Isolation and characterization of genes encoding heat shock protein 70s (hsp 70s) from two species of the coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae and Latimeria menadoensis
- Authors: Modisakeng, Keoagile William
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Coelacanth Coelacanth -- Genetics Heat shock proteins Molecular chaperones Proteins -- Analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3971 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004030
- Description: The extant coelacanths have a close resemblance to the coelacanth fossil records dating back to 230mya. Like their predecessors, the extant coelacanths inhabit rocky caves at a depth of 100-300m below sea level. In the Comoros, the water temperature at these depths is estimated to fluctuate between 14-20°C. High-level adaptation to these environment and lack of competition are thought to have led to the morphological uniformity and slow change throughout the history of the coelacanths. Under stress conditions, proteins unfold or misfold leading to the formation of aggregates. Molecular chaperones facilitate the correct folding of other proteins so that they can attain a stable tertiary structure. In addition, molecular chaperones aid the refolding of denatured proteins and the degradation of terminally misfolded protein after cellular stress. Heat shock proteins form one of the major classes of molecular chaperones. Here we show that, despite high-level adaptation to a unique habitat and slow change, the genome of the coelacanth encodes the major and highly conserved molecular chaperone, Hsp70. Latimeria menadoensis and Latimeria chalumnae contain intronless hsp70 genes encoding Hsp70 proteins archetypal of known Hsp70s. Based on the coelacanth codon usage, we have shown that bacterial protein expression systems, particularly Escherichia coli, may not be appropriate for the overproduction of coelacanth Hsp70s and coelacanth proteins in general. Also interesting, was the discovery that like the rat Hsc70, the L. menadoensis Hsp70 could not reverse thermal sensitivity in a temperate sensitive E. coli DnaK mutant strain, BB2362. We also report the successful isolation of a 1.2 kb region of L. menadoensis hsp70 upstream regulatory region. This region contain three putative heat shock elements, a TATA- box and two CAAT-boxes. This regulatory region resembled the Xenopus, mouse, and particularly tilapia hsp70 promoters, all of which have been shown to drive the expression of reporter genes in a heat dependent manner. Taken together, this data is the first to strongly suggest an inducible Hsp70-base cytoprotection mechanism in the coelacanth. It further provides basis to formulate testable predictions about the regulation, structure and function of Hsp70s in the living fossil, Latimeria.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
The evaluation of a pedagogical-program development environment for Novice programmers : a comparative study
- Authors: Vogts, Dieter
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Computer programming -- Study and teaching , Programming languages (Electronic computers) , Web site development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:10477 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/638 , Computer programming -- Study and teaching , Programming languages (Electronic computers) , Web site development
- Description: It is an acknowledged fact that many novice programmers experience difficulty in the process of learning to program. One of the contributing factors to this difficulty is the Program Development Environment (PDE). Professional-PDEs are those developed specifically for professional programmers, but are often used by educational institutions in the instruction of programming. It has long been accepted that such environments are inappropriate in the instruction of programming due to unnecessary complexity and lack of support for novice programmers in the learning process. Numerous pedagogical-PDEs supporting the mechanics of programming have been developed in response to this. A review of literature, however, indicates that very limited empirical studies comparing pedagogical-PDEs and professional-PDEs have been conducted. The current study investigates whether there are measurable benefits to using a pedagogical-PDE supporting the mechanics of programming in the instruction of programming instead of a professional-PDE. A comparative study of this nature requires a representative pedagogical-PDE and representative professional-PDE be compared with one another. The first part of the current study determines a set of requirements that a pedagogical- PDE should adhere to based on literature. A set of representative features for a pedagogical-PDE is derived by examining the features of existing PDEs in conjunction with the set of requirements. Based on these features, a pedagogical-PDE, known as SimplifIDE, is developed that implements the representative set of features and that meets are the requirements for a pedagogical-PDE. The second part of the current study is the specification and administration of an empirical experiment in which SimplifIDE and Borland© DelphiTM are compared with one another. A holistic approach in determining the differences between the PDEs is taken and three main areas are examined, namely academic performance, perceptions and programming behavior.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Evolutionary and biogeographic studies in the genus Kniphofia moench (Asphodelaceae)
- Authors: Ramdhani, Syd
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Asphodelaceae Asphodelaceae -- Genetics Cladistic analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4220 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003789
- Description: Kniphofia, a genus of approximately 71 species, is almost entirely African with two species occurring in Madagascar and one in Yemen. Commonly known as ‘red hot pokers’ they are popular among horticulturists. The genus is also well known for its complex alpha taxonomy. To date, no studies have examined the phylogenetic relationships among species or the evolutionary history of the genus, and little work has been done on their biogeography. The main focus of this study was (i) to review the alpha taxonomy, (ii) to assess diversity and endemism in Kniphofia, (iii) to use DNA sequence data to reconstruct a specieslevel phylogeny to understand intra-generic species relationships and evolutionary processes (iv) to use phylogeographic approaches to study the biogeography and evaluate biogeographical patterns, and (v) to assess anatomical variation and determine if anatomical characters are useful for species delimitation. It was found that the genus has six centres of diversity, five of which are centres of endemism. The South African Centre is the most speciose and is also the largest centre of endemism. Kniphofia shows a strong Afromontane grassland affinity in Tropical and East Africa. In South Africa, it is found from high altitudes to coastal habitats, with the most speciose regions being Afromontane grasslands. It is thus not considered to be an Afromontane element, but rather an Afromontane associate. Five major evolutionary lineages were identified using cpDNA sequence data (trnT-L spacer), four of which are southern African. The fifth lineage is represented by material from Madagascar, East and Tropical Africa. The nuclear ITS region failed to provide resolution, as many sequences were identical. The five lineages recovered using cpDNA showed some congruence with geographic origin rather than the taxonomic arrangement based on morphology. All of the species with multiple samples were non-monophyletic. This could be due to hybridisation and/or incomplete lineage sorting. The nested clade analysis, although preliminary, did not completely agree with the phylogenetic analyses. One of the three third level nested clades appears to show fragmentation between the Cape Region, KwaZulu-Natal and northern parts of southern Africa. Furthermore, another nested clades recovered suggest a range expansion and radiation from the Drakensberg into the adjacent Drakensberg-Maputoland-Pondoland transition. Morphological species of Kniphofia exhibited substantial leaf anatomical variation and anatomical characters do not cluster samples into their morphological species. The anatomical results do not fit any geographic pattern, nor do