Thesis (Masters Diploma (Technology))--Cape Technikon, Cape Town, 1994 / The majority of educational establishments in South Africa offering tourism courses concentrate on those subjects that are closely related to the operational side of the industry, for example: Travel Practice and Management, Business Management, Marketing, etc. whilst linle or no applied training for ecotourism is given. On the other hand the impact of tourism on the natural resources of a destination as well as on the host community is steadily increasing, particularly in developing countries. Once this phenomenon is analysed and placed in perspective, structured training and educational activities appear to be one way to ensure that both the conservation and retention of the natural beauty and resources in such destination is addressed. To be effective such educational and training activities should be specific and should take place within the context of ecotourism. The purpose of this study was, in the first place. to define 'ecorourism' and to describe its role within the broader tourism industry. It was further attempted to isolate the characteristics and to draw attention to the sensitive nature of ecosystems. The role of training in the survival of the systems mentioned, that is, the protection and conservation thereof, became patently clear. It further became apparent that the educational needs were not only applicable to the visitor, to the destination, but also to the functionary within the industry. In order to meet the objectives of the tourism trade it will be necessary for prospective employees to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes relative to environmental management. In order to contribute to sustainable tourism development future employees of this industry should also be motivated to participate in the management of the environment.

Thesis (Masters Diploma(Post School Education))--Peninsula Technikon, Cape Town,1992 / Electronic navigation systems (ENS) have undergone phenomenal growth and development since the Second World War and there is every indication that it will continue to do so for as long as the threat of war prevails. A positive effect in this rapidly developing science, has been its application commercially, especially in aeronautical systems. To the ENS (Fisherman) course students of the Training Centre for Seamen (TCS), a technical college based in Cape Town, the advent of these modern navigation aids (navaids) made a marked impact on their, previously, simple existence and certain problems with regard to their training became evident. An empirical study, by means of a questionnaire, was thus undertaken in order to identify and possibly solve problems experienced by these students during both the sea-going and college-based phases. Specific areas investigated included, * academic, vocational and socio-economic background * language competency * lack of on-board exposure to instrumentation within junior ranks and * large age differences as well as differing levels of experience and competency in the same class group. In a bid to seek possible solutions, a comparative study was made of similar courses offered by institutions both locally, viz. the Cape Technikon and the South African Navy and abroad, viz. Australia, Denmark, Germany, United Kingdom and United States of America. Structured interviews were also held with ENS (Fisherman) course lecturers, representatives of ship owners and the South African Department of Transport officials to test their opinions with regard to the existing ENS training structures and the associated problems identified. Based on the information obtained in this study, conclusions and recommendations on the following have been made, viz. * Formulation of a new maritime training dispensation for South Africa * In-house training facilities * Academic background of students * Living and working conditions on-board * Heterogenous composition of ENS (Fisherman) class * Amalgamation of existing ENS training resources * On-board training programmes * Formal teaching qualifications * Marketing careers at sea and * Research in maritime education and training

Traditional school subjects are having to compete for a place in a curriculum which is increasingly judged according to its perceived utilitarian value. According to current educational theory, geography's role in the curriculum is to develop concepts, skills, values and attitudes that allow pupils to understand the human and environmental issues which face their communities and communities throughout the world. In order to achieve these aims, teachers need to adopt a learner-centred teaching approach, yet geography teachers are faced with the dilemma of having to develop participatory teaching strategies within an existing structure which is largely product oriented. This thesis attempts to illustrate how changes can be effected in the approach to the teaching of geography, while working within existing syllabus constraints and while continuing to meet the demands made by the current examination system. To this end, Independent Study Topics are analysed as a means to bring about the desired changes in geographical education. The concept, Independent Study Topics as a 'blanket term' (Diepeveen, 1986) for pupil-centred activities is relatively recent in terms of the South African geography syllabus. In order to obtain greater clarity about the concept and its implications for geography teaching, this study examines current geographical theory relating to learner-centred approaches and relates them to teachers' perceptions of the role of IST in the geography curriculum. The second aspect of the study is concerned with the implementation of Independent Study Topics in a classroom research setting. The organisation and administration of Independent Study Topics in a single school setting is analysed and evaluated as a process of change. This analysis provides guidelines for developing a learner-centred approach which is necessary to ensure that geography retains its position in the school curriculum of the 1990's and beyond.

