Faculty of Education
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The vision of the Faculty of Education is to be "acknowledged and respected unequivocally as a leading and engaged research-driven education faculty". In line with this, we pride ourselves on playing a leading role in education, both locally and globally. Central to our vision is a commitment to engage with educational challenges, particularly in South Africa.
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Browsing Faculty of Education by browse.metadata.advisor "Bitzer, E. M."
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- ItemAn academic leadership model for transformation towards learning organisations in higher education(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1998-12) Van der Westhuizen, Andre Jeanne; Kapp, C. A.; Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.ENGLISH SUMMARY: The pressures and demands for change and transformation are not bounded by national borders or geography and the complex challenges facing higher education call for a diversity of viewpoints and approaches. Institutional leadership must adjust to realize the full potential of institutions. Leaders will have to look beyond their own self - interest and meet the emotional needs of followers and find a radically new understanding of what it is to be effective. The study indicates that higher education institutions must have the will and the ability to adjust and respond to rapid change. It will be the responsibility of the leader(s) to define reality, to have an understanding of the past, the present and the future. Leading requires a refocusing of the mind, that includes fundamental beliefs, knows what it aspires to and where it is going to. Organisations have become so complicated that conditions must be created that are flexible enough that they can create a value system and learning culture that will inspire employees to participate enthusiastically, and at the same time enable and empower followers and individual leaders. However, before leaders can lead others, they must learn to lead themselves. Leaders have to understand that self - leadership is the power that drives new "boundaryless organizations." Such strategies help to create organisational culture where people value strong leadership and strive to create it. For higher education institutions to be able to survive the next millennium, they will have to strive for empowering their workforce and becoming learning organisations. Employees must experience the aliveness of a learning organisation, of something that has to do with the "whole"(Senge, 1990:339;371). The format of the study is that of a literature review of the leadership, transformation and learning organisations disciplines for the purpose to identify patterns and regularities to provide a systematic representation to be able to create a model. The model for academic leadership to accommodate change and transformation provides the institutional culture for leadership development and becoming learning organisations. The model gives a "(w)holistic" viewpoint on how leadership development in institutions can create the "space" to become, not only, learning organisations, but boundaryless organisations as well.
- ItemAcademics' conceptions and orientations of graduate attributes in applied design programmes at a university of technology(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-04) Bester, Marianne; Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Based on a number of comprehensive international studies conducted in the past three decades as well as various other national surveys and reports, it is reasonable to argue that a focus on mere academic disciplinary knowledge is not sufficient to meet employers’ and students’ expectations about higher education studies. These studies support arguments of preparing students for today’s rapidly changing and highly competitive labour markets, for periods of unemployment in terms of economic downturn, and for lifelong learning. Moreover, the literature suggests that the so-called discrepancy between the needs of the world of work and those offered by higher education could possibly be addressed by placing a more pertinent focus on the development of graduate attributes. Despite the fact that graduate attributes have been the centre of discussion in many countries over a number of decades, literature indicates that the notion of graduate attributes is a complex concept that relates to issues such as employability, lifewide and lifelong learning, social responsibility and good citizenship, as well as others related to environmental consciousness and technological adeptness. This study is located within a constructivist-interprevist paradigm using a phenomenographic approach to investigate the qualitatively different ways in which academic staff members in five undergraduate Applied Design programmes at a University of Technology experience, conceptualise, perceive and understand the phenomenon of graduate attributes in the subjects they teach. The conceptual framework used in the study is based on the three domains of higher learning of the engaged curriculum model of Barnett and Coate (2005). For this study qualitative data was collected using multiple data collection methods, including curriculum document analysis, focus-group sessions and semi-structured interviews. The data analysis process consisted of seven stages of defining the categories of description that emerged from the qualitative data available to the researcher. This was an iterative process of discovery of which the categories of description were not based on predetermined classifications. A set of a limited number of hierarchically related categories of description emerged from this analysis. These categories of description, in conjunction with the relationships among the categories, constitute the outcome space of phenomenography. Based on the findings from the literature perspectives on graduate attributes and the empirical findings of the phenomenographic study a number of important issues can be highlighted. These include academics’ misconceptions of what is meant by graduate attributes as well as the interactions between their conceptions of graduate attributes and how they approach the development of graduate attributes through their teaching practice. The phenomenographic analysis indicates that if academics view graduate attributes as discrete, isolated units of learning that can be attached to an existing curriculum as a ‘quick-fix’ to address employers’ needs, they are likely to have a simplistic, technicist conception of curriculum and may adopt a transmission, teacher-centred approach to their teaching. Literature has revealed that such approaches negatively influence students’ learning experiences. As an alternative approach, an integrated capabilities framework is suggested to support the notion of graduate attributes as a complex, multi-dimensional and inter-related aspects of higher education.
