University students worldwide regularly encounter assessments in their courses and the results obtained are used to make important decisions about their movement from one year of study to the next. This makes students vital stakeholders in the assessment practices of institutions and illustrates how issues related to the topic of assessment and assessment practices are critical to students. Many authors and researchers advocate the idea that the perspectives of students’ themselves are important wherever questions of assessment arise. Furthermore, assessments take on various forms and are understood and therefore utilised in a particular manner depending on their context. This study thus aimed to describe assessments used at a specific South African university from the students’ perspective. Seventeen third year level Psychology students participated by completing a demographic questionnaire and taking part in one of four focus groups which were transcribed. The data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The research yielded results pertaining to many different aspects of assessment. Participants perceived the purposes of assessment in the same manner as described in the literature, namely to measure knowledge, ability to cope and institutional standards. They viewed each form of assessment (multiple choice tests, open-ended test and examinations, essay assignments and group work) as having a specific purpose and different advantages and disadvantages and indicated that they prepared for each type of assessment using different strategies, depending on the form. Participants understood assessments in terms of the types of task that each required them to complete but were more concerned about the conditions under which they were expected to complete them. The time constraint element in particular was viewed as detracting from performance rather than as part of the assessment task. Other individual and contextual factors were perceived as important but were often not accounted for or able to be accounted for in assessments. Participants appeared motivated to succeed by achieving high marks rather than by achieving the intended course outcomes and assessment purposes and time management was identified as an important aspect of coping. In general, the participants seemed to perceive assessment and the various forms thereof in a similar manner and in line with literature.

In 1974 the Federal Government abolished tuition fees for all government institutions and took over full funding responsibility for universities and colleges of advanced education from the States. This study investigates the process of funding tertiary institutions and the somewhat different position and importance in the funding process of technical and further education colleges compared with universities and colleges of advanced education is clarified and explained. The influence of the changing economic circumstances of the late nineteen seventies upon the level and method of funding is considered. The role of the Tertiary Education Commission as a major influence within the funding process and its role in decisionmaking is outlined and its power acknowledged. The Federal Government attitude to the level and pattern of funding tertiary education has altered significantly since 1974. To illustrate the extent and nature of changed government priorities,trends in funding and the implications of such trends are examined and analysed. From this data emerging problems as universities and colleges of advanced education face the difficulties of expenditure restraint are identified. It is noted that not all the effects of restraint have negative consequences, in fact there may be some positive benefits to be derived. The field study investigates the currently increasing demands for our tertiary institutions to be more accountable for the public funds they spend. Questions associated with the demand for accountability- the difficulty of defining what is meant by accountability; accountability for what, to whom, when, how and why in relation to the funding of tertiary education are discussed, associated problems and possible solutions highlighted. Finally, some reflections upon the process of funding tertiary education are expounded and conclusions are drawn from the investigation undertaken and data presented.

This thesis is about factors which aid and hinder successful completions for New Zealand-born Samoans. The thesis explores the proposition that educational marginalisation of minority students will be perpetuated until AUT adopts policies and procedures which enable culturally responsive educational pedagogies and practices which honour indigenous minorities. The thesis asked New Zealand-born Samoan students, what is the nature of their aiga (family) and cultural support frameworks (structures), and, further, to what extent and how and why do these students engage with such networks (processes)? This study used a qualitative approach within which six New Zealand-born Samoan students were interviewed using a semi-structured approach to gathering data. The interview data were transcribed and a thematic analysis was manually completed both within and across the six cases. The turnaround time in gaining ethics approval impacted upon the capacity of the investigator to conduct this research in what she considered to be a culturally appropriate manner and the cautious vigilance of the final ethics committee approval was perceived as a barrier to making culturally appropriate contact. It was discovered that Samoan structures, especially family, are paramount in supporting educational success because of the Fa’a Samoa processes which they engender. A further discovery was that New Zealand-born Samoans retain cultural affiliations so their lifestyle shows deep regard for Fa’a Samoa identity. Through these affiliations, meaningful life metaphors become applied. It was concluded that transforming staff so that they understand Pasifika peoples is crucial to growing Pasifika educational success. Staff development must, therefore, be planned so that meaningful understandings of Pasifika concepts and frameworks become nurtured and that is a challenge which AUT must embrace and action.

