This study focuses on the identification of traditional and modern sociocultural factors revealed by traditionallyorientated (rural) and modern (urban) Vhavenda people that define the Vhavenda cultural context, and establishes how the Vhavenda view giftedness from their own sociocultural perspective. The literature study reveals that Vhavenda school children are disadvantaged with regard to socioeconomic level, education and geographic isolation. Definitions of intelligence were reviewed as well as those of giftedness that consider sociocultural perspectives. An idiographic, qualitative study was conducted with informants from rural and urban areas. Results show that the sociocultural context of both traditional and modern Vhavenda is characterised by modern rather than traditional sociocultural factors which influence the development, nurturance and manifestation of giftedness in Vhavenda children. Vhavenda learners (13-15 years old) revealed some frequently observed characteristics of giftedness. Consequently, some identification measures of disadvantaged gifted children hold promise for the identification of gifted Vhavenda learners. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The study aims to explore the role of children’s homes in the educational performance of primary school learners. It employed qualitative approach which follows a case study design. It was conducted in three schools and children’s home. The participants consisted of six caregivers, six teachers and six learners whose responses were collected using in-depth interviews as an instrument. They were all purposefully selected as they possess information that is rich and relevant to my study. Participants were told that their interview was voluntary and they were free to withdraw at any time if they feel uncomfortable. The confidentiality in order to protect the identity of the participants was maintained. The data were collected by writing response from participants and using tape recorder. It was then transcribed, organised, marked by hand, and coded to produce themes. The major findings are that children’s homes can affect the performance negatively or positively; positively, if homes create enough time for children to study and have more access to people and resources in support of their studies and negatively in that there are numerous educational barriers that the caregivers in the children’s home face daily when it comes to assisting the orphaned and vulnerable learners in their school work. Based on the findings, the study gives a number of recommendations, namely, there is need to strengthen collaborative efforts between government and other non-governmental organisations to ensure increased availability of necessary resources to the orphaned and vulnerable learners; caregivers in children’s homes need to receive proper training and assistance in order to be able to handle the psychological difficulties experienced by the orphaned and vulnerable learners; education and legal campaigns must be put in place to eliminate stigma associated with orphan-hood. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This research investigated the relationship between the school principal’s instructional leadership role and the academic performance of pupils in Swaziland primary schools. A qualitative investigation was conducted using individual and focus group interviewing. This was supplemented by a study of official documents on instructional leadership at each research site and the observation of the prevailing culture of teaching and learning traits at each school. A research sample of eight school principals and forty teachers was purposefully drawn from eight well-performing primary schools in the Southern Hhohho region of Swaziland. The findings of the study confirmed that the school principal’s instructional leadership role serves as a pillar for the development and sustainment of a sound culture of teaching and learning in order to ensure that learners achieve optimally. Based on the perceptions of school principal and teacher participants, strategies were developed for effective instructional leadership so as to ensure optimal learner performance. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference in the academic performance of students who received career counselling and those who did not. Other factors that were investigated were the relationships between academic performance at university and matric results, gender and mother tongue. The third aim of this study was to determine if a significant relation exists between the first year averages of the subjects and above trend to change courses. According to research literature, career counselling, matric results, gender and mother tongue are factors that play an important role in the prediction of academic success at university level. The sample consisted of 118 subjects. All subjects were students at the Universtity of Stellenbosch. The most important findings are as follows: There was no significant difference (p>0,05) between first year averages of subjects who received career counselling and those who did not. There was a positive correlation between first year averages and matric results. There was a significant difference (p<0,05) between first year averages of the different sexes. Female students show better academic performance than male students. There was no significant difference between first year averages of Afrikaans speaking and English speaking students (p>0,05). The results of the study show that various factors influence the academic success of university students. Multiple measures must be used in combination to predict academic success.