- ItemAcquiring academic literacy : a case of first-year extended degree programme students at Stellenbosch University(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008-03) Van Schalkwyk, Susan C.; Bitzer, E. M.; Van der Walt, C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.In this study the experiences of a group of first-year Extended Degree Programme (EDP) students were explored in order to obtain insight into their acquisition of academic literacy. The study was undertaken against the backdrop of a higher education sector that is facing an increasing influx of first-year students on the one hand, and poor retention rates on the other. In South Africa, where the opening up of access to higher education for all citizens has become a political imperative, the need to address the undesirable dropout rate is self-evident. Students’ poor performance at university is often linked to their under-preparedness for higher education studies, and an important aspect of such under-preparedness is their academic literacy. In this context academic literacy is seen as knowing how to speak and act within a particular discourse, and the reading and writing that occur within the discipline as tools through which to facilitate learning. While some students acquire academic literacy by virtue of their participation in the discourse community of the relevant discipline, this is not always so for students who are less prepared for higher education studies. In response to the disconcerting retention rates, higher education institutions have implemented academic support programmes to address the needs of students who enter university with poor school results. One such intervention at Stellenbosch University is the Extended Degree Programme in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, which makes provision for students to extend their first academic year over two years. Since 2006 EDP students have also been required to register for an academic literacy module and it is this group that comprises the focus of this study. Using a case study design, this qualitative, interpretive inquiry was characterized by multiple data collection methods. In this way qualitative data that pointed to the perceptions of the students and some of the lecturers who taught the EDP classes were generated via semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, observation and content analysis. In addition, descriptive quantitative data was collected and this further contributed to generating the rich, in-depth data that characterize case study research. The analysis of the data was undertaken according to a three-tiered approach, in which the results of the empirical inquiry were first analysed per data source and then themes and trends across all the data sources were identified. Ultimately, these findings were interpreted according to an explanatory framework. The study highlights a number of important issues, key of which is that providing an academic literacy module for under-prepared students can facilitate the acquisition of academic literacy, particularly when such provision seeks to support the different discipline-based mainstream modules. Another important finding of the study emphasizes the extent to which institutional factors, such as increased student numbers, have placed pressure on university infrastructure and human resources. The impact of this situation filters down to the first-year classroom and negatively influences student learning. Finally, the results of the study question prevailing notions about under-prepared students as all of the students in the study, irrespective of their backgrounds and levels of sophistication, attested to the significant challenges that entry into the academic community posed for them. The findings of this study, while specific to the context in which it was undertaken, contribute to the growing body of knowledge in the field of academic development within higher education and the role of academic literacy in student learning.
- ItemAn analysis of the tourism curriculum at Boland College : what the tourism industry in Stellenbosch requires from entry level college employees(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-12) Swart, Claudia; Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum StudiesENGLISH ABSTRACT: Students graduate from Boland College after obtaining the National Certificates N4 – N6 in Tourism. I have been working at Boland College Stellenbosch Campus as a tourism lecturer for 12 years and over the past few years I have found that students have been struggling to find employment in the tourism industry on completion of their studies. The national tourism curriculum offered at FET colleges was implemented in 1995 with the last renewal in 2001 for selected subjects. The tourism industry, however, is a vibrant, ever-changing industry which stands in direct contrast with a static, needs-insensitive and unchanging curriculum. The aim of this study was to establish in which respects the current national tourism curriculum corresponds, or does not correspond, with what the tourism industry in Stellenbosch requires from entry-level employees in terms of expected skills, knowledge and attitudes. Qualitative methods were used to generate data from employers representing the tourism industry in Stellenbosch, graduates and lecturers from Boland College. Research participants were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed by doing verbatim transcriptions of the interviews, using coding and an Excel spread sheet analysis. The results revealed specific areas where the current national tourism curriculum does not correspond with the expectations and needs that the tourism industry in Stellenbosch has from entry-level employees in terms of expected skills, knowledge and attitudes.
- ItemThe applicability of international benchmarks to an internet-based distance education programme at the University of Stellenbosch(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2001-03) Herman, Nicoline; Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The publication of the Report of the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE) in 1996, the White Paper on Higher Education (1997) and the Size and Shape Report (2000) has profoundly changed the landscape of Higher Education in South Africa. Institutions of Higher Education have to re-think, among others, their teaching and learning strategies including the integration and use of technology. Although the use of technology in higher education is still in the early stages, the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is growing rapidly. The University of Stellenbosch started to integrate the Internet in their teaching in 1998. Research was undertaken to find a suitable on-line course management system and Web Course Tools (WebCT) was chosen for this purpose. Since it was implemented, the use of WebCT has grown exponentially, although in most cases only as an add-on to classroom lectures. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Mental Health Disorders in Primary Care programme was the first programme developed as a full distance education course, delivered completely by means of WebCT and making use of the team approach to programme development. This programme was therefore chosen as the case study for this research. The purpose of this study is to apply 24 internationally developed benchmarks for quality on-line distance education to the WebCT component of the WHO programme in order to determine the applicability of these benchmarks for World Wide Web (WWW) programmes at the University of Stellenbosch. The research strategy for this study is a qualitative case study. Qualitative data was obtained by conducting semi-structured interviews with the individuals involved in the design, development and implementation of the WHO course. The study concludes that the 24 benchmarks cannot be applied to the current University of Stellenbosch context. The systems at the US will either have to be adapted, or established to meet the requirements of the international benchmarks. Another option for the US could be to develop their own benchmarks, taking international guidelines into account.
