The problem of this study is a comparison of minimum competencies needed for high school graduation as perceived by local professional educators to those perceived by the local school community. The source of data is Community Survey of Essential Student Skills. This survey instrument is a rating of the importance of minimum competencies by 1,931 patrons in the local school community. A total number of 401 professional educators had previously rated these competencies. The following conclusions are based on the analysis of each hypothesis and observations during the study. 1. There is an increasing amount of emphasis in the literature that major perceptual differences exist between professional educators and school communities. Educators need to identify and act upon the perceptions of their patrons. Increased emphasis upon community involvement is supported by findings of this study. For example, the community could be involved in curriculum development for life skills. Patrons, students and parents could serve on advisory committees to school boards. 2. There is evidence that increased communication efforts are needed to narrow the gap between perceptions of educators and school communities. Educators perceived the reading and writing skills in this study as Essential but patrons did not. Better clarification to patrons relating to why and how skills are taught would be helpful. Otherwise, it will appear to patrons that schools are out of step with requirements for coping in today's society. 3. Inflation has increased the cost of education, and taxpayers are not willing to support a system that they feel may not be doing an effective job. While there is a large majority of the American public that still has confidence in schools as indicated by the 1978 Gallup Poll, there needs to be a bolstering of support. It behooves educators to set and monitor expectations of achievement, provide resources to meet needs of diverse students, inform and involve patrons and promote a caring, disciplined atmosphere in all classrooms.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 T37 / Master of Science

Information Science / M. A. (Information Science)

The present study commences with an exposition of the problem statement with reference to the influence that school principals' perceptions have on outcomes based education and the implementation there off. A study of the relevant literature in connection to outcomes based education as well as "tutor leadership" is conducted. This literature study will show the change that outcomes based education has on the role and tasks of educators and principals. The qualitative research method as well as a detailed background of the study will be described. An analysis of data accumulated during focus group interviews and semi-structured interviews lead to the compilation of definitive categories and sub-categories in the research. Finally a specific conclusion is reached regarding the influence that school principals' perceptions have on outcomes based education and certain recommendations are made for further research. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study focuses on the concept of Active Learning (AL) and the related concept Active Leamer Participation (ALP) as it features in the Literacy Learning Programme of the Foundation Phase of Curriculum 2005. The aim of the action research project, conducted at four schools in the Durban district of K waZulu- Natal, was to find a model of AL in order to provide guidance on teaching for ALP. The study involved the researcher working collaboratively with five Foundation Phase educators over a period of four months. Results of the study indicated that teaching in the sequential stages of classbuilding and teambuilding, whole class discussion, group work and individual work increases learners' active participation and ownership in terms of the learning experience. These stages form the model of active learning. Due to the spirit of camaraderie and partnership that developed in each stage, the research team is inclined to call it "The Tirisano Model of Active Learning". / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Master's Degree of Technology: Information Technology, Durban University of Technology, 2010. / The main purpose of this study was to examine how e-learning can help resolve some of the most acute problems that are specific to the nature of the outcomes-based education (OBE) system in developing countries. This was accomplished by investigating the relevant literature on OBE and by designing an e-learning content prototype for the South African version of OBE, with the focus on the training of Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy educators. OBE is an education system centred on the theory of mastery of learning introduced by Bloom in the 1950s. It has been implemented worldwide in primary and secondary