Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

This is a study where five preschool teachers with different work experience are interviewed around the concept of leadership in preschool. The purpose of the study has been to visualize variations in the perceptions of leadership and the leadership role based on a phenomenographic approach. In order to gather data for the study, qualitative interviews have been used. The result of the study shows that there is a variation in the perceptions of leadership and that the same individual can have several different perceptions about the concept, depending on past experience and or external factors. These factors may be colleagues' professional experience and or guidance documents. The compilation of the material shows the importance of common rules and approaches in the work team, which in turn leads to the erosion of the limit of leadership. The conclusion of this study is that a major role of responsibility is not perceived automatically and interpreted as a clearer leadership role.

This thesis provides an analysis of video recordings and written observations of four preschool-aged children as they spontaneously explored art materials within a group setting. The focus of analysis is the extent to which subjects interacted with other children and adults during art material use, and the effect of interaction on the subjects' uses of materials. For each subject, data are categorized and presented according to location, type, and approximate length of activity; presence or absence of others; and types of interactive behavior: watching, verbal interaction; imitation; and distraction from the activity. Descriptive passages are presented which detail specific episodes of interaction, and behaviors of adults interacting with subjects are also described. The conclusions argue for heightened awareness of social interaction as a factor in children's art experiences. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

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Introduction: A large proportion of under-5 mortality in the world occurs in the sub- Saharan region and South East Asia and these deaths are mostly due to preventable diseases. Socio-economic status of the household, maternal education, maternal employment status, child‟s age and gender are said to be determinants of children‟s morbidity and mortality. An inverse relationship between illness, mortality and socioeconomic status has been observed with morbidity and mortality concentrated in children in the lower socio-economic class and substantial reductions occurring in higher socio-economic class. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of all-cause morbidity, proportional morbidity from common illnesses and the maternal, household and community socio-demographic risk factors associated with morbidity in children under-5 years of age in the Agincourt health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System (AHDSS) site, Mpumalanga Province, in 2006. Methods: Secondary data analysis based on a child morbidity survey for children under-5 years was linked to the Agincourt Health and Socio-demographic Surveillance System site between August and December 2006. Caregivers of 6 404 children were administered a health care utilization questionnaire and 732 children were reported to have had an illness in the preceding 14 days. Stata version 10.0 was used for data handling, cleaning and statistical analysis. Results: Nine percent of the children in the AHDSS site had had an illness in the 14 days preceding the survey. Illnesses due to other infections contributed to over half of the proportion of morbidity in the children. This was followed by fever, acute respiratory infections, malnutrition, gastro intestinal disease and lastly injuries. The 12-23 months age group had the highest proportion of morbidity due to malnutrition and gastro intestinal diseases compared to the other age groups, although this relationship was not significant. A significant difference in proportion of morbidity between children living in households headed by Mozambicans and those living in households headed by South Africans was found. A younger age, higher birthweight, living in a household headed by an individual with only (primary) and living in a community without a clinic increased the likelihood of a child being reported ill. Conclusion: A younger age, higher birthweight, living with a household head with some education (primary and less) and poor access to a community health center in the village of residence increased the risk of a caregiver reporting a illness in a child. Confounding factors could have attributed to the observed association found between morbidity and high birthweight as well as that found between household head education status and morbidity. Further investigations as to why increase in household head education and higher birthweight is associated with morbidity is necessary. More research is needed to find out which factors at all levels (individual, household and community) unique to this region, contribute to making younger children more vulnerable to acquiring an illness.

A Research Report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Masters of Arts in Digital Animation at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits School of Art) Johannesburg, South Africa 12 October 2015 / This research report aims to encourage the research, development and production of interactive educational animated series in southern Africa such as the highly successful US series Dora the Explorer, specifically to teach southern African languages. Over the years mediums of imparting knowledge to children have changed rapidly (mainly due to ever-evolving technology), but the fact that children learn best when they are having fun has remained constant. Animation has been a leader in children’s entertainment as it has the power of expanding their imaginations and at the same time captures their attention. Animated series such as Dora the Explorer and Blues Clues have been popular with preschool children and impart valuable lessons. Dora the Explorer in particular helps children learn Spanish as a second language. The research takes a look at how children acquire a second language and how animation can aid the process of learning. Various theories on how children learn reveal the link between language, age and play. It is revealed that during production, careful consideration of content is required for educational animation to be an effective learning aid. This leads to the discovery of Richard Mayer’s principles that are recommended to be considered when creating effective educational animation. Included is a comparative analysis of the development processes of successful US children’s educational animated series to similar southern African productions. The research aims to inform the possible creation of an educational interactive animated series to enhance second language development for preschool children.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

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