This was a study of rural community literacy practices in Uganda. I used the social practices theory of literacy as a theoretical framework to investigate literacy use in rural community life in Bweyale. The social practices theory of literacy sees literacy as variable social practice that can only be understood within the social context of its use. Consistent with the social practices theoretical perspective and following similar research traditions in this area of literacy study, I used ethnographic research methods to collect data and grounded theory methods to analyse data on literacy use in Bweyale. The study revealed that rural people, contrary to popular perceptions about their illiteracy and hence lack of literacy, actually use reading and writing in a variety of ways in different domains of literacy use. Literacy pervades most aspects of rural community life, making rural people use literacy in many rich and creative ways. Most people, regardless of their literacy status, participate in local literacy practices. The most prominent areas of literacy use in rural community life are livelihood activities, education, religion, bureaucracy, household life, and personal life. The study also found that the conception of literacy among rural people in Bweyale is similar to the dominant conception of literacy. In this conception, literacy is seen as equal to education and/or schooling and it relates to modernity. Rural people see literacy as a valuable and important aspect of life. The literacy they value most is the dominant English language literacy. This is due to the multilingual nature of Uganda and the national language policy that made English the dominant language of literacy even in rural community life. The use of English literacy is also reinforced by its use as the language of instruction in Uganda’s education system where most people learn how to read and write. This dominance of English complicates literacy use in rural community life because it brings in the need for translation, especially when people who do not understand English are involved in a literacy event. It also complicates local language literacy learning. The use of English is closely associated with the dominant non-traditional activities like school education, the police service, modern trade practices, and to some extent, Christian religious practices. Local language literacy is mainly used when communicating information relating to traditional activities, for example, traditional medicinal practices or for personal use. The study recommends that adult literacy education curricula should be tailored to the local literacy practices of the people for whom the literacy programmes are being developed. This will help to make the literacy programmes immediately relevant to the everyday literacy practices of the learners’ community. The programmes should promote literacy use in the community by exploring new areas of literacy use in rural community life. These are areas in which the use of literacy could lead to better management of some activities in rural community life. In all, rural people are literate in ways that are not acknowledged in dominant literacy thinking and hence even by rural people themselves. This way of thinking must be discouraged. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

There appears to be a need to demystify suicidal behaviour not just for the benefit of researchers and health workers but equally for parents, teachers and most importantly for adolescents themselves. The focus in this study was on attempting to provide a fresh perspective of adolescent suicidal behaviour by viewing some delinquent and deviant behaviour as possible manifestation of suicidal behaviour and by decoding and making an attempt to understand the non-verbal voices/cries of suicidal adolescents. In general, suicide and suicidal behaviour among adolescents, has received relatively little attention from Education Departments throughout South Africa. Suicide-prevention is also sadly neglected by government and public health authorities. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the phenomenon has become the first cause of death among the younger age groups, with a higher mortality rate than for road accidents, it has not so far managed to provide backing for preventive schemes within the school and community systems of the same magnitude as the ones developed to tackle other public health problems, such as Aids. The purpose of this study was to gain greater insight into the phenomenon of adolescent suicidal behaviour so that a clearer and broader definition (that included both overt and covert behaviour) was formulated. This will then assist, amongst others, educators, parents and adolescents to identify more easily adolescent suicidal behaviour in its various forms . The study also hoped to investigate and identify the factors that could contribute to suicidal behaviour in adolescents. It also hoped to explore what support systems were available and accessible to the adolescents, more especially those manifesting deviant and delinquent forms of suicidal behaviour and to investigate the effectiveness of the support systems. The concept of networking and creating supportive connections is strongly supported when facing problems of suicide and suicidal behaviour. In creating a connection with the parents, teachers are able to better connect with learners because they will be more aware of the stressors that adolescents are experiencing. Since evidence indicates (Snyder, 1971) that potential suicide victims typically turn first to family and everyday friends and to the more traditional and perhaps formal sources such as clergy, psychiatrists, social workers only later, the need for the school to be more ready to play the role of referrer to other established sources of help is apparent. Teachers should not mistake adolescent suicidal behaviour for just delinquent 'brat' behaviour. In many situations adolescent suicidal behaviour becomes a way of communicating with others after all other forms of communication have broken down - when connections with the outer world is tenuous or non-existent. Stigma keeps adolescent suicidal behaviour from being identified as a public health problem that is preventable. This could be the reason (besides financial ones) why the Department of Education has not seen the urgency to strengthen counselling services in schools. In the absence of such support parents, educators and adolescents need to join forces - create a network of connections - both physical and emotional - so that desperate cries of adolescents are heard, interpreted and eliminated. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.

