List of Titles

The governance of schools for internally displaced learners in Puntland, Somalia: a top-down or bottom-up approach to education peacebuilding?

Authors: Ramaite, Adivhaho Florence
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Peace-building Somalia Puntland , Internally displaced persons Education Somalia Puntland , School management and organization Somalia Puntland , Educational governance , Top-down and bottom-up design
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406807 , vital:70309
Description: This study examines educational governance in schools for internally displaced learners in Puntland, Somalia. Many Somalis have been internally displaced from the south and central of Somalia and neighbouring regions because of armed insurgence, as well as climate and ecological disasters. Communities of internally displaced Somalis who have settled in the north-eastern region of Somalia, together with the Ministry of Education and nongovernmental organisations such as Relief International, have established schools for internally displaced learners. The study uses interviews with teachers, school principals and school committee members to examine their experiences of how schools are governed, specifically in terms of the bottom-up and top-down approaches to peacebuilding education. This research study is the first of its kind to examine the experiences of education actors in internally displaced person schools in Somalia. It provides crucial, new information on northern NGOs and how they shape the governance of knowledge and resources in Somali schools and how Somali education actors interpret and respond to these interventions. Drawing on education studies and international relations, it develops a transdisciplinary framing of peacebuilding education and specifically focuses on the top-down and bottom-up approaches to peacebuilding education provision. It weaves these two disciplinary perspectives together to help establish the implications of the security sector in education and broadly post-conflict reconstruction. The study finds that donors, international NGOs and government actors use a top-down approach to education, which may sit at odds with local needs and priorities. It finds that Somali knowledge and values are marginalised in the curriculum and teachers’ professional development and that the distribution of resources such as teacher salaries and school feeding programmes is fragmented, opaque and lacking in accountability. The study emphasises that the exclusion of local voices may further contribute to the causes underlying conflict. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Political and International Studies, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The impacts of anthropogenic fires in West African savanna woodlands and parklands: the case of the Guinea savanna, Ghana

Authors: Amoako, Esther Ekua Amfoa
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Firemaking Ghana , Agroforestry Ghana , Parks Fire management Ghana , Nature Effect of human beings on Ghana , Land use Ghana , Savanna ecology Ghana , Traditional ecological knowledge Ghana
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/365610 , vital:65764 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/365610
Description: Fire is recognised as an important factor influencing the structure and function of tropical savannas. Despite the extensive studies conducted on the effects of fire on global savannas, there are relatively few studies focusing on fire-assisted land use practices in the agroforestry parkland of the Sudano-Guinean savannas of West Africa. The region experiences recurrent fires in the dry season which begins from November to April. The fires are anthropogenic and are mainly caused through rural livelihoods and cultural practices such as farming - to remove debris from crop fields and to improve soil fertility and hunting to flush out animals, among other reasons. This study therefore sought to: 1. contribute to the understanding of fire-assisted traditional land use practices, people’s knowledge and perceptions of fire use and fire regime: 2. analyse the effects of fire on vegetation, and 3. determine the effects of fire on soils in the Guinea savanna woodlands and parklands of Ghana. Study sites (burnt and unburnt land use types) were selected based on five-year daily fire counts (2013-2017) data, obtained from the Earth Observation Research and Innovation Centre (EORIC), Ghana in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Meraka Institute, South Africa. Fire densities were calculated for the 18 districts in the Guinea savanna (Northern Region of Ghana). The districts were stratified into low, medium and high fire frequency areas. The East Gonja district recorded the highest fire density (1.0 fires km-2) while Tamale recorded the lowest fire density (0.3 fires km-2). Of the eighteen districts, six districts were purposively selected and ten communities sampled. Firstly, I investigated the frequency of fire use and control, perceptions of fire regime for selected livelihood and socio-cultural activities in the six districts. The majority of respondents (83%) across the study districts indicated that they used fire once a year for at least one of the following activities: land preparation, weed/grass/pest control, burning stubble after harvest, bush clearing around homesteads, firebreaks, charcoal burning and hunting. The study showed the highest frequency of fire use in the dry season was for land preparation for cropping. However, less than a fifth of the respondents (17%) indicated that they did not use fire for any of the above activities. The results of a multiple regression predicted fire activities in the dry season from gender, age, level of education, occupation and household size. Secondly, the study examined how fire influenced the population structure and abundance of two economically important woody species Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn. (Shea tree) and Anogeissus leiocarpa (DC.) Guill. & Perr. (African Birch) in burnt and unburnt land-use types. Stand basal area, mean densities of juveniles and adult trees and Simpson’s index of dominance were determined. Eight diameter size classes of each species were analysed by comparing their observed distributions to a three-parameter Weibull distribution across the land use types. A total of 3,366 individuals of A. leiocarpa (n = 1,846) and V. paradoxa (n = 1,520) were enumerated. The highest total basal area of Anogeissus leiocarpa (16.9 m2/ha) was estimated in sacred groves whereas Vitellaria. paradoxa (20.6 m2 /ha) was found in unburnt woodland. The highest mean densities of A. leiocarpa (22.7±29.7 stems/ha) and V. paradoxa (15.3±2.2 stems/ha) were found in sacred in groves. Anogeissus leiocarpa was, however, absent in fallows and burnt crop fields. A somewhat inverse J-shaped distribution was found in sacred groves for both species. Thirdly, the study compared species composition in early burnt, late burnt and unburnt plots in a protected area where fire was regulated. Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn., Terminalia avicennioides Guill. & Perr., Combretum adenogonium Steud. ex A. Rich. and Combretum molle R. Br. Ex. G. Don. were the most common and abundant in all treatments. Late burnt and unburnt plots recorded the lowest diversity amongst the three treatments. Unburnt plots had higher tree density than burnt plots. A Detrended Canonical Analysis showed a changing trend, indicating a moderately strong positive association between burning time and species composition. The first and second axes contributed 53% and 12% variation, respectively. Most of the species found in axis one had fairly strong positive association to early and late burnt treatment than unburnt treatments. Finally, the effects of fire on soil properties in burnt and unburnt crop fields and woodland in the ten communities were also investigated. A total of 151 composite samples in selected burnt and unburnt land use types (burnt crop field n=20; unburnt crop field n=27; burnt woodland n=53, unburnt woodland n=51) were analysed. The variables analysed were pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorous (P), Exchangeable bases - potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), cation exchange and soil texture. Total N, SOC, pH and Ca differed significantly across the burnt and unburnt land-use types. A principal component analysis showed a stronger association and more positive gradient in woodlands than in crop fields. Total N showed a positive association with SOC, whereas silt showed a negative association to sand and clay. Traditional knowledge and perceptions of users of savanna agroforestry parklands can inform the formulation of local by-laws for community fire management as well as national policy regulation on fire use in the savanna through the interlinked analysis of social and ecological systems as have been elucidated in this study. The results on vegetation assessment revealed that fire practices and land uses influenced size class distribution of the two study species as well as the densities of woody species in traditional crop fields and the National Park. The unstable populations observed in most land uses and the absence of A. leiocarpa in crop fields and fallows call for education and policy actions on the use of fire in parklands of West Africa. Furthermore, fires positively influenced some soil properties in both woodlands and crop fields confirming one of the emphasised reasons why rural subsistence farmers use fire. As an environmental management decision and land use policy intervention, early dry season burning could be an option to curbing the indiscriminate and unplanned fire use. Also, the protection of trees on farm lands could check the unstable population structure of economically important woody species leading to the different structures that deviated from the recommended reverse J-shaped distribution curve observed in these agroforestry parklands. The management of socio-ecological systems such as the agroforestry parklands of West Africa require a holistic understanding of the complexity of the different resource systems, units and actors involved for sustainable management of these natural resources. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The implementation of a mobile application to decrease occupational sitting through goal setting and social comparison

