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

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Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study of three-dimensional boxes is widely regarded as a suitable topic for entry-level geometry. In order to inform teaching and curriculum design this study takes children's intuitive knowledge of boxes as point of departure to research the following aspects: • the meaning children assign to boxes • children's ability to create and manipulate mental images • children's strategies to solve a three dimensional construction problem • possible age and gender differences • the role of measurement • possible links with Van Hiele's thought levels Revised clinical interviews were conducted with groups of six to ten children. Each child could select an object from a set provided by the researcher and had to build a box from cardboard into which the object could fit. The problem-solving processes were captured on video. The children's boxes, verbal utterences and overt manipulation of the materials as well as the empirical referent objects were analised. The researcher made use of grounded theory procedure to analise and categorise the data. The research indicates that young children are not necessarily aware of the shape and structural properties of three-dimensional boxes. It is also evident that children's ability to represent properties of shape of boxes through language, drawing and hand movements does not necessarily indicate adequate understanding of the structural properties of boxes to enable them to build a box from two-dimensional materials. The research further indicates that aspects of representation that are judged to be based on lack of knowledge of conventions in a medium such as drawing, may have deeper intuitive and conceptual roots. An alternative view of childrens spatial/geometric thought on VanHiele level 0 is described based on their assignment of meaning to geometric tasks. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Drie-dimensionele houers word allerweë as geskikte konteks vir aanvangsmeetkunde-onderrig beskou. In hierdie studie word kinders se intuïtiewe begrip van alledaagse houers of bokse as vertrekpunt gebruik om die volgende aspekte te ondersoek met die oog daarop om inligting te bekom vir kurrikulering: • die betekenis wat kinders aan bokse (as meetkundige objekte) toeken • kinders se vermoë om 'n denkbeeld te skep en te manipuleer • kinders se strategieë om 'n drie-dimensionele konstruksieprobleem op te los • moontlike ouderdoms- en geslagsverskille • die rol wat meting speel wanneer 'n drie-dimensionele konstruksieprobleem opgelos word • moontlike ooreenkomste met Van Hiele-denkvlakke 'n Taakgerigte ondersoek (revised clinical interview) is met groepies van ses tot tien kinders op 'n slag gedoen. Elke kind kon 'n voorwerp kies uit 'n versameling en moes 'n houer of boks uit karton bou waarin die voorwerp kon pas. Die probleemoplossingsproses is met 'n videokamera afgeneem. Die kinders se voltooide houers, taaluitinge en overte hantering van die empiriese verwysingsvoorwerpe en die materiaal waarmee hulle gewerk het, is as data ontleed. Die navorser het gebruik gemaak van die analitiese prosesse wat beskryf word as begronde teorie-ontwikkeling om die data te ontleed en te kategoriseer. Die navorsmg hat aangetoon dat jong kinders nie noodwending bewus is van die vorm- en strukturele eienskappe van drie-dimensionele houers nie. Verder is dit duidelik dat kinders se voorstellings van veral vormeienskappe van houers deur middel van taal, handbewegings en tekeninge, nie impliseer dat hulle die nodige begrip van die struktuur het om so 'n houer uit tweedimensionele materiaal te kan vervaardig nie. Die navorsing het verder aan die lig gebring dat aspekte van kinders se ruimtelike kennis wat voorheen as aanduiding van gebrekkige kennis van konvensies beskou is, moontlik dieper konseptuele wortels het. 'n Alternatiewe beskouing van kinders se ruimtelik-meetkundige denke op Van Hiele Vlak 0 word ook voorgestel.

Bibliography: leaves 208-219 / x, 219 leaves : ill ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1992

Doctorat en sciences psychologiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Tesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 1994. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Visual-motor integration plays an important role in the development of a child. Developmental deficits in this area can, for example, be detrimental to a child's school-readiness or scholastic achievements. Visual-motor integration problems should be diagnosed as early as possible so that remediation can take place. The American Beery Developmental Test for Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) is widely used as a screening technique for visual-motor abilities by psychologists, occupational therapists, educators and remedial teachers in South Africa. In order to determine whether this American standardised test offers valid results for a group of South African subjects, the results of children in the VMI:1982 and VMI:1989 were compared to their results in the South African Copying Test. A sample of 40 pre-school children from a pre-primary school in Stellenbosch were selected. Only children with normal visual acuity, who had not undergone an occupational therapy evaluation, or school readiness test, during the previous three months, were included in the sample. A significant relationship was found between the results of the VMI:1982 and VMI:1989. The results of both the VMI:1982 and VMI:1989 correlated significantly with the results of the Copying Test. Performance in the tests correlated with chronological age as well as teacher evaluation of ability development. lt was concluded that the VMI may be regarded as a valid test of visual-motor integration in the group of subjects studied. lt is recommended that future studies including children from all cultural groups in South Africa should also be undertaken. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Visueel-motoriese integrasie speel 'n belangrike rol in die ontwikkeling van die kind. Ontwikkelingsagterstande in hierdie area kan byvoorbeeld 'n kind se skoolgereedheid of skolastiese prestasie nadelig be"invloed. Probleme ten opsigte van visueel-motoriese integrasie behoort so vroeg as moontlik opgespoor te word sodat remediering kan geskied. Die Amerikaanse BeeryOntwikkelingstoets vir Visueei-Motoriese lntegrasie {VMI) word in Suid-Afrika wyd deur sielkundiges, arbeidsterapeute, opvoedkundiges en remedierende onderwysers benut vir die evaluering van visueel-motoriese vaardighede. Om te bepaal of hierdie Amerikaans gestandaardiseerde toets geldige resultate vir 'n groep SuidAfrikaanse toetslinge !ewer, is die prestasies van kinders in die VMI:1982, sowel as die VMI:1989 met hul prestasies in die Suid-Afrikaanse Natekentoets vergelyk. 'n Steekproef van 40 voorskoolse kinders uit 'n pre-primere skool op Stellenbosch is gekies. Slegs kinders met normale gesigskerpte, en diegene wat nie gedurende die vorige drie maande 'n arbeidsterapie- of skoolgereedheidsevaluering ondergaan het nie, is by die ondersoek ingesluit. Beduidende korrelasies is tussen die VMI:1982-resultate en VM1:1989-resultate bevind. Die resultate van beide die VMI:1982 en VMI:1989 het beduidend met die van die Natekentoets gekorreleer. Prestasie in die toetse het met kronologiese ouderdom, sowel as onderwyser-beoordelings van vaardigheidsontwikkeling, gekorreleer. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die VMI wel geldige resultate in die geval van hierdie spesifieke ondersoekgroep gelewer het. Verdere navorsing, wat oak kinders uit alle kultuurgroepe in Suid-Afrika insluit, word aanbeveel.