Inom ramarna för Femfaktormodellen var det övergripande syftet med föreliggande studie att undersöka relationen mellan personlighet och val av utbildning respektive akademisk prestation på den valda utbildningen i ett svenskt stickprov. Vidare undersöktes om Hollands (1997) teori, som utvecklades för snart 20 år sedan i USA, kan vara av betydelse i dagens Sverige. Totalt deltog 177 studenter som vid tidspunkten för datainsamlingen läste program inom humaniora (N = 121) eller ekonomi (N = 56) vid olika svenska universitet. Dessa fyllde i en webbenkät innehållande IPIP-NEO-PI testet (Goldberg, 1999) samt frågor om utbildning, prestation och yrkesintressen enligt RIASEC – modellen (Holland, 1997). Multivariata kovariansanalyser visade att det finns skillnader i personlighet mellan humaniorastudenter och ekonomistudenter som dessutom verkar inte bero på socialisationsprocessen. Separata korrelationsanalyser för de två grupperna visade på skillnader i samband mellan personlighet och prestation beroende på utbildning. Multipla linjära regressionsanalyser visade att det inte är samma personlighetsfaktorer som predicerar prestation då endast humaniorastudenterna undersöktes och då hela urvalet undersöktes vilket kan vara ett tecken på att olika personlighetsfaktorer predicerar prestation i olika utbildningar. Slutligen visade resultatet på skillnader i utbildningsmiljöer mellan humaniora och ekonomi utifrån RIASEC modellen. För gruppen humaniora, men inte för ekonomi, visade resultatet också på att ”fit” mellan individens profil och typ av utbildningsmiljö ledde till högre prestation. Dessa resultat diskuteras i relation till tidigare forskning inom området. I ett bredare perspektiv diskuteras också innebörden av dessa resultat både för praktiken samt vilka aspekter framtida studier bör ta hänsyn till. / Within the framework of the Big Five factor model, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between personality and choice of college major as well as academic performance in a Swedish sample. A secondary aim was to test whether Hollands (1997) vocational choice theory, which was developed for almost 20 years ago in the United States, could be meaningful for Sweden in present-days. A total of 177 students enrolled in college majors within Humanities (N = 121) and Economics (N = 56) from several Swedish universities used a web-based survey to complete the IPIP-NEO-PI inventory (Goldberg, 1999) and to answer questions about their studies, their academic performance and vocational interests according to the RIASEC model (Holland, 1997). Multivariate covariance analyses showed that there were personality differences between humanities students and economics students that seem to pre-exist rather than to be a consequence of a socialization process. Correlation analyses, separate for the two groups, showed different associations of personality factors with performance across groups. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that the personality factors that predict performance were different when only data from humanities students was analysed and when data from the whole sample was analysed which can be interpreted as if the personality factors that predict performance are different across majors. Finally, results showed that there are differences between educational environments of humanities and economics according to the RIASC model. For humanities students, but nor for economics students, the results also showed that “fit” between the individuals profiles and the profile of the environment leads to higher performance. These results are discussed in relation to previous research in the field. From a wider perspective the implications for practice of these results are discussed as well as insights about aspects needed to be considered in future research.

As an exploration of some of the major provisions of NCLB, this dissertation applies the resource substitution perspective (Mirowsky & Ross, 2003) to the early years of elementary school and examines various forms of teacher human capital (e.g., educational background, certification, experience) to capture the pool of potential compensatory resources for segments of the child population deemed at-risk for academic problems because of their race/ethnicity and/or economic status. The research literature concerning teacher effects on academic performance and disparities in the elementary grades (vs. later levels of schooling) is limited, and the prevailing research on teacher effects in general either focuses on factors that are less relevant to early childhood education or provide mixed results. Applying multilevel modeling and other statistical techniques to data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, I found that poor and non-poor Black children are consistently the most at-risk groups in math between kindergarten and third grade and in reading by the end of third grade. Poor Black and poor Hispanic children appear to benefit more from teachers who have regular and/or elementary certification than their non-poor White peers. In general, Hispanic children tend to be more responsive to resources in the early grades than other at risk groups. / text

本研究主要目的在探討都市原住民族學生在父母教育期望、學生學習動機及學生學業成就的現況，並探討不同背景變項間的差異情形，分析都市原住民族學生在父母教育期望、學生學習動機及學業成就的相關情形，最後並探究父母教育期望及學生學習動機對學生學業成就之回歸預測分析。 本研究採問卷調查法，以臺北縣六所國民中學原住民族重點學校的學生為研究對象，共計595人，以描述性統計、t考驗、單因子變異數分析、Scheffé事後比較、皮爾森積差相關及多元迴歸分析等方法進行統計分析。 本研究得到以下的主要發現： 一、 都市國中原住民族學生在父母教育期望、學生學習動機及學生學業成就均為中上程度。 二、 都市國中原住民族學生在父母教育期望、學生學習動機及學生學業成就，因背景變項不同而有顯著差異。 三、 都市國中原住民族學生在父母教育期望、學生學習動機與學生學業成就有顯著的低度正相關。 四、 都市國中原住民族學生在父母教育期望和學生學習動機有顯著的中度正相關。 五、 都市國中原住民族學生在父母教育期望、學生學習動機對學生學業成就具有顯著的預測力。 / The main purpose of this study was to understand the relationships among parent education expectation, learning motivation, and academic achievement of urban aboriginal junior high school students. Survey method is used in this research. By purposeful sampling, 595 valid samples were acquired. The instruments used in the research are included Parent Education Expectation Scale and Learning Motivation Scale. The statistical methods used to analyze the data were descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way anova, Scheffé method, pearson product-moment correlation coefficient analysis, and multiple regression analysis . The conclusions of major were as follows: 1. Parent education expectation, learning motivation, and academic achievement of urban aboriginal Junior high school students were in medium-high range. 2. There were significant differences of parent education expectation, learning motivation, and academic achievement of urabn aboriginal Junior high school students. 3. The correlations among parent education expectation, learning motivation, and academic performance were positively significant. 4. The correlations between parent education expectation and learning motivation were positively significant. 5. Urban aboriginal junior high school students’ parent education expectation and learning motivation, could significantly predict their academic performance.

