Investigating an environmental education curriculum to a developing society's needs: a case study of the programme offered at the Pilanesberg National Park, Bophuthatswana
- Authors: Johnson, Steven Robert
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: Environmental education Environmental education -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Bophuthatswana Environmental education -- Curricula -- Case studies Pilanesberg National Park (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1585 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003467
- Description: The Environmental Education programme offered at the Gold Fields Environmental Education Centre (GFEE Centre) in the Pilanesberg National Park, Bophuthatswana, was initiated in response to requests from schools in Bophuthatswana to visit game reserves as 'syllabus related school activities'. Evaluative research into the GFEE Centre programme by an external researcher indicated that the learning experiences largely concentrated on cognitive development, and neglected to influence affective and psychomotor development. After a number of adaptations to the programme, which emphasised a more child-centred approach it was realised that little was known about the background and learning needs of the predominantly BaTswana school children. It was felt by the researcher that the learning activities provided at the GFEE Centre could also possibly be biased by a Western, scientific orientation which possibly lacked relevance to the cultural backgrounds of the pupils. The researcher used an action research approach in a number of workshops with a purposive sample of BaTswana primary school teachers, to gather data. The teachers were encouraged to critically reflect on the background and learning-needs of BaTswana children, with specific regard to environmental issues and worldviews. The information provided by the teachers' reflective deliberations and a seperate research project with school children, indicated that primary school children in Bophuthatswana tend to follow accepted human development patterns in their perceptions of the environment. The influence of either a predominantly rural or urban upbringing during a child's early formative years was considered by the teachers to be significant in determining worldviews, and culture was considered to have an influence on children's learning processes. Their beliefs and experiences were used by them in generating suggestions to correct the GFEE Centre programme. The teachers' also highlighted the fact that there were a number of socio-cultural and institutional issues which influenced the effectiveness of the GFEE Centre programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1994
- Authors: Johnson, Steven Robert
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: Environmental education Environmental education -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Bophuthatswana Environmental education -- Curricula -- Case studies Pilanesberg National Park (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1585 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003467
- Description: The Environmental Education programme offered at the Gold Fields Environmental Education Centre (GFEE Centre) in the Pilanesberg National Park, Bophuthatswana, was initiated in response to requests from schools in Bophuthatswana to visit game reserves as 'syllabus related school activities'. Evaluative research into the GFEE Centre programme by an external researcher indicated that the learning experiences largely concentrated on cognitive development, and neglected to influence affective and psychomotor development. After a number of adaptations to the programme, which emphasised a more child-centred approach it was realised that little was known about the background and learning needs of the predominantly BaTswana school children. It was felt by the researcher that the learning activities provided at the GFEE Centre could also possibly be biased by a Western, scientific orientation which possibly lacked relevance to the cultural backgrounds of the pupils. The researcher used an action research approach in a number of workshops with a purposive sample of BaTswana primary school teachers, to gather data. The teachers were encouraged to critically reflect on the background and learning-needs of BaTswana children, with specific regard to environmental issues and worldviews. The information provided by the teachers' reflective deliberations and a seperate research project with school children, indicated that primary school children in Bophuthatswana tend to follow accepted human development patterns in their perceptions of the environment. The influence of either a predominantly rural or urban upbringing during a child's early formative years was considered by the teachers to be significant in determining worldviews, and culture was considered to have an influence on children's learning processes. Their beliefs and experiences were used by them in generating suggestions to correct the GFEE Centre programme. The teachers' also highlighted the fact that there were a number of socio-cultural and institutional issues which influenced the effectiveness of the GFEE Centre programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1994
Standardization of Raven's standard progressive matrices for secondary school African pupils in the Grahamstown region
- Authors: Vass, Vasili Arthur
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: Black people -- Education -- South Africa , Intelligence tests -- South Africa , Educational tests and measurements -- South Africa , Cognition and culture , Raven's Progressive Matrices
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3078 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002587 , Black people -- Education -- South Africa , Intelligence tests -- South Africa , Educational tests and measurements -- South Africa , Cognition and culture , Raven's Progressive Matrices
- Description: Arising out of a need, expressed by Clinical Psychologists in the Grahamstown region, for the fair assessment of secondary School African pupils, norms for the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) were established. Two methods of presentation were used, the first using the original instructions of John Raven translated into the students' first language of Xhosa, hence-forth referred to as the Alternate sample. The second method of presenting the instructions was adapted, to include the use of visual aids and active participation in the instruction phase of the test, hence-forth referred to as the Normative sample. In addition to the establishment of norms, the two methods of test presentation were investigated to see if the method of presentation had an effect on the results of the Raven's SPM. The population was drawn from the three African Secondary Schools in the Grahamstown municipality. The total population consisted of 3 232 students. Classes were randomly sampled across the three schools, with the average age of the Normative sample being 19.3 years. The sample consisted of 812 pupils, 711 in the Normative sample and 101 in the Alternate Sample. The following results and conclusions arose from the study: 1) Norms generated were considerably lower than previously established norms in similar studies. 2) t-Test results indicated that the method of test presentation on the Raven's SPM is important when assessing students that may be regarded as 'disadvantaged'. 3) Respondents scored significantly higher when the method of presenting the instructions ensured a greater understanding of the task demanded of the respondents. 4) The analyses of covariance indicate that male subjects score significantly higher than female subjects, and that there is a significant difference between the ages and educational standard, on the scores of the Raven's SPM. 5) The differences found contradict previous findings using the test, and question the cultural fairness of the test.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
- Authors: Vass, Vasili Arthur
