The funding regimens of Higher education institutions (HEIs) present a challenge to every institution. It is expected that students who are selected to register for degrees or diplomas must be successful and obtain their qualifications in the minimum time required to ensure optimum subsidy for the institution. The throughput rates in higher education institutions remains of serious concern and emphasis on the selection criteria or prerequisites to enter a specific programme might be a possible factor in the throughput rates of students. The aim of this study was to identify and describe whether basic nursing students who passed Grade 12 Biology, currently referred to as Life Science, with at least 50% was a factor in the successful completion of the Biological and Natural Science module (BNS 100) in their first year. A quantitative research study was conducted in one government nursing college, Gauteng province in Tshwane region in South Africa. A checklist was used to collect data from the 2014 first-year student records and a questionnaire was used to collect data from the 2015 second-year students. No sampling was done since all the 2014 first-year students’ admission records were accessed for data collection and all the available second-year students of 2015 were invited to participate. The findings revealed that background knowledge of Grade 12 Life Science and English language proficiency could be associated with the academic performance in the BNS100 module of the basic nursing students. The findings might be used to make recommendations for possible prerequisites for entry into a nursing programme as well as to support students’ education and training to ensure a reduction in student attrition rates and improve the shortage of nurses. The findings motivated the researcher to recommend that the college under study, and other HIEs with similar concerns and student profiles should revise the selection and recruitment criteria for students to enter the basic nursing programme. This might contribute to selecting the correct prospective candidates who would have a better chance of completing their basic training in the four-year time as the expected period to complete the programme. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The purpose of this study was to develop a Life Sciences programme, integrating Environmental Education, on environmental endocrine disruptors, for the Further Education and Training Phase of the Outcomes Based Educational System. This programme aims at giving learners the necessary knowledge and skills to limit their exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). The programme was evaluated by means of a quantitative study. Group-administered questionnaires were used to gather information before and after the programme had commenced. Lickert scales were used to establish the learners' knowledge, attitudes and values in connection with EDCs and the environment before and after the learners had followed the programme on EDCs. The results of the study indicated that the programme proved to be successful in increasing the knowledge of the target group in connection with EDCs. This study will contribute to the process of integrating Environmental Education in the Life Sciences curriculum. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.(Environmental Education)

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The aim of the study was to develop a critical posthumanist and democratic theory that may be applied in the teaching and learning of Life Sciences in South Africa in order to achieve an expanded form of democracy that would not discriminate between human and nonhuman. Though both critical posthumanist and democratic theories have been used in pedagogical studies separately, this study focused on the development of a merged and broader theory that has elements of both of the theories. The term nonhuman, as used here, does not specifically refer to non-person individuals only. Rather, it also refers to people who are regarded by the dominant humans as nonhumans – inferiors and subalterns. The latter group of people include the poor, women, children, people of colour and the disabled. Owing to this binarisation characteristic of the Life Sciences as a subject – which it adopts from the nature of science, its curriculum, and pedagogical approaches – the impression is given that as the master of the universe, the human has unlimited power over all other entities. These other nonhuman entities are then regarded as resources for the use of humans. Yet, it is this attitude which has caused humans to abuse nonhumans to the extent that the earth is facing the catastrophe of the Anthropocene. The adoption of a critical education approach characterised by the development of a critical posthumanist and democratic theory that may be applied in the teaching and learning of Life Sciences is essential in dealing with the issue of the Anthropocene that is threatening the earth currently. This study thus seeks to adopt a critical education approach through the introduction of democracy into the teaching and learning of Life Sciences, specifically so that humans would get to a position where they would consider nonhumans as entities with which they co-exist, and entities with equal agency within the environment. The recognition of the need for democracy would allow the humans to treat the nonhumans (such as the environment and ‘subalterns’) with respect, as their compatriots; and by doing that, the harrowing issues leading to the catastrophe of the Anthropocene could be either avoided or averted. / Die doel van die studie was om ’n kritiese posthumanistiese en demokratiese