This research topic presents a discussion on psychosocial deprivation and how it impacts on learners academic performance. It is a case study guided by the following questions: To what extent does psychosocial deprivation influence scholastic performance of grade seven learners? How can the school counteract the effects of psychosocial deprivation? What forms of assistance do parents and teachers need in order to work together to benefit the learners? This is a quantitative study underpinned by the ecosystemic perspective as well as the social constructivist theory. The sample size consisted of seventy learners taken from a primary school which was later reduced to twenty eight learners. The findings of the study were lack of motivation, absenteeism, learning disabilities, difficulties learning English as a second language, stressful family life, poverty and the like were some of the factors that affect learners and eventually results in their poor academic performance. The learners’ environment or neighbourhood is seen as one of the many social contexts that shape children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. However the neighborhood context does not simply “imprint” itself on children, but can be mediated or moderated by other social contexts, in particular the family. Learners who struggle with schoolwork without receiving effective intervention often drop out of school and, as a consequence, have increasingly dire employment prospects. Many learners are invisible strugglers, falling through the cracks and being written off as not needing the extra effort and intervention that educators can provide. Schools, educators and education policy makers must strive to level the playing field by counteracting or minimizing the impact of socio-economic factors on learner’s academic performance by doing the following: Supplying educational materials timeously. Preparing syllabi suited to the age, level and language of learners. Provide ongoing learner support with the help of guidance counselors and social workers. Provide nutritious programmes to supplement those with inadequate diets. Parents and teachers should work together to promote teaching and learning. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

Thesis in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / Die doel van hlerdie ondersoek is om die ekstrinsieke en intrinsieke oorsake van leermislukking met spesifieke verwysing na skole in die Windhoek stadsgebied te bepaal en om aanbevelings te doen hoe om leermislukking teen te werk. Leermislukking en druiping is onrusbarend hoog in skole in die Windhoek stadsgebied. Nadat die Ministerie van Onderwys die semi-outomatiese promoveringstelsel ingestel het, het druiping afgeneem maar leermislukking het toegeneem omdat leerders gepromoveer word sonder dat hulle sukses in die vorige graad behaal het. Volgens die literatuurstudie le die oorsake van leermislukking by die ouerhuis, die skool, die omgewing en in die leerder self. Die empiriese ondersoek toon ooreenkomste met die literatuurstudie wat betref die oorsake van leermislukking. Om die oorsake teen te werk - moet onderwysers beter opgelei word - moet die ouers meer bewus gemaak word van hulle rol in die leersukses van hulle kinders - is meer skoolgeboue en onderwysers nodig om kleiner klasse te bewerkstellig. / The purpose of this research is to establish the extrinsic and intrinsic causes of learning failure with specific reference to schools in the Windhoek municipal area and to make recommendations to counteract learning failure. Learning failure and grade failing are disconcertingly high in schools in the Windhoek municipal area. After the Ministry of Education implemented the semi-automatic promotion system, grade failing decreased, but learning failure increased because learners are promoted without achieving success in a prior grade. According to the literature study, the causes of learning failure are to be found in the home, the school, the environment, and the learner. Similarities regarding the causes of learning failure were found in the empirical investigation and the literature study. To counteract these causes • teachers should be better trained • parents should become more aware of their role in the learning success of their children • more school buildings and teachers are needed to limit class sizes.

