This thesis provides evidence that learning difficulties some. black primary-schoolchildren may experience with certain textbooks, can be attributed, in part, to the visual text (imagery). These difficulties were established by eliciting responses from educationally dlscfdvantaged urban black primary learners to selected examples of visual texts using the Research Interview method. To further establish if these difficulties were attributable either to poorly executed/unrecognizable visual text, or to low levels of learned educational visual literacy skills - white primary-school children were also interviewed - as it was anticipated that they would be familiar with Western pictorial material due to their consistent exposure to books from an early age. The difficulties experienced by the black interviewees were attributed mainly to their level of learned pictorial perceptual skills and to a lesser extent to poorly/inadequately illustrated visual texts. It was found from interviews with the developers of visual texts - publishing personnel and illustrators - that the former were not entirely certain e.xactly which aspects of visual text were difficult for black primary learners to comprehend, while the latter were generaUy very uncertain. The procedure for visual text development by the developers (including textbook authors), was found to be problematic due to the lack of synthesis and consultative decision making in the process- between these persons. The limited time allocated to illustrators for producing visual text, as well as their professional isolation, were found to be factors which can give rise to ineffective and inadequate visual texts. Most publishers and authors, if they trial (field-test) materials, generally do not trial the visual text. The visual text is usually decided upon ultimately by the poblishers and produced after trialling and/or consultants have examined the written text. Consequently incongruent meanings and inconsistencies can result between written and visual text, which can affect the learning effectiveness of the composite text. Trialling (field-testing) of visual and written text together, was recommended to identify and address any difficulties experienced by learners prior to final publication of the textbook. Recommendations were provided for textbook selection committees, authors, teachers, publishers and illustrators.

Summary in English. / When considering their dropout, many described experiences of being a misfit, or feeling uncomfortable with discourse practices in which they were expected to engage. Some had logistical difficulties in attending, such as transport or small children, but even greater than these was the fact that they had been disappointed. These learners believe the "literacy myth" that literacy, as a set of skills one can acquire, will result in significant improvements in one's life. They also equate literacy with education, and although they experience none of the benefits that are supposed to accrue to the literate, they continue to say that they believe in its power. However, in practice, attendance at adult centres is relatively poor in comparison with numbers of potential students, those termed "illiterate." It may be deduced that adult "illiterates" regard literacy as some kind of "saviour", a panacea for all ills. Even if it is not directly accessed, the fact of its existence and the notion of its power is enough to provide hope for a better future and comfort in hard times.

Hierdie studie handel oor die ontwikkeling van geleenthede in Europa en Suid-Afrika vir analfabeet-volwassenes om te leer lees en skryf. Teoretiese aspekte van geletterdheid soos omskrywings van die begrippe geletterdheid en ongeletterdheid is ondersoek. Twee benaderings tot die voorsiening van geletterdheid, naamlik die relatiewe benadering en die absolute benadering is beskryf. Die doelwitte van geletterdheid behels onder meer die bereiking van lewensideale, die verkryging van mag en persoonlike ontwikkeling. Verskeie strategiee vir geletterdheidsonderrig soos die die voorsiening van fundamenteel-opvoedkundige strategie, die funksionele strategie, die bewusmakingstrategie en die massaveldtogstrategie is ondersoek. Die invloed van sosiale, politieke, ekonomiese, geografiese, godsdienstige en onderwysfaktore asook van die boekdrukkuns op die verspreiding van lees- en skryfvaardighede is beskou. Daar is ook ondersoek ingestel na die rol van verskillende betrokkenes by die voorsiening van geletterdheidsonderrig in Europa en Suid-Afrika soos die staat, nie-staatsorganisasies, kerke, vakbonde, industriee, privaatinisiatiewe, universiteite en biblioteke. / This thesis investigates the development in Europe and South Africa of opportunities for illiterate adults to learn to read and write. Theoretical aspects concerning the defining of concepts, the two approaches namely the absolute and relative, the aims of literacy and the attainment of ideas of empowerment and personal development were discussed. An investigation is done of the various strategies in the provision of literacy campaigns. These include the fundamental educational, the functional, the awareness and the mass campaign strategies. The influence of social, political, economical, geographical, religious and educational factors is explored in conjunction with the role of the printing press and distribution of reading and writing material. The role of various parties involved in the provision of literacy education in Europe and South Africa is considered. This includes the state, non-governmental organizations, churches, unions, industry, private initiatives, universities and libraries. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Historiese Opvoedkunde)

