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The impact of Malawi’s National Strategy on Inclusive Education: a case study analysis of two schools

- Kaunda, Bridget

Authors: Kaunda, Bridget
Date: 2024-04-05
Subjects: Uncatalogued
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/436499 , vital:73277
Description: Using a qualitative case study approach, this study analysed the impact of Malawi’s National Strategy on Inclusive Education (NSIE) on inclusive education (IE) in two inclusive schools. IE is a global education reform for accommodating learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in mainstream schools. Malawi developed the NSIE in 2017 to guide IE implementation while working on the actual policy. This study aimed to analyse how NSIE has impacted IE during its first five years of implementation. This was done by examining how the NIES goals were designed, enacted, and implemented, the perceptions of system users, who include teachers, learners, and parents towards IE, and the enabling and constraining factors on its implementation. Drawing on the theoretical perspectives of the democratic theory of education and systems theory, this study argues that NSIE has ameliorated IE implementation by putting in place a structural implementation system. However, the implementation is marred by several constraining factors both at the management and implementation (schools) levels. Secondly, there is a disjuncture between NSIE as intended and as implemented in the sampled schools. Thirdly, the IE system lacks effective communication and responsive decision-making, especially in the monitoring process and school involvement. Fourthly, the study shows that IE implementation depends on a functional and well-stocked resource centre (RC) and the availability of enough qualified staff. It was also observed that poor teacher motivation resulting from lack of incentives such as promotions and training were major obstacles to the successful implementation of IE at the school level. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Primary and Early Childhood Education, 2024
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Date Issued: 2024-04-05

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An exploration of the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) facilitating the growth and certification of small-scale organic farmers: Giyani, Garden Route and Overberg case studies

- Mashele,N’wa-Jama

Authors: Mashele,N’wa-Jama
Date: 2023-04
Subjects: Organic farming – Case studies --South Africa , Organic farming research
Language: English
Type: Doctoral theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60741 , vital:66574
Description: In this study, I evaluated the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) as a framework to support the growth and certification of small-scale organic farmers. I used the interpretivism and constructivism lenses to understand the PGS from the perspective of members of three PGS groups. The research was qualitative, treating the three PGS groups as case studies. I collected data using focus groups, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, field notes and observations. The theoretical frameworks that guided the research and data analysis were Socio-ecological Systems (SES) based principles and the Multi-Level-Perspective (MLP) framework. The data were analysed using Atlas.ti content analysis software. The key results were grouped into four themes: capacity; market and logistics; learning process; and disturbance, shock and stress. The theme of ‘capacity’ dealt with the functioning of a PGS, where three categories were identified: group composition and capacity; resource limitations and institutional support; marketing and consumer education. The more diversity in age, education and culture of PGS stakeholders, the better performance and chances of continuity and propagation. PGS has limited capacity partly due to its voluntary nature and infancy. It needs institutional support to grow and be useful for members. Department of Agriculture extension officers knew little about organic farming, thus limiting their engagement and assistance to such farmers. The theme of ‘market and logistics’ looked at the various factors that influence the farmers’ market reach. The perception from the members was that there was minimal consumer awareness about organic agriculture and the PGS. The marketing of organic produce relied largely on the individual farmer’s efforts and ability to search for and secure markets. The theme of the ‘learning process’ was categorised into learning and knowledge exchange. Members of the PGS groups highly regarded the invaluable knowledge shared through farm visits and online platforms, such as their WhatsApp groups. This knowledge improved and informed their farming techniques and led to the growth of v their skill base and experimentation. They viewed the way knowledge was exchanged as non-threatening and highly useful. The fourth theme of ‘disturbance, shock and stress’ dealt with the effects of COVID19. The three groups were all affected by lockdown restrictions (at the time of data collection) and were initially cut off from their usual markets. This led to a loss of income, loss of farm staff and a loss of the desired growth of the farms. The group’s diverse farming practices bolstered their resilience, enabling them to adapt and try alternative marketing strategies. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Management, 2023
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Date Issued: 2023-04

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Efffectiveness of using the strategy instructions approach (SIA) in teaching reading comprehension: A stud of selected schools in the Amathole East District

