This is a small, mixed-methods study focusing principally on the learning experience element of Dörnyei’s L2 motivational self system and its effect on students’ ideal and ought-to selves. The specific purpose of this investigation was to explore the L2 classroom environment and explore any potential relationship to the ideal and ought-to selves of the students. The secondary element of this study was to discover whether this potential relationship could impact teacher-training and how. The study was conducted in two English (L2) classes at a Swedish upper-secondary school. A quantitative questionnaire was compiled using features from previous studies in this field and questions designed for this particular study. Each student filled out a questionnaire individually. The results of these were then analysed to establish a picture of the students’ general level of motivation, their possible selves, their classroom environment, and how they felt the former was affected by the latter. Qualitative contributions to the investigations were made through interviews with individual students and observation of lessons. The results indicated that, for the majority, four components of the classroom environment impacted significantly on the ideal and ought-to selves of the students, namely, the teacher, the group cohesiveness and orientedness and finally, the facilities. However, one factor did not demonstrate such a noteworthy influence: course material. The implications of these findings are that course material may not be as critical as originally thought in influencing student motivation. Moreover, teacher-training could, in future, include training on ideal and ought-to selves in order to maximize the positive effect of the classroom environment, as a whole, on individuals. This could be achieved by, for example, adapting the classroom facilities to suit different student needs, forming groups based on common interests and allowing for extra-curricular activities to enhance group-cohesiveness.

According to South African Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements, learners’ first language should be the language of learning and teaching in Grade R. However, there is a mismatch between policy and practice since English is the language of Grade R learning and teaching in rural schools in Mpumalanga. The ECD manager should provide evidence-based guidance on the best facilitation approach to follow in a particular context. The study is underpinned by: ‐ Cummins’ distinction between Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency and Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (Cummins, 2000) ‐ Cummins’ interdependence hypothesis (Cummins, 2000) ‐ Distinction between Implicit versus Explicit learning (Dekeyser, 2003) ‐ The Mediated Learning Experience Theory within the poverty context of South Africa where the role of the teacher is seen as the mediator (Feuerstein, 1980) The literature overview focuses on the development of the Grade R curriculum, and two prominent facilitation approaches used in Grade R, the play-based and formal instruction. Research on the effectiveness of each method and language debates both internationally (Wong-Fillmore (1991), Bialystok (2006), Cummins (2000) and nationally (MacDonald (1990), Heugh (2000), Alexander (2005), Balfour (2007) and Jordaan (2011) are provided. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of facilitation on Grade R performance scores in E-L2 learning in rural schools in Mpumalanga. Teachers’ first language, teachers’ qualifications, learners’ first language, learners’ gender, teachers’ age and teachers’ experience on Grade R learners’ performance scores were also tested for interaction effects. Research was conducted in ten randomly selected schools, equally divided between the play-based and formal instruction approaches, and five different languages used in the province. There were 175 Grade R learners and ten teachers in the study sample. The English Language Proficiency standards assessment tool (ELP) was used to collect data and is reported to have no cultural bias. A quantitative methodology was followed, using a two-group comparison design. Participants were matched according to learners’ age, similar exposure period to E-L2 learning, similar rural upbringing, culture, poverty level and mainstream learners. A one-way and two-way ANOVA was used to analyse the data. It was found that the formal approach contributes to better E-L2 learner scores when compared to the play-based approach. The differences in participants’ performance scores were mostly observed in the listening scores and not so much in the speaking scores. IsiNdebele speaking teachers and younger qualified teachers, who were better trained, achieved better learner E-L2 scores than other teachers. Although learners in formal instruction classrooms achieved better results, they still did not achieve competency in basic interpersonal communicative skills in English after three months in Grade R. There was no interaction effect between the gender of the learners and the facilitation approach that was used. A hybrid model, i.e. combination of the play-based and the formal instructional approach is proposed to be implemented in rural Grade R classrooms in Mpumalanga. Further recommendations are to train teachers in educational linguistics, teach listening skills to learners and inform parents about the benefits of first language proficiency before a second language is acquired. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / Unrestricted

