An investigation into the efficacy of English language literacy support for students at the Ibika campus of the Walter Sisulu University.
- Authors: Napier, Astrid
- Date: 2011-01
- Subjects: English Language , Study and Teaching , Information Literacy
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23851 , vital:60919
- Description: Institutions of higher learning are experiencing high failure rates, and this according to Scott, Yeld and Hendry (2007) can partly be attributed to the lack of adequate support for students after they have been admitted. Adequate support is very necessary, since research has shown that many students, especially those from former Department of Education and Training, are underprepared for tertiary institutions. Students at the Ibika Campus, the site where the research took place, are predominately from the former Department of Education and Training. The objective of this study therefore was to investigate why students at the Ibika Campus of the Walter Sisulu University seem to encounter problems with English mastery even though English language support services have been instituted; to discover what the perceptions of the WSU students and staff were with regard to the English support services; to determine what challenges the support services had , if any, in providing best service and to ascertain whether the English support services could be enhanced. The research was conducted at the Ibika Campus of the WSU. The design was that of the case study and a mixed method methodology was used. A total sample of 142 students, 5 staff members from the library, 1 staff member from the WC and 5 staff members from computer laboratories, as well as 12 staff members from the Ibika campus participated. A non probability sampling method was used. Students were selected from 1st year, second year and third year of their respective studies, ranging across the 14 departments at Ibika campus. Lecturing staff members were also selected across these departments. The instruments were structured questionnaires and interviews. The findings indicated that the English support services faced many challenges in their endeavor to provide services to students and the conclusion is that the English Language support services were therefore not as effective as it could be in giving support to students. It is recommended that the English Language support services immediately be improved in terms of space, since the venues for all three support services are too small, human resources and resources that support Teaching and Learning. It is further recommended that the university authorities seriously consider implementing an assessment test for all new entrants to the university, in order to establish who were in need of English Language support, and that these students be immersed in a programme that will assist them to improve their English Language proficiency. Finally, it is recommended that students complete a graduation threshold English proficiency examination in order that the institution can have confidence that students are proficient in English. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 2011
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011-01
An investigation into the efficacy of English language literacy support for students at the Ibika campus of the Walter Sisulu university.
- Authors: Napier, Astrid
- Date: 2011_01
- Subjects: Study and Teaching , Information Literacy
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23498 , vital:57953
- Description: Institutions of higher learning are experiencing high failure rates, and this according to Scott, Yeld and Hendry (2007) can partly be attributed to the lack of adequate support for students after they have been admitted. Adequate support is very necessary, since research has shown that many students, especially those from former Department of Education and Training, are underprepared for tertiary institutions. Students at the Ibika Campus, the site where the research took place, are predominately from the former Department of Education and Training. The objective of this study therefore was to investigate why students at the Ibika Campus of the Walter Sisulu University seem to encounter problems with English mastery even though English language support services have been instituted; to discover what the perceptions of the WSU students and staff were with regard to the English support services; to determine what challenges the support services had , if any, in providing best service and to ascertain whether the English support services could be enhanced. The research was conducted at the Ibika Campus of the WSU. The design was that of the case study and a mixed method methodology was used. A total sample of 142 students, 5 staff members from the library, 1 staff member from the WC and 5 staff members from computer laboratories, as well as 12 staff members from the Ibika campus participated. A non probability sampling method was used. Students were selected from 1st year, second year and third year of their respective studies, ranging across the 14 departments at Ibika campus. Lecturing staff members were also selected across these departments. The instruments were structured questionnaires and interviews. The findings indicated that the English support services faced many challenges in their endeavor to provide services to students and the conclusion is that the English Language support services were therefore not as effective as it could be in giving support to students. It is recommended that the English Language support services immediately be improved in terms of space, since the venues for all three support services are too small, human resources and resources that support Teaching and Learning. It is further recommended that the university authorities seriously consider implementing an assessment test for all new entrants to the university, in order to establish who were in need of English Language support, and that these students be immersed in a programme that will assist them to improve their English Language proficiency. Finally, it is recommended that students complete a graduation threshold English proficiency examination in order that the institution can have confidence that students are proficient in English. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Education, 2011
