Department of Educational Psychology

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2020-12-31 The role of student feedback in university teaching at a research-led university
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-12) Petersen, Melanie; Bitzer, Eli; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. Educational Psychology
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Student feedback is widely accepted as a useful source of information about the quality of teaching and as a potential professional learning tool to enhance university teachers’ teaching. A review of the literature, however, revealed a shortage of systematic research about how student feedback influences university teachers’ teaching practices. A similar gap in knowledge was identified at Stellenbosch University. Preliminary studies at this institution indicated dissonance between university teachers’ perceptions of the potential value of student feedback and how they actually made use of student feedback in their teaching. In researchled university contexts, teaching is often perceived to have lower status than research. This study therefore set out to explore how university teachers at this particular research-led institution experienced the role of student feedback in their teaching. A case-study research design was followed, with the potential relationship between student feedback and university teaching practice at a research-led university constituting the unit of analysis. Qualitative data was generated by way of semistructured interviews with 16 purposely selected university teachers. Institutional policies relating to student feedback, teaching and learning and human resource management were also included as secondary sources of data to ascertain how university teachers’ experiences of student feedback related to institutional policy directives. Activity theory was used as analytical framework to interrogate the data. The findings of the study indicate that the research-led context at Stellenbosch University plays a significant role in how university teachers experience and respond to student feedback. The perceptions of research being more valued than teaching in terms of recognition and rewards, limits the optimal use of student feedback for the purpose of improving teaching. Raising the stature of teaching would thus be a necessary requirement for promoting the use of student feedback to improve teaching. Furthermore, the potential role of student feedback in university teaching practice at Stellenbosch is influenced by other subsystems, in particular the performance appraisal system. A concerted effort should be made at institutional level to come to a common understanding of what good teaching is considered to be. In the absence of such a common understanding, the growing culture of performativity has led to student feedback being reduced to a mere quantitative measure of the quality of teaching in many cases. Since mid-level university management carries the biggest responsibility for managing the performance appraisal processes in academic departments, they also exert a significant influence on how university teachers would use student feedback for professional learning and the enhancement of their teaching. The diverse practices followed by mid-level managers in the various academic departments represented in this study further pointed to the possible need for a guiding framework to support an ethics of practice approach to the use of student feedback. Based on its findings, this study is considered to have made a contribution to the body of knowledge regarding the contextual and relational nature of student feedback, particularly within a research-led university context.
Academic support and development at technical and vocational colleges in the Western-Cape
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1996) Botha, Laetitia Mariette; Park, T.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The general aims of the study were to assess the current status of academic support and development at technical and vocational colleges and to determine perceived medium-term and long-term needs. A literature study encompassing the context, approaches and applications of academic support in higher education was conducted. Two questionnaires, for principals and lecturers respectively, were designed to assess the institutional and didactic status of academic support and development. These questionnaires were used in an empirical survey in 18 technical and vocational colleges which fall under Western Cape Education Department. Thirteen (13) principles and 60 lecturers from 13 colleges responded. The data indicates that there is general consensus among principles and lecturers on the medium-term and long-term needs related to academic support and development.
Addressing dualisms in student perceptions of a historically white and black university in South Africa
(Taylor & Francis, 2016) Carolissen, Ronelle; Bozalek, Vivienne
Normative discourses about higher education institutions may perpetuate stereotypes about institutions. Few studies explore student perceptions of universities and how transformative pedagogical interventions in university classrooms may address institutional stereotypes. Using Plumwood’s notion of dualism, this qualitative study analyses unchallenged stereotypes about students’ own and another university during an inter-institutional collaborative research and teaching and learning project. The project was conducted over 3 years and 282 psychology, social work and occupational therapy students from a historically black and white institution in South Africa, participated in the study. Both black and white students from differently placed higher education institutions display prejudices and stereotypes of their own and other institutions, pointing to the internalization and pervasiveness of constructions and hegemonic discourses such as whiteness and classism. It is important to engage with subjugated student knowledges in the context of transformative pedagogical practices, to disrupt dominant views and cultivate processes of inclusion in higher education. Keywords: dualisms, higher education, inclusion, transformative pedagogies, South Africa.
