Enlarged arguments in Bantu : evidence from Chichewa
- Authors: Simango, Silvester R
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6140 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011592
- Description: This paper re-examines two types of constructions that have featured in the discussion of possessor ascension in Bantu: one type – an applicative construction – is associated with alienable possession, and the other – non-applicative – is associated with inalienable possession. The study shows that the former expresses affectedness, and that the possessor reading arises only by construal; whereas the latter expresses a part–whole relationship. The paper argues that the two constructions differ in more significant ways than has previously been acknowledged; and that their distinct derivations cannot be captured by traditional possessor ascension (PA) analyses. The putative “alienable” possessor constructions belong to the class of (benefactive) applicative constructions and should be analyzed as such. The paper proposes that the so-called “inalienable” possessor constructions can best be accounted for by positing the existence of “enlarged arguments” wherein the possessum functions as a nominal predicate which more narrowly pinpoints the locus of the action described by the verb.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Simango, Silvester R
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6140 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011592
- Description: This paper re-examines two types of constructions that have featured in the discussion of possessor ascension in Bantu: one type – an applicative construction – is associated with alienable possession, and the other – non-applicative – is associated with inalienable possession. The study shows that the former expresses affectedness, and that the possessor reading arises only by construal; whereas the latter expresses a part–whole relationship. The paper argues that the two constructions differ in more significant ways than has previously been acknowledged; and that their distinct derivations cannot be captured by traditional possessor ascension (PA) analyses. The putative “alienable” possessor constructions belong to the class of (benefactive) applicative constructions and should be analyzed as such. The paper proposes that the so-called “inalienable” possessor constructions can best be accounted for by positing the existence of “enlarged arguments” wherein the possessum functions as a nominal predicate which more narrowly pinpoints the locus of the action described by the verb.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Environment and sustainability education in a changing South Africa: A critical historical analysis of outline schemes for defining and guiding learning interactions
- Authors: O'Donoghue, Rob B
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/373634 , vital:66708 , xlink:href="https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajee/article/view/122749"
- Description: This paper examines how, in response to emerging risk, methodological narratives for conservation (CE), environmental (EE) and now sustainability education (ESD) were constituted in diverse settings within a changing South African state. After documenting an awareness creation perspective underpinning early extension and experiential activities, the study examines shaping social processes and changing outline schemes for defining and guiding planned learning interactions (methodology) within the broadening field into the present day. The critical historical analysis developed in the study reflects a well-documented shift from early topdown (intervention/extension) to more participatory approaches (collaborative engagement/stewardship). A situated process-mapping of changing orientations also reveals characterising methodological features across the contours of an increasingly diverse field of conservation, environment and sustainability education.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: O'Donoghue, Rob B
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/373634 , vital:66708 , xlink:href="https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajee/article/view/122749"
- Description: This paper examines how, in response to emerging risk, methodological narratives for conservation (CE), environmental (EE) and now sustainability education (ESD) were constituted in diverse settings within a changing South African state. After documenting an awareness creation perspective underpinning early extension and experiential activities, the study examines shaping social processes and changing outline schemes for defining and guiding planned learning interactions (methodology) within the broadening field into the present day. The critical historical analysis developed in the study reflects a well-documented shift from early topdown (intervention/extension) to more participatory approaches (collaborative engagement/stewardship). A situated process-mapping of changing orientations also reveals characterising methodological features across the contours of an increasingly diverse field of conservation, environment and sustainability education.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Establishing the benefits of implementing an I.T. project management office in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area
- Martin, Michael Ronald Charles
- Authors: Martin, Michael Ronald Charles
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Project management -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Computer network resources , Information technology -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9266 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/558 , Project management -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Computer network resources , Information technology -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Management
- Description: The well-known concept of a Project Manager managing an I.T. project in relative isolation is no longer a viable option for organisations that are running numerous projects simultaneously. Due to the enormous costs and risks involved in many of these projects, there needs to be a means to ensure success. This has led to the establishment of the concept of a Project Management Office (PMO). An autonomous business unit that is responsible for managing all projects within an organisation. The need for a Project Management Office (PMO) to effectively manage multiple projects is becoming more and more accepted worldwide. The benefits of a PMO are well documented, but whether these benefits will apply to organisations within the NMM area needed to be investigated. A detailed analysis of the benefits of Project Management and in particular a PMO, have been investigated by means of a literature study. An investigation into the effectiveness of PMO’s in South Africa in general, was conducted by means of a survey targeted at a group of I.T. Project Managers located in all the major centres. A further survey was conducted among local I.T. managers to determine their current level of success and their expectations for the future. When reviewing the expectations of local I.T. management against the performance of Project Managers that are currently operating within PMOs, it is clear that organisations within the NMM area are in need of PMO’s and would certainly benefit from their establishment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Martin, Michael Ronald Charles
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Project management -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Computer network resources , Information technology -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9266 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/558 , Project management -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Computer network resources , Information technology -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Management
- Description: The well-known concept of a Project Manager managing an I.T. project in relative isolation is no longer a viable option for organisations that are running numerous projects simultaneously. Due to the enormous costs and risks involved in many of these projects, there needs to be a means to ensure success. This has led to the establishment of the concept of a Project Management Office (PMO). An autonomous business unit that is responsible for managing all projects within an organisation. The need for a Project Management Office (PMO) to effectively manage multiple projects is becoming more and more accepted worldwide. The benefits of a PMO are well documented, but whether these benefits will apply to organisations within the NMM area needed to be investigated. A detailed analysis of the benefits of Project Management and in particular a PMO, have been investigated by means of a literature study. An investigation into the effectiveness of PMO’s in South Africa in general, was conducted by means of a survey targeted at a group of I.T. Project Managers located in all the major centres. A further survey was conducted among local I.T. managers to determine their current level of success and their expectations for the future. When reviewing the expectations of local I.T. management against the performance of Project Managers that are currently operating within PMOs, it is clear that organisations within the NMM area are in need of PMO’s and would certainly benefit from their establishment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Estimating erosion of cretaceous-aged kimberlites in the Republic of South Africa through the examination of upper-crustal xenoliths
- Authors: Hanson, Emily Kate
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Kimberlite -- South Africa , Igneous rocks -- Inclusions -- South Africa , Erosion -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4942 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005554 , Kimberlite -- South Africa , Igneous rocks -- Inclusions -- South Africa , Erosion -- South Africa