Thesis (MEdPsych)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study highlights focal issues of literacy and lifelong learning within the context of the formal schooling system. Problems and issues pertaining to policy and practice are examined within the broad framework of a selected set of perspectives on literacy. The nature of the problem of literacy worldwide, and in South Africa in particular, provides sufficient scope to investigate literacy in terms of research, theory and practice. The synergy between curriculum change and social transformation in South Africa which lies embedded within Outcomes-based Education (OBE), creates possibilities for developing functionally literate citizens who are able to negotiate their lives successfully and independently. The qualitative and interpretative nature of this literature study entails a process of researching and comparing the different levels of literacy within a framework of multiple perspectives. These different perspectives on literacy also highlight contrasting conceptualisations, and consequent definitions of literacy emphasise the importance of both context and content. What being literate means, thus, lies embedded within these conceptualisations. Finding new ways of seeing and doing literacy, in order to improve literacy policies and practices, is at the heart of this research endeavour. The "golden thread" running through the different perspectives signifies the functional role of literacy and suggests a stronger emphasis on viewing literacy as a functional and social practice underlying lifelong learning in the broadest possible sense. Teachers have a cardinal role to play in building capacity in and adding value to the South African citizenry and in supporting learners to develop the necessary functional and critical literacy skills to express themselves adequately on a written and and spoken level. The objective of this study is to offer a broader conceptualisation of literacy which embraces it as a lifelong endeavour, honed through use and purpose. The significant differences between the traditional and the more modern approaches to literacy development underscore the emphasis on its functionality and potential for human resource development. All these issues have implications for literacy policy and practice. Acquiring literacy skills entails taking into consideration that: different levels and standards of literacy skills are possible, subject matter differs and different purposes for literacy exist. Only when people are equipped with the personal knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that enable them to live as productive and self-sufficient citizens, able to make informed decisions and responsible choices, can sustainable, social transformation become a reality. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie beklemtoon hoofsaaklik geletterdheid en lewenslange leer binne die konteks van die formele skoolsisteem. Probleme en geskilpunte aangaande beleid en die praktyk word binne die breë raamwerk van 'n geselekteerde stel perspektiewe oor geletterdheid ondersoek. Die aard en omvang van die probleem van geletterdheid, wêreldwyd en in die besonder Suid-Afrika, bied voldoende geleenthede om geletterdheidsbeleid, -teorie en -praktyke te bestudeer. Die sinergie tussen kurrikulumvernuwing en sosiale tranformasie in Suid-Afrika, wat ten grondslag van Uitkomsgebaseerde Onderwys (UGO) lê, skep moontlikhede vir die ontwikkeling van funksioneel geletterde burgers wat in staat is om hul lewens suksesvol en onafhanklik te bestuur. Die kwalitatiewe en verklarende aard van die literatuurstudie behels 'n vergelykende navorsingsproses wat geletterdheid op verskillende vlakke ondersoek, binne 'n raamwerk van veelvoudige perspektiewe. Hierdie verskillende perspektiewe oor geletterdheid huldig verskillende opvattings, met die gevolg dat definisies van geletterdheid uiteenlopend van aard is terwyl raakpunte ten opsigte van die belangrikheid van konteks en inhoud sterk na vore gekom het. Wat dit beteken om geletterd te wees is gegrond op hierdie sienswyse. Die ontdekking van nuwe benaderings tot geletterdheid wat mik na die verbetering van geletterdheidsbeleid en -praktyke vorm die kern van hierdie navorsingsproses. Die "goue draad" wat deur die onderskeie perspektiewe loop, dui op die funksionele rol van geletterdheid en beklemtoon geletterdheid as In funksionele en sosiale praktyk, wat lewenslange leer ten grondslag lê. Onderwysers het In belangrike rol om te speel in die opbou van kapasiteit en toevoeging van waarde tot die burgerskap binne die Suid- Afrikaanse konteks, verder ook in die ondersteuning van leerders om die nodige funksionele en kritiese geletterdheidsvaardighede te ontwikkel om te verseker dat hulle hulself toereikend op 'n gesproke en geskrewe vlak kan uitdruk. Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n meer uitgebreide beskouing ten opsigte van geletterdheid as 'n lewenslange strewe wat deur gebruik en funksie vasgelê word (op beide gesproke en geskrewe vlakke), daar te stel. Die beduidende verskille tussen die tradisionele en die meer moderne benaderings tot geletterdheidsontwikkeling beklemtoon funksionaliteit en die potensiaal wat dit inhou vir die ontwikkeling van menslike hulpbronontwikkeling. AI hierdie aangeleenthede het implikasies vir geletterdheidsbeleid en -praktyk. Die aanleer van geletterdheidsvaardighede noodsaak dat die volgende aspekte in aanmerking geneem word: dat verskillende geletterheidsvaardigheidvlakke en standaarde moontlik is, dat vakinhoude kan verskil en dat verskeie uitkomstes vir geletterdheid bestaan. Slegs wanneer mense met die nodige persoonlike kennis, vaardighede, houdings en waardes toegerus word - wat hulle in staat sal stelom ingeligte besluite en verantwoordelike keuse te maak, kan volgehoue sosiale transformasie 'n realiteit word.

M.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess employees' attitudes toward working with computers. A review of previous studies conducted within the area of attitudes toward computers and attitudes toward working with computers revealed that the present study needed to condifer user-task-system characteristics and that an adequate attitude scale which examined specifically attitudes towards working with computers needed to be developed. In order to conduct the present study, a checklist was developed to assess user-task-system characteristics and an attitude toward working with computers scale was developed and validated.[Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / GR 2016

Thesis (M.A (Psychology))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, 2016 / Undergraduate students’ require a certain degree of digital literacy in order to make use of the internet as a resource and educational tool. This report argues that two critical aspects of digital search literacy are the student’s ability to effectively execute and monitor the search strategies used to navigate the ever-increasing number of webpages; and the critical thinking skills required to evaluate those documents in an academic context. Therefore, digital literacy requires effective self-directed learning (SDL) skills and appropriate epistemic cognition (EC). The present research used a sequential explanatory design, which comprised of two phases: Stage 1, N = 119 and Stage 2, N=17. The sample for both phases of the project was drawn from students enrolled for first-year level psychology courses at the University of the Witwatersrand. The sample for Stage 2 was drawn from students who had already completed Stage 1, which required the completion an online questionnaire. During the second phase, students were tasked with conducting a web-based search on an essay topic relating to the discipline of psychology. Several research objectives were examined; general self-reported epistemic cognition and readiness for self-directed learning levels of a sample of undergraduate South African university students; self-reported self-directed learning behaviours, epistemic cognition and digital search literacy issues; the impact of search strategies on the type and quality of information sources located; and the psychology-specific epistemic beliefs involved in the evaluation of source features of web based documents. Findings showed that students did indeed engage specific self-directed learning and epistemic cognition behaviours while searching for resources online. The key components of digital search literacy included, self-directed learning (monitoring and strategy use) and epistemic cognition (source evaluation). In terms of rating the sources, personal justification and justification by authority were the most predominant when students rated the most credible sources; while relevance to task, personal justification and format/style were applied more often when rating the least credible web documents. In conclusion, future research on digital literacy should include the relative contribution of SDL and EC components as important mechanisms for online search strategies and critical source evaluation. Keywords: self-directed learning, epistemic cognition and beliefs, source evaluation, web search, navigation behaviour, strategies / GR2017