they correspond to the lineages recovered using molecular markers or the nested clades. Leaf anatomical variation does not appear to be influenced by geographical or environmental factors. However, hybridisation may play a role but was not tested in this study. In light of the above findings it is proposed that the evolutionary and biogeographic history of Kniphofia is strongly linked to tectonic events, and Quaternary climatic cycles and vegetation changes. Tectonic events (viz. uplifts) may have resulted in vicariance events that may account for the five cpDNA lineages recovered in phylogenetic analyses, while Quaternary climatic cycles and vegetation changes may have had a more recent impact on evolution and biogeography. It is hypothesised that the ancestral area for Kniphofia was much more widespread when Afromontane grasslands were more extensive during cooler and drier glacial episodes. Kniphofia on the high mountains of Tropical and East Africa would have tracked Afromontane grasslands as they expanded their ranges in cooler periods. While during wetter and warmer interglacial periods Kniphofia would have retreated into refugia on the mountains of Tropical and East Africa, with no gene flow possible between these refugia. In South Africa, where latitude compensates for altitude, Kniphofia may have maintained a distribution that extended into the lowlands even during interglacials. A cyclic climate change hypothesis implies that populations of Kniphofia (at different phases of the climatic cycle) would have experienced periods of contractions and fragmentation followed by periods of range expansion and coalescence or secondary contact. Altitudinal shifting is proposed to be the most likely mechanism for fragmentation and range expansion, and would would possibly promoted hybridisation. Within the five lineages there is evidence for recent differentiation as the branch lengths are short, there are numerous nonmonophyletic species and numerous identical haplotypes (cpDNA and ITS) which collectively indicate a recent radiation in southern Africa. A recent radiation would also account for the taxonomic confusion and difficulty in differentiating morpho-species. These climatic events may also account for the substantial anatomical variation in southern African Kniphofia species.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Exploring the construct-related validity of the personal-social subscale of the Griffiths Mental Development Scales-extended revised (GMDS-ER)
- Authors: Moosajee, Shaheda
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Psychological tests for children , Griffiths Scales of Mental Development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9934 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/572 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011708 , Psychological tests for children , Griffiths Scales of Mental Development
- Description: Child assessment has become imperative today as parents and teachers recognize the need for early diagnostic assessments to adequately cater for children’s’ diverse and growing needs so that children can benefit from services and attention in a psychological or educational setting. The Griffiths Mental Development Scales, an established and well-researched instrument is reported to be one of the most carefully designed measures of child development . Studies in various parts of the world have demonstrated that the Griffiths Scales are applicable to diverse populations and that they tap experiences that are common to different cultures. The recent revision and restandardisation of the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales-Extended Revised (GMDS-ER) has necessitated investigations into its psychometric properties. In view of the important role that assessment measures play in the early identification of developmental delays, it is important that assessment measures are reliable and valid for their intended purpose(s). This study, which is part of a larger research project, attempted to explore and add further evidence of the construct validity of one of the six Subscales of the GMDS-ER, namely the Personal-Social Subscale (Subscale B). An exploratory-descriptive design using a triangulation approach was utilized to explore the construct validity of the Personal-Social Subscale. A nonprobability purposively selected sample of 18 experts working with children participated in the facet analysis to identify the constructs underlying Subscale B (the qualitative aspect of the study). The sample for the quantitative aspects of this study (i.e., the empirical validation of the identified constructs) was collected as part of the broader restandardisation and represented a stratified random sample of 1026 children between the ages of 3 and 8 years from across the United Kingdom and Eire. Three measures, namely a biographical questionnaire, the GMDS-ER and a construct evaluation form were used to gather the qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative data was analysed by means of facet analysis and literature control. The quantitative data was analysed by using exploratory common factor analysis using oblique (DQUART) rotation to empirically verify the qualitatively identified construct model by specifying a onefactor solution for each underlying construct.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Causes of persistent rural poverty in Thika district of Kenya, c.1953-2000
- Authors: Kinyanjui, Felistus Kinuna
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Poverty -- Kenya -- History Rural poor -- Kenya -- History Agriculture -- Kenya -- History Kenya -- History Kenya -- Politics and government
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2547 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002399
- Description: This study investigates the causes of poverty among the residents of Thika District in Kenya over the period 1953-2000. Using the articulation of modes of production perspective, the study traces the dynamics of poverty to the geography, history and politics of Thika District. The thrust of the argument is that livelihoods in the district changed during the period under investigation, but not necessarily for the better. Landlessness, collapse of the coffee industry, intergenerational poverty, and the ravages of diseases (particularly of HIV/AIDS) are analysed. This leads to the conclusion that causes of poverty in Thika District during the period under examination were complex as one form of deprivation led to another. The study established that poverty in Thika District during the period under review was a product of a process of exclusion from the centre of political power and appropriation. While race was the basis for allocation of public resources in colonial Kenya, ethnicity has dominated the independence period. Consequently, one would have expected the residents of Thika District, the home of Kenya’s first president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, to have benefited inordinately from public resources during his rule. Kenyatta’s administration, however, mainly benefited the Kikuyu elite. The study therefore demonstrates that during the period under examination, the Kikuyu, like any other Kenyan community, were a heterogeneous group whose differences were accentuated by class relations. Subaltern groups in Thika District therefore benefited minimally from state patronage, just like similar groups elsewhere in rural Kenya. By the late 1970s, the level of deprivation in rural Kenya had been contained as a result of favourable prices for the country’s agricultural exports. But in the subsequent period, poverty increased under the pressures of world economic recession and slowdowns in trade. The situation was worse for Kikuyu peasants as the Second Republic of President Daniel Moi deliberately attempted undermine the Kikuyu economically. For the majority of Thika residents, this translated into further marginalisation as the Moi regime lumped them together with the Kikuyu elite who had benefitted inordinately from public resources during the Kenyatta era. This study demonstrates that no single factor can explain the prevalence of poverty in Thika District during the period under consideration. However, the poor in the district devised survival mechanisms that could be replicated elsewhere. Indeed, the dynamics of poverty in Thika District represent a microcosm not just for the broader Kenyan situation but also of rural livelihoods elsewhere in the world. The study recommends land reform and horticulture as possible ways of reducing poverty among rural communities. Further, for a successful global war on poverty there is an urgent need to have the West go beyond rhetoric and deliver on its promises to make poverty history.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Inclusive education : a model for in-service teachers
