Social entrepreneurship and poverty reduction in South Africa, the case Eastern Cape Province
- Fiseha, Gebregziabher Gebreyseus
- Authors: Fiseha, Gebregziabher Gebreyseus
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Poverty Alleviation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD(Dev)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/18919 , vital:42998
- Description: Globally, poverty is a major social problem. Billions of people in developing countries, particularly sub-Saharan African countries including South Africa, continue to live in extreme poverty without access to basic needs (food, shelter, clean water and sanitation, health and education).The Eastern Cape Province has the highest number of the poor people in South Africa. The government strategies and policies to address the magnitude of poverty seem unlikely to lift the majority from poverty. Recently, however, social entrepreneurship has been recognized as the most important instrument in addressing the challenges of development (poverty, unemployment and inequality). Hence, this study was conducted to examine the role of social entrepreneurship in poverty reduction in Eastern Cape Province. A mixed research method was employed to achieve this objective. The population of the study targeted social entrepreneurs and their beneficiaries in Eastern Cape Province. The data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire from 265 social entrepreneurs and 120 social entrepreneurship beneficiaries. The participants were selected through purposive sampling technique since the population of social entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurship beneficiaries in the Eastern Cape Province is not well determined. The descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that social entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in poverty reduction in Eastern Cape Province through creating employment opportunities, skill development, availability of goods and services such as financial loans. Therefore, the support for entrepreneurship culture is important for social entrepreneurship growth in order to enhance its contribution to poverty reduction. The study recommends that the government of South Africa and other vi relevant stakeholders should create conducive environment for social entrepreneurs to flourish and grow in the country to reduce poverty significantly. The growth of social entrepreneurship can lead to substantial benefits for the marginalized and vulnerable segments of the society
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Fiseha, Gebregziabher Gebreyseus
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Poverty Alleviation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD(Dev)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/18919 , vital:42998
- Description: Globally, poverty is a major social problem. Billions of people in developing countries, particularly sub-Saharan African countries including South Africa, continue to live in extreme poverty without access to basic needs (food, shelter, clean water and sanitation, health and education).The Eastern Cape Province has the highest number of the poor people in South Africa. The government strategies and policies to address the magnitude of poverty seem unlikely to lift the majority from poverty. Recently, however, social entrepreneurship has been recognized as the most important instrument in addressing the challenges of development (poverty, unemployment and inequality). Hence, this study was conducted to examine the role of social entrepreneurship in poverty reduction in Eastern Cape Province. A mixed research method was employed to achieve this objective. The population of the study targeted social entrepreneurs and their beneficiaries in Eastern Cape Province. The data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire from 265 social entrepreneurs and 120 social entrepreneurship beneficiaries. The participants were selected through purposive sampling technique since the population of social entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurship beneficiaries in the Eastern Cape Province is not well determined. The descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that social entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in poverty reduction in Eastern Cape Province through creating employment opportunities, skill development, availability of goods and services such as financial loans. Therefore, the support for entrepreneurship culture is important for social entrepreneurship growth in order to enhance its contribution to poverty reduction. The study recommends that the government of South Africa and other vi relevant stakeholders should create conducive environment for social entrepreneurs to flourish and grow in the country to reduce poverty significantly. The growth of social entrepreneurship can lead to substantial benefits for the marginalized and vulnerable segments of the society
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Social Media as Human Rights Watchdog: A critical Analysis of Facebook and WhatsApp use by Citizens and Civil Society Groups in the Run-up to the 2018 Elections in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Mututwa, Wishes.T
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Social media Online social networks
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15837 , vital:40531
- Description: This study analysed the use of social media platforms, WhatsApp and Facebook in monitoring human rights ahead of Zimbabwe’s 2018 Harmonised elections. Zimbabwe has witnessed gross human rights violations since the attainment of independence in 1980 but most of these violations have been misrepresented, partially captured or ignored particularly by the partisan state media. While issues of human rights have been researched on, there has been a gap in research on the role of social media in safeguarding human rights in Zimbabwe, particularly during election times. There has also been a gap in research about the influences of social media, not just to inspire revolutions but to strengthen democratic practices in Zimbabwe through vibrant discussions of human rights issues on social media platforms. This study was informed by Habermas Theory of public sphere and Social network theory in order to analyse texts shared and discussed on WhatsApp and Facebook about human rights committed ahead of 2018 Harmonised elections. The aim was to establish use of social media as watchdog of human rights. A qualitative content analysis was applied to study texts shared on WhatsApp and Facebook about human rights violations across the country. Three WhatsApp groups and seven Facebook pages were selected for the study from which posts and responses from participants were extracted for analysis. The findings of the study revealed that social media can effectively strengthen democratic practices by exposing government’s unconstitutional practices. Further, social media can be useful in offering ordinary citizens a platform for engagement with civic society as they discuss issues that affect them. The findings of the study also hold the state accountable for the majority of human rights abuses committed throughout the election campaign period. The study then recommended that the government of Zimbabwe should go back to constitutionalism and abide by international human rights treaties to which they are signatory. Further, the study recommended that Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and other independent commissions be empowered so that human rights are fully enjoyed in Zimbabwe, not just during election campaign periods but all the time
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mututwa, Wishes.T
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Social media Online social networks
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15837 , vital:40531
- Description: This study analysed the use of social media platforms, WhatsApp and Facebook in monitoring human rights ahead of Zimbabwe’s 2018 Harmonised elections. Zimbabwe has witnessed gross human rights violations since the attainment of independence in 1980 but most of these violations have been misrepresented, partially captured or ignored particularly by the partisan state media. While issues of human rights have been researched on, there has been a gap in research on the role of social media in safeguarding human rights in Zimbabwe, particularly during election times. There has also been a gap in research about the influences of social media, not just to inspire revolutions but to strengthen democratic practices in Zimbabwe through vibrant discussions of human rights issues on social media platforms. This study was informed by Habermas Theory of public sphere and Social network theory in order to analyse texts shared and discussed on WhatsApp and Facebook about human rights committed ahead of 2018 Harmonised elections. The aim was to establish use of social media as watchdog of human rights. A qualitative content analysis was applied to study texts shared on WhatsApp and Facebook about human rights violations across the country. Three WhatsApp groups and seven Facebook pages were selected for the study from which posts and responses from participants were extracted for analysis. The findings of the study revealed that social media can effectively strengthen democratic practices by exposing government’s unconstitutional practices. Further, social media can be useful in offering ordinary citizens a platform for engagement with civic society as they discuss issues that affect them. The findings of the study also hold the state accountable for the majority of human rights abuses committed throughout the election campaign period. The study then recommended that the government of Zimbabwe should go back to constitutionalism and abide by international human rights treaties to which they are signatory. Further, the study recommended that Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and other independent commissions be empowered so that human rights are fully enjoyed in Zimbabwe, not just during election campaign periods but all the time
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Social protection as a mechanism for promoting the right to education for vulnerable children in Mwenezi District, Zimbabwe
- Authors: Shumba, Sibangani
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Social security Right to education
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16676 , vital:40742
- Description: Social protection has been introduced against the backdrop of fears that many children were not able to access their right to education. However, there have been raging debates on whether the mechanism really works to effectively support the right to education of these children. It is on the backdrop of such debates that the study was undertaken, to find out if social protection was effectively being implemented to support the right to education for vulnerable children in Mwenezi District of Zimbabwe. Given the nature of variables and research questions, the study was located within the pragmatic paradigm. A mixed-method approach and concurrent triangulation approach to closely examine the issues under study was adopted. A combination of stratified random sampling and purposive sampling approaches were used to identify the subject for the study. Data were then collected from various respondents that were considered knowledgeable about the issues under discussion. These included district level officials from Ministry of Primary Education, Ministry of Labour and Social Services, District Administrator, Chief Executive Officer as well as Civil Society Organisations. Also included as sample of the study were school heads, teachers, children and community groups. Face to face interviews, Focus Group Discussions and a survey teacher questionnaire were used to solicit the data. The study confirmed the multi-dimension nature of vulnerabilities that children in Mwenezi district were facing. Meanwhile, various social protection programmes that were seeking to address the issues of child vulnerabilities were found to be in place. Providers ranged from Government, Civil Society and private players (individuals or companies). Of significance were good practices in some communities even though these communities were not aware that they were making positive contributions to the enhancement of educational opportunities. Though, these programmes were on the ground and functional, it was their management that became the focus of much scrutiny. The programmes and their management were indeed making a contribution to enhance children’s right to education. However, there were areas that required improvement in order to raise their contribution to higher levels. The results further revealed that there was need to embrace a broader spectrum of participants, including communities and children. The institutional arrangements were also noted as requiring ii review to inject urgency and efficiency. Also recommended was the enhancement of awareness, training and networking activities by implementers, while the Government system should not involve more players but improve the systems that place children at the centre. An alternative model for social protection delivery was recommended for consideration
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Shumba, Sibangani
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Social security Right to education
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16676 , vital:40742
