published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Master / Master of Education

Sexuality education has been introduced into the South African syllabus, on a very elementary level, in the Life Orientation learning area of Outcomes- Based Education widely known as Curriculum 2005. Unfortunately outcomes based education ends in Grade 9, leaving learners from Grade 10 -12 with the old syllabus that includes academic subjects only. Very few schools follow a sexuality education programme in Grades 10 - 12 on their own initiative, because it is not compulsory in these grades. The Health Promoting Schools' policies do not include a comprehensive sexuality education programme outline as yet, but when the life-skills approach that is taught in Life Orientation is considered, many similarities in these approaches are identified. Therefore, sexuality education should not be purely factual, but should be taught in conjunction with important life-skills. The two skills investigated in this study are the ability for adolescents to identify and avoid risk behaviour and to be able to make more responsible decisions. Two schools in the Bronkhorstspruit area were identified to take part in this project. School A has implemented a comprehensive sexuality education programme for all its learners and School B has not. The results of the data collected from the questionnaire completed by 100 respondents from the two schools indicated that those from School A had a significantly higher level of knowledge regarding sexuality and appeared to have far better life-skills than the respondents from School B. There was, however, no indication that that this knowledge affected their behaviour in any way. This doesn't mean, though, that the programme has been unsuccessful because the programme doesn't only teach abstinence, but also various methods of precaution. The long-term effect of comprehensive sexuality education has not yet been established because there are so few schools implementing it the way it should be and it is currently not implemented at a young enough age. Unhealthy behaviour patterns, reinforced by years of traditions and taboos, as well as the contradicting information given through the media, cannot be changed overnight. The process of intensive comprehensive sexuality education has only started in South Africa and, with time, a change in the behaviour patterns of adolescents and adults is anticipated. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

This thesis addresses how sports can encourage social cohesion amongst youth in Dili, Timor Leste. It is a case study, conducted in Timor Leste and is based on interviews with staff working at organizations that offer sport for peace programs as well as with other interested parties. The sport for peace programs involves youth in and around Dili and were initiated as a peace-building method. The communication aspect is analyzed through a participatory communication approach. The thesis investigates sports effect on social behavior from a sport pshycology perspective. It brings up both challenges and improvements for the sport for peace programs. The thesis also show the positive aspects of using sports as a tool for social cohesion.

Tyrimo problemos aktualumas: Gyvenant permainų ir reformų visuomenėje daugiau dėmesio skiriama vaikų ir jaunuolių socialinių, asmeninių įgūdžių ugdymui. Seimo patvirtintas Lietuvos Respublikos Švietimo įstatymas (2003) nurodo, kad, įgyvendinamos Gyvenimo įgūdžių ugdymo (2004), Našlaičių ir tėvų globos netekusių vaikų savarankiško gyvenimo įgūdžių ugdymo (2007), Našlaičių ir tėvų globos netekusių vaikų rėmimo ir integravimo į visuomenę 2005 – 2008 metų programos, Bendrosios programos ir Išsilavinimo standartai (2003), Vaikų globos įstaigų tinklo optimizavimo planas (2007 m. spalio mėn. 11d. Nr. A1-282), iškelia būtinybę ugdyti savimi pasitikinčius, komunikabilius, įvairius gyvenimo sunkumus įveikti gebančius jaunuolius ir sudaryti tinkamas asmens socialinio integravimosi į visuomenę sąlygas. Socialinių įgūdžių lavinimas padeda asmeniui prisitaikyti socialinėje aplinkoje ir kartu gerinti aplinkos sąlygas siekiant užtikrinti sėkmingą funkcionavimą. Darbo naujumas ir reikšmingumas. Pateikti vaikų, gyvenančių globos namuose, ir vaikų, augančių biologinėse šeimose, socialinių įgūdžių charakteristikos skirtumai reikšmingi socialiniams pedagogams, socialiniams darbuotojams dirbantiems mokykloje ir globos namuose bei norintiems efektyvinti darbą socialinių įgūdžių srityje. Pritaikyta socialinių įgūdžių tyrimo metodika, padedanti tiksliau apibrėžti socialinių įgūdžių raiškos ypatumus. Tyrimo objektas: globos namų auklėtinių socialinių įgūdžių ugdymas (is). Tyrimo tikslas: atskleisti... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The topicality of the problem of the research. In the society of changes and reforms the training of social, personal skills is paid more and more attention. The Decree of Education of Lithuanian Republic, ratified by Seimas (2003), pointed out that such current programmes as the Programme of the Training of the Life Skills (2004), the Programme of the Training of the Self-sufficient Life of the Children-Orphans (2007), the programme of the Maintenance and Integration into society of Children-Orphans of the years 2005-2008, General Programmes and Standards of Education (2003), the Plan of Organization of the System of Children Foster Institutions raised the necessity to educate self-confident, communicative children, who are able to overcome the difficulties of the life and to create suitable conditions for the social integration of the person into society. The training of the social skills helps the person to conform in a social environment and to improve the surrounding conditions in order to warrant successful work. The newness and the importance of the work. The differences of the characteristics of social skills between children, living in Children Home and children, living in their families are introduced in this work. They are important for social pedagogues, social workers, who work at school or Children Home as well as for those who want to improve their work in the field of social skills. The object of the researches: the training of social skills of children... [to full text]

