M.Ed. (Educational Linguistics) / The problem addressed in this research is the working hypothesis stating that teachers' tacit notions about individual writing development is related to their views on the pedagogy of writing. The rationale for the premise underlying the problem is that pedagogy is invariably based on teachers' conceptions of content and that unarticulated notions could accommodate conceptions which could in turn inhibit pedagogic activity, in this instance. the teaching of writing at higher capacity levels. The theory frame for this study includes readings in the phylogeny and ontogeny of writing. contemporary models of the teaching of writing and psycholinguistic theory on writing, as well as sociolinguistic views on the development and nature of writing. The theoretical premise for the research is based on Vygotskian principles of semiotics, the main ones being that writing as cultural tool and as sign impacts in a socio-cultural way on the signifiedand that the tool and sign as mediators are partners in intermental but especially also intramental functioning. The implications for pedagogy are that the meaningful teaching of writing skills and strategies could enhance mental activity (cognition) and communication. The nature of the research question presupposes a microgenetic study as format. which in turn directs the research to protocol interviews, on-site observations and analysis of documents. much of which will be of qualitative interpretive nature. A group of 16 teachers will be studied. with the microgenetic analyses focusing on three cases, selected in a stratified way. The findings of the inquiry indicate that there seems to be a relationship between the ontogeny and the pedagogy of writing, because the teachers involved in the inquiry emphasize the use of the prosthetic device, both in their own writing and in their instructional design and this is the way they were taught to write. It was also found that the teachers are deficient with regard to knowledge of the cognitive nature, the structure and the pedagogy of writing. The teachers were also found to have a positive attitude towards writing. despite the fact that their writing proficiency is severely impaired by a lack of knowledge of writing strategies as well as linguistic incompetence in English

M.Ed. / In die orienterende inleiding van hierdie hoofstuk is aangetoon dat rekeningkundige vaardighede en tegnieke vir die modern besigheidsomgewing baie belangrik is. Hierdie vaardighede en tegnieke is egter nie slegs vir besighede belangrik nie, maar ook vir elke individu in die samelewing. Daar is verder aangetoon dat daar 'n aansienlike tekort aan opgeleide rekeningkundiges uit die etniese (swart) bevolkingsgroepe is. Die noodsaaklikheid van die regstelling van die demografiese wanbalans in die rekeningkundige beroepe, is ook genoem. Die navorser het beklemtoon dat daar faktore bestaan, wat die leer van rekeningkunde reeds op sekondere skoolvlak beinvloed. Hierdie faktore dra moontlik daartoe by dat daar 'n groot tekort aan veral swart rekeningkundiges in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika is. In hoofstuk 2 het die navorser die relevansie wat sekere faktore vir die leer van rekeningkunde het, beskryf. Die faktore wat deur Gagne geidentifiseer is, is as uitgangspunt gebruik. Die navorser het self sekere faktore, as subfaktore van Gagne se faktore, geldentifiseer, aangesien daar in die literatuur voorheen geen spesifieke afbakening geskied het nie. In hoofstuk 3 is die data-insamelingmetode, sowel as die werklike insameling van data, bespreek. Die ingesamelde data is getranskribeer, op rekenaar ingelees, drukstukke is voorberei en deur middel van 'n datamatriks geanaliseer. Die faktore wat deur die respondente as belangrik vir die leer van rekeningkunde beskou is, is as navorsingsresultaat beskryf. Uit die analisering van die navorsingsdata, paragrawe 3.9.1 tot 3.9.6 hierbo, blyk dit asof daar enkele baie belangrike faktore, wat die leer van rekeningkunde beinvloed, in die praktyk voorkom. Hierdie faktore kan veral in die volgende kategorie of groepe ingedeel word: algemene 98 rekeningkundige voorkennis, onderrigtaal, persoonlike eienskappe van die leerder; die skool, die klaskamer en die onderwyser. In hoofstuk 4 word die inligting uit die twee navorsingsbronne, naamlik die literatuurondersoek en die onderhoude, met mekaar vergelyk om sodoende die werklike faktore wat die leer van rekeningkunde beInvloed, to identifiseer.

