Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

This study investigates variables that influence choice of Physical Science as a secondary school subject. The variables are pupil, home environment, teacher and school environment. A questionnaire was administered to 849 grade 9 pupils. The following findings are recorded: The better pupils achieve in Science the more likely that they will further their studies in Science. If pupils have positive self-concepts, beliefs about, attitudes and interest in Science and enjoyed Science at primary school they are inclined to choose Science as a subject. Pupils who choose Science view it as a valuable subject for daily life, have parents who evaluate Science favourably and come from better socio-economic backgrounds than those who do not choose Science. These pupils also view the attitudes, personalities, competencies and methods of assessment of their Science teachers positively. Finally, they perceive the Science curricula and textbooks as beneficial. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Tbis study has as primary objective the development of an appropriate model to assist ' teachers, in South Africa, to be able to understand and assist learners with behaviour problems. The need for the study has its genesis within the current difficulties teachers experience in dealing with behaviour problems in the classroom and the fact that increasing numbers of children are involved. A key facet of the research is its accent on the unmet emotional needs of learners that function as a behavioural determinant. The study is analytical descriptive in nature and as such is based on two fundamental dimensions:- to acquire a sound theoretical understanding of the concepts, causative 'factors and underlying behaviour problems and the most appropriate means to deal therewith and substantiating the insights acquired by means of interviews with teachers, school principals, and other significant role players. An earnest attempt was made to analyse behaviour problems in terms of the various theoretical frameworks presented within contemporary literature. The ecological systems model was found to be the most appropriate for the development of the . referenced model. This stands in sharp contrast to the traditional medical model which in many instances still forms the basis of current theory and practice. Learners with emotional problems experience behaviour problems which serve as barriers to effective learning. Little attention however, has been attributed to putting appropriate systems in place to assist these learners. A key consideration embodied within the new Education Policy (NCS DOCUMENT 1997:1 0) is the issue of meeting the needs of all learners so that they are able to actualise their potential - this includes their emotional needs. The findings of this study need to be seen within the light of meeting this objective. In order to address the unmet emotional needs of learner, teachers must attend to the cognitive mind maps which embody internalized feelings and cognition. A model for understanding the cognitive maps has been developed as part of this study and serves as introduction to the model developed to assist learners wi~h behaviour problems. The study provides a new perspective directed at understanding instead of managing behaviour problems. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Special Needs Education)

Divorce has become so prevalent in our present day society, that it is regarded as one of the most sressful and complex mental health crises facing children today. As parents are often under tremendous stress during the time of divorce, they may be incapable of provding the support and guidance children need. The purpose of this study is to present a group counselling intervention programme to assist children of divorce and to create a supportive group atmosphere in which children can share divorce-related feelings, clarify common misconceptions and reduce feelings of isolation. Findings of this study indicate that the acquisition of problem-solving communication and anger control skills help to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, improve the self-concept and ultimately promote post-divorce adjustment. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Text in Afrikaans / The importance of the emotional and social development of a human being is highlighted by this research study, while the ability of the human spirit to transcend the human body has inspired the researcher to investigate movement activities as a potential key to the emotional and social development of wheelchair-bound learners. The researcher has chosen participation in wheelchair dancing to determine whether wheelchair-bound learners show development on emotional and social levels by investigating their intra- and interpersonal abilities before and after participating in wheelchair dancing. Intra- and interpersonal abilities are interdependent abilities and are regarded important components of emotional intelligence. In the interest of validity and reliability, the researcher used purposeful sampling in the selection of her participants. The participants had to meet certain requirements. She undertook a constructivist investigation, from an interpretive perspective, as a (primarily) qualitative study, with an interactive case study design and multimethod strategies. The smaller, quantitative component of the research study is the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale, Second Edition (Piers-Harris 2), which offers as pre- and post-test a baseline assessment for the participants’ emotional and social development in respect of self-concept. The theoretical approach for this study is a combination of the medical deficit model and the social model, with stronger emphasis on the development and healing approach of the social model, than on the deficit-and-control approach of the medical deficit model. The focus of the study is not on the constraints suffered by the wheelchair-bound learners, but rather on the possible development that may take place in the learners through their participation in movement activities. The researcher strongly relies on the social model in an attempt to gain understanding of the problems that wheelchair-bound learners currently experience in the education system, so that schools can be developed that would meet learners’ needs. The research results offer answers to the primary and secondary research questions and the general objective of this research study has been achieved. The researcher has determined that wheelchair-bound learners show emotional and social development after participation in movement activities. The emotional intelligence of all the participants has increased and each experienced increased self-actualisation since having participated in wheelchair dancing. The research results reflect more growth in respect of the learners’ intrapersonal abilities than in their interpersonal abilities. The researcher’s specific objectives would be achieved, when she submits the research results of this study to policy makers in the Department of Education, thus expanding the boundaries of existing knowledge about the relationship between wheelchair-bound learners’ participation in movement activities and their emotional and social development. / Die belangrikheid van die emosionele en sosiale ontwikkelingsgang in die mens se ontwikkeling word deur die navorsingstudie uitgelig, terwyl die vermoë van die menslike gees tot transendensie van die menslike liggaam, die navorser inspireer het om bewegingsaktiwiteite te ondersoek as ’n moontlike sleutel tot rolstoelgebonde leerders se emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling. Die navorser het deelname aan rolstoeldanse gekies om te bepaal of rolstoelgebonde leerders op ’n emosionele en sosiale vlak ontwikkeling toon deur hul intra- en interpersoonlike vermoëns voor en ná deelname aan rolstoeldanse te ondersoek. Intra- en interpersoonlike vermoëns is interafhanklike vermoëns en word as belangrike komponente van emosionele intelligensie beskou. Die navorser het ’n doelgerigte steekproefneming gebruik in die seleksie van haar deelnemers om geldigheid en betroubaarheid in die hand te werk. Die deelnemers moes aan sekere vereistes voldoen. Sy loods ’n konstruktivistiese ondersoek vanuit ’n interpretivistiese perspektief as ’n (hoofsaaklik) kwalitatiewe ondersoek, met ’n interaktiewe gevallestudie-ontwerp en veelmetodestrategie. Die kleiner, kwantitatiewe komponent van die navorsingstudie is die Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale, Second Edition (Piers-Harris 2). Dit bied, as voor- en nátoets, ’n basislynassessering vir die deelnemers se emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling ten opsigte van selfkonsep. Die teoretiese raamwerk waaruit die navorser hierdie navorsingsprobleem benader, is ’n vermenging van die mediesetekort- en die sosiale model, met sterker klem op die ontwikkelings- en helende benadering van die sosiale model, as die tekortkominge-en-beheer-benadering van die mediesetekort-model. Die fokus van die studie is nie op rolstoelgebonde leerders se inperkinge nie, maar juis op die moontlike ontwikkeling wat deur hul deelname aan bewegingsaktiwiteite in die leerders mag plaasvind. Die navorser steun sterk op die sosiale model in ’n poging om begrip vir die probleme wat rolstoelgebonde leerders tans in die onderwys ervaar, te verkry, sodat skole ontwikkel kan word wat in leerderbehoeftes voorsien. Die navorsingsresultate bied antwoorde op die primêre en sekondêre navorsingsvrae en die algemene doelstelling van hierdie navorsingstudie is bereik. Die navorser het vasgestel dat rolstoelgebonde leerders, deur hul deelname aan bewegingsaktiwiteite, emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling toon. Al die deelnemers se emosionele intelligensie het verhoog en almal beleef groter selfverwesenliking sedert hul deelname aan rolstoeldanse. Die navorsingsresultate weerspieël groter groei ten opsigte van die deelnemers se intrapersoonlike as hulle interpersoonlike vermoëns. Die navorser se spesifieke doelstellings word bereik, wanneer die navorser die navorsingsresultate van hierdie studie aan beleidmakers in die Departement van Onderwys voorlê en daardeur die grense van bestaande kennis omtrent die verband tussen rolstoelgebonde leerders se deelname aan bewegingsaktiwiteite en hul emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling kan uitbrei. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inklusiewe Onderwys)