Adolescent identity experiences of historically disadvantaged scholarship recipients attending independent South African high schools
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-03) Simpson, Abigail; Carolissen, Ronelle; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Little is known about the experiences that previously disadvantaged bursary and scholarship learners have in independent South African schools. Many scholarship and bursary recipients are from homes that fall into the low to middle income groups and they find themselves surrounded by boys and girls who are from high income, affluent homes. The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of the experiences that scholarship learners have within independent school environments and to find out what the opportunities and challenges are that they may face. Bronfenbrenner‟s bioecological model was used as theoretical framework as it incorporates a number of different interconnected systems that will influence the participant's lives and their experiences. These microsystems included parents, school, peers and the individual. This study's research methodology is a phenomenological approach which is embedded within the interpretative paradigm. Purposeful sampling was used to select eight learners from four different independent schools in the Western Cape. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted within two months of each other, with each of the participants. Phenomenological data analysis was conducted to analyse the information provided in the interviews. The research findings indicated that previously disadvantaged scholarship learners face a great deal of pressure in the form of high expectations being placed on them, both academically and behaviourally. Racial stereotyping was found to be prevalent with regards to assumptions made about learner's academic abilities and financial backgrounds. Challenges related to cultural difference and financial challenges were also noted.
Adolescent identity formation in the context of vocationally oriented special needs schools
(Education Association of South Africa, 2017) Jacobs, Carmelita; Collair, Lynette
Adolescence is a phase that is associated with important identity-relevant issues. Shaping a clear sense of identity is an important step in developing a healthy psychosocial disposition, and the school is an important context where this can happen. In this article, we explore how adolescents who had attended a special needs school of skills in the Western Cape, South Africa, perceived the role that their school experiences played in shaping their sense of identity. These were learners who entered the school of skills with a poor sense of self, due to years of academic difficulties and exclusion in mainstream primary schools. Using a qualitative research design, data was collected through interviews, and analysed by means of the inductive process of thematic content analysis. The findings showed that participants’ school experiences shaped their sense of identity in a more positive way. The participants’ narratives speak to the complexity in the individual, the school and the community in contributing to a sense of identity with both positive and negative aspects. Though the participants experienced a sense of belonging and felt accepted by their teachers and peers, the school did not deliver on its implicit promise of a job-related skill, and this in turn negatively affected their thinking about future life paths and careers, which is important for identity formation.
The adolescent's experience of parental discipline
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004-12) Visser, Juanita; Smit, A. G.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescents are often perceived as moody, rebellious, disinterested in school and inclined to risky behaviours such as premature sex, drug-taking and alcohol abuse. As a result of the 'storm and stress' period that they are associated with, parents appear to lose touch with their adolescents, and fail to maintain the close bonds that they took for granted while their children were young. In attempts to control their adolescents' behaviour, parents seem to drive their teenagers further away from them. The conclusion is reached that adolescents experience parental discipline in a way that either creates a sense of belonging to the family unit, or causes them to become distant and defiant of parental authority. A qualitative approach is used to establish what adolescents experience as positive and what they experience as negative regarding their parents' disciplinary styles. The study is undertaken in a private school in a suburb of Cape Town. The study revealed the following: • A democratic parenting style creates a sense of worthiness in the adolescent. In this atmosphere adolescents feel nurtured and respected and therefore grow into well-balanced young adults. • Parents should take note of their adolescents' emotional experiences and attune their disciplinary approach in order to obtain their children's willing co-operation to be guided towards adulthood by their parents. • Most teenagers do appreciate and respect their parents.
