Electrical power output estimation model for a conical diffuser augmented wind turbine
- Authors: Masukume, Peace-Maker
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Wind power , Wind turbines , Renewable energy sources
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1517 , vital:27404
- Description: Energy is integral to the quality of life of any society. However, meeting the demand for energy sustainably is the main challenge facing humanity. In general, non-renewable energy resources are used to supply the ever increasing energy demand. However, the extraction and processing of these resources is accompanied by the production of wastes which are a health hazard and impact negatively on climate change. Considering the finite nature of non-renewable sources, the environmental concerns which are associated with their usage and ensuring energy security, renewable energy sources have been brought in the energy supply chain. Wind energy is one of the renewable energy sources which has been supplying electrical energy to the ever increasing energy demand of humanity. Wind energy technology is a mature technology which over and above the bare (conventional) wind turbine technology has seen the development of duct augmented wind turbines. Ducts are used to encase wind turbine rotors to augment the power output of wind turbines especially in low wind speed areas. Though the technology has been under study for decades now, research indicates that there is no known model to estimate the power output of a diffuser augmented wind turbine. This thesis presents the development of the conical Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine (DAWT) power output estimation model and its validation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Masukume, Peace-Maker
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Wind power , Wind turbines , Renewable energy sources
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1517 , vital:27404
- Description: Energy is integral to the quality of life of any society. However, meeting the demand for energy sustainably is the main challenge facing humanity. In general, non-renewable energy resources are used to supply the ever increasing energy demand. However, the extraction and processing of these resources is accompanied by the production of wastes which are a health hazard and impact negatively on climate change. Considering the finite nature of non-renewable sources, the environmental concerns which are associated with their usage and ensuring energy security, renewable energy sources have been brought in the energy supply chain. Wind energy is one of the renewable energy sources which has been supplying electrical energy to the ever increasing energy demand of humanity. Wind energy technology is a mature technology which over and above the bare (conventional) wind turbine technology has seen the development of duct augmented wind turbines. Ducts are used to encase wind turbine rotors to augment the power output of wind turbines especially in low wind speed areas. Though the technology has been under study for decades now, research indicates that there is no known model to estimate the power output of a diffuser augmented wind turbine. This thesis presents the development of the conical Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine (DAWT) power output estimation model and its validation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Energy services and energy poverty for sustainable development in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Mupindu, Chipo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8408 , vital:32743
- Description: This study examines the effects of energy poverty on sustainable development in Zimbabwe. The principal objective of this study was to analyse Zimbabwe energy poverty as a contributing factor impacting on sustainable development. Access to energy was viewed as a human right in this study and attributes of ecological modernization and energy ladder theories were incorporated in the study so as to foster sustainable development. The study developed a symbiosis between energy poverty and human development in Zimbabwe. The power shortages have caused a lot of energy poverty and load shedding in the country and this has had adverse consequences on the transformation of the economy as well as the general human capacity development in the country. The supply shortage was as a result of many factors which include the lack of investment in the power sector by government for expanded generation capacity, ageing equipment, incorrect pricing, bad debts, droughts, internal conflicts, skills flight, and government energy sector regulation, vandalisation of equipment and under supply of coal to thermal power stations. The country needs to commit itself towards improving the current situation by revising the energy policy to include alternative sources, the integration of regional power systems and construction of more power stations, and by putting research monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in place so as to improve power generation capacity which meets the demand of the country. The evidence from the findings gathered in this study led to the conclusion that the Zimbabwe energy and power sector lacks the capacity to provide adequate reliable clean energy to the nation and this has affected the development of the country.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Mupindu, Chipo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe Zimbabwe -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8408 , vital:32743
- Description: This study examines the effects of energy poverty on sustainable development in Zimbabwe. The principal objective of this study was to analyse Zimbabwe energy poverty as a contributing factor impacting on sustainable development. Access to energy was viewed as a human right in this study and attributes of ecological modernization and energy ladder theories were incorporated in the study so as to foster sustainable development. The study developed a symbiosis between energy poverty and human development in Zimbabwe. The power shortages have caused a lot of energy poverty and load shedding in the country and this has had adverse consequences on the transformation of the economy as well as the general human capacity development in the country. The supply shortage was as a result of many factors which include the lack of investment in the power sector by government for expanded generation capacity, ageing equipment, incorrect pricing, bad debts, droughts, internal conflicts, skills flight, and government energy sector regulation, vandalisation of equipment and under supply of coal to thermal power stations. The country needs to commit itself towards improving the current situation by revising the energy policy to include alternative sources, the integration of regional power systems and construction of more power stations, and by putting research monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in place so as to improve power generation capacity which meets the demand of the country. The evidence from the findings gathered in this study led to the conclusion that the Zimbabwe energy and power sector lacks the capacity to provide adequate reliable clean energy to the nation and this has affected the development of the country.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Evaluation of flocculating potentials and charecterization of bioflocculants produced by three bacterial isolates from Algoa Bay, South Africa
- Authors: Okaiyeto, Kunle
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Flocculation Water -- Purification -- Flocculation Water quality management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2633 , vital:27947
- Description: Flocculation has been widely adopted as one of the most effective methods to remove colloidal particles in water or wastewater treatment. Synthetic flocculants are conventionally used because of their high flocculating efficiency and cost-effectiveness. However, they have been reported to have hazardous properties and implicated in some serious health problems including senile dementia and neuro-toxicity, as well as being recalcitrant in the environment. Consequently, efforts are being geared away from the use of synthetic flocculants in water and wastewater treatment. Hence, the need for safe and eco-friendly flocculants has become imperative. Compared with synthetic flocculants, bioflocculants have special advantages such as safety, biodegradability and harmlessness to the environment and humans; attributes which make them potential alternatives in water treatment, downstream as well as fermentation processes. In the current study, the potentials of bacterial isolates recovered from Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa for bioflocculant production were investigated. The bacterial isolates were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as belonging to the Bacillus genus. The analysis of 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) nucleotide sequence of isolate M72 showed 99 percent similarity to Bacillus toyonensis strain BCT-7112 and was deposited in the GenBank as Bacillus toyonensis strain AEMREG6 with accession number KP406731. Likewise, the 16S rDNA nucleotide sequences of isolates M69 and M67 showed 98 percent sequence similarity to Bacillus licheniformis strain W7 and Bacillus algicola strain QD43 respectively; and M67 isolate was subsequently deposited in the GenBank as Bacillus sp. AEMREG7 with accession number KF933697.1. The results of the nutritional requirements and fermentation conditions revealed that optimum inoculum size for REG-6 production was 4 percent (v/v), while 5 percent (v/v) and 3 percent (v/v) were most favourable for MBF-W7 and MBF-UFH production respectively. Glucose was the best carbon source for the production of bioflocculants (REG-6 and MBF-UFH) by Bacillus toyonensis AEMREG6 and Bacillus sp. AEMREG7 respectively, while maltose supported optimum bioflocculant (MBF-W7) production by Bacillus specie. Inorganic nitrogen (NH4NO3) was the favoured nitrogen source for both REG-6 and MBF-W7 production, while mixed nitrogen sources [yeast extract + urea + (NH4)2SO4] supported the maximum production of MBF-UFH. The initial medium pH for REG-6 was 5, while MBF-W7 and MBF-UFH were both maximally produced at the initial pH of 6. After a 96 h cultivation period under optimal culture conditions, 3.2 g of purified REG-6 with a maximum flocculating activity of 77 percent was recovered from 1 L fermented broth of Bacillus toyonensis AEMREG6. Yields of 3.8 g and 1.6 g pure bioflocculants with the respective highest flocculating activities of 94.9 percent and 83.2 percent were also obtained from 1 L, 72 h-fermented broths of Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus sp. AEMREG7 respectively. Furthermore, all the three bioflocculants (REG-6, MBF-W7 and MBF-UFH), displayed thermal stability within the temperature range of 50 to 100 oC, with strong flocculating activities of over 80 percent against kaolin suspension over a wide range of pH range (3–11) and relatively low dosage requirements of 0.1-03 mg/ml in the presence of divalent cations in the treatment of kaolin clay suspension and Thyme River waters. Chemical composition analyses of the bioflocculants showed them to be glycoproteins with a predominantly polysaccharide backbones as shown by the following carbohydrate/protein (w/w) ratios: 77.8 percent:11.5 percent (REG-6); 73.7 percent:6.2 percent (MBF-W7) and 76 percent:14 percent (MBF-UFH).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Okaiyeto, Kunle
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Flocculation Water -- Purification -- Flocculation Water quality management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2633 , vital:27947
- Description: Flocculation has been widely adopted as one of the most effective methods to remove colloidal particles in water or wastewater treatment. Synthetic flocculants are conventionally used because of their high flocculating efficiency and cost-effectiveness. However, they have been reported to have hazardous properties and implicated in some serious health problems including senile dementia and neuro-toxicity, as well as being recalcitrant in the environment. Consequently, efforts are being geared away from the use of synthetic flocculants in water and wastewater treatment. Hence, the need for safe and eco-friendly flocculants has become imperative. Compared with synthetic flocculants, bioflocculants have special advantages such as safety, biodegradability and harmlessness to the environment and humans; attributes which make them potential alternatives in water treatment, downstream as well as fermentation processes. In the current study, the potentials of bacterial isolates recovered from Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa for bioflocculant production were investigated. The bacterial isolates were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as belonging to the Bacillus genus. The analysis of 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) nucleotide sequence of isolate M72 showed 99 percent similarity to Bacillus toyonensis strain BCT-7112 and was deposited in the GenBank as Bacillus toyonensis strain AEMREG6 with accession number KP406731. Likewise, the 16S rDNA nucleotide sequences of isolates M69 and M67 showed 98 percent sequence similarity to Bacillus licheniformis strain W7 and Bacillus algicola strain QD43 respectively; and M67 isolate was subsequently deposited in the GenBank as Bacillus sp. AEMREG7 with accession number KF933697.1. The results of the nutritional requirements and fermentation conditions revealed that optimum inoculum size for REG-6 production was 4 percent (v/v), while 5 percent (v/v) and 3 percent (v/v) were most favourable for MBF-W7 and MBF-UFH production respectively. Glucose was the best carbon source for the production of bioflocculants (REG-6 and MBF-UFH) by Bacillus toyonensis AEMREG6 and Bacillus sp. AEMREG7 respectively, while maltose supported optimum bioflocculant (MBF-W7) production by Bacillus specie. Inorganic nitrogen (NH4NO3) was the favoured nitrogen source for both REG-6 and MBF-W7 production, while mixed nitrogen sources [yeast extract + urea + (NH4)2SO4] supported the maximum production of MBF-UFH. The initial medium pH for REG-6 was 5, while MBF-W7 and MBF-UFH were both maximally produced at the initial pH of 6. After a 96 h cultivation period under optimal culture conditions, 3.2 g of purified REG-6 with a maximum flocculating activity of 77 percent was recovered from 1 L fermented broth of Bacillus toyonensis AEMREG6. Yields of 3.8 g and 1.6 g pure bioflocculants with the respective highest flocculating activities of 94.9 percent and 83.2 percent were also obtained from 1 L, 72 h-fermented broths of Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus sp. AEMREG7 respectively. Furthermore, all the three bioflocculants (REG-6, MBF-W7 and MBF-UFH), displayed thermal stability within the temperature range of 50 to 100 oC, with strong flocculating activities of over 80 percent against kaolin suspension over a wide range of pH range (3–11) and relatively low dosage requirements of 0.1-03 mg/ml in the presence of divalent cations in the treatment of kaolin clay suspension and Thyme River waters. Chemical composition analyses of the bioflocculants showed them to be glycoproteins with a predominantly polysaccharide backbones as shown by the following carbohydrate/protein (w/w) ratios: 77.8 percent:11.5 percent (REG-6); 73.7 percent:6.2 percent (MBF-W7) and 76 percent:14 percent (MBF-UFH).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Evaluation of the incidence of enteric viruses, Vibrio species and Escherichia coli pathotypes in effluents of two wastewater treatment plants located in Keiskammahoek and Stutterheim in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
- Authors: Adefisoye, Martins Ajibade
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Escherichia coli -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Water -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Effluent quality -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/3165 , vital:28328
