The aim of this research was to make recommendations how parents and educators can select and use audio-visual media for supporting learners with behavioural problems (LBP). A literature study was conducted on behavioural problems and on the use of audio-visual media to address these. Thereafter an empirical investigation was done by means of a case study design. A purposive sample was chosen from Grades 10 and 12 learners in Pietermaritzburg. Websites were also selected for addressing a variety of topics. The most important findings were that audio-visual media can be selected by means of five criteria related to content accuracy and appropriateness, diversity and quality. The findings indicate that visual media can stimulate cognitive skills (including problem solving and critical thinking) and reflection about the acceptance of responsibility, positive attitudes and respect for authority, among others. It is concluded that audio-visual media can be used by educators to support LBP. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Psychology of Education)

Many children in conflict with the law are not receiving the relevant education and services to which they are entitled. Convention on the Rights of the Child, proclaim that the convicted child‟s needs of persons of their age, like the right to appropriate education must be addressed as a matter of urgency. In addition, there is a serious lack of properly trained personnel who might be causing more impairment to children in conflict with the law, but who remain in the system. The appointment of relevant and appropriate staff in correctional facilities is definitely required. For instance, many young offenders lacked a decent education, social skills and occupational skills and involvement of parents, peers and the community. If essential programmes become successful, this will not only improve the livelihood of children in conflict with the law, but will also reduce recidivism rates. Qualified teachers and caregivers are required because the children in conflict with the law require specialised programmes like Individual Education Plan (IEP). The IEP is a basic aspect in providing quality special education services to help a particular learner attain his or her maximum learning potential. The aim of this study was to develop socio-ecological framework in understanding and giving support to children in conflict with the law. Bronfenbrenner‟s ecological model was used as a conceptual framework. Qualitative research design and phenomenology as a mode of enquiry were employed in this study. Interpretivism was used a philosophical paradigm. Population was learners, between ages of eleven and seventeen, from three correctional facilities. Purposive sampling was used as a method of sample selection. The findings in this study indicated that the children in conflict with the law resented the teachers showing signs of being judgemental, for failing to acknowledge their efforts and for being unresponsive to their needs. Initial desires to succeed in the classroom were replaced by frustration, anger, hopelessness and disappointment following failure. Many of their acting out behaviours were an expression of this anger and disappointment. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

High school biology classes traditionally follow a lecture format to disseminate content and new terminology. With the inclusive practices of No Child Left Behind, the Common Core State Standards, and end-of-course exam requirement for high school diplomas, classes include a large range of achievement levels and abilities. Teachers assume, often incorrectly, that students come to class prepared to listen and take notes. In a standard diploma, high school biology class in a separate school for students with emotional and behavioral disorders, five students participated in a single-subject, alternating treatment design study that compared the use of regular pens and digital pens to take notes during 21 lecture sessions. Behavior measures were threefold between the two interventions: (a) quantity of notes taken per minute during lectures, (b) quantity of notes or notations taken during review pauses, and (c) percent of correct responses on the daily comprehension quizzes. ... However, the differences were minor, and recommendations are made for specific training in note-taking, the pause strategy, and digital pen fluency which may produce different results for both note-taking and quiz scores. / by Carlotta A. Rody. / Vita. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

The aim of this research was to make recommendations how parents and educators can select and use audio-visual media for supporting learners with behavioural problems (LBP). A literature study was conducted on behavioural problems and on the use of audio-visual media to address these. Thereafter an empirical investigation was done by means of a case study design. A purposive sample was chosen from Grades 10 and 12 learners in Pietermaritzburg. Websites were also selected for addressing a variety of topics. The most important findings were that audio-visual media can be selected by means of five criteria related to content accuracy and appropriateness, diversity and quality. The findings indicate that visual media can stimulate cognitive skills (including problem solving and critical thinking) and reflection about the acceptance of responsibility, positive attitudes and respect for authority, among others. It is concluded that audio-visual media can be used by educators to support LBP. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Psychology of Education)

