[Extract from message from Minister of Higher Education, Hon. Naledi Pandor]: The International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) has produced yet another magnificent publication on higher education in South Africa It is an excellent source of information for everyone interested in universities and research in this country. It is especially useful for international students who plan to study in South Africa, and for people involved in developing international programmes. The theme of this edition, “The role of internationalisation in South Africa’s knowledge environment, is opportune at this juncture. It provides role-players in higher education with the opportunity to examine critical issues such as the place, purposes, benefits and limitations of internationalisation in the sector and the contribution internationalisation makes to the knowledge economy of our country. To participate effectively in the knowledge economy, South Africa has to grow its research base. For this, we need a pool of vibrant young researchers. South Africa is able to provide opportunities for groundbreaking research, and internationalisation provides students, academics and researchers with prospects to broaden the scope of their research. Exchange programmes, bilateral research connections, collaborative partnerships and other international links lend themselves to pathways through which local and international staff and students can expand their horizons and skills. In this way internationalisation can assist South Africa in realising its objectives. The South African higher education sector has identified priority areas in which it needs to develop human capital. They include science, technology and engineering. We can use international programmes to accelerate our capacity building plans and in particular the training and development of postgraduate students. Through research collaborations, for example, postgraduate students can be jointly trained and co-supervised with partners. This has beneficial outcomes for students, research partners and academics, as well as for the system as a whole. Aside from benefiting from sending our students abroad, South Africa also gains by receiving foreign students. International students bring with them different viewpoints, technologies and skills, which assist in developing new perspectives and techniques in South Africa Furthermore, cultural interaction enhances our own students' experiences. By studying together students come to understand and accept cultural differences and are enriched. These interactions, in turn, build positive relations which have positive long term benefits in developing economic and social links between people and countries, and which will help overcome newly surfaced problems of xenophobia in South Africa South Africa is currently host to more than 60,000 international students and many academics. The greatest proportion of international students and academics are from Africa particularly from the Southern African Development Community. As a host country we ensure high quality courses at universities, in order for our qualifications to be recognisable worldwide. South African institutions produce professionals who are highly sought- after around the world. This publication supports South Africa's education sector by providing information and by publicising our institutions and the sector as a whole. I would like to thank IEASA for the important role it plays in higher education. / 8th Edition

M.Ed.

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

M.Ed. / There is a great need for technical artisans in South Africa. Unfortunately the previous educational dispensation did not do much to remedy the situation, and now education, especially in the technological field, suffers a crisis as far as credibility, provision and relevance are concerned. Technology is changing every day, and to keep up to date, one must realise that learners do not choose technical subjects at school, or for that matter, do not pursue a career in technology. A qualitative approach was followed, interviews conducted at selected schools, and the result analysed to find out what the perceptions of learners are for not choosing technical subjects. The data yielded four categories, namely experience, ambition, status and technology. It seems that past experiences of parents cause learners not to go into technical careers for the perception exists that it entails is called "dirty work"; these jobs also have no status and learners would prefer to pursue university careers. Some recommendations are made, one being that the government of the day should take up the responsibility to get involved to make the technological field more attractive to prospective job seekers. Better salaries, especially for teachers, upgrading of schools and technical centres, better job opportunities and fighting perceptions of prejudice might solve this problem.

M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / In a rapidly changing world, where rivalry and competition influence each decision, it is imperative for employees to be educated and trained to the maximum, in order to perform their tasks in a comprehensively satisfactory manner. This can only be achieved when students undergo relevant education and training through a relevant curriculum. Due to the lack of communication between the industry and the education sector, as well as the fact that the requirements set by the industrial sector for a curriculum are not clearly defined, the curriculum does not address the needs of the industry. In this study the importance of involvement of the industry in the development of the curriculum for building-related subjects is addressed and the researcher endeavours to facilitate guidelines to promote continued co-operation and communication between all parties involved in curriculum design. The first phase of this study comprises of a literature study regarding curriculum development. In the next phase the empiric facet and its motivation is presented for the qualitative research in question. The last phase considers the data-analysis of the empiric research and after completing the above process, the following conclusions were made: That a greater measure of communication and co-operation between the industrial sector and the educ~tional sector can be established by developing definitive structures. This can be done by involving the broad spectrum of role-players to address specific curriculum matters. Communication channels have to be created so that there is continuous contact and co-operation between the two sectors. The value of this study is that the guidelines are not a direct assumption of the researcher himself. This was done by interviewing various employees and role-players of the two sectors, and it is therefore the employees' own opinion which is compiled in this study.

D.Ed. / Currently, the passrate for Engineering Drawing presented at Technical Colleges is unacceptably low. This study is an extension of an earlier study done in the same studyfield, by the same writer. A need has thus arisen not only to investigate the problem areas responsible for the high drop-out rate in Engineering Drawing, but also to investigate the possibility of the early identification of the potential riskstudent in Engineering Drawing. In an attempt to address this problein further, the aim of this study therefore is to develop an appropriate measuring instrument which may be used to identify the potential riskstudent in Engineering Drawing. Five Technical Colleges on the Eastrand in the Gauteng Province - catering mainly for black students - were included in the investigation. For the research study the "Trade Aptitude Test Battery" (TRAT), compiled by the Human Sciences Research Counil, was used. The results of this study, clearly showed three-dimensional spatial perception (subtest 16 of the TRAT) as the only factor to be used when identifying the potential riskstudent in Engineering Drawing. Subtest 16 of the TRAT could then be used as an "criterion" to identify the potential riskstudent in Engineering Drawing. Lastly this study showed that to master Engineering Drawing requires a great deal of spatial ability. Lecturers presenting this subject will therefore have to take into account the recommendations of this study as set out in chapter 9 when enrolling students for Engineering Drawing. Subject specific remedial programmes should be utilized to improve the successrate in Engeneering Drawing of the identified potential riskstudent in Engineering Drawing.

