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Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / In developing countries like South Africa, a skills shortage is already one of the most important problems of the twenty-first century. Consequently, South African public institutions have adopted an internship programme to enhance skills development, knowledge and experience, concentrating on a particular population. An internship, as established by the South African Cabinet in December 2002, is a graduate work experience programme aimed at unemployed graduates aged 18 to 35. Therefore, the study assessed the impact of the internship programme on skills development in selected government departments in Limpopo Province. Secondary to the aim, the study explored the nature of internship programme and skills development in public institutions. It also evaluated the link between an internship programme and skills development and concluded by highlighting challenges and opportunities for an internship programme. The researcher used a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, with semi-structured questionnaires for current and previous interns, to achieve the study's goals. Face to face interviewing method was used to collect data from public officials in the three selected government departments in Limpopo Province - Department of Education (DOE), Provincial Treasury, and Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. Although public institutions are regarded as hosts of internship programme, pitfalls associated with the internship programme in the South African public institutions persist. The study found, to a large extend, a huge impact of internship programme on skills development in the three selected government departments in Limpopo Province. The study further established that not all participants were clear with the job description of the internship programme. The imprecise job description could confuse interns as they would not know their expected daily performance in government departments. The study argues that such may result in displacement and a lack of sense of belonging among interns within their respective government departments. / (Services SETA)

Thesis (M. Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The current split between the Department of Health and Social Development had made a great impact on employees’ performance. The transition has resulted on previously shared resources to being divided. The division of resources made a great impact on employees’ performance at the Department of Social Development. The adjustment to the transition has been a difficult task towards employees in the department of Social Development. Programme managers whose employees are reporting to, had to come up with management strategies to enhance performance. The research problem is a problem because nothing is known about what the senior management is doing in order to enhance performance at Mopani District. It seems that no study has been conducted to determine the challenges experienced by programme managers on employees’ performance. The major objective of the study to determine the current programmes which are used by the Department to enhance performance in the area of study and to suggest strategies that can be used by the senior management to enhance performance at Mopani District. The nature of this study is qualitative. It is an exploratory study. Data was collected be through semi-structured interviews. The sampling of this study is non-probability sample. In non-probability sampling, the researcher selected purposive sampling. Data was analyzed in a narrative from. Findings show that the programme managers are faced with several challenges in the organization. Programme managers do not have the necessary resources. Programmes offered by the programme managers are not enhancing employees’ performance due to inadequate equipments provided by the department. Current strategies used by the programme managers are no longer relevant, hence poor employees’ performance. The senior managers should be encouraged to develop relevant training programmes, minimize challenges and provide necessary resources that could be employed by the programme managers to enhance the performance of employees at the department of Social Development in Mopani district.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Educational Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Continuous professional development (CPD) embraces the idea that individuals aim for continuous improvement in their professional knowledge and skills beyond the basic training initially required to carry out the job. CPD is especially critical in schools where the kind of education that students receive is heavily dependent on the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of educators. The purpose of the study was to explore the influence of continuous professional development in promoting quality teaching and learning leading to enhanced student achievement in South African schools. The study was based on a qualitative research approach. The interpretive paradigm and case-study research design were adopted. The researcher employed three research methods of data collection namely; individual interview, focus group and documentary evidence. The population from which the study sample was drawn is defined as all Pietersburg Circuit secondary schools in Polokwane urban. Five schools were drawn from the population to make a sample for the study. Two subjects for the study were principals and educators. The sample consisted of 5 principals and 10 educators to give a total sample size of 15. The research engaged purposive sampling technique. The idea behind purposive sampling was to concentrate on participants with those particular characteristics ideal to supply relevant research data that best enabled me to answer research questions. The researcher chose thematic data analysis. Thematic analysis basically entailed arranging data according to themes evolving. Data was triangulated to determine if data results from different sources supported each other. Findings revealed that both principals and educators were well conversant with the concept of continuous professional development. Continuous professional development in schools was mainly put through school-based, educator-initiated and externally-initiated approaches. Additionally, the findings revealed that the educators were minimally consulted and involved in professional development needs-identification and analysis. Furthermore, study findings showed that evaluations of informal continuous professional development programmes prevailed in schools, but the majority response alluded to the total failure by schools to institute deliberate, planned and documented evaluations. The professional development of educators is regarded as crucial in developing professional skills. Furthermore, it is looked upon as a direct contribution to student achievement. Professional development of educators has long been a key and logically positioned undertaking for improving educator iv satisfaction as well as hope for improved classroom instruction and student achievement. As a result, continuous professional development comes as both a big challenge as well as the best solution to effective teaching and learning in schools. On the basis of the findings of this study, some recommendations were made and possible areas for further research suggested. The primary recommendation of this study is for continuous professional development to match and attempt to address the identified needs of the educators and students alike. That would likely have the desired consequence of a more empowered and enriched educator with the capacity to efficiently and effectively raise student achievement. It could be assumed that, by allowing educators a voice in their own professional development, they would embrace a more vested interest and feel compelled to contribute more.Key concepts Continuous professional development, needs-identification and analysis, educator consultation and involvement, monitoring and evaluating professional development programmes, school-initiated professional development, educator-initiated professional development, externally-initiated professional development, student achievement.

