Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The lack of scientific and technically schooled human resources has been a problem in the South African labour market for quite some time. In the present study the factors influencing learners' decisions to choose Physical Science or not, as a final subject choice, are examined. The Meyer Interest Questionnaire (MB-lO) and two selfdesigned questionnaires were completed by 140 grade 10 pupils of a brown and a black high school in Stellenbosch. Pearson rank order correlations, Chi-square analysis and the Mann-Whitney test were used to analyse the data. It appears that a significant number of learners choose Physical Science if they believe that they need it for their tertiary course or if they need it for university admission or if they think that it would better their bursary and/or study loan prospects. A significant number of learners do not choose Physical Science if they did not do well in General Science in grade nine or if they believe that Physical Science is not a subject for girls. Many learners also do not choose Physical Science because of a perception that Physical Science is too difficult. Significantly few learners made use of career counselling during their [mal subject choice. Significant differences were found between the interests of the group that chose Physical Science and the group that did not choose it. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tekort aan wetenskaplik en tegnies geskoolde menslike hulpbronne is reeds vir 'n geruime tyd 'n probleem in die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark. In die huidige studie is daar in hoofsaak ondersoek ingestel na die faktore wat leerders se besluit om Natuuren Skeikunde as finale skoolvak te kies of nie, beïnvloed. Die Meyerbelangstellingsvraelys (MB-lO) en twee selfontwerpte vraelyste is op 140 graad 10 leerders van 'n bruin en 'n swart hoërskool in Stellenbosch afgeneem. Die data is met behulp van Pearson-rangordekorrelasies, Chi-kwadraatontledings en die Mann- Whitney toets ontleed. Dit blyk dat 'n beduidende getal leerders Natuur- en Skeikunde kies indien hulle glo dat hulle dit nodig het vir hulle naskoolse opleiding of vir universiteitstoelating of indien hulle dink dat hulle studiebeurs- en/of studieleningvooruitsigte daardeur verbeter sal word. 'n Beduidende getalleerders wat swak presteer het in graad nege of wat glo dat die vak nie by meisies pas nie, kies nie Natuur- en Skeikunde nie. Baie leerders kies ook nie Natuur- en Skeikunde nie vanweë 'n persepsie dat die vak te moeilik is. Beduidend min leerders het gebruik gemaak van beroepsvoorligting tydens hulle finale vakkeuses. Daar is beduidende belangstellingsverskille gevind tussen die groepe wat Natuur- en Skeikunde gekies het en die wat dit nie gekies het nie.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates the implementation of Technology as a learning area in the South African school curriculum. This investigation is done within the context of three articles contained in chapters two, three and four. Article one, chapter two, investigates the readiness of educators to implement Technology in the classroom. A survey was done by means of interviews and a questionnaire. The interviews and questionnaire focused on three critical questions to determine the readiness of educators, namely • A conceptual understanding of Technology as learning area; • The type of technology suitable for the South African curriculum; and • The extent of government support to implement Technology successfully. The findings suggest that educators do have a conceptual understanding of Technology and that they emhasized the use of technology within the curriculum that suits local conditions. It identified the lack of government support as the biggest problem facing the successful implementation of Technology. Article two, chapter 3, investigates Technology as part of the Outcomes- Based Curriculum 2005. It is a theoretical study that discuss the relevance and purpose of Technology as learning area in the new curriculum. It finds that the position of Technology as learning area in the curriculum is unequivocal. It proved that there is a strong link between technological innovation, economic growth and social development. It suggest, therefor, that Technology is a catalyst for economic growth and social development. Article three, chapter four, invetsigates how Technical Drawing as subject from the old dispensation can be reconciled with Technology as a learning area. It finds that Technical Drawing as a graphical language can be applied as an effective tool of communication in the different stages of the Technological Process. It suggests that the old subjects can reconcile with the learning areas in the new curriculum. These three articles, in summary, emphasize the importance and relevance of Technology as a separate learning area in the new curriculum. The objective, therefore, is to use Technology as a catalyst for economic growth and social development, so dearly needed by South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die implementering van Tegnologie as 'n leerarea in die skoolkurrikulum. Hierdie ondersoek word binne die konteks van drie artikels wat in hoofstukke twee, drie en vier vervat word, gedoen Artikel een (hoofstuk twee), ondersoek die gereedheid van opvoeders om Tegnologie in die klaskamer toe te pas. 