- Description: South Africa is currently experiencing water shortage crisis, a challenge that has been attributed not only to the scarcity of freshwater, but also to fast degrading water quality. Factors such as rapid urbanisation, population and economic growth, climate change as well as poor operational and maintenance of many of the exisiting water/wastewater treatment facilities have been acknowledged as important contributors to degrading water quality in the country. Untreated or inadequately treated discharged wastewater effluents constitute point source pollution to many freshwater environments in South Africa. Hence, it becomes imperative to evaluate wastewater discharges in other to protect the scarce freshwater resource, the environment and public health. Over a twelve-month sampling period (September 2012 to August 2013), we assessed the bacteriological, virological and physicochemical qualities of the discharged final effluents of two wastewater treatment facilities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. For the physicochemical assessment, a total of 144 final effluent samples were collected from both the final effluent tanks (FE) and the discharge points (DP) of the treatment facilities. Physicochemical parameters including pH, temperature, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC) and free chlorine concentration were determined on site while biological oxygen demand (BOD), nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-), phosphate (PO4-) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were determined in the laboratory. The bacteriological analysis of the samples was done using standard membrane filtration (MF) technique. Bacterial group assessed included: faecal indicator bacteria (faecal coliforms and E. coli) and Vibrio species, while the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of selected E. coli and Vibrio species isolates against some selected antibiotics commonly used in human therapy and veterinary medicine were determind using the standard agar-disc diffusion method. The occurrence and concentrations of human enteric viruses including: human adenovirus (HAdV), hepatitis A virus (HAV) and rotavirus (RoV) in the samples were determined by TaqMan-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) following concentration by adsorption-elution method. The physicochemical characteristics of the samples ranged as follows: pH (6.5 – 7.6), TDS (95 – 171 mg/L), EC (134 – 267 μS/cm), temperature (12 – 27 °C), turbidity (1.5 – 65.7 mg/L), free chlorine (0.08 – 0.72 mg/L), DO (2.06 – 9.81 mg/L), BOD (0.13 – 9.81 mg/L), NO3- (0 – 21.5 mg/L), NO2- (0 – 0.72 mg/L), PO4- (0 – 18.3 mg/L) and COD (27 – 680 mg/L). Some of the characteristic such as pH, TDS, EC, temperature, nitrite and DO (on most instances) complied with recommended guidelines. Other characteristics, however, including turbidity, BOD, nitrate, phosphate and COD fell short of the recommended guidelines. All the 48 samples analysed for bacteriological qualities tested positive for the presence of the bacterial groups with significant (P≤0.05) seasonal variation in their densities. Faecal coliforms were detected in counts ranging from 1 CFU/100ml to 2.7 × 104 CFU/100ml. Presumptive E. coli counts ranged generally between 1 CFU/100ml – 1.4 × 105 CFU/100ml while counts of presumptive Vibrio species ranged between 4 CFU/100ml – 1.4 × 104 CFU/100ml. Molecular identification of the presumptive isolates by polymerase chain reactions PCR gave positive reaction rates of 76.2 percent (381/500) and 69.8 percent (279/400) for E.coli and Vibrio species respectively. The antibiotic susceptibility profiling of 205 PCR-confirmed Vibiro isolates against 18 commomly used antibiotics showed resistance frequencies ranging from 0.5 percent (imipenem) to 96.1 percent (penicillin G) at recommended breakpoint concentrations. Eighty-one percent (166/205) of the Vibrio isolates showed multidrug resistance (resistance to 3 or more antibiotics) with the most common multiple antibiotic resistance phenotype (MARP) being AP-T-TM-SMX-PG-NI-PB, occurring in 8 isolates.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Adefisoye, Martins Ajibade
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Escherichia coli -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Water -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Effluent quality -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/3165 , vital:28328
- Description: South Africa is currently experiencing water shortage crisis, a challenge that has been attributed not only to the scarcity of freshwater, but also to fast degrading water quality. Factors such as rapid urbanisation, population and economic growth, climate change as well as poor operational and maintenance of many of the exisiting water/wastewater treatment facilities have been acknowledged as important contributors to degrading water quality in the country. Untreated or inadequately treated discharged wastewater effluents constitute point source pollution to many freshwater environments in South Africa. Hence, it becomes imperative to evaluate wastewater discharges in other to protect the scarce freshwater resource, the environment and public health. Over a twelve-month sampling period (September 2012 to August 2013), we assessed the bacteriological, virological and physicochemical qualities of the discharged final effluents of two wastewater treatment facilities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. For the physicochemical assessment, a total of 144 final effluent samples were collected from both the final effluent tanks (FE) and the discharge points (DP) of the treatment facilities. Physicochemical parameters including pH, temperature, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC) and free chlorine concentration were determined on site while biological oxygen demand (BOD), nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-), phosphate (PO4-) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were determined in the laboratory. The bacteriological analysis of the samples was done using standard membrane filtration (MF) technique. Bacterial group assessed included: faecal indicator bacteria (faecal coliforms and E. coli) and Vibrio species, while the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of selected E. coli and Vibrio species isolates against some selected antibiotics commonly used in human therapy and veterinary medicine were determind using the standard agar-disc diffusion method. The occurrence and concentrations of human enteric viruses including: human adenovirus (HAdV), hepatitis A virus (HAV) and rotavirus (RoV) in the samples were determined by TaqMan-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) following concentration by adsorption-elution method. The physicochemical characteristics of the samples ranged as follows: pH (6.5 – 7.6), TDS (95 – 171 mg/L), EC (134 – 267 μS/cm), temperature (12 – 27 °C), turbidity (1.5 – 65.7 mg/L), free chlorine (0.08 – 0.72 mg/L), DO (2.06 – 9.81 mg/L), BOD (0.13 – 9.81 mg/L), NO3- (0 – 21.5 mg/L), NO2- (0 – 0.72 mg/L), PO4- (0 – 18.3 mg/L) and COD (27 – 680 mg/L). Some of the characteristic such as pH, TDS, EC, temperature, nitrite and DO (on most instances) complied with recommended guidelines. Other characteristics, however, including turbidity, BOD, nitrate, phosphate and COD fell short of the recommended guidelines. All the 48 samples analysed for bacteriological qualities tested positive for the presence of the bacterial groups with significant (P≤0.05) seasonal variation in their densities. Faecal coliforms were detected in counts ranging from 1 CFU/100ml to 2.7 × 104 CFU/100ml. Presumptive E. coli counts ranged generally between 1 CFU/100ml – 1.4 × 105 CFU/100ml while counts of presumptive Vibrio species ranged between 4 CFU/100ml – 1.4 × 104 CFU/100ml. Molecular identification of the presumptive isolates by polymerase chain reactions PCR gave positive reaction rates of 76.2 percent (381/500) and 69.8 percent (279/400) for E.coli and Vibrio species respectively. The antibiotic susceptibility profiling of 205 PCR-confirmed Vibiro isolates against 18 commomly used antibiotics showed resistance frequencies ranging from 0.5 percent (imipenem) to 96.1 percent (penicillin G) at recommended breakpoint concentrations. Eighty-one percent (166/205) of the Vibrio isolates showed multidrug resistance (resistance to 3 or more antibiotics) with the most common multiple antibiotic resistance phenotype (MARP) being AP-T-TM-SMX-PG-NI-PB, occurring in 8 isolates.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Examining educators’ strategies for promoting science learning and science literacy among grade 9 learners in a South African Rural Education District
- Authors: Mtsi, Nomxolisi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching (Elementary) Children's literature in science education
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16150 , vital:40673
- Description: Science learning and Science Literacy (SL) play a crucial role in preparing learners to participate in the country’s economy with the relevant knowledge, higher order thinking and analytical reasoning to solve day-to-day problems. The purpose of this research was to examine educators’ strategies for promoting science learning and SL among grade 9 learners in a rural education district in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Learning of science and promotion of SL complement each other and therefore science educators’ strategies are pertinent. The study used pragmatic paradigm and the mixed method approach and was informed by cognitive and social constructivism as theoretical frameworks. For data collection, the study used convenience sampling based on the proximity and comparative ease of the researcher to reach the rural schools to select 30 out of 67 schools spread over six out of the eight circuits in the selected education district. On the other hand, purposive sampling was used for the selection of learners by their educators based on academic performance, top, average and below average achievers. Since each school had only one grade 9 science educator, 30 grade 9 science educators from the selected 30 schools formed the sample for quantitative data. Out of these 30, 10 educators who volunteered first for interviews and gave permission for being observed in their classrooms were selected for qualitative data collection. Three learners in each of the 10 schools from which the educators for qualitative data collection were selected, constituted the learners’ sample (30 learners). While data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and observations from educators, data from learners were collected through focus group (FG) interviews. The questionnaire was structured in order to gather educators’ biographical data as well as information on educators’ strategies to promote science learning and SL. The interview schedule was similar to the questionnaire but biographical data were excluded. Observations focused on educators’ strategies for science learning, SL and assessments. The data from the questionnaire were descriptively analysed and the qualitative and transcribed observation data were thematically analysed. Final conclusions were drawn based on the triangulated data. Major findings showed that the strategies which the educators employed in the descending order of use were: Investigation at 97percent; Discussion, Presentation and Project, each at 93percent; Problem solving at 90percent; Demonstration and Question-Answer, each at 87percent; Case study and Brainstorming, each at 77percent; Role-play at 63percent; Lecture at 57percent; Modelling at 47percent, Inquiry at 27percent and Simulation at 23percent. Findings also revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the strategies used by educators. Some of the strengths were: promotion of interactive learning; stimulation of research skills; enhancement of critical thinking and development of confidence through participation. Some of the weaknesses were: learners’ tendency to rely on others; lack of resources hindering learning and promotion of plagiarism. The study recommends that all stakeholders must work together to achieve good quality education. District and Provincial officers ought to track and monitor the science curriculum implementation. Subject specialists, educator subject committees and cluster leaders must also be active in strategic planning for enhancing SL in schools by putting forward their inputs and adopting consensus-based ones. A framework for driving science content with pedagogical content knowledge and practicals-driven strategy for enhancing science content knowledge is proposed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mtsi, Nomxolisi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching (Elementary) Children's literature in science education
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16150 , vital:40673
- Description: Science learning and Science Literacy (SL) play a crucial role in preparing learners to participate in the country’s economy with the relevant knowledge, higher order thinking and analytical reasoning to solve day-to-day problems. The purpose of this research was to examine educators’ strategies for promoting science learning and SL among grade 9 learners in a rural education district in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Learning of science and promotion of SL complement each other and therefore science educators’ strategies are pertinent. The study used pragmatic paradigm and the mixed method approach and was informed by cognitive and social constructivism as theoretical frameworks. For data collection, the study used convenience sampling based on the proximity and comparative ease of the researcher to reach the rural schools to select 30 out of 67 schools spread over six out of the eight circuits in the selected education district. On the other hand, purposive sampling was used for the selection of learners by their educators based on academic performance, top, average and below average achievers. Since each school had only one grade 9 science educator, 30 grade 9 science educators from the selected 30 schools formed the sample for quantitative data. Out of these 30, 10 educators who volunteered first for interviews and gave permission for being observed in their classrooms were selected for qualitative data collection. Three learners in each of the 10 schools from which the educators for qualitative data collection were selected, constituted the learners’ sample (30 learners). While data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and observations from educators, data from learners were collected through focus group (FG) interviews. The questionnaire was structured in order to gather educators’ biographical data as well as information on educators’ strategies to promote science learning and SL. The interview schedule was similar to the questionnaire but biographical data were excluded. Observations focused on educators’ strategies for science learning, SL and assessments. The data from the questionnaire were descriptively analysed and the qualitative and transcribed observation data were thematically analysed. Final conclusions were drawn based on the triangulated data. Major findings showed that the strategies which the educators employed in the descending order of use were: Investigation at 97percent; Discussion, Presentation and Project, each at 93percent; Problem solving at 90percent; Demonstration and Question-Answer, each at 87percent; Case study and Brainstorming, each at 77percent; Role-play at 63percent; Lecture at 57percent; Modelling at 47percent, Inquiry at 27percent and Simulation at 23percent. Findings also revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the strategies used by educators. Some of the strengths were: promotion of interactive learning; stimulation of research skills; enhancement of critical thinking and development of confidence through participation. Some of the weaknesses were: learners’ tendency to rely on others; lack of resources hindering learning and promotion of plagiarism. The study recommends that all stakeholders must work together to achieve good quality education. District and Provincial officers ought to track and monitor the science curriculum implementation. Subject specialists, educator subject committees and cluster leaders must also be active in strategic planning for enhancing SL in schools by putting forward their inputs and adopting consensus-based ones. A framework for driving science content with pedagogical content knowledge and practicals-driven strategy for enhancing science content knowledge is proposed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Examining the teaching of natural sciences concepts to English second language speakers in selected primary schools in the East London Education District
- Authors: Kumanda, Nomaroma
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15925 , vital:40564