teorie te ontwikkel wat op die onderrig en leer van Lewenswetenskappe in Suid-Afrika toegepas kan word om ’n uitgebreide vorm van demokrasie daar te stel wat nie tussen menslik en niemenslik sal diskrimineer nie. Hoewel kritiese posthumanistiese sowel as demokratiese teorieë apart in pedagogiese studies gebruik word, het hierdie studie op die ontwikkeling van ’n saamgesmelte en breër teorie wat elemente van beide teorieë bevat, gefokus. Die term niemenslik soos wat dit hier gebruik word, verwys nie spesifiek net na niepersoon-individue nie. Dit verwys eerder ook na mense wat deur die dominante mense as niemense – minderes en ondergeskiktes – beskou word. Die laasgenoemde groep mense sluit die armes, vroue, kinders, mense van kleur en gestremde mense in. Vanweë hierdie binêre eienskap van die Lewenswetenskappe as ’n vak – wat dit as gevolg van die aard van wetenskap, sy kurrikulum en pedagogiese benaderings aanvaar het – word die indruk geskep dat die mens as heerser van die heelal onbeperkte mag oor al die ander entiteite het. Hierdie ander niemenslike entiteite word dan as hulpbronne vir gebruik deur mense gesien. Dit is egter hierdie houding wat veroorsaak het dat mense niemense misbruik, in so ’n mate dat die aarde die katastrofe van die Antroposeen in die gesig staar. Die aanneem van ’n kritiese onderrigbenadering wat gekenmerk word deur die ontwikkeling van ’n kritiese posthumanistiese en demokratiese teorie wat by die onderrig en leer van Lewenswetenskappe gebruik kan word, is noodsaaklik om die kwessie van die Antroposeen wat die aarde tans bedreig, te hanteer. Hierdie studie wil dus ’n kritiese onderrigbenadering volg deur middel van die bekendstelling van demokrasie by die onderrig en leer van Lewenswetenskappe, in die besonder sodat mense in ’n posisie sal wees waar hulle niemense as entiteite saam met wie hulle ’n bestaan moet voer, en entiteite met gelyke verteenwoordiging in die omgewing, sal beskou. Om die behoefte aan demokrasie te erken, sal die mense toelaat om die niemense (soos die omgewing en “ondergeskiktes”) as hulle landgenote met respek te behandel; en deur dit te doen, kan die pynlike kwessies wat tot die katastrofe van die Antroposeen sal lei, moontlik vermy of afgeweer word. / Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakungukusungula umbono obucayi owenziwa ngemuva kokuphila komuntu nentando yeningi engasetshenziswa ekufundisweni nasekufundeni kwesayensi yezempilo eNingizimu Afrika ukuze kuzuzwe uhlobo olwandisiwe lwentando yeningi olungeke lubandlulule phakathi kwabantu kanye nokungebona abantu. Yize zombili izinkolelo ezibucayi ezenziwa ngemuva kokuphila komuntu nezentando yeningi zisetshenzisiwe ezifundweni zokufundisa ngokwehlukana, lolu cwaningo lugxile ekuthuthukiseni kombono ohlanganisiwe futhi obanzi onezici zombili zale mibono. Igama elithi okungebona abantu njengoba lisetshenziswa lapha, alibhekiseli ngqo kubantu abangebona abantu kuphela. Esikhundleni salokho, libhekise nakubantu ababhekwa ngabantu abaphezulu njengabantu abangebona abantu – abaphansi nabasezingeni eliphansi. Iqembu lokugcina labantu lifaka phakathi abampofu, abesifazane, izingane, abantu bebala nabakhubazekile. Ngenxa yalesi sici sokuhlukaniswa kwesayensi yezempilo njengesifundo – emukela emvelweni yesayensi, ikharikhulamu yayo, kanye nezindlela zokufundisa - kunikezwa umbono wokuthi njengomphathi wendawo yonke, umuntu unamandla angenamkhawulo kuzo zonke ezinye izinhlangano. Lezi ezinye izinto ezingezona abantu zithathwa njengezinsiza ukusetshenziswa abantu. Kodwa-ke, yilesi simo sengqondo esidale ukuthi abantu bahlukumeze abantu abangebona abantu kuze kufike lapho umhlaba ubhekene nenhlekelele yokwakhiwa nokuthuthukiswa komhlaba. Ukwamukelwa kwendlela ebucayi yezemfundo ebonakala ngokuthuthukiswa kombono obucayi owenziwa ngemuva kokuphila komuntu kanye nentando yeningi engasetshenziswa ekufundisweni nasekufundeni kwesayenzi yezempilo kubalulekile ekubhekaneni nodaba lokwakhiwa nokuthuthukiswa komhlaba olusongela umhlaba njengamanje. Lolu cwaningo-ke lufuna ukwamukela indlela yezemfundo ebucayi ngokwethulwa kwentando yeningi ekufundisweni nasekufundeni kwesayensi yezempilo, ikakhulukazi ukuze abantu bafike esikhundeni lapho bezobheka khona abantu abangebona abantu njengezinhlangano abaphila nazo, nezinhlangano ezinokumela ngokulinganayo ngaphakathi kwemvelo. Ukwamukelwa kwesidingo sentando yeningi kuzovumela abantu ukuthi baphathe abantu abangebona abantu (njengemvelo kanye nabasezingeni eliphansi) ngenhlonipho, njengabantu bakubo; futhi ngokwenza lokho, izingqinamba ezihlasimulisayo eziholela enhlekeleleni yokwakhiwa nokuthuthukiswa komhlaba zingagwenywa noma zivinjelwe. / Educational Foundations / Ph. D. (Philosophy of Education)

The South African education system has been evolving since the country became democratic in 1994 and a number of curriculum reforms have been introduced within a short space of time. These reforms revolve around power and control and therefore, Bernstein’s concepts of classification and framing form the conceptual framework for this study. This study attempts to give a picture of what is currently happening in schools pertaining to the implementation of the grade 10 Life Sciences (LS), Business Studies (BS), and Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The dual aim of this study was to find out educators’ understanding and interpretation of the CAPS that can be observed in their teaching practice and to establish how decisions on subject content (selection, sequencing and pacing) are made. Also of importance was to determine whether educators view and treat their subject as unique or as similar to other subjects. The study used a qualitative