Authors: Tsaoane, Moipone Lipalesa
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Sedentary behavior , Sitting position , Feedback , Mobile apps , Behavior modification , Agile software development
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/365544 , vital:65758
Description: Background: Feedback proves to be a valuable tool in behaviour change as it is said to increase compliance and improve the effectiveness of interventions. Interventions that focus on decreasing sedentary behaviour as an independent factor from physical activity are necessary, especially for office workers who spend most of their day seated. There is insufficient knowledge regarding the effectiveness of feedback as a tool to decrease sedentary behaviour. This project implemented a tool that can be used to determine this. To take advantage of the cost-effectiveness and scalability of digital technologies, a mobile application was selected as the mode of delivery. Method: The application was designed as an intervention, using the Theoretical Domains Framework. It was then implemented into a fully functioning application through an agile development process, using Xam- arin.Forms framework. Due to challenges with this framework, a second application was developed using the React Native framework. Pilot studies were used for testing, with the final one consisting of Rhodes University employees. Results: The Xamarin.Forms application proved to be unfeasible; some users experienced fatal errors and crashes. The React Native application worked as desired and produced accurate and consistent step count readings, proving feasible from a functionality standpoint. The agile methodology enabled the developer to focus on implementing and testing one component at a time, which made the development process more manageable. Conclusion: Future work must conduct empirical studies to determine if feedback is an effective tool compared to a control group and which type of feedback (between goal-setting and social comparison) is most effective. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Computer Science, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The incorporation of GeoGebra as a visualisation tool to teach calculus in teacher education institutions: the Zambian case

Authors: Kangwa, Lemmy
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: GeoGebra , Calculus Study and teaching (Secondary) Zambia , Visual learning
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405470 , vital:70174 , DOI
Description: This qualitative case study investigated teacher educators’ (lecturers) use of the dynamic mathematics software, GeoGebra, to teach calculus in three teacher education institutions (TEIs) in Zambia. Visualisation, a key characteristic of GeoGebra, is increasingly gaining recognition of playing a critical role in mathematics teaching and learning, especially in problem solving tasks. It is considered a powerful didactical tool for students to construct mental and physical representations that can enhance conceptual understanding of mathematics. GeoGebra is a visualisation tool that can be used for problem-oriented teaching and foster mathematical experiments and discoveries. GeoGebra’s inherent visualisation characteristics align well with the teaching of calculus, the mathematical domain of this study. The study (whose research methodology was underpinned by the interpretive paradigm) was undertaken with a broader goal of designing and implementing GeoGebra applets and instructional materials on various calculus topics. The study is located within the “Teaching and Learning Mathematics with GeoGebra (TLMG) project” – a project that involves mathematics teachers and lecturers in Zambia. The case in this study is the six mathematics lecturers who co-designed and used GeoGebra applets to teach derivatives and integrals to pre-service mathematics teachers in TEIs. The unit of analysis therefore is the six lecturers’ use of GeoGebra as a visualisation tool to teach calculus to enhance conceptual understanding, their perceptions and experiences of using GeoGebra and the enabling and constraining factors of using GeoGebra to teach and learn mathematics. The data for the study were video recordings of observations and interviews of lecturers. The data was analysed thematically and was guided and informed by an analytical framework adopted from the theory of constructivism – the umbrella theoretical framework of this study – and the models of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A detailed analysis of the lecturers’ interactions with the applets enabled me to gain insights into the participants’ experiences and perceptions of GeoGebra applets in the teaching and learning process. The findings of the study revealed that the visualisation characteristics of GeoGebra generally enhanced the conceptual understanding of calculus. It also revealed that adequate training, coupled with sufficient knowledge of the subject matter in calculus, were necessary for lecturers to use GeoGebra effectively, and that the lack of resources and expertise were major hindrances in the use of GeoGebra to teach mathematics in TEIs. It also revealed that there is a need to equip GeoGebra with other features that would make it more versatile, and suggested a teaching approach that would complement the use of conventional methods and GeoGebra to provide a link between abstract and concrete concepts of calculus. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The invisible teacher: The teacher envisaged in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) English First Additional Language (EFAL) Further Education and Training (FET) Phase

Authors: Dowejko, Diane Agnieszka
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Educational sociology South Africa , Systemic functional linguistics , Curriculum-based assessment South Africa , Linguistic analysis (Linguistics) , Educational evaluation South Africa
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406714 , vital:70301
Description: Educational policy documents, which are intended to enlighten teachers about what they should teach and how they should assess learners, contain both language and knowledge. How this knowledge is construed through language may reveal the kind of teacher envisaged by the document, and the assumptions made regarding the dispositions of these educators. There is a plethora of research on the relationship between the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for English First Additional Language in the Further Education and Training Phase (CAPS-EFAL) and its impact on the learner in the classroom, but little evidence of research related to how curriculum documents envisage the teacher, and linguistic research pertaining to CAPS-EFAL. This research aims to use linguistic analysis to discover how the teacher is envisaged in this document, while speaking to the broader subject of the relationship between teacher and curriculum policy. This study adopts a framework which inspects this language using Systemic Functional Linguistics to analyse language in relation to its functions in social contexts, and the instructional knowledge built in CAPS-EFAL through applying elements of Legitimation Code Theory, analysing processes of knowledge production and recontextualisation. An investigation of the language revealed assumptions that the envisaged teacher is one who is already highly trained in aspects of language teaching and classroom methodology and pedagogy. While the analysis also revealed a high level of guidance for the teacher, there was a strong focus on the knowledge within the curriculum, and several assumptions made regarding the teacher’s prior knowledge before encountering or utilising the document. The analysis also revealed that CAPS-EFAL acknowledges that the teacher requires a sound knowledge of technical terminology related to language teaching, as well as general classroom pedagogies and routines. In addition, the document assumes that the disposition of the teacher is one who can make decisions without the need for absolute confirmation or authority from curriculum documentation. Overall, the analysis revealed an élite code in terms of Specialization; CAPS-EFAL is therefore based on the legitimacy of both specialised knowledge and the disposition of the teacher. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The meanings of the social media practices of African women engaged in multi-level marketing in Makhanda

Authors: Tembani, Khuselwa Anda
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Neoliberalism South Africa Makhanda , Humanism , Social media and society South Africa Makhanda , Discourse analysis , Precarity , Subjectivity , Multi-level marketing
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/365588 , vital:65762
Description: In their efforts for a place in the economy, many South African women have embraced opportunities in the informal sector such as selling products for big Multi-Level Marketers (MLMs), who generally operate on a pyramid structure of commissions. This qualitative study investigates the meanings African women engaged in MLMs in Makhanda make of such work and examines how they construct notions of progress and success through their social media practices. The study was conducted in the strictest lockdown period and pioneered a research method that used Zoom to facilitate screen sharing on mobile phones to create an online version of the scroll-back method for Facebook. As expected for women working in a society increasingly integrated in a global neoliberal order, many of the meanings the women construct are rooted in neoliberal discourses that celebrate hyper-individualism and competition. This firstly includes constructing success through personal stories of self-appreciation, through which these women embody the MLM’s brand, while simultaneously improving their position in the market as sellers. Secondly, the women invest considerable effort on social media in constructing MLM work as epitomising stability in the context of the growing precarity that characterises their everyday lives. However, other meanings draw on the local African context. Here the women make sense of the inequalities that characterise the MLM pyramid structures, by constructing top players in the upline as a symbolic vanguard trailblazing freedom from a racist past through showcasing paths out of poverty. More interestingly, success is constructed as both resulting from and serving collective ways of being rooted in the discourse of African humanism. Here success is recognised as emerging from dense place-based networks in the neighbourhood built on trust and obligation, now replicated on social media. In conclusion, the study speculates that the worlds of meaning facilitated by MLMs might provide ways for neoliberal and traditional discourses to find points of synergy, and so serve as entry points into a neoliberal order that interestingly nevertheless draws on communal cultures of obligation and patronage. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Journalism and Media Studies, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The nexus between Community Engagement and Academic Language Development

