M. Tech. (Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology / This study is an attempt to conceptualise and enhance the quality management of the short course offerings at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT). The Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) conducted its first cycle of institutional audit exercises from 2004 – 2009 at private and public universities in South Africa. This study follows on the HEQC audit panel’s report, with reference to VUTs offering of short courses (SCs). The HEQC informed the institution that the quality assurance system of SCs is not on par with the requirements of the HEQC. Therefore, it does not meet the minimum standards for an effective quality management system for SCs. It is imperative for the institution to conceptualise the quality management of SCs and to develop a system that ensures ongoing improvement. This study addresses this gap by conceptualising the quality management of SCs on national level in higher education. The study draws on good practices on national level that can inform the refinement of the existing quality assurance system for SCs at VUT. The empirical study was conducted with public institutions of higher learning in South Africa. Quantitative data were collected from dedicated SCs and/or quality assurance or quality management offices at all 23 public institutions of higher learning. Five universities were identified as institutions with good practice, based on quantitative information that was gathered, analysed and interpreted during this study. The study revealed that it is imperative for higher education institutions to develop quality assurance systems that are based on cyclical processes of ongoing improvement, such as the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act), PIRI (Plan-Implement- Review-Improve) and ADRI (Approach-Deployment-Results-Improvement) models. A key assumption of the research is that quality assurance for SCs at VUT should be aligned with the institution’s quality assurance system. The study highlights the value of the principles of Total Quality Management, the notion of continuous improvement, self-evaluation and external monitoring. Recommendations in this study suggest that VUT should conduct further institutional benchmarking exercises with the five institutions that received commendations and full delegations, in order to develop a conceptual model for understanding and enhancing its SC offerings.

The term technology indicates the process where knowledge, skills and resources are applied to identify human problems and needs and to solve it through analysis, planning, manufacturing, implementation and evaluation. Technology education of the learner is important because it becomes necessary for all people to become technological literate to be able to solve problems, to understand and use technology responsibly and to show appreciation for the interaction between man, technology and the environment. Technology is a relative new learning area that was implemented in the curriculum of the Intermediate and Senior phase. The problem is that educators, who received training before the implementation of this learning area, are not specifically trained for this learning area. These educators are specialized in other subject disciplines than the one needed for the teaching of technology. It is important for educators to have adequate subject knowledge and skills, as well as subject specific pedagogical knowledge and skills to teach the subject effectively. Qualified educators can be retrained in a new subject field by attending in-service training courses. In-service training in the South-African school system is currently uncoordinated. is done in an ad-hoc way and is not regarded as part of the professional development of educators. It is especially short courses that show shortcomings with regard to the needs of the educators, time available and form of training. Educators who do attend in-service courses experienced problems to implement the new knowledge and skills in the school situation, due to a lack of support. The need for a comprehensive short course model based on the specific needs of learning area technology teachers was identified. A situation analyses where learning area technology subject advisors as well as the learning area technology teachers were involved, were done, after which a model was presented. The model is based on four variables, namely context, process, strategy and structure, and content. These four variables determine the further development of the model and influence the outcomes, design, implementation, evaluation and closing. Central to the model is the reflection that is integrated with each phase of the model. Through critical reflection problems in each phase can be identified in time after which the necessary adaptations could be made. This will contribute in making sure that training is still done according to the specific participants needs and that it is done as effectively as possible. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Research and literature on teaching adults primarily discusses longer courses within the sphere of formal education, that is formal tertiary education and non-formal education (typically work-place or work-related learning). While both these fields provide a rich source of general information, it is difficult to find research texts that specifically deal with teaching adults in a seminar environment, that is, a planned, one-off learning event ranging in length from three hours to two days. While some research has focused on Thai culture in general and the nature of Thai university teaching in particular, very little has been published concerning the teaching of Thai adults, whether in a formal setting such as a university or college, or in a non-formal, work-place or work-related setting. This research reflects an effort to compensate for this pronounced lack of research in teaching adults in a short course environment and the paucity of research on teaching Thai adults. Using a case-study method, fifteen Western or Western-educated Thai trainers in the Thai short-course market were interviewed to determine the characteristics of an effective short-course trainer instructing courses in English. Based on a semi-structured interview format, with questions framed from the literature review, eight key characteristics were determined that reflect the qualities of an effective trainer in the Thai market. Centered on the vital role played by trainers' knowledge of the participants and their culture, the characteristics identified by the research highlight the need to foreground key aspects of participant culture when planning and presenting a short course in the Thai business community. While content expertise and teaching skills remain important, the key to effectiveness lies in acquiring and skillfully applying a knowledge of participants that goes beyond needs analysis to include a generic knowledge of the social norms that identify Thais as a cultural group throughout the training process. The eight characteristics are discussed in detail, and while some aspects of these are consistent with the conventional wisdom discussed in the literature review, most arose from the analyses of comments provided by the interviewees. This discussion leads into a number of recommendations for new trainers in this market and concludes with insights into further areas of study that could prove useful in Thai and other cultures, and for educators involved in short- or long-course events.

