published_or_final_version / Sociology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Temos aktualumas – nuo motyvacijos buvimo ar nebuvimo, aiškaus ir konkretaus vertinimo priklauso mokymosi sėkmė. Mokytojai tai seniai žino, bet pernelyg dažnai jie bejėgiškai stengiasi suvokti, kaip ta motyvacija sukuriama. Galime turėti geriausių ketinimų ir mokymo įgūdžių, bet jei mokiniai nebus tinkamai nusiteikę mokytis ir priimti mūsų vertinimą, patarimus, nerodys noro mokytis, naudos nebus. Meninis ugdymas reikalingas kiekvienam žmogui. Taigi, vertinimo paskirtis yra atspindėti sugebėjimus, bei skatinti mokymosi motyvaciją. Skatindami mokinių mokymosi motyvaciją sudarome palankias sąlygas jų gabumams plėstis. Todėl labai svarbu yra vertinant mokinio vizualinę raišką, ypač tokiame psichologiškai sunkiame amžiaus tarpsnyje, nenuslopinti poreikio domėtis menu, kūryba ir noro kurti pačiam. Tyrimo tikslas – atskleisti vizualinės raiškos vertinimo įtaką dailės mokymosi motyvacijai. Uždaviniai: 1) aptarti vertinimo svarbą ir jo daromą įtaką mokinių mokymosi motyvacijai; 2) atskleisti paauglio raidai būdingus psichologinius aspektus ir jų ryšį su vertinimu bei mokymosi motyvacija; 3) išsiaiškinti V-VII klasių mokytojų nuostatas į vizualinės raiškos vertinimą ir motyvacijos skatinimą; 4) išnagrinėti paauglių nuomonę apie vizualinės raiškos įtaką dailės mokymosi motyvacijai. Hipotezė – tikėtina, kad paaiškės, jog mokiniai ir mokytojai turi skirtingą požiūrį į vertinimą, vertinimo sistemą ir jo daromą įtaką mokinių mokymosi motyvacijai. Tyrimo objektas – vizualinės raiškos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Actuality of the theme. The success of studies belongs from the existence or absence of motivation, coherent and concrete estimation. Teachers know this already very long time, but they are trying to realize, how to create the motivation. The artistical upbringing is necessary for everyone. The purpose of the estimation is to reflect abilities and to stimulate the motivation of the learning. When we are stimulating the learning motivation of the pupils, we are creating the favourable conditions for their abilities. So, it’s very important, especially in this difficult period of the age, not to repress the pupils requirement of the interest in art, creation and a wish to create by themselves. The purpose of analysis — to detect the estimation influence of the visual expression for the art studies motivation. Objects: 1) to discuss the estimation influence of the visual expression for the art studies motivation. 2) to discover psychological aspects and their connections to the estimation and motivation of the learning, which are characteristic to a development of teenagers. 3) to clear the teacher regulations of V – VII class to the estimation of visual expression and stimulation of the motivation. 4) to investigate the opinion of the teenagers about the influence of visual expression to a motivation of art studies. Hypothesis — it’s possible, that it will become clear, that the pupils and the teachers have different point of view to the estimation, to the system of... [to full text]

Aim. The aim of this research was to explore parent-adolescent communication about sex and sexuality among university students. Background. The rates of HIV/AIDS and pregnancy among adolescents in South Africa are very problematic issues. In the context of children and adolescents' sexual socialization, both Western studies and studies from African countries have found that families, especially parents, are crucial in influencing adolescent attitudes, decision-making and participation in sexual behaviour. Methods. A qualitative study was conducted using focus groups to examine parent-adolescent sex education among university students. Findings. Participants reported that parents generally avoided discussions about sex especially fathers, framed sex negatively and highlighted the negative effects of sex such as HIV/AIDS and pregnancy. The reasons participants believed that parents were uncomfortable in discussing sex were due to insufficient knowledge to explain certain aspects of sex, that sex was taboo, that by discussing sex it would be viewed as condoning or encouraging sexual activity. Conclusion. Parents need to be educated regarding the benefits that comprehensive sex education will have for their children, in the light of the massive problem of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Education on these matters is vital for all young people. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