Clinical learning is regarded as a vital component in nursing programmes and students need to work in various clinical environments. In the emergency nursing programme presented at a tertiary nursing education institution, the pre-hospital environment is used as a clinical learning environment in which students rotate for approximately eight weeks. The clinical experience that they gain may assist in them developing the necessary knowledge and skills. It also assists in theory-practice correlation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of the pre-hospital environment utilised as part of the clinical learning component of the emergency nursing programme. A qualitative approach was utilised since the researcher wanted to study a particular phenomenon, namely the pre-hospital learning environment. Therefore, the research design was a descriptive design whereby the researcher could describe the real life situation in the pre-hospital learning environment as experienced by the emergency nurse students. The target population for the study was emergency nurses who had already obtained their qualification as a registered emergency nurse, as well as emergency nurse students that had completed their rotational period in the pre-hospital learning environment. For the purpose of this study the identified sample consisted of students enrolled for the emergency nursing programme at a tertiary nursing education institution in Gauteng. The sample was adequate to provide the researcher with sufficient in-depth data and was also representative of the accessible population. The final sample size was 45 emergency nurse students who had completed the pre-hospital rotational period between 2008 and 2011. Data collection was done by means of Appreciative Inquiry, a method used that not only focuses on the positive, but which is also a stimulating way of looking at organisational change. Stories (narratives) were shared by the emergency nurse students pertaining to their real life experiences. Initially stories were shared in writing on an Appreciative Inquiry interview schedule. For the purpose of data saturation, individual Appreciative interviews were conducted by an independent interviewer, utilising the Appreciative Inquiry interview schedule as a guide. Data analysis was conducted by the interviewer, supervisors and an independent data analyser to ensure trustworthiness. Four themes were identified, namely clinical exposure, competencies, team work and future recommendations. From the data analysis and the four themes recommendations could be made with regard to programme refinement. Copyright / Dissertation (MCur)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Nursing Science / unrestricted

Mobile learning has the pedagogical potential to provide informal, context-based educational experiences that can teach practical and applicable workplace skills and behaviors. The goal of this study was to examine the learning experiences and outcomes of healthcare professionals as they participated in a mobile learning activity designed to teach them the technical and procedural skills for facilitating clinical consultations via videoconference. The primary research question was: How does the use of a curriculum framework to design mobile learning experiences impact the learning experiences and outcomes of healthcare professionals with regards to developing workplace skills and understanding clinical processes? Informed by a systematic review of the mobile learning literature, this dissertation proposed a conceptual framework to guide the implementation and evaluation of mobile learning based on five dimensions of instructional design: content, structure, delivery, usability and communities of practice. Physicians, nurses and healthcare administrators voluntarily participated in this pragmatic, mixed methods study. Their quantitative and qualitative feedback was utilized both to assess the validity of the proposed mobile learning experience conceptual framework as well as its quantitative and qualitative evaluation tools. The study found that informal, contextual mobile learning content can promote communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals, and provide them with hands-on learning experiences that can be easily situated in a specific workplace environment. Delivery was identified as perhaps the most critical element in increasing motivation and interactivity among participants, and communities of practice after the learning activity were found to increase collaboration and provide opportunities for problem-solving. The structure of embedding the informal mobile learning experience within a formal, didactic online learning course was also found by participants to provide the right mix of background knowledge and practical application to produce meaningful learning outcomes. Overall, the mobile learning experience conceptual framework synthesizes best practices in the literature and proposes innovative methods for the design and evaluation of effective mobile learning.

