'Joining the academic life': South African students who succeed at university despite not meeting standard entry requirements
- Vincent, Louise, Idahosa, Grace E
- Authors: Vincent, Louise , Idahosa, Grace E
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/141745 , vital:38001 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC159177
- Description: At present the Swedish points system is one of the main determinants of an applicant either being granted or refused entry into many South African higher education institutions (HEIs). Using a grounded theory approach, this article interprets the experiences of participants whose school performance and therefore university 'entry points' were lower than the expected norm. Despite not meeting standard university entry requirements, these students succeeded at university, completing their degrees in the minimum time available and going on to higher degrees. The journey of these participants - from low entry points to academic success - suggests that points based on school performance are not necessarily the best way of identifying students' potential to succeed in the contemporary South African educational context. If their entry points were not a good indication of their ability to thrive at university, the article asks, what is it about these participants that accounts for their success? And what implications does this have for South African practice, not only with regard to admissions policies but also in relation to the responsibilities of HEIs to students once they are admitted?
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Vincent, Louise , Idahosa, Grace E
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/141745 , vital:38001 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC159177
- Description: At present the Swedish points system is one of the main determinants of an applicant either being granted or refused entry into many South African higher education institutions (HEIs). Using a grounded theory approach, this article interprets the experiences of participants whose school performance and therefore university 'entry points' were lower than the expected norm. Despite not meeting standard university entry requirements, these students succeeded at university, completing their degrees in the minimum time available and going on to higher degrees. The journey of these participants - from low entry points to academic success - suggests that points based on school performance are not necessarily the best way of identifying students' potential to succeed in the contemporary South African educational context. If their entry points were not a good indication of their ability to thrive at university, the article asks, what is it about these participants that accounts for their success? And what implications does this have for South African practice, not only with regard to admissions policies but also in relation to the responsibilities of HEIs to students once they are admitted?
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
'On the fringes of society’ and ‘out of the closest’: a response to ‘Sexual/Textual Politics
- Authors: Spencer, Lynda G
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/139034 , vital:37698 , https://doi.org/10.1080/02589001.2014.983324
- Description: Gibson Ncube’s ‘Sexual/Textual Politics: Rethinking gender and sexuality in gay Moroccan literature’ focuses on an emerging body of gay literature that is developing within the larger framework of Moroccan literature. Ncube attempts to illustrate how the contemporary narratives of Rachid O. and Abdellah Taïa portray the quotidian experiences of minority sexualities who strive to exist in the hegemonic heteropatriarchies of Moroccan societies. These narratives challenge and destabilise the heteronormative ideals of Arab-Muslim communities and endeavour to offer alternative ways of thinking about marginalised sexualities in the public space. This analysis draws on the feminist underpinnings of Maria Pia Lara to argue that private gay narratives have the potential to re-imagine the public domain.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Spencer, Lynda G
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/139034 , vital:37698 , https://doi.org/10.1080/02589001.2014.983324
- Description: Gibson Ncube’s ‘Sexual/Textual Politics: Rethinking gender and sexuality in gay Moroccan literature’ focuses on an emerging body of gay literature that is developing within the larger framework of Moroccan literature. Ncube attempts to illustrate how the contemporary narratives of Rachid O. and Abdellah Taïa portray the quotidian experiences of minority sexualities who strive to exist in the hegemonic heteropatriarchies of Moroccan societies. These narratives challenge and destabilise the heteronormative ideals of Arab-Muslim communities and endeavour to offer alternative ways of thinking about marginalised sexualities in the public space. This analysis draws on the feminist underpinnings of Maria Pia Lara to argue that private gay narratives have the potential to re-imagine the public domain.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
'We must start with our own children’: reflectively researching intergenerational leadership for social justice, education, and sustainability
- Authors: Lotz-Sisitka, Heila
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437207 , vital:73353 , ISBN 978-9086862528 , https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-802-5_1
- Description: This paper was prepared today, 13 December 2013, for this book on ‘Intergenerational learning and transformative leader-ship for sustainable futures’, to be released in November 2014 at a World Conference to mark the end of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UN-DESD) in Nago-ya, Japan. The UNDESD was born in Johannesburg in 2002; it was an outcome of the Johannesburg Implementation Plan formulated by world leaders at the World Summit on Sustaina-ble Development, hosted by the South African government, building on the earlier Rio Earth Summit. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela attended the opening of the World Summit on Sus-tainable Development soon after he left office as the first dem-ocratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa. He passed away a week ago today, on 5 December 2013, at the age of 95. His life story is well known. I write here about his words ‘We must start with our own children’.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Lotz-Sisitka, Heila
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437207 , vital:73353 , ISBN 978-9086862528 , https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-802-5_1
- Description: This paper was prepared today, 13 December 2013, for this book on ‘Intergenerational learning and transformative leader-ship for sustainable futures’, to be released in November 2014 at a World Conference to mark the end of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UN-DESD) in Nago-ya, Japan. The UNDESD was born in Johannesburg in 2002; it was an outcome of the Johannesburg Implementation Plan formulated by world leaders at the World Summit on Sustaina-ble Development, hosted by the South African government, building on the earlier Rio Earth Summit. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela attended the opening of the World Summit on Sus-tainable Development soon after he left office as the first dem-ocratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa. He passed away a week ago today, on 5 December 2013, at the age of 95. His life story is well known. I write here about his words ‘We must start with our own children’.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A comparative photophysicochemical study of mono substituted phthalocyanines grafted onto silica nanoparticles
- Fashina, Adebayo, Antunes, Edith M, Nyokong, Tebello
- Authors: Fashina, Adebayo , Antunes, Edith M , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193844 , vital:45399 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1142/S1088424614500138"
- Description: In this study, we report on the covalent linking of carboxylic acid functionalized silica nanoparticles with zinc phthalocyanine mono-substituted non-peripherally and peripherally with either a 4-amino phenoxy (1, peripheral and 2, non-peripheral) or an amino group (3 peripheral). The grafting is achieved via the formation of an amide bond between the carboxylic acid of the silica nanoparticles and the amino group of the phthalocyanine complexes. The hybrid nanoparticles retained the amorphous nature of silica nanoparticles after conjugation. A slight decrease in fluorescence and a general improvement in triplet quantum yields compared to free Pcs were observed. Triplet lifetimes for 2-SiNPs and 3-SiNPs also improved when compared to the free phthalocyanine. The changes in singlet oxygen quantum yields upon conjugation were minimal.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Fashina, Adebayo , Antunes, Edith M , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/193844 , vital:45399 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1142/S1088424614500138"