Authors: Thondhlana, Mazvita Mollin
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Community engagement , Service learning Study and teaching (Higher) South Africa , Education, Higher Social aspects South Africa , Community and college South Africa , Academic writing Study and teaching (Higher) South Africa , Information literacy Study and teaching (Higher) South Africa
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405509 , vital:70177 , DOI 10.21504/10962/405509
Description: Community engagement (CE) is now widely considered a core function of higher education worldwide. In South African higher education institutions (HEIs), there is an increasing focus on CE as a means of transforming the role of the university in society, though the forms and shapes of CE vary by institution. CE is positioned as part of the means of addressing the challenges within the South African education system, such as ensuring equity in academic access in the face of diversity and making sure higher education institutions are responsive to the needs of society. Community Engagement is increasingly being afforded the same status as teaching and learning and research in higher education. The idea that higher education should function as a public good is central to this. This study reflects on how CE can be expansively viewed as places of learning for students to achieve epistemic access with epistemic justice, particularly in increasing diverse and changing contexts. Despite the growing research on CE in HEIs, there is comparatively limited focus on the intersection between CE and language use and potential linkages with identity and epistemic access and success. Given that one of the major challenges in South African HEIs relate to difficulties experienced by students whose home language is not English, the experiences of students learning within CE contexts within those institutions warrants investigation. The main aim of this study was to explore second language English speaking students’ experiences of language in the Engaged Citizen Programme, a Community Engagement programme at Rhodes University aimed at offering students the opportunity of enhanced learning, giving students the opportunity to evaluate the theories and ideas taught in the university against the realities of the South African context. The programme is also intended to offer students the opportunity to learn with and from communities and thereby enable personal growth (ECP Handbook: 2020; p.3). Using an in-depth phenomenological approach, this study explored diverse students’ experiences of language use in both community engaged programmes and in the classroom as a basis for understanding the role language plays in such spaces and the impact of these programmes on epistemic access, justice and success for students in HEIs. The study explored the role that CE plays for second language English students as they navigate complex questions of identity and belonging in HEIs. In CE activities, such as the Engaged Citizen Programme, unlike traditional classroom learning, English is often not the medium of instruction, as learning takes place in community sites, where multiple other languages are spoken. In the traditional classrooms, English is the dominant medium of instruction which can bring challenges for students whose home language is not English. Students are faced with various challenges including failure to communicate effectively and understand content knowledge. Significantly this study found that this often related to a sense of self-worth and belonging and constrained their participation and engagement in class. It was evident from the students’ reflections on their experiences in the Engaged Citizen Programme that CE provided a more flexible space generally more comfortable to these participants; a space that promotes engaged learning without rigid rules. The students’ reflections affirmed the contribution of CE in promoting engagement of students outside the formal classes and enhancing the ways in which they use language freely. It was also evident from the students’ reflections that CE provided a space in which students can identify who they are and have a sense of belonging. In the context of diversity, the majority of the students said they come to the university feeling a level of under preparedness and cannot identity with dominant groups. The reflections from the students’ experiences therefore offer some insights into ways in which we can actively promote CE in supporting student access and addressing issues of epistemic justice in higher education. The findings suggest that many of the benefits of CE, such as higher levels of interaction and significant amounts of translanguaging, need to be brought into the formal classroom spaces because they enhanced student engagement. While CE was also seen to be challenging and there were calls for more support, the essence of the experience was as a space of personal development and awareness of social responsibility. The explicit normative value of CE was in contrast to the absence of such considerations in the formal HE curriculum and the student experiences suggest that much could be learned from this. The use of English, both on campus and in CE activities, was found to be value-laden and politically charged. The participants, black students who spoke English as an additional language, all related experiences of English being positioned as a ‘superior’ language. The students who were highly fluent in English experienced being positioned as ‘showing off’ and seen to have ‘forgotten their roots’. Students who were not highly fluent in English, on the other hand, often constrained their participation in class because they experienced concern that their mispronunciations and accents may be mocked. The essence of the experience of language use in both formal classroom settings and in CE activities is that this is tightly bound to identity and is ideologically fraught. This requires more explicit conversation in all learning spaces. , Kubatirana pamwe nenharaunda (KPN) (CE) iko zvino kwave kutariswa zvakanyanya sembiru yebasa redzidzo yepamusoro pasirese. MuSouth Africa muzvikoro zvedzidzo yepamusoro (ZZY) (HEIs), kune kuwedzera kwekupa nguva kuKPN kunyangwe mamiriro uye maumbirwo eKPN achisiyana zvichienderana nechikoro chacho. Nematambudziko ari mukati memunezvedzidzo muSouth Africa uye nekumwewo, sekuenzanisira mukuwanikwa kwedzidzo mukusiyana kwevanhu nemaitiro uye kuona kuti zvikoro zvepamusoro zvinoteerera zvinodiwa munharaunda, KPN yaakupihwa kukosha kumwechete nekudzidzisa nekudzidza uyewonetsvagiridzo mudzidzo yepamusoro nechinangwa chekushandura nzira idzo ruzivo rwunoshandurwa mukushanda kwedzidzo yepamusoro sechinhu chakanakira munhu wese (ona Bhagwan: 2017). Shanduko yemaonero ekugadzirwa kwezivo nebasa remayunivhesiti mumagariro, kubva kunzira dzakare dzekuzvionera pamusoro kuenda kumayunivhesiti anobatikana nenharaunda zvinoonekwa senzira chaiyo yekuzadzisa chinangwa chekuti mayunivhesiti ave anodavira kune zvakapoteredza, aine mutoro nazvo uye achiunza shanduko. Pamwongo wemakakatanwa anechekuita neKPN panenyaya yekuti KPN inogona kutariswa zvakanyanya sevanze dzekudzidza dzevadzidzi uye kuwana kupinda munezveruzivo nezvekururamisira, kunyanya mukuwedzera kwokusiyana nekushanduka kwemamiriro ezvinhu. Zvakadaro, kunyangwe paine kukura mukufarirwa kweKPN muZZY, kune kushomeka kwekutarisa panosangana KPN nekushandiswa kwemutauro uye hukama nezvekuti unozviti uri ani uye kuwana kupinda munezvezivo nekubudirira. Muchiitiko chekudzidza kuburikidza nezviitwa zveKPN, zvichisiyana nekudzidza muimba yekudzidzira (kirasi) kwagara kuripo muZZY, Chirungu hachisiriicho nzira yekuraira nayo, sezvo kudzidza kuchiitika munzvimbo dzirimunharaunda. Mumakirasi ekudzidza kwagara kuripo, Chirungu ndomutauro unonyanyoshandiswa pakurairidza izvo zvinogona kuita kuti vadzidzi vanotaura mutauro usiri Chirungu kumba vatarisane nematambudziko anosanganisira kukundikana kutaura zvavarikuda, kuvenehukama nezvirikuitika chaizvo uye kunzwisisa ruzivo rwezvinodzidzwa zvinogona kukanganisa kutora chikamu kwavo nokubatirana kwavo nezvinengezvichiitika mukirasi. Nokuda kwokuti rimwe rematambudziko makuru muZZY zvemuSouth Africa rinechekuita nezvinetso zvinosangana nevadzidzi vane mutauro wekumba usiri Chirungu, panefaniro yekuoongorora zvinosanganikwa nazvo nevadzidzi mukati meKPN. Wongororo iyi idavidzo kumukaha uwu. Chinangwa chikuru chewongororo iyi chachiri chekuongorora zvinosanganikwa nazvo nevadzidzi vanotaura Chirungu semutauro wechipiri muEngaged Citizen Programme, chirongwa cheCommunity Engagement chine chinangwa chekupa vadzidzi mukana wekusimudzira madzidziro, kupa vadzidzi mukana wekuyera/kuongorora pfungwa dzirimukudzidza nemaonero munezvinodzidziswa muyunivhesiti zvichiyenzaniswa nezviri kuitika muSouth Africa pamwe nekupa vadzidzi mukana wekudzidza kubva kune nepamwe nenharaunda zvichitungamirira kukukura semunhu mumwe nemumwe (ECP Handbook: 2020; p.3) paRhodes University, inovayunivhesiti inoshandisaChirungu pakurairidza. Ichishandisa nemaitiro akadzama nzira yekuongorora inonzi phenomenological approach wongororo iyi yakatarisa zvinosanganikwa nazvo zvevadzidzi vakasiyana-siyana mukushandiswa kwemutauro muzvirongwa zvokubatirana pamwe nenharaunda uye mukirasi sehwaro hwekunzwisisa zvibereko zvezvirongwa izvi pakuwanikwa kwezvezivo, kururamisira uye kubudirira kwevadzidzi muZZY. Wongororo iyi yangayakanangawo zvakare kuongorora basa rinoitwa neKPN kuvadzidzi avo mutauro wechipiri urichiRungu pavanenge vachiedza kupindura mibvunzo yakaoma inechekuita nezvekuti ndivanaani uye nekuva kwavo chikamu chemuZZY. Zvakava pachena kubva mukufungisisa kwevadzidzi pamusoro pekuvevangavarimuchirongwa Engaged Citizen Programme kuti KPN kwakavapa nzvimbo yakasununguka uye yakagadzikana, inosimudzira kudzidza kunobata pasina mitemo yakaoma/isingashandurwi. Kufungisisa kwevadzidzi kwakasimbisa zvinounzwa neKPN mukusimudzira kuvanechekuita kwevadzidzi munezvinoitika kunze kwemakirasi nekusimudzira nzira dzavanoshandisa mutauro nadzo vakasununguka. Zvaivawo pachena kubva mukufungisisa kwevadzidzi kuti CE yakapa nzvimbo yekuti vadzidzi vazive kuti ndivanaani uye kuti vanzwe kuti ndevepi. Mumamiriro ekusiyana kwezvinhu, vazhinji vevadzidzi vakati vanouya kuyunivhesiti vachinzwa vaine chiyero chekugadzirira chepasi uye vasingagoni kufambidzana nevemapoka aripamusoro/anemukundo. Zvakabuda mukufungisisa kwevadzidzi pamusoro pezvavakapinda mazviri/zvavakasangana nazvo zvinopa mamwe manzwisisiro atingashandisa enzira dzatingashingairira nadzo kusimudzira CE mukutsigira vadzidzi kuwana kupinda nekugadzirisa nyaya dzekururamisira munezvezivo mudzidzo yepamusoro. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The nexus between territorial border controls, informal cross border trading and economic security in Zimbabwe: the case of Beitbridge Border Post