Adolescents in special schools' perceptions of their learning disabilities
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-03) Kuffner, Bianca; Collair, Lynette; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept.of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Completing formal education with a specific learning disability presents many challenges to the individuals concerned. For learners in special education, negative perceptions of learning disabilities and/or inaccurate and unrealistic perceptions, could result in poor outcomes in adult life, as well as feelings of frustration, helplessness and hopelessness during their transition from school to post-school environments. Such individuals need to form accurate perceptions of their own learning disabilities to ensure that they can and will advocate for themselves and will be willing and able to seek out the appropriate support needed to experience success in all spheres of life. The aim of this study was to conduct an in-depth exploration of the subjective perceptions of adolescents in special education regarding their own learning disabilities since accessing this knowledge is an important first step toward developing and providing positive and empowering interventions and support for learners in special education. The researcher aligned herself with the constructivist/interpretive paradigm and the research methodology used can be described as a basic qualitative research design. Seven participants from one special school were selected through purposive sampling. The researcher used individual semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews as well as personal documents in the form of learners' personal files to obtain data. The process of analysis employed can be described as thematic content analysis. The findings of this study suggest that adolescents are aware of the individual challenges posed by completing school with a learning disability, although this was experienced in a less debilitating sense as a result of the supportive special school context. They were aware of some of the coping strategies that needed to be implemented in order to cope with their current academic workload, but were not always aware that these would need to be extended to life after school. Generally, they were also not aware that they would need to advocate for themselves and seek out support in post-school settings. The perceptions formed of their learning disabilities were influenced by early experiences of their first awareness of their struggles with learning, their experiences of assessment and placement in a special school, the perceptions others had of their learning disabilities, as well as their experiences as learners in a special school. The most important recommendation based on the findings of this study is that learners in the special school environment need to be provided with more explicit counselling regarding the specific nature of their learning disabilities. They need to be made aware of support strategies and resources that they would be able to use in post-school environments, as well as the process of obtaining access to such resources.
Adolescents’ experiences of drumming as an activity to support their learning
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Coetzee, Elthea; Perold, M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : In young people who struggle with stress-related experiences that accompany academic evaluations and performance, reproducing music, for instance through drumming, can play a role in experiences of success, and thus contribute to a sense of self-efficacy. The stronger the perceived sense of self-efficacy, the higher the goal challenges individuals set for themselves, and the firmer their commitment to these. The aim of the research was to investigate the potential of djembe drumming to function as a learning support strategy, in the lives of adolescents. In order to do this research, the researcher made use of a qualitative research design that was embedded within the interpretive paradigm. A grade nine class was informed of the research, and invited to volunteer. Fourteen participants volunteered to participate in the study. The participants in this study were adolescents between the ages of 15 and 17 years, and mixed in terms of gender and ethnicity. The primary method of data collection was observations and an inductive process of qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The results revealed positive responses in terms of adolescents’ experiences of drumming as a facilitator of learning support. The study revealed that participants demonstrated a comprehension of their own learning processes. Their experiences further illustrated their own awareness of having to concentrate and focus in order to participate successfully in the drumming group. Participants linked the drumming activity, to self-developed learning strategies, which they started implementing, such as studying with rhythm, and strengthening their memorizing abilities by connecting facts together in a story-form. These strategies imply the development of meta-cognition in the participants. The findings of this study can be used effectively in developing a therapeutic tool for inclusion in schools. Similar drumming programmes can be of a high value in the South African Education system, where serious imbalances in educational levels necessitate a need for tools that can be used in promoting and encouraging an inclusive education system.
Adults' experiences and perceptions of resilience: overcoming adversity in a high-risk community
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2006-12) Weakley, Donna; Adams, Q. A.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
Many adults living in previously disadvantaged communities were confronted with daily racism, oppression and the abuse of human rights during the apartheid government's ruling of South Africa. Since the demise of apartheid, however, many of these same adults have continued to be challenged by adversities, such as crime, violence, unemployment, poverty, gangsterism and drug and alcohol abuse on a daily basis. Despite these adversities many adults nevertheless manage to cope and thrive. Yet, little research regarding the nature of adult resilience within high-risk communities, especially within the South African context, exists. The aim of this study was to gain insight into, and understanding of, adults' experiences of resilience within a high-risk South African community. In order to address the aims of the study, a basic interpretive qualitative study was undertaken. A high-risk community on the Cape Flats, Western Cape, was selected as the site for data collection, as it was known that adults in the community were exposed to high incidences of crime, violence, poverty, unemployment and gangsterism. The selected participants were viewed, both by themselves and by other community members, as resilient as they had managed to overcome years of racism, oppression and the abuse of human rights at the hands of the apartheid South African government. Additionally, participants had had to fight the harrowing effects of negative influences on a daily basis. The findings of this study indicated that, despite being confronted with ongoing extreme situations of adversity, the participants managed to cope and remain optimistic. Resilient attributes, such as intrapersonal, interpersonal and community resources, were found to contribute to adults' experiences of resilience. Intrapersonal resources, such as the maintenance of a positive attitude, the ability to set goals and the willingness to make sacrifices in order to achieve personally set goals, emerged. Other intrapersonal factors which were attributed to the adults' experiences of resilience related to the awareness of, and dedication to, future planning and the importance of maintaining a healthy body and mind. Interpersonal factors which came to the fore related to recognition of the importance of family relationships, involvement in activities which served to uplift and empower others, and acknowledgement of the need to mix with a diverse group of people in order to gain exposure to new ideas and experiences. Community resources were recognised as playing an additional role in supporting adults in their quest for success, with resources, such as religious organisations, schools and clinics, being identified by the participants concerned. Despite exposure to adversity, resilient adults in high-risk communities were found to make use of three sources of resources and to continue to remain hopeful and positive about their future. This study demonstrates, then, that resilience in a high-risk community is related to the use of intrapersonal, interpersonal and community resources.