- ItemAssessing learner needs for student academic support and development in the Early Childhood Education Department of the South African College for Teacher Education (SACTE)(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2001-03) Phatudi, Nkidi Caroline; Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: SACTE is a distance education provider for practising educators in the Republic of South Africa. As a distance education provider, SACTE has to rely on teaching and learning media other than the tutor for providing service to its students. Study manuals are the main means of subject delivery the college employs. The college, however, cannot always reach its students through the media used, which in this instance is the study manual. This conclusion was reached after numerous telephone calls and letters from students requiring urgent assistance in connection with their studies. The researcher therefore felt that a need existed to find out the type of problems students encountered that prevented them from optimal performance as students and as teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine learner needs in the department of Early Childhood Education, and how they can be dealt with to improve the academic performance and the classroom practice of its students. The premise the researcher worked from, was that students of SACTE experience learning problems, thus they are unable to attain good academic performance, and this affects their classroom practice. A research survey was carried out to determine the type and the nature of problems that existed amongst the students. Two questionnaires were sent out to the ECE students and the academic staff. The following key questions were posed in the questionnaire for students: • What type of educational background do students have? • How long have students been registered with SACTE? • To what extent do they benefit from a tutor system if they have access to it? • To what extent are the study manuals 'accessible' to them? • If study manuals are not accessible, what are the problems and what suggestions do students have to eradicate those problems? • What type of intervention would they like to have from SACTE? The aim in asking these questions was to probe the root problem which might exist, to analyse the responses and to make appropriate conclusions and recommendations based on the data gathered. The questionnaire for the ECE academic staff was based on the following aspects: • The academic staffs experience in teaching teachers; • The academic staff's experience in distance education; • What the academic staff regard as problems inhibiting students from effective learning; • Suggestions and recommendations on how to deal with the problems identified. The questionnaire for students was sent out by mail with a self-addressed envelope included for the return mail. It took almost two months before the responses reached the sender. Almost 70% of the responses reached the sender. Data analysis was done by the Statkon Service of Rand Afrikaans University. The conclusions reached from the data analysis were divided into the following categories: Social background of students: Students do not have study rooms, thus they use dining-rooms and bedrooms as study places. An average household has more than ten members. This type of a situation does not promote effective learning. Educational background of students: Almost 90% of the respondents studied in the former Department of Education and Training (DET). Their highest qualification is M+2 (matric plus two years of professional training), which implies that 56,3% of teachers are not fully qualified to be teaching, as the minimum requirement is M+3. Experience of students at SACTE: Students expressed their desire for the upgrading of the total learning environment in order to enhance learning and classroom practice. Students wanted contact sessions with tutors as they felt that they do not benefit much by studying on their own without external assistance Recommendations made on these conclusions were the following: SACTE must establish Regional Learning Centers (RLC) to alleviate the students' problem of studying in overcrowded homes. RLCs, besides being places to study at, would also serve the purpose of being resource centres as well as discussion places where study support groups can meet. Study manuals should be written with the needs of the learner in mind. The language of the study manual, examples given and the context in which they are written, should reflect the learner and not the lecturer. The 'distance' between the student and the lecturer, that is created by the physical distance, can be narrowed by introducing interactive media. Based on the survey findings, it can be concluded that there is a need to establish student support measures at SACTE that would provide for students by answering to their needs as learners and educators.