- Description: Social protection has been introduced against the backdrop of fears that many children were not able to access their right to education. However, there have been raging debates on whether the mechanism really works to effectively support the right to education of these children. It is on the backdrop of such debates that the study was undertaken, to find out if social protection was effectively being implemented to support the right to education for vulnerable children in Mwenezi District of Zimbabwe. Given the nature of variables and research questions, the study was located within the pragmatic paradigm. A mixed-method approach and concurrent triangulation approach to closely examine the issues under study was adopted. A combination of stratified random sampling and purposive sampling approaches were used to identify the subject for the study. Data were then collected from various respondents that were considered knowledgeable about the issues under discussion. These included district level officials from Ministry of Primary Education, Ministry of Labour and Social Services, District Administrator, Chief Executive Officer as well as Civil Society Organisations. Also included as sample of the study were school heads, teachers, children and community groups. Face to face interviews, Focus Group Discussions and a survey teacher questionnaire were used to solicit the data. The study confirmed the multi-dimension nature of vulnerabilities that children in Mwenezi district were facing. Meanwhile, various social protection programmes that were seeking to address the issues of child vulnerabilities were found to be in place. Providers ranged from Government, Civil Society and private players (individuals or companies). Of significance were good practices in some communities even though these communities were not aware that they were making positive contributions to the enhancement of educational opportunities. Though, these programmes were on the ground and functional, it was their management that became the focus of much scrutiny. The programmes and their management were indeed making a contribution to enhance children’s right to education. However, there were areas that required improvement in order to raise their contribution to higher levels. The results further revealed that there was need to embrace a broader spectrum of participants, including communities and children. The institutional arrangements were also noted as requiring ii review to inject urgency and efficiency. Also recommended was the enhancement of awareness, training and networking activities by implementers, while the Government system should not involve more players but improve the systems that place children at the centre. An alternative model for social protection delivery was recommended for consideration
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Socio-ecological, contextual effects in Raven’s Colour Progressive Matrices scores: developing an index for guiding test selection and interpretation
- Authors: August, Justin Oswin
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Psychological testing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50214 , vital:42071
- Description: With the changing landscape in South Africa to full democracy, increased research has been undertaken in the psychometric field on local and national normative studies regarding various assessment measures. Given that the Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM) is purported to be culture-free and not heavily dependent on verbal and language skills; it has been extensively normed throughout the world for various population groups. While norms for normal populations of children have been developed in South Africa, these studies were based on race and gender predominantly and without taking into consideration the effects of socio-ecological factors on test performance. The research study aimed to understand the influence of socio-ecological factors on the expression of cognitive scores amongst a geographically diverse sample of South African learners. Through this study, research on the interplay between context and cognition was to be located within the Ecological Systems model of Bronfenbrenner. A secondary aim of the study was to develop an index that will guide test selection and interpretation of assessment results, taking into account the influence of socio-ecological factors and providing a conceptual framework for future test development. The study employed a quantitative methodology on a South African sample consisting of primary school children aged between the ages of 6 years to 11 years. The sample was drawn from schools in the Port Elizabeth area in South Africa that were classified into low, medium, and high opportunity, based on context. The results indicated that the type of school had a significant impact on test performance, suggesting that contextual factors were influential in this process. The item analysis conducted further indicated that learners from a low opportunity school performed significantly lower than the other two schools in the sample. The index development provides a foundation for further research that would enhance the interpretation of test results. In the South African context, this is considered important, given our political history and our diversity where a “one size fits all” approach is not possible.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: August, Justin Oswin
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Psychological testing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50214 , vital:42071
- Description: With the changing landscape in South Africa to full democracy, increased research has been undertaken in the psychometric field on local and national normative studies regarding various assessment measures. Given that the Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM) is purported to be culture-free and not heavily dependent on verbal and language skills; it has been extensively normed throughout the world for various population groups. While norms for normal populations of children have been developed in South Africa, these studies were based on race and gender predominantly and without taking into consideration the effects of socio-ecological factors on test performance. The research study aimed to understand the influence of socio-ecological factors on the expression of cognitive scores amongst a geographically diverse sample of South African learners. Through this study, research on the interplay between context and cognition was to be located within the Ecological Systems model of Bronfenbrenner. A secondary aim of the study was to develop an index that will guide test selection and interpretation of assessment results, taking into account the influence of socio-ecological factors and providing a conceptual framework for future test development. The study employed a quantitative methodology on a South African sample consisting of primary school children aged between the ages of 6 years to 11 years. The sample was drawn from schools in the Port Elizabeth area in South Africa that were classified into low, medium, and high opportunity, based on context. The results indicated that the type of school had a significant impact on test performance, suggesting that contextual factors were influential in this process. The item analysis conducted further indicated that learners from a low opportunity school performed significantly lower than the other two schools in the sample. The index development provides a foundation for further research that would enhance the interpretation of test results. In the South African context, this is considered important, given our political history and our diversity where a “one size fits all” approach is not possible.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
South Africa-based diaspora movements and the pursuit of democratic consolidation in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Ndlovu, Sitembiso Irene
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: African diaspora
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15848 , vital:40532
- Description: The study investigates South Africa-based Diaspora movements and their pursuit of democratic consolidation in Zimbabwe. The study is a qualitative one and made use of both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources included in-depth interviews, Facebook and Twitter posts, whilst secondary sources included textbooks and online journals. The study is premised on both the Political Process and Critical Theories. The study acknowledges that CSOs in general are important key players and have been identified as one of the major actors capable of helping in consolidating democracy. Zimbabwean Diaspora movements have been on the rise due to the mass exodus of its citizens to South Africa following economic collapse and civil strife in the country. The study found out that the civil society and political space in Zimbabwe is mired by partisan use of state security forces, repressive legislations, abuse of human rights and politicisation of the judicial system. These notwithstanding, the study reveals ZEF, CiZC and ZRYM have played their part in trying to consolidate democracy in Zimbabwe from their base in South Africa. They have employed various strategies and these include submitting petitions, advocacy and lobbying, partnerships and dialogues and making use of the Social media. Some of the breakthroughs recorded include educating Zimbabweans and disseminating information through social media, raising awareness and contributing to policy formation. The study, however, notes that apart from their achievements, they have also faced challenges like inadequate resources, xenophobia, leadership crises and donor fatigue. Key findings inferred that strategies used did not yield desired outcomes, and challenges faced made consolidating democracy in Zimbabwe a daunting task. The study recommends that partnerships between the Zimbabwean government and Diaspora movements need to be introduced and sustained in a way that catalyses a relationship where discussions can take place for democracy to be consolidated in Zimbabwe without any form of hostility from the government
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Ndlovu, Sitembiso Irene
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: African diaspora
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15848 , vital:40532
- Description: The study investigates South Africa-based Diaspora movements and their pursuit of democratic consolidation in Zimbabwe. The study is a qualitative one and made use of both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources included in-depth interviews, Facebook and Twitter posts, whilst secondary sources included textbooks and online journals. The study is premised on both the Political Process and Critical Theories. The study acknowledges that CSOs in general are important key players and have been identified as one of the major actors capable of helping in consolidating democracy. Zimbabwean Diaspora movements have been on the rise due to the mass exodus of its citizens to South Africa following economic collapse and civil strife in the country. The study found out that the civil society and political space in Zimbabwe is mired by partisan use of state security forces, repressive legislations, abuse of human rights and politicisation of the judicial system. These notwithstanding, the study reveals ZEF, CiZC and ZRYM have played their part in trying to consolidate democracy in Zimbabwe from their base in South Africa. They have employed various strategies and these include submitting petitions, advocacy and lobbying, partnerships and dialogues and making use of the Social media. Some of the breakthroughs recorded include educating Zimbabweans and disseminating information through social media, raising awareness and contributing to policy formation. The study, however, notes that apart from their achievements, they have also faced challenges like inadequate resources, xenophobia, leadership crises and donor fatigue. Key findings inferred that strategies used did not yield desired outcomes, and challenges faced made consolidating democracy in Zimbabwe a daunting task. The study recommends that partnerships between the Zimbabwean government and Diaspora movements need to be introduced and sustained in a way that catalyses a relationship where discussions can take place for democracy to be consolidated in Zimbabwe without any form of hostility from the government
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Stakeholder relationship management of a Chinese Mining Organisation in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Chodokufa, Kudakwashe
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Industrial management -- Zimbabwe , Mineral industries -- Zimbabwe -- Management , Investments, Chinese -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115127 , vital:34080
- Description: Media reports and research has pointed out problems in the way that Chinese mining organisations in Zimbabwe are managing stakeholder relationships. The problems ranging from disgruntled communities and allegations of labour violations. Taking into account the impact that China’s FDI has had on the ailing Zimbabwean economy research into the management of stakeholder relationships becomes imperative to understand how Chinese mining organisations build and manage stakeholder relationships. A review of stakeholder theory has revealed that there is not much emphasis by researchers on how organisations manage their stakeholder relationships, but rather on the identification and analysis of stakeholders. Research that has focused on stakeholder relationships has focused on different elements found in stakeholder relationship management and not necessarily on how stakeholder relationships should be managed. On the other hand, stakeholder theory does not seem to include social licence to operate which is important in stakeholder relationship management within the mining context. The purpose of this study is to develop a multidimensional stakeholder relationship management process for the Chinese mining organisation in Zimbabwe, showing dynamic interactions between multiple stakeholder networks with complementary, competitive and/or cooperative interests, while taking into account the possibility that interests may vary according to the underlying context. Thirteen semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with three stakeholder groups of a Chinese mining organisation as identified from the literature, namely employees, government and the community. The critical incident technique (CIT) was adopted in developing the interview questions and facilitated the data collection process. Participants described 36 critical incidents. According to multiple stakeholders, the findings suggest that, the Chinese managers built the relationship with multiple stakeholders through friendship, negotiation, pretend not to understand, referral, singing a contract, started with problems, they just arrived and through the government. With the same relationship being managed by the Chinese