The South African Schools Act No. 84 of 1996 mandated the establishment of the democratically elected School Governing Body (SGB). The SGB’s mandate was to ensure the smooth running of the school, quality education and parental involvement in learners’ academic achievement. The study examined the effect of school governance and parental involvement in raising Grade 12 academic achievement in rural schools. A qualitative investigation at three schools in the Mkhuhlu circuit, Bohlabela District in Mpumalanga was done. Data were collected by means of in-depth interviews with one principal, one teacher, one SGB member, three Grade 12 learners and three parents at each of the three participating schools and document analysis was done as a method of collecting data. The findings of the study revealed that SGBs and parents are not aware of their importance on the learners’ education. The study recommends that SGBs and parents be empowered by principals in order for them to execute their roles effectively. / Umthetho wezikole waseNingizimu Afrika Nombolo 84 wango 1996 wagunyaza ukusungulwa kwekomiti lesikole (SGB) elikhethwe ngokwentando yeningi. Lomthetho ugunyaze lelikomiti lesikole ukuthi lenze isiqiniseko sokuthi isikole sihamba ngokwendlela, imfundo isezingeni eliphezulu kanye nokubandakanya abazali ukuze imiphumela yesikole ibe phezulu. Lolucwaningo luhlole umphumela wokubandakanya ikomiti lesikole kanye nabazali emfundweni yezingane ukuphakamisa imiphumela yebanga leshumi ezikoleni zasemakhaya esifundazweni saseMpumalanga. Lolucwaningo lwenziwe ezikoleni ezintathu zesifunda saseMkhuhlu eBohlabela. Uphenyo nzulu lwenziwe kuthishanhloko oyedwa, uthisha oyedwa, ilunga lekomiti lesikole elilodwa, abafundi bebanga leshumi abathathu kanye nabazali abathathu kwase kuhlaziywa nezincwadi zesikole. Imiphumela yalolucwaningo ikhombise ukuthi amakomiti ezikole kanye nabazali abanalo ulwazi oluphelele ngokubaluleka kwabo emfundweni yezingane. Izincomo ezenziwe ezokuthi othishanhloko kufanele baqeqeshe amakomiti ezikole kanye nabazali ukuze benze umsebenzi wabo ngempumelelo. / Mulayo wa Afrika Tshipembe nomboro 84 wa 1996 wo nea maanda u tewa ha komiti dza u langula matshimbidzele a zwikolo (SGB) yo khethwaho nga lutamo lwa vhathu vhanzhi. Ndivho ya komiti iyi ndi u langulwa ha zwikolo nga ndila kwao, pfunzo ya maimo a ntha na u dzhenelela ha vhabebi kha ubvelela ha vhagudiswa kha mishumo ya tshikolo. Tsedzuluso ino yo sedzulusa ndeme ya komiti ya u langula matshimbidzele a zwikolo na u dzhenelela ha vhabebi kha u khwinisa mvelelo dza murole wa vhufumi na vhuvhili kha zwikolo dza mahayani. Tsedzuluso iyi yo itwa kha zwikolo zwiraru kha dzingu la Mkhuhlu, Tshitirikini tsha Bohlabela, vunduni la Mpumalanga. Mawanwa a tsedzuluso iyi o kuvhanganywa uya nga mbudziso dza vhudzivha na thoho ya tshikolo, mudededzi muthi, murado muthi wa komiti ya matshimbidzele a tshikolo, vhagudiswa vhararu na vhabebi vhararu kha tshinwe na tshinwe tsha zwikolo zwo bulwaho afho ntha, na tsedzuluso ya manwalwa. Mawanwa ayi tsedzuluso a sumbedza uri SGB na vhabebi avhana nzhele nga vhuthogwa havho kha pfunzo ya vhagudiswa. Tsedzuluso ino i themendela uri SGB na vhabebi vha maandafhadzwe nga thoho ya tshikolo hu u itela uri vha kone u ita mushumo wavho nga ndila kwao / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study was conducted in order to assess the effectiveness of practitioner training in underprivileged early childhood settings. The quantitative study set out to test a target group of 800 Grade R children, ranging in age from five to six and a half years, in order to determine the impact that practitioner training on early intervention has on young children. A pre-test evaluated the initial level of each child‟s abilities, including physical-motor, language and speech, cognitive, play and social and emotional development. Children were placed into control and experimental groups through random selection of practitioners. The experimental group's teachers (practitioners) underwent an eight-month part-time intervention programme which focused on the importance of early intervention, the domains of development, planning, preparation and assessment as well as encouraging community awareness. The control and experimental groups continued with their normal school programmes, but the practitioners in the experimental group were developing a deeper understanding of early childhood development and activities which enhance development in children. The results indicate that the impact of effective practitioner training and enhancing a deep understanding of stimulation in young children can have positive, long-term results in children's cognitive ability, laying foundational concepts and scope for development. Vast differences were noted in the ability level of children which were stimulated, as compared with those children who were not as stimulated. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