approach, using case study design. Observations were used as the main method for data construction. Four LS, BS and EGD educators from four different schools were observed teaching the same class for five consecutive lessons. Thereafter, these educators were interviewed. For triangulation purposes, learners and the subject advisor were participants in this thesis. For this purpose a group of ten randomly selected learners from observed classes per subject and school were requested to complete a questionnaire and the LS, BS and EGD subject advisors were interviewed. The subject advisors insisted that educators follow the CAPS so that learners would be able to write common assessment tasks at the end of each term. Although educators claimed that they were following the CAPS regarding content selection, sequencing and pacing, observations showed that educators were not following the CAPS document. The findings suggest that well coordinated interventions are required to support and monitor educators’ practice. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The South African education system has been evolving since the country became democratic in 1994 and a number of curriculum reforms have been introduced within a short space of time. These reforms revolve around power and control and therefore, Bernstein’s concepts of classification and framing form the conceptual framework for this study. This study attempts to give a picture of what is currently happening in schools pertaining to the implementation of the grade 10 Life Sciences (LS), Business Studies (BS), and Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The dual aim of this study was to find out educators’ understanding and interpretation of the CAPS that can be observed in their teaching practice and to establish how decisions on subject content (selection, sequencing and pacing) are made. Also of importance was to determine whether educators view and treat their subject as unique or as similar to other subjects. The study used a qualitative approach, using case study design. Observations were used as the main method for data construction. Four LS, BS and EGD educators from four different schools were observed teaching the same class for five consecutive lessons. Thereafter, these educators were interviewed. For triangulation purposes, learners and the subject advisor were participants in this thesis. For this purpose a group of ten randomly selected learners from observed classes per subject and school were requested to complete a questionnaire and the LS, BS and EGD subject advisors were interviewed. The subject advisors insisted that educators follow the CAPS so that learners would be able to write common assessment tasks at the end of each term. Although educators claimed that they were following the CAPS regarding content selection, sequencing and pacing, observations showed that educators were not following the CAPS document. The findings suggest that well coordinated interventions are required to support and monitor educators’ practice. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The mandate from the government is for schools to integrate Environment Education (EE) in all subjects. However, some Life Sciences teachers in the Vhembe District still fail to integrate EE into their lessons. This qualitative case study, hence, investigated how Life Sciences teachers in Vhembe District of Limpopo Province are supported by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to integrate EE into their lessons. The purpose of this study was to develop guidelines to enhance the support given by DBE, to Life Sciences teachers, in their attempts to integrate EE into their lessons. Studies have been conducted about factors that inhibit the integration of EE in school subjects. However, little has been written about how the DBE supports teachers to integrate EE in their lessons. This study contributes knowledge to this gap. This study was based on interpretivism, followed a qualitative approach and a phenomenological case study design. Three schools in Vhembe District in Limpopo Province were conveniently selected and one Life Sciences teacher was purposively selected from each school to get rich-information about the research topic. One subject advisor was also purposely selected as a participant from the Vhembe District under, Mutshindudi circuit. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with the teachers and the subject advisor. Before the interviews, the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document, pacesetter and textbooks were first analysed. Findings from the CAPS document analysis show support for teachers towards integrating EE in Life Sciences, although, the pacesetter does not provide such support. The teachers, however, do not take advantage of the offered support from the documents because they do not read these curriculum documents. Further, the findings reveal that the subject advisor was not doing enough to support the teachers as the limited support that the teachers received was only reactive. This study also found that lack of training for teachers and the subject advisor, lack of understanding of EE and lack of resources were still challenges in the integration of EE in the research context. This study recommends that there should be a more proactive support for to integrate EE into their lessons so as to produce environmentally informed learners. Thus, the DBE must take responsibility of providing teachers with necessary trainings and resources for EE to support them to integrate it into the lessons. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Specialisation in Environmental Education)