- Description: In this study, we report on the covalent linking of carboxylic acid functionalized silica nanoparticles with zinc phthalocyanine mono-substituted non-peripherally and peripherally with either a 4-amino phenoxy (1, peripheral and 2, non-peripheral) or an amino group (3 peripheral). The grafting is achieved via the formation of an amide bond between the carboxylic acid of the silica nanoparticles and the amino group of the phthalocyanine complexes. The hybrid nanoparticles retained the amorphous nature of silica nanoparticles after conjugation. A slight decrease in fluorescence and a general improvement in triplet quantum yields compared to free Pcs were observed. Triplet lifetimes for 2-SiNPs and 3-SiNPs also improved when compared to the free phthalocyanine. The changes in singlet oxygen quantum yields upon conjugation were minimal.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A critical analysis of the tax consequences of debt reductons, in the context of insolvency, death and the liquidaton of a deceased estate
- Authors: Simango, Samuel
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54464 , vital:26567
- Description: The present research was conducted in an effort to address certain problems and a legal anomaly that is specifically related to the tax treatment of reduced debts stemming from the death or insolvency of natural persons in South Africa. At the beginning of 2013 the National Treasury enacted certain amendments to the debt reduction provisions of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 with the intention of streamlining the tax treatment of reduced debts and granting debt relief to financially distressed debtors. In spite of these recent amendments to the provisions of the Income Tax Act, there are certain problems and a legal anomaly which still currently relate to the tax consequences of reduced debts in South Africa. These problems and the legal anomaly are based on the failure of the recent amendments to successfully address debt reduction which arises in the context of the death and/or insolvency of natural persons. The objective of this research was therefore to analyse the tax consequences of reduced debts arising in the context of the death and the insolvency of natural persons and to explain how the problems and legal anomaly associated with these tax consequences can be rectified. The research design was qualitative within the framework of an interpretive paradigm. A mixed methodology approach was followed as identified in the Arthurs Report (1983), namely the interdisciplinary and the doctrinal methodologies. This approach encompassed two legal research methods namely the expository and legal reform research methods. The research explained the underlying nature of the tax consequences of reduced debts arising in the context of the death and the insolvency of natural persons and formulated specific reform measures aimed at remedying the problems and the legal anomaly that currently exist. Two amendments were proposed. It was proposed that the tax liability which arises when debts are reduced through the wills of deceased persons and the reduction of debts stemming from the insolvency of natural persons should be expressly excluded from falling within the ambit of the provisions which give rise to tax consequences whenever debt reduction takes place.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Simango, Samuel
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54464 , vital:26567
- Description: The present research was conducted in an effort to address certain problems and a legal anomaly that is specifically related to the tax treatment of reduced debts stemming from the death or insolvency of natural persons in South Africa. At the beginning of 2013 the National Treasury enacted certain amendments to the debt reduction provisions of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 with the intention of streamlining the tax treatment of reduced debts and granting debt relief to financially distressed debtors. In spite of these recent amendments to the provisions of the Income Tax Act, there are certain problems and a legal anomaly which still currently relate to the tax consequences of reduced debts in South Africa. These problems and the legal anomaly are based on the failure of the recent amendments to successfully address debt reduction which arises in the context of the death and/or insolvency of natural persons. The objective of this research was therefore to analyse the tax consequences of reduced debts arising in the context of the death and the insolvency of natural persons and to explain how the problems and legal anomaly associated with these tax consequences can be rectified. The research design was qualitative within the framework of an interpretive paradigm. A mixed methodology approach was followed as identified in the Arthurs Report (1983), namely the interdisciplinary and the doctrinal methodologies. This approach encompassed two legal research methods namely the expository and legal reform research methods. The research explained the underlying nature of the tax consequences of reduced debts arising in the context of the death and the insolvency of natural persons and formulated specific reform measures aimed at remedying the problems and the legal anomaly that currently exist. Two amendments were proposed. It was proposed that the tax liability which arises when debts are reduced through the wills of deceased persons and the reduction of debts stemming from the insolvency of natural persons should be expressly excluded from falling within the ambit of the provisions which give rise to tax consequences whenever debt reduction takes place.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A Flexible Approach for the Application of Immersive Audio to an Installation Performance:
- Gurdan, Robby, Foss, Richard
- Authors: Gurdan, Robby , Foss, Richard
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/426732 , vital:72387 , https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/28/4a/94/1113bd7074ad90/US8862755.pdf /
- Description: An apparatus for modifying a command message (CMD) received from a source apparatus to control a target device parameter of a target apparatus within a digital multimedia network, wherein a hierarchical parameter address (HPA) or a parameter value contained in said command message (CMD) is changed according to at least one change script to provide a modified command message (CMD′).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Gurdan, Robby , Foss, Richard
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/426732 , vital:72387 , https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/28/4a/94/1113bd7074ad90/US8862755.pdf /
- Description: An apparatus for modifying a command message (CMD) received from a source apparatus to control a target device parameter of a target apparatus within a digital multimedia network, wherein a hierarchical parameter address (HPA) or a parameter value contained in said command message (CMD) is changed according to at least one change script to provide a modified command message (CMD′).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A new approach to obesity for health journalism: fit not fat
- Authors: Dugmore, Harry
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/158620 , vital:40212 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC159484
- Description: Health journalism is a complicated beat. The science is easy to get wrong, and the tone and tenor of the reporting needs careful attention. Coverage of obesity is even more fraught. Early insights from an on-going research project by the Discovery Centre for Health Journalism suggests that not only is most journalism about obesity not helping - some reporting may inadvertently be making the situation worse. This needs to change. There is too much at stake for journalism about food, fat and fitness to be anything less than impactful and effective.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Dugmore, Harry
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/158620 , vital:40212 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC159484
- Description: Health journalism is a complicated beat. The science is easy to get wrong, and the tone and tenor of the reporting needs careful attention. Coverage of obesity is even more fraught. Early insights from an on-going research project by the Discovery Centre for Health Journalism suggests that not only is most journalism about obesity not helping - some reporting may inadvertently be making the situation worse. This needs to change. There is too much at stake for journalism about food, fat and fitness to be anything less than impactful and effective.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A Note on the (Continued) Ability of the Yield Curve to Forecast Economic Downturns in South Africa
- Authors: Botha, Ferdi , Keeton, Gavin
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/395994 , vital:69142 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1111/saje.12053"
