An exploration of how consistently and precisely mathematics teachers code-switch in multilingual classrooms
- Authors: Chikiwa, Clemence
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2076 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021304
- Description: Many education research studies conducted in and outside South Africa encourage teachers to take advantage of the presence of multilingualism in their classrooms and to use it to the advancement of students’ conceptual learning. This study adopts the notion that code switching is a potential resource that teachers can use when teaching multilingual mathematics classes. The aim of this study is to determine how precisely and consistently selected teachers of multilingual mathematics classes code switched during teaching of trigonometry and geometry at secondary school. This study is informed by socio-cultural theory in general and Vygotsky’s work in particular. It focussed specifically on the critical role that language plays in the teaching and cognitive development of mathematics. My study situated within an interpretivist paradigm, used a case study research design and a mixed method research approach. Data were obtained through document collection, observing and interviewing three Grade 11 Mathematics teachers purposively selected from three secondary schools in Grahamstown and King Williamstown education districts of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Data were quantitatively and qualitatively analysed. Findings from this study revealed that the frequency of code switching was not consistent across teachers, topics and lessons. Teachers taught predominantly in the public domain exposing students to compromised mathematical content through their code switching practices. Borrowing code switching was prevalently employed consistently across the participating teachers. Very little transparent code switching, from mainly those mathematical terms commonly used in the foundation and the intermediate phases, was evident in teacher language. No Grade 11 trigonometry and geometry terms in isiXhosa were transparently and consistently code switched. The data suggested that while precision was observed in some cases, it was not consistent. Inconsistencies were caused by lack of planning for code switching, lack of teaching materials in indigenous languages, selective code switching, and ‘safe mode’ code switching strategies which affected teachers’ pedagogical practices. Overall results in this study illustrate that the lack of planning for code switching and the lack of explicit policies and clear-cut official positions on code switching for teaching has contributed to inconsistent and imprecise code switching by the participating teachers. This study concludes that the development of supporting mechanisms, identifying and documenting best practices to encourage transparent, meaningful and beneficial code switching is urgently required to aid and promote conceptual understanding of strongly bounded sub-registers of secondary school mathematics such as trigonometry and geometry. It is anticipated that this study will contribute significantly to the ongoing debate on language use in education and to the institution of best practices for judicious, consistent and precise use of students’ home language during the teaching of mathematics in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chikiwa, Clemence
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2076 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021304
- Description: Many education research studies conducted in and outside South Africa encourage teachers to take advantage of the presence of multilingualism in their classrooms and to use it to the advancement of students’ conceptual learning. This study adopts the notion that code switching is a potential resource that teachers can use when teaching multilingual mathematics classes. The aim of this study is to determine how precisely and consistently selected teachers of multilingual mathematics classes code switched during teaching of trigonometry and geometry at secondary school. This study is informed by socio-cultural theory in general and Vygotsky’s work in particular. It focussed specifically on the critical role that language plays in the teaching and cognitive development of mathematics. My study situated within an interpretivist paradigm, used a case study research design and a mixed method research approach. Data were obtained through document collection, observing and interviewing three Grade 11 Mathematics teachers purposively selected from three secondary schools in Grahamstown and King Williamstown education districts of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Data were quantitatively and qualitatively analysed. Findings from this study revealed that the frequency of code switching was not consistent across teachers, topics and lessons. Teachers taught predominantly in the public domain exposing students to compromised mathematical content through their code switching practices. Borrowing code switching was prevalently employed consistently across the participating teachers. Very little transparent code switching, from mainly those mathematical terms commonly used in the foundation and the intermediate phases, was evident in teacher language. No Grade 11 trigonometry and geometry terms in isiXhosa were transparently and consistently code switched. The data suggested that while precision was observed in some cases, it was not consistent. Inconsistencies were caused by lack of planning for code switching, lack of teaching materials in indigenous languages, selective code switching, and ‘safe mode’ code switching strategies which affected teachers’ pedagogical practices. Overall results in this study illustrate that the lack of planning for code switching and the lack of explicit policies and clear-cut official positions on code switching for teaching has contributed to inconsistent and imprecise code switching by the participating teachers. This study concludes that the development of supporting mechanisms, identifying and documenting best practices to encourage transparent, meaningful and beneficial code switching is urgently required to aid and promote conceptual understanding of strongly bounded sub-registers of secondary school mathematics such as trigonometry and geometry. It is anticipated that this study will contribute significantly to the ongoing debate on language use in education and to the institution of best practices for judicious, consistent and precise use of students’ home language during the teaching of mathematics in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Adaptive responses to heat stress, quality of hide and meat from indigenous Nguni and non-descript crossbred cattle
- Authors: Chikwanda, Denice
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Cattle -- Effect of temperature on Nguni cattle Beef cattle breeds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Agriculture)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10614 , vital:35635
- Description: The main objective of this study was to determine the adaptive responses of Nguni and non-descript crossbred cattle (NDCC) to heat stress, nutritionally-related blood metabolite profiles, fatty acid profiles, carcass and meat characteristics, physico-mechanical properties of automotive upholstery crust leather and the associated collagen fibre architecture of hides and crust leather. Forty steers (20 Nguni and 20 NDCC) which were approximately 14 months of age with live weights ranging between 153 kg and 203 kg at the beginning of the study were used. Environmental variables (ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind parameters, solar radiation) were collected from a weather station at the research farm. Temperature-humidity index (THI) values were computed. Rectal and skin temperature, skin traits and blood metabolites were determined at two-week intervals over 16 weeks. Hair coat scores ranged from extremely short (score 1) to very woolly (score 7). At slaughter, blood samples were collected after exsanguination. Meat samples were collected from the right muscularis longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and Triceps brachii (TB) muscles after 24 hours of chilling of carcasses for physico-chemical quality tests. Fatty acid profiles and physico-chemical quality of meat were determined on the LTL and TB. An additional fifty-four hides (27 Nguni and 27 NDCC) were obtained from a commercial abattoir at slaughter. The hides were tanned into automotive crust leather and tested for physico-mechanical quality. Results showed that week and environmental variables affected skin temperature; also, the rectal and skin temperatures were negatively correlated to body condition, skin pigment, coat score and skin thickness. Non-descript crossbred cattle had higher coat scores (2.1 ± 0.36 to 4.1 ± 4.20) than Nguni cattle (1.6 ± 0.36 to 4.1 ± 0.36). Body condition scores, blood creatinine, urea, total protein, albumin and globulin were affected by genotype and week of sampling. At the end of the trial, NDCC had higher slaughter and hide weights (285.9 ± 6.52 kg and 18.4 ± 0.54 kg, respectively) than Nguni cattle (232.6 ± 6.5 kg and 14.7 ± 0.54 kg, respectively). The majority of NDCC carcasses (73.7 percent) had a fatness level of 1 compared to Nguni carcasses (50 percent). Intramuscular fat was higher in Nguni (1.8 ± 0.09 percent) compared to NDCC (1.5 ± 0.09 percent) steers. Nguni steers had darker muscle colour (L*=33.6 ± 0.01) than NDCC (L*= 35.7 ± 0.54). Nguni and NDCC had similar thawing loss, cooking loss, WBSF tenderness, fat-free dry matter, moisture content, fatty acid profiles and health-related lipid indices. Ultimate muscle pH, meat colour and chroma were similar in the LTL and TB. Concerning the skin, Nguni and NDCC had similar physico-mechanical properties. However, breaking load and tensile strength were higher (1257.1 ± 70.72 N and 28.3 ± 1.23 MPa) in samples taken parallel to the backbone compared to that taken perpendicular to the backbone (979.5 ±70.72 N and 23.6 ±1.23MPa) across the two genotypes. Non-descript crossbred crust leather varied in physico-mechanical tests by direction of sampling. Collagen fibre orientation in hides and crust samples also varied between longitudinal and cross-sections. Collagen fibre diameters in the Nguni were similar in longitudinal and cross-sections (3.4 ± 0.12 μm and 3.2 ± 0.11 μm, respectively). From this study, it is concluded that THI, hair coat, skin traits and body condition affect skin temperature, but not rectal temperature, cortisol and CK activity in Nguni and NDCC reared extensively. The two genotypes differ in nutritionally-related blood metabolites, growth performance, hide weights and carcass traits. Beef from Nguni and NDCC differs in the IMF and meat lightness but is similar in the meat fatty acid composition and some physico-chemical quality parameters. Automotive crust leathers from the two genotypes were similar in some physico-mechanical properties. Collagen architecture varied among different regions of hides and crust leathers
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chikwanda, Denice
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Cattle -- Effect of temperature on Nguni cattle Beef cattle breeds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Agriculture)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10614 , vital:35635
- Description: The main objective of this study was to determine the adaptive responses of Nguni and non-descript crossbred cattle (NDCC) to heat stress, nutritionally-related blood metabolite profiles, fatty acid profiles, carcass and meat characteristics, physico-mechanical properties of automotive upholstery crust leather and the associated collagen fibre architecture of hides and crust leather. Forty steers (20 Nguni and 20 NDCC) which were approximately 14 months of age with live weights ranging between 153 kg and 203 kg at the beginning of the study were used. Environmental variables (ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind parameters, solar radiation) were collected from a weather station at the research farm. Temperature-humidity index (THI) values were computed. Rectal and skin temperature, skin traits and blood metabolites were determined at two-week intervals over 16 weeks. Hair coat scores ranged from extremely short (score 1) to very woolly (score 7). At slaughter, blood samples were collected after exsanguination. Meat samples were collected from the right muscularis longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and Triceps brachii (TB) muscles after 24 hours of chilling of carcasses for physico-chemical quality tests. Fatty acid profiles and physico-chemical quality of meat were determined on the LTL and TB. An additional fifty-four hides (27 Nguni and 27 NDCC) were obtained from a commercial abattoir at slaughter. The hides were tanned into automotive crust leather and tested for physico-mechanical quality. Results showed that week and environmental variables affected skin temperature; also, the rectal and skin temperatures were negatively correlated to body condition, skin pigment, coat score and skin thickness. Non-descript crossbred cattle had higher coat scores (2.1 ± 0.36 to 4.1 ± 4.20) than Nguni cattle (1.6 ± 0.36 to 4.1 ± 0.36). Body condition scores, blood creatinine, urea, total protein, albumin and globulin were affected by genotype and week of sampling. At the end of the trial, NDCC had higher slaughter and hide weights (285.9 ± 6.52 kg and 18.4 ± 0.54 kg, respectively) than Nguni cattle (232.6 ± 6.5 kg and 14.7 ± 0.54 kg, respectively). The majority of NDCC carcasses (73.7 percent) had a fatness level of 1 compared to Nguni carcasses (50 percent). Intramuscular fat was higher in Nguni (1.8 ± 0.09 percent) compared to NDCC (1.5 ± 0.09 percent) steers. Nguni steers had darker muscle colour (L*=33.6 ± 0.01) than NDCC (L*= 35.7 ± 0.54). Nguni and NDCC had similar thawing loss, cooking loss, WBSF tenderness, fat-free dry matter, moisture content, fatty acid profiles and health-related lipid indices. Ultimate muscle pH, meat colour and chroma were similar in the LTL and TB. Concerning the skin, Nguni and NDCC had similar physico-mechanical properties. However, breaking load and tensile strength were higher (1257.1 ± 70.72 N and 28.3 ± 1.23 MPa) in samples taken parallel to the backbone compared to that taken perpendicular to the backbone (979.5 ±70.72 N and 23.6 ±1.23MPa) across the two genotypes. Non-descript crossbred crust leather varied in physico-mechanical tests by direction of sampling. Collagen fibre orientation in hides and crust samples also varied between longitudinal and cross-sections. Collagen fibre diameters in the Nguni were similar in longitudinal and cross-sections (3.4 ± 0.12 μm and 3.2 ± 0.11 μm, respectively). From this study, it is concluded that THI, hair coat, skin traits and body condition affect skin temperature, but not rectal temperature, cortisol and CK activity in Nguni and NDCC reared extensively. The two genotypes differ in nutritionally-related blood metabolites, growth performance, hide weights and carcass traits. Beef from Nguni and NDCC differs in the IMF and meat lightness but is similar in the meat fatty acid composition and some physico-chemical quality parameters. Automotive crust leathers from the two genotypes were similar in some physico-mechanical properties. Collagen architecture varied among different regions of hides and crust leathers
