3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions

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    A study of the knowledge,attitudes and practices of first year students at Cork University regarding parental and personal alcohol use
    (2006-11-17T11:27:17Z) Glisson, Grace; Jacqueline, Mathilda
    AIM: - To study the knowledge, attitudes and practices of first year students at UCC regarding parental and person alcohol use. OBJECTIVES: -To obtain demographic data on the students and to compare the children of alcoholics with the children of non-alcoholics to determine if any differences existed between the two groups. METHOD: - A questionnaire administered at the start of a lecture. RESULTS: -The students had a good knowledge of alcohol abuse and its causes. The majority was drinking within safe limits, had started drinking while still at school and obtained most of their knowledge about alcohol from their peers. The children of alcoholics felt more at risk of developing a drinking problem and chose careers in arts and food science in preference to others. RECOMMENDATIONS: - Education should take place at school with parental involvement. Special attention should be paid to the children of alcoholics, as they are high-risk.
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    An Investigation of Foundation Phase Teachers' Perceptions of Their Needs Within the Inclusive Classroom
    (2006-11-16T07:18:53Z) Moolla, Nirosha
    This study investigates the needs of Foundation Phase teachers within an inclusive education system. The policy of inclusion in education is currently being promoted in many countries and has over the last decade been part of the new educational movement in South Africa. The rationale for this study lies in the pivotal role of teachers in facilitating the success of an inclusive system. The study utilises a sample of eighteen female teachers in the Foundation Phase of six different township-based mainstream primary schools in Gauteng. The schools share similar socio-economic backgrounds, and are all dual medium of instruction (English and Afrikaans), co-ed schools. The participants range in age from 26-59 years old, having a tertiary qualification in education and a range of teaching experience from 1 year to over 10 years. The teachers were asked to participate in a guided interview that was designed to examine 1) their perceptions of what they need in order to be effective within their classrooms, 2) their perceptions of their competency in managing diversity within their classrooms, and 3) their perceptions of support services with regard to in-service training programmes, district-based support teams, school-based support teams, and within school resources. The findings revealed that the major needs of teachers within an inclusive setting relate to: smaller class size, less administrative paperwork, specialised support from professional experts within the field of education (e.g. psychologists, remedial teachers), greater support from support teams, and training programmes aimed at directly addressing their difficulty in adequately meeting the individual needs of learners. Further, the teachers feel that they do not possess the necessary skills that are needed to cope with meeting the demands of learner diversity within their classrooms. The results of this study provide reasons for concern regarding teachers who are viewed as the key role-players for the successful implementation of inclusive education. The research findings suggest that unless the needs of teachers are acknowledged and addressed through effective interventions, the implementation of inclusive education could encounter serious obstacles. The limitations of the present study are discussed and directions for future research are made.
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    Managing diversity and attitude change in a South African food-processing company
    (2006-11-03T08:34:34Z) Friedman, Michelle
    This is a retrospective case study of an intervention aimed at transforming communication and interpersonal relations in a small company in South Africa. The objective was for the Innergize consultancy to integrate black factory workers and white office staff across race and class into one team by healing the psychological effects of Apartheid. The research questioned how change would be recognised and if it could be sustained within an organisation. The workshop method used by Innergize separated the two groups so that conflict within the groups could be resolved, personal growth facilitated and attitudes towards race surfaced. Then the staff joined together and continued the process through communication, cultural exchange and gender awareness. The staff developed on a personal level, interpersonally, and a climate of trust resulted. The success was partly due to individual attention given to each person, clearing the past before addressing the present, and offering tools for sustaining the process. Structures were set up to sustain changes at the organisational level, however the project ended abruptly, due to a number of factors. The study concluded that in order for a transformation process to be successful at both interpersonal and organisational levels, management must remain committed to a longterm process. Keywords: managing diversity; attitudes; healing; race; organisational change; personal growth; South Africa; workshops; communication.
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