Thesis (DPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The area of study is the notion of validity in image-based research, i.e. research approaches where visual images such as photographs or video recordings form an integral part of one or more of the methods used. In the literature investigation chapters of the study, (1) the notion of validity is reviewed with special reference to contributions by Cook and Campbell, Guba and Lincoln, Kvale, Lather and Morse; (2) the inherent properties of visual images are discussed from a semiotic perspective, and (3) following a discussion of reflexivity in image-based research, the various domains of image-based research practice are demarcated according to the unit of analysis, the data format, the researcher role (outsider, insider, participant) and the production of the visual material (ex ante or ex post with weak or strong researcher control). The literature investigation chapters were taken as the point of departure for the development of a conceptual framework for assessing validity in image-based research, the mechanics of which are illustrated with reference to selected aspects of image-based research projects by Lomax and Casey, Clark and Zimmer, Rich and Chalfen, DuFon and Chaplin. The conceptual framework was refined on the strength of a Delphi study. The Delphi procedure involved canvassing and pooling the opinions of experts in the field of image-based research about issues of validity with a view to ensure that the assumptions made during the development of the conceptual framework fit sufficiently with image-based research practice. Flowing from the literature investigation chapters as well as the Delphi procedure, the central thesis of the study is that the notion of validity is in the first instance contextdependent and that this is compounded in the case of image-based research by the relative instability of iconic codes and the strong drift towards 'unlimited' semiosis inherent in the visual communication process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studieveld behels ‘n ondersoek na die gedagte van geldigheid soos van toepassing op beeldgebaseerde navorsing, d.w.s. navorsingsbenaderings waar visuele beelde soos foto’s of video-opnames ‘n integrale deel uitmaak maak een of meer van die metodes wat gebruik word. In die hoofstukke wat die literatuurstudie uitmaak, word (1) die gedagte van geldigheid onder die loep geneem met spesifieke verwysing na die bydraes van Cook en Campbell, Guba en Lincoln, Kvale, Lather en Morse, (2) word die inherente eienskappe van visuele beelde vanaf 'n semiotiese oogpunt bespreek, en (3) word die verskeie velde van beeldgebaseerde navorsingspraktyk afgebaken volgens die eenheid van ontleding, die dataformaat, die rol van die navorser (buitestaander, binnestaander, deelnemer) en die produksie van die visuele materiaal (ex ante of ex post met sterk of swak navorserkontrole). Die hoofstukke wat gemoeid is met die literatuurstudie is as vertrekpunt geneem vir die daarstelling van ‘n konsepsuele raamwerk vir geldigheid aangaande beeldgebaseerde navorsing, en die werking hiervan is geïllustreer met verwysing na geselekteerde aspekte van beeldgebaseerde navorsing deur Lomax en Casey, Clark en Zimmer, Rich en Chalfen, DuFon end Chaplin. Hierdie konsepsuele raamwerk is verder verfyn op grond van ‘n Delphi-prosedure. Die Delphi-prosedure het behels dat die opinies van deskundiges in die veld van beeldgebaseerde navorsing aangaande kwessies van geldigheid ingewin en saamgevoeg is met die oog om te verseker dat die aannames wat gemaak is ten tyde van die ontwikkeling van die konsepsuele raamwerk genoegsaam gepas is vir die praktyk van beeldgebaseerde navorsing. Die tesis van die studie, gebaseer op die uitkomste van die literatuurstudie en die Delphi-prosedure, is dat die gedagte van geldigheid konteks-afhanklik is, wat in die geval van beeldgebaseerde navorsing vererger word deur die feit dat ikoniese kodes relatiefonstabiel is en dat die proses van visuele kommunikasie 'n sterk tendens na 'eindelose' semiosis toon.

Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African society presents a complex and diverse environment to social scientists. Within immense economic stratification; a multitude of cultures and classes; languages and their dialects; and varied racial groups, researchers attempt to produce information that contributes constructively to policy, programs and a host of services. Beneath the surface also lay complex power issues informed by both political and cultural histories. Many contexts in which researchers find themselves continue to be marginalised and oppressed due to factors such as illiteracy and low-levels of education, age, gender and poverty. These groups often include women and children, in particular adolescents. Qualitative visual methods may provide researchers with a tool by which to address many of the concerns raised in the literature surrounding research carried out under such conditions. Visual methods may remove inherent power imbalances, as well as traditional barriers, such as culture and language, that stem from more 'conservative' research methods. Images may allow participants to vocalise the taken-for-granted in their lives in an empowering manner. The recognition and use of visual images in research with marginalised and oppressed groups is being increasingly recognised by the larger research community. A preliminary overview of the available literature highlights existing disagreement surrounding the theoretical underpinnings of visual methods. This is particularly seen in the various and confusing levels of abstraction presented in the literature. The primary aim of this study is therefore, to gain clarity and understanding as regards the methodological and epistemological underpinnings of visual research methods within the social sciences. As such, a comprehensive literature review has been conducted. A second aim of the study is to set out a typology of methods that would be relevant for use in marginalised communities. The third aim of the study is empirical in nature and aims to highlight the role and/or possibilities of visual research methods within the South African social sciences research context. This is achieved by means of a case study which explores how motherhood is experienced by five teenagers in a sub-economic community outside of Cape Town. It does this by providing participants cameras with which to visually express their understanding and experiences of motherhood. Processed photographs in this case study have been analysed by means of informal discussion, directed by the images, with the participants themselves. These discussions were recorded and transcribed. The results of the interviews were then analysed using grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). The results emerging from this have been compared with relevant literature. In this way, results are also triangulated, adding to their reliability (Lucchinni, 1996). Consequently, results of this case study provide a comparative component by which to assess the applicability of visual methods in the South African research context. Both the literature review as well as experiences of the case study also form the basis of suggestions for further exploration. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskap bied 'n komplekse en diverse omgewing aan sosiale wetenskaplikes. Binne hewige ekonomiese stratifikasie; 'n verskeidenheid kulture en klasse; tale en dialekte en diverse rassegroepe, poog navorsers om inligting te verskaf om 'n konstruktiewe bydrae te maak aan riglyne, programme en 'n legio dienste. Onder die oppervlakte lê daar ook komplekse magstryde afkomstig van beide 'n kuitereie en politieke geskiedenis. Vele omstandighede waarin navorsers hulself vind word steeds oorheers deur marginalisasie en onderdrukking as gevolg van faktore soos ongeletterdheid, lae vlakke van opvoeding, ouderdom, geslag en armoede. Hierdie groepe bestaan dikwels uit, onder andere, vroue en kinders. Kwalitatiewe visuele tegnieke mag navorsers van die nodige metodes voorsien waarmee verskeie probleme wat in die literatuur uitgelig word aangaande hierdie navorsing, aangespreek kan word. Visuele tegnieke mag inherente magsongelykhede, sowel as tradisionele struikelblokke, soos kultuur en taal wat afkomstig is uit meer 'konserwatiewe' navorsingstegnieke, verwyder. Uitbeeldings mag deelnemers toelaat om die vanselfsprekende in hullewens in 'n opbouende wyse te vokaliseer. Die identifisering en gebruik van visuele uitbeeldings in navorsing met gemarganaliseerde en onderdrukte groepe word tot 'n toenemende mate erken deur die uitgebreide navorsingsgemeenskap. 'n Voorlopige oorsig van die beskikbare literatuur beklemtoon bestaande onenigheid met betrekking tot die teoretiese fondamente van visuele tegnieke. Dit is veral duidelik sigbaar in die uitgebreide en verwarde vlakke van abstraktheid wat in die literatuur voorgestel word. Die primêre doelwit van hierdie studie is dus om groter helderheid en insig met betrekking tot die metodologiese en epistemologiese grondbeginsels van visuele metodes, soos dit in die sosiale wetenskappe voorkom, te verkry. Met hierdie doel voor oë is 'n uitgebreide literatuurondersoek onderneem. 'n Tweede doel van die studie is om 'n tipologie van metodes uiteen te sit wat relevant kan wees in gemarginaliseerde gemeenskappe. 'n Derde doel van die studie is empiries van aard en beoog om die rol en/of moontlikhede van visuele tegnieke binne die Suid-Afrikaanse sosiale wetenskaplike navorsings konteks te beklemtoon. Dit word bereik deur middel van 'n studie wat ondersoek hoe moederskap ondervind word deur vyf tieners in 'n sub-ekonomiese gemeenskap in die buitewyke van Kaapstad. Dit word uitgevoer deur deelnemers te voorsien van kameras waarmee hul begrip en ondervindings van moederskap visueel uitbeeld. 'n Verdere analise van hierdie studie is deur middel van informele besprekings uitgevoer met die deelnemers, begelei deur die uitbeeldings. Sodanige besprekings is opgeneem en getranskribeer. Die resultate verkry vanuit die onderhoude is daarna geanaliseer deur middel van begronde teorie (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Die resultate wat hieruit afkomstig was, is vergelyk met relevante literatuur. Op hierdie wyse is resultate bevestig, wat ook verder tot hul betroubaarheid gespreek het (Lucchinni, 1996). Die gevolg is dat die resultate van hierdie studie 'n vergelykende komponent verskaf waarmee die toepaslikheid van visuele tegnieke in die Suid-Afrikaanse navorsingskonteks gemeet kan word. Beide die literatuurstudie, asook die ondervindings vanuit die gevallestudie vorm die basis vir aanbevelings vir verdere ondersoek.