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Dynamic service orchestration in heterogeneous internet of things environments
- Authors: Chindenga, Edmore
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Internet of things
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8001 , vital:31457
- Description: Internet of Things (IoT) presents a dynamic global revolution in the Internet where physical and virtual “things” will communicate and share information. As the number of devices increases, there is a need for a plug-and–interoperate approach of deploying “things” to the existing network with less or no human need for configuration. The plug-and-interoperate approach allows heterogeneous “things” to seamlessly interoperate, interact and exchange information and subsequently share services. Services are represented as functionalities that are offered by the “things”. Service orchestration provides an approach to integration and interoperability that decouples applications from each other, enhancing capabilities to centrally manage and monitor components. This work investigated requirements for semantic interoperability and exposed current challenges in IoT interoperability as a means of facilitating services orchestration in IoT. The research proposes a platform that allows heterogeneous devices to collaborate thereby enabling dynamic service orchestration. The platform provides a common framework for representing semantics allowing for a consistent information exchange format. The information is stored and presented in an ontology thereby preserving semantics and making the information comprehensible to machines allowing for automated addressing, tracking and discovery as well as information representation, storage, and exchange. Process mining techniques were used to discover service orchestrations. Process mining techniques enabled the analysis of runtime behavior of service orchestrations and the semantic breakdown of the service request and creation in real time. This enabled the research to draw observations that led to conclusions presented in this work. The research noted that the use of semantic technologies facilitates interoperability in heterogeneous devices and can be implemented as a means to bypass challenges presented by differences in IoT “things”.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chindenga, Edmore
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Internet of things
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8001 , vital:31457
- Description: Internet of Things (IoT) presents a dynamic global revolution in the Internet where physical and virtual “things” will communicate and share information. As the number of devices increases, there is a need for a plug-and–interoperate approach of deploying “things” to the existing network with less or no human need for configuration. The plug-and-interoperate approach allows heterogeneous “things” to seamlessly interoperate, interact and exchange information and subsequently share services. Services are represented as functionalities that are offered by the “things”. Service orchestration provides an approach to integration and interoperability that decouples applications from each other, enhancing capabilities to centrally manage and monitor components. This work investigated requirements for semantic interoperability and exposed current challenges in IoT interoperability as a means of facilitating services orchestration in IoT. The research proposes a platform that allows heterogeneous devices to collaborate thereby enabling dynamic service orchestration. The platform provides a common framework for representing semantics allowing for a consistent information exchange format. The information is stored and presented in an ontology thereby preserving semantics and making the information comprehensible to machines allowing for automated addressing, tracking and discovery as well as information representation, storage, and exchange. Process mining techniques were used to discover service orchestrations. Process mining techniques enabled the analysis of runtime behavior of service orchestrations and the semantic breakdown of the service request and creation in real time. This enabled the research to draw observations that led to conclusions presented in this work. The research noted that the use of semantic technologies facilitates interoperability in heterogeneous devices and can be implemented as a means to bypass challenges presented by differences in IoT “things”.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
An investigation into instability in post- Gaddafi Libya, Mali and Nigeria: a comparative theoretical approach
- Authors: Chindoga, Melody
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Terrorism Insurgency Terrorism -- Government policy
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sci
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2667 , vital:27982
- Description: Since the ousting of Gaddafi from power in 2011, Libya, Mali and Nigeria have experienced high levels of instability. An investigation into the causes of instability is employed in the study to gain insights into the major cause of conflict in post-Gaddafi Libya, Mali and Nigeria. The study considered instability as a consequence of a combination of existing exogenous and endogenous factors which were examined according to various theoretical lenses. A comparative theoretical analysis was used so as to interpret and analyse data. The analysis was subjected to theoretical scrutiny according to four mainstream International Relations theories namely; realism, critical theory, constructivism and the “clash of civilizations” hypothesis, in order to determine whether they could effectively explain post-Gaddafi violence and instability. The research findings revealed that the distinction between internal and external variables is artificial and the various causes cannot be exclusively differentiated from one other. The research also identified constructivism as the best possible explanation of instability in the particular context under investigation, through its recognition of the significance of normative as well as material elements, and the emphasis placed on the role of identity and ideas in shaping political actions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chindoga, Melody
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Terrorism Insurgency Terrorism -- Government policy
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sci
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2667 , vital:27982
- Description: Since the ousting of Gaddafi from power in 2011, Libya, Mali and Nigeria have experienced high levels of instability. An investigation into the causes of instability is employed in the study to gain insights into the major cause of conflict in post-Gaddafi Libya, Mali and Nigeria. The study considered instability as a consequence of a combination of existing exogenous and endogenous factors which were examined according to various theoretical lenses. A comparative theoretical analysis was used so as to interpret and analyse data. The analysis was subjected to theoretical scrutiny according to four mainstream International Relations theories namely; realism, critical theory, constructivism and the “clash of civilizations” hypothesis, in order to determine whether they could effectively explain post-Gaddafi violence and instability. The research findings revealed that the distinction between internal and external variables is artificial and the various causes cannot be exclusively differentiated from one other. The research also identified constructivism as the best possible explanation of instability in the particular context under investigation, through its recognition of the significance of normative as well as material elements, and the emphasis placed on the role of identity and ideas in shaping political actions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The use of conceptual costume design to express the emotional trajectory of the play sounds of South End
- Authors: Chingosho, Vimbai
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Fashion -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Costume design -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11449 , vital:26926
- Description: The aim of this study is to illustrate how, in the design of costumes, adopting design elements used to produce conceptual fashion can create conceptual costumes that have the ability to express emotions. The play Sounds of South End (2013) contains such qualities; therefore it has been selected to illustrate how the mood and emotional trajectory of a play can be interpreted through symbolism. The play illustrates the life before and after the forced removals during the apartheid (1960s and 1970s), of a fictional family, the Dietrichs, who live in South End, a suburb in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. A focus on the nature of emotional changes experienced by the family has been used to determine the overall mood of the play, leading to a translation of the shifting mood through a collection of conceptual costumes. The final collection was exhibited as an installation artwork that is an interpretation of the altering moods and emotions that occur in the life of the Dietrich family as the play unfolds. The conceptual costumes have been constructed to imbue the narrative of the play with deep meaning by using symbolic elements, such as colour, texture and weight, to suggest the emotional trajectory within the play. The eight costumes portray the interrelated gradual decline and resultant deterioration of human relations experienced by the Dietrichs, from a contented state of harmonious living to a wounded state of despair.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chingosho, Vimbai
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Fashion -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Costume design -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11449 , vital:26926
- Description: The aim of this study is to illustrate how, in the design of costumes, adopting design elements used to produce conceptual fashion can create conceptual costumes that have the ability to express emotions. The play Sounds of South End (2013) contains such qualities; therefore it has been selected to illustrate how the mood and emotional trajectory of a play can be interpreted through symbolism. The play illustrates the life before and after the forced removals during the apartheid (1960s and 1970s), of a fictional family, the Dietrichs, who live in South End, a suburb in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. A focus on the nature of emotional changes experienced by the family has been used to determine the overall mood of the play, leading to a translation of the shifting mood through a collection of conceptual costumes. The final collection was exhibited as an installation artwork that is an interpretation of the altering moods and emotions that occur in the life of the Dietrich family as the play unfolds. The conceptual costumes have been constructed to imbue the narrative of the play with deep meaning by using symbolic elements, such as colour, texture and weight, to suggest the emotional trajectory within the play. The eight costumes portray the interrelated gradual decline and resultant deterioration of human relations experienced by the Dietrichs, from a contented state of harmonious living to a wounded state of despair.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Catering for children with special education needs in the provision of early childhood development programme in Zimbabwe : towards a holistic and inclusive framework
- Authors: Chinhara, Henry
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Children with disabilities -- Education -- Zimbabwe Special education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/3055 , vital:28244
