Thesis (MNutr)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Perceptions held by Masters Students of the NOMAa track module on ‘Nutrition, Human Rights and Governance’ Introduction and Objectives The interdisciplinary NOMA Track module on ‘Nutrition, Human Rights and Governance’ was developed jointly by four higher learning institutions in three countries (Norway, South Africa and Uganda). The module was incorporated into the respective Masters programmes in nutrition and consisted of three study units each of six weeks duration. The units were presented consecutively in the three countries and built on one another, totalling 18 weeks. Objectives The main aim of the study was to document perceptions of Masters students who completed the module. The objectives were to compare the perceptions of students about the study units in different countries, to document how students anticipated utilising their newly-acquired knowledge and to make recommendations for the development of similar interdisciplinary modules. Methodology A cross-sectional study design with a mixed methods approach was used. The sampling frame consisted of all registered students enrolled in the module. Informed written consent for both voluntary participation as well as voice recording of interviews was obtained from all participants. Data was extracted from students’ quantitative evaluation of each study unit. An interpretative methodological approach was used to elicit narrative accounts of students’ perceptions of the module during in-depth telephonic interviews. An inductive process was followed to identify emerging themes. The code list thus compiled was used to analyse unstructured data by using a text analysis computer programme. Results Twenty NOMA students enrolled at different universities participated in the study. The module was described as a life-changing experience and the way the module was structured and conducted in both developed and developing countries was highly rated. Interactive teaching styles optimised the learning experience. Presentations by a variety of experts and study visits served to enrich theoretical human rights principles by giving practical examples and by comparing implementation of these principles under varying conditions. The main difference between the study units in the different countries related to time-management and different teaching styles employed by lecturers. Transnational and interdisciplinary education provided this group of students the opportunity to enhance various professional attributes. Their willingness to learn from others provided them with valuable insight about the diverse nature of different population groups and their cultural differences. Without this understanding, poor communication, intolerance and prejudice might create barriers to optimal treatment or education of a client/community requiring professional advice. Students applied their newly acquired knowledge about human rights principles and the link with nutrition by utilising teaching opportunities, and indicated that they intended to incorporate a human rights approach in future endeavours. Conclusion The interdisciplinary NOMA Track module empowered a group of students to utilise the principles of a human rights-based approach in an appropriate manner. NOMA students developed an understanding of their new role as nutrition professionals, being challenged to interact in a globalized world if they want to make a meaningful contribution to the realisation of the right to food for all. Lessons learned from the implementation of the module will be useful to inform further decision-making on how to integrate a focus on human rights into training in nutrition at Stellenbosch University. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Persepsies van Meesterstudente oor die NOMAb-opsie module oor ‘Voeding, Menseregte en Bestuur’ Inleiding en Doelwitte Die interdissiplinêre NOMA-module opsie oor ‘Voeding, Menseregte en Bestuur’ is gesamentlik ontwikkel deur vier hoër opleidingsinstansies in drie lande: Noorweë, Suid Afrika en Uganda. Die module is geïnkorporeer in die toepaslike meestersgraadkursusse in voeding. Dit het bestaan uit drie studie-eenhede wat elkeen 6 weke geduur het (in totaal 18 weke) en opeenvolgend aangebied is in die drie lande. Doelwitte Die hoofdoel van die studie was om persepsies van meesterstudente wat die module voltooi het te dokumenteer. Die doel was om sodanige persepsies oor die studie-eenhede in verskillende lande te vergelyk, om te dokumenteer op watter wyse studente verwag om die nuwe kennis te benut en om aanbevelings te maak vir die ontwikkeling van soortgelyke interdissiplinêre modules. Metode ‘n Dwarssnit studieontwerp met ‘n gemengde metode benadering is gevolg. Die steekproefraamwerk het bestaan uit alle geregistreerde studente wat ingeskryf het vir die module. Ingeligde, geskrewe toestemming vir vrywillige deelname asook om stemopnames van onderhoude te maak, is van alle deelnemers verkry. Data is onttrek uit studente se kwantitatiewe evaluering van elke studie-eenheid. ‘n Metodologiese benadering van interpretasie is gevolg om ‘n narratiewe weergawe van studente se persepsies te ontlok gedurende in-diepte telefoniese onderhoude. Temas is induktief geïdentifiseer en ‘n ooreenstemmende kodelys is gebruik om ongestruktureerde data te analiseer met ʼn teksanalise rekenaarprogram. Resultate Twintig NOMA studente, ingeskryf by verskillende universiteite, het deelgeneem aan die studie. Die module is beskryf as ʼn lewensveranderende ondervinding. Die wyse waarop die module gestruktureer en aangebied is in beide ontwikkelde en ontwikkelende lande, is hoog op prys gestel. Die interaktiewe onderrigstyl het die leerervaring optimaal bevorder. Aanbiedings deur verskeie kundiges en studiebesoeke het daartoe bygedra dat teoretiese menseregte-beginsels verbreed is deur praktiese voorbeelde te verskaf. Die implementering van hierdie beginsels onder verskillende omstandighede is vergelyk. Die grootste verskille tussen die studie-eenhede in die onderskeie lande het verband gehou met tydsbesteding en dosente se verskillende onderrigstyle. Transnasionale en interdissiplinêre onderrig het hierdie groep studente geleentheid gegun om verskeie professionele vaardighede te ontwikkel. Hul bereidheid om by ander te leer het waardevolle insae gegee in die diverse aard van verskillende populasiegroepe en kultuurverskille. Daarsonder kon struikelblokke ontstaan het weens swak kommunikasie, onverdraagsaamheid en vooroordele. Dit kan verhoed dat optimale behandeling of onderrig verskaf word aan ʼn kliënt/gemeenskap wat professionele advies benodig. Studente het hul nuut-verworwe kennis oor menseregte-beginsels en die verband met voeding toegepas in onderriggeleenthede en het onderneem om ‘n menseregte-benadering te volg in toekomstige ondernemings. Gevolgtrekking Die interdissiplinêre NOMA-module opsie het ʼn groep studente bemagtig om die beginsels van ʼn menseregte-benadering op ʼn toepaslike wyse te gebruik. NOMA studente verstaan nou hul nuwe rol as kundiges in voeding, naamlik dat hulle uitgedaag word tot interaksie in ʼn globaliserende wêreld, as hulle ʼn merkbare bydrae wil lewer tot die verwesenliking van die reg tot voldoende voedsel vir almal. Lesse wat geleer is uit die implementering van die module sal waardevol wees wanneer daar besluite geneem word oor die beste manier waarop ʼn menseregte fokus ingesluit kan word in voeding-opleiding by Stellenbosch Universiteit.

