Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Traditionally the success of learners in South Africa was based on one examination. The education depended on memorization, at the expense of other important skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and analysis. The modern working situation requires learners with critical thinking skills who can solve problems. Traditionally learners were seen as ‘empty vessels’ and their existing knowledge was not considered. The traditional assessment methods were not good enough to give teachers the information they needed to know about the learner. The education therefore requires reconstruction. In 1997, education in South Africa experienced a paradigm shift with the introduction of Curriculum 2005 and Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). The education system has been systematically reconstructed since then. In 2001, Curriculum 2005 was implemented in the senior phase. Along with this paradigm shift came a change in learner assessment. The Further Education and Training band will only be influenced by the curriculum in 2004, but since 1996, teachers have been instructed to assess learners continuously. The Institute for Mathematics and Science Teaching of the University of Stellenbosch (IMSTUS) was contracted in 2000 to implement continuous assessment (CASS) in Mathematics in Grade 10 – 12 in the Northern Cape. The project is known as the CASS project. One of the aims of this project is to motivate teachers to implement the new guidelines of the Northern Cape Education department for continuous assessment. The research is firstly an empirical investigation of the perceptions of teachers in the IMSTUS project being conducted in the Northern Cape on continuous assessment. Secondly, it is an investigation to determine whether teachers are convinced that alternative/formative assessment can improve teaching and learning. It focuses on whether continuous assessment is regarded by teachers as an educational tool or a bureaucratic process. A questionnaire was given to teachers who participated in this project. The questionnaire consisted of questions on teachers’ perceptions on continuous assessment, the rationale for assessment, how assessment and feedback can be done, and the equity in the assessment of Mathematics. There were 34 questionnaires of which 31 (91%) were returned. Twenty-three of the responses were from schools in the Kimberley district, while the other 8 were from the De Aar district. The participating schools were from traditional advantaged, as well as disadvantaged communities. The conclusions of the research are that the participating teachers have the following perceptions on continuous assessment: 1. Continuous assessment is used for: • grading purposes and for year marks, in other words for bureaucratic purposes; • the improvement of teaching, learning, and for diagnostic purposes, to identify learners’ misconceptions and strengths -in other words, it can also be used for educational purposes. 2. The process of continuous assessment does not reflect learners’ real mathematical potential. 3. Some respondents were of the opinion that the process of continuous assessment does however reflect learners’ real mathematical potential. 4. Continuous assessment is time-consuming. 5. Continuous assessment must be systematical. The way in which teachers implement continuous assessment testifies to a summative process, although they in a way learners formative assess. This does not improve formative assessment and therefore is it exclusively a bureaucratic process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die sukses van leerders in Suid-Afrika het tradisioneel op ’n eenmalige eksamen berus. Die onderwys was te lank op memorisering geskoei, ten koste van ander belangrike vaardighede soos kritiese denke, probleemoplossing en analisering. Die hedendaagse werksomstandighede vereis leerders wat krities kan dink en wat probleemoplossings kan hanteer. Tradisioneel is leerders se bestaande kennis nie in ag geneem nie en die tradisionele assesseringmetodes het onderwysers nie genoeg informasie gegee wat hulle van die leerders moet weet nie. Die onderwys verg dus rekonstruksie. In 1997 het onderwys in Suid-Afrika ’n paradigmaverskuiwing ondergaan met die invoering van Kurrikulum 2005 en Uitkomsgebaseerde Onderwys (UGO). Die onderwys is stelselmatig gerekonstrueer en Kurrikulum 2005 is in 2001 in die senior fase geïmplementeer. Hierdie kurrikulumverandering bring ook ’n verandering in assessering mee. Die Voortgesette Onderwys en Opleidingbaan sal eers in 2004 deur die Kurrikulum beïnvloed word, maar onderwysers moet reeds sedert 1996 leerders deurlopend assesseer. Die Instituut vir Wiskunde en Wetenskaponderwys van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch (IWWOUS) is in 2000 gekontrakteer om deurlopende assessering (DASS) in Wiskunde in Graad 10 - 12 in die Noord-Kaap te implementeer. Die projek staan bekend as die DASS-projek. Een van die doelstellings van hierdie projek was om onderwysers te motiveer om die Noord-Kaap Onderwysdepartement se nuwe riglyne vir deurlopende assessering te implementeer. Die navorsing is eerstens ’n empiriese ondersoek na die persepsies wat die onderwysers in die IWWOUS-projek in die Noord-Kaap oor deurlopende assessering het. Tweedens is dit ’n ondersoek of onderwysers oortuig is dat alternatiewe/formatiewe assesssering onderrig en leer kan bevorder. Dit fokus of deurlopende assessering ’n opvoedkundige of burokratiese proses vir hierdie onderwysers is. ’n Vraelys is aan onderwysers, betrokke by die projek, gegee. Die vraelys het vrae bevat oor onderwysers se persepsies oor deurlopende assessering, die rasionaal vir assessering, hoe assessering en