This thesis is a participatory research study that was conducted amongst twenty-two, 15 to 20-year-old youth with disabilities in the Umgungundlovu district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The aim of the thesis was to investigate how Zulu-speaking youth with physical and sensory impairments bring into discourse issues surrounding love, relationships, sex and HIV & AIDS in the construction of their sexual identities. As part of this process, three youth with disabilities were trained as co-researchers. In this context, a further aim of this thesis was to make evident what youth with disabilities learn through undertaking sexuality research. Using a post-structural framework, with particular emphasis on queer theory, a key argument of this thesis is that power emerges through the networks of relations in the study. This thesis also troubles the linear discourse of empowerment and the relationships between adults and young people in sexuality and HIV & AIDS research. The thesis adopted a qualitative methodology and used a participatory research design. Data was collected through the use of focus group discussions, individual interviews and participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques such as drawings and timelines. The co-researchers were responsible for carrying out the focus group discussions and individual interviews with other disabled youth, as well as being involved in some aspects of the data analysis of this thesis. Data were analysed using a multi-levelled process that combined both content analysis and discourse analysis. The findings make evident that youth with disabilities are sexual beings who continually re-construct their sexual identities in the context of the discourses available to them. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that, in constructing their sexual identities, youth with disabilities do so within the intersectionality of complementary and contentious discourses of gender, culture, modernity, ableism and adultism. In relation to the co-researchers, it was found that being part of the study provided a dialogical space allowing them to develop new self-positions, which they were able to apply to their personal lives outside the research arena. The thesis recommends the training of youth with disabilities as peer educators in sexuality and HIV & AIDS pedagogy. It also strongly argues for the need to review current teacher education curriculum in South Africa in order to take cognisance of the sexuality of youth with disabilities and their vulnerability to HIV & AIDS. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Sibling caretaking, although common across time and cultures, has not been well researched from the carer’s point of view. In Nicaragua, ranked as one of the poorest countries in the Americas, sibling caretaking is common. The country’s historical background and its state of chronic poverty, widespread unemployment, loose family structures, and migration and mobility makes of the old practise of shared management child care a necessity. Households headed by sing¬le mothers constitute a particular Nica¬raguan charact¬eristic. Many children are expected to help in their own families and care for their siblings and other children living in their households. In its broadest sense sibling caretaking is a public health concern, and we conducted this study to widen the understanding of the phenomenon as it is represented in a setting undergoing a rapid social transition. The main objectives were to identify, describe and analyse the life situation of sibling caretakers in poor areas in León, Nicaragua, with focus on how they perceived it themselves. A combined qualitative and quantitative methodological design was used, mainly applying an ethnographic approach. A further ambition was to explore involvement of children in a participatory research process in accordance with the ‘Convention on the Rights of the Child’. The overall emotion expressed among the caretakers was pride, even if their situation often was characterized by stress and coping problems. They perceived their work as important for their families and they appreciated to fend for their siblings. Household work and nurturing of siblings were shaping the future lives of the caretakers and constituted part of their socialization. Even if many of these children achieve essential life skills as caretakers, they are at risk of falling behind as they grow older. Their long-term personal development is likely to be hampered by the obligations they have as caretakers. The carers' awareness of missing out on education was the most problematic issue for them. From a societal point of view, caretaking has negative consequences. The individual child is marginalised with limited access to basic education, contributing to overall low educational levels in Nicaragua. While the structuring conditions leading to sibling caretaking may be difficult to change, awareness of how these can affect children might make way for improvements in terms of access to school education and support from the society. The knowledge gained from this study should be further utilised to plan for interventions that take children’s perspectives into consideration.

