The primary purpose of this study was to determine how the current hospitality management curriculum at The International Hotel School contributes to students’ preparedness from their own perspectives. Generic and curriculum specific skills that can be used for curriculum evaluation were identified, a framework of curriculum variables to rate the level of student preparedness was developed, the effectiveness of the hospitality management curriculum from the perspectives of students’ perceptions of preparedness was analysed, and the aspects that contribute most to student preparedness were identified through a literature study and an empirical investigation. The findings were summarised and it was recommended that The International Hotel School needs to review the hotel and restaurant accounting course and the experiential learning components. Furthermore, lecturers of The International Hotel School should receive training on the implementation of more interactive course content delivery methods. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

`DEd (Curriculum Studies) / Department of Curriculum Studies / See the attached abstract below

This study deals with the impact of educational policy on the National Senior Certificate: Pre-1994 and Post democracy South African case. The qualitative approach was used in this study, and the research findings were based on the analysis of documents. The transition from apartheid education to the present education system in South Africa has not been without challenges. In the past, South African education reflected the fragmented society in which it was based. Outcomes based education (OBE)/Curriculum 2005 (C2005), since its inception, was riddled with challenges. OBE/C2005 by its nature is complex. It is not user-friendly for developing countries such as South Africa. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of educational policies on the 2008 National Senior Certificate results. Historical-educational research is undertaken with the view of putting the education phenomenon into proper perspective. Venter (1985) is of the opinion that historical education investigation refers to the systematic placing of historical education variables in the spotlight. The general, continual pedagogical and fundamental problems are accentuated against the multiplicity of historical detail. This then makes historical-educational research an orderly (systematic and controlled) process of knowledge enrichment (Venter & Van Heerden 1989:106). The National Senior Certificate was established in terms of National Education Act 27 of 1996. Curriculum 2005 has been described in policy documents as a “paradigm shift” because it represents a radical departure from the previous curriculum in terms of the following: theoretical underpinnings, structure and organisation, teaching and learning process, and assessment (South Africa, Department of Education 1997:1). Pre-1994, the researcher discovered that the education of black people in rural areas in particular and South Africa in general was, in most instances, negatively impacted by policies of the previous government (1948-1953). The apartheid government used poor funding models to ensure that there were low teacher-pupil ratios and teacher qualifications were of unequal standard. Unequal pattern of spending continued well into the post-1994 democratic era. This poor funding model which impacted negatively on rural schools made infrastructural provision in rural areas difficult. Post -1994 democratic dispensation, the researcher discovered that the government have competitive legislative policies in place, but the challenges lay in the fact that those policies were impulsively implemented. Hence the many challenges. This is shown by the frequency of curriculum changes which took place in a very short space of time. Stakeholders played a major role in insuring that schools received quality service by challenging some of the decisions the government was taking. The government has had to take the recommendations into account. / Public Administration and Management / M.Admin. (Public Administration)