The term technology indicates the process where knowledge, skills and resources are applied to identify human problems and needs and to solve it through analysis, planning, manufacturing, implementation and evaluation. Technology education of the learner is important because it becomes necessary for all people to become technological literate to be able to solve problems, to understand and use technology responsibly and to show appreciation for the interaction between man, technology and the environment. Technology is a relative new learning area that was implemented in the curriculum of the Intermediate and Senior phase. The problem is that educators, who received training before the implementation of this learning area, are not specifically trained for this learning area. These educators are specialized in other subject disciplines than the one needed for the teaching of technology. It is important for educators to have adequate subject knowledge and skills, as well as subject specific pedagogical knowledge and skills to teach the subject effectively. Qualified educators can be retrained in a new subject field by attending in-service training courses. In-service training in the South-African school system is currently uncoordinated. is done in an ad-hoc way and is not regarded as part of the professional development of educators. It is especially short courses that show shortcomings with regard to the needs of the educators, time available and form of training. Educators who do attend in-service courses experienced problems to implement the new knowledge and skills in the school situation, due to a lack of support. The need for a comprehensive short course model based on the specific needs of learning area technology teachers was identified. A situation analyses where learning area technology subject advisors as well as the learning area technology teachers were involved, were done, after which a model was presented. The model is based on four variables, namely context, process, strategy and structure, and content. These four variables determine the further development of the model and influence the outcomes, design, implementation, evaluation and closing. Central to the model is the reflection that is integrated with each phase of the model. Through critical reflection problems in each phase can be identified in time after which the necessary adaptations could be made. This will contribute in making sure that training is still done according to the specific participants needs and that it is done as effectively as possible. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Este trabalho é resultado de uma pesquisa realizada com professores de Química do ensino médio de escolas públicas e particulares participantes de dois cursos de formação continuada realizados por uma Universidade de São Paulo, o primeiro curso ocorreu em julho 2011 e o segundo em janeiro de 2012. Sendo assim, nosso campo de pesquisa é a formação continuada de professores de Química, mais especificamente, cursos de curta duração, como, por exemplo, os cursos estudados nessa pesquisa que ocorreram no período de aproximadamente uma semana. O nosso foco principal foi pesquisar como os professores estão entendendo e aceitando as atividades que lhes são propostas nesses cursos com a possibilidade de serem aproveitadas no cotidiano da escola. Foram instrumentos dessa pesquisa entrevistas, gravações de áudio e matérias produzidos pelos professores. O tratamento dos dados se constituiu através da observação, análise e criação de categorias de análise a posteriori. Trabalhamos nesse sentido a fim de construir um instrumento de análise que nos permitisse extrair de maneira mais coesa e estruturada as intenções contidas nos dados coletados tanto sobre professores, como sobre os formadores e o contexto vivido por ambos. Os resultados nos mostram que para que as atividades dos cursos sejam utilizadas em sala de aula é preciso que o professor primeiro as entenda, ou seja, que se sintam seguros quanto ao domínio do conteúdo que as envolve; depois que as aceite, pois o sujeito poderá entende a atividade, mas não aceita-la no sentido de acreditar que seu uso poderá resolver alguns dos seus problemas de ensino e aprendizagem. Os cursos de curta duração parecem não oferecem tempo suficiente para que os processos de entendimento e aceitação se concretizem, mas são importantes à medida que apresentam alternativas, motivam, mostram caminhos de como, porque, onde e quando usar determinada atividade. Caberá a esse professor, caso se interesse pelo assunto, se aprofundar através de estudos individuais ou buscar outros cursos mais longos e específicos. / This work is the result of a survey taken with Chemistry teachers of high school participants from two public and private schools continuing education courses conducted by a UNIVERSITY of São Paulo, the first course took place in July 2011 and the second in January 2012. Thus, our research field is the continuing education of Chemistry teachersof chemistry, more specifically, short courses, for example courses studied here occurred in the period of approximately one week. Our main focus was to investigate how teachers are understanding and accepting the activities presented to them in these courses with the possibility of being exploited in the school routine. The instruments of this study were interviews, audio recordings and other materials produced by teachers. Data treatment consisted of observation, analysis, and creation of empirical categories retrospectively. We worked towards this direction in order to build an analytical tool that would allow us to extract in a more cohesive and structured manner the intentions contained in the collected data both on teachers and on those trainers and the context experienced by both. Results show that so the activities of the courses are used in the classroom, it is necessary that the teacher first understand them, or make them feel safe about their domain over the content involved; after accepting them, the subject can understand the activity, but not accept it in the sense of believing that their use might solve some of their teaching and learning problems. Short courses do not seem to offer enough time so that the processes of understanding and acceptance materialize, but are important as they present alternatives, motivate, show ways of how, why, where and when to use some particular activity. It\'s up to this teacher, if they are interested in the subject, delving through individual study or pursue other longer and specific courses.