schools and also in tertiary institutions. Some studies have shown that OBE is problematic, and that both educators and learners are opposed to this system of education. Existing research also reports that the quality of education in OBE is very poor as compared to that of the traditional education system. This study was an attempt to identify the most acute problems experienced by educators and learners in the OBE context and to design a prototype for e-learning content that can be used in courses in an attempt to solve these problems. The research population of the perceptions survey consisted of Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy educators and learners from the 6 000 primary and secondary schools of the KwaZulu- Natal (KZN) province of South Africa. Eighteen schools formed part of the research sample, with an average of two schools per region (the KZN province is divided into nine regions). Both private and public schools were included in the study. Data for the study were collected from March 2007 to August 2007 in the form of a perceptions survey of 104 educators and 288 learners, yielding an average of six educators and sixteen learners for each randomly selected school. Results from the perceptions survey show that educators and learners do not understand OBE terminology. In addition, educators claim that they are not sufficiently trained for OBE. Research iii participants also report that schools’ basic infrastructure is unsatisfactory, and that their classrooms are overcrowded. Mathematics is perceived as the most difficult subject by both educators and learners. The survey also reveals that most public schools do not have computers and that neither educators nor learners have access to computers in their public libraries. A SCORM- (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) compliant e-learning course was developed in this study to address the most acute problems identified by the survey, based on the Software Engineering Unified Model. The designed e-course contains OBE terminology such as learning outcomes, OBE principles, assessment standards, assessment methods, national curriculum statement and learning fields. The e-learning course content also contains the Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy curriculum for grades 11 and 12. It was constructed using 16 documents extracted from the National Department of Education’s website: 7 documents under Further Education and Training, 4 under Teacher Guide, and 5 under General Education and Training. The evaluation of the e-learning content prototype was conducted through a survey among 36 educators from different primary and secondary schools of the Mnquma Municipality of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. They were trained in the SCORM-compliant e-learning course content at the Walter Sisulu University’s Butterworth campus. The training took place from 10 to 13 November 2009. After the training, educators filled out a questionnaire on their perceptions of the effectiveness of the proposed e-learning content prototype with regard to the practice of OBE. Results from the SCORM e-course evaluation survey showed that the proposed SCORM software artefacts allow educators to have a better understanding of OBE terminology. The proposed software artefact is user-friendly and educators recommended its use not only for Mathematics but for all subjects.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement of the Degree of Magister of Technology: Language Practice, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / Outcomes-based education compelled South African teachers to make an important paradigm shift in education from a teacher-centred approach to a learner-centred approach. This paradigm shift in teaching and learning emphasised an active participation of learners which necessitated Technology Education (TE) teachers to restructure their teaching strategies in terms of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS). Conducted within a constructivist paradigm, this study was based on Shulman‟s (1986, 2004) theory of pedagogical and content knowledge, and Vygotsky‟s (1978) zone of proximal development within social constructivism. Using a mixed method approach, this study investigated teachers‟ understanding and implementation of the design process as it relates to teaching TE in the intermediate and senior phases (Grades 4–9) of the General Education and Training Band in KwaZulu-Natal. The study also considered the training of TE teachers in a bid to facilitate teaching and learning in the classroom and to enable learners to become creative and critical problem solvers. Analysis of the questionnaire and semi-structured responses revealed that teachers were interpreting and implementing policy differently and that they were not adequately trained to teach TE. As a result, classroom practice in terms of teaching and learners‟ experience of the design process in TE also differed. Valuable lessons were learned in this study for the structuring of training programmes for teachers in Technology Education to enhance teaching and learning in the classroom. Therefore, based on the findings, this study makes recommendations regarding teaching, learning, assessment, and training of teachers in TE.