<p>This mini-thesis attempts to explain the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure in public schools in the Western Cape. The mini-thesis uses the case study as research design to explore aspects such as the motivation for using ICT, funding models, infrastructure models, ICT curriculum integration and teacher development. In order to gather data on the above, interviews and observations are used as research tools. The study begins with the exploration of the history of ICT infrastructure in South African schools and subsequently an international perspective is added through the literature review. Officials and teachers of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) were interviewed to obtain their perspectives and a school was visited to observe procured ICT infrastructure. The results revealed that the WCED is using the Khanya project to deliver an ICT infrastructure to schools and to provide facilitation in the integration of ICT into the curriculum. It further showed that due to the rapid change in technology, Khanya had to adapt the hardware configuration on a regular basis and that this put considerable strain on and already small budget for ICT. The challenge that emerged is the lack of adequate ICT training for teachers. This could potentially hamper the integration of ICT and if not addressed, could serious hamper the WCED in its quest to deliver a technology based curriculum. The study concludes with conclusions drawn for the data as well as recommendations for effective ICT integration.</p>

<p>This study provides educators with an opportunity to share their commitments and biases, their beliefs about what these learners need and what, as educators, they have to offer them. The study focuses specifically on what curriculum educators believe should be offered to the youth in these centres. It is important to note that the focus of the thesis is on the educational debates and challenges within SYCECs, and not on the overall goals and role to be played by these institutions in rehabilitating youth. This piece of work acknowledges the systemic issues that impact on learning and development of youth, but foregrounds what learners in SYCECs should be taught and why. This is its main contribution.</p>

This thesis examines the ways in which various practices, such as novel-writing, publishing, book-reviewing, reading for pleasure, adaptation and studying English literature, have produced Jane Eyre’s complex cultural profile. The organizing principle of the study is Paul du Gay, Stuart Hall et al’s ‘circuit of culture’, which identifies five key processes or ‘moments’ as being productive of the meanings that a cultural artefact or text comes to possess. Explaining the meanings which have been attached to Jane Eyre partly involves trying to understand why it has been perceived and described dichotomously. For example, it has been thought of as trivial and serious, radical and conservative, feminine and unfeminine. The investigation begins with the writing process, exploring how and why Charlotte Brontë embedded the text with specific hybrid features. The study then traces how these textual features have acquired meaning in different discourses, focusing primarily on the novel’s reception in Britain in the mid-nineteenth century and in the 1990s. The thesis points to the role played by distinct target-audiences in configurations of Jane Eyre; Charlotte Brontë, publishers, biographers, literary critics, film-makers and teachers have all had specific audiences in mind when they have described, evaluated, regulated and/or creatively reworked the novel, its author’s life and/or the culture in which the author lived. During the course of the twentieth century, Jane Eyre became increasingly thought of as a legitimate object of study at all levels of the education system. The thesis examines how the text has been studied, and contributes to ongoing debates about National Curriculum English by offering ways of allowing more creativity into the classroom.

<p>This study provides educators with an opportunity to share their commitments and biases, their beliefs about what these learners need and what, as educators, they have to offer them. The study focuses specifically on what curriculum educators believe should be offered to the youth in these centres. It is important to note that the focus of the thesis is on the educational debates and challenges within SYCECs, and not on the overall goals and role to be played by these institutions in rehabilitating youth. This piece of work acknowledges the systemic issues that impact on learning and development of youth, but foregrounds what learners in SYCECs should be taught and why. This is its main contribution.</p>

<p>This mini-thesis attempts to explain the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure in public schools in the Western Cape. The mini-thesis uses the case study as research design to explore aspects such as the motivation for using ICT, funding models, infrastructure models, ICT curriculum integration and teacher development. In order to gather data on the above, interviews and observations are used as research tools. The study begins with the exploration of the history of ICT infrastructure in South African schools and subsequently an international perspective is added through the literature review. Officials and teachers of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) were interviewed to obtain their perspectives and a school was visited to observe procured ICT infrastructure. The results revealed that the WCED is using the Khanya project to deliver an ICT infrastructure to schools and to provide facilitation in the integration of ICT into the curriculum. It further showed that due to the rapid change in technology, Khanya had to adapt the hardware configuration on a regular basis and that this put considerable strain on and already small budget for ICT. The challenge that emerged is the lack of adequate ICT training for teachers. This could potentially hamper the integration of ICT and if not addressed, could serious hamper the WCED in its quest to deliver a technology based curriculum. The study concludes with conclusions drawn for the data as well as recommendations for effective ICT integration.</p>