Alternative stories about a girl with autism spectrum disorder
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-03) Pentz, Christelle Marie; Newmark, Rona; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this research voyage of discovery, we story the voices of me (the research inquirer), my family and a teacher about our experience with a young woman with Autism Spectrum Disorder – my youngest sister Leyna.1 This is our attempt to give Leyna and (dis)ability a voice. Their voices have been silenced from research for too long. I try to explain a narrative research lens as a foundation for this document – one that views autism not as a disorder, but as a difference that needs to be embraced. People often live their lives according to the problem stories they tell themselves, and do not see the alternative stories that surround them every day. On this voyage I therefore tell our story to document the inspirational experiences that people with autism bring about in the lives of those supporting them. Little research that focuses on alternative stories about autism has been done on a global scale. Moreover, little research has been done on autism specifically in the South African context. This thesis relates the stories of the people involved in caring for my sister with autism. It brings a message of hope and suggests possibilities for future research voyages about autism. 1 Pseudonym
An analysis of critical thinking skills and democratic citizenship education in the South African higher education system and its implications for teaching and learning
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-12) Pullen, Elton; Waghid, Yusef; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aimed to determine the extent to which critical thinking (CT) skills are being developed in the accounting programmes accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) at South African universities. The study is situated within the South African Higher Education (SAHE) accounting landscape, which in recent years (2013 to 2020) has suffered declining student success rates despite increased access to higher education. Specifically, the study aimed to evaluate whether a pedagogy aimed at cultivating democratic values of equality within the SAHE accounting landscape can enhance the development of critical thinking skills in students. Secondary research questions focused on the related meanings of CT and democratic citizenship education (DCE), as well as on how the concept of CT has been advanced (or not) in the SAHE policies, the SAICA competency framework and the pedagogical practices within the accounting programmes at SAICA-accredited universities (SAUs). In particular, the focus was on evaluating the extent of CT development within the pedagogical activities conducted by SAICA-accredited programmes. These pedagogical activities were evaluated along a continuum, where activities regarded as more indicative of critical thinking were regarded as more critical thinking (MCT), and those less indicative of critical thinking were regarded as less critical thinking (LCT). The research approach used was a conceptual-deconstructive analysis approach, with an overarching eclectic paradigm incorporating interpretivism’s broad philosophical perspectives, critical theory, and deconstruction. This research approach evaluated the pedagogical activities at accounting programmes accredited by SAICA as LCT overall. This evaluation of LCT was due mainly to the focus on assessment which mimics the SAICA Initial Test of Competence (ITC) exam. This exam essentially assesses ‘what the student does on their own’ instead of ‘what the student co-constructs with their teachers and/or peers’, with the latter being indicative of MCT. Furthermore, the analyses revealed a lack of learner-centred pedagogical practices, deliberative encounters in the classroom, and pedagogical expertise by accounting academics. In response to the above-mentioned findings, the study proposes Foucault’s notion of rupturing in the dominant mimicked SAICA ITC assessment practices reminiscent of assessment of learning and instead argues for assessment within learning as coined by Waghid and Davids (2017). Furthermore, the study argues for the adoption of problem-based learning (PBL) within the pedagogy instead of the current prevalent instructional modes of teaching at SAUs. Furthermore, the study suggests pedagogical training and the practice of critical reflection for chartered accountant (CA) academics who tend to enter the academe as technically skilled accounting experts rather than as pedagogically trained teachers. In general, the study urges CA academics to continuously critically reflect on how notions of DCE and CT can be fostered within the pedagogy without ignoring the technical competencies.