Authors: Nare, Hilary
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Informal sector (Economics) Zimbabwe , South Africa Commerce Zimbabwe , Border security Zimbabwe , Economic security Zimbabwe , Beitbridge (Zimbabwe) , Zimbabwe Politics and government , Zimbabwe Economic conditions
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/365977 , vital:65807 , DOI https://doi.org/10.21504/10962/365977
Description: Informal cross border trade is central to the lives of many Zimbabweans, with informal trade across the Zimbabwean-South African border being of particular importance. This entails travelling through the Beitbridge border post on the Zimbabwean side, with Zimbabwean informal traders purchasing items in South Africa for resale in Zimbabwe. In doing so, they contribute not only to their own economic security but likely to the economic security of other Zimbabweans deeply affected by the ongoing crisis in the country. Often times, when examining the lives of Zimbabwe’s informal traders, the border post is not subjected to sustained focus and analysis. Yet, border posts (like the Beitbridge border post) are complex social institutions which configure the lives and livelihoods of cross border traders in multiple ways, and which informal traders often have to negotiate their way through. In this context, this thesis provides a critical analysis of border control management at the Beitbridge border post with particular reference to the activities of Zimbabwean informal cross border traders. The Beitbridge border post, like all border posts, has multiple functions. As a territorial border post, it seeks to maintain the national sovereignty of the Zimbabwean nation- state, and it monitors and controls the movement of people and goods in both directions. Currently, it is doing so at a time when the vast majority of Zimbabweans are suffering from varying levels of economic insecurity. The extent to which these functions are performed, and the manner in which they are performed, depends fundamentally on what takes place at the Beitbridge border post. This refers to the performance of both human subjects (border control officers of various kinds) and inanimate objects (such as scanners and cameras), both of which enact agency. Combined with these is the agency of cross border traders, who are compelled to navigate their way in and through these dimensions of the border control system. The thesis examines this by drawing heavily upon Actor-Network Theory. It is based on research undertaken at Beitbridge border post, involving 50 interviews with primarily current and former border control officers as well as informal cross border traders. Findings of this study show that deficiencies in border control management and border porosity at Beitbridge have led to a flourishing of informal cross border trade and, in turn, contributed to economic security in Zimbabwe, including during the time of Covid-19. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, Sociology, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The practical implications of taxing the informal sector in Zimbabwe

Authors: Mashate, Fredy
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Informal sector (Economics) Taxation Zimbabwe , Small business Taxation Law and legislation Zimbabwe , Tax administration and procedure Zimbabwe , Taxpayer compliance Zimbabwe , Taxation Public opinion , Zimbabwe. Revenue Authority , Informal sector (Economics) Taxation Tanzania , Informal sector (Economics) Taxation Ghana
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/357594 , vital:64758
Description: The taxation of informal sector business is increasingly becoming a topical issue in many developing countries, and Zimbabwe is no exception. The Zimbabwean government has been experiencing shrinking revenue in the wake of an increased informal sector and a declining formal sector. In an effort to broaden the tax base and increase revenue for government in Zimbabwe, presumptive tax levied against certain informal sector activities was first introduced in 2005 and later expanded to other sectors. Despite the effort, the informal sector has responded with low tax morale and non-compliance, which creates the need to reassess the current administrative strategies in a bid to build a successful tax system for the informal sector. The main goal of the research is to establish clear, innovative and practical administrative strategies that can be adopted by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in taxing the informal sector in Zimbabwe. An initial investigation was done to identify the current state of affairs in relation to informal sector taxation in Zimbabwe. A number of challenges were recorded and the research the sought to learn from examples of recent innovation in administrative strategies successfully applied in taxing the informal sector in other jurisdictions like Tanzania and Ghana. Learning from these examples, a number of practical administrative strategies that are mindful of the Zimbabwean economic context were proposed. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Accounting, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The process of thicket encroachment in semi-arid savanna: community patterns and biotic interactions

Authors: Nell, Rhys
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Scrub encroachment , Savanna ecology , Biotic interaction , Plant nutrients , Plant-water relationships
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/364966 , vital:65666
Description: Bush encroachment in savannas is widespread in South Africa and is concerning, from both socio-economic and conservation viewpoints, as it affects ecosystem services, functioning and productivity. This phenomenon depends on multiple factors such as history, vegetation, management and environmental conditions, and their interplay. Encroachment into savannas has been relatively well-documented, however understanding of the different roles of tree-tree interactions between species that occur during this process is still limited. This includes the interactions causing spatial patterning, or how interactions and outcomes change over time in terms of encroachment succession from open savanna to closed-canopy thicket. The main objectives of this research are to document thicket establishment in a savanna ecosystem and consider the ecological roles of the key woody species and the abiotic properties of their micro-sites. Determining interactive effects of species co-occurrence is critical to understanding or predicting patterns and changes in biodiversity, nutrient distribution and available water resources. It is also imperative in determining correct and effective land management practices, particularly for reducing bush encroachment and its negative effect on rangelands. All data were collected on Endwell farm, located in the Smaldeel region of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Endwell farm is a semi-arid savanna with a mean annual rainfall of 730 mm. First, I examine and describe the thicket encroachment process by exploring the associations between species and their size classes in the field. This was done by using plot-based belt transects and looking at changes in species size-class compositions from early to late successional stages. Association rules (market basket) analysis was used to identify the most common species size-class association patterns. The association between the savanna tree Vachellia karroo and the thicket pioneer Scutia myrtina was the most prevalent at all stages, with V. karroo being central to all associations in the first stage of encroachment; during later stages of encroachment, associations shift to incorporating other thicket pioneer species. The demography and clump formation of S. myrtina was strongly linked to associations with V. karroo to initiate bush clump formation. Results suggest that mature V. karroo facilitate the establishment and growth of S. myrtina. These two species were the focus of more detailed investigations to explore the nature and magnitude of their interspecific interactions. I then examined the effects of pairwise tree interactions between V. karroo and S. myrtina on soil and leaf nutrient content. I measureddifferences betweeninter-canopy and sub-canopy soil nutrient content, and the effect of associations on plant leaf nutrients, between pair-size combinations and individual controls. Results confirmed that pair-size tree interactions affected both soil nutrient and leaf nutrient content. All individuals increased soil K, N and organic C in the sub-canopy, while association with V. karrooincreased S. myrtinafoliar N, Pand K. In contrast, association with S. myrtinaloweredV. karroofoliar N, P and K. Small S. myrtina individuals werefound to benefit most from establishing and growing next to a large V. karroo individual, through mechanisms affecting soil and foliar nutrients. Scutia myrtina individuals establishing in association with smaller size classes of V. karroo showed no significant effects. I tested for positive and negative effects of pairwise tree interactions between Vachellia karroo and Scutia myrtina on available soil water and plant water potential (Ψ). This was done by looking at differences betweeninter-canopy and sub-canopy soil moisture and bulk density and associations on plant water stress (pre-dawn and mid-day leaf Ψ), between pair-size combinations and individual controls. I also selectively removed large V. karroo individuals from pairs to confirm the effects of competition andfacilitation. Similar to other studies, results confirmed positive and negative effects of pairwise tree interactions. Small S. myrtina individuals weremost facilitated by establishing and growing up next to a large V. karroo individual, through mechanisms affecting soil water content, bulk density and leaf Ψ. Scutia myrtina establishing in association with other size classes of V. karroo were much less facilitated, showing no significant effects. In contrast, large S. myrtina showed competitive interactions with V. karroo. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Botany, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The regeneration of palmiet (prionium serratum) following hydrogeomorphic disturbance: a case study of the Kromme River wetland