- Description: In 2002-2003, the South African yield spread falsely signalled a downswing that never materialised. This paper provides two reasons for this false signal. First, while the Reserve Bank never actually officially declared the start of a downswing, by alternative measures a downswing did actually occur. It is this severe weakness in economic activity at that time that the yield curve pointed to. Second, short-term interest rates in 2003 were higher than they should have been because of a mistake made in measuring consumer price inflation. Because South Africa had recently introduced an inflation-targeting regime, policy interest rates were, as a result of this error, kept too high for too long. This policy mistake was rectified as soon as the error in the Consumer Price Index was discovered. Thus, the yield curve in 2003 pointed to the reality that short-term interest rates were too high and risked pushing the economy into full blown recession. This is demonstrated by the fact that it was a fall in long bond interest rates that caused the yield spread to turn negative, indicating expectations that short-term interest rates would need to be cut – as indeed they were.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Botha, Ferdi , Keeton, Gavin
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/395994 , vital:69142 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1111/saje.12053"
- Description: In 2002-2003, the South African yield spread falsely signalled a downswing that never materialised. This paper provides two reasons for this false signal. First, while the Reserve Bank never actually officially declared the start of a downswing, by alternative measures a downswing did actually occur. It is this severe weakness in economic activity at that time that the yield curve pointed to. Second, short-term interest rates in 2003 were higher than they should have been because of a mistake made in measuring consumer price inflation. Because South Africa had recently introduced an inflation-targeting regime, policy interest rates were, as a result of this error, kept too high for too long. This policy mistake was rectified as soon as the error in the Consumer Price Index was discovered. Thus, the yield curve in 2003 pointed to the reality that short-term interest rates were too high and risked pushing the economy into full blown recession. This is demonstrated by the fact that it was a fall in long bond interest rates that caused the yield spread to turn negative, indicating expectations that short-term interest rates would need to be cut – as indeed they were.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A promising biological control agent for the invasive alien plant, Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae), in South Africa
- Paterson, Iain D, Mdodana, Lumka A, Mpekula, Ongezwa, Mabunda, Bheki D, Hill, Martin P
- Authors: Paterson, Iain D , Mdodana, Lumka A , Mpekula, Ongezwa , Mabunda, Bheki D , Hill, Martin P
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/416806 , vital:71387 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2014.919439"
- Description: Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae) is an invasive alien plant from Central and South America that has become a problematic environmental weed in South Africa. A potential biological control agent, the stem-wilter, Catorhintha schaffneri Brailovsky and Garcia (Coreidae), was collected in southern Brazil and imported into quarantine in South Africa. Field host range data suggested that C. schaffneri has a host range restricted to P. aculeata. No-choice nymph survival tests were then conducted on 27 test plant species in 9 families. Survival to the adult stage was only recorded on P. aculeata and the closely related Pereskia grandifolia Haw. (Cactaceae). Mortality was significantly higher on P. grandifolia with only 3% of the nymphs reaching the adult stage compared with 74% on P. aculeata indicating that P. aculeata is the primary host plant. P. grandifolia is native in South America and is of no agricultural importance in South Africa so any feeding on P. grandifolia in South Africa would have no negative environmental or economic consequences. In other tests, adult survival on P. aculeata [25.8 days (SE ± 3.74)] was significantly longer than on other test plant species [4.3 days (SE ± 0.36)] further confirming the host specificity of the species. Impact studies conducted in quarantine indicated that C. schaffneri is damaging to P. aculeata, significantly reducing the number of leaves and the shoot lengths of plants, even at relatively low insect densities. C. schaffneri is safe for release in South Africa and is likely to be a damaging and effective agent.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Paterson, Iain D , Mdodana, Lumka A , Mpekula, Ongezwa , Mabunda, Bheki D , Hill, Martin P
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/416806 , vital:71387 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2014.919439"
- Description: Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae) is an invasive alien plant from Central and South America that has become a problematic environmental weed in South Africa. A potential biological control agent, the stem-wilter, Catorhintha schaffneri Brailovsky and Garcia (Coreidae), was collected in southern Brazil and imported into quarantine in South Africa. Field host range data suggested that C. schaffneri has a host range restricted to P. aculeata. No-choice nymph survival tests were then conducted on 27 test plant species in 9 families. Survival to the adult stage was only recorded on P. aculeata and the closely related Pereskia grandifolia Haw. (Cactaceae). Mortality was significantly higher on P. grandifolia with only 3% of the nymphs reaching the adult stage compared with 74% on P. aculeata indicating that P. aculeata is the primary host plant. P. grandifolia is native in South America and is of no agricultural importance in South Africa so any feeding on P. grandifolia in South Africa would have no negative environmental or economic consequences. In other tests, adult survival on P. aculeata [25.8 days (SE ± 3.74)] was significantly longer than on other test plant species [4.3 days (SE ± 0.36)] further confirming the host specificity of the species. Impact studies conducted in quarantine indicated that C. schaffneri is damaging to P. aculeata, significantly reducing the number of leaves and the shoot lengths of plants, even at relatively low insect densities. C. schaffneri is safe for release in South Africa and is likely to be a damaging and effective agent.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A reflection on the use of case studies as a methodology for social learning research in sub Saharan Africa
- Cundill, Georgina, Lotz-Sisitka, Heila, Mukute, Mutizwa, Belay, Million, Shackleton, Sheona E, Kulundu, Iinjairu
- Authors: Cundill, Georgina , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila , Mukute, Mutizwa , Belay, Million , Shackleton, Sheona E , Kulundu, Iinjairu
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/436636 , vital:73288 , ISBN 1573-5214 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2013.04.001
- Description: A recent review has highlighted that the methodology most commonly employed to research social learning has been the individual case study. We draw on four examples of social learning research in the environmental and sustainability sci-ences from sub-Saharan Africa to reflect on possible reasons behind the preponderance of case study research in this field, and to identify common elements that may be significant for social learning research more generally. We find that a com-mon interest in change oriented social learning, and therefore processes of change, makes case studies a necessary ap-proach because long term process analyses are required that are sensitive to social-ecological contexts. Common elements of the examples reflected upon included: a focus on initiating, tracking and/or understanding a process of change toward sustainability; long term research; an action research agenda that involves reflecting on data with research participants; and temporal, process based analysis of data coupled with in-depth theoretical analysis. This paper highlights that there is significant scope for exploratory research that compares case studies of social learning research to generate a deeper un-derstanding of social learning processes, and their relationship to human agency and societal change.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Cundill, Georgina , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila , Mukute, Mutizwa , Belay, Million , Shackleton, Sheona E , Kulundu, Iinjairu
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/436636 , vital:73288 , ISBN 1573-5214 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2013.04.001