terugvoering gedoen word en gelykberegtiging in die assessering van Wiskunde. Daar is 34 vraelyste versprei waarvan 31 (91%) terugbesorg was. 23 van die vraelyste was van skole in die Kimberley-streek, terwyl die ander 8 vraelyste in die De Aar-streek was. Die deelnemende skole kom uit die tradisioneel bevoordeelde sowel as benadeelde gemeenskappe. Onderhoude is met 10 onderwysers in die Kimberley-streek en 2 onderwysers in die De Aar-streek gevoer. Die bevindinge van die navorsing is dat die deelnemende onderwysers die volgende persepsies oor deurlopende assessering het : 1. Deurlopende assessering word gebruik vir • bevorderingsdoeleindes en vir jaarpunte, met ander woorde vir burokratiese doeleindes; • die verbetering van onderrig en leer en diagnostiese doeleindes om leerders se wankonsepte en sterkpunte te identifiseer. Deurlopende assessering word dus ook vir opvoedkundige doeleindes gebruik. 2. Die proses van deurlopende assessering weerspieël nie leerders se werklike wiskundige vermoëns nie. 3. Die proses van deurlopende assessering weerspieël ook leerders se wiskundige vermoëns. 4. Deurlopende assessering is tydrowend. 5. Deurlopende assessering moet sistematies wees. Deurlopende assessering soos deur hierdie onderwysers geïmplementeer, is ’n summatiewe proses, alhoewel hulle tog in ’n mate hulle leerders formatief assesseer. Dit verbeter egter nie formatiewe assessering nie en daarom is dit uitsluitlik ’n burokratiese proses.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The final school examination is the gateway to higher education (HE) in most countries. Many students are however ill-prepared for HE because of a lack of quality education. Internationally, alternative access programmes are offered to address this problem. SciMathUS is the Science and Mathematics bridging programme at Stellenbosch University with the aim to allow educationally disadvantaged students whose Grade 12 results are below the standard entrance scores for admittance to HE, a second chance to improve their scores in Mathematics and Physical Sciences and then reapply for HE. SciMathUS follows a hybrid Problem-based Learning (PBL) philosophy, encouraging students to take responsibility for their own learning. While it is expected that performance in the final school examination correlates with performance in HE, this is questioned in the case of students who do not have access to good education and, as a result thereof, leave school with poor to low results. With the high demand for HE internationally, identifying students with the potential to succeed is however a huge challenge. Alternative measurements have been and are being considered and researched. The focus of this quantitative research is to determine whether Grade 12 results (Mathematics and Physical Sciences) and Stellenbosch University Access Test (AT) results could predict success in HE for students who first attended a bridging programme. Success was defined quantitatively and measured by the results obtained at the end of their first year in HE. Quantitative techniques were used to analyse the possible relationships between the different variables. The findings were that SciMathUS students managed to improve their Grade 12 Mathematics and Physical Sciences and AT significantly after attending the bridging programme. These results allowed them to participate in HE. No correlation could, however, be found between their NSC results or the AT results and their performance in HE. In spite of this, more than 40% of the students in this group passed their first year in HE with an average of more than 50%. Another almost 40% obtained between 30% and 50% and were therefore allowed to continue with their studies. In three faculties at Stellenbosch University, the former bridging programme students performed on par with their peers from the same schools who enrolled in HE directly after school. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die finale skooleksamen bied internasionaal toegang tot hoër onderwys. As gevolg van ʼn gebrek aan goeie skoolopleiding, is baie studente egter nie voldoende voorbereid vir hoër onderwysstudies nie. Om hierdie probleem aan te spreek, het alternatiewe toegangsprogramme ontstaan. SciMathUS is die Wiskunde- en Wetenskapoorbruggingsprogram by Stellenbosch Universiteit. Die program bied aan opvoedkundigbenadeelde studente, wie se Graad 12-punte nie voldoende is om toegang tot hoër onderwys te kry nie, ʼn tweede kans om hul punte in Wiskunde en Fisiese Wetenskappe te verbeter. Met hierdie nuwe uitslae kan hulle dan weer aansoek doen vir toelating. SciMathUS volg ʼn hibriede probleem-gebaseerde leerbenadering wat onder meer daarop gemik is om die studente aan te moedig om self verantwoordelikheid vir hul eie leer te aanvaar. Die verwagting is dat daar ʼn korrelasie sal bestaan tussen skooluitslae en prestasie in hoër onderwys. Dit word egter bevraagteken vir studente wat nie toegang tot goeie skoolopleiding gehad het nie en as gevolg daarvan swak presteer in die finale skooleksamen. Omdat meer studente tot hoër onderwys wil toetree, raak dit toenemend belangrik om die studente met potensiaal te kan identifiseer. Alternatiewe meetinstrumente word dus geruime tyd al oorweeg en nagevors. Dit is ook die fokus van hierdie kwantitatiewe studie: om te bepaal of Graad 12 uitslae (in Wiskunde en Fisiese Wetenskappe) en die uitslae van die toegangstoetse van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch gebruik kan word om sukses van studente wat eers die SciMathUS oorbruggingskursus bygewoon het, in hoër onderwys te kan voorspel. Vir hierdie studie word sukses kwantitatief gedefinieer en gemeet aan die student se gemiddelde persentasie wat aan die einde van hul eerstejaar in hoër onderwys behaal het. Statistiese analises is gebruik om die moontlike korrelasies tussen die verskillende veranderlikes te bepaal. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie is dat die SciMathUS-studente se Graad 12 Wiskunde en Fisiese Wetenskappe uitslae en toegangstoetsuitslae noemenswaardig verbeter het nadat hulle die program gevolg het. Hierdie uitslae het hulle toegelaat om toegang te kry tot hoër onderwys. Geen korrelasie is egter tussen die Nasionale Senior Sertifikaatuitslae of die toegangstoetsuitslae en prestasie in hoër onderwys gevind nie. Ten spyte daarvan het meer as 40% van die studente in die groep hul eerstejaar met ʼn gemiddelde persentasie van meer as 50% geslaag. Ongeveer nog 40% van die studente het tussen 30% en 50% behaal en is dus toegelaat om met hul studies te kon voortgaan. In drie fakulteite by Stellenbosch Universiteit het die voormalige brugprogramstudente net so goed gevaar soos die studente wat dieselfde skole as hulle bygewoon het maar direk na skool by Stellenbosch Universiteit ingeskryf het.

<p>The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate success of an integrated newsletter assignment for first year Human Resource Management students as an authentic and meaningful form of assessment by tracing and deciphering the narratives of the role-players. The study also examined the role that the newsletter can play regarding experiential learning, which is an essential component of teaching and learning at technikons in South Africa.</p>

This study explored the way in which teachers use formative assessment in an “underperforming” school. Specifically, the study was designed to examine which of the types of feedback that teachers provide in formative tasks best improves engagement for learning in the school chosen for investigation, since the lack of effective feedback for learning was identified as a possible reason for the poor performance of the grade 7 learners in the National Assessment and Common Examinations. Written feedback in Mathematics and English was evaluated by analysing comments and rated them according to criteria in a rubric which had been designed for the purpose. Three books from each of three classes (9 books), one from a strong, average and weak learner, were examined over a period of three months. Verbal feedback, as being indicative of feedback given on a day-to-day basis, given during grade 7 Mathematics and grade 7 English classes, was analysed by rating criteria which would indicate an ideal learning environment on a four point Likert scale, after classroom observation. I found that learners were not adequately engaged into tasks or required to use critical thinking which would promote deep learning. The teachers of these classes were taught to use an interactive classroom response system (CRS), and classes were observed again to investigate whether use of the technology had created opportunities for meaningful engagement to enhance learning. The mathematics class was observed prior to an intervention in which a university lecturer, who had used the system extensively, explained how the system should be used pedagogically to promote critical engagement, and an English class was observed post-intervention. It was found in English classes observed (post-intervention) that learners were far more engaged and encouraged to think critically because they were given a chance to justify their answers or reasoning.. This was in contrast to the mathematics classes observed (before intervention), where the technology had increased engagement but had not increased critical thinking because learners were not given an opportunity to justify their answers. Learners were interviewed to establish their opinions about the different types of feedback received in their learning environment. In this respect, their responses were evaluated in the context of how they felt the feedback received encouraged them and promoted engagement. Thereafter the different modes of feedback were compared and evaluated to explore which could best improve engagement for learning. Teachers were also interviewed to ascertain their opinions on teaching, learning and assessment, both in general and in this school environment, and the factors influencing the time taken for teachers to provide written feedback to their learners, as well as the factors influencing the level of feedback that teachers provide in formative assessment tasks was probed. The study led to the conclusion that in this school, the conception of the value of x feedback has had to be reconsidered by both learners and teachers so that both parties recognise that it is not whether a response is correct or not that carries the most value, but rather the ability to provide a justifiable or defendable response which encourages deep learning. Therefore, this study established that feedback through any medium can enhance learning if it encourages learners to reason or to think more carefully about concepts and ideas. The interactive classroom technology has changed perceptions of learning in some of the classrooms in the school examined as it enables learning to takes place in a manner that incorporates formative assessment, effective feedback, and promotes social constructivism.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

