The world we live in today demands systems that make our lives easier and help us make the right choices on time. There exists a growing need for quality products that help us in our day to day activities. Easy-to-use computer-based decision support systems apply all available and applicable data with the correct model, knowledge and skill of decision makers to support the user to choose the best solution. It is therefore important to develop decision support systems correctly to be of value to the user. Looking at other information system developments, the author tries to suggest ways to develop decision support systems. System development methodologies are investigated to determine if they are able to address the development of the very important decision support system components. Five methodologies were discussed and researched for their theoretical suitability to address the development of decision support systems. The author performed qualitative research using case studies and semi-structured interviews to assess the use or non-use of system development methodologies in the development of decision support systems in a South African context. Content and cross-case analyses were used to achieve results that are discussed to broaden the knowledge on the development of decision support systems. The author provides some explanations to why system development methodologies were not used in the development of the case studies. This research not only contributes to the academic body of knowledge about using system development methodologies in the development of decision support systems, but could also be useful to developers embarking on a new decision support system development. / Thesis (MSc (Computer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The world we live in today demands systems that make our lives easier and help us make the right choices on time. There exists a growing need for quality products that help us in our day to day activities. Easy-to-use computer-based decision support systems apply all available and applicable data with the correct model, knowledge and skill of decision makers to support the user to choose the best solution. It is therefore important to develop decision support systems correctly to be of value to the user. Looking at other information system developments, the author tries to suggest ways to develop decision support systems. System development methodologies are investigated to determine if they are able to address the development of the very important decision support system components. Five methodologies were discussed and researched for their theoretical suitability to address the development of decision support systems. The author performed qualitative research using case studies and semi-structured interviews to assess the use or non-use of system development methodologies in the development of decision support systems in a South African context. Content and cross-case analyses were used to achieve results that are discussed to broaden the knowledge on the development of decision support systems. The author provides some explanations to why system development methodologies were not used in the development of the case studies. This research not only contributes to the academic body of knowledge about using system development methodologies in the development of decision support systems, but could also be useful to developers embarking on a new decision support system development. / Thesis (MSc (Computer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This dissertation serves as a report on the qualitative exploration of best practices in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) with children. The aim of the study was to explore and describe best practices in the field of AAT with children in the Western Cape. The research made use of the case study design, which offered the researcher the opportunity to interact with a small number of individuals and look for patterns in the research participants’ words and experiences. Four participants, who were trained mental health professionals and had offered AAT to children, were selected to participate in the research. A literature review of animal-assisted therapy and best practice provided a theoretical basis for the research. The history of AAT, the uses and benefits of AAT and the animals incorporated in AAT were explored. The term “best practice” and its application in mental health and AAT were also discussed. The verbatim transcriptions of the audiotaped data were analysed and interpreted using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and an AAT conceptual framework (brought about by the literature review). Themes were developed from the empirical data and substantiated by the literature review. Five main themes emerged as a result of the analysis. The first theme, Training of the animal-assisted therapist, focused on both the mental health training and the AAT training of the therapist. The second theme, Training of animals incorporated in animal-assisted therapy, revealed the importance of training the animal to be included in AAT. The third theme, Different client populations in animal-assisted therapy, looked at which populations should be included, excluded or included and carefully managed during AAT. The fourth theme, Ethical considerations in animal-assisted therapy, revealed the importance of considering both the child’s and the animal’s welfare. The fifth theme, Regulation of animal-assisted therapy, gave a more in-depth description of the current regulation of AAT in the Western Cape and provided suggestions for the regulation of AAT. Based on the findings of the five themes, recommendations were made for best practice in AAT with children in the Western Cape. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This dissertation serves as a report on the qualitative exploration of best practices in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) with children. The aim of the study was to explore and describe best practices in the field of AAT with children in the Western Cape. The research made use of the case study design, which offered the researcher the opportunity to interact with a small number of individuals and look for patterns in the research participants’ words and experiences. Four participants, who were trained mental health professionals and had offered AAT to children, were selected to participate in the research. A literature review of animal-assisted therapy and best practice provided a theoretical basis for the research. The history of AAT, the uses and benefits of AAT and the animals incorporated in AAT were explored. The term “best practice” and its application in mental health and AAT were also discussed. The verbatim transcriptions of the audiotaped data were analysed and interpreted using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and an AAT conceptual framework (brought about by the literature review). Themes were developed from the empirical data and substantiated by the literature review. Five main themes emerged as a result of the analysis. The first theme, Training of the animal-assisted therapist, focused on both the mental health training and the AAT training of the therapist. The second theme, Training of animals incorporated in animal-assisted therapy, revealed the importance of training the animal to be included in AAT. The third theme, Different client populations in animal-assisted therapy, looked at which populations should be included, excluded or included and carefully managed during AAT. The fourth theme, Ethical considerations in animal-assisted therapy, revealed the importance of considering both the child’s and the animal’s welfare. The fifth theme, Regulation of animal-assisted therapy, gave a more in-depth description of the current regulation of AAT in the Western Cape and provided suggestions for the regulation of AAT. Based on the findings of the five themes, recommendations were made for best practice in AAT with children in the Western Cape. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This study focused on HIV-positive domestic helpers and the constructions of their experiences in their employing families. A literature survey established the primary theoretical assumption for the study that acknowledges the domestic helper as an integral part of the extended family of the employer. The study sought to generate grounded theory through content analysis, qualitative research methods and the constructivist-interpretative paradigm. Semi-structured interviews with open questions were conducted with 14 HIV-positive domestic helpers. Responses captured in audio recordings were transcribed and analysed. The textual data was then analysed and interpreted based on open, axial and selective coding. From this coding process four themes emerged as the ways in which HIV-positive domestic helpers construct their experiences within the families. The results from this study indicate that they construct their experiences around: <ul> <li> the HIV&AIDS diagnosis, </li> <li> their HIV&AIDS status, </li> <li> their emotions and </li> <li> their needs. </li></ul> A particularistic scrutiny of the data and research results indicate that participants experience that visible symptoms of HIV&AIDS may forewarn employers when domestic helpers are HIV-positive. These domestic helpers experience negative attitudes, reduction of job content and retrenchment with concomitant financial repercussions. However, the participants in this study indicated that the attitude of employers' children towards them remain positive after diagnosis. In terms of the way in which they construct their experience around emotion, results indicate that they experience complex emotions including shock, uncertainty, loneliness, unworthiness, guilt, rejection, concern, anger, shamefulness and depression. Yet, they also present high levels of acceptance and spiritual growth. In terms of needs, they indicate the need for HIV-friendly workplaces and medical care. They specifically desire employers to help care for their children when they pass away. A comprehensive appraisal of the research results points towards two key aspects: the lack of agency that is prevalent in this group of participants and the silences that is evident from their narratives. The narratives of the HIV-positive domestic helpers indicate that they easily negate agency of their lives to their employers and concomitantly that the lack of agency hampers their ability to retain a sense of worthiness and responsibility for their lives. The results from this study also ensconce silences in many guises. Silences were reflected: <ul> <li> through semantic values and linguistic nuances,</li> <li> regarding acts or omissions of employers,</li> <li> regarding communications,</li> <li> regarding needs and</li> <li> regarding reduction of job content</li> </ul> In rare instances, the construction of experiences of some participants confirmed the ability of HIV-positive domestic helpers to accept agency of their circumstances. In summary, HIV-positive domestic helpers in this study experienced a lack of agency, they report narratives of silences, but they also reflect elements of healing, growth and spiritual deepening when they construct their experiences of HIV&AIDS in their families of employment. Copyright 2004, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Barnard, JP 2004, MIV-positiewe huiswerksters se konstruering van hul ervarings van MIV en VIGS binne die werkgewersgesin (Afrikaans), PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03112005-080007 / > / Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

