3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/45
Browse
3 results
Search Results
Item Sample, improvise and collaborate: bringing home multimodal learning through creative practice.(2018) Thomson, Susan KaolinThe aim of this creative research project is to argue for and activate a critical pedagogy that is grounded in multimodality and what I will refer to as “this artist’s sensibility” (Andrew, 2011, emphasis mine). This sensibility, for the purposes of this research project, is characterised by processes of sampling, improvisation and collaboration and is envisioned through visual and sonic modes, documenting and sampling the bricolaged constellations of personalised learning events within the home-practice environment. This auto-ethnographic research is framed by my own identity and informed by my experience as an artist, musician, composer, performer, teacher and mother. In addition, the research aims to critique the notion of the classroom and the system of education and to challenge how we think children learn and how they should be taught. I do not suggest a perfect solution, or the only way in which we should consider education. Rather, I hope this will be regarded as an honest and humble contribution to the research annals of critical pedagogyItem The contribution of intelligence, learning strategies, and personal development to engineering students' academic performance(2003) Skuy, Melissa AnnPrevious studies have addressed the question whether intellectual ability (as measured by the Raven's Progressivp Matrices Tests) is related to academic performance in engineering (Rushton & Skuy, 2000; Rushton, Skuy & Fridjhon, 2002; Rushton, Skuy & Fridjhon, 2003). The question arose of whether nonintellective (personality and attitudinal factors) playa larger role at this level, than intelligence, in determining academic performance in engineering university students. Accordingly, data were yielded for 93 percent (N=100) of the second year Chemical Engineering class in terms of their performance on various measures. These included two measures of intellectual ability, namely the Ravens Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM) and the Organiser (of The Learning Propensity Assessment Device), together with a measure of learning strategies and attitudes (Learning and Study Strategies Inventory), locus of control (Locus of Control Inventory) and self-esteem (Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory). The students' academic results comprised the December 2002 and June 2003 examination results. The current research results demonstrated that while neither the RAPM nor the Organiser yielded any significant correlations with academic results, certain of the non-intellective measures did, and were able to differentiate between high and low academic performers. Motivation, Autonomy and Freedom from Anxiety were found to be significantly related to academic performance, and contributed 26 percent of the variance. This indicates that these factors play a role in academic achievement, and that exploration of personality and motivational factors constitutes a potentially fruitful avenue of research. However, it also seems that 74 percent of variance was unaccounted for, and therefore future studies should explore other factors, not included in this study, in relation to engineering students' academic performance. Furthermore, it emerged that it is unrealistic to attempt to predict academic performance at midyear (June results). KEY WORDS: Intelligence, learning strategies, locus of control, self-esteem, engineering students, second year, and academic performance.Item Learning strategies, self-esteem and gender in first year university students.(2009-02-10T09:37:02Z) Benjamin, FaheemaThe aim of the research study is firstly to examine the relationship between self-esteem and learning strategies amongst first year university students. From this the investigator aimed to discern whether there is a link between cognitive and affective factors in student learning as has been widely accepted in pedagogical studies. Secondly, the difference in self-esteem levels in relation to gender and year of study were also examined. Thirdly, the differences in self-esteem and learning strategies in relation to year of study were investigated. The rationale for the investigations in this study stems from the fact that first year university students are seen to be at a major life transition that brings with it challenges on an affective (self-esteem) and cognitive (learning strategies) level. The sample of the study consisted of 197 participants gathered from the University of the Witwatersrand. The instruments utilised were the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (1965), the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory- LASSI (Weinstein, 1987) and a brief Student Demographic Survey to gain information such as the students gender and year of study. Findings indicated that there is a relationship between self-esteem and the motivation to learn- one of the components of the LASSI. However, contrary to many other findings, no cognitive-affective link was evident. Furthermore, males and females appeared to show difference in the study aids learning strategy as well as in self-esteem levels, where females proved to have more positive self-esteem levels than the males. Year of study lastly, also proved to have an influence in student self-esteem levels.