Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2003 / Refer to document / National Research Foundation and University of the North Financial aid

The study sought to investigate the perceptions of TVET students regarding vocational education and its relation to the labour market. It hoped to illuminate connections or disconnections between vocational education and employment. The research emanated from the prevailing view that TVET education by its very nature is work-oriented and therefore those who enroll in TVET colleges are able to find employment. Furthermore, that conceptually the TVET curriculum was and continues to be regarded as skills-based for labour market demands thereby enhancing national competiveness and economic growth. Qualitative questionnaires, which are open-ended in nature, were used to gather facts about students’ beliefs and experiences regarding certain engineering programmes and services offered at TVET colleges. Non-probability sampling was used to select one hundred and thirteen (113) participants who voluntarily completed qualitative questionnaires, which were structured to elicit the required information, and the results reveal divergent views shared by students. There are those who feel very strongly that a TVET qualification, in engineering in particular, leads to employment due to its demand and the fact that the institution generally assists students through the placement unit makes it even easier to find employment. Other students firmly believed that whatever qualifications one attained, the world of work cannot accommodate them, as they do not have work experience. They felt this was unfair because they are unable to find employment without being properly monitored and trained by the very same industry that hopes to employ them in the near future. They argue that the only problem pertaining to unemployment is job scarcity, rather than skills scarcity. The research is framed within the human capital theory. Research findings reveal the fact that there is no link between vocational education and the labour market and as a result employment is not easy. There are personal skills required but they are not available in our educational curriculum, which focuses on educational aspirations. The research further posits five distinct but necessary interventions that students are suggesting in order to increase their lack of experience in the job market.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Information Technology in the Faculty of Informatics and Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology / It is well recognised that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can enhance the quality of teaching and learning in tertiary education. Similarly, research has uncovered a range of factors that impede the successful adoption of digital technology for educational purposes. It remains unclear, furthermore, how educators in institutions of higher learning negotiate and frame their experiences with technology, and how this implicates the teaching and learning process. In this thesis, I will examine this problem, with particular focus on educators from Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in the Western Cape of South Africa. In addressing the research problem, I use symbolic interactionism as analytic framework to unpack and reconstruct the meaningful engagement with technology. Understanding the multiple symbolic meanings that arise from interactions with technology can illuminate the diverse and nuanced perspectives that underpin the use of ICT in teaching and learning. A symbolic interactionist lens can shed further light on the matter of adoption, and allow this research study to make a practical contribution to the introduction of ICT tools in TVETs. To elicit and interpret the multiple meanings that TVET educators associate with ICT, I will employ photo-elicitation methodology, observation and fieldnotes, and self-reflection. Photo-elicitation involves participants taking photographs along the line of inquiry (e.g. the benefit of using technology to teach), after which they undergo a reflexive interview in which they reflect on the meanings of the photographs they have taken. I will couple direct participant observation (documented in field notes) with symbolic interactionism and photo-elicitation to contribute to the production of meaningful data. Finaly, I will apply guidelines of self-reflection by compiling a reflective journal. Self-reflection will allow me to reflect on my own thoughts about the social phenomenon under study and will enable me to understand how my own behaviour may affect the inquiry. The meanings that emerged from the data were grouped into interactionist themes through which the engagement with technology is framed and understood. Educators are generally appreciative of the support and creative capacities that ICT provides to teaching and learning. They are however frustrated with their own inability to fully understand technology and the lack of support from government and institutional decision makers. Despite educators’ struggles with ICT, they are determined to overcome challenges. These themes can be useful in the repositioning of technology for education in TVETs, and can support implementers and policymakers in more effective application.