This study concerns the identification of the particular competences required by education, training and development practitioners (ETD practitioners) in the South African National Defence Force to develop suitable and appropriate career and training strategies. An applied research approach and a primarily quantitative approach were used. Questionnaires were completed by the commanding officers or the training managers, as well as the ETD practitioners at the education, training and development providers in the South African National Defence Force to determine the actual utilisation of ETD practitioners. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the roles, core competences, levels of competences and clusters of competences required by ETD practitioners in the South African National Defence Force. In addition, the actual utilisation of ETD practitioners was compared with a proposed competence profile that was based on the literature study in order to determine the competence gap that has to be addressed by means of career and training strategies. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.(Didactics)

Resting against a background of local and international movements in respect of human rights, South African educators have had to implement a new curriculum, accept diversity and address inclusive education with little or no training, insight and knowledge. Challenges at all levels in education, impact on the successful education of children and the future of young adults who must as equal members of society enter a fast changing global economy. Challenges for educators in South Africa are unique. The lack of knowledge and training for educators and an inadequate infrastructure of the country present as some of the challenges for educators. This qualitative study deals with the subjective experiences of educators in primary schools. The research indicates that when these challenges are addressed educators will be both, better supported and disposed, towards the implementation of inclusive education idealised as the panacea for social transformation in South Africa. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of teachers is increasingly becoming a priority in most countries throughout the world. It is widely viewed as the most effective approach to prepare teachers adequately, and to improve their instructional and intervention practices, for when they enter the workforce (Fraser et al 2007). Despite the general acceptance of CPD programmes as essential to the improvement of education, reviews of professional development research constantly point out the ineffectiveness of most of these programmes (see Cohen and Hill, 1998 and 2000). Furthermore, many teachers express dissatisfaction with the professional development opportunities made available to them in schools and insist that the most effective development programmes they have experienced have been self-initiated (National Research Council, 2007). There is a consensus that many CPD programmes have yet to understand professional development from a teacher‘s perspective. This perspective acknowledges what drives teachers to enlist in these programmes and how such programmes can make a difference to them and their classrooms. Therefore, this study seeks to return the emphasis of professional development to the teachers. The study explores the teachers‘ perspectives of CPD in general, the personal meaning of CPD, and its meaning in the context of their work. By interviewing the teachers who were part of the Mpumalanga Secondary Science Initiative (MSSI) project (a seven year science and mathematics professional development intervention), I explore: the teachers‘ opinions of the intervention; its meaning to them and their work; and its impact on their classroom practices and students for the duration of the intervention and beyond. In this study, I explore data from an extensive and longitudinal study of teachers who were part of the CPD programme in greater detail. In discussing my data, I propose that CPD, however well intentioned and executed, is received differently by each teacher as a result of their personal circumstances and investment in the programme. I argue that the greater the unity between the personal circumstances and motivations of the teachers and those of the CPD intervention, the more likely the outcome will be meaningful for the participating teachers. In turn, the ability to sustain the benefits of the intervention will be enhanced. / Further Teacher Education / D.Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Through the establishment of victim support centres, NICRO Eastern Cape aims to develop community networks that render available and appropriate support services to victims of crime. Social workers empower volunteers to run the centres. In order for the social workers to empower volunteers, they need to clearly understand their role in the empowerment process. The goal of the study is to clarify the role of social workers when empowering volunteers at community victim support centres. The profile, motivation and current empowerment of volunteers at NICRO Eastern Cape were determined and described by means of questionnaires. The respondents were fifteen volunteers and three social workers. Conclusions and recommendations were made which focused, among other aspects, on the training of social workers and strategic planning around empowerment. The framework of this research report can be utilized by social workers in the empowering of volunteers, which could possibly lead to victim support centres that are managed by volunteers, as representatives of communities, independently from NICRO. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: By die slagofferondersteuningsentrums te NICRO Oos-Kaap word daar gepoog om 'n gemeenskapsnetwerk te ontwikkel waardeur slagoffers van misdaad beskikbare en toepaslike ondersteuning ontvang. Dit word gedoen deur die bemagtiging van vrywilligers deur maatskaplike werkers. Ten einde die vrywilligers te bemagtig, is dit belangrik dat maatskaplike werkers hul rol in die proses van bemagtiging begryp. Die doel van die studie is om die rol van die maatskaplike werker uit te klaar met die bemagtiging van vrywilligers by 'n gemeenskapslagofferondersteuningsentrum. Die profiel, motivering en huidige bemagtiging van vrywilligers by NICRO Oos-Kaap is deur middel van vraelyste bepaal en ontleed. Die respondente het uit vyftien vrywilligers en drie maatskaplike werkers bestaan. Gevolgtrekkings is gemaak en aanbevelings gedoen wat onder andere fokus op die opleiding aan maatskaplike werkers en strategiese beplanning rondom bemagtiging. Die raamwerk van hierdie navorsingsverslag sal deur maatskaplike werkers benut kan word in die bemagtiging van vrywilligers en dit kan moontlik aanleiding gee tot slagofferondersteuningsentrums wat onafhanklik van NICRO deur vrywilligers, as verteenwoordigers van gemeenskappe, bestuur word.

Thesis (PhD (Education)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Before the implementation of abortion legislation in South Africa in February 1997, illegal abortions were the only way out for women with unwanted pregnancies. Because of the high morbidity and mortality rate of the women concerned, abortion legislation was implemented with the aim of ending illegal abortions in South Africa by having abortions carried out legally on request in designated health care facilities. The abortion legislation stipulates that registered nurses who have undergone the proposed abortion care training may terminate a pregnancy upon request of a woman during the first twelve weeks of the gestation period of her pregnancy. Although legislation authorises registered nurses to carry out first trimester abortions, an inadequate number of nurses are being trained in the Western Cape to provide pregnant women with guidance and counselling services, carry out the abortions and/or refer problem cases. Since the implementation of the abortion legislation no real attempts have been made by higher education institutions in the Western Cape to offer abortion care training for nurses. A need has therefore been identified to develop a comprehensive training framework for higher education institutions in the Western Cape for the training of nurses in abortion care. The case study was used as research design and the specific unit of analysis on which the researcher focused were the registered nurses who had received training in abortion care and the context in which they provide abortion care at the various levels of service provision in the different regions of the Western Cape. A random, stratified sample (non-proportional) was taken of the designated state health care facilities in the Western Cape, as well as a non-probability purposive sampling of registered nurses who provide abortion care, a non-probability convenience sample of women who have received abortion care and a non-probability purposive sampling of final-year pre-registration nursing students. Data was generated by means of questionnaires to the women who received abortions and/or counselling, the registered nurses who carried out abortions as well as final-year preregistration nursing students. A checklist was used to observe the abortions that were carried out by registered nurses in an objective and non-participatory manner and semi-structured interviews were conducted with