M.Ed. (Curriculum Science) / The demands for the renewal of education in South Africa and the poor performance of black learners in the Standerd 10 final examination in Home Economics gave rise to the empirical study on the needs of black learners. These needs were used as a co-determinant for the design of a future subject curriculum. A literature study was conducted on curriculum designs and design models which resulted in a recommended design model. The qualitative research paradigm was used for the empirical study. Data were collected through interviews supplemented by document-analysis. The research focused on the needs of the learners concerning: The relevance of the subject, i.e to what extent the subject is related to the learners' everyday life experiences and interest. The subject content as it could be applied in the daily lives of learners as well as the future world of work. Teaching methods, which include methods that contribute towards maximum learning and which accomodate learners' differences. Evaluation as an integral part of the implementation of the curriculum. Identified learner needs were taken into consideration in compiling guidelines on the different elements of a future curriculum design for Home Economics where both the learners' needs and the requirements of the subject will be accomodated.

M.Ed. (Tertiary and Adult Education) / This empirical study forms part of a team research project which was spearheaded by the Bureau of University Education at the Rand Afrikaans University. The aim of this study was to establish whether significant differences between the aptitudes of succesfull and non-succesfull freshman engineering students could be determined. This study consists mainly of two parts. Firstly, a literature study discussing the concepts aptitude and aptitude testing was undertaken. Secondly, an empirical study to establish differences in various aptitudes of the above-mentioned student groups was undertaken. According to the literature study, aptitude can be seen as a combination of factors which enables an individual to achieve a certain level of performance or to develop a certain skill with the necessary training. From the literature study it is apparent that aptitude is inherited, and also influenced by environmental factors. In early childhood it varies considerably but stabilizes in later years. Although slight similarities between aptitude and intelligence exist, a very clear distinction can be drawn. Differences between the aptitude patterns of men and women also appear. In the empirical study a random sample (N=388) was taken from the 1989 - 1991 freshman engineering students of the Rand Afrikaans University. The results of the Senior Aptitude Test (SAT) of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) were used to indicate d ifferences between the above-mentioned student groups. Students t-test was used to establish significant differences between the two groups. The data which was already available, was processed by means of the BMDP-3D computer programme. Significant differences between the two groups were identified, proving/indicating that aptitude should be taken into account during the process of student selection for the engineering course.

Many secondary schools in deprived environments are characterized by teenage pregnancies, drug and alcohol abuse, crime, high dropout rates, gangsterism and low pass rates. Teachers are confronted on a daily basis with learners who are exposed to barriers to learning. The purpose of this study is in line with the formulated problem, namely to: investigate the various dimensions of the relationship that exists between psychosocial barriers to learning and environmental deprivation; provide guidelines based on the findings of the research and present them as recommendations for teachers to support learners from a deprived environment who experience barriers to learning. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and interpretative research design was utilized to provide acceptable answers to the research problem. A literature study regarding psychosocial barriers to learning was done to explain the concept along with concepts related to environmental deprivation. This study was conducted in two phases: Phase 1 presented an exploration of the problem in the form of a single openended question: What hindrances to learning are you experiencing in your specific physical and social environment? Eight focus group interviews with learners were undertaken at a secondary school in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. A purposive sampling method was used. Data collection took place through open-ended interviews and Tesch’s model was used to analyse the data. After the research investigation was completed the researcher and an independent coder analyzed iv the results from the transcriptions of a voice-recorder. Guba’s model of data verification was used to ensure the trustworthiness of the data. Ethical measures were adhered to during the study. The research findings were evaluated for educational purposes. Consensus was reached between the researcher and the independent coder with regard to the identification of themes, categories and sub-categories. Phase 2 generated recommendations from the findings of Phase 1 to assist the teachers in dealing competently with learners from deprived environments. The following four themes emerged from the results which led to various conclusions: 1. A deprived home situation (relationships, abuse, no privacy, and poverty) generates barriers to learning. Neglect: no interest and a don’t care attitude of parents, no parents at home, rejection and no communication have a negative effect on the learners. Physical, sexual, alcohol and drug abuse in the home situation influence the learners negatively. No privacy: sexual behaviour of parents and overcrowding have a decisive effect on the learners. Poverty: factors such as unemployment, cannot afford school fees, no electricity and no breadwinner make the learner feel desperate and despondent. 2. A deprived school situation (social relationships, physical factors, no resources, racism and distances to school) creates barriers to learning. The following features of social relationships were identified as contributing factors to poor social relationships at school, namely: peer pressure: drugs, dropping out of school, unsafe school environment; relationships with teachers: no respect for teachers and teachers who degrade learners. The following physical factors have a detrimental effect on a learner’s progress: broken windows and roofs, lack of water, electricity and lights, the state of the school grounds, ablutions and big classes. Schools with no resources such as libraries and counselling centres contribute to the poor performance of the learners. Racism, language issues and no mixing of races are contributing factors to barriers to learning. The long distances to school, the cost of transport and the fact that they do not have time for homework affect the learners as hindrances to learning. 3. A deprived environment (with factors such as HIV/AIDS and TB, a community not conducive to learning, unsafe communities and overpopulation) causes barriers to learning. HIV/AIDS and TB, taking care of parents, tiredness, illnesses and discrimination are seen as factors that hamper learning. A community that is not conducive to learning, with a don’t care attitude and that is not very helpful, causes barriers to learning. Unsafe communities, where crime is rampant, with ineffective police services and overpopulation, where noise and loud music are the order of the day, have a negative effect on learning. 4. Learner-related factors (early pregnancies and the susceptibility of youth) create barriers to learning. Teenage pregnancies are detrimental to education where the mother must baby-sit, and is not studying, as well as sexual abuse and rape, are factors that contribute to school dropouts. Cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, taverns, discos, taxis and gangs were identified as factors contributing to learner delinquency. The conclusion was reached that learners in deprived environments are exposed to psychosocial barriers to learning. Recommendations in this regard were proposed to assist the teacher in understanding these learners and the barriers that they are exposed to on a daily basis.