- Description: he estimation of post-emplacement kimberlite erosion in South Africa through the study of upper-crustal xenoliths is relatively unexplored; however the presence of these xenoliths has been recognized for well over 100 years. Post-emplacement erosion levels of a small number of South African kimberlite pipes have been inferred through the study of the degree of country-rock diagenesis, the depth of sill formation, the depth of the initiation of the diatreme and fission track studies. Through these studies, several estimates were proposed for the Group I Kimberley kimberlites. Although the 1400 m estimate of erosion remains widely accepted today, this estimate relies on the presence of Karoo-like basalt xenoliths in the Group I Kimberley kimberlites, as their presence proves that basalt existed in the Kimberley area when the kimberlites were emplaced. Basaltic xenoliths were described during the early stages of mining in Kimberley, though only one of these descriptions suggests that the ‘basaltic’ boulders correlate with the Karoo basalts. Because of the discrepancy between these early documentations of upper-crustal xenoliths and because the occurrence of Karoo-like basalt xenoliths in the Group I Kimberley kimberlites is under question, a re-investigation of the erosion levels and the upper crustal xenolith suites in South African, Cretaceous-aged kimberlites, including Melton Wold, Voorspoed, Roberts Victor, West End, Record Stone Quarry, Finsch, Markt, Frank Smith, Pampoenpoort, Uintjiesberg, Koffiefontein / Ebenheuyser, Monastery, Kimberley (Big Hole), Kamfersdam , Jagersfontein, Kaal Vallei, De Beers, Bultfontein, Lushof, Britstown Cluster, Hebron and Lovedale, was conducted. This study presents the analytical results for upper-crustal sandstone and basalt xenoliths collected from dumps, excavation pits and borehole core at the above-mentioned kimberlites, and demonstrates that they correlate with stratigraphic units of the Karoo Supergroup on the basis of mineral and geochemical compositions. These upper-crustal xenoliths are incorporated into kimberlites and down-rafted to levels below their stratigraphic position during kimberlite emplacement, consequently recording the broad stratigraphy into which each kimberlite is emplaced. Therefore, the Cretaceous lateral extent of the Karoo Supergroup is inferred and post-emplacement erosion estimated by reconstructing the stratigraphy based on upper-crustal xenolith suites for each kimberlite and calculating the total thickness of the now-eroded units. The distribution of sandstone xenoliths indicates that during the Cretaceous the lateral extent of the Dwyka, Ecca and Beaufort Groups encompassed all of the examined kimberlites, while the ‘Stormberg’ Group was constrained to an area outlined by the Voorspoed and Monastery kimberlites. Similarly, basalt xenoliths occur in all of the Group II and transitional (143 – 100 Ma) kimberlites but only in the Group I (90 – 74 Ma) kimberlites that lie within close proximity to the western outcrop margin of the outcrop area of the Drakensberg Group basalts (Lesotho Remnant), namely Monastery, Jagersfontein and Kaal Vallei. This trend implies an eastward-retreat of the inland erosion front of the Karoo basalts between 140 and 90 Ma and subsequent erosion of the underlying sedimentary units. It also suggests that a thicker succession of Karoo strata was present at the time of Group II and transitional kimberlite emplacement and that there has been more post-emplacement erosion in these kimberlites than the younger Group I kimberlites, except for Monastery, Jagersfontein and Kaal Vallei. Estimates are unique to each kimberlite as they are dependent on both stratigraphic location, elevation and present country rock, and range from approximately 1000 – 2500 m for the older kimberlites and less than 700 m to 1400 m for the younger kimberlites. Furthermore, the upper-crustal xenoliths found at the Group I Kimberley kimberlites and the coinciding trend of basalt erosion demonstrate that Karoo basalts were eroded from the Kimberley area by the time the Group I Kimberley kimberlites erupted (~85 Ma). Therefore, basalts are omitted from the Group I Kimberley kimberlites post-emplacement erosion estimate, and the upper Beaufort Group is considered the upper limit of the stratigraphy that was present at the time of the eruption of the Group I Kimberley pipes. Therefore, the erosion estimates decrease from a previous estimate of 1400 m down to 400 to 1100 m, where 850 m is considered a dependable intermediate estimate.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Hanson, Emily Kate
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Kimberlite -- South Africa , Igneous rocks -- Inclusions -- South Africa , Erosion -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4942 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005554 , Kimberlite -- South Africa , Igneous rocks -- Inclusions -- South Africa , Erosion -- South Africa
- Description: he estimation of post-emplacement kimberlite erosion in South Africa through the study of upper-crustal xenoliths is relatively unexplored; however the presence of these xenoliths has been recognized for well over 100 years. Post-emplacement erosion levels of a small number of South African kimberlite pipes have been inferred through the study of the degree of country-rock diagenesis, the depth of sill formation, the depth of the initiation of the diatreme and fission track studies. Through these studies, several estimates were proposed for the Group I Kimberley kimberlites. Although the 1400 m estimate of erosion remains widely accepted today, this estimate relies on the presence of Karoo-like basalt xenoliths in the Group I Kimberley kimberlites, as their presence proves that basalt existed in the Kimberley area when the kimberlites were emplaced. Basaltic xenoliths were described during the early stages of mining in Kimberley, though only one of these descriptions suggests that the ‘basaltic’ boulders correlate with the Karoo basalts. Because of the discrepancy between these early documentations of upper-crustal xenoliths and because the occurrence of Karoo-like basalt xenoliths in the Group I Kimberley kimberlites is under question, a re-investigation of the erosion levels and the upper crustal xenolith suites in South African, Cretaceous-aged kimberlites, including Melton Wold, Voorspoed, Roberts Victor, West End, Record Stone Quarry, Finsch, Markt, Frank Smith, Pampoenpoort, Uintjiesberg, Koffiefontein / Ebenheuyser, Monastery, Kimberley (Big Hole), Kamfersdam , Jagersfontein, Kaal Vallei, De Beers, Bultfontein, Lushof, Britstown Cluster, Hebron and Lovedale, was conducted. This study presents the analytical results for upper-crustal sandstone and basalt xenoliths collected from dumps, excavation pits and borehole core at the above-mentioned kimberlites, and demonstrates that they correlate with stratigraphic units of the Karoo Supergroup on the basis of mineral and geochemical compositions. These upper-crustal xenoliths are incorporated into kimberlites and down-rafted to levels below their stratigraphic position during kimberlite emplacement, consequently recording the broad stratigraphy into which each kimberlite is emplaced. Therefore, the Cretaceous lateral extent of the Karoo Supergroup is inferred and post-emplacement erosion estimated by reconstructing the stratigraphy based on upper-crustal xenolith suites for each kimberlite and calculating the total thickness of the now-eroded units. The distribution of sandstone xenoliths indicates that during the Cretaceous the lateral extent of the Dwyka, Ecca and Beaufort Groups encompassed all of the examined kimberlites, while the ‘Stormberg’ Group was constrained to an area outlined by the Voorspoed and Monastery kimberlites. Similarly, basalt xenoliths occur in all of the Group II and transitional (143 – 100 Ma) kimberlites but only in the Group I (90 – 74 Ma) kimberlites that lie within close proximity to the western outcrop margin of the outcrop area of the Drakensberg Group basalts (Lesotho Remnant), namely Monastery, Jagersfontein and Kaal Vallei. This trend implies an eastward-retreat of the inland erosion front of the Karoo basalts between 140 and 90 Ma and subsequent erosion of the underlying sedimentary units. It also suggests that a thicker succession of Karoo strata was present at the time of Group II and transitional kimberlite emplacement and that there has been more post-emplacement erosion in these kimberlites than the younger Group I kimberlites, except for Monastery, Jagersfontein and Kaal Vallei. Estimates are unique to each kimberlite as they are dependent on both stratigraphic location, elevation and present country rock, and range from approximately 1000 – 2500 m for the older kimberlites and less than 700 m to 1400 m for the younger kimberlites. Furthermore, the upper-crustal xenoliths found at the Group I Kimberley kimberlites and the coinciding trend of basalt erosion demonstrate that Karoo basalts were eroded from the Kimberley area by the time the Group I Kimberley kimberlites erupted (~85 Ma). Therefore, basalts are omitted from the Group I Kimberley kimberlites post-emplacement erosion estimate, and the upper Beaufort Group is considered the upper limit of the stratigraphy that was present at the time of the eruption of the Group I Kimberley pipes. Therefore, the erosion estimates decrease from a previous estimate of 1400 m down to 400 to 1100 m, where 850 m is considered a dependable intermediate estimate.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Estimating the willingness-to-pay for restoring indigenous vegetation at selected sites in South Africa
- Authors: Tessendorf, Sharon Erica
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Water resources development -- South Africa , Water-supply -- South Africa , Alien plants -- South Africa , Restoration ecology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:8999 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/617 , Water resources development -- South Africa , Water-supply -- South Africa , Alien plants -- South Africa , Restoration ecology -- South Africa
- Description: The Working for Water (WfW) Programme is a public works programme designed to clear South Africa of invasive alien vegetation and to restore lowwater consuming indigenous vegetation in the areas that have been cleared. Funds to clear alien invasives were initially secured on the basis that such a programme would increase water runoff, facilitate biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and provide social benefits through job creation. The economic merits of the Programme, in terms of increased water yields, has been established in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, but questioned in the Eastern and Southern Cape. However, there are economic aspects of the studies carried out in the Eastern and Southern Cape that merit more attention than was given them; one of these being the issue of non-water benefits. Preliminary figures emanating from contingent valuation pilot studies conducted at six WfW projects sites indicated that one of these non-water benefits, namely the biodiversity and ecosystem resilience benefit, could be substantial. As such, the primary objective of the present study was to apply the contingent valuation method (CVM) to value people’s preference for indigenous vegetation. This value was intended to serve as a proxy for increased biodiversity and ecosystem resilience at three WfW sites. Despite the controversy surrounding the CVM, it has been found that it is a credible valuation tool. The CVM’s merits lie in its versatility and in the fact that it is the only method available which is capable of obtaining estimates of both nonuse and use values, thus making it applicable for valuing biodiversity. The primary aim of a CVM study is to determine an estimate of the total willingness-to-pay (WTP). In this study, the total WTP figure was calculated by multiplying the median WTP for the local WfW Programme by the total number of user households. The respective total WTP amounts are shown in Table 1. It was anticipated that respondents would be willing to pay more for the national WfW Programme, than for the less inclusive good (i.e. the local WfW Programme). The results correspond with this expectation at the Port Elizabeth and Underberg sites. However, due to strategic factors Worcester respondents were willing to pay more for the local WfW Programme than for the national Programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Tessendorf, Sharon Erica
