Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Nutrition – Study and teaching – Zimbabwe'

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine pre-service teachers’ concerns relating to their teaching practicum in Zimbabwe and to suggest strategies that could be used to support them in a digitalised era. This study was necessitated by the desire to understand the concerns that pre-service teachers experience during teaching practicum in a fast changing world and in a depressing, unstable socio-politico-economic environment. The study employed a meta-conceptual approach comprising constructivist and social cognitive epistemology as its theoretical framework. A concurrent mixed methods research design was utilised to address the research questions. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to design the study, collect, and analyse data. Thirty participants comprising of 24 pre-service teachers and six college supervisors were purposively selected for the qualitative study from United College of Education in Zimbabwe. Qualitative data was collected by means of interviews and analysed through a thematic analysis. For the quantitative phase, 300 pre-service teachers were chosen through stratified random sampling from the same institution and were asked to complete a questionnaire. One hundred and ninety-three questionnaires were returned and usable, giving a return rate of 64%. Data from the survey were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings from the study revealed that pre-service teachers experience diverse concerns during teaching practicum that included classroom management, teacher knowledge, socio-economic factors, workload, interpersonal relationships and assessment anxiety. Findings from the quantitative phase revealed some differences in the levels of concerns among the year groups. A general downward trend in the levels of concerns was detected except for teacher beliefs concerns that remained constant. Findings from the qualitative phase of the study revealed that the concerns that pre-service teachers experienced during teaching practicum had negative impact on their classroom practice. Most of the student teachers had devised some coping strategies to deal with their concerns and they were satisfied with the quality of support from mentors and peers, but not that from their supervisors. In an increasingly globalised world, the researcher felt that teaching practicum related concerns could be minimised by exploiting the benefits of digitalised knowledge and communities of learning.

The introduction of Technical Vocational Education (TVE) has been marred by a myriad of challenges, and this has not spared universities. The incompetency of lecturers, the perceptions of both lecturers and students, the relationship between universities and the world of work as well as support strategies have been the most contested issues in TVE. The researcher used the mixed method design which is rooted in the post-positivist research paradigm that integrates concurrent procedures in the collection, analysis and interpretation of the data. Post-positivist research paradigm attempts to enhance one’s understanding of the way certain phenomena are and that objectivity is an ideal that can never be achieved. The sample of the study comprised two Heads of Department (HODs) from the universities under study, 18 lecturers for the interviews, 18 lecturers who responded to the questionnaire, 24 students formed the 4 focus groups for both universities with 6 students each. Two industrial personnel were also interviewed. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data while qualitative data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions, observations and document analysis. The researcher employed the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) to summarise, compile tables and graphs on quantitative data and qualitative data was analysed using content analysis through emerging themes. The study established that lecturers were not competent enough to deliver CT curriculum in universities and this was as a result of the type of training lecturers received which was no longer congruent with the technological advancement which have taken place in the textile industry. It was also instituted that universities were producing students who lacked the hands-on skills necessary for them to be acceptable in the world of work. There was a stern shortage of equipment and machinery in CT departments in universities. The machinery and equipment in the departments were too old and broken. Furthermore, the study established that there was no collaboration between universities and industries. Industrial personnel lamented that universities were not willing to put into consideration all the suggestions they gave them and that time for Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) or placement was too short for them to impart all the requisite skills to students. It was also established that students were discontented by the teaching methods that lecturers were using and the way they were being assessed. Students conveyed their desire for the industry to be involved in assessing them whilst they were in universities. Based on the above findings, the study concluded that lecturers were incapacitated to deliver CT due to the training they received in colleges and universities which was no longer congruent with the dynamics of technology. The study also concluded that the shortage of machinery and equipment also demotivated lecturers and incapacitated them. It was also concluded that the lack of collaboration between universities and industries posed serious challenges to both lecturers and students. The study recommends that the quality of the existing lecturing force must be improved mainly through extensive staff development training programmes.There is need for lecturers to be staff developed through training workshops in order to improve on competence. There should be collaboration among University management, lecturers and the industry during curriculum design, implementation and monitoring to improve their attachment and sense of ownership of CT programmes. To improve on students’ acquisition of skills, the study recommends that time for Work-Integrated Learning should be lengthened so that students leave the industry well equipped with relevant skills and knowledge.

This thesis examines the impact of seasonal and inter-annual variations in rainfall on food supply and disease environment, and hence the biological welfare of savannah populations in southern Zimbabwe. Ecological dynamics are thought to determine the impact of rainfall, and this hypothesis is tested through the comparison of populations either side of a major ecological boundary between heavy clay rich and sandy soils. Due to differences in soil-moisture productivity relations, and the level and form of ecological heterogeneity, the sandveld environment shows much less seasonal and inter-annual variation in agro-ecological productivity than does clayveld, and this is reflected in food supply and consumption. Child anthropometric and birth weight data from several years shows opposite seasonality, and weight-loss in a serious drought was most marked on clay-rich soils as predicted. Differences in soil-moisture relations also influence disease environment dynamics; child morbidity shows the same seasonal and inter-annual contrasts between the zones as found with nutritional status. Furthermore, infant mortality is increased following dry years on clay-rich soils whilst high rainfall leads to increased infant mortality on the sandy soils. These differences in welfare dynamics between sandveld and clayveld appear to typify conditions in other moist and dry savannah areas respectively. Variability in grain production results from unequal access to livestock for ploughing and manure, but urban wage labour derived remittances also affect wealth. The extent and nature of socio-economic differentiation varies between ecological zones for historical reasons, and its impact on welfare (together with that of religion and maternal education) is variable and complex, operating at several levels in household and lineage. Maternal education has a marked impact on child well-being, particularly upon infant mortality. Dramatic improvements in Infant mortality and declines in fertility since Independence (1980) reflect upgrading of medical services and education provision for women, Indicating the limits of ecological welfare determinants.

This study reports research on how student teachers in Science at Mutare Teachers' College in Zimbabwe worked with indigenous knowledge practices in relation to science concepts in the secondary school syllabus. The study was conducted among first-year science students and involved them in developing science learning activities for a peer-teaching process that was part of their course. The research was undertaken during a review ofthe college syllabus and as a study to inform the Secondary Teacher Training Environmental Education Programme (ST²EEP). The research design involved the researcher in participant observations and interviews with rural people to document indigenous knowledge practices and to develop materials for the students to work with in the lessons design part of the study. The student teachers used the documented practices to generate learning activities and lesson plans to teach the science concepts they had identified. A peer review session and focus group interviews followed the lesson presentations. Findings from the research point to the rural community being a repository of diverse indigenous knowledge practices. Student teachers showed that they had prior knowledge of both indigenous knowledge practices and science concepts when they come to class. Student teachers were able to relate indigenous knowledge practices and science concepts in ways that have the potential to enhance the learning of science in rural school contexts that lack laboratories and science equipment. The scope of the study does not allow for anything beyond tentative conclusions that point to the need for further work to be undertaken with student teachers and for the research to be extended to teaching and learning interactions in schools. Recommendations are also made for further resource-based work to be undertaken within the forthcoming St²eep implementation phase in 2007.

As personal computers (PCs) and related ICTs become more and more omnipresent than ever before in institutions of education, teachers are faced with the challenge of having to teach in ICT rich environments. Some syllabuses increase this pressure by stipulating where ICT may be applied. While past research efforts have focused on presence of and/or effectiveness of ICTs on achieving various didactic goals, there is limited literature on the extent to which actual practice occurred naturally. It was the aim of this study to determine the extent to which Physics teachers and students used ICT in their usual teaching/learning ambience, referred to as natural settings in this study. Using activity theory as a theoretical lens, multiple case studies were chosen as a strategy using 10 schools, 15 Physics teachers, 20 A-level Physics students and 10 ICT teachers (computer specialists). Questionnaires, observations and informal and focus group interviews were used to elicit responses from students, teachers and computer specialists. It emerged from the case studies that despite the presence of apt ICT infrastructure in the schools and although the teachers had a positive attitude towards the use of ICT for teaching and learning of Physics, teachers were apathetic when it came to the actual use. Some of the reasons militating against use were lack of an ICT policy, school authority, and monopoly of computers enjoyed by computer studies teachers. However among students there were ‘early starters’ who used ICTs outside of school, a situation that tended to change the Physics learning environment. These findings led to a proposal for a post of Computer Specialist (CS) in the schools. The need for developing ICT policy at all levels namely national, Ministry of Education and the school was also proposed. Lastly staff development in the use ICT for Physics teachers was proposed as indispensable.