Educational Studies / MED (EDUC MANAGEMENT)

Each new student arriving at the university or college brings an assortment of expectations, different types and levels of academic competency, different levels of psychological well-being, a variety of attitudes, values and divergent life experiences. Each adjusts at his or her own rate and experiences life as a student in unique ways. The focus of this study is on the problems that are encountered by the first year student on arrival at the institution and throughout the course of his or her first year studies. Using both qualitative and quantitative research methods that include work-shopping many issues, a questionnaire and focus group interviews, this triangulation of data-collection techniques has helped to provide a rich and deep exploration of the perceived problem areas. The study examines various factors that are perceived as limiting the potential performance and achievement of the student, specifically academic aspects and those factors and circumstances that affect psychological well-being. The psycho-educational issues found to be perceived as problematic by both students and staff members are a lack of preparation and insufficient academic competencies that are necessary for successful tertiary education. Of critical concern with the resultant necessity of immediate intervention, are the lack of accountability and a fear of failure with concomitant anxiety. Issues other than psycho-educational problem areas are highlighted such as economic and social variables. Although not part of the study, issues such as lack of finance and the impact of HIV/AIDS cannot be ignored as they may have a possible detrimental effect on first year student achievement. As academic competency development and psychological well-being are but two areas of concern within the gestalt of student development, the study is conducted from a theoretical stance that embraces holistic student development. It is in this light of developing the student as a totality that an intervention programme is suggested, affording the new student many opportunities to develop all facets of his being. / Faculty of Education / D. Ed.

Akademiese onderprestasie van universiteitstudente bly 'n aktuele vraagstuk en dit wil voorkom asof 'n oplossing in die verband navorsers steeds ontwyk. In die onderhawige studie is daar by wyse van 'n omvattende literatuurstudie, asook 'n empiriese ondersoek, aangetoon wat die aard en omvang van die onderprestasieproblematiek op tersiere vlak is. Hierdie proefskrif illustreer teenswoordige afstandsonderrigpraktyke, die aard en struktuur van VUDEC as afstandsonderriginstansie en 'n verskeidenheid faktore wat akademiese prestasie be'invloed. Die diversiteit en kulturele relatiwiteit van kennis, asook die wye interpretasiemoontlikhede van teks, veroorsaak 'n radikale probleem wat onderrig in Suid-Afrika, 'n land met 'n verskeidenheid kulture en gevolglike leerinhoudmoontlikhede, betref Die invloed van postmodemisme word toenemend in verskillende vakke waargeneem, maar onderrig in hierdie land is steeds hoofsaaklik in die sfeer van die modemistiese paradigma gelee. Die kritiese teorie van Habermas, wat modemisme be!nvloed het, bevraagteken realiteit, sowel as die geldigheidskriteria wat legitimiteit aan inhoud moet gee. Die hipotese wat gestel word, veronderstel dat die hoe onderprestasiesyfers in afstandsonderrig moontlik toegeskryf kan word aan die veronderstelling dat die meerderheid afstandsonderrigstudente 'n sosio-konstruktivistiese denkraamwerk het, terwyl afstandsonderrig steeds hoofsaaklik positivisties is. Die navorser stel die postmodemistiese paradigma as moontlike oplossing voor. Modemistiese onderrig moet nie totaal afgeskaf word nie, maar moet verbeter word deur noodsaaklike veranderings en aanpassings te maak ten opsigte van onderliggende persepsies van kurrikuluminhoud, onderrig- en evalueringsisteme en die implementering hiervan. Tradisioneel dosentgesentreerde en statisties gedefinieerde onderrig en evaluering moet met onderrigstrategiee vervang word wat gedeelde verantwoordelikheid vir prestasie nastreef en waar minder klem op die onderwerping van individue aan inhoudsgebonde onderrigpraktyke geplaas word. 'n Paradigmaverskuiwing na 'n postmodernistiese paradigma sal die weg vir afstandsonderriginstansies baan om betertoegeruste leerders die wereld en toekoms in te stuur, deur 'n basis vir die bereiking van voortreflikheid in en deur onderrig te bewerkstellig. / Academic underachievement at university level remains a topic of current interest and concern. Despite unceasing efforts to combat student wastage, a solution in this regard appears to evade researchers. In the present study an extensive literature study as well as an empirical investigation was undertaken to shed light on the nature and extent of the problem. This thesis illustrates present teaching practices, the structure and nature of VUDEC as a distance teaching institution, and a variety of factors that influence academic achievement. The diversity and cultural relativity of knowledge and the wide range of interpretative possibilities of texts, cause a radical problem with regard to teaching in South Africa, which embraces a wide range of cultures and learning contents. The influence of postmodernism has increasingly been observed in different subjects, but teaching in this country is still largely located in the sphere of the modernist paradigm. The critical theory ofHabermas