managers by being hard, rough and ruthless, authoritative, Chinese way of doing things, used avoidance, lack of competency, through a third party and resolving conflict when managing stakeholder relationships. Showing that the building and managing of stakeholder relationships is socially constructed and experienced differently by stakeholders. The positive and negative relationship characteristics influenced how stakeholder relationships are managed by the selected Chinese mining organisation. In the presence of positive relationship characteristics which included, friendship,there was flexibility, power dynamics, accountability depends on situations, commitment a show of investment, do cooperate to a certain extent, trust began with an open mind, shared values: hardwork and profit, shared values: culture was associated with the Chinese managing the relationship through being kind, supportive, motivating and understanding; complaint; through a third party; controlling; Chinese way of doing things; and performance and reward management of stakeholder relationships. Whilst negative relationship characteristics which included fear, their hearts were hardened, Chinese had power, intimidaton, not accountable, lack of commitment, communication understanding, connotations and intretations, communication done through a third party; no cooperation want to cut coners; trust are they conveying what is being said; deception and misrepresentation; trust depends on experience; being told lies and not transparent were associated with negative (being authoritative; hard, rough and ruthless; avoidance; blame shifting and pushy) stakeholder relationship management by the Chinese managers. Hence, a proposition that negative or positive relationship characteristics result in negative or positive stakeholder relationship management by the Chinese managers was propossed. The following challenges were experienced in the management of stakeholder relationships namely, communication, corruption, cheating, political environment, working conditions and broken promises. The dynamic multidimensional stakeholder relationship management process was subsequently revised to accommodate the new relationship characteristics and their positive and negative influence on how stakeholder relationships are managed. The main contribution of this study is the dynamic multidimensional stakeholder relationship management process which was developed within the context of a Chinese mining organisation in Africa. It is recommended that practitioners utilise the dynamic multidimensional stakeholder relationship management process to assist them in understanding and conducting research on stakeholder relationships. Further research is suggested on developing the research proposition made in the study and to empirically test the dynamic multidimension stakeholder relationship management process in other industries that posses different or similar contexts as this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Chodokufa, Kudakwashe
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Industrial management -- Zimbabwe , Mineral industries -- Zimbabwe -- Management , Investments, Chinese -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115127 , vital:34080
- Description: Media reports and research has pointed out problems in the way that Chinese mining organisations in Zimbabwe are managing stakeholder relationships. The problems ranging from disgruntled communities and allegations of labour violations. Taking into account the impact that China’s FDI has had on the ailing Zimbabwean economy research into the management of stakeholder relationships becomes imperative to understand how Chinese mining organisations build and manage stakeholder relationships. A review of stakeholder theory has revealed that there is not much emphasis by researchers on how organisations manage their stakeholder relationships, but rather on the identification and analysis of stakeholders. Research that has focused on stakeholder relationships has focused on different elements found in stakeholder relationship management and not necessarily on how stakeholder relationships should be managed. On the other hand, stakeholder theory does not seem to include social licence to operate which is important in stakeholder relationship management within the mining context. The purpose of this study is to develop a multidimensional stakeholder relationship management process for the Chinese mining organisation in Zimbabwe, showing dynamic interactions between multiple stakeholder networks with complementary, competitive and/or cooperative interests, while taking into account the possibility that interests may vary according to the underlying context. Thirteen semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with three stakeholder groups of a Chinese mining organisation as identified from the literature, namely employees, government and the community. The critical incident technique (CIT) was adopted in developing the interview questions and facilitated the data collection process. Participants described 36 critical incidents. According to multiple stakeholders, the findings suggest that, the Chinese managers built the relationship with multiple stakeholders through friendship, negotiation, pretend not to understand, referral, singing a contract, started with problems, they just arrived and through the government. With the same relationship being managed by the Chinese managers by being hard, rough and ruthless, authoritative, Chinese way of doing things, used avoidance, lack of competency, through a third party and resolving conflict when managing stakeholder relationships. Showing that the building and managing of stakeholder relationships is socially constructed and experienced differently by stakeholders. The positive and negative relationship characteristics influenced how stakeholder relationships are managed by the selected Chinese mining organisation. In the presence of positive relationship characteristics which included, friendship,there was flexibility, power dynamics, accountability depends on situations, commitment a show of investment, do cooperate to a certain extent, trust began with an open mind, shared values: hardwork and profit, shared values: culture was associated with the Chinese managing the relationship through being kind, supportive, motivating and understanding; complaint; through a third party; controlling; Chinese way of doing things; and performance and reward management of stakeholder relationships. Whilst negative relationship characteristics which included fear, their hearts were hardened, Chinese had power, intimidaton, not accountable, lack of commitment, communication understanding, connotations and intretations, communication done through a third party; no cooperation want to cut coners; trust are they conveying what is being said; deception and misrepresentation; trust depends on experience; being told lies and not transparent were associated with negative (being authoritative; hard, rough and ruthless; avoidance; blame shifting and pushy) stakeholder relationship management by the Chinese managers. Hence, a proposition that negative or positive relationship characteristics result in negative or positive stakeholder relationship management by the Chinese managers was propossed. The following challenges were experienced in the management of stakeholder relationships namely, communication, corruption, cheating, political environment, working conditions and broken promises. The dynamic multidimensional stakeholder relationship management process was subsequently revised to accommodate the new relationship characteristics and their positive and negative influence on how stakeholder relationships are managed. The main contribution of this study is the dynamic multidimensional stakeholder relationship management process which was developed within the context of a Chinese mining organisation in Africa. It is recommended that practitioners utilise the dynamic multidimensional stakeholder relationship management process to assist them in understanding and conducting research on stakeholder relationships. Further research is suggested on developing the research proposition made in the study and to empirically test the dynamic multidimension stakeholder relationship management process in other industries that posses different or similar contexts as this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Static and bootstrapped neuro-simulation for complex robots in evolutionary robotics
- Authors: Woodford, Grant Warren
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Robotics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44656 , vital:38172
- Description: Evolutionary Robotics (ER) is a field of study focused on the automatic development of controllers and robot morphologies. Evolving controllers on real-world hardware is time-consuming and can damage hardware through wear. Robotic simulators can be used as an alternative to a real-world robot in order to speed up the ER process. Most simulation techniques in practice use physics-based models that rely on an understanding of the robotic system in question. Developing effective physics-based simulators is time consuming and requires a significant level of specialised knowledge. A lengthy simulator development and tuning process is typically required before the ER process can begin. Artificial Neural Networks simulators (SNNs) can be used as an alternative to a physics based simulation approach. SNNs are simple to construct, do not require significant levels of prior knowledge of the robotic system, are computationally efficient and can be highly accurate. Two types of ER approaches utilising SNNs exist. The Static Neuro-Simulation (SNS) approach involves developing SNNs before the ER process where these SNNs are used instead of a physics-based simulator. Alternatively, SNNs can be developed during the ER process, called the Bootstrapped Neuro-Simulation (BNS) approach. Prior work investigating SNNs has largely been limited to simple robots. A complex robot has many degrees of freedom and ifa low-level controller design is used, the solution search space is high-dimensional and difficult to traverse. Prior work investigating the SNS and BNS approaches have mostly relied on simplified controller designs which rely on built-in prior knowledge of intended robot behaviours. This research uses low-level controller designs which in turn rely on low level simulators. Most ER studies are conducted on a single type of robot morphology. This research investigates the SNS and BNS approaches on two significantly different classes of robots. A Hexapod and Snake robot are used to study the SNS and BNS approaches. The Hexapod robot exhibits limbed, walking behaviours. The Snake robot is limbless and generates crawling behaviours. Demonstrating the viability of the SNS and BNS approaches for two different classes of robots provides strong evidence that the tested approaches are likely viable on other classes of robots. Various proposed improvements to the SNS and BNS approaches are investigated. The Results demonstrate that the SNS and BNS approaches are viable when applied to Hexapod and Snake robots without restricting controller designs to those with significant levels of built-in prior knowledge of robot behaviours. SNNs configured in ensembles improve the likely performance outcomes of solutions. The expected benefit of adding simulator noise during the evolutionary process were not as pronounced for problems investigated in this work.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Woodford, Grant Warren
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Robotics
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44656 , vital:38172
- Description: Evolutionary Robotics (ER) is a field of study focused on the automatic development of controllers and robot morphologies. Evolving controllers on real-world hardware is time-consuming and can damage hardware through wear. Robotic simulators can be used as an alternative to a real-world robot in order to speed up the ER process. Most simulation techniques in practice use physics-based models that rely on an understanding of the robotic system in question. Developing effective physics-based simulators is time consuming and requires a significant level of specialised knowledge. A lengthy simulator development and tuning process is typically required before the ER process can begin. Artificial Neural Networks simulators (SNNs) can be used as an alternative to a physics based simulation approach. SNNs are simple to construct, do not require significant levels of prior knowledge of the robotic system, are computationally efficient and can be highly accurate. Two types of ER approaches utilising SNNs exist. The Static Neuro-Simulation (SNS) approach involves developing SNNs before the ER process where these SNNs are used instead of a physics-based simulator. Alternatively, SNNs can be developed during the ER process, called the Bootstrapped Neuro-Simulation (BNS) approach. Prior work investigating SNNs has largely been limited to simple robots. A complex robot has many degrees of freedom and ifa low-level controller design is used, the solution search space is high-dimensional and difficult to traverse. Prior work investigating the SNS and BNS approaches have mostly relied on simplified controller designs which rely on built-in prior knowledge of intended robot behaviours. This research uses low-level controller designs which in turn rely on low level simulators. Most ER studies are conducted on a single type of robot morphology. This research investigates the SNS and BNS approaches on two significantly different classes of robots. A Hexapod and Snake robot are used to study the SNS and BNS approaches. The Hexapod robot exhibits limbed, walking behaviours. The Snake robot is limbless and generates crawling behaviours. Demonstrating the viability of the SNS and BNS approaches for two different classes of robots provides strong evidence that the tested approaches are likely viable on other classes of robots. Various proposed improvements to the SNS and BNS approaches are investigated. The Results demonstrate that the SNS and BNS approaches are viable when applied to Hexapod and Snake robots without restricting controller designs to those with significant levels of built-in prior knowledge of robot behaviours. SNNs configured in ensembles improve the likely performance outcomes of solutions. The expected benefit of adding simulator noise during the evolutionary process were not as pronounced for problems investigated in this work.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Statistical Analysis of the Radio-Interferometric Measurement Equation, a derived adaptive weighting scheme, and applications to LOFAR-VLBI observation of the Extended Groth Strip
