Feedback on Assignment 1

and
Guidelines for Assignment 3
OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATION
• ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
• INTRODUCTION
• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• RATIONALE AND SIGNIFICANCE
• AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
• RESEARCH QUESTIONS
• ASSIGNMENT 3 GUIDELINES
MODULE OUTLINE
MODULE OUTLINE
MODULE OUTLINE
A NOTE ON NOTIONAL HOURS

• THIS IS A 36 CREDIT MODULE

• THAT TRANSLATES IN 360 HOURS
• YOU CANNOT START ON ASSIGNMENTS THE DAY BEFORE
• YOU NEED TO ENGAGE WITH THE CONTENT MODULE IN WHICH YOU TOPIC IS
LOCATED
ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
• 4-5 PAGES WITH REFERENCES
• 2.5 MARGIN ALL ROUND
• MUST INCLUDE
• INTRODUCTION
• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• RATIONALE
• RESEARCH AIMS
• RESEARCH QUESTIONS
UNDERSTANDING YOUR TOPIC

• A TOPIC IS THE BROAD SUBJECT MATTER THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED

UNDERSTANDING YOUR TOPIC

• RESEARCH IS A PROCESS THAT DEMANDS IMAGINATION, CREATIVITY,

DISCIPLINE AND STRUCTURE
• READ, READ, READ – LITERATURE PROVIDES VALUABLE INFORMATION
• READ FOR CONTEXT AS WELL AS FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES
UNDERSTANDING YOUR TOPIC
• YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE PRESSING ISSUES, UNDERSTAND POLITICAL,
SOCIAL AGENDAS AND KNOW WHAT ARE THE GAPS YOUR RESEARCH WILL
ADDRESS
• YOUR TOPIC IS THE FIRST STEP
• BE PREPARED FOR THE TURNS IN ROAD
• THE TOPIC IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE FOCUS AND STRUCTURES WHAT COMES
NEXT
UNDERSTANDING YOUR TOPIC

• REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE THOUGHT

• BROAD AND COMPLEX = UNMANAGEABLE
• SELECT A PROBLEM THAT IS RELEVANT BUT IMPORTANT TO YOU
• SO WHERE TO START…..
YOUR TOPIC

• IDENTIFY THE GENERAL AREA

• SO CONSIDER:
• THEORIES
• PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
• REPLICATION OF STUDIES
• LIBRARY SEARCHES
THEORIES – ONE WAY

• ORGANISED BODY OF CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES

• THINK PIAGET OR THEORIES OF LEARNING, BEHAVIOUR OR BEING
• CAN BE CONCEPTUALLY RICH
• CONFIRMATION OR DISCONFIRMATION
• PROVIDE ADDITIONAL AREAS THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM TESTING THE
THEORY
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES- ANOTHER WAY

• WHAT QUESTIONS DO WE COMMONLY ASK OURSELVES IN OUR FIELD OF

WORK
• WHY THIS? WHAT ABOUT THAT?
• THESE QUESTIONS ARE PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON SENSE AVENUES TO
EXPLORE
REPLICATION OF STUDIES – THIRD WAY

• ABOUT RETESTING HYPOTHESES

• ALL STUDIES SHOULD PROVIDE THE POSSIBILITY OF REPLICATION
• PROGRESS COMES FROM ACCUMULATED UNDERSTANDINGS AND
EXPLANATIONS
• METHOD OF REPLICATION MAY NOT BE IDENTICAL
• ATTEMPT TO STRETCH OR MOVE BEYOND THE ORIGINAL
LIBRARY SEARCHES – FINAL WAY

• READ VORACIOUSLY
• MAY EXPERIENCE THE NEEDLE SYNDROME – WHICH HAYSTACK TO TACKLE?
• ESSENTIAL IN A OUR THINKING BUT MORE OFTEN USEFUL AFTER WE HAVE
SOME DIRECTION
• EMAILING PEERS AND LISTSERVS
TOPICS PROVIDED
• CSP4801
• BULLYING BEHAVIOUR HAS BEEN ON THE INCREASE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES BOTH
NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. USING ONE OF THE LEARNING THEORIES EXPLAINED IN THE
MODULE EXPLORE HOW YOU WOULD GO ABOUT RESEARCHING THIS PHENOMENON.
• CURRICULUM RESOURCES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON TEACHING AND LEARNING

• PSE4801
• TRANSFORMING THE SOUTH AFRICAN CURRICULUM THROUGH AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY
• CHALLENGES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING: ADDRESSING THE QUALITY AND EQUALITY OF
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN SCHOOL CONTEXT.