The application of ancient Greek myth and music in personal, professional and transpersonal development
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12) McMullin, Lindy; Lancaster, B. L.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Self-actualization and self-transcendence are both areas of Maslow’s Hierarchy that remain elusive to the majority of humankind, largely due to the lack of education about the self. To know the self is also to care about the self, and this study aims at investigating how the use of myth in sacred text with music may contribute to this process of self-knowledge. The objective of the study is to investigate the effects that myth in sacred text may have on personal, professional and transpersonal development. To ensure maximum impact in terms of imagery-enhancing properties, Greek myth was read, accompanied by lyre music, in a therapeutic setting. The study included a focus on personal epiphanies that, it is argued, have the potential to change perceptions and contribute to a healing process. Seventeen participants were read Homer’s Hymn to Demeter over five sessions. Interviews before and after each session focused on participants’ imagery in dreams and waking fantasy, together with their reflections and interpretations. An Interpretive Interactionist methodology was used with a post structuralism critical approach, capturing the ways in which participants experienced the hymn and the relations with the epiphanies that have taken place in their lives. Results show that the Hymn facilitated participants in working through relationship issues and birth and death traumas, both major aspects of the myth. The extent to which the myth may have facilitated positive outcomes is discussed. Results also highlight the role dreams played in between sessions, in enriching reflection and understanding of problems that arose across the five sessions. It is concluded that the exposure to myth in the imagery-encouraging setting used in the study has the potential to impact poignantly on personal, professional and transpersonal development.
An application of the transtheoretical model to a case of sexual trauma in middle childhood
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2005-12) Vos, Sanel Marriet; Newmark, Rona; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
This study demonstrates the use of the transtheoretical model in the context of sexual trauma in middle childhood. Exploring contemporary literature I found that there is no literature in South Africa available on this topic. It was not until 1997 that the transtheoretical model was implemented internationally with regard to sexual abuse. Taking this in consideration, I realised that there was much scope for exploring, discovering and reflecting on the transtheoretical model and its use within the boundaries of childhood sexual trauma. A qualitative case study within the social constructivist/interpretive paradigm, was chosen as research design. The study involved a participant in middle childhood. Elna (pseudonym) was selected from referrals from the Child Protection Unit of the South African Police Services to the Unit for Educational Psychology at Stellenbosch. The reason for referring Elna to the Unit was because of the negative and diverse effects sexual trauma had on her life story. The study explores the transtheoretical model and the appropriateness thereof as alternative treatment model in a case of sexual trauma, as well as insight into progression of the client in the therapeutic process. Data was collected by means of interviews and therapy sessions during which Narrative therapy, EMDR, sandtray therapy (used in a narrative context) and art therapy techniques were used in an integrated manner. The data was analysed by means of interpreting codes, categories and themes. The study concluded with a discussion of the findings and a reflection on the impact the use of the transtheoretical model had on me as a research-therapist-in-training. The literature review and the findings of this research suggest that the transtheoretical model can be applied effectively to a case of sexual trauma in middle childhood. The use of the model also gives insight into progression of the client in the therapeutic process.
Applying attachment theory to explore the emotion regulation characteristics of a child diagnosed with ADHD
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2009-12) Van Huyssteen, Almarie; Louw, Charmaine; Frank, Elzan; Newmark, Rona
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Bowlby (1969) described infant attachment as the emotional bond that ties the infant to one or a few figures across time and distance. He claimed that internal working models are shaped by early experiences and that attachment behaviour is programmed within these models. According to Bowlby, internal working models are carried forward and have an effect on the development of personality, emotion regulation characteristics and behaviour later in life (Goldberg, 2000). Attachment Theory and emotion regulation are closely linked. The parent-child relationship plays an important role in the development of emotion regulation skills. According to research and subsequent literature, children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulty with emotion regulation. A limited number of studies have focused on the emotion regulation characteristics of children with ADHD, using Attachment Theory as lens. In this study, Attachment Theory was applied to explore the emotion regulation characteristics of a ten-year-old girl with ADHD. A series of observations were central to the process of producing data, as observation plays an eminent role in the history of attachment research. Within the series of observations, together with three semi-structured interviews, the child‟s emotion regulation characteristics were identified. The parent-child relationship and the parents‟ level of reflective functioning played a significant role to identify the characteristics of emotion regulation. A literature review and information from documents (e.g. reports from multi-disciplinary professionals) contributed to the validity of the findings. It was found that the girl with ADHD was significantly insecure in her general functioning. The themes that emerged elicited the interface and interaction between attachment behaviour, emotion regulation and ADHD. Future research should focus on Attachment Theory and ADHD. Parents, teachers and multi-disciplinary professionals who have or work with children diagnosed with ADHD will benefit from Attachment Theory.