- Authors: Bonnassieux, Etienne
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Radio astronomy , Astrophysics , Astrophysics -- Instruments -- Calibration , Imaging systems in astronomy , Radio interferometers , Radio telescopes , Astronomy -- Observations
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/93789 , vital:30942
- Description: J.R.R Tolkien wrote, in his Mythopoeia, that “He sees no stars who does not see them first, of living silver made that sudden burst, to flame like flowers beneath the ancient song”. In his defense of myth-making, he formulates the argument that the attribution of meaning is an act of creation - that “trees are not ‘trees’ until so named and seen” - and that this capacity for creation defines the human creature. The scientific endeavour, in this context, can be understood as a social expression of a fundamental feature of humanity, and from this endeavour flows much understanding. This thesis, one thread among many, focuses on the study of astronomical objects as seen by the radio waves they emit. What are radio waves? Electromagnetic waves were theorised by James Clerk Maxwell (Maxwell 1864) in his great theoretical contribution to modern physics, their speed matching the speed of light as measured by Ole Christensen R0mer and, later, James Bradley. It was not until Heinrich Rudolf Hertz’s 1887 experiment that these waves were measured in a laboratory, leading to the dawn of radio communications - and, later, radio astronomy. The link between radio waves and light was one of association: light is known to behave as a wave (Young double-slit experiment), with the same propagation speed as electromagnetic radiation. Light “proper” is also known to exist beyond the optical regime: Herschel’s experiment shows that when diffracted through a prism, sunlight warms even those parts of a desk which are not observed to be lit (first evidence of infrared light). The link between optical light and unseen electromagnetic radiation is then an easy step to make, and one confirmed through countless technological applications (e.g. optical fiber to name but one). And as soon as this link is established, a question immediately comes to the mind of the astronomer: what does the sky, our Universe, look like to the radio “eye”? Radio astronomy has a short but storied history: from Karl Jansky’s serendipitous observation of the centre of the Milky Way, which outshines our Sun in the radio regime, in 1933, to Grote Reber’s hand-built back-yard radio antenna in 1937, which successfully detected radio emission from the Milky Way itself, to such monumental projects as the Square Kilometer Array and its multiple pathfinders, it has led to countless discoveries and the opening of a truly new window on the Universe. The work presented in this thesis is a contribution to this discipline - the culmination of three years of study, which is a rather short time to get a firm grasp of radio interferometry both in theory and in practice. The need for robust, automated methods - which are improving daily, thanks to the tireless labour of the scientists in the field - is becoming ever stronger as the SKA approaches, looming large on the horizon; but even today, in the precursor era of LOFAR, MeerKAT and other pathfinders, it is keenly felt. When I started my doctorate, the sheer scale of the task at hand felt overwhelming - to actually be able to contribute to its resolution seemed daunting indeed! Thankfully, as the saying goes, no society sets for itself material goals which it cannot achieve. This thesis took place at an exciting time for radio interferometry: at the start of my doctorate, the LOFAR international stations were - to my knowledge - only beginning to be used, and even then, only tentatively; MeerKAT had not yet shown its first light; the techniques used throughout my work were still being developed. At the time of writing, great strides have been made. One of the greatest technical challenges of LOFAR - imaging using the international stations - is starting to become reality. This technical challenge is the key problem that this thesis set out to address. While we only achieved partial success so far, it is a testament to the difficulty of the task that it is not yet truly resolved. One of the major results of this thesis is a model of a bright resolved source near a famous extragalactic field: properly modeling this source not only allows the use of international LOFAR stations, but also grants deeper access to the extragalactic field itself, which is otherwise polluted by the 3C source’s sidelobes. This result was only achieved thanks to the other major result of this thesis: the development of a theoretical framework with which to better understand the effect of calibration errors on images made from interferometric data, and an algorithm to strongly mitigate them. The structure of this manuscript is as follows: we begin with an introduction to radio interferometry, LOFAR, and the emission mechanisms which dominate for our field of interest. These introductions are primarily intended to give a brief overview of the technical aspects of the data reduced in this thesis. We follow with an overview of the Measurement Equation formalism, which underpins our theoretical work. This is the keystone of this thesis. We then show the theoretical work that was developed as part of the research work done during the doctorate - which was published in Astronomy & Astrophysics. Its practical application - a quality-based weighting scheme - is used throughout our data reduction. This data reduction is the next topic of this thesis: we contextualise the scientific interest of the data we reduce, and explain both the methods and the results we achieve.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Bonnassieux, Etienne
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Radio astronomy , Astrophysics , Astrophysics -- Instruments -- Calibration , Imaging systems in astronomy , Radio interferometers , Radio telescopes , Astronomy -- Observations
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/93789 , vital:30942
- Description: J.R.R Tolkien wrote, in his Mythopoeia, that “He sees no stars who does not see them first, of living silver made that sudden burst, to flame like flowers beneath the ancient song”. In his defense of myth-making, he formulates the argument that the attribution of meaning is an act of creation - that “trees are not ‘trees’ until so named and seen” - and that this capacity for creation defines the human creature. The scientific endeavour, in this context, can be understood as a social expression of a fundamental feature of humanity, and from this endeavour flows much understanding. This thesis, one thread among many, focuses on the study of astronomical objects as seen by the radio waves they emit. What are radio waves? Electromagnetic waves were theorised by James Clerk Maxwell (Maxwell 1864) in his great theoretical contribution to modern physics, their speed matching the speed of light as measured by Ole Christensen R0mer and, later, James Bradley. It was not until Heinrich Rudolf Hertz’s 1887 experiment that these waves were measured in a laboratory, leading to the dawn of radio communications - and, later, radio astronomy. The link between radio waves and light was one of association: light is known to behave as a wave (Young double-slit experiment), with the same propagation speed as electromagnetic radiation. Light “proper” is also known to exist beyond the optical regime: Herschel’s experiment shows that when diffracted through a prism, sunlight warms even those parts of a desk which are not observed to be lit (first evidence of infrared light). The link between optical light and unseen electromagnetic radiation is then an easy step to make, and one confirmed through countless technological applications (e.g. optical fiber to name but one). And as soon as this link is established, a question immediately comes to the mind of the astronomer: what does the sky, our Universe, look like to the radio “eye”? Radio astronomy has a short but storied history: from Karl Jansky’s serendipitous observation of the centre of the Milky Way, which outshines our Sun in the radio regime, in 1933, to Grote Reber’s hand-built back-yard radio antenna in 1937, which successfully detected radio emission from the Milky Way itself, to such monumental projects as the Square Kilometer Array and its multiple pathfinders, it has led to countless discoveries and the opening of a truly new window on the Universe. The work presented in this thesis is a contribution to this discipline - the culmination of three years of study, which is a rather short time to get a firm grasp of radio interferometry both in theory and in practice. The need for robust, automated methods - which are improving daily, thanks to the tireless labour of the scientists in the field - is becoming ever stronger as the SKA approaches, looming large on the horizon; but even today, in the precursor era of LOFAR, MeerKAT and other pathfinders, it is keenly felt. When I started my doctorate, the sheer scale of the task at hand felt overwhelming - to actually be able to contribute to its resolution seemed daunting indeed! Thankfully, as the saying goes, no society sets for itself material goals which it cannot achieve. This thesis took place at an exciting time for radio interferometry: at the start of my doctorate, the LOFAR international stations were - to my knowledge - only beginning to be used, and even then, only tentatively; MeerKAT had not yet shown its first light; the techniques used throughout my work were still being developed. At the time of writing, great strides have been made. One of the greatest technical challenges of LOFAR - imaging using the international stations - is starting to become reality. This technical challenge is the key problem that this thesis set out to address. While we only achieved partial success so far, it is a testament to the difficulty of the task that it is not yet truly resolved. One of the major results of this thesis is a model of a bright resolved source near a famous extragalactic field: properly modeling this source not only allows the use of international LOFAR stations, but also grants deeper access to the extragalactic field itself, which is otherwise polluted by the 3C source’s sidelobes. This result was only achieved thanks to the other major result of this thesis: the development of a theoretical framework with which to better understand the effect of calibration errors on images made from interferometric data, and an algorithm to strongly mitigate them. The structure of this manuscript is as follows: we begin with an introduction to radio interferometry, LOFAR, and the emission mechanisms which dominate for our field of interest. These introductions are primarily intended to give a brief overview of the technical aspects of the data reduced in this thesis. We follow with an overview of the Measurement Equation formalism, which underpins our theoretical work. This is the keystone of this thesis. We then show the theoretical work that was developed as part of the research work done during the doctorate - which was published in Astronomy & Astrophysics. Its practical application - a quality-based weighting scheme - is used throughout our data reduction. This data reduction is the next topic of this thesis: we contextualise the scientific interest of the data we reduce, and explain both the methods and the results we achieve.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Student teachers’ perceptions of their school mentors’ interpersonal collegial leadership competencies to develop their work-integrated learning knowledge and skills
- Authors: Mahomed, Carmel Claire
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Educational leadership , Mentoring in education -- South Africa Student teachers -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42548 , vital:36667
- Description: Mentoring is indispensable for the adjustment of student teachers to the demands of the school work-integrated learning environment. Despite the benefits of mentoring to student teachers, a challenge is the inconsistency of the mentoring programmes within and across schools. An additional challenge is the predominance of bureaucratic models of mentoring, which have the potential of perpetuating a hierarchical approach to mentoring if student teachers use mentor teachers who depend on bureaucratic models of mentoring as role models. Therefore, to ensure that student teachers are exposed to a cross-pollination of expertise from all teachers in the schools, this study proposes a collegial approach to mentoring to determine the impact of the collegial competencies of the mentor teachers on the student teachers’ acquisition of work-integrated learning. A case study in a higher education institution was conducted to obtain data regarding the perceptions of two hundred and forty-one student teachers of their mentor teachers’ interpersonal competencies. The student teachers in this study were all in the final year of their initial teacher education qualification. The respondents comprised student teachers from the Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase, Further Education and Training and Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire. The focus in the questionnaire was on the competencies: interpersonal collegial leadership, communication, empathy, trust, content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. The findings revealed that the student teachers’ perceptions of their mentor teachers’ competencies relating to their internal collegial leadership, proficiency in communication, capacity for empathy and ability to establish trust were positive. The mentor teacher competencies of interpersonal collegial leadership, communication, empathy and trust revealed emotional intelligence competencies in their relationships with the student teachers. The findings also revealed that the student teachers' perceptions of their mentor teachers’ competencies relating to content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge were positive. The mentor teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge revealed their competencies associated with their cognitive skills (IQ) in the school work-integrated environment. The findings also indicated that, in terms of their interpersonal collegial leadership, the mentor teachers were not inclined to harness the expertise of their colleagues to ensure that there was a collegial approach to mentoring among all the teachers in a school. This might be a reason for the inability of some mentor teachers to shift their paradigms from bureaucratic approaches to mentoring to collegial approaches. The adoption of collegial approaches to mentoring with a focus on competencies associated with both EI and IQ has the potential to impact markedly on the enhancement of the professional development of student teachers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mahomed, Carmel Claire