- Authors: Williams, Evelyn Elizabeth
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Inclusive education -- South Africa , Teachers -- In-service training -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DEd
- Identifier: vital:9512 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/643 , Inclusive education -- South Africa , Teachers -- In-service training -- South Africa
- Description: It is clear that the concept of inclusive education implies that learners experiencing barriers to learning should, wherever possible and with suitable support, be educated with others in a regular school setting and through a regular curriculum. It is assumed that suitable facilities, resources and assistance, where needed, will be available. An adaptable curriculum that accommodates the specific learners who experience barriers to learning is also essential for inclusive education. The focus on providing equal educational opportunities for learners experiencing barriers to learning means that the traditional roles and responsibilities in education will inevitably change. Teachers have to modify their views of themselves, their teaching methods and the roles that they have to play during the implementation of inclusive education. Teachers will have to be adequately trained to effectively and confidently provide appropriate education to learners experiencing barriers to learning. The primary goal of the study is to explore the experiences, perceptions and needs of teachers regarding inclusive education. The secondary goal is to develop a training model to equip in -service teachers better for inclusive education. The research process was structured by the application of a qualitative research approach within a theory generative design, utilising five steps of theory generation in order to reach the objectives of the study. The qualitative approach was selected, as it is exploratory in nature. Founded in this exploratory research, a central concept was identified, with the aim of developing a model to assist teachers in implementing inclusive education. ABSTRACT (xvii) The research was conducted in two phases. The first section of the research comprised an exploration of the experiences, perceptions and needs of teachers regarding inclusive education. It embraced several decisions relating to data collection and analysis processes, such as defining the population and selecting the sample procedure and the data collection method, namely personal interviews with teachers, in order to determine their experiences, perceptions and needs. Concepts in the transcripts were categorised into themes and sub-themes and were verified by a literature review. A central concept was identified ( of the theory-generative research design) that can be further analysed in the second section of the research. The second section of the research was based on the findings of the research and the work of Chinn and Kramer (1995) in order to develop a training model to assist teachers in implementing inclusive education. The following additional steps of model design were employed: - Step Two : Concept definition and classification - Step Three : Construction of relationship statement - Step Four : Description and evaluation of the model - Step Five : Model operationalisation After data analysis was completed, the research established that the participating teachers were not in favour of inclusive education and therefore perceived it negatively. They also viewed themselves as not suitably equipped to work in inclusive settings. They were also discontented and experienced an intense feeling of incompetence. The researcher identified the in teachers as the central concept, which served as the foundation of the design of a model for teachers with regard to inclusive education. The essential criteria of the concept were identified and linked to each other by means of relationship statements. The model was described and evaluated according to the five criteria of clarity; simplicity; generality; accessibility; and significance, as proposed by Step One revitalisation of competence Chinn and Kramer (1995). The researcher also reflected on the limitations inherent to this research study and presented guidelines and recommendations for the operationalisation of the model in practice, to guide future research and in-service training programmes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Study of titanium, tantalum and chromium catalysts for use in industrial transformations
- Authors: Tau, Prudence Lerato
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Titanium Tantalum Phthalocyanines Electrochemistry Photochemotherapy Chromium Spectrum analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4363 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005028
- Description: PART A The syntheses, spectroscopic and electrochemical characterisation of a series of titanium and tantalum phthalocyanine complexes are reported. The complexes are unsubstituted and substituted at either the peripheral or non-peripheral positions with sulphonates, aryloxy, arylthio or amino groups. The complexes mostly exhibit Qbands in the near-infrared region as well as interesting properties in different solvents. The interaction of differently sulphonated titanium and tantalum phthalocyanine complexes with methyl viologen (MV[superscript 2+]), and hence the stoichiometry and association constants are evaluated. Detailed photophysicochemical properties of the complexes were investigated and are for the first time presented with fluorescence lifetimes easily obtained from fluorescence quenching studies. The transformation of 1-hexene photocatalysed by aryloxy- and arylthio-appended complexes is also presented for the first time. The electrochemical properties of the complexes are unknown and are thus presented. Cyclic (CV) and square wave (SWV) voltammetries, chronocoulometry and spectroelectrochemistry are employed in the study of the complexes. Two oneelectron reductions and a simultaneous 4-electron reduction are observed for the unsubstituted Cl[subscript 3]TaPc. Reduction occurs first at the metal followed by ring-based processes. The tetra- and octa-substituted derivatives however exhibit peculiar electrochemical behaviour where a multi-electron transfer process occurs for complexes bearing certain substituents. For all complexes, the first two reductions are metal-based followed by ring-based processes. A comparative study of the electrocatalytic activities of the complexes towards the oxidation of nitrite is also investigated. The complexes are immobilised onto a glassy carbon electrode either by drop-dry or electropolymerisation methods. All the modified electrodes exhibit improved electrocatalytic oxidation of nitrite than the unmodified electrodes by a twoelectron mechanism producing nitrate ions. Catalytic currents are enhanced and nitrite overpotential reduced to ~ 0.60 V. Kinetic parameters are determined for all complexes and a mechanism is proposed. PART B: The syntheses and electrochemical characterisation of chromium and titanium complexes for the selective trimerisation of ethylene to 1-hexene are presented. The synthesis of the chromium complex requires simple steps while tedious steps are used for the air-sensitive titanium complex. The spectroscopic interaction of the chromium complex with the co-catalyst methylaluminoxane is investigated. The complexes are characterised by electrochemical methods such as cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Camphor-derived chiral auxiliaries: a synthetic, mechanistic and computational study
- Authors: Duggan, Andrew Robert
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Camphor Chirality Asymmetric synthesis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4415 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006772
