curriculum 2005 (C2005), the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) and the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) in post-apartheid South Africa resulted in a shift from a content-centred to a learner-centred view on education. This transition took place rapidly as the new government wanted to introduce a democratic education system after the divisive Bantu education system from Apartheid. However, after the changes were implemented, education in South Africa was theoretically outcomes based but practically many educators were still teaching in a content-centred manner. The research puts forward the proposal that drama-in-education (D-i-E) is a useful means by which to align the practical and theoretical goals of OBE within the context of South Africa's current RNCS. This hypothesis drives the main research question: "Can D-i-E be an effective teaching methodology to realise the goals of the RNCS and generate OBE learning environments in a South African high school?" D-i-E is a learner-centred teaching methodology and in practise it meets many of the goals and Critical Cross-Field Outcomes (CCFOs) of OBE. Some of these include the fact that learners can: • Practice problem-solving skills; • Engage with critical and creative thinking; • Grow cultural and aesthetic sensitivity; • Work effectively in groups; and ii. • Learn in inclusive environments that cater for different learning styles and levels. The research examines the use of D-i-E as an outcomes based methodology by which the RNCS could be implemented in the classroom. This is explored through the use of qualitative research in the form of a case study investigation at a South African high school. The case study was conducted with Grade 11 and Grade 12 Dramatic Arts learners and involves an analysis of a D-i-E approach to learning. The conclusion that D-i-E is an effective outcomes based teaching methodology which could assist educators in realising the RNCS was largely reached through participant observation of D-i-E classes and by analysing the learners' journals in which they reflected on D-i-E experiences. The learners' feedback about the experience was generally positive and they reflected that they found D-i-E beneficial because of the fact that it engaged them experientially. They also reflected that D-i-E provided them with a more meaningful and exciting way of learning. These findings are however only generalisable to the type of context (Dramatic Arts learners from a well-resourced girls' high school) in which the research was conducted. The findings provide detailed insight into a specific case study and may be beneficial to educators in South Africa who aim to make use of the same or similar methodologies in their classroom practice. D-i-E also supports many of the underlying tenants of OBE such as learner-centredness, learner diversity and inclusive learning, and can effectively aid educators in implementing the RNCS in an outcomes based way.