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Educational leadership , Mentoring in education -- South Africa Student teachers -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/42548 , vital:36667
- Description: Mentoring is indispensable for the adjustment of student teachers to the demands of the school work-integrated learning environment. Despite the benefits of mentoring to student teachers, a challenge is the inconsistency of the mentoring programmes within and across schools. An additional challenge is the predominance of bureaucratic models of mentoring, which have the potential of perpetuating a hierarchical approach to mentoring if student teachers use mentor teachers who depend on bureaucratic models of mentoring as role models. Therefore, to ensure that student teachers are exposed to a cross-pollination of expertise from all teachers in the schools, this study proposes a collegial approach to mentoring to determine the impact of the collegial competencies of the mentor teachers on the student teachers’ acquisition of work-integrated learning. A case study in a higher education institution was conducted to obtain data regarding the perceptions of two hundred and forty-one student teachers of their mentor teachers’ interpersonal competencies. The student teachers in this study were all in the final year of their initial teacher education qualification. The respondents comprised student teachers from the Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase, Further Education and Training and Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire. The focus in the questionnaire was on the competencies: interpersonal collegial leadership, communication, empathy, trust, content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. The findings revealed that the student teachers’ perceptions of their mentor teachers’ competencies relating to their internal collegial leadership, proficiency in communication, capacity for empathy and ability to establish trust were positive. The mentor teacher competencies of interpersonal collegial leadership, communication, empathy and trust revealed emotional intelligence competencies in their relationships with the student teachers. The findings also revealed that the student teachers' perceptions of their mentor teachers’ competencies relating to content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge were positive. The mentor teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge revealed their competencies associated with their cognitive skills (IQ) in the school work-integrated environment. The findings also indicated that, in terms of their interpersonal collegial leadership, the mentor teachers were not inclined to harness the expertise of their colleagues to ensure that there was a collegial approach to mentoring among all the teachers in a school. This might be a reason for the inability of some mentor teachers to shift their paradigms from bureaucratic approaches to mentoring to collegial approaches. The adoption of collegial approaches to mentoring with a focus on competencies associated with both EI and IQ has the potential to impact markedly on the enhancement of the professional development of student teachers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Students’ perspectives on the language question in South African Higher Education: the expression of marginalized linguistic identities on Rhodes University students’ Facebook pages
- Authors: Resha, Babalwa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Language policy -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Language and education -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Sociolinguistics -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Language and languages -- Study and teaching -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Linguistic rights -- South Africa , Translanguaging (Linguistics) , Multilingual education -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Educational change -- South Africa -- Makhanda , South Africa – Makhanda -- Language and languages -- Political aspects , Student movements -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Online social networks -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Rhodes University -- Sociological aspects , Facebook (Firm) , UCKAR
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/119813 , vital:34785
- Description: The study analyses students’ engagement with the language question in South African Higher Education (HE) and their use of African languages on the institutional Facebook pages, namely UCKAR and RHODES SRC, during the student protests of 2015 to early 2017. Extensive use of social media is a salient feature of the protests as indicated by the hashtag prefixes such as #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall. On these platforms, disgruntled students use their multiple languages to interact, establish a sense of belonging and power to challenge different forms of exclusionary institutional culture, including language policies and practices in HE. The research examines and explores students’ perspectives on the language question in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on the two institutional Facebook pages, and how mother tongue speakers of indigenous African languages use these languages to express their marginalized linguistic identities in HEIs in South Africa. Theoretically, the study uses the notion of linguistic imperialism to provide a broad context for understanding the language question in South African HE and its significance in transformation. The engagement with the language question on the UCKAR and RHODES SRC Facebook pages is carried out from the lenses of citizen sociolinguistics while the new theory of translanguaging offers the analysis on language usage and alternative ways of addressing linguistic hegemony in educational environments. The translanguaging approach has the capacity to demonstrate multi-layered linguistic practices and reflections on the UCKAR and RHODES pages. It is the interest of the researcher to investigate how students with various linguistic and other backgrounds engage the language question and perform linguistic identities. Language usage on the two Rhodes University institutional Facebook pages and its implications on students’ engagement with issues, is used to provide insight towards the implementation of multilingualism in the university. The study is virtual ethnographic in nature. Virtual ethnography is an online research method that employs ethnographic research to study online social interactions. To analyse data, the study used a textual analysis technique as it looks at any analysis of texts broadly. Critical Discourse Analysis approach was used to analyse language debates. Purposive sampling was also used to select Facebook posts and comments on the language question and those written in African languages, and interviews were conducted with key members of Rhodes University, to bring forth their perspectives on the institution’s language policy and to figure out what plans are put into place to engage students in debates on the language question because students are important stakeholders of the university, and at the same time some of these students are also speakers of indigenous African languages. In general, the research findings have shown that students as users of languages in HEIs are capable of engendering debates that could be used as solutions to the language question and transformation in the South African HEIs. Thus, this study offers a different approach into engaging with students, their perspective and debates through institutional Facebook pages. In addition, it offers students’ perspectives on the curriculum of the university and how the university can go about its transformation. This study provides evidence that the use of indigenous African languages by mother tongue speakers of these languages in institutes of higher learning and their related institutional Facebook pages and social media in general, is an expression of marginalized linguistic identities of these language speakers. Sometimes these identities are multiple, and students use different modalities to express them, hence the notion of translanguaging.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Resha, Babalwa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Language policy -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Language and education -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Sociolinguistics -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Language and languages -- Study and teaching -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Linguistic rights -- South Africa , Translanguaging (Linguistics) , Multilingual education -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Educational change -- South Africa -- Makhanda , South Africa – Makhanda -- Language and languages -- Political aspects , Student movements -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Online social networks -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Rhodes University -- Sociological aspects , Facebook (Firm) , UCKAR
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/119813 , vital:34785
- Description: The study analyses students’ engagement with the language question in South African Higher Education (HE) and their use of African languages on the institutional Facebook pages, namely UCKAR and RHODES SRC, during the student protests of 2015 to early 2017. Extensive use of social media is a salient feature of the protests as indicated by the hashtag prefixes such as #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall. On these platforms, disgruntled students use their multiple languages to interact, establish a sense of belonging and power to challenge different forms of exclusionary institutional culture, including language policies and practices in HE. The research examines and explores students’ perspectives on the language question in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on the two institutional Facebook pages, and how mother tongue speakers of indigenous African languages use these languages to express their marginalized linguistic identities in HEIs in South Africa. Theoretically, the study uses the notion of linguistic imperialism to provide a broad context for understanding the language question in South African HE and its significance in transformation. The engagement with the language question on the UCKAR and RHODES SRC Facebook pages is carried out from the lenses of citizen sociolinguistics while the new theory of translanguaging offers the analysis on language usage and alternative ways of addressing linguistic hegemony in educational environments. The translanguaging approach has the capacity to demonstrate multi-layered linguistic practices and reflections on the UCKAR and RHODES pages. It is the interest of the researcher to investigate how students with various linguistic and other backgrounds engage the language question and perform linguistic identities. Language usage on the two Rhodes University institutional Facebook pages and its implications on students’ engagement with issues, is used to provide insight towards the implementation of multilingualism in the university. The study is virtual ethnographic in nature. Virtual ethnography is an online research method that employs ethnographic research to study online social interactions. To analyse data, the study used a textual analysis technique as it looks at any analysis of texts broadly. Critical Discourse Analysis approach was used to analyse language debates. Purposive sampling was also used to select Facebook posts and comments on the language question and those written in African languages, and interviews were conducted with key members of Rhodes University, to bring forth their perspectives on the institution’s language policy and to figure out what plans are put into place to engage students in debates on the language question because students are important stakeholders of the university, and at the same time some of these students are also speakers of indigenous African languages. In general, the research findings have shown that students as users of languages in HEIs are capable of engendering debates that could be used as solutions to the language question and transformation in the South African HEIs. Thus, this study offers a different approach into engaging with students, their perspective and debates through institutional Facebook pages. In addition, it offers students’ perspectives on the curriculum of the university and how the university can go about its transformation. This study provides evidence that the use of indigenous African languages by mother tongue speakers of these languages in institutes of higher learning and their related institutional Facebook pages and social media in general, is an expression of marginalized linguistic identities of these language speakers. Sometimes these identities are multiple, and students use different modalities to express them, hence the notion of translanguaging.
- 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
Supervision of student teachers in Zimbabwean Primary Schools: Implications for teacher pre-service programmes.