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- Date Issued: 2011_01
Critical assessment of leadership skills in developmental local government: a case study of Buffalo City Municipality in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Mnyatheli, Mbeko Bandla Sizasomzi
- Date: 2011-01
- Subjects: Leadership , Municipal government , Buffalo City (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26175 , vital:64950
- Description: This study seeks to examine the nature and role of leadership, in pursuit of a suitable leadership for a Developmental Local Government environment. The aim of this study is to describe the nature of leadership, particularly in local government, and in public organization in general. The study begins by teasing out the various concepts and terminology attendant with leadership in this environment. The study further reviews relevant literature as basis for understanding and goes on to interrogate the general theories on leadership with a view to choose the best practice in leadership of a developmental local government. Central to its quest for answers, is the drive from the constitutional mandate, a developmental local government imposed to municipality by the constitution of the Republic of South Africa, (1996) arising out of the need to transform the South African local government from an erstwhile policy of racial segregation to a new democratic political dispensation fostering equity and access to services and resources for all citizens. The challenge for the new leadership therefore is how to deal, speedily with the huge disparities and socio-economic backlogs? What kind of leadership and what level of knowledge, skills and competencies are required and how soon can public goods and services be delivered to the satisfaction of the communities it serves? ‘Analysis of variance’ was used to analyse and interpret data collected. Literature on the difference between transactional and transformational leadership formed the basis of the findings. Finally, findings and conclusions were drawn. On the bases of these, recommendations for Buffalo City Municipality were presented. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2011
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- Date Issued: 2011-01
Evaluation and comparison of rural and industrial brick masonry units for sustainabile low cost housing
- Authors: Maweza, Elijah Loyiso
- Date: 2011-01
- Subjects: Masonry
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24923 , vital:63676
- Description: The lack of adequate housing for the rural population of South Africa is experienced in every community. The South African government has drawn policies, strategies and required standards that must govern the provision of housing to the people. One of the required standards of housing is that the walls be constructed in such a way that they are able to adequately resist water penetration into any part of the building where it would be detrimental to the health of the occupants or the lifespan of the building. This research took the investigation of the characteristics of bricks that increase or reduce water absorption by bricks as the main objective. The investigation looked first at the raw materials of bricks, the soils and clay. The particle size related soil fractions were investigated because particle sizes are directly linked to the porosity of the bricks. Porosity describes the percentage of pores that are in the bricks, which show the extent to which bricks can internally accommodate moisture. Soil mineralogy was also discussed because as bricks are fired, the changes that they undergo affect the mineralogy of the bricks. The manufacturing procedures (brick moulding and firing) as reported from literature are briefly discussed in chapter 2. The effect of heat on clays is also discussed in order to explain the changes that occur as a result of firing. The porosity and the sorptivity of bricks were the relevant brick properties that are discussed. The methods employed to investigate the characteristics of bricks as discussed in chapter 3 were as follows: (i) Winning and preparation of raw materials. (ii) Particle size analysis. (iii) Water and carbon content in newly formed rural and industrial bricks. (iv) The firing procedures and temperature distribution investigation. (v) The chemical composition of rural and industrial bricks. (vi) Porosity. (vii) The Neutron Radiography equipment and operations. (viii) Sorptivity. With these investigations it was discovered that the quality of the bricks can be improved by: (i) Selecting and preparing the raw materials. This can be done by considering the soil types and reducing the soil particle sizes by sieving and grinding. (ii) Moulding the bricks properly by thoroughly working the soil, reducing the water content and increasing compaction. (iii) Drying the bricks using the sun and the exhaust heat from the kilns that are firing bricks at the time. (iv) Adopting brick firing techniques that produce the desired bricks more efficiently. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2011
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- Date Issued: 2011-01
Functionalized Ru(II) polypyridines and phthalocyanines: Potential dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells(DSSCs)
- Authors: Adeloye, Adewale Olufunsho https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1736-5738
- Date: 2011-01
- Subjects: Phthalocyanines , Dye-sensitized solar cells
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24365 , vital:62645
