An investigation into outsider sculpture with special reference to D.C. van der Mescht
- Authors: Cowley, Kerstin
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: Outsider art Art -- South Africa Sculptors -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MFA
- Identifier: vital:2477 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1010608
- Description: It was both by luck and by accident that Dirk Charley van der Mescht's creations were discovered as a topic for research ... a recluse who lived out in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. It was said of this man that he was a strange person who produced even stranger works. On investigation it was discovered that he was an Outsider sculptor by the name of D. C. van der Mescht. He and his family live at a small railway siding, known as Zuney, eighteen kilometres west of Alexandria. Isolated, uneducated and untutored, he had created an environment of sculptures for no apparent reason at all. The only explanation he appeared to be able to offer is that: he just does it. Intro. p. 1.
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- Date Issued: 1991
History resource materials in Transkei senior secondary schools : their availability and use
- Authors: Flatela, Andile Thaddeus L L
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: History -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Transkei Experiential learning -- Education (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Transkei Teaching -- Methodology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1556 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003438
- Description: This dissertation, which was motivated by high failure rate in senior secondary history, is primarily an attempt at identifying some of the possible causes for poor performance in high school history in Transkei schools. One possible cause of the weak performance was identified as outmoded teaching methods which were encouraged by lack of adequate facilities and resources for history teaching and learning. The investigation took the form of a survey of both human and material resources in 30 of the then 210 senior secondary schools in Transkei. The survey questionnaire, which was directed to history teachers, covered aspects on personal information about the teachers, material resources and facilities for teaching history, and teaching methods related to history teaching. A total of 55 teachers responded to the questionnaire. The survey included all the three senior secondary school class levels, that is standard 8, 9 and 10. By looking at the nature of history as a discipline and the way in which students learn, it was discovered that at school level history could be learnt best through the 'experiential' approach. This is mainly because in dealing with time-past as it has to, history usually comes up with 'strange' concepts which cannot be easily grasped by present-day senior secondary teenagers. This is because understanding of historical concepts tends to develop slower than would generally be expected, unless it is re-enforced. In Transkei schools this problem of concepts understanding is made worse by the foreign language medium (English) in which the subject is taught. It is felt that these constraints could be partly aleviated with the use of audio-visual aids and self-activity teaching methods. However, this study revealed a gross inadequacy not only in facilities for teaching history but also of both human and material resources. This automatically discourages the 'new history' approach and teachers (most of whom are underqualified) tend to cling to the old-style lecture-textbook method to the detriment of their students. This study suggests that to improve this situation it is essential to upgrade both pre-service and in-service teachers' academic and professional standards. In addition history facilities and audio-visual materials should be generously supplied to afford ample opportunities for pupil activity. This then would be line with modern history teaching theories and, hopefully, would improve performance in history in this region.
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- Date Issued: 1991
The evaluation of qualitative examination questions at matriculation level in physics
- Authors: Dixon, Charles Harwood
- Date: 1990
- Subjects: Physics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) , Physics -- Examinations, questions, etc.
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1373 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001439
- Description: The style and format of Physics examination papers has changed markedly over the past hundred years. Physics was regarded formerly as a sub-division of Mathematics; hence, apart from giving formal statements of scientific laws, and some account of experimental procedures, examination candidates were required to spend most of their time, and to earn most of their marks by solving numerical problems. Most Physics examination papers today retain the emphasis on problem-solving by calculation. It has been recognised, however, that the ability to obtain correct numerical answers by substition in a formula does not necessarily imply understanding of the physical principles which underly the problem. There has been a reaction against the awarding of marks for algebraic or arithmetical manipulation. Bloom and his disciples, by calling on examiners to define precise behavioural objectives, have encouraged the development of qualitative questions. These require no calculation nor numerical answer, but do aim to test the candidate's insight, by requiring him either to explain phenomena in scientific terms, or to predict the outcome of changing conditions. In this investigation samples of both quantitative and qualitative questions were extracted from Physics papers past and present. A closer study was made of qualitative questions used in the Natal Senior Certificate Physics papers (both Higher Grade and Standard Grade) in November 1987. The examiners were asked to state the objective of each question, as well as its categorization in terms of a simplified Bloom taxonomy. Candidates' answers to these questions were extracted from the scripts written at a representative sample of Natal schools. In the case of multiple-choice questions, an item analysis was performed, and discrimination indices were calculated . The responses of individual candidates to the longer questions were collected, classified and discussed. In each case the effectiveness of the question was studied, as to whether or not it was successful in detecting the presence of correct scientific concepts in the candidates' thinking. It was concluded that most of the qualitative questions used by the examiners were effective. Suggestions were made as to how their efficacy could be improved. Much further study and experimentation are needed to develop the effective use of this type of question
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- Date Issued: 1990
Advanced ionospheric chirpsounding
- Authors: Poole, Allon William Victor
- Date: 1984
- Subjects: Ionospheric sounds Ionosphere -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5446 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001999
- Description: This dissertation reports research into the theory and practical application of linear frequency modulated ionospheric sounding, as an alternative to the more usual technique of pulse modulation. A comparison of this technique with that of conventional pulse sounders is given, based on the concepts of matched filters and ambiguity functions for both modulations. A theory is developed to relate the group range and phase velocity of the ionospheric target to the phase and frequency of the difference signal at the receiver output. A method is then described whereby the group range and phase velocity of the reflection point as well as the amplitude, arrival angle and polarisation mode of the reflected energy can be measured. A description of the implementation of the technique is given together with some initial results. Finally, some suggestions for improvements are given
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- Date Issued: 1984