- Authors: Ndlovu,Trezia
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Student teachers -- Supervision of
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16654 , vital:40740
- Description: The economic crisis in Zimbabwe has resulted in poor working conditions, low remuneration and lack of resources. This situation has led to low morale of qualified teachers. The supervision of student teachers therefore, represents extra work for the teachers, who are already over-burdened by large classes and the demands associated with the introduction of new subjects from time to time. Some mentors feel that they need to be given incentives for their role in the training of teachers. Furthermore, research suggests that some student teachers are struggling with their teaching practice which is an important aspect of their teacher education. It is for this reason that the researcher sought to conduct a case study that would examine the supervision of student teachers by school based supervisors in Zimbabwean primary schools. Purposive sampling was used to select eighteen student teachers and nine supervisors. This study, which is qualitative in nature, was grounded in the constructivist paradigm. Semi-structured interviews were deployed to gather data and Focus Group Discussions and document analysis were also used for triangulation purposes. The data revealed that although student teachers were supervised by their mentors, there were divergent perspectives with regard to how supervision of student teachers should be conducted, with a significant number understanding supervision as checking and controlling of student teachers‟ work. It also emerged from the data that good relationship with mentors was beneficial to student teachers. However, the majority of student teachers reported serious challenges that included lack of orientation mentors and inadequate supervision due to busy schedule of their mentors. Based on the findings of the study, the study recommends that School ~ viii ~ Heads should choose well-qualified and experienced teachers to mentor and supervise student teachers so that they serve as good role models to the students, and that clear supervision guidelines be developed to achieve uniformity in the supervision of student teachers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Ndlovu,Trezia
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Student teachers -- Supervision of
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16654 , vital:40740
- Description: The economic crisis in Zimbabwe has resulted in poor working conditions, low remuneration and lack of resources. This situation has led to low morale of qualified teachers. The supervision of student teachers therefore, represents extra work for the teachers, who are already over-burdened by large classes and the demands associated with the introduction of new subjects from time to time. Some mentors feel that they need to be given incentives for their role in the training of teachers. Furthermore, research suggests that some student teachers are struggling with their teaching practice which is an important aspect of their teacher education. It is for this reason that the researcher sought to conduct a case study that would examine the supervision of student teachers by school based supervisors in Zimbabwean primary schools. Purposive sampling was used to select eighteen student teachers and nine supervisors. This study, which is qualitative in nature, was grounded in the constructivist paradigm. Semi-structured interviews were deployed to gather data and Focus Group Discussions and document analysis were also used for triangulation purposes. The data revealed that although student teachers were supervised by their mentors, there were divergent perspectives with regard to how supervision of student teachers should be conducted, with a significant number understanding supervision as checking and controlling of student teachers‟ work. It also emerged from the data that good relationship with mentors was beneficial to student teachers. However, the majority of student teachers reported serious challenges that included lack of orientation mentors and inadequate supervision due to busy schedule of their mentors. Based on the findings of the study, the study recommends that School ~ viii ~ Heads should choose well-qualified and experienced teachers to mentor and supervise student teachers so that they serve as good role models to the students, and that clear supervision guidelines be developed to achieve uniformity in the supervision of student teachers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Sustainable rural development through community participation: modeling community-based tourism in Nqileni village, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Setokoe, Tshepiso Jonathan
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tourism -- South Africa Tourism -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Ecotourism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43379 , vital:36863
- Description: The development of tourism has been heralded to be a mechanism for sustainable rural development. Sustainable development of any nature requires that any efforts aimed at developing rural areas must involve the community in which the development is undertaken. This has given rise to concerted efforts by governments and development practitioners to involve local communities in development initiatives undertaken within their locale. The study analysed the importance of community participation in tourism development, with the aim to ensure the sustainable rural development of areas such as Nqileni village. This was undertaken using a qualitative research approach using semi-structured interviews to solicit data from twenty members of the Nqileni village community. The data was analysed with the assistance of a specialist qualitative data analyst, using the NVivo sytem, version 11, and was objectively interpreted and analysed by the researcher. The results revealed that the community viewed their participation to be paramount in development initiatives undertaken within the area, which also allows for the building of capacity, and ultimately empowers the community to meaningfully participate in the sustainable development of the area. Finally, the study proposed a community-based tourism model for sustainable rural development, which placed community participations at the root of sustainable development. This has been presented in a form that proposes that a leadership that works together in harmony, coupled with a flow of tourists and investment in the area, which can encourage the community to participate in tourism, resulting in a tourism economy that will allow for positive impacts (such as employment, conservation of resources and preservation of culture).This will enable the reduction of poverty, revival of other economic sectors within the area and foster social cohesion, and ultimately developing the area and its people.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Setokoe, Tshepiso Jonathan
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tourism -- South Africa Tourism -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Ecotourism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43379 , vital:36863
- Description: The development of tourism has been heralded to be a mechanism for sustainable rural development. Sustainable development of any nature requires that any efforts aimed at developing rural areas must involve the community in which the development is undertaken. This has given rise to concerted efforts by governments and development practitioners to involve local communities in development initiatives undertaken within their locale. The study analysed the importance of community participation in tourism development, with the aim to ensure the sustainable rural development of areas such as Nqileni village. This was undertaken using a qualitative research approach using semi-structured interviews to solicit data from twenty members of the Nqileni village community. The data was analysed with the assistance of a specialist qualitative data analyst, using the NVivo sytem, version 11, and was objectively interpreted and analysed by the researcher. The results revealed that the community viewed their participation to be paramount in development initiatives undertaken within the area, which also allows for the building of capacity, and ultimately empowers the community to meaningfully participate in the sustainable development of the area. Finally, the study proposed a community-based tourism model for sustainable rural development, which placed community participations at the root of sustainable development. This has been presented in a form that proposes that a leadership that works together in harmony, coupled with a flow of tourists and investment in the area, which can encourage the community to participate in tourism, resulting in a tourism economy that will allow for positive impacts (such as employment, conservation of resources and preservation of culture).This will enable the reduction of poverty, revival of other economic sectors within the area and foster social cohesion, and ultimately developing the area and its people.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Synthesis of pH responsive carriers for pulmonary drug delivery of anti-tuberculosis therapeutics: mesoporous silica nanoparticles and gelatin nanoparticles
- Authors: Ngoepe, Mpho Phehello
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Drug delivery systems , Pulmonary pharmacology , Nanosilicon , Nanomedicine , Nanoparticles , Mesoporous materials , Silica , Tuberculosis -- Treatment
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/76519 , vital:30590
- Description: Pulmonary drug delivery has historically been used as a route for delivery of therapeutics for respiratory disease management. However, while there are many advantages, there are also some serious limitations, arising mostly from the physical aspects of the inhaler devices. This is more profound when the devices are the driving force for controlling particle size generation, which results in non-uniform particles that end up being swallowed/wasted/expelled. One promising solution to overcome this limitation is to pre-formulate nano/microscale particles with a high degree of manufacturing control. Nanomedicine has advanced such that there are already several nanoparticle formulations commercially available. In the case of tuberculosis treatment, there is an opportunity not only to examine the use of nanoparticles for inhalation therapy, but to take advantage of the fact that the physiochemical environment of diseased tissue is significantly different to health lung tissue (lower pH and increased enzyme concentrations). We formulated two series of nanoparticles, whose design included moieties that could respond to pH and enzymes. To address variability, a Box-Behnken statistical approach was followed to construct mesoporous silica nanoparticles. These “hard nanoparticles” can entrap both lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs and were coated with a pH-sensitive hydrazone linker. It was observed that pH, calcination temperature and ratio of water to silica source played the greatest role, not only in controlling the physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles but also the drug release rate. A second series of nanoparticles were synthesized based on gelatin. This was done partly to add support the comparison of hard (inorganic silica) versus soft, organic particles, but also to enable enzymatic degradation and drug release. Again, diseased lung tissue expresses increased concentrations of gelatinase enzymes that could be used to stimulate drug release at the site of the disease. In addition, it was observed that the non-ionic surfactant C12E10 could interact with the protein via hydrophobic interactions thus affecting the gelatin folding. The folding states affected crosslinking with the pH responsive linker, which in turn affected the rate of drug release. To support the synthetic work, we sought to develop a unique 3D lung model directly from MRI data of tuberculosis infected lungs. This would not only permit the evaluation of our nanoparticles but could be used as a proxy for in-vivo studies in future to predict lung deposition in diseased lung. Thus, this study shows that it is possible to synthesize pH and enzyme sensitive nanoparticles for pulmonary drug delivery in the treatment and management of pulmonary tuberculosis. These particles could be loaded with either hydrophobic or hydrophilic drugs and their distribution in the airway modelled using an in-silico 3D model based on real data. Further development and verification of these results should improve treatment for pulmonary diseases and conditions such as tuberculosis. This is especially urgent in the face of multi-drug resistance and poor side effects profiles for current treatment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Ngoepe, Mpho Phehello
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Drug delivery systems , Pulmonary pharmacology , Nanosilicon , Nanomedicine , Nanoparticles , Mesoporous materials , Silica , Tuberculosis -- Treatment
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/76519 , vital:30590
- Description: Pulmonary drug delivery has historically been used as a route for delivery of therapeutics for respiratory disease management. However, while there are many advantages, there are also some serious limitations, arising mostly from the physical aspects of the inhaler devices. This is more profound when the devices are the driving force for controlling particle size generation, which results in non-uniform particles that end up being swallowed/wasted/expelled. One promising solution to overcome this limitation is to pre-formulate nano/microscale particles with a high degree of manufacturing control. Nanomedicine has advanced such that there are already several nanoparticle formulations commercially available. In the case of tuberculosis treatment, there is an opportunity not only to examine the use of nanoparticles for inhalation therapy, but to take advantage of the fact that the physiochemical environment of diseased tissue is significantly different to health lung tissue (lower pH and increased enzyme concentrations). We formulated two series of nanoparticles, whose design included moieties that could respond to pH and enzymes. To address variability, a Box-Behnken statistical approach was followed to construct mesoporous silica nanoparticles. These “hard nanoparticles” can entrap both lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs and were coated with a pH-sensitive hydrazone linker. It was observed that pH, calcination temperature and ratio of water to silica source played the greatest role, not only in controlling the physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles but also the drug release rate. A second series of nanoparticles were synthesized based on gelatin. This was done partly to add support the comparison of hard (inorganic silica) versus soft, organic particles, but also to enable enzymatic degradation and drug release. Again, diseased lung tissue expresses increased concentrations of gelatinase enzymes that could be used to stimulate drug release at the site of the disease. In addition, it was observed that the non-ionic surfactant C12E10 could interact with the protein via hydrophobic interactions thus affecting the gelatin folding. The folding states affected crosslinking with the pH responsive linker, which in turn affected the rate of drug release. To support the synthetic work, we sought to develop a unique 3D lung model directly from MRI data of tuberculosis infected lungs. This would not only permit the evaluation of our nanoparticles but could be used as a proxy for in-vivo studies in future to predict lung deposition in diseased lung. Thus, this study shows that it is possible to synthesize pH and enzyme sensitive nanoparticles for pulmonary drug delivery in the treatment and management of pulmonary tuberculosis. These particles could be loaded with either hydrophobic or hydrophilic drugs and their distribution in the airway modelled using an in-silico 3D model based on real data. Further development and verification of these results should improve treatment for pulmonary diseases and conditions such as tuberculosis. This is especially urgent in the face of multi-drug resistance and poor side effects profiles for current treatment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Synthesis, characterisation and biological evaluation of novel anti-infective compounds bearing ferrocene, arylpyrrole, thiazolidinedione, quinoline and triazole moieties
- Authors: Oderinlo, Ogunyemi Olajide
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/114714 , vital:34016 , 10.21504/10962/114714
- Description: Expected release date-April 2022
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Oderinlo, Ogunyemi Olajide
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/114714 , vital:34016 , 10.21504/10962/114714
- Description: Expected release date-April 2022
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2019
Teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices about their oral and written corrective feedback strategies in selected peri-urban and rural schools in Umguza district in Zimbabwe.