- ItemA curriculum framework for an introductory programme in the national diploma: Engineering at the Vaal University of Technology(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2009-12) Sutherland, G.; Bitzer, E. M.; Kapp, C. A.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to develop a curriculum framework for engineering introduction programmes offered at a higher education institution, using a case study design. The South African government is attempting to redress the social inequalities which prevailed in the education sector during the apartheid era. One of their efforts has involved the widening of access to diverse groups in society in order to increase participation within the higher education sector. However, many students attempting their higher education studies are academically under prepared. This is mainly due to insufficient life skills, communication skills, numeric skills and literacy skills. The lack of these skills has inspired various international and national higher education institutions to develop academic programmes aimed at bridging the gap that exists between secondary schooling and higher education. Introduction programmes for prospective engineering students have to ensure high-quality curriculum development procedures in order to secure these students’ academic success throughout their engineering studies. This, in turn, leads to quality graduates and addresses the huge shortage experienced by the industry. An overview of the contextual and conceptual views on curriculum development is given against the backdrop of the current higher education legislation in South Africa. The overview regarding curriculum development links the introduction programme curriculum to generic learning outcomes specifically set at the National Qualification Framework Level 4. It suggests the application of continuous assessments, in line with outcomes-based education criteria, together with quality assurance in order to fit the Higher Education Quality Committee and the Engineering Council of South Africa’s accreditation criteria applicable to higher education institutions. During the design and methodological stages, it was established, by means of a theoretical investigation, that the first phase of this study determines whether students that successfully completed the introduction programme perform academically better than students entering the diploma programmes directly. The theoretical investigation also established that the second phase of this study determines if the diploma students dropped out of the programme for reasons other than academic performance. A triangulation approach was used to increase the validity of the empirical part of the study and to enhance the rigorous use of both quantitative and qualitative data. The study results shed light on the need for introduction programmes. In addition, it proposed a curriculum framework for improved engineering introduction programmes at the Vaal University of Technology.
- ItemA curriculum framework for consumer learning at a higher education institution(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2006-12) Crafford, S.; Bitzer, E. M.; Welgemoed, S. M.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is aimed at developing a curriculum framework for consumer learning at a higher education institution, using a case study design. To determine the need for consumer learning at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology - the "bounded context" of the study - a situation analysis was conducted as the first phase of curriculum development. Methods to triangulate data included the use of quantitative and qualitative research methods, together with a thorough literature study. The two sets of empirical data were obtained from two research instruments, namely self-administered survey questionnaires and semistructured interviews with learning facilitators (lecturers) at the institution. The survey amongst first-year students was used to assist in the needs assessment for curriculum development at the CPUT and to determine the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes of first-year respondents regarding consumer rights and responsibilities, as well as other consumer-related issues. This not only provided data to analyse the situation, but also assisted in the planning and development of a curriculum framework for consumer learning. The researcher used semi-structured interviews to determine the views and perceptions of learning facilitators regarding the importance of consumer learning, and to gauge the need for such learning at the institution. Aspects relating to the contents, teaching strategies, level of introduction, potential for critical crossfield outcomes development, benefits and major obstacles in the implementation and/or integration into the curriculum were also investigated. The two-tiered situation analysis indicated that students expressed a clear need for consumer learning at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, especially regarding the areas of consumer rights and responsibilities. The importance of consumer learning and the "readiness climate" from the perspective of the learning facilitators was also clearly established. The study culminated in the development of a curriculum framework for consumer learning that is compatible with the requirements of the South African Qualifications Authority and the Higher Education Qualifications Framework in South Africa. Key findings reported in the form of a curriculum framework could serve as a guideline for the planning and implementation of a consumer learning programme at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
- ItemA curriculum framework for consumer learning at a higher education institution(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2006-12) Crafford, S.; Bitzer, E. M.; Welgemoed, S. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is aimed at developing a curriculum framework for consumer learning at a higher education institution, using a case study design. To determine the need for consumer learning at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology – the “bounded context” of the study – a situation analysis was conducted as the first phase of curriculum development. Methods to triangulate data included the use of quantitative and qualitative research methods, together with a thorough literature study. The two sets of empirical data were obtained from two research instruments, namely self-administered survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with learning facilitators (lecturers) at the institution. The survey amongst first-year students was used to assist in the needs assessment for curriculum development at the CPUT and to determine the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes of first-year respondents regarding consumer rights and responsibilities, as well as other consumer-related issues. This not only provided data to analyse the situation, but also assisted in the planning and development of a curriculum framework for consumer learning. The researcher used semi-structured interviews to determine the views and perceptions of learning facilitators regarding the importance of consumer learning, and to gauge the need for such learning at the institution. Aspects relating to the contents, teaching strategies, level of introduction, potential for critical crossfield outcomes development, benefits and major obstacles in the implementation and/or integration into the curriculum were also investigated. The two-tiered situation analysis indicated that students expressed a clear need for consumer learning at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, especially regarding the areas of consumer rights and responsibilities. The importance of consumer learning and the “readiness climate” from the perspective of the learning facilitators was also clearly established. The study culminated in the development of a curriculum framework for consumer learning that is compatible with the requirements of the South African Qualifications Authority and the Higher Education Qualifications Framework in South Africa. Key findings reported in the form of a curriculum framework could serve as a guideline for the planning and implementation of a consumer learning programme at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
