Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study aims to determine the functionality of two adult literacy programmes (ALFA-REGULAR and ALFA-RÁDIO) provided by the Mozambican government, in Boane and Pemba. The prevailing popular conviction is that acquisition of literacy by individuals leads to positive and unproblematic social outcomes – the autonomous view of literacy (Street, 1984). This study forms a critique of this view, arguing, based on empirical evidence, that literacy is ideologically and culturally embedded in social practices and as such varies according to the social context. This is the ideological view of literacy (Street, 1984). This research employs an interdisciplinary approach constructed from the key notions of New Literacy Studies, Multiliteracies and Critical Literacy. The empirical research uses a qualitative research methodology based on a critical literacy ethnography informed by data gathered through interviews (with facilitators, learners, technicians and local leaders), classroom observations and document analysis. The empirical research seeks to determine the concept of literacy underpinning the literacy programmes in Boane and Pemba, addresses the profile of the programme facilitators and learners, examines the extent to which the literacy programmes respond to learners’ needs, motivations, expectations and access to technology, and explores the extent to which the literacy programmes address issues of development and citizenship.

Paper One: Social and emotional literacy has become an educational agenda on a national and international level. Schools universally are addressing deviant behaviour through a social learning perspective. Emotional literacy (EL) reflects three of the five outcomes for “Every Child Matters: Change for Children” (DfES, 2003): to be healthy, to enjoy and achieve and to make a positive contribution. EI is also embedded in the legal framework for the associated reform that is set out in the Children Act (2004). The five outcomes for Every Child Matters are statutory demands on educational institutions and welfare services. Since EL is reflected in the outcomes, it suggests that it too needs to be addressed. However, schools have the flexibility in how they chose to address it. This study aims to evaluate a personalised approach in promoting EL in Key Stage Two (KS2) children in one primary school. A pre and post design was used to evaluate the school’s new approach (NA). Class teachers completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) for 75 children pre-NA and post-NA. Statistical tests were used to: 1) Compare the pre SDQ scores to the post SDQ scores to determine whether the NA produced a significant change. 2) Determine where there was a significant difference between the research sample scores and the expected value scores according to the classification of the SDQ scores. 3) Compare the research sample SDQ scores to the SDQ scores from the norm data of the British population. Results of the statistical analysis suggest that the NA was effective as there was a significant improvement in the overall general behaviour according to the total difficulties scores. The statistical analysis revealed mixed results for the five scale scores. The hyperactivity scale, the peer problems scale and the emotional symptoms scale showed significant improvements. However, the pro social scale showed a significant decline and the conduct problems scale was the only scale that showed no significant difference between pre-NA and post- NA. Further tests conducted to strengthen the quality of the sample showed the pro social scale was in line with the British norms even with the significant decline. Similarly, the conduct problems scale was in line with the British norm post-NA. The research has produced encouraging statistics for the effectiveness of NA on the children’s behaviour, however, it calls for a re-evaluation of the NA in order to improve the pro social behaviour and lessen conduct problems. Section One Introduction 1.1 Purpose Personal, social and emotional development is as much a concern as academic development in children. Research suggests that social and emotional skills are needed to succeed in school (Thompson, 2002) to establish and sustain relationships, reduce aggressive behaviour (Nagin & Tremblay, 1999) and create an ideal learning and teaching environment. The objective of this research is to determine whether the school’s personalised EL programme (NA) produces favourable behavioural outcomes in children. Paper Two: Social and emotional literacy has become an educational agenda on a national and international level. Schools universally are addressing deviant behaviour through a social learning perspective. Emotional literacy (EL) reflects three of the five outcomes for “Every Child Matters: Change for Children” (DfES, 2003): to be healthy, to enjoy and achieve and to make a positive contribution. EI is also embedded in the legal framework for the associated reform that is set out in the Children Act (2004). The five outcomes for Every Child Matters are statutory demands on educational institutions and welfare services. Since EL is reflected in the outcomes, it suggests that it too needs to be addressed. However, schools have the flexibility in how they chose to address it. This study aims to evaluate a personalised approach in promoting EL in Key Stage Two (KS2) children in one primary school. A pre and post design was used to evaluate the school’s new approach (NA). Class teachers completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) for 75 children pre-NA and post-NA. Statistical tests were used to: 1) Compare the pre SDQ scores to the post SDQ scores to determine whether the NA produced a significant change. 2) Determine where there was a significant difference between the research sample scores and the expected value scores according to the classification of the SDQ scores. 3) Compare the research sample SDQ scores to the SDQ scores from the norm data of the British population. Results of the statistical analysis suggest that the NA was effective as there was a significant improvement in the overall general behaviour according to the total difficulties scores. The statistical analysis revealed mixed results for the five scale scores. The hyperactivity scale, the peer problems scale and the emotional symptoms scale showed significant improvements. However, the pro social scale showed a significant decline and the conduct problems scale was the only scale that showed no significant difference between pre-NA and post- NA. Further tests conducted to strengthen the quality of the sample showed the pro social scale was in line with the British norms even with the significant decline. Similarly, the conduct problems scale was in line with the British norm post-NA. The research has produced encouraging statistics for the effectiveness of NA on the children’s behaviour, however, it calls for a re-evaluation of the NA in order to improve the pro social behaviour and lessen conduct problems.

