The study was undertaken to analyse educator's views on their effectiveness in using group work as a co-operative learning strategy. Specifically the study aims to: To determine through literature the nature of group work as a co-operative learning strategy. To find out views of educators in their effectiveness of using group work as a teaching strategy. The investigation involved 208 educators from middle and secondary schools in Themba District. Close and open ended questionnaires were used for data collection. Results obtained showed that approximately 168 (80.76%) of the educators indicated their preparedness to use group work as a co-operative learning strategy. Results revealed that almost all the educators were willing to use group work as a co-operative learning strategy. However the study could not conclude that group work as a co-operative learning strategy has been applied effectively. The major problem faced by educators are skills requirements for using the strategy effectively. Other problem areas are:· it is time consuming, Jack of participation by learners, lack of learning resources. The following recommendations have been put forward: Pre-service training and in-service training should be made available to educators for the improvement of teaching and learning strategies in group work. Educators should be enlightened on how to use group work as an effective strategy. The educators should therefore be trained on the following: • Theory and philosophy of cooperative learning • Demonstration of co-operative methods • On-going coaching and collegial support at the classroom level • Training educators in maintaining product teaching approaches in order to curb useless time consuming activities. / (M.Ed.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2004

This study explored the completion rates (the number of years a student takes to complete a degree) of graduates at the University of the Western Cape. Differences between students who finished their studies in the prescribed time of three years and those who took longer than the prescribed time was highlighted.

Guidance and counselling aims to promote the personal growth of the adolescent. However, in the current South African context, it is possible that formalised Guidance instruction and the post of the school counsellor may disappear in many schools as a result of economic rationalisation. If this occurs, the fostering of personal growth will rest with all teachers and it will be vital to utilise all available opportunities. The study of English is one of the areas traditionally seen to promote personal growth, as several aims of English teaching relate to such growth. The purpose of this study is to investigate from the pupil's perspective whether these aims are being fulfilled within 'Model C' CEO schools in order to gauge the potential of English teaching to fulfil the personal growth role of Guidance teaching. Pupils were asked what influence English teaching had on their attitudes and ideas towards life, on themselves and on their development as people. From the data, common themes were established and documented. These themes showed that important aspects of personal growth are indeed fostered by the English teaching of literature, poetry, written work, oral work and visual literacy. This study therefore confirms that English teaching does foster personal growth and that the potential does exist for English teaching to subsume some of the roles of Guidance.

Thesis (MTech (Electrical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007 / This work examines the challenges facing the Department of Electrical Engineering at CPUT regarding the development of entrepreneurship in the South Africa. Industry and higher education in South Africa face a testing future of profound technological change, a shortage of engineers, as well as an engineering job market that continues to grow ever smaller. There is a pressing need for technology graduates to harbour skills to grow new high technology ventures. The recent report published by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor showed our graduates having the potential to reverse the negative growth in the skills market by way of wealth creation and thus job creation. Therefore, academic institutions, such as CPUT, need to produce not only quality technology graduates, but also effective entrepreneurial graduates. This research examines ways in which the curriculum at the faculty could be expanded to include an engineering-biased entrepreneurship stream, presenting engineering graduates with opportunity to generate income from sources other than the job market. The perception of both first year and BTech (fourth year) students are tested regarding the need for entrepreneurial engineers in the SA economy, and the academic's role in supporting such a need. The perception of senior staff are also sought to provide a more rounded perspective on possible interventions. The results show both entry-level and exit-level students agree an additional stream, focusing on entrepreneurship would empower them to make informed decisions regarding their futures. The results could be used to shape the sustainable inclusion of entrepreneurial imperatives in an engineering context.

Thesis (MTech (Nursing))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007 / This study focuses on the specialised field of Nurse Case Management and the need for formal training for Nurse Case Managers (NCMs). In particular, the study aimed to establish what the outcomes should be of a learning programme for practising NCMs in South Africa. I used a descriptive survey study design. Data was collected using the Delphi technique. The Delphi technique involves questionnaires to be distributed, collation of the data returned and the distribution of a revised questionnaire for input from the participants. Each questionnaire distributed becomes a 'round' and forms part of the process of data collection. A group of experts working in the field of managed healthcare (MHC) were included as the study respondents. Consensus was reached after three rounds as to what the learning outcomes for NCMs should be. This study found that NCMs practising in South Africa require a specialised set of competencies that are not covered in the basic general nursing training. A learning programme for this area of specialisation needs to include outcomes related to relevant legislation, a code of ethics, managerial and clinical competence, administrative competence in managing contracts, good governance, research, (data analyses) and (business) reporting within the context of MHC.

D.Ed. / Cognitive flexibility and didactically opportunities in teacher training. effective learning There is consensus amongst educationalists that the task of the teacher is to ensure that the pupils learn meaningfully. The teacher should create opportunities for meaningful learning to occur. Opportunities must be devised to stimulate pupils to think; by solving problems, making discoveries and experimenting. Futhermore, educationalists agree, that a meaningful learning opportunity is one where the interaction between the teacher and the pupils operates on higher cognitive dimensions and is not restricted to the lower cognitive levels - which is usually the case. This, however, does not imply that the interaction should necessarily be confined to a higher cognitive level. The teacher should be flexible enough to change from one cognitive tactic to another, and plan and act in accordance with the prevailing didactical situation. The concern of the writer and the reason for this investigation is the assumption and conviction that cognitive inflexibility and the lack of meaningful learning opportunities are symptomatic and " problem areas of the school practice. Rote learning and memorisation have become important teaching objectives. The purpose of this investigation is to ascertain whether it is possible for student-teachers to acquire the skill to plan effective learning opportunities and to enhance their cognitive flexibility.