Effects of a substance abuse prevention program on the locus of control and self-concept of 148 Hispanic and Anglo third and fourth grade children were evaluated. A 2 x 2 (race x group) multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures was carried out using the Health Resources Inventory, Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale, and two roster and rating sociometric questionnaires. The results of the analysis revealed a significant effect of time and interactions between time and race and time and group. Mean scores on the Health Resources Inventory and both sociometric questionnaires increased from pre-test to post-test for all children. In addition, children's scores indicated a change toward an internal direction on the Locus of Control Scale. Only the sociometric questionnaire measuring the children's perception of their popularity showed a significant group effect. The experimental group, those whose teachers had used the prevention curriculum, increased their perception of how well they were liked by their classmates. However, their actual popularity as measured by the average of their classmates' rating did not change. Possible explanations and methodological shortcomings are discussed.

This study examined the psychometric properties for the Draw-A-Person (DAP) test (Naglieri, 1988). Data were collected from 191 children following the accepted procedure from an earlier study (Badger & Jones, 1988). Drawings were scored using both Harris' (1963) and Naglieri's (1988) scoring systems following the procedures outlined in the manuals. Basically, the DAP test demonstrated reliable and valid properties. The Naglieri's (1988) scoring system was favored in this study because it demonstrated more consistent internal consistency, higher inter- and intra-rater reliability and satisfactory construct validity. Positive and moderate high correlations with the scores obtained from Goodenough-Harris's scoring systems supported that the Naglieri's version measured the same concept as the old system. Psychometric properties of the DAP test support use in clinical and research settings to gather data from children about their general abilities.

Responses of 122 children were obtained on two measures of central auditory processing to establish normative data. Children aged 6.5 through 12.5 years were tested for humming and tapping responses to the Pitch Pattern Sequence Test (PPST) and the two- and four-digit Dichotic Digit Tests (DDT). Children between ages 6.5 and 9.5 years showed progressively better scores on the tapping response of the PPST and on the four-digit DDT. Children above 9.5 years of age demonstrated adult-like responses on both tests. No differences were demonstrated in performance of children aged 6.5 through 12.5 years on the two-digit DDT or on the humming response of the PPST.

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / Although the learning disabled pupil has an average to above average intellectual ability, he does not perform accordingly. Not only does he reveal academic deficiencies, but social and emotional deficiencies are also part and parcel of his problem. Furthermore he experiences problems in meeting social demands that are made in his every day life. These deficiencies in his social abilities in turn imply an insufficient recognition of social demands. Research has shown that a learning disabled pupil's social perceptions are weaker than those of a normal pupil. Although the learning disabled pupil's academic short-coming are at first recognised by the teacher, his social problems are normally neither identified nor understood. The learning disabled child should .be assisted to acquire social skills. In this process the teacher could playa vital role. From previous studies, insight regarding the learning disabled pupil, has been gained. The etiology and manifestations of learning disabilities have been discussed and the characteristics of deficient social skills have also been scrutinised. The purpose of this research is to determine certain disorders regarding the social perceptions of a learning disabled child. Criteria as well as guidelines that a social-perceptual education programme should meet, are also suggested. The study was conducted with 60 learning disabled pupils forming the experimental group and 60 non-learning disabled pupils forming the control group. The "Coding of Emotional Responses Test" was used in this study. In this study it became apparent that the learning disabled pupils made significantly more errors than the control group (nonlearning disabled pupils). Therefore the learning disabled pupil experiences difficulty in interpreting non-verbal behaviour patterns such as facial expressions, body language and gestures correctly, as a result of his deficient social perceptions. Criteria programme research. and guidelines for a social-perceptual education have been determined as a result of this...