Historically in South Africa, the education and social systems have worked together to deny black people both competencies and opportunities for significant participation.There are over nine million people in South Africa who cannot read or write. (Hutton, 1992) South Africa is not the only country with this problem, newly liberated countries have also had to respond to the problem of illiteracy. In South Africa many progressive organizations have initiated literacy work and have recognized the need for adult basic education. Workplace literacy has become an important national issue. It is of concern to employees, employers, unions, vocational and adult educators. But what does it mean to workers on the shopfloor and how can they benefit from such programmes. In our increasingly technological society, different workplace demands are being placed on workers. Companies try to assist their workers by offering training and retraining programmes. It sounds good, a problem has been recognized and steps are being taken to fix it, but there is something missing. Little mention is being made of the needs and rights of workers themselves. The objective of this study is to identify the literacy skills of workers and the necessity for determining job literacy requirements for employment positions. Research has shown that the level of literacy in the workplace is not determined by a grade equivalent but by the literacy needs of the workplace. In trying to identify the above objective it is important to look at what is meant by workplace literacy as well as significance of workplace literacy and its importance within a social and economic context. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1992.

This dissertation reports on a study of the self-reported readiness of undergraduate first-year students at a very large distance teaching institution, the University of South Africa (Unisa). The Unisa library does not offer an online information literacy programme for distance students and has not conducted surveys on students’ needs and their readiness for using online information resources and an online learning management system. The main research question thus was: What are the information seeking behaviour and the readiness of Unisa distance students in using and accessing the library online resources? Sub-questions were: • What has been reported on information literacy and information literacy programmes for distance students, with special reference to online programmes? • What has been reported on virtual learning environments with specific reference to distance education? • What are the students’ self-rated perceptions of their information literacy skills? • What are the students’ information seeking behaviour and preferences in using online information resources? • What are the students’ self-rated perceptions in using an online learning management system in a virtual learning environment? The Unisa School of Accountancy served as case study. All students enrolled for first- year modules in the School of Accountancy (including the Departments of Auditing, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting and Taxation) were invited to participate in the survey. Data collection occurred in July and August 2015 by means of a self-administered, semi-structured online questionnaire survey. In total 587 students responded, resulting in 525 usefully completed questionnaires. Most of the students were geographically remote from the institution and the library and its branches. The study collected mostly descriptive quantitative data, with limited qualitative data. The quantitative data were analysed by means of a statistical package (SAS JMP version 12), and the qualitative data by means of thematic analysis. The questionnaire covered self-reported information seeking behaviour when using the library’s online resources, whether students had received training on information literacy skills, and if these skills were effective enough to assist them to locate and access the library’s diverse online information resources relevant to their studies. It also collected data on their readiness to use an online learning management system. The limitations of self-reporting are acknowledged; in this case it was considered appropriate to determine lack of skills. Although the findings cannot be generalised to all Unisa or all distance students, they can inform recommendations on the need for an online information literacy skills programme for distance students and methods to conduct similar studies of students’ readiness to use such a programme. Respondents lacked information literacy skills that could enable them to access or use the online library resources from a distance. They lacked skills in using the virtual learning environment system, experienced problems in accessing the library from a distance, could not use databases to access online full-text articles and were often not aware of the library website and how it could be used. It is recommended that the Unisa library consider developing an online information literacy programme that adheres to international standards and guidelines for information literacy, and that this be informed by the needs expressed by students from diverse disciplines and study years and their self-reported information-seeking behaviour. For distance students a programme must be available through a virtual learning environment and this must be linked to the library’s website and marketing efforts. KEYWORDS • Case study • Distance education • Distance libraries • Distance students • Information literacy skills • Information seeking behaviour • Online information literacy programmes • Online information seeking behaviour / Dissertation (MIS)-University of Pretoria, 2017. / University of South Africa (UNISA) / Information Science / MIS / Unrestricted