University of Macau / Faculty of Education

This research focuses on the issue of parent involvement at selected secondary schools in the Zeerust District of the North West Province in order to gain an understanding of relevant participants’ views on the following aspects that relate to the management of parent involvement: the concept of parent involvement, ways in which parent involvement should be realised, its benefits and challenges, as well as strategies to improve the management of parent involvement in the education of learner children. The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were Epstein’s theories of overlapping spheres and her typology of parent involvement, as well as Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. These frameworks provided a meaningful lens for interpreting data and making recommendations in the final chapter. The researcher undertook an extensive literature study and conducted interviews with principals, SGB chairpersons, as well as selected SGB parent members and other active and inactive parents from the selected schools in the Zeerust district. The research shows, inter alia, that parent involvement has various benefits and that it faces several challenges which affect the management thereof. Benefits concern improvement in terms of academic performance of learners, provision of teaching and learning resources, relationships between parents and the school, learner motivation and school attendance. Challenges to parent involvement that were identified were time constraints of parents, poor communication between home and school, parents’ lack of interest and commitment, principals’ limitations in terms of the management of parent involvement, parents’ limited education, negative parental attitudes and negative teacher attitudes. Key recommendations were made in terms of Bronfenbrenner’s micro, exo- and macrosystem for addressing the management of parent involvement in a synergetic manner. They concerned, inter alia, the national Department of Basic Education in the macrosystem, provincial Departments of Basic Education in the exosystem and schools and parents in the microsystem. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Parental involvement (PI) in three socio-economic disparate primary schools in Ile-Ife in Nigeria was investigated in the study. The study explored the effect of socio-economic status on PI using three schools representing the Lower socioeconomic status (LSES), Middle socio-economic status (MSES) and Higher socioeconomic status (HSES). The study reported how parents of three different income groups practice and perceive PI and how teachers perceive PI at the schools and what their expectations are regarding PI. The data used for empirical investigation was drawn from 15 parents and 15 teachers at each of the three schools. The parents were selected using convenience sampling and were individually interviewed while teachers are selected by purposeful random sampling and data was collected using focus group interviews and survey questionnaires. Results shows that parents’ available time, interest, level of education, social capital, parent-teacher contact and socio-economic status (SES) affected PI of which time, SES and interest were the most important factors affecting PI. PI is evidenced in all SES groups as joint cooperation between parents and teachers in support of children’s scholastic pursuit. The study suggests that, contrary to conventional opinion, parents of LSES generally have high educational goals for their children and evidence noteworthy PI practices. PI should be strengthened by building on existing positive endeavors and addressing areas of PI which are lagging behind. Strategies to strengthen these endeavors are recommended in conclusion of the study. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The Junior primary teachers have the task of catering for the needs of pupils of varying abilities in their charge. With the admission of culturally different groups of children (many of them from disadvantaged communities) to schools previously accustomed to having one cultural group, this task of catering for the needs of pupils presents a problem as teachers are not trained to deal with disadvantaged children. The aim of this study was to formulate scientifically sound guidelines according to which class teachers can plan and implement language programmes for disadvantaged learners. In order to formulate such guidelines, a theoretical investigation was undertaken on normal language development and on the effects of disadvantagement on the scholastic and language performance of the child. Various programmes available for disadvantaged learners which are being implemented in other countries were evaluated. On the basis of these findings guidelines were suggested to class teachers for planning language programmes for disadvantaged learners. / Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Orthopedagogics)

