Taxation is an ever changing field and the need for people who specialise in this area is continually growing. As a result of this the need for specialist tax related services; it has evolved into a profession of its own for quite a while in South Africa. Professional and specialised consulting occupations require a certain degree of specialisation to attain a level of superiority in the commercial world. To attain the status of a professional or to enjoy the status of specialised consultant requires extensive training and education. Taxation is taught at most universities albeit not as a degree in its own right but there are some exceptions. Currently South African universities offer a number of different undergraduate degrees that incorporate the discipline of taxation as a subject. Currently there is no set of standards or a professional body that regulates any individual claiming to be a tax specialist or practitioner. Consequently it is unsure whether or not the spectrum of topics and other required content included in the various degrees offered by South African universities, is educated at the required level to provide students with the necessary practical and theoretical skills, as well as other desired qualities, to survive in the ever changing and evolving world of taxation and be successful as a professional tax practitioner as expected by their employers. Using questionnaires, data was obtained from the tax departments of the universities accredited with SAICA. The results indicated, as expected, that a higher level of knowledge is expected of a student with a postgraduate qualification. In addition to this the more specialised the industry/field becomes to which the specific tax topic applies, the lesser level of knowledge is expected of a newly qualified candidate irrespective of the qualification. The conclusion drawn in this study was that educators place a high level of expected theoretical knowledge, practical skills and personal attributes on a newly qualified student but this level does not necessarily coincide with the level expected by employers. Consequently educators and employers need to reach a consensus about the curricula included in various degrees offered by South African universities in order to prepare them for practice. AFRIKAANS : Die konsep van belasting is ‘n alewig veranderende veld en die vraag na persone wie gespesialiseer is in die area groei by die dag. As gevolg van hierdie groeiende vraag na gespesialiseerde belastingdienste het die professie tot in sy eie reg ontwikkel en bestaan dit al vir ‘n etlike jare in Suid-Afrika. Professionele en gespesialiseerde konsultasie tipe beroepe vereis ‘n sekere vlak van spesialiseering om sodoende hoër agting te verkry in die kommersiële wêreld. Om die status van professional person of titel gespesialiseerde konsultant te geniet vereis intensiewe opleiding. Belasting as vakgebied word aangebied by meeste universiteite hoewel nie altyd as ‘n graad in sy eie reg nie, maar daar is uitsonderings. Ten tyde van hierdie studie bied Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite ‘n wye verskeidenheid voorgraadse kwalifikasies aan, wat belasting as ‘n vak insluit. Huidiglik is daar nie ‘n aanvaarde standaard of ‘n professionele organisasie wat persone reguleer wat beweer dat hulle in belasting spesialiseer nie. Gevolglik is daar onsekerheid in verband met die onderwerpe en inhoud wat vereis word in die verskeie kwalifikasies aangebied deur Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite. ‘n Verder onsekerhied onstaan ook of die inhoud wat aangebied word, op die verlangde vlak is om studente te voorsien met die nodige praktiese en toeretiese vaardighede, asook met ander verlangde kwaliteite, sodat hulle sal kan oorleef in die gedurig veranderende en ontwikkelende wêreld van belasting en sodoende suksesvol te wees as ‘n professionele belastingpraktisyn soos dit verwag word deur ‘n werkgewer. Data is ingevorder met behulp van vraelyste vanaf die belastingdepartemente van universiteite wat deur SAICA geakkrediteer word. Soos verwag het die resultate getoon dat daar egter van ‘n student met ‘n nagraadse kwalifikasie ‘n hoër kennisvlak verwag word. Hierbenewens, hoe meer gespesialiseerd die bedryf of gebied waaraan ‘n spesifieke belastingsonderwerp gekoppel word, hoe minder kundig hoef ‘n nuutgekwalifiseerde kandidaat te wees, ongeag van sy/haar kwalifikasies. Die gevolgtrekking uit hierdie studie is dat dosente ‘n hoë verwagting plaas op teoretiese kennis, praktiese vaardighede en persoonlike eienskappe vanaf nuut gekwalifiseerde studente maar dat die vlak van verwagting met betrekking tot die werkgewer se raamwerk nie noodwending ooreenstem nie. Daarom is dit uiters belangrik dat opvoeders en werkgewers konsensus bereik oor die inhoud van curricula in die verskeie kwalifikasies aangebeid deur Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite in ‘n poging om studente sodoende beter voor te berei vir praktyk. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Taxation / unrestricted

The low physical activity (PA) levels of children have become a national public health concern in South Africa. Moreover, the quality of Physical Education (PE) in South African schools has been compromised by challenges resulting from the subject’s reintroduction after a long absence from the school curriculum. Up to date no study has investigated the effects of a quality PE programme, within the prescriptions of the South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), on the PA and fitness levels of twelve to thirteen years old South African children. Furthermore, no PA measuring instrument exists that has been validated specifically for South African children of this age group, with which to conduct such a study. The objectives of this study were therefore, firstly, to validate a standardised PA questionnaire for Grade 7 learners in a South African context; secondly, to evaluate the effects of an enhanced quality PE programme presented by well-trained teachers, on the PA levels, and thirdly on the physical and motor fitness of Grade 7 learners in Potchefstroom, South Africa. For the first objective, 108 schoolchildren aged twelve to thirteen years (boys, n=45; girls, n=63) from two primary schools in Potchefstroom participated in this study to validate the Children’s Leisure Activities Study