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa / The main aim of this study was to explore the extent to which teachers use group investigation as a teaching approach for Life Orientation in selected secondary schools in the Northern Cape Province in South Africa. Group investigation (GI) as a cooperative learning teaching approach is based on the philosophical principles of John Dewey who believed that schools had the responsibility of capturing learners’ interests, to expand and develop their horizons and to assist them in responding appropriately to new ideas and influences. Group investigation, a particular cooperative learning strategy, is based on the pragmatic paradigm that suggests that learners construct and apply knowledge as they interact with one another in a teacher-learner environment. This study was adopted in a concurrent triangulation mixed methods research design to be conducted concurrently. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed separately but simultaneously, the findings converged in the conclusion in order to respond to the research question. Convenient and purposive sampling was employed to select teachers and learners as participants in this study. Data were collected in the social setting where teachers employed group investigation as a teaching strategy with learners in cooperative working groups participating in learner-centred activities. The researcher used face-to-face interviews, focus group interviews, classroom observations as well as document analysis to collect data. The findings of this study revealed that teachers tend to display adequate content and pedagogical knowledge for the teaching of Life Orientation. However, the findings established that there is a need for novice teacher development in the interpretation and application of the content. Furthermore, group investigation has indicated that learners developed group skills easily, learn to work cooperatively in groups and that learners can depend on each other for the groups’ success. This study recommends that group investigation as a teaching approach be incorporated in the Life Orientation curriculum and that this needs to be shown in the lesson planning of teachers. The importance in the body of knowledge regarding teaching approaches and the academic value of the subject, Life Orientation as a fundamental subject, is indispensable within the FET curriculum. / Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal in watter mate onderwysers groepondersoek as ʼn onderrigbenadering vir Lewensoriëntering in uitgesoekte sekondêre skole in die Noord-Kaapprovinsie gebruik. Groepondersoek as ʼn koöperatiewe leer- en onderrigbenadering is gegrond op die filosofiese beginsels van John Dewey, wat geglo het dat skole die verantwoordelikheid het om leerders se belange te akkommodeer, om hul horisonne te verbreed en te ontwikkel en om hulle by te staan om gepas op nuwe idees en invloede te reageer. Groepondersoek, ʼn spesifieke koöperatieweleerstrategie, is gegrond op die sosiaal-interpretivistiese-konstruktivistiese paradigma wat suggereer dat leerders kennis konstrueer en toepas wanneer hulle met mekaar interaksie het in ʼn onderwyser-leerder-omgewing. Hierdie studie is in ʼn konkurrente triangulering- gemengdemetodenavorsingsontwerp aangepak – om samelopend maar afsonderlik uitgevoer te word. Kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data is afsonderlik ingesamel en ontleed, maar terselfdertyd is die resultate gekonvergeer in die gevolgtrekking om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord. Gerieflikheid- en doelbewuste steekproefneming is gebruik om onderwysers en leerders te kies om aan die navorsing deel te neem. Data is ingesamel in die sosiale situasie waar onderwysers groepondersoeke as ʼn onderrigstrategie aangewend het, met leerders wat in koöperatiewe werksgroepe aan leergesentreerde aktiwiteite deelneem. Die navorser het persoonlike onderhoude, fokusgroeponderhoude, klaskamerwaarnemings sowel as dokumentontleding gebruik om data in te