D.Ed. / During the past decade there have been far-reaching changes in the social and political structure in South Africa. As South Africa has entered the global stage, many companies are now competing internationally. There has been a rapid rise in the technological development which has often meant that people have outdated skills and can no longer be employed. Consequently, young people who wish to make a decision concerning their future careers, are presented with a host of new challenges. The reality of today's world of work demands an individual who can anticipate and adjust to change. The postmodem identity of the multiple selves, is in constant flux in order to maintain position in a rapidly changing world. Sunter (1999), Burr (1995), Mazarr (1999) all refer to the way metanarratives of the past have, in today's world, been called into question. All the old certainties of the past have evaporated. These changes have led to a lack of stability and a sense of hopelessness for the older generation. As a result, there has been an increasing lack of guidance both from parents and from those involved in educating the young people of the country, especially in terms of career choice. Subsequently, our young people are not empowered and many of them fall victim to unemployment and a sense of non-agency. The realities of people living and making meaning of life under very different social, cultural and economic conditions has profoundly important theoretical implications for career counselling (Donald, 1995). There are so many new options open in the world of work, that these confound the process of career decision making. Savickas (1993;1995;1997), suggests that the new work ethic for the 21" century will be one of self-development, changing the goal of career counselling from supporting careerism to fostering self-affirmation and improved decision-making. There is an urgent need to develop an approach which facilitates the process of career decision-making which suits the "spirit of the age" and which is discourse sensitive, but which also incorporates aspects of universal significance. The challenges which are faced by this need are: How can the career seeking adolescent be assisted to search for his/her own identity and recover his/her own voice? How can the adolescent be empowered to challenge and overcome the disempowering discourses which invite career "indecision*? Which way of working could assist the career seeking adolescent to position him/herself and enable him/her to exercise personal agency with regard to the dynamic world of work in the South African context, so that s/he can make a meaningful career decision? The intention of this study is to describe and explain the use of narrative ways of working to facilitate career decision making. This study was set in a postmodem South African context and used narrative ways of working in both career decision making and in the research process. Narrative ways of working use ideas which encompass aspects such as social construction of knowledge through language (Burr, 1995: Gergen, 1991), the power/knowledge relations (Foucault, 1980), and the "not-knowing" approach (Anderson & Goolishian, 1992). Career seeking adolescents took part in the study. The participants drew a lifemap and then they told their stories. I questioned the participants using the inner landscape of action, the outer landscape of consciousness and the experience of experience (Bruner, 1986; White, 1991) framework of questioning. All the participants wrote a reflection of the effect of the lifestory conversation. Other relevant knowledge was gathered from documents, such as school reports. I listened to each conversation which had been recorded. I transcribed the conversations and listened to them again several times. Each listening provided an opportunity to listen for themes which might have been missed. The participants listened to the retelling of the story which the researcher had written and themes which emerged, were co-constructed. Then the participants and the reseracher had a reflexive group conversation using the reflections of the process and further questions as stimulus. This conversation was transcribed and after multiple listenings the researcher wrote a retelling of this conversation. I asked reflexive questions about the career decision making process and each participant was invited to asked me questions about the process. These reflexive conversations were transcribed after multiple listenings. A reflection was written about the effects of the process. Other data collected was used to provide coherence with the knowledges elicited in the conversations. This research report follows a recursive rather than a linear structure. I avoided the objectification of knowledge as it is in direct contrast with the fundamental principles of narrative ways of working. Accountability for this study lies within the multiple reflexive conversations. The authenticity of the data was checked by the participants themselves and a peer researcher who is well versed in narrative ways of working. The retellings of the tellings, allow the reader to make meaning of the participants' and the researcher's stories of the experiences.