- Description: The study investigated how primary schools in Chiredzi District in Zimbabwe, cater for ECD “A” and “B” children with special education needs. A mixed method design located in the pragmatism paradigm was used to carry out the study. Post-positivist is an interactive process which produced in-depth, detailed, rich data from personal perspectives and experiences that resulted in realistic understanding of phenomenon, interpreted through the social and cultural context of respondents’ lives. By adopting quantitative and qualitative approaches, the researcher was able to ensure a high level of reliability in the collected data, at the same time obtaining comprehensive information on how primary schools attaching preschool classes in Chiredzi district cater for ECD “A” and “B” children with special education needs. Purposive sampling and cluster sampling procedures were used to solicit information from ECD teachers, school heads, parents, the District Education Team, NGOs and critical government ministries through semi-structured questionnaires, face-t-face interviews, focus group discussions, observations and document analysis. The study established that, while the government carries out its mandate of providing social services to learners with special education needs, they are incapacitated due to lack of resources. The majority of schools are not providing adequate health facilities for learners with special education needs. Furthermore, most schools are not providing nutritional supplementation to vulnerable learners, situations which deprive the learners with the much needed opportunity to grow and develop to the anticipated potential. In addition, the study noted that, ECD “A” and “B” children with special education needs enrolled in classes attached to primary schools do not access Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) or Cash Transfers to alleviate the children that are in need. It came out that such a situation impacts on learners’ attendance and subsequently their learning outcomes. Regardless of the stipulations by international treaties on the nature of inclusive education, the study established that, the education system has not yet modified curriculum to accommodate learners with diversified forms of special education needs. The situation is made worse by the fact that, heads of schools, and teachers are not adequately trained to handle learners with special education needs in early childhood development programmes. In addition, schools face the challenge of scarcity of learning resources that support ECD learners with special education needs which seriously impact on the growth and development of young learners at this critical stage of their development. Regardless of the essence of continuous professional development programs, in schools whose purpose is to redress the professional gap in schools, the study found that the CPD are doing very little to transform the mind-set of teachers. The study concluded that learners with special education needs are not benefiting from the current inclusive education programme. The study recommends that following; Stakeholders work together to promote the health and nutritional needs including other social services of ECD learners in classes attached to primary schools. There be a national teacher in-service programme for those teachers deployed in schools, to equip them with the desired skills, and knowledge to handle learners with special education needs, especially at this critical stage of their development. Teachers’ Colleges redesign their curriculum to address inclusive education in schools. Teachers’ Colleges need to empower new graduates with skills and knowledge to handle children with special education needs in schools. Policy makers to advocate for redesigning the curriculum to include children with special education needs to ensure availability of resources in inclusive schools to alleviate the challenges faced by these children. Those policy makers should advocate for a way to ensure that all children with special education be enrolled in mainstream schools. Thus, the study proposed an alternative, holistic, and inclusive education model for schools attaching ECD “A” and “B”
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chinhara, Henry
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Children with disabilities -- Education -- Zimbabwe Special education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/3055 , vital:28244
- Description: The study investigated how primary schools in Chiredzi District in Zimbabwe, cater for ECD “A” and “B” children with special education needs. A mixed method design located in the pragmatism paradigm was used to carry out the study. Post-positivist is an interactive process which produced in-depth, detailed, rich data from personal perspectives and experiences that resulted in realistic understanding of phenomenon, interpreted through the social and cultural context of respondents’ lives. By adopting quantitative and qualitative approaches, the researcher was able to ensure a high level of reliability in the collected data, at the same time obtaining comprehensive information on how primary schools attaching preschool classes in Chiredzi district cater for ECD “A” and “B” children with special education needs. Purposive sampling and cluster sampling procedures were used to solicit information from ECD teachers, school heads, parents, the District Education Team, NGOs and critical government ministries through semi-structured questionnaires, face-t-face interviews, focus group discussions, observations and document analysis. The study established that, while the government carries out its mandate of providing social services to learners with special education needs, they are incapacitated due to lack of resources. The majority of schools are not providing adequate health facilities for learners with special education needs. Furthermore, most schools are not providing nutritional supplementation to vulnerable learners, situations which deprive the learners with the much needed opportunity to grow and develop to the anticipated potential. In addition, the study noted that, ECD “A” and “B” children with special education needs enrolled in classes attached to primary schools do not access Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) or Cash Transfers to alleviate the children that are in need. It came out that such a situation impacts on learners’ attendance and subsequently their learning outcomes. Regardless of the stipulations by international treaties on the nature of inclusive education, the study established that, the education system has not yet modified curriculum to accommodate learners with diversified forms of special education needs. The situation is made worse by the fact that, heads of schools, and teachers are not adequately trained to handle learners with special education needs in early childhood development programmes. In addition, schools face the challenge of scarcity of learning resources that support ECD learners with special education needs which seriously impact on the growth and development of young learners at this critical stage of their development. Regardless of the essence of continuous professional development programs, in schools whose purpose is to redress the professional gap in schools, the study found that the CPD are doing very little to transform the mind-set of teachers. The study concluded that learners with special education needs are not benefiting from the current inclusive education programme. The study recommends that following; Stakeholders work together to promote the health and nutritional needs including other social services of ECD learners in classes attached to primary schools. There be a national teacher in-service programme for those teachers deployed in schools, to equip them with the desired skills, and knowledge to handle learners with special education needs, especially at this critical stage of their development. Teachers’ Colleges redesign their curriculum to address inclusive education in schools. Teachers’ Colleges need to empower new graduates with skills and knowledge to handle children with special education needs in schools. Policy makers to advocate for redesigning the curriculum to include children with special education needs to ensure availability of resources in inclusive schools to alleviate the challenges faced by these children. Those policy makers should advocate for a way to ensure that all children with special education be enrolled in mainstream schools. Thus, the study proposed an alternative, holistic, and inclusive education model for schools attaching ECD “A” and “B”
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Engendering the meaningful use of electronic medical records: a South African perspective
- Chipfumbu, Colletor Tendeukai
- Authors: Chipfumbu, Colletor Tendeukai
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Electronic records -- South Africa -- Management Information storage and retrieval systems -- Management , Medical records -- South Africa Medical records -- Data processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18420 , vital:28635
- Description: Theoretically, the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) holds promise of numerous benefits in healthcare provision, including improvement in continuity of care, quality of care and safety. However, in practice, there is evidence that the adoption of electronic medical records has been slow and where adopted, often lacks meaningful use. Thus there is a clear dichotomy between the ambitions for EMR use and the reality of EMR implementation. In the USA, a legislative approach was taken to turn around the situation. Other countries such as Canada and European countries have followed suit (in their own way) to address the adoption and meaningful use of electronic medical records. The South African e-Health strategy and the National Health Normative Standards Framework for Interoperability in eHealth in South Africa documents both recommend the adoption of EMRs. Much work has been done to establish a baseline for standards to ensure interoperability and data portability of healthcare applications and data. However, even with the increased focus on e-Health, South Africa remains excessively reliant on paper-based medical records. Where health information technologies have been adopted, there is lack of coordination between and within provinces, leading to a multitude of systems and vendors. Thus there is a lack of systematic adoption and meaningful use of EMRs in South Africa. The main objective of this research is to develop the components required to engender meaningful use of electronic medical records in the South African healthcare context. The main contributors are identified as EMR certification and consistent, proper use of certified EMRs. Literature review, a Delphi study and logical argumentation are used to develop the relevant components for the South African healthcare context. The benefits of EMRs can only be realized through systematic adoption and meaningful use of EMRs, thus this research contributes to providing a road map for engendering the meaningful use of EMRs with the ultimate aim of improving healthcare in the South African healthcare landscape.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chipfumbu, Colletor Tendeukai
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Electronic records -- South Africa -- Management Information storage and retrieval systems -- Management , Medical records -- South Africa Medical records -- Data processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18420 , vital:28635
- Description: Theoretically, the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) holds promise of numerous benefits in healthcare provision, including improvement in continuity of care, quality of care and safety. However, in practice, there is evidence that the adoption of electronic medical records has been slow and where adopted, often lacks meaningful use. Thus there is a clear dichotomy between the ambitions for EMR use and the reality of EMR implementation. In the USA, a legislative approach was taken to turn around the situation. Other countries such as Canada and European countries have followed suit (in their own way) to address the adoption and meaningful use of electronic medical records. The South African e-Health strategy and the National Health Normative Standards Framework for Interoperability in eHealth in South Africa documents both recommend the adoption of EMRs. Much work has been done to establish a baseline for standards to ensure interoperability and data portability of healthcare applications and data. However, even with the increased focus on e-Health, South Africa remains excessively reliant on paper-based medical records. Where health information technologies have been adopted, there is lack of coordination between and within provinces, leading to a multitude of systems and vendors. Thus there is a lack of systematic adoption and meaningful use of EMRs in South Africa. The main objective of this research is to develop the components required to engender meaningful use of electronic medical records in the South African healthcare context. The main contributors are identified as EMR certification and consistent, proper use of certified EMRs. Literature review, a Delphi study and logical argumentation are used to develop the relevant components for the South African healthcare context. The benefits of EMRs can only be realized through systematic adoption and meaningful use of EMRs, thus this research contributes to providing a road map for engendering the meaningful use of EMRs with the ultimate aim of improving healthcare in the South African healthcare landscape.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The impact of monetary policy announcement on financial markets in South Africa
- Authors: Chipfunde, Memory
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Johannesburg Stock Exchange Monetary policy Money market
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12193 , vital:39195
- Description: Monetary policy announcements are among the major decisions that affect the economy as a whole. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of monetary policy announcements on equity markets in South Africa during 2014-2015 financial years. That financial period is a unique year for analyzing the impact of monetary announcements on stock returns because the Reserve Bank Governor was changed in the last quarter of 2014. Moreover, interest rates were changed in four monetary policy announcements over the course of two years. This provides a good opportunity to investigate how monetary policy announcements can affect financial markets. The study used an event study methodology whereby a 15-day event window is used as well as a 45-day estimation window. Around the event window, abnormal returns were calculated using the market model and capital asset pricing model (CAPM) was used to calculate expected returns. The results are mixed; (both significant and insignificant) impact of monetary policy announcements on JSE stock returns. Of the 12 interest rates announcements, only four seemed to be significant. It was observed that of the four significant results, three of them were because of a hike in interest rates. The results show an asymmetric response by the market to interest rate changes. The results also suggest that the market anticipated the relative volatility arising from the change of the minister of the reserve bank governor. Following the appointment of the new Central Bank‟s governor in the last quarter of 2014, the first interest rate announcement seemed to have been anticipated by the public thereby rendering it insignificant. Inorder to improve the strength of the results in future, it is important that that there should be the absence of signalling effect in the market. It is recommended that the markets are efficient and the announcements should not be highly anticipated by the public.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chipfunde, Memory
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Johannesburg Stock Exchange Monetary policy Money market
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12193 , vital:39195