Survey (CLASS) for children in a South African context. Test-retest reliability of the questionnaire was examined with an interval of 3 weeks, while validity was assessed by comparing measurements of the reported minutes in PAs from questionnaire responses with ten physical fitness parameters using the Eurofit test battery. Data analysis included Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, paired t-test and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), and Spearman correlation coefficients (r). The results showed substantial internal consistency and significant intra-class correlations estimates for all intensities of PA and sedentary time (ST). Non-significant differences were found in the means of test and retest measurements. Aerobic fitness was significantly correlated with all intensities of PA and ST, and the results of several of the other fitness tests had significant associations with vigorous PA. For the fulfillment of the second and the third objectives, 110 Grade 7 learners (experimental school, n = 40; control schools, n = 70) were studied. The twelve-week PE intervention programme was presented according to the prescriptions of the CAPS which allocates one hour per week to PE, but included 5 quality-enhancing components namely well-trained teachers, homework activities, a reward system, improvised apparatus and the monitoring of activity intensity. Data was collected by means of the validated CLASS questionnaire, anthropometric measurements as well as physical and motor fitness tests, by means of the Eurofit test battery. Data analysis included Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, a series of analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), Tukey’s post hoc analysis, and interpreting effect sizes for practical significance. The results showed practically and statistically significant increases in moderate PA, vigorous PA, and total PA as well as decreases in sedentary behaviours. Furthermore, the learners’ data on physical and motor fitness levels showed statistically significant improvements among most of the experimental groups with regard to six of the ten fitness parameters. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the enhanced quality PE programme is effective in improving the PA, physical and motor fitness levels of South African primary school children. Therefore it is recommended that PE programmes in South Africa include the quality-enhancing components used in this intervention programme. Moreover, the modified CLASS questionnaire is a valid and reliable measure of PA among South African Grade 7 schoolchildren. / PhD (Human Movement Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The low physical activity (PA) levels of children have become a national public health concern in South Africa. Moreover, the quality of Physical Education (PE) in South African schools has been compromised by challenges resulting from the subject’s reintroduction after a long absence from the school curriculum. Up to date no study has investigated the effects of a quality PE programme, within the prescriptions of the South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), on the PA and fitness levels of twelve to thirteen years old South African children. Furthermore, no PA measuring instrument exists that has been validated specifically for South African children of this age group, with which to conduct such a study. The objectives of this study were therefore, firstly, to validate a standardised PA questionnaire for Grade 7 learners in a South African context; secondly, to evaluate the effects of an enhanced quality PE programme presented by well-trained teachers, on the PA levels, and thirdly on the physical and motor fitness of Grade 7 learners in Potchefstroom, South Africa. For the first objective, 108 schoolchildren aged twelve to thirteen years (boys, n=45; girls, n=63) from two primary schools in Potchefstroom participated in this study to validate the Children’s Leisure Activities Study Survey (CLASS) for children in a South African context. Test-retest reliability of the questionnaire was examined with an interval of 3 weeks, while validity was assessed by comparing measurements of the reported minutes in PAs from questionnaire responses with ten physical fitness parameters using the Eurofit test battery. Data analysis included Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, paired t-test and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), and Spearman correlation coefficients (r). The results showed substantial internal consistency and significant intra-class correlations estimates for all intensities of PA and sedentary time (ST). Non-significant differences were found in the means of test and retest measurements. Aerobic fitness was significantly correlated with all intensities of PA and ST, and the results of several of the other fitness tests had significant associations with vigorous PA. For the fulfillment of the second and the third objectives, 110 Grade 7 learners (experimental school, n = 40; control schools, n = 70) were studied. The twelve-week PE intervention programme was presented according to the prescriptions of the CAPS which allocates one hour per week to PE, but included 5 quality-enhancing components namely well-trained teachers, homework activities, a reward system, improvised apparatus and the monitoring of activity intensity. Data was collected by means of the validated CLASS questionnaire, anthropometric measurements as well as physical and motor fitness tests, by means of the Eurofit test battery. Data analysis included Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, a series of analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), Tukey’s post hoc analysis, and interpreting effect sizes for practical significance. The results showed practically and statistically significant increases in moderate PA, vigorous PA, and total PA as well as decreases in sedentary behaviours. Furthermore, the learners’ data on physical and motor fitness levels showed statistically significant improvements among most of the experimental groups with regard to six of the ten fitness parameters. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the enhanced quality PE programme is effective in improving the PA, physical and motor fitness levels of South African primary school children. Therefore it is recommended that PE programmes in South Africa include the quality-enhancing components used in this intervention programme. Moreover, the modified CLASS questionnaire is a valid and reliable measure of PA among South African Grade 7 schoolchildren. / PhD (Human Movement Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Thesis--Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen. / Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references (p. 167-179).