This study explores Foundation Phase (FP) teachers’ experiences of the implementation of the Foundations for Learning (FFL) (South Africa Government Gazette, No 30990 2008) in the Literacy Learning Programme (LLP) (2008). FFL is the new curriculum policy for FP that consists of Numeracy and Literacy Learning programmes. This policy was introduced to address the challenges teachers had with the previous curriculum policy, Outcome-Based Education (OBE) and the National Curriculum Statement (NCS). The aim of this study is to find out how FP teachers experience the implementation of the FFL. This is a qualitative study located within the interpretive paradigm. Informants were purposively selected from two primary schools located in a rural and a township area in KwaZulu-Natal. Eight FP teachers teaching grades R-3 participated in two focus group interviews. To generate data from these informants, semi-structured interviews, observations and documentary analyses were used as instruments. Findings reveal that teachers had to make changes to their teaching approach as a result of the implementation of the FFL and they experienced feelings of being swamped by all the changes that seemed to be too much to understand. Teachers reported difficulties in understanding and accepting new processes, procedures and expectations associated with educational changes. It is clear that it is impossible to successfully implement change in an education system if serious investments are not made in the professional development of teachers (Hargreaves, 2003). Without sufficient, training, guidance and mentoring in the implementation of the FFL in the LLP, teachers feel de-motivated and anxious as they do not understand the FFL document and thus feel threatened by the way they taught in the past. Teachers fail to understand the requirements set out in the FFL document because the prescriptions are too vague. The study recommends a closer relationship with the Department of Education (DoE) for guidance, regular monitoring, mentoring, workshops and training to be conducted by the DoE. In addition, experienced and perhaps competent FP educators, lecturers and non-governmental organizations, e.g. Read Educational Trust could assist in the implementing strategies to ensure effective implementation of the FFL campaign in the LLP. The implications of the findings from this research should be useful to educators, curriculum development specialists, textbook writers and teacher trainers to gain a better understanding of the needs, understandings, challenges and opportunities teachers experience in the implementation of the FFL in the LLP. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

Η παρούσα εργασία αναφέρεται σε μια εμπειρική έρευνα που πραγματοποιήθηκε το σχολικό έτος 2008-09 σε ένα διθέσιο νηπιαγωγείο της Πάτρας. Κύριος στόχος της ήταν να μελετήσει τις απόψεις των γονέων για τα προγράμματα οικογενειακού γραμματισμού και τη δημιουργία ενός προγράμματος που θα ανταποκρίνεται και θα προκρίνει τις ανάγκες τους. Δεκαοκτώ (18) γονείς κλήθηκαν στα πλαίσια μιας ημιδομημένης συνέντευξης να καταθέσουν τις απόψεις τους πάνω στο θέμα αυτό. Οι ίδιοι γονείς συμμετείχαν και σε μια επιμορφωτική συνέντευξη που πραγματοποιήθηκε στο χώρο του νηπιαγωγείου. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι οι γονείς έχουν ανάγκη από τη δημιουργία ενός τέτοιου προγράμματος, καθώς οι ερωτήσεις και οι απορίες τους πάνω σε θέματα πρώτου γραμματισμού φάνηκε να είναι πολλές, αλλά, ταυτόχρονα, και γόνιμες για την πορεία της έρευνάς μας. Ειδικότερα, διαπιστώθηκε ότι η ύπαρξη ενός τέτοιου προγράμματος είναι, ιδιαίτερα χρήσιμη, καθώς οι υπάρχουσες μελέτες εξαντλούνται κυρίως σε θεωρητικές αναλύσεις, χωρίς να λαμβάνουν υπόψη τη γνώμη των γονέων στο σχεδιασμό των προγραμμάτων. Λαμβάνοντας υπόψη, λοιπόν, την άγνοια που υπάρχει, σκοπός μας είναι η έρευνα αυτή να αποτελέσει μια ελάχιστη προσπάθεια, ένα πλαίσιο το οποίο θα λειτουργήσει ως κατευθυντήρια ιδέα για περαιτέρω έρευνα, για πληροφορίες, συμβουλές, ιδέες και απόψεις για τη δημιουργία ενός προγράμματος βασισμένο στις ανάγκες των γονέων. / This essay refers to a classic empiric research that, took place in the school year 2008-2009 at a two-seat nursery school of Patras. The main goal was to study the parents’ opinions of the programs of family literacy and the development of a program that will cover, as well as carry forward their needs. Eighteen (18) parents participated in semi-structured interviews in order to present their views on the subject. The same parents participated in an educational interview that took place in the nursery school’s ground. Results showed that the parents need the creation of such a program. Their questions and inquiries on the subject of first literacy seemed to be many but, in the same time, fruitful for the course of our research. Specifically, it became clear that the existence of such a program is at this time a necessity, as the current researches are consumed in theoretical analysis without keeping in mind the opinions of the parents for the design of these programs. Taking, yet, into account the ignorance, our target is that this survey will manage, as much as possible, to form a frame which will work as the backbone for further searching for advice, information and ideas or opinions for the creation of such a program based on parents’ needs.