M.Ed. (Media Studies) / The twentieth century is characterised by technological development, and even more by electronic development. It is therefore logical that the computer is increasingly used in the labour market and at home. This puts greater pressure on schools to educate and train pupils to attain computer literacy. As it appears that teachers are insufficiently trained to convey these skills, there is a definite need for in-service training regarding computer literacy. The function and task of the media centre teacher are such that he is the most suitable person to present this in-service training. In-service training is non-formal and andragogically grounded. The presentation of in-service training must .therefore be based on specific principles. To be of any value it must be directed at the teacher's professional needs. These needs determine that in-service training may be presented from the macro-, meso- and microlevels. The direct involvement of the media centre teacher in computer literacy occurs at microlevel and it is indicated that In-service training and guidance are related matters. The computer, as an aid and a medium, has qualities which make it useful in education. Although the computer has many advantages as an educational medium, many didactitions object to its being regarded as a super medium. At present there are many limitations which curtail the maximal usage of the computer as an educational medium. The concept of computer literacy is non-static and differs from culture to culture and person to person; consequently a variety of knowledge and skills is needed for computer literacy. An effort has, however, been made to identify the generally valid knowledge and skills. A model of the guidance activity, as a teaching skill, has been applied to computer usage. The given reference framework and guidance activity are followed by guidelines for the media center teacher's androgenic guidance task regarding computer literacy.

M.Ed. (Subject Didactics) / Mathematics opens doorways for further studies and careers in the technological and information age. Many students experience problems coping with Mathematics in secondary school due to a multitude of factors. Some factors are connected with the student's innate abilities and the extent to which these have been developed, and others with the teaching practice. Problems include lack of conceptual development, skills in problem solving, computation and poor study methods. These problems can be identified and diagnosed through careful observation, questioning and interpretation of written work. Remedial instruction has to address the individual student's needs. To enhance learning, students have to be actively involved through manipulation of models, discussions, verbal writing assignments, practising his skills and studying. The use of visual proj ections, using colour, graphics and sound by computer, facilitates the recall of previous lessons. Videos of lectures can be used as backup for pupils who were absent. These are but two of the creative ideas suggested as aids for remedial teaching. No instant recipes are prescribed, but, for the teacher who really has the interest of his pupils at heart, many guidelines are provided...

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

M.Ed. / In this study attention was paid to factors influencing students in their evaluation of the teaching skills of their lecturers. The problem addressed is that of the increase in student numbers and the relatively high failure rate at South African universities which accompanies it. Due to the fact that the lecturer is responsible for teaching, it follows that a solution to this problem lies partly with him/her. Universities are forced to seriously address this problem and to supply possible solutions. As a result research programs are often conducted in order to establish those factors which have an influence on a student's evaluation of a lecturer's teaching (for example Malan, 1979; Strydom & Helm, 1981; Malan,1983; Vlok & Sewell, 1985 and Marais & Van Tonder, 1986, etc.). The purpose of this project is threefold: to present an overview of literature pertaining to techniques of teaching evaluation applied locally and internationally; to identify factors which could possibly influence students' evaluation of teaching, using available literature; to determine to what extent these factors apply to male and female students of different seniority levels and in various fields of study. In the study of relevant literature specific attention was paid to those characteristics of a lecturer earmarking him/her as effective. These characteristics include both personal and teaching practice characteristics. The study also includes teaching evaluation as a facet of teaching development, addressing various techniques of evaluation and focusing upon evaluation by students ...

Bibliography: p. 104-111. / This study focuses on the Langa Enrichment Programme an educational support programme for black students studying under the Department of Education and Training in the Cape Peninsula. The study aimed to determine students' reasons for attending the programme, their perceptions of its strengths and weaknesses and their recommendations for improvements. Student expectations of the programme and reasons for the high dropout rate especially amongst Standard Nine and female students were explored. To contextualise the study and to give further insights into student views a brief summary of the apartheid education crisis is given. Educational support programmes are reviewed as is liberalism's response to the crisis in education and the history and culture of the South African Institute of Race Relations. The methodology used was two-fold: self-administered questionnaires to 126 Standard 10 Mathematics students and a series of focus group interviews with small groups of students. The findings may be summed up as follows. Students were generally positive towards the teachers, teaching methods and administration of the programme. They requested that teachers should teach and complete the syllabus, emphasizing exam questions, revision and scientific experiments, and explore alternative small group teaching with critical discussions. Students also requested a comprehensive career guidance programme, bursary information and increased financial assistance. Students expressed a reluctance to pay fees and this, coupled with increasing requests for financial and educational supp01t, raises the issue of welfarism on the programme. Reasons for the high dropout rate amongst Standard Nines included that they write an internal examination. Social pressures from boyfriends and peer groups and regarding clothes were given as reasons for female students dropping out of the programme. The students appear to determine the direction of the school in that as a result of their demands the programme has changed from an enrichment programme to a compensatory one. Recommendations in the concluding chapter of this study are that the Enrichment Programme should draw up clearer policy guidelines in conjunction with staff and students; liaison with DET secondary schools, tertiary institutions and other enrichment programmes should be improved; career guidance programmes linked to bursary information should be implemented; bursaries and other incentives should be linked to attendance and academic performance on the programme; a full time co-ordinator should be employed.