Submitted in compliance with the requirement for Master’s Degree in Technology: Marketing, Retail, and Public Relations, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / The South African Further Education and Training (FET) sector is facing the challenge of being rated and considered by many young school leavers and the community as a second choice institution, while universities are their first priority. This study aimed to investigate and explore student’s expectations and perceptions of Colleges in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) with respect to their choice of college. The main objective of this research was to identify students’ expectations and perceptions, and the factors that encourage enrolment at FET colleges, as well as to identify the different expectations and perceptions, according to demographic factors. The SERVQUAL model was employed to establish students’ expectations against perceptions of FET colleges in KZN. The study design was quantitative in nature, using a descriptive technique, cross sectional, and collected data through the application of non-probability sampling with census, quota and convenience sampling methods being utilized to obtain data from a sample of 301 respondents. Data collected from the respondents were analysed with SPSS version 20.0 and interpreted with the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. The questionnaire measured students’ expectations and perceptions in five dimensions of service, namely tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy. The findings demonstrate that students had higher expectations of service quality with lower perceptions of the actual service received. The negative gaps within the five SERVQUAL service quality dimensions, implies that the students were dissatisfied with the level of service in their FET colleges. The gaps, from largest to smallest, were Reliability, Assurance, Tangible, Responsiveness, and Empathy. FET College management is advised to attend to these above-mentioned gaps and to ensure that the necessary strategies are immediately implemented, as these would improve the FET brand and ultimately position FET Colleges as the institution of first choice in KZN. / M

M.Ed. / Technical development, which has its roots in technical education is a high priority in any developing country that aims at the creation of well being for all its citizens. On the other hand, over the past decades, technical education in the Republic of South Africa has not been able to offer sufficient drive to become a contributing factor to bring about the expected economic growth. Certain underlying causes in this regard, were and are today still acceptable. Although certain practical experience in industry is a prerequisite for entry into the education profession, this experience is ignored in terms of salary, promotion service and leave once the person is a fully fledged member of the profession. This is surely the greatest contributory factor to the disillusionment of these teachers during the past decades. Should this underlying problem be removed, it will serve as the necessary stimulus for the people concerned to address the technological demands and a new dimension will occur. The role that the well qualified teacher plays in any teachingand learning situation cannot be over emphasized. He serves as an important bolster against didactic neglect of the child. Should the most recent discussion documents namely the CUMSA, National Training Board as well as the ANC's points of view in connection with educational affairs be integrated, the possibility of an excellent epucational policy may result. The following are the main points from the discussion documents that address the proposed training model: * technology education and engineering studies, which are regarded as career subjects in the senior secondary phase, may be taken as choice subjects. * the possible integration of education and training. * that the modular system to the curriculum with its exit points be followed at schools. * that an adult trainer will receive recognition by means of a certification council for all previous learning and teaching experience (formal as well as informal). The proposed training model in this study makes provision for the trainers, namely that the fechnical teachers who comply with the provisions/requirements of the proposed model be accountably and financially considered qualified so s to optimally fulfil their education and teaching tasks.

Since the advent of democracy in 1994 South Africa has been faced with the shortage of skilled people and this is caused, amongst other things, by the inadequacy of the outdated National Education Programmes for Technical Colleges (NATED) and later referred to as the N-programmes. To address the problem, the former Department of Education (DoE) developed new programmes called the National Certificate Vocational NC (V) for the students of the Further Education and Training colleges (FETs), which were renamed the Technical Vocational Educational and Training Colleges (TVET). The TVET programmes were implemented with the collaboration of industry and other stakeholders who were involved when the NC (V) programmes were developed to ensure their buy-in. Despite all these efforts, Magnus et al. (2013) are of the view that the vocationally-oriented NC (V) programmes offered at colleges are not useful, work-focused and flexible, as a result some leading employers reject the products of the programmes. Returning to the global debate, Lewis (2009) contends that failure of vocational programmes anywhere ought not to be taken as an indictment of vocationalism. Based on the above scenario, this study surveyed and traced TVET graduates who graduated from 2009 to 2012, to determine the impact of the NC (V) programme on those who decided to either further their studies or be employed. Although the programmes offered by the FET’s are rolled out in various study fields throughout the country, the research was limited to graduates who were enrolled in the following three programmes in the North West Province: building construction, electrical, and engineering related studies. The three mega FET Colleges, composed of more than ten campuses as listed in point 1.2.1, are spread throughout the province, which is regarded to be predominantly rural even though it boasts the biggest hub of mines, especially platinum mines. There is also high concentration of tourism industry as well as agricultural businesses that require a skilled labour force to drive economic activities. An extensive literature review was conducted to appropriately inform the study and to provide a firm basis for the arguments. The NC (V) programmes by their nature and design are closely related to the work of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) with respect to the