• ICH4801
• ANY ASPECT OF THE HISTORY OF COLOURED, INDIAN AND WHITE EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
• COMPARISON OF THE DECOLONIZATION OF THE CURRICULUM IN THE PREVIOUSLY COLONIZED
COUNTRIES WITH THAT OF THE WESTERN COUNTRIES
NARROWING THE TOPIC
• FINDING THE LIFE BOAT ON THE TITANTIC
• LARGE TOPIC ENLARGES THE TASK OF REVIEWING LITERATURE
• AVOIDING GENERAL STUDIES-DIFFICULT TO CARRY OUT, DIFFICULT TO
INTERPRET
• REMEMBER THAT THE WHEN OF NARROWING MAY DIFFER DEPENDING ON
QUAN OR QUAL RESEARCH
NARROWING THE TOPIC
• QUAN – SPECIFIC MANAGEABLE TOPIC AT THE BEGINNING
• QUAL – MORE GENERAL AT FIRST, AFTER OBSERVATION THE TOPIC IS
NARROWED
• HOW?
• ADVISORS
• SPECIALISTS IN THE FIELD
• OVERVIEWS OF THE STATUS OF THE TOPIC
• HANDBOOKS, SPECIAL ISSUES AND REVIEWS
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD
TOPICS
• TAKES TIME AND EFFORT
• NO SHORTAGE OF PROBLEMS TO BE ADDRESSED
• STAYING MOTIVATED – SO TOPIC NEEDS TO HAVE YOUR INTEREST
• TOPIC IS RESEARCHABLE-COLLECTING AND ANALYSING DATA, SO
PHILOSOPHICAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD
TOPICS

• THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE – IT CONTRIBUTES IN SOME

WAY TO IMPROVEMENT OR UNDERSTANDING
• ETHICAL PRACTICES – NO HARM TO PARTICIPANTS
• MANAGEABLE-IT FITS YOUR LEVEL OF SKILL, AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND TIME
RESTRICTIONS
NARROWING THE TOPIC

• CURRICULUM RESOURCES
• UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN SUPPORTING THE
CURRICULUM

• BULLYING BEHAVIOUR
• EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCE OF THE BYSTANDER IN THE BULLYING PHENOMENON

• INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF BULLYING BEHAVIOUR ON THE VICTIM OF BULLYING

NARROWING THE TOPIC

• TRANSFORMING THE CURRICULUM

• EXAMINING THE ROLE OF UBUNTU IN THE CURRICULUM

• CHALLENGES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

• INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION OF
ADOLESCENCE GIRLS
NARROWING THE TOPIC

• ANY ASPECT OF THE HISTORY OF COLOURED, INDIAN

AND WHITE EDUCATION
• MAPPING THE HISTORY OF THE INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM BETWEEN 1960 AND 1994

• COMPARISON OF DECOLONIZATION
• A COMPARISON OF THE BRITISH CURRICULUM AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN CURRICULUM
 MARKING IN RELATION TO THE
TOPIC AND TITLE
Does not fit Title contains Topic partially Topic fits The topic is
within the too many fits within the within the likely to make a
Topic & Title
focus area of concepts. focus area of focus area of significant
the Some concepts the the contribution to
department. are value- department. department. theory or
Title unwieldy laden. Central Title practice. Title
and unclear. research idea appropriately is well
in title not stated. Title articulated and
immediately appropriately does not
clear. stated but exceed 10-15
exceeds 10-15 words.
words.

0-1 2 3 4 5 /5
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM

• A RESEARCH PROBLEM IS THE ISSUE, CONCERN OR CONTROVERSY TO BE

ADDRESSED
• PURPOSE IS THE INTENT OR OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
RESEARCH PROBLEMS

• CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOLUTIONS, PROVIDE OPTIONS

• SETS THE STAGE FOR THE ENTIRE STUDY
• WITHOUT THE PROBLEM IT IS NOT KNOWN WHY THE RESEARCH IS
IMPORTANT AND WHY TIME SHOULD BE INVESTED IN READING THE STUDY
GENERAL FLOW OF IDEAS
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

• THE TOPIC
• THE ACTUAL ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED
• THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ISSUE
• DEFICIENCIES IN OUR EXISTING KNOWLEDGE
• THE AUDIENCE
 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