This thesis is about factors which aid and hinder successful completions for New Zealand-born Samoans. The thesis explores the proposition that educational marginalisation of minority students will be perpetuated until AUT adopts policies and procedures which enable culturally responsive educational pedagogies and practices which honour indigenous minorities. The thesis asked New Zealand-born Samoan students, what is the nature of their aiga (family) and cultural support frameworks (structures), and, further, to what extent and how and why do these students engage with such networks (processes)? This study used a qualitative approach within which six New Zealand-born Samoan students were interviewed using a semi-structured approach to gathering data. The interview data were transcribed and a thematic analysis was manually completed both within and across the six cases. The turnaround time in gaining ethics approval impacted upon the capacity of the investigator to conduct this research in what she considered to be a culturally appropriate manner and the cautious vigilance of the final ethics committee approval was perceived as a barrier to making culturally appropriate contact. It was discovered that Samoan structures, especially family, are paramount in supporting educational success because of the Fa’a Samoa processes which they engender. A further discovery was that New Zealand-born Samoans retain cultural affiliations so their lifestyle shows deep regard for Fa’a Samoa identity. Through these affiliations, meaningful life metaphors become applied. It was concluded that transforming staff so that they understand Pasifika peoples is crucial to growing Pasifika educational success. Staff development must, therefore, be planned so that meaningful understandings of Pasifika concepts and frameworks become nurtured and that is a challenge which AUT must embrace and action.

This thesis is about factors which aid and hinder successful completions for New Zealand-born Samoans. The thesis explores the proposition that educational marginalisation of minority students will be perpetuated until AUT adopts policies and procedures which enable culturally responsive educational pedagogies and practices which honour indigenous minorities. The thesis asked New Zealand-born Samoan students, what is the nature of their aiga (family) and cultural support frameworks (structures), and, further, to what extent and how and why do these students engage with such networks (processes)? This study used a qualitative approach within which six New Zealand-born Samoan students were interviewed using a semi-structured approach to gathering data. The interview data were transcribed and a thematic analysis was manually completed both within and across the six cases. The turnaround time in gaining ethics approval impacted upon the capacity of the investigator to conduct this research in what she considered to be a culturally appropriate manner and the cautious vigilance of the final ethics committee approval was perceived as a barrier to making culturally appropriate contact. It was discovered that Samoan structures, especially family, are paramount in supporting educational success because of the Fa’a Samoa processes which they engender. A further discovery was that New Zealand-born Samoans retain cultural affiliations so their lifestyle shows deep regard for Fa’a Samoa identity. Through these affiliations, meaningful life metaphors become applied. It was concluded that transforming staff so that they understand Pasifika peoples is crucial to growing Pasifika educational success. Staff development must, therefore, be planned so that meaningful understandings of Pasifika concepts and frameworks become nurtured and that is a challenge which AUT must embrace and action.

Magister Artium - MA / Praktiese ondervinding van die onderrig van Musiek op skoolvlak het getoon dat Musiekteoretiese vakke en Gehoorontwikkeling nie voldoende gestrukrureerd en gebaseer op wetenskaplik gefundeerde onderrigmetodes aangebied word nie. 'n Gebrek aan integrasie tussen Gehoorontwikkeling en die Musiekteoretiese vakke word vermoed. Innerlike gehoor is noodsaaklik is vir die musikus, maar bly grootliks onderontwikkel Hierdie studie konsentreer op die integrasie wat nodig is tussen die Musiekteoretiese vakke en Gehoorontwikkeling, en toets empiries die mening van musiekstudente by wyse van 'n vraelys en dié van musiekdosente by wyse onderhoude. Die ondersoek spreek die algemene metodes aan waardeur die betrokke vakke onderrig word, asook die probleme wat daarmee gepaard gaan. Die musiekstudent se mening omtrent sy tersiêre musiekopleiding word gevra. Daar is bevind dat die twee dissiplines nie doelmatig geïntegreerd aangebied word nie en voorstelle om die situasie te verbeter, word gemaak ..

This essay examines whether an investment in tertiary education in mid-age increase the probability to remain in the labor market after age 65 in Sweden. In addition, we analyze whether there is any difference in the probability to continue work after 65 if individuals choose to invest in tertiary education in mid-age or in any other age. This study utilizes already existing data that is a combination of a questionnaire survey and Swedish register data. In the sample there are 5235 individuals who are retired and 881 who are still in the labor market, born between 1938 and 1949. The implemented method is a linear probability model to obtain mean marginal effect. The results indicate that individuals who invested in tertiary education in mid-age have a higher probability to remain in the labor market after 65 than individuals with no tertiary education. There is, however, no statistically significant difference in probability depending on when they decide to invest in tertiary education.