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Water resources development -- South Africa , Water-supply -- South Africa , Alien plants -- South Africa , Restoration ecology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:8999 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/617 , Water resources development -- South Africa , Water-supply -- South Africa , Alien plants -- South Africa , Restoration ecology -- South Africa
- Description: The Working for Water (WfW) Programme is a public works programme designed to clear South Africa of invasive alien vegetation and to restore lowwater consuming indigenous vegetation in the areas that have been cleared. Funds to clear alien invasives were initially secured on the basis that such a programme would increase water runoff, facilitate biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and provide social benefits through job creation. The economic merits of the Programme, in terms of increased water yields, has been established in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, but questioned in the Eastern and Southern Cape. However, there are economic aspects of the studies carried out in the Eastern and Southern Cape that merit more attention than was given them; one of these being the issue of non-water benefits. Preliminary figures emanating from contingent valuation pilot studies conducted at six WfW projects sites indicated that one of these non-water benefits, namely the biodiversity and ecosystem resilience benefit, could be substantial. As such, the primary objective of the present study was to apply the contingent valuation method (CVM) to value people’s preference for indigenous vegetation. This value was intended to serve as a proxy for increased biodiversity and ecosystem resilience at three WfW sites. Despite the controversy surrounding the CVM, it has been found that it is a credible valuation tool. The CVM’s merits lie in its versatility and in the fact that it is the only method available which is capable of obtaining estimates of both nonuse and use values, thus making it applicable for valuing biodiversity. The primary aim of a CVM study is to determine an estimate of the total willingness-to-pay (WTP). In this study, the total WTP figure was calculated by multiplying the median WTP for the local WfW Programme by the total number of user households. The respective total WTP amounts are shown in Table 1. It was anticipated that respondents would be willing to pay more for the national WfW Programme, than for the less inclusive good (i.e. the local WfW Programme). The results correspond with this expectation at the Port Elizabeth and Underberg sites. However, due to strategic factors Worcester respondents were willing to pay more for the local WfW Programme than for the national Programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Ethnicity and nationalism in urban colonial Zimbabwe : Bulawayo, 1950 to 1963
- Authors: Msindo, Enocent
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6149 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006813 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0021853707002538
- Description: Zimbabwean historians have not yet fully assessed the interaction of two problematic identities, ethnicity and nationalism, to determine whether the two can work as partners and successfully co-exist. This essay argues that, in Bulawayo during the period studied, ethnicity co-existed with and complemented nationalism rather than the two working as polar opposite identities. Ethnic groups provided both the required leaders who became prominent nationalist figures and the precolonial history, personalities and monuments that sparked the nationalist imagination. From the 1950s, ethnic groups expanded their horizons and provided platforms from which emerging African nationalists launched their agenda. Understanding these interrelationships will reshape our understanding of the workings of these two identities in a cosmopolitan town.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Msindo, Enocent
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6149 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006813 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0021853707002538
- Description: Zimbabwean historians have not yet fully assessed the interaction of two problematic identities, ethnicity and nationalism, to determine whether the two can work as partners and successfully co-exist. This essay argues that, in Bulawayo during the period studied, ethnicity co-existed with and complemented nationalism rather than the two working as polar opposite identities. Ethnic groups provided both the required leaders who became prominent nationalist figures and the precolonial history, personalities and monuments that sparked the nationalist imagination. From the 1950s, ethnic groups expanded their horizons and provided platforms from which emerging African nationalists launched their agenda. Understanding these interrelationships will reshape our understanding of the workings of these two identities in a cosmopolitan town.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Evaluating compression as an enabler for centralised monitoring in a Next Generation Network
- Otten, Fred, Irwin, Barry V W, Slay, Hannah
- Authors: Otten, Fred , Irwin, Barry V W , Slay, Hannah
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428226 , vital:72495 , https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1andtype=pdfanddoi=f9ed69db7da44c168082934cd4ea5a413b2bf7f5
- Description: With the emergence of Next Generation Networks and a large number of next generation services, the volume and diversity of information is on the rise. These networks are often large, distributed and consist of het-erogeneous devices. In order to provide effective centralised monitoring and control we need to be able to assemble the relevant data at a cen-tral point. This becomes difficult because of the large quantity of data. We also would like to achieve this using the least amount of bandwidth, and minimise the latency. This paper investigates using compression to enable centralised monitoring and control. It presents the results of ex-periments showing that compression is an effective method of data re-duction, resulting in up to 93.3 percent reduction in bandwidth usage for point-to-point transmission. This paper also describes an architecture that incorporates compression and provides centralised monitoring and control.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Otten, Fred , Irwin, Barry V W , Slay, Hannah
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428226 , vital:72495 , https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1andtype=pdfanddoi=f9ed69db7da44c168082934cd4ea5a413b2bf7f5
- Description: With the emergence of Next Generation Networks and a large number of next generation services, the volume and diversity of information is on the rise. These networks are often large, distributed and consist of het-erogeneous devices. In order to provide effective centralised monitoring and control we need to be able to assemble the relevant data at a cen-tral point. This becomes difficult because of the large quantity of data. We also would like to achieve this using the least amount of bandwidth, and minimise the latency. This paper investigates using compression to enable centralised monitoring and control. It presents the results of ex-periments showing that compression is an effective method of data re-duction, resulting in up to 93.3 percent reduction in bandwidth usage for point-to-point transmission. This paper also describes an architecture that incorporates compression and provides centralised monitoring and control.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Evaluating the impact of the Institutional Repository, or positioning innovation between a rock and a hard place
- Authors: Thomas, G M E
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6988 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012411
- Description: Repositories remain an innovative but marginalized technology largely because there is no consensus about an agreed set of Performance Indicators (PIs) that demonstrate their overall impact on the research enterprise of our universities. A successful Institutional Repository should be evaluated in terms of the extent to which the open access repository builds a critical mass of scholarly content which is sustained and available through active university community engagement and ongoing scholarly contributions (faculty, researchers & students) that, when managed efficiently and effectively, ultimately strengthen, promote and give visibility to the research enterprise of the institution, and bring benefit to broader society. However, librarians are grappling with what and how best to demonstrate ‘institutional good’ but without clear evidence, assessment is fed by perception based on limited information which leads to diminished impact and value of the facility, a tyranny described as being caught between a rock and a hard place. Using Illuminative Evaluation to design a series of quantitative and qualitative metrics, it is proposed that a distinction be made between significant and secondary Performance Indicators where the former gather evidence to demonstrate the overall effect or impact of the IR on the individual and collective research community.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Thomas, G M E
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6988 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012411
- Description: Repositories remain an innovative but marginalized technology largely because there is no consensus about an agreed set of Performance Indicators (PIs) that demonstrate their overall impact on the research enterprise of our universities. A successful Institutional Repository should be evaluated in terms of the extent to which the open access repository builds a critical mass of scholarly content which is sustained and available through active university community engagement and ongoing scholarly contributions (faculty, researchers & students) that, when managed efficiently and effectively, ultimately strengthen, promote and give visibility to the research enterprise of the institution, and bring benefit to broader society. However, librarians are grappling with what and how best to demonstrate ‘institutional good’ but without clear evidence, assessment is fed by perception based on limited information which leads to diminished impact and value of the facility, a tyranny described as being caught between a rock and a hard place. Using Illuminative Evaluation to design a series of quantitative and qualitative metrics, it is proposed that a distinction be made between significant and secondary Performance Indicators where the former gather evidence to demonstrate the overall effect or impact of the IR on the individual and collective research community.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Evaluation and application of electroanalysis for the determination of antioxidants