various role-players in abortion care and training. The main findings of this study indicate that the necessary infrastructure within which the services could be provided according to the abortion legislation was adequate, but that the ongoing shortage of trained health care practitioners hampers the abortion care services. Only 10 (n=10) of the 15 certified nurses employed in state health care facilities actively offered abortion care services in the various designated facilities in the Western Cape. Deficiencies were identified in the existing provincial protocol and it was clear that some of the guidelines are either not in use or have become obsolete in the light of new research findings. It was found that midwives with appropriate and effective training are the ideal category of health practitioner for the provision of abortion care. The certified nurses who have been trained by the various regional offices of the Department of Health: Western Cape are skilled in carrying out the abortion procedure, but the other aspects of abortion care, that are mainly carried out by other categories of nurses, will probably require greater attention. The recommendations, which are based on a thorough literature study as well as on the findings and conclusions that arose from the empirical part of this study, have been included in a training framework. The researcher recommends that the training framework provide the basis for the development of a formal programme or programmes for the training of nurses in abortion care at higher education institutions. The purpose of the proposed framework is therefore to determine the context within which curriculation ought to take place, and to provide a focus or format for those who develop the curriculum for prospective students. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voor die implementering van aborsiewetgewing in Februarie 1997 was onwettige aborsies die enigste uitweg vir vroue met ongewenste swangerskappe in Suid-Afrika. Weens die hoë morbiditeit- en mortaliteitsyfer van die betrokke vroue is aborsiewetgewing geïmplementeer met die doel om onwettige aborsies in Suid-Afrika te beëindig en aborsies op versoek wettiglik in aangewysde gesondheidsorgfasiliteite uit te voer. Die aborsiewetgewing stipuleer dat verpleegkundiges wat die voorgestelde aborsiesorgopleiding ondergaan het, ‘n swangerskap kan beëindig op versoek van ‘n vrou gedurende die eerste 12 weke van die draagtyd van haar swangerskap. Ten spyte van wetgewing wat verpleegkundiges magtig om eerste trimester aborsies uit te voer, word daar om verskeie redes onvoldoende aantal verpleegkundiges in die Wes-Kaap opgelei wat voorligting en berading aan swanger vroue gee, die aborsies uitvoer en/of probleemgevalle moet verwys. Geen daadwerklike pogings is sedert die inwerkingstelling van die aborsiewetgewing deur hoëronderwysinstellings in die Wes-Kaap aangewend om aborsiesorgopleiding vir verpleegkundiges aan te bied nie. Derhalwe is ’n behoefte geïdentifiseer om ’n omvattende opleidingsraamwerk vir hoëronderwysinstellings in die Wes- Kaap te ontwikkel vir die opleiding van verpleegkundiges in aborsiesorg. Die gevallestudie is as navorsingsontwerp gebruik en die spesifieke eenheid van analise waarop gefokus is was die verpleegkundiges wat opleiding in aborsiesorg ontvang het en die konteks waarbinne hulle aborsiesorg lewer by die onderskeie vlakke van dienslewering in die onderskeie streke van die Wes-Kaap. ’n Ewekansige, gestratifiseerde steekproef (nie-proporsioneel) is geneem van die aangewysde staatsgesondheidsorgfasiliteite in die Wes-Kaap, sowel as ’n nie-waarskynlike, doelbewuste steekproefneming van verpleegkundiges wat aborsiesorg verskaf, ’n nie-waarskynlike gerieflikheidsteekproefneming van vroue wat aborsiesorg ontvang het en ’n nie-waarskynlike, doelbewuste steekproefneming van finalejaar voorregistrasie verpleegstudente. Data is gegenereer met behulp van vraelyste aan onderskeidelik die vroue wat aborsies en/of berading ontvang het, die verpleegkundiges wat aborsies uitgevoer het, asook finalejaar voorregistrasie verpleegstudente. ’n Kontrolelys is gebruik om die aborsies wat deur verpleegkundiges uitgevoer is objektief en nie-deelnemend te observeer en semigestruktureerde onderhoude is met verskeie rolspelers in aborsiesorgdienste en -opleiding gevoer. Die hoofbevindings van hierdie studie dui daarop dat die nodige infrastruktuur waarbinne die dienste ingevolge die aborsiewetgewing gelewer kon word voldoende was, maar dat die voortslepende tekort aan opgeleide gesondheidsorgpraktisyns die aborsiesorgdienste kortwiek. Slegs 10 (n=10) van die 15 gesertifiseerde verpleegkundiges in diens van staatsgesondheidsorgfasiliteite het aktief