- Description: The study sought to examine the teaching of Natural Sciences (NS) concepts to English second language speakers in selected primary schools. Grade 7 was chosen for the investigation as it precedes the last class at primary school. The researcher investigated the teaching and learning of Natural sciences concepts. A mixed method design was used. The research questions focused on the teaching of NS, learner-centred strategies used, challenges encountered, strategies employed by teachers when teaching NS, and the implications for science education.The purpose was to examine the teaching of Natural Sciences concepts to English second language speakers in selected primary schools in the East London Education District. Data were collected from grade 7 teachers and learners in selected township schools in East London, by means of semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and focus groups. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to teachers and learners, individual interviews were conducted with NS head of department, focus group and interviews were held with grade 7 NS learners. Quantitative and qualitative data were independently analysed and merged at the interpretation stage for triangulation of results. The questions were grouped according to their themes. The researcher’s findings revealed that teachers linked the teaching of NS concepts by showing the teaching skills. Teachers used code-switching for learners to understand the scientific concepts for positive attitude to improve the learner performance. Teachers experienced problems using English as a Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) while teaching NS concepts, teachers’ understanding of NS influenced their ability to implement of transformational curriculum, but learners did not benefit much when learning science in English Language and those policies were designed by the Department of Education without teacher involvement. The study concluded by noting that It emerged that teachers and learners experienced difficulties in teaching and learning of the NS concepts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Kumanda, Nomaroma
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15925 , vital:40564
- Description: The study sought to examine the teaching of Natural Sciences (NS) concepts to English second language speakers in selected primary schools. Grade 7 was chosen for the investigation as it precedes the last class at primary school. The researcher investigated the teaching and learning of Natural sciences concepts. A mixed method design was used. The research questions focused on the teaching of NS, learner-centred strategies used, challenges encountered, strategies employed by teachers when teaching NS, and the implications for science education.The purpose was to examine the teaching of Natural Sciences concepts to English second language speakers in selected primary schools in the East London Education District. Data were collected from grade 7 teachers and learners in selected township schools in East London, by means of semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and focus groups. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to teachers and learners, individual interviews were conducted with NS head of department, focus group and interviews were held with grade 7 NS learners. Quantitative and qualitative data were independently analysed and merged at the interpretation stage for triangulation of results. The questions were grouped according to their themes. The researcher’s findings revealed that teachers linked the teaching of NS concepts by showing the teaching skills. Teachers used code-switching for learners to understand the scientific concepts for positive attitude to improve the learner performance. Teachers experienced problems using English as a Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) while teaching NS concepts, teachers’ understanding of NS influenced their ability to implement of transformational curriculum, but learners did not benefit much when learning science in English Language and those policies were designed by the Department of Education without teacher involvement. The study concluded by noting that It emerged that teachers and learners experienced difficulties in teaching and learning of the NS concepts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Exploration of Nahoon beach milieu for lignocellulose degrading bacteria and optimizing fermentation conditions for holocellulase production by selected strains
- Authors: Fatokun, Evelyn
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Lignocellulose Lignocellulose -- Biodegradation Water -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1529 , vital:27413
- Description: A significant trend in the modern day industrial biotechnology is the utilization and application of renewable resources, and ecofriendly approach to industrial processes and waste management. As a consequence thereof, the biotechnology of holocellulases: cellulase and xylanase and, enzymatic hydrolysis of renewable and abundant lignocellulosic biomass to energy and value added products are rapidly increasing; hence, cost effective enzyme system is imperative. In that context, exploration of microbiota for strains and enzymes with novel industrial properties is vital for efficient and commercially viable enzyme biotechnology. Consequent on the complex characteristics of high salinity, variable pressure, temperature and nutritional conditions, bacterial strains from the marine environment are equipped with enzyme machinery of industrial importance for adaptation and survival. In this study, bacterial strains were isolated form Nahoon beach and optimized for holocellulase production. Three isolates selected for lignocellulolytic potential were identified by 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) sequence analysis. Isolate FS1k had 98 percent similarity with Streptomyces albidoflavus strain AIH12, was designated as Streptomyces albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and deposited in the GenBank with accession number KU171373. Similarly, isolates CS14b and CS22d with respective percentage similarity of 98 and 99 (percent) with Bacillus cereus strains and Streptomyces sp. strain WMMB251 were named Bacillus cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 and Streptomyces sp. strain SAMRC-UFH6; and were deposited in the GenBank with accession number KX524510 and KU171374 respectively. Optimal pH, temperature and agitation speed for cellulase production by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5, and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 were 6 and 7; 40 and 30 (°C); and 100 and 150 (rpm) respectively; while xylanase production was optimal at pH, temperature and agitation speed of 8 and 7; 40 and 30 (°C); and 150 and 50 (rpm) respectively. Maximum cellulase activity of 0.26 and 0.061(U/mL) by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 were attained at 60 h respectively, while maximal xylanase activity of 18.54 and 16.6 (U/mL) was produced by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 at 48 h and 60 h respectively. Furthermore, xylanase production by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 was maximally induced by wheat straw and xylan respectively, while cellulase production was best induced by mannose and carboxymethyl cellulose respectively. On the other hand, cellulase and xylanase production by Streptomyces sp. strain SAMRC-UFH6 was optimal at pH, temperature and agitation speed of 7 and 8, 40 °C and 100 rpm, respectively. Highest production of cellulase and xylanase was attained at 84 and 60 h with respective activity of 0.065 and 6.34 (U/mL). In addition, cellulase and xylanase production by the strain was best induced by beechwood xylan. Moreover, xylanase produced by Streptomyces sp. strain SAMRC-UFH6 at optimal conditions was characterized by optimal pH and temperature of 8 and 80-90 °C respectively; retaining over 70 percent activity at pH 5-10 after 1 h and 60 percent of initial activity at 90 °C after 90 min of incubation. In all, optimization improved cellulase and xylanase production yields, being 40 and 95.5, 10.89 and 72.17, and 10 and 115- fold increase by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5, B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 and Streptomyces sp. SAMRC-UFH6 respectively. The results of this study suggest that the marine bacterial strains are resource for holocellulase with industrial applications.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Fatokun, Evelyn
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Lignocellulose Lignocellulose -- Biodegradation Water -- Purification -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1529 , vital:27413
- Description: A significant trend in the modern day industrial biotechnology is the utilization and application of renewable resources, and ecofriendly approach to industrial processes and waste management. As a consequence thereof, the biotechnology of holocellulases: cellulase and xylanase and, enzymatic hydrolysis of renewable and abundant lignocellulosic biomass to energy and value added products are rapidly increasing; hence, cost effective enzyme system is imperative. In that context, exploration of microbiota for strains and enzymes with novel industrial properties is vital for efficient and commercially viable enzyme biotechnology. Consequent on the complex characteristics of high salinity, variable pressure, temperature and nutritional conditions, bacterial strains from the marine environment are equipped with enzyme machinery of industrial importance for adaptation and survival. In this study, bacterial strains were isolated form Nahoon beach and optimized for holocellulase production. Three isolates selected for lignocellulolytic potential were identified by 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) sequence analysis. Isolate FS1k had 98 percent similarity with Streptomyces albidoflavus strain AIH12, was designated as Streptomyces albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and deposited in the GenBank with accession number KU171373. Similarly, isolates CS14b and CS22d with respective percentage similarity of 98 and 99 (percent) with Bacillus cereus strains and Streptomyces sp. strain WMMB251 were named Bacillus cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 and Streptomyces sp. strain SAMRC-UFH6; and were deposited in the GenBank with accession number KX524510 and KU171374 respectively. Optimal pH, temperature and agitation speed for cellulase production by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5, and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 were 6 and 7; 40 and 30 (°C); and 100 and 150 (rpm) respectively; while xylanase production was optimal at pH, temperature and agitation speed of 8 and 7; 40 and 30 (°C); and 150 and 50 (rpm) respectively. Maximum cellulase activity of 0.26 and 0.061(U/mL) by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 were attained at 60 h respectively, while maximal xylanase activity of 18.54 and 16.6 (U/mL) was produced by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 at 48 h and 60 h respectively. Furthermore, xylanase production by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5 and B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 was maximally induced by wheat straw and xylan respectively, while cellulase production was best induced by mannose and carboxymethyl cellulose respectively. On the other hand, cellulase and xylanase production by Streptomyces sp. strain SAMRC-UFH6 was optimal at pH, temperature and agitation speed of 7 and 8, 40 °C and 100 rpm, respectively. Highest production of cellulase and xylanase was attained at 84 and 60 h with respective activity of 0.065 and 6.34 (U/mL). In addition, cellulase and xylanase production by the strain was best induced by beechwood xylan. Moreover, xylanase produced by Streptomyces sp. strain SAMRC-UFH6 at optimal conditions was characterized by optimal pH and temperature of 8 and 80-90 °C respectively; retaining over 70 percent activity at pH 5-10 after 1 h and 60 percent of initial activity at 90 °C after 90 min of incubation. In all, optimization improved cellulase and xylanase production yields, being 40 and 95.5, 10.89 and 72.17, and 10 and 115- fold increase by S. albidoflavus strain SAMRC-UFH5, B. cereus strain SAMRC-UFH9 and Streptomyces sp. SAMRC-UFH6 respectively. The results of this study suggest that the marine bacterial strains are resource for holocellulase with industrial applications.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Gender equality in the provision and utilisation of women administrative personnel : a comparative study of the Camdeboo Local Municipality and Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality
- Authors: Dywili, Mhlobo Douglas
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Women -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sex discrimination against women -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Women's rights -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Equality -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2414 , vital:27817
- Description: In 2000, cabinet adopted the South African Policy framework for women’s empowerment and gender equality, 2000 (Policy framework) which provided for the establishment of the National Gender Machinery (NGM). The NGM is a network of coordinated structures within and outside government which operate cooperatively in facilitating political, social, economic and other forms of transformation to dismantle systemic gender inequality and promote equality between women and men. The implementation of gender equality policy as a function area has constitutionally been given to the national and provincial legislatures in South Africa. The constitution allocated this function to the local sphere of government. Camdeboo and Inxuba Yethemba local municipal authorities are the facilitators of sustainable gender equality policies to citizens on behalf of the national and provincial spheres of government. The study was thus conducted within the Camdeboo local municipality and Inxuba Yethemba local municipality. Camdeboo locoal municipality is one of nine local municipalities in Sarah Baartman district municipality. Inxuba Yethemba local municipality is in Chris Hani district municipality. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the implementation of gender equality in the Provision and Utilisation of Women administration Personnel a comparative study of the Camdeboo local municipality and the Inxuba Yethemba local municipality and to determine the impact of the existing policy on the gender equality policy on the needs of women of both municipalities. For this purpose the fundamental and overall study problem was found to be that the gender equality at the Camdeboo and Inxuba Yethemba is hampered by the implementation of an inadequate municipality gender equality policy and by incompetent municipal personnel in particular and in general by the municipality itself. These action do not satisfy the main purpose of the Employment Equity Act no 55 of 1998 to achieve in the workplace by promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment in all forms of employment through elimination of unfair discrimination as well as the implementation of affirmative action measures. The hypothesis was furthermore based on the fact that the existing gender policy of Camdeboo local municipality and Inxuba Yethemba local municipality gender equality policy are inadequate to satisfy women and impacts negatively if not harmfully on human being of women. The study revealed that besides the implementation of gender equality policy by these incompetent municipal personnel, there are economic, social, political and physical effects on women. In case of applications for senior management position, preference is always given to their male counterparts at the expense of equally qualified female applications. Secondly, Gender equality in human resource determination forms part of the processing phase in the system theory. These two municipalities should be made to commit themselves by appending their signatures to all control measures put in place to evaluate the level and the extent of gender equality across all the departments/ sections in the municipality. Any section/ department that implements gender equality more effectively should be identified applauded and given recognition. This would motivate and eliminate gender inequality. Personnel provision and utilization is of paramount importance to every organization. It then becomes extremely necessary to examine the gender equality on human resource determination.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Dywili, Mhlobo Douglas
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Women -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sex discrimination against women -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Women's rights -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Equality -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2414 , vital:27817