- Authors: Ragubeer, Nasheen
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Antioxidants , Nervous system -- Degeneration , Electrochemical analysis , Marine algae , Natural products , Marine metabolites , Sargassum , Legumes , Nuclear magnetic resonance
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3922 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003981 , Antioxidants , Nervous system -- Degeneration , Electrochemical analysis , Marine algae , Natural products , Marine metabolites , Sargassum , Legumes , Nuclear magnetic resonance
- Description: The role of antioxidants in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases has been well documented. The use of synthetic antioxidants has decreased due to the ssociation of these compounds with certain cancers. Thus, the search for novel natural antioxidants has gained much focus in research. Most common methods of determining antioxidant capacity are the radical generated assays and biological assays such as lipid peroxidation and the nitroblue tetrazolium assay. Electrochemical methods have been proposed for the determination of bio-active compounds such as antioxidants. The electrochemical methods of cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry were evaluated for the determination of antioxidant capacity initially examining known antioxidants and then using plant extracts of Sutherlandia frutescens as a case study. The antioxidant properties determined by electrochemical methods were validated utilising the non-biological methods of the DPPH, TEAC, ferrozine and FC assay and biological pharmacological methods. The results indicated that Sutherlandia frutescens contains potent antioxidant compounds that are able to reduce lipid peroxidation. The electrochemical techniques of square wave voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry were applied for the screening of a large number of extracts of various algae for the detection of antioxidant compounds. The results indicated that electrochemistry can be used as a preliminary method for the rapid screening of a large number of crude samples for antioxidant compounds. Electrochemical methods were also evaluated as a method for guiding the isolation and purification of antioxidant metabolites in Sargassum elegans. Solvent partitioning and fractionation of the marine alga allowed for the purification of antioxidant compounds. At each step of purification electrochemical methods were utilized to determine which fractions contained the more potent antioxidant compounds and thus guide further purification. The purified antioxidant compounds were elucidated using NMR to determine the structure of the antioxidant compounds.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Ragubeer, Nasheen
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Antioxidants , Nervous system -- Degeneration , Electrochemical analysis , Marine algae , Natural products , Marine metabolites , Sargassum , Legumes , Nuclear magnetic resonance
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3922 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003981 , Antioxidants , Nervous system -- Degeneration , Electrochemical analysis , Marine algae , Natural products , Marine metabolites , Sargassum , Legumes , Nuclear magnetic resonance
- Description: The role of antioxidants in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases has been well documented. The use of synthetic antioxidants has decreased due to the ssociation of these compounds with certain cancers. Thus, the search for novel natural antioxidants has gained much focus in research. Most common methods of determining antioxidant capacity are the radical generated assays and biological assays such as lipid peroxidation and the nitroblue tetrazolium assay. Electrochemical methods have been proposed for the determination of bio-active compounds such as antioxidants. The electrochemical methods of cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry were evaluated for the determination of antioxidant capacity initially examining known antioxidants and then using plant extracts of Sutherlandia frutescens as a case study. The antioxidant properties determined by electrochemical methods were validated utilising the non-biological methods of the DPPH, TEAC, ferrozine and FC assay and biological pharmacological methods. The results indicated that Sutherlandia frutescens contains potent antioxidant compounds that are able to reduce lipid peroxidation. The electrochemical techniques of square wave voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry were applied for the screening of a large number of extracts of various algae for the detection of antioxidant compounds. The results indicated that electrochemistry can be used as a preliminary method for the rapid screening of a large number of crude samples for antioxidant compounds. Electrochemical methods were also evaluated as a method for guiding the isolation and purification of antioxidant metabolites in Sargassum elegans. Solvent partitioning and fractionation of the marine alga allowed for the purification of antioxidant compounds. At each step of purification electrochemical methods were utilized to determine which fractions contained the more potent antioxidant compounds and thus guide further purification. The purified antioxidant compounds were elucidated using NMR to determine the structure of the antioxidant compounds.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Evaluation of fishway designs for use at the ebb and flow region of rivers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Lewis, Hylton Varian
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Fishways -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Fishways -- Design and construction , Aquatic ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5279 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005123 , Fishways -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Fishways -- Design and construction , Aquatic ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Fishways are devices that are increasingly being used worldwide to assist aquatic biofauna to migrate through man-made barriers such as weirs and large-scale dams that are used for water storage, electricity generation etc. and have a negative impact on both the upstream and downstream movement of aquatic organisms. Fishways are usually low gradient channels with evenly placed chambers which allow such migrating aquatic species minimal stress on their passage over these barriers. Despite the existence of national and regional policies for their provision, their construction has often been inhibited through a lack of local assessment of the available designs, and use of ineffective international designs. As part of a larger national research programme, sponsored by the Water Research Commission, to develop a protocol for fishway design and implementation, this study sought to investigate the suitability of vertical slot and sloping baffle designs to assist the migrations of juvenile catadromic fish species in the ebb and flow region of rivers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. These fishways were initially tested under controlled conditions at the Experimental Fish Farm at the Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University using various fish species. Using the performance data thus collected they were then installed and monitored in the field for the catadromic Myxus capensis (freshwater mullet) and Monodactylus falciformis (cape moony) migrations during March and November of 2005 at the Kowie River ebb and flow weir. The laboratory tests showed that there was a significantly higher level of migration success in the vertical slot compared with the sloping baffle fishway under all conditions (F=82.157; p<0.001). There was, however, a slow decline in levels of success with increased discharge in the vertical slot fishway. This was in contrast to the sloping baffle design where success increased as discharge increased at a steep gradient (F=74.894; p<0.005). The level of success with the M. capensis was related to the size of the fish for both systems with success increasing from the small to the large fish (F=17.755; p<0.001). For the M. falciformis higher levels of success were found to occur in the vertical slot fishway compared to the sloping baffle fishway (F=11.792; p<0.00086), with no significant differences being found with an increase in discharge. Field data indicated similar trends with higher migration success using the vertical slot fishway. M. capensis were better able to negotiate both devices compared to the M. falciformis and overall levels of success were higher for both species in the field than under laboratory conditions where the migration urge may have declined.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Lewis, Hylton Varian