The transition to adulthood is a significant period in the lives of many young people throughout the world. HIV/AIDS continues to attract much attention from researchers as it is a matter of particular concern for young people. Recent data suggests that the HIV prevalence among females aged 15-24 in South Africa is 12.7%, and 4% among males. Increasingly there has been a major outcry especially among international donor agencies that despite widespread HIV/AIDS campaigns in South Africa behaviour change has not been realised. Given the fact that in South Africa HIV/AIDS is fuelled by heterosexual intercourse, it is imperative to monitor trends in sexual behaviour among young adults in order to be able to identify and understand those sexual behaviours that fuel the epidemic. This study uses the Cape Area Panel Study (CAPS) data conducted in the Cape Town Metropolitan between 2002 and 2005. It tracks trends in sexual behaviour, and determines the predictors of risky sexual behaviour among these young adults. The study reveals that condom use is extremely high among all population groups, except among Coloured males whose condom use actually declined between 2002 and 2005. The study also reveals that the percentage of young adults engaging in risky sexual behaviour, such as having multiple sexual partners has declined between 2002 and 2005. Early sexual onset determines risky sexual behaviour later in life. This suggests that in order to equip young adults to act in a sexually responsible manner later in life, protective factors such as family involvement, schooling, peer influence and selfesteem must be strengthened before sexual onset. The conclusion drawn from this study is that in order to curtail rising trends in inconsistent condom use and multiple sexual partners and to increase the age at first sex, early intervention programs are necessary. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

This study is an attempt to better understand the experience of self-destructive behaviour in First Nations adolescent girls by telling their stories, discussing factors that may contribute to the behaviours, and providing counselling insight. Not every Native girl experiences self-destructive behaviour, however those that do require more effective solutions to their problems. There is ample literature regarding non-Native girls and their experiences with self-destructive behaviour. This is not the case with Native girls, and this study is an attempt to fill the literature gap, and at the same time provide insight into counselling practice. Many factors may contribute to the experience of self-destructive behaviour in First Nations adolescent girls (e.g., gender, developmental stages, parenting, cultural norms and values, and discrimination). The combination of these issues compounds each other and creates the context for the experience of self-destructive behaviour specific to Native girls. This reality puts them at risk for truancy, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harming, and ultimately suicide. In order to understand the circumstances or events that lead to a young Native woman's experience with self-destructive behaviour I interviewed three women using in-depth, semi structured interviews. When answering the open-ended questions I asked, the interviewees revealed a story with a beginning, middle, and end. This story reflected the different stages in their lives, childhood, adolescence, and eventually young adulthood. Analysis of the interviews through theme identification revealed common threads through each woman's life. Although each woman had unique experiences, their stories revealed many commonalties. These common themes reflect factors that counsellors should consider when counselling First Nations girls who are experiencing self-destructive behaviour. The results of the study suggest that counsellors should not isolate factors that lead to self-destructive behaviour. For example, First Nations girls experience not just racism or neglectful parenting — they experience both of the factors. The contributing factors begin early in life and compound one another as the girl's life progresses. Hopefully, this study contributes to the betterment of individual Native girls, also to the betterment of the families' and communities' health.

The purpose of this interdisciplinary study was to examine children's and adolescents' (aged 6 to 16) thoughts of God that were hypothesized to reflect the child's religious context and to be related to a child's cognitive maturity and gender. The following four objectives guided the study: (1) to examine children's thoughts of God within a particular religious school environment, (2) to investigate age-related changes in children's representations of God as indicated by their narrative texts, (3) to explore children's (female and male) representations of God as described in their narrative texts, and (4) to suggest transitions in the developmental structure of children's narrative texts about God across levels of cognitive maturity. The children (N=114) selected for the study were chosen from a Christian school setting where religious instruction was part of the curriculum focus. Each child, upon parental consent, participated in a one-to-one interview and accomplished a series of developmental tasks including generating a story about God, responding to a story about Jesus, answering questions about God, and completing a short memory task. Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire about religious life inside and outside the family home. A review of the religious education curriculum was conducted. The collected data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The results were fourfold. First, the study found that the religious school environment (e.g., religious education program and religious activities both inside and outside the family home) had the potential to influence children's changing thoughts about God. Second, there were differences in female and male representations of God. Third, there were significant changes in children's representations of God as they matured. These changes were based not only on children's cognitive maturity but also as a result of the children's religious knowledge acquired within their religious environment. Also, these changes reflected unique subtle differences in children's conceptual understandings of God. Fourth, as children cognitively matured, there were changes in the structure of their narratives about God. These changes paralleled the narrative structure posited by McKeough (1992a) and the stages and substages posited by Case (1992a).