- Description: Monetary policy announcements are among the major decisions that affect the economy as a whole. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of monetary policy announcements on equity markets in South Africa during 2014-2015 financial years. That financial period is a unique year for analyzing the impact of monetary announcements on stock returns because the Reserve Bank Governor was changed in the last quarter of 2014. Moreover, interest rates were changed in four monetary policy announcements over the course of two years. This provides a good opportunity to investigate how monetary policy announcements can affect financial markets. The study used an event study methodology whereby a 15-day event window is used as well as a 45-day estimation window. Around the event window, abnormal returns were calculated using the market model and capital asset pricing model (CAPM) was used to calculate expected returns. The results are mixed; (both significant and insignificant) impact of monetary policy announcements on JSE stock returns. Of the 12 interest rates announcements, only four seemed to be significant. It was observed that of the four significant results, three of them were because of a hike in interest rates. The results show an asymmetric response by the market to interest rate changes. The results also suggest that the market anticipated the relative volatility arising from the change of the minister of the reserve bank governor. Following the appointment of the new Central Bank‟s governor in the last quarter of 2014, the first interest rate announcement seemed to have been anticipated by the public thereby rendering it insignificant. Inorder to improve the strength of the results in future, it is important that that there should be the absence of signalling effect in the market. It is recommended that the markets are efficient and the announcements should not be highly anticipated by the public.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The implementation of information and communication technology (ICT) intergrated teaching and learning in textiles and clothing programmes at one University of Science and Techology in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Chipo, Dzikite
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Information technology -- Study and teaching -- Zimbabwe Internet in education -- Zimbabwe Teaching -- Zimbabwe -- Aids and devices Education, Higher -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , M Ed
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2127 , vital:27612
- Description: Textiles and Clothing programmes in universities worldwide experience numerous challenges in effectively implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning. The aim of this study was to explore how ICT integrated teaching and learning was implemented in Textiles and Clothing programmes at one university of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, with a view to developing a suitable model to enhance effective implementation. The study was informed by the Activity theory and triangulated by the Technological pedagogical content knowledge framework (TPACK) and the Functionality framework. The study made use of the interpretive research paradigm, the qualitative approach and intrinsic case study design, to generate the necessary data. The participants of the study were purposively and quota sampled from the Textiles and Clothing department of the selected university of Science and Technology, and consisted of seven lecturers, three administrators, two ICT technicians and thirty-two students. Four methods were used to generate data namely in-depth interviews, focus group interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. After coding, data were analysed for content using thematic analysis. The study established that there were no specific ICT hardware and software packages acquired by the universityfor the Textiles and Clothing programmes. Instead, general design related softwares such as CorelDraw, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Mac Paints were used to support the implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning. The findings of the study further revealed that lecturers lacked thorough technological pedagogical knowledge to apply a variety of ICT in the teaching and learning of students. The study established that there was lack of an effective mechanism for providing monitoring and evaluation as the peer review and evaluation mechanism that was used in the Textiles and Clothing programmes did not identify the specific indicators for the implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning. Among the conclusions emanating from the findings were that the Textiles and Clothing programmes suffered serious shortage of suitable ICT hardware and subject-specific ICT software applications to facilitate the teaching of practical components thereby compromising the effective implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning to foster effective skill acquisition in relation to ICT among students. It was also concluded that lecturers were finding difficulties in implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning as they lacked thorough technological-pedagogical-content knowledge and skills that would enable them to select appropriate technological resources and technological pedagogical strategies to teach students appropriate content. The study recommended that the Textiles and Clothing department, through the support of the university, should acquire subject related educational hardware and software like Gerber or Lectra to teach the practical courses of the programmes. The university should organise professional development programmes focussing on TPACK to assist lecturers to develop competences in ICT necessary for implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning. A model was proposed to enhance the effective implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning into the Textiles and Clothing programmes at the University.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chipo, Dzikite
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Information technology -- Study and teaching -- Zimbabwe Internet in education -- Zimbabwe Teaching -- Zimbabwe -- Aids and devices Education, Higher -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , M Ed
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2127 , vital:27612
- Description: Textiles and Clothing programmes in universities worldwide experience numerous challenges in effectively implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning. The aim of this study was to explore how ICT integrated teaching and learning was implemented in Textiles and Clothing programmes at one university of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, with a view to developing a suitable model to enhance effective implementation. The study was informed by the Activity theory and triangulated by the Technological pedagogical content knowledge framework (TPACK) and the Functionality framework. The study made use of the interpretive research paradigm, the qualitative approach and intrinsic case study design, to generate the necessary data. The participants of the study were purposively and quota sampled from the Textiles and Clothing department of the selected university of Science and Technology, and consisted of seven lecturers, three administrators, two ICT technicians and thirty-two students. Four methods were used to generate data namely in-depth interviews, focus group interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. After coding, data were analysed for content using thematic analysis. The study established that there were no specific ICT hardware and software packages acquired by the universityfor the Textiles and Clothing programmes. Instead, general design related softwares such as CorelDraw, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Mac Paints were used to support the implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning. The findings of the study further revealed that lecturers lacked thorough technological pedagogical knowledge to apply a variety of ICT in the teaching and learning of students. The study established that there was lack of an effective mechanism for providing monitoring and evaluation as the peer review and evaluation mechanism that was used in the Textiles and Clothing programmes did not identify the specific indicators for the implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning. Among the conclusions emanating from the findings were that the Textiles and Clothing programmes suffered serious shortage of suitable ICT hardware and subject-specific ICT software applications to facilitate the teaching of practical components thereby compromising the effective implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning to foster effective skill acquisition in relation to ICT among students. It was also concluded that lecturers were finding difficulties in implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning as they lacked thorough technological-pedagogical-content knowledge and skills that would enable them to select appropriate technological resources and technological pedagogical strategies to teach students appropriate content. The study recommended that the Textiles and Clothing department, through the support of the university, should acquire subject related educational hardware and software like Gerber or Lectra to teach the practical courses of the programmes. The university should organise professional development programmes focussing on TPACK to assist lecturers to develop competences in ICT necessary for implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning. A model was proposed to enhance the effective implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning into the Textiles and Clothing programmes at the University.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The implementation of information and communication technology (ICT) intergrated teaching and learning in textiles and clothing programmes at one University of Science and Techology in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Chipo, Dzikite
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Internet in education -- Zimbabwe Information technology -- Study and teaching -- Zimbabwe Internet in education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Degree
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5226 , vital:29115
- Description: challenges in effectively implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning. The aim of this study was to explore how ICT integrated teaching and learning was implemented in Textiles and Clothing programmes at one university of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, with a view to developing a suitable model to enhance effective implementation. The study was informed by the Activity theory and triangulated by the Technological pedagogical content knowledge framework (TPACK) and the Functionality framework. The study made use of the interpretive research paradigm, the qualitative approach and intrinsic case study design, to generate the necessary data. The participants of the study were purposively and quota sampled from the Textiles and Clothing department of the selected university of Science and Technology, and consisted of seven lecturers, three administrators, two ICT technicians and thirty-two students. Four methods were used to generate data namely in-depth interviews, focus group interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. After coding, data were analysed for content using thematic analysis. The study established that there were no specific ICT hardware and software packages acquired by the universityfor the Textiles and Clothing programmes. Instead, general design related softwares such as CorelDraw, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Mac Paints were used to support the implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning. The findings of the study further revealed that lecturers lacked thorough technological pedagogical knowledge to apply a variety of ICT in the teaching and learning of students. The study established that there was lack of an effective mechanism for providing monitoring and evaluation as the peer review and evaluation mechanism that was used in the Textiles and Clothing programmes did not identify the specific indicators for the implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning. Among the conclusions emanating from the findings were that the Textiles and Clothing programmes suffered serious shortage of suitable ICT hardware and subject-specific ICT software applications to facilitate the teaching of practical components thereby compromising the effective implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning to foster effective skill acquisition in relation to ICT among students. It was also concluded that lecturers were finding difficulties in implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning as they lacked thorough technological-pedagogical-content knowledge and skills that would enable them to select appropriate technological resources and technological pedagogical strategies to teach students appropriate content. The study recommended that the Textiles and Clothing department, through the support of the university, should acquire subject related educational hardware and software like Gerber or Lectra to teach the practical courses of the programmes. The university should organise professional development programmes focussing on TPACK to assist lecturers to develop competences in ICT necessary for implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning. A model was proposed to enhance the effective implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning into the Textiles and Clothing programmes at the University.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chipo, Dzikite
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Internet in education -- Zimbabwe Information technology -- Study and teaching -- Zimbabwe Internet in education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Degree
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5226 , vital:29115