- ItemA curriculum framework for the professional development of corporate social responsibility practitioners in South Africa(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) McCreanor, Christopher Paul Andrew; Bitzer, E. M.; Jansen, P. G. W.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Department of Curriculum Studies
- ItemDeveloping a framework for an undergraduate haematology curriculum in a Faculty of Health Sciences(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-03) Stefan, Daniela Cristina; Bitzer, E. M.; Cilliers, F.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Faculty of Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University adopted a new set of guidelines for curriculum design in 1997, emphasising an orientation towards the requirements of the public sector general practice, a holistic approach and exposure to community lifestyle and disease patterns specific to various communities. In order to ensure the anchoring in the realities of the general practice, a family medical practitioner, appointed by the Academy of Family Practice, was included in the curriculum control structure of the faculty. It was further recommended that a family medical practitioner should be included in the curriculum committee of each discipline, where appropriate. The present research, starting from the assumption that the opinion of a single family practitioner is insufficient to determine the adequacy of the curriculum for general medical practice, aimed to conduct a comprehensive needs analysis of all stakeholders in the undergraduate haematology training programme at the Faculty of Health, Stellenbosch University, and to compare the findings with the existing curriculum. To this purpose, the opinions of five adult medicine haematologists, ten paediatric haematologists, four laboratory haematologists, ten interns, fourteen students and twenty general practitioners were surveyed. An open-ended questionnaire on the usefulness of the haematology module for hospital and independent general practice was analysed, using the “coding technique” method. On this basis, a list of subjects was drawn and, using a Delphi method, the participants in the study were asked to rate their importance for practice. The answers to the open-ended questionnaires revealed a few overarching concepts, the most important being the need to structure the material taught in the form of “approaches”, supporting the differential diagnosis, which is the most frequent task of a general practitioner. Among the outcomes identified in the panellists‟ answers, the need to adequately detect and assess the “red flag” signs for haematological cancers was proposed for consideration as an outcome in the next curriculum. The Delphi survey indicated a group of subjects which were rated as most important for practice and another group designated as devoid of utility. The remaining subjects, rated as of moderate importance, could be further classified as diseases usually managed by the general practitioner and pathology which would be referred to a specialist for management. These iv findings were compared with the existing curriculum and the discrepancies were analysed, resulting in a set of proposals towards a framework for a new undergraduate haematology curriculum. For the first time in the literature, as far as can be determined, this research presents outcomes and content for an undergraduate haematology course which were defined and rated for importance by consensus of the curriculum developers, specialists in the field and graduates of the course. The methods tested in this process and some of the trends revealed might be useful for curriculum development in other medical disciplines.
- ItemDie problematiek van wiskunde en wiskundige geletterdheid as voorbereiding vir BAgric-studie aan die Elsenburg Landbou-opleidingsinstituut(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Conradie, Barend Len; Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Department of Curriculum StudiesEen van die dramatiese veranderinge in die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolkurrikulum was die feit dat leerders sedert 2006 verplig is om óf Wiskunde óf Wiskundige Geletterdheid tot en met graad 12 te neem, terwyl Wiskunde vroeër ’n keusevak was. Verder het die veranderinge in die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolstelsel in 2006 die behoefte aan billike keuringsmeganismes tot hoër onderwys laat toeneem. Hierdie faktore het besondere implikasies vir die Elsenburg Landbou-Opleidingsinstituut ingehou, aangesien die vereistes vir toelating tot die BAgric-program nou slegs verkry word deur die Nasionale Senior Sertifikaat-eksamen met ʼn minimumpunt van 50% vir die vier toelatingsvakke te slaag. Wiskunde met ʼn minimumpunt van 50% en Wiskundige AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Geletterdheid met ʼn minimumpunt van 60% is twee van hierdie vakke. Die BAgric-program is een van die min graadprogramme waar ʼn student toelating kan kry met óf Wiskunde óf Wiskundige Geletterdheid. Hierdie studie het ondersoek ingestel na die Wiskunde-vereistes van die BAgric-program vir eerstejaars aan die Elsenburg Landbou-Opleidingsinstituut. Vir hierdie doel het die navorser hoofsaaklik van kwantitatiewe data gebruik gemaak in die vorm van ʼn dokument-analise, die statistiese analise van prestasiepunte en vraelyste aan dosente wat benut is om die navorsingdata in te samel. Die ondersoek het bevind dat studente wat Wiskunde aan die einde van graad 12 geslaag het, waarskynlik beter voorbereid sal wees vir eerstejaar- BAgric-studie as dié wat Wiskundige Geletterdheid gehad het, aangesien daar geen wiskundige onderwerp is wat vir hulle totaal nuut sal wees nie. In teëstelling daarmee is daar minstens ses wiskundige onderwerpe wat geensins in Wiskundige Geletterdheid op skoolvlak hanteer word nie en wat belangrik is vir eerstejaar- BAgric-studie. Studente wat Wiskundige Geletterdheid tot graad 12 geneem het, sal dus moontlik ondersteuning benodig om die Wiskunde-inhoud in die BAgric-program te kan baasraak, veral wat basiese algebra betref. Die implikasies van die navorsingsresultate dui veral daarop dat Wiskundige Geletterdheid geskik sou kon wees vir BAgric-studie, maar dat daar noodsaaklike veranderinge aan die keuringsbeleid by die Elsenburg Landbou-opleidingsinstituut gemaak sal moet word om te verseker dat die sterkste akademiese kandidate wel tot die BAgric-kursus toegelaat word.
