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This evaluation examines a Community Intervention Program's goal of reducing out-of-home placements. The Community Intervention Program (CIP) is a home-based family preservation program that began servicing families in 1998. Out-of-Home placements are considered any placement for a child other than his/her natural home settings. Some examples of out-of-home placements include: foster homes, detention, hospitalization, group homes, residential treatment, wilderness camps and etc. This evaluation will include 14 families that were discharged from the Community Program of Atlanta, GA between the months of January-August, 2000. Out of the 14 families there are 21 children ranging between the ages of 5 and 17. The purpose of this evaluation is to assess how successful the program is in meeting its intended goal of reducing out-of-home placements among the children they service. Successful placements are defined as those in which the children remained in the home 3 months post-discharge. Unsuccessful placements are defined as those in which the children were placed out of the home 3 months post-discharge. All of the families included in the study had children who have been placed out of the home at some point, and are experiencing difficulties functioning, or families who had children who were at high risk of being placed out of the home. The findings of this evaluation are expected to raise awareness in the field of social work on the importance of tracking the placement of discharged clients. Many studies show programs were successful in preventing out-of-home placements during treatment and at discharge, but there is little to no information on placement stability 3, 6, or 12 months post discharge. Implications of social work practice are discussed.

M.Phil. (Economics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This thesis examines the use of mediating entities in overcoming barriers found in many university-community partnerships, which arise out of unequal power, a lack of mutual understanding, and divergent agendas of the partners. In order to develop a theory or model of the functions and structure of these mediating entities, this thesis analyzes the Urban Routes program of International Project for Nonprofit Leadership. This study identifies four main functions of mediating entities: integration, interpretation, equalization, and sustaining. This case study reveals the importance of structuring these mediating entities in a way that allows for the most effective utilization of the personal relationships these structures rely upon.

The aim of this study is to take a closer look at how customization, or the lack thereof, affectsthe player to character emotional bond and identification in a digital game. Examining previousarticles and studies with similar aim, the lack of study pertaining to a certain game formatsurfaced and sparked a research interest. To gain some clarity into how character customization,and the identification and bond it inspires in players, would be affected by a non-audiovisualbranching stories digital game the researcher created a small game for this study. This paperexplores if previous research results on RPGs can be transferred to the format of a text-basednon-audiovisual branching story game. For this qualitative study, ten people, divided in twogroups, played a version of the game and answered follow-up questions in the form of aquestionnaire. In addition, some observations were carried out of the game play sessions. Theseanswers were studied to give the individuals perspective, as well as allowing for the study of thephenomena by reviewing multiple perspectives to distinguish patterns. The results indicate thatcaring for a character takes longer if the player is not allowed to customize it. It was also indicated that the actual customization was more important than the character created.

D.Tech. / South Africa, as a developing country, is in search of an approach to education that could overhaul the problems associated with the historical education system. Outcomes-based education was introduced in South Africa on the assumption that it would lead to an increase in the quality of education by improving the standard of teaching and learning performance and by providing a curriculum that is more relevant to learners‘ needs. A focus of this research project is to empower physiology lecturers with the relevant teaching, learning and assessment skills needed to implement outcomes-based education within a constructivist framework. This research study describes the development of learning interventions for physiology that exploits the congruencies between constructivist perspectives on learning and the individual attributes of students as defined by learning styles and instructional design principles. This development research project was conducted in four phases: an extensive literature review in which teaching, learning and assessment models and theories were integrated into Curry‘s 'Onion model‘; the design of questionnaires, based on the literature reviewed, to compile a profile of the students registered for physiology at the University of Johannesburg; a pilot study; implementation of the questionnaires; and analysis of the data. Concurrent with this the different teaching, learning and assessment interventions, as identified in the literature, were implemented and evaluated continuously. A questionnaire was designed and implemented to determine student‘s views on these different interventions. Observations were also captured in a teaching diary and during semi-structured interviews with students. The literature review revealed that although there is a vast amount of information available on teaching, learning and assessment most of the models, theories and strategies described do not address the presence of more than one style at a time. This study makes a contribution to the field of instructional design for physiology with the development and application of the proposed model for 'Whole brain learning‘, as well as the proposed model for designing learning interventions entitled 'The 3‘D‘s of designing learning interventions‘.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, Dramatic Arts, 2013 / Gender based sexual violence against women has become epidemic in South Africa. This study attempts to explore the pedagogical approach of Applied Drama as a qualitative behavioural change programme for adolescent black males. This Practice-based Research Report investigates the efficacy of Applied Drama as a tool to address male adolescent perceptions toward their female counterparts, with particular reference to the case study of Izenzo Community College, Hillbrow, South Africa. The research consisted of a Participation Action Research exploration in three phases over a year, culminating in a Practice-based examination and followed by this written research report. The study argues that Applied Drama is a powerful tool to encourage dialogue amongst adolescent males about complex subject-matter. Chapter One introduces the reader to Izenzo, the framework of the study, and the narrative of the researcher/facilitator. Chapter Two interrogates masculinities in contemporary South Africa. Chapter Three introduces the research problem and methodology, and Chapter Four discusses the two initial phases of research. This highlights the trajectory of research that resulted in the final phase of research that is explored in detail in Chapter Five. Chapter Six analyses the nature of Applied Drama in relation to masculinities. This study affirms the role of Applied Drama as a meaningful approach to tackling the rising crisis of gender based sexual violence in South Africa. It emphasises the central role of the facilitator as the implementer of Applied Drama as a facilitation process that enhances dialogue for change.