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Fishways -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Fishways -- Design and construction , Aquatic ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5279 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005123 , Fishways -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Fishways -- Design and construction , Aquatic ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Fishways are devices that are increasingly being used worldwide to assist aquatic biofauna to migrate through man-made barriers such as weirs and large-scale dams that are used for water storage, electricity generation etc. and have a negative impact on both the upstream and downstream movement of aquatic organisms. Fishways are usually low gradient channels with evenly placed chambers which allow such migrating aquatic species minimal stress on their passage over these barriers. Despite the existence of national and regional policies for their provision, their construction has often been inhibited through a lack of local assessment of the available designs, and use of ineffective international designs. As part of a larger national research programme, sponsored by the Water Research Commission, to develop a protocol for fishway design and implementation, this study sought to investigate the suitability of vertical slot and sloping baffle designs to assist the migrations of juvenile catadromic fish species in the ebb and flow region of rivers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. These fishways were initially tested under controlled conditions at the Experimental Fish Farm at the Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University using various fish species. Using the performance data thus collected they were then installed and monitored in the field for the catadromic Myxus capensis (freshwater mullet) and Monodactylus falciformis (cape moony) migrations during March and November of 2005 at the Kowie River ebb and flow weir. The laboratory tests showed that there was a significantly higher level of migration success in the vertical slot compared with the sloping baffle fishway under all conditions (F=82.157; p<0.001). There was, however, a slow decline in levels of success with increased discharge in the vertical slot fishway. This was in contrast to the sloping baffle design where success increased as discharge increased at a steep gradient (F=74.894; p<0.005). The level of success with the M. capensis was related to the size of the fish for both systems with success increasing from the small to the large fish (F=17.755; p<0.001). For the M. falciformis higher levels of success were found to occur in the vertical slot fishway compared to the sloping baffle fishway (F=11.792; p<0.00086), with no significant differences being found with an increase in discharge. Field data indicated similar trends with higher migration success using the vertical slot fishway. M. capensis were better able to negotiate both devices compared to the M. falciformis and overall levels of success were higher for both species in the field than under laboratory conditions where the migration urge may have declined.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of topical mometasone furoate formulations
- Authors: Chamboko, Bernadett Vongayi
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Adrenocortical hormones -- Physiological effect , Drugs -- Testing , Dermatopharmacology , High performance liquid chromatography
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3748 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003226 , Adrenocortical hormones -- Physiological effect , Drugs -- Testing , Dermatopharmacology , High performance liquid chromatography
- Description: The human skin blanching assay (HSBA) is a well-researched and validated method for the bioequivalence assessment of topical corticosteroids. Traditionally, visual assessment of skin blanching has been used. Such testing methods are not conducive for interlaboratory comparisons. Regulatory bodies prefer less subjective methods of analysis. The FDA released guidelines on the assessment of bioequivalence for topical corticosteroids that recommends the use of a chromameter as a reliable method to measure skin blanching although the use of visual assessment with acceptable validation is also provided for. However, the FDA does not elucidate on the manipulation and handling of the chromameter during skin blanching measurements. The purpose of this project was several fold, which included investigations to standardize the manipulation and handling of a chromameter. In particular, measures to avoid skin whitening resulting from the effects of pressure on the skin during chromameter use were investigated. Other methods of analysis should surpass or at least be comparable to the HSBA if such methods are to be used for the assessment of topical corticosteroids. Microdialysis is a relatively new technique for assessing the rate at which drug penetrates the skin. The advantage of using this method is that there are fewer restrictions for selection of an appropriate study population unlike those required for the HSBA where one has to be both a ‘responder’ and a ‘detector’ for their results to be used in data analysis. Microdialysis was investigated by initially conducting experiments in which microdialysis probes were embedded into topical formulations containing mometasone furoate (MF) and the initial results revealed that relatively low drug was released from the formulations. These results indicated that should microdialysis be applied to measure the in vivo release of MF from such topical formulations following application to the skin, even lower concentrations of MF would likely result in the dialysate, necessitating the need for ultra-high sensitive methods of analysis. Typically, the availability of an appropriate analytical technique such as liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LCMS) would be a pre-requisite for such in vivo studies. However, only high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and other less sensitive equipment was available in the laboratories. The study objectives were therefore focussed on in vitro assessment of the release of MF from topical formulations using microdialysis and Franz cells. In addition, the in vivo release of MF was also studied using the HSBA. Data obtained from the microdialysis experiments were compared with the data obtained from the Franz cell diffusion studies in order to provide information on the pharmaceutical availability of MF from the various topical MF dosage forms. Subsequently, pharmaceutical equivalence was investigated from the comparative pharmaceutical availability data using statistical analysis. An additional objective was to attempt to correlate in vitro with in vivo data (IVIVC) to establish a model that could be used to assess safety and efficacy of generic topical drug products. The in vivo data obtained from the HSBA were processed according to the FDA requirements and these pharmacodynamic data were subsequently compared with the microdialysis and Franz cell results. In summary the objectives of this project were: 1. To develop a system to improve the reproducibility of the use of a Minolta® chromameter and compare this with the standard/normal manipulation and handling of such instruments. 2. To develop and validate an HPLC method for the analysis of MF for use with in vitro diffusion studies using microdialysis and Franz cells. 3. To conduct a comparative HSBA on proprietary MF topical creams from two different countries in accordance with the FDA guidance. 4. To assess the pharmaceutical equivalence of topical formulations containing MF using Franz diffusion cells and in vitro microdialysis. 5. To compare the in vivo data obtained from the HSBA with those obtained in vitro using microdialysis and Franz cells.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Chamboko, Bernadett Vongayi
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Adrenocortical hormones -- Physiological effect , Drugs -- Testing , Dermatopharmacology , High performance liquid chromatography
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3748 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003226 , Adrenocortical hormones -- Physiological effect , Drugs -- Testing , Dermatopharmacology , High performance liquid chromatography
- Description: The human skin blanching assay (HSBA) is a well-researched and validated method for the bioequivalence assessment of topical corticosteroids. Traditionally, visual assessment of skin blanching has been used. Such testing methods are not conducive for interlaboratory comparisons. Regulatory bodies prefer less subjective methods of analysis. The FDA released guidelines on the assessment of bioequivalence for topical corticosteroids that recommends the use of a chromameter as a reliable method to measure skin blanching although the use of visual assessment with acceptable validation is also provided for. However, the FDA does not elucidate on the manipulation and handling of the chromameter during skin blanching measurements. The purpose of this project was several fold, which included investigations to standardize the manipulation and handling of a chromameter. In particular, measures to avoid skin whitening resulting from the effects of pressure on the skin during chromameter use were investigated. Other methods of analysis should surpass or at least be comparable to the HSBA if such methods are to be used for the assessment of topical corticosteroids. Microdialysis is a relatively new technique for assessing the rate at which drug penetrates the skin. The advantage of using this method is that there are fewer restrictions for selection of an appropriate study population unlike those required for the HSBA where one has to be both a ‘responder’ and a ‘detector’ for their results to be used in data analysis. Microdialysis was investigated by initially conducting experiments in which microdialysis probes were embedded into topical formulations containing mometasone furoate (MF) and the initial results revealed that relatively low drug was released from the formulations. These results indicated that should microdialysis be applied to measure the in vivo release of MF from such topical formulations following application to the skin, even lower concentrations of MF would likely result in the dialysate, necessitating the need for ultra-high sensitive methods of analysis. Typically, the availability of an appropriate analytical technique such as liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LCMS) would be a pre-requisite for such in vivo studies. However, only high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and other less sensitive equipment was available in the laboratories. The study objectives were therefore focussed on in vitro assessment of the release of MF from topical formulations using microdialysis and Franz cells. In addition, the in vivo release of MF was also studied using the HSBA. Data obtained from the microdialysis experiments were compared with the data obtained from the Franz cell diffusion studies in order to provide information on the pharmaceutical availability of MF from the various topical MF dosage forms. Subsequently, pharmaceutical equivalence was investigated from the comparative pharmaceutical availability data using statistical analysis. An additional objective was to attempt to correlate in vitro with in vivo data (IVIVC) to establish a model that could be used to assess safety and efficacy of generic topical drug products. The in vivo data obtained from the HSBA were processed according to the FDA requirements and these pharmacodynamic data were subsequently compared with the microdialysis and Franz cell results. In summary the objectives of this project were: 1. To develop a system to improve the reproducibility of the use of a Minolta® chromameter and compare this with the standard/normal manipulation and handling of such instruments. 2. To develop and validate an HPLC method for the analysis of MF for use with in vitro diffusion studies using microdialysis and Franz cells. 3. To conduct a comparative HSBA on proprietary MF topical creams from two different countries in accordance with the FDA guidance. 4. To assess the pharmaceutical equivalence of topical formulations containing MF using Franz diffusion cells and in vitro microdialysis. 5. To compare the in vivo data obtained from the HSBA with those obtained in vitro using microdialysis and Franz cells.