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology in Nursing, Durban University of Technology, 2015. / Introduction Critical care nursing is one of the most stressful specialities in the nursing profession that involves caring for patients who are suffering with life threatening illness or injuries. The highly technological environment where critical care nursing is rendered is associated with a great amount of stress, frustration and burnout. The critical care nursing student needs to be prepared, mentored and supported for the role transition from student to professional nurse. Nursing education and training cannot succeed without proper theory and practice integration. Therefore, the critical care nursing environment should be supportive of the improvement of teaching and learning. Peer mentoring is one important strategy to help foster an environment that is supportive of the critical care nursing student, allowing them to grow and succeed as experts within the speciality of critical care nursing. Aim of the study The aim of the study was to explore the influence of peer mentoring on critical care nursing students’ learning outcomes in critical care units in KwaZulu- Natal. Methodology A qualitative exploratory research design was used to conduct the study. Ten nurses were recruited from the critical care units in five private and two public hospitals. Descriptions of their experiences were gained through individual face-to-face interviews. The broad question to the participants was: “What influence does peer mentoring have on the critical nurses’ learning outcomes in the critical care unit?” iii Results The findings of the study revealed that peer mentoring is a vital strategy in helping the critical care nursing students to attain their learning outcomes so that they will be proficient in the critical care unit. Peer mentoring was however, not consistent in all hospitals and the critical care nursing students were not given the necessary support and supervision. There were no structured support systems in place to ensure that peer mentoring was formalized and that all required nursing personnel took on the responsibility to teach and facilitate learning for critical care nursing students. Recommendations Recommendations were made with regards to policy development, service provision, nursing education and research. These include that a formalized mentorship programme should be incorporated into the core competencies of all qualified critical care nurses, and to be reflected in their performance appraisal in order to motivate the registered nurses to fulfil their independent function as teachers. Each unit mentor should familiarize him/herself with the prescribed learning objectives of the critical care nursing student in order to be able to delegate appropriately so that learning outcomes are achieved by the mentee. There should be an allocation of supernumerary time for the critical care nursing student and their mentor to allow time for formal mentoring responsibilities to take place away from the clinical area, to facilitate assessment and feedback, and enhance consolidation. Ongoing evidencebased practice research should be conducted on this topic, to provide more information on how peer mentoring effects the mentee, nursing education and retention of skilled staff.

Thesis (MMus) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study involves the research and documentation to develop an integrated, outcomesbased curriculum for music education in Grade 8 in South Africa by using guided composition as a teaching method. Directives from the new national curriculum, i.e. Curriculum 2005, the current Western Cape Education Department's syllabus for Music and the British National Music Curriculum are considered and applied. Composition is a medium that assists learners in exploring sound in an approach that emphasizes discovery through processes of creative thinking when organizing sound. Music as an art form cannot be mastered through discussion and performance alone. This study focuses on how composition helps learners to explore and discover through problem-solving activities when learning to think in sound and to manipulate the language of music. General perspectives on music education curricula are researched to determine an acceptable theoretical proficiency level for Grade 8. The praxial music educational approach of David Elliott is used as a philosophical foundation for developing the composition program curriculum. Actively