For many school psychologists the constraints of time create a need to identify an instrument that can be used to screen students referred for comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations. This study examined the relationship between scores students obtained on the group-administered Test of Cognitive Skills (TCS) and those they obtained on the individually administered Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition (SB:FE). Comparisons were made between the Cognitive Skills Index (CSI) and Sattler's Factor scores from the SB:FE, and between the CSI and the SB:FE Composite score.The subjects were 75 elementary public school students who were enrolled in regular education classes at least 50% of their school day. The students were referred for comprehensive evaluations because of concern about their academic progress. Archival data from tests administered during the 1987-1988 school year were gathered from the students' cumulative school files.Pearson product moment correlations indicate that (in the sample studied) there was a significant positive correlation between the CSI scores and each of the Factor scores and the Composite scores. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedures were used to test mean differences. The data indicate that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean score of the CSI and the Verbal Comprehension Factor score, nor between the CSI and Memory Factor. However, the Nonverbal Reasoning/Visualization and Composite means differed significantly from the CSI mean.The results of this study suggest that the CSI can make a worthwhile contribution to referral information. Correlational and mean difference data derived from this study demonstrate the need for caution when interpreting and applying statistical findings. Additional research is needed to clarify further the relationship among group-administered and individually administered intelligence tests, and between the SB:FE and other individually administered intelligence tests. / Department of Educational Psychology

In the last two decades of the twentieth century in particular, a renewed interest arose in the relationship between music making and intelligence. This yet again led to the question of whether or not music making has any influence on intelligence. As a result of popular views, incorrect and incomplete reports and research which has not been based on an adequate scientific foundation, however, claims about the potential of making music to increase intelligence are currently being questioned. Even though the literature study could not prove beyond all doubt that music making increases intelligence, it is nevertheless significant that most of the top achievers in the matric final examination make music, play in orchestras or sing in choirs. The main objective of the study is to determine the nature of the relationship between music making and intelligence. A further aim of the study is also to establish whether the making of music contributes towards equipping learners with life skills which enable them to be successful in their lives later on. In addition to the literature study, this study also includes an empirical investigation. For the purposes of this study the Baron Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version was used. The experimental group consisted of forty nine learners who are members of either the Northwest Youth Orchestra or the Musikhane orchestra. A control group consisting of fifty learners from the same schools as the experimental group was involved as well. In-depth interviews were also held with the conductors of respectively the Northwest Youth Orchestra and the Musikhane orchestra. Questionnaires were completed by music teachers in the Northwest Province and by some of the Musikhane workers, in order to compare the qualitative results of the questionnaires and interviews with the quantitative results of the BarOn EQ-i:YV questionnaire. The findings of the study are based on an empirical study, which includes qualitative and quantitative testing. It was indicated, amongst others, that the positive influence of music making on academic achievement is to be found on the affective rather than the cognitive level. Furthermore, music making equips learners with certain life skills, like self-discipline, self-confidence and good inter- and intrapersonal relationships, which help them to be successful in other areas of their lives, such as their school work. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Music))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Rugby union is a popular sport played in more than a 100 countries worldwide. In South Africa rugby is a major sport c0mpare.d to other playing countries such as Australia, England, France, Ireland and Scotland where it is only thud, fourth or fifth most popular sport (SARFU: 2003d:ll) Rugby consists of various activities that require certain anthropometrical, physical and motor and rugby-specific components. These components are specific to the positional requirements in rugby (Craven, 1974; De Ridder, 1993; Noakes & Du Plessis, 1996; Malan & Hanekom, 2001; Van Gent, 2003). Du Randt and Headley (1993:112) stated that the process of talent identification in South Africa was uncontrolled and in the beginning phase. Since then scientific research on talent identification of youth rugby players in South Africa has been done by De Ridder (1993), Pienaar and Spamer (1995,1998), Hare (1997) and Van Gent (2003) to name a few. Research has been done regarding positional requirements (Van Gent, 2003) in the adolescent rugby player. However, little is known about the elite schoolboy rugby player in South Africa and internationally. In 1995, the National Sports Council of South Africa compiled a policy, highlighting the need and importance of a scientific identification and development programme of talented sportspeople (South Africa, 1996). Eight years after the national policy was compiled, the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) launched a major new player identification and development strategy (SARFU, 2003d:15). In 2003, SARFU identified the U/16 age group schoolboys as the first level of talent identification