Afrikaans text / Die afname in dissipline en dissipline handhawing in skole is 'n omvangryke probleem. Die fokus van hierdie studie is om die aard en omvang van dissiplinêre probleme te ondersoek om sodoende riglyne daar te stel om konstruktiewe dissipline in klaskamers te vestig as 'n sleutel taak van die onderwyser. In hierdie studie maak die navorser gebruik van die gekombineerde benaderingsmetode, naamlik die kwalitatiewe-kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetode. Vraelyste (kwantitatief) en onderhoude (kwalitatief) is as data insamelingstegnieke gebruik om vas te stel wat die aard, omvang en moontlike oplossings is, vir die navorsingsprobleem. Die navorsingstudie is gedoen deur 106 onderwysers in die intermediêre- en senior fase van ses laerskole van die Noordweste van Pretoria te betrek. Daar is ook onderhoude gevoer met ses senior onderwysers wat in beheer was van hul skole se dissiplinêre stelsels. Die navorsingstudie het bevind dat onderwysers, leerders en ouers bydraend is tot dissiplinêre probleme in klaskamers. Positiewe strategieë sluit in kommunikasie en toepassing van klasreëls. Uit die bevindinge van die navorsing is daar ongetwyfeld 'n sterk behoefte aan leiding vir onderwysers om dissiplinêre probleme aan te spreek. Onderwysers moet bemagtig word om konstruktiewe dissipline te ontwikkel, te bevorder en te handhaaf. / The decline in discipline and discipline enforcement in schools is a massive problem. The focus of this study is to examine the nature and extent of discipline problems in order to set guidelines to establish constructive discipline in the classroom as a key task of the teacher. In this study, the researcher makes use of the combined approach method, namely the qualitative - quantitative research methodology. Questionnaires (quantitative) and interviews (qualitative) were used as data collection techniques to determine the nature, extent and The research study was conducted by involving 106 teachers in the intermediate and senior phase of six primary schools of the North West of Pretoria. There were also interviews with six senior teachers who were in charge of their schools' disciplinary systems. The research study found that teachers, pupils and parents are contributing factors to discipline problems in classrooms. Positive strategies include communication and application of rules. From the findings of the research there is undoubtedly a strong need for guidance for teachers to address disciplinary problems. Teachers should be empowered to develop positive, promote, and maintain constructive discipline in the classroom. possible solutions of the research problem. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the lifeworld of the high-achieving young adolescent. A literature study was undertaken to determine the developmental level of young adolescents and their corresponding needs. The Bio-ecosystemic theory of Bronfenbrenner was used as theoretical basis to explore the level of influence in the life of the young adolescent. The role parental involvement plays in the life-experience and perceptions of young adolescents was also investigated. The results of the study indicated that the environment or lifeworld of young adolescents plays a big role in all the different aspects of their development. Parents, who are the closest entities in their lifeworld, have the strongest influence. Parental values, beliefs and attitudes are communicated through verbal and non-verbal interactions. Positive and negative conditional regard were found to be motivational tools used by parents to encourage young adolescents to perform according to their expectations. Young adolescents often internalise or introject parental values, beliefs and attitudes as a result of the level of their moral development. Unrealistic or perfectionistic expectations often lead to high levels of anxiety and stress. This could interfere with their normal developmental tasks of which identity formation, the development of self-control and self-regulation appear to be very important aspects. From the findings of the study, guidelines for parents and educators were compiled in support of young adolescents who find themselves in a high-achieving academic environment. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

The "Dancing with Change" Programme (DWCP) is an ecosystemically informed substance abuse intervention programme that was developed by the participants and myself with the aim of building resilience towards substance abuse among youth. The DWCP was conducted in the school setting, with ten volunteer Grade 7 learners over a ten-week period for an hour a week. The learners' parents participated in an initial needs assessment and in a feedback session at the end of DWCP, together with the life skills teacher and headmaster who observed and contributed to the process. An independent observer, present at each session, served to increase the dependability and confirmability of the evaluation findings. The DWCP appeared to have achieved its goals as defined by the participants. The evaluation findings are presented as a guide for people working in the field of adolescent substance abuse that synthesises best practice and lessons learnt in the field. / Psychology / M.A.(Clinical Psychology)

This research was conducted to confirm and identify possible and intrinsic factors which may influence the academic achievement of senior secondary pupils in the rural Eastem Cape. The literature study indicates that factors such as parental involvement, motivation, the role of teachers and peers as well as learners' attribution of meaning, involvement, and experience have a direct influence on academic achievement. To confmn the influence of the above factors, the researcher conducted a structured interview with ten respondents, consisting of four pupils, their parents and two teachers. Questions to parents investigated their relationship with theii·children in terms of discipline, motivation as well as involvement in their education. Questions to pupils investigated their relationship with their parents, teachers, peers and self. Learners' level of self-actualization in terms of attribution of meaning, involvement, experience and self-concept was also examined. The research revealed that most of the parents are not adequately involved in their children s education, and the fmdings confirmed this as an extrinsic factor that influenced the learners achievement. The findings also indicated that teachers have somewhat lost sight of their role in promoting learners' potential, contributing to the high failure rate in the Eastern Cape rural schools. The fmdings further confirmed that the learners level of self­ actualization, in terms of attribution of meaning, involvement and experience influences academic achievement. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to improve the situation of education in the rural Eastern Cape. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)