- Description: challenges in effectively implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning. The aim of this study was to explore how ICT integrated teaching and learning was implemented in Textiles and Clothing programmes at one university of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, with a view to developing a suitable model to enhance effective implementation. The study was informed by the Activity theory and triangulated by the Technological pedagogical content knowledge framework (TPACK) and the Functionality framework. The study made use of the interpretive research paradigm, the qualitative approach and intrinsic case study design, to generate the necessary data. The participants of the study were purposively and quota sampled from the Textiles and Clothing department of the selected university of Science and Technology, and consisted of seven lecturers, three administrators, two ICT technicians and thirty-two students. Four methods were used to generate data namely in-depth interviews, focus group interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. After coding, data were analysed for content using thematic analysis. The study established that there were no specific ICT hardware and software packages acquired by the universityfor the Textiles and Clothing programmes. Instead, general design related softwares such as CorelDraw, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Mac Paints were used to support the implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning. The findings of the study further revealed that lecturers lacked thorough technological pedagogical knowledge to apply a variety of ICT in the teaching and learning of students. The study established that there was lack of an effective mechanism for providing monitoring and evaluation as the peer review and evaluation mechanism that was used in the Textiles and Clothing programmes did not identify the specific indicators for the implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning. Among the conclusions emanating from the findings were that the Textiles and Clothing programmes suffered serious shortage of suitable ICT hardware and subject-specific ICT software applications to facilitate the teaching of practical components thereby compromising the effective implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning to foster effective skill acquisition in relation to ICT among students. It was also concluded that lecturers were finding difficulties in implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning as they lacked thorough technological-pedagogical-content knowledge and skills that would enable them to select appropriate technological resources and technological pedagogical strategies to teach students appropriate content. The study recommended that the Textiles and Clothing department, through the support of the university, should acquire subject related educational hardware and software like Gerber or Lectra to teach the practical courses of the programmes. The university should organise professional development programmes focussing on TPACK to assist lecturers to develop competences in ICT necessary for implementing ICT integrated teaching and learning. A model was proposed to enhance the effective implementation of ICT integrated teaching and learning into the Textiles and Clothing programmes at the University.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
The relationship between leaders’ emotional intelligence and followers’ motivational behaviour and organisational commitment
- Authors: Chipumuro, Juliet
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/484 , vital:19963
- Description: Over the past few years, emotional intelligence (EI) has generated significant interest and a wealth of research as a possible area of insight into what determines outstanding performance in the workplace (Ashworth, 2013:8; Pillay, Viviers and Mayer, 2013:1). The internal environment of organisations in the labour-intense hospitality industry is complex and dynamic. Given the unpredictability of change, the researcher found the hospitality industry to be an intriguing milieu within which to ascertain the importance of EI in predicting leaders’ effectiveness as a measure of outstanding performance. As employees are the internal customers of any hotel organisation, representing many hotel organisations’ only true competitive advantage, the purpose of this quantitative investigation was to examine the relationship between leaders’ EI and followers’ motivational behaviour and organisational commitment. Despite the intuitive plausibility of the assumption that leaders who exhibit EI competencies contribute to outstanding performance, the issue of followers’ motivational behaviour and organisational commitment as leadership indices has received little empirical attention. This study sets out to integrate prior findings on EI, motivation and organisational commitment, to support these findings in literature, and to incorporate these findings into a comprehensive conceptual framework. Using critical realists’ post-positivistic philosophical assumptions, the researcher used the Emotional and Social Competencies Inventory (ESCI) to assess leaders’ EI. Furthermore, the Motivational Sources Inventory (MSI) was used to assess followers’ motivational behaviour, while Organisational Commitment Scales (OCS) were used to assess followers’ organisational commitment. The survey respondents consisted of 120 leaders and 435 followers from 13 hotels in four prominent hotel groups in South Africa. The quantitative data collected from the surveys was analysed quantitatively using SPSS to reach substantial results with inferences. The analysis of variance revealed an overall positive relationship between demographic variables and Leaders EI, followers’ motivational behaviour and followers’ organisational commitment. The correlational analysis revealed positive relationships between leaders’ EI and followers’ motivational behaviour and organisational commitment (R= 0.05-, p<0.01) except for instrumental motivation. The correlation between leaders’ emotional self-awareness and followers’ intrinsic process motivation was somewhat weak while the relationship between leaders’ emotional self-awareness and instrumental motivation was found to be sufficient, but statistically not significant. The researcher can conclude that generally the results of this study reveal that organisational leaders can positively influence the motivational behaviour and organisational commitment of their followers by enhancing their own EI competencies. The results add to the leadership literature by illuminating possible antecedents to leadership effectiveness. It is believed that this research will help the hospitality industry at large in clarifying the importance of EI competencies in leadership as a means of obtaining positive motivation behaviour and commitment from followers. Furthermore, the findings have both managerial and research implications for hospitality operations strategy formulation in order to gain competitive advantage and improve the financial position of the businesses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chipumuro, Juliet
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/484 , vital:19963
- Description: Over the past few years, emotional intelligence (EI) has generated significant interest and a wealth of research as a possible area of insight into what determines outstanding performance in the workplace (Ashworth, 2013:8; Pillay, Viviers and Mayer, 2013:1). The internal environment of organisations in the labour-intense hospitality industry is complex and dynamic. Given the unpredictability of change, the researcher found the hospitality industry to be an intriguing milieu within which to ascertain the importance of EI in predicting leaders’ effectiveness as a measure of outstanding performance. As employees are the internal customers of any hotel organisation, representing many hotel organisations’ only true competitive advantage, the purpose of this quantitative investigation was to examine the relationship between leaders’ EI and followers’ motivational behaviour and organisational commitment. Despite the intuitive plausibility of the assumption that leaders who exhibit EI competencies contribute to outstanding performance, the issue of followers’ motivational behaviour and organisational commitment as leadership indices has received little empirical attention. This study sets out to integrate prior findings on EI, motivation and organisational commitment, to support these findings in literature, and to incorporate these findings into a comprehensive conceptual framework. Using critical realists’ post-positivistic philosophical assumptions, the researcher used the Emotional and Social Competencies Inventory (ESCI) to assess leaders’ EI. Furthermore, the Motivational Sources Inventory (MSI) was used to assess followers’ motivational behaviour, while Organisational Commitment Scales (OCS) were used to assess followers’ organisational commitment. The survey respondents consisted of 120 leaders and 435 followers from 13 hotels in four prominent hotel groups in South Africa. The quantitative data collected from the surveys was analysed quantitatively using SPSS to reach substantial results with inferences. The analysis of variance revealed an overall positive relationship between demographic variables and Leaders EI, followers’ motivational behaviour and followers’ organisational commitment. The correlational analysis revealed positive relationships between leaders’ EI and followers’ motivational behaviour and organisational commitment (R= 0.05-, p<0.01) except for instrumental motivation. The correlation between leaders’ emotional self-awareness and followers’ intrinsic process motivation was somewhat weak while the relationship between leaders’ emotional self-awareness and instrumental motivation was found to be sufficient, but statistically not significant. The researcher can conclude that generally the results of this study reveal that organisational leaders can positively influence the motivational behaviour and organisational commitment of their followers by enhancing their own EI competencies. The results add to the leadership literature by illuminating possible antecedents to leadership effectiveness. It is believed that this research will help the hospitality industry at large in clarifying the importance of EI competencies in leadership as a means of obtaining positive motivation behaviour and commitment from followers. Furthermore, the findings have both managerial and research implications for hospitality operations strategy formulation in order to gain competitive advantage and improve the financial position of the businesses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Rural livelihood strategies of female headed households in former Bantustans of post-apartheid South Africa: The case of Cala, Eastern Cape Province.
- Authors: Chirau, Takunda John
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3410 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021301
- Description: Communal areas in contemporary South Africa (that is, the former Bantustans of apartheid South Africa) continue to bear and endure, albeit in new forms, socio-economic and political vulnerabilities which are negatively affecting household livelihoods. Current studies on rural livelihoods have failed to keep pace in exploring and analysing the lived experiences and ever-changing challenges faced by these rural households. This thesis provides an understanding and explanation of the livelihood activities of specifically de facto and de jure female-headed households in the former Transkei Bantustan, with a specific focus on villages in Cala. This is framed analytically by feminist theories with their emphasis on systems of patriarchy and by a rural livelihoods framework. It uses a multiplicity of research methods, including focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, life histories and survey questionnaires. The major findings of the thesis show that the female-headed households in Cala depend upon agricultural-based activities and non-agriculturally-based activities and income (including social grants) but that they exist under conditions of extreme vulnerability which are subject to fluctuation. In the end, the livelihoods of female-headed households are precarious and unstable as they live under circumstances of poverty. However, the female heads are not mere passive victims of the rural crisis in post-apartheid South Africa, as they demonstrate qualities of ingenuity and resourcefulness including through a range of coping mechanisms. At the same time, rural communities continue to be marked by patriarchal norms and practices, including systems of chieftainship, which disempower women (including female heads), though this affects de jure heads and de facto heads differently. The thesis contributes to an understanding of rural livelihoods in communal areas (or former Bantustans) of present-day South Africa by way of ‘thick descriptions’ of the everyday lives of female heads in Cala. Further, in examining rural livelihoods, it highlights the importance of bringing to bear on the livelihoods framework a feminist perspective in pinpointing the additional livelihood burdens carried by rural women.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chirau, Takunda John
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3410 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021301
- Description: Communal areas in contemporary South Africa (that is, the former Bantustans of apartheid South Africa) continue to bear and endure, albeit in new forms, socio-economic and political vulnerabilities which are negatively affecting household livelihoods. Current studies on rural livelihoods have failed to keep pace in exploring and analysing the lived experiences and ever-changing challenges faced by these rural households. This thesis provides an understanding and explanation of the livelihood activities of specifically de facto and de jure female-headed households in the former Transkei Bantustan, with a specific focus on villages in Cala. This is framed analytically by feminist theories with their emphasis on systems of patriarchy and by a rural livelihoods framework. It uses a multiplicity of research methods, including focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, life histories and survey questionnaires. The major findings of the thesis show that the female-headed households in Cala depend upon agricultural-based activities and non-agriculturally-based activities and income (including social grants) but that they exist under conditions of extreme vulnerability which are subject to fluctuation. In the end, the livelihoods of female-headed households are precarious and unstable as they live under circumstances of poverty. However, the female heads are not mere passive victims of the rural crisis in post-apartheid South Africa, as they demonstrate qualities of ingenuity and resourcefulness including through a range of coping mechanisms. At the same time, rural communities continue to be marked by patriarchal norms and practices, including systems of chieftainship, which disempower women (including female heads), though this affects de jure heads and de facto heads differently. The thesis contributes to an understanding of rural livelihoods in communal areas (or former Bantustans) of present-day South Africa by way of ‘thick descriptions’ of the everyday lives of female heads in Cala. Further, in examining rural livelihoods, it highlights the importance of bringing to bear on the livelihoods framework a feminist perspective in pinpointing the additional livelihood burdens carried by rural women.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Thermoluminescence of SrAl2O4: Eu2+, Dy3+: kinetic analysis of a composite-peak