In the 300 years since the magazine originated, this mass medium has become synonymous with women and their worlds. Today, publications for, by and about women still dominate the global magazine market, and the selection and circulation of women’s magazines increase annually – indicative of the popularity of this mixed medium of information, instruction and entertainment. Since the 1980s, academics from different human sciences branches, such as Joke Hermes and Marloes Hülsken in the Netherlands and Angela Gough-Yates, Margaret Beetham, Ros Ballaster and Marjorie Ferguson in the United Kingdom, have proven the academic worth of women’s magazines, by using them as information sources about women’s social knowledge, positions and roles, their relationships and consumer behaviour in (amongst others) historical, sociological, psychological, mass media and women’s studies research. In South Africa, however, academic research on women’s magazines is still largely unexploited: apart from a few dissertations, information is mostly limited to single paragraphs in larger mass media studies. Magazines for black women have, for example, not been researched yet. In this study, South African and Dutch magazines from 2006 are studied as sociocultural journals: accounts or collections of the major trains of thought representative of a specific context and time frame. When magazine content is viewed as the textual distillation of the shared consciousness or culture of a particular audience, and discourse as ways of acting and thinking underlying this shared consciousness, magazines, by drawing on different discourses, report on the norms, values and habits particular to a specific era – yielding information that can be applied in reconstructing images of reality. This study aimed to research, within the context of current women’s magazines, the way in which women’s presence in the career world is accepted and legitimised as standard practice, and to explore the influence of the pursuit of a career on other female roles. It was assumed that the range of ‘superwoman’ roles (career woman, mother, wife, homemaker, lover, friend …) resonates in the ‘work discourse’ – and that all women experience similar frustrations, fears, dreams and expectations, irrespective of linguistic, cultural and socio-economic factors. A selection of sixteen magazines – two issues each of four South African and four Dutch magazine titles, aimed at diverse readerships – were singled out as primary research material. Magazine content was subsequently submitted to close reading, in order to examine as closely as possible the approaches towards women’s deployment in the career world, as made evident in the text. Theoretical concepts from mass media studies, cultural studies, discourse analysis and feminist criticism underpinned the identification of textual patterns, leading to the establishment of links between text and reality and meaningful interpretations of eventual findings. The results indicated that the work discourse in all the examined magazines is informed by three interpretative repertoires – that ultimately determine the way in which this discourse is developed and maintained, both in the magazine content and in everyday life. When the findings resulting from the textual analysis of the work discourse represented in these magazines were compared with actual statistics on the career world, it became obvious, however, that magazine content does not necessarily reflect reality – but that internalising the ambitious, larger-than-life dream aspects contained between a magazine’s covers is precisely the aspect from which readers derive pleasure and satisfaction. / Dissertation (MA (Afrikaans))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Afrikaans / unrestricted

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The fostering of self-regulation is of great importance in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) phase, because it leads to future self-discipline. The aim of the study was to understand the participants’ ways of fostering self-regulation during free play in three primary schools in Zimbabwe. The theoretical frameworks of the study, namely positive psychology and Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (SDT), as well as the Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT), regarded the learners’ support for autonomy, competence and relatedness as key characteristics of positive discipline that support the development of self-regulation. Benner’s interpretive phenomenology method was used with the aim of describing and interpreting participants’ experiences of the phenomenon under study. The social constructivism paradigm underpinned the study and the approach was qualitative. Data collection and analysis were guided by Benner’s interpretive phenomenological method. A paradigm case, themes and exemplars were used in data presentation, discussion and interpretation. Findings showed that free-play activities consisted of, for instance, socio-dramatic play, indoor play in play corners and outdoor play. The common practices used by the participants to foster self-regulation through positive discipline were co-regulation, positive reinforcement, time-out and logical consequences. Teachers and learners often perceived the teachers’ use of time-out and logical consequences as punishment rather than positive discipline, because of the rigidity of its application without considering psychosocial needs. The findings, however, were consistent with an understanding of fostering self-regulation through positive discipline during free play by nurturing the learners’ psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, as well as mindfulness. Research proposed mindfulness as a possible fourth basic psychological need. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for achieving a better and sustainable future for all people by 2030, participants perceived the fostering of self-regulation through positive discipline as part of gender education for eradicating gender-based violence and to foster resilience. / Selfregulering moet in die vroeë kinderjare reeds by klein kinders gekweek word sodat hulle later in die lewe in staat sal wees om selfdissipline aan die dag te lê. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel hoe die deelnemers by drie laerskole in Zimbabwe gedurende vrye spel selfregulering by leerders gekweek het. Die drie teoretiese raamwerke waarop hierdie studie berus, is die positiewe sielkunde, Deci en Ryan se selfbeskikkingsteorie (SBT) en die teorie van basiese psigososiale behoeftes (TBSB). Hiervolgens is die bevrediging van kinders se behoefte aan outonomie, bedrewenheid (‘competence’) en verhoudings (‘relatedness’) voorvereistes vir die positiewe dissiplinering waarmee selfregulering by hulle gekweek word. Benner se metode van interpretatiewe fenomenologie is gevolg om deelnemers se belewing van die fenomeen te beskryf en te vertolk. Die sosiale konstruktivisme het die grondslag van hierdie studie gevorm, en die benadering was kwalitatief. Data is volgens Benner se metode van interpretatiewe fenomenologie ingewin en ontleed. ʼn Paradigmageval, temas en voorbeelde (‘exemplars’) is in die aanbieding, bespreking en interpretasie van data gebruik. Volgens die bevindings het vryespelaktiwiteite bestaan uit onder meer sosiaal-dramatiese spel, binnenshuise spel in speelhoekies, en buitelugspel. Die praktyke waarvolgens deelnemers selfregulering deur positiewe dissiplinering gekweek het, was onderlinge regulering, positiewe versterking, afkoeltyd en logiese gevolge. Onderwysers en leerders het afkoeltyd en logiese gevolge nie as positiewe dissiplinering nie, maar eerder as straf belewe aangesien dit streng toegepas word en nie met die kind se psigososiale behoeftes rekening hou nie. Die bevindings strook egter met ons siening van die kweek van selfregulering deur positiewe dissiplinering tydens vrye spel deur leerders se psigososiale behoefte aan outonomie, bedrewenheid (‘comptetence’), verhoudings (‘relatedness’) en bewustheid (‘mindfulness’) te bevredig. Navorsers stel bewustheid (‘mindfulness’) as ʼn vierde basiese psigososiale behoefte voor. In ooreenstemming met die Doelwitte vir Volhoubare Ontwikkeling (DVO’s) vir ʼn beter en volhoubare toekoms vir alle mense teen 2030, het deelnemers gevind dat die kweek van selfregulering deur positiewe dissiplinering deel uitmaak van genderopvoeding as teenvoeter vir geslagsgeweld, en vindingrykheid aanwakker. / Ukukhuthaza ukuzilawula kubaluleke kakhulu esigabeni sokuThuthukiswa Kwabantwana Abasebancane (i-ECD phase), ngoba kuholela ekuzikhalimeni esikhathini esizayo. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuqonda izindlela zababambiqhaza zokukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngesikhathi sokudlala ngokukhululeka ezikoleni ezintathu zamabanga aphansi eZimbabwe. Izinhlaka zombono wezinzululwazi zalolu cwaningo, ezaziwa ngokuthi okuhle kwengqondo kanye noMbono Wenzululwazi kaDeci noRyan Wokuzimisela (i-SDT), kanye noMbono Wenzululwazi Wezidingo Eziyisisekelo Zokuphathelene Nenggqondo (i-BPNT), zithathe ukwesekwa kwabafundi njengokuzimele, ikhono kanye nokuhlobana njengezimpawu ezisemqoka zokukwazi ukuzikhalima okuhle okusekela ukuthuthukiswa kokuzilawula. Kusetshenziswe indlela kaBenner yokuhumusha okwenzekile ngenhloso yokuchaza nokuhumusha okwenzeke kubabambiqhaza kulokho okufundwa ngako. Inqubo yokwakhiwa kwezenhlalakahle iyona esekele ucwaningo kanti futhi indlela yokwenza ibibheka amaqiniso. Ukuqoqwa kwemininingo nokuhlaziywa bekuncike endleleni kaBenner yokuhumusha okwenzekile. Kwasetshenziswa izimo semiqondo, izingqikithi kanye nezibonelo ukwethula imininingo, izingxoxo nokuhumusha. Okutholakele kukhombisile ukuthi ukudlala ngokukhululeka kubandakanya, ngokwesibonelo, ukudlala ngokulingisa ezenhlalo, ukudlala endlini emakhoneni okudlala kanye nokudlala ngaphandle. Imikhuba ejwayelekile esetshenziswa ngababambiqhaza ukukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngokusebenzisa ukukhalima okukahle kwakungukulawula ngokubambisana, ukukhuthaza okuhle, ukuqedwa komdlalo kanye nemiphumela eyenza umqondo. Othisha nabafundi babevame ukubona ukuqedwa komdlalo nemiphumela eyenza umqondo njengento esetshenziswa ngothisha njengesijeziso kunokukhalima okuhle, ngenxa yobukhuni bokusetshenziswa kwako ngaphandle kokubheka izidingo zomqondo. Okutholakele, nokho, bekuhambisana nokuqonda kokukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngokukhalima okukahle ngesikhathi sokudlala ngokukhululeka ngokunakekela izidingo zabafundi zokuphathelene nengqondo ekuzimeleni, ikhono kanye nokuhlobana, kanye nokuqaphela izinto. Ucwaningo luhlongoze ukuqaphela izinto njengesidingo sesine esiyisisekelo kokuphathelene nengqondo. Ngokuhambisanayo neziNjongo Zokuthuthukiswa Okusinokusimama (ama-SDG) ukuze kufezeke ikusasa elingcono nelinokusimama kubantu bonke ngonyaka ka- 2030, ababambiqhaza babona ukukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngokuzikhalima okukahle njengengxenye yemfundo yobulili ukuze kuncishiswe udlame oluncike ebulilini futhi kukhuthazwe ukuqina. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)