Many children in conflict with the law are not receiving the relevant education and services to which they are entitled. Convention on the Rights of the Child, proclaim that the convicted child‟s needs of persons of their age, like the right to appropriate education must be addressed as a matter of urgency. In addition, there is a serious lack of properly trained personnel who might be causing more impairment to children in conflict with the law, but who remain in the system. The appointment of relevant and appropriate staff in correctional facilities is definitely required. For instance, many young offenders lacked a decent education, social skills and occupational skills and involvement of parents, peers and the community. If essential programmes become successful, this will not only improve the livelihood of children in conflict with the law, but will also reduce recidivism rates. Qualified teachers and caregivers are required because the children in conflict with the law require specialised programmes like Individual Education Plan (IEP). The IEP is a basic aspect in providing quality special education services to help a particular learner attain his or her maximum learning potential. The aim of this study was to develop socio-ecological framework in understanding and giving support to children in conflict with the law. Bronfenbrenner‟s ecological model was used as a conceptual framework. Qualitative research design and phenomenology as a mode of enquiry were employed in this study. Interpretivism was used a philosophical paradigm. Population was learners, between ages of eleven and seventeen, from three correctional facilities. Purposive sampling was used as a method of sample selection. The findings in this study indicated that the children in conflict with the law resented the teachers showing signs of being judgemental, for failing to acknowledge their efforts and for being unresponsive to their needs. Initial desires to succeed in the classroom were replaced by frustration, anger, hopelessness and disappointment following failure. Many of their acting out behaviours were an expression of this anger and disappointment. / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This study examined the effectiveness of training Head Start teachers and aides in child teacher relationship training (CTRT). CTRT is based on child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) (Landreth & Bratton, 2006), a filial therapy model based on the principles of child-centered play therapy, and was adapted for the classroom. In this quasi-experimental design, 12 teacher/aide pairs (n = 24) were assigned to the experimental (n = 12) or active control group (n = 12). Children who scored in the Borderline or Clinical range on at least one scale of the Child Behavior Checklist-Caregiver/Teacher Report Form (C-TRF) at pretest qualified for the study (n = 54). Nine hypotheses were analyzed using a two factor repeated measures multivariate analysis to determine if the CTRT group and the active control group performed differently across time according to pre-, mid-, and posttest results of the C-TRF. Additionally, effect sizes were calculated to determine practical significance. Five hypotheses were retained at the .05 level of significance. Post hoc analysis was conducted to analyze the effects of the two phases of treatment. Results indicated that children in the experimental group made statistically significant improvements in externalizing problems (p = .003). Children of focus made statistically significant improvements in externalizing (p = .003) and total behavior (p = .01) problems. Results are particularly significant for the non-children of focus, who only received the in-classroom intervention. The non-children of focus made statistically significant improvements in externalizing behavior problems (p = .04) and practical significance was large. Results indicate that a school based intervention such as CTRT is a viable treatment option for many children with externalizing behavior problems.

Approximately 20% of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) are sent to an alternative campus for their lack of social competence. Social skills training (SST) is an evidence-based intervention to help increase social competence for students with E/BD, but there is limited research that addresses SST for students with E/BD at alternative campuses. A mixed-methods design was utilized to examine SST at an alternative campus for students with E/BD. Pre-intervention data were collected for students' attendance, grades, office disciplinary referrals, and behavioral rating scales, after which, the Why Try SST program was implemented. Following the intervention, the same type of data were collected. Nonparametric statistics guided the quantitative analysis, because of the small population being studied. Differences from pre- to post-intervention were examined. Triangulation methods drove the qualitative data collection and analysis through observations, student interviews, and teacher interviews. Students exhibited significant differences from pre- to post-intervention in the number of office disciplinary referrals and several areas on the behavioral rating scales. Important insight into motivation and perceptions was gained through the observations and interviews.

