Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study stems from the concern about the over-reliance on and limitations of using isolated psychometric measures in psycho-educational assessments. Despite claims in literature that dynamic assessment is a valuable tool in linking assessment and intervention, many proponents of dynamic assessment (for instance Bosma & Resing, 2008; Woods & Farrell, 2006; Elliot, 2003; Tzuriel, 2001; Lidz & Elliot, 2000) have found that it has not been fully incorporated into educational psychologists‘ assessment practices. The present study aimed to explore educational psychologists‘ views on the relevance and challenges of practising dynamic assessment in the changing context of educational psychology practices in South Africa, particularly assessment practices. It reports on the value, relevance and potential of dynamic assessment for educational psychologists, but also sheds light on the factors and challenges that hamper its implementation in practice. The researcher utilised a basic qualitative, interpretive research design. Twelve educational psychologists either in private practice or in state education services who had knowledge of dynamic assessment were selected by means of criterion-purposive sampling to participate in the study. Data were collected by means of an extensive literature review and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using a synthesis of content and interpretive analysis. The findings suggest that educational psychologists in South Africa found dynamic assessment to be relevant to their practices. Participants report that it yields valuable information about learning (on cognitive, affective and behavioural levels) and that it is especially useful for assessing learners from diverse backgrounds for whom no standardized tests exist. However, they experienced some obstacles in implementing dynamic assessment. These were related to insufficient training, too few experts to assist with supervision, expertise residing in too few retired or nearly retired persons, as well as the perceived labour-intensive and time-consuming nature of dynamic assessment. Therefore, recommendations for theory and further research indicate that more research (especially with regard to training presented at tertiary institutions) is needed to boost its momentum and ensure its further development. Recommendations for practice focus on raising educational psychologists‘ awareness of dynamic assessment, increasing the availability of courses, as well as interested professionals‘ access to training. Keywords: Dynamic assessment; educational psychology; assessment in South Africa / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie spruit voort uit kommer oor die oormatige vertroue op en beperkings van die gebruik van geïsoleerde psigometriese maatreëls in psigo-opvoedkundige assesserings. Ongeag aansprake in die literatuur dat dinamiese assessering 'n waardevolle instrument is om assessering en intervensie te verbind, het baie voorstanders van dinamiese assessering (byvoorbeeld Bosma & Resing, 2008; Woods & Farrell, 2006; Elliot, 2003; Tzuriel, 2001; Lidz & Elliot, 2000) bevind dat dit nog nie volledig in die assesseringspraktyke van opvoedkundige sielkundiges geïnkorporeer is nie. Die doel van die onderhawige studie was om opvoedkundige sielkundiges se sieninge oor die relevansie en uitdagings van die praktisering van dinamiese assessering in die veranderende konteks van opvoedkundige sielkundige praktyke in Suid-Afrika, in besonder assesseringspraktyke, te verken. Dit doen verslag oor die waarde, relevansie en potensiaal van dinamiese assessering vir opvoedkundige sielkundiges, maar werp ook lig op die faktore en uitdagings wat die implementering daarvan in die praktyk bemoeilik. Die navorser het 'n basiese kwalitatiewe, interpretatiewe navorsingsontwerp gebruik. Twaalf opvoedkundige sielkundiges in privaatpraktyk of in staatsopvoedkundige dienste wat kennis van dinamiese assessering gehad het, is deur middel van kriteriagerigte steekproefneming geselekteer om aan die studie deel te neem. Data is deur middel van 'n uitgebreide literêre oorsig en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude versamel en geanaliseer deur 'n sintese van inhoud- en interpretatiewe analise te gebruik. Die bevindings dui daarop dat opvoedkundige sielkundiges in Suid-Afrika dinamiese assessering relevant vir hulle praktyke vind. Deelnemers rapporteer dat dit waardevolle inligting oor leer (op kognitiewe, affektiewe en gedragsvlakke) daarstel en dat dit veral nuttig is vir die assessering van leerders uit uiteenlopende agtergronde vir wie geen gestandaardiseerde toetse bestaan nie. Hulle het egter 'n paar hindernisse ervaar in die implementering van dinamiese assessering. Dit was verwant aan onvoldoende opleiding, te min kundiges om met toesig behulpsaam te wees, kundigheid wat in te min afgetrede en byna afgetrede persone setel, asook die waargenome arbeidsintensiewe en tydrowende aard van dinamiese assessering. Aanbevelings vir teorie en verdere navorsing dui daarop dat meer navorsing (veral ten opsigte van opleiding wat by tersiêre inrigtings aangebied word) benodig word om die momentum daarvan 'n hupstoot te gee en die verdere ontwikkeling daarvan te verseker. Aanbevelings vir die praktyk fokus op die bevordering van opvoedkundige sielkundiges se bewustheid van dinamiese assessering, die verhoging van die beskikbaarheid van kursusse asook toegang van geïnteresseerde professionele lui tot opleiding.