Este trabalho é resultado de uma pesquisa realizada com professores de Química do ensino médio de escolas públicas e particulares participantes de dois cursos de formação continuada realizados por uma Universidade de São Paulo, o primeiro curso ocorreu em julho 2011 e o segundo em janeiro de 2012. Sendo assim, nosso campo de pesquisa é a formação continuada de professores de Química, mais especificamente, cursos de curta duração, como, por exemplo, os cursos estudados nessa pesquisa que ocorreram no período de aproximadamente uma semana. O nosso foco principal foi pesquisar como os professores estão entendendo e aceitando as atividades que lhes são propostas nesses cursos com a possibilidade de serem aproveitadas no cotidiano da escola. Foram instrumentos dessa pesquisa entrevistas, gravações de áudio e matérias produzidos pelos professores. O tratamento dos dados se constituiu através da observação, análise e criação de categorias de análise a posteriori. Trabalhamos nesse sentido a fim de construir um instrumento de análise que nos permitisse extrair de maneira mais coesa e estruturada as intenções contidas nos dados coletados tanto sobre professores, como sobre os formadores e o contexto vivido por ambos. Os resultados nos mostram que para que as atividades dos cursos sejam utilizadas em sala de aula é preciso que o professor primeiro as entenda, ou seja, que se sintam seguros quanto ao domínio do conteúdo que as envolve; depois que as aceite, pois o sujeito poderá entende a atividade, mas não aceita-la no sentido de acreditar que seu uso poderá resolver alguns dos seus problemas de ensino e aprendizagem. Os cursos de curta duração parecem não oferecem tempo suficiente para que os processos de entendimento e aceitação se concretizem, mas são importantes à medida que apresentam alternativas, motivam, mostram caminhos de como, porque, onde e quando usar determinada atividade. Caberá a esse professor, caso se interesse pelo assunto, se aprofundar através de estudos individuais ou buscar outros cursos mais longos e específicos. / This work is the result of a survey taken with Chemistry teachers of high school participants from two public and private schools continuing education courses conducted by a UNIVERSITY of São Paulo, the first course took place in July 2011 and the second in January 2012. Thus, our research field is the continuing education of Chemistry teachersof chemistry, more specifically, short courses, for example courses studied here occurred in the period of approximately one week. Our main focus was to investigate how teachers are understanding and accepting the activities presented to them in these courses with the possibility of being exploited in the school routine. The instruments of this study were interviews, audio recordings and other materials produced by teachers. Data treatment consisted of observation, analysis, and creation of empirical categories retrospectively. We worked towards this direction in order to build an analytical tool that would allow us to extract in a more cohesive and structured manner the intentions contained in the collected data both on teachers and on those trainers and the context experienced by both. Results show that so the activities of the courses are used in the classroom, it is necessary that the teacher first understand them, or make them feel safe about their domain over the content involved; after accepting them, the subject can understand the activity, but not accept it in the sense of believing that their use might solve some of their teaching and learning problems. Short courses do not seem to offer enough time so that the processes of understanding and acceptance materialize, but are important as they present alternatives, motivate, show ways of how, why, where and when to use some particular activity. It\'s up to this teacher, if they are interested in the subject, delving through individual study or pursue other longer and specific courses.