Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges (Formerly Further Education and Training [FET] Colleges) in South Africa have undergone many changes since 1994. The sector has been reformed with much policy change. There are currently 50 multi-campus sites spread across South Africa. Government has realized the plight of many jobless youth. The lack of trained workers with certain scarce skills has therefore come to light in the world of work. TVET Colleges have the potential to answer this need. In 2007, a new curriculum, National Certificate (Vocational) [NC(V)] was rolled out to replace the National Assembly Training and Education Department or NATED (N1-6) qualifications. This new curriculum was described as an equivalent to Grades 10 to 12, with students generally being between the ages of 16 and 18. Most of the students enrolled for these courses hold bursaries. Of concern for this study is the low throughput rate of roughly 40% of this age group per year, since roll-out in 2007. In this generic qualitative research study framed with a constructivist paradigm, I set out to explore the student support officers’ perceptions of providing support to these NC(V) students that did not pass their courses. I made use of semi-structured individual and telephonic interviews to gather data and the respondents were selected based on their role within the college. I developed thematic networks to organize the data before analyzing it into themes. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological framework served as the theoretical framework underlying my research. Findings showed that the roles of the student supporters were not clearly defined. This lead to many challenges within the performance of their roles. Student supporters thus seemed to be in constant battle to support the students. In addition, working with adolescent students in the TVET College sector also presented unique challenges, since they are a new cohort of students entering the colleges. The student supporters shared recommendations that could be considered for the development of their roles within the college sector. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tegniese- en Beroepsonderwys- en- Opleidingskolleges (TVET Colleges) in Suid-Afrika het vanaf 1994 baie veranderinge ondergaan. Daar is beleide in plek gestel wat hierdie sektor herskep het (tot onlangs bekend as verdere Onderwys en Opleiding). Daar is huidiglik 50 TVET Kolleges regoor Suid-Afrika. Die regering het besef dat daar baie jongmense sonder werk is. Dit het aan die lig gekom dat daar ’n tekort aan opgeleide mense met sekere vaardighede is. Die TVET Kolleges is geïdentifiseer as die plek waar hierdie opleiding aangebied kan word. In 2007 is ’n nuwe kurrikulum by TVET Kolleges bekend gestel. Die doel was dat dit die ou NATED (N1-6) kursusse vervang en dat dit vir jonger studente opgestel is. Hierdie kurrikulum is die NCV (Nasionale beroepsgerigte Sertifikaat) genoem. Die studente is dan tipies besig om hul Graad10-12 by die Kollege te voltooi en is tussen die ouderdomme van 16-18. Die meeste studeer met ’n beurs. As daar nou teruggekyk word na die slaagsyfer van hierdie NVC kurrikulum vanaf 2007, is die gemiddeld 40%. Dit is iets waaroor die media gereeld rapporteer. In hierdie generiese kwalitatiewe navorsingstudie met ’n konstruktivistiese paradigma, het ek besluit om ondersoek in te stel oor die persepsies van die studenteondersteuners oor hul rol as ondersteuners vir hierdie groep jonger NCV studente wat sukkel om te slaag. Ek wou verstaan wat studentondersteuning binne die TVET Kolleges beteken. Ek het gebruik gemaak van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met persone binne die rol van studenteondersteuners. Die resultate is volgens temas geanaliseer en georganiseer. Bronfenbrenner se bio-ekologiese raamwerk het gedien as die teoretiese raamwerk wat die navorsing rugsteun. Die resultate het aan die lig gebring dat die studenteondersteuners se rolle nie duidelik omskryf was nie en dat hulle konstant moet baklei om die student te kan ondersteun. Die nuwe adolessente wat nou deel uitmaak van die studentestelsel het ook unieke uitdagings, aangesien hulle ’n nuwe ouderdomsgroep is wat nou ondersteun moet word. Die resultate gee ook aanbevelings weer wat deur die studenteondersteuners gemaak is ten opsigte van die uitvoer van hul rol binne hul spesifieke TVET Kollege konteks.

Reports and consultative documents published at national level since about 1980 have indicated that British Industry must look to modern technology and also educate and train its workers on a 'broad base', with an 'integrated' approach. Traditionally, and still very much the mode of operation, teaching has been confined within subject boundaries. A research group was established by Professor Bajpai consisting of the author, Mr Rod Bond (Burleigh Community College, Loughborough) and a few others working overseas to investigate a teaching strategy based on an interrelated approach to teaching mathematics. Measurement was chosen as the first topic of investigation using this approach which then formed the basis for further research undertaken by the two research workers of the group whose work is reported in the form of two theses. This thesis aims to show that mathematics is naturally related to science and technology in industrial practice and that when taught in an interrelated way it would be more interesting and have more relevance to real applications in technology-based employment at craft and technician levels. To help establish the case experiments carried out by the author are referred to; these include a few case studies, a questionnaire survey and results analysed from more than five hundred basic mathematics tests. The various kinds of mathematics taught in further education are described and compared with mathematics in a practical context as seen from a case study within an engineering training school. Next a survey of mathematics at work shows that, like the training school, there is a task associated with the mathematics which is also related to science or technology or both. Another case study in the pharmaceutical industry lends further support to the way mathematics is used in industry. Much of the mathematics also seems to be basic and used in association with measurement and a particular task. It was decided by the research group that a tape/slide programme on measurement for students and educators should be developed by the author and tested in different situations. Teaching modules on relevant mathematical topics based on the interrelated approach were constructed for students with strong support from industry in the form of materials and advice. Testing of these modules, in their original and revised forms after feedback, is described. These trials were also carried out in other establishments. Modules based upon the interrelated approach developed by the author formed a basis for promoting the underlying philosophy behind this approach. These were presented to educators in in-service training and staff development programmes in the north western region of the UK with success. Observations and conclusions drawn clearly indicate that this type of method makes mathematics more interesting and relevant for students of different abilities and backgrounds. Finally pointers are given in the thesis as to the wider use and promotion of this approach for teaching mathematics in further education.