This study examined issues related to the development of English as a major for gifted students in Vietnam and current and former students' perceptions of the program. The data were collected through an online survey and analyzed through descriptive statistics in order to identify patterns of agreement and disagreement between two groups of 60 current and 30 former gifted students. The results showed that the majority of the participants came from well-educated families and that family influences and traditions had a great impact on their choice of the program. The major reasons for the program selection were identified as its high prestige and students' interest in learning English as a tool for career advancement. Based on current and former students' evaluations, their initial expectations were met as the majority of them expressed satisfaction with the quality of the English education at the school and appreciated its usefulness for their further study and career. The only area of slight dissatisfaction concerned the lack of opportunities to acquire native like pronunciation. The findings were interpreted in view of their implications for the maintenance and further development of the specialized English major program in Vietnam.

The problem of this study was to determine the relationships between student's self-perceptions and their perceptions of the teacher, and the students' ratings of teacher/course evaluations, utilizing the concept of Value Systems Analysis. To accomplish the purposes of this study, the following questions were examined: 1) What are the value systems of the students? 2) What are the relationships between the student's value systems and the student's perception of the teacher's value systems? 3) What are the relationships between the student's value systems and the student's rating of the teacher/course evaluation? 4) What are the relationships between the student's perception of the teacher's value systems and the student's rating of the teacher/course evaluation? This study concludes that the use of the Coping Systems Inventory, a Teacher Assessment Form, and a Teacher/Course Evaluation Form to determine the relationships between student value systems and student evaluations of teachers has produced a sufficient number of positive relationships to recommend that the use of the three instruments together be further researched.