What is
How will
Evidence missing,
Concern, addressing
Subject from lit and what do we
issue, what we
area personal need to
problem need to
experience know more
know help…
about
 EXAMPLE OF THE INTRODUCTION
THEE PURPOSE OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO PREVENT BULLYING THROUGH AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMME IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN
PRIMARY SCHOOL CONTEXT. BULLYING IS A WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON WHICH HAS DEVELOPED FAR BEYOND CHILDHOOD TEASING
(HUGGINS, 2016:196). DEFINITIONS OF BULLYING ARE DEFINED BY MANY RESEARCHERS (CANTONE, PIRAS, VELLANTE, PRETI,
DANÍELSDÓTTER, D’ALOJA, LESINSKIENE, ANGERMEYER, CARTA & BHUGRA 2015:58; VREEMAN & CARROLL, 2007:78) AS A FORM OF
INTENTIONAL AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR IN WHICH ONE OR MORE PERSONS REPEATEDLY OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, INTIMIDATE,
HARASS, OR PHYSICALLY HARM A PEER WHO CANNOT EASILY DEFEND HIMSELF/HERSELF. THE VICTIM TENDS TO BE WEAKER IN
TERMS OF PHYSICAL SIZE, PSYCHOLOGICAL OR SOCIAL POWER, OR OTHER FACTORS THAT RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT POWER
INEQUALITY (ROSS & HORNER, 2009:784). THEREFORE THE KEY ELEMENTS OF BULLYING, IS AN IMBALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN
PEERS, AN INTENTIONAL ACT TO HARM TAKING PLACE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND CAN INCLUDE VARIOUS FORMS (OLWEUS,
1993:9-10; COLOROSSO, 2016:47). WHEREAS TEASING IS AN ANNOYING, PLAYFUL ACT AND NOT A REPEATED ACT THAT IS NOT
INTENDED TO HURT A PERSON, THOSE INVOLVED ALSO TEND TO BE EQUAL REGARDING SOCIAL POWER.

ACCORDING TO DONALD, LAZARUS AND MOOLLA (2015:270), LÖSEL AND BENDER (2014:60), AND WÖLFER AND SCHEITHAUER
(2014:309) BULLYING IS A SEVERE SOCIAL PROBLEM IN THE SCHOOL SETTING, AND THIS FORM OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR CAN BE
EXPRESSED IN MANY DIRECT AND INDIRECT WAYS, DIRECT FORMS TEND TO BE PHYSICAL IN NATURE, WHILE PSYCHOLOGICAL
FORMS TEND TO BE INDIRECT IN NATURE. A NEW FORM OF BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, USING MODERN COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGIES IN ACTS OF INTENTIONAL AND REPEATED HARM HAS ALSO BEEN IDENTIFIED (PAUL, SMITH & BLUMBERG, 2012:128;
SCHNEIDER, O’DONNEL & SMITH, 2015:611).

IN A SCHOOL SETTING, TEACHERS DO NOT ALWAYS RESPOND TO BULLYING AND SOMETIMES DO VERY LITTLE TO INTERVENE. AS
STATED IN THE NATIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY FRAMEWORK (NSSF) TEACHERS OFTEN DENY BULLYING AS “ONLY TEASING”, AND THE
NSSF NOTED AN ALARMING NUMBER, “BULLYING IS EXPERIENCED BY MORE THAN ONE IN TEN LEARNERS” (DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION, 2016:3,8). RESEARCH IN THE FREE STATE REVEALED THAT ALMOST 68% OF ALL LEARNERS AT SCHOOL ARE EXPOSED
TO BULLYING BEHAVIOUR (BRITTZ, 2016:298). ACCORDING TO THIS NUMBER THE IMPORTANCE TO ADDRESS BULLYING IN SOUTH
AFRICAN SCHOOLS COULD NOT BE EXPRESSED MORE. THE DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION (DBE) COMMITTED ADDRESSING
THIS ISSUE THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE NSSF. PREVENTING, MANAGING AND RESPONDING TO CREATE A SAFE SUPPORTIVE
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LEARNERS TO DEVELOP IN A SCHOOL COMMUNITY (DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, 2016:3).
 EXAMPLE OF THE INTRODUCTION
EXPOSURE TO REPETITIVE INSTANCES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MAY BE JUST AS TRAUMATISING FOR CHILDREN AS PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE OF MALTREATMENT (JAFFE, BAKER & CUNNINGHAM 2004: 30; LAUREN 2015: 1-3; LUBIT & GIARDINO 2014: 1-2; MOROZ
2005: 4-6; SCHEERINGA & GAENSBAUER 2000: 349-375). CHILDREN WHO WITNESS A THREAT TO THEIR CAREGIVERS OR SOMEONE
ELSE SHOW MORE FEAR AND AGGRESSION THAN CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCE THE EVENT THEMSELVES OR DID NOT WITNESS
SUCH EVENTS. IT IS THEREFORE POSSIBLE THAT EXPOSURE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, PARTICULARLY INTIMATE PARTNER
VIOLENCE (IPV) MAY LEAD TO BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES SIMILAR TO THOSE OF MALTREATED CHILDREN AND POST-TRAUMATIC
DYSREGULATION IN THE STRESS RESPONSE SYSTEM (BESSEL, VAN DER KOLK & MCFARLANE 2007; HOWELL, BARNES, MILLER &
GRAHAM-BERMANN 2016: 43-57; JAFFE ET AL 2004: 30-31; LANG & STOVER 2008: 619-629; SA HEALTHINFO 2005:1).