samel. Die bevindings van die studie het getoon dat onderwysers geneig is om voldoende inhoud en pedagogiese kennis vir die onderrig van Lewensoriëntering te toon, terwyl daar ʼn behoefte aan die ontwikkeling van nuweling-onderwysers se interpretasie en toepassing van die inhoud is. Daarbenewens het die groepondersoeke ook gewys dat leerders maklik groepvaardighede ontwikkel, leer om koöperatief in groepe te werk, en dat hulle op mekaar kan staatmaak vir die sukses van die groep. Hierdie studie beveel aan dat groepondersoeke as ‘n onderrigstrategie in die Lewensorientering kurrikulum geïnkorporeer moet word en dat dit in die lesbeplanning van die onderwysers aangedui moet word. Die belangrikheid van kennis met verwysing na die onderrrigstrategieë en die akademiese waarde van die vak, is Lewensorientering as ‘n fundamentele vak onvervangbaar binne die VOO kurrikulum. / Injongo ephambili yesi sifundo kukuqwalasela ukuba ootitshala bayisebenzisa kangakanani indlela yokufundisa yophando lweqela kwizifundo ngobomi ekuthiwa yiLife Orientation kwizikolo zesekondari ezikhethiweyo kwiPhondo loMntla Koloni. Uphando lweqela, njengecebo lokufunda nokufundisa ngokubambisana lusekelwe kwiinqobo zefilosofi kaJohn Dewey, owayekholelwa ekubeni izikolo zinoxanduva lokudlwengula umdla wabafundi, zinabise amathuba olwazi, zibancedise ekusabeleni ngokufanelekileyo kwizimvo neempembelelo ezintsha. Uphando lweqela, nolulicebo lobulumko lokusebenza ngokubambisana, lusekelwe kwiingcinga zokwakha intsingiselo ngokusebenzisana, le nto kuthiwa yisocial interpretivist-constructivist paradigm ngolwimi lwesiNgesi. Ezi ngcinga zithi abafundi bazakhela ulwazi, balusebenzise xa besebenzisana kuloo ndawo bafundela kuyo. Esi sifundo siqhutywe ngokusebenzisa iindlela zophando ezixubeneyo neziqhutywa ngaxeshanye lo gama zahlukene. Kuqokelelwe, kwaphengululwa idatha ngokwahlukeneyo ngokobuninzi bayo ngaxeshanye nangokokucinga nzulu ngayo, okufunyanisiweyo kwadityaniswa esiphelweni ngenjongo yokuphendula umbuzo wophando. Isampulu yophando yakhethwa ngononophelo nangendlela enokusebenza lula xa kwakukhethwa ootitshala nabafundi abaza kuba ngabathathi nxaxheba kwesi sifundo. Idatha yaqokelelwa kwimeko yezentlalo apho ootitshala babesebenzisa uphando lweqela njengecebo lokufundisa, apho abafundi babesebenza ngokwamaqela ancedisanayo kwimisebenzi yezifundo zabo. Umphandi waqhuba udliwano ndlebe nomntu ngamnye, udliwano ndlebe namaqela achaphazelekayo, waqwalasela okwenzeka eklasini, waphengulula nemibhalo ekhoyo xa wayeqokelela idatha. Okufunyaniswe kwesi sifundo kwadiza ukuba ootitshala babonisa ulwazi olwaneleyo ngeziqulatho neendlela zokufundisa izifundo ngobomi okanye iLife Orientation, lo gama sikho sona isidingo sokuphuhlisa izakhono zootitshala abatsha ekutolikeni nasekusebenzeni ngeziqulatho zezi zifundo. Ngaphezu koko, uphando lweqela lubonise ukuba izakhono zabafundi zokusebenza ngamaqela ziphuhla lula, bafunda ukusebenzisana bengamaqela kwaye bafunda ukwazi ukuxhomekeka omnye komnye ukuze iqela liphumelele. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / Ph. D. (Curriculum Studies)

Abstract is in English, Zulu and Afrikaans / South Africa is facing a challenge regarding the shortage of South African (SA) engineers. The National Certificate (Vocational) (NC(V)) was introduced by Department of Education (DoE) in 2007 to address this challenge. However, there has been a cry and dissatisfaction from the government, industry, community and other stakeholders that NC(V) engineering curriculum is not addressing the shortage of engineers. SA has one engineer per 2 600 people compared to international norms, where one engineer serves 40 people. It has been ten years since the introduction of NC(V) curriculum, SA should not be in this state of importing engineers if the NC(V) engineering is achieving the goals of National Development Plan 2030. Since lecturers are the implementers of the NC(V) engineering curriculum, it was necessary to investigate their experiences in search for improvement of the curriculum and to find out the challenges facing lecturers which