The poor academic performance of Engineering Science N3 students at the Port Elizabeth College for Further Education and Training prompted me to conduct this study. The aim thereof was to investigate the influence that a co-operative learning strategy would have on the test results of students who enrolled for this programme. The hypothesis being tested in this study was whether co-operative learning strategies would improve the test results of science students in the N3 Engineering Science class. A literature review on co-operative learning, its principles as well as the role of the lecturer as facilitator was conducted. In addition, the different types of co-operative learning techniques were investigated so that an approach conducive to the needs of students studying at Further Education and Training Colleges could be selected. The Student Team Achievement Divisions (STAD) technique was deemed to be the most suitable approach. Both qualitative and quantitative data gathering techniques are employed in this study. Interviews were carried out with fellow lecturers at the Port Elizabeth College to determine what teaching strategies are generally implemented in the N3 class. Experimental research involving two groups of 30 students was then conducted to determine the results of students. The one group (experimental) was subjected to an intervention, namely the STAD co-operative learning technique while the other group (control) was taught using the traditional method of talk and chalk. This intervention took place over a period of ix two weeks. However, prior to the co-operative learning intervention and before students were divided into groups, they were taught as a single group for a period of two weeks. The total time spent on this experiment was therefore four weeks. Student test scores gathered from the experiment was statistically analysed and reported on in chapter five. These results indicated that the experimental group out-performed the control group by a significant margin. The higher academic achievement of students in the experimental group could only be attributed to the alternative teaching strategy (STAD) which was absent in the teaching of the control group. This proved the hypothesis.

D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology) / The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether robust and verifiable evoked potential components exist which can reliably be associated with temperament. The evoked potential (EP) procedures included the auditory brainstem response procedure (ABR), the auditory N1-P2 middle latency response procedure (AMR) utilising different stimulus intensities, the auditory P300 response utilising frequent and rare repetitions of stimuli (the "oddball paradigm" ) and a number of composite measures of the AMR and P300. The temperament dimensions which were assessed, were sensation seeking, measured by Zuckerman's sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) Form 5, stimulus augmenting-reducing measured by Vando's Augmenting-reducing scale, properties of the nervous system, measured by Strelau's Temperament Inventory (STI) and introversion-extroversion, measured by Schepers' Personality Questionnaire. The statistical population chosen for the research was the first year Behavioural Sciences students of 1991 and 1992 at a South African university (N = 640). A sample of 391 students (81 males and 210 females, aged 17 to 22 years) was randomly selected from the statistical population. All the Subjects completed the Psychological battery (the various temperament scales) and the Neurophysiological battery (the various evoked potential procedures). The reliabilities of the various scales and procedures were established prior to administering the batteries. Hotelling's T-test was used to determine if the vectors of means of the males and females in respect of the subtests of the Psychological battery and the measurements of the various EP procedures differed statistically significantly or not. Student's t-test was used to determine in respect of which variables the genders differed. All Subsequent analyses were performed separately for the males and females. Three contrasting groups with low, medium and high scores, respectively, were formed with regard to each temperament trait.

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

The current landscape of South Africa’s education system is one riddled with many challenges. Young people studying in this unfavourable climate have become disillusioned by the failing system and this has resulted in negative attitudes towards schooling. A shortage of teaching personnel and a lack of resources further exacerbate the situation. In recent years however, it has been found that a significant number of young people seem to have “beaten the odds”, in spite of these unfavourable conditions as they have seen themselves being granted entry into tertiary institutions. The dearth of information on academic resilience and the increased number of “educational success stories” led the researcher to embark on this qualitative study. The aim of this exploratory, descriptive and contextual research study was: to enhance understanding of the academic resilience and subsequent academic success at school, as experienced by first year NMMU students from disadvantaged communities, by exploring their constructions of academic resilience. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory as well as Resilience Theory was used to examine the phenomenon of academic resilience. Purposive sampling techniques was utilised to draw participants within the NMMU’s School of Behavioural Sciences and data was collected by means of narrative accounts by participants. The two phases of narrative analysis were applied to analyse the data collected and Guba’s model for trustworthiness was used to verify the data. The findings of the study indicated that both intrinsic and extrinsic factors contribute to the fostering of resilience.