A JOINT STUDY PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND AND THE BODY SHOP REPORT (2006:11-12), AND THORNHILL
(2011:1) CONFIRM THE DAMAGING, LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES FOR CHILDREN EXPOSED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. DATA
GATHERED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD (133 COUNTRIES) AS DOCUMENTED IN BOTH THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD REPORT ON
VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN (2006) AND THE GLOBAL STATUS REPORT ON VIOLENCE PREVENTION (2014) CONSERVATIVELY
ESTIMATE THAT APPROXIMATELY 275 MILLION CHILDREN WERE EXPOSED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AT THE TIME, IRRESPECTIVE OF
LOCATION, RACIAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND, SOCIAL STATUS AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND.

THE HIGH FREQUENCY OF CHILDREN’S EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE IN THE HOME INVOLVING IPV, PARTICULARLY, HIGHLIGHTS THE
IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDING TO THE WELL-BEING OF THESE POSSIBLY TROUBLED CHILDREN. MENARD AND FAIRLEY (2012:5-7),
FOR THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, TOGETHER WITH THE WORLD REPORT ON VIOLENCE
AND HEALTH (KRUG, DAHLBERG, MERCY, ZWI & LOZANO 2002: 73), ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPACT ON THESE CHILDREN AND LINK
CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, WHO WITNESSED VIOLENCE BETWEEN THEIR PARENTS, TO FUTURE DYSFUNCTIONAL
RELATIONSHIPS IN THEIR OWN FAMILIES IN FUTURE. DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS IN THE HOME CAN BE CONSIDERED
CENTRAL TO THE DISINTEGRATION OF FAMILY LIFE (BROWN UNIVERSITY 2016: 1; RELATIONSHIPS AUSTRALIA 2015) AND IS ENDEMIC
TO MOST SOCIETIES IN THE WORLD.
EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM
STATEMENT
AS BULLYING IS A WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXPLORE TO WHAT EXTENT IT IS AN ISSUE IN SOUTH AFRICA AND WHICH FORMS OF
BULLYING SEEM TO BE MORE PROMINENT. FURTHERMORE, WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN WELL-DOCUMENTED SYSTEMIC REVIEWS OF INTERVENTIONS
INTERNATIONALLY BY CANTONE ET AL. (2015:66) AND TTOFI AND FARRINGTON (2010:26-61) SUCH AS THE OLWEUS BULLYING PREVENTION PROGRAMME
(NORWAY), STEPS TO RESPECT (USA), KIVA ANTIBULLYING PROGRAMME (FINLAND), FRIENDLY SCHOOLS (AUSTRALIA), PROMOTING ALTERNATIVE THINKING
STRATEGIES (SWITZERLAND), THE GREEK ANTIBULLYING PROGRAMME (GREECE), THE KIA KAHA PROGRAMME (NEW ZEELAND) AND MANY MORE, THERE DOES
NOT SEEM TO BE AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMME IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF SOUTH AFRICA.

APART FROM THE LACK OF DOCUMENTED PROGRAMMES IN SOUTH AFRICA, RESEARCH HAS OUTLINED A RANGE OF CONSEQUENCES RELATED WITH BULLY
VICTIMISATION, BYSTANDERS AND EVEN THE BULLY, AND HAS AN INFLUENCE ON A PERSON’S PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL STATE IN
ADDITION TO ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. AS STATED BY THE NSSF (DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, 2016:8) THESE CONSEQUENCES HAVE DEVALUED EFFECTS
ON A PERSON’S WELL-BEING AND PERFORMANCE. THE NSSF OUTLINED ALL POSSIBLE RISK FACTORS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, INDIVIDUAL FAMILY, SCHOOL
AND SOCIAL (DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. 2016:7). A SPEECH MADE BY THE MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION, MRS ANGIE MOTSHEKGA (2016), AT THE
CONGRESS OF SOUTH AFRICAN STUDENTS SCHOOL SAFETY SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTED A FEW INCREASED CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS DROP-OUT AND TRUANCY
RATES, SELF-CONFIDENCE AND LOW LEVELS OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. “LEARN WITHOUT FEAR,” WAS THE TOPIC OF THE MINISTERS SPEECH, AND THIS
STRESSES THE PROBLEM WE HAVE TO SOLVE.

