Thesis (MEdPsych)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study an investigation was conducted to determine whether the
education in ACE-schools(within the South African context) provides in
the development needs of learners.
Political changes in South Africa have, on the one hand, led to the
perception amongst especially Christian parents, that, due to a strong
humanist tendency in state schools, their children experience a lack of
adequate Christian education. On the other hand, the education
system in South Africa has enabled the establishment of a wide range
of different educational institutions from which parents can choose the
one that provides in their unique needs.
Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) is a Christian education system
that originated in the USAbut is now implemented world-wide. The
uniqueness of this system lies in the fact that education is mostly
provided via written material which every learner can master
individually and on his/her own time (within the classroom setting). The
advantages are in the individualizing of learning, but a question arises
as to the desirability of the lack of interpersonal communication in the
learning activities.
A literature study was undertaken to establish the psychosocial
development needs that have to be provided in to ensure that learners
are guided towards effective and balanced adulthood. An overview
was also obtained on Christian education in general and on the ACEsystemin
particular.
To evaluate the ACE-system in practice, the views (and especially
criticism) of theorists and authors are supplemented by information gathered from parents, learners and teachers from three ACE schools.
This information was gathered by means of individual informal
discussions. The research groups consisted of five representatives from
each of the sub-groups from each of the three schools (N=45).
The most important findings are the following: The ACE school system
offers an acceptable alternative to parents who wish to ensure that
their children receive education of a more Christian nature, or at least
education in a Christian setting. Other benefits include individualizing
and the fact that learners set their own learning objectives daily, which
simplifiesmotivation and discipline.
From an educational psychological perspective, the ACE schoolsystem
does, however, have important deficiencies:
• Firstly,the nature of education in an ACE school does not make
adequate provision for interpersonal communication. The
importance of interpersonal communication for effective
learning, whether it be in the form of content being mediated to
the learner via the teacher, or through classroom discussions
(peergroup interaction) iswidely accepted.
• Secondly, the exclusive nature of the ACE school leads to the
isolation of learners from the wide variety of people, views and
religious beliefs that are present in society.
• Thirdly, in the ACE school little, if any, provision is made for
physical activities, which are important for balanced
development of learners.
• Lastly, the ability of ACE schools to make provision for learners
with special education needs, islimited.
Following from these findings, a few recommendations are made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie is 'n ondersoek gedoen om vas te stel of die onderrig in
ACE-skole (in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks) voorsien in die ontwikkelingsbehoeftes
van leerders.
Politieke veranderinge in Suid-Afrika het meegebring dot veral
Christenouers die persepsie het dot hul kinders, weens 'n sterk
humanistiese inslag in staatskole, gebrek Iy aan voldoende Christelike
opvoeding. Verder het die opvoedingsbestel in Suid-Afrika dit moontlik
gemaak dot In wyer verskeidenheid van opvoedingsinstellings gevestig
word waaruit ouers die een kan kies wat aan hul unieke behoeftes
voldoen.
Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) IS In Christelike
opvoedingstelsel wat sy ontstaan in die VSA gehad het. maar nou
wereldwvd ge'implementeer word. Die uniekheid van hierdie stelsel Ie
daarin dot onderrig grootliks geskied via geskrewe materiaal wat elke
leerder individueel en op sy eie tyd (binne die klaskamer) bemeester.
Die voordele Ie in die individualisering van leer, maar In vraag ontstaan
no die wenslikheid van die gebrek aan interpersoonlike kommunikasie
in die onderriggebeure.
In Literatuurstudie is onderneem om te bepaal in watter psigososiale
ontwikkelingsbehoeftes voorsien moet word om te verseker dot
leerders begelei word no effektiewe en gebalanseerde volwassenheid.
Verder is 'n oorsig verkry van hoe Christelike onderwys in die algemeen,
en die ACE-stelselin die besonder, door uitsien.
Om die ACE-stelselin die praktyk te evalueer is die menings (en veral
kritiek) van teoretici en outeurs aangevul deur inligting wat verkry isvan ouers. leerders en onderwysers van drie ACE-skole. Hierdie inligting is
verkry deur middel van individuele informele gesprekke. Die
ondersoekgroepe het bestaan uit vyf verteenwoordigers uit elk van die
subgroepe uit elk van die drie skole (N=45).
Die belangrikste bevindinge is die volgende: Die ACE-skoolstelselbied
'n aanvaarbare alternatief vir ouers wat graag wil toesien dot hul
kinders meer Christelike opvoeding ontvang, of dan ten minste
opvoeding in 'n Christelike omgewing ontvang. Ander voordele sluit in
individualisering en die feit dot leerders daagliks hul eie leerdoelwitte
stel, wat motivering en dissipline vergemaklik.
Vanuit 'n opvoedkundig-sielkundige perspektief bevat die ACEskoolstelselegter
belangrike leemtes:
• Eerstens maak die aard van onderrig in 'n ACE-skool nie
voldoende voorsiening vir interpersoonlike kommunikasie nie. Die
belangrikheid van interpersoonlike kommunikasie vir effektiewe
leer, hetsy in die vorm van inhoud wat via 'n onderwyser no die
leerder gemedieer word, of in klaskamergesprekke
(portuurgroepinteraksie) word wyd as gegewe aanvaar.
• Tweedens lei die eksklusiewe aard van die ACE-skool daartoe
dot leerders ge"isoleerword van die wye verskeidenheid mense,
sienswysesen geloofsoortuigings wat in die samelewing bestaan.
• Derdens word in die ACE-skool min, indien enige, voorsiening
gemaak vir fisieke aktiwiteite; nog 'n belangrike aspek vir die
gebalanseerde ontwikkeling van leerders.
• Laastens isdie verrnoe van ACE-skoleom voorsiening te maak vir
leerders met spesiale onderwysbehoeftes, beperk.
Voortspruitend uit hierdie bevindinge word enkele aanbevelings
gemaak.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52219 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Vorster, Hein |
| Contributors | Ackermann, C. J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 143 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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