Thesis (MEd (Education Policy Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / This thesis explores pluralist perspectives on literacy in the context of the Literacy and Numeracy (LITNUM) Strategy of the Western Cape Education Department. My argument is that we need to move beyond functional or technical conceptions of literacy towards a recognition of its transformative potential. That is, the concept of literacy needs to be stretched to incorporate pluralist perspectives in order to achieve developmental aspirations. Following a literature review approach, I construct three constitutive meanings of literacy, namely “cognitive skills”, “social context” and “development”, and I investigate how the LITNUM Strategy conforms to these constitutive meanings of literacy. My finding is that LITNUM is based on a constructivist learning theory. I caution that when understandings of learning theories are viewed exclusively from one perspective, literacy becomes “compacted”, and we miss out on important considerations of literacy and its transformative potential. I show that LITNUM discusses several social contextual factors related to literacy; a recognition of the impact of social issues on literacy. Regarding LITNUM’s concern with development, I conclude that both functional and critical literacy as important aspects of development are not sufficiently addressed. In a nutshell: LITNUM focuses on technical skills, which need to be balanced with the notion that literacy is a social act, and that it has the potential to transform societies. I propose a “literacy of thoughtfulness”, based on compassion, love and care. This proposition forms the basis for possible future research.

The Botswana National Literacy Programme (BNLP) was officially launched in 1981 as a major adult literacy initiative. Literacy was in this case defined as reading, writing and calculating. However, experience over the years of implementation showed that provision of the 3Rs is not enough but literacy needs to be made functional in order to be useful to the learners in their daily lives. Income generating projects were therefore introduced to the National literacy programme as a way of making literacy functional. It has been realized however that the BNLP supported income generating projects are failing or not doing well. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the performance of income generating projects supported by BNLP in relation to projects meeting member' objectives, group dynamics, economic growth, members' health status, commitment to the projects, use of literacy skills in running the projects, conducting feasibility studies before embarking on income-generating projects, business management, availability of start up finance and follow up. Hypotheses of this study stated that the BNLP-supported income generating projects are failing because of projects not satisfying members' needs, group disputes among group members, lack of growth, ill health lack of members' commitment to the projects, inappropriate literacy curriculum, inadequate feasibility studies before starting the projects, business management, lack of finance and lack of follow up after training. The methodologies used for this study were participatory and survey research. Qualitative strategies were employed using focus group discussions, force field analysis, observations and questionnaires. Stratified random sampling, was employed to select the sampled population often operating and ten non-operating income-generating projects in the South East, Southern and Northern regions of Botswana. Purposive sampling was employed to select all twelve trainers of the income generating projects within the same regions. The results of this study were analysed using SPSS 11.5, and manual inspection. The results of this study supported this hypothesis to a great extent in that causes of failure of the projects were because the personal objectives of project members were not met, there was a problem of group disputes among members, ill health of some members was affecting their production, literacy skills learnt in literacy and income generating skills provided by BNLP were not adequate to be used in the running of the project and business skills are taught separately from the basic literacy skills of reading and writing and numeracy. Feasibility studies were not conducted before embarking on income generating projects and there was mismanagement of the projects. Inadequate follow up was also seen to be one of the contributory factors to the failure of projects. Hypothesis of this study was also partially rejected in a sense that, the results showed that almost all the projects received some grants to start their projects and therefore start up finances were not a problem but rather a problem of shortage of funds for expansion, Lack of ensuring sustainability of projects was due to mismanagement of the funds by the office bearers and mostly LGLs. Recommendations of this study directed to income generating-project members included settling group disputes, conducting feasibility studies, embarking on relevant projects individually or as groups. Policy recommendations included support of individual and group projects, running a pilot project where appropriate literacy needs of the piloted projects will be provided, involvement of the participants in decision-making concerning their projects and curriculum. The policy recommendation included ensuring that funds are only given to viable projects and literacy curriculum is relevant to the running of income generating projects to ensure sustainability. Recommendations for further studies included BNLP conducting an in-depth study to establish the prospects and problems of group approach in income generating activities, investigate the level of skills that the BNLP supported income-generating projects and their trainers possess and their specific needs for skills development and lastly evaluate the training materials used in both literacy classes and income-generation training to get more insight on what is lacking, and how this could be improved. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