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.

The central focus of this study was to determine the extent to which identity formation influenced Zimbabwean A-level female students’ perceptions of and participation in physics. The themes from the sub-problems included the influence of contextual factors on identity formation in relation to physics as a subject at Advanced Level (A-level), facets of identity formation considered to be of significance by female students in relation to physics, the way in which female students’ perceptions of physics influenced their participation in the subject as well as the factors of identity formation considered as contributing to developing an orientation towards physics by female students. A qualitative approach grounded in an interpretivist paradigm was used. A tri-hybrid theoretical lens comprising of Wenger’s (1998) Social Learning Theory featuring CoP, the Feminist Stand point Theory and Sfard and Prusak’s (2005) notion of ‘telling’ identities or stories, enabled a rich understanding of the influences of identity formation on female students’ perceptions of and participation in physics. The data generating methods used were classroom observation, Draw-A-Scientist Test and semi-structured interviews conducted with nine participants. The data were collated to generate narratives. Key findings: The contextual factors that influenced the identity formation of female students and subsequently their participation in physics at A-level included: Parental and siblings influence; cultural perceptions; impact of the O-level experience; A-level physics teachers’ attitudes; classroom and laboratory experience; male peer influence and other factors such as an understanding of the relevance of physics in daily life. Facets of identity formation considered to be of significance by female students in relation to physics included: being confident, fearless, intelligent, and courageous, liking physics and being determined. These facets motivated them to develop an identity in favour of physics. The female participants studying only mathematics perceived themselves as very intelligent but with a fear of failing physics, lacking confidence and courage. Female students who held negative perceptions towards physics chose to do only mathematics at A-level while those with positive perceptions which influenced the formation of a positive physics identity displayed enthusiasm and commitment to achieve high levels of performance in the subject. Factors of identity formation considered as contributing positively to the development of an orientation towards physics by female students included the importance of v female physics teachers as role models, motivation from O-level science teachers, high self-confidence, high self-esteem, parental support and encouragement, and aspirations towards a physics related career. Gender insensitivity displayed by male teachers, male peer harassment and gender stereotyping are factors in identity formation considered as inhibiting the development of an orientation towards physics by female students. This study provides physics educators, physics planners and the government with detailed information on the role identity formation plays on the participation of Zimbabwean female adolescent students in A-level physics. The findings may be used by heads of schools to sensitise academic staff on the gender dimensions of teaching and learning as well as by counsellors and parents to encourage females to enrol for physics and mathematics as their subjects of choice. This study also contributes to the strengthening of educational research in Zimbabwe, especially research aimed at emancipation of female students in Zimbabwe.

Environmental education is taught as part of the Primary School Environmental and Agricultural Science (EAS) curriculum in Zimbabwe. An attempt to improve the quality of learning in EAS resulted in a research project at the University of Zimbabwe that aimed to transpose innovative constructivist pedagogy from a western context to a rural African one. This writer has used a definition of teacher change as social change and a belief that sustainable pedagogical change involves a transformative process. The research backs up previous findings that failure to recognise and deal with how people actually experience the change process, accounts for much failure of social change. This qualitative research has attempted to provide some understanding of the complex interrelationships of factors that affected expected change in teaching style. By focusing on the process of teacher change within innovation, this researcher was able to identify inhibitors to change that were subsequently critically reflected on by the tea~hers themselves. The disappointing resistance to change first noted within the project has become a source of unexpected but potentially important illuminative understanding of teacher education and development in a non-western environment.

The goal of this research was to investigate the knowledge high school students acquire from science instruction in Zimbabwe, and their ability to reason from and apply their knowledge based on previous learning. Science educators in Zimbabwe are concerned with improving the quality of student's achievement and that students develop a conceptual understanding of basic science rather than a rote memorisation of facts and that students become better prepared to acquire science content on their own. The research reported here utilises the discourse comprehension analysis model and methods developed by Frederiksen (1975, 1986) to investigate students' learning. Based on these methods, it is possible to examine: (a) how students acquire knowledge and understanding, and (b) how they apply what they learn to reason using their conceptual knowledge.
The design of the study involved the use of three texts each of which represented different information types within a science domain, 'gas pressure'. The content of the texts was presented by the same teacher during natural classroom instruction to classes at two levels (higher and lower) of a high school grade. The first text concerned Basic Knowledge (concepts and principles) in the domain, and the second and third texts described Familiar and Unfamiliar experiments respectively within the same science domain. In addition, for both of these experiments, several types of information were presented: Procedures, Observations and Explanations. Students' responses to comprehension questions were subjected to a conceptual (propositional) analysis and coded against an 'expert' model of the content of the texts used by the teacher during instruction to the students. The study focused on identifying the extent to which the students' responses directly matched the 'expert' model or consisted of modifications (inferences) that indicated alternative (true or false) conceptual knowledge frameworks that the students may have possessed.
The major findings of this research were as follows: Students' answers to questions about their knowledge of basic concepts comprised a large number of responses that directly matched (i.e., literally recalled) the information presented by the teacher during instruction and also included a high number of incorrect inferences. Students' comprehension of the Familiar and Unfamiliar experiments was also characterised by a high degree of 'literal learning' as shown in the generally high amounts of recall of propositional information compared to inferences. Students' responses to these questions consisted mostly of Observation information, and least of Explanations. This suggests that they were more likely to recall observed events that they were to interpret. Students' reasoning was generally poor relative to their comprehension of both experiments, and their responses consisted of more recall responses than inferences. In addition, students' reasoning about the Unfamiliar experiment was characterised by a high number negative higher-order inferences. Finally, students in the higher level displayed higher levels of competence than those in the lower level, particularly in their knowledge of Procedures and Observations in contrast to Explanation information, for both experiments.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the implementation of the inclusive education policy in sport in four secondary schools in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe. The case study research design was employed; interviews, focus groups, document analysis and observations were used to collect data. Four school Heads, 4 sports masters, 4 team trainers, 4 team captains, 2 learners with disabilities and a district education officer were purposively selected to take part in this study. Data were presented, analysed/discussed, starting with demographic data in the first section followed by emerging themes. It emerged from the study that all the participants were not knowledgeable about inclusive education and the aspect of including learners with disabilities in mainstream sport. The major barriers identified include inadequate policy dialogue, unavailability of sporting equipment and attitudes. Further findings revealed that there is dire need for knowledge and skills in inclusive sport among teachers in regular schools. Findings also confirmed unavailability of policy circulars in schools. Most teachers were not afforded opportunities to attend workshops and seminars. Findings also revealed that teachers faced major challenges such as funding to undertake courses in SNE and inclusive sport. Teachers were reeled in with a lot of pressure due to congested timetables and large classes. Participants believed that the challenges they faced could be resolved through some proposed intervention strategies. The researcher concluded that teachers in regular schools were not equipped to teach sport to learners with special education needs in the mainstream. The MoPSE was not doing much in preparing teachers to be effective in including learners with disabilities in regular school sport. The study recommended that the MoPSE should put in place provisions to meet the inclusive needs of both teachers and learners. It also recommended that school Heads should be taught about SNE and inclusive sport for them to be able to guide teachers properly. Besides the national policy, schools should design inclusive policies specifically for their respective schools in line with the national policy. The study also recommended that the MoPSE should come up with a comprehensive framework in sport to counter some of these challenges.

The relationship between nutrition and athletic performance has become a topic of increasing interest in college athletics. This study assessed the effect of nutrition education on the nutrition knowledge and dietary adequacy of female and male college athletes through a pre-test/post-test, control group design. Six weekly lessons were offered to the experimental groups. For female athletes, a two sample t-test indicated significant differences on gain scores for the experimental group (p

This study focuses on the use of English as the sole medium of instruction in Zimbabwean schools and the effect of such a policy on the educational achievement of students, particularly in secondary schools. The role of Shona and Ndebele, two other Zimbabwean official languages, in schooling is also examined.
Some of the findings reveal a learning and teaching environment that prevents strategies from addressing linguistic, social and cultural development with a coherent workable vision in the English classroom.
Because English is the working language of government, business, and industry in Zimbabwe, an English-only policy seems to be a practical means to prepare students for higher education and the workforce. The growing status of English as an international lingua franca provides additional support for such a policy.
This study reveals the need to rethink the imposition of an English-only policy. The findings indicate that current teaching approaches/methods and materials do not entirely support language development in English, largely because they do not take into account the economic, social, and linguistic situations of the students.
The study supports and calls for a multifaceted approach to the way language is currently taught in Zimbabwe, and sees this as one way secondary schools can produce, through the medium of English instruction, students and teachers who can adapt to rapid change, and relate to people from diverse socio-cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
The study emphasizes the integration and expectations of people's views on language and education, as heard and expressed by many respondents. This is considered central to any meaningful effort towards linguistic competence, a challenging but stimulating learning environment, and better communication among students and teachers.