- Description: A recent review has highlighted that the methodology most commonly employed to research social learning has been the individual case study. We draw on four examples of social learning research in the environmental and sustainability sci-ences from sub-Saharan Africa to reflect on possible reasons behind the preponderance of case study research in this field, and to identify common elements that may be significant for social learning research more generally. We find that a com-mon interest in change oriented social learning, and therefore processes of change, makes case studies a necessary ap-proach because long term process analyses are required that are sensitive to social-ecological contexts. Common elements of the examples reflected upon included: a focus on initiating, tracking and/or understanding a process of change toward sustainability; long term research; an action research agenda that involves reflecting on data with research participants; and temporal, process based analysis of data coupled with in-depth theoretical analysis. This paper highlights that there is significant scope for exploratory research that compares case studies of social learning research to generate a deeper un-derstanding of social learning processes, and their relationship to human agency and societal change.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A reflection on the use of case studies as a methodology for social learning research in sub Saharan Africa
- Cundill, Georgina, Lotz-Sisitka, Heila, 1965-, Mukute, Mutizwa, Ali, Million Belay, Shackleton, Sheona E, Kulundu-Bolus, Injairu M
- Authors: Cundill, Georgina , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila, 1965- , Mukute, Mutizwa , Ali, Million Belay , Shackleton, Sheona E , Kulundu-Bolus, Injairu M
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/182832 , vital:43884 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2013.04.001"
- Description: A recent review has highlighted that the methodology most commonly employed to research social learning has been the individual case study. We draw on four examples of social learning research in the environmental and sustainability sciences from sub-Saharan Africa to reflect on possible reasons behind the preponderance of case study research in this field, and to identify common elements that may be significant for social learning research more generally. We find that a common interest in change oriented social learning, and therefore processes of change, makes case studies a necessary approach because long term process analyses are required that are sensitive to social-ecological contexts. Common elements of the examples reflected upon included: a focus on initiating, tracking and/or understanding a process of change toward sustainability; long term research; an action research agenda that involves reflecting on data with research participants; and temporal, process based analysis of data coupled with in-depth theoretical analysis. This paper highlights that there is significant scope for exploratory research that compares case studies of social learning research to generate a deeper understanding of social learning processes, and their relationship to human agency and societal change.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Cundill, Georgina , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila, 1965- , Mukute, Mutizwa , Ali, Million Belay , Shackleton, Sheona E , Kulundu-Bolus, Injairu M
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/182832 , vital:43884 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2013.04.001"
- Description: A recent review has highlighted that the methodology most commonly employed to research social learning has been the individual case study. We draw on four examples of social learning research in the environmental and sustainability sciences from sub-Saharan Africa to reflect on possible reasons behind the preponderance of case study research in this field, and to identify common elements that may be significant for social learning research more generally. We find that a common interest in change oriented social learning, and therefore processes of change, makes case studies a necessary approach because long term process analyses are required that are sensitive to social-ecological contexts. Common elements of the examples reflected upon included: a focus on initiating, tracking and/or understanding a process of change toward sustainability; long term research; an action research agenda that involves reflecting on data with research participants; and temporal, process based analysis of data coupled with in-depth theoretical analysis. This paper highlights that there is significant scope for exploratory research that compares case studies of social learning research to generate a deeper understanding of social learning processes, and their relationship to human agency and societal change.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A response to the South African Jewish report and Ms Klazinga on "Jews unwelcome at Rhodes"
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: vital:7883 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016432
- Description: On 1 January 2014, the South African Jewish Report and Ms Larissa Klazinga made a number of unfounded claims and unsubstantiated allegations against Rhodes University. Stripped of the hysteria, lies and inaccuracies, the central claim made is that Rhodes University is hostile to Jews and seeks to be rid of Jews. We reject with contempt these baseless and self-serving claims and allegations of the South African Jewish Report and Klazinga. Rhodes is committed to an institutional culture that respects and promotes equity, human dignity and human rights, embraces difference and diversity and is comfortable for all people irrespective of ‘race’, gender, language, culture, nationality, sexual orientation and religion. Rhodes welcomes all and will continue to strive to be a Home for All.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: vital:7883 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016432
- Description: On 1 January 2014, the South African Jewish Report and Ms Larissa Klazinga made a number of unfounded claims and unsubstantiated allegations against Rhodes University. Stripped of the hysteria, lies and inaccuracies, the central claim made is that Rhodes University is hostile to Jews and seeks to be rid of Jews. We reject with contempt these baseless and self-serving claims and allegations of the South African Jewish Report and Klazinga. Rhodes is committed to an institutional culture that respects and promotes equity, human dignity and human rights, embraces difference and diversity and is comfortable for all people irrespective of ‘race’, gender, language, culture, nationality, sexual orientation and religion. Rhodes welcomes all and will continue to strive to be a Home for All.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A Study of grade 3 teachers' practices of developing learners' comprehension skills when teaching reading of isiXhosa in one selected junior primary school at Mdatsane in the Eastern cape: a case study
- Authors: Filita, Mandisa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Reading comprehension , Xhosa language , Teachers -- Training of -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26448 , vital:65318
- Description: The problem of reading in South African schools has attracted the growing attention of researchers in South Africa and the entire world. Learners’ inability to read isiXhosa with understanding has become of major concern to the teachers, parents and the DoE. The root of the problem has been identified as the ineffective teaching of reading of isiXhosa in the schools, which result in learners’ consequent inability to independently apply comprehension skills to learn from reading across the curriculum. Furthermore, systemic barriers that exist in the education system seem to be another reason for learners’ reading problems in isiXhosa. Also there is the problem of the inadequately trained teachers in the home language of learners (isiXhosa) as they seemingly lack capacity to develop learners’ literacy to effective levels. In addition, many learners come from deprived print environments where texts are seldom part of their daily experience. The main aim of this study was to interrogate the practices undertaken by teachers in trying to develop comprehension skills of learners when reading in isiXhosa and the value they attach to reading generally and to the reading of isiXhosa in particular. The support teachers get from relevant stakeholders was also considered. The overall approach used was a qualitative approach. The study was structured according to the case study mode of enquiry, using the interpretive paradigm. The sampling used was purposive as I purposefully selected grade 3 teachers, as grade 3 is an exit grade in foundation phase. Furthermore, convenience sampling was also used for easy access, as the research site was the school where I work. The instruments used for data collection were semi-structured interviews and observations that were conducted in one junior primary school in a township context with four grade 3 teachers. It was found that as much as teachers’ practices have a contributing effect on learners’ inability to read isiXhosa with understanding, there are also various other factors which multiply the problem. The study reveals the following main findings: Firstly, the teachers believe that reading is a very important skill that needs to be developed with learners as all other learning is based on it. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 2014