- Description: A broadly based approach has been undertaken to the development and use of camphor derivatives as chiral auxiliaries in asymmetric synthesis – an approach which has embraced synthetic, mechanistic and computational studies. The unambiguous characterization of mono- and dihydroxy-derivatives, obtained by reduction of chiral camphor ether dimers, has been achieved through detailed one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopic analysis. The resulting data has been used to establish both the regio- and stereochemistry of the hydroxyl groups. A camphor-derived cyclic iminolactone has been shown to provide a convenient platform for the synthesis of chiral α-amino acids, stereoselective monoalkylation of the iminolactone affording a range of products in yields of 52 - 65 % with up to 85 % d.e. The attempted development of chiral bifunctional Morita-Baylis-Hillman substrates has revealed an unexpected equilibration between isomeric bornane 2,3-diol monoacrylates via acid-catalysed intramolecular transesterification. A detailed [superscript 1]H NMR-based kinetic study of the rearrangement in various media and at various temperatures has permitted the determination of the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters. A computational study at the DFT level has been used to explore the potential energy surfaces of the acid-catalysed and uncatalysed transesterification of the monoacrylate esters. The theoretical data supports the involvement of cyclic intermediates and has provided a rational basis for predicting the favoured reaction pathways. Novel camphor-derived phenyl sulfonate esters and N-adamantylsulfonamides have been synthesised for use as chiral auxiliaries in the Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction. Modeling at the Molecular Mechanics level has provided useful insights into possible conformational constraints and an adamantyl sulfonate auxiliary has been successfully used in the stereoselective synthesis of a range of products, generally in excellent yield and with up to 95 % d.e.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
A transdisciplinary explanatory critique of environmental education
- Authors: Price, Leigh
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Environmental education Business enterprises -- Environmental aspects Corporations -- Environmental aspects Social responsibility of business Social responsibility of business -- Study and teaching Environmental education -- Philosophy Environmental ethics -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1804 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003689
- Description: This study originates out of my experience as an environmental educator working within business and industry in Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is motivated by my observation that, despite much environmental rhetoric and training, environmental education in industry rarely leads to significant advances towards environmental protection. I assume that the problem of the mismatch between rhetoric and action involves both semiotic and non-semiotic components and therefore, after a thorough exploration of my methodological options, I adopt a qualitative transdisciplinary textual analysis of relevant documents using Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis and Bhaskar’s Dialectical Critical Realism, with some insights taken from Bhaskar’s more recent concept of Meta-Reality. My main conclusions from the study indicate that causally efficacious philosophical mistakes, relating to theories of structure/agency and theories of epistemology, are an important aspect of the problem being considered. Specifically, I demonstrate that these mistakes function to buttress ideology and its attendant contradictions which in turn function to provide the preconditions that maintain inequalities and poor environmental practice in business and industry. Prior and current events, such as climate change and the trend towards globalisation, the ‘free market economy’ and psychological characteristics of the author, relevant to the problem, are also important. In line with Bhaskar’s emancipatory aim for explanatory critique, I end with tentative recommendations for a re-imagined environmental education for business and industry which require (un)action. Consistent with my methodological choices, my recommendations have a (qualified) universal application, despite my focus on texts from South Africa and Zimbabwe. My recommendations are summarised below: • there should be consistency between theory and practice such that performance contradictions are avoided; • we should not act from a fear of survival based on past, no longer relevant experiences (e.g. from childhood) as this is unlikely to be an adequate base for present actions; • we should avoid voluntarism by acting with the resources at our disposal, based on a true understanding of our strengths and weaknesses and our own specificities; • we should avoid assuming the stance of the ‘victim’ by refusing to blame other agents or circumstances, without distorting or underestimating the causal efficacy of those agents or circumstances (related to avoiding voluntarism, whilst nevertheless not resorting to determinism either); • we should direct our action towards the abolition of inequalities and master-slave relationships (related to the avoidance of performance contradictions); • we should act from the position of epistemological humility, rather than from the position of epistemological privilege; • we should consider action as ‘shedding’ based on an understanding of the Transformational Model of Social Activity (TMSA); and • we should consider learning to be ‘shedding’ based on the necessity of (un)knowledge, or ignorance, as a requirement of arriving at relatively new knowledge. This study is also a contribution to contemporary methodological discussions relevant to Critical Discourse Analysis in that it extends these discussions to include psychoanalytical (as well as the more familiar phenomenological and ideological) depth explanations of lived illusion. Furthermore, this study is an experimental attempt to apply the concept of ‘meta-reflexivity’ in Critical Discourse Analysis.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
MISSTEV : model for information security shared tacit espoused values
- Authors: Thomson, Kerry-Lynn
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Computer security -- Management , Management information systems -- Security measures , Data protection
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DTech
- Identifier: vital:9787 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/717 , Computer security -- Management , Management information systems -- Security measures , Data protection
- Description: One of the most critical assets in most organisations is information. It is often described as the lifeblood of an organisation. For this reason, it is vital that this asset is protected through sound information security practices. However, the incorrect and indifferent behaviour of employees often leads to information assets becoming vulnerable. Incorrect employee behaviour could have an extremely negative impact on the protection of information. An information security solution should be a fundamental component in most organisations. It is, however, possible for an organisation to have the most comprehensive physical and technical information security controls in place, but the operational controls, and associated employee behaviour, have not received much consideration. Therefore, the issue of employee behaviour must be addressed in an organisation to assist in ensuring the protection of information assets. The corporate culture of an organisation is largely responsible for the actions and behaviour of employees. Therefore, to address operational information security controls, the corporate culture of an organisation should be considered. To ensure the integration of information security into the corporate culture of an organisation, the protection of information should become part of the way the employees conduct their everyday tasks – from senior management, right throughout the entire organisation. Therefore, information security should become an integral component of the corporate culture of the organisation. To address the integration of information security into the corporate culture of an organisation, a model was developed which depicted the learning stages and modes of knowledge creation necessary to transform the corporate culture into one that is information security aware.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Passing the spear : a grounded theory study of the influence of family business value sets on succession planning in black family-owned businesses