Emotional intelligence is a relatively new and growing area of behavioural research, which stimulated the imagination of the general public, the commercial world and the scientific community. Only a few studies have been done on the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of emotional intelligence, optimism, life satisfaction and self-efficacy, as well as the validity and reliability of these measures on a sample of university students. Further objectives included conceptualising emotional intelligence, optimism, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, wellbeing and academic performance and determining the validity and reliability of the 33-item measurement of emotional intelligence (SEIS) for a sample of potential future employees in economical sciences professions. The results obtained from this study will help organisations determine the level of emotional intelligence and well-being of their future workforce, in order to implement certain interventions to improve it. A cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. A sample of 341 students was used for this study, but only 324 of the responses could be utilised. The participants (N = 324) were students within the field of economics. 1 17 Students were from the Vanderbijlpark Campus and 207 students were from the Potchefstroom Campus. The Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale, Life Orientation Test Revised, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the General Perceived Self- Efficacy Scale were administered. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the statistical data. The results obtained from the SEIS proved this measuring instrument to be valid and reliable. By using the multiple linear regression analysis approach, a six dimensional factor structure for emotional intelligence among students emerged, which supported earlier conceptions in this regard. The results showed that Interpersonal factors consisted of Positive Affect, Emotions-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions and Emotional Control. Intrapersonal factors consisted of Self-Efficacy, Life Satisfaction and Optimism. Self-efficacy, Life satisfaction, Optimism, Pessimism, Positive Affect, Emotion-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotion-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions and Emotional Control, predict 16% of the variance in Academic Performance. Significant predictors of Academic Performance are Life Satisfaction, Optimism, Pessimism and Emotions-Others. A second order factor analysis was done on the factors of the SEIS, LOT-R, GPSES, and the SWLS. Two factors were extracted explaining 50,95% of the variance. These factors were called Interpersonal Factors and Intrapersonal Factors. On the Intrapersonal Factor, the following factors loaded: Emotions-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own and Non-Verbal Emotions. Self-Efficacy, Life Satisfaction and Optimism, Positive Affect and Emotional Control loaded on the Interpersonal Factor. It is evident from the above that psychological well-being consisted out of two dimensions namely Interpersonal and Intrapersonal aspects. Positive Affect is significantly positively related (large effect) to Optimism and Self-Efficacy and significantly positive related (medium effect) to Emotions-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions and Emotional Control. Emotions-Others is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own and Self-Efficacy. Happy Emotions is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Emotions-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions, Emotional Control, Optimism and Self-Efficacy. Emotions-Own is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Non-verbal Emotions, Emotional Control, Optimism and Self-Efficacy. Non-verbal Emotions significantly positively related (medium effect) to Emotional Control and Self-Efficacy. Emotional Control significantly positively related (large effect) to Self-Efficacy and significantly positively related (medium effect) to Optimism and Life Satisfaction. Optimism significantly positively related (medium effect) to Life Satisfaction and Self-Efficacy. Pessimism is significantly negatively related (medium effect) to Life Satisfaction and Self- Efficacy. Life satisfaction is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Self-Efficacy and Academic Performance. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

The application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as supportive tool in teaching and learning within the framework of the radical change that Outcomes Based Education (OBE) has created, pervades and consequently alters the pedagogy and methodology of Geography teaching. Geography Is a subject in which ICT can make a definite and worthwhile contribution and it is, therefore, important that Geography educators know how to harness the benefits of ICT for their learners. Apart from the general availability of ICT to fulfil the requirements of the curricula, there are pressures from the world outside the classroom in the form of professionals who utilize Geography in their profession, such as town planners and meteorologists, who utilise new technology such as GIs, GPS, satellite images, radar summaries, air charts and meteograms as an integral part of their work. The Internet, the World Wide Web and CD-Rom are used progressively as resource-based and communication tools in teaching and learning throughout the world. The challenge to utilise ICT in Geography teaching and learning occurs in a world experiencing increasing disparities between the rich and poor, among