Stemming from increased levels of participation and diversity of the student base (Biggs & Tang, 2011) and growing scrutiny on the quality of university degrees (Crowley, 2013; Marr, 2013), governments have begun putting in place mechanisms to monitor and support quality in higher education. Over the last few decades, a notion of quality that has gained traction in the scholarly community is that of quality in terms of enhancement and transformation (Cheng, 2017; Houston, 2008; Williams, 2016). Guided by the discourses of Transformative Learning Theory (Mezirow, 2000) and transformative conceptions of quality in higher education (Harvey & Green, 1993), this study examined graduate student learning experiences and perceptions of quality. Of further interest was the extent to which these learners were living the intended transformation that academic programs are seeking to foster. Using a multiple case-study design, Seidman’s (2013) three-stage interview protocol served as primary source of data from a sample of six PhD candidates across three faculties. Secondary data sources included collected documents, a reflexivity journal and field notes. A within-case analysis was performed for each case and compared via a cross-case analysis. Institutional characterizations of quality were examined across 25 artifacts via a document analysis. The four principal factors that characterized the PhD candidate learning experience emerged as the significance of intentional individualized guidance, becoming an independent scholar, the importance of social interactions and community, and the transformative nature of learning. Gaps were identified between institutional intent and the learner experience. However, complementarity between discourses of transformation appeared to offer bridges between the macro-level institutional orientation toward fostering student transformation and the micro-level transformative learning experiences lived by students. The dissertation makes conceptual, methodological and empirical contributions to the domains of postsecondary quality and transformative learning. Implications for policy related to quality assurance as well as practice in program development and doctoral supervision are equally shared.

Virtual Reality (VR) technique has been studied and applied in a variety of academic and industrial fields. Because the advancement of the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are important to national developments, literature on VR educational applications has focused almost exclusively on the areas of STEM. However, to date, no systematic investigation has considered the possibility of utilizing VR in painting appreciation. This researcher reconstructed a modern painting into a VR environment and employed constructivism with the model of art appreciation to investigate the effects of applying the VR technique in appreciating the painting on student cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. Participants in the study included 60 undergraduates in the Department of Computer Graphics Technology at Purdue University. Quantitative analysis methods were used to analyze these students' responses to worksheets of painting appreciation. The findings from the research shows that under the situation without lectures/instructions: (a) the students using VR modern painting have significantly lower learning outcomes in interpreting the painting than the students using traditional 2D modern painting; (b) the students using VR modern painting have significantly higher levels of Interest/Enjoyment in motivation than the students using traditional 2D modern painting; (c) there is no significant effect of the VR modern painting on the intensity of induced emotions. This study discusses the implications of these findings and the influences of using the VR modern painting on art appreciation. Furthermore, this study not only offers the insights into the application of using VR technique in appreciating the modern painting, but also provides the recommendations for future teaching and/or learning in relevant environments or areas. Suggestions are also listed for future quantitative studies on VR application in painting appreciation.

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Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / This dissertation explores the apparent mismatch between the expectations of first year students in the English department at the University of the Western Cape, and those who teach them. By exploring the perceptions of some of the students, lecturers and tutors in the department, I investigate how meaning within the discipline of English studies is negotiated and to what extent the learning experiences in the department contribute to the facilitation of "epistemological access" (Morrow, 1993). An important aspect of meaning negotiation is the redefining and rethinking of concepts such as "academic literacy" and "critical literacy

Background: The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly OpenAI's ChatGPT, in higher education, has sparked substantial discourse since its introduction. AI's transformative role in higher education is largely recognized. Despite its potential to revolutionize the pedagogical field, its application raises several concerns. This research seeks to shed light on the dynamics of ChatGPT use in higher education, contributing to the dialogue surrounding AI's educational implications. Purpose: The analysis of the factors influencing ChatGPTs’ adoption, perception, and its effect on learning experience to help the higher education sector deal with challenges and opportunities presented by the chatbot. Method: The study is conducted on a constructivist-interpretivist ground, employing a qualitative, observation-based, exploratory cross-sectional case study. Semi-structured interviews, based on the UTAUT 2 model, are used as the primary data collection method. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data and create themes, which combined with an abductive approach helped derive broader meaning and implications. Conclusion: Through a trichotomous model, the researchers have identified the primary factors contributing to ChatGPT adoption, its´ role in the post-adoption period, students’ perspectives on the tool and its future integration, as well as what they perceive the role of the educators is in this evolved landscape, and identifying main psychosocial effects the AI tool has on its users. The results highlight the importance of informed decision making, taking a balanced approach to2assimilating ChatGPT into education, paying attention not only to technical benefits but also to impacts on the learner. Suggestions to extend the UTAUT2 model are made. Avenues for further research are opened by the limitations of this study, and by the interplay of the segments in the tri-part model.

An integrated learning experience with preschoolers.