M.Ed. / The purpose of this study was to investigate grade eleven Biology learners' conceptions of what academic learning in the school situation is, and how learning takes place in general and particularly in Biology. Educational phychologists, remedial educators, primary and secondary school educators, parents and learners are often confronted by the question: How do learners learn? Berry and Sahlberg (1996:20) argue that to be able to learn how to learn, learners should have some basic conceptual understanding of the answer to the question: What do we mean by learning? As a result of the excessive emphasis on rote learning and memorization, which seems to be a general practice in most South African schools, this study argues that learners' conceptions of learning (what learning is and how learning takes place) could be a contributing factor to the problematic nature of learning of natural sciences. Learners often experience difficulties with learning and studying. Common experience suggests that many attempts to assist learners to learn how to learn, fail. This may be ascribed to a variety of factors, one of which could be the learners' conception of what learning is and how they learn (Wood, 1988:75). In-depth, semi-structured individual interviews were used as the primary source of data collection and naïve sketches were used as an additional source. In this study, the approach that was followed for data analysis was mainly based upon the constant comparative method suggested by Maykut and Morehouse (1994:124-148). From the analysis of the data 21 categories were identified from which five main patterns (A to E) evolved, as indicated, each consisting of a number of categories. Pattern A: Conceptions of learning are interrelated and interdependent and appear to be on a continuum. In this study, scholastic academic learning was conceptualized as: prior knowledge, knowledge, rote learning, memorization and application. Pattern B: Learning is a complex and domain-specific process, implying that different subjects or learning areas should be learned differently. Pattern C: Learning is strategic. Pattern D: Perceptions of instructional context and evaluation requirements influence learning. Pattern E: Learning and studying are of a personal and idiosyncratic nature. iv.The implications of the findings can be summarized as follows: It is of the utmost importance that educators provide opportunities for learners to discuss their own conceptions/perceptions of learning in terms of learning in general and learning of specific subjects. This dialogue will assist learners to reflect on and become aware of their learning strategies, as well as their deficiencies and needs, therein. It is my contention that learners' conceptions/perceptions of what learning is and how they learn should initially be utilized in any intervention, which is meant to assist and guide learners to learn-how-to-learn. It is the fundamental responsibility of educators to guide individual learners to learn how to learn, utilizing subject specific metacognitive learning or study strategies, integrated with the subject content. Therefore, it is important that educators should assist learners to understand that learning Biology entails more than mere memorization and that it should not be seen merely as a learning subject.

D.Ed. / The aim of this theses is to find out whether there is any relationship between learners' attitudes and learning difficulties in mathematics: To investigate whether learning difficulties in mathematics are associated with learners' gender. To establish the nature of teachers' perceptions of the learning problem areas in the mathematics curriculum. To find out about the teachers' views on the methods of teaching mathematics, resources, learning of mathematics, extra curricular activities and multiracial schools

M.Ed.

M.Ed. / Students who are being trained as teachers for the primary school must undergo subject-didactical training in mathematics. The attitude of these students towards mathematics is apparently not always positive. A survey of the literature indicates a universal concern of teacher-trainers, namely that it is precisely these future teachers who have to teach mathematics to the pupil in his formative years, who demonstrate a negative attitude towards the subject. It is imperative that those who develop a subject-didactics curriculum for mathematics at a college of education should determine in a scientifically responsible manner what the nature and extent of the students' attitude towards mathematics is. Attitude is a determining factor in each of the principles in curriculum design. An empirical investigation was conducted with first year students at the Goudstad College of Education as respondents. Their attitude towards mathematics in general and towards certain dimensions of mathematics in particular was measured by means of Visser's attitudinal scales. It was found that there is no meaningful difference in attitude towards mathematics between man and woman students, but a meaningful difference was found between students who had a matriculation qualification in mathematics and those who did not. The former group indicated a more positive attitude towards mathematics than the latter. The attitude of students who are prepared to teach mathematics as a school subject in the future is significantly more positive than that of those who are not prepared to do so. Negative attitudes towards mathematics appear particularly in relation to a person's self confidence and motivation to be involved with mathematics. The most important implication of this investigation for the design of a subject-didactics curriculum is that it should be borne in mind that certain groups of students reveal clear negative attitudes towards mathematics. The total curriculum should be directed to developing positive attitudes where necessary and to improving and strengthening existing positive attitudes.

M.Ed. / There is a great need for technical artisans in South Africa. Unfortunately the previous educational dispensation did not do much to remedy the situation, and now education, especially in the technological field, suffers a crisis as far as credibility, provision and relevance are concerned. Technology is changing every day, and to keep up to date, one must realise that learners do not choose technical subjects at school, or for that matter, do not pursue a career in technology. A qualitative approach was followed, interviews conducted at selected schools, and the result analysed to find out what the perceptions of learners are for not choosing technical subjects. The data yielded four categories, namely experience, ambition, status and technology. It seems that past experiences of parents cause learners not to go into technical careers for the perception exists that it entails is called "dirty work"; these jobs also have no status and learners would prefer to pursue university careers. Some recommendations are made, one being that the government of the day should take up the responsibility to get involved to make the technological field more attractive to prospective job seekers. Better salaries, especially for teachers, upgrading of schools and technical centres, better job opportunities and fighting perceptions of prejudice might solve this problem.