- 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
- 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
Evolving a secure grid-enabled, distributed data warehouse : a standards-based perspective
- Authors: Li, Xiao-Yu
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Computational grids (Computer systems) , Computer networks -- Security measures , Electronic data processing -- Distributed processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9738 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/544 , Computational grids (Computer systems) , Computer networks -- Security measures , Electronic data processing -- Distributed processing
- Description: As digital data-collection has increased in scale and number, it becomes an important type of resource serving a wide community of researchers. Cross-institutional data-sharing and collaboration introduce a suitable approach to facilitate those research institutions that are suffering the lack of data and related IT infrastructures. Grid computing has become a widely adopted approach to enable cross-institutional resource-sharing and collaboration. It integrates a distributed and heterogeneous collection of locally managed users and resources. This project proposes a distributed data warehouse system, which uses Grid technology to enable data-access and integration, and collaborative operations across multi-distributed institutions in the context of HV/AIDS research. This study is based on wider research into OGSA-based Grid services architecture, comprising a data-analysis system which utilizes a data warehouse, data marts, and near-line operational database that are hosted by distributed institutions. Within this framework, specific patterns for collaboration, interoperability, resource virtualization and security are included. The heterogeneous and dynamic nature of the Grid environment introduces a number of security challenges. This study also concerns a set of particular security aspects, including PKI-based authentication, single sign-on, dynamic delegation, and attribute-based authorization. These mechanisms, as supported by the Globus Toolkit’s Grid Security Infrastructure, are used to enable interoperability and establish trust relationship between various security mechanisms and policies within different institutions; manage credentials; and ensure secure interactions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Li, Xiao-Yu
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Computational grids (Computer systems) , Computer networks -- Security measures , Electronic data processing -- Distributed processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9738 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/544 , Computational grids (Computer systems) , Computer networks -- Security measures , Electronic data processing -- Distributed processing
- Description: As digital data-collection has increased in scale and number, it becomes an important type of resource serving a wide community of researchers. Cross-institutional data-sharing and collaboration introduce a suitable approach to facilitate those research institutions that are suffering the lack of data and related IT infrastructures. Grid computing has become a widely adopted approach to enable cross-institutional resource-sharing and collaboration. It integrates a distributed and heterogeneous collection of locally managed users and resources. This project proposes a distributed data warehouse system, which uses Grid technology to enable data-access and integration, and collaborative operations across multi-distributed institutions in the context of HV/AIDS research. This study is based on wider research into OGSA-based Grid services architecture, comprising a data-analysis system which utilizes a data warehouse, data marts, and near-line operational database that are hosted by distributed institutions. Within this framework, specific patterns for collaboration, interoperability, resource virtualization and security are included. The heterogeneous and dynamic nature of the Grid environment introduces a number of security challenges. This study also concerns a set of particular security aspects, including PKI-based authentication, single sign-on, dynamic delegation, and attribute-based authorization. These mechanisms, as supported by the Globus Toolkit’s Grid Security Infrastructure, are used to enable interoperability and establish trust relationship between various security mechanisms and policies within different institutions; manage credentials; and ensure secure interactions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Excited state dynamics of zinc and aluminum phthalocyanine carboxylates
- Idowu, Mopelola, Ogunsipe, Abimbola, Nyokong, Tebello
- Authors: Idowu, Mopelola , Ogunsipe, Abimbola , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/271228 , vital:54523 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2007.01.025"
- Description: Photophysical parameters for zinc and aluminium tetracarboxylphthalocyanines (ZnTCPc and AlTCPc, respectively) and their octacarboxy substituted counterparts (ZnOCPc and AlOCPc) were studied. Data for the fluorescence quenching of the complexes by benzoquinone (BQ) were treated using the Stern–Volmer analysis, and the quenching was found to follow a diffusion-controlled (dynamic) bimolecular mechanism. Theoretical values of bimolecular rate constant for complex-BQ interactions were determined using the Stokes–Einstein–Smoluchowski model; and the values, together with the Stern–Volmer quenching constants were used in calculating the fluorescence lifetimes of the complexes. The thermodynamics of the MPc-BQ interaction, in terms of solvent reorientation energy is also discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Idowu, Mopelola , Ogunsipe, Abimbola , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/271228 , vital:54523 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2007.01.025"
- Description: Photophysical parameters for zinc and aluminium tetracarboxylphthalocyanines (ZnTCPc and AlTCPc, respectively) and their octacarboxy substituted counterparts (ZnOCPc and AlOCPc) were studied. Data for the fluorescence quenching of the complexes by benzoquinone (BQ) were treated using the Stern–Volmer analysis, and the quenching was found to follow a diffusion-controlled (dynamic) bimolecular mechanism. Theoretical values of bimolecular rate constant for complex-BQ interactions were determined using the Stokes–Einstein–Smoluchowski model; and the values, together with the Stern–Volmer quenching constants were used in calculating the fluorescence lifetimes of the complexes. The thermodynamics of the MPc-BQ interaction, in terms of solvent reorientation energy is also discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Experiences of parents whose children have completed a diversion programme
- Authors: Mankayi, Andile
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Juvenile delinquents -- Rehabilitation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Juvenile delinquents -- Family relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community-based corrections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Youth -- Conduct of life , Social work with juvenile delinquents -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9986 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/556 , Juvenile delinquents -- Rehabilitation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Juvenile delinquents -- Family relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community-based corrections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Youth -- Conduct of life , Social work with juvenile delinquents -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The goal of this research study was to explore and describe the experiences of parents whose children have completed the diversion programme in order to make recommendations to probation officers, social workers and people who facilitate the diversion programmes. The study focused on the Youth Empowerment Scheme programme (YES Programme) because it is the diversion programme mostly used in the Eastern Cape. The aim of the programme is to divert young people in trouble with the law away from the criminal justice system and to rehabilitate the young offenders by providing them with essential life skills that can address the offenders’ real problems. In the study the researcher made use of a qualitative research approach in an attempt to explore the experiences of parents whose children have completed the YES programme. The permission of the gatekeeper was sought before the study commenced. The researcher used purposive sampling to recruit participants. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. In analysing the data, the researcher used the steps for qualitative data analysis as stated in Creswell (2003:192). Three main themes along with sub-themes and categories were identified during the process of data analysis. The main findings that emanated from this study were: the seemingly upcoming culture of lack of respect for authority on the part of the youth of today. Another major finding of this study is that the traditional function of families, notably, socialisation of young people within the family structure is on the wane. The recommendations that emanated from this study are: that the YES programme needs to be adjusted to address the specific needs of children that are referred to the YES programme and those of their families and communities. Family life should be strengthened through community development programmes that seek to address family problems of any nature, namely, material, psycho-social, economic, to mention just a few. Community development programmes should address fragile families through community development approaches that are comprehensive and integrated.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Mankayi, Andile