- Description: In 2000, cabinet adopted the South African Policy framework for women’s empowerment and gender equality, 2000 (Policy framework) which provided for the establishment of the National Gender Machinery (NGM). The NGM is a network of coordinated structures within and outside government which operate cooperatively in facilitating political, social, economic and other forms of transformation to dismantle systemic gender inequality and promote equality between women and men. The implementation of gender equality policy as a function area has constitutionally been given to the national and provincial legislatures in South Africa. The constitution allocated this function to the local sphere of government. Camdeboo and Inxuba Yethemba local municipal authorities are the facilitators of sustainable gender equality policies to citizens on behalf of the national and provincial spheres of government. The study was thus conducted within the Camdeboo local municipality and Inxuba Yethemba local municipality. Camdeboo locoal municipality is one of nine local municipalities in Sarah Baartman district municipality. Inxuba Yethemba local municipality is in Chris Hani district municipality. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the implementation of gender equality in the Provision and Utilisation of Women administration Personnel a comparative study of the Camdeboo local municipality and the Inxuba Yethemba local municipality and to determine the impact of the existing policy on the gender equality policy on the needs of women of both municipalities. For this purpose the fundamental and overall study problem was found to be that the gender equality at the Camdeboo and Inxuba Yethemba is hampered by the implementation of an inadequate municipality gender equality policy and by incompetent municipal personnel in particular and in general by the municipality itself. These action do not satisfy the main purpose of the Employment Equity Act no 55 of 1998 to achieve in the workplace by promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment in all forms of employment through elimination of unfair discrimination as well as the implementation of affirmative action measures. The hypothesis was furthermore based on the fact that the existing gender policy of Camdeboo local municipality and Inxuba Yethemba local municipality gender equality policy are inadequate to satisfy women and impacts negatively if not harmfully on human being of women. The study revealed that besides the implementation of gender equality policy by these incompetent municipal personnel, there are economic, social, political and physical effects on women. In case of applications for senior management position, preference is always given to their male counterparts at the expense of equally qualified female applications. Secondly, Gender equality in human resource determination forms part of the processing phase in the system theory. These two municipalities should be made to commit themselves by appending their signatures to all control measures put in place to evaluate the level and the extent of gender equality across all the departments/ sections in the municipality. Any section/ department that implements gender equality more effectively should be identified applauded and given recognition. This would motivate and eliminate gender inequality. Personnel provision and utilization is of paramount importance to every organization. It then becomes extremely necessary to examine the gender equality on human resource determination.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Implementation of school-based assessment in high schools, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa : implications for teaching and learning
- Authors: Chipfiko, Jack
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: High schools -- Examinations Educational tests and measurements
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15892 , vital:40549
- Description: The purpose of any education system is to deliver a quality educational product. Various forms of assessment are used to ensure the suitability of the product and inform decisions. In South Africa, School-Based Assessment(SBA) is one of the tools used to assess the content competences, skills, values and attitudes; to provide learners, parents and teachers with results that are a meaningful indication of what the learners know, understand and can do at the time of assessment (DBE, 2012). Surprisingly, on a yearly basis, Umalusi reports reveal that SBA marks are rejected resulting in the learners being resulted on mostly the year end examination. The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of SBA with a view to unearth the factors contributing to the perennial rejection of SBA marks, resulting in learners from some schools being unfairly assessed. To explore the research problem, a mixed methods study, employing a concurrent triangulation design, was employed. Total Quality Management theory was the theoretical framework anchoring this study. Sub research questions to interrogate the research problem focused on examining the roles of the teachers, learners and parents in the implementation of SBA; assessing the structures in place to support the implementation of SBA; examining how teachers, learners and parents play complementary roles in the implementation of SBA; and identifying strategies to enhance the implementation of SBA in South African (SA) high schools. Data were collected using Questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions with purposively selected samples of teachers, learners and SGB chairpersons from high schools in White River Circuit in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. The use of mixed methods produced quantitative and qualitative data which were independently analysed and merged during interpretation. Findings revealed that: participants and respondents confirmed the various roles of SBA in teaching and learning; structures were in place to support the implementation of SBA in high schools; complementarity of roles were sporadic in the implementation of SBA in high schools; and various strategies were employed to enhance the implementation of SBA in high schools. Implications for teaching and learning focused on realigning the implementation processes in the production of a quality educational product, and maximising its benefits to teachers, learners and parents.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Chipfiko, Jack
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: High schools -- Examinations Educational tests and measurements
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15892 , vital:40549
- Description: The purpose of any education system is to deliver a quality educational product. Various forms of assessment are used to ensure the suitability of the product and inform decisions. In South Africa, School-Based Assessment(SBA) is one of the tools used to assess the content competences, skills, values and attitudes; to provide learners, parents and teachers with results that are a meaningful indication of what the learners know, understand and can do at the time of assessment (DBE, 2012). Surprisingly, on a yearly basis, Umalusi reports reveal that SBA marks are rejected resulting in the learners being resulted on mostly the year end examination. The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of SBA with a view to unearth the factors contributing to the perennial rejection of SBA marks, resulting in learners from some schools being unfairly assessed. To explore the research problem, a mixed methods study, employing a concurrent triangulation design, was employed. Total Quality Management theory was the theoretical framework anchoring this study. Sub research questions to interrogate the research problem focused on examining the roles of the teachers, learners and parents in the implementation of SBA; assessing the structures in place to support the implementation of SBA; examining how teachers, learners and parents play complementary roles in the implementation of SBA; and identifying strategies to enhance the implementation of SBA in South African (SA) high schools. Data were collected using Questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions with purposively selected samples of teachers, learners and SGB chairpersons from high schools in White River Circuit in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. The use of mixed methods produced quantitative and qualitative data which were independently analysed and merged during interpretation. Findings revealed that: participants and respondents confirmed the various roles of SBA in teaching and learning; structures were in place to support the implementation of SBA in high schools; complementarity of roles were sporadic in the implementation of SBA in high schools; and various strategies were employed to enhance the implementation of SBA in high schools. Implications for teaching and learning focused on realigning the implementation processes in the production of a quality educational product, and maximising its benefits to teachers, learners and parents.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Indigenous forests level of deforestation, forest dependency and factors determining willingness to participate in indigenous forest conservation: evidence from resettled farmers of Shamva, Zimbabwe
- Authors: Chivheya, Renias V
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Forest conservation -- Zimbabwe Forests and forestry -- Economic aspects -- Zimbabwe Deforestation -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2370 , vital:27786
- Description: This study first explored the rate of forest deforestation in Shamva resettlement areas. It then identified and estimated the extent to which these resettled farmers depend on forest for their livelihoods. Evaluation of farmer perceptions on management issues and willingness to participate in indigenous forest conservation and the socio-economic and institutional factors which affect their willingness to participate were also done. Finally the study sought to identify incentives for forests conservation. The study was conducted in Shamva district in Mashonaland Central province. And the respondents were stratified into three groups: A1, A2 and Old resettlement models. The three models differ on how they were implemented and supported which might render them to have different deforestation rates, livelihood strategies and forest dependency. A total of 247 respondents were surveyed, consisting of 98 A1 farmers, 50 A2 farmers and 99 Old resettled farmers. The data was collected using GIS and remote sensing, structured questionnaire interviews and direct observation. The data was analysed using descriptive analysis, KAP analytic framework and binary logistic regression analysis. The land cover/changes results revealed that both deforestation and afforestation are taking place in Shamva resettlement. Woodland and bushland were decreasing, croplands were also decreasing. However woodland dense and grasslands were increasing. Deforestation was found to be as a result of the resettled farmers’ livelihood strategies which were found to be diverse and agriculture being dominant in all models. All the farmers depended on the forest but at varying levels of 19 percent for Old and 14 percent forA1 and 0.02 percent for A2 resettle farmers. 84 percent of the interviewed farmers however, indicated that they are willing to conserve forest with A1 farmers being the highest followed by A2 86 percent and lastly Old resettled farmers at 76.8 percent. Results of the binary regression model revealed that the significant factors which explain willingness to participate in indigenous forest conservation are age, marital status, education, gender, institution, culture and belief, employment and household size. The highest preferred incentive was the provision of free seedlings and the lowest was out grower scheme. The study recommends that GIS and remote sensing should be used to monitor deforestation, off farm projects be encouraged, exotic and indigenous trees be promoted and forest conservation education be promoted in resettlement areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chivheya, Renias V
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Forest conservation -- Zimbabwe Forests and forestry -- Economic aspects -- Zimbabwe Deforestation -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2370 , vital:27786
- Description: This study first explored the rate of forest deforestation in Shamva resettlement areas. It then identified and estimated the extent to which these resettled farmers depend on forest for their livelihoods. Evaluation of farmer perceptions on management issues and willingness to participate in indigenous forest conservation and the socio-economic and institutional factors which affect their willingness to participate were also done. Finally the study sought to identify incentives for forests conservation. The study was conducted in Shamva district in Mashonaland Central province. And the respondents were stratified into three groups: A1, A2 and Old resettlement models. The three models differ on how they were implemented and supported which might render them to have different deforestation rates, livelihood strategies and forest dependency. A total of 247 respondents were surveyed, consisting of 98 A1 farmers, 50 A2 farmers and 99 Old resettled farmers. The data was collected using GIS and remote sensing, structured questionnaire interviews and direct observation. The data was analysed using descriptive analysis, KAP analytic framework and binary logistic regression analysis. The land cover/changes results revealed that both deforestation and afforestation are taking place in Shamva resettlement. Woodland and bushland were decreasing, croplands were also decreasing. However woodland dense and grasslands were increasing. Deforestation was found to be as a result of the resettled farmers’ livelihood strategies which were found to be diverse and agriculture being dominant in all models. All the farmers depended on the forest but at varying levels of 19 percent for Old and 14 percent forA1 and 0.02 percent for A2 resettle farmers. 84 percent of the interviewed farmers however, indicated that they are willing to conserve forest with A1 farmers being the highest followed by A2 86 percent and lastly Old resettled farmers at 76.8 percent. Results of the binary regression model revealed that the significant factors which explain willingness to participate in indigenous forest conservation are age, marital status, education, gender, institution, culture and belief, employment and household size. The highest preferred incentive was the provision of free seedlings and the lowest was out grower scheme. The study recommends that GIS and remote sensing should be used to monitor deforestation, off farm projects be encouraged, exotic and indigenous trees be promoted and forest conservation education be promoted in resettlement areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Integration of indigenous knowledge in the intermediate phase school curriculum in a selected education district in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Mkosi, Nkosinathi Ndumiso Lizo
- Authors: Mkosi, Nkosinathi Ndumiso Lizo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Education -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16136 , vital:40671