are hindering the success of this curriculum. Lecturers, Senior Lecturers and a Head of Department (HoD) as the primary implementers of the engineering curriculum were involved in the study as participants. There were 15 participants for this study who are lecturing in one selected college but at two different campuses which is why the qualitative research approach was employed, making use of a multiple case study. They took part in semi-structured individual interviews and shared their experiences with the researcher. Their experiences revealed that lecturers are experiencing challenges with the implementation of NC(V) engineering curriculum. Their main challenge was the minimum requirement, which is a Grade 9 pass. Their concern was that no matter what they try, a learner who has not mastered Mathematics up to Grade 12 will struggle with engineering subjects. Emanating from this challenge, low attendance rate, low pass rate, low throughput rate and high drop-out rate is experienced by participants every year. One of the aims of the Transformative Learning Theory (used as one of the theories in the theoretical framework) is to allow lecturers to identify challenges and design improvement plans on their own. This study has indicated that Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges have challenges that are hindering teaching and learning. It was evident that some lecturers believe that government officials should resolve such challenges. However, on engaging with different lecturers they realised that they have the capacity to address classroom-based challenges. If this can be the case in every college, teaching and learning will improve because that will mean lecturers are focusing on teaching and learning and taking ownership of their subjects and students. The governance challenges, such as reviewing the NC(V) curriculum yearly, provide subject specific training to upskill lecturers and implementing Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in the professional development of lecturers were recommended to be addressed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). / INingizimu Afrika ibhekene nenselelo mayelana nokusweleka konjiniyela. Uhlelo lwemfundo iNational Certificate (Vocational) (NC(V)) lwethulwa wuMnyango wezeMfundo ngonyaka ka 2007 ukuze uxazulule le nkinga. Yize-kunjalo kuye kwaba khona ukungagculiseki ngasohlangothini lukahulumeni, lwezimboni, lomphakathi kanye nakwezinye izinhlaka ezidlala indima yenkinga yokuntuleka konjiniyela. INingizimu Afrika (SA) inonjiniyela oyedwa kubantu abayi 2 600 uma iqhathaniswa nezinga lomhlaba lokuthi unjiniyela oyedwa kufanele ibhekane nabantu abayi 40. Sekudlule iminyaka eyishumi selokhu kwethulwa lezi zinhlelo, ngakho-ke, iSA akufanele izithole isesimeni sokudinga onjiniyela abavela ngaphandle uma ngabe izinhlelo ezikhona ziyanceda ekufinyeleleni izimpokophelo zoHlelo lwezokuThuthukisa iZwe National Development Plan 2030. Njengoba abafundisi bangabaqhubi bezinhlelo zobunjiniyela, phecelezi NC(V), nokho sasikhona isidingo sokuphenya lokho abahlangabezana nakho ukuze kuthuthukiswe izinhlelo futhi kuvunjululwe izinselele ezibhekene nabafundisi, okuyizinselele ezikhinyabeza impumelelo yalezi zinhlelo. Abafundisi, abafundisi abaphezulu kanye neziNhloko zoMnyango Head of Department (HoD) njengabaqhubi bokuqala bezinhlelo bebebambe iqhaza kulolu cwaningo. Abadlalindima abayi 15 bebefundisa kwikholeji ekhethiwe, kodwa emagatsheni amabili ehlukene, lokho okwenza isizathu kusetshenziswe uhlelo locwaningo oluzinze kwizingxoxo, ngokusebenzisa izinhlobonhlobo zocwaningo lotho. Kwenziwe izinhlolovo ezimbaxambili zocwaningo kanti abadlalindima bavezele umcwaningi ulwazi lwabo. Baye baveza ukuthi behlangabezene nezingqinamba uma besebenzisa izinhlelo zobunjiniyela NC(V). Inselele enkulu abahlangabezene nayo kuye kwaba yisidingo sokuphumelela uGreyidi 9. Inkinga enkulu yabo ukuthi bethi bezama ngamandla kulokho abakwenzayo, umfundi owehluleke esifundweni seMethamethiki ukufikela kuGreyidi 12 uzohlangabezana nobunzima ukuze aphumelele ezifundweni zobunjiniyela. Okubhebhethekiswa