M.Ed. / South Africa has already moved into a post-apartheid society, but its education system is till to date not yet fully transformed. Though the names of the various former education departments in the existing provinces have changed, because of the change in government, the integration is not completed yet. As a result, former "white" education departments and the former Department of Education and Training (DET) have been formally integrated, but in reality they are still separate. There are a number of differences among the schools of the different departments. For example, the schools which were previously controlled by the Transvaal Education Department (TED) are still maintaining the status quo in terms of curricula, syllabi, governance, appraisal and many other issues. Similarly all the schools which were previously controlled by the DET, also maintain their status quo regarding curricula, syllabi and governance. To just prove a point: in the black schools, governing bodies are presently transformed where all stakeholders are involved, whereas in the white schools, learners are excluded from governance; the names also differ: some are known as PTSA's (Parents, Teachers, and Students Associations) and others just management councils. The question is whether a new education dispensation can respond to broad social, economical and political goals, without continuing to be just political - that is, controlled by a particular ideology, not necessarily supported by all members of the society the education system serves. This is our past and present experience. This study hopes to contribute to the search for that common purpose, by considering the process by which we in South Africa Might prepare ourselves for that future education, and contribute to it in a way that is consistent with its long-term goals. There are several crises in education that are affecting the teaching and learning process directly or indirectly countrywide, but particularly in the schools previously controlled by the DET as well as former TBVC (Transkei/Bophuthatswana/Venda/Ciskei) states' schools. There have been genuine attempts on the part of government to resolve the education crises through negotiations with communities, political structures, religious structures, non-government organisations, teacher unions and student organisations. In spite of all these efforts, very little progress has been made so far. Tensions are still rife between the education authorities and the different stakeholders or structures. In the various schools now under the jurisdiction of provincial education departments, the picture is one of continuing deterioration in the relationships between the department and its teachers and pupils. The serious disruptions and ups and downs in attendance, especially in the rural schools, resulted in the total breakdown of the teaching-learning environment in most schools. Teachers are dispirited, pupils are restless, demotivated and disturbed by what is going on around them. The general environment is not conducive to learning at all. Regular learning habits have broken down, and discipline is loose or non-existent. Discipline has collapsed as a result of the abolition of corporal punishment in the schools by the government. The problem is that no alternative forms of punishment have been put into place to maintain discipline in the schools. These measures taken by the government have negative implications. There is now little respect for teachers as well as education authorities. Even where it is warranted - and sometimes it is not warranted - many teachers have given up trying to survive in the classroom. Those who try to impose punishment, are threatened or assaulted by students. Teachers, on the other hand, are also insubordinate to their immediate superiors or authorities. Lawlessness is the order of the day in the schools. Departmental professional supervision is meagre and some schools are "no-go areas" for departmental officials and inspectors of education. A further disturbing factor is the influence in education of the young people not in school. The drop-outs become street children who engage themselves in criminal activities such as burglary, car hijackings, alcohol and drug abuse. The generally negative image of the teacher, held even among teachers themselves, contributes to the breakdown of the positive learning environment. They are under pressure, criticised from all sides for inadequacies or inefficiency - for which they are often not to blame - and treated by the government not as professionals, but instruments of policy. It is not surprising, therefore, that the morale, confidence and self-image of many are at low ebb. Both public and civil servants, including teachers, are from time to time engaged in strikes or meetings during school hours, hence the pupils' interest in school attendance and learning has lessened. The impact of the transformation process is confusing the minds of educators, pupils, the general public and the authorities. Pupils do not regard their teachers as their leaders and educators anymore, but as government stooges. Teachers, on the other hand, are also negative towards the authorities, because their plight for recognition as professionals is not addressed or receiving immediate attention. They are continuously demanding, amongst other things, autonomy in. their teaching profession, like all other professions. Furthermore, the conditions of service do not motivate teachers to dedicate themselves to their work. The enrolment in the schools had risen tremendously after the general elections of 1994, due to the free education call campaign made by the new government (see Table 5). The facilities available can therefore not cope with the demands of the resultant overcrowding. The schools are now understaffed, overcrowded, there are shortages of learning materials, furniture, classrooms and teaching aids (see Table 4). The culture of teaching and learning is far from being restored, if till to date some pupils are taught in the open air or in shacks. The teacher-pupil ratio is abnormally high, it ranges from 1:50 to 100 in most of the rural schools. As a result, teachers resort to teaching without evaluating pupils regularly. Both the national and provincial education departments' authority and influence are from time to time challenged by community groupings, teachers' associations, students' organisations, young people outside the schools, parents, churches, trade unions, the business community, political parties and economic forces. There is a growing realisation that there is no certainty that the democratic changes in government and political structures would necessarily lead to democracy in education. Broad agreement has to be sought and negotiated in South Africa and a commitment found to a common purpose in education and society. Without this, questions of control, power and excess ideological baggage, will continue to dominate education to its detriment and that of its users. In spite of all the circumstances and difficulties described above, the education authorities, parents, political parties and the general public expect good results at the end of every academic year. The people who are to produce good examination results are the educators and teachers whose status and professionalism have collapsed completely.

