Thesis(PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this dissertation the proposals made by the Department of Education towards the infusion of a culture of human rights and using dialogue as a facilitation strategy are problematised. It is argued that the lack of professional development programmes to assist educators in dealing with these proposals is one of the reasons why the infusion of a culture of human rights and dialogue as a facilitation strategy have not transpired as desired. Another apparent reason for the non-realisation of these ideals is that the classroom is not generally seen as an ethical community that has the propensity to anthropomorphise the ideal of infusing a culture of human rights through dialogue. The main focus of this enquiry was therefore to propose a normative theory of dialogue as a facilitation strategy as constitutive to the infusion of a culture of human rights in the context of an ethical community, aiming towards applying this theory in the form of an intervention research programme for selected in-service educators in the Mafikeng/Mmabatho area. The application assisted in determining the viability of the programme, specifically in terms of its theoretical underpinning, and the possibility of further developing it for the purpose of professional development of in-service educators beyond the scope of this target group. The theoretical underpinning of the intervention research programme consisted of a normative theory of dialogue as facilitation strategy characterised by: providing a dialogic stimulus, allowing for moments of deconstruction, critique and reconstruction, and finishing with debriefing and reflection. With regard to the human rights components, the focus was more on the infusion of a culture of human rights on a moral level than on an epistemological level. The intervention research process revealed how diverse groups of educator-participants responded to the intervention research programme. In addition, the research process demonstrated how and why the intervention research process could serve as a possible methodological framework for the design and development of professional development that is inclusive to a variety of education stakeholders. From this study it seems that the participating educators approved of and assimilated the intervention research programme and its underlying theory, albeit in different stages of the research process and with different concerns in mind. The work presented in this dissertation contributes firstly to a refined understanding of dialogue as a facilitation strategy in the South African context and secondly to an understanding of the frequently used notion of infusing the classroom with a culture of human rights in terms of its moral significance. Finally, it also focuses on and addresses the challenge of educator development and the organisation of facilitation strategies that are required to prevent human rights from being assimilated in inept educational paradigms. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif poog om die voorstelle van die Departement van Onderwys rakende die infusie van ʼn kultuur van menseregte in die klaskamer en die gebruik van dialoog as fasiliteringstrategie te bevraagteken. Daar is geargumenteer dat die tekort aan professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme ter ondersteuning van onderwysers om hierdie voorstelle te implementeer een van die redes is waarom die infusie van ʼn kultuur van menseregte in die klaskamer en die gebruik van dialoog as fasiliteringstrategie nie tot sy reg kom nie. Die feit dat die klaskamer meestal nie gesien word as ʼn etiese gemeenskap wat oor die potensiaal beskik om die ideaal van die infusie van ʼn kultuur van menseregte in die klaskamer en die gebruik van dialoog as fasiliteringstrategie te verwesenlik nie, is nog ’n rede waarom hierdie voorstelle oënskynlik geen effek het nie. Die hooffokus van hierdie ondersoek was dus om ʼn normatiewe teorie ter ondersteuning van dialoog as fasiliteringstrategie wat bevorderlik is vir die infusie van ʼn kultuur van menseregte in die konteks van ’n etiese gemeenskap te ontwikkel. Hierdie teorie is toegepas in die konteks van ’n intervensie-navorsingsprogram vir geselekteerde indiens-onderwysers in die Mafikeng/ Mmabatho-omgewing. Die toepassing het gehelp om vas te stel wat die praktiese waarde van die program is, veral ten opsigte van die program se teoretiese onderbou. Die moontlikheid om die program verder te ontwikkel as ’n professionele ontwikkelingsprogram vir indiens-onderwysers buite die bereik van die studie, is sodoende ook ondersoek. Die teoretiese onderbou van die intervensie-navorsingsprogram het bestaan uit ʼn normatiewe teorie van dialoog as fasiliteringstrategie wat gekenmerk word deur ’n dialogiese stimulus, wat ruimte laat vir oomblikke soos dekonstruksie, kritiek en rekonstruksie, asook vir ontlonting en refleksie. Met betrekking tot die menseregtekomponent, was die fokus meer op die morele infusie van ʼn menseregtekultuur as op die epistemologiese infusie daarvan. Die intervensie-navorsingsproses het openbaar hoe diverse onderwyser-deelnemers op die intervensie-navorsingsprogram reageer. Die navorsingsproses het ook gewys hoe en waarom intervensie-navorsingsprosesse kan dien as ʼn moontlike metodologiese raamwerk vir die ontwerp en ontwikkeling van professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme wat ʼn verskeidenheid van onderwysbelanghebbendes in ag neem. Van die resultate kon daar afgelei word dat die deelnemende onderwysers die intervensie-navorsingsprogram en onderliggende teorie goedgekeur en geassimileer het. Dit was egter duidelik dat elke groep deelnemers die program verskillend geassimileer het en dat hul verskillende probleemareas ervaar het. Die werk wat in hierdie proefskrif weergegee word het eerstens ʼn bydrae gemaak tot die begrip van dialoog as fasiliteringstrategie in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, en tweedens tot die verstaan van die idee rakende die infusie van ’n menseregtekultuur in die klaskamer waarna telkens verwys word. Laastens het dit ook gefokus op die uitdaging van onderwyserontwikkeling en die organisering van fasiliteringstrategieë wat benodig word om te verhoed dat menseregte geassimileer word in paradigmas wat onvanpas is vir die onderwys.