The purpose of this study is to formulate guidelines upon which Technology Education can be put into operation in the South African schools with specific reference to standard eight students. The objective is to formulate Technology Education guidelines suitable for and within the broad framework of the South African curricula. In attempting to translate Technology Education curriculum to South Africa, the author explores the state of advancement in Technology Education in various developed and developing countries. The status, principles and theoretical assumptions of Technology Education are also explored. The role of the teacher in the Technology Education programme is also discussed. Guidelines for Technology Education, including Technology Education teaching strategies, guidelines for Technology Education assessment standards and guidelines for integrating Technology Education, Science and Mathematics are also formulated. The author qualifies the significance of Technology Education in South Africa through a pilot study over a year. The subjects of this (pilot) empirical study consisted of a total of 175 standard eight students, 77 of who were in a control group, who had received no tuition in Technology Education. A group of 98 received tuition in Technology Education for a year. The normal end of the year examination in 1994 measured academic performance of the two groups. Performance in 1993 is also used in the statistical analysis. The Univariate Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is applied in the analysis of data. Statistically significant differences are found between the academic performance of these two groups in relation to the overall Examination marks, English, Science and Mathematics marks. Statistically significant differences are also found between the 1993 and 1994 performance of the experimental group after receiving Technology Education tuition in standard eight in terms of the overall Examination, marks, English, Science and Mathematics marks. In the control group, no statistically significant differences were evidenced in Mathematics, English and Science when comparing marks in 1993 and in 1994. It is only applicable in the average Examination mark. These results confirm the role that Technology Education plays in enhancing performance in Science and Mathematics including English. / Curriculum and Institutional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Curriculum 2005 together with its learning areas has been introduced in South Africa in 1998. All learning areas, except Technology Learning Area, are not new. Technology is growing so rapidly that it gives so many challenges to people. These challenges include making technology part of our curriculum, formulating and adapting technological solutions to problems people may experience. We have to ask ourselves what technology or Technology Education means. Therefore, this study provides the meaning and the rationale for Technology Education in our curriculum. This study also attempts to shed light on the form of training educators should attend for Technology Education. Although there are different methods of training, for example PRESET and INSET, this study concentrates on various forms of INSET. INSET is chosen because it is a means through which the present need for Technology Education educators can be solved. The percentage of educators involved in part-time study will increase in relation to the number in full-time education. The closing down of some of colleges of education in South Africa reduces the use of PRESET and increases INSET as a means of educator training. The advantages of using INSET instead of PRESET are provided in this study. The National Teacher Audit of 1995 has shown that the quality of INSET in South Africa is poor. In addition, it seems the present ad hoc way of running INSET will not cope with challenges of training educators for Curriculum 2005 and Technology Education. Normally, INSET is the prime strategy for addressing problems in PRESET. Unfortunately, INSET has to train educators for Technology Education (Technology Learning Area) which was never touched by PRESET before. For this reason, this study provides an INSET model, guidelines and recommendations to make the suggested model of INSET work successfully. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)

The purpose of the project was to develop a single-semester curriculum for Citrus College. The curriculum was directed at adults returning from the workplace to update their skills, and college students that are enrolled in the information technology (IT), or computer science (CS) tracks.

The purpose of the project was to develop a single-semester curriculum for Citrus College. The curriculum was directed at adults returning from the workplace to update their skills, and college students that are enrolled in the information technology (IT), or computer science (CS) tracks.

Despite the increasing importance of digitization in all facets of teaching and learning, digital moderation (eModeration) has received little attention in research and practice. No evidence-based requirements on the secondary school environment could be found for the development of a digital moderation system. This finding provided the rationale for an investigation into the requirements for an efficient eModeration system for IT and CAT assessments at grade 12 level in South Africa. A critical literature review was employed to explore eModeration and the requirements for a digital moderation system. This study is novel in exploring the applicability of post-adoption technology acceptance models to a pre-adoption system. The inquiry was guided by the overarching research question of: What are the requirements for an efficient eModeration system for IT and CAT SBA assessments at grade 12 level in SA? This dissertation concludes that there is currently no dedicated eModeration system in use in the secondary school environment. This study draws on the eModeration literature, the technology adoption literature and empirical research in the private secondary school environment of IT and CAT assessments at grade 12 level in South Africa to provide an evidence-based contribution to the requirements for an efficient eModeration system. The findings serve as a theoretical basis for future research into eModeration systems and can make a practical contribution to future practices and policies within schools and assessment bodies. / School of Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)