Thesis (M. Comm.)--University of South Africa, 2002.

Thesis (M. Comm.)--University of South Africa, 2002.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the concurrent validity of learning potential and psychomotor ability measures for the prediction of haul truck operator (N=128) performance in an open-pit mine. Specific aims were to determine the nature of the relationship between learning potential and psychomotor ability; whether there are higher order cognitive or psychomotor factors present in the combined use of the TRAM 1 and Vienna Test System measures; and the relative contribution of learning potential and psychomotor ability in the prediction of haul truck operator performance. The validity of learning potential and psychomotor ability measures was partially supported. A positive correlation between general (cognitive) ability (g) and psychomotor ability was reported. Factor analysis provided relatively consistent evidence for a general (cognitive) ability factor (g) underlying performance on all measures. The relative contribution of learning potential and psychomotor ability in the prediction of performance could not be established. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Recent political and social changes in South Africa have created the need for culture-fair tests for cross-cultural measurement of cognitive ability. This need has been highlighted by the professional, legal and research communities. For cognitive assessment, dynamic assessment is more equitable because it involves a test-train-retest procedure, which shows what performance levels individuals are able to attain when relevant training is provided. Following Binet’s thinking, dynamic assessment aims to identify those individuals who are likely to benefit from additional training. The theoretical basis for learning potential assessment is Vygotsky’s concept of the zone of proximal development. This thesis describes the development, standardisation and evaluation of the Learning Potential Computerised Adaptive Test (LPCAT), for measuring learning potential in the culturally diverse South African population by means of nonverbal figural items. In accordance with Vygotsky’s view, learning potential is defined as a combination of present performance and the extent to which performance is increased after relevant training. This definition allows for comparison of individuals at different levels of initial performance and with different measures of improvement. Computerised adaptive testing based on item response theory, as used in the LPCAT, is uniquely suitable for increasing both measurement accuracy and testing efficiency of dynamic testing, two aspects that have been identified as problematic. The LPCAT pretest and the post-test are two separate adaptive tests, hence eliminating the role of memory in post-test performance. Several multicultural groups were used for item analysis and test validation. The results support the LPCAT as a culture-fair measure of learning potential in the nonverbal general reasoning domain. For examinees with a wide range of ability levels, LPCAT scores correlate strongly with academic performance. For African examinees, poor proficiency in English (the language of teaching) hampers academic performance. The LPCAT ensures the equitable measurement of learning potential, independent of language proficiency and prior scholastic learning and can be used to help select candidates for further training or developmental opportunities. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The changing nature of work and its competitive characteristics are global phenomena and are mainly fuelled by ongoing technological advancement. This creates unique challenges for talent attraction and the retention of high performing individuals. In addition, the global workforce is becoming more diverse due to demographic, societal and cultural changes and companies are placing greater demands on employee competency and performance. Managing the human factor as a strategic asset in organisations remains a primary challenge in securing a competitive advantage. The road construction industry in South Africa is no different. There is growing competition between civil engineering contractors to secure tenders and to maximise profitability. This is only possible with a sufficient and sustainable labour force. Valid selection processes are therefore required to ensure that the most productive individuals are selected for the most suitable jobs. Reliable and valid performance predictors will assist employers in making appropriate selection decisions. Selecting high performing individuals will support and enhance overall organisational performance. ix In this study the investigation focused on whether psychomotor ability and learning potential are statistically significant predictors of work performance - with specific reference to drivers and machine operators in a road construction company. A quantitative approach was followed to investigate the relationships between variables, or then the prediction of one dependent variable (driver and machine operator performance) by means of two independent variables (psychomotor ability and learning potential). Results from the study did not indicate any statistically significant relationships between the variables. Only scientifically validated assessment instruments were used in the study - which means the findings led to a renewed focus on the importance of performance measurement and the psychometric quality (reliability and validity) of performance data. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The purpose of the present study was to determine the concurrent validity of learning potential and psychomotor ability measures for the prediction of haul truck operator (N=128) performance in an open-pit mine. Specific aims were to determine the nature of the relationship between learning potential and psychomotor ability; whether there are higher order cognitive or psychomotor factors present in the combined use of the TRAM 1 and Vienna Test System measures; and the relative contribution of learning potential and psychomotor ability in the prediction of haul truck operator performance. The validity of learning potential and psychomotor ability measures was partially supported. A positive correlation between general (cognitive) ability (g) and psychomotor ability was reported. Factor analysis provided relatively consistent evidence for a general (cognitive) ability factor (g) underlying performance on all measures. The relative contribution of learning potential and psychomotor ability in the prediction of performance could not be established. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Recent political and social changes in South Africa have created the need for culture-fair tests for cross-cultural measurement of cognitive ability. This need has been highlighted by the professional, legal and research communities. For cognitive assessment, dynamic assessment is more equitable because it involves a test-train-retest procedure, which shows what performance levels individuals are able to attain when relevant training is provided. Following Binet’s thinking, dynamic assessment aims to identify those individuals who are likely to benefit from additional training. The theoretical basis for learning potential assessment is Vygotsky’s concept of the zone of proximal development. This thesis describes the development, standardisation and evaluation of the Learning Potential Computerised Adaptive Test (LPCAT), for measuring learning potential in the culturally diverse South African population by means of nonverbal figural items. In accordance with Vygotsky’s view, learning potential is defined as a combination of present performance and the extent to which performance is increased after relevant training. This definition allows for comparison of individuals at different levels of initial performance and with different measures of improvement. Computerised adaptive testing based on item response theory, as used in the LPCAT, is uniquely suitable for increasing both measurement accuracy and testing efficiency of dynamic testing, two aspects that have been identified as problematic. The LPCAT pretest and the post-test are two separate adaptive tests, hence eliminating the role of memory in post-test performance. Several multicultural groups were used for item analysis and test validation. The results support the LPCAT as a culture-fair measure of learning potential in the nonverbal general reasoning domain. For examinees with a wide range of ability levels, LPCAT scores correlate strongly with academic performance. For African examinees, poor proficiency in English (the language of teaching) hampers academic performance. The LPCAT ensures the equitable measurement of learning potential, independent of language proficiency and prior scholastic learning and can be used to help select candidates for further training or developmental opportunities. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The changing nature of work and its competitive characteristics are global phenomena and are mainly fuelled by ongoing technological advancement. This creates unique challenges for talent attraction and the retention of high performing individuals. In addition, the global workforce is becoming more diverse due to demographic, societal and cultural changes and companies are placing greater demands on employee competency and performance. Managing the human factor as a strategic asset in organisations remains a primary challenge in securing a competitive advantage. The road construction industry in South Africa is no different. There is growing competition between civil engineering contractors to secure tenders and to maximise profitability. This is only possible with a sufficient and sustainable labour force. Valid selection processes are therefore required to ensure that the most productive individuals are selected for the most suitable jobs. Reliable and valid performance predictors will assist employers in making appropriate selection decisions. Selecting high performing individuals will support and enhance overall organisational performance. ix In this study the investigation focused on whether psychomotor ability and learning potential are statistically significant predictors of work performance - with specific reference to drivers and machine operators in a road construction company. A quantitative approach was followed to investigate the relationships between variables, or then the prediction of one dependent variable (driver and machine operator performance) by means of two independent variables (psychomotor ability and learning potential). Results from the study did not indicate any statistically significant relationships between the variables. Only scientifically validated assessment instruments were used in the study - which means the findings led to a renewed focus on the importance of performance measurement and the psychometric quality (reliability and validity) of performance data. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)