- Description: This study describes the design, synthesis, characterization and preliminary investigation of the solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency of ruthenium(II) functionalized polypyridine and phthalocyanine complexes with extended π-conjugation. Polypyridinyl functionalized with anthracene, 2,3-dimethylacrylic acid and 1-methoxy-1-buten-3-yne were synthesized and characterized by infrared, UV-Vis, photoluminescence, 1H and 13C NMR and elemental analysis. The functionalized polypyridine molecules were used to synthesize various ruthenium(II) homoleptic/heteroleptic and/or heteronuclear complexes and their photophysical and electrochemical properties evaluated. The preliminary results of the solar-to-electrical conversion efficiencies of some synthesized Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes were presented in chapter 5. It was found out as expected that the ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes containing either heteronuclear polypyridine ligands or their thiocyanate analogues of the types [Ru(L1)2L2(PF6)2], [RuL1(L2)2(PF6)2] and [RuL1L2(NCS)2], showed better photophysical properties (red-shifted metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) transitions concomitant with enhanced molar extinction coefficients), luminescence and interesting electrochemical redox properties than those containing homonuclear ligand types [Ru(L1)3(PF6)2]. The ruthenium(II) anthracenyl functionalized phthalocyanine complexes which were obtained by electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions in the peripheral positions gave good solubility properties in various organic solvents and also showed interesting near infrared absorption and electroredox characteristics. Cyclic and square wave voltammetries of these complexes revealed major redox processes and the numbers of electron(s) transfer were determined by chronocoulometry. It was established that a mono- and/or multi-electronic transfer reactions can occur in the various ruthenium(II) complexes. The photophysical properties of some complexes showed them to be better and promising candidates in the design of chemosensors, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and as photosensitizers, while their redox-active natures make them potential mediators in electron-transfer for various photochemical processes. However, due to low surface concentration and/or adsorption of some tested complexes on TiO2 semiconductor nanocrystalline particle, low currents were generated and the highest solar-to- electrical conversion efficiency recorded in this study was 0.10 percent. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2011
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011-01
Functionalized Ru(II) polypyridines and phthalocyanines: Potential dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells(DSSCs)
- Authors: Adeloye, Adewale Olufunsho https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1736-5738
- Date: 2011-01
- Subjects: Phthalocyanines , Dye-sensitized solar cells
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24343 , vital:62638
- Description: This study describes the design, synthesis, characterization and preliminary investigation of the solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency of ruthenium(II) functionalized polypyridine and phthalocyanine complexes with extended π-conjugation. Polypyridinyl functionalized with anthracene, 2,3-dimethylacrylic acid and 1-methoxy-1-buten-3-yne were synthesized and characterized by infrared, UV-Vis, photoluminescence, 1H and 13C NMR and elemental analysis. The functionalized polypyridine molecules were used to synthesize various ruthenium(II) homoleptic/heteroleptic and/or heteronuclear complexes and their photophysical and electrochemical properties evaluated. The preliminary results of the solar-to-electrical conversion efficiencies of some synthesized Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes were presented in chapter 5. It was found out as expected that the ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes containing either heteronuclear polypyridine ligands or their thiocyanate analogues of the types [Ru(L1)2L2(PF6)2], [RuL1(L2)2(PF6)2] and [RuL1L2(NCS)2], showed better photophysical properties (red-shifted metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) transitions concomitant with enhanced molar extinction coefficients), luminescence and interesting electrochemical redox properties than those containing homonuclear ligand types [Ru(L1)3(PF6)2]. The ruthenium(II) anthracenyl functionalized phthalocyanine complexes which were obtained by electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions in the peripheral positions gave good solubility properties in various organic solvents and also showed interesting near infrared absorption and electroredox characteristics. Cyclic and square wave voltammetries of these complexes revealed major redox processes and the numbers of electron(s) transfer were determined by chronocoulometry. It was established that a mono- and/or multi-electronic transfer reactions can occur in the various ruthenium(II) complexes. The photophysical properties of some complexes showed them to be better and promising candidates in the design of chemosensors, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and as photosensitizers, while their redox-active natures make them potential mediators in electron-transfer for various photochemical processes. However, due to low surface concentration and/or adsorption of some tested complexes on TiO2 semiconductor nanocrystalline particle, low currents were generated and the highest solar-to-electrical conversion efficiency recorded in this study was 0.10 percent. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2011
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- Date Issued: 2011-01
The role of the Department of Education in addressing the education of children living and working in the street in the Eastern Cape:
- Authors: Mawisa, Nompumelelo Mavis
- Date: 2011-01
- Subjects: Street children , Social Conditions , Education
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23337 , vital:57354