D.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / The creatively gifted individual is generally regarded as a valuable natural resource. Some of the solutions to the threats that endanger the future of mankind, are possibly lodged in the abilities of the creatively gifted. These individuals, however, often experience social isolation because of their ability to question the status quo. The creatively gifted student at university is the focus of this investigation in which an attempt has been made to ascertain how the creatively gifted individual experiences university culture. This was done with a view to describing ideographically how students perceive their university culture. In Chapter I the problem and objectives were presented. The research question of this study pertains to the nature of creatively gifted students' experience of university culture. The rationale for the study is the fact that creatively gifted students often fail to be accommodated in an educational environment, both socially, personally and with regard to their academic activities. The objective of the study was to investigate the creatively gifted student's experience of the university environment. The latter refers to the social, personal and academic milieu. The aim of the investigation was to contribute to theory by highlighting the theoretical dimensions of the problem. It was also the objective of the study to use the interpreted data as a basis for recommendations to accommodate the creatively gifted student in the university environment. In Chapters 2, 3 and 4 a literature review was conducted. Chapter 2 dealt with the concept creativity and its interrelatedness with concepts such as giftedness and intelligence. Creativity is often confused with intelligence while they are both different aspects of giftedness. The concepts experience and university culture were also clarified. The creatively gifted personality was the focus of Chapter 3. The creatively gifted often display characteristics which may alienate them from society. In Chapter 4 the interaction between the creatively gifted individual and the environment was discussed. The environment can either encourage or demotivate the individual's creativity. Although the creatively gifted often resists the environment, they need assistance and support from the environment to actualize their creative potential. The design and method of research was formulated in Chapter 5. A case study design was selected for this study. The rationale for choosing this method of research was discussed. Issues such as validity, reliability and generalizability were also addressed. To identify the students with whom the case studies were conducted, certain procedures were followed. The study was structured in 4 phases in which quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were combined. In phase 1 the Torrance test of creative thinking (Figural, Form A) was administered to 400 first-year students at the Rand Afrikaans University. By means of a stratified sample 12 students were selected for phase 2 of this study. This group was constituted of 4 highly creative students, 4 students who obtained average scores for creativity and 4 students who performed poorly on the creativity test. In phase 3 a focus group interview was conducted with these students. The data obtained from this interview were analyzed according to qualitative research methodological procedures. The two creatively gifted students were identified with whom the double case study was conducted in phase 4 of the research. In Chapter 6 the data obtained from the double case study was reported and displayed. Examples were given from each procedural stage of the research process in order to establish a "chain of evidence". Patterns of each student's experience of the university environment were isolated. In Chapter 7 the final patterns obtained from the analysis of the data were interpreted against the theoretical background of previous chapters. The patterns for these students correlated well. The conclusion was reached that creatively gifted students could experience isolation within their environment which has a negative effect on their social and academic functioning. They might experience the isolation partly because of distinct characteristics of the creatively gifted individual and also because of the university structure in which they function. It was also concluded that the creatively gifted individuals in the study have the ability to adapt to the milieu although it demands much from them on an emotional level. Both testees have sound faith in their own abilities. Recommendations were made for the practical accommodation of these students as well as for possible further research. It is the wish of the author that this research should serve as an inspiration for researchers in this fundamental and crucial aspect of human functioning.