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Filita, Mandisa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Reading comprehension , Xhosa language , Teachers -- Training of -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26448 , vital:65318
- Description: The problem of reading in South African schools has attracted the growing attention of researchers in South Africa and the entire world. Learners’ inability to read isiXhosa with understanding has become of major concern to the teachers, parents and the DoE. The root of the problem has been identified as the ineffective teaching of reading of isiXhosa in the schools, which result in learners’ consequent inability to independently apply comprehension skills to learn from reading across the curriculum. Furthermore, systemic barriers that exist in the education system seem to be another reason for learners’ reading problems in isiXhosa. Also there is the problem of the inadequately trained teachers in the home language of learners (isiXhosa) as they seemingly lack capacity to develop learners’ literacy to effective levels. In addition, many learners come from deprived print environments where texts are seldom part of their daily experience. The main aim of this study was to interrogate the practices undertaken by teachers in trying to develop comprehension skills of learners when reading in isiXhosa and the value they attach to reading generally and to the reading of isiXhosa in particular. The support teachers get from relevant stakeholders was also considered. The overall approach used was a qualitative approach. The study was structured according to the case study mode of enquiry, using the interpretive paradigm. The sampling used was purposive as I purposefully selected grade 3 teachers, as grade 3 is an exit grade in foundation phase. Furthermore, convenience sampling was also used for easy access, as the research site was the school where I work. The instruments used for data collection were semi-structured interviews and observations that were conducted in one junior primary school in a township context with four grade 3 teachers. It was found that as much as teachers’ practices have a contributing effect on learners’ inability to read isiXhosa with understanding, there are also various other factors which multiply the problem. The study reveals the following main findings: Firstly, the teachers believe that reading is a very important skill that needs to be developed with learners as all other learning is based on it. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 2014
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
A study of South African computer users' password usage habits and attitude towards password security
- Authors: Friendman, Brandon
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Computers -- Access control -- Passwords , Computer users -- Attitudes , Internet -- Access control , Internet -- Security measures , Internet -- Management , Data protection
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4700
- Description: The challenge of having to create and remember a secure password for each user account has become a problem for many computer users and can lead to bad password management practices. Simpler and less secure passwords are often selected and are regularly reused across multiple user accounts. Computer users within corporations and institutions are subject to password policies, policies which require users to create passwords of a specified length and composition and change passwords regularly. These policies often prevent users from reusing previous selected passwords. Security vendors and professionals have sought to improve or even replace password authentication. Technologies such as multi-factor authentication and single sign-on have been developed to complement or even replace password authentication. The objective of the study was to investigate the password habits of South African computer and internet users. The aim was to assess their attitudes toward password security, to determine whether password policies a↵ect the manner in which they manage their passwords and to investigate their exposure to alternate authentication technologies. The results from the online survey demonstrated that password practices of the participants across their professional and personal contexts were generally insecure. Participants often used shorter, simpler and ultimately less secure passwords. Participants would try to memorise all of their passwords or reuse the same password on most of their accounts. Many participants had not received any security awareness training, and additional security technologies (such as multi-factor authentication or password managers) were seldom used or provided to them. The password policies encountered by the participants in their organisations did little towards encouraging the users to apply more secure password practices. Users lack the knowledge and understanding about password security as they had received little or no training pertaining to it.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Friendman, Brandon
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Computers -- Access control -- Passwords , Computer users -- Attitudes , Internet -- Access control , Internet -- Security measures , Internet -- Management , Data protection
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4700
- Description: The challenge of having to create and remember a secure password for each user account has become a problem for many computer users and can lead to bad password management practices. Simpler and less secure passwords are often selected and are regularly reused across multiple user accounts. Computer users within corporations and institutions are subject to password policies, policies which require users to create passwords of a specified length and composition and change passwords regularly. These policies often prevent users from reusing previous selected passwords. Security vendors and professionals have sought to improve or even replace password authentication. Technologies such as multi-factor authentication and single sign-on have been developed to complement or even replace password authentication. The objective of the study was to investigate the password habits of South African computer and internet users. The aim was to assess their attitudes toward password security, to determine whether password policies a↵ect the manner in which they manage their passwords and to investigate their exposure to alternate authentication technologies. The results from the online survey demonstrated that password practices of the participants across their professional and personal contexts were generally insecure. Participants often used shorter, simpler and ultimately less secure passwords. Participants would try to memorise all of their passwords or reuse the same password on most of their accounts. Many participants had not received any security awareness training, and additional security technologies (such as multi-factor authentication or password managers) were seldom used or provided to them. The password policies encountered by the participants in their organisations did little towards encouraging the users to apply more secure password practices. Users lack the knowledge and understanding about password security as they had received little or no training pertaining to it.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Accounting student's success factors: an exploratory investigation
- Authors: Stack, Elizabeth M
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/2134 , vital:20258
- Description: This presentation is aimed at identifying possible success factors leading to the success of students studying accounting, as well as to hightlight some of the problems they may face.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Stack, Elizabeth M
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/2134 , vital:20258
- Description: This presentation is aimed at identifying possible success factors leading to the success of students studying accounting, as well as to hightlight some of the problems they may face.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Activated carbon from lignocellulosic waste residues: effect of activating agent on porosity characteristics and use as adsorbents for organic species
- Olorundare, O F, Okonkwo, J O, Msagati, T A M, Mamba, Bhekie B, Krause, Rui W M
- Authors: Olorundare, O F , Okonkwo, J O , Msagati, T A M , Mamba, Bhekie B , Krause, Rui W M
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/125233 , vital:35748 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-014-1876-2