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Juvenile delinquents -- Rehabilitation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Juvenile delinquents -- Family relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community-based corrections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Youth -- Conduct of life , Social work with juvenile delinquents -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9986 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/556 , Juvenile delinquents -- Rehabilitation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Juvenile delinquents -- Family relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community-based corrections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Youth -- Conduct of life , Social work with juvenile delinquents -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The goal of this research study was to explore and describe the experiences of parents whose children have completed the diversion programme in order to make recommendations to probation officers, social workers and people who facilitate the diversion programmes. The study focused on the Youth Empowerment Scheme programme (YES Programme) because it is the diversion programme mostly used in the Eastern Cape. The aim of the programme is to divert young people in trouble with the law away from the criminal justice system and to rehabilitate the young offenders by providing them with essential life skills that can address the offenders’ real problems. In the study the researcher made use of a qualitative research approach in an attempt to explore the experiences of parents whose children have completed the YES programme. The permission of the gatekeeper was sought before the study commenced. The researcher used purposive sampling to recruit participants. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. In analysing the data, the researcher used the steps for qualitative data analysis as stated in Creswell (2003:192). Three main themes along with sub-themes and categories were identified during the process of data analysis. The main findings that emanated from this study were: the seemingly upcoming culture of lack of respect for authority on the part of the youth of today. Another major finding of this study is that the traditional function of families, notably, socialisation of young people within the family structure is on the wane. The recommendations that emanated from this study are: that the YES programme needs to be adjusted to address the specific needs of children that are referred to the YES programme and those of their families and communities. Family life should be strengthened through community development programmes that seek to address family problems of any nature, namely, material, psycho-social, economic, to mention just a few. Community development programmes should address fragile families through community development approaches that are comprehensive and integrated.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Exploring learning interactions arising in school-incommunity contexts of socio-ecological risk
- O'Donoghue, Rob B, Lotz-Sisitka, Heila, Asafo-Adjei, Robert, Kota, Lutho, Hanisi, Nosipho
- Authors: O'Donoghue, Rob B , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila , Asafo-Adjei, Robert , Kota, Lutho , Hanisi, Nosipho
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437501 , vital:73389 , ISBN 978-90-8686-031-9 , https://brill.com/edcollbook-oa/title/68793?rskey=Y3i6Wfandresult=1
- Description: Today, few educators would dispute that learning arises in diverse so-cio-cultural contexts of meaning-making interaction. As such, learning can strengthen social relationships across school and community and has the potential to develop as reflexive praxis in response to environ-ment and health risks in a local context. These processes of ‘social learning’have recently appeared as a new ‘category’for thinking about human meaning-making interactions. It is difficult to conceive of any human learning interactions that are not social processes of engaged meaning making either by learners as social agents in context or from the point of view of what is learned relating to social life in a world of in-terdependent living-things. Given the complexity of contemporary sus-tainability questions and an arising ambivalence in modernist notions of knowledge transfer, we note how educators are usefully using this somewhat ambivalent category for probing socio-cultural perspectives on how we see and approach learning interactions for environment and sustainability education. In foregrounding a critical perspective, we sig-nal a cautious approach to a popularising of the term ‘social learning’as a ‘renaming’that provides a more coherent perspective for research and reflection on social processes of meaning making and change.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: O'Donoghue, Rob B , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila , Asafo-Adjei, Robert , Kota, Lutho , Hanisi, Nosipho
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/437501 , vital:73389 , ISBN 978-90-8686-031-9 , https://brill.com/edcollbook-oa/title/68793?rskey=Y3i6Wfandresult=1
- Description: Today, few educators would dispute that learning arises in diverse so-cio-cultural contexts of meaning-making interaction. As such, learning can strengthen social relationships across school and community and has the potential to develop as reflexive praxis in response to environ-ment and health risks in a local context. These processes of ‘social learning’have recently appeared as a new ‘category’for thinking about human meaning-making interactions. It is difficult to conceive of any human learning interactions that are not social processes of engaged meaning making either by learners as social agents in context or from the point of view of what is learned relating to social life in a world of in-terdependent living-things. Given the complexity of contemporary sus-tainability questions and an arising ambivalence in modernist notions of knowledge transfer, we note how educators are usefully using this somewhat ambivalent category for probing socio-cultural perspectives on how we see and approach learning interactions for environment and sustainability education. In foregrounding a critical perspective, we sig-nal a cautious approach to a popularising of the term ‘social learning’as a ‘renaming’that provides a more coherent perspective for research and reflection on social processes of meaning making and change.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Exploring normal South African and British children: a comparative study utilizing the Griffiths Mental Development Scales- extended revised
- Authors: Van Heerden, Rivca
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Psychological tests for children -- Cross-cultural studies , Children -- Intelligence testing -- Cross-cultural studies , Griffiths Scales of Mental Development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9929 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/629 , Psychological tests for children -- Cross-cultural studies , Children -- Intelligence testing -- Cross-cultural studies , Griffiths Scales of Mental Development
- Description: The health status of a substantial number of South African children can be classified as “children at risk” (Luiz, 1999) as the majority of children are influenced by factors such as poverty, poor living conditions and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These are only some of the influences that contribute significantly to the health status of South African children and consequently their development. It can thus be argued that developmental assessment is imperative in the South African context. One of the most important reasons are that children with special needs in South Africa can be identified and given the opportunity to catch up developmentally and cope successfully as opposed to those who are identified much later (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2006). Furthermore, children in South Africa must begin Grade one in the year in which they turn seven. They may only enter grade one if the school has an opening and if the necessary evidence is provided to the Department of Education that the child will be able to cope with the demands of formal schooling (Department of Education, 2002). Developmental assessment measures therefore needs to be appropriate, accurate and informative in the modern South African context. The need for a measuring instrument to assess children’s overall development and thus their developmental readiness to cope with the demands of formal schooling could be satisfied by the Griffiths Mental Development Scales – Extended Revised (GMDS-ER). This recently revised measure has not been normed on a representative, contemporary South African sample. The purpose of the study was therefore to generate information on the applicability of British norms for the contemporary South African population. This study compared and explored the performance of South African and British children aged 5-years and 6-years on the Griffiths Mental Development Scales - Extended Revised (GMDS-ER). A contemporary South African sample was obtained by testing children between the ages of 5-years and 6-years on the GMDS-ER, whilst the British sample was drawn from the United Kingdom and Eire standardization sample. The British sample was screened for normality and a similar process was followed to establish normality for the South African sample. A matched simple frequency distribution technique (taking into account age, socioeconomic status and gender as variables) was employed to approximate the equivalence between the samples. The profiles were compared by conducting an independent sample t-test with subsequent post hoc analyses to explore potential differences in the performance of the two samples. The major findings of the present study were as follows: 1. There is a significant difference between the South African and British children’s overall developmental profiles (as measured by the GMDS-ER). 2. Generally, South African children performed better on the Locomotor subscale and the Personal Social Subscale (although not statistically significant), whilst British children performed statistically better on the Language, Eye and Hand Co-ordination, and Practical Reasoning Subscales. 3. No significant differences were found for the Performance Subscale which could indicate that South African and British children’s performances on this scale are similar. Further investigations into the applicability of the GMDS-ER for the contemporary South African context are recommended and the establishment of South African norms for clinical utilization is essential. Caution with regard to the utilization of the British–based norms in the South African context is final recommendations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Van Heerden, Rivca
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Psychological tests for children -- Cross-cultural studies , Children -- Intelligence testing -- Cross-cultural studies , Griffiths Scales of Mental Development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9929 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/629 , Psychological tests for children -- Cross-cultural studies , Children -- Intelligence testing -- Cross-cultural studies , Griffiths Scales of Mental Development