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 1996. / One copy microfiche. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The We Care Primary project is a participatory materials development research project, grounded through a socio-historical location of the research question in the assumptions and ideals of the critical inquiry paradigm and socially critical environmental education. This research represents an atlemptto clarifY the assumptions and orientations of socially critical environmental education as a possible 'tangible alternative' to modernist models of environmental education and educational change in a South African context. Through this project environmental education materials development emerged as a reflexive and responsive process of change in which I was able to work with teachers with in local contexts to develop resource materials which may contribute to the development of quality education and the transformation of the junior primary school phase. The emerging central thesis of this report is an ongoing questioning of the notion of participation, and a realisation of the complexities of establishing conditions for authentic participation in materials development, curriculum development and research contexts, Phase one of this research report describes a journey of inquiry toward" socially critical environmental education. This phase portrays a growing understanding of environmental education and is focused on the development of a participatory orientation to materials development. Phase two of this research journey illustrates a critical and reflexive stance to the 'weaknesses' identified in the first phase of the project. The interdependence of curriculum development, materials development and in service teacher education is explored. This phase of the research is presented as a journey with in socially critical environmental education and reflects ongoing praxis and engagement with in the assumptions of critical theory and socially critical environmental education. In phase two and three, the development of a critically reflexive stance to the assumptions guiding this study is described, and a shift in possible research orientations is highlighted. Further possibilities for research journeys beyond socially critical environmental education are presented in phase three through a tentative critique of the first two phases of this research project. This research report offers a brief insight into some of the complexities of change in the formal education sector. It demonstrates that confronting the challenges and complexities of change in realistic and meaningful ways is possibly one of the most daunting realities facing South Africans as we begin to respond to the many legacies of apartheid ideologies, modernisation, a history of mis-education and poor education, decades of social separation and increasing socioecological degradation and risk. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Ons Gee Om Primer-projek is 'n navorsingsprojek in deelnemende hulpbronontwikkeling, gegrond op die sosio-historiese plasing van die navorsingsvraag binne die aannames en ideale van die kritiese navorsingsparadigma en sosiaal-kritiese omgewingsopvoeding. Die navorsing verteenwoording 'n poging om die aannames en orienlasies van sosiaa/-kriliese omgewingsopvoeding as moonllike 'Iasbare a/lemalief' vir modemisliese modelle van omgev.'ingsopvoeding and opvoedingsverandering binne 'n Suid Afrikaanse konleks Ie verk/aar. Deur hierdie projek het hulpbronontwikkeling na yore gekom as 'n refleksiewe en responsiewe proses van verandering, waardeur ek mel onderwysers kon werk mel in plaaslike kontekse om hulpbronmateriaal te ontwikkel wat moontlik kan bydra tot die ontwikkeling van die kwaliteit van opvoeding en die transformasie van die junior primere skoolfase. Die sentrale tese van hierdie verslag is 'n voortdurende bevraa!:,rtekening van die idee van deelname, en 'n hesefvan die komp/eksileile daarvan om loeslande Ie skep wal ware dee/name verseker in hulpbronontwikkeling, kurrikulumontwikkeling en navorsingsverbande. Fase een van hierdie navorsingsverslag beskryf 'n reis van ondersoek op weg 110 sosiaal-kritiese omgewingsopvoeding. Die fase skets 'n toenemende begrip van omgewingsopvoeding en fokus op die ontwikkeling van 'n deelnemende orientasie tot hulpbronontwikkeling. Fase Iwee van hierdie navorsingsreis illustreer 'n kritiese en refleksiewe houding ten opsigte van die 'swak plekke' wat in die eerste fase ge"identifiseer is. Die interafhanklikheid van kurrikulumontwikkeling, materiaalontwikkeling and die indiensopleiding van onderwysers word ondersoek. Hierdie fase van die navorsing word voorgestel as 'n reis mel in sosiaal-kritiese omgewingsopvoeding en weerspieel voortdurende praksis en 'n betrokkenheid by die aannames van kritiese teorie en sosiaal-kritiese omgewingsopvoeding. Infases Iwee en drie word die ontwikkeling van 'n krities-refleksiewe houding ten opsigte van die aannames van hierdie studie beskryf, en 'n verskuiwing in moontlike navorsingsorientasies word uitgelig. Verdere moontlikhede vir navorsingsreise verby sosiaal-kritiese omgewingsopvoeding word infase drie uitgewys deur 'n tentatiewe kritiek op die eerste twee fases van die navorsingsprojek. Hierdie navorsingsverslag bied 'n vlugtige kykie na van die kompleksiteite van verandering in die formele onderwyssektor. Dit wil blyk dat 'n realistiese en betekenisvolle reaksie op die uitdagings en kompleksiteite van verandering moontlik een van die gedugste realiteite is waarmee Suid-Afrikaaners te kampe het in ons pogings om te reageer op die vele nalatings van apartheidsideologiee, modernisasie, 'n geskiedenis van wanopvoeding en swak opvoeding, dekades van sosiale skeiding en toenemende sosio-ekologiese degradasie en risiko's.