APART FROM THE MINISTER’S SPEECH HIGHLIGHTING A HEALTHY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, STATISTICS ON SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IN SOUTH AFRICA,
REPORTED THAT 98% OF SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN, 7 TO 17 YEARS OF AGE, ATTEND SCHOOLS IN SOUTH AFRICA (HALL & DE LANNOY, 2016). WHEREAS THE
ATTENDANCE RATES DROPS SIGNIFICANTLY FOR SCHOOL ATTENDING CHILDREN FROM THE AGES OF 14 TO 18 YEARS. REASONS FOR DROPPING OUT OF
SCHOOL ACCORDING TO NAIDOO, SATORIUS, DE VRIES AND TAYLOR (2016:814), ARE MULTIFACTORIAL, BUT BULLYING AND VICTIMISATION IN SCHOOLS ARE
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO ADOLESCENCE DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOLS.

THE BULLYING PHENOMENA IN SOUTH AFRICA HAS LIMITED RESEARCH ON THE EXTENT, PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES AT PRIMARY LEVEL.
PREVIOUS RESEARCH IN SOUTH AFRICA FIXATED ON BULLYING RATHER THAN PREVENTING BULLYING. BULLYING IS MORE DOMINANT AMONG ADOLESCENTS,
MAYBE BECAUSE BULLYING IS NOT ADDRESSED AT PRIMARY LEVEL. RESEARCH DONE BY NAIDOO, SATORIUS, DE VRIES AND TAYLOR (2016:818-819) POINTS
OUT THE NEED OF A SCHOOL-BASED INTERVENTION PROGRAMME, REDUCING BULLYING. ALSO, THE IMPORTANCE TO START THIS TARGETED PROGRAMME AT
A YOUNGER AGE, AS TO EQUIP LEARNERS WITH SKILLS TO COMMUNICATE AND PREVENT BULLYING DURING ADOLESCENCE. THUS, THE CORE VALUES WOULD
BE INTRODUCED AT AN EARLY AGE.
 MARKING THE INTRODUCTION AND
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Not included, No Provides Poses a good Provides
vague or contextualizing of inadequate problem, but international and
Introduction/
irrelevant. the topic. Issues context for the limited national context
Background &
relevant to the study. international for the study.
Problem
study not context for the Issues central to
Statement Problem is
introduced. study. Some the study properly
somewhat
Problem poorly issues relevant to introduced.
aligned with topic
articulated and the study Problem is clearly
and title. Prior
not aligned with introduced. articulated and
research
topic and title. Problem aligned aligned with topic
referenced
with topic and and title. Provides
Does not put the related but not
title. Prior a clear roadmap
problem in a clear relevant to topic &
research on some to the study.
context. title.
aspects of the Present a very
problem interesting and
discussed briefly. compelling
problem.

0-1 2-3 4-6 7-8 9-10 /10

RATIONALE

• THE RATIONALE IS WHERE YOU DESCRIBE WHY YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE
TOPIC
• WHY THE RESEARCH IS REQUIRED
• HOW THE RESEARCH FITS INTO THE BROADER BODY OF KNOWLEDGE.
• GAPS IN THE LITERATURE WHICH IS NEEDED FOR THEORY BUILDING,
CHALLENGE BELIEFS OR PROVIDING NEW METHODOLOGICAL INSIGHTS
 EXAMPLE RATIONALE
BULLYING IS NOT NEW IN ANY SOCIAL COMMUNITY. AS THE BULLYING PHENOMENA SEEMS TO BE ON THE INCREASE, WE HAVE TO REFLECT ON
WHY THIS IS HAPPENING? WHAT SEEMS TO BE ENCOURAGING THE INCREASE OF THIS DELETERIOUS BEHAVIOUR OF BULLYING AND WHAT CAN
BE DONE ABOUT IT? THE PROBLEM STATEMENT HIGHLIGHTS SEVERAL FACTORS THAT ARE OF CONCERN NAMELY THE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS
OF BULLYING BEHAVIOUR FOR ALL INVOLVED (THE BULLY, VICTIM AND BYSTANDER), THE STATISTICS OF HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED
AND THE LACK OF COORDINATED EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE PANDEMIC. WE LIVE IN A TECHNOLOGICAL AGE, IN AN INTERCONNECTED GLOBAL
VILLAGE.