- ItemEngaging the curriculum in visual communication design : a critical citizenship education perspective(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-12) Costandius, Elmarie; Bitzer, E. M.; Troskie-de Bruin, C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The importance of global and local change and transformation is emphasised through initiatives such as the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (2012) and the Earth Charter Initiatives (2011) for constructing a just, sustainable and peaceful global society. In South Africa, the need for transformation has been underlined by the South African Department of Education in the Education White Paper of 1997 (DOE 1997). At Stellenbosch University, the Pedagogy of Hope (US) project aims to find concrete ways to reflect on historical influences and current SA society. Tremendous progress has been made in transformation regarding legislative policies, but personal transformation within people is proving to be slow. As a response to these realities, a module called Critical Citizenship was introduced for first-‐ to third-‐year Visual Communication Design students at the Visual Arts Department at Stellenbosch University. The aim of this research project was to explore the perceptions and attitudes of students, learners and lecturers regarding personal transformation through teaching and learning in the Critical Citizenship module. As a framework for the study, I emphasised the importance of giving consideration to the emotional dimensions of learning (Illeris 2007), meaning considering the learning being (Barnett 2009) as a thinking, feeling and acting person (Jarvis 2006). The objectives of the study were to identify such emotional reactions to the Critical Citizenship module and to establish what the emotional reactions revealed about the immediate and broader context of the teaching and learning context in which students, learners and lecturers learn and teach. I followed an interpretative approach and a case study research design that aimed at exploring and providing an in-‐depth investigation of the Critical Citizenship module was used. The themes that surfaced from reflections written by students and learners and from group interviews, comprised feeling unprepared for this type of project; feelings of guilt and shame; resistance to this type of project; asymmetry and assimilation, but also feelings of hope. Other responses, suggesting feelings of empathy, privilege, humility, re-‐ evaluation of priorities and values, sameness and difference, feeling out of a comfort zone and reflecting on blackness and whiteness were also interweaved with the main themes. The results of the research included that taking into consideration the emotional aspects in critical citizenship education is important because we are thinking, feeling and acting beings, but moving beyond emotional reactions toward rational actions is crucial. Critical citizenship cannot be taught in isolation because the context in which it exists plays a vital role and an inclusive critical citizenship curriculum within community interactions for the wider society is suggested.
- ItemEnhancing the quality of first-year Biology teaching at the University of Stellenbosch(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002-12) Joubert, Lydia-Marie; Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Transformation in biology teaching is inevitable. There is a global concern about the quality of undergraduate biology teaching, especially when considering the growth in the fields of biotechnology and the molecular sciences. Programmes of learning have to be market orientated, and the contents of curricula have to equip students for entrance into a specific career. At the University of Stellenbosch the School for Biological Sciences has developed an interdisciplinary approach to first-year biology teaching. The new programmes in Biological Sciences, implemented in 2000, contain first-year curricula that introduce students to the disciplines of genetics, botany, zoology, microbiology, biochemistry and statistics. This involves participation by six departments, and lecture facilitation in two languages for up to 600 students. As contact sessions between lecturers and students are limited, self-study is becoming increasingly important, and lectures should be fully exploited to obtain deep learning. This study investigated various ways to enhance the teaching and learning process for first-year biology students in a module fraught with growing pains and problems. The influence of software support on student learning was evaluated, while the introduction of an innovative approach to teaching statistics to first-year students was analyzed. Supplementing the statistics section with video-recordings of the lectures was further considered as a possible way of overcoming various obstacles in especially this section of the module. The application of a practical laboratory course to enhance the quality of the theoretical lectures was also investigated and evaluated. It can be concluded that no simple solution could be found to solve the variety of problems that arose with implementation of the new programmes of learning. Technology proved to be invaluable, but should be applied after thorough needs assessment and impact studies have been performed. Provision of IT tools and facilities do not necessarily imply their application and effect, and innovation and inspiration still proved to be most effective in enhancing biology teaching.