- Description: A UNICEF report on the drastic effects of child labour in developing countries indicates there are 4040 million children under the age of 18 not attending school (1977). Many are street and working children who deserve the chance, but face parental neglect and poverty to attend school and become conscious and productive citizens. Non-formal education has been identified as an alternative to traditional schooling, in which children learn vocational trades or academic subjects, aimed at enhancing their lives. This alternative approach is considered non-formal education because it is typically short–term and non – degree granting. Though non-formal education can be used for rehabilitation purposes, it cannot replace ultimate schooling. All children want to graduate and compete in the job market. The main aim of this study is to determine the role of the Department of Education in addressing the education of children working and living in the street in the Eastern Cape. The children working and living in the street phenomenon is a major development problem that is experienced all over the developing world. A major cause of this problem in the Eastern Cape is drop–outs due to parental negligence and poverty. To assist children working and living in the street and those in conflict with the law, child and youth care centres in East London, King William’s Town and Queenstown have been established. However, they have not had a very noticeable impact on the magnitude of the problem. Potential for such an impact seems to lie in the domain of collaboration with other non-governmental organisations, other departments and education providers. This study evaluated the quality of education of child and youth care centres and non-formal education programmes in providing education to children working and living in the street, with a view to highlighting the difference that formal education in mainstream schools has, in relation to these centres. The descriptive survey design was used in this study. The sample comprised ten children working and living in the street three child and youth care centres in East London, King William’s Town and Queenstown, ten children working and living in the street in East London, three managers from these centres, and two managers from the Department of Education and the Department of Social Development. The study employed the purposive sampling technique. Data to answer the research questions were collected mainly through questionnaires and interviews. The following conclusions were drawn from this study regarding empowering of children who are working and living in the street: (1) children were acutely cognisant of their impoverished positions in society but were unable to alleviate their economic burdens due to poverty. (2) The lack of teacher training strongly impacted on the children’s self concept to achieve empowerment (3) Non-formal education programmes should be used temporary whilst children working and living in the street are being rehabilitated. Thereafter children should join mainstream schools where they can obtain certificates on completion of their studies. The age factor should be considered when administering non-formal education. (4) Parents were the most important stakeholders in facilitating the enrolment of children in schools and monitoring their attendance. (5) Collaboration of all relevant stakeholders in the education of children working and living in the street is key to their education. , Thesis (PHD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2011
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- Date Issued: 2011-01
ZIMBABWE’S LIBERATION STRUGGLE: A CRITICAL DECADE OF THE ZIMBABWE AFRICAN NATIONAL UNION (ZANU)’S GUERRILLA WAR, 1970-1980
- Authors: Dzimbanhete, Jephias Andrew (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7648-8722)
- Date: 2011-01
- Subjects: National Liberation Movements -- Zimbabwe , Guerillas , Zimbabwe -- History -- Chimurenga
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23315 , vital:57048
- Description: This study offers a comprehensive examination of the Zimbabwean war of independence depicting the mobilisation of forces of liberation against an intransigent colonial Rhodesian settler state during a critical decade of the 1970s. Its introductory outline presents a broad historical context to the decolonisation processes in Africa. It also introduces the two liberation movements that drove the war of independence, and these revolved around the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU). The empirical chapters of the thesis narrow the focus to the main research subject, that explain the ZANU’s guerrilla warfare and how that was launched under the military wing of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA). The study looks, particularly on how and why that formation assembled groundswell support and generated pervasive intelligence to operate relentlessly against the Rhodesian colonial government resulting in a compromised independence in 1980. In addition to a wide-ranging survey of literature that deals with the Zimbabwean war of independence, the production of this thesis is thoroughly grounded on empirical methods that hinge on archival research and oral testimonies. The study breaks new ground in outlining the various facets and different phases of the Zimbabwean liberation war. It reveals that the liberation fighters were not merely provided with arms and deployed to fight the Rhodesian army. Rather they underwent a methodical process, which comprised recruitment, extensive training and fundamental political education. This re-represents an alternative narrative or even eccentric paradigm to that persistently presented within the conventional Zimbabwean liberation war historiography. The thesis breaks further new ground in discussing the complex nature of how intelligence gathering and propaganda uses were also centrally linked to the cooperation of or assistance from the various segments of the colonial African society. Its empirical chapters outline the various actions undertaken by the various groups and individuals, the language they adopted in expressing themselves and the convivial connections between them and the guerrilla fighters in the countryside as the war front expanded within the home boundaries. Chapters also explore in greater detail how the liberation movement bred the complex relation and contestation between the political formation of ZANU and its military wing, ZANLA. The uneven power relations between these two formations somehow dictated the course and the outcome of the liberation war. As a result a constitutional settlement or military victory became the two options by which the Rhodesian question could be resolved in the later 1970s. As it turned out, attempts to seek a constitutional solution became a feature of diplomatic dimensions of the postcolonial Rhodesian political landscape. The study concludes with the latter point. , Thesis (PHD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2011
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- Date Issued: 2011-01