Authors: Van Eck, Caydon Daniël
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Biogeomorphology South Africa Kromme Estuary (Eastern Cape) , Wetland ecology , Prionium serratum Regeneration , Fluvial geomorphology , River channels
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/365555 , vital:65759
Description: The Kromme River wetland in the Eastern Cape of South Africa occupies a broad valley (up to 350 m wide) with a gentle longitudinal slope of less than 2 % that has been formed by cut-and-fill cycles that are initiated by trunk-tributary interactions. These hydrogeomorphic disturbance events trigger gully erosion and generate sediments, the coarse fraction of which is deposited less than 2 km downstream, leading to depositional floodout features that fill gullies headwards. This process has been occurring at intervals for at least 10 000 years, and as such pre-dates the introduction of European farming practices in the area. Plants that regenerate by colonising these features are thought to have evolved adaptions necessary to colonise intermittently produced bare sandy sediments. This study aimed to examine the regeneration ecology of palmiet (Prionium serratum), the dominant vegetation community within these cut-and-fill wetlands, by relating its regeneration characteristics to environmental factors in a reach of the Kromme River wetland that has experienced a recent hydrogeomorphic disturbance event (approximately 10 years before the commencement of this study). Palmiet was found to be regenerating on sedimentary deposits on beds of gullies and on depositional bars on the margins of gully beds. The large depositional floodout downstream of a large gully also favoured palmiet regeneration, where it was found to be regenerating along not only the active channel, but also along old abandoned flow paths and sometimes areas well elevated above the channel. The geomorphic features that favoured palmiet regeneration were characterised by coarse-grained sediments (mean particle size approximately 310 μm) with low organic matter content (0.61 %), a low depth to the water table and low elevation above the thalweg (mean depth to water table is approximately 0.6 m), and a relatively close distance to the thalweg (< 10 m). This understanding of palmiet’s regeneration characteristics was viewed in relation to existing literature on undisturbed palmiet wetland plant communities and its reported contribution to conditions that favour wetland formation through gully filling, which allowed for the creation of a conceptual model of palmiet regeneration, colonisation and long-term persistence. This model was based on the Fluvial Biogeomorphic Succession concept. It suggests that palmiet’s interaction with the hydrogeomorphic environment throughout the different stages of its life cycle results in self-organising biogeomorphic landforms. Over hundreds of years, the reciprocal interactions between palmiet, sediments and water, fills gullies and restores valley bottoms, ultimately leading to the formation of a wetland landform. It is further proposed that through continued accretion, the geomorphic wetland landscape becomes more and more disconnected from the hydrogeomorphic dynamics of the fluvial system, such that the prevailing conditions begin to favour fynbos establishment, which may outcompete palmiet. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Geography, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The relationship between economic growth and taxation: an empirical study on optimal taxation in sub-Saharan Africa

Authors: Kent, Bradley Athol
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Taxation Africa, Sub-Saharan , Optimal tax , Economic development Africa, Sub-Saharan , Tax collection Africa, Sub-Saharan
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/403058 , vital:69918
Description: The relationship between economic growth and taxation is a complex and highly debated issue, this thesis investigates whether a significant relationship can be identified, and whether it is the level that truly matters for fiscal policies aimed at being growth enhancing. Further investigation examines this relationship, in addition to testing whether there is a threshold below which tax collection may be considered ‘growth-enhancing’, and above which is negative for economic growth, and if such a threshold exists, to identify the manner in which taxation negatively impacts economic growth. The study makes use of a panel data approach to autoregressive distributed lag modelling and a generalised least squares regression. The study focuses on a panel data sample for seven (7) countries within Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) between 1997 – 2017. It found that total tax revenue held a positive and significant relationship with economic growth at the SSA level, whilst at the individual tax level; PAYE and property taxes were found to have a negative influence on growth, with no other fiscal variables significantly influencing growth in the long run in SSA test. Whereas, when analysing at the country-specific level it was found PAYE was only significantly influencing growth in South Africa, where the relationship was found to be negative. Corporate tax revealed a similar significant negative relationship in Swaziland and Cameroon. In addition, property taxes revealed a significant and negative relationship in South Africa, yet in Rwanda the influence was positive. Overall, the study found that there is significant relationship between economic growth and taxation in the SSA context. However, when analysing the countries in isolation, no such relationship was found. , Thesis (MEcon) -- Faculty of Commerce, Economics and Economic History, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The reported prevalence of aircrew fatigue and the contributing factors within the South African aviation industry

Authors: Blair, Dylan Ross
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Fatigue , Flight crews , Fatigue in the workplace , Sleep deprivation , Sleep-wake cycle , Air travel Safety measures , Airlines South Africa
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/362762 , vital:65360
Description: Fatigue in aviation results from the complex interaction of various factors (both work and non-work-related) that are important to understand when attempting to manage it. Managing fatigue effectively is important given that it has and continues to influence crew wellness and aviation safety. One of the ways of managing fatigue is through appropriately designed Flight Time Limitations (FTLs) however; in South Africa there have been calls from the unions and the crew to update these in line with the latest science and operational demands and insights. Doing this requires the generation of context specific data, which this thesis aimed to provide as an initial step. Firstly, this study aimed to explore the reported prevalence of fatigue across the South African aviation industry. Secondly, it elucidated what factors (both work and non-work related) crew perceived contributed to fatigue and lastly, the crew‟s perceptions regarding the current FTLs were explored. Methods: To realize the aims of the study, an online survey was developed using existing literature initially, and through consulting with and getting information from aviation industry stakeholders and other experts in the field of aviation and fatigue. This consultation (which occurred over a number of iterations of the survey) ensured that there was a balance between the scientific and the actual operational perspectives on how best to explore crew perceptions around fatigue. The finalized survey was divided into five parts: part one was consent to participate; part two included questions pertaining to the participants‟ demographic information; part three included questions pertaining to the crews‟ perceptions around fatigue (its prevalence, its impact on safety and how it affected crew); part four explored crew‟s perceptions on fatigue contributory factors, both work and non-work related; finally part five included questions pertaining to crew perceptions about the current South African FTLs, specifically their concerns, suggestions for improvement and any aspects they considered as fatigue mitigating. The survey was made available via the South African Civil Aviation Authority‟s (SACAA) website as well as via the industry stakeholder‟s networks that encouraged all crew across the different sectors of the industry to participate. All numerical data collected were analysed descriptively through inferential statistics, while the qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: 194 participants completed the survey, 167 were from cockpit and 27 were from the cabin crew. The results of the study highlight that there is a high perceived prevalence of fatigue. The crew also recognized that fatigue is a significant safety risk, but less indicated that fatigue interfered with their ability to do their duties. Crew reported that the length of duties, number of sectors flown, insufficient sleep at night, early sign-on‟s, late sign-offs, working too many consecutive days in a row, inadequate or irregular sleep before and during periods of duty, night flying, bad weather, severe turbulence, having young children or dependents to look after, financial stress, extended commuting to get to and from work, and poor diet were some of the work and non-work-related contributory factors to fatigue. In line with these findings, questions around the perceived concerns about the current FTLs revealed that crew were concerned about unclear definitions of the civil aviation regulations (CARs), the lack of control of disruptive rostering schedules, periods of high workload due to the number of sectors flown per duty, the length of duty periods and effects of being on standby duty, inadequate rest between duties and strings of duty. The crew also had concerns regarding the Flight Duty Periods (FDPs) where the crew were concerned with the flying limits being used as targets by the operators, a lack of science applied to the FDPs, and that the current FDPs are outdated. The recommendations included limiting disruptive rostering schedules by altering standby provisions for the crew, instilling a block roster schedule, disallowing double signing on and off on the same day, and reducing split shifts. The crew also recommended adjusting duty durations by adjusting daily and monthly limits, tapering duty lengths, but also limiting discretionary extensions. Increasing rest provision was another recommendation suggested by the crew and included increasing the number of rest days off as well as the minimum hours of rest between duties needs to be increased. The fatigue mitigating aspects were minimal if any. Conclusion: Overall the study revealed that there is a high perceived prevalence of fatigue within this sample of the South African aviation industry and that the concerns outlined by crew around the contributory factors to fatigue are consistent with previous research, but also reflect the unique operating context of South Africa. This study serves as a base from which to explore more specific areas of the crew working time that are disruptive to sleep. This may help operator‟s roster duties in a more predictable way to limit the incidence of fatigue, while also offering the opportunity for the regulator and other stakeholders to focus their efforts on how to better design the current FTLs to limit the prevalence and risks associated with crew fatigue. , Thesis (MSc) -- Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The role of Facebook in a survivor’s post-assault life: rape on campuses, women activists, and mental health

Authors: Witi, Sinethemba Juliet
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Online social networks , Rape in universities and colleges South Africa Makhanda , Student movements South Africa Makhanda , College students Mental health South Africa Makhanda , Sex crimes South Africa Makhanda , Social media and college students South Africa Makhanda , Intersectionality (Sociology) , Womanism
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405952 , vital:70222
Description: The rise of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) has raised concerns about the negative impact social media platforms, and in particular Facebook, has on their users. Research has linked the excessive use of Facebook with mental health challenges such as loneliness, depression, and stress. This research examined how Yolanda Dyantyi, a gender rights activist registered as a student from 2015 to 2017 at Rhodes University, used Facebook as an outlet following the #RUreferencelist protests and her subsequent permanent exclusion from the institution for her role in the protests. The study explored Dyanti’s use of Facebook, examining in particular her ongoing activism, her mental health challenges, and her struggles to re-establish herself in a community after the exclusion from Rhodes. The study employed an intersectional feminist theoretical framework and drew on a qualitative content analysis, a semi-structured interview, and the scroll back method to review the Facebook posts she had made. A thematic analysis of the data showed that Dyantyi is a multifaceted, and evolving Facebook user and contrary to existing research her prolific use of Facebook has had positive effects on her mental health and has enabled her to build social capital. The study suggests that activism is an important component to research alongside studies of mental health on such media platforms. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Journalism and Media Studies, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The role of visualisation in redefining the pedagogy of fractions in mathematics classrooms among senior primary school teachers

Authors: Ausiku, Charity Makwiliro
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Mathematics Study and teaching (Elementary) Namibia , Fractions Study and teaching (Elementary) Namibia , Visualization , Visual learning , Dual-coding hypothesis , Constructivism (Education) Namibia
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405456 , vital:70173 , DOI 10.21504/10962/405456
Description: This mixed methods study explored the impact of the use of a visualisation approach on the pedagogy of eight teacher participants who were involved in the Rundu Campus Fraction Project (RCFP). The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which participants incorporated visualisation processes in the pedagogy of fractions, in view of their exposure to visualisation activities in the RCFP. Since fractions are difficult to teach and learn, visualisation was considered as an alternative approach to the pedagogy of fractions because it presents learners with opportunities to improve their proportional and spatial reasoning. This study was founded on the premise that the incorporation of both verbal and nonverbal cues can enhance the teaching and learning of fractions rather than the use of a single cue. Hence, the two theories underpinning this study are the Dual Coding Theory and the Constructivist Theory. While the Dual Coding Theory advocates for the use of verbal and nonverbal codes, the Constructivist theory states that meaningful learning occurs when learners are presented with opportunities to construct their own knowledge. Thus, the two codes are intertwined. In other words, the active construction of knowledge among learners is aided by using constructivist teaching approaches through the incorporation of both verbal and nonverbal codes. Although this study was predominantly qualitative, quantitative methods were also used in the data collection process. A questionnaire was administered to identify teacher participants for this study, based on their teaching orientations. Their views on best practices in mathematics classrooms in general and the incorporation of visualisation processes in particular, were instrumental in the selection of participants for this study. In addition, observations and semi-structured interviews were also used as research methods. Twenty-five lesson samples were video recorded, transcribed and analysed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Moreover, each of the eight participants was exposed to a set of pre- and post-observation interviews during which they were expected to express their views on the selection, incorporation and impact of visualisation processes on the teaching of fractions. Data sets from all three instruments were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings indicate that the RCFP had an impact on the teaching strategies employed by the participants as they all incorporated visualisation processes into their teaching to some extent. In some lessons, the visual code was effectively blended into the verbal code while in others, the purpose of and connection between the two codes was not evident. Hence, although all the participants embraced the incorporation of visualisation in the pedagogy of mathematics, some of them struggled to find its rightful position in the teaching of fractions. The findings suggest that despite the participants’ eagerness to use visualisation in their fraction lessons, some of them did not have adequate knowledge to successfully merge it with the conventional verbal code. Thus, for the integration of visuals to be impactful, it should be carefully merged in the teaching of fractions by taking into account various factors. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The soul of Mozambique: an autoethnographic and performance-based study on the correlation of glabalisation, Chopi people migrations and the reinterpretation of timbila music in Mozambique

Authors: Bande Júnior, Venâncio
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Timbila , Chopi (African people) Mozambique , Music festivals Mozambique , Traditional knowledge , Music and globalization , Modernity , Traditional folk music
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/406818 , vital:70310
Description: This is an autoethnographic and performance-based study on the correlation between indigenous and modern cultures. It discusses the influence of globalisation, modernity, and of the Chopi people migrations to Maputo, the main city of Mozambique and to gold and platinum mines in South Africa, on timbila music. Timbila is both the name of a musical instrument (xylophone) and of a cultural manifestation, practiced by the Chopi people from Mozambique. It is one of the most documented music and dance cultures in Mozambique and was proclaimed as a masterpiece of the oral and immaterial heritage of humanity by UNESCO in 2005. The oldest references by Father Andre Fernandes date from the 16th century. However, the most well-known timbila sources were written and recorded by Hugh Tracey, the founder of the International Library of African Music (ILAM), from 1940s. All these sources were based on traditional timbila music. None refers to contemporary timbila music, which is a mixture of timbila with Western musical instruments. The research is thus based on both historical and is new research to understand the role of the phenomena mentioned above to the reinterpretation of timbila music over the time. Performance based and autoethnography methods were selected because of my role as a pedagogue of the music and culture of timbila, allowing me to express my knowledge on this cultural expression. Literature review and interviews are the two procedures of data collecting employed to get an understanding of the research methods; the phenomena of modernity, globalisation and of the Chopis migration for the searching of better living conditions in Maputo and South Africa; and the approaches of different scholars who have written about timbila. The use of these methods and methodologies, allowed me to conclude that, Chopis migrations, modernity and globalisation has allowed the emergence of a modern version of timbila music; internationalisation and dissemination of this musical expression; and contributes to the extinction of traditional timbila orchestras in Zavala. Despite considerable studies on timbila music and culture, this thesis is important and pioneering, from the perspective of studying the influence of Chopis migrations, globalisation and modernity on timbila and is one of the few sources that approach the contemporary timbila music. , Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The trade and poverty nexus in South Africa: investigating the transmission mechanism and the associated challenges

Authors: Bhebhe, Nonceba Fikile
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Commerce , Free trade , International trade , Poverty South Africa , Poverty Prevention , South Africa Economic conditions 1991-
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/357515 , vital:64750
Description: International trade plays an essential role in economic development strategies. In literature, foreign trade is identified as a driver of economic growth. In recent times there has been an expansion in the scope of investigations around the role of international trade to include its links with poverty alleviation. Poverty alleviation is explicitly identified as the first goal on the 2030 agenda for sustainable development under the Sustainable Development Goals and implicitly defined in goal 10. International trade is seen as the engine behind achieving the goal. South Africa records excessive poverty and inequality levels by international standards for a middle-income country. The most recent Poverty Trends Report for 2006 - 2015 reports 55.5% of the population living in poverty. Inequality statistics reported a per capita expenditure Gini coefficient of 0.65 in 2015, evidence that the country has high levels of inequality. The country's severe poverty, unemployment, and inequality prompt policymakers to formulate developmental policies around the underlying structural challenges. Trade openness has increased since the end of the Apartheid era. Despite the increased trade openness, economic growth has been insufficient in reducing the high unemployment and poverty levels, presenting a challenge for economists, who argue that trade openness is pro-growth and pro-poor. In the South African case, the lack of change in the structural challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality has raised concerns over whether the trade policy reforms made since 1994 interfere with development objectives. This study aims to investigate the impact of trade liberalisation on poverty, using the three channels, namely enterprise, distribution, and government that have been researched within the McCulloch, Winters and Cirera framework. Specifically, it investigates the linkages via the transmission mechanism in which trade affects poverty in South Africa by mapping the transmission mechanisms from trade liberalisation to poverty alleviation, whilst identifying the possible challenges to the transmission mechanisms and lastly, analysing the stylised facts around trade and poverty in South Africa. To answer the question of this study, quantitative data from National Income Dynamic Study (NIDS) was merged longitudinally and aggregated with the industry tariff data sourced from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) statistics. A path analysis was undertaken to map the transmission mechanism, whilst descriptive statistics were used to identify the possible associated challenges. The results show that the most significant channel of transmission are the enterprise and distribution channel. However, the effects are of a small margin and a more comprehensive trade policy yield a higher margin of poverty alleviation. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Economics and Economic History, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The uptake of educational technology in South African Higher Education: a study of the context that conditioned emergency remote teaching in the pandemic