Aspects of the learning culture with reference to some high schools in Mitchell's Plain : a philosophical reflection
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1998) Arendse, Paul; de Klerk, J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Department of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Education in South Africa is at the crossroads. The culture of learning and teaching with reference to black and specifically coloured schools has collapsed. Since 1985 there has been a steady drop in the matric pass rate. In any nation at any given time the wellbeing of its people is measured against the intent and content of the education system. These intents should address the basic needs of the community it serves and at the same time satisfy the highest aspirations of its participants, setting standards as well as immediate and long-term goals in line with the ideals of an ever-developing nation. To maintain the integrity of its intent, the promoters of the system (all the role players) should be dedicated and committed to the spirit of this intent. Should any one of the above be found wanting, this could be expressed by indifference, frustration and possibly unrest. One manifestation of this will be a pupil corps with high expectations unfulfilled. Teachers themselves will be frustrated by the very legislators, promoters and planners and will have to implement this lack of vision. The purpose of this study is to analyse and describe the nature of the learning culture in coloured schools, in particular high schools in Mitchell's Plain. This purpose was realised by undertaking a theoretical investigation in the first place and secondly an empirical investigation into various aspects of the culture of learning. In order to obtain a clear overall picture of the learning culture in these schools, qualitative as well as quantitative methods of research were used. Interviews were also conducted with teachers, pupils and principals. Many of the problems found among the school-going population are deeply embedded in the historical past of South Africa. The result is a painstaking slow healing process to restore a learning culture to satisfy the ideals of an ever-developing nation. This research paper consists of five chapters. The introductory chapter holds as content the introductory orientation to the study. This is followed by the historical evolution of education in South Africa. Chapter 3 focuses on the erosion of the learning culture. This chapter reports on a survey which was conducted of various high schools. The aim of this exercise was to undertake an investigation into the learning culture that prevailed at these schools. Cultural-learning factors and its impact on academic achievement is discussed in chapter four. Chapter five delves into restoring of the learning culture and the roles of the pupil, family, community, teacher and principal are discussed.
Assessing learners' reading skills : a development of an in-service training programme for Junior Primary teachers
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1999-09) Bunding, Mark Gordon; Engelbrecht, P.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Most learners in South Africa are only taught knowledge-based skills, and reading skills are assessed according to a prescribed curriculum. The emphasis seems to be on what the learner cannot do, instead of what the learner can do. South African educational system is currently in a transitional phase, where teachers are required to assess learners on their critical outcomes. This transitional phase demands that teachers make a mindshift from the old traditional, deductive teaching approaches to literacy to the more inductive, cognitive, social and sociopolitical constructions of literacy. Against this background, the study investigated first of all the beliefs of teachers concerning their teaching reading approaches and reading assessment. This information was then used as a point of departure in the development of a framework for an in-service training programme in order to provide teachers with the skills and confidence that will enable them not only to identify and assess reading problems in the Junior Primary phase, but also to teach reading effectively. To achieve the objectives, a qualitative research approach was used. Data collection methods included a literature review, a semi-structured questionnaire and three in-depth interviews with Junior Primary teachers at six primary schools (exHOR and ex-model C) in the Bellville area, near Cape Town. Although the results of the semi-structured questionnnaires provide a reasonably clear picture of the beliefs of teachers pertaining to learners reading skills, more information was gathered by means of the in-depth interviews. From the analysis of data, it became apparent that there is a need for further training and support regarding the implementation of Outcomes Based Education; teachers are currently focusing on reductionistic teaching approaches and are not knowledgeable about how to assess and rectify reading problems. In spite of these problems, most teachers expressed a willingness to learn new teaching reading approaches. The framework for an in-service training programme focused, as a result of the literature review and qualitative data analysis of the questionnaire and in-depth interviews, on a holistic teaching and assessment approach to reading within an ecosystemic framework. The active involvement of teachers and learners in the teaching and assessment of reading was stressed.