Adult patient education is a major responsibility of registered dietitians. It is essential for registered dietitians to be effective adult educators as they teach adults in various employment settings. Review of the literature revealed that one important factor in being an effective adult educator is developing a teaching style which facilitates learning, known as learner-centered teaching style.The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the teaching style preference and identify factors that have influenced registered dietitians' teaching style preference.The study sample of six hundred registered dietitians residing in the Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin) were sent two tools to complete, the "Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS)". Two hundred and fifty-two respondents completed the questionnaire and PALS, designed by Conti to determine teaching style preference.The overall PALS scores were computer generated. Frequency distributions and populations percentages were calculated for demographic and descriptive data. The mean, median, and standard deviation of PALS scores were calculated. Analysis of various factors and the PALS scores.The findings suggest that registered dietitians' teaching style preference is teacher-centered. The years of employment positively affected teaching style toward learnercentered until the dietitian had been employed more than 16 years, then the years of employment negatively affected teaching style preference. The number of formal educational sessions relating to adult education had the most positive effect on teaching style preference. The number of continuing education session related to adult education proved to be the factor that most affected teaching style preferences.The study has implications for registered dietitians regarding dietetic education and curriculum development, continuing professional education and adult educators utilizing the PALS instrument. Further study is recommended using PALS with only entry-level dietitians and comparing PALS scores with actual classroom teaching behavior.
Department of Educational Leadership

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a three week school-based nutrition education program on the nutrition knowledge and healthy food choices of elementary school children in the fifth grade. The nutrition education program consisted of nine, thirty minute lessons comprised of the following topics: the food pyramid guide, carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins (A and C), minerals (calcium, and iron), healthy snacks, and vegetarianism. Ninety-six subjects from four classes were obtained from two elementary public schools in the Muncie Community School District to participate in this study. A control group and an experimental group were assigned by the principal at each school according to the availability and interest of fifth grade teachers. Evaluation of nutrition knowledge was completed through a pre-test and post-test which consisted of twenty-five multiple choice questions. Questions on the test were developed by the researcher and the "Nutrition in a Changing World" (Contento, 1992) curriculum model. The test was found to be reliable on an Alpha Cronbach test for reliability (Alpha Coefficient = 0.71) and was validated by five registered dietitians.Results indicated that the nutrition education program significantly increased (p = .000) the nutrition knowledge of students. Mean scores for the experimental group increased significantly from 10.8 to 14.63 out of twenty-five questions, while mean scores for the control subjects increased only slightly from 10.11 to 10.74 out of twenty-five questions. Healthy food choices were defined as being in compliance with the guidelines for energy nutrients and in compliance with the guidelines for number of servings per food group. Evaluation of healthy food choices was conducted using a three-day dietary record analyzed by the Nutritionist IV computer software program prior to the nutrition education program and immediately following.Findings revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the mean change in compliance rate for the recommended number of servings for each food group from pre to post nutrition intervention (p = .000). The largest change that was observed in the experimental group from pre to post nutrition intervention was an 11.9% decrease in the mean number of servings for grains. There was no statistically significant difference in relation to the average change in compliance for the energy nutrients between the experimental and control groups nor was a statistical significance observed regarding compliance to the recommended number of servings per food group consumed daily. The primary investigator feels the educational program had a positive affect on the subjects and that a comprehensive nutrition education program needs to be developed to reinforce the concepts taught in order to make positive behavior changes.
Fisher Institute for Wellness

The Schools and Colleges Permaculture (SCOPE) Programme in Zimbabwe has developed a process for use by schools in planning for the sustainable management of their land. The process is called Integrated Land-Use Design (ILUD) and is based on Permaculture principles. The ILUD process has so far been implemented in 54 pilot schools where it has been used to facilitate the re-design of the school grounds through the active participation of the students, staff and parents. The aim of this research was to investigate what environmental learning takes place during the implementation of the ILUD process and related activities, with a view to informing the improvement of the process. The research was conducted within the interpretive paradigm with particular use being made of the Symbolic Interactionist theoretical framework to explore the social situations in which the ILUD process has been applied. A purposive sample of two schools and five form 4 (grade 11) pupils from each school was selected for the study. The main data collection method was the structured interview. Other data were collected from nonparticipant observations and the analysis of documents, particularly photographs. The data was analysed using the constant comparative method. The findings point towards a significant contribution from the Permaculture activities to the environmental knowledge, environmental management skills and the positive environmental attitudes of the pupils. The work done at the two schools indicates the usefulness of the ILUD process as a tool for environmental action in the schools but its application in the communities was found to be limited by constraints such as lack of resources and the limited capacity of teachers to work in the field of adult education and training. It is recommended that Permaculture should be integrated into the secondary school curriculum if the momentum of the progress made so far is to be maintained. The SCOPE Programme itself needs to be strengthened for its work with communities. There is, for example, a need for adult education and training methods if the introduction of ILUD to the communities is to be successful.

This study uses a systems thinking perspective to explore the role and meaning of participation, capacity development and project sustainability in the Zimbabwe Secondary Teacher Training Environmental Education Project (St²eep). Since there was no consistent critical reflection upon the different assumptions that underpin these important aspects of St²eep in the original project design, this study aims to articulate a theoretical framework for guiding the project. St2eep is a donorfunded project, located in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education in Zimbabwe that seeks to integrate environmental education across the curriculum of secondary teacher education. The study first develops a theoretical framework drawing on systems thinking. In particular it uses the holistic and constructivist perspectives embedded in systems thinking to describe a number of analytic frameworks that are used as a guide to investigate participation, capacity development and project sustainability in the St²eep case study. The research methodology comprises a qualitative case study approach, which contains elements of an instrumental, evaluative and critical case study. Data-collection methods include document analysis, focus group discussions, focus group interviews, semi-structured face-to-face interviews and participant observation. Data analysis follows the constant comparative method of coding and categorising data as outlined by Strauss and Corbin (1998). The outcomes of this research show that participation processes in St²eep evolve around the interactions between a political dimension and a learning dimension. The political dimension relates to giving the project stakeholders a critical voice, allowing them to shape the project and involving them in the decision-making process. This approach has fostered an ongoing learning process in a small team of committed stakeholders based on the principles of collaborative learning, team learning and action research. Participation was shown to enhance capacity-development processes at individual and institutional level by the provision of support through learning teams, and by the renegotiation of responsibilities and power relations between lecturers involved in St²eep, donor representatives and college administrations. The strong operational role of the donor organisation was seen as a serious threat towards individual and institutional capacity development since it creates a functional but artificial and independent project system within the college system and takes over any local institutional support structure that it might seek to develop. Fostering continuous learning and capacity development, St²eep’s participatory approach was shown to contribute to a better understanding of the interconnectedness of factors that influence future sustainability of the project and the implementation of environmental education. This has assisted in the development of different scenarios on the sustainability of the project. The research shows that the project-ustainability planning process draws directly from St²eep’s ongoing learning process, with individual and institutional capacity development featuring strongly in the different scenarios, and with the external context such as the economic situation and the low priority of environmental education being recognised as important factors that need to be considered. Drawing on the findings from the case study, this study makes a tentative recommendation that donor organisations should focus more on capacity-development initiatives and avoid taking on a strong operational role in project activities. The research also recommends that there is need for a deliberate focus on both the political and learning dimensions of the participation process in order to foster local ownership. Making the learning aspect much more central in St²eep is presented as a possible strategy for motivating a larger number of college lecturers to become involved in the project and the implementation of environmental education. The study also urges St²eep to combine the different scenarios that have emerged during the project sustainability planning process and to focus on the benefits that stakeholders want to see sustained.