aborsiesorgdienste aangebied in die onderskeie aangewysde fasiliteite in die Wes-Kaap. Leemtes is in die bestaande provinsiale protokol geïdentifiseer en dit het in die lig van nuwe navorsingsbevindings geblyk dat sommige van die riglyne óf nie in gebruik was nie, óf dat hulle intussen verouderd geraak het. Daar is bevind dat vroedvroue met toepaslike en doeltreffende opleiding die ideale kategorie gesondheidsorgpraktisyn is vir die verskaffing van aborsiesorg. Die gesertifiseerde verpleegkundiges wat deur die Departement van Gesondheid: Wes-Kaap se onderskeie streekskantore opgelei is, is vaardig in die uitvoer van die aborsieprosedure as sulks, maar die ander aspekte van aborsiesorg, wat meestal ook deur ander kategorieë verpleegkundiges uitgevoer word, sal waarskynlik groter aandag moet kry. Die aanbevelings is gegrond op ’n deeglike literatuurstudie sowel as op die bevindings en gevolgtrekkings wat uit die empiriese gedeelte van hierdie studie spruit en is vervat in ’n opleidingsraamwerk. Die navorser beveel aan dat die opleidingsraamwerk die grondslag sal bied vir die ontwikkeling van ’n formele program of programme vir die opleiding van verpleegkundiges in aborsiesorg aan hoëronderwysinstellings. Die doel van die voorgestelde raamwerk is dus om die konteks te bepaal waarbinne kurrikulering moet plaasvind, asook om ’n fokus of formaat te verskaf vir diegene wat die kurrikulum vir voornemende studente ontwikkel.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Students graduate from Boland College after obtaining the National Certificates N4 – N6 in Tourism. I have been working at Boland College Stellenbosch Campus as a tourism lecturer for 12 years and over the past few years I have found that students have been struggling to find employment in the tourism industry on completion of their studies. The national tourism curriculum offered at FET colleges was implemented in 1995 with the last renewal in 2001 for selected subjects. The tourism industry, however, is a vibrant, ever-changing industry which stands in direct contrast with a static, needs-insensitive and unchanging curriculum. The aim of this study was to establish in which respects the current national tourism curriculum corresponds, or does not correspond, with what the tourism industry in Stellenbosch requires from entry-level employees in terms of expected skills, knowledge and attitudes. Qualitative methods were used to generate data from employers representing the tourism industry in Stellenbosch, graduates and lecturers from Boland College. Research participants were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed by doing verbatim transcriptions of the interviews, using coding and an Excel spread sheet analysis. The results revealed specific areas where the current national tourism curriculum does not correspond with the expectations and needs that the tourism industry in Stellenbosch has from entry-level employees in terms of expected skills, knowledge and attitudes. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Studente ontvang ‘n kwalifikasie in Toerisme nadat hulle die Nasionale Sertifikate N4 – N6 in Toerisme voltooi het. Ek werk die afgelope 12 jaar as toerismedosent by Boland Kollege Stellenbosch Kampus. Gedurende die afgelope paar jaar het ek gevind dat studente sukkel om werk te kry in die toerismebedryf nadat hulle hul studies voltooi het. Die nasionale toerisme-kurrikulum wat by VOO Kolleges aangebied word, is in 1995 geïmplementeer en die laaste keer in 2001 hernu en boonop slegs in sekere vakke. Die toerismebedryf is egter ‘n lewendige, vinnig-veranderende industrie in direkte teenstelling met die statiese, onveranderde kurrikulum wat oënskynlik nie sensitief genoeg is vir die behoeftes van die toerismebedryf nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel in watter mate die huidige nasionale toerisme-kurrikulum ooreenstem, of nie ooreenstem nie, met wat die toerismebedryf in Stellenbosch verwag van intreevlak-werknemers in terme van verwagte vaardighede, kennis en houdings. Kwalitatiewe metodes is gebruik om data te genereer en onderhoude is gevoer met werkgewers wat die toerismebedryf in Stellenbosch verteenwoordig asook gegradueerdes en dosente van Boland Kollege. Daar is hoofsaaklik gebruik gemaak van semi-gestruktueerde onderhoude. Die data-analise het bestaan uit verbatim getranskribeerde onderhoude, die kodering daarvan asook ‘n genoteerde Excel-ontledingstaat. Die resultate van die studie dui op spesifieke aspekte van die nasionale toerisme kurrikulum wat nie ooreenstem met die verwagtinge en behoeftes wat die toerisme-industrie in Stellenbosch het van intreevlak werknemers in terme van vaardighede, kennis en houdings nie.