The post 1994 educational reforms in South Africa brought about a new thinking in the basic education system. The Curriculum 2005 introduces General Education and Training (GET) band comprising of Grades R-9 and Further Education and Training (FET) comprising of Grades 10-12. These changes necessitates that greater energy and investment be made in the development of appropriate programmes for professional development of educators at both pre-service and in-service levels in order to increase educator reorientation and competency in educating learners in the new education system. The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of educator professional development programmes (pre- and in-service) on Grade 10 Life Orientation educators with regard to the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) in the Francis Baard District. The study also aims to determine barriers encountered in the implementation of in-service professional development programmes for Grade 10 Life Orientation educators. The study consists of a literature review concerning the National Curriculum Statement and professional in-service training programmes. A quantitative approach was followed to collect the relevant data. Grade 10 Life Orientation educators in the Francis Baard District form the population of this study. Two distinct conclusions are drawn from the findings of the study, namely; • Educators professional programmes (pre- and in-service) had very little impact on the knowledge, skills and abilities of Grade 10 Life Orientation educators for the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) in the Francis Baard District. • Pre- and in- service educator professional development programmes attended by Grade 10 Life Orientation educators did not substantially improve their capabilities mentioned above to implement the National Curriculum Statement. Four categories of recommendations are suggested, namely: • The responsibility of the Department of Education towards the professional in-service training programmes. • The teacher training institutions' responsibility towards the Life Orientation teachers. • The formation of support groups in the different regions in the Francis Baard District. • Further research should be conducted to improve successful implementation of educator professional development programmes ( pre- and in-service) on Grade 10 Life Orientation educators. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

The post 1994 educational reforms in South Africa brought about a new thinking in the basic education system. The Curriculum 2005 introduces General Education and Training (GET) band comprising of Grades R-9 and Further Education and Training (FET) comprising of Grades 10-12. These changes necessitates that greater energy and investment be made in the development of appropriate programmes for professional development of educators at both pre-service and in-service levels in order to increase educator reorientation and competency in educating learners in the new education system. The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of educator professional development programmes (pre- and in-service) on Grade 10 Life Orientation educators with regard to the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) in the Francis Baard District. The study also aims to determine barriers encountered in the implementation of in-service professional development programmes for Grade 10 Life Orientation educators. The study consists of a literature review concerning the National Curriculum Statement and professional in-service training programmes. A quantitative approach was followed to collect the relevant data. Grade 10 Life Orientation educators in the Francis Baard District form the population of this study. Two distinct conclusions are drawn from the findings of the study, namely; • Educators professional programmes (pre- and in-service) had very little impact on the knowledge, skills and abilities of Grade 10 Life Orientation educators for the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) in the Francis Baard District. • Pre- and in- service educator professional development programmes attended by Grade 10 Life Orientation educators did not substantially improve their capabilities mentioned above to implement the National Curriculum Statement. Four categories of recommendations are suggested, namely: • The responsibility of the Department of Education towards the professional in-service training programmes. • The teacher training institutions' responsibility towards the Life Orientation teachers. • The formation of support groups in the different regions in the Francis Baard District. • Further research should be conducted to improve successful implementation of educator professional development programmes ( pre- and in-service) on Grade 10 Life Orientation educators. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

Free play is a term that often common in educational activities. The definition of the term is difficult, but it is about the children themselves decides the scope, content and process in their play. On an after-school, this may mean that it is the children are given the opportunity to freely choose their own activity in the leisure constraints. Free play can be an alternative to other, more controlled activities where adults control framework. The purpose of this study is to investigate the variations in how some children perceive and experience the phenomenon of free play in the after-school and how the children perceive the teacher´s role in the free game. The study empirical data is limited to a class, in a department in an after-school center in the inner suburbs of Stockholm. School centers and schools are integrated with each other and operations are in close cordinations and cooperation in common areas. Study based in two qualitative semi-structured focus group interviews with three children in each other group. To analyze the material used a phenomenographic analysis model. The result show that children feel that it is imortant to have free play in the school center. The children experience a degree of freedom, because you yourself may determine the content of their play. Pedagogue role in the free game perceive children as a role, where the adults keep order and ensure that the children needs are met and to avoid conflict. Educators will alto be assisting with activities to inspire creativity. Free play is also linked to emotions such as desire and curiosity and to friends enriches free play greatly.