Thesis (M.A. (Criminology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Campus safety is an important part of a student’s overall university experience. However, safety and security are an issue that institutions of higher learning have to deal with and address within their campuses. The focus of this study was to explore students’ safety at the Universities of Limpopo (UL) and Venda (UNIVEN). This study adopted an exploratory triangulation approach. A triangulation design was implemented to allow the researcher the opportunity to collect qualitative and quantitative data and thereafter, integrate the results in the interpretation stage. For triangulation purposes, data was collected using interviews and a self-administered questionnaire. For the qualitative phase of the research (phase I), twenty face to face interviews were conducted and for the quantitative phase (phase II), eight hundred and nineteen respondents responded to the questionnaire. This study employed Routine Activities Theory (RAT) to discuss the findings. Some of the findings were that the majority of female students who reside off-campus were fearful of being victimised. More female students than males were more concerned of sexual harassment and rape. These criminal incidents were statistically significant. The study further reveals that a lack of sufficient lighting, alcohol and illicit drugs, campus camera surveillance, crime reporting, and the visibility of emergency phones are some of the contributing factors associated with students victimisations. There are no visible police patrolling around the campuses of UL and UNIVEN. The majority of the students do not report their victimisation to the police or campus authorities. Furthermore, this study reveals that there is no relationship between gender and the perception of safety. However, age and level of study have a relationship to the perception of safety and were statistically significant. Based on these findings, crime awareness campaigns, visibility of police patrolling around the campus, and the police should work closely with the University authority.

A research report submitted to the WITS School of Education, Faculty of Humanities; University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education by combination of coursework and research, Johannesburg, 2017 / Student success at university is dependent on various academic and non-academic factors. Some students may face barriers to their success due to these factors. Academic development for students and staff, as well as student support programmes can play an important role in helping students to overcome the barriers they may be experiencing. This study aims to differentiate between different forms of academic development and student support, and their functions as well as to understand how these types of programmes or initiatives were conceptualised and operationalized at WITS. An important aim was to understand the provision of academic development and student support from the top-down, through examining WITS‟s policies on these issues. This was done through a comparative case study of two Schools in different Faculties at WITS. A series of interviews was conducted with practitioners working within programmes, at Faculty and School-level, and those who have had extensive experience within the field. What emerges from this research is that there are different programmes or initiatives in place in both Schools. These include teaching and learning development initiatives, student academic development programmes and student support programmes. However, without a policy or guidelines, the nature of academic development and student support tends to be uneven and each of the practitioners had varied perspectives based on their experiences in the field. There are various challenges faced by the programmes, but these are navigated differently by the practitioners given their context and agency. This unevenness and the varied experiences of the practitioners in this study tend to suggest the need for a policy to guide the implementation of academic development and student support. / XL2019

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / The use and abuse of illicit drugs is a challenge which affects people on a global scale and South Africa. The use of a new street drug known as nyaope (whonga) has been on the rise in the country amongst the youth, including university students. Its use is associated with a wide range of negative consequences such as poor academic performance, aggression, vandalism, rape, risky sexual behaviours, and social dysfunctionality. The main objective of this study was to explore the self-reported experiences and behaviours of students who use nyaope at the University of Limpopo. The study was qualitative in nature as the researcher wanted to gather first-hand, in-depth information. The sample was purposive in nature and consisted of 6 participants. Quality criteria were used to ensure the quality and rigour of the findings. Thematic content analysis (TCA) was used to analyse data. Six major themes emerged from the analysis which were supported by existing findings. The themes were identified as: causes of drug use, frequency of drug use, experiences of students, knowledge about the negative implications of the drug and self-reported behaviours. Participants reported experiencing a decline in academic performance, deteriorating relationships with others, poor physical and psychological wellbeing, behavioural changes and perceiving that they were discriminated against. The findings of this study are useful to aid in informing policy and interventions at the University. They may also help psychologists who work with drug abusers