This thesis formed part of a existing longitudinal study. The overall study is an outcome of research done to understand success and failure issues in Africa, which is an attempt to understand the impact of a short entrepreneurial training programme on the performance of small scale enterprises over time. The study is unique in the South African context in that it is the first short term, 3 days, entrepreneurial training programme that is assessed by means of a longitudinal method incorporating a control group.

M. Tech. Language Practice / This study investigates the attitudes of Grades 5-7 Xitsonga learners towards learning English as a first additional language using the four language skills viz. listening, speaking, reading and writing. Variables such as attitude, orientation, motivation, and anxiety are imperative, influential factors to consider when studying aspects that contribute to learning a second language. Learners' attitude towards language learning is considered to be the key factor that affects the levels of learner motivation in their trajectory to learn a language and are intertwined with the aspect of motivation. This study explores the attitudes of learners from a particular primary school towards learning English as a first additional language. This study deals with a sample of a selected primary school's learners' attitudes towards learning English as a first additional language. The first language of these students is Xitsonga, one of the eleven official languages in South Africa.

M.A. / From both a practical and a theoretical viewpoint, it seemed necessary to formulate a parent education programme that highlighted in terms of content both the needs and developmental tasks of the adolescent. In order to confirm the content on the process level of this programme, it was important for the adolescent to be involved in the presentation of the programme. The purpose of the research was therefore to formulate and evaluate a parent education programme with the adolescent as partner. The assumption was made that the programme would be more effective, should the adolescent be involved in the presentation thereof, than should the mother be the sole participant. The programme that was formulated for this research is an integration of several approaches to parent education. Relevant information with regard to the developmental stages of both parent and adolescent was included in the programme. Specific importance was however placed on the parent-adolescent relationship and on communication skills •. A single subject research design was used to evaluate the programme. Two middle aged mothers and their two adolescent daughters were used as subjects. In the case of the experimental sample, both mother and daughter attended the programme. The control sample, however, was only represented by the mother's participation in the parent education programme. Target behaviours were defined in operational terms for the research in order to make possible the objective observation thereof. Each person's target behaviours were seperately observed, but the comparison of the two mothers' behaviours, as well as that of the daughters, was made possible by graphic representations.

M.Ed. / The problem of different languages, as well as academic, social and educational performance, among learners of different cultures within a multicultural school career, is a cause for concern. The number of cases of failure, underachievement, low self-image and poor socialisation is unacceptably high among these learners of diverse cultures. The unfamiliar educational milieu leads to feelings of frustration and confusion. Although it is true that the explanation for this frustration and confusion is complex, certain aspects of the problem are readily identifiable, viz. the unpreparedness of the new learner to learn in a strange language rather than his mother-tongue; his inability to adapt quickly enough to the new milieu; and the low academic and educational standards to which he has previously been accustomed. The expectations to which such a learned is subjected are, inter alia, that they should be able to speak and read fluently; that they should be able to interact socially in an acceptable way; and that they should aim to perform well in spite of new academic expectations and challenges. Many learners of various cultures do not have the abovementioned abilities and qualities, hence the necessity to intervene when it comes to studies in a foreign, i.e. non-mother-tongue, language. This study is thus of instructive value. The literature review confirms the existence of the above named problem, which is discussed from the learner's point of view, together with areas for concern and suggestions for strategies for possible success in overcoming the problem. The most challenging task of all is that of the teacher in the classroom. This is where an atmosphere can and must be created in which the less privileged learner can be exposed to a productive learning environment so that he can achieve his full potential. The teaching profession in South Africa is on the threshold of enormous change; and its role in the creation of a new nation is pivotal.

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

M.Ed. / Computer Studies as a school subject consists of a theory and a practical component. The practical component refers to programming. In programming the student has to design a algorithm. Problems can be solved with step by step approaches which lead to the final instruction that will solve the problem. This sequence of instructions that lead to problem solving is called an algorithm. There is more than one algorithm that will solve the same problem. There is no fixed recipe but only guidelines that assist the student to design an algorithm. During the designing of an algorithm the student gets the opportunity to be creative. The practical component of computer studies provides the ideal situation in which the student can solve a problem in his own way. Because of the nature of computer studies which is problem solving the opportunity arises where one can expose his creative talent. The situation unfortunately today exists where some teachers lack experience and training. To determine whether a specific algorithm solves a problem the inexperienced teacher should use a computer. Teachers that prefer to mark algorithms with a memorandum hamper the creativity of students. Although most teachers do have the necessary academic background they were not properly trained in the subject didactics of computer studies.

A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Educational Psychology by Coursework and Research Report. Johannesburg, March 2017 / This research study investigated the relationship between first (L1) and second language (L2) learners’ academic performance and their scores on the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT) and the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM). The inherently different nature of using a verbal assessment and a non-verbal assessment are important to consider in relation to overall academic performance, especially in light of the different language demands of a verbal versus a non-verbal assessment. South Africa has a diverse language landscape, which does pose practical problems for choosing a standard language of learning and teaching, which could create some language issues. The concept of intelligence is unpacked and discussed in relation to both academic performance and reading, which requires careful navigation due to its links to both these concepts. Psychological testing and assessment in South Africa has an encumbered history, which makes research in this area valuable, especially in relation to the unique language diversity in South Africa combined with the lack of South African assessments . Language, reading and intelligence are important to consider in light of the role they to play in relation to overall academic achievement. The results revealed that L1 learners performed better compared to L2 learners on both the SDRT and the RSPM. L1 learners also performed better academically compared to their peers. These results indicated some serious implications showing that L2 learners have not been able to bridge language and learning gaps, after at least five years of being taught in English. The results also revealed that the SDRT was a better predictor of academic performance for both L1 and L2 learners. This highlighted the importance of reading within the South African school system. The under researched area of the exact impact that reading has on overall academic performance showed that South Africa’s curriculum is reading heavy, which does emphasise the importance of reading to achieve academic success. / MT 2018

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Management specialising in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation Johannesburg, 2016 / An entrepreneurial mindset has been found to be a key antecedent in the opportunity recognition process and has even been attributed to the massive turnaround of the economic fortune of some developed countries, such as Sweden. Evidence has suggested that entrepreneurially minded individuals recognise and execute opportunity, even in uncertain situations because their advanced cognitive abilities permitted them to derive meaning in complex situations. Foreign students represent a large contingent of international sojourners, faced with a multitude of uncertainties during their stay in the host country. These students are also at the centre of a knowledge transfer system embedded in focal points capable of producing novel ideas. The researcher argued that no better people are best positioned to exploit cross cultural intelligence and the cultural adjustment experience for the development of an entrepreneurial mindset. The study also explored the influence of intangibles or contextual factors in moderating the relationship cultural adjustment and intelligence respectively with entrepreneurial mindset. For the purposes of this report, a quantitative study was undertaken with the aim of quantifying the influence of these constructs on entrepreneurial mindset. Positive correlations have been established between cultural intelligence (cognitive), cross cultural adjustment (social support) to entrepreneurial mindset. The following intangibles (Need for Focal Points Producing Novel Ideas, Need for Informal Fora for Entrepreneurs, and Need for Executive Leadership) have also been found to moderate the relationship between cultural intelligence and entrepreneurial mindset. No intangibles moderated the relationship between cultural adjustment and entrepreneurial mindset. Implications for practice and direction for future research are provided. / MT 2017