- Authors: Musengi, Sandra
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Grounded theory Family-owned business enterprises Family-owned business enterprises -- Succession Family-owned business enterprises -- Management Business enterprises, Black Business planning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1192 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007056
- Description: Literature suggests that a small number of family businesses are able to make the transition from the founder to other family members with a common reason cited being the lack of planning. This study aims to build understanding of leadership succession in family businesses by focusing on the influence of a founder's family business value set on the succession planning process in Black family-owned businesses. Using the Strauss and Corbin (1990) grounded theory method, this study develops a theory of succession planning of Black familyowned businesses labelled Passing the Spear which is comprised of three stages based on an analysis of 21 qualitative interviews. The Spear was an analogy used to represent both the values of the founder and the family business, thus in Passing the Spear, founders where essentially performing a dual transfer of their values and leadership to the successor. The implementation of the process Passing the Spear was influenced by the family business value set of the founder, which in this study, were labelled as Traditional, Progressive, and Transitional. These value sets were distinguished by their behaviour regarding their choice of successor where founders with a traditional value set exhibited gatekeeping behaviour, while the behaviour of founders with a progressive value set was labelled navigating, and finally, founders with a transitional value set demonstrated behaviour labelled exploring. Furthermore, it was found that after the successor had been chosen, founders appeared to follow a generic succession planning process, however, the ease and timing of implementation was influenced by the family business context, evidence of being proactive and the degree of family business resilience. The process of Passing the Spear comprised of three stages of (a) Showing the spear where the founder's focus is on the induction and socialization of the successor using the strategies of bringing the successor into the family business and managing the family-business interface using relationships; (b) Explaining the spear entailed founders using the strategies of sharing knowledge and teaching the successors about the family business; and ( c) Sharing the spear was where founders focused on empowering the successors by implementing strategies of sharing responsibilities and learning from the successor.The process provides insights into the influence of family business values on the succession planning process and can be useful for founders of Black family-owned businesses in planning for succession in their businesses. In addition, the study provides another perspective of succession planning and offers a contribution to the literature for understanding succession in Black family-owned businesses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Towards a theory of choral conducting gestures
- Authors: Oosthuizen, Benjamin William
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Choral conducting
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DMus
- Identifier: vital:8505 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/589 , Choral conducting
- Description: It is an oversimplification to look only at the manner in which a two-dimensional drawing suggests a three-dimensional movement in order to study choral conducting gestures. It must be recognised that there is a myriad of tacit aspects of knowledge surrounding conducting gestures. These aspects of tacit knowledge might be the reason why the teaching of conducting is done mostly in a continuous practicum, where the apprentice learns from the master, because in the practical situation the novice learns not only explicit knowledge, but also tacit knowledge. On the other hand, it is vital that the process of categorising and theorising about gestures continues in order to at least gain a better explicit knowledge of the process. In doing so, a theoretical knowledge base will strengthen the body of knowledge. This explicit knowledge should contain information with regard to the anatomy of the conductor, a basic understanding of a balanced posture, bilateral symmetry and vertical alignment, and a basic knowledge which will help to understand which main muscle groups are responsible for which basic movements involving gestures. The study of gestures from a theoretical point of view is barely more than five decades old. The demands which 20th and 21st century composers make on conductors question the traditional approaches of the functions of the hands. It has become essential for a conductor to develop greater skill of ambidexterity in order to cope with these demands. Despite the notion by some authors that choral conducting gestures employ standard gestures, it has been shown in this study that this is simply not the case. An overview of the work of authors in the field of conducting gestures was presented through a literature study. Concepts and their definitions have been selected and explained through the answering of research questions. Definitions of parameters and functionality of gestures were clarified to decide which gestures were the most appropriate in certain circumstances. This theory aims to be both descriptive and normative. It is descriptive in the sense that the concepts and issues and relationships around the characteristic aspects of gestures are indicated. It is normative in terms of the suggestions offered with regard to issues pertaining to gestures. This thesis sets out to contribute to the formulation of theoretical aspects of choral conducting gestures in an effort to codify and structure knowledge which is often stored in composers minds and experience, in an effort to pass down this knowledge to other apprentices in the field.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
The idea of regionalism in West and Southern Africa : a critical social enquiry
- Authors: Lindsay, Albert Domson
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Regionalism -- Africa, West Regionalism -- Africa, Southern Africa, West -- Politics and government Africa, Southern -- Politics and government Africa -- Foreign relations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2848 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006118
- Description: Traditional views on International Relations dominate regional analyses. These invariably emphasize the dominance of state and market forces in inter-state relations. Experiences and expectations of people are less prominent in these discourses, and the practices they foster. This thesis critically analyses the regional processes in West and southern Africa within the framework of Critical Theory. It argues that these processes are constrained by instability and the increasing legitimacy crises of the State. The thesis demonstrates that the State, through exclusive nationalist practices, hinder the growth of a cosmopolitan order, and it argues that neo-liberal regionalism is a contested phenomenon because of its exclusive nature. Finally, the thesis suggests steps needed to resolve the legitimacy crises and to build an inclusive regional order, based on cosmopolitan values.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Contributions to the use of microalgae in estuarine freshwater reserve determinations
- Authors: Snow, Gavin Charles
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Microalgae -- South Africa , Estuarine ecology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:10620 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/709 , Microalgae -- South Africa , Estuarine ecology -- South Africa