Staff developers are facing new challenges in the 1990's in British Columbia as secondary education is criticized not only for what it teaches, but also, for how it is being taught. This project addresses the very complex nature of improving the learning situation of students by focusing on staff development. This study documents the inservice, implementation and teacher responses to a model for staff development at a secondary school which included: 1. the introduction of new teaching strategies which supported learner-focused classroom practice 2. teacher collaboration and peer support 3. the theory of constructivism and its incorporation into classroom practice. To gain some insight into teachers' perceptions of new teaching strategies and skills, collaboration, and a constructivist approach to classroom practice was one major research strand. Another strand of the research investigated the process of change as facilitated through staff development. Specifically, the intent of the study was to identify and elaborate on those factors which are liberating and prone to influence in a process known as staff development and to recognize those factors which are resistant and tend to act as barriers to change. Data for this study was gained by following a study group of six secondary teachers from three curricular disciplines over a time period of three months. Group interviews during the study and individual interviews at the end of the study were collected and transcribed. The responses of the participants to the research questions are reported in detail in an effort to preserve the contextual influences. Through these responses the reader can enter into the individuals' thought processes as participants reflect upon their personal experiences with the challenge of change. The findings of this study support and extend the literature on important components and influences to staff development. In particular, this study gained further insight into: 1. how a constructivist approach can be translated into a model of staff development 2. how influences, such as peer collaboration and peer support enhanced a change in classroom practice. 3. how a change incorporating a constructivist approach to teaching is more likely to be assimilated by an individual who has a transactional or transformational orientation to curriculum. A transmissive orientation to teaching acts as somewhat of a barrier to the conceptual change of a constructivist approach. 4. how the motivation and teacher satisfaction for participating in change is determined to a degree by perceived improvements in learning by students. 5. how all participants experienced change but the nature of that change was very individual, gradual, and incremental in nature along the continuum from teacher to learner-focused education. The study concludes with recommendations for individuals planning staff development which incorporates the research findings. / Science, Faculty of / Mathematics, Department of / Graduate

This study investigates the relationship between history and literature in the English curriculum of the school. The investigation moves in two directions, one leading to an examination of the boundary between English and history to see if the barrier between these two humanistic studies can be lowered. The other leads to an analysis of the prescribed texts to determine the times in literary history from which the selections in these texts were taken and the effects the times are likely to have on students’ understanding of their own culture. The teaching of historical literature contributes to students’ enjoyment of literature. For the purpose of this study this hypothesis limits the definition of "historical" literature to imaginative writing describing historical events, attitudes, and characters; expository accounts of exploration; and to literature written before this century. "Enjoyment" refers to immediate pleasure and also to enduring insights; that is, to a sense of heritage, understanding of desirable and possible values, and recognizing the attitudes to recurring themes expressed at different points in time. In this thesis I have examined the purpose of general education and then the contributions of English literature to the curriculum of general education. When I realized the effects of fragmentation of learning on general education and on English teaching, I began to consider how this trend toward subdividing knowledge could be reversed. The common interest of English and history in human beings suggested that their contiguity could be exploited and I have therefore written at length on the relationships between them. The correlation of these subjects in the classroom has rewards as well as perils, as I have pointed out, but by relating my personal experience I have shown that it can be done by one teacher in normal teaching conditions. The concluding parts of the thesis deal with the extension of selections into the past and offer annotated bibliographies. Rather than a "proof" or a "disproof," this thesis is designed to give a new and interesting approach to old ideas. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

This study tested the hypothesis that students who were identified as possessing an intuitive preference, or cognitive style, on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator would learn most about a series of poetry concepts if they were in an environment which emphasized discovery learning and low levels of structure. Conversely, those students who were identified as possessing a sensing preference, or cognitive style on the indicator would learn most in a more directed and structured environment. Data was gathered on 167 Grade 8 students who had been randomly assigned to two treatment groups. Analysis of variance and linear regression revealed significant disordinal interaction for one of the two treatment methods. The interaction partially supported the hypothesis: "N" students achieved most in a discovery-learning environment (P<.005 and P<.001), while "S" students were not significantly advantaged in the more directed and structured environment. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