A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING ARE LINKED BY INTERNET CONNECTIONS AND THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE SMART
MOBILE DEVISES INCREASES, THE PRESENCE OF THE INTERNET’S ADVANTAGES ARE NOT WITHOUT DANGERS AND RISKS (PAYNE, 2014:11).
IMPARTING MESSAGES BY SPEAKING (VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL), WRITING OR USING SOME MEDIUM LIKE A SMART PHONE, THE COMPUTER,
ETC. THE CAUSE OF BULLYING IS IMMEASURABLE, BUT A SOCIAL PROBLEM THAT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO PREVENT. ANTIBULLYING
CAMPAIGNS ARE NOT NEW, IN SOUTH AFRICA, MASS MEDIA CAMPAIGNS ARE WIDELY USED TO EXPOSE HIGH PROPORTIONS OF LARGE
POPULATIONS TO MESSAGES THROUGH THE USE OF EXISTING MEDIA, SUCH AS TELEVISION, RADIO, FACEBOOK, AND NEWSPAPERS TO RAISE
AWARENESS AND STOP BULLYING. AN EXPOSURE TO SUCH MESSAGES ARE QUITE PASSIVE. ACCORDING TO BRADSHAW (2013:293) THESE
BRIEF TYPES OF RAISING AWARENESS DOES NOT CHANGE THE OUTCOME, EXTENDED PROGRAMMES ARE REQUIRED. PREVENTION
ACCORDING TO HAWKINS, JENSON, CATALANO, FRASER, BOTVIN, SHAPIR, BROWN, BEARDSLEE, BRENT, LESLEY, ROTHERAM-BORUS, SHEA,
SHIH, ANTHONY, HAGGARD, BENDER, GORMAN-SMITH, CASEY, AND STONE (2016:40) “IS THE BEST INVESTMENT WE CAN MAKE, AND THE TIME
TO MAKE IT IS NOW”. ANTI-BULLYING CAMPAIGNS SHOULD BE PRO-ACTIVE BY IMPLEMENTING, PREVENTING AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES
IN A SCHOOL-BASED SYSTEM. AS RECOMMENDED BY WOLHUTER AND RUSSO (2013:10) PEER-INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES SHOULD BE
DEVELOPED TO SUPPORT LEARNERS DEALING WITH MISBEHAVIOUR AND VIOLENCE, BULLYING, PRESENT IN THEIR LIVES.

THUS, MY RESEARCH WOULD BE ON A SCHOOL-BASED PREVENTION PROGRAMME, THE KIVA ANTIBULLYING PROGRAMME IN THE SOUTH
AFRICAN SCHOOL CONTEXT, THE SUCCESS OF PREVENTION, DEPENDING ON IMPLEMENTATION AS INTENDED AND IF SCHOOLS WOULD BE
ABLE TO WORK OUT A SYSTEM TO COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND TO IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING FOR ALL
CHILDREN (HAATAJA, 2016:57).
 MARKING OF THE RATIONALE
No rationale & Rationale & Anecdotal Anecdotal Gaps in the /5
significance significance not evidence evidence and research base or
Rationale & included. aligned with topic presented to limited research inadequacies of
Significance justify study. evidence prior research
Contribution to presented to pointed out.
knowledge or justify study. Research
practice stated Contribution to evidence
(Significance). knowledge and (suggestions from
practice partially other researchers)
stated and anecdotal
(Significance). evidence
presented to
justify study.

Original
contribution to
knowledge and
practice clearly
stated
(Significance).

0 2 3 4 5 /5
OBJECTIVES AND AIMS
• ACHIEVEMENT OF RESEARCH AIM PROVIDES ANSWER TO THE RESEARCH
QUESTION
• RESEARCH OBJECTIVES DIVIDE RESEARCH AIM INTO SEVERAL PARTS AND
ADDRESS EACH PART SEPARATELY
• RESEARCH AIM SPECIFIES WHAT NEEDS TO BE STUDIED AND RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES COMPRISE A NUMBER OF STEPS THAT ADDRESS HOW RESEARCH
AIM WILL BE ACHIEVED
• AS A RULE OF DUMB, THERE WOULD BE ONE RESEARCH AIM AND SEVERAL
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
EXAMPLE OF AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
THE BROAD AIM FOR THIS STUDY IS TO EXPLORE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BULLYING
PREVENTION THROUGH AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMME IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOL
CONTEXT. KIVA IS A PROGRAMME DESIGNED FOR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS, THIS STUDY
WOULD FOCUS ON THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE KIVA ANTIBULLYING PROGRAMME, AS THEIR
MAIN FOCUS IS TO PREVENT BULLYING FROM OCCURRING. PROVIDING TEACHERS, LEARNERS,
VICTIMS OF BULLYING AND BYSTANDERS, WITH TOOLS IN SUPPORTING THEM TO STOP
BULLYING FROM OCCURRING. AFFECTING THE WHOLE SCHOOL, WITH NECESSARY SKILLS
ADDRESSED TO PREVENT BULLYING AND ATTITUDE CHANGE AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
INTERVENTION PROGRAMME IN A SCHOOL. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH ARE:
• TO EXPLORE THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE KIVA ANTIBULLYING PROGRAMME;
• TO EXPLORE WHAT SKILLS ARE INCLUDED IN THE ANTIBULLYING PROGRAMME;
• TO EXPLORE IF THERE IS ANY ATTITUDE CHANGE REGARDING BULLYING BEHAVIOUR FROM
BEFORE THE INTERVENTION IS IMPLEMENTED TO AFTER THE INTERVENTION IS
IMPLEMENTED.
 EXAMPLE OF AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
• THE MAIN AIM OF THIS INVESTIGATION IS TO GAIN INSIGHT AND TO EXPLAIN THE IMPACT OF
EXPOSURE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IN PARTICULAR IPV, ON THE SOCIO-EDUCATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADOLESCENT.

SEVERAL OBJECTIVES CAN BE IDENTIFIED FOR THE STUDY. TO DETERMINE :

• BY MEANS OF A LITERATURE REVIEW, THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
• THE IMPACT OF EXPOSURE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, PARTIC ULARLY IPV, ON THE SOCIO-
EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ADOLESCENTS BY MEANS OF A LITERATURE STUDY AND
EMPIRICALLY
• HOW A SELECTED GROUP OF ADOLESCENTS EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
• HOW TO EMPOWER ADOLESCENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS TO ENHANCE THEIR SOCIO-
EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
 MARKING OF AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Research Not included, No Somewhat Aligned with Aligned with
aim(s)/goal( vague or alignment aligned with topic, title & topic, title &
s)/ Purpose irrelevant. with topic, topic, title & problem problem
statement/ title & problem statement. statement.
problem statement. Clearly Clear and
statement. Not aligned stated. unambiguou
Poorly with Partially s.
formulated. proposed aligned with Adequately
research proposed frame(s)
approach. research study.
approach. Aligned with
proposed
research
approach.

0 2 3 4 5 /5
CONSTRUCTING RESEARCH QUESTIONS: FIT
FOR PURPOSE
 PROCESS OF REFINING THE TOPIC INTO A QUESTION – DATA HAS TO BE
COLLECTED
 GOOD RESEARCH QUESTIONS ARE:
GROUNDED IN THE KNOWLEDGE BASE
RESEARCHABLE
IMPORTANT
NOT TOO WIDE
CONSTRUCTING RESEARCH
QUESTIONS: FIT FOR PURPOSE
• NARROW THE PURPOSE OF A STUDY
• RESTATE THE PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH
• POSE A QUESTION SO BEGIN WITH “HOW”, “WHAT” OR “WHY”
• CENTRAL QUESTIONS ARE OVERARCHING (PRIMARY)
• SUB-QUESTIONS REFINE THE CENTRAL QUESTION (SECONDARY)
CONSTRUCTING RESEARCH
QUESTIONS: FIT FOR PURPOSE
• FOCUS IS NOT THE SAME AS SUPERFICIAL
• IS THIS QUESTION RIGHT FOR ME?
• IS THE QUESTION RIGHT FOR THE FIELD?
• IS THE RESEARCH QUESTION WELL ARTICULATED?
• IS THE QUESTION DOABLE?
 EXAMPLE OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
IN TERMS OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED INTRODUCTORY ORIENTATION, THE FOLLOWING MAIN RESEARCH
QUESTION CAN BE FORMULATED:
• WHAT IMPACT DOES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IN PARTICULAR IPV, HAVE ON THE SOCIO- EDUCATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT OF ADOLESCENTS WHO ARE EXPOSED TO IT?

THE MAIN RESEARCH QUESTION ELICITS THE FOLLOWING SECONDARY QUESTIONS:

• WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS, NATURE AND THE SCOPE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS INDICATED BY
THE LITERATURE?
• WHAT IMPACT DOES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, PARTICULARLY IPV, HAVE ON THE SOCIO- EDUCATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADOLESCENTS WHO ARE EXPOSED TO IT?
• HOW DOES A SELECTED GROUP OF ADOLESCENTS EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
• HOW CAN ADOLESCENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS BE EMPOWERED AND THEIR SOCIO-
EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ENHANCED?
 EXAMPLE OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO EXPLORE THE KIVA ANTIBULLYING PROGRAMME AS AN
EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMME IN TWO PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE EDEN-CENTRAL KAROO DISTRICT
OF THE WESTERN CAPE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. IT WILL BE EXPLORING TO WHAT EXTEND
BULLYING CAN BE PREVENTED IN SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS. THE MAIN RESEARCH QUESTION TO BE
ADDRESSED IN THIS RESEARCH IS: “HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE KIVA ANTIBULLYING PROGRAMME IN
PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN SOUTH AFRICA”. THE SUB QUESTIONS ARE:
• WHAT ARE THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE KIVA ANTIBULLYING PROGRAMME?
• WHAT SKILLS ARE ADDRESSED BY THE ANTIBULLYING PROGRAMME?
• TO WHAT EXTEND IS THERE AN ATTITUDE CHANGE FROM BEFORE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
BULLYING PROGRAMME TO AFTER IMPLEMENTATION?
 MARKING OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Research Not included, No alignment Somewhat Aligned with Aligned with
question(s)/ vague or with topic, title & aligned with topic, title & topic, title,
Hypotheses irrelevant. problem topic, title & problem problem
statement. problem statement. statement and
Poorly statement. Not Clearly stated. research
formulated. aligned with Partially aligned purpose .
proposed with proposed Feasible, clear
research research and
approach. approach. unambiguous.
Aligned with
proposed
research
approach.
Provides
direction and
focus for study.