and within nations. For example, while 72.7% of Americans currently use the Internet, only 6.4% of South Africans have access to and use the Internet. A solution for sufficient ICT support in teaching and learning for developing countries is to focus on ICT variants that are affordable and that will sustain movement toward fulfilling development objectives. Developing countries (such as the RSA) need to consider alternatives to ICT that maximise the Impact of ICT and that entail balancing investment in computers with investment in other technologies that might be cheaper and equally effective. The use of alternative ICT variants must, however, be globally competitive, but at the same time be cost-effective. The ability, versatility and low cost of an ICT variant such as the Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) suggest that it can serve this purpose. ICT supports teaching and learning in Geography in many ways and has an impact on the quality of learners' learning experience and the depth of their learning. It can be a tool for inquiry learning, a resource for obtaining secondary source material, an aid in measuring physical events and situations, models real-world situations, helps to communicate and present information, improves efficiency and pace of workload, provides resources and structure to support learning independently of the educator and improves the quality of task outcomes for learners. The introduction of OBE in South Africa since 1994 has also encouraged learner-centred teaching and learning and has required a paradigm shift away from the traditional content-based transmission model of teaching and learning. The purpose of this study is to: • determine whether or not the DVD method can support the teaching and learning of Geography teacher students effectively; • determine how the DVD alters the format, structure and number of traditional formal Geography lectures; • determine what the nature of the information on the DVD must be in order to be perceived by the students effectively; • Investigate the effect of the utilisation of the DVD on the academic performance of Geography teacher students; and • develop a model for the effective integration and utilisation of the DVD in fulltime Geography teaching and learning. An action research method constituted the backbone of this study. The action research included a combined qualitative and quantitative research method in the form of a cross-sectional study as part of a developmental research method, in order to develop and evaluate a proposed model for the effective integration and utilisation of the DVD in Geography teaching and learning. The participants in this study included the entire population of the full-time, second-year students of the Economic Geography module, GEOH251 of 2004, 2005 and 2006 of the B.Ed (teaching degree) of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus). The results of the study can be summarised as follows: This study indicated that the majority of the GEOH251 students were positive regarding the integration of the DVD in Geography teaching and learning. The DVD-method teaching approach challenges lecturers and students to fulfil new roles within the teaching and learning environment. The results of this study indicate the following: The integration of the DVD method can support the teaching and learning of Geography teacher students effectively. The utilisation of the DVD, together with a seminar format with a specific procedure, enhances the teaching and learning of Geography. The DVD with all the different types of information included thereon was well received by the Geography students and was deemed effective. The integration of the DVD into Geography teaching and learning evidently did not result in poorer academic performances of students in the GEOH251 module. The proposed model provides clear guidelines on how to integrate the DVD In Geography teaching and learning. It explains how the DVD should be compiled, what to include and how to employ it effectively in conjunction with seminars. It also describes the transition of formal contact sessions to seminars, which occur less frequently than traditional contact sessions, but with regular weekly intervals, as well as explains the seminar proceedings, interactions and timeframes. The DVD can be integrated into Geography teaching and learning effectively if the procedures, steps, and actions, as expounded in the proposed model, are applied. The advantages of the DVD as ICT variant in Geography teaching and learning can be clearly seen, especially if it can be implemented in developing countries. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

This study deals with the relationship between culture and national development in Angola. It is self-evident that folktales are integral to the cultural heritage of any people, and the Lunda-Cokwe of Angola are no exception. Folktales pass on their knowledge and general cultural heritage to new generation. However, they are rarely regarded as a useful component on development process of a country. In general the development is largely measured in statistics reflecting material wealth. It maintains that, in order to bring about sustainable development and national unity, a holistic approach to personality building as well as nation building is required. The argumentation will not only take into account economic capital generated through national resources, such as diamonds from the Lunda provinces, but also requires other forms of capital, including social and cultural capital as articulated in Bourdieu’s theory of capital. / African languages / M.A. (African languages)