yile nselele, yizinga eliphansi labafundi abahambela lesi sifundo, izinga eliphansi labafundi abaphumelelayo kanye nezinga eliphezulu labafundi abayeka ukufunda njalo nje ngonyaka. Enye yezinhloso zethiyori yemfundo eguqulayo (used as one of the theories in the theoretical framework) ukuvumela abafundisi ukuba bakwazi ukubona izinselele futhi badizayine izinhlelo zokuzithuthukisa ngokwabo. Lolu cwaningo luye lwaveza ukuthi amakholeji. Phecelezi Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges ahlangabezene nezinselele eziphazamisa uhlelo lokufunda nokufundisa. Kuye kwacaca ukuthi abanye abafundisi babekholelwa ekutheni abasebenzi bakahulumeni kufanele baxazulule izinselele ezinjengazo lezi. Yize-kunjalo, ngemuva kokuxoxisana nabafundisi abahlukahlukene, baye bazwisisa ukuthi banamandla okuqeda izinselele ezisemagunjini okufunda. Uma ngabe lokhu kuyenzeka ngempela kuwo wonke amakholeji, ngakho-ke uhlelo lokufunda nokufundisa luzothuthuka ngoba lokho kuzochaza ukuthi abafundisi bagxile ohlelweni lokufunda nokufundisa kanti ngokunjalo baba yibo abalawula izifundo kanye nabafundi babo. Izinselele zokuphatha, ezinjengokubuyekezwa kohlelo lwemfundo, phecelezi NC(V) njalo nje ngonyaka, lunikeza ukuqeqeshwa okuthile okuthuthukisa abafundisi. Ukulandela uhlelo lwemfundo oluhlangene nomsebenzi olumayelana nokuthuthukiswa ngokomsebenzi wabafundisi kuyinto enconywe ukuba ilungiswe uMnyango weMfundo ePhakeme kanye nokuQeqeshwa (Department of Higher Education and Training). / ʼn Tekort aan ambagslui staar Suid-Afrika in die gesig. Om hierdie rede het die Departement van Onderwys in 2007 die Nasionale Sertifikaat (Beroepsgerig) (NS(B)) ingestel. Tot die ontevredenheid van die regering, die bedryf, die gemeenskap en ander belanghebbendes vul hierdie kurrikulum nie die tekort aan nie. In Suid-Afrika is daar een ambagspersoon vir elke 2 600 mense teenoor die internasionale norm van een ambagspersoon per 40 mense. Hierdie kurrikulum is meer as tien jaar gelede ingestel en SA moet tans ambagslui invoer. Die oogmerke van die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan 2030 word dus nie verwesenlik nie. Aangesien dosente die NS(B) kurrikulum vir werktuigkundiges implementeer, moes hulle belewenisse ondersoek en hulle probleme bepaal word om die kurrikulum te verbeter. Dosente, senior dosente en departementshoofde, as die implementeerders van hierdie kurrikulum, het aan die studie deelgeneem. Die 15 deelnemers is verbonde aan een kollege wat twee kampusse het. Daarom is ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering gevolg en ʼn veelvuldige gevallestudie gebruik. ʼn Halfgestruktureerde onderhoud is met elke deelnemer gevoer. Uit die onderhoude blyk dat dosente moeite met die implementering van die NS(B) kurrikulum ondervind. Die grootste struikelblok is die minimumvereiste van Graad 9. Al doen hulle ook wat, ʼn leerder wat nie Graad 12-wiskunde geslaag het nie, sal tegniese vakke nie kan bemeester nie. Afgesien hiervan is die bywonings- en slaagsyfer sowel as die omset jaar na jaar laag en die uitsaksyfer hoog. Die transformatiewe leerteorie is deel van die teoretiese raamwerk. Die oogmerk hiervan is dat dosente self probleme aantoon en met verbeteringsplanne kom. In hierdie studie is bevind dat kolleges vir tegniese beroepsgerigte onderwys en opleiding (TBOO) met probleme te kampe het wat onderrig en leer belemmer. Sommige dosente is van mening dat staatsamptenare hierdie probleme moet oplos. Ná gesprekke het talle dosente egter besef dat hulle oor die vermoë beskik om self hulle klaskamerprobleme op te los. As dit van alle kolleges waar is, sal onderrig en leer verbeter omdat dosente hulle op onderrig en leer sal toespits en vir hulle vakke en studente verantwoordelik sal wees. Vakopleiding word gegee om aan bestuursprobleme, soos die jaarlikse hersiening van die NS(B)-leerplan, die hoof te bied. Daar word aanbeveel dat die Departement van Hoër Onderwys en Opleiding toesien dat werkgeïntegreerde leer deel uitmaak van dosente se professionele ontwikkeling. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)