The most critical hurdle on the path to sustainable development in Africa and the rest of the so-called Third World is poverty, commonly manifested as food security. A number of factors threaten food security in Zimbabwe, and these include climate change, an unstable socio-political environment and economic depression. The major debates and initiatives on sustainable development often fail to focus on the eradication of poverty in southern Africa. As a result, the trade liberalisation programmes signed by African countries in economic partnership agreements leave smallholder farmers vulnerable to the influx of hybrid seed and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which threaten local agro-biodiversity. This case study has shown that farmers select seed to plant for food as a result of various learning interactions they engage in, which include inter-generational knowledge transfer, farmer to farmer extension and external training by extension organisations and NGOs. A communities of practice (COPs) (Wenger, 2007) framework was used to gain an understanding of the learning interactions among farmers and their stakeholders in Nyanga and Marange COPs of small grain farmers in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe, who have been working with Environment Africa (A regional NGO). A critical realist causal analysis was conducted to unravel the various causal factors influencing choice. A number of underlying structures and causal mechanisms were found to influence learning interactions and choices in these communities of practice, and they include ambivalence, which influences the changing domain and practice. Climate change, drought and risk were found to affect farmer practice, while power relations affect the community, its practice, domain, sponsorship and the learning interactions in the COPs. The political economy was also found to have a profound effect on the domain and practice. A space was found for the influence of capacity and knowledge sharing in participatory frameworks of the communities, implying that extension quality can be enhanced to promote locally adapted and diverse seed varieties for food security improvement. The study shows that a deeper understanding of the mechanisms influencing the context of teaching and learning provides a more refined insight into the learning interactions and choices of farmers. This, coupled with the social processes descriptors provided by Wildemeersch (2007) has given me a more detailed understanding of the nature of learning interactions influencing farmer choices.

Bibliography: pages 88-95.
The aim of the investigation is to assess the extent to which various initiatives aimed at improving the status of a technical subject like Home Economics (H/E), have helped to transform the attitudes and perceptions of teachers and students in a school in Zimbabwe. The study was carried out at Rusununguko Secondary School in Zimbabwe, where H/E was one of the technical subjects within a curriculum mainly dominated by academic subjects. Students and teachers' attitudes and perceptions towards H/E were assessed along the following dimensions: 1. The extent to which H/E is subjected to gender stereotyping; 2. The extent to which H/E is viewed as suitable for slow learners and low-achieving students; 3. The extent to which the subject suffers from subject choice constraints; 4. The extent to which H/E is viewed in terms of low academic and occupational expectations; 5. The extent to which the subject is perceived as offering low-status knowledge when compared to other subjects.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the problem solving method applied to a self-instructional material in nutrition education. A comparative evaluation design was employed to determine the value of a problem solving model reflected in a commercially developed material, referred to as the 'Calcium Calculator'. Data were collected using a quasi-experimental randomized group pretest, posttest research design. A panel of judges then evaluated the impact of the problem solving method in nutrition education. Three research questions were generated for the purpose of this study. The first involved comparing impacts produced by the two forms of the 'Calcium Calculator'. Measures of impact, selected based on learner objectives of the 'Calcium Calculator', were learners': attitudes toward dietary calcium and osteoporosis; perception of problem solving ability and self-reported dietary calcium intake. The second research question was posed to investigate the nature of relationships between learners' levels of self-esteem and measures of instructional impact. Influences of selected biodemographic variables on change in the measures of impact were explored in the third research question. Eighteen groups of women (n=241) from community centres were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups: Groups A and B were exposed to active problem solving methods while group C viewed a film, a passive information-oriented instructional technique. The latter group was included in.the study since active learning was hypothesized to result in greater impact than passive learning. Pretest data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and food intake form. Posttest data were collected an average of 4.7 weeks later using a modification of the pretest questionnaire which included a self-esteem scale, along with the food intake form. Forty-four percent of women (n=l06) who completed pretest questionnaires returned for the posttest session. Participants in all three intervention groups experienced increases in attitude scores from pre- to posttest, and these changes were significant within groups B and C. Perceptions of problem solving ability were maintained within intervention groups B and C, yet decreased significantly within intervention group A. Significant increases in self-reported dietary calcium intakes occurred in all three intervention groups among non-pregnant women whose pretest dietary calcium intakes were below their Recommended Nutrient Intake. Impacts produced by form A and B of the 'Calcium Calculator' were significantly different on only one dependent variable: perception of problem solving ability (p≤0.05). Changes in the dependent variables produced by problem solving versus non-problem solving interventions were not significantly different. Changes in dietary calcium intake and attitude toward dietary calcium and osteoporosis were not significantly correlated with self-esteem levels. However, positive significant correlations were identified between learners' levels of self-esteem and change in learners' perceptions of their problem solving ability (p≤0.0l). Measures of impact were infrequently influenced by the biodemographic variables. Of the associations that were identified, most involved dietary characteristics of participants. Yet change in perception of problem solving ability was also affected by a combination of three demographic variables: age, employment status and education. A panel of users (n=9) of educational materials was asked to make judgements on selected study results. Although judges did not distinguish between impacts produced by the two problem solving materials, they acknowledged that: (1) an important relationship exists between self-esteem and learners' perceptions of their problem solving ability and (2) the problem solving method is valuable when directed to specific kinds of learners. The quasi-experimental research design used in this study appeared appropriate for the evaluation of innovative instructional methods. Two main advantages of the design were its comparative nature and its use of a panel of experts to judge the relative effectiveness of both forms of the 'Calcium Calculator' as well as the value of the problem solving method and self-esteem in material design.
Education, Faculty of
Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of
Graduate

The development of nutrition education as part of the school curriculum is considered in the first section of this thesis. The second part focuses on an action research project which was part of in-service courses for primary teachers at the Institute of Education. Teaching and learning about food as part of science and health education provided the context for the research. Each of the seventy teachers involved in the project interviewed three children in their class to explore the ideas which children held about the foods they ate, how they grouped food items, and the types of food choices which they made, as well as the reasons for those choices. Data from the interviews were used as a means of helping teachers to reflect on teaching and learning and to explore their own ideas about food and health. Reflection on practice was encouraged through discussion and the writing of reports based on the interviews. The findings from the interviews indicate that children's ideas, particularly about nutrients, are frequently different from accepted scientific views. There is also evidence that children choose foods which they like, rather than those which they consider to be healthy.Analysis of the reports written by teachers indicates that the interviews have helped to alert teachers to the range of ideas held by children and to increase their own understanding about diet and health. There is evidence that the process of reflection and writing has helped teachers to consider and to develop teaching strategies which are consistent with constructivist learning theory. The findings from this study have implications for teaching and learning about food in science and health education in primary schools. The information about children's ideas about food and health has importance also for policy and practice at an individual, school and national level.

The purpose of this thesis is to look into the teaching methods and content in Zimbabwean biology education, and the possible influences that the teachers’ view of nature have on this education. The study was performed in and around Mutare in eastern Zimbabwe with eleven observations and six interviews in primary and secondary schools, corresponding to years four to nine in the Swedish compulsory school.

My study shows that the teachers’ view of nature is in many parts similar to the Swedish view of nature, but differ in a closer connection to religiosity and in a more every-day-life relation to nature. This is reflected in several of the concepts that view of nature consist of. The view of nature is influencing the content in biology partly. Since science hold universal concepts which are the same all around the world, the view of nature does not influence the scientific parts of biology, but have influence on where the emphases in the education is put. The results show no direct influence of the view of nature on teaching methods, but indirectly influenced by the choice of content.

In Zimbabwe, translation studies is yet to be recognized as a discipline worthy of study in its own right, hence, not much research has been carried out into the theory and practice of translation. Furthermore, there is no tertiary institution that offers professional translation courses. In light of this information most translations are carried out by untrained/partially trained translators with only a few translators who have gained experience over time. The aim of this study was to investigate strategies used by Ndebele translators in the translation of specialized terms and cultural taboos in selected HIV/AIDS texts, as well as factors that can be used to improve the translation situation of Zimbabwe. Three main theoretical approaches were used in a complementary fashion, namely Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS), Cultural Studies and Corpus-based Translation Studies (CTS). DTS provided the researcher with a theory to understand the Ndebele translations in their wider environment; Cultural Studies provided the researcher with the means by which to understand Ndebele culture and taboos; Corpus-based Translation Studies (CTS) provided the researcher with the methodological tools and analytical techniques to analyse the corpus of texts. An English-Ndebele Parallel Corpus (ENPC) was created using fourteen English source texts and their corresponding Ndebele translations. The ENPC was interrogated by means of ParaConc, a parallel concordancing program. The study found that when translating specialised terms, Ndebele translators used strategies such as a general or neutral word, cultural substitution, paraphrasing and omission. The strategy of omission was misused in most cases because Ndebele translators omitted valuable information which did not reach the target readers. With regards to translation strategies that contributed to term creation, it was found that Ndebele translators relied on external as well as internal resources. The translators used strategies such as pure loan words; pure loan words preceeded by an explanation and indigenised loan words. From the Ndebele language itself, the translators resorted to semantic shift, compounding, coinage and paraphrasing, among others. From the ENPC it is clear that Ndebele translators did manage to transfer the message from English to Ndebele to an extent. However, the ENPC has to be used with caution by other researchers since the translations included in the corpus are full of errors such as misinterpretations of the source texts, mistranslations, incorrect terms and incorrect orthography. This factor points to a dire need to establish translation as an academic discipline and profession in Zimbabwe so as to elevate the quality of translations and offer better translation services to all users.