- Description: The aims and principles of the post-apartheid South African school curricula, ranging from the Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 and the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12, to include the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (Grades 1-12), have been aligned with the aims and principles of the South African Constitution. The aims and principles, among others, speak to the establishment of human rights, inclusivity, environmental and social justice, and valuing of indigenous knowledge systems. These are the bedrock of all the subjects and do not necessarily confine themselves to the science subjects only; even though the call of inclusion of indigenous knowledge in the sciences is oversubscribed. There has been concerns raised variously that the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in the curriculum, generally, and in the teaching of the respective subjects, particularly, does not necessarily happen as it should be. Thus, the purpose of this mixed methods approach study that adopted a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design and premised on the postpositivist paradigm investigated the integration of indigenous knowledge in the Intermediate Phase school curriculum in a selected Education District in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The guiding lenses adopted for this study were two-fold. The main primary theoretical framework drew from three integration theories: (a) Huang and Newell’s (2003) Knowledge Integration Processes and Dynamics notions; (b) Beane’s (1995) Curriculum Integration and the Disciplines of Knowledge and (c) Harden’s (2000) Integration ladder: A Tool for Curriculum Planning and Evaluation. The ‘secondary’ lens of analysis, which the researcher named, the ‘supplemental framework’, was constituted by notions and constructs derived from the indigenous knowledge systems discourses and postcolonial notions and constructs. The study revealed, among other findings, that (i) whilst a majority of teachers claimed to integrate IK in their classrooms, a significant number did not, and those who claimed to be integrating were unsure about how to integrate (ii) the majority of teachers, HoDs and Subject Advisors were either poorly trained or did not receive any training in the integration of IK (iii) the support and monitoring of IK integration was poor to non-existent. Thus, the study proposes a model, the Integrative Indigenous Knowledge Integration Support and Monitoring Model (IIKISMM), which may act as a framework for the coordination of the support and monitoring of IK integration in the school curriculum. There are significant recommendations offered by the study to teachers and policy makers with regards the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in the school curriculum. Also offered by the study are possibilities for further research in the integration of indigenous knowledge system in the curriculum.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mkosi, Nkosinathi Ndumiso Lizo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Education -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16136 , vital:40671
- Description: The aims and principles of the post-apartheid South African school curricula, ranging from the Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 and the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12, to include the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (Grades 1-12), have been aligned with the aims and principles of the South African Constitution. The aims and principles, among others, speak to the establishment of human rights, inclusivity, environmental and social justice, and valuing of indigenous knowledge systems. These are the bedrock of all the subjects and do not necessarily confine themselves to the science subjects only; even though the call of inclusion of indigenous knowledge in the sciences is oversubscribed. There has been concerns raised variously that the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in the curriculum, generally, and in the teaching of the respective subjects, particularly, does not necessarily happen as it should be. Thus, the purpose of this mixed methods approach study that adopted a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design and premised on the postpositivist paradigm investigated the integration of indigenous knowledge in the Intermediate Phase school curriculum in a selected Education District in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The guiding lenses adopted for this study were two-fold. The main primary theoretical framework drew from three integration theories: (a) Huang and Newell’s (2003) Knowledge Integration Processes and Dynamics notions; (b) Beane’s (1995) Curriculum Integration and the Disciplines of Knowledge and (c) Harden’s (2000) Integration ladder: A Tool for Curriculum Planning and Evaluation. The ‘secondary’ lens of analysis, which the researcher named, the ‘supplemental framework’, was constituted by notions and constructs derived from the indigenous knowledge systems discourses and postcolonial notions and constructs. The study revealed, among other findings, that (i) whilst a majority of teachers claimed to integrate IK in their classrooms, a significant number did not, and those who claimed to be integrating were unsure about how to integrate (ii) the majority of teachers, HoDs and Subject Advisors were either poorly trained or did not receive any training in the integration of IK (iii) the support and monitoring of IK integration was poor to non-existent. Thus, the study proposes a model, the Integrative Indigenous Knowledge Integration Support and Monitoring Model (IIKISMM), which may act as a framework for the coordination of the support and monitoring of IK integration in the school curriculum. There are significant recommendations offered by the study to teachers and policy makers with regards the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in the school curriculum. Also offered by the study are possibilities for further research in the integration of indigenous knowledge system in the curriculum.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Investigation of the NFC technology for mobile payments and the development of a prototype payment application in the context of marginalized rural areas
- Authors: Gurajena, Caroline
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Mobile commerce -- South Africa Mobile communication systems -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/14071 , vital:39802
- Description: The Internet of Things (IoT) environment involves the interaction of numerous ‘things’. These ‘things’ are embedded with different kinds of technologies such as RFID technology, NFC technology and sensors. This causes IoT to bring into play many security risks apart from the ones that already exist in the current Internet, for example, embedded RFID tags can be easily triggered and send their content which could be private information. IoT also introduces internal attacks such as on-off attack, bad mouthing and white washing attacks into networks that already exist. These internal attacks cannot be solved by hard security mechanisms such as cryptographic algorithms and firewalls because they guarantee total trust. This eliminates uncertainty which should always be available where trust exist. That is, hard security mechanisms enable IoT ‘things’ to either trust another ‘thing’ completely or not and this makes them unsuitable for the IoT environment. When objects in any network are communicating, there is some element of uncertainty. Also, hard security mechanisms such as public key cryptography cause communication overheard in the already resource-constrained IoT devices and these conventional cryptography methods cannot deal with internal attacks. This brings about the need for a middleware that includes functions that will manage trust, privacy and security issues of all data exchange, communications and network connections. For IoT to be successful, the provision of trust, security and privacy measures are essential. Trust management may enhance the adoption and security measures in IoT. Trust helps in identifying trustworthy ‘things’ in the network and give ‘things’ in the network the ability to reason in all aspects concerning trust in the environment. Trust can be administered through a trust management model. This research notes that most of the trust models that have been proposed fail to address scalability challenges and lack suitable computation methods. It is on that premise that this research focuses on developing a suitable trust model for the IoT environment. The research also introduces new ways of creating relationships in IoT. This enables the creation of new cooperation opportunities in the environment. In overall, this research aimed to design and develop a generic trust and authority delegation model for the heterogonous IoT environment that is scalable and generalized to cater for the heterogeneous IoT environment. This research was conducted in three phases. The first phase reviewed literature in order to identify outstanding issues in IoT trust management and also identify the suitable computational method. This provided a critical analysis of different computational methods highlighting their advantages and limitations. In the second phase of the research, the proposed trust model was designed and tested. In the last phase, the feasibility of the proposed model was evaluated. The proposed model is based on fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic was selected for trust computation because it is able to imitate the process of the human mind through the use of linguistic variables and it can handle uncertainty. The proposed model was tested in a simulated environment. The simulation results showed that the proposed model can identify selfish and malicious entities effectively. The results also showed that the model was able to deal with different types of behaviours of entities. The testing proved that the proposed trust model can support decision making in IoT based on trust. The results from the evaluation show that this research ameliorates the design and development of trust management solutions for the IoT environment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Gurajena, Caroline
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Mobile commerce -- South Africa Mobile communication systems -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/14071 , vital:39802
- Description: The Internet of Things (IoT) environment involves the interaction of numerous ‘things’. These ‘things’ are embedded with different kinds of technologies such as RFID technology, NFC technology and sensors. This causes IoT to bring into play many security risks apart from the ones that already exist in the current Internet, for example, embedded RFID tags can be easily triggered and send their content which could be private information. IoT also introduces internal attacks such as on-off attack, bad mouthing and white washing attacks into networks that already exist. These internal attacks cannot be solved by hard security mechanisms such as cryptographic algorithms and firewalls because they guarantee total trust. This eliminates uncertainty which should always be available where trust exist. That is, hard security mechanisms enable IoT ‘things’ to either trust another ‘thing’ completely or not and this makes them unsuitable for the IoT environment. When objects in any network are communicating, there is some element of uncertainty. Also, hard security mechanisms such as public key cryptography cause communication overheard in the already resource-constrained IoT devices and these conventional cryptography methods cannot deal with internal attacks. This brings about the need for a middleware that includes functions that will manage trust, privacy and security issues of all data exchange, communications and network connections. For IoT to be successful, the provision of trust, security and privacy measures are essential. Trust management may enhance the adoption and security measures in IoT. Trust helps in identifying trustworthy ‘things’ in the network and give ‘things’ in the network the ability to reason in all aspects concerning trust in the environment. Trust can be administered through a trust management model. This research notes that most of the trust models that have been proposed fail to address scalability challenges and lack suitable computation methods. It is on that premise that this research focuses on developing a suitable trust model for the IoT environment. The research also introduces new ways of creating relationships in IoT. This enables the creation of new cooperation opportunities in the environment. In overall, this research aimed to design and develop a generic trust and authority delegation model for the heterogonous IoT environment that is scalable and generalized to cater for the heterogeneous IoT environment. This research was conducted in three phases. The first phase reviewed literature in order to identify outstanding issues in IoT trust management and also identify the suitable computational method. This provided a critical analysis of different computational methods highlighting their advantages and limitations. In the second phase of the research, the proposed trust model was designed and tested. In the last phase, the feasibility of the proposed model was evaluated. The proposed model is based on fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic was selected for trust computation because it is able to imitate the process of the human mind through the use of linguistic variables and it can handle uncertainty. The proposed model was tested in a simulated environment. The simulation results showed that the proposed model can identify selfish and malicious entities effectively. The results also showed that the model was able to deal with different types of behaviours of entities. The testing proved that the proposed trust model can support decision making in IoT based on trust. The results from the evaluation show that this research ameliorates the design and development of trust management solutions for the IoT environment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Market participation and value chain integration among smallholder homestead and irrigated crop farmers in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa
- Authors: Mdoda, Lelethu
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Irrigation farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15023 , vital:40152
- Description: The irrigation schemes had been established over the years and now are operational but there is no marked improvement in the living conditions of the rural farmers and households. Smallholder farmers still face numerous constraints in market participation that hinder smallholder farmers, irrigators and homestead growth which have been attributed to lack of access to markets and technical expertise. Despite the government efforts, smallholder farmers effectively functioning in the agro-food chains, high-valued markets and commercial agricultural markets are rare; this indicates that the objective to allow smallholder farmers to advance their livelihood through participating in commercial agro-food chains has not yet been met. Farmers in the Eastern Cape produce many crops which they mainly sell in informal local markets; there is minimal number of smallholder farmers supplying their produce to the formal markets. Irrigation development is very crucial to the development of the agricultural sector as it ensures improvement in yields and reduces rural poverty through creating rural employment, enhance smallholder farmers’ market participation and enhance market access policies by smallholder farmers as means to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals The study was conducted in the Eastern Cape Province and employed survey data obtained from 200 smallholder irrigated crop farmers and homestead gardeners. A multistage stratified sampling procedure was used in which the first stage involved selecting the study areas. This was followed by the selection of the district and then the respondents. The farmers were selected from three District Municipalities which have operational irrigation schemes, namely OR Tambo, Amathole and Chris Hani District Municipalities in the province. STATA and SPSS were used to analyze the data. The Heckman model was applied to examine factors influencing farmers’ decision to participate in market among crop producing farmers in the province. In the first stage Heckman analysis, the decision as to whether or not to participate (which is a binary choice situation) is used to undertake the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). In the second stage, the conditional quantity sold (continuous variable) is assumed to follow a truncated normal regression model, whereby the MLE is estimated by fitting a truncated normal regression of quantity sold. Gross Margin and Net Farm Income were used to measure farm profit as well as multiple regression analysis to estimate determinants of profitability in the study area. Profit efficiency was measured using the normalized transcendent logarithmic profit frontier approach (translog). he descriptive statistics employed include means, percentages and frequencies mostly of the socio-economic characteristics of farmers in the study area. The results show that males were dominant with the representation of 61.7percent. The majority of farmers were aged and the mean age was 60 years, indicating that farmers in the province are old which has implication for productivity and market participation. High level of illiteracy is shown in the data and mean household size of 5 persons with the household head having at least obtained some primary school education.The irrigated crop farmers and homesteads were found to have farm size under 4 ha. About 86.5percent were full time farmers and Farming is their major source of livelihood. Smallholder irrigators and homestead gardeners derive their income from social grants and remittances. This thesis found out that majority of the farmers do not participate in markets. In this instance, farming becomes a scapegoat for failure to enter alternative labour markets. The average annual on-farm production income from smallholder irrigators was R7 860.27 and homestead gardeners was R5 915.50. The empirical results from probit model suggest that age of the farmer, level of education of the farmer, household size, farm organization, access to extension, distance to markets, occupation and farm experience were some of the key determinants that had significant and positive effects on farmers’ decision to participate in markets while access to credit, transport to the markets and farm size were some of the key determinants that had significant and negative effect on farmers’ decision to participate in markets. The volume of crops sold to the market is determined by gender, age, years spent in school, distance to the market, farm experience, household size, access to extension, membership in farm organization and non-farm income.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Mdoda, Lelethu