The assessment procedures utilized in the Department of Biomedical Technology at Mangosuthu Technikon were critically reviewed. This revealed a rather narrow approach with an emphasis on traditional assessment methods such as tests and examinations that provide limited feedback that does not necessarily determine whether learning has taken place. This study was prompted by the realization that the existing traditional methods of assessment promote or encourage a surface approach to learning which makes it difficult for the students to transfer the theoretical knowledge that they have attained into the practical performance that is required in the workplace. The study was conducted over a period of four years using an action research approach, which revolved mainly around the use of the existing assessment methods and an evaluation of the participants’ perceptions regarding the introduction of portfolio assessment in the Department of Biomedical Technology at Mangosuthu Technikon. During the study a group of students in the Department of Chemical Pathology was exposed to an in-course portfolio assessment as well as an experiential training portfolio assessment. A number of variables in the in-course portfolio assessment was tested. These variables were related to the concerns raised in the workplace. The introduction of the in-course portfolio showed some improvement in the way students performed their basic duties in 2005. The 2006 group of students was not exposed to the in-course portfolio assessment therefore this provided a better comparison of students by the employers. The study also involved the lecturers in the department who had different opinions regarding portfolio assessment. It was found that some of them supported the idea whereas others felt that the time allocated for lecturers’ duties did not permit them to introduce such a time-consuming assessment format. Employers involved in the study clearly indicated which areas or skills students needed to develop before they could come to the workplace for experiential training. However, the researcher concluded that some of those skills could be accumulated with further years of work experience. The study revealed that a significant portion of the students realized that, by integrating assessment in the learning process, they are able to be more critical of their own work, thereby putting more effort into understanding what they learn through the use of formative assessment. This in turn should pave the way for students to understand that learning is no longer teacher-centred, but learner-centred. This approach means that they are expected to work in more reflective and independent ways in the future. The study highlighted a number of issues that need to be addressed in assessment strategies. The lecturers were accustomed to assessment system that was time-efficient and yielded the scores required by the system. However, the way this assessment system related to learning was not so clear to either lecturers or students. Particularly, students felt that a mark did not necessarily reflect what they knew about the subject matter. They argued that if the same subject content had been assessed in other ways, a different performance outcome might have been achieved. This means that the actual awarding of marks is an intimidating process for some students and that ways should be found to render assessment less intimidating or threatening. A critical finding of the study is that assessment requires not only a high level of critical reflection, but also active engagement and discipline-specific knowledge by the lecturers to make the necessary changes for an assessment method where students’ learning is the centre of focus. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

Introduction e-Learning has been integrated and implemented in education and training to the level that it is now a well-established global practice. If used judiciously, e-Learning is a tool that enables active, individual and flexible learning. When integrated into medical education, it offers features that allow lecturers to be not merely content distributors, but also facilitators of learning. Aim The aim of this study was to assess the readiness of students to make the shift from traditional learning, to the technological culture of e-Learning. Methods An observational, cross-sectional, analytical study design was used and data was collected using a validated questionnaire. The sample comprised of all students enrolled in the first year nursing programme at the Durban University of Technology registered for anatomy and physiology in 2013. Informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to conducting the study. Results Three quarters (77/101 76%) of the participants were females. The psychological readiness score was noted to be high in the “could be worse” category (pre-72%, post- 64%). The technological readiness score was noted to be in the “dig deeper” category (pre- 58%, post- 65%) whilst the equipment readiness score fell in the e-Learning “not ready category” (pre- and post- 68%). Discussion The Chapnick Readiness Score Guide was used to analyse psychological, technological and equipment readiness. e-Learning has been identified as a multi-disciplinary field, which is dominated by information technology. Technological and equipment readiness factors of e-Learning are easier to resolve than the psychological readiness factor. Recommendations Although e-Learning could be a key tool in nursing education, a few factors require attention before it can be effectively implemented in this tertiary level education facility. / Thesis (M.Med.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2014.

<p>The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate success of an integrated newsletter assignment for first year Human Resource Management students as an authentic and meaningful form of assessment by tracing and deciphering the narratives of the role-players. The study also examined the role that the newsletter can play regarding experiential learning, which is an essential component of teaching and learning at technikons in South Africa.</p>

M.Ed. (Tertiary Didactics)