- Authors: Green , Flosie Florence
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Teachers Classroom management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17987 , vital:42001
- Description: The goal of the study was to examine teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices about their corrective feedback strategies in selected peri-urban rural schools in Umguza District in Zimbabwe, in order to draw up a Corrective Feedback model aimed at enhancing ESL proficiency among O’ level school pupils. The study has been necessitated by challenges which post O’ level students face when communicating in English at institutions of higher learning. The study used the mixed research approach, whereby both quantitative and qualitative methods of gathering data were used though the dominant approach was the qualitative approach. Data was collected through questionnaires, semi structured interviews, lesson observations and examination of pupils’ written exercises. The questionnaire was completed by twenty two teachers. Semi-structured interviews were held with six teachers from the selected schools, while nine lesson observations were done and eighty exercise books were scrutinized for the presence of written Corrective Feedback. Results obtained showed that teachers’ stated beliefs about corrective feedback were not always demonstrated in their classroom practices. Furthermore the study revealed that oral Corrective Feedback was not used consistently in addition to a lack of uniformity in both the usage and interpretation of written Corrective Feedback. Results obtained showed that teachers’ stated beliefs about Corrective Feedback were not always demonstrated in their classroom practices. In addition, the study also revealed that some teachers were not aware of the codes used in written Corrective Feedback and their meaning. The conclusion reached in this study was that vi there is need for a more informed and consistent usage of Corrective Feedback among teachers. In the light of this finding, a Corrective Feedback model was suggested to assist teachers apply Corrective Feedback more consistently and more productively. A number of recommendations were made at the conclusion of this study. Firstly, it was recommended that marking codes be availed to teachers and pupils before the beginning of the school calendar. The contents of the advisory chart included in this study could be given to pupils to copy onto the back of their exercise books to enable them to interpret the feedback which the teachers would have written. It was recommended that teachers familiarise themselves with the developments in the use of CF in the ESL classroom. At school level this could be done through staff development workshop, where teachers share experiences about what works and what does not work in the ESL classroom. This should be done in view of the existing problem of communicative incompetency bedevilling pupils nationally. Secondly it was recommended that teachers familiarise themselves with the developments in the use of CF in the ESL classroom. The final recommendation was that teachers adopt minimal marking in the form of codes in order to cut down on turnaround time as well as stimulate individual learner automatisation of knowledge.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Green , Flosie Florence
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Teachers Classroom management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17987 , vital:42001
- Description: The goal of the study was to examine teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices about their corrective feedback strategies in selected peri-urban rural schools in Umguza District in Zimbabwe, in order to draw up a Corrective Feedback model aimed at enhancing ESL proficiency among O’ level school pupils. The study has been necessitated by challenges which post O’ level students face when communicating in English at institutions of higher learning. The study used the mixed research approach, whereby both quantitative and qualitative methods of gathering data were used though the dominant approach was the qualitative approach. Data was collected through questionnaires, semi structured interviews, lesson observations and examination of pupils’ written exercises. The questionnaire was completed by twenty two teachers. Semi-structured interviews were held with six teachers from the selected schools, while nine lesson observations were done and eighty exercise books were scrutinized for the presence of written Corrective Feedback. Results obtained showed that teachers’ stated beliefs about corrective feedback were not always demonstrated in their classroom practices. Furthermore the study revealed that oral Corrective Feedback was not used consistently in addition to a lack of uniformity in both the usage and interpretation of written Corrective Feedback. Results obtained showed that teachers’ stated beliefs about Corrective Feedback were not always demonstrated in their classroom practices. In addition, the study also revealed that some teachers were not aware of the codes used in written Corrective Feedback and their meaning. The conclusion reached in this study was that vi there is need for a more informed and consistent usage of Corrective Feedback among teachers. In the light of this finding, a Corrective Feedback model was suggested to assist teachers apply Corrective Feedback more consistently and more productively. A number of recommendations were made at the conclusion of this study. Firstly, it was recommended that marking codes be availed to teachers and pupils before the beginning of the school calendar. The contents of the advisory chart included in this study could be given to pupils to copy onto the back of their exercise books to enable them to interpret the feedback which the teachers would have written. It was recommended that teachers familiarise themselves with the developments in the use of CF in the ESL classroom. At school level this could be done through staff development workshop, where teachers share experiences about what works and what does not work in the ESL classroom. This should be done in view of the existing problem of communicative incompetency bedevilling pupils nationally. Secondly it was recommended that teachers familiarise themselves with the developments in the use of CF in the ESL classroom. The final recommendation was that teachers adopt minimal marking in the form of codes in order to cut down on turnaround time as well as stimulate individual learner automatisation of knowledge.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Teachers’use of curriculum materials in Grade 3 Mathematics: A Case Study
- Authors: Whale, Susan Gaye
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Primary) -- South Africa , Education -- curriculum innovation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PHD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45591 , vital:38916
- Description: The study examines four curriculum documents with regards to curriculum facets, further interrogated through indicators for certain facets in order to ascertain whether the documents could be considered to be educative. Comparison is made with selected resources internationally. Observed episodes in four mathematics classes are interrogated with regards to teacher facets and concomitant indicators, to assess whether the tenets proposed in the written curriculum are translated into practice in the classrooms. The four Grade 3 teachers are interviewed about their views on the curriculum, their views on teaching and their views on their own agency in teaching mathematics. The teachers’ complete selected examples from a Mathematics Knowledge for Training (MKT) questionnaire and are engaged in conversations about iii their beliefs about mathematics and their confidence in both doing and teaching mathematics. The study identifies that the current CAPS curriculum documents focus on mathematical content almost exclusively and give minimal guidance concerning pedagogical content knowledge. The agency of teachers is not addressed. The study suggests a three-dimensional model of curriculum design that encompasses new educative curriculum materials; guidance on innovative teacher practices and direction towards new beliefs in teachers which could build agency and confidence. The concern that this study uncovers is that although the school and teachers were specifically chosen to minimise linguistic and social detractors, the intended curriculum does not appear to have been universally translated into
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Whale, Susan Gaye
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Primary) -- South Africa , Education -- curriculum innovation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PHD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45591 , vital:38916
- Description: The study examines four curriculum documents with regards to curriculum facets, further interrogated through indicators for certain facets in order to ascertain whether the documents could be considered to be educative. Comparison is made with selected resources internationally. Observed episodes in four mathematics classes are interrogated with regards to teacher facets and concomitant indicators, to assess whether the tenets proposed in the written curriculum are translated into practice in the classrooms. The four Grade 3 teachers are interviewed about their views on the curriculum, their views on teaching and their views on their own agency in teaching mathematics. The teachers’ complete selected examples from a Mathematics Knowledge for Training (MKT) questionnaire and are engaged in conversations about iii their beliefs about mathematics and their confidence in both doing and teaching mathematics. The study identifies that the current CAPS curriculum documents focus on mathematical content almost exclusively and give minimal guidance concerning pedagogical content knowledge. The agency of teachers is not addressed. The study suggests a three-dimensional model of curriculum design that encompasses new educative curriculum materials; guidance on innovative teacher practices and direction towards new beliefs in teachers which could build agency and confidence. The concern that this study uncovers is that although the school and teachers were specifically chosen to minimise linguistic and social detractors, the intended curriculum does not appear to have been universally translated into
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The Afropolitan flâneur: literary representations of the city and contemporary urban identities in selected African and transnational texts
- Authors: Leff, Carol Willa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: City and town life in literature , African literature (English) -- History and criticism , Flaneurs in literature
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115082 , vital:34076
- Description: When an individual walks the urban landscape there is a unique symbiosis between self and city. It is through walking the cityscape and observing the crowd and the surrounding environment that the archetypal literary figure of the European flâneur acts as a mirror of a particular time and space. But how might such a flâneur walk and observe the city in contemporary African and transnational literary texts? I argue that there is a literary re-imagining and repurposing of the flâneur figure which has hitherto not been acknowledged and explored: an Afropolitan flâneur. ‘Afropolitan’ is a term popularised by Taiye Selasi in a 2005 essay to refer to a ‘scattered tribe’ of ‘Africans of the world’ (n. pag.). In this dissertation, the entanglement of the Afropolitan subject and the European flâneur brings together past and present, Africa and the West. I first provide a historical and theoretical framework to illustrate how the flâneur figure ‘migrated’ from Europe to Africa, and how this figure is to be understood as a literary construct, in relation to current considerations of Afropolitanism. I go on to discuss a wide range of texts that engage with Afropolitan flâneurs who traverse cities in Africa (such as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Lagos), or global north cities (New York, Paris and London). While some of the Afropolitan flâneurs depicted in these texts are migrants or homeless individuals who struggle to adapt easily to a new environment, others, despite being more privileged, also sometimes experience uncomfortable assimilation in their new or strange city space. There are also those who seem to feel equally at home wherever they find themselves. As these Afropolitan flâneurs walk their way through the urban landscape in the texts under examination, they reflect different ways of being in the city. By problematising the binaries of local/global, national/transnational, black/white, slum/paradise, this dissertation seeks to address issues of belonging or not belonging and gestures towards new ways of understanding what it means to be an African in the world.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Leff, Carol Willa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: City and town life in literature , African literature (English) -- History and criticism , Flaneurs in literature
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115082 , vital:34076