The purpose of the empirical study is to determine the nature of the peer pressure that boys experience at a single-gender school. A literature study was conducted on single-gender education as opposed to co-education as well as the phenomenon of peer pressure during adolescence and the factors that might influence peer pressure. An empirical investigation was conducted involving 221 adolescent boys. The results showed that boys in single-gender schools experience more positive than negative peer pressure. No significant differences were found between the peer pressure of boys at a single-gender school and those at a co-educational school. Motivation and relationship with peers were identified as the two most important variables relating to peer pressure. Guidelines for parents, teachers, and adolescents were discussed to promote positive peer pressure and to minimise negative peer pressure. These guidelines included strategies to motivate adolescents and to promote positive peer relationships. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the lifeworld of the high-achieving young adolescent. A literature study was undertaken to determine the developmental level of young adolescents and their corresponding needs. The Bio-ecosystemic theory of Bronfenbrenner was used as theoretical basis to explore the level of influence in the life of the young adolescent. The role parental involvement plays in the life-experience and perceptions of young adolescents was also investigated. The results of the study indicated that the environment or lifeworld of young adolescents plays a big role in all the different aspects of their development. Parents, who are the closest entities in their lifeworld, have the strongest influence. Parental values, beliefs and attitudes are communicated through verbal and non-verbal interactions. Positive and negative conditional regard were found to be motivational tools used by parents to encourage young adolescents to perform according to their expectations. Young adolescents often internalise or introject parental values, beliefs and attitudes as a result of the level of their moral development. Unrealistic or perfectionistic expectations often lead to high levels of anxiety and stress. This could interfere with their normal developmental tasks of which identity formation, the development of self-control and self-regulation appear to be very important aspects. From the findings of the study, guidelines for parents and educators were compiled in support of young adolescents who find themselves in a high-achieving academic environment. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

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No description available.

This research was conducted to confirm and identify possible and intrinsic factors which may influence the academic achievement of senior secondary pupils in the rural Eastem Cape. The literature study indicates that factors such as parental involvement, motivation, the role of teachers and peers as well as learners' attribution of meaning, involvement, and experience have a direct influence on academic achievement. To confmn the influence of the above factors, the researcher conducted a structured interview with ten respondents, consisting of four pupils, their parents and two teachers. Questions to parents investigated their relationship with theii·children in terms of discipline, motivation as well as involvement in their education. Questions to pupils investigated their relationship with their parents, teachers, peers and self. Learners' level of self-actualization in terms of attribution of meaning, involvement, experience and self-concept was also examined. The research revealed that most of the parents are not adequately involved in their children s education, and the fmdings confirmed this as an extrinsic factor that influenced the learners achievement. The findings also indicated that teachers have somewhat lost sight of their role in promoting learners' potential, contributing to the high failure rate in the Eastern Cape rural schools. The fmdings further confirmed that the learners level of self­ actualization, in terms of attribution of meaning, involvement and experience influences academic achievement. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to improve the situation of education in the rural Eastern Cape. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)