This thesis focuses on research that was conducted in secondary schools in Zimbabwe in 2003. This study was inspired by the researcher's growing interest in continuing professional development, which started from the experience of working with newly qualified teachers (NQTs) as a headteacher in Zimbabwe in the 90s. This interest was further enhanced by the study of the induction of newly qualified teachers in Oxfordshire in 2000, and the absence of published research into the learning of novice NQTs in Zimbabwe. The study focused on exploring the experiences of NQTs during their first year of teaching in secondary schools in Zimbabwe. The purpose of this study was to generate an in-depth understanding of the experiences of NQTs, their professional development needs and the forms of support they received. Such an understanding, in a context where no research of this nature had been conducted, required a strategy that could enable the researcher to get as close to the researched as possible in a manner that could allow for great flexibility in adapting research to contextual realities. An exploratory/descriptive qualitative case study was considered the most suitable strategy against the background of no previous research on this focus. Data was generated through interviews and observation from two samples with schools in Harare and Mashonaland East regions, which the researcher considered safe to research in, given the political climate in Zimbabwe at the time. The learning of the NQTs during the first year of teaching is one of the key issues underpinning this study. This thesis explores what and how NQTs learn during their first year of teaching in secondary schools in Zimbabwe. Models of teacher learning are reviewed and used in analysing the experiences of the NQTs. There is an on- going debate on support for novice teachers in schools in literature in the Western world. On the one hand there are proponents of formal induction while on the other hand any planned support is viewed as interference with the new teacher's learning. Literature on learning in the workplace provides scope on the significance of the school climate on the learning of teachers. Findings reveal that NQTs had negative experiences at the beginning of the year with major problems in their deployment, delays in processing of salaries during the first term and a critical shortage of resources. The participants indicated professional development needs of NQTs including classroom management and control, teaching methods, adjusting subject content to the level of students, the need to be observed and to observe other teachers and support in implementing new ideas. The study also revealed that there were varying formal and informal provisions for support in schools, as there is no formal national policy guiding the induction of NQTs in schools. The findings of this study provide a basis for key recommendations for educational practice and research.

This study examined Filipino mothers' problem solving on issues related to child feeding, using a dyadic, peer-help approach. The participants were mothers of children under 6 years of age from the town of Camaligan, in the southern Philippines, where malnutrition among children is prevalent. Two studies were conducted: one using a controlled experimental session and the second using a multi-session nutrition education format. In the first study, mothers were paired with a mutual or unilateral friend to discuss a feeding problem to which they initially gave similar solutions and one to which they gave different solutions. Their post-discussion solutions were better in quality and number than the pre-discussion solutions; also mothers paired with a mutual friend gave more and better finaL solutions to the initially-agreed problem than other mothers. Mothers' final solutions were more likely to come from their own than their partner's discussed solutions, suggesting that the partner's role was to facilitate the mother's own problem-solving process. In the second study, mothers paired with a mutual or unilateral friend were compared with an unpaired control group, after pacing themselves through four problem-based nutrition education sessions. For all three groups, mothers' nutrition knowledge and target child's weight-for-age and height-for-age improved from before to after the sessions. In conclusion, mothers show improvements in the number and quality of solutions they generate and the nutrition knowledge they acquire as a result of a problem-solving approach to nutrition education.

There is a lack of public awareness in regards to nutrition education because of the limited amount of visits made to the WIC office by these participants. Take home material was designed to reinforce the curriculum taught in the WIC classroom. Learning the skills provided, these WIC families will discover new ways to promote family togetherness and opportunities to discuss and implement healthy eating and living habits.