- Description: The ecologist Garrett Hardin (1968) introduced a useful concept called the tragedy of the commons, which describes how ecological resources become threatened or lost. The term “commons” is based on the commons of old English villages and is symbolic of a resource that is shared by a group of people. If every person were to use each resource in a sustainable fashion it would be available in perpetuity. However, if people use more than their share they would only increase their personal wealth to the detriment of others. In addition, an increase in the population would mean that the size of each share would have to decrease to accommodate the larger number of people. As a result, resources are threatened by personal greed and uncontrolled population growth. Freshwater is an example of a common resource that is under threat in South Africa where the average annual rainfall is less than 60 percent of the global average (Mukheibir & Sparks 2006). The increasing demands for freshwater as well as its eutrophication are major concerns with regards to estuarine health, environmental resource management and human health. The correct management of water is necessary to ensure that it is utilised in a sustainable manner. The National Water Act (No. 36 of 1998) has provided the rights to water for basic human needs and for sustainable ecological function; the Basic Human Needs Reserve and Ecological Reserve are both provided as a right in law. The amount of water necessary for an estuary to retain an acceptable ecological status, known as the Estuarine Ecological Reserve, is determined through the implementation of procedures (rapid, intermediate or comprehensive) compiled by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (1999) in its Resource Directed Measures (RDM) for the Protection of Water Resources. The impact of restricted flow on estuaries can be reduced by manipulating the water released from impoundments, the regulation of water abstractions within the river catchment or both (Hirji et al. 2002). The reserve assessment method is designed to evaluate ecosystem requirements by employing groups of specialists from different disciplines. In South Africa, this includes hydrologists, sedimentologists, water chemists and biologists (including microalgae specialists). The use of microalgae in ecological assessments has largely been based on research that was initiated at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (formerly University of Port Elizabeth) and subsequently at Rhodes University (Grahamstown) and the University of KwaZulu Natal (Durban). The microalgal research can be divided into two main focus areas; phytoplankton and benthic microalgae
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Development of an in-situ ß-D-Glucuronidase diagnostic moraxella-based biosensor for potential application in the monitoring of water polluted by faecal material in South Africa
- Authors: Togo, Chamunorwa Aloius
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Water quality management -- South Africa Water quality bioassay -- South Africa Sewage sludge -- South Africa -- Management Water -- Purification -- Biological treatment -- South Africa Biosensors
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3947 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004006
- Description: The prevention of outbreaks of waterborne diseases remains a major challenge to public health service providers globally. One of the major obstacles in this effort is the unavailability of on-line and real-time methods for rapid monitoring of faecal pollution to facilitate early warning of contamination of drinking water. The main objective of this study was to develop a β-glucuronidase (GUD)-based method that could be used for the on-line and real-time monitoring of microbial water quality. GUD is a marker enzyme for the faecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli. This enzyme breaks down the synthetic substrate p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucuronide (PNPG) to D-glucuronic acid and p-nitrophenol (PNP), which turns yellow under alkaline pH. The enzymatically produced PNP was used to detect GUD activity. In situ GUD assays were performed using running and stagnant water samples from the Bloukrans River, Grahamstown, South Africa. The physico-chemical properties of environmental GUD were determined, after which a liquid bioprobe and a microbial biosensor modified with Moraxella 1A species for the detection of the enzyme activity were developed. In order to determine the reliability and sensitivity of these methods, regression analyses for each method versus E. coli colony forming units (CFU) were performed. The storage stabilities of the bioprobe and biosensor were also investigated. The physico-chemical properties of in situ GUD were different from those of its commercially available counterpart. The temperature optimum for the former was between 35 and 40 °C while for the latter it was 45 °C. Commercial (reference) GUD had a pH optimum of 8.0 while the environmental counterpart exhibited a broad pH optimum of between pH 5.0 and 8.0. The liquid bioprobe had a limit of detection (LOD) of GUD activity equivalent to 2 CFU/100 ml and a detection time of 24 h. The method was less labour intensive and costly than the culturing method. The liquid bioprobe was stable for at least four weeks at room temperature (20 ± 2 °C). The biosensor was prepared by modifying a glassy carbon electrode with PNP degrading Moraxella 1A cells. The biosensor was 100 times more sensitive and rapid (5-20 min) than the spectrophotometric method (24 h), and was also able to detect GUD activity of viable but non-culturable cells. Thus it was more sensitive than the culturing method. Furthermore, the biosensor was selective and costeffective. The possibility of using a Pseudomonas putida JS444 biosensor was also investigated, but it was not as sensitive and selective as the Moraxella 1A biosensor. The Moraxella biosensor, therefore, offered the best option for on-line and real-time microbial water quality monitoring in South African river waters and drinking water supplies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
The effect of HIV and AIDS on the viability and management of forestry contracting businesses in South Africa
- Authors: Steenkamp, Jacob Cornelus
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Forest products Industry -- South Africa -- Employees -- Disease , AIDS (Disease) -- Economic aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: vital:8768 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/735 , Forest products Industry -- South Africa -- Employees -- Disease , AIDS (Disease) -- Economic aspects -- South Africa
- Description: The aim of the research is to quantify the HIV prevalence in human resources of forestry contracting businesses and to develop a management framework to promote economic sustainability of forestry contractors. HIV tests were conducted in the forest industry on the employees of contracting concerns from 2002/2003 to 2004/2005 with an accompanying questionnaire to collect demographic data. The HIV test results were analyzed with the demographic data to determine relationships between HIV prevalence and demographic factors. Contractors responded to a questionnaire on the effect of HIV and AIDS prevalence on (their) contracting businesses. The questionnaire also collected information about HIV and AIDS interventions and assistance to HIV and AIDS affected employees. Key stakeholders of other forestry sub-sectors were interviewed to facilitate comparison of the different sub-sectors and to establish if there were major differences between the sub-sectors, however, the focus was on the human resources of the forestry contracting sub-sector. The research results indicated that the HIV prevalence was increasing for the research period and was, in some regions, exceeding 40 per cent. The highest prevalence was recorded in the Highveld and Zululand regions and the lowest prevalence in the North-Eastern Cape. The HIV prevalence for females was constantly higher than the incidence for males and the ratio of males to females (all regions) approximated 68 per cent to 32 per cent. The high prevalence of HIV results in major social and economic impacts. The economic impact is aggravated through regulation (due to perceived market failure) and a bid for more equal distribution of wealth in the economy. The result of the sum of the impacts alludes to a conversion from labour to capital; however, to make well-informed decisions, various scenarios should be simulated to establish the optimum labour to capital ratio. The research further established that appropriate staffing is increasingly difficult and that the development of human capital is under pressure due to the high prevalence of HIV and AIDS. HIV and AIDS mitigation programmes will make a significant contribution to the return on human capital assets, as the economic life and productivity of such assets will be enhanced by such interventions. The management framework developed was assessed to be visually acceptable and useful by domain experts; however, to realise the full potential of the framework it should be used with anticipation of the research results regarding prevalence and future estimated AIDS releases and in conjunction with industry cost simulation models.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
The biology and systematics of South African pipefishes of the genus Syngnathus
- Authors: Mwale, Monica
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Pipefishes -- South Africa Syngnathus -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5237 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005080
- Description: Syngnathus the most speciose genus in the family Syngnathidae is widely in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific oceans. However, it is poorly represented in the Indian Ocean with the only two species, Syngnathus temminckii and S. watermeyeri occurring in Southern African estuaries and coastal areas. Syngnathus temminckii the most common South African pipefish has been synonymised with S. acus, as the morphological and genetic divergence between these two populations has not been documented. There is also uncertainty in the taxonomic status of S. watermeyeri, an endemic estuarine pipefish that is restricted to two Eastern Cape estuaries. The purpose of this study was therefore to compare biological, morphological and genetic variation of South African Syngnathus species among different populations/locations, and with European populations of S. acus. Sixteen meristic and ten morphometric characteristics were quantified from specimens obtained from field as well as various international natural history museum collections. Univariate (ANOVA) and multivariate (principal component analysis and discriminant analyses) analyses were used to assess morphological differences among the species. Morphometric variables were adjusted as ratios of the standard length and using an allometric procedure. ANCOVA analysis indicated significant differences between S. acus and S. temminckii for the relationships of the standard length (SL) and all morphological characters. There was no significant correlation between SL and snout length, snout depth, inter-orbital width and trunk depth for S. watermeyeri. The analyses provided evidence for distinct populations of S. acus, S. temminckii and S. watermeyeri although morphological character differentiation was greater between S. watermeyeri and the other two larger species. Although, significant differences were observed for meristic characters, pairwise comparisons did not reflect a clear pattern of variability. Most of the measured morphological characters contributed more than 70% to the morphological variation between the populations. Plot of the canonical scores for the variables resulted in the specimens clustering according to species groups and locations of S. temminckii. Sequences of 750 base pairs of the mitochondrial cytochrome gene from 11 localities were compared with published sequences of other species of Syngnathus. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using parsimony, maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI). The South African species were revealed to be sister-taxa with about 6 % divergence, while S. temminckii and S. acus had about 11% sequence divergence. 20 haplotypes among 46 total specimens from the three species. Gene flow was estimated at approximately 3 migrants per generation between the two South African populations and about 1 per generation between S. temminckii and S. acus. Such strong stock structuring among presumably recently established post-Pliocene (< 2 Million years ago) populations suggests that these species are reproductively isolated. Morphological and genetic variation observed in this study combined with current knowledge of life history attributes of the South African pipefishes indicate that conservative management decisions are necessary until the patterns and extent of differentiation among populations species-wide can be investigated further. It is thus being proposed that the name of the South African population of S. acus be changed to Syngnathus temminckii (Kaup, 1856).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Opportunity and constraint : historicity, hybridity and notions of cultural identity among farm workers in the Sundays River Valley
- Authors: Connor, Teresa Kathleen
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Agricultural laborers -- South Africa -- Relocation Addo Elephant National Park (South Africa) Xhosa (African people) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Ethnic identity Forced migration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Land settlement -- South Africa -- Government policy
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2117 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008367
- Description: This thesis focuses on relationships of opportunity and constraint among farm workers in the Sundays River Valley (SRV), Eastern Cape Province. Relationships of 'constraint' include those experiences of displacement and forced removal and war, including forced removals by the apartheid state in 1960 and 1970. Relationships of 'opportunity' include the ways in which residents in the SRV have contested their experiences of upheaval and domination, and the formation of a regional sense of place and belonging/ investigate how farm workers actually draw elements of locality and identity from their experiences of upheaval, and how displacement bolsters feelings of belonging and place. Instead of viewing displacement as a once-off experience, this thesis investigates displacement in historical terms, as a long-term, 'serial' experience of human movement, which is continued in the present- specifically through the creation of the Greater Addo Elephant National Park. I concentrate on developing a spatialised and cultural notion of movemenUplacement. 'Place' is investigated as a term that refers to rather indeterminate feelings of nostalgia, memory and identity, which depend on a particular connection to territory (ie: 'space'). I emphasise that elements of place in the SRV are drawn from and expressed along dualistic lines, which juxtapose situations of opportunity and constraint. In this way, farm workers' sense of connection to farms and ancestral territory in the SRV depends on their experiences of stable residency and work on farms, as well as their memories of removal from land in the area. I emphasise that those elements of conservatism (expressed as 'tradition' and Redness) among Xhosa-speaking farm workers are indications of a certain hybridity of identity in the region, which depend on differentiation from other groups (such as so-called 'coloured' farm workers and 'white' farmers), as well as associations between these groups. This thesis lays emphasis upon those less visible and definable 'identities' in the Eastern Cape Province, specifically by shifting focus away from the exhomeland states of the Ciskei and Transkei, to more marginal expressions of identity and change (among farm workers) in the Province. I point out that labourers cannot solely be defined by their positions as farm workers, but by their place and sense of cultural belonging in the area. In this sense, I use the idea of work as a loaded concept that can comment on a range of cultural attitudes towards belonging and place, and which is firmly embedded in the private lives of labourers - beyond their simple socio-economic conditions of farm work. I use Bourdieu's conception of habitus and doxa to define work as a set of dispositions that have been historicised and internalised by workers to such an extent, that relationships of domination are sometimes inadvertently obscured through their apparent 'naturalness'. Moreover, I point out that work can be related to ritualised action in the SRV through the use of performance and practice-based anthropological theory. Both work and ritual are symbolic actions, and are sites of struggle within which workers express themselves dualistically. Rituals, specifically, are dramatic events that combine disharmonious and harmonious social processes - juxtaposing the powerlessness of workers (on farms), and the deep sense of belonging and place in the SRV. I argue that the deep historical connections in the SRV have largely been ignored by conservationists in the drive to establish new protected zones (such as the Greater Addo Elephant National Park), and that a new model of shared conservation management is needed for this Park.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Towards knowing through doing : improving the societal relevance of systematic conservation assessments
- Authors: Knight, Andrew Thomas
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Conservation of natural resources -- Planning , Nature conservation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:10598 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/711 , Conservation of natural resources -- Planning , Nature conservation -- South Africa
- Description: Systematic conservation assessments are spatially-explicit techniques for prioritising areas for the implementation of conservation action. There has been considerable reference in the peer-reviewed literature as to the usefulness of these tools, which appear to be primarily used by academics for theoretical research. A literature review and author survey reveals the peer-reviewed literature is largely theoretical, although conservation action results more frequently than reported. The effectiveness of these interventions is generally described as only ‘fairly effective’. This general trend, coupled with previous personal failures in translating systematic conservation assessments into effective conservation action triggered an explicit process of social learning implemented as action research. It examined the workings of the Subtropical Thicket Ecosystem Planning (STEP) project, which included development of a systematic conservation assessment. Systematic conservations assessments simply provide information on where action should be implemented, and so are only useful if situated within broader operational models for conservation planning. Most operational models presented in the peer-reviewed literature are primarily focused upon the testing ecological data, not upon the delivery of conservation action. A new operational model for conservation planning is presented which more accurately reflects the ‘real-world’ process of conservation planning. An implementation strategy is an essential complement to a systematic conservation assessment. It describes how specific, explicitly-stated goals will be achieved, who is accountable for undertaking these activities, and the resources required. As the Implementation Specialist for the STEP Project, I co-lead the collaborative development of an implementation strategy with stakeholders that aimed to mobilise resources towards achieving common goals. Whilst the development and initial uptake of the strategy was good, subsequent implementation has flounder. The reasons for this are explored. The ultimate pragmatic goal of a conservation planning process is the establishment of effective social learning institutions. These develop common visions, mobilise collective action, and adaptively learn and refine their conservation activities. Thicket Forum is one xi such institution established through the STEP Project. My involvement with Thicket Forum since 2004 in implementing an adaptive learning approach facilitates collaboration between land managers, government and research organisations. Systematic conservation assessments evolved in response to the ad hoc way in which protected areas were implemented, leaving unrepresentative, biased protected area networks. Most research is theoretical and without an intimate understanding of the social-ecological system of a planning region, notably opportunities and constraints for implementing conservation action. Highlighting the importance of an approach which is flexible, not only in space, but in time, which can capitalise upon implementation opportunities, is important for stemming the myth that opportunism is the nemesis of systematic conservation assessments. To this end, conservation planners have been slow to include factors influencing effective implementation in systematic conservation assessments. Many studies which identify candidate protected area networks, first, fail to identify the specific instrument(s) to be applied, and second, assume all intact land is available. Having mapped the willingness of land managers in the Albany District, South Africa, to sell their land, it is demonstrated the majority of targets fail to be achieved because land managers will not sell. Knowing this, the current focus of gathering ever-more ecological data is misplaced. Human, social and economic factors influence target achievement, efficiency and spatial configuration of priority areas. Selecting important areas for conservation, particularly at the local-scale, requires the mapping of factors which define opportunities for conservation. Land manager willingness to collaborate and participate, entrepreneurial orientation, conservation knowledge, social capital, and local champions were applied using a method of hierarchical clustering to identify land managers who represent conservation opportunities for private land conservation initiatives.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
A multiple case study of parent involvement with grade 8 learners of mathematics
- Authors: Govender, Vasuthavan Gopaul
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Education, Secondary -- Parent participation , Parent-teacher relationships , Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DEd
- Identifier: vital:9556 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/511 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011913 , Education, Secondary -- Parent participation , Parent-teacher relationships , Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary)
- Description: The learning of mathematics is a worldwide concern. International studies over the last decade place South African learners amongst the lowest achievers. Although various initiatives have been tried there does not seem to be any improvement. In the USA and UK initiatives include the involvement of parents and these have been implemented with great success. One of the parent involvement programmes from the USA, the Family Maths Programme has been in South Africa since 1996. This programme has been successful in South Africa but is confined to parents of grades 4-7 children. However, there is no programme for parents of high school learners. As grade 8 is usually the first high school year in South Africa, this study focuses on parents of grade 8 children and their involvement in their children’s mathematics learning. It consists of an initial survey of grade 8 parents’ (from an urban school) mathematical backgrounds and experiences and their involvement in their children’s education. Using key points from the survey and elements from the literature review and other sources, the researcher designed a parent assistance programme for mathematics which was conducted with three groups of parents of grade 8 children from the same high school. Each group of parents was exclusive and the same set of procedures was applied to each group, making this study a qualitative multiple case study, within the interpretive research paradigm. The parent-assistance programme consists of a parents’ workshop and completion of journals over a 7-week period. Parents documented their interactions with their children in structured journals, a process known as participant journaling. After this journaling period, parents and children were surveyed on this interaction by means of follow-up questionnaires. This was followed later in interviews with the parents and mathematics teachers, separately. After the completion of all three case studies parents and children participated in focus group discussions to discuss and share experiences of the programme. The interrogation of the data, on two levels, suggests parents’ and children’s perceptions of mathematics were likely to be positively influenced. The data also suggest that children were likely to become more confident and to improve in mathematics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007