- Senye-Awudi, Patrick Kwabla

Authors: Senye-Awudi, Patrick Kwabla
Date: 2023-00
Subjects: Direct Marketing
Language: English
Type: Strategy instructions approach (SIA) , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/10747 , vital:75216
Description: This study sought to explore the effectiveness of using the strategy instructions approach (SIA) to teaching reading comprehension. This research was necessitated by the fact that most South African children do not perform well when it comes to reading comprehension. Many researchers from the literature, such as Rule (2017) and Pretorius and Klapwijk (2016), revealed that most language teachers, especially English First Additional Language teachers, do not have adequate skills to teach learners reading comprehension effectively. Even though in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document, which should serve as the ultimate guide for teaching English, some strategies are clearly spelt out to be used to teach reading comprehension, the teachers do not use them. This study used the SIA, which contains some of those strategies in the CAPS documents to teach the reading comprehension to grade 8 learners in Elliotdale CMC in the Amathole East District of the Eastern Cape of the Republic of South Africa. The study also sought to find out if SIA could develop positive attitudes and autonomy in the learners towards reading comprehension. The constructivist theory of learning and the schema theory of teaching reading comprehension were the two theories that underpinned the study. A control group and an experimental group (sampled from three schools) were used to determine the effectiveness of SIA when compared to the traditional teaching approaches used by teachers to teach reading comprehension. The study revealed that the use of SIA to teach reading comprehension developed positive attitudes and autonomy in reading comprehension. Finally, SIA has become effective to increase the performance of learners in reading comprehension. The study recommends that teachers should be trained in the higher institutions to use SIA to teach reading comprehension and teachers in the field should be developed to learn how to use the strategies to teach reading comprehension. In addition, more hours should be allocated on the school timetables for teaching reading comprehension. Finally, more reading materials, together with more reading activities, should be given to learners in the schools, especially schools in the rural areas. , Thesis (Masters) -- Faculty of Education, 2023
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Date Issued: 2023-00

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An investigation into the force-EMG relationship for static and dynamic exertions

- Koekemoer, Wesley Agosthinho

Authors: Koekemoer, Wesley Agosthinho
Date: 2022-04-06
Subjects: Electromyography , Force and energy , Muscles Physiology , Biomechanics , Muscle contraction , Isometric exercise , Isotonic exercise , ‎Static and dynamic exertions
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/291076 , vital:56816
Description: The force-EMG relationship has multiple applications in varying fields of study and practice. One such application is the development of safety guidelines and regulations. Current guidelines are based on static muscle actions even though the majority of tasks encountered in industry are dynamic in nature. This may have negative implications for the health, safety, and productivity of workers as regulations based on static muscle actions may place higher force demands on manual labourers compared to what would be expected if regulations were based on dynamic muscle actions. Regulations based on dynamic muscle actions may be more effective in worker safety as the nature of the regulation matches that of the demand. Few studies have investigated the force-EMG relationship during dynamic muscle actions and the few that do exist have reported contradictory / mixed results. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to: 1) gain an understanding of EMG responses at different load levels, and 2) show how the relationship differs between static and dynamic muscle actions. A two-factorial repeated-measures experiment was developed for this study. Eighteen experimental conditions, utilizing six load levels (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of maximum voluntary force) for each of the three muscle actions (isometric, concentric and eccentric). Surface EMG responses were obtained under these conditions by repeatedly dorsiflexing and plantarflexing the foot, thus activating the soleus muscle. A maximum voluntary exertion on an isokinetic dynamometer determined the maximum force level, based on which the sub-maximal loads were calculated and added to a pulley system. 31 student participants were recruited for this experiment which was conducted over two sessions – one information and habituation session, and one experimental session. The EMG data recorded were processed and checked for normality and outliers. The data was then analysed via a General Linear Model analysis to determine the effect of exertion type and of load level on the muscle activity. Significant differences were identified at p<0.05 and followed by a Tukey post-hoc test. Correlation analyses were also conducted to determine the relationship between the force and EMG at all three exertion types. All dependent measures showed that as the load level increased so did the sEMG amplitude for all muscle actions. Muscle actions differed significantly between majority of six force levels. Correlations between the load levels and sEMG amplitude for each muscle action indicated a significant correlation with a moderate strength. The conclusion draws from this study that there is a positive correlation between force and sEMG amplitude, at all load levels, with a moderate strength. However, the muscle actions differed significantly from each other. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, 2022
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Date Issued: 2022-04-06

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The influence of financial socialisation agents on financial knowledge, financial self-efficacy and financial behaviour among South African consumers