- Description: The health status of a substantial number of South African children can be classified as “children at risk” (Luiz, 1999) as the majority of children are influenced by factors such as poverty, poor living conditions and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These are only some of the influences that contribute significantly to the health status of South African children and consequently their development. It can thus be argued that developmental assessment is imperative in the South African context. One of the most important reasons are that children with special needs in South Africa can be identified and given the opportunity to catch up developmentally and cope successfully as opposed to those who are identified much later (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2006). Furthermore, children in South Africa must begin Grade one in the year in which they turn seven. They may only enter grade one if the school has an opening and if the necessary evidence is provided to the Department of Education that the child will be able to cope with the demands of formal schooling (Department of Education, 2002). Developmental assessment measures therefore needs to be appropriate, accurate and informative in the modern South African context. The need for a measuring instrument to assess children’s overall development and thus their developmental readiness to cope with the demands of formal schooling could be satisfied by the Griffiths Mental Development Scales – Extended Revised (GMDS-ER). This recently revised measure has not been normed on a representative, contemporary South African sample. The purpose of the study was therefore to generate information on the applicability of British norms for the contemporary South African population. This study compared and explored the performance of South African and British children aged 5-years and 6-years on the Griffiths Mental Development Scales - Extended Revised (GMDS-ER). A contemporary South African sample was obtained by testing children between the ages of 5-years and 6-years on the GMDS-ER, whilst the British sample was drawn from the United Kingdom and Eire standardization sample. The British sample was screened for normality and a similar process was followed to establish normality for the South African sample. A matched simple frequency distribution technique (taking into account age, socioeconomic status and gender as variables) was employed to approximate the equivalence between the samples. The profiles were compared by conducting an independent sample t-test with subsequent post hoc analyses to explore potential differences in the performance of the two samples. The major findings of the present study were as follows: 1. There is a significant difference between the South African and British children’s overall developmental profiles (as measured by the GMDS-ER). 2. Generally, South African children performed better on the Locomotor subscale and the Personal Social Subscale (although not statistically significant), whilst British children performed statistically better on the Language, Eye and Hand Co-ordination, and Practical Reasoning Subscales. 3. No significant differences were found for the Performance Subscale which could indicate that South African and British children’s performances on this scale are similar. Further investigations into the applicability of the GMDS-ER for the contemporary South African context are recommended and the establishment of South African norms for clinical utilization is essential. Caution with regard to the utilization of the British–based norms in the South African context is final recommendations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Exploring opportunities and challenges for achieving the integration of indigenous knowledge systems into environmental education processes: a case study of the Sebakwe Environmental Education programme (SEEP) in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Zazu, Cryton
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Sebekwane Environmental Education programme Ethnoscience -- Study and teaching -- Zimbabwe Environmental education -- Zimbabwe Mainstreaming in education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1540 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003422
- Description: The role and value of indigenous knowledge systems in enhancing and contextualizing education has long been recognized (UNESCO, 1978). Against this background a lot of research focusing on the documentation and study of the world’s indigenous knowledge systems, including those of Southern African countries was done. However, within the Southern African context much of this research did not translate into practical curriculum processes leaving educational processes de-contextualized (O’Donoghue, 2002; Mokuku, 2004; Shava, 2005). The linkages between the school, the home and the wider community remained weak (Taylor & Mulhall, 2001). The net effect of the limited integration of indigenous knowledge systems into mainstream environmental education processes has been that indigenous learners (such as those within the Sebakwe rural community) continued to get exposed to two different world views, the western scientific world view and the everyday life world views. The integration of indigenous knowledge systems into mainstream education such as the Sebakwe Environmental Education programme (SEEP) is one way of contextualizing education and improving its relevance to learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds. This research was conceptualized against such a context and seeks to explore the opportunities and challenges for the integration of indigenous knowledge systems into the Sebakwe Environmental Education programme. The ultimate purpose of this research is to contextualize SEEP both in its epistemology, and pedagogy. The research was designed and conducted within a qualitative interpretive case study methodology. The methodology involved a three-phased data collection method namely document analysis, focus group interviews and an inquiry-based workshop. The data was then analyzed and interpreted in relation to a set of theoretical perspectives. This research concluded that there is a possibility of integrating indigenous knowledge systems into the Sebakwe Environmental Education programme. Based on the findings the research came up with a list of recommendations to guide the process of working with indigenous knowledge within the Sebakwe Environmental Education programme.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Zazu, Cryton
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Sebekwane Environmental Education programme Ethnoscience -- Study and teaching -- Zimbabwe Environmental education -- Zimbabwe Mainstreaming in education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1540 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003422
- Description: The role and value of indigenous knowledge systems in enhancing and contextualizing education has long been recognized (UNESCO, 1978). Against this background a lot of research focusing on the documentation and study of the world’s indigenous knowledge systems, including those of Southern African countries was done. However, within the Southern African context much of this research did not translate into practical curriculum processes leaving educational processes de-contextualized (O’Donoghue, 2002; Mokuku, 2004; Shava, 2005). The linkages between the school, the home and the wider community remained weak (Taylor & Mulhall, 2001). The net effect of the limited integration of indigenous knowledge systems into mainstream environmental education processes has been that indigenous learners (such as those within the Sebakwe rural community) continued to get exposed to two different world views, the western scientific world view and the everyday life world views. The integration of indigenous knowledge systems into mainstream education such as the Sebakwe Environmental Education programme (SEEP) is one way of contextualizing education and improving its relevance to learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds. This research was conceptualized against such a context and seeks to explore the opportunities and challenges for the integration of indigenous knowledge systems into the Sebakwe Environmental Education programme. The ultimate purpose of this research is to contextualize SEEP both in its epistemology, and pedagogy. The research was designed and conducted within a qualitative interpretive case study methodology. The methodology involved a three-phased data collection method namely document analysis, focus group interviews and an inquiry-based workshop. The data was then analyzed and interpreted in relation to a set of theoretical perspectives. This research concluded that there is a possibility of integrating indigenous knowledge systems into the Sebakwe Environmental Education programme. Based on the findings the research came up with a list of recommendations to guide the process of working with indigenous knowledge within the Sebakwe Environmental Education programme.
- 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
- 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
Exploring the options for fuelwood policies to support poverty alleviation policies: Evolving dimensions in South Africa
- Shackleton, Charlie M, Buiten, Erik, Annecke, W, Banks, D, Bester, J, Everson, T, Fabricius, Christo, Ham, C, Kees, M, Modise, M, Phago, M, Prasad, Gisela, Twine, Wayne, Underwood, Michael, von Maltitz, Graham P, Wentzel, P
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Buiten, Erik , Annecke, W , Banks, D , Bester, J , Everson, T , Fabricius, Christo , Ham, C , Kees, M , Modise, M , Phago, M , Prasad, Gisela , Twine, Wayne , Underwood, Michael , von Maltitz, Graham P , Wentzel, P
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181213 , vital:43709 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14728028.2007.9752604"
- Description: Access to secure and affordable energy supplies is widely acknowledged as a critical foundation for sustainable development; inadequate access exacerbates household poverty. In the developing world poor households are frequently reliant upon fuel wood for all or most of their energy needs. However, national poverty alleviation policies commonly do not consider fuelwood within their strategies, and similarly, energy policies rarely consider the poverty alleviation potential of a comprehensive fuelwood strategy. Consequently, synergies between poverty alleviation and energy policies—with fuelwood (and its derivates) as the bridge—are needed. This paper discusses this potential using South Africa as a case example. The current policy environment that either favours or hinders a linkage between the poverty and energy sectors and policy options and strategies available to develop such links, are discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Buiten, Erik , Annecke, W , Banks, D , Bester, J , Everson, T , Fabricius, Christo , Ham, C , Kees, M , Modise, M , Phago, M , Prasad, Gisela , Twine, Wayne , Underwood, Michael , von Maltitz, Graham P , Wentzel, P
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181213 , vital:43709 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14728028.2007.9752604"
- Description: Access to secure and affordable energy supplies is widely acknowledged as a critical foundation for sustainable development; inadequate access exacerbates household poverty. In the developing world poor households are frequently reliant upon fuel wood for all or most of their energy needs. However, national poverty alleviation policies commonly do not consider fuelwood within their strategies, and similarly, energy policies rarely consider the poverty alleviation potential of a comprehensive fuelwood strategy. Consequently, synergies between poverty alleviation and energy policies—with fuelwood (and its derivates) as the bridge—are needed. This paper discusses this potential using South Africa as a case example. The current policy environment that either favours or hinders a linkage between the poverty and energy sectors and policy options and strategies available to develop such links, are discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007