Authors: Ngcobo, Nomathemba Faustinah
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Educational technology South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Academic development , COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- South Africa , Distance education Computer-assisted instruction , Web-based instruction South Africa
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405495 , vital:70176 , DOI 10.21504/10962/405495
Description: The study explores the enablements and constraints in the uptake of educational technologies in the South African higher education system. This is a multiple institutional study which considers the differentiated nature of higher education institutions in South Africa and reflects on the implications of this for the use of educational technology (EdTech). EdTech is seen as an important aspect of 21st century education. As an established practice in many universities it has made a significant impact on teaching and learning practices. However, EdTech is often presented as a panacea to educational problems and implemented without consideration of the contexts in which it is used. Data was collected from the educational technology units of 22 of the 26 public higher education institutions and the main sources of this data were an online survey questionnaire related to the uptake of educational technologies and semi-structured interviews. For the research analysis, Archer’s analytical dualism and morphogenetic cycle provided a framework with the understanding that a social phenomenon such as EdTech emerges from a complex interplay of multiple mechanisms rather than through simple unidirectional causality. The framework directed me to analyse structure, culture and agency as separate entities allowing an understanding of the complex and rapidly growing phenomenon of EdTech. Analytical dualism provides guiding principles on how agential actions, structural resources, and cultural practices emerge and allows an understanding of how agents experience and respond to structures and cultures in social fields, for example, the uptake of EdTech for teaching and learning. The morphogenetic cycle reveals the historical nature the EdTech uptake with events happening over a period of time so that past events, which possess structural and cultural mechanisms, condition agency in socio-cultural interaction. The study identified several mechanisms enabling and constraining the uptake of EdTech, and while the findings are not exhaustive, they do indicate important enablements and constraints which the sector would do well to consider as it enters a post-pandemic phase. The data was collected prior to the pandemic and thus provides an understanding of what allowed for the uptake of EdTech when face-to-face teaching and learning was the norm. While the pandemic resulted in a rapid pivot to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT), and fundamentally changed the face of EdTech in the South African higher education sector and around the world, the findings of this study remain pertinent. Archer argues that when a new person or structure is introduced, it occurs within a pre-existing context and so what emerges should not be seen to be simply caused by that new person or structure. Rather, its emergent properties are exercised within the conditioning effects of the pre-existing structures, cultures and agents. The Covid-19 virus brought about significant effects around the world, but it would be a mistake for us to assume that the effects were the same across different national higher education systems or even across different universities within a country. For us to understand both what occurred during the pivot to ERT and to consider the implications of this for the future of EdTech, it is imperative that we understand the pre-existing conditions in which ERT was implemented. This thesis offers a rich picture of these pre-existing conditions. Key findings include the extreme extent to which universities differed in their resourcing and uptake of EdTech prior to the pandemic. In some universities, there were well-resourced EdTech centres while in others, the implementation of EdTech was seen to be the responsibility of the IT department. Even where EdTech staff were employed, the nature of this employment varied greatly. In some cases, such staff were seen as educational experts who were hired as academics and often worked within academic development centres. In other cases, such staff were employed as administrative support staff. Another difference pertained to whether they were employed on contract (often funded through project funding) or on a permanent basis. These differences in employment and the positioning of the EdTech staff were seen to greatly condition the levels of credibility they enjoyed and the kinds of work they could undertake. If they were employed as support staff, they were more likely to be seen to be responsible for providing academics with end-user technical assistance. If they were employed as academics, they were more likely to be seen to be responsible for providing pedagogical and curriculum development support in using EdTech for teaching and learning. Another set of findings related to the extent to which EdTech was seen to be valued within each university, such as by being included in promotions criteria, mentioned in institutional strategies, and supported by university management. Where this was not the case, this constrained the uptake of EdTech. In all cases, the EdTech staff reported working almost exclusively with academics who sought to develop their EdTech capability on a voluntary basis because it aligned to what Archer terms their ‘personal projects’. At times a departmental champion, especially in the form of the Head of Department as a social actor, led to EdTech uptake spreading across the academic body. There was evidence of some resistance to the use of EdTech and a great deal of anxiety among some academics. This was seen to be implicated in concerns that at times EdTech was seen to be a ‘dumping ground’ and the Learning Management System positioned simply as a repository of materials. Many academics reported being pushed by their students to integrate more technology in their teaching. Many students seem to be adept at using technology and can see its potential pedagogical benefits and so placed pressure for this to be increased. There were however concerns that the notion of ‘Digital Natives’, that is millennial students who were born into a technological era, was only a partial picture of the student body. The ‘Digital Divide’ meant that there was highly uneven access to hardware, data, bandwidth, and technological literacies among the student body. For many students, their only access to technology was while they were physically on campus, a finding that was to have extreme implications for the pivot to ERT. This research will be valuable to the field of educational technology and enhance the understanding of what is needed to enable the uptake of educational technologies in higher education teaching and learning in pedagogically sound ways. As the sector responds to the pandemic and reflects on lessons learned during this time, it will be important to look to the conditions outlined in this study as they continue to enable and constrain the uptake of educational technology. , Ucwaningo olwethulwe yindlela elandela imigomo ka-Bhaskar kanye no-Archer yesayensi yezenhlalo ehlola ukuze inikeze incazelo yokuvumeleka nezithiyo ekuthathweni kwezifundo ezisekwe ubuchwepheshe besimanje. Lolu ucwaningo lwezikhungo eziningi zemfundo ephakeme, futhi inhloso yalo enkulu bekuwukuhlonza ukuthi kwavela kanjani izindlela ezehlukene ukuze kuvunyelwe futhi kuvinjwe ukusetshenziswa kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme ezehlukene eNingizimu Afrika. Izifundo ezisekwe ubuchwepheshe besimanje (EdTechs) ibonwa njengezici ezibalulekile zemfundo yekhulu lamashumi amabili nanye (21st century), futhi njengomkhuba osunguliwe emanyuvesi ibe nomthelela omkhulu ekufundiseni nasekufundeni. Kodwa-ke, i-EdTechs ivame ukwethulwa njengekhambi ezinkingeni zemfundo futhi yacwaningwa ngaphandle kokucabangela izimo lapho isetshenziswa khona. Ngenxa yalokho, kwaba nesidingo sokuqonda kangcono ukuthi ukutholwa kwayo kwehlukaniswa kanjani phakathi nohlelo lwemfundo ephakeme olungalingani emaNyuvesi ahlukene. Ubufakazi buqoqwe ezingxenyeni zobuchwepheshe bezemfundo zezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme zikahulumeni ezingamashumi amabili nambili (22) kwezingamashumi amabili nesithupha (26) futhi imithombo eyinhloko yalobufakazi kwakuwuhlu lwemibuzo lwenhlolovo oluku-inthanethi oluhlobene nokusetshenziswa kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo kwase kulandela kanye nezingxoxiswano ezihlelwe kancane. Ukuze kuhlaziywe ucwaningo, i-analytical dualism ngokuka-Archer kanye nomjikelezo we-morphogenetic (uzalo kabusha) unikeze uhlaka lokuhlaziywa kokutholwa kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo njengokusebenzelana okuqhubekayo phakathi kwezifundiswa nabasebenzi bomnyango bobuchwepheshe besimanje (EdTech staff). Ekuhlaziyeni, ngixoxa ngokuthi uhlaka lungiqondise kanjani ukuba ngihlaziye isakhiwo, isiko kanye nokwenza kwabantu njengezinhlangano ezihlukene nokuthi kungani lolu hlaka lufaneleka ukuze siqonde lesi simo esiyinkimbinkimbi nesikhula ngokushesha sezemfundo zobuchwepheshe besimanje. Ubumbaxambili bokuhlaziya buhlinzeka ngohlaka oluvumela abacwaningi ezimweni zomphakathi ukuthi babone futhi bahlaziye izindlela ezikhiqizayo neziyisisekelo, okuhlanganisa izindlela zokwenza ngokusebenzisa ukuxhumana komphakathi. Iphinde inikeze izimiso eziqondisayo zokuthi ezinye izenzo zokwenza komuntu kanye nemikhuba yamasiko zivela kanjani kanye nokuqonda ukuthi abenzi nabasebenzi bezemfundo, nokuthi abhekana kanjani futhi asabela kanjani ezakhiweni namasiko emikhakheni yezenhlalo, isibonelo, ukutholwa kwe-EdTechs ekufundiseni nokufunda. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umjikelezo we-morphogenetic wembula ubunjalo bomlando ukuthathwa kwe-EdTechs nezenzakalo ezenzeka esikhathini esithile ukuze izehlakalo ezidlule ezinezindlela zesakhiwo nezamasiko zibekezelele izenzo zezifundiswa njenge-ejensi ezovela ekusebenzelaneni kwezenhlalo namasiko. Izakhiwo ezivelayo zesakhiwo, isiko kanye nezabenzi zibonwa njengezindlela ezibalulekile ezivumela futhi zibambe iqhaza ekuthathweni kobuchwepheshe bezemfundo ekufundiseni nokufunda yizifundiswa. Ngakho-ke, ucwaningo luveza ukuthi kungani ukuthathwa kunezindlela ezivumelayo neziphoqayo futhi ukuxhumana phakathi kwesakhiwo, isiko kanye nomenzi kudala ukucabangela kwesimo okungaba okuncomayo noma okuphikisanayo ngokwemvelo. Imvume yokulandelana kwesimo yencazelo yokuthi kungani kunokuhlangenwe nakho okuhlukile ekuthathweni kwalawa ma-EdTech avela ezikhungweni ezehlukene esimweni semfundo ephakeme yaseNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo luzobaluleka emkhakheni wezobuchwepheshe bezemfundo futhi luthuthukise ukuqonda kwalokho okudingekayo ukuze kusetshenziswe ubuchwepheshe bezemfundo ekufundiseni nasekufundeni imfundo ephakeme. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Centre for Higher Education Research, Teaching and Learning, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The use of lesson study to support grade 2 teachers in implementing differentiated instruction to develop learners’ reading comprehension skills