- ItemEvaluating facilitation and mentoring in a Management and Leadership Fundamentals programme (MLF) for registered nurses(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-12) Coetzee, Catherina Maria (Kayline); Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the private health care sector the demand for skilled registered nurses as shift leaders exceeds the supply. The shift leader of each shift plays an important and essential role in the nursing unit. The Management and Leadership Fundamental (MLF) programme has been developed to provide, equip and empower registered nurses with the best skills, knowledge and attitudes to lead a shift with confidence. The aim of this study was to investigate and evaluate the facilitation and mentoring experiences of the registered nurses as learners who completed the MLF programme successfully. A qualitative methodology was used to address the research questions of the discussion guide in the real life situation. The discussion guide consisted of four sections: section one focused on facilitation, section two on mentoring, section three on management, and the focal point of the fourth section was on the MLF programme. The data were collected by means of structured interviews conducted with 14 registered nurses as learners who had completed the MLF programme. The data were analysed by doing verbatim transcriptions of the interviews, using coding and an Excel spreadsheet analysis. The results revealed that facilitation and mentoring can contribute significantly to the success of the MLF programme.
- ItemAn evaluation of the design and implementation of an outcomes-based education business studies bridging programme(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2001-12) Westraad, Susan Fiona; Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies .ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa's education and training policy legislates that in order to be formally accredited all South African education and training programmes should be outcomesbased. The design and implementation of outcomes-based programmes can be a complex process and there are few exemplars. This study examines the design and implementation of the Ready for Business programme. The Ready for Business programme was designed to assist Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain the necessary knowledge, skills and values to succeed in higher education business studies. The programme was piloted by the Siyabona Education Trust as a Delta Foundation project from 1997-2000. This study outlines the move towards outcomes-based education within a South African context. It specifically focuses on Spady's (1994) theory of transformational outcomesbased education and how this can be translated into practice within a South African education and training context. This study applies a programme evaluation approach within a constructivist-interpretive paradigm to assess the effectiveness of the design of the Ready for Business programme and its implementation by the Siyabona Education Trust. Essentially, the evaluation follows the principles of fourth generation evaluation. Data is gathered from the programme stakeholders through individual interviews, group interviews and questionnaires. A final group interview with stakeholders provides the foundation for further refinement of the programme. The researcher makes recommendations for improvement of the design and implementation of the programme based on the findings of the study.
- ItemAn evaluation of the internal validity of specific learning outcomes in phase II of a revised undergraduate medical curriculum(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2001-03) Cilliers, Francois Jakobus; Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Stellenbosch has implemented an extensively revised undergraduate medical curriculum. Exit outcomes, that have been entitled the Profile of the Stellenbosch Doctor, have been formulated for the programme. The revised curriculum is presented in three phases. Phase I involves the study of non-clinical subjects under the guidance of the Faculties of Natural Sciences and Economic & Management Sciences. Phase II involves the study of subjects that lay the groundwork for the third phase. Phase III involves the study of pre-clinical and clinical subjects in an integrated fashion. The intended outcomes of phases II and III were elaborated by the formulation of specific learning outcomes. Determining whether the specific outcomes formulated for each module are achieved will be one aspect of quality assurance in the revised curriculum. This could be done by investigating the relationship between assessment and the specific outcomes. If, however, specific outcomes for the various modules are not congruent with the exit outcomes for the programme, then student assessment will be invalid as regards the programme outcomes. This study therefore entailed a formative evaluation of part of phase II of the revised curriculum. The aims of the study were, firstly, to determine the degree of congruence between the specific outcomes formulated for phase II and the exit outcomes for the programme and, secondly, to explore why the observed degree of congruence exists. The research strategy employed was a case study. The research techniques used were a document analysis and two questionnaire surveys. The study found that most specific outcomes formulated for phase II of the curriculum are congruent with one or more exit outcomes for the programme. However, few of the exit outcomes are addressed to any great extent by specific outcomes. This raises the concern that assessment of students based on the specific outcomes as presently formulated might not demonstrate development of students towards achievement of the exit outcomes. There are indications that this lack of congruence could be due to i) a large number of competing demands on lecturers' time; ii) lecturers not wanting to spend time doing work prioritised by others as important; iii) perceptions that work related to the revised curriculum is being forced on staff without necessarily consulting them; iv) a lack of reward for good teaching; v) the perception that the strategies adopted for the revised curriculum will not necessarily benefit students. Recommendations are made as to how these findings could be confirmed and strategies developed that could be utilised to ensure a greater degree of congruence between the specific and exit outcomes in future.