which influenced modernism, questions reality as well as the criteria of validity which legitimize content. The hypothesis stated is based on the assumption that the high dropout rate in distance education may be attributed to the fact that many distance learners work within a socio-constuctivist paradigm of thinking, while teaching by distance educators is positivist in nature. The author holds up the postmodern paradigm as a possible corrective. The project of modernist teaching should not be totally suspended, but should be improved by introducing essential adjustments and changes in terms of underlying perceptions with regard to curriculum content, teaching and evaluation systems, and the implementation of these. Traditional teacher-centred and statistically defined teaching and assessment must be replaced by teaching strategies which accomodate the shared responsibility of achievement, placing less emphasis on the subjection of individuals to content-bound teaching practices. The shift towards a postmodern paradigm will pave the way for distance teaching institutions to send better-equipped learners into the world and into the future by creating a basis for the achievement of excellence in and through education. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didaktiek)

Il est évalué qu’entre 15 et 40 % des élèves surdoués performent à des niveaux inférieurs à leur potentiel (Seeley, 1994). Récemment, plusieurs chercheurs se sont plongés dans ce phénomène en tentant de l’expliquer. Par contre, une seule équipe de recherche s’est attardé sur l’impact des climats socioéducatifs sur la performance des surdoués, alors que ce lien est bien existant chez les jeunes non-doués. Cette recherche vise à explorer la relation possible entre les climats socioéducatifs, l’environnement familial et la performance scolaire chez les jeunes surdoués, afin de combler ce manque dans la littérature. Afin d’atteindre cet objectif, un échantillon de 1 885 participants de 3e secondaire provenant de la base de donnée de l’évaluation du programme SIAA furent étudiés afin de créer un modèle présentant l’effet des environnements sur la performance des jeunes surdoués, médié par la motivation. Nos résultats suggèrent que l’impact des environnements socioéducatifs et familiaux sur la performance des jeunes surdoués est minime, bien qu’il soit majeur chez les jeunes non-doués. / It is said that 15 to 40% of gifted students perform at levels below their potential (Seeley, 1994). In recent years, many researchers have looked into this phenomenon in an attempt to explain it. However, only one research team has looked into school climates for a part of the answer, while many researchers have found such a relationship amongst the non-gifted population. This study aims to look for a relationship between socioeducative climates, family environment and performance amongst gifted kids to fill this gap. In order to do this, a sample of 1,885 Grade 10 participants was taken from the previously created database of the evaluation of Quebec’s SIAA program, and a path analysis was conducted to create a model of the effect of environments on the performance of gifted youth, through the mediation of motivation. The findings suggest that the impact of socioeducative and family environment on the performance of gifted students is minimal.

Each new student arriving at the university or college brings an assortment of expectations, different types and levels of academic competency, different levels of psychological well-being, a variety of attitudes, values and divergent life experiences. Each adjusts at his or her own rate and experiences life as a student in unique ways. The focus of this study is on the problems that are encountered by the first year student on arrival at the institution and throughout the course of his or her first year studies. Using both qualitative and quantitative research methods that include work-shopping many issues, a questionnaire and focus group interviews, this triangulation of data-collection techniques has helped to provide a rich and deep exploration of the perceived problem areas. The study examines various factors that are perceived as limiting the potential performance and achievement of the student, specifically academic aspects and those factors and circumstances that affect psychological well-being. The psycho-educational issues found to be perceived as problematic by both students and staff members are a lack of preparation and insufficient academic competencies that are necessary for successful tertiary education. Of critical concern with the resultant necessity of immediate intervention, are the lack of accountability and a fear of failure with concomitant anxiety. Issues other than psycho-educational problem areas are highlighted such as economic and social variables. Although not part of the study, issues such as lack of finance and the impact of HIV/AIDS cannot be ignored as they may have a possible detrimental effect on first year student achievement. As academic competency development and psychological well-being are but two areas of concern within the gestalt of student development, the study is conducted from a theoretical stance that embraces holistic student development. It is in this light of developing the student as a totality that an intervention programme is suggested, affording the new student many opportunities to develop all facets of his being. / Faculty of Education / D. Ed.

