3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Using technology to pre-assess candidate interpreters(2017) Mathey, Gene; Mathey, Eugene Carl GottliebThe aim of this research project is to examine the feasibility of using technology such as email and YouTube in pre-assessing potential interpreting students. This research project investigates existing pre-assessment methods and proposes a method for online interpreter pre-assessment. Pre-assessment for candidate interpreters is essential, but no standard or universal pre-assessment test exists. Scholars agree on several aspects that should be tested for, yet institutions providing interpreter training conduct pre-assessment tests differently. Generally, pre-assessment testing involves a jury or panel interviewing the potential student and observing him/her perform interpreting-related tasks. Pre-assessment by jury assessment presents several logistical and financial challenges for the institution conducting pre-assessment as well as the potential student. In poor regions such as Africa, this could prevent potentially viable interpreting students from attending pre-assessment tests. This research project investigates current pre-assessment practices in order to determine the skills generally tested for in pre-assessment tests, as well as the methods used for assessing these skills. Based on this investigation, an online delivery method is developed and evaluated in order to determine the extent to which online pre-assessment could be used as an alternative to using a jury for pre-assessment testing. Wits Language School in Johannesburg, South Africa is used as a pilot study for online interpreter pre-assessment: Interpreting students who applied for study, were given the option of online pre-assessment. After the pre-assessment, students attended a course in interpreting and their performance in the pre-assessment test was compared with their performance in the examination for the course. These results along with interviews and questionnaires provide useful information regarding the feasibility of online interpreter pre-assessment.Item An illuminative evaluation of a prosthodontic curriculum.(2012-03-08) Moipolai, Pusetso DineoAn illuminative evaluation of the final year prosthodontic component of the Oral Health Science curriculum (OHSC 501 Component 1) at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa was conducted. This evaluation method was employed to illustrate how an evaluation strategy was used to assess classroom practices following institutional curriculum reform. The aim was to use a qualitative evaluation process to assess the impact of the curriculum change at classroom level and to evaluate how a department had reformed its’ teaching and learning strategies within the hybrid problem based learning curriculum that had been implemented. Additionally, it was to evaluate how this curriculum operated in its own terms. From July through October 2007 small group teaching involving problem based learning, led by two faculty from the department of prosthodontics were observed. Six two hour long small group sessions (equivalent to twelve forty minute lessons), were observed and they revealed a variety of pedagogic strategies utilised. The plan, as outlined in the instructional system was held up against the reality through observations of what happened in the classroom. By and large the findings illustrate that much of what was planned was realised, with the more experienced staff member teaching more or less to the plan. However, from the themes that were inductively derived from analysis of the data, it was clear that integration of content knowledge and critical thinking necessary to assist in the comprehensive management of dental patients was not as robust as would be expected from the students at this level during their training. As part of the objectives of the curriculum innovation instituted, content knowledge integration and critical thinking skills are key to the success of the innovation and employing illuminative evaluation methodology afforded the opportunity to delve deeper into these. This finding illustrates the importance of using qualitative evaluation approaches as a mechanism to assess curriculum change efforts.Item An illuminative evaluation of the workplace learning component of Unisa's diploma in animal health.(2008-06-19T08:53:25Z) Van Rensburg, EstelleThis research report describes an illuminative evaluation study of the workplace learning component of the Diploma in Animal Health, a vocationally-oriented qualification offered by the University of South Africa (Unisa). In illuminative evaluation, a programme is studied by qualitative methods to gain an in-depth understanding of its "instructional system" – its intended teaching arrangements, as well as its "learning milieu" – the actual sites of learning interaction; this results in a rich description of the programme that allows "matches" and "mismatches" between the instructional system and learning milieu to be uncovered. In this study, this approach was applied to investigate the instructional system through document analysis, and the learning milieu through interviews, observation and a student questionnaire. The data revealed a number of "matches" but also "partial matches". Matches included the immersion of students in an actual work environment where they fully participated in real work activities; this generally allowed them to be work-ready on graduation, as intended. Partial matches included the component's intentions to have a well-functioning co-operative relationship, to have a curriculum that is fully relevant to student workplaces, and to have designated mentors who provide both academic and personal support; all these intentions were only partially achieved in the learning milieu. In uncovering these matches and partial matches the illuminative approach provided in-depth insights into the workplace component that might not have been obtained by using another evaluation methodology.