- Description: This paper reports on the effect of activating agents such as the impregnation ratio of phosphoric acid (1:1–1:5) at constant activation temperature on the performance of porous activated carbon from waste residues (maize tassel). The variation in the impregnation ratio of the produced activated carbon (AC) from 1:1 to 1:5 enabled the preparation of a high surface area (1,263 m2/g) and a large pore volume (1.592 cm3/g) of AC produced from maize tassel (MT) using a convectional chemical activating agent (phosphoric acid). Impregnation ratios (IR) of the precursors were varied between 1:1 and 1:5 in which it was found that the ratio of 1:4 was optimal based on the high surface area, while 1:5 has the optimal pore volume value for the produced activated carbon.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Olorundare, O F , Okonkwo, J O , Msagati, T A M , Mamba, Bhekie B , Krause, Rui W M
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/125233 , vital:35748 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-014-1876-2
- Description: This paper reports on the effect of activating agents such as the impregnation ratio of phosphoric acid (1:1–1:5) at constant activation temperature on the performance of porous activated carbon from waste residues (maize tassel). The variation in the impregnation ratio of the produced activated carbon (AC) from 1:1 to 1:5 enabled the preparation of a high surface area (1,263 m2/g) and a large pore volume (1.592 cm3/g) of AC produced from maize tassel (MT) using a convectional chemical activating agent (phosphoric acid). Impregnation ratios (IR) of the precursors were varied between 1:1 and 1:5 in which it was found that the ratio of 1:4 was optimal based on the high surface area, while 1:5 has the optimal pore volume value for the produced activated carbon.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy in children in Zimbabwe: a randomized control trial to validate a new self-reported adherence monitoring tool
- Authors: Mugore, Linnetie
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54734 , vital:26607
- Description: Background: Among children taking antiretroviral therapy (ART), self-reports have been widely reported to over-estimate adherence levels. Pill count adherence levels are often lower than self-reported levels, with unannounced home pill count adherence being lower than facility based pill count adherence. There is often poor agreement between pill count adherence levels and those measured using other objective adherence measuring methods such as Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS®), which is widely viewed as the gold standard for adherence measurement. Objectives: The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a new self-reported paediatric adherence monitoring tool, assess the feasibility of using pill count methods in monitoring adherence and identify challenges to reporting adherence among children on ART in rural and urban Zimbabwe. Methods A dual centre, superiority, parallel design RCT was conducted to evaluate the newly-developed visually- and verbally-cued „past 10 days‟ tool for the assessment of adherence in children on ART at two sites in Zimbabwe; Harare Central Children‟s Hospital in an urban setting, and Murambinda Mission Hospital, a rural site. Child-caregiver pairs presenting to one of these facilities for the child‟s review of ART and refill of the medication were recruited, signed informed consent obtained, and were randomised for self-reported adherence monitoring into either the experimental group („new 10-day tool‟) or the control group („PACTG-style‟ self-report tool). Data (demographic, socioeconomic, and reported adherence) were collected in individual interviews with child-caregiver pairs. Additional adherence monitoring methods used for both groups included the Morisky-8-Item Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and a facility based pill count. FGDs were held with groups of caregivers and groups of children ≥13 years of age to understand reasons for non-adherence as well as issues around reporting non-adherence. Superiority testing was conducted by comparing adherent proportions and their confidence intervals (95% CI). Further concurrent validity test was done using the Mann-Whitney U test to evaluate the relationship between the new tool and the MMAS-8 scores. Agreement between the child and caregiver reports of adherence was used as a test of reliability of the new tool using the kappa statistic. Socio-demographic, clinical and care-related factors associated with adherence were identified using reported adherence in both child and caregiver groups in a logistic regression model. Two pill count methods were assessed for feasibility using the proportions of children with complete data for calculating adherence levels, and their CI and a comparison of the two methods, a routinely-used method and one that incorporated the reported residual quantity (RRQ) of medication at last refill. Results : Analysis included 245 child-caregiver pairs, 123 in the experimental group and 122 in the control group. The median age for children was 9 years. In the experimental group, adherence by caregiver and child reports ranged from 94.3% - 98.4% and 78.4% - 96.1%, and those in the control group ranged from 89.2% - 97.5% and 71.2% - 98.1%, respectively. There was no significant difference between adherence levels in the two groups. Adherence levels measured by both the experimental and control tools were found to be associated with MMAS-8 adherence levels (p <0.05). Agreement between child- and caregiver-reported adherence was moderate though significant (kappa; 0.407, p <0.05). Only about half of the children had adequate data to compute pill counts. Proportions adherent at 95% cut-off were 39% by the „routine pill count‟ and 58% by the „Pill count RRQ‟. Being an orphan was associated with child reported-adherence whereas use of non-human reminders, having a maternal relative as a primary caregiver and knowledge of dose frequency, were all associated with caregiver-reported adherence. Major causes of non-adherence mentioned during the FGDs included interference of medication administration times with scheduling of routine socio-economic activities and lack of support from some non-biological caregivers. Reporting of non-adherence appeared to be hampered by perceptions of negative reactions by healthcare workers to these reports and by caregivers being unaware that the child missed some doses. Conclusions: The „new 10-day tool‟ was not shown to be superior to the „PACTG-style tool‟ in detecting non-adherence, however this new tool was found to be a valid and reliable adherence monitoring tool that included a moderately long recall period of 10 days, can be applied without the need for the respondent to remember names of individual medicines in the
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Mugore, Linnetie
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54734 , vital:26607
- Description: Background: Among children taking antiretroviral therapy (ART), self-reports have been widely reported to over-estimate adherence levels. Pill count adherence levels are often lower than self-reported levels, with unannounced home pill count adherence being lower than facility based pill count adherence. There is often poor agreement between pill count adherence levels and those measured using other objective adherence measuring methods such as Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS®), which is widely viewed as the gold standard for adherence measurement. Objectives: The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a new self-reported paediatric adherence monitoring tool, assess the feasibility of using pill count methods in monitoring adherence and identify challenges to reporting adherence among children on ART in rural and urban Zimbabwe. Methods A dual centre, superiority, parallel design RCT was conducted to evaluate the newly-developed visually- and verbally-cued „past 10 days‟ tool for the assessment of adherence in children on ART at two sites in Zimbabwe; Harare Central Children‟s Hospital in an urban setting, and Murambinda Mission Hospital, a rural site. Child-caregiver pairs presenting to one of these facilities for the child‟s review of ART and refill of the medication were recruited, signed informed consent obtained, and were randomised for self-reported adherence monitoring into either the experimental group („new 10-day tool‟) or the control group („PACTG-style‟ self-report tool). Data (demographic, socioeconomic, and reported adherence) were collected in individual interviews with child-caregiver pairs. Additional adherence monitoring methods used for both groups included the Morisky-8-Item Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and a facility based pill count. FGDs were held with groups of caregivers and groups of children ≥13 years of age to understand reasons for non-adherence as well as issues around reporting non-adherence. Superiority testing was conducted by comparing adherent proportions and their confidence intervals (95% CI). Further concurrent validity test was done using the Mann-Whitney U test to evaluate