0 1-2 3 4 5 /5
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
Paradigm Not included or not Discussed in general Appropriate paradigm Appropriate paradigm Appropriate paradigm
appropriate but not linked to not discussed discussed but not in discussed in detail.
study. detail.

0 2 3 4 5 /5
Methodology Not included or not Discussed in general but Appropriate Appropriate research Appropriate
appropriate not linked to study. methodology but not methodology discussed methodology discussed
discussed but not in detail. in detail.

0 2 3 4 5 /5
Research methods Not included or not Discussed in general but Appropriate research Appropriate research Appropriate
appropriate not linked to study. method but not method discussed but methodology discussed
discussed. not in detail. in detail.

0 2 3 4 5 /5
Sampling Not included or not Discussed in general but Reference to sampling Appropriate sampling Appropriate sampling
appropriate not linked to study. technique technique proposed and technique proposed and
justified. justified.

0 2 3 4 5 /5
Instruments Not included or not Discussed in general but Appropriate data Data collection Appropriate data
appropriate not linked to study. collection strategies strategies. Linked to collection strategies
identified but not justified purpose statement and described and justified.
or linked to purpose research question(s)/ Linked to purpose
statement and research hypotheses.. statement and research
question(s)/ question(s)/ hypotheses.
hypotheses..

0 2 3 4 5 /5
Data collection Not included or not Discussed in general but Data collection Data collection Data collection
appropriate not linked to study. procedure discussed but procedure adequately procedure described in
not in detail. described. detail and covering all
aspects of procedures.

0 2 3 4 5 /5
Data analysis Not included or not Discussed in general but Reference to data Appropriate data Appropriate data
appropriate not linked to study. analysis procedure(s) analysis procedure(s) analysis procedure(s)
but not linked to study. proposed but not linked proposed and described.
to study.
 ASSIGNMENT 3 GUIDELINES
• PLEASE REFER TO THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY MODULE SITE
• MAKE USE OF SAGE RESEARCH METHODS. THE ROUTE TO THE SAGE RESEARCH METHODS
ONLINE DATABASE IS AS FOLLOWS:
• VISIT THE UNISA HOME PAGE
• CLICK ON LIBRARY
• CLICK ON FIND E-RESOURCES
• CLICK ON A - Z LIST OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES, AND THEN ON S IN A TO Z ALPHABET ACROSS
THE TOP OF THE PAGE
• SCROLL DOWN AND CLICK ON SAGE RESEARCH METHODS
• YOU WILL BE PROMPTED AT SOME STAGE FOR YOUR STUDENT NUMBER AND MYUNISA
PASSWORD (OR IN THE CASE OF A UNISA STAFF MEMBER, FOR YOUR UNISA NETWORK
USERNAME AND PASSWORD)
• TYPE IN YOUR SEARCH TERMS IN THE SEARCH: WINDOW AND CLICK ON THE BUTTON WITH THE
MAGNIFYING GLASS TO EXECUTE THE SEARCH, OR, CLICK ON ADVANCED SEARCH FOR MORE
SUBTLE SEARCH OPTIONS AND CLICK ON THE SEARCH BUTTON TO EXECUTE THE SEARCH
 RESEARCH DESIGN AND
METHODOLOGY GUIDELINES
Quantitative research
Paradigm: Post-positivist
Methodology: Quantitative
Research method, approach or strategy:
Survey research
Sampling/Participants: Random sampling
Instruments: Questionnaire
Data Collection process : Arriving at the
school, how long the completion of the
questionnaire will take
Data analysis: Descriptive statistics – what it
is, how it will be used an why
Qualitative research
Paradigm: Interpretivism
Methodology: Qualitative
Research method, approach or strategy: Case
Study
Sampling/Participants: Purposive sampling
Instruments: Interview
Data Collection process: Where will the
interview take place, when, how long
Data analysis: Thematic analysis -what it is,
how it will be used an why