In school sport the professionalisation of sport has reached the domain of school sport as a grassroots incubator for sporting talent and for providing positive experiences that might lead to lifelong engagement in physical activity. This has inevitably led to the development of specialised human resources required to manage school sport. In the South African context, despite the existence of a variety of sport management programmes, there is a need for continuously updated and adapted programmes to address the needs and demands of the market and workplace. To cope with the increased complexities surrounding school sport and the management thereof, a distinct body of knowledge and skills needs to be developed (Quatman & Chelladurai, 2008a:651) for the management of school sport. Concern over the lack of common knowledge, as well as a pertinent sport management programme for educator training to prepare educators for the diverse contemporary requirements and needs regarding the management of school sport, has resulted in current and prospective educators not necessarily meeting the needs or expectations of the industry in a diversity of South African schools to manage school sport. As a result there appears to be a gap between current sport management programmes‟ outcomes at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)1 in South Africa and the expected competencies of school sport managers. A need thus exists to have a sport management programme in place for educator training in accordance with the diverse needs of South African schools. Based on the preceding, the problem of identifying the needs and competencies of school sport managers required for the sport management training of educators according to the diverse context of South African schools is seen as the central point in this study. In coherence with the problem statement and the stated research questions, the purpose of this research was to determine the needs and competencies of school sport managers in order to develop a sport management programme for educator training according to the diverse needs of schools in South Africa. In order to achieve this, based on the problem statement, it was necessary to: * Determine the context of school sport within the education system; * Describe and delineate the current role of the school sport manager within the education system; * To analyse international and national sport management training programmes as part of educator training; * Determine the needs and competencies required by educators to manage school sport effectively according to the diverse needs of South African schools; and * Develop a sport management training programme for school sport managers according to the diverse needs of South African schools. To be able to develop a sport management programme for educator training, it was necessary to develop a related instrument that was content and context specific. Contextual, descriptive and explorative qualitative research was undertaken by means of a semi-structured interview. After the sport management competencies and needs were identified, a questionnaire (quantitative research), based on the qualitative research and the literature study in Chapters Two, Three and Four was compiled as part of the mixed-methods research design. To make a sound judgement of content and context specific sport management programmes for educator training, an occupation analysis of the identified school sport management competencies and a needs analysis of specific needs required to manage school sport was undertaken by means of a structured questionnaire. Once the competencies and needs required to manage school sport were defined, programme development principles were applied to develop a sport management programme for educator training in accordance with the diverse needs of South African schools. Conclusions drawn from the above-mentioned research include that the school sport management environment is exceptionally varied, politicised and complex. Another conclusion was that competencies required by the school sport manager can be divided into core, functional and specialist competencies, indicating a range of competencies necessary to equip and enable the school sport manager to manage school sport successfully. This phenomenon cannot merely be ignored by HEIs2 when a content and context-specific market and needs-driven sport management programme for educator training in a diversity of South African schools is developed. It is therefore recommended that a school sport management programme be tailored to the content and context-specific needs of society and school sport managers. In the light of the preceding and a continuously changing education landscape in South Africa, it is necessary that the developed sport management programme and related guidelines for a sport management programme for initial educator training in accordance with the diverse needs of South African schools should continuously be supplemented and adapted in a dynamic school sport environment. / PhD (Movement Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The tourism industry is one of the biggest economic contributors in South Africa and it is predicted that the industry will grow significantly over the years to come. This growth pressures South Africa to stay competitive and adhere to the needs of the visitors. The latter being one of the core functions of any tourism establishment. Labour structures in the tourism industry are constantly changing and to deliver quality products, employees should be well skilled and prepared for the demands of the industry. The accommodation sector, one of the biggest sectors in the tourism industry, provides a variety of services to tourists when visiting this country. It was determined in the literature review that the skills needed by an accommodation manager, to provide the expected services include flexibility, people skills, the ability to train other employees and the ability to explore the ever changing needs of the tourist. Higher education organisations in South Africa educate potential tourism employees in a variety of skills and knowledge. However, some employees are still of the opinion that these students are not adequately prepared for the demands of the industry and therefore complain. Added to this, there is very little communication between the industry and higher education organisations. Therefore the tourism industry feels that students are not employable which creates challenges for students, higher education organisations and the tourism industry. Education and skills development should contribute directly to the economic growth of South Africa and the government, a very important role player in the tourism industry, encourages education opportunities in South Africa. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine, through industry participitation, what the management skills required within graded establishments in South Africa are. To achieve this aim, the following objectives were set: To analyse the literature available regarding the managerial theories, managerial levels, managerial processes and universal skills needed by managers, to analyse the tourism industry and hospitality sector, identify the important role played by managerial skills within this sector and to identify higher education programmes available in South Africa that focus specifically on managerial skills development for the accommodation sector. Thirdly, to collect and analyse the perceptions of accommodation owners and managers regarding the managerial skills and knowledge required by graduate managerial employees and then to draw conclusions and make recommendations to higher education organisations to adapt tourism management qualification programmes. This was achieved by making use of a quantitative research method by means of self-administered questionnaires, distributed to 254 Tourism Grading Counsil of South Africa’s (TGCSA) graded establishment managers in the nine (9) provinces of South Africa. The data, gathered from the questionnaire, was captured electronically by an online programme, SurveyMonkey. The data was then processed by means of SPSS and analysed. The descriptive results revealed that most of the responding accommodation establishments do employ graduates, but these graduates have to display certain characteristics. The top three characteristics for an accommodation manager included trustworthiness, responsibility and motivation in that order. Being ambitious, intelligent and sensitive rated the lowest. A factor analysis revealed that there are 10 important factors that contributes to being an effective accommodation manager. These skills included: 1) Personal characteristics, 2) Forecasting skills, 3) Strategic management skills, 4) Human resource skills, 5) Problem solving and crisis management skills, 6) Communication skills, 7) Information technology skills, 8) Customer service skills, 9) Financial skills and 10) Marketing skills. The comparisons (by means of ANOVA’s, t-tests and spearman rank order correlations) between skills needed by an accommodation manager and selected business characteristics (the province in which the accommodation establishment is located, the grading status, the size, the number of employees and the years that the accommodation establishment has been in operation) are unique to this study and various significant differences were identified. Comparisons have also been done between skills needed by an accommodation manager and selected personal characteristics (age, current position, duration of employment, level of higher education and the necessity of practical skills before employment of the respondent) which also revealed significant differences. The highest number of significant differences was identified for larger establishments, age, position of the respondents and the duration of employment. The results of this study can be used by higher education organisations to adapt their current tourism management qualifications, and by accommodation establishments to understand the training needs of employees. It did however voice the concerns of industry role players when it comes to new graduates and their employability. / MA (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In school sport the professionalisation of sport has reached the domain of school sport as a grassroots incubator for sporting talent and for providing positive experiences that might lead to lifelong engagement in physical activity. This has inevitably led to the development of specialised human resources required to manage school sport. In the South African context, despite the existence of a variety of sport management programmes, there is a need for continuously updated and adapted programmes to address the needs and demands of the market and workplace. To cope with the increased complexities surrounding school sport and the management thereof, a distinct body of knowledge and skills needs to be developed (Quatman & Chelladurai, 2008a:651) for the management of school sport. Concern over the lack of common knowledge, as well as a pertinent sport management programme for educator training to prepare educators for the diverse contemporary requirements and needs regarding the management of school sport, has resulted in current and prospective educators not necessarily meeting the needs or expectations of the industry in a diversity of South African schools to manage school sport. As a result there appears to be a gap between current sport management programmes‟ outcomes at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)1 in South Africa and the expected competencies of school sport managers. A need thus exists to have a sport management programme in place for educator training in accordance with the diverse needs of South African schools. Based on the preceding, the problem of identifying the needs and competencies of school sport managers required for the sport management training of educators according to the diverse context of South African schools is seen as the central point in this study. In coherence with the problem statement and the stated research questions, the purpose of this