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Irrigation farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15023 , vital:40152
- Description: The irrigation schemes had been established over the years and now are operational but there is no marked improvement in the living conditions of the rural farmers and households. Smallholder farmers still face numerous constraints in market participation that hinder smallholder farmers, irrigators and homestead growth which have been attributed to lack of access to markets and technical expertise. Despite the government efforts, smallholder farmers effectively functioning in the agro-food chains, high-valued markets and commercial agricultural markets are rare; this indicates that the objective to allow smallholder farmers to advance their livelihood through participating in commercial agro-food chains has not yet been met. Farmers in the Eastern Cape produce many crops which they mainly sell in informal local markets; there is minimal number of smallholder farmers supplying their produce to the formal markets. Irrigation development is very crucial to the development of the agricultural sector as it ensures improvement in yields and reduces rural poverty through creating rural employment, enhance smallholder farmers’ market participation and enhance market access policies by smallholder farmers as means to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals The study was conducted in the Eastern Cape Province and employed survey data obtained from 200 smallholder irrigated crop farmers and homestead gardeners. A multistage stratified sampling procedure was used in which the first stage involved selecting the study areas. This was followed by the selection of the district and then the respondents. The farmers were selected from three District Municipalities which have operational irrigation schemes, namely OR Tambo, Amathole and Chris Hani District Municipalities in the province. STATA and SPSS were used to analyze the data. The Heckman model was applied to examine factors influencing farmers’ decision to participate in market among crop producing farmers in the province. In the first stage Heckman analysis, the decision as to whether or not to participate (which is a binary choice situation) is used to undertake the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). In the second stage, the conditional quantity sold (continuous variable) is assumed to follow a truncated normal regression model, whereby the MLE is estimated by fitting a truncated normal regression of quantity sold. Gross Margin and Net Farm Income were used to measure farm profit as well as multiple regression analysis to estimate determinants of profitability in the study area. Profit efficiency was measured using the normalized transcendent logarithmic profit frontier approach (translog). he descriptive statistics employed include means, percentages and frequencies mostly of the socio-economic characteristics of farmers in the study area. The results show that males were dominant with the representation of 61.7percent. The majority of farmers were aged and the mean age was 60 years, indicating that farmers in the province are old which has implication for productivity and market participation. High level of illiteracy is shown in the data and mean household size of 5 persons with the household head having at least obtained some primary school education.The irrigated crop farmers and homesteads were found to have farm size under 4 ha. About 86.5percent were full time farmers and Farming is their major source of livelihood. Smallholder irrigators and homestead gardeners derive their income from social grants and remittances. This thesis found out that majority of the farmers do not participate in markets. In this instance, farming becomes a scapegoat for failure to enter alternative labour markets. The average annual on-farm production income from smallholder irrigators was R7 860.27 and homestead gardeners was R5 915.50. The empirical results from probit model suggest that age of the farmer, level of education of the farmer, household size, farm organization, access to extension, distance to markets, occupation and farm experience were some of the key determinants that had significant and positive effects on farmers’ decision to participate in markets while access to credit, transport to the markets and farm size were some of the key determinants that had significant and negative effect on farmers’ decision to participate in markets. The volume of crops sold to the market is determined by gender, age, years spent in school, distance to the market, farm experience, household size, access to extension, membership in farm organization and non-farm income.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Nutritional value and cultivation requirements of Cleome Gynandra: a wild vegetable growing in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Sowunmi, Linda Ifeanyichukwu
- Authors: Sowunmi, Linda Ifeanyichukwu
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Ethnobotany -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Vegetables -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Nutrition -- South Africa -- Evaluation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2600 , vital:27907
- Description: South Africa has wide ranges of plants among which are leafy vegetables growing in the wild. These wild vegetables have been reported to have high nutritive and medicinal potentials. Yet, there is still high prevalence of malnutrition and micronutrients deficiencies among the low income bracket of the population. Effective utilization of wild vegetables has been proposed as part of the solutions to address the problem of dietary deficiencies among the populace. Their importance is mainly as relish to accompany and complement starch based diets. They are also known to serve as supplements for food which have the potential to improve the health status of its consumers in many rural communities. Cleome gynandra L. (Capparaceae) is one of the underutilized species mentioned during asurvey conducted in Nkonkobe municipality of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The plant is an erect annual herb with alternate, palmately compound leaves and its petals are white, pink or lilac. It grows as a weed in this part of the Province and is usually gathered from the wild for food and medicine. It is commonly found on wastes land, road sides and on grass lands. Therefore, this research work was designed to contribute to the possible domestication of this wild vegetable in order to explore the nutritive and therapeutic potentials which would broaden the food base in the Eastern Cape Province. The ultra-micromorphological features of plants have become an essential tool in proper identification and authentication of several plant species. In the light of this, the micromorphology of Cleome gynandra was examined to reveal the micro-morphological characters of the plantand to determine if micro and macro mineral elements are present using energy dispersive x-rays. The present study revealed the epidermal cells of the leaves to be asymmetric in shape with undulating cell walls having four subsidiary cells around the stomata. The leaves have anomocyctic stomata which are more distributed in the abaxial surface than the adaxial surface. The mean length and width of the guard cells in the abaxial surface are 0.09 ± 0.01 mm and 0.08 ± 0.01 mm respectively while that of adaxial surface are 0.1± 0.01 mm and 0.07 ± 0.01 mm respectively. The energy dispersive x-rays (EDXS) micro-analysis of the leaf revealed the presence of phosphorus, manganese, iron, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium and zinc as the major constituents of the crystal deposits present in the stomata pores and the mesophyll. C. gynandra was collected from the wild and analysed for its mineral and proximatecomposition using standard analytical methods. The plant showed high levels of sodium, iron, zinc, calcium and potassium while many other macro and micro minerals were moderately present. Amongst the proximate factors investigated, moisture content was found to be 82.1% while crude fibre and protein contents were 39.9 percent and 31.03 percent respectively. Vitamin C was also high (345.3 mg/100g). The anti-nutrients compositions revealed low concentrations of oxalate (7.4 ± 0.4) and phytate (0.6 ± 0.0) mg/100g. The study revealed high nutritive value of the species growing naturally from the wild. Interest in the phenolic compounds has greatly increased recently because these compounds have been implicated in suppressing the risk of degenerative diseases in humans. The pharmacological properties of plants may be related to their antioxidant capacities and hence there was need to investigate the antioxidant potential using aqueous, ethanolic and acetone extracts of different parts of C. gynandra. The quantities of phenols, flavonoids and flavonols were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in both aqueous and ethanol extracts of the leaf while the concentration of proanthocyanidins was higher in the aqueous stem extract compared to other plant parts. The aqueous extract of the different parts exhibited better ABTS, reducing power and NO radical scavenging abilities than ethanol extract.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Sowunmi, Linda Ifeanyichukwu
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Ethnobotany -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Vegetables -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Nutrition -- South Africa -- Evaluation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2600 , vital:27907
- Description: South Africa has wide ranges of plants among which are leafy vegetables growing in the wild. These wild vegetables have been reported to have high nutritive and medicinal potentials. Yet, there is still high prevalence of malnutrition and micronutrients deficiencies among the low income bracket of the population. Effective utilization of wild vegetables has been proposed as part of the solutions to address the problem of dietary deficiencies among the populace. Their importance is mainly as relish to accompany and complement starch based diets. They are also known to serve as supplements for food which have the potential to improve the health status of its consumers in many rural communities. Cleome gynandra L. (Capparaceae) is one of the underutilized species mentioned during asurvey conducted in Nkonkobe municipality of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The plant is an erect annual herb with alternate, palmately compound leaves and its petals are white, pink or lilac. It grows as a weed in this part of the Province and is usually gathered from the wild for food and medicine. It is commonly found on wastes land, road sides and on grass lands. Therefore, this research work was designed to contribute to the possible domestication of this wild vegetable in order to explore the nutritive and therapeutic potentials which would broaden the food base in the Eastern Cape Province. The ultra-micromorphological features of plants have become an essential tool in proper identification and authentication of several plant species. In the light of this, the micromorphology of Cleome gynandra was examined to reveal the micro-morphological characters of the plantand to determine if micro and macro mineral elements are present using energy dispersive x-rays. The present study revealed the epidermal cells of the leaves to be asymmetric in shape with undulating cell walls having four subsidiary cells around the stomata. The leaves have anomocyctic stomata which are more distributed in the abaxial surface than the adaxial surface. The mean length and width of the guard cells in the abaxial surface are 0.09 ± 0.01 mm and 0.08 ± 0.01 mm respectively while that of adaxial surface are 0.1± 0.01 mm and 0.07 ± 0.01 mm respectively. The energy dispersive x-rays (EDXS) micro-analysis of the leaf revealed the presence of phosphorus, manganese, iron, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium and zinc as the major constituents of the crystal deposits present in the stomata pores and the mesophyll. C. gynandra was collected from the wild and analysed for its mineral and proximatecomposition using standard analytical methods. The plant showed high levels of sodium, iron, zinc, calcium and potassium while many other macro and micro minerals were moderately present. Amongst the proximate factors investigated, moisture content was found to be 82.1% while crude fibre and protein contents were 39.9 percent and 31.03 percent respectively. Vitamin C was also high (345.3 mg/100g). The anti-nutrients compositions revealed low concentrations of oxalate (7.4 ± 0.4) and phytate (0.6 ± 0.0) mg/100g. The study revealed high nutritive value of the species growing naturally from the wild. Interest in the phenolic compounds has greatly increased recently because these compounds have been implicated in suppressing the risk of degenerative diseases in humans. The pharmacological properties of plants may be related to their antioxidant capacities and hence there was need to investigate the antioxidant potential using aqueous, ethanolic and acetone extracts of different parts of C. gynandra. The quantities of phenols, flavonoids and flavonols were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in both aqueous and ethanol extracts of the leaf while the concentration of proanthocyanidins was higher in the aqueous stem extract compared to other plant parts. The aqueous extract of the different parts exhibited better ABTS, reducing power and NO radical scavenging abilities than ethanol extract.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Political education as a determinant of university students’ political participation in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Badaru, Kazeem Ajasa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Citizenship -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Democracy and education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15793 , vital:40524
- Description: Globally, there is a downward trend in youths’ political interest and participation in the learning of political education in their school curricula as a measure to combat the apparent dangers posed by the declining young citizens’ participation in the political processes.This study therefore investigated political education as a determinant of university students’ political participation in the Province of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study employed a mixed methods design. Using the probability sampling technique, a sample of 375 participants was randomly selected from one university in the Eastern Cape Province while semi-structured interviews were conducted among five (5) purposively selected members of the same university’s Student Representative Council (SRC) executive committee. Simple descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages were used to summarize all categories of variables; while Pearson correlation statistics, Chi-square and Ordinary least square regression were used to examine the relationship between dependent and independent variables at a 95percent confidence interval. Alpha values less than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. Thematic content analysis was performed on the qualitative data. The quantitative analysis revealed that students’ level of political awareness was high; 98.1percent of them were aware of their rights to vote and be voted for. Students’ political judgment was positively correlated with participation in campus (r =0.182) and national politics (r = 0.030) respectively. Most of the students agreed to take part in the 2018 SRC (78.8percent) and 2019 national elections (77.9percent) respectively. Political interest was significantly correlated with participation in campus (r = 0.375) and national politics (r =0. 404). The findings from the multivariate analysis showed that political interest (<0.001), parents’ political involvement (<0.001) and year of study (<0.001) were the significant determinants of students’ participation in politics. The qualitative findings also showed that there was a positive relationship between political education and students’ participation in politics. Since political interest and family are element and agent of political education respectively, it is concluded that political education is to a large extent a determinant of university students’ political participation. It is recommended that the universities, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and other stakeholders should do a thorough review of the university education curricula and programmes to ensure that political education is adequately accommodated and taken care of in a way that would increase students’ interest, awareness and participation in politics. When this is amply done, students’ cognitive skills and capacities would be enhanced to increase their participation in the political processes in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Badaru, Kazeem Ajasa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Citizenship -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Democracy and education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15793 , vital:40524