The purpose of this study was to determine if completion of the Purdue Extension Professor Popcorn nutrition curriculum impacts third grade students' long-term knowledge about, attitude toward, and self-reported consumption of fruits and vegetables. A secondary purpose was to measure any carry-over of concepts learned, or to identify any food behaviors acquired, by surveying the students' parents.A total of 74 third-grade students and 66 parents/guardians participated in this study. Data was analyzed using SPSS, version 11.0. Descriptive analysis, frequency counts, and Pearson Chi Square were used to test 15 research hypotheses. Significant differences were found in students' attitude toward vegetables, how often they ate fruit, and how often people should eat fruits and vegetables. No differences were found in parent/guardian surveys. Results of this study provide modest support for the impact of Professor Popcorn on students. No carryover of concepts to the students' parents, however, was observed.
Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study considers a lexicographical intervention in the acquisition and use of English in Zimbabwe. English is the country’s sole official language. This means that it dominates all the other languages in the country in terms of prestige and usage in the high status domains such as government, media, law, education, etc. English is learnt as a compulsory subject throughout the education system up to the General Certificate of Ordinary Level (‘O’ Level) and used as medium of instruction from the fourth grade upwards. The annual national pass rate of around 33% and less than 10% for some schools in this subject has been recorded in recent years. An ‘O’ Level certificate is considered complete if is has registered five ‘O’ Level subjects including English. This means that without an ‘O’ Level English pass, learners have no chance to proceed to the General Certificate in Education Advanced Level (‘A’ Level) or tertiary education, and their chances of getting employment in the public service are limited, if not non-existent. In the mainstream scholarship on language policy and language planning in the country, this situation has resulted in advocating that indigenous languages, particularly Shona and Ndebele, be developed and elevated to the official status currently enjoyed by English. Far from being against the development and status elevation of indigenous languages, this study proposes a lexicographical intervention in the acquisition and use of English as one of the necessary mechanisms that may mitigate some problems associated with this language. It is argued that the problem with English is not simply that it is a language of foreign origin, to be explicit, the language of the former colonial master. Rather, the problem is that the majority of Zimbabweans are not competent enough to function in this language. Of course, this may be related to the fact that many Zimbabweans have to learn it as an additional language since it is not an indigenous language and thus linguistically and culturally distant from the native languages of its learners. Dealing with the field of lexicography, this dissertation considers an intervention with respect to those problems that may be addressed by the consultation of dictionaries. The availability, use and user-friendliness of English dictionaries are investigated in view of the characteristics of Zimbabweans as additional language learners of English, their situations in which lexicographically-relevant problems occur and the subsequent information needs. In doing this, the theory of learners’ lexicography (Tarp 2004; 2004a; 2008) is used. Firstly, it is established that dictionaries are scarce commodities in Zimbabwe, with a very limited range of dictionaries being available for Zimbabweans to buy. Secondly, dictionaries are not actively used in the learning and use of English within the school system, except in the former Group A schools which are elitist in nature. Curriculum developers, teachers, assessors and learners are not very clear about the role of dictionaries within the school system. Thirdly, the dictionaries that are used are not appropriate for the learners who consult them, with advanced learners’ dictionaries dominating the limited presence even at primary schools. Notwithstanding this poor background, it is generally accepted that appropriate dictionaries, despite the fact that there is a general lack of awareness of the differences between dictionaries, may address some of the problems associated with English, especially within the education system. Should this happen, the learners will develop a dictionary culture and regard dictionaries as utility products which they may rely on later in their academic and professional careers in which English continues to be dominant. A model of lexicographical intervention in the acquisition and use of English in Zimbabwe is therefore formulated. This is done against the above background and also the history of both English and Zimbabwean lexicography. English lexicography now sees English dictionaries being produced in a host of countries other than Britain, America, Australia and New Zealand, where English is a native language. This is mainly because of the dominant role that English has acquired in those countries such as South Africa. However, Zimbabwean lexicography has thus far focused on mother-tongue dictionaries in Shona and Ndebele, the main reason being the need to develop these formerly marginalised languages. Accordingly, the proposed model seeks to expand the scope of Zimbabwean lexicography. This is not just for the sake of expanding. On the contrary, in the research it is observed that the dictionaries constituting the envisaged lexicographical intervention have to be produced in Zimbabwe in order for them to effectively address the local needs regarding this language. For example, lemma selection, paraphrases of meaning, illustrative examples and data contained in the outer texts have to be linguistically and culturally relevant, taking into cognisance the native languages and cultures of the target users. It is observed that if the proposed model is to be successfully implemented, local publishers will need to play an important role, while curriculum developers, assessors, teachers and learners have to be lexicographically educated. At present, local publishers with international affiliations distribute externally-motivated dictionaries (Gouws 2005). Where dictionaries are used, no serious consideration is given regarding the appropriateness of the dictionaries. Any available dictionary is purchased regardless of its user-friendliness. Unfortunately this results in a situation where users fail to extract the best from the dictionaries and end up being disillusioned about the usefulness of dictionaries as utility tools. Some of the dictionaries found at schools are just locked in safe cabinets in headmasters’ offices while learners continue experiencing problems that could be solved by appropriate dictionaries. Accordingly, with lexicographical pedagogy, and further research on specific aspects of the model, a lexicographical intervention in the acquisition and use of English in Zimbabwe is considered a worthwhile enterprise.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie beskou 'n leksikografiese tussenkoms in die verwerwing en gebruik van Engels in Zimbabwe. Engels is die land se enigste offisiële taal. Dit beteken dat dit al die ander tale in die land oorheers wat betref prestige en gebruik in die hoërstatusterreine soos die regering, media, reg, opvoeding, ens. Engels word as 'n verpligte vak geleer dwarsdeur die opvoedingstelsel tot by die Algemene Sertifikaat van Gewone Vlak ('O'-vlak) en gebruik as onderrigmedium vanaf die vierde graad en hoër. Die jaarlikse nasionale slaagsyfer van rondom 33% en minder as 10% vir sommige skole in hierdie vak is in onlangse jare waargeneem. 'n 'O'-vlaksertifikaat word as volledig beskou indien dit vyf 'O'-vlakvakke insluitende Engels geregistreer het. Dit beteken dat sonder die slaag van Engels op 'O'-vlak leerders geen kans het om voort te gaan na die Algemene Sertifikaat in Opvoedkunde Gevorderde Vlak ('A'-vlak) of tersiêre onderwys nie, en hul kanse is beperk, indien nie niebestaande nie, om werk in die openbare diens te kry. In die hoofstroomvakkundigheid betreffende taalpolitiek en taalbeplanning in die land het hierdie situasie daartoe gelei dat bepleit word dat die inheemse tale, veral Sjona en Ndebele, ontwikkel en verhef word tot die offisiële status wat tans deur Engels geniet word. Verre van teen die ontwikkeling en statusverheffing van die inheemse tale te wees, stel hierdie studie 'n tussenkoms in die verwerwing en gebruik van Engels voor as een van die noodsaaklike meganismes wat sommige probleme wat verband hou met hierdie taal, kan versag. Daar word geredeneer dat die probleem met Engels nie eenvoudig is dat dit 'n taal van vreemde herkoms, om dit onomwonde te stel, die taal van die vroeëre koloniale baas is nie. Die probleem is eerder dat die meerderheid Zimbabwiërs nie bedrewe genoeg is om in hierdie taal te funksioneer nie. Dit kan natuurlik verwant wees aan die feit dat baie Zimbabwiërs dit as 'n bykomende taal moet leer aangesien dit nie 'n inheemse taal is nie en daarom linguisties en kultureel verwyder is van die inheemse tale van sy leerders. Omdat dit oor die gebied van die leksikografie handel, beskou hierdie verhandeling 'n tussenkoms met betrekking tot daardie probleme wat deur die raadpleging van woordeboeke benader kan word. Die beskikbaarheid, gebruik en gebruikersvriendelikheid van Engelse woordeboeke word ondersoek met betrekking tot die kenmerke van Zimbabwiërs as leerders van Engels as 'n bykomende taal, hul omstandighede waarin leksikografies relevante probleme voorkom en die gevolglike inligtingsbehoeftes. Om dit te doen, word die teorie van aanleerdersleksikografie (Tarp 2004; 2004a; 2008) gebruik. Eerstens is vasgestel dat woordeboeke skaars artikels in Zimbabwe is, met 'n baie beperkte reeks woordeboeke vir Zimbabwiërs om te koop. Tweedens word woordeboeke nie daadwerklik aangewend by die leer en gebruik van Engels binne die skoolstelsel nie, behalwe in die vroeëre Groep A-skole wat elitisties van aard is. Leerplanontwikkelaars, onderwysers, assessore en leerders het nie baie groot duidelikheid oor die rol van woordeboeke binne die skoolstelsel nie. Derdens, die woordeboeke wat gebruik word, is nie geskik vir die leerders wat hulle raadpleeg nie, met gevorderde aanleerderswoordeboeke wat selfs in primêre skole die beperkte aanwesigheid oorheers. Nieteenstaande hierdie swak agtergrond, word dit algemeen aanvaar dat geskikte woordeboeke, ten spyte van die feit dat daar 'n algemene gebrek aan 'n bewustheid van die verskille tussen woordeboeke is, sommige van die probleme wat met Engels verband hou, veral in die onderwysstelsel, kan oplos. Sou dit gebeur, sal leerders 'n woordeboekkultuur ontwikkel en woordeboeke as nutsartikels beskou waarop hulle later kan steun in hul akademiese en professionele loopbane waarin Engels voortgaan om oorheersend te wees. 'n Model van leksikografiese tussenkoms in die verwerwing en gebruik van Engels in Zimbabwe word gevolglik geformuleer. Dit word gedoen teen die voorafgaande agtergrond en ook die geskiedenis van sowel Engelse as Zimbabwiese leksikografie. Engelse leksikografie toon tans dat Engelse woordeboeke voortgebring word in 'n menigte ander lande as Brittanje, Amerika, Australië en Nieu-Seeland waar Engels 'n inheemse taal is. Dit is hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die oorheersende rol wat Engels in daardie lande soos Suid- Afrika verkry het. Zimbabwiese leksikografie het egter tot sover gefokus op moedertaalwoordeboeke in Sjona en Ndebele, met as hoofrede die behoefte om hierdie voorheen gemarginaliseerde tale te ontwikkel. Gevolglik probeer die voorgestelde model om die omvang van Zimbabwiese leksikografie uit te brei. Dit is nie net ter wille van uitbreiding nie. Inteendeel. In die navorsing word dit waargeneem dat die woordeboeke wat die beoogde leksikografiese tussenkoms uitmaak, in Zimbabwe voortgebring moet word vir hulle om die plaaslike behoeftes met betrekking tot hierdie taal doeltreffend te benader. Byvoorbeeld, lemmakeuse, betekenisparafrases, toeligtende voorbeelde en data bevat in die buitetekste moet linguisties en kultureel toepaslik wees om die inheemse tale en kulture van die teikengebruikers in aanmerking te neem. Daar word opgemerk dat, om die voorgestelde model suksesvol deur te voer, plaaslike uitgewers 'n belangrike rol sal moet speel, terwyl leerplanontwikkelaars, assessore, onderwysers en leerders leksikografies opgevoed sal moet word. Op die oomblik versprei plaaslike uitgewers met internasionale verbintenisse ekstern-gemotiveerde woordeboeke (Gouws 2005). Waar woordeboeke gebruik word, word geen ernstige oorwegings geskenk aan die geskiktheid van woordeboeke nie. Enige beskikbare woordeboek word gekoop ongeag sy bruikbaarheid. Ongelukkig lei dit tot 'n situasie waar gebruikers in gebreke bly om die beste uit die woordeboeke te haal en ontnugter eindig oor die nuttigheid van woordeboeke as gebruiksgereedskap Sommige van die woordeboeke wat in skole aangetref is, word net in veilige kaste in skoolhoofde se kantore weggesluit, terwyl leerders voortgaan om probleme te ondervind wat opgelos kan word deur geskikte woordeboeke. Met leksikografiese opvoeding, en verdere navorsing oor bepaalde aspekte van die model, word 'n leksikografiese tussenkoms in die verwerwing en gebruik van Engels in Zimbabwe gevolglik as 'n verdienstelike onderneming beskou.