Bibliography: pages 66-73. / Based on the educational theorists Gardner (1977(a)), Ehindero (1980), Mawasha ( 197 6-1984) and Ogunniyi ( 1985) and extending earlier findings by McNaught (1980) in Zimbabwe, my investigation sought to answer the following questions: 1. How do the item facilities of a group of African (Swazi) college science students, on two parallel tests of logical connectives, based on Gardner's work, each consisting of the same 34 logical connectives, but different in presentation format compare? 2. Are there significant correlations between the item facilities obtained by the Swazi first year science students on the tests of logical connectives and their scores obtained in Matriculation English and Biology and college English communication and General science? 3. Is there evidence of learning of logical connectives without direct instructional intervention over a period of six months when exposed to English first language speaking lecturers? 4. In what ways are the works of Gardner and McNaught expanded, confirmed, or enriched by further investigation in a totally different culture? Diagnostic and pre-test - post-test methods were used to gather data on the comprehension of the 34 logical connectives, and on academic achievement scores, of 65 Swazi teachers-in-training in KaNgwane, a subtropical, rural-agricultural region in Southern Africa. The data were collected by means of modified Gap Filling and Sentence Completion items, derived from Gardner's pioneering work, by adapting and refining certain items to be more relevant and meaningful in the local South African context. The data was processed by means of comparing Gardner's form N pupils' item facilities with the Swazi students' item facilities on each logical connective. The differences were analysed by means of Chi square tests, Spearman's Test, McNemars' Test and a correlation matrix. The chief findings -were that Swazi students' item facilities compared favourably with those obtained by Gardner's form N pupils on the 34 logical connectives· overall. The Swazi students found 7 easier than the Australian pupils, 16 equally as difficult and 15 more difficult than the Australian pupils, but this was dependent on the format. The thesis concludes by making recommendations to teachers, textbook writers, publishers and educational authorities on issues in science education with regard to English second language, particularly in terms of teacher training.

Bibliography: pages 252-280. / Special Education encompasses a wide field. It is an expensive form of education and is often criticized for its shortcomings. One part of Special Education is remedial teaching for children with learning disabilities. In order to provide good quality services, it is necessary to evaluate what is currently being offered and what is envisaged as desirable for the future. This study focusses on those two factors by examining the perceptions of remedial teaching as held by educators (principals, regular class teachers and remedial teachers themselves) in fifty-two schools of the Department of Education and Culture - House of Representatives (DEC-HR). Current service provisions and the desired role of the remedial teacher are thus examined to determine whether educators perceive these as adequate and desirable. A study of the literature was undertaken and guided by those insights a questionnaire was drawn up. This was distributed to educators and the information was verified and augmented by personal interviews with remedial educators. Three hundred and twenty questionnaires were distributed. The views of principals, regular class teachers and remedial teachers were surveyed in those primary schools served by a remedial teacher. Descriptive statistical analyses were used to arrive at both quantitative and qualitative assessments of the position of Remedial Services in the Department of Education (House of Representatives). The study revealed a strong correspondence between the three groups of educators regarding their perception of remedial services. The author endeavours to illustrate that the lack of consensus about criteria for definition and classification of Learning Disability and consequently Remedial Education, leads to confusion of the role(s) remedial teachers are expected to fulfil. This affects the provision of adequate and effective remedial services to pupils in need of such specialised educational facilities. Results from this study led the author to draw up a proposed structure for Specialised Education, in particular, Remedial Education, in a unitary Education System in South Africa.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MEd (Curriculum, Instructional Design and Development))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted