published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

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

Limited research has been conducted on the effectiveness of preventive programmes in addressing the needs of adolescents/youth. This study is aimed at examining the effectiveness of a training programme and whether the training conducted by the researcher contributed to equipping the peer educators with skills to undertake capacity building and empowerment programmes. The research sample consisted of fifteen peer educators who had undergone the training programme. The participants were all grade eleven pupils from the Hillview Secondary School in Newlands East. The majority of the participants in this research study reside in Newlands East. This was an evaluative research study. The data collection instruments were sessional evaluation questionnaires, verbal group evaluation and retrospective evaluation questionnaires. Secondary data were also collected from the school personnel to enhance the research findings. The research findings revealed that the peer educator training undertaken by the researcher was effective and useful in developing skills of the peer educators to initiate and implement capacity-building and empowerment programmes within the school environment. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

The present dissertation investigates pupil fraternities in the Swedish state grammar school system from 1850 to 1914, in an effort to contribute to the understanding of peer group socialisation as part of the overall pedagogical process. Focus is trained on the practice of liberal education (Sw. bildning ) and the construction of collective identity. Modern pupil associations emerged in the mid-nineteenth century from the ruins of outdated educational traditions. Due to sharpened discipline, institutional changes and external societal pressure, previously existing corporative modes of organisation successively disappeared. To fill the void, pupils began founding fraternities, thereby introducing a new organisational form and a new set of activities based on an ideological foundation more in sync with the ideals of the emerging industrial society. Infused with the liberal, neo-Romantic ideals of the day, the introduction of fraternal life laid out new tools for selfadministered socialisation. After analysing the growth of pupil associations in the mid- nineteenth century, the thesis concentrates on fraternal practice at one particular institution, Umeå State Grammar School. This case study shows that fraternal activity revolved around creating lending libraries and reading circles, assemblies, school magazines and aesthetic pursuits including musicmaking, singing, acting and dancing. The thesis suggests that the fraternity had a structuring impact on the student body as a whole, serving to homogenise the school experience and provide a viable alternative to the allurements of town life. Subjects favoured by the fraternity included philosophy and ethics, literature and history and, to a lesser extent, current events. A slight shift in interest toward the natural sciences can be detected at the end of the period under investigation. Furthermore, it is revealed that peer socialisation encouraged identification with the school. It transmitted a set of values stressing idealism and anti-materialism, patriotism and regionalism, intellectualism (as opposed to athleticism), religious and/or secular piety, historism, cultural and political traditionalism, an acknowledgement of the powers – and limitations – of youth and an idealisation of friendship and camraderie. Insofar as social mores and relationships between the sexes was concerned, peer socialisation also provided pupils with practical instruction on proper conduct, and laid the foundation for an ambiguous understanding of the opposite sex. It promoted an ideal of masculinity closely associated with what may be characterised as the civil servant ideal. The thesis finally reveals that strong links were forged between fraternities on a regional, nationwide and Nordic level, bearing strong resemblance to contemporary social youth movements regarding attitudes toward society, culture and knowledge. Upper secondary school fraternities considered themselves guardians of the nation and its culture and became a conformist force in late nineteenth-century Sweden. On the other hand, pupils also constituted an active force in the modernisation of Swedish institutional practice, in the vitalisation of the state grammar schools, and as forerunners in the conceptualisation of a new cult of youth.

Abstract This doctoral thesis discusses the creation of professional identity of education developers working in the crossroads of administration and school development work. The subjects of the study work as class or subject teachers, and as education developers in Support Services at the Department of Education. The study also examines the impacts of a peer mentoring group based on narrative and action based methods on the creation of professional identity. The theoretical and methodological basis of this study is narrative. The goal, challenge and learning narratives identified were then analysed using content analysis. The creation of developer identity is seen as a series of reflecting and processing events that challenge one’s identity. Professional identity is examined as being created through a narrative, and the research data has been created through narration. Challenges emerge at the crossroads of administration and school – in the arena of interaction. Managing these challenges is described as evolution in knowledge, skills and operating methods as well as beliefs, attitudes and feelings. The learning stories created in the reflection process describe change, which is required for managing challenging situations. The goal narratives emphasise expertise, the power to influence and being a peer. The education developers describe themselves as walking alongside teachers, as peers. Three developer identities were recognised in the education developers’ narratives: the critical developer, the flexible developer and the self-developer. The critical developer is motivated by being competent in an expert position. The flexible developer feels that being a teacher is an integral part of the identity of an education developer. The work is about expressing oneself. The self-developer’s identity includes the aspect of enhancing one’s own expertise. She or he has an optimistic attitude towards the changes of the job. Using the peer mentoring group to support the development of professional identity required trust amongst the group members to enable them to share critical events that challenge one’s identity in the group. This study is an important and topical address to the dialogue on the ways to support the professional growth and career development of teachers as well as the development of continuous education. / Tiivistelmä Väitöskirjassa tarkastellaan opetustoimen kehittäjäopettajan identiteetin rakentumista opetustoimen hallinnon ja koulujen kehittämistyön tukemisen välimaastossa. Tutkimuksen kehittäjäopettajat toimivat kouluillaan luokan- tai aineenopettajina ja koko opetustoimessa kehittäjäopettajina. Tutkimuksessa selvitetään myös, mikä merkitys kerrontaan ja toiminnallisiin menetelmiin perustuvalla vertaismentorointiryhmällä on identiteetin rakentumisessa. Tutkimuksen teoreettisena ja metodologisena lähtökohtana on kerronta. Luennassa tunnistettua tavoite-, haaste- ja oppimiskerrontaa on analysoitu sisällöllisesti. Kehittäjäidentiteetin rakentumisessa on tärkeällä sijalla identiteettiä haastavien tapahtumien reflektointi. Ammatillinen identiteetti nähdään kerronnan kautta rakentuvana, ja tutkimusaineisto on syntynyt kerronnassa. Haasteita syntyy hallinnon ja koulun välimaastossa, vuorovaikutusareenalla. Haasteista selviäminen kerrotaan muutoksena tiedoissa, taidoissa ja toimintatavoissa sekä uskomuksissa, asenteissa ja tunteissa. Reflektoinnissa syntyvät oppimiskertomukset kuvaavat muutosta, jota haastavista tilanteista selviäminen edellyttää. Tavoitekerronnassa korostuvat asiantuntijuus, vaikuttaminen ja vertaisuus. Kehittäjäopettajat kuvaavat itseään opettajan rinnalla kulkijoina ja vertaisina. Kerronnasta tunnistetaan kolme kehittäjäidentiteettiä: kriittinen, joustava ja itsensä kehittäjä. Joustavalle kehittäjälle opettajuus on kiinteä osa kehittäjäopettajan identiteettiä ja kehittäjän työ itsensä toteuttamista. Kriittistä kehittäjää motivoi päteminen asiantuntijatehtävissä. Itsensä kehittäjän identiteettiin liittyy oman asiantuntijuuden vahvistaminen, optimistinen suhtautuminen muutoksiin ja oman urapolun suunnittelu. Vertaismentorointiryhmän toimiminen ammatillisen identiteetin rakentumisen tukena edellyttää luottamuksen syntymistä, jotta kriittisiä, identiteettiä haastavia tapahtumia pystytään jakamaan ryhmässä. Tutkimus on tärkeä ja ajankohtainen puheenvuoro keskusteltaessa opettajien ammatillisen kasvun ja urakehityksen tukemisen keinoista sekä täydennyskoulutuksen kehittämisestä.

Abstract The research discusses the meaning of telling in the narrative environment of teachers' peer group. Teachers’ work is increasingly challenging; however, they have no outlet for the burdens of their work in the hectic everyday working environment at the school. The research discusses opportunities afforded by group discussions as a possible solution for this problem. For the research, a peer group comprising 11 teachers was established and convened 16 times over 1.5 years. The research is a new opening in the debate on peer groups, since previous studies have paid only little attention to the narrative environment provided by them, unlike the current research. This, in spite of the fact that cost-effective peer groups are organised in fields other than teaching as well. The focus of interest is on how the challenges of teachers’ work are told in the group, what kinds of functions this has, and what kinds of opportunities for support and change are created by telling experiences. The research takes a narrative approach. The analysis of the material videotaped at the group meetings uses narrative reading methods and dialogical sequence analysis. Based on the research, the narrative environment of the group was found to be a place where people could talk about things that were not discussed at the school. Teacher's work was seen as involving human relationships. The research consolidated the view that teachers' relations with colleagues and the parents of the pupils may turn out to be the significant challenges of the work and materially affected the ability of teachers to cope at work. By telling their experiences, the teachers processed conflicts, influencing, and their limits at work, as well as sought release from negative feelings. It was also used for thinking of solutions, looking forward and seeking an appropriate distance in relationships at work. According to the research, telling experiences in a group seemed to contribute to a positive change. However, it will not always be constructive or ensure regeneration at work. The research provides new perspectives in pre-service and in-service teacher education. Relating one's own life story and discussing human relationships linked with teacher's work should be made a more visible part of growing to be teacher. Studying one's own experiences will help teachers in encounters with different parents, colleagues and children in their work. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan kertomisen merkitystä opettajien vertaisryhmän kerronnallisessa ympäristössä. Opettajat tekevät työtään lisääntyvien haasteiden keskellä. Koulun kiireisessä arjessa heillä ei kuitenkaan ole mahdollisuuksia purkaa työnsä kuormitusta. Yhtenä ratkaisuna tähän ongelmaan tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan ryhmässä kertomisen avaamia mahdollisuuksia opettajien tukemiseen. Tätä varten perustettiin 11 opettajasta koostuva vertaisryhmä, joka kokoontui 16 kertaa puolentoista vuoden aikana. Tutkimus on uusi avaus vertaisryhmiä koskevaan keskusteluun, sillä aiemmassa tutkimuksessa on kiinnitetty vain vähän huomiota vertaisryhmässä rakentuvaan kerronnalliseen ympäristöön, kuten tässä työssä tehdään. Kuitenkin kustannustehokkaita vertaisryhmiä järjestetään opetusalan lisäksi myös muilla aloilla. Kiinnostuksen kohteena on, millaisista opettajan työn haasteista ryhmässä kerrotaan, millaisia funktioita ryhmässä kertomisella on ja millaisia mahdollisuuksia kertominen avaa tuelle ja muutokselle. Tutkimuksen lähestymistapa on kerronnallinen. Ryhmän istunnoista koostuvan videoaineiston analyysissa sovelletaan kerronnallisia lukutapoja ja dialogista sekvenssianalyysia. Tutkimuksen perusteella ryhmän kerronnallinen ympäristö osoittautui paikaksi puhua siitä, mistä koulussa vaiettiin. Opettajan työ näyttäytyi ihmissuhdetyönä. Tutkimus vahvisti kuvaa siitä, että opettajien suhteet kollegoihin ja oppilaiden vanhempiin voivat muotoutua merkittäviksi työn haasteiksi ja vaikuttaa olennaisesti opettajien jaksamiseen. Kertomalla opettajat käsittelivät ristiriitatilanteita, vaikutusmahdollisuuksiaan, rajojaan työssä ja purkivat pahaa oloaan. Kertomisen kautta myös mietittiin ratkaisuja, suuntauduttiin tulevaan ja etsittiin sopivaa etäisyyttä työn ihmissuhteissa. Tutkimuksen mukaan ryhmässä kertominen näytti myötävaikuttavan muutokseen. Ryhmässä kertomisesta ei kuitenkaan välttämättä aina tule rakentavaa, eikä se takaa työssä uusiutumista. Tutkimus avaa näkökulmia opettajien perus- ja täydennyskoulutukseen. Oman elämäntarinan kertominen ja opettajan työhön liittyvien ihmissuhteiden tarkastelu tulisi tehdä näkyvämmäksi osaksi opettajaksi kasvamista. Oman kokemushistorian tutkiminen auttaa opettajia kohtaamaan työssään erilaisia vanhempia, kollegoita ja lapsia.