A thesis submitted to the Wits School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, 2017 / This thesis reports on the first year pre-service teaching students’ development of digital competence at a South African university in 2013 and 2014. The aim of the study was to investigate the students’ levels of digital competence as they commenced their first year of study. I also examined the barriers and enablers, as identified in the literature, and their impact on the students’ successful engagement with Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). In addition to this, the possible influence of computer attitude and a belief in one’s own ability (self-efficacy) supplement the research findings in this area. I present quantitative and qualitative data that explore the students’ digital competence levels and their understanding of what it means to be digitally literate. A definition particular to this group of students is proposed. In their definition of digital competence, the majority of the first year pre-service teaching students perceived digital competence to be a functional skill. This is the ability to operate digital devices and their relevant applications in the quest to learn and become self-reliant. This definition is aligned to Covello’s (2010) description of an understanding of how to use computers and application software for practical purposes. This ability to functionally operate various devices (FutureLab, 2010), the ability to use computers and other technology to improve learning, productivity and performance (JISC and Mc Hardy, 2013), links to one part of Ferrari’s (2012) digital competence definition as the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and awareness required when using ICTs and digital media. After completing a baseline digital competence test as they entered the HEI, I found that 43% of the first year pre-service teaching students failed the test. I identified three main factors that impacted negatively on a first year pre-service teaching student’s engagement with ICTs and ultimate development of digital competence. These include inexperience with ICTs, access and user-unfriendliness of software. Four main enablers to the effective use of ICTs include previous experience using ICTs, previous and current access to ICTs, userfriendliness of software, and finally, support in the form of support material or people. Using quantitative findings obtained from the completion of the Loyd and Gressard Computer Attitude Scale (CAS), I ascertained the students’ computer attitudes. Through the application of the Murphy’s (1989) Digital Self-Efficacy test, the current levels of the students’ digital self-efficacy (DSE), or beliefs in their own abilities, were established. I found no correlation between computer attitude and a student’s digital competence. The majority of students who failed the baseline test had a positive computer attitude. I also found the majority of students surveyed had a strong or very strong belief in their own ability. The majority of the students who passed the test had a very strong DSE and the majority of students who failed had an average to strong DSE. Students who passed the test tended to have higher DSE levels than students who failed the baseline test. A strong belief in one’s own ability was found to be a strong determiner in learning to become digitally competent. A unique application of Actor Network Theory was employed in the data analysis. The analysis methodology was informed by an adaption of Barab, Hay and Yamagata-Lynch’s (2001) node components. The use of Actor Network Theory as an analytical lens in the data analysis, confirmed the importance of zooming in on and unpacking a student’s network of learning to better understand the hidden processes at work. Through an analysis of six students’ networks of learning, I found that each student’s learning network was unique. Using actor network theory to scaffold my analysis it became apparent the differences in the students’ learning networks told a more important story than the few commonalities. The only commonalities evident between the six students in the moment I unpacked each learning network were that they were both initiators and participant in their networks. They interacted with digital devices and were not first time ICT users. These commonalities seem quite immaterial when compared to a minimum of 16 differences. A few of the identified differences include the digital resources the students relied on, their computer attitudes, levels of digital self-efficacy and their baseline test results. My study contributes to knowledge in four ways. Firstly, I establish the digital competence skills of first year pre-service teaching students. Secondly, I identify the barriers first year pre-service students encountered when using ICTs. Thirdly, I look at the possible impact of computer attitude and digital self-efficacy on the development of digital competence. Finally, I detail the networks of learning to be digitally competent. Through this expansion of students’ networks of learning, the connections between the various nodes and actants at work become apparent. This gives readers insight into what nodes are at play within these networks and what the pre-service teaching students identify as significant in their learning. In this study, I confirm the necessity for a first year digital competence or ICT course. My study shows that the students entered the HEI with low levels of digital competence and encounter multiple barriers when accessing ICTs. While literature suggests computer attitude impacts on the development of digital competence, in the reality of my study, I found digital self-efficacy to have a higher statistical correlation with digital success. Studies such as mine provide detailed descriptions and analyses of the practice of coming to be digitally competent. The identification of, and investigation into the possible factors impacting on a pre-service teaching student’s development of digital competence better assists Higher Education Institutions and course designers alleviate possible barriers, while increasing enablers. / XL2018

This research, which took the form of a case study in a large textile factory, is primarily concerned with finding out if there is a link between a particular educational level (i.e. ABET level 4 Communications/Language and Mathematics) used as a measure for the first stage of selecting prospective employees as machine operators, and a hard skill (i.e. actually operating a machine). After conducting interviews with nine people in the workplace; doing observations of three machine operators performing their jobs, and analysing various documents, such as the tool used for assessment, I found there to be an incongruence between the ‘requisite’ knowledge and skills and the actual knowledge and skills needed – the language and maths’ competencies needed in order to be deemed ‘competent’ in the assessment are of a higher ABET level than the language and maths needed ‘on-the-job’. But, this research is not simply about language and mathematics competencies. It is also about the ‘new workplace’ that has emerged with the advent and spread of globalisation. My study looks at the appropriateness of the ‘measure’ used as an entry requirement for a job, and by so doing it explores issues of inclusion and exclusion, and power relations. My study is, therefore, located within the critical social science paradigm and I raise questions around issues of morality, ethics and social justice. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

Adult Mother-Tongue Literacy learning is a universal problem as readily available statistics indicate. In this study, I explore various aspects of adult Mother-Tongue Literacy learning, including: • a profile of a Learner typical of those who attend the Pinetown Welfare Society Adult Literacy Programme; • some indication of the success of literacy programmes around the world; • the kinds of problems experienced by Learners in the Kwadabeka Literacy Project attached to the Pinetown Welfare Society; • some relevant theoretical concepts which underpin adult learning, and particularly the learning of literacy in adults; • the perceptions of Marcel Jousse on the effect of non-literate and semi-literate milieux on the capacities of Learners; • suggestions as to how an improved understanding of the capacities of Learners can influence the choice, design and presentation of Literacy teaching and learning materials; • examples of those aspects of current programmes which answer the needs identified by Marcel Jousse. In the conclusion, I suggest: • how the theories of Marcel Jousse can be further explored and applied in the area of Mother-Tongue Literacy learning, and to a definition of literacy; • how the needs identified by Marcel Jousse can be further accommodated; • what kinds of materials need to be introduced to make Mother-Tongue Literacy less problematic and more accessible to its Learners; • how an evaluation of the Pinetown Welfare Literacy Programme might assist in improving Mother-Tongue Literacy learning. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1998.