thus the focus should be on South African schools in particular, because this is the breeding ground for elite sportsmen and women. The U/16 and U/18 players are chosen to represent their provinces at a national rugby week. The U/16 and U/18 rugby players chosen at the end of the national rugby week (Grant Khomo U/16 week and the U/18 Craven Week for High Schools) are named the Green Squad and consists of a 100 top players from both the U/16 and U/18 groups (SARFU, 2003b:2). This study is the start of a new phase of research on the elite youth rugby player. The significance of this study is the compilation of a profile of the U/16 and U/18 elite rugby player, with reference to anthropometrical variables, physical and motor abilities and game-specific skills which will serve as a guide to the school and provincial coaches on team selection and individual training programmes. A further contribution is that this research will support SARFU in the process of identifying and developing youth rugby players. Furthermore, this study will also form part of an international research profile on talent identification of elite youth rugby players as well as the development in school sport. The aim of this study was to compile a status profile of the U/16 and U/18 elite rugby player in South Africa with reference to anthropometrical variables, physical and motor abilities and game specific skills as well as a status profile for different playing positions of the U/16 and U/18 elite rugby player in South Africa. The literature review emphasises the value of sport education and physical education in schools as well as the growth and motor development of the adolescent. According to Dick (1992:125) the adolescent period is the best time for the athlete to develop physical and motor abilities. Physical and sport education in schools offers the adolescent the opportunity to develop certain skills be it physical, motor, emotional or mental skills. In South Africa many talented and less talented adolescents have the opportunities to participate in sport due to player development programmes in various sports. Not only does physical and sport education aid to improve health related and skill-related fitness but also aids in talent detection and talent identification programmes. It is also important to fully understand the adolescent's growth and motor development as these variables have an influence on sporting performance. The literature review also discusses talent identification models that have evolved over the past decades as well as talent identification in youth sport and youth rugby development in South Africa. Salmela and Regnier (1983) stated that talent identification is a long process in which potential sportspeople are identified and developed in a specific kind of sport. Assessments of talent identification programmes should be done regularly to get the best value for a country's sporting achievement as well as an individual's future sporting performance. This could help researchers to adapt regularly to the physical profile of youth rugby players and help to establish norms that can be used to identify and develop elite youth sportspeople. The empirical study (chapter 4) explains the different measurements and tests that were done with the Green Squad players. The research group consisted of U/16 (n = 93) and U/18 (n = 97) elite South African schoolboy rugby players, also known as the Green Squad of SARFU. The players of the Green Squad represented all 14 provinces of South Africa. Each player was tested in August 2003 and February 2004 according to a rugby test protocol of SARFU. The test protocol consisted of anthropometrical variables; body height, body mass, body fat percentage, muscle percentage, skin fold thickness and somatotype. The game-specific skill components that were used included ground skills, kicking for distance, passing for distance, passing for accuracy 4 m and catching and throwing over the crossbar. Physical and motor components consisted of bench press, pull ups, push ups, speed over 10 m and 40 m, agility Illinois test and speed endurance. Descriptive statistics (x, standard deviation, minimum and maximum) were used as well as practical significant differences (d-values) (Cohen, 1988). The method of principal components analysis (PCA) and correlations was used to determine best player position of the Green Squad 2003/2004 season (Bartholomew et al. 2002). The SAS-computer programme package of the North-West University, Potchefstroom campus (SAS Institute Inc., 1999) was used for data analysis. By means of the results that were obtained, it was indicated that as far as the anthropometrical variables among the Ul16 Green Squad players were concerned differences were found between the Green Squad group and U/16 rugby players of other studies. The U/l6 Green Squad players also reported practical significant differences with regard to anthropometrical components from 2003 to 2004. The results of the anthropometrical data of the U/18 Green Squad players compared favourably to literature. Although the U/18 Green Squad group improved from 2003 to 2004 in terms of anthropometrical components, low practical significance was recorded. In terms of physical and motor, the U/16 Green Squad players presented more improvements from 2003 to 2004 than the U/18 Green Squad players that could be due to growth and training programmes that were followed. However, the U/18 Green Squad players presented a better performance than the U/18 players in literature that could also be due to conditioning and training programmes that were followed. With regard to game skill components the U/16 and U/18 Green Squad rugby players possessed better game-specific skills in most tests than their counterparts in literature. Differences between national and provincial youth rugby players were recorded with regard to anthropometrical, physical and motor and game-specific components, thus the importance of further studies on the elite schoolboy rugby players, are evident. Practical significant differences were found between different playing positions in both age groups with reference to anthropometrical, physical and motor and game-specific components. It can be derived that differences do exist between playing positions with regard to' anthropometrical, physical and motor and game-specific components and that it is necessary to include the components in a player position test battery. To summarise, this study succeeded to compile a status profile of the elite youth rugby player with reference to physical and game-specific variables. This test battery can be used in positional talent identification and development models for elite schoolboy rugby players. School and provincial coaches can use this test battery as a guide on team selection and individual training programmes. It adds an enormous amount of knowledge on talent identification of youth elite rugby players. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

