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Adaptive flow management of multimedia data with a variable quality of service

  • Authors: Littlejohn, Paul Stephen
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Multimedia systems , Multimedia systems -- Evaluation
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4605 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004863 , Multimedia systems , Multimedia systems -- Evaluation
  • Description: Much of the current research involving the delivery of multimedia data focuses on the need to maintain a constant Quality of Service (QoS) throughout the lifetime of the connection. Delivery of a constant QoS requires that a guaranteed bandwidth is available for the entire connection. Techniques, such as resource reservation, are able to provide for this. These approaches work well across networks that are fairly homogeneous, and which have sufficient resources to sustain the guarantees, but are not currently viable over either heterogeneous or unreliable networks. To cater for the great number of networks (including the Internet) which do not conform to the ideal conditions required by constant Quality of Service mechanisms, this thesis proposes a different approach, that of dynamically adjusting the QoS in response to changing network conditions. Instead of optimizing the Quality of Service, the approach used in this thesis seeks to ensure the delivery of the information, at the best possible quality, as determined by the carrying ability of the poorest segment in the network link. To illustrate and examine this model, a service-adaptive system is described, which allows for the streaming of multimedia audio data across a network using the RealTime Transport Protocol. This application continually adjusts its service requests in response to the current network conditions. A client/server model is outlined whereby the server attempts to provide scalable media content, in this case audio data, to a client at the highest possible Quality of Service. The thesis presents and evaluates a number of renegotiation methods for adjusting the Quality of Service between the client and server. An A djusted QoS renegotiation method algorithm is suggested, which delivers the best possible quality, within an acceptable loss boundary.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A review of Southern African kimberlites and exploration techniques

  • Authors: Venter, Louis Johannes
  • Date: 1999 , 2013-10-04
  • Subjects: Kimberlite -- Africa, Southern , Diamonds -- Africa, Southern , Prospecting -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:5033 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007278 , Kimberlite -- Africa, Southern , Diamonds -- Africa, Southern , Prospecting -- South Africa
  • Description: The dissertation reviews the present knowledge regarding diamonds, from its formation in the lithospheric upper mantle at depths between 150 and 300 km, to its final valuation in terms of US$/carat by diamantaires in London, Antwerp, Tel Aviv and New York. The dissertation is divided into two complimentary sections. Section one focuses on the formation, emplacement, occurrence and characteristics of kimberlites and, when present, their associated trace amounts of diamonds. The section follows a logical sequence from the regional tectonic-, local structrual- and geodynamic controls on kimberlite formation and emplacement to the characteristics of individual kimberlite morphology, mineralogy, petrography and geochemistry. Finally, the environment or diamond formation, resorption and the characteristics that have led to the marketability of diamonds are discussed. Section two reviews the current exploration techniques used in locating diamondiferous kimberliies and the subsequent economic evaluation of these kimberlites. A brief history of known Southern African kimberlite occurrences, grades, tonnages, tectonic settings, ages and regional structural controls is given. The prospective countries mentioned are Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Exploration techniques considered are ; the application of a landscape analysis and investigation of the surface processes active in a given area, indicator mineral sampling (with reference to their mineralogy and exploration significance), remote sensing techniques (subdivided into satellite imagery and aerial photography), geophysical techniques (including the magnetic-, gravity-, electrical-, radiometric- and seismic methods as well as heat flow models), geochemical techniques, petrographic- and electron beam techniques as well as geobotanical- and geobiological techniques. Finally, a brief summary of current evaluation techniques employed on diamondiferous kimberlite deposits is presented. The review covers kimberlite sampling methods, sample processing, diamond grade distributions (with reference to the experimental variogram model, statistical methods used in grade distribution calculations as well as block definition and local grade estimation). Stone size distributions, including microdiamond counts and value estimation, are also discussed. , KMBT_363 , Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A pilot study of the use of groupwork in biology education at the Griffiths Mxenge College of Education : a research project ; Towards an effective implementation of assessment of biology practical work under ʺcurriculum 2005ʺ