research was to determine the needs and competencies of school sport managers in order to develop a sport management programme for educator training according to the diverse needs of schools in South Africa. In order to achieve this, based on the problem statement, it was necessary to: * Determine the context of school sport within the education system; * Describe and delineate the current role of the school sport manager within the education system; * To analyse international and national sport management training programmes as part of educator training; * Determine the needs and competencies required by educators to manage school sport effectively according to the diverse needs of South African schools; and * Develop a sport management training programme for school sport managers according to the diverse needs of South African schools. To be able to develop a sport management programme for educator training, it was necessary to develop a related instrument that was content and context specific. Contextual, descriptive and explorative qualitative research was undertaken by means of a semi-structured interview. After the sport management competencies and needs were identified, a questionnaire (quantitative research), based on the qualitative research and the literature study in Chapters Two, Three and Four was compiled as part of the mixed-methods research design. To make a sound judgement of content and context specific sport management programmes for educator training, an occupation analysis of the identified school sport management competencies and a needs analysis of specific needs required to manage school sport was undertaken by means of a structured questionnaire. Once the competencies and needs required to manage school sport were defined, programme development principles were applied to develop a sport management programme for educator training in accordance with the diverse needs of South African schools. Conclusions drawn from the above-mentioned research include that the school sport management environment is exceptionally varied, politicised and complex. Another conclusion was that competencies required by the school sport manager can be divided into core, functional and specialist competencies, indicating a range of competencies necessary to equip and enable the school sport manager to manage school sport successfully. This phenomenon cannot merely be ignored by HEIs2 when a content and context-specific market and needs-driven sport management programme for educator training in a diversity of South African schools is developed. It is therefore recommended that a school sport management programme be tailored to the content and context-specific needs of society and school sport managers. In the light of the preceding and a continuously changing education landscape in South Africa, it is necessary that the developed sport management programme and related guidelines for a sport management programme for initial educator training in accordance with the diverse needs of South African schools should continuously be supplemented and adapted in a dynamic school sport environment. / PhD (Movement Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The tourism industry is one of the biggest economic contributors in South Africa and it is predicted that the industry will grow significantly over the years to come. This growth pressures South Africa to stay competitive and adhere to the needs of the visitors. The latter being one of the core functions of any tourism establishment. Labour structures in the tourism industry are constantly changing and to deliver quality products, employees should be well skilled and prepared for the demands of the industry. The accommodation sector, one of the biggest sectors in the tourism industry, provides a variety of services to tourists when visiting this country. It was determined in the literature review that the skills needed by an accommodation manager, to provide the expected services include flexibility, people skills, the ability to train other employees and the ability to explore the ever changing needs of the tourist. Higher education organisations in South Africa educate potential tourism employees in a variety of skills and knowledge. However, some employees are still of the opinion that these students are not adequately prepared for the demands of the industry and therefore complain. Added to this, there is very little communication between the industry and higher education organisations. Therefore the tourism industry feels that students are not employable which creates challenges for students, higher education organisations and the tourism industry. Education and skills development should contribute directly to the economic growth of South Africa and the government, a very important role player in the tourism industry, encourages education opportunities in South Africa. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine, through industry participitation, what the management skills required within graded establishments in South Africa are. To achieve this aim, the following objectives were set: To analyse the literature available regarding the managerial theories, managerial levels, managerial processes and universal skills needed by managers, to analyse the tourism industry and hospitality sector, identify the important role played by managerial skills within this sector and to identify higher education programmes available in South Africa that focus specifically on managerial skills development for the accommodation sector. Thirdly, to collect and analyse the perceptions of accommodation owners and managers regarding the managerial skills and knowledge required by graduate managerial employees and then to draw conclusions and make recommendations to higher education organisations to adapt tourism management qualification programmes. This was achieved by making use of a quantitative research method by means of self-administered questionnaires, distributed to 254 Tourism Grading Counsil of South Africa’s (TGCSA) graded establishment managers in the nine (9) provinces of South Africa. The data, gathered from the questionnaire, was captured electronically by an online programme, SurveyMonkey. The data was then processed by means of SPSS and analysed. The descriptive results revealed that most of the responding