The study focuses on the use of negotiation skills as a managerial task of the school principal in order to reduce conflicts between teachers and between teachers and themselves, so as to enhance a good working interpersonal relationship between them. This will lead to the building of trust, professional development and success. The purpose of this study was to determine through a literature study and empirical investigation, the nature of negotiation in schools and the skills used by principals when negotiating with teachers. The empirical investigation determined the skills used the most and least by principals when negotiating with teachers. Chapter 1 covered the statement of the problem, aims and methods to be used to obtain an overview of the nature of negotiation. This chapter also covers the empirical investigation which includes the questionnaire, population and sample, the statistical techniques. This chapter further covers the arrangement of chapters. Chapter 2 emphasises the nature of negotiation in general and in schools. The definition of negotiation and the concepts closely related to it are given in this chapter. The significance of negotiation and the negotiation principles are explained. The process of negotiation with its three phases, are discussed, approaches to negotiation are explained and common mistakes that occur during negotiation are highlighted. Mention is also made of the attitude principals have towards the use of negotiation in schools, as well is the effects that negotiations have on school performance. The context and skills needed in successful negotiation are discussed in chapter 3. With regard to the context of negotiation, the climate, negotiating for common ground, the characteristics of good agreement and the elements of negotiation are covered. With regard to skills needed in successful negotiation, listening, empathy, space, timing and persuasion are discussed. In chapter 4 the empirical research design, administrative procedures, population and sampling as well as statistical techniques are discussed. The completed and questionnaires returned by respondents are empirically analysed and interpreted. The practical significance (effect size) of differences between biographical data and the different negotiation factors is done to determine if the differences are large enough to have an effect in practice. In chapter 5 the summary of all the chapters is done as well as the findings 60m the research and the recommendations. Of all the negotiation skills discussed, it is evident that empathy is a skill that is mostly used by principals, followed by persuasion and the process of negotiation. The skill that is used least by school principals and that is also recommended as a topic for further research, is space. Recommendations of this study emphasize the importance of workshops and or in-service training for principals on the use of negotiation skills. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

In spite of the number of participants in soccer, it would appear that there is no specific physical, motor, anthropometric and sport psychological profile by which soccer players can be evaluated to determine whether they comply with the specific requirements of soccer. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine which physical, motor performance, anthropometric and sport psychological variables distinguish soccer teams of different participation levels. Fifteen Uniwest (classed as successful), twelve Vaal Triangle Technikon (classed as less successful) and sixteen North-West Sports Academy players (classed as the developmental team) were subjected to a test battery that consisted of 8 physical and motor tests as well as 14 anthropometric measurements. Only two teams (Uniwest and Vaal Triangle Technikon) completed the CSAI-2, AMSSE, ACSI-28 and PVI sport psychological questionnaires. The results of the stepwise forward discriminant analysis showed that isokinetic dorsi and plantarflexion peak torque, together with right hamstring flexibility, agility, muscle mass percentage, speed over 5m and abdominal muscle strength, were the physical, motor performance and anthropometric test variables which significantly (p ≤0.05) and accurately (94.74%) distinguish between soccer teams of different participation levels. The results of the sport psychological variables revealed that goal directedness, concentration, optimal performance under pressure, goal setting, performance motivation and activation control are the variables that have an 86.1 1% success rate in discriminating between successful and less-successful soccer players. In conclusion, although the potential of a physical, motor performance, anthropometric and sport psychological test battery to discriminate accurately between soccer players of different participation levels can not be discounted, it appears that the successful soccer team will not necessarily achieve better test battery results than players of other participation levels. The successful group only obtained significantly better results in 4 variables (speed over 5, 10 and 20m as well as striving for success) when compared to the less successful group, who achieved significantly better results in 16 variables. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Sport psychological skills play an important role in sport performance. Evidence further suggests that the psychological skill levels may be influenced by the particular playing position. One hundred and eighty u/19 rugby players from the PUK Rugby Institute (average age: 18.79 +- 0.28 years) were tested during the 2003-2005 rugby seasons by means of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2), Psychological Skills Inventory (PSI), Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28), as well as a questionnaire dealing with psychosocial factors influencing participation and performance in rugby. Players from the 2004 and 2005 seasons (n=120) were first divided into two groups (top- and lower ranked players) of 60 players each. Effect size results (practical significance) revealed moderately significant differences between the two groups, with the top ranked players outscoring their lower ranked counterparts in self-confidence, general coping resources, coping with adversity, average psychological skills score, as well as the effect of team members/team spirit, coaches and financial aspects on participation and performance. These results confirm that sport psychological skill levels and related psychosocial factors can distinguish between rugby union players of different participation levels. Secondly, the total subject group (n=180) was divided into seven positional groups (props, hookers, locks, loose trio, half-backs, centres and back three). These groups were compared by means of effect sizes (practical significance) for each of seven sport psychological skills as measured with the PSI. Moderate (46) and large (20) practically significant differences were reported for the 147 inter-positional comparisons. The results show that the half-backs and hookers consistently outperformed the other three positional groups, while the props, locks and back three often showed the lowest skill levels. While these results are discussed in reference to practical implications for future position specific sport psychological skills training sessions, they clearly show that sport psychological skill levels differ from one position to another. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

The importance of human resource development as a means of ensuring that the organisation and institution maintain their competitiveness cannot be over-emphasised. Training and development of employees are critical to organisations, because it ensures the acquisition of required skills, which is paramount for the provision of effective service delivery, in particular local sphere of government. The Workplace Skills training that refers to the strategic human resource training and development, aims at developing the workforce, labour skills capacity, thereby achieving the institutional goals, policies and objectives of the institution. The Workplace Skills Plan is the key strategic planning document relating to workplace training, career pathing and employment equity for the Municipality. It details the training planned by a municipality in a given financial year as legislated by the Local Government Sector Education Training Authority (LGSETA). Workplace Skills Plan, through LGSETA, the Skills Development Legislative framework and the Employment Equity Act, makes provision, ensuring that employees in the public service should enhance their skills in order to deliver effective services to its customers, the public. For quality and effective service delivery at the Nigel Local Municipality to take place, the implementation of the Workplace Skills training is imperative for the enhancement of a skill workforce that will be able to ensure that the customer is satisfied with the product and service rendered by the employees. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

The importance of human resource development as a means of ensuring that the organisation and institution maintain their competitiveness cannot be over-emphasised. Training and development of employees are critical to organisations, because it ensures the acquisition of required skills, which is paramount for the provision of effective service delivery, in particular local sphere of government. The Workplace Skills training that refers to the strategic human resource training and development, aims at developing the workforce, labour skills capacity, thereby achieving the institutional goals, policies and objectives of the institution. The Workplace Skills Plan is the key strategic planning document relating to workplace training, career pathing and employment equity for the Municipality. It details the training planned by a municipality in a given financial year as legislated by the Local Government Sector Education Training Authority (LGSETA). Workplace Skills Plan, through LGSETA, the Skills Development Legislative framework and the Employment Equity Act, makes provision, ensuring that employees in the public service should enhance their skills in order to deliver effective services to its customers, the public. For quality and effective service delivery at the Nigel Local Municipality to take place, the implementation of the Workplace Skills training is imperative for the enhancement of a skill workforce that will be able to ensure that the customer is satisfied with the product and service rendered by the employees. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

This paper presents the results of a study conducted at a domestic violence safehouse for an undergraduate Honors Thesis. Twenty-three children ages 4-16 from African American and immigrant communities were interviewed while residing at a safehouse for victims of domestic violence regarding their beliefs and attitudes about perceptions of self, conflict resolution skills, and feelings of anger and coping strategies. The study found a strong relation between length of stay & positive coping strategies. Age & gender were also related to conflict resolution skills. Qualitative data provided interesting & potentially important insights into children’s internal experiences of being witnesses of domestic violence. The study did not support past research in terms of child witnesses exhibiting low self-esteem, poor conflict strategies, and high rates of aggression. This study concludes that more research needs to be conducted on protective factors and resiliency to the effects of domestic violence to explain this study’s results.

<p><font size="3"> <p>The development of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) in recent decades represents a material foundation for a networked society and the emergence of new economies (Knowledge Society) and is now directly affecting individuals and whole societies. ICT is now an indisputable component of addressing the major issues of equity, sustainability and global competitiveness. Being still in its early developmental phase in many developing countries (such as South Africa), Knowledge Society requires profoundly new ways of thinking, working and living, which includes building of new capacities for the entire nation. These capacities are inter alia inevitably associated with the use of ICT and are often referred to as e-skills. These skills broadly described as the ability to develop and use ICT to adequately participate in an environment increasingly dominated by access to electronically enabled information and a well-developed ability to synthesise this into effective and relevant knowledge.&nbsp / <font size="3">In order to address a considerable deficiency in e-skills (estimated shortage of 70000 e-skilled people), the South African government through the Department of Communication has established the e-Skills Institute (e-SI) with the mandate to concentrate on the development of adequate skills to allow its citizens to improve their capacities to use all forms of ICT at work, in their education, in their personal lives and in their governance. In this regard, the e-SI is also responsible for creating appropriate policies which should be linked to other relevant national (e.g. Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF), 2009 &ndash / 2014) and international (e.g. UN Millennium Development Goals - MDGs) developmental strategies. However, while participating in the development of the current national e-skills policy (the National e-Skills Plan of Action &ndash / NeSPA</font><font size="1">1</font><font size="3">), the author realised that there were not readily available guidelines or frameworks that could advise policy development in this area. It seems that much space in the policy development is left to the policy-makers own values, experience, expertise, judgement, the influence of lobbyists and pressure groups, pragmatism, or based on the resources available, than on evidence. Thus, this study set the following objectives:</font><font size="3"> <p> To understand the theoretical and contextual background of policy-making / </p> <p> <p> To explore existing policy-making frameworks that might be relevant to e-skills policy-making / </p> <p> To identify and classify e-skills related elements obtained from pertinent literature / </p> <p> To verify these policy-making elements by interviewing experienced policy-makers in the fields of ICT and e-skills / </p> <p> To suggest a framework for e-skills policy-making in the South African developmental context / and</p> <p> To explain the use of the elements within the proposed e-skills policy-making framework.</p> </p> <p>These objectives were achieved by reviewing the pertinent literature, which led to the construction of the conceptual model for e-skills policy-making in South Africa. This model consists of eight elements: (i) Context-related awareness, (ii) Collaborative e-skills ecology, (iii) Excellence education for all, (iv) Futures of ICT capabilities and knowledge infrastructure, (v) Research and development, (vi) Cost and affordability, (vii) E-inclusion and (viii) Monitoring and evaluation. This model was subsequently empirically tested using the Interpretive hermeneutic research approach by interviewing a number of policy-makers in the fields of e-skills or broader field of ICT policy-making. The empirical findings confirmed validity of the above e-skills policy-making elements but also elicited two new elements: (ix) Integration and systemic approach and (x) Aggregation. Consequently, these elements were assembled together into a framework for e-skills policy-making in South Africa. In order to make the proposed e-skills policy-making framework operational, the next step of this study was to relate this framework to the policy-making processes. This was done by positioning elements of e-skills policy-making framework within the EU &quot / Policy making 3.0&quot / process model. The main contribution of this study is seen in the fact that it brings a novel e-skills policy-making framework particularly design for the South African context but keeping in mind that it can possibly be used in other similar developing countries. Theoretically, this study has added to the academic understanding of significance of certain concepts for e-skills policy-making derived from the pertinent literature but&nbsp / also those identified empirically by this research. Now this study can be used for a practical implementation and also as a base for further academic research. This study also has some limitations mainly seen through a fairly small research sample caused by absence or unavailability of experienced policy-makers. However, it is believed that this limitation did not limit validity of results and the practical and academic contribution of this study.</p> </font></p> </font></p>