This study examined the written responses of seven adolescents to three novels. During the course of two school years, the students recorded their ongoing responses to small sections (ten to fifteen pages) of each novel in a response log. These responses were examined for evidence of patterns, typical responses, individual variations, and the effects of narrative structure. The Purves and Rippere instrument was used to determine response patterns while a new instrument developed by the researcher to accomodate the nature of the preliminary, ongoing responses was implemented to address the remaining three questions. The following general observations were made: 1. No predictable, sequential pattern of response could be found in student response writings. 2. Certain responses predominated: namely, narrational retelling, tentative frameworklng of the content, and analysis of characters and events 3. The written responses were generally characterized by considerable variation in individual responses. 4. Texts bearing distinct narrative features prompted different responses both for individuals and the group as a whole. Conclusions: The effects of writing during the reading of literary texts appears to bring response to a clear, conscious level. Writing in the response log encourages a conscious transaction with the literary text and consequently, readers can engage more actively and knowledgeably in the reading experience. Some broad conclusions and implications emerged from the study: 1. Particularly as they encounter complex literary works, adolescents should be encouraged to engage actively and consciously in their reading of literature by recording their ongoing responses in a log. 2. Teachers ought to promote the development of personal literary responses that require active thinking through testing hypotheses, making connections and interpreting the literary content 3. By purposefully structuring active meaning-making in the study of literature, teachers can determine the student needs and create the context for meaningful discussion. Moreover, by publicly sharing the contents of the response logs, all class members can contribute to and enhance their responses. Using writing to gauge the ongoing literary response allows both students and their teachers to be consciously aware of the "sense-making" strategies employed. As the medium for critical reading, writing promotes tentative, flexible construction of meaning. Furthermore, the instrument developed for analyzing the ongoing student responses in this study provides both a way to consciously examine the content of written responses and exposes alternative responses in order to extend understanding and appreciation of literature. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to discover similarities and differences in opinions held by secondary art teachers, secondary art students and animators on the role and character of animation in art education. The problem was to determine whether the relative neglect of animation as a part of the art curriculum has come about because the techniques and concepts associated with it are seen as difficult and/or unnecessary to implement by teachers; or whether students are unfamiliar and uninterested in animation as a field of study; or whether animation, in the opinion of professional animators, is not a suitable subject for study. The study was conducted with five secondary art teachers, nine secondary art students and three professional animators. Informants responded verbally to questions posed by the researcher. These responses were documented on a tape recorder and later transcribed for analysis. Responses from the informants generated data relating to five areas of animation: 1) defining animation, 2) potent images, 3) popular culture, 4) careers and 5) backgrounds. The study showed that although animation is a part of students1 popular culture and students are interested in it, teachers are not currently teaching it. Technical difficulties prevent them from doing so, despite the fact that they acknowledge animation as an important art form. The other findings in this study are that both teachers and students are often not consciously aware that they are watching animation; and that there are many misconceptions and prejudices associated with the medium. Implications for art education are discussed. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

The purposes of this study were to describe and analyze the participation of nurses in continuing learning activities, their reasons for engaging in continuous learning, their attitudes toward continuing nursing education, and their socio-economic characteristics. The study was designed to investigate not only nurses' involvement in conventional forms of planned systematic educational programs such as courses, workshops, and conferences (dependent learning activities), but also their active participation in individual, self-directed learning situations such as reading, and learning packages (independent learning activities). A questionnaire was administered in group sessions and by mail to 220 randomly selected female registered nurses who were employed full or part-time by five general hospitals in the Greater Vancouver area of the province of British Columbia. The hospitals were of medium size (300 - 700 beds) and each had a director or coordinator of inservice education. Each of the respondents participated in at least one of the continuing learning activities accessible to nurses during the year, September 1, 1972 to September 30, 1973, but on the average, the group participation rate was less than half the total possible score. Nonetheless, it was established that the respondents engaged in significantly more independent than dependent learning activities. A factor analysis of S.B. Sheffield's Learning Orientation Index determined that this particular group of nurses did possess the three basic learning orientations described by C. O. Houle but that their reasons for participating in continuous learning could be more precisely defined as being learning, occupational, professional, societal, sociability, interactive, and relief from boredom and frustration-oriented. In addition, the respondents were found to have a favourable attitude to continuing nursing education which related significantly to their participation scores. Other factors related to the nurses' participation in continuing learning activities included the psychological variables - Learning, Sociability, Professional, and Interactive Orientation, as well as the following socio-economic characteristics: number of preschool children, university educational experience, position, employment status, and length of current employment. As a result of multiple regression analyses, three of the learning orientations and the attitude of nurses toward continuing nursing education were found to be better predictors of the respondents participation scores than were certain socio-economic factors. The favourability of nurses' attitudes toward continuing nursing education emerged as the most efficient single predictor. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

M.Ed. / In this study it is shown that two dynamic forces exist in the day to day practice of teaching and learning: (a) The instructional effect of teaching and learning The first dynamic force is the instructional effect of teaching and learning. It is expressed as an action where the teacher conveys to the learner crystallized knowledge, norms and techniques which for centuries have developed in a particular society. (b) The nurturant effect of teaching and learning The second dynamic force originates in the learner and his budding potential. It is expressed as the will of the learner to learn through his own effort and ability. This implies that the learner will need opportunities to discover SUbject-matter for himself and will require sufficient room for own initiative without too much control from the teacher. The dilemma the teacher now finds himself in is how to instruct knowledge in a meaningful way without dampening the joy and flow of individual discovery, inspiration and creativity. Should he guide the learner towards a clearly formulated educational goal or should the learner discover meaning for himself without much interference from the teacher? In the study it was shown that a lack of balance between these two forces will result in verbalism, a superficial type of knowledge where pupils have memorized knowledge without comprehension.