This thesis is concerned with a study of the use of microteaching in the one year postgraduate teacher training course. It consists of two national surveys using two types of questionnaire, an Organisation and an Attitude Questionnaire. Education tutors and Subject Method tutors in United Kingdom universities, polytechnics and colleges offering one year postgraduate courses were requested to complete questionnaires about their use of microteaching and about their attitudes towards it. Visits were arranged to meet the staff involved and to see the type of facilities available. A similar survey was conducted in Departments of Education in South African universities. A comparative study of the use of microteaching in one year postgraduate teacher training courses was carried out on the data that was accumulated from the two surveys. Some interesting points of comparison can be made both on the types of microteaching organisation that have evolved in the two very different education systems and on the different attitudes of staff towards the use of microteaching. Based on the United Kingdom data, an in-depth study of the factors affecting the use of microteaching, was carried out. This study was related to the changes in teacher training in the United Kingdom during the seventies, following the publication of the James report, leading to a more professional approach to teacher training and the evolution of school-based training courses. Significant differences in the responses to the Organisation and Attitude Questionnaires from the different types of institution were examined using Chi-square. The Attitude data was examined for various groups of teacher training staff, who differed in their approaches to the organisation of microteaching because of, for instance, the different facilities available, the length of time available, the size of the student group or the logistics of the microteaching programme, by the use of Chi-square and significant differences in the responses of the different groups were reported. The results from the surveys were analysed and related to the research findings as published in the literature to see how the practitioners of teacher education differ in their views and approaches to microteaching from those responsible for the research into microteaching. Factor analysis of the responses to the Attitude Questionnaire from the different types of training institution, i.e. United Kingdom universities, polytechnics and colleges and South African universities, was carried out to examine the significant underlying factors which influenced the responses. The findings of the study identify economic, organisational and philosophical factors which affect the way microteaching is used. These factors and the recent developments in postgraduate teacher training courses in the United Kingdom are examined for their possible implications for postgraduate teacher training in South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Natal, 1985.

See fulltext. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Jabu Ngcobo Public Adult Learning Centre is a learning centre of the Department of Education and Culture where Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) is provided. Its operations are expected to reflect the provisions and norms of the Policy for Adult Basic Education and Training (1997) and the Adult Basic Education and Training Act (2000). The aim of this study was to investigate the provision and delivery of ABET programmes offered by the Jabu Ngcobo PALC, which is situated in Imbali Township, Pietermaritzburg. This study focused specific attention on how the programmes offered at this centre addressed the learning needs of the learners and the community of the Imbali Township and its immediate surrounding areas. The literature reviewed covered numerous sources that informed and supported this study. Both qualitative and quantitative tools were used as part of the data collection process. Data was collected from the different stakeholders and role-players involved with the PALC. These include the Centre Manager, practitioners, current and ex-learners, community leaders and Departmental officials. The results of this study indicated the extent to which the learning needs of adult learners and those of the community are inadequately addressed by the PALC. Some suggestions are made on how Jabu Ngcobo PALC should adjust its programming in order to accommodate the learning needs of the community of Imbali Township where the PALC is situated. The results further provided baseline information that could be used by other PALCs and by the Department of Education and Culture in KwaZulu-Natal. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, [2007].

The present study investigates the attitude of adolescents to authority. Thirty-eight adolescents from Boys' Town, Tongaat, participated in this study. The intention of the study was to investigate the attitude of the boys to authority and to determine whether there was a difference in attitude to authority according to grade, race, parental academic background or type of family structure that the boys had. Generally the adolescents at Boys' Town, Tongaat, viewed the mother as authoritarian and the father as authoritative/flexible. Boys in grade 6-9 viewed both mother and father as authoritative/flexible while boys in grade 10-12 viewed both mother and father as permissive. The Indian and black adolescents viewed mother and father as authoritative/flexible while the white and coloured adolescents viewed mother and father as permissive. When parents had grade 12 or less qualification both mother and father were viewed as permissive. When parents had a post-matric qualification, both mother and father were viewed as authoritative/ flexible. Adolescents from single-family households found mother to be authoritative/flexible and father to be authoritarian. Adolescents from nuclear-family households found mother to be equally permissive and authoritative/flexible and father to be permissive. Adolescents from extended-family households found mother to be permissive and father to be authoritative/flexible. Adolescents from foster families found both mother and father to be authoritative/flexible. The positive changes that were brought about in the adolescents and in their relationship with their environment during their stay at Boys' Town, Tongaat, leads to the recommendation that the behaviour modification programme and the parenting skills workshop adopted by Boys' Town, be examined and assessed with the possible consideration for implementation at South African Schools and homes. / Thesis (M.Ed.) -University of Durban-Westville, 2003.