Authors: Shipanga, Elizabeth Magano
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Reading comprehension Study and teaching (Elementary) Namibia , Lesson study , Differentiated instruction , Teaching Social aspects Namibia
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405390 , vital:70167
Description: Research has found that learners in Namibia have poor reading comprehension (UNESCO, 2017). The Ministry of Education Arts and Culture (MoEAC) is concerned that teachers do not have the required pedagogical content knowledge to teach reading, and particularly reading comprehension in English Second Language. In addition, the MoEAC (2015) advocates for Differentiated Instruction (DI) to accommodate the needs of all learners in the classroom. Despite, numerous Continuous Professional Development programs, there has not been much change in the way teachers teach reading. The Lesson Study (LS) approach is viewed as a means to support teachers’ professional development. It provides teachers with the agency to take responsibility for their own professional development. It is against this background that an interpretivist action research was utilised to ascertain how LS can be used to support Grade 2 teachers in implementing DI to develop learners’ reading comprehension skill. This study asked the question: How can Lesson Study be used to support Grade 2 teachers in implementing Differentiated Instruction to develop the learners’ reading comprehension? Data was generated through observations, document analysis and interviews. The Theory of Practice Architectures was used to analyse data. As teachers we began this study with knowledge of the goals and terminology of DI but lacked the competence to implement it. The LS process used in the study enhanced teamwork as we planned, taught, observed each other, and reflected on the lessons taught during the intervention. We shared diverse insights in a supportive environment. Despite still novices with LS and DI we worked on redesigning lessons to become more intentional in catering for the needs of all learners in developing their reading comprehension in English Second Language. The emerging evidence from this and other studies is that LS is a very useful vehicle for Continuous Professional Development (CPD), but it is time consuming and in this study planning and reflecting on the lessons had to occur after hours. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

The use of simulators and artificial intelligence in leadership feedback

Authors: Ntombana, Sixolile
Date: 2022-10-14
Subjects: Artificial intelligence , Leadership , Employees Rating of , Communication in industrial relations , Qualitative reasoning Technological innovations , Chatbots
Language: English
Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/357685 , vital:64767
Description: Leadership is a key factor in team success. For leadership to succeed, leaders need to possess the requisite competencies that can facilitate their performance. Team skills is identified as a leadership competency that is prioritised and most sought after by leaders. This follows studies that confirm that team skills are vital for leadership and team success. For leadership to develop team skills, feedback must be provided. Feedback is identified as information that is provided by an observer on a particular performance. The role of feedback in leadership development serves the purposes of engagement and self-reflection and evaluation of a leader’s performance. In this light, feedback cannot be separated from leadership as it is an essential part of communication in a leadership context. The nature and source of feedback can affect how the feedback is received, as shown by studies that suggest that the effectiveness of feedback goes beyond the content or nature (good/bad feedback) of the feedback. This study looks at two feedback sources: humans and artificial intelligence (AI) using students as the population. Humans have been the traditional source in feedback provision. Thus, in a team setting peers provide feedback on their peers’ performances. Unprecedented technological advancements have seen the improvement of AI capabilities to being able to give feedback. This has made AI a feedback source. Following these developments, this research assessed the way in which humans and AI provide feedback and the way in which students react to feedback provided by humans and AI. The research used chatbot AI, a Skills Simulator Assessment, launched by Kotlyar (2018). Students registered for Management One at Rhodes University in 2021 were the population for this research. The research was comprised of two phases where in phase one they were assessed by the Skill Simulator Assessment and in phase two they were assessed by their peers. This research found that students are not averse to feedback from AI, although they prefer peer feedback. It was further found that peer feedback tends to be tainted by lenience, while AI is not affected by lenience. This finding marked a significant development of AI in feedback provision. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Management, 2022
Full Text:
Date Issued: 2022-10-14

Showing items 521 - 540 of 9288

The governance of schools for internally displaced learners in Puntland, Somalia: a top-down or bottom-up approach to education peacebuilding?

The impacts of anthropogenic fires in West African savanna woodlands and parklands: the case of the Guinea savanna, Ghana

The implementation of a mobile application to decrease occupational sitting through goal setting and social comparison

The incorporation of GeoGebra as a visualisation tool to teach calculus in teacher education institutions: the Zambian case

The invisible teacher: The teacher envisaged in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) English First Additional Language (EFAL) Further Education and Training (FET) Phase

The meanings of the social media practices of African women engaged in multi-level marketing in Makhanda

The nexus between Community Engagement and Academic Language Development

The nexus between territorial border controls, informal cross border trading and economic security in Zimbabwe: the case of Beitbridge Border Post

The practical implications of taxing the informal sector in Zimbabwe

The process of thicket encroachment in semi-arid savanna: community patterns and biotic interactions

The regeneration of palmiet (prionium serratum) following hydrogeomorphic disturbance: a case study of the Kromme River wetland

The relationship between economic growth and taxation: an empirical study on optimal taxation in sub-Saharan Africa

The reported prevalence of aircrew fatigue and the contributing factors within the South African aviation industry

The role of Facebook in a survivor’s post-assault life: rape on campuses, women activists, and mental health

The role of visualisation in redefining the pedagogy of fractions in mathematics classrooms among senior primary school teachers

The soul of Mozambique: an autoethnographic and performance-based study on the correlation of glabalisation, Chopi people migrations and the reinterpretation of timbila music in Mozambique

The trade and poverty nexus in South Africa: investigating the transmission mechanism and the associated challenges

The uptake of educational technology in South African Higher Education: a study of the context that conditioned emergency remote teaching in the pandemic

The use of lesson study to support grade 2 teachers in implementing differentiated instruction to develop learners’ reading comprehension skills

The use of simulators and artificial intelligence in leadership feedback