In 1994 the new democratic South Africa called for the shift in legislation and policies. Social welfare service delivery post-1994 has to be aligned with the principles and key themes of developmental social welfare heralded by the RDP (1994), the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, as well as the Copenhagen Commitments to Social Development (1995). In the social welfare sector, the White Paper for Social Welfare of 1997 was adopted as social welfare policy for South Africa. The White Paper for Social Welfare is embedded in a developmental approach and charted a new path for social welfare in the promotion of national social development. Developmental social welfare is a pro poor strategy which strives to promote a welfare system that facilitates the development of human capacity and self-reliance within a caring and enabling socio-economic environment. The goal of this study was to determine the progress of social welfare service delivery towards a developmental social welfare approach in the Vhembe district, Limpopo. A qualitative research approach was used for this study and the research design was an instrumental case study. The sample for the study was selected purposively and included 28 social workers and four supervisors from four sub-districts in the Vhembe district. Data was collected through four focus group interviews with social workers and one-on-one interviews with the supervisors. Research findings indicate that developmental social welfare service delivery in this district has progressed in terms of protective services to families and children. However, in terms of poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods, the social service sector still lags behind. The overall conclusion is that the progress of social welfare service delivery towards the developmental approach is slow and unsatisfactory. The recommendations of this study are captured in strategies that social workers could use to promote progress in developmental social welfare service delivery, strategies suggested for supervisors to promote progress in developmental social welfare service delivery, and lastly strategies on the creation of an enabling environment. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Social Work and Criminology / MSW / Unrestricted

The implementation of the National Curriculum Statement was problematic to the culture of teaching and learning in various South African schools. If challenges experienced by educators, such as inadequate resources, financial constraints and lack of training, are not addressed, this will have far-reaching consequences not only for our education system but also for the type of skilled learners that will be produced and for the economic growth of the country. This qualitative investigation was conducted in a single school in Limpopo Province with the aim of finding out which challenges the implementation of the NCS presents to FET educators. The sample consisted of educators and learners from grades ten to twelve as well as members of the SGB, SMT and district education officers. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. It was found that the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement was problematic and far from satisfactory. The study highlights the need for the Department of Education to prioritise educational resources for schools and educator training in curriculum implementation. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

This thesis explored teachers’ experiences in curriculum implementation in primary schools in the Vhembe district. Curriculum implementation prompts thinking and learning of new things in the teachers’ day-to-day workplace. Primary school teachers are pillars of strength in contributing to the children’s future success. The thesis presents a contribution to the knowledge of curriculum implementation at the school level through a case study and a qualitative research approach as it aimed to comprehend and describe teachers’ practices and experiences on the implementation of the curriculum, which is a social phenomenon that includes ideas, thoughts, and actions. The thesis takes an appropriate starting point in arguing that curriculum implementation prompts thinking and learning of new things in the teachers’ day-to-day workplace. The context of the argument is primary school teachers’ lived experiences in South Africa in the face of curriculum change. The researcher critically argues that South Africa is amongst many countries that experienced curriculum challenges and resorted to change and one of the changes was in the form of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) which signalled a shift in teaching approaches. In this new way of teaching, teachers seem lost and therefore apply traditional teaching methods. Teachers are expected to apply curriculum changes and develop new skills through qualification improvement, but it is questionable whether the challenges that the teachers themselves recognise as important are taken into cognisance. The researcher elaborated eight recommendations in relation to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. Some of the recommendations are summarily as that education curriculum advisors from the Limpopo Department of Education be appointed to visit all schools to aid and assess the implementation. It is also recommended that the Department of Basic Education must retrain all primary school teachers for a week during school vacation. These recommendations are of paramount importance and the Limpopo Department of Education should consider them as a priority. As the government can intervene by funding the implementation of the CAPS in the training and reskilling of teachers. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / Ph. D. (Curriculum and Instructional Studies)

This qualitative case study focuses on identifying factors that could either enable or constrain sustainable food waste management as a form of environmental education (EE) in the participating schools. The study was motivated by the observation that the National School Nutrition Program (NSNP) that was introduced by the Department of Basic Education to support learners from disadvantaged backgrounds with nutritious food was causing pollution in some schools due to inadequate discarding of food leftovers. The purpose of the study was to develop recommendations towards a sustainable means of managing this food waste in the schools. As an Agricultural Science educator, I wanted to explore the possibilities of enhancing environmental education in schools through sustainable food waste management. While research has been conducted about food waste management and how this is an environmental concern, little has been written about it as it relates to environmental education and sustainability in schools. Hence, this study sought to contribute knowledge to this gap. To achieve this aim, this study followed a descriptive case study design, framed by the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory. Three schools in Vhembe district, Limpopo, were conveniently selected, and the NSNP food coordinator of each selected school, one food handler, two learners, two educators and two SGB members from each sampled school were purposively sampled to get rich information from them about sustainable school food waste management. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews and observations. The findings indicate the various ways in which food waste could be managed in these schools, such as recycling through composting, reusing by community farmers, and reducing the amount of possible food waste. The study also found environmental education to be a key element in which the schools could invest to sustainably and effectively manage food waste. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)