M.A. (Social Work) / The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a particular parent guidance programme on the stress experienced by working mothers. The programme was aimed at the working mother, given her particularly difficult position and resulting stress, as well as the importance of the mother's role in child care. A specific programme known as "Ouerverrykingsprogram" was presented to working mothers and its effect was evaluated with regard to certain areas of stress. In evaluating the effectiveness of the parent guidance programme, the specific goal of the study was to ascertain whether working mothers, subjected to the programme, experienced a difference in stress on the following aspects: intrapsychic stress, work stress, family stress (referring to both marital and parent-child relationships), total stress. with this goal in mind the following objectives were set for the study: To give a theoretical discussion of the working mothers dilemma. To discuss the enriching and preventative value of parent guidance for working mothers. To apply an existing parent guidance programme in practice and to evaluate certain components relevant to the main goal. To ascertain the effectiveness of the programme by means of of an evaluation questionnaire focussing on the opinion of subjects regarding the course.

M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / Dozens of Teaching Science practitioners and educational administrators are asking fundamental questions today about the objectives of teacher education programs, the content of programs, instructional methods and quality of education of teachers. They recognised that current Teaching Science practices must be examined, evaluated, and in some cases, developed. There are obvious limits to the effectiveness of these Teaching Science programs to give prospective teachers skills necessary to be successful in their classrooms. This study investigates the guidelines for the improvement of Teaching Science at Colleges of Education that can ensure prospective teachers with ways of understanding the culture of classrooms and schools. The research was based on the assumption that, for prospective teachers to learn to teach effectively, they should be inculcated with an enriched structure and content of the subject Teaching Science curriculum, and valuable teaching knowledge should be communicated to them during their professional training process. In order to understand this problem in its total context an in depth study of the literature survey on the process of teacher education in the Republic of South Africa and the selected areas in the world was done. Data was collected from the interviews with the Heads of Education Department and beginner teachers and questionnaires were administered with principals of schools, Teaching Science lecturers and second and third year student-teachers. The data corpus includes case observations from prospective teachers on Teaching Practice. Their lesson plans, presentation of the teaching skills and post class reflection notes were analysed. Their subject expositions were also audiotaped to provide contextual descriptions. Findings indicate that there are many areas in which the subject Teaching Science curriculum needs improvement if it is to maintain its high degree of producing school teachers which the community will recognise and respect. The findings corroborated the hypotheses that the subject Teaching Science curriculum helps prospective teachers to be autonomous and active agents in their classrooms. The following are some of the most important findings: With regard to their lecturing, the majority of students claimed that many Teaching Science lecturers are ineffective classroom practitioners. It is revealed that Teaching Science lecturers who are less qualified are unfamiliar with the subject Teaching Science lecturing strategies whereas the highly qualified staff is always satisfied with its lecturing. Many student-teachers regarded Teaching Practice as a stressful time because they were not guided effectively by their Teaching Science supervisors on how to write genuine lesson preparations and schemes of work. Teaching Practice sessions are usually held at the beginning of the professional course. At that time students do not have maturity and knowledge of the theory on which teaching is based. Overall it appeared to show that theory and practice at Colleges of Education are still far apart and student-teachers are not given direct experience with the children they are going to teach. -In all Colleges of Education, Teaching Science facilities such as micro-teaching laboratory. dark room and media centre, are inadequate, -The study also revealed that the subject Teaching Science curriculum at Colleges of Education is more boring, less fun, more repetitious, discouraging, unattractive and less competitive. Students are not equipped with the subject Teaching Science curriculum to present interesting lessons. Beginner teachers are incapable of controlling their classes. marking registers and writing accurately on the chalkboard. It is because of this and other reasons that most student-teachers were always absent for Teaching Science periods. -The survey further revealed that the majority of beginner teachers are shy, self-centred and unable to establish good order in the classroom. -The traditional lecturer/teacher-centred approach in which the educator transfers information to learners is outdated, It was found that new approaches to assist prospective teachers may have important potential which needs to be explored diligently. -Based on the data collected and literature review the researcher provides proposals for the improvement of the subject Teaching Science curriculum at Teachers' Training Colleges. It is the wish of the researcher that this set of recommendations be effective tools in helping preservice teachers become successful teachers

D.Ed. (Subject Didactics) / The lack of explicitly formulated criteria for the writing of a mathematics textbook, has the implication that the author of a mathematics textbook has to establish his own criteria. In doing this the author may achieve his objectives but his objectives may not necessarily be those of the curriculum. The purpose of this study is to develop criteria for the writing of a mathematics textbook. In order to do this the history of mathematics from the time of the ancient Egyptians to the present and the various ways (structure) in which mathematics manifests itself have been discussed. The most prominent theories on how children learn, together with the classroom situation as far as mathematics is concerned have been discussed to determine the implications they have for the writing of a mathematics textbook...

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