M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / The future economic development of South Africa largely depends on the training of a career-skilled corps of workers. The current conventional educational system cannot provide in the demand for a career-skilled corps of workers on a large scale. Distance education in its different variations is gaining ground in increasing measure and can be regarded as a possible solution for the educational problem. Because of the distance between the lecturer and the student intensive attention needs to be given to the study material - especially the arrangement of the learning content to make the learning experience more effective. The design of a modular training program is a possible method to ensure effective self-study material. Modular training is aimed at accompa- nying the student meaningfully through objective-directed learning content. The Technical College of South Africa (Technisa) is one of South.Africa's distance education institutions. Currently a movement is taking place in the direction of a type of modular training which is known as the Technisa Modular Training (TMT) programme. One of the career-orientated subjects offered is Technical Drawing. In order to offer the training of Technical Drawing more effectively the subject contents are ordered according to the Technisa Modular Training programme. In this study a literature study has been done to define the concept distance education; to list the advantages and disadvantages; to scrutinise the total modular system as teaching strategy; to determine the components of a subject curriculum and adjust it according to the Technisa Modular Training programme.

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D.Ed. / Each student undergoing tuition, is unique and one of a kind. Each student has his own personality and individuality. Students have different ways of learning; progress differently and reach different degrees of success with their methods of study. The success of the student's learning process is closely related to the student's existing pre-knowledge. The orientation student at the technical college finds himself in a unique situation. As this course is a bridging course, the student must overcome the backlog in his field of study and also be prepared for the studies that will follow. Learning of mathematics is a complex matter. No two answers will correspond if inquiring into the method in which mathematics is mastered. The same is also true if inquiring into the teaching strategies to be followed in order to acquire success in teaching this subject. In this study the theories of Piaget, Bruner, Ausubel among others, were scrutinised. Numerous teaching strategies can be followed to ensure success in the classroom. This study concentrates on co-operative learning, since the point of view is held that it provides the overall framework within which effective tuition can be achieved. Cooperative learning has been researched by applying it in the mathematics classroom. A very positive response was received from the students as well as the teachers concerned. However, certain problems were experienced. These include, inter alia, that some students found the classroom discipline lacking. Others complained that the lecturers did not do enough explaining. The following conclusions can be drawn from this study: Traditionally the classroom is where the lecturer has the sole right to teach. A change is necessary. New teaching strategies will have to be looked at. To achieve this change, co-operative learning is strongly recommended. It provides for active involvement of the student in the learning process; it provides the opportunity for the student to accept responsibility for his own learning success as well as that of his fellow students and it provides the opportunity for mastering social skills which are a necessity for our modern, complex and integrated society.

Thesis (DPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis presents the findings and conclusions of the function of research in the technikons’ journey from apprenticeship training to technological degrees. The analysis and interpretation of primary sources on the development of technical higher education and research revealed that research developments at technikons evolved in a pattern so closely resembling and reflecting an evolving technical education mission that it is difficult if not impossible to pinpoint cause and effect. The evolving technical education mission was characterised by diversity entrenched in the provision of technical education, a continuing problematic process of differentiation between vocational and technical education, the development of formal centrally-controlled technical higher education and continuous differences between the Education Department and the sector officials on the nature of the technical higher qualifications and the role of research in these qualifications. As a result of the factors characterising the development of technical higher education, gaps were created between the technikon officials’ vision of research at technikons, the strategies and plans to establish a research culture and the technikons’ research performance. In addition, an evaluation of technikon research performance in terms of the nature, scope, content and volume of research reflects a limited understanding of the relation between the input factors and the process factors utilised to lead to a system capable of sustaining a research culture, especially in view of maintaining the newly-assigned University status. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie dissertasie handel oor die bevindinge en slotsom ten opsigte van die funksie van navorsing in die technikons se reis van vakleerlingskapopleiding tot die aanbied van tegnologiese grade. Die analise en interpretasie van primêre bronne wat handel oor die ontwikkeling van hoër tegniese onderwys en navorsing het bewys dat navorsingontwikkeling by technikons op ‘n manier ontwikkel het dat dit die evolusie van die tegniese onderwysmissie streng navolg en reflekteer. Dit maak dit moeilik, indien nie onmoontlik nie, om die oorsaak en gevolg vas te stel. Die evolusie van die tegniese onderwysmissie is gekenmerk deur diversiteit wat ingebed is in die voorsiening van tegniese onderwys, ‘n voortdurende problematiese proses van differensiasie tussen beroeps- en tegniese onderwys, die ontwikkeling van formele sentraalbeheerde hoër tegniese onderwys en voortdurende verskille tussen die Department van Onderwys en die sektorbeamptes oor die aard van die hoër tegniese kwalifikasies en die rol van navorsing in hierdie kwalifikasies. As gevolg van die faktore wat die ontwikkeling van hoër tegniese onderwys gespeel het, het gapings ontstaan tussen die technikonbeamptes se visie van navorsing aan technikons, die strategieë en planne wat ontwikkel is om ‘n navorsingskultuur te vestig en die technikons se navorsingsuitsette. Saam daarmee het ‘n evaluasie van technikonnavorsingprestasie in terme van die aard, omvang, inhoud en volume ‘n beperkte begrip van die verhouding tussen insetfaktore en die prosesfaktore wat gebruik word om tot ‘n sisteem te lei wat daartoe in staat is om ‘n navorsingskultuur te onderhou, gereflekteer, veral met die doel om die nuuttoegekende universiteitstatus te onderhou.