The implementation of the National Curriculum Statement was problematic to the culture of teaching and learning in various South African schools. If challenges experienced by educators, such as inadequate resources, financial constraints and lack of training, are not addressed, this will have far-reaching consequences not only for our education system but also for the type of skilled learners that will be produced and for the economic growth of the country. This qualitative investigation was conducted in a single school in Limpopo Province with the aim of finding out which challenges the implementation of the NCS presents to FET educators. The sample consisted of educators and learners from grades ten to twelve as well as members of the SGB, SMT and district education officers. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. It was found that the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement was problematic and far from satisfactory. The study highlights the need for the Department of Education to prioritise educational resources for schools and educator training in curriculum implementation. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

This study focuses on challenges and prospects of the teaching of the Doppler Effect to grade 12 learners. The challenges of teaching the Doppler Effect were established and these findings influenced the development of activities. These activities were tested, refined and re-tested in an iterative cycle and finally provided prospects on teaching the Doppler Effect. Educational Design Research (EDR) was used to bridge theory and practice in education. This study was done in the Vhembe district in the Limpopo province. In the first cycle, questionnaires and interviews with 32 teachers and a subject advisor were used to establish the baseline with regards to the challenges of teaching the Doppler Effect. After the analysis of the data which forms the first cycle of EDR, the content and methodological problems faced by teachers when teaching the Doppler Effect were revealed. In the second cycle of the EDR, learning activities were developed that was informed by the analysis and tried out in 2 schools by learners and their teachers. Completed activity sheets were marked and the results were used to determine if there were a correlation between the activity sheets and the written test. Problems were documented and changes to the activities were again made and tried out in 10 schools by 216 learners with the help of 10 teachers. The data collected from the learners` work sheets were analysed. Pearson`s product moment correlation has shown that there is a statistically significant relationship (r = 0.65; p < 0.01) that exists between these design-research activities and solving of problems on the Doppler Effect. An instructional manual was developed comprising of the final activities. This was distributed amongst the district officials and teachers to assist them in the teaching of the Doppler Effect in the Vhembe district. / Physics / M.Sc.(Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

This study focuses on challenges and prospects of the teaching of the Doppler Effect to grade 12 learners. The challenges of teaching the Doppler Effect were established and these findings influenced the development of activities. These activities were tested, refined and re-tested in an iterative cycle and finally provided prospects on teaching the Doppler Effect. Educational Design Research (EDR) was used to bridge theory and practice in education. This study was done in the Vhembe district in the Limpopo province. In the first cycle, questionnaires and interviews with 32 teachers and a subject advisor were used to establish the baseline with regards to the challenges of teaching the Doppler Effect. After the analysis of the data which forms the first cycle of EDR, the content and methodological problems faced by teachers when teaching the Doppler Effect were revealed. In the second cycle of the EDR, learning activities were developed that was informed by the analysis and tried out in 2 schools by learners and their teachers. Completed activity sheets were marked and the results were used to determine if there were a correlation between the activity sheets and the written test. Problems were documented and changes to the activities were again made and tried out in 10 schools by 216 learners with the help of 10 teachers. The data collected from the learners` work sheets were analysed. Pearson`s product moment correlation has shown that there is a statistically significant relationship (r = 0.65; p < 0.01) that exists between these design-research activities and solving of problems on the Doppler Effect. An instructional manual was developed comprising of the final activities. This was distributed amongst the district officials and teachers to assist them in the teaching of the Doppler Effect in the Vhembe district. / Physics / M.Sc. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)