Introdução: As políticas públicas na área da saúde destacam a importância de mudanças na formação de profissionais de saúde. Apontam, principalmente, para uma formação voltada para atuar no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e para que esteja em consonância com as reais necessidades da população brasileira. Com base nisso, o presente estudo inicia uma avaliação sobre a formação do terapeuta ocupacional no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul à luz das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Curso de Graduação em Terapia Ocupacional na percepção do profissional. Objetivos: Descrever o perfil do terapeuta ocupacional no Rio Grande do Sul; Identificar os profissionais formados entre 2009 e 2014; Avaliar a percepção do terapeuta ocupacional frente sua auto-eficácia profissional e sobre sua formação voltada para o Sistema Único de Saúde. Metodologia: Os dados foram coletados através de enquete online contendo três instrumentos. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo em que os dados foram estratificados e posteriormente correlacionados através do Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, versão 16. Resultados: A população foi composta por 555 Terapeutas Ocupacionais inscritos no Conselho Regional de Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional 5 e a amostra de 235. Perfil: 93,6% da amostra é feminina; 47,7% está na faixa etária 20-29 anos; 85,5% nasceu no RS; 56,6% mora no interior do estado; 42,6% trabalha no Sistema Único de Saúde; 33,3% trabalha na assistência e 54,9% tem especialização. Houve associação estatisticamente significante (p < 0,05) em alguns itens da escala de auto-eficácia profissional e no questionário sobre as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Curso de Graduação em Terapia Ocupacional. Considerações finais: Avaliamos que o perfil do terapeuta ocupacional no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul é composto majoritariamente por mulheres, adulta jovem, trabalha na assistência, grande parte no Sistema Único de Saúde e mora no interior do estado. A maioria se graduou no Centro Universitário Metodista IPA, fez estágio curricular no Sistema Único de Saúde e participação crescente na extensão universitária, iniciação científica e programas do tipo Pet-Saúde e Ver-SUS. Podemos afirmar também que é um profissional que busca com muita intensidade a pós-graduação. O grupo de terapeutas ocupacionais com formação mais antiga está mais confiante, mais seguro e sente-se capaz de exercer suas atividades profissionais e executar tarefas da profissão de forma eficaz. Os terapeutas ocupacionais consideram que tiveram uma boa formação em nível de graduação apesar de mostrarem-se menos confiantes e menos capazes de desenvolver algumas atribuições previstas nas Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Curso de Graduação em Terapia Ocupacional, se comparados ao grupo com formação mais antiga e com o grupo com formação em nível de pós-graduação. Produto: Como produto dessa pesquisa, foi possível criar um plano de atualização destinado aos profissionais que se dispuserem a realizar uma atualização. / Introduction: The public politics in the health area highlight the importance of changes in the health professionals formation. They point, mainly, to a formation turned to act in the Integrated Health System (SUS) and that to be in consonance with the real needs of the brazilian population. Based on that, the present study starts an evaluation about the formation of the occupational therapist in the State of Rio Grande do Sul through the knowledge of the Occupational Therapy Graduation National Curriculum Guidelines in the perspective of the professional. Objectives: Describe the profile of the occupational therapist in the Rio Grande do Sul; Identify the professionals graduated between 2009 and 2014; Evaluate the perception of the occupational therapist in front of his professional self-efficacy and about his formation turned to Integrated Health System. Methodology: The data were collected through an online questionnaire containing three instruments. This is a descriptive study which the data was stratified and subsequently correlated through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 16. Results: The population consisted of 555 Occupational Therapists registered in the Regional Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy 5 and the sample of 235. Profile: 93,6% of the sample is female; 47,7% is in the age range 20-29 years; 85,5% were born in the RS; 56,6% lives in the countryside of the state; 42,6% works in the Integrated Health System; 33,3% works in the assistance and 54,9% have expertise. There was a statistically significant association (p <0.05) on some items of the scale of professional selfefficacy and the questionnaire about the Occupational Therapy Graduation National Curriculum Guidelines. Final Considerations: We evaluate that the profile of the occupational therapist in the State of Rio Grande do Sul is composed mainly of women, young adults, works in health care, largely in the Integrated Health System and lives in the countryside of the state. Most graduated from Methodist University IPA, made traineeship in Integrated Health System and increasing participation in university extension, scientific research and the type Pet-Saúde and Ver-SUS programs. We can also say that it is professional that seeks with a lot of intensity the postgraduate. The group of occupational therapists with older formation is more confident, more secure and feel able to exercise their professional activities and perform professional tasks in an effective way. Occupational therapists believe that they had a good education at the graduation level despite showing up less confident and less able to develop some assignments provided in the Occupational Therapy Graduation National Curriculum Guidelines compared to the group with older formation and the group with training at post-graduate level. Product: As a product of this research, was possible to create an upgrade plan for professionals who are willing to perform an update.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Outcomes-Based Education forms the foundation of South Africa's revised national education curriculum, known as The Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9. The Van Hiele Model, developed for the teaching and learning of geometry, has already been used successfully in the school curricula of the Netherlands and Russia. Strong support for this theory exists in leading countries like America and Europe. This study has investigated the possible relationship between the Van Hiele theory and the "Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9" and through critical evaluation found a great compatibility between them. Both are giving strong support for the spiral approach to mathematics education. It is recommended that all geometry learning programmes and teaching units be moulded on the Van Hiele Model. / Suid-Afrika se hersiene nasionale onderwyskurrikulum, die "Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9" word deur uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys gefundeer. Die Van Hiele Model vir die onderrig en leer van meetkunde, is suksesvol in skoolkurrikula van Nederland en Rusland toegepas en geniet wye steun in lande soos Amerika en Europa. Hierdie navorsing het die moontlike verband tussen die Van Hiele raamwerk en die nuwe kurrikulum ondersoek en deur kritiese evaluering baie sterk versoenbaarheid tussen die "Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9" en die Van Hiele Model gevind. Verder is ook aangetoon dat beide sterk gebruik maak van die spiraalbenadering in wiskundeonderwys. Aanbevelings in die verband is dat leerprogramme en onderrigeenhede wat die kurrikulum vir meetkunde in skole implementeer op die Van Hiele Model geskoei word. / Mathematical Sciences / M. Sc. (Mathematics Education)