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The adolescent developmental phase has encouraged many research studies as a result of the diversity and dynamics of this period of life. This phase is characterised by a range of challenges on an intrapersonal level, in family life, peer group settings and school settings. Various studies confirm that every aspect of adolescent development is influenced by experiences at school. Secondary school (Grades 8 to 12) is also considered to be a critical time for creating healthy and cohesive societies, since it forms the link between primary education and higher education, and the labour market. However, in low and middle income countries, such as Namibia, many adolescents grow up in conditions of poverty, which present them with fewer opportunities, experiences, resources and services that are essential for them to become healthy and productive adults. Educational opportunities are limited, while most of the learning resources or learning opportunities are unaffordable. In Namibia, the educational system has made progress since Independence in 1990. However, there remains a lack of instructional materials, a high proportion of unqualified teachers, and a scarcity of pre-primary education programmes. In the township of Mondesa in Swakopmund, the schools are overcrowded and children reach Grade 8 with literacy and numeracy skills far below the required level. The need for interventions in improving education and alleviating constraints, such as overcrowded classes, unqualified teachers and lack of resources the system is facing is evident and this has resulted in programmes attempting to make a difference in this sector. The Mondesa Youth Opportunities (MYO) Programme is one such initiative, aiming at providing educational assistance to underprivileged students drawn from disadvantaged schools in Swakopmund. They present learners with free afternoon education with classes in English, mathematics and reading. Classes for computer skills, life skills, music and sport are also included, to provide the learners with a stimulating environment and exposure to a variety of activities to expand their life world and experience. The board members of MYO have not yet attempted a comprehensive evaluation to judge and justify the efforts of the programme, since this would be a complex and costly endeavour. This study aimed at exploring the experiences of alumni adolescents on the contribution of the programme. The results could possibly form a basis for future more comprehensive evaluations of the programme and make the possibility of such an endeavour more feasible. This is a qualitative study and data was gathered through focus groups of adolescents who are currently in Grades 9 to 12 and who have previously attended the programme. After thematic analysis the findings of the study pointed out various contributions the programme experienced by the adolescents, pointing out themes that possibly provides a platform for starting future research on the effectiveness of the programme. The adolescents experienced various benefits as a result of attending the programme. This included enhancement of academic performance, cognitive development, provision of resources, and introduction to unfamiliar content, such as sports and music that taught them new skills, and helped them to find their own talents. The life skills classes provided them with useful knowledge for everyday life. The findings also suggest that the adolescents experienced an influence in their intrapersonal skills by gaining more confidence in their abilities, becoming more independent and learning to take responsibility. On a social level, the programme provided them with opportunities to make friends. The relationships they had with some of the teachers at MYO proved to be invaluable as a source of emotional support. These findings have contributed to an understanding of the adolescents’ experiences of the programme, and have highlighted positive experiences and various challenges adolescents faced in terms of the implementation of the programme, such as the amount of effort and time required to participate in the programme. Conclusions were made to provide MYO management with valuable feedback and suggestions for further research. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The adolescent developmental phase has encouraged many research studies as a result of the diversity and dynamics of this period of life. This phase is characterised by a range of challenges on an intrapersonal level, in family life, peer group settings and school settings. Various studies confirm that every aspect of adolescent development is influenced by experiences at school. Secondary school (Grades 8 to 12) is also considered to be a critical time for creating healthy and cohesive societies, since it forms the link between primary education and higher education, and the labour market. However, in low and middle income countries, such as Namibia, many adolescents grow up in conditions of poverty, which present them with fewer opportunities, experiences, resources and services that are essential for them to become healthy and productive adults. Educational opportunities are limited, while most of the learning resources or learning opportunities are unaffordable. In Namibia, the educational system has made progress since Independence in 1990. However, there remains a lack of instructional materials, a high proportion of unqualified teachers, and a scarcity