- Maswena, Kaelo

Authors: Maswena, Kaelo
Date: 2022-04-06
Subjects: Financial literacy South Africa , Finance, Personal South Africa , Budgets, Personal South Africa , Consumer behavior South Africa , Consumers Attitudes , Life skills South Africa , Social learning South Africa , Self-control South Africa , Socialization South Africa , Financial socialisation agents‎
Language: English
Type: Master's thesis , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232421 , vital:49990
Description: There is a need to promote positive financial behaviour in South Africa. According to the Human Sciences Research Council (2018), South African financial behaviour culture emphasises a financially vulnerable nation in terms of not having enough income for future planning and lacking financial self-control. In its key role in influencing financial behaviour, financial socialisation, which is characterised by interactions with indirect, or purposive financial education and communication of financial norms influencing financial behaviours, attitudes, knowledge, capabilities, and self-efficacy of consumers, is the topic of this study. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of financial socialisation agents on financial (actual and self-assessed) knowledge, financial self-efficacy and financial behaviour among South African consumers. Based on Glenn’s (2018) framework, Xiao et al. (2009) socialisation and Moschis et al. (1978) consumer socialisation theory, the financial socialisation theoretical framework is provided for this study. Literature review provided an overview of past studies on the concepts of financial socialisation, financial (actual and self-assessed) knowledge, financial self-efficacy and financial behaviour. Therefore, a positivistic research paradigm was adopted, which used a cross-sectional correlational research methodology. This study analysed data primarily collected by a questionnaire survey of South African social attitudes to financial literacy by the Human Sciences Research Council (2011), using a multi-staged sampling technique in all South African provinces of consumers of 16 years and older. Descriptive statistics showed that most respondents were black African females between the ages of 26 and 35 years. Most held Matric certificates and were in paid employment for 30 hours or more per week. Most respondents considered family to be the most influential financial socialisation agent, followed by friends, then the bank. Actual financial knowledge of respondents, was indicated as relatively high. Results on self-assessed financial knowledge showed that most of the respondents considered their level of financial knowledge to be neutral. Using Pearson product-moment correlations to measure the strength and correlations of relationships, positive significant correlations were found between financial socialisation agents, financial (actual and self-assessed) knowledge and financial self-efficacy, while a negative and insignificant correlation was found between financial socialisation agents and financial behaviour. Multiple regression analysis results testing the hypotheses of the study demonstrated that financial socialisation agents have a significant positive influence on financial (actual and self-assessed) knowledge and financial self-efficacy; a significant influence on financial behaviour was not reported. Self-assessed financial knowledge showed a positive significant influence on financial self-efficacy and actual financial knowledge had an insignificant negative influence on financial self-efficacy. Actual financial knowledge had a significant positive influence on financial behaviour, whereby a positive yet insignificant relationship was found between self-assessed knowledge and financial behaviour. In the end, recommendations for the results indicate that financial educators need to develop a financial education plan that will include other content areas of financial knowledge such as identified by Huston (2010) and Lusardi and Mitchell (2011); the most important recommendation would be to help consumers have an accurate understanding of their own level of financial knowledge and to improve financial self-efficacy in consumers, financial socialisation experiences such as offering encouragement to open a bank account, to save and invest money, and presenting opportunities to practise financial skills, may increase consumers’ self-efficacy and lead to positive financial behaviours. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Management, 2022
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Date Issued: 2022-04-06

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Job satisfaction at a public hospital in the Nelson Mandela Bay: Lived experiences of professional nurses

- Vamva, Valencia Nomawethu

Authors: Vamva, Valencia Nomawethu
Date: 2019-12
Subjects: Nursing -- Job satisfaction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public hospitals -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Public health Nursing
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60843 , vital:67951
Description: Job satisfaction has been recognised as one of the most important factors influencing a nurse’s desire to remain in the nursing profession. Nurses play a pivotal role in determining the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of the healthcare system. Understanding the job satisfaction of professional nurses in public hospitals is critical because it has a direct relationship with turnover rates. The aim of the study was to explore the lived experiences of professional nurses at a public hospital in the Nelson Mandela Bay. The research design was a qualitative, descriptive phenomenological design. The research population for this study was professional nurses in a public hospital of the Nelson Mandela Bay. A non-probability, purposive sampling method was used. The data collection method for this study was face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with the professional nurses. Trustworthiness was based on the four criteria of trustworthiness which are: credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability. The ethical standards for this study were based on the three principles of the Belmont Report which are respect for persons, beneficence and justice. Professional nurses are important in the health care system because of their provision of adequate health care. Literature has indicated that the public sector hospitals of South Africa have many challenges. The challenges faced by these public sector hospitals may affect the nurses’ job satisfaction, their performance and the quality of care. This study was helpful as it explored the experiences of professional nurses regarding job satisfaction in a public hospital of the Nelson Mandela Bay. The professional nurses highlighted the aspects of their work environment that influenced their job satisfaction and recommendations were made to resolve the situation. These were the need for sufficient staff, adequate salaries, a management-staff bond, continuous development of staff, the need for supervisors to monitor staff tardiness, sufficient resources and their maintenance, improvement of hospital infrastructure and ensuring staff safety. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2019
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Date Issued: 2019-12

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