apprenticeships and the learnerships. Factors relating to the research scope, context and the geographical environment were analysed to ensure proper delineation and delimitation of the study since it covered only the North West Province of South Africa. The study used both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies for the collection of data. An interview schedule was used for the collection of the qualitative data from the Colleges, Department of Higher Education and Training, the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), the Universities of Technologies (UoTs), and the various employer organizations. The questionnaire was applied to collect quantitative data from the graduates because of their large numbers. The use of both methods, the qualitative and quantitative, enhanced the quality of the verification and the validation of the data. The correlational relationship and connection between the NC (V) graduates and their post college destinations was determined. This refers to the correlation between NC (V) graduates and the opportunities seized after their college studies. Charles (1998:11) attests that “although in most cases data for correlation studies are obtained through measurement, at times they come from judgments made by researchers, teachers, or other qualified persons”. In line with this, the researcher presented the findings from the qualitative method in a manner that outlines the opinions and the post college status of the graduates. The findings of the qualitative method provided background knowledge into the NC (V) programmes, the graduates and their destinations, thereby validating the quantitative findings. A work integrated learning framework model is proposed for the enhancement of the FET College curriculum, for the improvement of quality work-placement and for the promotion of partnership amongst the beneficiaries; graduates, employers, colleges and the intermediaries. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Thesis (DComm)--Stellenbosch University, 1982. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Manpower development is a subsection of economic planning. The aim of this study was to make a contribution to the existing perception of the education planning and economic planning of manpower development by means of formal, technical and vocational education, so as to bring the manpower supply of trained persons in balance with the demand. The emphasis falls on the formal education and training and re-training of the EMPLOYEE as a means of combating the continuous shortage of skilled manpower in the Republic of South Africa. The planning of an education system must have as aim, to plan in such a way that sufficient skilled manpower can be supplied to the labour market, that is - a demand and supply system of formal education for the employee is advocated. A theoretical framework is constructed which indicates that a balance on all levels of manpower demand and supply can be pursued by means of a system of co-operative education for the employee. The essence of effective co-operative education was identified in the study as effective liaison mechanisms between the interested parties, the self-regulating role which financing plays in this type of education and the importance of the timely identification of manpower training needs by the formal education planners and employers. The empirical results indicated that the employees who received post school education and training in the Orange Free State, amount to 5,9 per cent, whilst 94,1 per cent received no such training. This investigation clearly proved that manpower development, as it appears at present in the Orange Free State, could be substantially improved by means of post-school, formal technical and vocational training of the employee by implementing the recommendations made in this dissertation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mannekragontwikkeling is n onderafdeling van ekonomiese beplanning. Die doel van hierdie studie was om n bydrae te lewer tot die bestaande insigte aangaande onderwysbeplanning en ekonomiese beplanning van mannekragontwikkeling deur formele tegniese en beroepsonderwys, qm daardeur mannekragvoorsiening . van opgeleides in ewewig met die aanvraag te bring. Die klem val op die formele onderwys en opleiding en heropleiding van die GEeMPLOJEERDE as middel om die voortdurende tekorte aan geskoolde mannekrag in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, die hoof te bied. Die onderwysstelselbeplanning moet ten doel he om so te beplan dat genoegsame geskoolde mannekrag, aan die arbeidsmark voorsien sal kan word, dit wil se n vraag-aanbodstelsel van formele onderwys vir die geemplojeerde word begunstig. n Teoretiese raamwerk is opgebou waarvolgens aangetoon word dat ewewig op alle vlakke van mannekragaanvraag en -aanbod nagestreef kan word deur n stelsel van kooperatiewe onderwys vir die geemplojeerde. Die wese van doeltreffende, kooperatiewe onderwys is in die studie geidentifiseer as doeltreffende skakelingsmeganismes tussen die belanghebbende partye, die selfregulerende rol wat finansiering in die soort onderwys speel en die belangrikheid van die tydige identifisering van mannekragopleidingsbehoeftes deur die formele onderwysbeplanners en werkgewers. Die empiriese resultate het getoon dat geemplojeerdes wat naskoolse onderwys en opleiding in die Vrystaat deurloop het 5,9 persent bedra, terwyl 94,1 persent geen sodanige opleiding gehad het nie. Uit die ondersoek het dit duidelik geblyk dat mannekragontwikkeling deur middel van naskoolse, formele tegniese en beroepsonderwys van die geemplojeerde, in die huidige opset in die Vrystaat, aansienlik verbeter kan word, deur dit aan te pas by die aanbevelings wat in hierdie proefskrif gemaak is.