Learning through a language other than one's own mother-tongue presents similar problems world-wide. In South Africa, the shift from mother-tongue tuition to learning through the medium of English at Grade 5 (approximately 10 years of age) has a highly problematic and contested history. This study addresses the problem with specific reference to the SMILE project, the theories of Marcel Jousse and Outcomes Based Education. In Chapter One, the study examines the context of learning and gives an indication of the extent of the problem. It introduces the SMILE and the theoretical and practical components of the study. Chapter 2 outlines the process used to collect data by means of: • A literature review • Interviews • Observations • Participant Workshops • Reports on Field Trips • An informal Survey Chapter 3 records the data gleaned from the process outlined in Chapter 2. Chapter 4 relates the data recorded in Chapter Three to the Theories of Marcel Jousse. In this way, the practice in the SMILE project is shown to relate the Theories of Learning, Expression, Memory and Reading of Marcel Jousse. Chapter 5 relates the data recorded in Chapter 3 to OBE Critical Outcomes and Underlying Principles which are required of all learning and teaching programmes accredited and assured by SAQA. I will conclude my study by highlighting and suggesting the following: • How SMILE has succeeded in their quest for enhancing English learning among non-mother tongue speakers. • How an evaluation of SMILE could assist in any learning situation and in furthering the needs of OBE. • How starting with the spoken word enhances learning • Compilation of stories from children for their reading books and how this impacts on their learning. • How theories of Marcel Jousse could be incorporated in learning situations • How use of dance, movement could be used as a primary means of learning. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1998.

Collaboration between the parents and the school has a powerful influence on a child’s literacy development. However, home-school partnerships to support young learners’ emergent literacy development are weak in South Africa. Research into family literacy in South Africa is particularly important due to many socio-economic factors impacting negatively on family life and on children’s literacy development. The South African education system lacks a dedicated policy for the promotion of family literacy. Against this background the present study investigated the role of family literacy programmes in supporting emergent literacy among young children. A literature study on family literacy and family-school-community partnerships to support literacy framed an empirical inquiry following an interpretivist approach, using an action research design and qualitative techniques of data collection. The Wordworks Home-School Partnerships programme was selected for implementation and the programme was modified through the design and inclusion of a children’s component. A multicultural independent primary school situated in Pretoria, South Africa was selected through a combination of purposeful and convenience sampling. The school principal, four Foundation Phase teachers and seven families including nine children participated in the study. Criteria for family inclusion were that the participating families should have at least one child enrolled in Grade R and at least one parent should agree to attend the full six-week duration of the modified Wordworks School-Family Partnerships programme. Data was gathered during parallel sessions from parents, children and teacher-facilitators through multiple techniques: observation, interviews, feedback sessions, artefacts and journals. Data was analysed according to qualitative principles and the findings were presented in a narrative format substantiated by verbatim quotations. Key findings indicated a greater sense of community among the families and the teachers, improved quality of parent-child interactions, parents’ improved knowledge of emergent literacy skills and improved confidence in supporting their children with early literacy development. The medium term impact of the programme includes benefits for the whole school, the teaching staff, parent body and children. Based on the findings of the literature study and the implementation of the family literacy programme through action research, recommendations were made to improve school-family partnerships with a view to supporting emergent literacy development among young learners. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)