'n Opname is deur middel van onderhoude en 'n vraelys gedoen. Ten einde die gereedheid van opvoeders te bepaal, is daar in die onderhoude en vraelys op drie kritieke vrae gefokus: • 'n konseptueie begrip van Tegnologie as 'n leerarea; • die soort tegnologie wat relevant sou wees binne die Suid- Afrikaanse kurrikulum; en • die mate van regeringshulp wat nodig sou wees om Tegnologie suksesvol as leerarea te implementeer. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat opvoeders wel 'n konseptueie begrip van Tegnologie het. Dit blyk voorts dat opvoeders die gebruik binne die kurrikulum beklemtoon van tegnologie wat by plaaslike omstandighede pas. Gebrekkige regeringshulp is as die grootste probleem rakende die suksesvolle implementering van Tegnologie as leerarea geidentifiseer. Artikel twee (hoofstuk drie) ondersoek Tegnologie as deel van die Uitkomsgebaseerde Kurrikulum 2005. Dit is 'n teoretiese studie wat die toepaslikheid en doel van Tegnologie as leerarea in die nuwe kurrikulum bespreek. Daar word bevind dat die plek van Tegnologie as leerarea in die kurrikulum ondubbelsinnig is. Daar is bewys dat daar 'n sterk band bestaan tussen tegnologiese vernuwing, ekonomiese groei en sosiale ontwikkeling. Artikel drie (hoofstuk vier) ondersoek hoe Tegniese Tekene as "ou" vak van die vorige bedeling, met Tegnologie as leerarea versoen kan word. Daar word bevind dat Tegniese Tekene, as 'n grafiese taal, aangewend kan word as 'n doeltreffende kommunikasiemiddel in die verskillende stadia van die Tegnologiese Proses. Daar word voorgestel dat die ou vakke versoen kan word met die leerareas in die nuwe kurrikulum. Hierdie drie artikels beklemtoon dus die belangrikheid en relevansie van Tegnologie as 'n aparte leerarea in die nuwe kurrikulum. Die doel is om Tegnologie aan te wend as katalisator vir ekonomiese groei en sosiale ontwikkeling wat so dringend nodig is in Suid-Afrika.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In today’s hi-tech global economy the fields of science, technology and engineering are becoming increasingly and undeniably central to economic growth and competitiveness, and will provide many future jobs. Qualifications in Mathematics are crucial gateways to further education and will provide access to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industries. This study focuses on the optional course in Mathematics, called Advanced Programme Mathematics (APM), which is offered and assessed by the Independent Examination Board in the final three years of high school in South Africa. At present, the South African school system does not adequately prepare students for the transition from school to university Mathematics, and APM has been designed to address this gap. The research question set by this study is: To what extent does the APM course succeed in preparing learners for the rigour of first-year Mathematics in the STEM university programmes? The sample group of 439 students was selected from the 2013 cohort of first-year Mathematics students at Stellenbosch University. First, an analysis of the relevant curricula was undertaken, and then an empirical investigation was done to determine the differences in performance between first and second semester examinations of first-year university Mathematics students who took APM, and those who did not. This was followed by an investigation by means of a questionnaire into the perceptions of students on how effective APM was in easing the transition from school to university Mathematics. The research was designed according to the Framework for an Integrated Methodology (FraIM) of Plowright (2011). From an extensive international literature study, it appears that APM is definitely a predictor of post-secondary success. Since no formal research has been recorded to support this claim, this study aims to provide a sound answer to whether APM is advantageous. The effect size results of this study show that APM marks of students explain 68% of the achievement in first-semester university Mathematics when combined with NSC Mathematics marks in a general regression model. There is a significant difference between the marks of students who took APM and those who did not in first-semester university Mathematics, specifically across the National Senior Certificate (NSC) Mathematics mark categories of 80-100%. APM course-taking leads to confidence in Mathematics, which combined with good domain knowledge of calculus, ease the transition from school to university Mathematics. The study recommends that not only students who intend pursuing a career in the STEM industries should take the APM course, but also those who intend to apply for admission to any other tertiary studies, as the cognitive and other skills provided by APM will give them the required edge to perform well in higher education. Schools are called upon to provide access to APM for mathematically gifted students, and teachers and guidance counsellors should encourage learners to enrol for AMP. This will enable them to share in the manifold academic and personal benefits accruing from the course, and to help alleviate the critical shortage of graduates in careers requiring a strong Mathematics background in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die hoë-tegnologie-wêreldekonomie van vandag word die gebiede van wetenskap, tegnologie en ingenieurswese toenemend en onmiskenbaar die kern van ekonomiese groei en mededingendheid wat in die toekoms baie werkgeleenthede sal bied. Kwalifikasies in Wiskunde open beslis baie deure na verdere opleiding en verleen toegang tot die Wetenskap-, Tegnologie- Ingenieurswese- en Wiskunde-industrieë. Hierdie studie fokus op die opsionele kursus in Wiskunde, genaamd Gevorderde Program Wiskunde (GPW), wat deur die Onafhanklike Eksamenraad aangebied en geassesseer word in die laaste drie jaar van hoërskoolonderrig in Suid-Afrika. Tans berei die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolstelsel nie studente genoegsaam voor vir die oorgang van skool- na universiteitswiskunde nie en GPW is ontwerp om hierdie gaping te oorbrug. Die navorsingsvraag wat hierdie studie stel, is: In watter mate slaag die GPW-kursus daarin om leerders voor te berei vir die streng vereistes van eerstejaar-Wiskunde in die Wetenskap-, Tegnologie- Ingenieurswese- en Wiskunde-universiteitsprogramme? Die toetsgroep van 436 studente is gekies uit die 2013-groep eerstejaar-Wiskundestudente aan Stellenbosch Universiteit. Aanvanklik is ᾽n analise van die relevante leerplanne onderneem, waarna ᾽n empiriese ondersoek gedoen is om die verskille in prestasie in die eerste en tweede semester eksamens vas te stel tussen eerstejaar-Wiskundestudente op universiteit wat wel GPW geneem het en diegene wat dit nie geneem het nie. Dit is gevolg deur ᾽n ondersoek deur middel van ᾽n vraelys na die persepsies van studente oor hoe effektief GPW was om die oorgang van skool- na universiteitswiskunde te vergemaklik. Die navorsing is ontwerp op grond van ‘n model vir ‘n geïntegreerde metodologie van Plowright (2011). Dit blyk uit ᾽n uitgebreide studie van internasionale literatuur dat GPW definitief ᾽n voorspeller van post-sekondêre sukses is. Aangesien geen formele navorsing om hierdie aanspraak te ondersteun nog op skrif gestel is nie, poog hierdie studie om ᾽n deurdagte antwoord te verskaf op die vraag of GPW wel tot voordeel van studente is. Die effek grootte resultate van hierdie studie dui aan dat die GPW-punte van studente 68% van prestasie in Wiskunde in die eerste semester op universiteit verduidelik as dit in ᾽n algemene regressiemodel met die Nasionale Senior Sertifikaat (NSS) punte gekombineer word. Daar is ᾽n beduidende verskil tussen die Wiskundepunte van studente wat GPW geneem het en diegene wat dit nie geneem het nie in die eerste semester op universiteit, veral in die NSS-Wiskundepuntekategorieë van 80-100%. Om die GPW-kursus te neem, lei tot selfvertroue in Wiskunde, wat saam met ᾽n goeie kennis van die Differensiaalrekening-domein, die oorgang van Wiskunde vanaf skoolvlak na universiteitsvlak vergemaklik. Op grond van die studie beveel die navorser aan dat nie slegs studente wat ᾽n loopbaan in Wetenskap-, Tegnologie- Ingenieurswese- en Wiskunde-rigtings wil volg, die GPW-kursus behoort te volg nie, maar ook diegene wat vir toelating tot enige ander tersiêre studie wil aansoek doen, aangesien die kognitiewe en ander vaardighede wat GPW ontwikkel, hulle die nodige voorsprong sal bied om goed te vaar in verdere studie. Skole word aangemoedig om toegang tot GPW aan wiskundig begaafde leerlinge te verskaf en onderwysers en loopbaanraadgewers behoort leerlinge aan te moedig om vir GPW in te skryf. Sodoende kan hulle deel in die vele akademiese en persoonlike voordele wat die kursus bied, en help om die kritieke tekort aan gegradueerdes in die studierigtings waar ‘n sterk Wiskunde agtergrond ‘n vereiste is, te help verlig.

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.

Dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Education at Technikon Natal, 1999. / TOPIC: An investigation of the role of practical laboratory work in bridging programmes forchemical technicians in technikons in South Africa, with particular reference to Mangosuthu Technikon. This research considers the role of introductory practical laboratory work, in a bridging course, in the success or otherwise of vocationally orientated students at technikons in South Africa. Mangosuthu Technikon, on which the study focuses, provides mainlyfor students whose educational background has ill-prepared them for the demands of tertiary studies. Besides the disadvantage of studying through the medium of English, students in the Engineering Schools are further hampered in their studies by having inadequate practical skills for laboratory work. The need to redress the problem of access to tertiary education has resulted in the introduction and continued use of bridging courses for educationally disadvantaged students. Since the secondary education system does not appear to be improving substantially, it would appear that the bridging courses will remain a necessity for some time. InitiallyMangosuthu Technikon offered a school/discipline bridging programme (Pre- Technican Course) for aspirant Engineering students, which allowed disadvantaged applicants a second chance to access tertiary education. It was an intensive six months' course, comprising experiential learning in the integrated components of Mathematics, Communication, Physics and Chemistry. The latter two subjects incorporated a substantial practical component. In the interests of rationalisation, a general Access Course replaced the former course in 1994. The emphasis became largely focussed on theoretical rather than practical work. After initial research indicated that the role of practical laboratorywork inthe trainingof chemicaltechniciansintechnikonsin South Africawas of consequence, a practically orientated bridging course was reintroduced in 1995. This dissertation shows that an educationally disadvantaged student who aspires to becoming a chemical technician requires an holistic education, at the Mangosuthu Technikon bridging course level, which incorporates relevant theoretical and practical components, in order to procure, and succeed in, tertiary education. Such practical work is a prerequisite for aspirant chemical technicians ifthey are to satisfy the needs of tertiary programmes and the demands of their future employers. Findings throughout the dissertation show that practical work is of consequence. Technikon and Industry representatives confirm their commitment to the inclusion of practical work in bridging courses. The implementation and administration of practical bridging courses also play important roles in ensuring that disadvantaged students gain access to tertiary education. This study evaluates Mangosuthu Technikon's original Pre-Technician Course, its 1994 general Access Course and its subsequent Pre-Technician Courses, and finds that Pre-Technician Course (1989/1990) students performed well and that the majority of them were able to access tertiary education and cope with its demands reasonably well. The Access Course (1994) students, by comparison, performed dismally. Years subsequent to 1994 have seen an improvement in the pass rates, but not to the levelofl989/1990. The study, thus, concludes that practically orientated bridging courses impact significantly on successful performance in formal courses for technicians. / M

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

There is a growing body of literature supporting the importance of recognising individual learning styles and teaching styles. Using More's model, this study explored the prevalence of learning style profi'es amongst different racial groups within multicultural South African classrooms. Seven teachers at two multiracial, English medium schools completed the More Learning Style Inventory for 38 white learners and 30 black learners with a mean age of 11.4 years. In addition, each teacher completed the More Teaching Style Inventory. The findings suggested that learners from different racial groups showed a preference on certain learning style dimensions. In particular, white and black learners were found to differ significantly on the Global-Analytic and the Trial & feedback- Reflective dimensions. Furthermore, an investigation of teaching styles supported mismatches between teachers’ teaching style and learners’ learning style, especially where learning style differences emerged. This study highlights the possible usefulness of learning style research for addressing the challenges faced by teachers in facilitating racial integration in classrooms.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in fulfilment of the conditions for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. April 2016. / The global financial crisis of 2007–2008 changed the way the world thinks about economics as a discipline and brought about awareness of how economics is taught at universities. In view of an on-going global debate about the economics curriculum and its teaching, this doctoral study places the South African context within the global higher education sphere and explores how introductory economics is taught in first-year at a South African university. This study explored the teaching of Economics 1 at a mainstream, globally-ranked public university in South Africa with very similar content and structure to the Economics 1 curriculum in the West. The main aim of the doctoral study was to investigate the qualitatively different ways in which university teachers (lecturers and tutors) teaching Economics 1 at a South African university conceive of, experience and understand their teaching and tutoring roles. On the basis of this, three research questions were asked: (I) What are the qualitatively different ways in which lecturers at ‘the University’ understand teaching Economics 1?; (II) What are the qualitatively different ways tutors at ‘the University’ understand teaching Economics 1?; and (III) What is/are the implication(s) for students’ learning of teaching Economics 1 within the current setting at ‘the University’ through the lenses of relevant conceptual frameworks and the outcome of the empirical study? Teaching in higher education, the disciplinary context of economics’ undergraduate teaching and its implications for students’ learning underpinned the choice of the literature, the three conceptual frameworks and the research methodology. By asking the three research questions above to guide the research process, the empirical study used a qualitative methodology – phenomenography – that aims to explore the qualitatively different ways in which a group of people experience a specific phenomenon, in this case teaching Economics 1 in higher education. On the basis of phenomenography as a conceptual framework in itself, this doctoral