the relationship between the new tool and the MMAS-8 scores. Agreement between the child and caregiver reports of adherence was used as a test of reliability of the new tool using the kappa statistic. Socio-demographic, clinical and care-related factors associated with adherence were identified using reported adherence in both child and caregiver groups in a logistic regression model. Two pill count methods were assessed for feasibility using the proportions of children with complete data for calculating adherence levels, and their CI and a comparison of the two methods, a routinely-used method and one that incorporated the reported residual quantity (RRQ) of medication at last refill. Results : Analysis included 245 child-caregiver pairs, 123 in the experimental group and 122 in the control group. The median age for children was 9 years. In the experimental group, adherence by caregiver and child reports ranged from 94.3% - 98.4% and 78.4% - 96.1%, and those in the control group ranged from 89.2% - 97.5% and 71.2% - 98.1%, respectively. There was no significant difference between adherence levels in the two groups. Adherence levels measured by both the experimental and control tools were found to be associated with MMAS-8 adherence levels (p <0.05). Agreement between child- and caregiver-reported adherence was moderate though significant (kappa; 0.407, p <0.05). Only about half of the children had adequate data to compute pill counts. Proportions adherent at 95% cut-off were 39% by the „routine pill count‟ and 58% by the „Pill count RRQ‟. Being an orphan was associated with child reported-adherence whereas use of non-human reminders, having a maternal relative as a primary caregiver and knowledge of dose frequency, were all associated with caregiver-reported adherence. Major causes of non-adherence mentioned during the FGDs included interference of medication administration times with scheduling of routine socio-economic activities and lack of support from some non-biological caregivers. Reporting of non-adherence appeared to be hampered by perceptions of negative reactions by healthcare workers to these reports and by caregivers being unaware that the child missed some doses. Conclusions: The „new 10-day tool‟ was not shown to be superior to the „PACTG-style tool‟ in detecting non-adherence, however this new tool was found to be a valid and reliable adherence monitoring tool that included a moderately long recall period of 10 days, can be applied without the need for the respondent to remember names of individual medicines in the
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Adolescent pregnancy: a community engaged participatory approach to design and implement an educational intervention
- Authors: Siruma, Amanda Tatenda
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MPharm
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54656 , vital:26597
- Description: Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 focuses on improving maternal health, due to global acknowledgment that no woman should have to die as a result of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Adolescents have an increased risk of maternal death compared with older women. Adolescent pregnancy also poses a threat to the empowerment of young girls by mitigating their physical, educational, social, and economic development. In this context, maternal health promotion strategies which inclusively target adolescents are crucial, not only in improving maternal health outcomes, but also in optimising the overall transition of adolescent girls to adulthood. This study was a first time collaborative partnership of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Community Engagement Office of Rhodes University with the Angus Gillis Foundation (a non-profit community development organisation), and community participants of Glenmore and Ndwayana, two rural communities in the Eastern Cape. The aim of this study was to identify the maternal health issue of most concern to community participants and to design and implement an appropriate educational intervention for a suitable target group. During the baseline phase of this study, ten focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 76 community stakeholders. Semi-structured interviews (SSIs) were conducted with two Sisters-in-Charge from each Primary Health Care (PHC) facility in the study setting. Data on the stock status of World Health Organization (WHO) identified lifesaving priority medicines for women’s health was also collected at both PHCs. Thereafter, pre- and posteducational interventions SSIs with female adolescent participants were conducted. The educational intervention was followed up with the development of a booklet on reproductive health. FGD participants identified adolescent pregnancy as the maternal health issue of most concern. They also highlighted challenges in service delivery of ambulance services for expectant mothers in urgent need of transportation to a referral hospital. A majority of preintervention SSI participants indicated coercion from both younger and older men as a factor influencing early sexual debut amongst adolescent girls in their communities. Despite availability in the PHCs, challenges in accessing contraceptives were highlighted by the participants. Additionally, a number of sexually active adolescent girls defaulted on their next allocated visit to the PHC due to myths regarding use of oral and injectable contraceptives. During the educational intervention sessions, participants recognised knowledge gaps regarding reproductive health issues and the influence of peer pressure as constraining factors in preventing adolescent pregnancy. During the post-intervention phase, participants highlighted that the educational intervention of this study had provided a forum to discuss ways of preventing adolescent pregnancy. The educational booklet developed is intended to serve as a resource tool of the educational programme on prevention of adolescent pregnancy, which is expected to be incorporated into the Angus Gillis Foundation’s existing ‘Positive Health’ Programme. The results of this study show that community-based participatory research facilitated the identification of the maternal health issue of most concern to these communities. Working synergistically with key stakeholders in designing and implementing an educational intervention for preventing adolescent pregnancy provides a good foundation for future up scaling and sustainability of this educational programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Siruma, Amanda Tatenda
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MPharm
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54656 , vital:26597
- Description: Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 focuses on improving maternal health, due to global acknowledgment that no woman should have to die as a result of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Adolescents have an increased risk of maternal death compared with older women. Adolescent pregnancy also poses a threat to the empowerment of young girls by mitigating their physical, educational, social, and economic development. In this context, maternal health promotion strategies which inclusively target adolescents are crucial, not only in improving maternal health outcomes, but also in optimising the overall transition of adolescent girls to adulthood. This study was a first time collaborative partnership of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Community Engagement Office of Rhodes University with the Angus Gillis Foundation (a non-profit community development organisation), and community participants of Glenmore and Ndwayana, two rural communities in the Eastern Cape. The aim of this study was to identify the maternal health issue of most concern to community participants and to design and implement an appropriate educational intervention for a suitable target group. During the baseline phase of this study, ten focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 76 community stakeholders. Semi-structured interviews (SSIs) were conducted with two Sisters-in-Charge from each Primary Health Care (PHC) facility in the study setting. Data on the stock status of World Health Organization (WHO) identified lifesaving priority medicines for women’s health was also collected at both PHCs. Thereafter, pre- and posteducational interventions SSIs with female adolescent participants were conducted. The educational intervention was followed up with the development of a booklet on reproductive health. FGD participants identified adolescent pregnancy as the maternal health issue of most concern. They also highlighted challenges in service delivery of ambulance services for expectant mothers in urgent need of transportation to a referral hospital. A majority of preintervention SSI participants indicated coercion from both younger and older men as a factor influencing early sexual debut amongst adolescent girls in their communities. Despite availability in the PHCs, challenges in accessing contraceptives were highlighted by the participants. Additionally, a number of sexually active adolescent girls defaulted on their next allocated visit to the PHC due to myths regarding use of oral and injectable contraceptives. During the educational intervention sessions, participants recognised knowledge gaps regarding reproductive health issues and the influence of peer pressure as constraining factors in preventing adolescent pregnancy. During the post-intervention phase, participants highlighted that the educational intervention of this study had provided a forum to discuss ways of preventing adolescent pregnancy. The educational booklet developed is intended to serve as a resource tool of the educational programme on prevention of adolescent pregnancy, which is expected to be incorporated into the Angus Gillis Foundation’s existing ‘Positive Health’ Programme. The results of this study show that community-based participatory research facilitated the identification of the maternal health issue of most concern to these communities. Working synergistically with key stakeholders in designing and implementing an educational intervention for preventing adolescent pregnancy provides a good foundation for future up scaling and sustainability of this educational programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Adolescent pregnancy: A feminist issue