This is an Action Research (AR) study with the senior phase Technology teachers at selected schools of Limpopo Province. The study was motivated by the fact that Technology Education is a foreign concept to many teachers and a new learning area in school curriculum both nationally and internationally. This was exacerbated by the many educational changes that took place in South Africa in the last 18 years. These changes include the overhauling of curriculum, which was the strategic and symbolic change since the first democratic election of 1994, but followed by its review. Thus, a new curriculum known as Curriculum 2005 (reviewed twice already) was developed in which Technology was introduced as a new subject. These changes drastically affected Technology Education and teachers’ coping demands on both the subject content and pedagogy escalated. In this study, AR, a strategy for a systematic, objective investigation with Technology teachers’ who are un- and under- qualified to teach Technology was considered. The study aimed at establishing intervention strategies to empower and emancipate senior phase Technology teachers in Mankweng Circuit from the said challenges above. Thus, the study sought to address the question: How could action research intervention be used to improve the teaching of senior phase Technology teachers who are un- and/or under-qualified? The intervention strategies were implemented through the AR cycles in spiral activities of planning, implementation and observation, action and reflection, whose principles were operationalized to develop participants from the situations that they face in their Technology teaching contexts. The study was designed from both critical theory perspective and participatory paradigm. The following instruments were used as a means to gather data: observations, interviews, questionnaires, field notes, video recording of lesson plans and logs of meetings. The study managed to come up with guidelines to develop and kick start AR with teachers. From the ii findings an AR model was developed to emancipate the un- and under-qualified Technology teachers. Themes from the challenges and AR were used to draft a six weeks plan to empower incapacitated Technology teachers. This investigation was shaped by the initial reflection or preliminary study conducted with the participants called reconnaissance study which revealed specific challenges that Technology teachers encountered daily in their classes. These challenges were turned into the themes, which together with the findings from the preliminary study and interview reflection per cycle were used to design the intervention strategies for the next main cycle. The findings of the study from both the preliminary investigation (presented in Chapter Two) and main AR (presented in Chapter Five) reveal an improvement in the teachers’ understanding and implementation of Technology – they were emancipated to a greater extent from the challenges prior to the AR intervention and post the AR intervention. It is true that coming together as AR co-researchers was the beginning of Technology teaching practice problem identification; keeping together was progressive in Technology teaching; but working together remains our success in Technology teaching then, now and in the future – post doctoral studies. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Summary in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The natural environment is important for human existence and the ubiquity of Information Technology (IT) has negatively impacted on the natural environment. Green IT offers to address these negative effects. However, since Green IT practices are often not common knowledge, it is vital that they are taught to others. Teachers typically have the skills and opportunities to teach many people. The research problem was the lack of research focusing on the teaching of Green IT in the context of the urgent need for it and teachers’ limited knowledge and competencies relating to Green IT. The study employed a survey research strategy, involving exploratory factor analysis, ANOVA and structural equation modeling (SEM). The main findings indicate that allocating time and resources to improve student teachers’ level of awareness, perceived behavioural control and person-related beliefs would positively influence their intention to teach Green IT, and, in turn, their Green IT teaching. / Die natuurlike omgewing, wat so noodsaaklik is vir menslike voortbestaan, word negatief beïnvloed deur die alomteenwoordigheid van inligtingstegnologie. Groen IT-praktyke kan gebruik word om sodanige negatiewe effekte in te perk, maar aangesien die nodige kennis nie alombekend is nie, moet dit aan ander oorgedra word. Onderwysers het beide die vaardighede en die geleenthede om inligting aan groot groepe mense oor te dra. In dié geval was die navorsingsprobleem ‘n gebrek aan studies wat fokus op die dringende noodsaaklikheid van Groen IT-onderrig, asook onderwysers se beperkte verwante kennis en vaardighede. ‘n Opname is gebruik as navorsingstrategie, met eksploratiewe faktorontleding, variansie-ontleding (ANOVA) en strukturele vergelykingsmodellering (SVM). Ingevolge die hoofbevindinge sal die beskikbaarmaak van tyd en hulpbronne leerlingonderwysers se bewuswordingsvlakke verbeter, sowel as hul waarneembare gedragswetenskaplike beheer en hul persoonsverwante beskouinge, en ‘n positiewe uitwerking hê op hul voorneme om Groen IT te onderrig, wat weer op sy beurt hul Groen IT-onderrig sal bevoordeel. / Imvelo yemvelo ibalulekile ekubeni khona komuntu nokutholakala kobuchwepheshe bezokwazisa kuye kwaba nomthelela omubi emvelweni yemvelo. Ubuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza bunikeza izindlela zokubhekana nemiphumela emibi. Kodwa-ke, njengoba imikhuba yobuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza ayivamile ukuba ulwazi iv oluvamile, kubalulekile ukuthi ifundiswe kwabanye. Othisha sidalo sabo banawo amakhono namathuba ukufundisa abantu abaningi. Inkinga yocwaningo ukuntuleka kocwaningo okugxila ekufundiseni kobuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza esimweni sesidingo esiphuthumayo sabo, nolwazi olulinganiselwe lothisha kanye namakhono afanelekayo kubuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza. Isu lokucwaninga ucwaningo lwasetshenziswa, okubandakanya ukuhlaziywa kwesici sokuhlola, ANOVA kanye nokuhlelwa kwesifaniselo esiyisilinganiso (SEM). Ukutholwa okusemqoka kubonisa ukuthi ukwabela isikhathi kanye nezinsiza zokuthuthukisa abafundi othisha izinga lokuqwashisa, ukulawula kokuziphatha okubonwayo kanye nezinkolelo ezihlobene nomuntu zizoshukumisa kahle izinhloso zabo ukufundisa ubuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza futhi nemfundiso yabo yobuchwepheshe bezokwazisa obuluhlaza. / University of South Africa / School of Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)

