Magister Educationis (Adult Learning and Global Change) - MEd(AL) / The National Certificate Vocational (NCV) programme was designed with multiple agendas, among which was to address the high unemployment among the South African youth, to produce students with an employable skills set as well as it being a vehicle for redress. Managing diversity within education speaks to this agenda of redress. This study investigated diversity within a technical vocational education and training (TVET) college, by exploring the teaching and learning challenges Life Orientation college lecturers face when teaching diverse student population. It considered the background to the TVET sector as well as the learning programme, the NCV, that provided the context for the study. Various literature on diversity was reviewed as well as literature on teaching diverse cohort of students. The investigation was approached from a social justice perspective. The data revealed a number of themes, the first of which was Conceptions of Diversity within the TVET college context as well as Lecturer Strategies to cope with student diversity. Not all lecturer strategies were successful in dealing with diversity-related tensions; this led to the theme Issues and Incidents related to Student Diversity. The concluding theme was participant suggestions for Lecturer Preparation to deal with issues of diversity. In turn, these themes informed the recommendations which include all three key elements in the education process, i.e policy and curriculum, lecturer training and development, and equally important, the student involvement in diversity programmes and strategies within the TVET college.

The research undertaken involves a quasi-experimental approach in determining the impact of the Competency and Placement (CAP) test in the Further Education and Training (FET) colleges. The evaluation became necessary because poor learner performance within the National Certification Vocational (NCV) programme has persisted amid the implementation of a country-wide roll-out of the CAP test; and a recapitalisation injection of R1.9m. Learner performance data relating to the NCV programme and CAP was obtained in order to undertake an accurate analysis of the poor performance within the FET college sector. In addition to the above, qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews with CAP participating colleges in the country. Recommendations included the restructuring of the NCV programme; the introduction of an alternative learner placement methodology that was in line with international best practices; and improving quality assurance aspects pertaining to the capacity at colleges to deliver the NCV programme effectively. / Human Resources Development / M. Tech. (Human Resource Development)

The research undertaken involves a quasi-experimental approach in determining the impact of the Competency and Placement (CAP) test in the Further Education and Training (FET) colleges. The evaluation became necessary because poor learner performance within the National Certification Vocational (NCV) programme has persisted amid the implementation of a country-wide roll-out of the CAP test; and a recapitalisation injection of R1.9m. Learner performance data relating to the NCV programme and CAP was obtained in order to undertake an accurate analysis of the poor performance within the FET college sector. In addition to the above, qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews with CAP participating colleges in the country. Recommendations included the restructuring of the NCV programme; the introduction of an alternative learner placement methodology that was in line with international best practices; and improving quality assurance aspects pertaining to the capacity at colleges to deliver the NCV programme effectively. / Human Resources Development / M. Tech. (Human Resource Development)

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges have become institutions of choice in the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) attracting youth between 15 and 24 years of age. College campuses are an opportune space for mixing of students with Grade 10 equivalence up to students with post-matriculation level. Students who enrol at TVET colleges for the first time are vulnerable to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) since they mingle with students of different ages and diverse experiences. Sometimes they can be taken advantage of as the environment is inviting for transactional sex practices, casual and multi-partner sexual relationships with benefactors / “blessers”, promising them the world as angel babies, sugar pups and tuition babies in the sugar bowl of dating scene, hence risky sexual behaviours make college first year students vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. A qualitative research approach was followed underpinned by constructivism as a research paradigm. The theoretical framework followed in this study was the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). A purposive sampling technique was used and six students who had enrolled in a TVET college as first year students for National Certificate Vocational (NCV) level 2 and were sexually active and willing to talk about the risky sexual behaviours they engaged in, participated during focus group interviews. Three students selected from the six were interviewed individually. The thematic analysis approach was used to identify patterns and themes which were considered for major findings. Findings of the study revealed that TVET college students who are enrolled as first year students in the NCV programme engage themselves in risky sexual behaviours such as transactional sex, casual and multi-partner sexual relationships, not using condoms, putting themselves at risk of contracting HIV. Among factors that were found to be contributing to risky behaviours were that students are away from the supervision of parents, peer pressure, partying, poverty, sugar daddy and sugar mummy (cougar) / Ben 10 with dating life style. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)