Akademiese onderprestasie van universiteitstudente bly 'n aktuele vraagstuk en dit wil voorkom asof 'n oplossing in die verband navorsers steeds ontwyk. In die onderhawige studie is daar by wyse van 'n omvattende literatuurstudie, asook 'n empiriese ondersoek, aangetoon wat die aard en omvang van die onderprestasieproblematiek op tersiere vlak is. Hierdie proefskrif illustreer teenswoordige afstandsonderrigpraktyke, die aard en struktuur van VUDEC as afstandsonderriginstansie en 'n verskeidenheid faktore wat akademiese prestasie be'invloed. Die diversiteit en kulturele relatiwiteit van kennis, asook die wye interpretasiemoontlikhede van teks, veroorsaak 'n radikale probleem wat onderrig in Suid-Afrika, 'n land met 'n verskeidenheid kulture en gevolglike leerinhoudmoontlikhede, betref Die invloed van postmodemisme word toenemend in verskillende vakke waargeneem, maar onderrig in hierdie land is steeds hoofsaaklik in die sfeer van die modemistiese paradigma gelee. Die kritiese teorie van Habermas, wat modemisme be!nvloed het, bevraagteken realiteit, sowel as die geldigheidskriteria wat legitimiteit aan inhoud moet gee. Die hipotese wat gestel word, veronderstel dat die hoe onderprestasiesyfers in afstandsonderrig moontlik toegeskryf kan word aan die veronderstelling dat die meerderheid afstandsonderrigstudente 'n sosio-konstruktivistiese denkraamwerk het, terwyl afstandsonderrig steeds hoofsaaklik positivisties is. Die navorser stel die postmodemistiese paradigma as moontlike oplossing voor. Modemistiese onderrig moet nie totaal afgeskaf word nie, maar moet verbeter word deur noodsaaklike veranderings en aanpassings te maak ten opsigte van onderliggende persepsies van kurrikuluminhoud, onderrig- en evalueringsisteme en die implementering hiervan. Tradisioneel dosentgesentreerde en statisties gedefinieerde onderrig en evaluering moet met onderrigstrategiee vervang word wat gedeelde verantwoordelikheid vir prestasie nastreef en waar minder klem op die onderwerping van individue aan inhoudsgebonde onderrigpraktyke geplaas word. 'n Paradigmaverskuiwing na 'n postmodernistiese paradigma sal die weg vir afstandsonderriginstansies baan om betertoegeruste leerders die wereld en toekoms in te stuur, deur 'n basis vir die bereiking van voortreflikheid in en deur onderrig te bewerkstellig. / Academic underachievement at university level remains a topic of current interest and concern. Despite unceasing efforts to combat student wastage, a solution in this regard appears to evade researchers. In the present study an extensive literature study as well as an empirical investigation was undertaken to shed light on the nature and extent of the problem. This thesis illustrates present teaching practices, the structure and nature of VUDEC as a distance teaching institution, and a variety of factors that influence academic achievement. The diversity and cultural relativity of knowledge and the wide range of interpretative possibilities of texts, cause a radical problem with regard to teaching in South Africa, which embraces a wide range of cultures and learning contents. The influence of postmodernism has increasingly been observed in different subjects, but teaching in this country is still largely located in the sphere of the modernist paradigm. The critical theory ofHabermas which influenced modernism, questions reality as well as the criteria of validity which legitimize content. The hypothesis stated is based on the assumption that the high dropout rate in distance education may be attributed to the fact that many distance learners work within a socio-constuctivist paradigm of thinking, while teaching by distance educators is positivist in nature. The author holds up the postmodern paradigm as a possible corrective. The project of modernist teaching should not be totally suspended, but should be improved by introducing essential adjustments and changes in terms of underlying perceptions with regard to curriculum content, teaching and evaluation systems, and the implementation of these. Traditional teacher-centred and statistically defined teaching and assessment must be replaced by teaching strategies which accomodate the shared responsibility of achievement, placing less emphasis on the subjection of individuals to content-bound teaching practices. The shift towards a postmodern paradigm will pave the way for distance teaching institutions to send better-equipped learners into the world and into the future by creating a basis for the achievement of excellence in and through education. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didaktiek)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-12T17:32:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RESUMO - Sheila C S Pacheco.pdf: 60890 bytes, checksum: 735ed028e5b824bc91236e13f50b161e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Researches have been indicating a close relationship between cognitive and motor function. There is evidence that academic performance is closely related to the level of motor proficiency. First school years provide a solid base for more integrated motor skills required in upper grades. Therefore, it is crucial to test elementary school-aged children early on motor skill ability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motor function and school performance at ages 8-11 years. Besides this, we were also interested in if there was a specific type of motor function that may be an influencing factor at this age, specially, interlimb coordination. Motor and academic skills were examined in 101 Brazilian children from three public school using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) (Fine Manual Control, Manual Coordination, Body Coordination, and Strength & Agility) and Academic Performance Test (APT). Children were classified using percentiles representing LOW (less than or equal to 25%), AVERAGE (between greater than 25% and less than 75%) and HIGH (greater than or equal to 75%). Children considered AVERAGE were not included in this study. T test and regression logistic analyses were used to examine the association between motor function and academic performance (classified as low and high). Results indicated a significant difference between groups for Total Motor Composite (p<.001) favoring the High group. Regression analyses revealed a significant relation between academic and motor performance, specially, Body Coordination. Of the subtests of Body Coordination (Bilateral Coordination and Balance), Bilateral Coordination accounted for the highest impact on academic performance. The results support the close relationship between the motor and academic performance, especially in activities involving the interlimb coordination in children of 8-11 years. / Pesquisadores tem demonstrado uma relação entre as funções cognitivas e motoras. Há evidencias que o desempenho escolar está diretamente relacionando ao nível de proficiência motora. Os primeiros anos escolares fornecem uma base sólida para as habilidades motoras as quais são necessárias para os anos escolares mais avançados. Portanto, é fundamental avaliar as habilidades motoras de crianças em idade escolar que estejam em anos do ensino fundamental. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a relação entre a função motora e o desempenho escolar em idades 8-11 anos. De forma especifica, foi analisada qual a área motora que mais se relaciona com o desempenho escolar na idade investigada e se haveria relação entre a coordenação entre os membros e o desempenho escolar. As habilidades motoras e escolares foram investigadas em 101 crianças provenientes de escolas públicas. Utilizou-se como instrumentos de medidas o Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2 (BOT-2) (Controle Motor Fino, Coordenação Manual, Coordenação Corporal, e Força & Agilidade) e o Teste de Desempenho Escolar (TDE). As crianças foram classificadas utilizando percentis Baixo (menor ou igual a 25%), na Média (maior que 25% e menor que 75%) e Alto (maior ou igual a 75%), obtido de acordo com o escore bruto de desempenho escolar. Crianças consideradas na média não foram incluídas neste estudo. Para examinar a associação entre a função motora e o desempenho escolar entre os grupos Baixo e Alto foram utilizadas análises por Test T e regressão logística. Os resultados indicaram uma diferença significativa entre os grupos para a Composição Motora Total (p <0,001) que favorecia o grupo Alto. As análises por regressão logística indicaram uma relação significativa entre o desempenho escolar e motor, especialmente, na Coordenação Corporal. Ao analisar os subtestes de Coordenação Corporal (Coordenação Bilateral e Equilíbrio), somente a Coordenação Bilateral demonstrou ser significante, com maior impacto sobre o desempenho escolar. Os resultados apoiam a estreita relação entre o comportamento motor e o desempenho escolar, principalmente de coordenação entre os membros em crianças de 8 a 11 anos de idade.