This study on technology in the South African school curriculum investigates the nature and value of this subject as a catalyst in developing Foundation Phase learners’ creative thinking skills Technology as school subject is defined as the use of knowledge, skills and available resources to develop solutions to meet human needs and wants, taking social and environmental factors into account. Central to this subject, is the design process of investigating, designing, making, evaluating and communicating solutions to problems identified in the environment. The notion and nature of creativity as researched by respected psychologists and researchers over the last few decades, with particular reference to Matlin’s theory of problem-solving and creativity, provides a theoretical underpinning with the aim of linking the problem-solving nature of technology with creative thinking. A qualitative case study research project, comprising a sample of six Foundation Phase learners at an independent school, has been conducted. Key characteristics of qualitative educational research such as sensitivity, precision, verification, empiricism, natural setting, inductive data analysis, validity and reliability and triangulation, have been taken into consideration. This study highlights the potential of technology as a school subject that provides learners with the opportunity to solve problems in creative ways and use authentic contexts rooted in real life situations. In addition, learners are afforded the opportunity to work collaboratively with others and engage in meaningful activities in the indoor and outdoor environment. Technology as a school subject in the Foundation Phase catalyzes learners’ creative thinking and problem-solving skills and provides a solid foundation for preparing young citizens for the demands and challenges of the 21st century. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

This thesis tackles the issues of foreign language education, with special attention to German as a foreign language, and STEM education in the K-12, and in some cases K-16, educational system. After exploring the societal and national need for improved STEM and foreign language education programs, this thesis suggests methods of integrating STEM education elements and principals in the foreign language classroom. These methods are provided in chapters about integrating state and national education standards in the STEM fields, core academic subject fields, and foreign language teaching, and finally in chapters about the most appropriate and effective pedagogies for successful STEM and foreign language integration. The thesis brings together research about such integration in learning modules and discussion about assessment methods and further areas of research needed. The learning modules and research are answering a call for a need to shift education in the direction of an integrative, interdisciplinary approach that supports deeper learning, meaning making, and student interest.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / To access interactive systems, blind and visually impaired users can leverage their auditory senses by using non-speech sounds. The current structure of non-speech sounds, however, is geared toward conveying user interface operations (e.g., opening a file) rather than large theme-based information (e.g., a history passage) and, thus, is ill-suited to signify the complex meanings of primary learning material (e.g., books and websites). In order to address this problem, this dissertation introduces audemes, a new category of non-speech sounds, whose semiotic structure and flexibility open new horizons for facilitating the education of blind and visually impaired students. An experiment with 21 students from the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI) supports the hypothesis that audemes increase the retention of theme-based information. By acting as memory catalysts, audemes can play an important role in enhancing the aural interaction and navigation in future sound-based user interfaces. For this dissertation, I designed an Acoustic EDutainment INterface (AEDIN) that integrates audemes as a way by which to vividly anticipate text-to-speech theme-based information and, thus, act as innovative aural covers. The results of two iterative usability evaluations with total of 20 blind and visually impaired participants showed that AEDIN is a highly usable and enjoyable acoustic interface. Yet, designing well-formed audemes remains an ad hoc process because audeme creators can only rely on their intuition to generate meaningful and memorable sounds. In order to address this problem, this dissertation presents three experiments, each with 10 blind and visually impaired participants. The goal was to examine the optimal combination of audeme attributes, which can be used to facilitate accurate recognitions of audeme meanings. This work led to the creation of seven basic guidelines that can be used to design well-formed audemes. An interactive application tool (ASCOLTA: Advanced Support and Creation-Oriented Library Tool for Audemes) operationalized these guidelines to support individuals without an audio background in designing well-formed audemes. An informal evaluation conducted with three teachers from the ISBVI, supports the hypothesis that ASCOLTA is a useful tool by which to facilitate the integration of audemes into the teaching environment.