of pre-primary education programmes. In the township of Mondesa in Swakopmund, the schools are overcrowded and children reach Grade 8 with literacy and numeracy skills far below the required level. The need for interventions in improving education and alleviating constraints, such as overcrowded classes, unqualified teachers and lack of resources the system is facing is evident and this has resulted in programmes attempting to make a difference in this sector. The Mondesa Youth Opportunities (MYO) Programme is one such initiative, aiming at providing educational assistance to underprivileged students drawn from disadvantaged schools in Swakopmund. They present learners with free afternoon education with classes in English, mathematics and reading. Classes for computer skills, life skills, music and sport are also included, to provide the learners with a stimulating environment and exposure to a variety of activities to expand their life world and experience. The board members of MYO have not yet attempted a comprehensive evaluation to judge and justify the efforts of the programme, since this would be a complex and costly endeavour. This study aimed at exploring the experiences of alumni adolescents on the contribution of the programme. The results could possibly form a basis for future more comprehensive evaluations of the programme and make the possibility of such an endeavour more feasible. This is a qualitative study and data was gathered through focus groups of adolescents who are currently in Grades 9 to 12 and who have previously attended the programme. After thematic analysis the findings of the study pointed out various contributions the programme experienced by the adolescents, pointing out themes that possibly provides a platform for starting future research on the effectiveness of the programme. The adolescents experienced various benefits as a result of attending the programme. This included enhancement of academic performance, cognitive development, provision of resources, and introduction to unfamiliar content, such as sports and music that taught them new skills, and helped them to find their own talents. The life skills classes provided them with useful knowledge for everyday life. The findings also suggest that the adolescents experienced an influence in their intrapersonal skills by gaining more confidence in their abilities, becoming more independent and learning to take responsibility. On a social level, the programme provided them with opportunities to make friends. The relationships they had with some of the teachers at MYO proved to be invaluable as a source of emotional support. These findings have contributed to an understanding of the adolescents’ experiences of the programme, and have highlighted positive experiences and various challenges adolescents faced in terms of the implementation of the programme, such as the amount of effort and time required to participate in the programme. Conclusions were made to provide MYO management with valuable feedback and suggestions for further research. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Sexuality education has been introduced into the South African syllabus, on a very elementary level, in the Life Orientation learning area of Outcomes- Based Education widely known as Curriculum 2005. Unfortunately outcomes based education ends in Grade 9, leaving learners from Grade 10 -12 with the old syllabus that includes academic subjects only. Very few schools follow a sexuality education programme in Grades 10 - 12 on their own initiative, because it is not compulsory in these grades. The Health Promoting Schools' policies do not include a comprehensive sexuality education programme outline as yet, but when the life-skills approach that is taught in Life Orientation is considered, many similarities in these approaches are identified. Therefore, sexuality education should not be purely factual, but should be taught in conjunction with important life-skills. The two skills investigated in this study are the ability for adolescents to identify and avoid risk behaviour and to be able to make more responsible decisions. Two schools in the Bronkhorstspruit area were identified to take part in this project. School A has implemented a comprehensive sexuality education programme for all its learners and School B has not. The results of the data collected from the questionnaire completed by 100 respondents from the two schools indicated that those from School A had a significantly higher level of knowledge regarding sexuality and appeared to have far better life-skills than the respondents from School B. There was, however, no indication that that this knowledge affected their behaviour in any way. This doesn't mean, though, that the programme has been unsuccessful because the programme doesn't only teach abstinence, but also various methods of precaution. The long-term effect of comprehensive sexuality education has not yet been established because there are so few schools implementing it the way it should be and it is currently not implemented at a young enough age. Unhealthy behaviour patterns, reinforced by years of traditions and taboos, as well as the contradicting information given through the media, cannot be changed overnight. The process of intensive comprehensive sexuality education has only started in South Africa and, with time, a change in the behaviour patterns of adolescents and adults is anticipated. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.