MSc (Microbiology) / Department of Microbiology

MGS / Institute for Gender and Youth Studies

The promotion of Afrocentric education is a current issue in Africa. This study aimed to establish the role of indigenous knowledge (IK) in the development of Senior Phase learners' design skills in Technology Education (TE). The study was guided by the constructivist theory, which is based on the assumption that prior learning can play a role in learning. When learning new things in a TE class, learners can benefit from their daily experiences in deriving meaning. Three schools from the Vhembe district in Limpopo Province participated in this study. The purposive sampling technique was used to select Technology teachers, heads of departments, TE specialists, learners and parents from these schools to participate in the study. Data were collected by way of individual and focus group interviews, participant observations and the analysis of documents and artifacts. The findings revealed that IK can increase learners' understanding and acquisition of design skills. However, this study revealed that the integration of IK can be hampered by factors such as the teachers' inability to use indigenous artifacts, the use of unvaried assessment methods, and a negative attitude towards culturally relevant pedagogy and IK. This study ultimately contributed an indigenous knowledge-based design process (IKBDP). Unlike the current conventional approach, an IKBDP has the potential to transform the teaching of Technology, thereby giving recognition to IK and accommodating learners from indigenous backgrounds. / Ku yisa emahlweni dyondzo yo vona swilo hi tihlo ra Xiafrika, i mhaka leyi nga le mahlweni eAfrika. Ndzavisiso lowu wu na xikongomelo xa ku vona ndzima ya vutivi bya ndhavuko ku nga indigenoous knowledge (IK) eka nhluvuko wa vadyondzi va xiyimo xa le henhla hi swikili swa dizayini ya dyondzo ya theknoloji ku nga Technology Education (TE). Ndzavisiso wu leteriwe hi constructivist theory, leyi yi seketeriweke hi mianakanyo kumbe vonelo ra leswo dyondzo leyi vanhu va taka na yona ya khale (prior learning) yi nga tlanga ndzima eku dyondzeni. Loko ku dyondziwa leswintshwa eka klasi ya TE, vadyondzi va nga vuyeriwa hi ku landza ntokoto wa vona wa masiku eku kumeni tinhlamuselo. Swikolo swinharhu eka distriki ya Vhembe eka Xifundzhankulu xa Limpopo swi ve na xiavo eka ndzavisiso lowu. Xikongomelo xa thekniki ya ku endla sampuli xi tirhisiwe ku langa mathicara ya Technology, tinhloko ta tindzhawulo, vatokoti va TE, vadyondzi na vatswari eka swikolo leswi va ve na xiavo eka ndzavisiso. Ku hlengeletiwe data eka munhu hi wun'we wun'we na le ka mintlawa ya xikongomelo lexi hi ku endla mimburisano ya ti-interview, ku xiyaxiya leswi swi endliwaka hi vateki va xiavo na nxopanxopo wa tidokumente na swilo leswi swi endliweke hi mavoko (artifacts). Vuyelo bya ndzavisiso byi kombe leswo IK yi nga pfuneta ku twisisa ka vadyondzi na ku kuma swikili swa dizayini. Kambe, ndzavisiso lowu wu kombise leswo ku katsiwa ka IK swi nga kavanyetiwa hi swilo swo fana na ku tsandzeka ka mathicara ku tirhisa swiendliwa swa mavoko swa ndhavuko, ku tirhisiwa ka tindlela to ka ti nga cinciwi ta nkambelo, na mianakanyo leyi nga ri ku leyinene mayelana na ndlela ya madyondziselo na IK. Ndzavisiso lowu ekuheteleleni wu pfunete fambiselo ra leswi vuriwaka indigenous knowledge-based design process (IKBDP). Hi ku hambana na fambiselo ra ntolovelo, IKBDP yi na ntamo wo cinca madyondziselo ya TE, no pfuneta ku amukela IK no angarhela vadyondzi lava va humaku eka fambiselo ra vutivi bya ndhavuko. / Tsweletso ya thuto ya Seaforika ke ntlha e e tsweletseng ga jaana mo Aforika. Maikaelelo a thutopatlisiso e ne e le go lebelela seabe sa kitso ya tshimologo (IK) mo tlhabololong ya bokgoni jwa thadiso jwa barutwana ba Legato le Legolwane mo Thutong ya Thekenoloji (TE). Thutopatlisiso e kaetswe ke tiori e e elang tlhoko ka moo batho ba ikagelang bokao ka gona (constructivist theory), e e ikaegileng ka mogopolo wa gore thuto e e ntseng e le gona e ka nna le seabe mo go ithuteng. Fa barutwana ba ithuta dilo tse dintšhwa mo phaposiborutelong ya TE, ba ka ungwelwa go tswa mo maitemogelong a bona go bona bokao. Dikolo di le tharo go tswa kwa kgaolong ya Vhembe kwa Porofenseng ya Limpopo di nnile le seabe mo thutopatlisisong eno. Go dirisitswe thekeniki ya go tlhopha sampole go ya ka maitlhomo a thutopatlisiso go tlhopha barutabana ba Thekenoloji, ditlhogo tsa mafapha, baitseanape ba TE, barutwana le batsadi go tswa kwa dikolong tseno go nna le seabe mo thutopatlisisong. Data e kokoantswe ka tsela ya go dirisa dipotsolotso tsa batho bongwe ka bongwe le ditlhopha tse di tlhophilweng, go ela bannileseabe tlhoko le tshekatsheko ya dikwalo le dilwana tsa tiro ya diatla. Diphitlhelelo di senotse gore IK e ka oketsa go tlhaloganya ga barutwana le go iponela bokgoni jwa go thadisa. Le fa go le jalo, thutopatlisiso eno e senotse gore go akarediwa ga IK go ka sitisiwa ke dintlha di tshwana le fa barutabana ba sa kgone go dirisa dilwana tsa tiro ya diatla tsa tshimologo, tiriso ya mekgwa ya tlhatlhobo e e sa farologanang, le megopolo e e sa siamang e e lebisiwang kwa katisong e e maleba mo setsong le IK. Kwa bokhutlong, thutopatlisiso eno e tshwaetse ka thulaganyo ya thadiso e e ikaegileng ka kitso ya tshimologo (IKBDP). Go farologana le mokgwa wa tlwaelo, IKBDP e na le kgonagalo ya go ka fetola go rutwa ga TE, mme ka go rialo e lemoga IK le go akaretsa barutwana ba ba nang le lemorago la tsa tshimologo. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)