- ItemThe experiences of secondary mathematics teachers teaching mathematics through problem solving(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-12) Matlala, Sego Jacob; Bitzer, E. M.; Wessels, D. C. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education, Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Secondary school mathematics focuses mainly on developing learners’ understanding and ability to reason. Regardless of the hours of instruction, learners often fail to master basic school algorithms or to apply them correctly in mathematical situations. The assumption is that teachers still use drill and practice methods in order to teach mathematics, despite the fact that a problem-solving approach offers an efficient alternative to these methods. In this thesis, the experiences of secondary school BEd (in-service) mathematics teachers were explored. The intention was to determine in particular what opportunities and challenges secondary mathematics teachers are faced with regarding teaching mathematics using the problem-solving approach while participating in a hybrid distance learning model offered by Rhodes University. One of the questions to be answered was “How do mathematics teachers apply a problem-solving approach in their own classrooms?” The interpretive qualitative paradigm underpinned this research study in that the study mainly centred on the significance of participants’ experiences and what meaning can be made from their experiences. As this was a case study, the focus was on four teachers (purposefully and conveniently selected among 12 teachers) in the John Taolo Gaetsewe district of the Kuruman area, Northern Cape province, South Africa, regarding how problem solving has impacted on their teaching practices as individuals. The four selected teachers were in their third and final year of the BEd (in-service) programme at the time of the study. This study made use of a variety of data-generation techniques that included a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and observations. The researcher analysed and reported the findings regarding the teachers’ experiences using data generated from classroom observations, questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. The findings of this study indicated that teachers still facilitate mathematics lessons using a ‘traditional’ approach, namely ‘telling and showing’. Teachers still experiences challenges that prohibit them from incorporating a problem-solving approach.
- ItemThe experiences of students and staff of assessment practices at one agricultural institute in the Western Cape Province(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03) Abrahams, Hilton John; Bitzer, E. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Assessment plays a key role in determining the quality of student learning and is the tool used at many academic institutions to help gauge student performance and determine student success. In view of the myriad of factors that may influence the learning environment and particularly student performance and success, a need was identified to investigate the potential influence of assessment practices on student performance at an agricultural institute. In higher education students move from secondary education practices into a tertiary academic sector that may not adhere to the same assessment criteria. This sudden change in assessment environment could have an effect on student learning and student performance. Several authors have highlighted the fact that assessment drives learning while several have indicated assessment practices plays a role in student performance. Very few studies have been conducted on the assessment practices at agricultural education institution in South Africa. Such knowledge may provide valuable information to first-year students, lecturers and policy makers of foundation programmes at the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute and similar agricultural training institutes. In this study the research problem originated from staff observations and concerns at the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute (EATI) which included the quality of students that enter the institute, coupled with seemingly low throughput rates as well as first year success rates as well as the confusion around the existence and use of a teaching; learning and assessment policy. Thus, the aim was to investigate the experience of assessment practices at one agricultural institute potentially influence first year students’ and staff’s perceptions regarding academic performance. Two data sources were used, the experiences of the BAgric and Higher Certificate first-year students and the opinions of the lecturers involved in the teaching of first-year students. These data sources contributed to determining the perceptions of the tested parties on whether assessment practices had an impact on student performance. In conducting the study, a pragmatic stance on knowledge was taken and questionnaires for students and for teaching staff were used with qualitative and quantitative data sections. The findings of this inquiry indicate that there exists a perception amongst both staff and students that assessment practices (and several other contributing factors) could potentially impact on students’ academic performance at the EATI. Implications flowing from this study for the Elsenburg Agricultural training Institute as well as possibilities for future research are pointed out.
- ItemExploring assessment for learning in one higher education classroom(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011-03) Koen, Magaretha Paulina; Bitzer, E. M.; Beets, Peter; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Assessment, teaching and learning are key elements in lecturers' pursuit of quality in education. In fact, Black and Wiliam (1998) argue that assessment, a vital part of this reciprocal relationship should contribute to classroom learning rather than concentrate on restricted forms of tests that are not always linked to a student's learning experience. It is therefore open to debate whether a handwritten, one-hour examination does indeed stimulate students to learn and develop the knowledge, the understanding, the attitudes and the skills they need to develop. This statement mirrors the hotly debated and contradictory role of the lecturer of simultaneously having to both judge and support students' learning. In addition, widespread social and political turbulence and changes have played a role in the reform of assessment in South Africa during the past 20 years. It seems as if lecturers are caught in the middle of this conflicting role where they are expected to navigate themselves and their students through the uncertainty about how assessment should be organised, while at the same time being accountable to the students, parents, and the institution. Given the above background, the following question arises: "How can assessment enhance learning in one higher education classroom?" In answering this question, a basic interpretative qualitative approach employing focus groups and semi-structured interviews, was used in order to explore - through a variety of lenses - how final-year students in one higher education classroom dealt with assessment issues. This study aimed at using appropriate measures to conduct research to establish a chain of evidence (forward and backward) by implementing Lincoln and Guba's model for trustworthiness (1985). The conceptual framework for this study was mainly drawn from Race.s spreading ripples model of learning. The underlying premise of Race's theory is based on the idea that effective learning demands the dynamic interaction of four elements like the ripples on a pond, namely wanting/ needing, doing, feedback and digesting. The findings of the study suggested that assessment of a Life Skills Module should provide students with a variety of opportunities to demonstrate their learning in order to develop a well-rounded set of abilities when they enter the workplace. This idea signaled the importance of bearing in mind the first and foremost purpose of assessment, namely that assessment should serve student learning.
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