A two session nutrition education research project was conducted using basic training candidates at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Glynco, Georgia. Prior to the administration of the full scale project, a test questionnaire was developed and evaluated and a project pilot test was conducted. The first part of the project involved the basic training candidates (N=313) responding to questionnaire survey designed to measure demographic and occupational data, knowledge of nutrition (NKQ), and attitudes toward nutrition (AQ). The NKQ and AQ were individually subdivided to measure various subscales. A minimum time period of 10 calendar days was allowed to elapse prior to the administration of the second part of this project. The same participants (N=286) were randomly assigned to one of four color treatment groups. All the groups were exposed to written nutrition education material, Eater's Almanac Vol. 1, No. 21, reprinted on one of four background colors (white, blue, green, and yellow). Following a set time period to review the contents, the candidates were administered an immediate recall questionnaire (IRQ). The basic training candidates at FLETC possessed some knowledge of nutrition prior to reading the nutrition education material. Out of a possible maximum score of 20, the mean was 10.38. Food faddism issues appeared to be the weakest area. Improvement of nutrition knowledge was approximately equal among all treatment groups. The overall mean IRQ score was 13.28 with a ranqe of 12.92 to 13.60. The nutrition attitudes of the candidates were favorable with a mean cumulative score of 45.08 out of a possible 80 (2.83/item). Food faddism was the weakest area. Immediate recall scores were unaffected by the candidates attitudes (r=.122 p .05). Background color does not appear to be a factor in the improvement of immediate recall scores. Basic training candidates possess favorable attitudes toward nutrition; however, this favorable attitude did not affect immediate recall scores. Further research efforts should be tailored toward the evaluation of additional relationships between color and nutrition education, long term nutrition education recall, the relationship of nutrition knowledge and nutrition attitudes, and their effect of knowledge and attitudes upon nutrition practices for law enforcement personnel.
M.S.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Educational Psychology)) --University of Limpopo, 2012
This research project was an endeavor to investigate the effects of the languages of instruction (English and Shona), to teach Tsonga (Shangani) speaking children in Chiredzi district of Zimbabwe. Because of the nature of the study, a mixed method design was used where both qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted to study the performance of the Tsonga (Shangani) minority language speaking learners in five purposively sampled schools. 222 learners participated in the study. The main aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the language instruction in teaching Tsonga (Shangani) speaking Grade Seven children in Environmental Science. In fact, the researcher was interested in finding out whether teaching learners in a foreign language was a bridge or barrier to learning. In this case, the research did not only look at the effect of using English for instructional purposes, but also investigated how other major or dominant indigenous languages which are used for instructional purposes affect the performance of minority language speaking children in Chiredzi district of Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected using lesson observation, document analysis, the questionnaire and a knowledge test. In this case, fifteen lessons were observed. Fifteen Tsonga (Shangani) speaking Grade Seven learners per school were purposively selected and taught in Tsonga (Shangani) only and the other fifteen Shona speaking Grade Seven children per school were also purposively selected and taught the same topic in Shona, and a third group of fifteen Grade Seven learners per school, were randomly selected and taught in English only. A knowledge test was given to each group thereafter. Children from each language condition were allowed to answer questions in their home languages, except for the third group which was taught in English. This group answered the questions in English with the restricted use of Shona. Each of the test results from the knowledge tests were analysed using a One Way Anova of Variance (ANOVA) and conclusions drawn. The results from other data collection instruments were analysed using qualitative methods like narrative discussions of data. A sample of five learners per school had their exercise books analysed. Data were presented in tables. The results from the knowledge tests given showed a significant difference in the mean marks obtained from the three groups (the Shangani, Shona and English group). The result showed that language has a significant influence on the performance of learners since the p – value was 0.000. This implies that the performance of learners between the three groups is significantly different. On the basis of these observations, the Null hypothesis was rejected. The same picture was also shown in document analysis and in the questionnaires. Consequently, conclusions were drawn and recommendations made.

This project addresses the need for English as a second language nutrition instruction for patients in a forensic mental institution. It incorporates concepts of motivation, situated learning, prison education, English for specific purposes, and content-based instruction into a model which guides the design of a nutrition curriculum, consisting of five lesson plans about the Food Guide Pyramid.

The purpose of this study was to analyse formative assessment challenges facing English Language (L2) Secondary school teachers in the Makoni District of Zimbabwe. Data were collected from 25 English Language secondary school teachers pooled from 5 secondary schools in the Makoni District. The study utilised the pragmatic paradigm which allowed the use of the mixed methods approach. The study used the survey research design. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires while qualitative data were collected through follow-up interviews, documents and non-participant observations. Cross-tabulations were used to present data which were then reported mainly in percentages. While most of the qualitative data were used to buttress findings established through the questionnaires, the other data were categorised into themes and analysed accordingly. Major challenges that were revealed by this study were that teachers used the teacher – centred approach, feedback given to pupils was not detailed, there was less time to assess appropriately and that teachers were not motivated to assess effectively. Remedial activities were not being carried out and that teachers’ training in assessment was not thorough. Shortage of teaching and learning resources and high teacher – pupil ratios were some of the challenges that teachers faced. There was lack of coordination of agencies involved in assessment and that assessment was examinations – oriented. Assessment policy formulation did not involve teachers and that most pupils were not motivated to learn. On the basis of these findings, the study recommended the provision of adequate teaching and learning resources, provision of appropriate pre-service and in – service training programs as well as involving the teachers in the formulation of assessment policies.

Thesis (MNutr)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Perceptions held by Masters Students of the NOMAa track module on ‘Nutrition, Human Rights and Governance’ Introduction and Objectives The interdisciplinary NOMA Track module on ‘Nutrition, Human Rights and Governance’ was developed jointly by four higher learning institutions in three countries (Norway, South Africa and Uganda). The module was incorporated into the respective Masters programmes in nutrition and consisted of three study units each of six weeks duration. The units were presented consecutively in the three countries and built on one another, totalling 18 weeks. Objectives The main aim of the study was to document perceptions of Masters students who completed the module. The objectives were to compare the perceptions of students about the study units in different countries, to document how students anticipated utilising their newly-acquired knowledge and to make recommendations for the development of similar interdisciplinary modules. Methodology A cross-sectional study design with a mixed methods approach was used. The sampling frame consisted of all registered students enrolled in the module. Informed written consent for both voluntary participation as well as voice recording of interviews was obtained from all participants. Data was extracted from students’ quantitative evaluation of each study unit. An interpretative methodological approach was used to elicit narrative accounts of students’ perceptions of the module during in-depth telephonic interviews. An inductive process was followed to identify emerging themes. The code list thus compiled was used to analyse unstructured data by using a text analysis computer programme. Results Twenty NOMA students enrolled at different universities participated in the study. The module was described as a life-changing experience and the way the module was structured and conducted in both developed and developing countries was highly rated. Interactive teaching styles optimised the learning experience. Presentations by a variety of experts and study visits served to enrich theoretical human rights principles by giving practical examples and by comparing implementation of these principles under varying conditions. The main difference between the study units in the different countries related to time-management and different teaching styles employed by lecturers. Transnational and interdisciplinary education provided this group of students the opportunity to enhance various professional attributes. Their willingness to learn from others provided them with valuable insight about the diverse nature of different population groups and their cultural differences. Without this understanding, poor communication, intolerance and prejudice might create barriers to optimal treatment or education of a client/community requiring professional advice. Students applied their newly acquired knowledge about human rights principles and the link with nutrition by utilising teaching opportunities, and indicated that they intended to incorporate a human rights approach in future endeavours. Conclusion The interdisciplinary NOMA Track module empowered a group of students to utilise the principles of a human rights-based approach in an appropriate manner. NOMA students developed an understanding of their new role as nutrition professionals, being challenged to interact in a globalized world if they want to make a meaningful contribution to the realisation of the right to food for all. Lessons learned from the implementation of the module will be useful to inform further decision-making on how to integrate a focus on human rights into training in nutrition at Stellenbosch University.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Persepsies van Meesterstudente oor die NOMAb-opsie module oor ‘Voeding, Menseregte en Bestuur’ Inleiding en Doelwitte Die interdissiplinêre NOMA-module opsie oor ‘Voeding, Menseregte en Bestuur’ is gesamentlik ontwikkel deur vier hoër opleidingsinstansies in drie lande: Noorweë, Suid Afrika en Uganda. Die module is geïnkorporeer in die toepaslike meestersgraadkursusse in voeding. Dit het bestaan uit drie studie-eenhede wat elkeen 6 weke geduur het (in totaal 18 weke) en opeenvolgend aangebied is in die drie lande. Doelwitte Die hoofdoel van die studie was om persepsies van meesterstudente wat die module voltooi het te dokumenteer. Die doel was om sodanige persepsies oor die studie-eenhede in verskillende lande te vergelyk, om te dokumenteer op watter wyse studente verwag om die nuwe kennis te benut en om aanbevelings te maak vir die ontwikkeling van soortgelyke interdissiplinêre modules. Metode ‘n Dwarssnit studieontwerp met ‘n gemengde metode benadering is gevolg. Die steekproefraamwerk het bestaan uit alle geregistreerde studente wat ingeskryf het vir die module. Ingeligde, geskrewe toestemming vir vrywillige deelname asook om stemopnames van onderhoude te maak, is van alle deelnemers verkry. Data is onttrek uit studente se kwantitatiewe evaluering van elke studie-eenheid. ‘n Metodologiese benadering van interpretasie is gevolg om ‘n narratiewe weergawe van studente se persepsies te ontlok gedurende in-diepte telefoniese onderhoude. Temas is induktief geïdentifiseer en ‘n ooreenstemmende kodelys is gebruik om ongestruktureerde data te analiseer met ʼn teksanalise rekenaarprogram. Resultate Twintig NOMA studente, ingeskryf by verskillende universiteite, het deelgeneem aan die studie. Die module is beskryf as ʼn lewensveranderende ondervinding. Die wyse waarop die module gestruktureer en aangebied is in beide ontwikkelde en ontwikkelende lande, is hoog op prys gestel. Die interaktiewe onderrigstyl het die leerervaring optimaal bevorder. Aanbiedings deur verskeie kundiges en studiebesoeke het daartoe bygedra dat teoretiese menseregte-beginsels verbreed is deur praktiese voorbeelde te verskaf. Die implementering van hierdie beginsels onder verskillende omstandighede is vergelyk. Die grootste verskille tussen die studie-eenhede in die onderskeie lande het verband gehou met tydsbesteding en dosente se verskillende onderrigstyle. Transnasionale en interdissiplinêre onderrig het hierdie groep studente geleentheid gegun om verskeie professionele vaardighede te ontwikkel. Hul bereidheid om by ander te leer het waardevolle insae gegee in die diverse aard van verskillende populasiegroepe en kultuurverskille. Daarsonder kon struikelblokke ontstaan het weens swak kommunikasie, onverdraagsaamheid en vooroordele. Dit kan verhoed dat optimale behandeling of onderrig verskaf word aan ʼn kliënt/gemeenskap wat professionele advies benodig. Studente het hul nuut-verworwe kennis oor menseregte-beginsels en die verband met voeding toegepas in onderriggeleenthede en het onderneem om ‘n menseregte-benadering te volg in toekomstige ondernemings. Gevolgtrekking Die interdissiplinêre NOMA-module opsie het ʼn groep studente bemagtig om die beginsels van ʼn menseregte-benadering op ʼn toepaslike wyse te gebruik. NOMA studente verstaan nou hul nuwe rol as kundiges in voeding, naamlik dat hulle uitgedaag word tot interaksie in ʼn globaliserende wêreld, as hulle ʼn merkbare bydrae wil lewer tot die verwesenliking van die reg tot voldoende voedsel vir almal. Lesse wat geleer is uit die implementering van die module sal waardevol wees wanneer daar besluite geneem word oor die beste manier waarop ʼn menseregte fokus ingesluit kan word in voeding-opleiding by Stellenbosch Universiteit.