The number of orphans in South Africa is reaching crisis levels. This is a cause for concern. Most of the deaths seem to be due to the HIV/AIDs pandemic. Children left orphaned have to develop coping strategies. The focus of this study is on the perceptions the orphaned children have of their lives, the attributions they make for events, and the ways they cope. Most importantly, the study is interested in how they cope with loss and then recreate meaning and purpose. To assist these children, it is important to understand their feelings and thoughts after loss, and how they manage to adapt to new environments. This is only possible by giving the children voice and to see life through their eyes. A sample of ten orphans was randomly selected from a list of schools and learners provided by the Department of Education. Adolescents were chosen because they are generally more articulate than younger children, about their emotions and experiences. Five orphans from an informal settlement orphanage in Inanda, and five from a secondary school in the same area were interviewed. A semi-structured interview schedule and diaries were used to collect data from the children. Discourse Analysis was the method used to construct meaning of the material generated. Because the interviews were conducted in the first language of the children, translation into English was necessary. The Appendices provide sample transcripts. Some of the findings of the study were surprising. For example, it was evident that several of the children preferred living in an orphanage to being with relatives, who had, in some instances, offered to foster them. Abuse, alcohol misuse and marginalisation were cited as reasons. The assumption of the researcher had been that family would always be the better option. It was also found that the informal fostering of orphaned children from extended families meant that government grants were not forthcoming. Financial stresses and strains frequently resulted in the maltreatment of fostered children. Poverty and crime in the informal settlement studied seem to bring added burden to children already traumatised by death and the forced moving of home. Another feature that was significant, is the number of fathers who were "absent" when fostering became necessary for the children. Either through force of circumstances or choice, fathers who were still living frequently did not play a part in their children's lives. The recommendations of the study focus on rectifying the anomalies just outlined. Schools, in particular, need to recognise their role in alleviating the daily plight of orphaned children. Academic achievement often redeems a life that is tenuous and painful because it creates the possibility of something better in the future. Through effort the children can take greater charge of their lives. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Durban-Westville, 2003.

The aim of the study was to investigate the learners' and educators' perspectives of the nature and incidence of bullying in a semi-rural school in KwaZulu-Natal. In this study, a self-report questionnaire and a semi-structured interview schedule were used to elicit data on learners' and educators' perspectives of bullying in this particular context. A sample of 184 grade 7 learners (99 boys and 85 girls) and 13 educators (6 males and 7 females) were used. The grade 7 learners and educators completed self-report questionnaires. The data obtained was analysed through the use of frequencies and percentages. A qualitative understanding of this phenomenon was obtained through the semi-structured interviews conducted with the grade 7 educators (3 males and 2 females). The findings confirm that bullying is a problem at the school. It was also evident that bullying is manifested differently for both boys and girls. The study revealed that boys engage in physical form of bullying (hitting and kicking) and girls in more verbal form of bullying (name calling and spreading rumours). The playground and the toilets were identified as the most common location for the occurrence of bullying incidents. Although most learners reported being victims of bullying incidents in the school, very few chose to talk to educators about it. Although bullying is addressed by the educators as and when it occurs, the seriousness of the problem is overlooked. The findings suggest that until, the problem of bullying is recognized, by all stakeholders of the school community, the incidence of bullying will continue to increase. Appropriate strategies must be put into place so that the incidence of bullying is curbed to ensure a safe and secure environment in which effective teaching and learning can take place. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

The concept of racially-desegregated state schooling in South Africa was officially implemented in 1991. This change to racially-mixed schooling was not without problems. There are, to date, few known studies on this theme in South Africa although there are many overseas studies. The focus of the present study is on the implications of racially-desegregated schooling for the disadvantaged African population. The study examines African secondary school pupils' and their teachers' perceptions of their performance in the context of racially-desegregated schools. It also aims to study these perceptions in the context of striving for 'equality of opportunity' in the light of current educational refonns in South Africa. This study is located in the sociology of education framework, using a symbolic interactionist approach of analysis. Six schools in the suburb of Phoenix in Durban, originally designed for the Indian population, were used. A sample of 150 pupils belonging to both the middle and working class groups in the senior and junior phases of schooling was calculated. A sample of 68 teachers who teach pupils in the sample was also chosen. Questionnaires were administered to and interviews were conducted with both teachers and pupils. Objective data was also collected in the form of pupils' examination results over a period of a year. The Chi-square test of significance was used to establish if there were differences in performances of pupils within the social groups and within the phases of schooling. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1999.

This is a case study about young children's discourses about violence. The young children in this study attend a school that is situated in the suburb of Newlands East, previously restricted to so-called 'Coloured' persons. The area is known for its propensity for violence, and in schools teachers have to deal with many acts of violence on a daily basis. The study is premised on two ideas: one, that from young children's discourse on violence it might be possible to access their experiences, feelings, and fears about violence in schools; and two, young children are important sources of information in trying to understand our social order. The methodology entailed one focus group discussion with a group of Grade Five students. Three boys and seven girls were selected. Selection was based on their ability to express themselves clearly and their willingness to participate voluntarily. All participants were 'Coloured'. The facilitator of the focus group discussion was a Grade Seven student; this was to ensure that the children's responses would not be influenced by the presence of an adult. The findings are organized under two subheadings: what young children say about violence and what they say causes violence. The participants indicated that the following constitute violence: teasing, swearing, name-calling, bullying, betrayals, competitiveness, fighting, jealousy, stealing, hitting, racism, homosexuality, physical abuse and sexual abuse. They have identified the following as causes of violence: teachers, friends, physical characteristics, the home, prefects, rivalry and sexuality. Emergent findings suggest that young children's discourses are markedly different to adult discourses and provide key insights when trying to understand violence in schools from a child's vantage point. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.