making music, developing musicianship and developing creativity in music education form the backbone of this author's approach and hence an accountable basis for a curriculum. Fundamental issues in developing a curriculum are examined, the crux being how we learn. Cognitive apprenticeship and reflective thinking as praxial techniques focussing on integrated and holistic learning are proposed as a methodology for a music education curriculum, in this case composition. A curriculum for guided composition is designed and set out in four stages according to the four stages of curriculum development as proposed by David Elliott. Orientation, preparation and planning, teaching and learning and evaluation and assessment are addressed. This composition program attempts to situate and activate musical learning by proposing teaching and learning skills through which learners can activate and catalyze their creativity. When learning and experiencing music in a situated, authentic and practical way, as through composition, lifelong involvement, musical skills and continued enjoyment and accountability for the subject can be stimulated and established. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie behels die navorsing en dokumentasie van die ontwikkeling van 'n geïntegreerde, uitkomsgebaseerde kurrikulum vir musiekopvoeding in Graad 8 in Suid- Afrika deur begeleide komposisie as 'n onderrigmetode te gebruik. Riglyne uit die nuwe nasionale kurrikulum, nl. Kurrikulum 2005, die huidige Wes-Kaap Onderwysdepartement se sillabus vir musiek en die Britse Nasionale Musiekkurrikulum word ondersoek en toegepas. Komposisie is 'n medium wat hom by uitstek daartoe verleen om op ontdekkende wyse, deur middel van kreatiewe prossesse, klank te eksploreer wanneer dit georganiseer word. Musiek as kunsvorm kan nie bemeester word deur blote besprekings oor musiek en voordrag alleen nie. Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe komposisie leerders kan help om te eksploreer en te ontdek deur middel van probleemoplossingsaktiwitieite wanneer hulle leer om in klank te dink en die taal van musiek te manipuleer. Breë perspektiewe op musiekopvoedkundige kurrikula word ondersoek om 'n aanvaarde vlak van teoretiese bevoegdheid vir leerders in Graad 8 te bepaal. Die praksiële musiekopvoedkundige benadering van David Elliott is die vertrekpunt om as filosofiese basis vir die ontwikkeling van hierdie komposisieprogram te dien. Aktiewe musisering. die ontwikkeling van musiseerderskap en die stimulering van kreatiwiteit in musiekopvoeding vorm die ruggraat van hierdie outeur se benadering en derhalwe 'n besinde basis vir 'n kurrikulum. Fundamentele aangeleenthede in die ontwikkeling van 'n kurrikulum word ondersoek, waar die kruks lê in hoe ons leer. Kognitiewe vakleerlingskap en reflektiewe denke is praksiële tegnieke wat fokus op geïntegreerde en holistiese leer en word voorgestel as 'n metodologie vir 'n musiekopvoedkundige kurrikulum, in hierdie geval komposisie. 'n Kurrikulum vir begeleide komposisie word ontwerp en word voorgestel in vier fases volgens die vier fases van kurrikulum-ontwikkeling van David Elliott nl. oriëntasie, voorbereiding en beplanning, onderrig en leer en evaluasie en assessering. Die komposisieprogram word geëvalueer en metodes van kurrikulum-evaluering word beskryf. Die komposisieprogram poog om musikale leer te situeer en te aktiveer deur onderrigen leervaardighede voor te stel waardeur leerders hul kreatiwiteit kan aktiveer en kataliseer. Wanneer musiek in 'n gesitueerde en outentiek praktiese wyse geleer en ervaar word, soos deur komposisie, kan lewenslange leer, musikale vaardighede, voortgehoue genot van musiek en regverdiging van die vak gestimuleer en gevestig word.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study utilises the theoretical framework of text construction developed by Grabe and Kaplan (1996) for the analysis of Sepedi sports articles from Bona Magazine. This includes linguistic elements which are applicable in language learning to equip learners with analytic skills. These skills are indicated in the Curriculum 2005 for the learning area: languages. These skills will enable learners to analyse the discourse structure of written texts effectively. Use is made of various textlinguistic strategies for analysing written genre texts on sports matters. Including these strategies in language learning and teaching situation will help learners to understand how language is used in text analysis. In order to demonstrate how to analyse texts practically, these strategies are investigated through sports texts from Bona Magazine. This study demonstrates the importance of generic factors for a proper analysis of texts. These factors include the community in which the text is produced, cultural factors and the communicative purpose of a text. In exploring the generic features of texts, the definition of the term