This exploratory study into content teacher views on English as the medium of instruction (EMI) in federal tertiary settings in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was conducted to add to the emerging number of EMI studies in the country and the Arabian Gulf. While other UAE studies have canvassed views from two or more stakeholders, this study looked to focus only on teachers. Working within an interpretive paradigm, rich data were sought from a purposive sample of 45 teachers for an open questionnaire and 9 teachers for semi-structured interviews; the interview themes emanating from questionnaire data analysis. The research framework was built on the researcher’s own experiences in the research context, the assumptions that emerged from those experiences and a review of pertinent themes from the literature, which tended to be grounded in critical theory. These concepts were the macro-policy areas of education and language policy, the synthesised analysis of language policy in education and subsequently a review of themes emerging from EMI studies globally, regionally and in the UAE, which led to a focus on the problem areas of language proficiency and appropriate language pedagogy for this specific research context. Findings suggest that although there is some support for EMI among the sample there is also recognition of attendant problems with the policy caused in the main by students’ insufficient language ability for Bachelor’s study in English and question marks over the need to aspire to native speaker proficiency in a society where various Englishes as a lingua franca are used between citizens who do not use English as their mother tongue. These causes lead students and teachers to enact policy to create learning opportunities. Enactments include skills avoidance, simplifying materials, reducing content and code-switching into Arabic. The absence of Arabic in the higher education curriculum is also questioned, given evidence that it is relevant for students’ future employment; be it in the public or private sector. Recommendations include that English remain an integral part of the curriculum given its relevance for later employment but that the choice of EMI as the model for learning be reviewed to see if other approaches may be more appropriate. It is also recommended that Arabic be included in the curriculum in some form given its importance for students’ careers. Finally, if EMI remains the chosen linguistic approach, teachers are recommended to continue enacting as part of their professional practice to ensure that their students get some benefit from their relatively challenging study environment.

This thesis asks: ‘How can tertiary education nurture entrepreneurial creativity?’ Entrepreneurship is considered to be a vital determinant of economic growth and the entrepreneur is understood as someone who innovates and commercialises their own innovation. The setting is New Zealand which is struggling to make the shift from relying on primary production to becoming a ‘creative economy.’ The creative individual has been identified as a new mainstream but it is argued that in New Zealand, education provision is inadequate for supporting the development of the practice of entrepreneurship. The problem is not unique. Various writers are critical of business education generally, and of the mismatch between the passion and chaos in entrepreneurs’ lives and the way education programs are typically organised as a linear sequence of discipline-based courses with prescribed content, activities and outcomes. Rich data were gathered from in-depth interviews with twelve nascent, new or experienced entrepreneurs and two associates (one a marketer, the other a scientist). Each participant was drawn from a different area of economic endeavour. They were asked to share their stories and views about creativity, the connections between creativity and entrepreneurship, business success, formal and informal education, and ways to improve tertiary education programs. The research found that a suitable environment for nurturing creativity will most likely have structure but will also enable chaos. It will present opportunities for experiencing diversity, and will stimulate unconscious and conscious mental processes. It will provide scope for hard work that is fun and involves authentic risk-taking, and will enable both individual and purposeful teamwork. The study also found that business success is not based on knowledge but is rather about being resourceful. The becoming of the creative entrepreneur thus includes developing capability to network with peers and mentors and communicate with customers and staff, and developing passion for and resilience in the pursuit of a dream. The findings suggest that in an age of uncertainty, nurturing entrepreneurial creativity and resourcefulness requires learning to be viewed as a practice-based community process where knowing and doing are interwoven with being. It is argued that this needs to align with Ronald Barnett and Kelly Coate’s (2005) notion of ‘a curriculum for engagement.’ It is suggested that an entire program might simply invite students to work collaboratively to identify and exploit an entrepreneurial opportunity by producing and commercialising an appropriate product/service innovation; to undertake this work as two separate projects – one within an existing organisation, and the other as a new venture; and to theorise their work. It is proposed that a suitable framework lies in William Doll’s (2002) advocacy for a curriculum based on a matrix of five Cs: ‘currere,’ complexity, cosmology, conversation, and community. To these, creativity is added as a sixth C.

<p>The research is based on the Financial crisis of the Historically Black Universities as well as the access problems encountered by students from poor backgrounds. Furthermore the research highlights the problems encountered by these students once they are accepted into these universities for example, the inability to cope withe the high standards of sudying at these institutions as well as the problem of paying their fees. the thesis shows the history of university funding in South Africa with emphasis on the differentfunding formulas, dating back to the era of the Holloway funding formula as well as the Van Wyk de Vries report, the SAPSE funding formula and different other mechanisms up to the present funding formula. Views of different educationalists will also be dealt with in regard to the funding problems of university education in South Africa.</p>