- Chithambo, Makaiko L, Wako, A H, Finch, A A
- Authors: Chithambo, Makaiko L , Wako, A H , Finch, A A
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124157 , vital:35571 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2016.12.009
- Description: The kinetic analysis of thermoluminescence of beta-irradiated SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ is reported. The glow-curve is dominated by an apparently-single peak. It has been demonstrated using a number of tests including partial dynamic-heating, isothermal heating, phosphorescence and, the effect of fading, that the peak and the glow-curve consists of a set of closely-spaced peaks. In view of the peak being complex, its first few components were abstracted and analysed and for comparison, the peak was also analysed assuming it is genuinely single.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Chithambo, Makaiko L , Wako, A H , Finch, A A
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124157 , vital:35571 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2016.12.009
- Description: The kinetic analysis of thermoluminescence of beta-irradiated SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ is reported. The glow-curve is dominated by an apparently-single peak. It has been demonstrated using a number of tests including partial dynamic-heating, isothermal heating, phosphorescence and, the effect of fading, that the peak and the glow-curve consists of a set of closely-spaced peaks. In view of the peak being complex, its first few components were abstracted and analysed and for comparison, the peak was also analysed assuming it is genuinely single.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2017
Temperature-dependence of time-resolved optically stimulated luminescence and composition heterogeneity of synthetic α-Al2O3: C
- Chithambo, Makaiko L, Costin, G
- Authors: Chithambo, Makaiko L , Costin, G
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124172 , vital:35573 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlumin.2016.10.038
- Description: The relationship of pulse-width, lifetime and measurement temperature in describing intensity of time-resolved luminescence optically stimulated at 470 nm from α-Al2O3:C is reported. The change of luminescence intensity with stimulation temperature is discussed in terms of the signal integrated over a complete time-resolved luminescence spectrum or in terms of ratios of the signal emitted either during or after pulsed stimulation to the total signal obtained per spectrum. The temperature-induced change in these parameters depends on whether the pulse-width is less or more than the luminescence lifetime. This is because the lifetime in α-Al2O3:C varies with measurement temperature. We have developed and applied new models to distinguish thermal assistance from different traps and to use this information as an additional means to analyse thermal quenching by using the luminescence intensity integrated from time-resolved spectra. Using a model based on use of the throughput, the activation energy for thermal assistance was determined for the shallow trap as 0.054±0.001 eV and as 0.53±0.03 eV for the main trap. The activation energy for thermal quenching was then evaluated using luminescence yield during the pulse as 1.09±0.01 eV and as 1.12±0.01 eV using the throughput after the pulse. Using the new analytical method based on integrated intensity, the activation energy for thermal quenching was found as 1.00±0.07 eV. These values are self-consistent and show that the methods for analyzing temperature-induced changes in intensity and the attendant thermal effects, such as thermal assistance can be successfully applied. We have also reported a general mathematical model that accounts for the temperature-dependence of time-resolved luminescence from α-Al2O3:C. The luminescence study was complemented by investigation of the phase and composition heterogeneity of the samples.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Chithambo, Makaiko L , Costin, G
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124172 , vital:35573 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlumin.2016.10.038
- Description: The relationship of pulse-width, lifetime and measurement temperature in describing intensity of time-resolved luminescence optically stimulated at 470 nm from α-Al2O3:C is reported. The change of luminescence intensity with stimulation temperature is discussed in terms of the signal integrated over a complete time-resolved luminescence spectrum or in terms of ratios of the signal emitted either during or after pulsed stimulation to the total signal obtained per spectrum. The temperature-induced change in these parameters depends on whether the pulse-width is less or more than the luminescence lifetime. This is because the lifetime in α-Al2O3:C varies with measurement temperature. We have developed and applied new models to distinguish thermal assistance from different traps and to use this information as an additional means to analyse thermal quenching by using the luminescence intensity integrated from time-resolved spectra. Using a model based on use of the throughput, the activation energy for thermal assistance was determined for the shallow trap as 0.054±0.001 eV and as 0.53±0.03 eV for the main trap. The activation energy for thermal quenching was then evaluated using luminescence yield during the pulse as 1.09±0.01 eV and as 1.12±0.01 eV using the throughput after the pulse. Using the new analytical method based on integrated intensity, the activation energy for thermal quenching was found as 1.00±0.07 eV. These values are self-consistent and show that the methods for analyzing temperature-induced changes in intensity and the attendant thermal effects, such as thermal assistance can be successfully applied. We have also reported a general mathematical model that accounts for the temperature-dependence of time-resolved luminescence from α-Al2O3:C. The luminescence study was complemented by investigation of the phase and composition heterogeneity of the samples.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2017
Time-resolved luminescence from quartz: an overview of contemporary developments and applications
- Chithambo, Makaiko L, Pagonis, Vasilis, Ankjærgaard, Christina
- Authors: Chithambo, Makaiko L , Pagonis, Vasilis , Ankjærgaard, Christina
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124743 , vital:35658 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2015.10.014
- Description: Time-resolved optical stimulation of luminescence has become established as a key method for measurement of optically stimulated luminescence from quartz, feldspar and α-Al2O3:C, all materials of interest in dosimetry. The aim of time-resolved optical stimulation is to separate in time the stimulation and emission of luminescence. The luminescence is stimulated from a sample using a brief light pulse and the emission monitored during stimulation in the presence of scattered stimulating light or after pulsing, over photomultiplier noise only. Although the use of the method in retrospective dosimetry has been somewhat limited, the technique has been successfully applied to study mechanisms in the processes leading up to luminescence emission. The main means for this has been the temperature dependence of the luminescence intensity as well as the luminescence lifetimes determined from time-resolved luminescence spectra. In this paper we review some key developments in theory and applications to quartz including methods of evaluating lifetimes, techniques of evaluating kinetic parameters using both the dependence of luminescence intensity and lifetime on measurement temperature, and of lifetimes on annealing temperature. We then provide an overview of some notable applications such as separation of quartz signals from a quartz–feldspar admixture and the utility of the dynamic throughput, a measure of luminescence measured as a function of the pulse width. The paper concludes with some suggestions of areas where further exploration would advance understanding of dynamics of luminescence in quartz and help address some outstanding problems in its application.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chithambo, Makaiko L , Pagonis, Vasilis , Ankjærgaard, Christina
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124743 , vital:35658 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2015.10.014
- Description: Time-resolved optical stimulation of luminescence has become established as a key method for measurement of optically stimulated luminescence from quartz, feldspar and α-Al2O3:C, all materials of interest in dosimetry. The aim of time-resolved optical stimulation is to separate in time the stimulation and emission of luminescence. The luminescence is stimulated from a sample using a brief light pulse and the emission monitored during stimulation in the presence of scattered stimulating light or after pulsing, over photomultiplier noise only. Although the use of the method in retrospective dosimetry has been somewhat limited, the technique has been successfully applied to study mechanisms in the processes leading up to luminescence emission. The main means for this has been the temperature dependence of the luminescence intensity as well as the luminescence lifetimes determined from time-resolved luminescence spectra. In this paper we review some key developments in theory and applications to quartz including methods of evaluating lifetimes, techniques of evaluating kinetic parameters using both the dependence of luminescence intensity and lifetime on measurement temperature, and of lifetimes on annealing temperature. We then provide an overview of some notable applications such as separation of quartz signals from a quartz–feldspar admixture and the utility of the dynamic throughput, a measure of luminescence measured as a function of the pulse width. The paper concludes with some suggestions of areas where further exploration would advance understanding of dynamics of luminescence in quartz and help address some outstanding problems in its application.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2016
Thermoluminescence of the main peak in SrAl2O4: Eu2+, Dy3+: spectral and kinetics features of secondary emission detected in the ultra-violet region
- Authors: Chithambo, Makaiko L
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124197 , vital:35575 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2016.12.001
- Description: We report the thermoluminescence of SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ measured in the ultra-violet region of the spectrum between 300 and 400 nm. Complementary measurements of X-ray excited optical luminescence confirm emission bands of stimulated luminescence in this region. As a further test, optically stimulated luminescence was also measured in this region. The glow curve measured at 1 °C s−1 following irradiation to various doses appears simple and single but is in reality a collection of several components. This was shown by results from the Tm-Tstop method on both ends of the peak, application of thermal cleaning beyond the peak maximum as well as the dependence of the peak on fading. The latter shows that new peaks appear as preceding ones fade. Kinetic analysis of some of the main peaks was carried out giving an activation energy of 0.6 eV. The implication of the results on measurement of phosphorescence, interpretation of dose response and fading is discussed.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Chithambo, Makaiko L
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124197 , vital:35575 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2016.12.001
- Description: We report the thermoluminescence of SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ measured in the ultra-violet region of the spectrum between 300 and 400 nm. Complementary measurements of X-ray excited optical luminescence confirm emission bands of stimulated luminescence in this region. As a further test, optically stimulated luminescence was also measured in this region. The glow curve measured at 1 °C s−1 following irradiation to various doses appears simple and single but is in reality a collection of several components. This was shown by results from the Tm-Tstop method on both ends of the peak, application of thermal cleaning beyond the peak maximum as well as the dependence of the peak on fading. The latter shows that new peaks appear as preceding ones fade. Kinetic analysis of some of the main peaks was carried out giving an activation energy of 0.6 eV. The implication of the results on measurement of phosphorescence, interpretation of dose response and fading is discussed.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2017
Implementation of gender equality policies to enhance female leadership in Zimbabwean universities : towards a comprehensive framework
- Chitsamatanga, Bellita Banda
- Authors: Chitsamatanga, Bellita Banda
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sex differences in education Discrimination in education Women executives
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13571 , vital:39680