The study aimed to explore adolescents knowledge, perceptions and behaviors regarding sexual reproduction and sexual reproductive health services in community junior school in Tutume Botswana. A descriptive exploratory design using both the qualitative and quantitative approach was used to guide the research process. Data was collected by means of a self administered questionnaire and two focus group discussions. A total of 76 participants answered the questionnaire and 2 focus group discussions one consisting of the 15 to 17 year olds and the other one consisting of 12 to 15 year olds were conducted. The results of the survey highlighted adequate levels of knowledge regarding sexual matters among adolescents in the school with the bulk of the information being provided by the teacher. Parents, nurses, siblings, peers and the media played a low key role in providing adolescents with information regarding sexual reproduction and sexual reproductive health services. The results of the focus group discussion showed marked underutilization of the local clinic for curative, preventive and promotive services by adolescents. The poor utilization resulting mainly from perceived barriers such as provider attitudes, subjective norms, cultural taboos, inadequacy of the clinic, judgmental attitudes from provider and parents as well as lack of encouragement from authority figures like parents and teachers. Adolescents in the focus group discussion perceive themselves as being susceptible to HIV but did not appreciate the benefits of using preventive measures even though the survey group showed sound knowledge on contraception. Improving the services to align them to adolescent friendly services, improving the delivery of information through other means apart from the teacher and reducing the barriers that discourage adolescents from reaching the reproductive health services will go a long way in improving the utilization of the services by adolescents. / Thesis (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

This study utilized a pluralistic approach to examine self-concepts and social comparison processes of students entering the Indiana Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Humanities-a residential program for high school juniors and seniors. Following the Big-Fish-Little-Pond-Effect (BFLPE) theory it was hypothesized that, as students compared themselves to a homogeneous, high-ability group, their academic self-concepts would decrease. Social self-concepts, however, were hypothesized to increase due to being with "equal peers."The Self Description Questionnaire III was used to measure students' academic and social self-concepts prior to arrival at the Indiana Academy, during the first week of the fall semester, and during the first week of the spring semester. Sixty-seven students participated in all three data collections.Repeated measures analysis indicated that academic self-concepts (Mathematics, Verbal, and Problem Solving) decreased dsignificantly from summer to fall to spring. Overall Academic self-concept decreased for all students between summer and fall, but only students with a history of prior rigorous education experienced a significant decrease from fall to spring.Analysis of social self-concept indicate that Opposite Sex Relationship scores did not change significantly over time. Same Sex Relationships, however, decreased significantly from fall to spring for students with a prior history of rigorous education.The second part of the study consisted of interviews with sixteen students. Interviews were conducted during the first two weeks and around the ninth week of the fall semester. Emerging from this data were four themes: No mention of social comparison processes; Recognition that the BFLPE already occurred; Recognition that the BFLPE would occur and mindset/cognition would change; and Recognition that the BFLPE would occur but no anticipation of change in self-concept was noted.Exploratory examination suggests the possibility of sex differences-only females failed to mention social comparisons, more females mentioned change in mindset or cognition, all but one of the students in the "No change anticipated" category were male. While both sexes were similarly affected by the change in social comparison and decrease in self-concepts, the qualitative data suggests that differences in thought processes may exist. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Adolescents from nine intact health classes from two high schools participated either in a traditional lecturebased alcohol prevention intervention or a nontraditional experiential-based intervention. The nontraditional intervention focussed on attitudes toward drinking and the misperceptions associated with alcohol consumption norms. Subjects completed several self-report measures on attitudes toward drinking (own, perceived friends', and perceived school's), perceived ranking of alcohol consumption compared to closest friends and compared to the school, intent to drink, and actual reporting of alcohol consumption. For the nontraditional intervention, it was hypothesized that students would change their perceptions of others' attitudes toward drinking and their perception of the norm enough to decrease their alcohol consumption. Results indicated the intervention changed the perceived attitude of the school, but not enough to significantly change consumption levels. These findings confirm that misperceptions occur and that they influence alcohol consumption. / Department of Psychological Science

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1990. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-151) / Microfiche. / ix, 151 leaves, bound 29 cm