text is investigated, including all its characteristics, textlinguistic construction and levels of text analysis are also identified. This study demonstrates the importance of including the parameters of the ethnography of writing advanced by Grabe and Kaplan (1996) in the analysis of the linguistic structure of texts. The ethnography of writing entails that a thorough text analysis should address the following question: AWho writes what to whom for what purpose, why, when and hews. The study examines the importance of utilising text analysis in language learning and teaching. The study also demonstrates the relationship between the theoretical aspects examined and the learning outcomes of Curriculum 2005. The study thus demonstrates how the theoretical framework discusses is applicable in the analysis of Sepedi texts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie maak gebruik van die teoretiese raamwerk van tekskonstruksie ontwikkel deur Grabe en Kaplan (1996) vir die analise van Sepedi sport artikels vanuit die BONA tydskrif. Hierdie tekslinguistiese model sluit in die linguistiese elemente wat toepaslik is in taalleer en wat leerders met analitiese vaardighede toerus. Hierdie vaardighede word in Kurrikulum 2005 gespesifiseer vir die leerarea van tale. Hierdie vaardighede stelleerders in staat om die diskoers struktuur van geskrewe teks te analiseer. Die studie maak gebruik van In verskeidenheid tekslinguistiese strategieë vir die analise van geskrewe genres oor sportsake. Die insluiting van die onderrig van hierdie strategieë sal leerders help om te verstaan hoe taal gebruik word in terme van teksanalise. Ten einde die praktiese toepassing van die analise van tekste te illustreer, word die betrokke tekslinguistiese strategieë ondersoek met verwysing na die BONAtekste. Die tesis demonstreer die belang van genre-analitiese eienskappe in die analise van tekste. Hierdie faktore hou o.a. verband met gemeenskap waarin die teks geproduseer word, kulturele faktore, en die kommunikatiewe doelstelling van die teks. In die ondersoek van die genre-analitiese eienskappe van tekste, word die definisie van die term teks ondersoek, insluitende die tekslinguistiese konstruksie en die vlakke van teks-analise. Die studie demonstreer voorts die belang van die parameters van die etnografie van skryf, soos voorgestel deur Grabe en Kaplan in die analise van die struktuur van tekste. Die etnografie van skryf hou in dat In deeglike analise van tekste die volgende vrae moet aanspreek: "Wie skryf wat aan wie, vir watter doel, hoekom, waar en hoe." Die studie ondersoek die belang van die gebruik van teksanalise in leer en onderrig. Die studie demonstreer ook die verband tussen teoretiese aspekte en die leeruitkomste van Kurrikulum 2005. Die studie toon aan hoe die teoretiese raamwerk toepaslik is in die analise van Sepedi tekste. / SEPEDI SENAGANWA: Kakanyothema ye e somisa kakanyo ya semolomo ya hlamo ya dingwalwa, ye e tSweletSwago ke Grabe Ie Kaplan (1996) tshekatshekong ya dingwalwakgolo tsa dipapadi go tswa kqatisobakenq ya Sepedi. Se se akaretsa dithopolelo tseo di lego maleba thutopolelong yeo e hlamago barutwana ka mabokgone a go sekaseka. Mabokgone a tSwelela lenaneothutong la 2005 mafapheng a boithutelo a maleme. Go somisitSwe mekgwa ya go fapana ya temanapolelo go sekaseka dingwalwa tsa go amana le tsa dipapadi. Go akaretsa mekgwa ye go ruteng le go ithuteng polelo go tla thusa barutwana go kweslsa ka moo polelo e somiswago tshekatshekong ya dingwalwa. Go laetSa tirlso tshekatshekong ya dingwalwa, mekgwa ye ya tshekatsheko e nyakisisitswe ka go sornlëa dingwalwa tsa dipapadi go tswa go kqatlsobaka ya Bona. Kakanyothema ye e bea pepeneneng bohlokwa bja dinhla tsa besetshaba tshekatshekong ya maleba ya dingwalwa. Dinhla tseo di akaretsa lefelo leo sengwalwa se hlamilwego go lona, dinhla tsa setso le morero woo 0 tsweletswaqo ke sengwalwa. Go nyakisiseng ka ga ponagalo tSa besetshaba. hlathollo ya lereo le 'sengwalwa' e nyakisisitSwe, go akeretse le dipharoloqantsho tsa sona, hlamego ya temanapolelo le magato a go sekaseka sengwalwa a laedltswe, Thuto ye e laetSa bohlokwa bja go akaretSa le hlaloso ya phapantsho ka hlalososemahlale ya go ngwalwa bjalo ka ge e tsweletswa ke Grabe le Kaplan (1996) tshekatshekong ya dibopego tsa polelo tsa dingwalwa. Hlalososemahlale e tsweletsa gore tshekatsheko ye etebilego ya dingwalwa e swanetse go araba potslso tse di latelago: 'Mang 0 ngwalela mang, go tsweletsa eng, ka baka lang, kae, neng, bjang?' Kakanyothema ye e lekodlslêa bohlokwa bja go somrsa tshekatsheko ya dingwalwa go ruteng le go ithuteng polelo. Thuto ye e laetsa le tswalano ye e lego gona gare ga dinhla tSasemolomo tseo di lekotSwego le ditebanyo tsa boithutelo tsa lenaneothuto la 2005. Ke ka fao kakanyothema ye e beago pepeneneng ka moo kakanyosemolomo yeo e hlalosïtsweqo e ka diriswago tshekatshekong ya dingwalwa tsa dipapadi tsa Sepedi.