study further analysed the empirical data using two conceptual frameworks - a four-context framework for teaching in higher education and the concept of semantic gravity, relating to segmented and cumulative learning, as conceptual lenses. Two sets of conceptions of teaching emerged on the basis of answering the first two research questions. A careful, comparative analysis of these two sets (lecturers’ and tutors’ sets of conceptions of teaching) led to six conceptions of teaching Economics 1 in higher education as follows: (I) team collaboration to implement the economics curriculum; (II) having a thorough knowledge of the content; (III) implementing the curriculum in order for students to pass assessment; (IV) helping students learn key economics concepts and representations to facilitate learning; (V) engaging students through their real-life economics context to acquire economic knowledge; and (VI) helping students think like economists. The first three are characterised as being teacher-centred and the later three as student-centred. Applying the concept of semantic gravity (Maton, 2009), I argue that the latter two more complete conceptions of teaching imply cumulative learning in which students are able to acquire higher-order principles whereby they are able to apply the knowledge acquired through the teaching of Economics 1 in new contexts. The first four conceptions are seen as favouring segmented learning. According to this analysis, the fourth conception, although characterized as student oriented, should be regarded as favouring segmented learning which is not in line with the aims of higher education. As for the four-context model of teaching in higher education, the analysis from the empirical data showed that there is a very strong connection between the pedagogical and disciplinary contexts in relation to the six conceptions of teaching emerging from the analysis, though the disciplinary context is stronger than the pedagogical context. In summary, three implications can be drawn from this doctoral study on the basis of the empirical data, literature and conceptual frameworks as the basis for improving undergraduate economics education. These are as follows: (1) the need to make the economics curriculum aligned with real-life contexts of undergraduate students; (2) the need to rethink the economics curriculum in light of the current global debates within the discipline of economics; and (3) the need to bring pedagogical development into the team. Key words/phrases: Conceptions of Teaching; Teaching in Higher Education; Higher Education Research; Undergraduate Economics Education; and Phenomenography

This study explores the nature of pre-service Mathematical Literacy teachers' problem solving with a focus on intra-mathematics and extra-mathematics connections, across two years (2011-2012). The pre-service teachers were enrolled into a new three-year Bachelor of Education course, Concepts and literacy in mathematics (CLM), at a large urban University in South Africa. The CLM course aimed specifically at developing the teachers' fundamental mathematical knowledge as well as contextual knowledge, which were believed to be key components in ML teaching. The fact that the course offered a new approach to professional teacher development in ML (pre-service), contrasting the old model (in-service) reported in ML-related literature in South Africa, where qualified teachers from other subjects were reskilled, coupled with the need to grow the pool of qualified ML teachers, provided a rationale for conducting this study. Data relating to the pre-service teachers' responses to assessment tasks within the course, and their school practicum periods focusing on classroom mathematical working, combined with pedagogical orientations, was collected. PISA's (OECD, 2010, 2013) dimensions of the mathematisation process provided the theoretical framework while Graven and Venkat's (2007a) pedagogic agendas were used to make sense of the pedagogic orientations in practice. The results relating to both learning and practice suggest that the teachers' knowledge relating to model formulation, an aspect of extramathematics connections, was weak across the two years. Nevertheless, improvements in ways in which the dimensions ofthe mathematisation process occurred were noted across the two years, with localised errors. In terms of pedagogic agendas foregrounded by the teachers in ML classrooms, results indicate that agenda 2 (content and context driven) and agenda 3 (mainly content driven) featured more than agenda 1 (context driven) which supports the rhetoric in the ML curriculum. Two implications to teacher training have been noted; first the need for a focus on correctly translating quantities from problem situations into mathematical models, and secondly, the need for promotion of provision of solution procedures with pedagogic links. This study offers two key contributions namely; extending knowledge relating to pre-service ML teacher training, and extending theory for understanding steps in problem solving to incorporate aspects of pedagogy.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Johannesburg, 2015 / The purpose of this study was to explore and identify the contribution that leadership coaching, facilitated by MBA alumni, could make to MBA students’ leadership development. The research study employed a mixed method sequential exploratory design with data collected from over 350 MBA students and more than 90 MBA alumni coaches. The outcomes of the study indicated that the MBA leadership coaching sessions had provided the MBA students with a new personalised learning experience that had increased their self-awareness, strengthened their self-development skills, and built a foundation for their future leadership development. The research study made a theoretical contribution to the fields of leadership development and coaching, by showing the contribution that a person-centred coaching approach, focused on individual facilitation and development, can make to MBA leadership development. The main contribution to practice was that the study established that using MBA alumni to facilitate MBA students’ leadership coaching could be a highly beneficial and financially viable alternative to using professional coaches for this purpose. A methodological contribution was made by demonstrating how a three-phased mixed method sequential exploratory design could yield a multi-faceted and fully integrated understanding of the outcomes of a study of this nature. Recommendations are made for future research, including exploring whether similar outcomes of MBA leadership coaching can be observed at other business schools in South Africa or elsewhere, as well as the desirability of conducting a follow-up study on the MBA students that participated in this study. This could establish what impact the coaching sessions have had on the MBA students’ leadership development over time. / MB2016