- Description: Globally, there is a downward trend in youths’ political interest and participation in the learning of political education in their school curricula as a measure to combat the apparent dangers posed by the declining young citizens’ participation in the political processes.This study therefore investigated political education as a determinant of university students’ political participation in the Province of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study employed a mixed methods design. Using the probability sampling technique, a sample of 375 participants was randomly selected from one university in the Eastern Cape Province while semi-structured interviews were conducted among five (5) purposively selected members of the same university’s Student Representative Council (SRC) executive committee. Simple descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages were used to summarize all categories of variables; while Pearson correlation statistics, Chi-square and Ordinary least square regression were used to examine the relationship between dependent and independent variables at a 95percent confidence interval. Alpha values less than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. Thematic content analysis was performed on the qualitative data. The quantitative analysis revealed that students’ level of political awareness was high; 98.1percent of them were aware of their rights to vote and be voted for. Students’ political judgment was positively correlated with participation in campus (r =0.182) and national politics (r = 0.030) respectively. Most of the students agreed to take part in the 2018 SRC (78.8percent) and 2019 national elections (77.9percent) respectively. Political interest was significantly correlated with participation in campus (r = 0.375) and national politics (r =0. 404). The findings from the multivariate analysis showed that political interest (<0.001), parents’ political involvement (<0.001) and year of study (<0.001) were the significant determinants of students’ participation in politics. The qualitative findings also showed that there was a positive relationship between political education and students’ participation in politics. Since political interest and family are element and agent of political education respectively, it is concluded that political education is to a large extent a determinant of university students’ political participation. It is recommended that the universities, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and other stakeholders should do a thorough review of the university education curricula and programmes to ensure that political education is adequately accommodated and taken care of in a way that would increase students’ interest, awareness and participation in politics. When this is amply done, students’ cognitive skills and capacities would be enhanced to increase their participation in the political processes in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Pre-service education students’ application of visualisation strategies to solve mathematical word-problems
- Authors: Shaw, Peter
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Word problems (Mathematics)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16604 , vital:40735
- Description: This classroom-based action research dissertation examined visualisation strategies used by pre-service Intermediate Phase PGCE education students to solve mathematical word-problems. The setting was an Eastern Cape university. Previous literature indicated a positive correlation between the use of visual scaffolds and success in solving word problems. However, a gap was found insofar as little research had been published on the application of visualisation to word-problems by student teachers in South Africa. This thesis advances our understanding of the role visualisation may play in assisting student teachers to solve word-problems. The theoretic framework was informed by Bruner’s theory of learning. The research was grounded in the hermeneutic tradition. An interpretivist research paradigm was expedited by using an inductive, naturalistic perspective and relativist ontology. Thirty-eight student-teachers participated in the study. Parallel and convergent qualitative and quantitative data gathering instruments were used, thereby facilitating triangulation and examination for microgenesis. It was found that vestiges of past teaching practices initially limited the participants’ knowledge to a deeply-flawed, banking model of routines and an instrumental perception of mathematics. Disruptive calls for social justice impeded progress. Albeit visualisation strategies liberated understanding, many foundational concepts and skills had to be reconstructed. The confluence of time and rehearsal culminated in some measure of expertise. Sustained effort enabled new knowledge to be compressed and consigned to long-term memory. Salient visual representations assisted participants to conceptualise relational mathematical meta-concepts and reduced the cognitive demands imposed by word-problems but that achievement was a hard-won prize.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Shaw, Peter
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Word problems (Mathematics)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16604 , vital:40735
- Description: This classroom-based action research dissertation examined visualisation strategies used by pre-service Intermediate Phase PGCE education students to solve mathematical word-problems. The setting was an Eastern Cape university. Previous literature indicated a positive correlation between the use of visual scaffolds and success in solving word problems. However, a gap was found insofar as little research had been published on the application of visualisation to word-problems by student teachers in South Africa. This thesis advances our understanding of the role visualisation may play in assisting student teachers to solve word-problems. The theoretic framework was informed by Bruner’s theory of learning. The research was grounded in the hermeneutic tradition. An interpretivist research paradigm was expedited by using an inductive, naturalistic perspective and relativist ontology. Thirty-eight student-teachers participated in the study. Parallel and convergent qualitative and quantitative data gathering instruments were used, thereby facilitating triangulation and examination for microgenesis. It was found that vestiges of past teaching practices initially limited the participants’ knowledge to a deeply-flawed, banking model of routines and an instrumental perception of mathematics. Disruptive calls for social justice impeded progress. Albeit visualisation strategies liberated understanding, many foundational concepts and skills had to be reconstructed. The confluence of time and rehearsal culminated in some measure of expertise. Sustained effort enabled new knowledge to be compressed and consigned to long-term memory. Salient visual representations assisted participants to conceptualise relational mathematical meta-concepts and reduced the cognitive demands imposed by word-problems but that achievement was a hard-won prize.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Rural-urban migration and its impact on rural development in Nigeria
- Authors: Abizu, Odion Stanley
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Rural development Rural-urban migration -- Nigeria Rural poor
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13815 , vital:39714
- Description: This thesis focuses on the developmental impact of rural-urban migration in Nigeria. While, recognising the negative impact of rural-urban migration, the study argues that in order to benefit internal migrants as well as rural development, there must be a paradigm shift to focus on how the benefits of migration on development can be achieved. It is proposed that rural-urban migration occurs as a response to economic, education, health, social and environmental factors. The challenges confronting rural areas are urban bias development paradigm pursued by the successive governments resulting in rural underdevelopment that exacerbates the rural urban disparity. And the neglect of agriculture in rural areas resulting from the discovery of oil in Nigeria. The study revealed that flawed policies adopted by successive Nigerian governments led to joblessness, entrenched social inequality and opportunities. One of the outcomes of these short-sighted policies was rural underdevelopment, which accelerated rural-urban migration in Nigeria. However, the study also demonstrates that the income flows from the migrants to the various rural households has contributed to improvement in the living standard of the households. The fragmentary approaches to rural development that is currently the case in Nigeria would not generate the required level of development and growth needed in the rural communities to improve the living standard. Thus, there is need for a policy framework in Nigeria, which would encourage the private sector to play a vital role in contributing their part in the provision of infrastructural facilities in the rural communities. Although this thesis is a case study of the impact of rural-urban migration on rural development in Nigeria, it can serve to appreciate the role migration can play in promoting development both in rural and urban areas in Nigeria and other Saharan Africa countries.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Abizu, Odion Stanley
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Rural development Rural-urban migration -- Nigeria Rural poor
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13815 , vital:39714
- Description: This thesis focuses on the developmental impact of rural-urban migration in Nigeria. While, recognising the negative impact of rural-urban migration, the study argues that in order to benefit internal migrants as well as rural development, there must be a paradigm shift to focus on how the benefits of migration on development can be achieved. It is proposed that rural-urban migration occurs as a response to economic, education, health, social and environmental factors. The challenges confronting rural areas are urban bias development paradigm pursued by the successive governments resulting in rural underdevelopment that exacerbates the rural urban disparity. And the neglect of agriculture in rural areas resulting from the discovery of oil in Nigeria. The study revealed that flawed policies adopted by successive Nigerian governments led to joblessness, entrenched social inequality and opportunities. One of the outcomes of these short-sighted policies was rural underdevelopment, which accelerated rural-urban migration in Nigeria. However, the study also demonstrates that the income flows from the migrants to the various rural households has contributed to improvement in the living standard of the households. The fragmentary approaches to rural development that is currently the case in Nigeria would not generate the required level of development and growth needed in the rural communities to improve the living standard. Thus, there is need for a policy framework in Nigeria, which would encourage the private sector to play a vital role in contributing their part in the provision of infrastructural facilities in the rural communities. Although this thesis is a case study of the impact of rural-urban migration on rural development in Nigeria, it can serve to appreciate the role migration can play in promoting development both in rural and urban areas in Nigeria and other Saharan Africa countries.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Ruthenium sulphide nanoparticles derived from tri-dithiocarbamato ruthenium (III) complexes : synthesis, optical and structural studies
- Authors: Mbese, Johannes Zanoxolo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Nanoparticles Ruthenium compounds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15420 , vital:40406
- Description: The present Thesis pioneer the application of single-source molecular precursor method for the synthesis of ruthenium sulfide nanoparticles using a series of novel self-prepared single-source molecular precursors. The preparation of precursors involved the design and synthesis of compounds containing all the desired elements required within the coordination compound. Good precursors are tailored to give reproducible, clean decomposition at moderate temperatures, leading to high quality, defect free, mono-dispersed nanoparticles. Nine (9) homonuclear tris-dithiocarbamato ruthenium(III) complexes, [Ru(S2CNR2)3] were prepared from a stoichiometric reaction of RuCl3·H2O with self-prepared dithiocarbamate ligands at room temperature in a molar ratio of Ru3+: Ligand of 1:3. Dithiocarbamate ligands were derived from a stoichiometric reaction of carbon disulfide with (aniline, N-allylmethylamine, p-toluidine, p-anisidine, N-ethyl-m-toluidine, piperidine, morpholine, di-isopropylamine, and diallylamine) in the presence of concentrated ammonia or potassium hydroxide in ice cold bath. The dithiocarbamate ligands and complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, UV-Vis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) was used to study the decomposition profiles of the precursor complexes. The results obtained from the TGA of precursors showed that the complexes decompose to ruthenium sulfide nanoparticles. The FTIR spectra of the ligands revealed prominent strong absorption bands ascribed to v(N-H) stretching vibrations and also confirm the bidentate coordination of the dithiocarbamate ligands. Ruthenium(III) complexes show absorption spectra in the visible region that exhibit bands attributed to n → π* electronic transitions located on the sulfur atoms located in the S–C–S and N–C–S chromophores of the bidentate dithiocarbamate ligands respectively. The absorption spectra also confirmed the geometry of ruthenium(III) complexes to be octahedral. The proposed structures of dithiocarbamate ligands and ruthenium(III) complexes were confirmed by the 1H- and 13C-NMR. The complexes were used as single-source molecular precursors for the synthesis of ruthenium sulfide nanoparticles. The structural and optical properties were studied using transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. FTIR revealed that Ru2S3 nanoparticles are capped through the interaction of the –NH2 group of hexadecylamine HDA adsorbed on the surfaces of nanoparticles and it also showed that oleic acid (OA) is acting as both coordinating stabilizing surfactant and capping agent. The XRD confirmed the successful formation of Ru2S3 nanoparticles induced by the thermal decomposition of series of [Ru(S2CNR2)3] complexes. The diffraction peaks: 2θ = 29.43, 40.54, 49.33, 51.86, 61.92, and 75.94 were assign the Miler indices (hkl) to be (111), (211), (220), (300), (222) and (330) reflections, respectively, and were found to be in agreement with a cubic crystal structure reported in database file of (JCPDS 19-1107). The particle sizes estimated from Scherer's equation were found in a range between 2.5 and 4.9 nm. EDS spectra reveal that the prepared nanoparticles are mainly composed of Ru and S, confirming the presence of Ru2S3 nanoparticles in cubic phase. The inner morphology of nanoparticles was obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and most nanoparticles had narrow particle size distribution characterized by an average diameter of 8.45 nm with a standard deviation of 1.6 nm. The optical band gap (Eg) determined from Tauc plot was found in the range (3.44 to 4.18 eV) values.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Mbese, Johannes Zanoxolo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Nanoparticles Ruthenium compounds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15420 , vital:40406