Thesis(M.A.(Translation Studies and Linguistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The aim of this study was to explore the forms of address and terms of reference used by students to address their lecturers at the University of Limpopo. The study discovered that, there were many ways in which forms of address and terms of reference are used. The theory of pronouns of power and solidarity by Brown and Gilman (1960) is implemented. Data are collected using face-to-face and telephone interviews from a sample of fifteen (15) University of Limpopo postgraduate students majoring in languages and linguistics in Turfloop, Limpopo, South Africa, however, ten (10) participants satisfied the notion of data saturation. This is because the participants were giving slightly similar information. The study found that there are two types of forms of address which are used by the University of Limpopo students which are Names and Titles. Addressing lecturers by first name, last name, nickname or title plus first name symbolises closer relationship between student and lecturers whereas, addressing lecturers by title only or title plus last name represents a limited relationship between the lecturer and student. It is found that most of postgraduate students address lecturers depending on the relationship existing between them and the lecturers. It has been found that, the factors that influence choice of forms of address are setting, respect, degree of intimacy, age and culture; and factors that influence the use of terms of reference are setting and respect. The data obtained reveal that undergraduate students, especially first years are not aware of the importance of forms of address. And it has been found that students promote the idea of the implementation of a rule(s) or policy regarding the importance of forms of address.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Dietetics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023 / Introduction: Nutritional knowledge is essential for selecting healthy and nutritious meals. However, access to consistent, adequate and nutritious food was unattainable for university students, despite the fact that food was considered a human basic right. Food insecurity is a real issue in South African universities, but it is poorly documented. Numerous studies have used one approach to measure food insecurity rates in various universities, either quantitative or qualitative. There is a scarcity of data on food insecurity among students in institutions of higher learning in Limpopo Province. Food insecure students used a variety of coping mechanisms such as, borrowing money, buying cheap food, skipping meals, sharing food, and reducing portion size in order to cope with food insecurity. The goal of the study was to investigate the level of nutrition knowledge, food insecurity, and coping strategies among students at the School of Health Care Sciences. at the University of Limpopo, South Africa. Methodology: The explanatory sequential mixed-method approach was used in this study. The quantitative survey employed convenience sampling, with 237 undergraduate participants from the Health Care Sciences. Nutritional knowledge was assessed using a multiple-choice questionnaire adapted from the Perlstein study. Food security status was assessed using the eight (8) questions from Food Insecurity Experience Scale. Fourteen purposefully selected in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted to explore life experiences and coping strategies of food-insecure students. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 11.0, Fischer’s exact test to test the association between food insecurity and nutritional knowledge with regards to age, gender and study level and thematic analysis for the qualitative data. Findings: Students were on average 21 years old, in level II and level III years of study. Fifteen percent (n=36) had poor nutritional knowledge, 69% (n=164) had moderate nutrition knowledge, and 14.7% (n=35) had good nutritional knowledge. Both males and females in the current study had a fair amount of dietary knowledge. Twenty-four percent (n=57) experienced moderate food insecurity and 16% (n=37) had severe food insecurity. The rate of food insecurity in the study exceeded the national rate. Lack of budgeting skills, delayed distribution of bursary money, unforeseen costs, and household obligations were among the factors that aided in food insecurity. Food-insecure students applied numerous coping mechanisms, such as borrowing money from friends, sharing food, buying cheap food, and cutting portion sizes. The study found a significant association between a study level and nutrition knowledge with a P-value of 0.02 for both study levels less than and more than two years. Six themes emerged from interviews with food-insecure students i.e., coping strategies, nutrition knowledge, hunger and academic effect, competing expenses, health triangle and contributing factors to lack of money to buy food. Conclusion: This study provided insight into the food insecurity levels and the nutritional knowledge of the students in the Health Care Sciences at the University of Limpopo. It further offered an understanding of how students experienced food insecurity and the various coping mechanisms employed to deal with the situation. The rate of food insecurity in the study exceeded the national rate. Nutrition education programmes and interventions that address food insecurity are important and the strengthening of existing support systems to ensure that students cope and succeed in their studies. Future research is needed to cover a large scale of students.