  • Authors: Kwayisi, Frederick Ntow
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Biology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Group work in education Biology -- Curricula Curriculum change -- South Africa Curriculum planning -- South Africa Competency-based education -- South Africa Inclusive education -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1705 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003588
  • Description: A pilot study of the use of groupwork in biology education at the Griffiths Mxenge College of Education: The Government of National Unity in 1994 introduced a new educational policy for the country. This represented a shift in paradigm from a transmission mode of teaching and learning to learner-centered education. The shift marks a transformation from a contentbased curriculum to an outcomes based education (aBE). aBE, which is underpinned by Constructivism and Social Constructivism advocates for the use of groupwork as a strategy for achieving the outcomes envisaged in our learners. The challenge facing teachers and educators is how to implement outcomes based education. The intention of this research is therefore to serve as a pilot project to find out about how groupwork may be used in teaching. It looks at types of groups, considerations a teacher should have in forming groups, dynamics which come into play during teaching and gives suggestions as to how groupwork problems may be solved. Others issued are also raised which were not fully covered in the research. It is the hope of the researcher that the project would be a basis for further research on the use of group work in teaching under outcomes based education. Towards an effective implementation of assessment of biology practical work under "curriculum 2005" Transformation taking place in education in the Republic of South Africa has implications for assessment. It involves a move away from the transmission mode of teaching and learning, to a learner-centered education with the attainment of outcomes. It is a move away from the summative mode of assessment to a formative mode, where assessment leads to the development of the learner and monitor and support teaching and learning. Questions arise as to what to assess, how, when to assess and by whom? This research project is an initial attempt to look at how this assessment policy may be implemented effectively in schools and colleges, using the teaching and learning of practical biology as a tool. It looks at examples of assessment methods that may be used to assess learners work, their functions and problems that may arise in the teachers attempt to transform hislher practices. Suggestions are made on factors to consider in implementing assessment practice and how problems, which may arise in assessment, may be overcome.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A logos of difference: the Kantian roots of Derrida's deconstructive thinking

  • Authors: Hurst, Andrea Margaret
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Derrida, Jacques -- Philosophy , Deconstruction , Philosophy
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:11003 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015554
  • Description: This study concerns a contemporary articulation of the age-old limit/possibility (truth/scepticism) contest in Western metaphysics. Traditional `either/or' logic advises that scepticism is a necessary consequence of the assailability of truth; hence the concerted effort in the history of philosophy to preserve the possibility of truth against any flicker of uncertainty. Here, it is argued that contemporary thinking sees the possibility of `absolute' truth lose its ground. However, a concomitant shift to a `logos of difference' averts the consequence of scepticism. Thus, the justification for this study could be articulated in terms of the imperative, if a cardinal moment in contemporary thought is to be sustained, to understand this shift in logos, work through its implications and learn to live with its effects. In this respect, an attempt is made throughout to situate and interpret Derrida's `deconstructive thinking' as exemplar. Derrida's thinking finds roots (not without signs of insurrection) in Kant's `Copernican revolution,' construed as the first shift towards the contemporary logos in question. Here, Kant refuted the postulate of an independent `world' by demonstrating that `reality' was the result of a cognitive order imposed on what `exists' by the rational subject. Knowledge, therefore, depended not on matching statements with pre-existing `things,' but on knowing the `rules' that determined how an object had to be if it was to be known at all. Kant maintained that certain, objective knowledge was possible, due to the completeness and universality of the forms of intuition and the categories of the understanding. Kant's `Copernican revolution' provided the opening for a second shift inaugurated by the so- called `linguistic turn.' Here, thinkers contested what Kant took for granted; namely that `constitutive interpretations' (cognitions/concepts) formed a `reality' independently of language. The basic premise underpinning the `linguistic turn,' therefore, is that language (signification) and `reality' are inseparable. Henceforth, the possibility of final, enduring `constitutive interpretations' whose `truth,' in principle, is discoverable, depends on whether or not the language which mediates human rationality can form a complete and universal system. This question resurrects the very limit/possibility debate (in the form of a structuralism/postmodernism stand-off) that Kant thought he had resolved in mediating between rationalist and empiricist extremes. In contemporary terms, philosophers who, bound by either/or logic, wish to avoid the sceptical trap of `anything goes' postmodernism, must assume that language (signification) can form a complete and universal system. However, in his deconstructive readings of Husserl, Saussure and `structuralism,' Derrida demonstrates the untenability of this assumption. At the same time, he shows that the sceptical `alternative' may be avoided by recognising the limitations of `either/or' logic. Again, Derrida's thinking may be traced to Kant's; this time to his analysis of the `first antinomy.' In accordance with Kant's analysis here of what is ultimately the logic of `complex systems' (Cilliers), Derrida offers a `logos of difference,' which skirts the strictures of structuralism while avoiding the trap of postmodern scepticism by accommodating both moments of limit and possibility in an indissoluble interplay.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A history of the Good Shepherd School, Huntley Street, Grahamstown

  • Authors: Holshausen, Nicole
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Good Shepherd School (South Africa) -- History Schools -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Schools -- Grahamstown (South Africa)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1554 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003436
  • Description: This thesis is a qualitative, historical study of The Good Shepherd School in Huntly Street, Grahamstown, South Africa. It is one of the oldest school buildings in South Africa that remains in use as a school. There are two main threads to understanding The Good Shepherd School in context. The first of these threads, the colonial root of the school, is explained in a discussion of the Grammar School, attached to the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. George, that utilised the Huntly Street facilities from 1851 to 1902. The second thread is the strong tradition of caring for the underprivileged. This is traced through following the development of the educational works of The Community of the Resurrection which involves the discussion of various schools at different locations in Grahamstown. The current school on the Huntly Street premises, The Good Shepherd School, forms, however, the focus of this study, which draws on all the histories of its forerunners and their historical locations. Historical social science methods and procedures were used in the research. This was done through documentary analysis of evidence as well as through semi-structured interviews, creating an interpretative account of how the school has affected people's lives. The conclusion reached is that The Good Shepherd School has contributed greatly to the education of underprivileged people in the Grahamstown area. It appears to be an outstanding example of a school offering a well-rounded, caring education when this was historically denied to many people in South Africa.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A foreign policy for all?: South Africa and the call for an African Renaissance

  • Authors: Bischoff, Paul, 1954-
  • Date: 1999
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/161388 , vital:40622 , https://0-hdl.handle.net.wam.seals.ac.za/10520/EJC15569
  • Description: In the political vacuum that accompanies Africa's 'strategic marginalisation' and in a situation of fifteen conflicts, our continent finds itself in a state of flux. Here lies the challenge for inter-African diplomacy and regional initiatives by state and non-state actors seeking to indigenously define, manage and contain conflict. The intention must be a purposive one: to seek to normatively structure an environment 'paddocked' to provide security for states, civic society, communities, women, children and individuals.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A distributed approach to surround sound production

  • Authors: Smith, Adrian Wilfrid
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Surround-sound systems , Computer sound processing , Music -- Data processing
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4602 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004855 , Surround-sound systems , Computer sound processing , Music -- Data processing
  • Description: The requirement for multi-channel surround sound in audio production applications is growing rapidly. Audio processing in these applications can be costly, particularly in multi-channel systems. A distributed approach is proposed for the development of a realtime spatialization system for surround sound music production, using Ambisonic surround sound methods. The latency in the system is analyzed, with a focus on the audio processing and network delays, in order to ascertain the feasibility of an enhanced, distributed real-time spatialization system.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A critical investigation of conflict management : a case study of a Namibian institution

  • Authors: Uiras, Hilja
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Conflict management -- Namibia Conflict management -- Study and teaching Culture conflict Social conflict Conflict management -- Namibia -- Case studies Conflict management -- Study and teaching -- Case studies Culture conflict -- Namibia -- Case studies Social conflict -- Namibia -- Case studies
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1480 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003361
  • Description: This study is a qualitative interpretative study of conflict management in a multicultural Namibian institution. The focus of the study is to understand how individual people in a particular organization perceive conflict, the possible sources of conflict as well as to explore the possible strategies of managing conflict. This is followed by an analysis of the general educational cultural and social characteristics of Namibia, which relate to the sources of conflict. I also make an attempt to have a deeper understanding of people from different cultural and educational backgrounds in viewing conflict and how these differences might be seen as major sources of conflict and how they deal with it - by using a case study approach. I interviewed 5 participants from different cultural backgrounds. The major research methodology I used in this study is in-depth interviews that allowed me to explore people's understanding of, attitudes to and views on conflict. I supplemented the interviews with participant observation, which allowed me to get first-hand information on how people interact socially and in meetings in order to explore possible sources and existence of conflict in meetings and how the staff dealt with it. Furthermore, I tried as much as possible to observe daily activities as an observer. People interviewed have different perceptions about conflict. Some use conflict to their advantage to arouse discussion and stimulate creative thinking. Some people find conflict to be a burden, something to be minimized. This avoidance leads to poor decisions and poor use of teams as a way to improve both decision making and acceptance of the decisions that are made. Cultural differences among staff and the process of reform emerge as the major sources of conflict. Whether a conflict will result in negative or positive consequences, or both, will depend to a large part on the strategy taken to resolve the conflict.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A critical examination of the policy and practice of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa regarding the readmission of ministers who have resigned or who have been discontinued as a result of divorce

  • Authors: Van Niekerk, Ockert
  • Date: 1999
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MTh
  • Identifier: vital:21093 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/6356
  • Description: The scope and purpose of this research is the examination of the theology and practice of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa in matters relating to marriage, divorce and remarriage in ministry. The theology of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa is based on its understanding of the scriptural injunctions on these matters and the Wesleyan tradition. These are examined in some detail as is the one paper in existence produced by the church on the subject. This is the report by a committee appointed by the Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, convened by Dr Donald Cragg; M.A. (OX ON) D.Phil. (OXON). This document is referred to in this thesis as The Cragg Document. Section One of this thesis deals with research into the theology of the church. The practice of the church is examined using the recently completed study by the writer of the decided cases of the church in all disciplinary matters dealt with by Conference from 1957 to 1997. These were compiled from the existing record of Conference proceedings kept in the Methodist Connexional Office in Durban. This case precedent is included in a larger work also recently completed by the writer, namely A Handbook/or Disciplinary Committees. This book is in the process of being published by the church. Section two of this work deals with research into the practice of the church. The conclusions drawn at the end of this paper include a possible model for ministry to ministers and their families in the area of marriage and family enrichment and pastoral assistance to families in crisis. This thesis includes qualitative research into the aforesaid practice and procedure of the church in these matters and it is submitted that the conclusions drawn and the model posed in the concluding chapters can be of value to the church as it seeks to deal of the problem of an increasing number of ministers suffering the breakup of their homes and going through the trauma of divorce.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A contribution towards the taxonomy of the ichthyoplankton species community and an understanding of its dynamics along the south-east coast of South Africa

  • Authors: Wood, A D (Aidan David)
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Fishes -- Eggs Fishes -- Larvae Fishes -- Eggs -- Africa, Southern Fishes -- Larvae -- Africa, Southern
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:5342 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006124
  • Description: This study was prompted by the need to remedy the situation that existed with respect to the poor status of our knowledge regarding the ichthyoplankton assemblage of the nearshore region along the south-east Cape coast of South Africa. The first chapter provides a brief introduction to the field of ichthyoplankton research and includes a summary of the status of research in southern Africa and an explanation of early life history terminology. The selection of all sample sites, times and strategies is also outlined. The study area along the south-east Cape coast with respect to its location, climate and physical oceanography is described in the second chapter, as is the gear used, bongo nets and an RMT1x6. A sampling protocol for the use of bongos from a small ski-boat, and the RMT from the research vessels, and for the handling and processing of samples was established. The selection of Middlebank as the main monthly sampling site within the Tsitsikamma National Park (TNP) was based on taxonomic diversity as well as logistical and safety constraints. The effect of mesh size and time of sampling with bongo nets on the catchability of ichthyoplankton was investigated in chapter three. Most data was accumulated during Sea Fisheries research cruises, with additional collections coming from the National Parks vessel. Although the differences were not significant, the 505 μ mesh nets captured larger larvae, with catches comprising higher percentages of flexion and postflexion larvae. Larval concentration and size were consistently greater in samples from periods of reduced light intensity, but significant differences were the exception. It was decided that sampling with 505 μ mesh nets during daylight would provide a representative sample of the available ichthyoplankton assemblage, while at the same time being the most practical and least time consuming with respect to handling, clogging and backflushing. In chapter four, the early life history stages of thiny of the seventy-five taxa sampled are described, reflecting the paucity of information which existed on the ichthyoplankton of the nearshore zone in the south-east Cape. These descriptions are seen as an important contribution towards any future research efforts in the region, but as many of these descriptions are based on few or single specimens, it is realised that the description of egg and larval stages will be an ongoing process. Based upon the data collected during this study, an ichthyoplankton species checklist was established in chapter five. Seventy-five taxa of fish larvae were identified to either family, genus or species level. A number of squid para-larvae were also encountered. Similarities and discrepancies with a previous survey in the region are presented. The temporal distribution of eggs and larvae between August 1993 and October 1996 was established, and the spatial distribution of ichthyoplankton along an offshore transect was determined between January 1995 and May 1996. Only 7 species from Middlebank and twelve from all stations combined displayed seasonal trends, with most of these being prevalent during winter months. Egg production, both over Middlebank and from all stations combined, appeared to be consistent, with no seasonal trends. Based upon the results from the offshore transect samples, it would appear that a single ichthyoplankton assemblage exists from Storms River out to fifteen nautical miles. Although a variety of statistical methods were applied to the data during this study, low egg and larval concentrations and a low sampling frequency meant that results had to be interpreted carefully. Chapter six describes the preliminary investigation into the vertical distribution of eggs and larvae. During two research cruises, discrete depth sampling using an RMT1x6 net was performed, with the majority of samples being accompanied by physical data provided by a CTD rosette sampler. No definite patterns could be seen as larval concentrations were low, and the short time scale did not allow for the identification of any diel migratory patterns. The relationship between total larvae and the physical environment was poor. The only possible relationship was that between plankton volume and total egg and total larval concentrations. The TNP may play an important role in the conservation of reef fish and the seeding of nearby fishing grounds through the export of pelagic eggs and larvae. Chapter seven describes a preliminary investigation into the dispersal potential of ichthyoplankton from the TNP. Based upon longshore currents determined from drogues, ADCP vectors and current meter readings, it was clear that if larvae were passive drifters, the potential for their dispersal from the TNP did exist. This pilot study showed that future work should concentrate not only on the oceanographic aspects, but on behavioural aspects of larvae which may enhance or retard dispersal. In the final discussion, it is emphasised that while this study went a long way to increasing our knowledge of the nearshore ichthyoplankton community, the true picture of the temporal and spatial dynamics of the species assemblage may only be revealed once more intensive sampling has been performed. The resolution of the early life history stages of the sparids and the identification of eggs to species level are seen as priorities for the near future. A complete species checklist for the TNP is provided based upon previous surveys (both on adult and larval fishes), this work and personal observations. A total of 171 species of fish from 70 families were identified, illustrating that the eggs and larvae of many species in the TNP have yet to be sampled. A brief description of the collaborative effort which is envisaged for the TNP over the next few years is provided.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A continuous process for the biological treatment of heavy metal contaminated acid mine water

  • Authors: Van Hille, R P , Boshoff, G A , Rose, P D , Duncan, J R
  • Date: 1999
  • Language: English
  • Type: Article
  • Identifier: vital:6464 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005793 , dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0921-3449(99)00010-5
  • Description: Alkaline precipitation of heavy metals from acidic water streams is a popular and long standing treatment process. While this process is efficient it requires the continuous addition of an alkaline material, such as lime. In the long term or when treating large volumes of effluent this process becomes expensive, with costs in the mining sector routinely exceeding millions of rands annually. The process described below utilises alkalinity generated by the alga Spirulina sp., in a continuous system to precipitate heavy metals. The design of the system separates the algal component from the metal containing stream to overcome metal toxicity. The primary treatment process consistently removed over 99% of the iron (98.9 mg/l) and between 80 and 95% of the zinc (7.16 mg/l) and lead (2.35 mg/l) over a 14-day period (20 l effluent treated). In addition the pH of the raw effluent was increased from 1.8 to over 7 in the post-treatment stream. Secondary treatment and polishing steps depend on the nature of the effluent treated. In the case of the high sulphate effluent the treated stream was passed into an anaerobic digester at a rate of 4 l/day. The combination of the primary and secondary treatments effected a removal of over 95% of all metals tested for as well as a 90% reduction in the sulphate load. The running cost of such a process would be low as the salinity and nutrient requirements for the algal culture could be provided by using tannery effluent or a combination of saline water and sewage. This would have the additional benefit of treating either a tannery or sewage effluent as part of an integrated process.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A comparison of the views of South African and American photojournalists to the digital manipulation of news photographs

  • Authors: Cass, Taryn May
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Photojournalists , Photojournalism , Digital media -- Management , Photography -- Digital techniques , Digital media , Photojournalism -- Moral and ethical aspects
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:3420 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002873 , Photojournalists , Photojournalism , Digital media -- Management , Photography -- Digital techniques , Digital media , Photojournalism -- Moral and ethical aspects
  • Description: Digital technology has now become pervasive at most publications in South Africa and in America. Pictures are routinely digitised by publications for ease of handling in the layout process, and this makes it relatively easy to alter or manipulate the pictures using computer software programmes. This thesis attempts to gauge the views of South African photojournalists about the digital manipulation of news photographs, and compare these to the views of American photojournalists. It is based on the hypothesis that South African and American photojournalists have different views of what is acceptable manipulation of news photographs, and that their reasons for this will also be different. This thesis also suggests that the manipulation of news photographs is ethically problematic and can damage the credibility of both the photojournalist and the publication in which the photographs appear. The study involves a comparison of the results from a questionnaire given to South African photojournalists and a similar questionnaire given to American photojournalists. The questionnaires were then supplemented by interviews with six South African photojournalists. The thesis then draws conclusions from the responses to the questionnaires and interviews. These conclusions partially support the initial hypothesis, in that there are some differences between the views of South African and American photojournalists, but, on the whole, these are remarkably similar. Photojournalists do seem to find the manipulation of news photographs to be ethically problematic, but they may find the manipulation of other kinds of images (eg fashion or soft news) to be acceptable. South African photographers also find the manipulation of images by other means (eg different lenses or darkroom techniques) to be more acceptable than Americans do. Although the underlying reasons for these views may differ, maintaining the credibility of the photographer and the publication does seem to be the major issue for avoiding digital manipulation. South African photographers seemed to think that if the photographer had done his or her job well, there would be no need for manipulation, and both groups (but especially the Americans) felt that manipulation could often be equated to lying to the reader, and that this might damage their reputation, and that of their publications.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A case study of feedback strategies in The Open Learning Systems Trust (OLSET) Radio Learning Programmes

  • Authors: Kenyon, Jennifer Berry
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers , Educational broadcasting , Radio in education -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:2352 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002634 , English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers , Educational broadcasting , Radio in education -- South Africa
  • Description: The following is a case study of three Foundation Phase teachers' classroom practice while using the Open Learning Systems Education Trust (OLSET) Radio Learning Programmes, "English In Action" Level Two materials with their Grade Two learners. This case study describes and analyses the feedback strategies of the three teachers. The radio learning programmes have been developed to provide teachers with an effective interactive set of materials to assist their learners in the acquisition of English. These audio materials also provide teachers with opportunities to be creative and responsive to their learners' specific needs. The feedback strategies described in this study are the teachers' use of their learners' mother tongue, correction oflearner error, and use of praise and encouragement during the three Teacher-Led Activity (TLA) segments of the radio programmes. These TLAs give teachers approximately 12 minutes per lesson during which they are called on to manage the materials according to their learners' specific needs. The TLAs are specifically designed to give learners the opportunity to use and respond to English in particular contexts. This study examines three teachers' feedback to their learners in order to find out what kind of feedback has been made. An attempt has also been made to analyse the nature of the feedback. It was found, from the description and analysis of the teachers' feedback, that when teachers used their learners' mother tongue this was more often used to translate words or phrases which were part of the radio narrator's instructions to the learners and these translations were then repeated in English. Teachers corrected very few learner errors. The most common form of correction was to model the correct form and have the learners repeat this. In spite of claiming that correction of errors was important and all three teachers said they did correct their learners' errors, there was very little evidence of this practice in the sample described in this study. The use of praise and encouragement was a strategy that all three teachers claimed they practised but almost no instances of the use of praise were described. The three teachers used only the word "good" to praise any of their learners' efforts and, in fact, all three used this only twice in each of the three lessons described in this study. In terms of language learning a number of factors have been compared. Some of these include teachers' repetition oflearners' answers and their correction oflearner responses by modelling. They were also observed allowing a variety of learner response as well as ensuring a number of individual learners were able to respond. These factors appear to have enhanced the language learning in the classrooms. However, it was also observed that the teachers needed more support in order to develop more explicit strategies to use their learners' mother tongue, to praise learners and to correct learner error purposefully in their classroom practice. There is a need for guidance to be given teachers in the development and use of open-ended questions and strategies which could encourage the development of higher order language skills in their learners. These findings will influence OLSET's teacher development curriculum. It is envisaged that strategies and activities designed to provide teachers with opportunities to reflect on their own practice with regard to the feedback they provide will be incorporated into the workshops and teacher support systems provided by OLSET's teacher development team.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A case study of a teacher's questions in an English Second Language (ESL) classroom

  • Authors: Nhlapo, Malefu
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers -- Case studies
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1435 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003316
  • Description: This research study seeks to explore and understand the way a Form C (the third year of high school) teacher asks questions in an English second language (ESL) classroom in a high school in Lesotho. As this is a small-scale study on a teacher’s questions in a familiar setting, an ethnographic stance was adopted. The researcher adopted the role of non-participant observer, recorded three different lesson types and took observational notes. She transcribed the lessons and used the transcription to interview both the teacher and the students. The interviews were recorded and transcribed by the researcher. She then analysed the classroom and interview data and invited the teacher to respond to the analysis she had made. The interview was also recorded and transcribed. The findings indicated that the teacher asked most questions in the three lesson types. He asked mainly lower order question. However, the nature of the questions varied according to the intentions of the teacher, even when the lesson type was the same. Although it is difficult to generalize from a small-scale study like this one, it is believed that this study has been beneficial in raising awareness about the nature and role of questions in classroom interaction, and also in raising awareness of the teacher. Consciousness raising may be essential to educators and researchers. Moreover, this research may enable educators to theorize their practice. This research demonstrates the need for teacher development. It argues that knowledge should be linked with the skills. Therefore, it proposes the need for teacher education to include an explicit focus on questioning since questions are an integral part of teaching and learning. It further proposes the need for teachers to plan their questions carefully as good questioning strategies may facilitate learning. To my knowledge, existing research on teachers’ questions has not linked the cognitive, linguistic and pedagogic functions of teachers’ questions. This study draws from literature on these three areas while acknowledging the importance of taking into account contextual issues in analysing teachers’ questions. It therefore concludes that, content, curriculum, and the teacher’s intentions and his/her ideologies cannot be ignored in the study of a teacher’s questions.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

A case study analysis of the role of resources in the teaching and learning of senior primary geography in the Northern Province

  • Authors: Khubana, Christopher Shonisani
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Geography -- Study and teaching (Primary) -- South Africa Geography -- Study and teaching (Primary) -- South Africa -- Northern Province
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1431 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003312
  • Description: The dynamic nature of Geography has meant that over the years it has undergone many changes. These changes - for example, in curricula, approaches and methods - have had a great impact on how Geography is taught and learned in schools. Learning theories on how children learn Geography are changing from behaviourism, in terms of which learners are regarded as passive recipients of knowledge in the form of facts, to socially constructivist theory, where learners learn by constructing their own knowledge. In the South African context this has meant moving away from the positivistic tendencies of the 1960s and 1970s, to constructivist practices embodied in the outcomes-based education envisaged for the 21st Century. These changes have impacted on the nature and use of resources. This research attempts to reveal teachers' and learners' perceptions of resources. In the previous curriculum, resources were largely limited to textbooks. In the new curriculum., our perception of resources has to become wider to encompass anything that can enhance teaching and learning. This study focuses on Grade 5 and 6 children in the Northern Province. In the intermediate phase, young children need a wide variety of resources. As we approach the 21 st Century, the information technology of media like computers and the Internet, together with traditional media and resources found in the environment, provide teachers and learners with great opportunities and a wide variety of choices. The study surveyed schools in the Northern Province, through a questionnaire. In order to understand the depth of the problem, three schools were selected for a case study. Data obtained from these studies were analysed and compared to determine trends and patterns regarding the availability or use of resources as teaching and learning aids. On the one hand the study highlights the severe lack of even basic infrastructure on which to develop a 'traditional' resource base and stresses the need for innovation and creativity (and dedication) among a teaching body which feels isolated and marginalised, while on the other hand this research has revealed teachers' desire and willingness to accept change and to adapt, given the necessary epistemological enforcement to effect change.
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  • Date Issued: 1999

"Making the News": a case study of East Cape News (ECN)

  • Authors: Davidow, Audrey Beth
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Reporters and reporting Reporters and reporting -- South Africa Attribution of news News agencies -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:3424 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002877
  • Description: To fully comprehend the complex process of news making, we must first understand that the events we read about everyday in the newspaper are not merely a reflection of the world in which we live. News does not just happen. Rather, it is a socially constructed product in which events are “made to mean” (Hall, 1978). Thus, the news plays a fundamental role in shaping our interpretations of reality - our perceptions of the world as we know it. Informed by a structuralist approach to news making, this research provides a detailed ethnographic study of the determinants that shape and produce news in the South African print media. I provide examples of the influence various factors, operating at all levels, exert within the news making process. The research focuses on the news production process at East Cape News Pty. Ltd. (ECN) a small news agency operating in the peripheral news region of South Africa’s Eastern Cape. It considers the journalistic routines and interests of the ECN reporters; how these reporters select events and turn them into news, how they interpret their significance and how they formulate them as news stories. The research also considers the second stage of selection ECN news must pass before it is read by the public - the “gates” of external newspapers. In this section, the study is primarily concerned with which ECN news stories succeed past the gates of national newspapers as these are the newpapers that play an influential role in shaping national perceptions of the marginalised Eastern Cape region. A province burdened with devastating rural poverty, unstable government, and little economic growth, the Eastern Cape warrants little coverage from the national, Johannesburg-based news market. As a result, little news of the Eastern Cape is published nationally, further perpetuating the region’s perceived insignificance on a national level. This point also demonstrates the fact that news both shapes, and is shaped by, our ideologies. News, therefore is ideological (Fishman, 1977). My findings reinforce many of the observations of other media researchers informed by a structuralist approach in the field of news making. However, some elements of news making emerge which appear to be unique in terms of other studies of news making. These elements are primarily a result of ECN’s informal organisational structures which allow the journalists a greater level of autonomy than a larger more bureaucratic organisation might. Thus, in addition to considering the structures that shape the news, I also discuss the role of human agency in making the news.
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  • Date Issued: 1999
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