A number of issues related to graduate education in pharmacy have become apparent in the last several years. Recruitment of pharmacy students into graduate programs is one of the concerns. Currently, little information exists regarding this topic other than annual enrollment data. A certain number of pharmacy undergraduates must pursue graduate education to allow for the continued growth of the profession. A study was conducted to determine if a newly created videotape intervention would change participants attitudes and awareness levels concerning graduate educational pursuits in pharmacy. First and third professional year students at four Colleges of Pharmacy were randomly assigned to the treatment or control groups. Members of the control group were asked to complete the survey instrument only. The instrument consisted of three measures of intention to pursue graduate education, personal attitudes toward this pursuit, and perceptions of how significant others (the subjective norm) felt about these endeavors. The Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen and Fishbein) provided the theoretical framework for the research. Results of the study indicated that the intervention was able to change intentions, attitudes, and awareness levels regarding graduate education and research activities. Intentions of enrolling in graduate school did not differ between two entry level degree programs or in males versus females. First year students had higher intentions of obtaining graduate education than third year students. The subjective norm was more important than attitudes in predicting the intentions concerning graduate school attendance. These results demonstrate that positive changes in intentions, attitudes, and awareness levels can be obtained from such videotape interventions.

The purpose of this study was to: (1) ascertain how an activity/child centered approach, in conjunction with student use of manipulatives, affected the mathematics achievement of first and second graders in a rural school setting; and (2) to investigate teacher perception of the success of the specific methodology implemented in the study. The population for this study included the teachers and students in a rural Arizona K-3 elementary school. The study was longitudinal in nature and covered a two year period. The groups used during the first year of the study were first and second graders. The groups for the second year of the study were second and third graders. The K-6 teachers in the district were given an attitude questionnaire constructed to indicate teacher attitude toward worth of the program and various aspects of its implementation. Teacher mathematics lesson descriptions and perceived advantages and disadvantages of the program were also included in the attitude questionnaire. The teacher attitude questionnaires were analyzed in five parts and the findings were represented on charts. Some of the results were determined by a simple tally method and others were converted into percentages. Lesson observations were conducted in each of the six classrooms studied and the results were reported on charts. Achievement for treatment and nontreatment groups was measured by; pre- and post-testing with the Wide Range Achievement Test. T-tests were used to compare student results on the pre- and post-tests each year. In addition, a t-test comparison was made between the first year and second year with Iowa Test of Basic Skills test results. Finally, a one-way analysis of variance was done on the group receiving treatment for only one year, two years, and the non-treatment group. The combined results of the teacher attitude questions, lesson observations and achievement tests were used to make recommendations for program improvements.

For my creative thesis project I authored an interactive tour of the Ball State Department of Art. Many underlying factors go into this project. My desire to learn multimedia design, the departments desire to develop a new information tool and having the necessary hardware and software to do such a project were all key to its sucess.In the summer of 1994 I came to Ball State to learn multimedia authoring while getting a master's degree in art. Unknown to me at that time, the department had set a goal of increasing visibility both within and beyond the Ball State community. Faculty members Professor Phil Repp and Professor Christine Paul were collaborating on a promotional identity campaign. From these collaborations grew the idea of a departmental publication to promote the mission and programs of the Department of Art. With the rapid advancement of technology, it seemed appropriate to use computers as part of this promotional campaign.As Professors Paul and Repp researched the possible ways in which computers could be incorporated into this project, many questions remained. Exactly what form should a project like this take and who could do it? Careful discussion and planning also followed over what physical form the project should take (i.e. video tape, a computer disk, or printed material). Eventually the decision was made that an interactive tour of the Department of Art on CD-ROM was the most appropriate solution. For the amount of information that needed to be included and to engage the end user in a dynamic, interactive way, this medium was also the most logical.My decision to return to school coincides perfectly with the departments needs. Professor Paul’s and Professor Repp’s collaboration led to the conclusion that a third person would be needed. Someone who was already literate in advanced computer graphics and had the desire for such an undertaking. Therefore, my goals of advancing my understanding of Macintosh based digital imagery learning multimedia are significant on two levels; my career as a teacher and a professional artist would realize significant gains and this project is an outstanding addition to my portfolio.For the past several years, the primary area of artistic study for me has been in the area of computer graphics and I came to Ball State last summer with some very specific goals. One of them being to learn Macromedia Director (the authoring package I used to create the project). Director is nationally recognized by professionals in this field as the top program for this type of work. Therefore, this was both an opportunity to reach personal goals and to create a thesis project that could be used as an important part of the Department of Arts identity campaign. My thesis project is the result of my own goals and the Department of Arts goals to utilize cutting edge technology for designing innovative computer programs.I’m sure at the onset of this project that I did not understand the full magnitude of an undertaking such as this. However, it is very rewarding to look back and see both how far I’ve come personally and how the piece has progressed into a dynamic information tool. / Department of Art

M.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

It is the purpose of this study to determine if there are any ways and means by which television may be used effectively as an instructional aid in programs of education, and special attention will be given to ways and means of using television in the teaching of industrial arts.

It is the purpose of this study to compare the effectiveness of the film method with the pupil-teacher discussion method for summarizing certain food units.

The problem of the study was the effectiveness of three techniques to teach the instructional unit, "The Air Force Fiscal Account Structure and Codes." The techniques compared were (1) lecture-demonstration procedure supplemented with the eclectic programed textbook, (2) autoinstructional procedure using only the eclectic programed textbook, and (3) the conventional lecture-demonstration procedure.