A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nursing Johannesburg, 2013 / Problem-based learning is recognized as an appropriate teaching-learning strategy for the preparation and development of health professionals in South Africa. Four university nursing schools have adopted a problem-based learning (PBL) model for the design and implementation of their Bachelor of Nursing curricula. Problem-based learning is learning by facilitating the acquisition of knowledge and skills such as communication, team work, self-directed learning, problem-solving and critical thinking. Although competence is implied in students’ academic marks, it is not known how students feel about problem-based learning or whether they are satisfied with their PBL courses and how they view their own competence as a result of PBL. The purpose of the study was to determine the level of undergraduate nursing students’ satisfaction with their problem-based learning course as well as their reported competence in learning skills and processes as a result of problem-based learning. A quantitative, descriptive survey was used to collect data. The study population consisted of all nursing students enrolled in the second, third and fourth year of the Bachelor of Nursing degree in the 2010 academic year (N=42). Students who agreed to participate completed questionnaires per year of study and per PBL course. The final number of questionnaires that were analysed amounted to 92 (n=92). Data were analysed using STATA version 11. The results showed that overall, students were satisfied with the organizational aspects of their PBL course, facilitator expertise and quality of facilitation. They were less satisfied with facilitator attitude in the senior years of study. Students reported with certainty their competence in the learning processes and skills as a result of PBL; some senior students (16.3%) did not feel competent to access and use literature sources and to integrate information into and plan nursing care (17.3%). Students reported that PBL is useful, empowering, enlightening and felt that the structured use of core lectures and more practise opportunities would enhance their competence.

The purpose of the current study was to determine the constraints to and opportunities for organising the gendered home-based care sector in post apartheid South Africa. Also the gender aspect of care work has been closely examined and the study has revealed that societal stereotypes that view care work as women work in the private sphere have to a greater extent contributed to the devaluation of care work in both society and as a form of paid care work. Qualitative research methodology was used in the form of documentary analysis, interviews and participant observation. The research findings demonstrate that unions themselves, resources and legislation/ policy issues pose as major barriers to organising these atypical workers. Generally, most unions are not yet ready to embrace informal workers into the mainstream as it entails innovation of new organising strategies that could be out of their comfort zone, the pumping out of a vast amount of resources and the avoidance of the huge obligation of breaking through legal barriers. Grassroot mobilising around gender needs has been proposed as the most appropriate strategy for organising the newly emerging mobile and precarious workforce which comprises principally of women. An undeniable link between the formal and informal economy has also been confirmed as formal institutions such as NGOs, hospital, clinics and private companies through the Expanded Public Works Programme here in South Africa make use of informal labour to execute their obligations in the HBC sector. From a gender perspective, this study argues that female jobs are despised by society let alone trade unions where democracy and gender sensitivity should be practiced. Devaluation of female jobs herein care work could be the reason why NEHAWU has taken too long to organise the HBC sector. Finally, results of the study have demistified the societal stereotypes that female jobs are difficult to organise as HBC workers were more than willing to join NEHAWU.

Faculty of Humanities School of Human and Comminity Development 9611126v gs_mckenzie@hotmail.com / The primary aim of this study was to identify and assess the type of, and level of emotional and psychological support offered by home-based caregivers within a Home Community-Based Care Programme, and to explore the type of issues that home-based caregivers are dealing with on a day-to-day basis. A secondary aim of this study was to evaluate and determine the level of emotional and psychological support that is being offered and received by home-based caregivers themselves, as well as the type of training that they receive. Data was collected using the semi-structured interview method of data collection from a sample of 16 participants. The data was analysed using both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The main findings were that the emotional and psychological services being offered by the participating home-based caregivers to the beneficiaries/clients of the Tapologo HIV/AIDS Programme were adequate, and included the following services: providing emotional support, spiritual support, basic counselling skills such as active listening and empathy, providing pre and post-test counselling, and psychoeducation. These services are offered primarily on an individual basis, although evidence for group support being used was also indicated. Issues that the participating home-based caregivers are having to deal with on a day-to-day basis included addressing both the physical and emotional needs of clients, and helping patients to accept their illness and disease as well as dealing with the subsequent loss/losses. The type of emotional and psychological support received by the participating home-based caregivers themselves was suggested to be provided from both within and outside of the programme. The provision of support provided from within the programme was provided by the social worker/s, the sister/s in charge, the church, counsellors at Lifeline, supervisors, and colleagues. The types of emotional and psychological support received by these service providers included general counselling and emotional support, debriefing, supervision, psychoeducation, and spiritual support. Emotional support provided outside of the programme included support from family members and friends. Finally, a holistic approach to training was indicated from the data. The types of emotional and psychological training received include the provision of basic counselling skill, psychoeducational skills, and training in self-care.