Abstract In the present research of engineering studies in the Department of Process and Environmental Engineering in the University of Oulu the graduation processes of eight various groups of students were documented and analyzed. For the validation of the data triangulation method was availed of. The accumulation of study attainments was calculated and, using the measured data, the graduation time models were created. A new method of modeling a non-linear study process by using a Matlab step response model was developed. The model is exact in the essential area of operation and can be used in any educational organization which considers following the process of graduation important. In this research study attainments were examined and explained with the help of self-regulation test analyses. The test used in this research is based on a shortened version of Guglielmino’s Self Directed Learning Readiness test. It measures the student’s capability for autonomous learning. A connection between good success in studies and observed self-directive learning was noticed as early as during the second academic year. The engineering study attainments were also compared to the study success in the upper secondary school. The results show that the students with satisfactory learning results in the upper secondary school did better than expected in their university studies. Instead, the students with better success in the upper secondary school than the group mentioned underachieved in their university studies. The students whose success was better than average during the first academic year were also better during the following years. Examining the study attainments of the eight elementary courses during the three years of studies showed that about 46 per cent of students passed the elementary courses in proper time. One year after the elementary courses had been given, 73 per cent of the students had passed them. / Tiivistelmä Tekniikan ylioppilaiden opiskelututkimuksessa käytettiin tutkimusmenetelmänä triangulaatiota. Työssä analysoitiin kahdeksan eri vuosikurssin opintosuoritusten perusteella Oulun yliopiston Prosessi- ja ympäristötekniikan osaston opiskelijoiden valmistumisprosessia. Opintosuoritusten avulla laskettiin eri vuosikurssien opintoviiveet ja saatujen mittaustietojen avulla tehtiin valmistumisaikamallit. Tutkimuksessa löydettiin uusi tapa mallintaa epälineaarista opiskeluprosessia askelvastemallilla. Menetelmän avulla saatu suoriutumismalli on todellisiin mittaustuloksiin verrattuna luotettava keskeisellä toiminta-alueella kolmesta seitsemään vuotta, kun tavoitteena on, että aloittaneista valmistuu 50 % kuudessa vuodessa. Työssä tutkittiin opintomenestystä itseohjautuvuusvalmiutta selvittävien testistöjen avulla. Tutkimuksessa käytetty testi perustuu Koron (1993) laatimaan versioon. Se on lyhennetty Guglielminon (1977) luomasta testistä Self Directed Learning Readiness, joka mittaa opiskelijan valmiutta itseohjattuun opiskeluun. Tutkimuksessa käytetyssä SDLR-testissä yhteen laskettujen pisteiden vaihteluväli on 37–185. Työssä käytetyn itseohjautuvuusanalyysin avulla testattiin opiskelijoiden valmiutta itsenäiseen ja pitkäjänteiseen opiskeluun opinto-ohjelman mukaisesti. Löydettiin yhteys keskimääräistä paremman opiskelumenestyksen ja keskimääräistä kehittyneemmän itseohjautuvuusvalmiuden välillä. Opiskelua tutkittiin lukiomenestyksen perusteella. Voitiin havaita, että tyydyttävästi lukiossa menestyneet pärjäsivät odotettua paremmin yliopisto-opinnoissaan. Sen sijaan lukiossa hyvin menestyneet alisuoriutuivat odotettua useammin opinnoissaan. Ensimmäisenä opiskeluvuonna keskimääräistä paremmin menestyneet opiskelijat selvisivät jatkossakin paremmin. Tämän havainnon perusteella voidaan väittää, että ensimmäisen vuoden opintomenestyksellä on selvä yhteys tulevien vuosien opintomenestykseen: huono opintomenestys ensimmäisenä vuotena johti sekä vuonna 2005 että 2004 aloittaneiden opiskelijoiden ryhmissä keskimäärin noin 26 % alempaan opintoviikkokertymään kolmen vuoden aikana verrattuna hyvin opiskelussa ensimmäisenä vuonna menestyneisiin ryhmiin. Opintosuorituksia tutkittiin kolmen ensimmäisen opiskeluvuoden aikana olleiden kahdeksan peruskurssin osalta. Havaittiin, että keskimäärin 46 % opiskelijoista suoritti peruskurssit ajallaan. Vuoden kuluttua peruskurssien päättymisestä keskimäärin 73 % opiskelijoista oli suorittanut ne.