An assessment of the psychological needs and problems of standard six pupils
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1993-12) Abrahamse, Petra; Cilliers, C. D.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this investigation was to determine the needs and problems of Standard six pupils in schools controlled by the Department of Education and Culture (Administration: House of Representatives) and the extent to which these are being addressed by existing educational structures. The investigatior: consists of two parts, a literature study and an empirical investigation. The literature study consists of an examination of South African and international research relevant to the investigation. An analysis of South African and international school guidance programmes aimed at meeting the needs and solving possible problems is included and an overview is given of the role that the school, both nationally and internationally, can, is and should be playing to meet these needs and help solve these problems. The empirical investigation examined standard six pupils' problems and needs concerning extra-mural activities, relationships with peers and older pupils, teachers and parents and personal adjustment. A questionnaire to determine these needs and problems was administered to a representative random sample of secondary school pupils in the Cape Peninsula. To determine what is being done to address these needs and problems, a second questionnaire was sent to the 58 dual-medium state controlled schools in thE~ Cape Peninsula for standard Six guidance teachers. A third questionnaire was sent to the Department of Education and culture (Administration: House of Representatives) to determine whether the Department agreed that the school guidance programme for Standard six pupils had been adequately applied by the school guidance teachers. Both South African and internati.onal research indicates that many adolescents experience adjustment problems on entering secondary school. Education authorities worldwide address these problems in various ways. In South l~frica, guidance and counselling services are available through elll the education departments, but their effectiveness and implementation need to be clarified because uniform control is not being exercised. The present research showed that most of the secondary schools in the survey do not have an orientation programme to assist pupils to bridge the gap between the primary and the secondary schools. Although this research does not offer conclusive evidence that Standard Six pupils are adversely affected by their present circumstances, the following needs were established: pupils • need to belong, supported by their opinion that extra-mural activities should be compulsory pupils' need for parent~; to be more lnvolved in school activities pupils' need for satisfactory relationships with teachers pupils' need for satisfactory peer relationships. Bas~~ on the~e findings, a number of recommendations have been made. These include: a sound orientation programme and the Careful selection of teachers who are sensitive to the needs of standard six 1Jupils an extra-mural programme where teachers and senior pupils can play a significant role to enhance the formation of constructive social groups and engender a sense of belonging a guidance programme incorporating group work and which teaches coping and problem-solving skills one non-racial education department with equal financing for all pupils and a uniform system of examination and certifica.tion the establishment of "mini-schools" or "middle schools" and the adoption of extended support for pupils to reduce adjustment problems.
At risk youth: the experiences of adolescent boys with absent fathers
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-03) Sylvester, Frederick James; Daniels, Doria; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The single-parent, female-headed household is a global phenomenon. In a patriarchal society such as South Africa, the absence of a father figure in the family place mothers in the unenviable position of having to play a double role, namely that of mother as well as the head of the family. The role of absent fathers in the at-riskness of adolescent boys is under researched in South Africa. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions and experiences of ten adolescent boys who are growing up in father absent homes. The participants were from a low socio-economic area of the Western Cape, and high school pupils who were purposively selected from Grades 8, 9 and 10. A qualitative research methodology was used and data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews, a focus group discussion and the construction of collages. The findings showed that adolescent boys face many challenges in their development when they grow up without a strong male role model. These ten adolescents seemed to struggle with discipline issues at school as well as at home. They are at a vulnerable age, and at risk of making decisions that would be devastating to their futures.