accommodation establishments do employ graduates, but these graduates have to display certain characteristics. The top three characteristics for an accommodation manager included trustworthiness, responsibility and motivation in that order. Being ambitious, intelligent and sensitive rated the lowest. A factor analysis revealed that there are 10 important factors that contributes to being an effective accommodation manager. These skills included: 1) Personal characteristics, 2) Forecasting skills, 3) Strategic management skills, 4) Human resource skills, 5) Problem solving and crisis management skills, 6) Communication skills, 7) Information technology skills, 8) Customer service skills, 9) Financial skills and 10) Marketing skills. The comparisons (by means of ANOVA’s, t-tests and spearman rank order correlations) between skills needed by an accommodation manager and selected business characteristics (the province in which the accommodation establishment is located, the grading status, the size, the number of employees and the years that the accommodation establishment has been in operation) are unique to this study and various significant differences were identified. Comparisons have also been done between skills needed by an accommodation manager and selected personal characteristics (age, current position, duration of employment, level of higher education and the necessity of practical skills before employment of the respondent) which also revealed significant differences. The highest number of significant differences was identified for larger establishments, age, position of the respondents and the duration of employment. The results of this study can be used by higher education organisations to adapt their current tourism management qualifications, and by accommodation establishments to understand the training needs of employees. It did however voice the concerns of industry role players when it comes to new graduates and their employability. / MA (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The research in this study focuses on the role of environmental education activities in the clarification of environmental values in Grade 6 learners. The much discussed environmental crisis arose as a result of man's negative environmental behaviour. Human behaviour is a matter of choices based on environmental values. Environmental value clarification aims to raise learners' awareness of their own values and to increase their effect on the environment. It helps learners to explore their own values, to consider advantages and disadvantages, to accept that others' beliefs may vary from their own, and to align their own actions and behaviours with their personal beliefs. Using environmental education activities the researcher aims to help learners clarify their environmental values as environmental education activities can not only be interesting and fun, but can also have a powerful impact on students' interest in and awareness of environmental problems. As the clarification of environmental values contains a highly subjective component, use is made of a combined method research strategy. The quantitative research component takes place through a pre- and post-test test with an experimental and a control group. During the pre- and post-test a standardised questionnaire is used whilst the interventions take the form of an environmental education activity. A qualitative, collective case study design forms the qualitative part of the combined method, through observation during the activity and focus group interviews thereafter. Three schools that are part of the project "Education for sustainable living", where schools pay attention to the environment through the implementation of environmental management principles, were selected for participation. The findings indicate that learners that were exposed to the activity are confronted with their own environmental values and attitudes whilst being forced to seriously, honestly andcritically reflect on his / her own values regarding specific environmental issues in the activity. / Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Development))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The research in this study focuses on the role of environmental education activities in the clarification of environmental values in Grade 6 learners. The much discussed environmental crisis arose as a result of man's negative environmental behaviour. Human behaviour is a matter of choices based on environmental values. Environmental value clarification aims to raise learners' awareness of their own values and to increase their effect on the environment. It helps learners to explore their own values, to consider advantages and disadvantages, to accept that others' beliefs may vary from their own, and to align their own actions and behaviours with their personal beliefs. Using environmental education activities the researcher aims to help learners clarify their environmental values as environmental education activities can not only be interesting and fun, but can also have a powerful impact on students' interest in and awareness of environmental problems. As the clarification of environmental values contains a highly subjective component, use is made of a combined method research strategy. The quantitative research component takes place through a pre- and post-test test with an experimental and a control group. During the pre- and post-test a standardised questionnaire is used whilst the interventions take the form of an environmental education activity. A qualitative, collective case study design forms the qualitative part of the combined method, through observation during the activity and focus group interviews thereafter. Three schools that are part of the project "Education for sustainable living", where schools pay attention to the environment through the implementation of environmental management principles, were selected for participation. The findings indicate that learners that were exposed to the activity are confronted with their own environmental values and attitudes whilst being forced to seriously, honestly andcritically reflect on his / her own values regarding specific environmental issues in the activity. / Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Development))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.