- Description: The present Thesis pioneer the application of single-source molecular precursor method for the synthesis of ruthenium sulfide nanoparticles using a series of novel self-prepared single-source molecular precursors. The preparation of precursors involved the design and synthesis of compounds containing all the desired elements required within the coordination compound. Good precursors are tailored to give reproducible, clean decomposition at moderate temperatures, leading to high quality, defect free, mono-dispersed nanoparticles. Nine (9) homonuclear tris-dithiocarbamato ruthenium(III) complexes, [Ru(S2CNR2)3] were prepared from a stoichiometric reaction of RuCl3·H2O with self-prepared dithiocarbamate ligands at room temperature in a molar ratio of Ru3+: Ligand of 1:3. Dithiocarbamate ligands were derived from a stoichiometric reaction of carbon disulfide with (aniline, N-allylmethylamine, p-toluidine, p-anisidine, N-ethyl-m-toluidine, piperidine, morpholine, di-isopropylamine, and diallylamine) in the presence of concentrated ammonia or potassium hydroxide in ice cold bath. The dithiocarbamate ligands and complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, UV-Vis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) was used to study the decomposition profiles of the precursor complexes. The results obtained from the TGA of precursors showed that the complexes decompose to ruthenium sulfide nanoparticles. The FTIR spectra of the ligands revealed prominent strong absorption bands ascribed to v(N-H) stretching vibrations and also confirm the bidentate coordination of the dithiocarbamate ligands. Ruthenium(III) complexes show absorption spectra in the visible region that exhibit bands attributed to n → π* electronic transitions located on the sulfur atoms located in the S–C–S and N–C–S chromophores of the bidentate dithiocarbamate ligands respectively. The absorption spectra also confirmed the geometry of ruthenium(III) complexes to be octahedral. The proposed structures of dithiocarbamate ligands and ruthenium(III) complexes were confirmed by the 1H- and 13C-NMR. The complexes were used as single-source molecular precursors for the synthesis of ruthenium sulfide nanoparticles. The structural and optical properties were studied using transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. FTIR revealed that Ru2S3 nanoparticles are capped through the interaction of the –NH2 group of hexadecylamine HDA adsorbed on the surfaces of nanoparticles and it also showed that oleic acid (OA) is acting as both coordinating stabilizing surfactant and capping agent. The XRD confirmed the successful formation of Ru2S3 nanoparticles induced by the thermal decomposition of series of [Ru(S2CNR2)3] complexes. The diffraction peaks: 2θ = 29.43, 40.54, 49.33, 51.86, 61.92, and 75.94 were assign the Miler indices (hkl) to be (111), (211), (220), (300), (222) and (330) reflections, respectively, and were found to be in agreement with a cubic crystal structure reported in database file of (JCPDS 19-1107). The particle sizes estimated from Scherer's equation were found in a range between 2.5 and 4.9 nm. EDS spectra reveal that the prepared nanoparticles are mainly composed of Ru and S, confirming the presence of Ru2S3 nanoparticles in cubic phase. The inner morphology of nanoparticles was obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and most nanoparticles had narrow particle size distribution characterized by an average diameter of 8.45 nm with a standard deviation of 1.6 nm. The optical band gap (Eg) determined from Tauc plot was found in the range (3.44 to 4.18 eV) values.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Selected stakeholders’ views on the use of tablet computers in learning and teaching – a South African case study at a university
- Fernandez, Simon Christopher
- Authors: Fernandez, Simon Christopher
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Computer-assisted instruction Tablet computers Educational technology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15903 , vital:40553
- Description: The popularity of mobile technologies has greatly influenced the people of all ages, especially adolescents. Tablet computers as part of mobile technologies, were launched in colleges and universities in many countries to supplement and complement learning and teaching. However, research reports based on the effectiveness of the use of tablet computers in higher education institutions in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province are scarce. In order to address the deficiency, this study examined the views of stakeholders such as students, lecturers and managers on the use of tablet computers for learning and teaching in one of the Eastern Cape universities. The research adopted the Post-Positivist paradigm and mixed method approach. The theoretical frameworks were Constructivism and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. The sample consisted of (a) 155 students from a population of 254 extended-stream National Diploma students in Information and Communication Technology and National Diploma Electrical Engineering cohorts; (b) 14 lecturers from a relevant population of 25; and, (c) 16 managers from a population of 20. Three separate questionnaires as well as interview protocols for each of the stakeholder cohorts provided the core data. All members in the sample were surveyed. The researcher opted to be an outsider and received assistance from a few qualified trained academics to administer the questionnaire to students in different cohorts in order to minimise data bias. Only 18 students, five lecturers and nine managers were interviewed. Quantitative data were captured manually into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 24) and they were analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis: Analysis of Variance and Independent Samples t-test. Qualitative data were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis to generate major themes and sub themes for the sub-research questions. Main strengths of using tablets from the findings of the study were (a) tablets motivated students in learning and lecturers in teaching (b) students understood the different styles of learning (c) enhanced students’ engagement and collaboration in learning. Main weakness of using tablets were students’ use of tablets for personal work and social networking during class hours was causing distractions to lecturers and other students. Generally, the evidence shows that strengths were greater than the weaknesses. It should also be noted that all stakeholders were positive and not statistically significantly different from each other in their views towards the use of tablets for learning and teaching in university classroom. However, students had views different from lecturers on the advantages and disadvantages of using tablets. The variance could be due to new students or new lecturers’ ignorance in the effective use of tablets and this might change as their familiarity in the use of the device improves. The research report makes a few recommendations which include training to all students and lecturers on the effective use of tablet computers for learning and teaching and installation of relevant applications before the commencement of each academic year. Moreover, the Information and communication technology technical staff must prevent students from visiting unwanted and restricted sites by keeping a network based tracker and blocker software application.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Fernandez, Simon Christopher
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Computer-assisted instruction Tablet computers Educational technology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15903 , vital:40553
- Description: The popularity of mobile technologies has greatly influenced the people of all ages, especially adolescents. Tablet computers as part of mobile technologies, were launched in colleges and universities in many countries to supplement and complement learning and teaching. However, research reports based on the effectiveness of the use of tablet computers in higher education institutions in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province are scarce. In order to address the deficiency, this study examined the views of stakeholders such as students, lecturers and managers on the use of tablet computers for learning and teaching in one of the Eastern Cape universities. The research adopted the Post-Positivist paradigm and mixed method approach. The theoretical frameworks were Constructivism and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. The sample consisted of (a) 155 students from a population of 254 extended-stream National Diploma students in Information and Communication Technology and National Diploma Electrical Engineering cohorts; (b) 14 lecturers from a relevant population of 25; and, (c) 16 managers from a population of 20. Three separate questionnaires as well as interview protocols for each of the stakeholder cohorts provided the core data. All members in the sample were surveyed. The researcher opted to be an outsider and received assistance from a few qualified trained academics to administer the questionnaire to students in different cohorts in order to minimise data bias. Only 18 students, five lecturers and nine managers were interviewed. Quantitative data were captured manually into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 24) and they were analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis: Analysis of Variance and Independent Samples t-test. Qualitative data were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis to generate major themes and sub themes for the sub-research questions. Main strengths of using tablets from the findings of the study were (a) tablets motivated students in learning and lecturers in teaching (b) students understood the different styles of learning (c) enhanced students’ engagement and collaboration in learning. Main weakness of using tablets were students’ use of tablets for personal work and social networking during class hours was causing distractions to lecturers and other students. Generally, the evidence shows that strengths were greater than the weaknesses. It should also be noted that all stakeholders were positive and not statistically significantly different from each other in their views towards the use of tablets for learning and teaching in university classroom. However, students had views different from lecturers on the advantages and disadvantages of using tablets. The variance could be due to new students or new lecturers’ ignorance in the effective use of tablets and this might change as their familiarity in the use of the device improves. The research report makes a few recommendations which include training to all students and lecturers on the effective use of tablet computers for learning and teaching and installation of relevant applications before the commencement of each academic year. Moreover, the Information and communication technology technical staff must prevent students from visiting unwanted and restricted sites by keeping a network based tracker and blocker software application.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Study habits and learning styles as correlates of grade 11 students’ academic performance in mathematical literacy in the Amathole Education District
- Authors: Yako, Mzwandile John-Mott
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Academic performance
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16687 , vital:40743
- Description: This study investigated whether there was correlation in study habits and learning styles with Mathematical Literacy among the Grade 11 (eleven) high school learners. The Amatole Education District was chosen for this study since it is composed of urban and rural schools. Since Mathematical Literacy was introduced in the system of education in South Africa with the understanding that learners who are finding it a challenge to study Mathematics be complemented with Mathematical Literacy to provide them with skills that are a prerequisite for tertiary level and participation in the economic development. The study purposed to establish whether there was a relationship between academic performance with study habits and learning styles in Mathematical Literacy. The study used the post-positivistic paradigm; the approach was quantitative and the design was descriptive correlational. In sampling probability, cluster sampling was used based on the number of high schools in the Amatole Education District of the Eastern Cape. It was then followed by sub-sampling of learners in Grade 11 (eleven) whose mathematical Literacy skills and performance were being investigated in this study. The theory of Covey on study habits and Kolb’s theory on learning styles were used as a theoretical framework for the study. The data collection instrument used was a closed-ended questionnaire based on a Likert scale measurement. Confidentiality and anonymity were emphasized with informed consent in place. Data was analyzed using SPSS software and Microsoft Excel. The results showed a significant relationship between note taking, writing skills and Mathematical Literacy skills and performance. The findings on the learning styles indicated no significant relationship between socio-demographic factors (visual language, visual numerical, auditory-numerical e.tc.) and academic performance in Mathematical Literacy. This research revealed that study habits had an impact on the academic performance of learners in mathematical literacy. This relationship between academic performance and study habits is an indication that learners needed to improve in their use of English as a second language, especially on note taking, writing skills and Mathematical Literacy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Yako, Mzwandile John-Mott
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Academic performance
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16687 , vital:40743
- Description: This study investigated whether there was correlation in study habits and learning styles with Mathematical Literacy among the Grade 11 (eleven) high school learners. The Amatole Education District was chosen for this study since it is composed of urban and rural schools. Since Mathematical Literacy was introduced in the system of education in South Africa with the understanding that learners who are finding it a challenge to study Mathematics be complemented with Mathematical Literacy to provide them with skills that are a prerequisite for tertiary level and participation in the economic development. The study purposed to establish whether there was a relationship between academic performance with study habits and learning styles in Mathematical Literacy. The study used the post-positivistic paradigm; the approach was quantitative and the design was descriptive correlational. In sampling probability, cluster sampling was used based on the number of high schools in the Amatole Education District of the Eastern Cape. It was then followed by sub-sampling of learners in Grade 11 (eleven) whose mathematical Literacy skills and performance were being investigated in this study. The theory of Covey on study habits and Kolb’s theory on learning styles were used as a theoretical framework for the study. The data collection instrument used was a closed-ended questionnaire based on a Likert scale measurement. Confidentiality and anonymity were emphasized with informed consent in place. Data was analyzed using SPSS software and Microsoft Excel. The results showed a significant relationship between note taking, writing skills and Mathematical Literacy skills and performance. The findings on the learning styles indicated no significant relationship between socio-demographic factors (visual language, visual numerical, auditory-numerical e.tc.) and academic performance in Mathematical Literacy. This research revealed that study habits had an impact on the academic performance of learners in mathematical literacy. This relationship between academic performance and study habits is an indication that learners needed to improve in their use of English as a second language, especially on note taking, writing skills and Mathematical Literacy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019