This two-part study provides a two-faceted analysis of female immigrant students' experiences in secondary physical education classes, together with an analysis of the discourse they use to express their feelings about these experiences. This information is needed to facilitate the process of integrating female immigrant students into mainstream physical education classes so they have the opportunity for successful and full participation in these classes. Recent research questions whether immigrant females are receiving equitable treatment in curriculum planning and in physical education classes. My research addresses this issue and should be of interest to those professionals involved in the instruction, design, and promotion of physical education and physical activity programs in which female immigrant students are involved. The purpose of the first part of this study was to assess the attitudes of female immigrant students toward physical education class and their participation rates in physical activities outside of physical education class. Measures were taken to determine whether attitudes and participation rates differed depending on ethnic background, religion, English proficiency, number of years in Canada and achievement levels. The purpose of the second part of this study was to gain an understanding of how ESL students use language to express their attitudes, opinions and feelings about physical education and to identify the main issues E S L female immigrant students saw as being barriers to their success in mainstream physical education classes. In order to fulfill the purposes of this study, two types of measuring instruments were developed and two sets of data were collected. First, a questionnaire that obtained background information from subjects and measured their attitudes toward physical education and their participation rates in physical activity was developed and administered. Second, cooperative activities designed to generate language on attitudes toward physical education class were developed. Quantitative data were obtained from the questionnaire and qualitative data were obtained from the language activities subjects were led through. Results from the quantitative questionnaire indicated that 26% of the female immigrant sample had limited background experience in physical education class when they arrived in Canada. Students felt mildly positive about taking physical education class in Canada but less positive than when taking physical education in their native countries. Subjects spent about two hours a week on physical activity in Canada, slightly less than they spent in their native country. While 86% of the subjects participated in some physical activity in Canada, only eight to 16% participated in exercise at a level likely to have a positive impact on their cardiovascular health. When subjects lived in Canada, there was no significant difference in subjects' attitudes toward physical education depending on their ethnicity, religion, English language proficiency or number of years in Canada. There was also no significant difference in subjects' participation rates in physical activity depending on religion. Ethnicity did, however, have a significant effect on participation rates in physical activity and participation rates increased significantly as students' English language proficiency improved and as students spent more time in Canada. Also, attitudes toward physical education class were strongly related to achievement in physical education while participation rates in physical activity were not. Results from the qualitative portion of the thesis focused on how students articulated their feelings on physical education. Analyzed language data showed that ESL students had limited lexicogrammatical resources to describe their feelings, behaviours and reactions. An analysis of the value judgments made showed that students had varying abilities to support their judgments with good reasons. The issue students discussed most often was that English language problems prevented them from communicating with other students and resulted in them disliking physical education and doing poorly. Another issue of great concern for these E S L students was how difficult it was for them to pair up with native speaking partners. Students felt physical education teachers could do more to assist students with limited proficiencies in English and recommended many good teaching strategies for this purpose. As a result of this study, physical education and ESL teachers are encouraged to implement strategies which help female immigrant students integrate more successfully into physical education classes. It is essential that teachers respect the linguistic, cultural, racial and religious diversities of their students. Teachers should also include students' heritages in the curriculum as this leads to greater school achievement and to students feeling more highly valued. By using specific cooperative learning strategies, . teachers can orchestrate positive interactions between students in their classes in a structured way. By using the knowledge framework to teach language, content and thinking skills to ESL students, teachers can minimize English language demands and access students' first language knowledge. By teaching critical thinking skills, teachers can help students evaluate present situations accurately and make good choices such as establishing how to function in physical education classes more successfully. By teaching ESL students the discourse of value judgments and choice, teachers can help them effectively communicate their feelings and explain their viewpoints using institutionally adequate reasons. ESL and physical education teachers should encourage immigrant females to become involved in extracurricular sport and exercise activities and actively find or create opportunities for their inclusion. The benefits for new immigrant students include developing English language competencies, making friends, improving psychomotor skills, becoming more competent in sports, and feeling better about their abilities. This study developed a perspective on one aspect of new female immigrant students' education and led to a more sophisticated understanding of the physical education of immigrant students. There is a great need for more studies that examine the experiences of new immigrant female adolescents in sport and exercise. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate

This study examined eighth grade students' perceived degree of mattering in their private school environments. Mattering, as defined by Rosenberg and McCullough (1981), is a person's sense that he is the object of interest and importance to others, he is wanted or serves as an ego-extension for others, and others depend on him. The study included 167 students from three urban private schools in the lower mainland. Students completed The Ways of Mattering Questionnaire (Individual and Group Forms), and a one page questionnaire, providing information about students' academic self-concept (Bachman's scale), student involvement in extracurricular school activities, and selected demographic variables. Step-wise multiple regression revealed that gender and grade point average were statistically significant predictive variables on the Group Mattering Scale in student to teacher relationships, and only grade point average was a significant predictive variable on the Individual Mattering Scale (student to peer relationships). Recommendations are provided for further study into students' feelings of mattering in the school environment. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate