Geospatial technologies and indigenous Knowledge Systems:
- Authors: Aswani, Shankar
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/145448 , vital:38439 , ISBN 9781315181523 , https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315181523/chapters/10.1201/9781315181523-18
- Description: During the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, pressure on coastal ecosystems has amplified and resulted in the widespread degradation of adjacent marine and terrestrial habitats globally (Burke et al., 2001). The ecosystem services provided by coastal habitats, including coastal protection and food procurement, have been heavily compromised by anthropogenic disturbance such as overfishing, pollution, sedimentation and alteration of coastal vegetation (Costanza et al., 1997; Agardy et al., 2009). In the context of small islands, this continued degradation in tandem with the ongoing effects of climate change is putting the livelihoods of coastal peoples at risk (e.g. Bell et al., 2009). While international efforts at curtailing these negative trends are ongoing, many researchers are working directly with coastal local/ indigenous communities to seek more effective management of coastal terrestrial and marine resources. Among various approaches, researchers are increasingly incorporating local knowledge systems for designing resource management and conservation plans (e.g. Gadgil et al., 1993).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Aswani, Shankar
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/145448 , vital:38439 , ISBN 9781315181523 , https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315181523/chapters/10.1201/9781315181523-18
- Description: During the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, pressure on coastal ecosystems has amplified and resulted in the widespread degradation of adjacent marine and terrestrial habitats globally (Burke et al., 2001). The ecosystem services provided by coastal habitats, including coastal protection and food procurement, have been heavily compromised by anthropogenic disturbance such as overfishing, pollution, sedimentation and alteration of coastal vegetation (Costanza et al., 1997; Agardy et al., 2009). In the context of small islands, this continued degradation in tandem with the ongoing effects of climate change is putting the livelihoods of coastal peoples at risk (e.g. Bell et al., 2009). While international efforts at curtailing these negative trends are ongoing, many researchers are working directly with coastal local/ indigenous communities to seek more effective management of coastal terrestrial and marine resources. Among various approaches, researchers are increasingly incorporating local knowledge systems for designing resource management and conservation plans (e.g. Gadgil et al., 1993).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Knowledge structures and their relevance for teaching and learning in Introductory Financial Accounting
- Authors: Myers, Peta L
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: vital:21107 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/6413 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10291954.2015.1099215
- Description: The structure of knowledge within a discipline has implications for the teaching and learning within the discipline. This research examines how the hierarchical knowledge structure of Accounting impacts on the teaching and learning which takes place in a first semester Introductory Financial Accounting course. Students used on-line questionnaires and interviews to explain how they engaged with the discipline and difficulties which they experienced during the semester. Bernstein's pedagogic Device and Maton's Legitimation Code Theory were used to analyse the structure of knowledge within the discipline and as theoretical lenses through which to view these students' perceptions. The research provides a theoretical explanation for the impact that a hierarchical knowledge structure has on teaching and learning within the discipline; how students need to develop a 'trained gaze' and thereby gain mastery over the 'procedures of investigation' to be able to produce the 'legitimate text' required for success in the course. The research also explains why some students experience a 'code clash' and the implications this has for their success in the discipline. Other pedagogical difficulties which were experienced by these students, as a result of the hierarchical knowledge structure within the discipline, are also discussed. In addition to providing a better understanding of the phenomena that drive or hinder student learning, which could contribute towards improving pedagogy and hence student learning, theorising these concepts provides a common language to enable more informed debate on these issues.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Myers, Peta L
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: vital:21107 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/6413 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10291954.2015.1099215
- Description: The structure of knowledge within a discipline has implications for the teaching and learning within the discipline. This research examines how the hierarchical knowledge structure of Accounting impacts on the teaching and learning which takes place in a first semester Introductory Financial Accounting course. Students used on-line questionnaires and interviews to explain how they engaged with the discipline and difficulties which they experienced during the semester. Bernstein's pedagogic Device and Maton's Legitimation Code Theory were used to analyse the structure of knowledge within the discipline and as theoretical lenses through which to view these students' perceptions. The research provides a theoretical explanation for the impact that a hierarchical knowledge structure has on teaching and learning within the discipline; how students need to develop a 'trained gaze' and thereby gain mastery over the 'procedures of investigation' to be able to produce the 'legitimate text' required for success in the course. The research also explains why some students experience a 'code clash' and the implications this has for their success in the discipline. Other pedagogical difficulties which were experienced by these students, as a result of the hierarchical knowledge structure within the discipline, are also discussed. In addition to providing a better understanding of the phenomena that drive or hinder student learning, which could contribute towards improving pedagogy and hence student learning, theorising these concepts provides a common language to enable more informed debate on these issues.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The National Wellbeing Index in the isiXhosa translation: focus group discussions on how South Africans view the quality of their society
- Moller, Valerie, Roberts, Benjamin J, Zani, Dalindyebo
- Authors: Moller, Valerie , Roberts, Benjamin J , Zani, Dalindyebo
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/67135 , vital:29035 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-016-1481-4
- Description: publisher version , The International Wellbeing Index covers two complementary measures, the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) and the National Wellbeing Index (NWI). The focus group study reported here tested the understanding of the NWI when translated into isiXhosa, a language spoken by 6 million South Africans, or 16% of the country’s population. A challenge for the NWI in measuring national well-being is the tendency for meaning to get ‘lost in translation’ in the wording of the instrument, owing to the disparities that exist between levels of living in developed and developing nations. The focussed discussions with native isiXhosa speakers conveyed the different shades of meaning associated with the six domains that make up the NWI. The isiXhosa keywords for the domains of social conditions, the natural environment, national security, and management of the country’s affairs (government) were readily understood, but discussants asked for further clarification of keywords for the domains relating to the economy and business. Conversations showed up the close link between personal and national well-being: discussants drew upon their personal and parochial life experiences along with their knowledge of current affairs to evaluate the nation’s quality of life. They described the social contract between citizens and their government to create a ‘caring society’ that promotes well-being across key domains of national life. Many of the reference standards used to evaluate national well-being were ones postulated to influence personal well-being (Michalos A.C, Social Indicators Research 16(4): 347–413 1985 ). The study also pointed to a potential problem for longitudinal studies if the bipolar satisfaction scale, formerly used to measure the International Wellbeing Index’s PWI and NWI, is changed to a unipolar one. Findings from this pilot study confirm the potential of the NWI as a tool for measuring national well-being cross-culturally.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Moller, Valerie , Roberts, Benjamin J , Zani, Dalindyebo
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/67135 , vital:29035 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-016-1481-4
- Description: publisher version , The International Wellbeing Index covers two complementary measures, the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) and the National Wellbeing Index (NWI). The focus group study reported here tested the understanding of the NWI when translated into isiXhosa, a language spoken by 6 million South Africans, or 16% of the country’s population. A challenge for the NWI in measuring national well-being is the tendency for meaning to get ‘lost in translation’ in the wording of the instrument, owing to the disparities that exist between levels of living in developed and developing nations. The focussed discussions with native isiXhosa speakers conveyed the different shades of meaning associated with the six domains that make up the NWI. The isiXhosa keywords for the domains of social conditions, the natural environment, national security, and management of the country’s affairs (government) were readily understood, but discussants asked for further clarification of keywords for the domains relating to the economy and business. Conversations showed up the close link between personal and national well-being: discussants drew upon their personal and parochial life experiences along with their knowledge of current affairs to evaluate the nation’s quality of life. They described the social contract between citizens and their government to create a ‘caring society’ that promotes well-being across key domains of national life. Many of the reference standards used to evaluate national well-being were ones postulated to influence personal well-being (Michalos A.C, Social Indicators Research 16(4): 347–413 1985 ). The study also pointed to a potential problem for longitudinal studies if the bipolar satisfaction scale, formerly used to measure the International Wellbeing Index’s PWI and NWI, is changed to a unipolar one. Findings from this pilot study confirm the potential of the NWI as a tool for measuring national well-being cross-culturally.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2018
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