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: Black people -- Education -- South Africa , Intelligence tests -- South Africa , Educational tests and measurements -- South Africa , Cognition and culture , Raven's Progressive Matrices
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3078 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002587 , Black people -- Education -- South Africa , Intelligence tests -- South Africa , Educational tests and measurements -- South Africa , Cognition and culture , Raven's Progressive Matrices
- Description: Arising out of a need, expressed by Clinical Psychologists in the Grahamstown region, for the fair assessment of secondary School African pupils, norms for the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) were established. Two methods of presentation were used, the first using the original instructions of John Raven translated into the students' first language of Xhosa, hence-forth referred to as the Alternate sample. The second method of presenting the instructions was adapted, to include the use of visual aids and active participation in the instruction phase of the test, hence-forth referred to as the Normative sample. In addition to the establishment of norms, the two methods of test presentation were investigated to see if the method of presentation had an effect on the results of the Raven's SPM. The population was drawn from the three African Secondary Schools in the Grahamstown municipality. The total population consisted of 3 232 students. Classes were randomly sampled across the three schools, with the average age of the Normative sample being 19.3 years. The sample consisted of 812 pupils, 711 in the Normative sample and 101 in the Alternate Sample. The following results and conclusions arose from the study: 1) Norms generated were considerably lower than previously established norms in similar studies. 2) t-Test results indicated that the method of test presentation on the Raven's SPM is important when assessing students that may be regarded as 'disadvantaged'. 3) Respondents scored significantly higher when the method of presenting the instructions ensured a greater understanding of the task demanded of the respondents. 4) The analyses of covariance indicate that male subjects score significantly higher than female subjects, and that there is a significant difference between the ages and educational standard, on the scores of the Raven's SPM. 5) The differences found contradict previous findings using the test, and question the cultural fairness of the test.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
An investigation of the significance of learned helplessness on membership participation in co-operative movements
- Authors: Norman, Paul Deon
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: Learned helplessness , Psychology , Black people -- South Africa , Attributional Style Questionnaire , Partician Index , Co-operatives , Helplessness (Psychology) , Black people -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2895 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002059
- Description: In this study the psychological phenomenon of learned helplessness is investigated to determine its significance as a characteristic of members of progressive co-operatives within the South African context. Most of the members of these co-operatives are black South Africans. It is argued that because of the country's racial policy, many of the members have become accustomed to a passive response to events in their lives and this gives rise to their failure to utilise the freedom and opportunities of the co-operative structure. The researcher hypothesises that this passive response could be explained in terms of a high level of learned helplessness among co-operative members. Two hypotheses are investigated in this study: Hypothesis 1: Passive co-operative members will have higher levels of learned helplessness than active members. Hypothesis 2:The level of learned helplessness decreases as the length of co-operative members involvement increases. Data collection for this study was carried out by combining a personal interview and a standardised questionnaire (the Attributional Style Questionnaire). To distinguish between the passive and active members, a Participation Index was constructed. The ASQ was translated into Xhosa, adapted for the sample and two translators were employed to conduct the interviews in Xhosa. The sample consisted of 50 black South Africans, many with limited education and was drawn from six co-operatives in the Eastern Cape. No significant differences were found between the active and passive groups in terms of their levels of learned helplessness. Furthermore, the length of involvement in the co-operative had no effect on the level of learned helplessness. No support was found therefore for Hypothesis l and 2. A significant difference, however, was found between active and passive members and the number of months of involvement. This suggests that the length of involvement has an effect on how active members will be in the co-operative. The results of this study indicate that generally the sample does not suffer from learned helplessness. It is argued that Hypothesis 2 is not supported due to confounding variables. The study raises many doubts as to the reliability of the ASQ and the Participation Index used in the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1991
- Authors: Norman, Paul Deon
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: Learned helplessness , Psychology , Black people -- South Africa , Attributional Style Questionnaire , Partician Index , Co-operatives , Helplessness (Psychology) , Black people -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2895 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002059
- Description: In this study the psychological phenomenon of learned helplessness is investigated to determine its significance as a characteristic of members of progressive co-operatives within the South African context. Most of the members of these co-operatives are black South Africans. It is argued that because of the country's racial policy, many of the members have become accustomed to a passive response to events in their lives and this gives rise to their failure to utilise the freedom and opportunities of the co-operative structure. The researcher hypothesises that this passive response could be explained in terms of a high level of learned helplessness among co-operative members. Two hypotheses are investigated in this study: Hypothesis 1: Passive co-operative members will have higher levels of learned helplessness than active members. Hypothesis 2:The level of learned helplessness decreases as the length of co-operative members involvement increases. Data collection for this study was carried out by combining a personal interview and a standardised questionnaire (the Attributional Style Questionnaire). To distinguish between the passive and active members, a Participation Index was constructed. The ASQ was translated into Xhosa, adapted for the sample and two translators were employed to conduct the interviews in Xhosa. The sample consisted of 50 black South Africans, many with limited education and was drawn from six co-operatives in the Eastern Cape. No significant differences were found between the active and passive groups in terms of their levels of learned helplessness. Furthermore, the length of involvement in the co-operative had no effect on the level of learned helplessness. No support was found therefore for Hypothesis l and 2. A significant difference, however, was found between active and passive members and the number of months of involvement. This suggests that the length of involvement has an effect on how active members will be in the co-operative. The results of this study indicate that generally the sample does not suffer from learned helplessness. It is argued that Hypothesis 2 is not supported due to confounding variables. The study raises many doubts as to the reliability of the ASQ and the Participation Index used in the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1991
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