- Description: When an individual walks the urban landscape there is a unique symbiosis between self and city. It is through walking the cityscape and observing the crowd and the surrounding environment that the archetypal literary figure of the European flâneur acts as a mirror of a particular time and space. But how might such a flâneur walk and observe the city in contemporary African and transnational literary texts? I argue that there is a literary re-imagining and repurposing of the flâneur figure which has hitherto not been acknowledged and explored: an Afropolitan flâneur. ‘Afropolitan’ is a term popularised by Taiye Selasi in a 2005 essay to refer to a ‘scattered tribe’ of ‘Africans of the world’ (n. pag.). In this dissertation, the entanglement of the Afropolitan subject and the European flâneur brings together past and present, Africa and the West. I first provide a historical and theoretical framework to illustrate how the flâneur figure ‘migrated’ from Europe to Africa, and how this figure is to be understood as a literary construct, in relation to current considerations of Afropolitanism. I go on to discuss a wide range of texts that engage with Afropolitan flâneurs who traverse cities in Africa (such as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Lagos), or global north cities (New York, Paris and London). While some of the Afropolitan flâneurs depicted in these texts are migrants or homeless individuals who struggle to adapt easily to a new environment, others, despite being more privileged, also sometimes experience uncomfortable assimilation in their new or strange city space. There are also those who seem to feel equally at home wherever they find themselves. As these Afropolitan flâneurs walk their way through the urban landscape in the texts under examination, they reflect different ways of being in the city. By problematising the binaries of local/global, national/transnational, black/white, slum/paradise, this dissertation seeks to address issues of belonging or not belonging and gestures towards new ways of understanding what it means to be an African in the world.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The analysis of industrial attachment assessment procedures for industrial clothing design and construction: implications for a vertically and horizontally integrated curriculum in the polytechnic colleges in zimbabwe
- Authors: Rumbidzayi, Masina
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Interdisciplinary approach in education -- Zimbabwe Vocational education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11363 , vital:39065
- Description: Industrial Attachment (IA) curriculum component of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) provides students with work-based learning and experiences in the real world of work. IA practices are best achieved through assessment which aims at reviewing at every stage how the student is performing against intended learning outcomes. This study was therefore undertaken to analyse the IA assessment procedures for Industrial Clothing Design and Construction (ICDC) used in Polytechnic Colleges in Zimbabwe. The study was guided by the Constructive Alignment Theory (CAT), and premised in the interpretivist research paradigm. Purposively sampled sites and participants were used. Two Polytechnic Colleges and three Host Industries were selected as research sites. Individual interviews with lecturers and Focus Group Discussions made up of ICDC students were the major data collection instruments, supported by document reviews. The unit of analysis also consisted of policy makers, external assessors and supervisors. Data were analysed using thematic data analysis technique. The study revealed that there are no clearly defined policies on IA and IA assessment as a result the administration of IA and IA assessment is considered as inadequate, haphazard and unsystematic. Due to what is perceived essentially as lack of effective collaboration between the colleges and the Host Industries, students’ assessment is negatively impacted. Consequently, IA assessment is perceived as useless by students because it does not equip them with more effective practical competencies such as content, knowledge and skills needed for effective assessment. This study therefore suggests a more vertically and horizontally integrated approach for the Colleges and their Host Industries.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Rumbidzayi, Masina
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Interdisciplinary approach in education -- Zimbabwe Vocational education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11363 , vital:39065
- Description: Industrial Attachment (IA) curriculum component of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) provides students with work-based learning and experiences in the real world of work. IA practices are best achieved through assessment which aims at reviewing at every stage how the student is performing against intended learning outcomes. This study was therefore undertaken to analyse the IA assessment procedures for Industrial Clothing Design and Construction (ICDC) used in Polytechnic Colleges in Zimbabwe. The study was guided by the Constructive Alignment Theory (CAT), and premised in the interpretivist research paradigm. Purposively sampled sites and participants were used. Two Polytechnic Colleges and three Host Industries were selected as research sites. Individual interviews with lecturers and Focus Group Discussions made up of ICDC students were the major data collection instruments, supported by document reviews. The unit of analysis also consisted of policy makers, external assessors and supervisors. Data were analysed using thematic data analysis technique. The study revealed that there are no clearly defined policies on IA and IA assessment as a result the administration of IA and IA assessment is considered as inadequate, haphazard and unsystematic. Due to what is perceived essentially as lack of effective collaboration between the colleges and the Host Industries, students’ assessment is negatively impacted. Consequently, IA assessment is perceived as useless by students because it does not equip them with more effective practical competencies such as content, knowledge and skills needed for effective assessment. This study therefore suggests a more vertically and horizontally integrated approach for the Colleges and their Host Industries.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The anti-inflammatory effects of Sutherlandia Frutescens in a cell and animal model
- Authors: Fortuin-Seedat, Maleeha
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Medicinal Plant -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44617 , vital:38167
- Description: The South African medicinal plant, Sutherlandia frutescens has anti-diabetic, antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties. Many of the mediators of inflammation are also involved in obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, T2D can either induce inflammation, or exacerbate the inflammatory response by maintaining imbalances between pro-and anti-inflammatory mediators. Two macrophage sub-populations involved in the regulation of immune responses have been defined. These are classically activated macrophages (M1) which stimulate inflammation, and alternatively activated macrophages (M2), which show anti-inflammatory activity. Therefore it is hypothesised that S. frutescens can potentially regulate macrophage polarization states which, in turn, influence metabolic immunomodulatory processes. The aims of this study were firstly to identify the mechanisms(s) by which S. frutescens could improve the low-grade inflammatory status in obese and T2D individuals using a transgenic mouse model of obesity, and secondly to determine the immunomodulating properties of S. frutescens in the human monocytic THP-1 cell line. Groups of nine week old male db/db mice were gavaged daily with water (vehicle control), Vildagliptin (10mL kg-1)(positive medication control) or hot aqueous S. frutescens extract at concentrations of 5mg, 50mg, 250mg kg-1 for 4 weeks. Body weight and fasting plasma glucose levels were determined weekly. The potential for hot aqueous S. frutescens extract to lower postprandial hyperglycaemia and promote insulin sensitivity was determined by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) after a 16 hour fast, and an insulin radioimmunoassay (RIA) after a 4 hour fast before termination. After 4 weeks of hot aqueous S. frutescens treatment the total percentage body weight of 13 week old db/db mice was reduced, but hyperglycaemia was not prevented. Human THP-1 monocytes were stimulated to differentiate into macrophages with phorbol-12myristate-13acetate (PMA) and cultured under pro-inflammatory conditions (M1) or anti-inflammatory conditions (M2). Cell viability and anti-proliferative effects of LPS and S. frutescens extracts were determined. The effect of hot aqueous and ethanolic S. frutescens extracts on M1 and M2 macrophage cell surface markers was investigated by flow cytometry using CD86 (M1) and CD206 (M2). The effect of the S. frutescens extracts on three signalling pathways and a pro-inflammatory mediator activated in an LPS-induced inflammatory response were determined using Western blotting. Changes in mRNA gene expression levels of downstream transcription factors, cytokines and chemokines associated with M1 and M2 polarised macrophages were investigated using qRT-PCR. Both ethanolic and hot aqueous S. frutescens extracts reduced cytotoxicity caused by LPS. S. frutescens extracts alone did not alter cell viability. Furthermore, both hot and ethanolic S. frutescens extracts reduced expression of the M1 marker CD86 and nonsignificantly induced expression of an M2 marker CD206, following LPS stimulation. Following M2 induction, the M1 and M2 cell surface markers were reverted to baseline M0 macrophage expression by both S. frutescens extracts. The S. frutescens extracts mediated immune-regulatory activity through suppression of the pro-inflammatory p38 MAPK and NFκB signalling pathways and regulated apoptosis through the ERK1/2 pathway. The hot aqueous S. frutescens extract exerted anti-inflammatory effects through the IKK pathway and/ or GSK3β signalling pathway. This thesis demonstrates that S. frutescens promotes macrophage homeostasis by maintaining the balance between M1 and M2 macrophages during pro-and antiinflammatory immune responses. The regulation may occur during the activation and polarization process, via rapid deactivation of M1 macrophages and a decrease in need for macrophages to switch to an M2 phenotype. Furthermore S. frutescens is hypothesised to play a role in the regulation of the GSK3β signalling which plays a central role in regulating inflammation associated with pathophysiological conditions such as IR, T2D and obesity via the PI3K/Akt pathway.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Fortuin-Seedat, Maleeha
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Medicinal Plant -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44617 , vital:38167
- Description: The South African medicinal plant, Sutherlandia frutescens has anti-diabetic, antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties. Many of the mediators of inflammation are also involved in obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, T2D can either induce inflammation, or exacerbate the inflammatory response by maintaining imbalances between pro-and anti-inflammatory mediators. Two macrophage sub-populations involved in the regulation of immune responses have been defined. These are classically activated macrophages (M1) which stimulate inflammation, and alternatively activated macrophages (M2), which show anti-inflammatory activity. Therefore it is hypothesised that S. frutescens can potentially regulate macrophage polarization states which, in turn, influence metabolic immunomodulatory processes. The aims of this study were firstly to identify the mechanisms(s) by which S. frutescens could improve the low-grade inflammatory status in obese and T2D individuals using a transgenic mouse model of obesity, and secondly to determine the immunomodulating properties of S. frutescens in the human monocytic THP-1 cell line. Groups of nine week old male db/db mice were gavaged daily with water (vehicle control), Vildagliptin (10mL kg-1)(positive medication control) or hot aqueous S. frutescens extract at concentrations of 5mg, 50mg, 250mg kg-1 for 4 weeks. Body weight and fasting plasma glucose levels were determined weekly. The potential for hot aqueous S. frutescens extract to lower postprandial hyperglycaemia and promote insulin sensitivity was determined by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) after a 16 hour fast, and an insulin radioimmunoassay (RIA) after a 4 hour fast before termination. After 4 weeks of hot aqueous S. frutescens treatment the total percentage body weight of 13 week old db/db mice was reduced, but hyperglycaemia was not prevented. Human THP-1 monocytes were stimulated to differentiate into macrophages with phorbol-12myristate-13acetate (PMA) and cultured under pro-inflammatory conditions (M1) or anti-inflammatory conditions (M2). Cell viability and anti-proliferative effects of LPS and S. frutescens extracts were determined. The effect of hot aqueous and ethanolic S. frutescens extracts on M1 and M2 macrophage cell surface markers was investigated by flow cytometry using CD86 (M1) and CD206 (M2). The effect of the S. frutescens extracts on three signalling pathways and a pro-inflammatory mediator activated in an LPS-induced inflammatory response were determined using Western blotting. Changes in mRNA gene expression levels of downstream transcription factors, cytokines and chemokines associated with M1 and M2 polarised macrophages were investigated using qRT-PCR. Both ethanolic and hot aqueous S. frutescens extracts reduced cytotoxicity caused by LPS. S. frutescens extracts alone did not alter cell viability. Furthermore, both hot and ethanolic S. frutescens extracts reduced expression of the M1 marker CD86 and nonsignificantly induced expression of an M2 marker CD206, following LPS stimulation. Following M2 induction, the M1 and M2 cell surface markers were reverted to baseline M0 macrophage expression by both S. frutescens extracts. The S. frutescens extracts mediated immune-regulatory activity through suppression of the pro-inflammatory p38 MAPK and NFκB signalling pathways and regulated apoptosis through the ERK1/2 pathway. The hot aqueous S. frutescens extract exerted anti-inflammatory effects through the IKK pathway and/ or GSK3β signalling pathway. This thesis demonstrates that S. frutescens promotes macrophage homeostasis by maintaining the balance between M1 and M2 macrophages during pro-and antiinflammatory immune responses. The regulation may occur during the activation and polarization process, via rapid deactivation of M1 macrophages and a decrease in need for macrophages to switch to an M2 phenotype. Furthermore S. frutescens is hypothesised to play a role in the regulation of the GSK3β signalling which plays a central role in regulating inflammation associated with pathophysiological conditions such as IR, T2D and obesity via the PI3K/Akt pathway.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019