- Authors: Macleod, Catriona I
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/434360 , vital:73051 , ISBN 978-1-4899-8025-0 , https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4899-8026-7_6
- Description: Pregnancy and mothering are enduring and central concerns of feminism. DiQuinzo (1999) sums this up in stating that “mothering is both an important site at which the central concepts of feminist theory are elaborated and a site at which these concepts are challenged and reworked.” Stephens (2004) argues, ‘…reproduction and mothering are central to theories of patriarchy and women’s unequal position in Western society…Childbirth can paradoxically be seen as both a cause of women’s subordinate position in society and a means of empowerment.’ Yet, despite the pivotal nature of pregnancy and mothering in feminist literature, there has been surprisingly little direct engagement by feminists in the area of ‘adolescent pregnancy.’ The engagement that there has been is a whisper in relation to the plethora of public health, medical, and psychological writings on ‘adolescent pregnancy.’ The feminists who have engaged with ‘adolescent pregnancy’ have, from their initial engagement and to varying degrees, tried to undermine simple interpretations of ‘adolescent pregnancy’ as a social problem and to link micro- and macro-level gender relations to occurrence of, and responses to, ‘adolescent pregnancy.’ Thus, for example, in the 1980s, Chilman (1985) asserted, ‘Sexism particularly afflicts programs and policies for these young people [unmarried teenage parents] as well as the behaviors that lead up to their becoming unmarried parents.’ In the 1990s, Pillow (1997), using a combination of feminist and postmodern theory, argued that ‘teen research and policy interventions can be understood as entrenched in the dilemmas of modernism, resulting often in normative assumptions that reflect our paradoxical attitudes and practices concerning female sexuality.’ More recently, Wilson and Huntington (2005) observed ‘adolescent pregnancy’ at a time when rates of fertility among young women are decreasing in ‘Western’ societies is ‘underpinned by changing social and political imperatives regarding the role of women in these countries.’
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Macleod, Catriona I
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/434360 , vital:73051 , ISBN 978-1-4899-8025-0 , https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4899-8026-7_6
- Description: Pregnancy and mothering are enduring and central concerns of feminism. DiQuinzo (1999) sums this up in stating that “mothering is both an important site at which the central concepts of feminist theory are elaborated and a site at which these concepts are challenged and reworked.” Stephens (2004) argues, ‘…reproduction and mothering are central to theories of patriarchy and women’s unequal position in Western society…Childbirth can paradoxically be seen as both a cause of women’s subordinate position in society and a means of empowerment.’ Yet, despite the pivotal nature of pregnancy and mothering in feminist literature, there has been surprisingly little direct engagement by feminists in the area of ‘adolescent pregnancy.’ The engagement that there has been is a whisper in relation to the plethora of public health, medical, and psychological writings on ‘adolescent pregnancy.’ The feminists who have engaged with ‘adolescent pregnancy’ have, from their initial engagement and to varying degrees, tried to undermine simple interpretations of ‘adolescent pregnancy’ as a social problem and to link micro- and macro-level gender relations to occurrence of, and responses to, ‘adolescent pregnancy.’ Thus, for example, in the 1980s, Chilman (1985) asserted, ‘Sexism particularly afflicts programs and policies for these young people [unmarried teenage parents] as well as the behaviors that lead up to their becoming unmarried parents.’ In the 1990s, Pillow (1997), using a combination of feminist and postmodern theory, argued that ‘teen research and policy interventions can be understood as entrenched in the dilemmas of modernism, resulting often in normative assumptions that reflect our paradoxical attitudes and practices concerning female sexuality.’ More recently, Wilson and Huntington (2005) observed ‘adolescent pregnancy’ at a time when rates of fertility among young women are decreasing in ‘Western’ societies is ‘underpinned by changing social and political imperatives regarding the role of women in these countries.’
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Advantages of using development models of the carrion beetles Thanatophilus micans (Fabricius) and T. mutilatus (Castelneau)(Coleoptera Silphidae) for estimating minimum post mortem intervals, verified with case data
- Ridgeway, Jaryd A, Midgley, John M, Collett, Isabel J, Villet, Martin H
- Authors: Ridgeway, Jaryd A , Midgley, John M , Collett, Isabel J , Villet, Martin H
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/441737 , vital:73911 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-013-0865-0
- Description: Some beetles are as useful as blow flies for estimating the minimum post mortem interval (PMImin) or time since death. Examples include Thanatophilus micans (Fabricius) and Thanatophilus mutilatus (Castelneau), two geographically and ecologically overlapping African beetles. Molecular means of identifying these species, descriptions of their natural history, thermal summation models for the development of each species, and a case in which T. micans was recovered are presented. These beetles colonise bodies soon after death, their development spans more time than that of flies, and they may be little affected by maggot-generated heat. From an experimental perspective, they can be reared individually, which allows the identification of sick individuals and has analytical advantages relative to fly larvae that must be reared in groups. Estimating minimum post mortem intervals for both species using the case data strongly suggests that developmental models parameterised for one species should not be used to make forensic estimates for closely related species for which no specific model is available and emphasises the need for correct identifications.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Ridgeway, Jaryd A , Midgley, John M , Collett, Isabel J , Villet, Martin H
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/441737 , vital:73911 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-013-0865-0
- Description: Some beetles are as useful as blow flies for estimating the minimum post mortem interval (PMImin) or time since death. Examples include Thanatophilus micans (Fabricius) and Thanatophilus mutilatus (Castelneau), two geographically and ecologically overlapping African beetles. Molecular means of identifying these species, descriptions of their natural history, thermal summation models for the development of each species, and a case in which T. micans was recovered are presented. These beetles colonise bodies soon after death, their development spans more time than that of flies, and they may be little affected by maggot-generated heat. From an experimental perspective, they can be reared individually, which allows the identification of sick individuals and has analytical advantages relative to fly larvae that must be reared in groups. Estimating minimum post mortem intervals for both species using the case data strongly suggests that developmental models parameterised for one species should not be used to make forensic estimates for closely related species for which no specific model is available and emphasises the need for correct identifications.
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- Date Issued: 2014