- Description: This study critically examined the implementation of gender equality policies to enhance female leadership in Zimbabwean universities. Three theoretical frameworks were adopted for this study which were: The feminist critical policy analysis, top-down and bottom-up policy implementation theories. Within this study an interpretive paradigm which aligned with the qualitative approach and the case study design to better understand the phenomena were adopted. The study covered two state universities in Zimbabwe which were purposively selected. The participants who comprised Pro Vice Chancellors, Deputy Registrars Human Resources, Faculty Deans, Director of Gender Schools, Senior Administrative Registrars, Chairpersons of Departments and males and female academics were also purposively selected. Semi structured interviews, focus group discussion and document analysis were used as data collection instruments. Data were analysed using content analysis and the emerging results were organised into different themes reflective of the participant’s responses. The findings of the study presuppose that the state universities Zimbabwe were implementing gender sensitive organisational culture through open door policy and this promoted transformational leadership in both universities. The study revealed that both universities consulted internal and external gender experts and top-down and bottom-up consultations were made during policy formulation. It was discovered from the study that both universities had also utilised gender mainstreaming and affirmative action as strategies for promoting female leadership and gender equality. Despite teaching and learning, community engagement, research, recruitment and promotions which were used to promote the gender agenda, there were indications that these were being implemented in a haphazard manner. This adversely influenced active participation of females in decision making processes. The collected data also showed that both universities had enacted gender structures which were in line with international, regional and national gender policies and conventions and were being used to irradiate the importance of having gender parity in top positions. The findings of the study further illuminated that monitoring and evaluation of the gender equality policy and programs in place to advance females to leadership positions had not been done, leading to major impediments to achievement of gender balance. There also emerged a number of challenges which were uniform in both universities namely; lack of gender knowledge; commitment, lack of gender training and workshops, lack of consultation using bottom-up approach, gender budgeting and inadequate resources. Though the above mentioned were identified as encumbering features in both universities there was a substantiation of pockets of good practices. These were; implementation of gender equality policy, involvement of internal and external gender experts to policy formulation; promotion of shared power and authentic leadership through transparent selection of chairperson of departments; gender workshop and training; staff development programmes; enactment of gender structures, enhanced community engagement and liaison with NGOs to promote gender agenda at all levels. Regardless of the number of hurdles that indicate that universities continue to be fraught with challenges in promoting female leadership, the pockets of good practices are evidence that both universities are making positive strides through the implementation of gender equality policies to enhance female leadership. Therefore, to benchmark changes in universities, the study recommends that transformational leadership must permeate in all university structures to promote an organisational culture that is gender sensitive. There must be adequate resources, gender training and workshops; focal persons and points; commitment and political will, gender experts from governmental to ministerial levels and satellite gender structures. Monitoring and evaluation should be carried out in both universities and this should be guided by a framework so as to assist universities to tap into female empowerment and gender equality that will promote the interests of both genders, while retaining the quality and excellence in universities. Lastly, the findings of the study and the extant literature are indicative that enhancement of female leadership in universities is currently affected by a number of challenges. Therefore, as part of redress, the researcher recommends a comprehensive framework which illuminates pockets of good practices in implementing gender equality policies to enhance female leadership in universities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chitsamatanga, Bellita Banda
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sex differences in education Discrimination in education Women executives
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13571 , vital:39680
- Description: This study critically examined the implementation of gender equality policies to enhance female leadership in Zimbabwean universities. Three theoretical frameworks were adopted for this study which were: The feminist critical policy analysis, top-down and bottom-up policy implementation theories. Within this study an interpretive paradigm which aligned with the qualitative approach and the case study design to better understand the phenomena were adopted. The study covered two state universities in Zimbabwe which were purposively selected. The participants who comprised Pro Vice Chancellors, Deputy Registrars Human Resources, Faculty Deans, Director of Gender Schools, Senior Administrative Registrars, Chairpersons of Departments and males and female academics were also purposively selected. Semi structured interviews, focus group discussion and document analysis were used as data collection instruments. Data were analysed using content analysis and the emerging results were organised into different themes reflective of the participant’s responses. The findings of the study presuppose that the state universities Zimbabwe were implementing gender sensitive organisational culture through open door policy and this promoted transformational leadership in both universities. The study revealed that both universities consulted internal and external gender experts and top-down and bottom-up consultations were made during policy formulation. It was discovered from the study that both universities had also utilised gender mainstreaming and affirmative action as strategies for promoting female leadership and gender equality. Despite teaching and learning, community engagement, research, recruitment and promotions which were used to promote the gender agenda, there were indications that these were being implemented in a haphazard manner. This adversely influenced active participation of females in decision making processes. The collected data also showed that both universities had enacted gender structures which were in line with international, regional and national gender policies and conventions and were being used to irradiate the importance of having gender parity in top positions. The findings of the study further illuminated that monitoring and evaluation of the gender equality policy and programs in place to advance females to leadership positions had not been done, leading to major impediments to achievement of gender balance. There also emerged a number of challenges which were uniform in both universities namely; lack of gender knowledge; commitment, lack of gender training and workshops, lack of consultation using bottom-up approach, gender budgeting and inadequate resources. Though the above mentioned were identified as encumbering features in both universities there was a substantiation of pockets of good practices. These were; implementation of gender equality policy, involvement of internal and external gender experts to policy formulation; promotion of shared power and authentic leadership through transparent selection of chairperson of departments; gender workshop and training; staff development programmes; enactment of gender structures, enhanced community engagement and liaison with NGOs to promote gender agenda at all levels. Regardless of the number of hurdles that indicate that universities continue to be fraught with challenges in promoting female leadership, the pockets of good practices are evidence that both universities are making positive strides through the implementation of gender equality policies to enhance female leadership. Therefore, to benchmark changes in universities, the study recommends that transformational leadership must permeate in all university structures to promote an organisational culture that is gender sensitive. There must be adequate resources, gender training and workshops; focal persons and points; commitment and political will, gender experts from governmental to ministerial levels and satellite gender structures. Monitoring and evaluation should be carried out in both universities and this should be guided by a framework so as to assist universities to tap into female empowerment and gender equality that will promote the interests of both genders, while retaining the quality and excellence in universities. Lastly, the findings of the study and the extant literature are indicative that enhancement of female leadership in universities is currently affected by a number of challenges. Therefore, as part of redress, the researcher recommends a comprehensive framework which illuminates pockets of good practices in implementing gender equality policies to enhance female leadership in universities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
An examination of teaching strategies for mediating the construction of environmental content knowledge: a case of Grade 11 Life Sciences teaching in two Eastern Cape schools
- Authors: Chitsiga, Christina
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/361 , vital:19953
- Description: In South Africa the new Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement (CAPS) introduced a more strongly content referenced curriculum which has commitments to active and critical approaches to learning, and to environment and sustainability content. Successful implementation of CAPS requires that teachers attain the requisite knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge for working with environmental and sustainability content. The study examined teachers’ knowledge of environmental content as well as how teachers are mediating learning, through exploring the classroom techniques used by teachers working with environmental content. This was to examine how teachers are through their teaching bridging the gap in the understanding, investigation and application of environmental content in the curriculum. The study used a number of approaches from the field of environmental education which offer different lenses (or pedagogical sensitizing constructs) for viewing mediation processes as a relational process of knowledge construction. These pedagogical constructs were: knowledge co-construction where perspectives and understandings are shared in the process of social relations (deliberation); relating environmental content knowledge to cultural historical context (situated learning); relating environmental content knowledge to everyday and intergenerational knowledge through hands on experience (proximity experience) and developing an iterative relationship between environmental content knowledge and sustainability practices (practical reasoning). Practice theory as suggested by Schatzki (2005) and a theory of practice architectures elaborating on Schatzki’s practice theory (Kemmis & Heikkinen, 2011) was used as the ontological lens to help in understanding the mediation of environmental content knowledge. Practice theory was used for exploring pedagogical practice in terms of sayings, doings and relatings by teachers, and practice architectures that represent enabling or constraining factors of teachers practice. This research was an interpretive case study drawing on findings from lesson observations, semi structured interviews, stimulated recall interviews and document analysis. The research found that teachers used different strategies to enhance their environmental content and pedagogical content knowledge to present the mediation. Teachers are supporting situated learning and deliberation in environmental learning. Another finding was that teachers could be enabled to enhance proximity experiences and practical reason in their mediating approaches in environmental learning. The research further showed that teachers could benefit from teacher professional development programmes that explicitly develop pedagogical content knowledge to support critical deliberation, proximity encounters, situated learning and practical reasoning in order to work with the diverse complex places-based, socio-cultural-historical nature of environmental curriculum content in the context of sustainability practices. Findings also showed that there were constraining factors to mediation of environmental learning. These constraining factors from the research were firstly in material economic arrangements of timetable compliance in CAPS, ability to find internet resources and availability of resources. Secondly, present were constraining factors of socio-political arrangements of CAPS curriculum document prescriptiveness, multiculturalism, learning institution management and governance. Thirdly, cultural discursive arrangements of teacher learner language, knowledge of the language of the field affected mediation. Teachers passion for environmental content topics, the ability of teachers’ to improvise resources in mediating environmental content lessons and the ability of teachers’ to navigate a stringent CAPS timetable were found in this research to be enabling mediation. Recommendations from the research are ongoing teacher refresher workshops on the environmental content in the CAPS curriculum, teachers’ need more input on strategies to mediate environmental content, teachers’ prior knowledge of new knowledge can be used to strengthen teacher professional development processes, teachers’ prior knowledge needs to be deepened and reinforced, there is need to develop quality educational resources encompassing a variety of pedagogical sensitizing constructs and support needs to be given for familiarising teachers with teaching materials and their appropriate use . These could help to strengthen mediation of environmental content knowledge in the Grade 11 CAPS Life Sciences and inform South African teacher professional development programmes seeking to understand classroom practices in relation to environmental content.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chitsiga, Christina
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/361 , vital:19953