The purpose of this research was to determine the level of nutrition knowledge of students in four-year hospitality programs; their attitudes toward nutrition in general (general attitudes); and their attitudes toward its role in commercial foodservice (restaurant attitudes). Correlations between knowledge and attitudes and differences based on gender, age, college classification, and completion of a college nutrition course were also examined. Hospitality management majors in baccalaureate programs at three Texas universities completed 454 usable questionnaires. Although knowledge was not extensive, general and restaurant attitudes were positive. Knowledge was influenced by all factors except gender. General attitudes were influenced by gender, age, and classification. Only gender influenced restaurant attitudes. Knowledge was positively correlated with favorable attitudes.

This thesis examined student knowledge about the nature, scope, causes and responses to poverty, student perceptions of the emphasis in the school curricula on poverty and development, student attitudes to poverty and the factors that influence such knowledge and attitudes. Knowledge and attitudes at the end of primary school were compared with those after four years of secondary school in three nations, Australia. The Philippines and Zimbabwe, involving 1296 surveys and 188 interviews. The investigation draws on earlier work in Ireland (Regan, 1996). and is a response to the recent emphasis on the role of schools in development education in Europe (Lemmers, 2001) and the call for a greater emphasis in Australia on this area (Simons. Hart and WTalsh, 1997). The survey compared student understanding with current 'knowledge' in the literature and the interview allowed an examination of the stories students constructed about people in poverty, including their cognitive and affective responses to people in poverty. Results showed that whilst almost all students recognised that poverty exists, they were more likely to define it simply as a lack of income than as a phenomenon involving social power and self esteem. Few students were aware that the majority of the world's poor are female. Nationality was an important predictor of student knowledge and values. Australian students considered nationally based causes (e.g., government, education) to be more important than personal qualities (e.g., laziness) or international causes (e.g., powerful countries). Australian students were also more likely to value hedonism, but it could not be demonstrated conclusively that this affected the ways that they defined poverty and its causes. Filipino students were more likely to perceive poverty as being the fault of the person experiencing poverty and were more pejorative towards the poor. Whilst Filipino and Zimbabwean students considered that they had learnt a lot about poverty, few Australian students thought this to be the case. Students in senior secondary school were not well informed of current understandings about poverty and development and did not possess a significantly greater knowledge than primary school students on these matters. Specifically. current school practices allow students to perceive poverty as primarily income related and do not place due emphasis on internationally related causes.

The general objective of this study was that of giving food, health, and nutrition education via educational lessons based on a diagnostic of teachers' and children's knowledge at the Cuambo school. The study is descriptive and transverse and lasted from October 2000 through June 2001. The study included 100% of the attending children and teachers of the Cumabo community school, being 42 in number. Variables were: topics on eating, nutrition, and health that complete the plan of basic studies, along with training of students and teachers. Since the project was eminently educational, it implied carrying out the respective educational lessons with adaptations for each community. There were 10 educational lessons done for each community, which consisted of topic, audience, message, objective, techniques, materials, preliminary preparation, initial evaluation, classroom development, review, reinforcement, final evaluation, and analysis. The support educational materials used were the Healthy Schools pamphlets, which were made into the principal source of education.

This case study examines the introduction of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) in the Consumer Studies curriculum of Further Education and Training (FET). The research is centred on the use of enquiry methodologies involving learners observing parent demonstrations of the making of ‘amarewu’ and other activities centred on the propositional knowledge dealing with fermentation in the Consumer Studies curriculum. The research involved a review of curriculum documents, participant observation of a demonstration of local food practices related to ‘amarewu’ and learner research activities and interviews to review the developing learning interactions. The learning activities were focused on the learners’ researching the cultural and nutritional value of ‘amarewu’ and included an audit of food consumed in the community. What transpired from this study was that working with IK in the curriculum is possible. The inclusion of IK is not only possible but desirable and has exciting possibilities for relevance in contemporary education. The active involvement in parent demonstration engaged the learners in IK in their mother tongue, therefore indigenous knowledge has relevance. The curriculum concepts also enhanced the engagement by giving rise to more relevant knowledge and a respect for cultural matters. Intergenerational capital and subject concepts also enabled learners to engage with local nutritional problems and to come up with practical solutions. This study demonstrates how IK intergenerational capital in combination in combination with curriculum concepts (subject knowledge capital) can enhance relevance and the learners’ real engagement with local health and nutritional problems. Not only did the learners have culturally valued knowledge, but also knowledge that has a practical grasp of the problem and that they could use to engage relevant issues. These two views of knowledge join in learning and can be used to address health issues. I therefore recommend connection of cultural knowledge and conceptual knowledge to strengthen the revitalisation of cultural heritage, thus equalising it to the modern patterns of life and enhancing meaningful curriculum orientation.

One hundred forty-nine hospitality and culinary programs located in the U.S. and 49 hospitality and culinary programs located in other countries were examined to identify the differences of nutrition topics taught and teaching methods/resources used in undergraduate hospitality management and culinary programs.

Equitable access to healthy food is a multifaceted issue faced by many underserved populations. Intimate understanding of individual communities’ food practices allows for the creation of community-based interventions that elaborate upon specific needs and desires. Through collaborative research and action, this study aims to become better informed of the current eating habits of community members participating in The Happy Kitchen program at Wesley Rankin Community Center in West Dallas, how those habits have changed over time, and the factors that contribute to access and utilization of a healthy diet. This research seeks to develop a dialectical relationship between the participants and GROW North Texas to design relevant cooking classes and interventions in West Dallas; thereby increasing access to and consumption of nutritious food.