The poor academic performance of Engineering Science N3 students at the Port Elizabeth College for Further Education and Training prompted me to conduct this study. The aim thereof was to investigate the influence that a co-operative learning strategy would have on the test results of students who enrolled for this programme. The hypothesis being tested in this study was whether co-operative learning strategies would improve the test results of science students in the N3 Engineering Science class. A literature review on co-operative learning, its principles as well as the role of the lecturer as facilitator was conducted. In addition, the different types of co-operative learning techniques were investigated so that an approach conducive to the needs of students studying at Further Education and Training Colleges could be selected. The Student Team Achievement Divisions (STAD) technique was deemed to be the most suitable approach. Both qualitative and quantitative data gathering techniques are employed in this study. Interviews were carried out with fellow lecturers at the Port Elizabeth College to determine what teaching strategies are generally implemented in the N3 class. Experimental research involving two groups of 30 students was then conducted to determine the results of students. The one group (experimental) was subjected to an intervention, namely the STAD co-operative learning technique while the other group (control) was taught using the traditional method of talk and chalk. This intervention took place over a period of ix two weeks. However, prior to the co-operative learning intervention and before students were divided into groups, they were taught as a single group for a period of two weeks. The total time spent on this experiment was therefore four weeks. Student test scores gathered from the experiment was statistically analysed and reported on in chapter five. These results indicated that the experimental group out-performed the control group by a significant margin. The higher academic achievement of students in the experimental group could only be attributed to the alternative teaching strategy (STAD) which was absent in the teaching of the control group. This proved the hypothesis.

D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology) / The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether robust and verifiable evoked potential components exist which can reliably be associated with temperament. The evoked potential (EP) procedures included the auditory brainstem response procedure (ABR), the auditory N1-P2 middle latency response procedure (AMR) utilising different stimulus intensities, the auditory P300 response utilising frequent and rare repetitions of stimuli (the "oddball paradigm" ) and a number of composite measures of the AMR and P300. The temperament dimensions which were assessed, were sensation seeking, measured by Zuckerman's sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) Form 5, stimulus augmenting-reducing measured by Vando's Augmenting-reducing scale, properties of the nervous system, measured by Strelau's Temperament Inventory (STI) and introversion-extroversion, measured by Schepers' Personality Questionnaire. The statistical population chosen for the research was the first year Behavioural Sciences students of 1991 and 1992 at a South African university (N = 640). A sample of 391 students (81 males and 210 females, aged 17 to 22 years) was randomly selected from the statistical population. All the Subjects completed the Psychological battery (the various temperament scales) and the Neurophysiological battery (the various evoked potential procedures). The reliabilities of the various scales and procedures were established prior to administering the batteries. Hotelling's T-test was used to determine if the vectors of means of the males and females in respect of the subtests of the Psychological battery and the measurements of the various EP procedures differed statistically significantly or not. Student's t-test was used to determine in respect of which variables the genders differed. All Subsequent analyses were performed separately for the males and females. Three contrasting groups with low, medium and high scores, respectively, were formed with regard to each temperament trait.

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

M.A. (Psychology) / The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the career decisions of Black rural and urban high school students. Holland's (1985) structural-interactive career theory was decided upon as the main theoretical base. The reason for this decision is based on the simplicity of the theory as well as the fact that research into the applicability of the theory to Black South Africans is needed. Holland's theory (1985) is based on the assumption that all people and work environments can be characterised into one of six types; namely the Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. Each is dominated by certain likes and dislikes as well as certain attitudes and skills. Based on this theory is the Self-Directed Search (50S) which is used to indicate the resemblance of the person to each of the six types. The SNUG guide to career choice workbook (Scheepers, 1996) which is based on the 50S, was used in this study to investigate career choices. The nature of the study can be classified as empirical involving the use of quantitative data-collection methods. The research design and the paradigm of the study can be typified as quasi-experimental. The sample consisted of 144 grade 12 Black high school students. Two schools within the Northern Province region in Giyani and two schools from Gauteng province in Soweto participated. There are two main groups namely the rural (Giyani) and urban (Soweto) groups. The SNUG workbook included a biographical section together with a brief exploration of how an individual chooses his or her career.

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

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Magister Commercii - MCom / In virtually any field of endeavour today, access to information is a prerequisite for success. Library services are affected by financial considerations and staffing problems. This work evaluated library performance with the aim of improving service management. Its targets are UWC, and others such as the Stellenbosch University and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. The application of selected service management techniques and measures used in business will be explored. The study also touched on transformation and change management. / South Africa