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African public technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges have experienced considerable change in the past 20 years. Recently, these colleges have become the focal point of education and training, ever since the publication of the Green Paper on Post-School Education and Training in 2012, transferring the colleges to the higher education and training system. These colleges are expected to increase their enrolments from 650 000 to 2.5 million by 2030. Leaders in these institutions have been faced with constant challenges in a rapidly changing environment. It has been internationally acknowledged that in order for leaders at all levels of vocational education and training institutions to be capable of and effective in transforming their institutions, leadership development is essential. Even though a leadership development programme was advocated in the Green Paper on Further Education and Training in South Africa (RSA, 2012), this training was not mentioned specifically in the subsequent White Paper (RSA, 2014). This lack of leadership development prioritisation of leaders in this sector differs from governments in other countries where customised leadership development in this complex sector has not only been prioritised but has become a matter of urgency. The purpose of this study was thus to develop a leadership development curriculum framework specifically for leaders, present and future, of public TVET colleges in South Africa. These colleges have also been examined as activity systems with their cultural and historical influences, according to Engeström’s (1987) version of activity theory. Through interactive qualitative analysis (IQA), an interpretive methodology grounded in systems theory (Northcutt & McCoy, 2004) which uses an interpretive approach by means of focus group and individual interviews with different constituency populations, an attempt was made to gain an understanding of what challenges these college leaders face and what knowledge, skills, attributes and attitudes they may need to achieve the mandate of the White Paper (RSA, 2014). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die openbare tegniese en beroepsgerigte onderwys-en-opleidingskolleges in Suid-Afrika het die afgelope 20 jaar groot veranderings ervaar. Hierdie kolleges het onlangs die hoof-fokuspunt van onderwys en opleiding geword vandat die Groenskrif vir Na-skoolse Onderwys en Opleiding in 2012 gepubliseer is, wat die kolleges verskuif het na die hoër onderwys-en-opleidingstelsel met die verwagting om teen 2030 inskrywings van 650 000 tot 2.5 miljoen te vermeerder. Leiers in hierdie instellings ondervind voortdurende uitdagings in ’n vinnig-veranderende omgewing. Daar word internasionaal erken dat om leiers op alle vlakke by beroepsgerigte onderwys-en-opleidingsinstellings in staat te stel om hierdie instellings effektief te transformeer, leierskapontwikkeling essensieel is. Al word leierskapontwikkeling in die Groenskrif vir Na-skoolse Onderwys en Opleiding voorgestel, word daar nie vir hierdie opleiding in die daaropvolgende Witskrif (2014) voorsiening gemaak nie, wat verskil van die optrede van regerings in ander lande wat leierskapsontwikkeling in hierdie komplekse sektor prioritiseer. Gepaste leierskapskwalifikasies en -programme is oral ter wêreld vir leiers in dié sektor beskikbaar, maar nie in Suid-Afrika nie. Hierdie kolleges is ook as aktiwiteitstelsels ondersoek en daardeur is ’n analise van die kulturele en historiese invloede gemaak volgens Engeström (1987) se weergawe van Aktiwiteitsteorie. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om ’n leierskapkurrikulumraamwerk vir huidige en toekomstige leiers van openbare tegniese en beroepsgerigte onderwys-en-opleidingskolleges in Suid-Afrika te ontwikkel. Deur interaktiewe kwalitatiewe analise, ’n interpretatiewe metodologie wat sy basis in stelselsteorie het (Northcutt & McCoy, 2004) en wat ’n interpretatiewe benadering toepas, is daar gepoog om deur middel van fokusgroep- en individuele onderhoude vas te stel wat leiers in die sektor glo in so ’n kurrikulumraamwerk ingesluit moet word, sodat die mandaat van die Witskrif (RSA, 2014) uitgeoefen kan word.

Thesis (MEd. (Community and Continuing Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The research was carried out in Capricorn College for FET. The main aim of this study was to identify the educational needs of Capricorn College for FET. This study attempted to answer the following research question:  What are the educational needs of Capricorn College for FET? This study was designed within a qualitative research paradigm using multiple-case studies. A document analysis, semi-structured interviews, observations were used to identify the educational needs of Capricorn College for FET. Semi-structured interviews allowed me to ask questions to participants while allowing the flexibility to probe further details. Semi-structured interviews helped me to have a broader view and clear understanding of educational needs that might exist in all campuses of Capricorn College for FET. Through observation educational needs of learners, educators and campus managers were noted. Findings of this study show that there are educational needs at the Capricorn College for FET such as; the lack of funding, lack of staffing, poor learner recruitment, poor infrastructural resources and poor quality of teaching and learning. Recommendations were made for educators in the three campuses to be trained so that they can acquire knowledge about teaching methodologies. More funding should be provided to the college to enhance the smooth running of the college. The college should be equipped with resources that are required for teaching and learning. More learners should be able to study and equipped with relevant skills for job market. Capricorn College for FET should use recruitment strategies that may benefit almost learners in the country. The Department of Higher Education and Training should make sure that Capricorn College for FET be provided with necessary and enough infrastructural resources. Teaching and learning materials should be supplied to this institution and on time. In that way it will enhance the effective teaching and learning at the college.