Problem behaviours amongst adolescent learners continue to affect the goals of effective education. The current study sought to investigate adolescents’ perspectives of discipline problems at a secondary school in Gauteng. A mixed method research design was followed during which questionnaires, focus groups and interviews directed the empirical investigation. The findings revealed two areas for addressing and improving the discipline problems of the secondary school, namely improving extrinsic factors and improving the current discipline system. Based on the findings, it was suggested that the school encourage greater parent involvement and improve parent-teacher communication. Creating a positive school identity and developing teachers further was proposed. An improved discipline system based on a positive learning approach was recommended. This included clarifying the discipline system to all role players, standardising discipline procedures throughout the school and improving follow up procedures regarding learner discipline. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Educational Foundations / M. Ed. (Socio Education)

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the Masters Degree of Technology (Public Relations Management), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / The growing number of HIV/AIDS infections amongst the youth is a cause for concern, particularly with prevention messages being communicated through various media platforms. This signals gaps between the senders and receivers of these messages. Therefore, people are either not learning the message about the dangers of HIV, or are unable or unwilling to act on it. Mthatha is in the centre of the old Transkei region of the Eastern Cape. It falls under the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality and the OR Tambo District Municipality. Teenage pregnancy is a major challenge in this area, which indicates that most teenagers do not use protection during sexual intercourse. This suggests that the HIV infection rate may be too high. With there being no cure for this disease, communication has been identified as an ideal method of helping to curb the spread of this disease. The purpose of the study was to assess communication tools used to educate high school learners about HIV/AIDS in the Mthatha area. Data was collected through questionnaires administered to 341 high school learners. Three out of the eight high schools from the Mthatha Central Business District (CBD) in the Eastern Cape were identified for the study. The selection of these high schools was based on the demographics of the learners, which are age, gender and background. The findings have revealed that there are numerous methods used to educate learners about the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Learners identified mostly with three sources as the accurate tools of communication in HIV/AIDS education; Health education/curriculum, Entertainment-education and Peer Education.

Educational Foundations / M. Ed. (Socio Education)

The study examines the culture of students' violent behaviour, with a focus on socialisation provided by schools and teachers. It explores the beliefs and wishes of teachers, students and parents in some townships of Gauteng Province about the role of teachers in addressing and preventing students' antisocial and violent behaviour in schools. The thesis offers six chapters divided into two components. The first component, chapters one to three, systematically explores socialisation of children by the home and the school. It discusses the historical/theoretical foundations of antisocial and violent behaviour of children/youth from low economic groups. The study utilises literature on strain theory on sociological considerations of adolescents' deviance from Durkheim (1897) to Messner and Rosenfeld (1994) in order to provide an in-depth appraisal of theoretical paradigms and thereafter. The second component, chapters four to six unpacked the research by analysing data from interviews and observations collected from township participants. It identifies five socio-educational factors that deterred students' antisocial behaviour. These included: teachers' attribution for success and failure; teachers' theoretical/practical leadership; the quality of the teacher-student relationship; the level of support to teachers and the function of home and community. The findings identify the approach to antisocial and violent behaviour in Gauteng townships to be punitive. Participants regard township school violence, especially in secondary schools, as serious. The present study concluded that socialisation fostered by a supportive teacher, acting with efficacy and caring, working with parents and the community, can prevent antisocial and violent behaviour. Furthermore, the study uncovered patterns indicating that socio-educational measures are a constructive means to respond to antisocial and violent behaviour.While sometimes justified as responses to antisocial and violent behaviour, reactive measures (like corporal punishment, student expulsion, incarceration) may be less effective than socio- educational measures in instilling prosocial behaviour. / Institute Educational Research / D.Ed. (Socio-Education)

This study was aimed at finding reasons for nonparticipation in sport by black learners at secondary school level. It was carried out with a group of grade 9 to 12 learners who do not participate in sport at secondary schools in black townships. A nonparticipation in sport at secondary school level questionnaire was developed to measure the most important reasons for nonparticipation. Among the reasons learners cited were lack of sport facilities, political factors, social factors and factors related to self-image. Social circumstances were found to be intimately linked and overlapping with political circumstances. For learners coming from impoverished backgrounds, sport comes a very poor second. Based on the results of the study, a number of recommendations were made for education managers and sport administrators. Contributions of the study were highlighted and suggestions for further research made. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The high unemployment rate, especially amongst schoolleavers could be counterbalanced by raising awareness of entrepreneurship as a career option. This investigation explores the relationship of entrepreneurial attitude, entrepreneurship and who the entrepreneur is, as is presented in the literature. The focus has shifted from testing for personality traits to identifying entrepreneurial attitude, attributes, behaviour and activities. A questionnaire, the GET (General Enterprising Tendencies test) was used to determine the levels of entrepreneurial attitude amongst a group of grade ll learners in three South African secondary schools, with the aim of raising awareness of their personal levels of entrepreneurial attitude and making them aware of entrepreneurship as a career option. It was found that inter alia, a culture of entrepreneurship is not prevalent amongst learners and prospective school leavers in South Africa. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counseling)

This study investigated the causes and manifestation of aggression among secondary school learners. Aggression was defined. Various theories of aggression were discussed. From the literature study, nine hypotheses were developed. The study used a quantitative approach by means of a survey design. The research site was a rural, secondary school. A closed-ended questionnaire was used as data collection tool. Only learners were involved as respondents. The impact of various moderator variables was considered. The study discovered that aggressive behaviour is not confined to a specific gender. Above all, female aggression is on the rise. Possible causative factors were confirmed and risk factors were identified. Recommendations were made in line with the findings based on the empirical results. Limitations of the study were also pointed out. / Education Studies / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

is imperative for the South African education system to produce youth who are empowered to grow to be leaders of integrity and courage. Student leaders (prefects) face an enormous challenge in trying to persuade peers to be motivated and self-disciplined. The student leaders need to understand themselves as well as their peers in order to make considered responses to their peers. The level of emotional intelligence of student leaders will determine the effectiveness of their response to fellow students (learners) and allow them to fulfil their leadership responsibilities effectively. Emotional intelligence leadership (EIL) profiles were obtained from an emotional intelligence leadership questionnaire, followed by semi-structured interviews which explored the role of emotional intelligence in student leadership. These research techniques allowed the researcher to gain insight into each student leader’s level of emotional functioning as well as to identify emotional intelligence leadership skills that needed to be developed further. The importance of providing training and opportunities to practise leadership skills at school was emphasized. / Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Educational Management)

Abstract not available / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)