The construction of nanoscale polymeric objects with complex, well-defined structures and regiochemical functionalities is of great importance, because it enables the fabrication of soft materials with tunable properties. Direct polymerization of macromonomers through covalent bond formation and self-assembly of block copolymers via non-covalent interactions are two typical strategies to afford nanoscopic structures. Molecular brush polymers are composed of densely-grafted side chains along a polymeric backbone. Due to the significant steric repulsion from the side chains, they tend to adopt bottle-brush like conformations, as opposed to linear polymers. "Grafting through" synthesis of molecular brush polymers can provide precise control over the dimensions and functionalities of brush polymers. Shell crosslinked knedel-like nanoparticles (SCKs) are constructed by assembling from amphiphilic block copolymers into micelles, followed by covalent shell crosslinking to further stabilize the nanoparticles and introduce additional functional moieties. SCKs are attractive nanocarriers because of their variable morphologies, compositions and functionalities, which allow for the development of platforms for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. By utilizing the orthogonal reactivity of the norbornene group and methacrylate group, two distinctly different reactive well-defined linear polymers, and a facile, one-pot synthesis of well-defined molecular brush polymers were studied by selective, orthogonal controlled radical polymerizations (CRPs) and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The living and high efficient characteristics of "grafting-through" strategy were further investigated for the preparation of topology-controlled brush polymers with tunable dimensions of both backbone and side chain lengths. Apart from the fundamental investigation of molecular brush polymers, a series of poly(carboxybetaine) (PCB)- and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-grafted degradable SCKs were developed to evaluate their in vivo pharmacokinetics and biodistributions, aiming to achieve novel therapeutic and diagnostic platforms that may surpass the performance of the conventional PEGylated analogs.

This study aimed at exploring the Life Orientation (LO) teachers’ knowledge and teaching of study skills in high schools, Ekudibeng cluster, Gauteng East. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) is the most recent curriculum policy (Department of Basic Education [DBE], 2012) and serves as an action plan to 2030 for the South African education system in order to address some of the origins of underperformance in South African schools (Nicolson, 2013). Life Orientation (LO) can be described as a learning area within the educational context that promotes the holistic development of a child. The educational context refers to all processes at school level involved in training children’s minds and abilities so that they can acquire knowledge and develop skills to succeed in life. Life Orientation integrates subjects, such as life skills, career guidance, health education, physical education, human rights studies and religious education (Pillay, 2012). According to the Life Orientation 2011 CAPS document, Life Orientation teachers are expected to teach study skills to learners starting from grade 10 – 12 (Further Education and Training (FET) Phase (DBE, 2011). Learning or study skills carry over into other areas of life and beyond school. Study skills are therefore critical tools that ensure that learner achievement leads to success. Furthermore, effective study skills need effective interaction between teachers and learners (Gettinger, & Seibert, 2002). The teacher is a social agent and should make study skills accessible through the process of teaching in the classroom. This implies that the teacher is a central tool for equipping the learners with the necessary study skills which can aid in the unlocking of their future potential (Sasikala, 2012). As such, it was considered important to explore the knowledge and skills for teaching LO as well as the challenges faced and their needs for further development. Three schools in Ekudibeng cluster, Gauteng East were purposefully selected for this purpose on the basis of their results in the previous year’ matric exit examinations. Qualitative case studies of the Further Education and Training LO teachers’ experiences at each of these schools were undertaken utilising semi-structured interviews as a data collection tool. The data were analysed via qualitative content analysis techniques. The findings of this study emphasise the need for a focus on study skills teaching and teacher proficiency in the high school education system. The South African Education System role-players need to take LO seriously and have teachers qualified to teach LO, and to meet their needs through study skills training workshops. Comprehensive continuous improvement in learner performance requires a constant determination of trained LO teachers, qualified for the subject and properly equipped with relevant knowledge to cascade it to learners and cooperative community members, where parents are involved/hands on in shaping their children’s’ future. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

This study aimed at exploring the Life Orientation (LO) teachers’ knowledge and teaching of study skills in high schools, Ekudibeng cluster, Gauteng East. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) is the most recent curriculum policy (Department of Basic Education [DBE], 2012) and serves as an action plan to 2030 for the South African education system in order to address some of the origins of underperformance in South African schools (Nicolson, 2013). Life Orientation (LO) can be described as a learning area within the educational context that promotes the holistic development of a child. The educational context refers to all processes at school level involved in training children’s minds and abilities so that they can acquire knowledge and develop skills to succeed in life. Life Orientation integrates subjects, such as life skills, career guidance, health education, physical education, human rights studies and religious education (Pillay, 2012). According to the Life Orientation 2011 CAPS document, Life Orientation teachers are expected to teach study skills to learners starting from grade 10 – 12 (Further Education and Training (FET) Phase (DBE, 2011). Learning or study skills carry over into other areas of life and beyond school. Study skills are therefore critical tools that ensure that learner achievement leads to success. Furthermore, effective study skills need effective interaction between teachers and learners (Gettinger, & Seibert, 2002). The teacher is a social agent and should make study skills accessible through the process of teaching in the classroom. This implies that the teacher is a central tool for equipping the learners with the necessary study skills which can aid in the unlocking of their future potential (Sasikala, 2012). As such, it was considered important to explore the knowledge and skills for teaching LO as well as the challenges faced and their needs for further development. Three schools in Ekudibeng cluster, Gauteng East were purposefully selected for this purpose on the basis of their results in the previous year’ matric exit examinations. Qualitative case studies of the Further Education and Training LO teachers’ experiences at each of these schools were undertaken utilising semi-structured interviews as a data collection tool. The data were analysed via qualitative content analysis techniques. The findings of this study emphasise the need for a focus on study skills teaching and teacher proficiency in the high school education system. The South African Education System role-players need to take LO seriously and have teachers qualified to teach LO, and to meet their needs through study skills training workshops. Comprehensive continuous improvement in learner performance requires a constant determination of trained LO teachers, qualified for the subject and properly equipped with relevant knowledge to cascade it to learners and cooperative community members, where parents are involved/hands on in shaping their children’s’ future. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)