- Description: In South Africa the new Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement (CAPS) introduced a more strongly content referenced curriculum which has commitments to active and critical approaches to learning, and to environment and sustainability content. Successful implementation of CAPS requires that teachers attain the requisite knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge for working with environmental and sustainability content. The study examined teachers’ knowledge of environmental content as well as how teachers are mediating learning, through exploring the classroom techniques used by teachers working with environmental content. This was to examine how teachers are through their teaching bridging the gap in the understanding, investigation and application of environmental content in the curriculum. The study used a number of approaches from the field of environmental education which offer different lenses (or pedagogical sensitizing constructs) for viewing mediation processes as a relational process of knowledge construction. These pedagogical constructs were: knowledge co-construction where perspectives and understandings are shared in the process of social relations (deliberation); relating environmental content knowledge to cultural historical context (situated learning); relating environmental content knowledge to everyday and intergenerational knowledge through hands on experience (proximity experience) and developing an iterative relationship between environmental content knowledge and sustainability practices (practical reasoning). Practice theory as suggested by Schatzki (2005) and a theory of practice architectures elaborating on Schatzki’s practice theory (Kemmis & Heikkinen, 2011) was used as the ontological lens to help in understanding the mediation of environmental content knowledge. Practice theory was used for exploring pedagogical practice in terms of sayings, doings and relatings by teachers, and practice architectures that represent enabling or constraining factors of teachers practice. This research was an interpretive case study drawing on findings from lesson observations, semi structured interviews, stimulated recall interviews and document analysis. The research found that teachers used different strategies to enhance their environmental content and pedagogical content knowledge to present the mediation. Teachers are supporting situated learning and deliberation in environmental learning. Another finding was that teachers could be enabled to enhance proximity experiences and practical reason in their mediating approaches in environmental learning. The research further showed that teachers could benefit from teacher professional development programmes that explicitly develop pedagogical content knowledge to support critical deliberation, proximity encounters, situated learning and practical reasoning in order to work with the diverse complex places-based, socio-cultural-historical nature of environmental curriculum content in the context of sustainability practices. Findings also showed that there were constraining factors to mediation of environmental learning. These constraining factors from the research were firstly in material economic arrangements of timetable compliance in CAPS, ability to find internet resources and availability of resources. Secondly, present were constraining factors of socio-political arrangements of CAPS curriculum document prescriptiveness, multiculturalism, learning institution management and governance. Thirdly, cultural discursive arrangements of teacher learner language, knowledge of the language of the field affected mediation. Teachers passion for environmental content topics, the ability of teachers’ to improvise resources in mediating environmental content lessons and the ability of teachers’ to navigate a stringent CAPS timetable were found in this research to be enabling mediation. Recommendations from the research are ongoing teacher refresher workshops on the environmental content in the CAPS curriculum, teachers’ need more input on strategies to mediate environmental content, teachers’ prior knowledge of new knowledge can be used to strengthen teacher professional development processes, teachers’ prior knowledge needs to be deepened and reinforced, there is need to develop quality educational resources encompassing a variety of pedagogical sensitizing constructs and support needs to be given for familiarising teachers with teaching materials and their appropriate use . These could help to strengthen mediation of environmental content knowledge in the Grade 11 CAPS Life Sciences and inform South African teacher professional development programmes seeking to understand classroom practices in relation to environmental content.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
The role of cancer procoagulant on the MTOR pathway
- Authors: Chiuswa, Chengetanai
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Cancer -- Research , Neovascularization , Biochemistry , Blood coagulation factors -- Biotechnology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7303 , vital:21316
- Description: Cancer procoagulant (CP) is a cysteine protease found in tumour cells and amnion chorion membranes. The main function of CP is not yet known, but it has potential roles in tumour growth and metastasis. Initially, CP was believed to increase coagulation in cancer patients; however, research has shown that increase in CP concentration does not correlate with an increase in coagulation. The location of CP in amnion chorion membranes and tumour cells only led to the hypothesis that CP might be involved in inducing blood vessel and or lymph vessel formation. CP was shown to induce lymphangiogenesis (lymph vessel formation) in human telomerase reverse transcriptase-human dermal endothelial cells (hTERT-HDLEC) (Tshaka, 2011). CP-induced tube formation was inhibited by rapamycin; indicating that CP may be signalling via the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of CP on the mTOR signalling pathway using human umbilical endothelial vein cells (HUVECs) as a model. CP was isolated from amnion chorion membranes and purified using two anion exchange chromatography steps. Purified CP (2 μg/ml) was used to induce tube formation in endothelial cells (HUVECs) seeded on growth factor reduced (GFR) Matrigel. In addition, the 2 μg/ml CP was used to treat cultured HUVECs. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and western blotting were used to determine phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B (Akt) and ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K). CP was successfully isolated and purified using anion exchange chromatography. The effect of CP on tube formation was not significant relative to the control in the HUVEC cell line. The role of CP on Akt and S6K phosphorylation still needs to be verified by using sensitive methods of quantification such as enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The levels of CP activity were shown to be higher in early tumour growth than in advanced cancer suggesting that certain physiological factors could be increasing CP activity during early tumour growth. This study investigated the effect of cobalt chloride on CP activity in breast cancer cell lines. Cobalt chloride reduced CP activity in MCF-7 and promoted CP activity in MDA-MB-231.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chiuswa, Chengetanai
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Cancer -- Research , Neovascularization , Biochemistry , Blood coagulation factors -- Biotechnology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7303 , vital:21316
- Description: Cancer procoagulant (CP) is a cysteine protease found in tumour cells and amnion chorion membranes. The main function of CP is not yet known, but it has potential roles in tumour growth and metastasis. Initially, CP was believed to increase coagulation in cancer patients; however, research has shown that increase in CP concentration does not correlate with an increase in coagulation. The location of CP in amnion chorion membranes and tumour cells only led to the hypothesis that CP might be involved in inducing blood vessel and or lymph vessel formation. CP was shown to induce lymphangiogenesis (lymph vessel formation) in human telomerase reverse transcriptase-human dermal endothelial cells (hTERT-HDLEC) (Tshaka, 2011). CP-induced tube formation was inhibited by rapamycin; indicating that CP may be signalling via the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of CP on the mTOR signalling pathway using human umbilical endothelial vein cells (HUVECs) as a model. CP was isolated from amnion chorion membranes and purified using two anion exchange chromatography steps. Purified CP (2 μg/ml) was used to induce tube formation in endothelial cells (HUVECs) seeded on growth factor reduced (GFR) Matrigel. In addition, the 2 μg/ml CP was used to treat cultured HUVECs. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and western blotting were used to determine phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B (Akt) and ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K). CP was successfully isolated and purified using anion exchange chromatography. The effect of CP on tube formation was not significant relative to the control in the HUVEC cell line. The role of CP on Akt and S6K phosphorylation still needs to be verified by using sensitive methods of quantification such as enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The levels of CP activity were shown to be higher in early tumour growth than in advanced cancer suggesting that certain physiological factors could be increasing CP activity during early tumour growth. This study investigated the effect of cobalt chloride on CP activity in breast cancer cell lines. Cobalt chloride reduced CP activity in MCF-7 and promoted CP activity in MDA-MB-231.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Indigenous forests level of deforestation, forest dependency and factors determining willingness to participate in indigenous forest conservation: evidence from resettled farmers of Shamva, Zimbabwe
- Authors: Chivheya, Renias V
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Forest conservation -- Zimbabwe Forests and forestry -- Economic aspects -- Zimbabwe Deforestation -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2370 , vital:27786
- Description: This study first explored the rate of forest deforestation in Shamva resettlement areas. It then identified and estimated the extent to which these resettled farmers depend on forest for their livelihoods. Evaluation of farmer perceptions on management issues and willingness to participate in indigenous forest conservation and the socio-economic and institutional factors which affect their willingness to participate were also done. Finally the study sought to identify incentives for forests conservation. The study was conducted in Shamva district in Mashonaland Central province. And the respondents were stratified into three groups: A1, A2 and Old resettlement models. The three models differ on how they were implemented and supported which might render them to have different deforestation rates, livelihood strategies and forest dependency. A total of 247 respondents were surveyed, consisting of 98 A1 farmers, 50 A2 farmers and 99 Old resettled farmers. The data was collected using GIS and remote sensing, structured questionnaire interviews and direct observation. The data was analysed using descriptive analysis, KAP analytic framework and binary logistic regression analysis. The land cover/changes results revealed that both deforestation and afforestation are taking place in Shamva resettlement. Woodland and bushland were decreasing, croplands were also decreasing. However woodland dense and grasslands were increasing. Deforestation was found to be as a result of the resettled farmers’ livelihood strategies which were found to be diverse and agriculture being dominant in all models. All the farmers depended on the forest but at varying levels of 19 percent for Old and 14 percent forA1 and 0.02 percent for A2 resettle farmers. 84 percent of the interviewed farmers however, indicated that they are willing to conserve forest with A1 farmers being the highest followed by A2 86 percent and lastly Old resettled farmers at 76.8 percent. Results of the binary regression model revealed that the significant factors which explain willingness to participate in indigenous forest conservation are age, marital status, education, gender, institution, culture and belief, employment and household size. The highest preferred incentive was the provision of free seedlings and the lowest was out grower scheme. The study recommends that GIS and remote sensing should be used to monitor deforestation, off farm projects be encouraged, exotic and indigenous trees be promoted and forest conservation education be promoted in resettlement areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Chivheya, Renias V
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Forest conservation -- Zimbabwe Forests and forestry -- Economic aspects -- Zimbabwe Deforestation -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2370 , vital:27786
- Description: This study first explored the rate of forest deforestation in Shamva resettlement areas. It then identified and estimated the extent to which these resettled farmers depend on forest for their livelihoods. Evaluation of farmer perceptions on management issues and willingness to participate in indigenous forest conservation and the socio-economic and institutional factors which affect their willingness to participate were also done. Finally the study sought to identify incentives for forests conservation. The study was conducted in Shamva district in Mashonaland Central province. And the respondents were stratified into three groups: A1, A2 and Old resettlement models. The three models differ on how they were implemented and supported which might render them to have different deforestation rates, livelihood strategies and forest dependency. A total of 247 respondents were surveyed, consisting of 98 A1 farmers, 50 A2 farmers and 99 Old resettled farmers. The data was collected using GIS and remote sensing, structured questionnaire interviews and direct observation. The data was analysed using descriptive analysis, KAP analytic framework and binary logistic regression analysis. The land cover/changes results revealed that both deforestation and afforestation are taking place in Shamva resettlement. Woodland and bushland were decreasing, croplands were also decreasing. However woodland dense and grasslands were increasing. Deforestation was found to be as a result of the resettled farmers’ livelihood strategies which were found to be diverse and agriculture being dominant in all models. All the farmers depended on the forest but at varying levels of 19 percent for Old and 14 percent forA1 and 0.02 percent for A2 resettle farmers. 84 percent of the interviewed farmers however, indicated that they are willing to conserve forest with A1 farmers being the highest followed by A2 86 percent and lastly Old resettled farmers at 76.8 percent. Results of the binary regression model revealed that the significant factors which explain willingness to participate in indigenous forest conservation are age, marital status, education, gender, institution, culture and belief, employment and household size. The highest preferred incentive was the provision of free seedlings and the lowest was out grower scheme. The study recommends that GIS and remote sensing should be used to monitor deforestation, off farm projects be encouraged, exotic and indigenous trees be promoted and forest conservation education be promoted in resettlement areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016