Educational Studies / (M.Tech. (Inclusive Education))

South Africa has been witnessing an escalation in drug use amongst adolescents in high school. Thus, the main question that motivated this research was: How can a psycho-educational programme, using a selected audio-visual media resource, assist teachers and parents in an effort to prevent adolescent students’ substance abuse problem behaviour? Social cognitive theory (SCT) and self-efficacy theory (SET) were used as a conceptual framework. The study explained these theories in-depth. Adolescent substance abuse was also studied as well as programmes to address this problem. This was followed by a perusal of numerous audio-visual resources for their possible incorporation into prevention programmes. The ‘Above The Influence’ (ATI) resource was selected for the psycho-educational programme which was designed for the study. The programme was put into action during seven sessions over a period of about two months, and implemented with a group of 26 Grade 10 and Grade 11 students in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, to evaluate its relevance for adolescent substance abuse prevention. To evaluate the programme, a qualitative approach was used. The data were gathered during the programme implementation by means of in-person and online focus groups, individual interviews, written open-ended questions, observation notes and follow-up interviews some time after the programme had ended. Eleven principles were identified from the literature to evaluate the potential of the programme to be effective in preventing adolescent substance abuse. In particular the programme needed to increase adolescents’ skills related to studying, communication, peer relationships, self-efficacy, assertiveness, and drug resistance. The programme also had to employ interactive techniques and needed to address the type of drug abuse problem in the local community, for example, the ‘gateway’ substances of marijuana, alcohol and tobacco. In addition, the programme potential was evaluated in the light of SCT and SET. The findings indicated that the psycho-educational programme, using ATI as audiovisual medium, can be used very effectively by teachers to raise students’ awareness and develop particular skills that could contribute towards the prevention of adolescent substance abuse. It is recommended that the programme should be used in the long-term with repeated reinforcing sessions over time. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe how teachers implement school-based psychosocial support to Grade 12 learners who have behavioural and emotional problems. As a secondary school teacher herself, the researcher frequently interacts with Grade 12 learners who have behavioural and emotional problems. Occurrences of behavioural and emotional problems are on the increase. This inference is based on the large number of reported learner problems in the School-based Support Team (SBST) records of a secondary school. The behavioural and emotional problems reported included violent aggressive behaviour, sexual and substance dependency, teenage pregnancy, early school drop-out and truancy. Learner problems may be caused by a variety of factors emanating from unmet development needs (Mwawenda, 2003), as well as biological factors and family and /or school factors (Papalia, Olds and Feldman, 2008). Kapp (2003), on the other hand, is of the opinion that a conducive environment may reduce learner problems and enhance improved learner wellbeing. This study forms part of the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI) introduced to certain secondary schools in 2008. Ten teachers, who were part of the school-based team of the secondary school researched, participated in this initiative. REPPSI’s initial objective was to provide psychosocial support to children orphaned by HIV/Aids in South African Development Countries (SADC). The initiative focused on taking care of children’s developmental needs– social, emotional, behavioural, physical and spiritual. In the case of the school researched, this study was a pilot project to use REPPSI guidelines to provide psychosocial support to learners who have behavioural and emotional problems in participating schools. The study investigates how teachers implement psychosocial support based on the REPSSI Initiative. The study further explores how an ecosystemic approach can be used as an alternative approach to enhance the implementation of psychosocial services provided to learners. The study anticipates that an alternative approach will improve the school-based psychosocial initiative for adolescent learners who have behavioural and emotional problems in schools. The researcher used a constructivist paradigm to describe the school-based psychosocial support provided to adolescent learners who have behavioural and emotional problems. A case study design with 10 teachers in the school-based support team was selected. The participant teachers were conveniently and purposefully selected from REPSSI trained teachers. A focus group was used to facilitate semi-structured interviews. Ten participants shared their common perceptions and concerns (De Vos, Strydom Fouche’ and Delport, 2006) in a fairly short period (two sessions of one and half hours duration with teachers). Observations, photographs, reflective notes and field notes were used to gather information. A thematic content analysis of data was used to interpret data. To ensure rigour, it was verified with participants that they agreed with the results of the data analysis process. Debriefing meetings were also held with the researcher’s supervisor. The results of this study showed that teachers view need the pre and in-service training in ecosystemic approach to reduce behavioural and emotional problems of learners important. The results reveal that the use of ecosystemic approach by teachers and all role players in the adolescent learner’s life may enhance the effectiveness of school-based psychosocial support. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)