The attitude of educators towards assessment in schools where learners with barriers are included: a case study
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2009-03) Maluma, T. R.; Newmark, Rona; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
Within the movement towards an inclusive society in South Africa, learners experiencing learning barriers are included in mainstream schools. With the inclusion of these learners, there seems to be a trend of learners repeating the same grade more than twice. There seems to be a problem with regard to assessment in classrooms where these learners are present, which could be related to teachers' skills and attitudes. This is a problem found in Venda, Limpopo Province in the Dzindi circuit. Learners experiencing learning barriers in this circuit are not assessed as prescribed by the assessment policy and the draft guideline for the implementation of inclusive education (second draft). The background of Venda rural communities has an influence on educators' attitudes towards assessment of these learners. This study investigates the attitudes of educators towards assessment of learners who have been enrolled in the three primary schools. The research was conducted at three primary schools in the Dzindi Circuit, Limpopo. A qualitative approach was used and the results of this study indicate that educators would prefer to assess non-disabled learners rather than learners with learning barriers. Educators feel that they are inadequately trained, and therefore do not possess the necessary knowledge and skills for assessing learners with barriers in their classroom. School-based in-service training should be introduced to prepare all qualified educators for this task. Specialized training should be introduced into every training program, aimed at training all prospective educators to manage the full range of barriers that they will encounter in their classrooms. The results also suggest that support teams should be in place and that the number of learners in mainstream classes be reduced so that better support can be provided.
Barriers to learning mathematics in rural secondary schools
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008-12) Sao, Lawrence Y. T.; Perold, M. D.; Murray, J. C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa is predominantly rural in nature. Many schools within the province are under-resourced in terms of the minimum school equipment such as school furniture, telephones, photocopiers, learner resource material (textbooks), electricity, water ablution facilities, audiovisual equipment and, in many instances, even educators. In the light of the above, it was decided to gain a deeper understanding of the barriers that learners face in learning mathematics in grade 8 in schools in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape Province. A mixed methods research design using both quantitative and qualitative methods was employed, in order to generate data to shed light on the research question. Biographical information of the learners and educators was gained. Six schools were selected and their grade 8 mathematics learners were used in the research. The learners completed a numeracy and mathematical literacy test as well as questionnaires regarding their attitudes to mathematics and literacy. Focus group interviews were also conducted with the participants for the purposes of collaboration of information derived from the test and biographical questionnaire. From the analysis of the data collected, several possible barriers were identified. Among these are that learners exhibit attitudinal barriers towards learning mathematics, they do not make serious attempts to solve problems once they encounter difficulty. The educators seem to lack the mathematics competencies to handle their teaching. They still teach instrumentally in the way they were taught, which could constitute a barrier to the learning. The educators' interaction with the learners takes place only in the classroom time and is therefore limited. A lack of a reading culture among the learners were found. Learners therefore experience difficulties in comprehending mathematical texts because of inadequate vocabulary and reading skills. Learners experience lack of support in their home environments. Basic and prerequisite numeracy skills do not seem to have been acquired at the necessary levels in earlier grades. Various recommendations have been made for all stakeholders involved in the study – educators, caregivers, and the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape Province. The following recommendations were made for educators: they should make an effort to educate themselves on new trends in teaching methodologies. In this regard, educators should use a consistently open-ended teaching approach, accepting alternative views, leaving issues open, and encouraging independent enquiry and participation by means of learner-centred activities. Specifically, educators must refrain from teaching as an attempt to deposit knowledge in the learners through direct instructions but rather adopt the constructivist perspective. It was also recommended that to improve numeracy competency among learners, educators should not just teach mathematics or depend entirely on mathematics but be conscious of the fact that although numeracy may be taught in mathematics classes, to be learned effectively, learners must use it in a wide range of contexts at school and at home, including entertainment and sports. For caregivers, the following recommendations were made: Caregivers serve as a crucial link to their children's movement through the mathematics machinery and as such schools must find a vehicle to support and promote this partnership. Caregivers' involvement in learners' work will be a motivating factor for learners. Even if the caregivers themselves have no formal education, their mere concern and involvement in the learners' work will stimulate their interest and enhance performance. The study also recommends to the Eastern Cape Provincial Government that there is the need to provide adequate infrastructure in rural secondary schools. Furthermore, there is also the need to provide the necessary educator and learner support materials and ensure that there are enough qualified mathematics educators in the schools. It was also recommended that appropriate incentives be given to the educators of mathematics to motivate them to higher performances.

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