The internship year is of paramount importance in the vocational training of clinical psychologists. This event assists the student in making the transition from trainee to professional. During the internship year intern psychologists undergo various transitions, for example a change in roles and a change in learning style. The motivation for this study arose from the researcher's own experience of the internship year in a psychiatric training hospital. The study aims at investigating other intern clinical psychologists' experience of their internship year. The intention of this study is to present descriptions of these experiences. The research design of this study is qualitative, using a phenomenological approach. A phenomenological approach has been followed to return to the phenomenon internship in an attempt to reach the lived world of the respondents. Emphasis is placed on the respondents' perceptions of their experience of the internship year. An informal, unstructured interview was conducted with each research participant. Audio tape recordings of the interviews were transcribed. On analysis of the protocols, several themes were extracted. Each respondent did not necessarily experience each of the identified themes. The themes are discussed in chapter four and linked to the existing literature. The following themes have been identified: the value of the learning experience, a sense of apprehension, the experience of stress, the importance of support, the importance of supervision and mentorship, a sense of not belonging, a sense of isolation from social contexts, the challenges concerning culture, and a sense of achievement. The researcher hopes to make a contribution towards the understanding of intern clinical psychologists’ experience of the internship year. It is also hoped that through this study, further research in this field will be encouraged. / Dissertation (MA (Clinical Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Psychology / unrestricted

The purpose of the study was to explore the effects that individual vs. collective structured creative musical problem solving tasks had on students' compositional products. Subjects in a convenience sample of 32 fourth-graders and 32 fifth-graders were randomly assigned to either the individual or collective condition. The 3 treatment sessions were characterized by an open-ended creative problem solving task, which included questions intended to guide subjects through 3 stages of the creative problem solving process: Understanding the Problem, Generating Ideas, and Planning for Action. Subjects participated in the pre- and posttest individually. Three experienced music educators assessed the compositional products in terms of pattern use, cohesiveness, and creativity. The originally intended MANCOVAs could not be carried out because the data did not meet the necessary assumptions. Pretest and posttest scores were explored with individual ANOVAs. The Bonferroni technique was used to adjust the alpha level. The statistical analyses showed that subjects exposed to the individual condition obtained higher scores than subjects exposed to the collective condition on six of the eight explored subtests, but these differences were not significant. The level of interjudge reliability decreased at each of the three measurements of the study: pilot test, pretest, and posttest. The study's results suggest that music educators interested in observing specific characteristics of individual students' compositional products, such as the levels of cohesiveness, creativity, and pattern use, could do so regardless of the condition under which students were exposed to compositional tasks, either individually or collectively. Recommendations for future research include the use of a measurement instrument specifically designed for open-ended tasks, and the exploration of the current study's measurement instrument with closed-ended tasks. The study highlights the need for appropriate measurement instruments designed for the compositional tasks at hand, and the need for research results reported clearly, so that more advancement of this field is possible.

Obesity has become a global pandemic that not only affects adults, but also children and adolescents. It has been found that obesity among children and adolescents has emotional, social, physical and psychological ramifications, one of which is bullying. Very little has been written on the effects obesity in early adolescence has on bullying behaviour in a South African context. For this reason the researcher deemed it necessary to study the perceptions of youths in early adolescence with regard to obesity and bullying. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 early adolescents from the Brooklyn policing precinct in the east of Pretoria. The data were assessed through content and interpretative phenomenological analysis. Thus the researcher tried to capture the essence of each individual interview. Several themes emerged from the data analysis, of which the most noteworthy were what youths in early adolescence perceive as bullying; the influence of bullying on behaviour; a general overview of perpetrators and victims of bullying; and the correlation between an early adolescent’s body shape and victimisation. The findings give insight into how obese young adolescents are perceived and treated by their peers. Furthermore, the findings elucidate what early adolescents perceive as bullying and possible reasons for such behaviour. By identifying the perceptions held by early adolescents, programmes can be implemented to address these stereotypes, thus decreasing the potential victimisation of overweight/obese youths in early adolescence. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted