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Amabayo, Emirant Bertillas. "Multi-instrument observations of ionospheric irregularities over South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005261.
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The occurrence of mid-latitude spread F (SF) over South Africa has not been extensively studied since the installation of the DPS-4 digisondes at Madimbo (30.88◦E, 22.38◦S), Grahamstown (33.32◦S, 26.50◦E) and Louisvale (28.51◦S, 21.24◦E). This study is intended to quantify the probability of the occurrence of F region disturbances associated with ionospheric spread F (SF) and L-band scintillation over South Africa. This study used available ionosonde data for 8 years (2000-2008) from the three South African stations. The SF events were identified manually on ionograms and grouped for further statistical analysis into frequency SF (FSF), range SF (RSF) and mixed SF (MSF). The results show that the diurnal pattern of SF occurrence peaks strongly between 23:00 and 00:00 UT. This pattern is true for all seasons and types of SF at Madimbo and Grahamstown during 2001 and 2005, except for RSF which had peaks during autumn and spring during 2001 at Madimbo. The probability of both MSF and FSF tends to increase with decreasing sunspot number (SSN), with a peak in 2005 (a moderate solar activity period). The seasonal peaks of MSF and FSF are more frequent during winter months at both Madimbo and Grahamstown. In this study SF was evident in ∼ 0.03% and ∼ 0.06% of the available ionograms at Madimbo and Grahamstown respectively during the eight year period. The presence of ionospheric irregularities associated with SF and scintillation was investigated using data from selected Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver stations distributed across South Africa. The results, based on GPS total electron content (TEC) and ionosonde measurements, show that SF over this region can most likely be attributed to travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs), caused by gravity waves (GWs) and neutral wind composition changes. The GWs were mostly associated with geomagnetic storms and sub-storms that occurred during periods of high and moderate solar activity (2001-2005). SF occurrence during the low solar activity period (2006-2008)can probably be attributed to neutral wind composition changes.
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Mbambo, Makhangela Casey. "Variability of the peak height of the ionospheric F2 layer over South Africa." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/446.
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Abstract This thesis will present an investigation into the variability of the maximum height of the ionospheric F2 layer, hmF2, with hour, season and latitude over the South African region. The dependence of hmF2 on solar and magnetic activity is also investigated. Data from three South African stations, namely Madimbo (22.4 S, 26.5 E), Grahamstown (33.3 S, 26.5 E) and Louisvale (28.5 S, 21.2 E) were used in this study. Initial results indicate that hmF2 shows a larger variability around midnight than during daytime for all the seasons. Monthly median values for hmF2 were used in all cases to illustrate the variability, and the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model has been used to investigate hmF2 predictability over South Africa. This research represents the initial steps towards a predictive model for the hmF2 parameter, with the long term aim of developing a new global hmF2 predictive model for the IRI. It is believed that this work will contribute signi cantly towards this aim through the understanding of the hmF2 parameter over a region that has not previously been investigated.
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Bester, Alte. "A participatory action research approach to programme evaluation in a rural society." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/52686.
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Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Recently, Participatory action research (PAR) has become a common approach to social programmes in South Africa. This tendency has created a need to evaluate this kind of programmes to determine if it really achieves what it sets out to do. The purpose of this study was to evaluate an entrepreneurial skills training programme in a rural community where a participatory action research approach was followed. A literature review was undertaken to present an in-depth look into the body of literature that surrounds the study. Programme evaluation was discussed as a research design, including types and stages of evaluation. The concept of empowerment was investigated. The review also included a study of literature on PAR, especially the definitions, context and process of PAR. The role of entrepreneurship in rural development was also investigated as well as the evaluation of entrepreneurial skills training programmes. An entrepreneurial skills training programme was implemented in the rural town of Darling on the West Coast of South Africa. The PAR approach was followed in the implementation of the study that was conducted over a period of 15 months. Participants joined the programme that included different projects, voluntarily. The participants were divided into three groups according to their period of participation in the programme. The researcher facilitated actions as well as reflection meetings with the group of participants before and after the entrepreneurial skills training course. The researcher made field notes during the implementation of the programme. The participants' empowerment status was measured with a standardized questionnaire using a pre-test-post-test design. The participants' application of the entrepreneurial skills that were taught in the course was measured during semi-structured interviews at the end of the research perico. four case studies document the extremes of the respective outcomes of the programme, namely empowerment and entrepreneurship. Statistical analysis showed statistically significant improvements in the micro, macro and total empowerment scores of the total group. Looking at the three groups separately, group one showed statistically significant improvements on the micro and interface levels and group two on the micro level. Even though group three showed small improvements on all three levels, none of them were statistically significant. Data from the field notes wer:e analyzed according to the PAR concepts of participation, action and reflection. Participation mostly had a collaborative nature; action was aimed at economical change and reflection aimed at practical problem solving. The interviews revealed that 20 of the 24 participants had micro baking businesses at the end of the research period and they succeeded in the short-term goal of applying the skills that were taught in the course. The case studies showed no correlation between the participants' application of entrepreneurial skills and the changes in their empowerment status. The findings of the study suggest that the longer participants participate in a PAR programme, the bigger the improvement in their empowerment status will be. Monitoring of the implementation revealed that the study fell short of the "ideal type" of PAR, since participation was not yet collegiate. Actions were only effective in economic change and not in social transformation. Reflection resulted in limited critical self-awareness among the participants. The PAR approach has proven to be successful in the attainment of the short-term goals of an entrepreneurial skills training programme. The long-term sustainability of the entrepreneurs' businesses will have to be followed-up by further research.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die afgelope tyd is deelnemende aksie navorsing (DAN)'n algemene benadering tot sosiale intervensie programme in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie tendens het 'n behoefte laat ontstaan om hierdie tipe programme te evalueer om te bepaal of dit werklik die program doelwitte bereik. Die doel van hierdie studie was om 'n entrepreneursvaardighede opleidingsprogram in 'n landelike gemeenskap waar die DAN-benadering gevolg is, te evalueer. 'n Literatuuroorsig is onderneem om die konseptueie raamwerk wat vir die studie saamgestel is, te kan beredeneer. Programevaluering, insluitende tipes and stadia van evaluering, is bespreek as 'n navorsingsontwerp. Die konsep van bemagtiging is ook bestudeer. Die oorsig het 'n ook studie van literatuur oor DAN ingesluit, veral definisies, die konteks en die proses van DAN. Die rol van entrepreneurskap in landelike ontwikkeling is 00~ ondersoek sowel as die evaluering van opleidingsprogramme gemik op die ontwikkeling van entrepreneursvaardighede. 'n Entrepreneursvaardighede opleidingsprogram is in 'n landelike dorpie, Darling, aan die Weskus van Suid-Afrika geïmplementeer. Oor 'n periode van 15 maande is die DAN-benadering in die implementering van die program gevolg. Deelnemers het vrywillig by die program wat uit verskillende projekte bestaan het, aangesluit. Die deelnemers is na aanleiding van hul tydperk van deelname in die program in drie groepe verdeel. Die navorser het aksies sowel as refleksie byeenkomste met die groep deelnemers voor en na die entrepreneursvaardighede opleidingskursus gefasiliteer. Die navorser het veldnotas tydens die implementering van die program gemaak. Die deelnemers se bemagtigingstatus is gemeet met 'n gestandaardiseerde vraelys terwyl 'n voor-en-na-toets ontwerp gevolg is. Die deelnemers se toepassing van die entrepreneursvaardighede wat in die kursus geleer is, is tydens semigestruktureerde onderhoude aan die einde van die navorsingsperiode gemeet. Vier gevallestudies dokumenteer die uiterstes van die onderskeidelike uitkomste van die program, naamlik bemagtiging en entrepreneurskap. Statistiese analise het statisties betekenisvolle verbeteringe in die mikro, makro en totale bemagtigingsvlakke van die totale groep getoon. Afsonderlik gesien, het groep een statisties betekenisvolle verbeteringe op die mikro en tussenvlak getoon en groep twee net op die mikrovlak. Alhoewel groep drie klein verbeteringe op al drie vlakke getoon het, was geen van die verbeteringe statisties betekenisvol nie. Data van die veldnotas is volgens DAN konsepte, naamlik deelname, aksie en refleksie geanaliseer. Die deelnemers en die fasiliteerder se deelname het meestal In samewerkende aard gehad, aksie was gemik op ekonomiese verandering en refleksie was gemik op praktiese probleemoplossinq. Die onderhoude het aangetoon dat 20 van die 24 deelnemers aan die einde van die navorsingsperiode In mikro bakbesigheid gehad het en dat hulle daarin geslaag het om die korttermyn doelwit, naamlik die toepassing van die vaardighede wat in die kursus geleer is, te bereik. Die gevallestudies het geen korrelasie getoon tussen die deelnemers se toepassing van entrepreneursvaardighede en die veranderinge in hulle bemagtigingstatus nie. Die studie se bevindinge dui daarop dat hoe langer deelnemers aan In DAN-program deelneem, hoe groter sal die verbetering in hulle bemagtigingstatus wees. Die monitering van die implementering van die program het laat biyk dat die studie tekort skiet in vergelyking met die "ideaaltipe" van DAN, want die deelname was nog nie korporatief nie. Aksies was net suksesvol in ekonomiese verandering en nie in sosiale transformasie nie. Refleksie het tot beperkte kritiese "selfbewustheid" by die deelnemers gelei. Dit blyk dat die DAN-benadering suksesvol was om die korttermyn doelwitte van In entrepreneursvaardighede opleidingsprogram te bereik. Die langtermyn volhoubaarheid van die entrepreneurs se bakbesighede sal met verdere navorsing opgevolg moet word.
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Khan, Alice. "An observational study of child-directed marketing on prepackaged breakfast cereals in South Africa." University of the Western Cape, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/8341.
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Magister Public Health - MPHBackground: Childhood obesity is on the rise in South Africa (SA) and child-directed marketing (CDM) is one of the contributing factors to children’s unhealthy food choices and consumption. This study assessed CDM on pre-packaged breakfast cereals available in South African supermarkets and describe the nutrient composition of these pre-packaged products. Methods: A descriptive observational study of CDM on pre-packaged breakfast cereals was undertaken with quantitative analysis of the nutrient composition of these products. Secondary data from the “Researching obesogenic food environments in South Africa and Ghana” study in 2019 was examined. An independently reviewed codebook of definitions of CDM was developed and breakfast cereals were assessed to identify CDM. The CDM questionnaire was developed in REDCap, an online research database and data captured therein. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for cross tabulations and one-way ANOVAs. All analysis with p value < 0.05 was taken as significant.
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Ssessanga, Nicholas. "Investigation into the extended capabilities of the new DPS-4D ionosonde." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005257.
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The DPS-4D is the latest version of digital ionosonde developed by the UMLCAR (University of Massachusetts in Lowell Center for Atmospheric Research) in 2008. This new ionosonde has advances in both the hardware and software which allows for the promised advanced capabilities. The aim of this thesis was to present results from an experiment undertaken using the Hermanus DPS-4D (34.4°S 19.2°E, South Africa), the first of this version to be installed globally, to answer a science question outside of the normally expected capabilities of an ionosonde. The science question posed focused on the ability of the DPS-4D to provide information on day-time Pc3 pulsations evident in the ionosphere. Day-time Pc3 ULF waves propagating down through the ionosphere cause oscillations in the Doppler shift of High Frequency (HF) radio transmissions that are correlated with the magnetic pulsations recorded on the ground. Evidence is presented which shows that no correlation exists between the ground magnetic pulsation data and DPS-4D ionospheric data. The conclusion was reached that although the DPS-4D is more advanced in its eld of technology than its predecessors it may not be used to observe Pc3 pulsations.
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Farquharson, Kirsten Leigh. "Audience observations of art, identity and schizophrenia : possibilities for identity movement." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012992.
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This research situates itself in the study of stigma in mental illness. In particular, the aim is to explore the potential that art making and exhibiting has in reducing stigma for those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The research explores one aspect (the exhibition stage) of an "art as therapy" project. The exhibiting of one’s artwork aims to counter limiting "patient" identities by allowing those labelled as psychiatric patients to extend their self-identity to an alternative identity of the "artist". However, this idea only stands strong if the artwork created is not discriminated against as "naïve art" and is accepted or at least considered for acceptance as legitimate nonprofessional artwork. This research explores the ways in which art created by inpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia is received by the general art-viewing public at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa. The study uses a discourse analytic framework to analyse the interviews of members of the public who attended the art exhibition of patient artwork. It will examine the ways in which the public construct the artworks and how they position the makers of this art across a continuum, from patient to artist. The results of this thesis have implications for rehabilitation practices for people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia particularly with regard to opportunities to "perform" alternative identities in public spaces.
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Fynn, Melody. "Micro-seismic observations in Leeu Gamka, Karoo, South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29816.
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This thesis documents a microseismicity study in the interior of South Africa. The study area is centred on Leeu Gamka in the Western Cape province, a tectonically stable intraplate setting and is therefore expected to be seismically quiet. The International Seismological Centre (ISC) catalogue reported localised anomalous seismicity in the region between 2007 and 2013 with local magnitudes up to 4.5. The short apparent duration and time history of this anomalous reported seismicity is likely a reporting artefact. An array of 23 geophones was deployed for three months (March - June) in 2015, covering an area of 60 km - 65 km centred on the zone of anomalous seismicity. Using this array, I identified a total of 106 earthquakes over this period, with almost all events clustering in a surprisingly small area (75% of the epicentres fall within a one square kilometre block). Double-difference relocation resolved the hypocentres onto a structure with an apparent NW - SE orientation, consistent with large-scale fabric that can be recognised in satellite imagery. The focal mechanisms display strike-slip faulting with the fault plane likely in a NW - SE orientation, consistent with the distribution of the earthquakes. The velocity model was tested by varying the thickness of the Karoo supergroup to investigate the sensitivity of the depths of the earthquakes. An average hypocentral depth of approximately 6 km was calculated for the earthquakes, assuming a depth to the base of the Karoo of 5km. This places the earthquakes just below the base of the Karoo in the Cape Supergroup. The magnitudes of the earthquakes recorded range from -1.5
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Ruth, Damian William. "Research, education and management in South Africa." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.311814.
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Eaton, Elizabeth M. R. "An experimental study of adolescents' identification with South Africa and Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10477.
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Bibliography: leaves 127-136.South African social psychological research on national identity has been limited. The current research aimed to address some of the gaps in the local literature. Two studies were conducted among Grade 11 learners at Cape Town high schools. Study 1 (N=565) included Black African-language speakers, Coloured English-speakers, White Afrikaans-speakers and White English-speakers aged between 16.5 and 18.5. This study was an experimental test of hypotheses based on the principle of 'functional antagonism' within Self-Categorisation Theory (Turner, 1987), as well as on other concepts derived from European and local research. Based on methods used by Cinnirella (1998) and Rutland and Cinnirella (2000), participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions designed to make national, sub-national, or personal identity salient. The effect of this experimental manipulation on identification with South Africa and with Africa was then assessed across ethnic groups. Study 1 also investigated the relationship between attitudes towards diversity, perceived sub-national group security, and strength of identification with South Africa. Study 2 (N=91) was restricted to Coloured English-speakers within the same age range as in Study 1. Study 2 tested a hypothesis about the relative sensitivity to the experimental manipulation, of alternative measures of identification. No effects for the experimental manipulation of identity salience were found on any of the dependent variables. Significant differences were, however, found between ethnic groups on absolute and relative identification with South African and Africa, as well as on certain pertinent attitudes and beliefs. The result of Study 2 provided a degree of methodological triangulation for Study 1, while also providing additional information about the relative strength of South African, Africa, and nine other social identities. The results are discussed in the light of findings from prior South African research.
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Thomas, Chacko. "Research projects." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004531.
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The South African education is undergoing transformation. The introduction of Curriculum 2005 and Outcome Based Education (OBE) are important aspects of this transformation process. The implementation of the new curriculum however, has not been smooth. A lack of adequately qualified and trained teachers and effective learning support materials have been identified as some of the major problems facing the implementation of OBE at school level. Even though the colleges of education in the country were not brought on board in the planning and implementation levels of the new curriculum, they could have played an important role in training of educators and developing learning materials for the successful take off of the new curriculum. In the first research project I look into the preparedness of the Mathematics Department of a college of education in the Eastern Cape towards the implementation of Outcome Based Education. The first part of the research project consists of a literature review on Curriculum 2005, Outcome Based Education and the expectations of teachers in the new curriculum and the research methodologies used. The findings revealed that the department, as a whole, was not adequately prepared for the implementation of outcome-based education even though there were some indications that the department effected some modifications in its curriculum and practice teaching. As an OBE facilitator and a college lecturer, I developed some learning materials in Linear Programming. These activity-oriented materials were based on constructivist principles and were used by my first year Secondary Teachers Diploma students. In the second research project, I reflect on the results of using these learning materials by my students. In the first chapter of the project, the context and background of the research and the reasons for selecting Linear Programming as the topic for preparing the learning material are described. This is followed by a brief overview of constructivism together with a brief explanation of the reasons for considering the material to be constructivist. The research paradigm followed in the project, the research techniques employed in evaluating the learning material and the strengths and weaknesses of the evaluation techniques are given in the next chapter. In the following chapter, the findings from the various data gathering methods and the results of the implementation of the material are described. The concluding chapter presents a critical reflection on the whole process involved in the material development. The post 1994 government in South Africa seems to attach much importance to mathematics, science and technology education. The majority of the population who were previously denied access to these subjects is given more opportunities to learn them. The international Mathematics Union declared 2000 as the World Mathematical Year. One of the aims of the activities organized as part of the celebrations was improving the public image of mathematics to realize the vision of "Mathematics For All". The South African government shows keen interest to improve mathematics education in the country in an attempt to realize the vision of Mathematics For All. Even though the accessibility rate to mathematics has increased, the success rate has not yet increased as anticipated. In this context I, as a post-graduate student in Mathematics Education, thought of /reviewing the concept of Mathematics For All in the South African context. In the third research project, which is a literature review, initially an attempt is made to unpack the concept of Mathematics for ALL. In analyzing the concept, answers are sought for questions like: What is mathematics and why should it be taught? It is followed by a brief review of some goals of mathematics education. Then the current situation of mathematics education in South Africa and the efforts to improve it are also looked at. This is followed by an analysis pf the reasons for the general unpopularity of mathematics. In the concluding part some suggestions for improving mathematics education in the country are given.
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Luyt, Russell. "Hegemonic masculinity and aggression in South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7938.
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This thesis explores 'Hegemonic Masculinity and Aggression in South Africa'. It incorporates three separate, but sequential research parts, each building on the findings of the previous part in order to realise general research aims.
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Ngwane, Mandisa Sweetness. "Research portfolio." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003611.
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Ruiters, Mellaney Bualin. "The development of a translucent low fired porcelain casting slip using South African raw materials." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20004.
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The purpose of the research was to develop a translucent low fired porcelain casting slip using South African raw materials, due to the ever increasing electricity tariffs in South Africa as well as the physical deterioration put on the elements and brickwork in electric kilns when fired to traditional porcelain temperatures. Traditional porcelain bodies that can be purchased from South African suppliers are required to be fired to between 12000C and 13000C. The commercially prepared porcelains when tested produced white vitrified bodies but were lacking in translucency. Local ceramic artists are therefore compelled to import their porcelains from overseas suppliers if they require a white translucent porcelain but this is still requires a firing temperature well above 12000C. It has been shown that by using South African ceramic raw materials and adjusting a Parian ceramic formula using a selected frit; a low fired translucent porcelain can be made that matures below 12000C. The addition of paper fibres to the non-plastic porcelain was necessary to reduce the high shrinkage rate and prevented the clay from cracking and tearing in the firing process. With the further adjustments to the formula by the addition of calcium triphosphate true white translucent porcelain was produced. Without this last adjustment the porcelain would be an off-white colour due to the impurities found in the South African ceramic raw materials which are mainly contaminated with iron oxide. It was found that the following formula produced a white translucent porcelain which vitrified at 11900C and satisfies the original concept in the title stated above.
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Athieno, Racheal. "Using co-located radars and instruments to analyse ionespheric events over South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005279.
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Space weather and its effect on technological systems are important for scientific research. Developing an understanding of the behaviour, sources and effects of ionospheric events form a basis for improving space weather prediction. This thesis attempts to use co-located radars and instruments for the analysis of ionospheric events over South Africa. The HF Doppler radar, ionosonde, Global Positioning System (GPS) and GPS ionospheric scintillation monitor (GISTM) receivers are co-located in Hermanus (34.4°S, 19.2°E), one of the observatories for the space science directorate of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA). Data was obtained from these radars and instruments and analysed for ionospheric events. Only the Hermanus station was selected for this analysis, because it is currently the only South African station that hosts all the mentioned radars and instruments. Ionospheric events identified include wave-like structures, Doppler spread, sudden frequency deviations and ionospheric oscillations associated with geomagnetic pulsations. For the purpose of this work, ionospheric events are defined as any unusual structures observed on the received signal and inferred from observations made by the HF Doppler radar. They were identified by visual inspection of the Doppler shift spectrograms. The magnitude and nature of the events vary, depending on their source and were observed by all, some or one instrument. This study suggests that the inclusion of a wider data coverage and more stations in South Africa merit consideration, especially since plans are underway to host a co-located radar network similar to that in Hermanus at at least three additional observatory sites in South Africa. This study lays a foundation for multi-station co-located radar and instrument observation and analysis of ionospheric events which should enhance the accuracy of space weather and HF communication prediction.
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Le, Roux Kim. "Research portfolio : environmental education." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003622.
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Valiathazhel, James Daniel. "Science for all - myth or reality?: a research project." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004391.
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Abstract: Transformation at a historically disadvantaged technikon in South Africa : a research project: South Africa is in the seventh year of democracy. During the first term of office, the ANC government proposed radical shift from the system(s) of education that was/were in existence in this country. A change in the education system in South Africa was inevitable. The ANC government have realised the need and proposed plans for a change in the education system in this country. We might be able to overcome the inequalities of the past and have an education system relevant for all South Africans that promote an equal opportunity for success as envisaged by Outcomes Based Education (OBE). This research project, using a qualitative case study methodology, reports on the readiness of Border Technikon in implementing Outcomes Based Education (OBE) as a teaching/lecturing strategy. Since 1998 Border Technikon organised a series of staff training workshops to empower the academic staff in Outcomes Based Education. A preliminary study on the topic was conducted during 1999, in which questionnaires (to 16 academic staff) and semi-structured interviews (with three academic staff) were used to collect data. During 2000, when the second and final round of this study was conducted semistructured interviews were employed with 4 staff members to gather data. Literature review and document analysis was also part of the research. The analysis of data indicated that the very nature of most of the Technikon Programmes demands an OBE approach in teaching/lecturing and hence OBE based teaching/lecturing is largely practised at Border Technikon. However a few areas of concerns were identified. Some of these concerns were: (i) Technikon employed academic staff (from industry, etc...) with no professional qualification in teaching and it was difficult to provide OBE training to such people and (ii) lack of sufficient support from the Technikon Management might be a cause for the poor attendance of academic staff during the training programme. Another aspect emerged from the data analysis was that all academic staff participated in this study expressed the need for further training in OBE and related topics. Abstract: Science for all - myth or reality?: Different educational projects around the world have made Scientific Literacy a world-wide concern. This study through a literature review shows that Scientific Literacy is a term that has many definitions and interpretations. This literature review reveals that, in the present system Science for All is a myth for various reasons. Governments around the world in general, and South Africa in particular, are in the process of introducing different projects such as the Year of Science and Technology (YEAST), science week and science exhibitions for the purpose of popularising science and technology. The Department of Education in Thailand has modified its education system to accommodate Science for All. In this literature review among other issues the status quo in South African science education and the Thailand model were examined. A few recommendations to achieve Science for All are also included in this project. Abstract: Developing and evaluating the use of learning material in science - a constructivist approach towards learning Newton's laws : a research project: The Government of National Unity in 1994 introduced a new educational policy for South Africa. This represented a shift in paradigm from a transmission mode of teaching and learning to a learner-centred education. The shift marks a transformation from a content-based curriculum to an Outcomes Based Education (OBE). Various authors found that different sections in the Physical Science syllabus in South Africa are often misunderstood by students for different reasons. One of the reasons was that students had their own ideas about laws of nature and these (mis)conceptions were resistant to change. From the literature and from the author's personal experience it was found that Bodies in Motion is a topic that is difficult to conceptualise by students of different age groups. The challenge facing educators is how to tackle this issue. In this research project a diagnostic test is developed and used to identify the topics where students have conceptual problems. To address these problem areas further, concept sheets/work sheets where developed and implemented. The different challenges and tasks given in the work sheets/learning material are organised in such a way as to make the students aware of their own ideas about Bodies in Motion in general and the key-concepts in particular and also to make them aware of the ideas of their peers (group members). It was also aimed at offering the learners the scientific alternative to their own beliefs. At the end, it was discovered that, even though the general understanding of the learners has improved in this topic (namely, Bodies in Motion), their original beliefs were largely unaffected. It is the hope of the researcher that the project would be the basis for further research on the development of learning material in science.
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Foster, Gregory George. "Growth, reproduction and feeding biology of Turbo sarmaticus (Mollusca : Vetigastropoda) along the coast of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005391.
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Investigations were carried out on aspects of the biology of the vetigastropod Turbo sarmaticus. Studies included: 1) the distribution and standing stock of this animal at four sites along the coast of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa; 2) the growth rate of animals on a wave-cut platform; 3) the reproductive cycle of an intertidal population; and 4) aspects of the feeding biology examining the ability of this mollusc to consume and digest six macroalgae, the influence of algal diet on growth rate and reproductive fitness and the polysaccharolytic activity of the digestive enzymes. On eastern Cape shores, T. sarmaticus had a size related distribution, with smaller animals being found towards the upper mid-shore and larger animals being found in a downshore direction. The mean shore densities of T. sarmaticus at three sites where exploitation of animals was minimal, were very similar (1.2 - 1.7 individuals/m²). The largest animals (up to 110 mm shell length) were found on an offshore island. This may have been a result of animals not being exploited, as well as a possible increase in primary productivity and food availability. The lowest density (0.2 individuals/m²) and animal size (<70 mm shell length) was recorded at a site (Kelly's beach - Port Alfred) where exploitation was more intense. It is probable that intense overexploitation was threatening the populations at this site. The growth rate of T. sarmaticus was determined by means of the von Bertalanffy growth model and expressed by the equation L[subscript]t = 81.07(l-e⁻°·⁵⁴⁴[superscript](t)). The initial growth rate of T. sarmaticus (up to ≈ 80 mm shell length) was similar on shores with different geomorphologies (i.e. boulder shores and wave-cut platforms). Growth rates of individuals were variable, which means that individuals within a population reached exploitable size (3 - 6 years old) and sexual maturity (1.5 - 2 years old) at different ages. Seasonality of reproduction of T. sarmaticus was determined using gonad index, egg diameters and spermatozoa content within the gonad. Turbo sarmaticus was dioecious and had a sex ratio in favour of males (1.2: 1). Animals attained sexual maturity at a size of about 52.5 mm shell length. There was little variation in the reproductive cycle over time with gametogenesis occurring from March/April until August/September, whilst maturity (Gonad Index = 15%) was maintained until the spawning event from December to March. After spawning the gonad regressed. Field and laboratory observations of the feeding biology of T. sarmaticus confirmed that this mollusc was a generalist grazer capable of consuming and digesting algae from the Rhodophyta, Chlorophyta and Phaeophyta. The consumption rates (juveniles: 1.45 - 9.50% body weight/day, adults: 1.06 - 6.08%) and digestibility (9 - 75% apparent dry matter) of six macroalgae was found to vary. For most algae, juvenile T. sarmaticus had higher consumption rates (1.6 - 2.8 times higher) and digestibility values (12 - 24% higher) than adults. It is suggested that consumption rates were dependent on the digestibility of the algae. In addition, it is suggested that the consumption rates of the different algae were not related to the nutritional content, but rather the energetic content of the algae. In both juvenile and adult animals, temperature had a positive influence on consumption rates, resulting in an increase at higher temperatures. However, in both juvenile and adult T. sarmaticus, algal digestibility was not affected by temperature. Finally, it was proposed that Viva rigida, Codium extricatum, Ecklonia radiata and Gelidium pristoides would provide the best nutritional value for growth and reproductive fitness in T. sarmaticus, whilst Jyengaria stellata and Corallina spp. would provide the poorest. Experiments on the effects of four algal diets on the biology of T. sarmaticus showed that the best growth rate (up to 13.8 mm shell length increase per annum), reproductive fitness (Gonad Index up to 33%) and energy levels (up to 4.76% glycogen in the foot) were achieved when T. sarmaticus was fed G. pristoides, U. rigid a or a mixed diet. Turbo sarmaticus fed Corallina spp. showed reduced growth (2.4 mm shell length increase), reproductive fitness (Gonad Index up to 4.4%) and energy levels (up to 3.42% glycogen in the foot). A study of the polysaccharolytic enzyme activity of T. sarmaticus indicated that this mollusc possesses enzymes that can, at least partially, digest most of the storage and structural polysaccharides found in the Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Phaeophyta. This further supported the findings that T. sarmaticus was a generalist grazer. Two levels of activity were detected: 1) high levels of enzyme activity (up to 328.2 Ilglmglmllhr)occurred on the storage polysaccharides that occur in the Rhodophyta and Chlorophyta, and 2) lower levels of activity were detected on the storage polysaccharides (up to 44.8 μg/mg/ml/hr) of the Phaeophyta and on all the structural polysaccharides tested (<45.5 μg/mg/ml/hr). It was suggested that T. sarmaticus did not rely heavily on structural carbohydrates as a source of carbon. Finally, the results of this study were discussed in relation to the future management of T. sarmaticus stocks, the possible role of this macro algal grazer in the intertidal zone and the effects of over-exploitation of this animal. The potential aquaculture of this mollusc was also addressed briefly.
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Schneider, Michelle. "The setting of health research priorities in South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26613.
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The health and development of a nation are linked. Health research is a vital element helps bring about improved health and has the potential to serve as an impetus for equitable development. Generally, it is necessary to prioritise needs in order to optimise the use of scarce resources for development. The overall aim of this thesis is an analysis of the setting of health research priorities, with specific reference to South Africa. Other objectives include describing the technical approaches used for priority setting and developing a suitable framework for analysing and classifying health research. Two other objectives concern measurement for priority setting: Specifically, how burden of disease quantification fits into the process of priority setting and a thorough critique of the Disability Adjusted Life Expectancy (DALY). Another objective was to examine priority setting and Essential National Health Research (ENHR) in the South African context. A further important objective is the development of a framework for guiding the analysis of health research priorities. This framework is part of model for health research priority setting that incorporates ENHR strategy and burden of disease methodology. The methods used ranged from an extensive literature review to statistical analysis. The literature review included grey literature and draws on multiple disciplines such as economics, public health policy and economics.
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Loon, Marc John. "Integrated rural energy planning for South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17204.
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Bibliography: pages 130-134.Poor rural communities of South Africa frequently face shortages of convenient, affordable energy services. Sub-sectoral energy interventions that are not properly coordinated with each other and with the development context are unlikely to address the problems effectively. The methodology of 'integrated rural energy planning' (IREP) is a possible means of achieving this coordination. This process encompasses a new paradigm which is an improvement on the supply-driven thinking of the past. It seeks to overcome anomalies in the rural energy system in a way that places the final users of energy services at its centre, that coordinates planning between different energy sub-sectors, and integrates energy planning with economic planning processes. It emphasises continuity, efficient utilisation of resources, and genuine participation of rural people. Although originally designed for the energy sector as a whole, the theoretical methodology is applicable to rural regions of developing countries with only small modifications. International and local experience in IREP is not extensive, but it nevertheless provides valuable lessons regarding methodological and institutional requirements. The current trends in the institutional framework in South Africa show that while there are many obstacles to implementing an IREP process, there are also many unique aspects which suggest that an IREP process could be very effective. It seems clear that an appropriate way forward would be to launch a well-resourced and strategically-located initiative that would investigate, with care and foresight, the potential and relevance of an IREP process in South Africa.
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Van, Schalkwyk Theunis. "Transformation from racism to appreciation of racial diversity : an autoethnographic research project." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/97287.
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Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The author is an Afrikaans-speaking, white male person, who was previously an extreme, selfdeclared racist. The author was also a member of an elite unit in one of the right-wing political organisations, which resulted in being author arrested during the 1994 National South African elections. The author transformed from being an extreme self-declared racist to become a person who respects and appreciate racial diversity. The author conducted a reflective autoethnographic study from his personal life experiences, which is complemented with critical feedback from people whom the author holds in high esteem. Feedback was gathered in order to identify the transformation process, which the author experienced in the quest of becoming an authentic leader. The aspects identified in the transformation process enabled the author to understand what is required in the future to become a truly authentic, value-based leader. This research study could assist white Afrikaans-speaking people and the broader community of South African people to transform towards acceptance and appreciation of racial diversity.
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Dison, Arona. "Research capacity development of individuals at three South African university research centres." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2007. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&action=viewtitle&id=gen8Srv25Nme4_7177_1253849279.
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In South Africa, there has been recognition of the need for increasing research capacity at South African universities and within the national science system. Furthermore there has been a need to address imbalances in the racial and gender profile of researchers. There has been a growth of application-oriented, multidisciplinary research centres at South African universities in response to changing national and international knowledge contexts. Many research centres have a research capacity development component and run postgraduate programmes in collaboration with academic departments. This it was relevant to investigate what types of contexts these centres provide for research capacity development and postgraduate education. In this study, individual research capacity development was examined as a process of identity formation and socialisation through social, organisational and epistemological lenses.
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Nts'aba, Likengkeng. "Research Portfolio." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018259.
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The move towards greater democracy and participation in our education system is legislated quite succinctly in our South African Schools Act. The Act furthermore, and more importantly for this case study, posits that decision-making should be democratic in nature and our schools should eventually become governed in a collaborative and co-operative manner. Other policy texts such as the Labour Relations Act and the South African Constitution canonise the demand for a democratic South African society. This study investigates how democratic decision-making practices are taking place in an East London Secondary School namely Ebenezer Majombozi High. Even though distinct links exist between management and governance arms of schools, this study concentrates predominantly on decision-making within the school governing body and touches briefly on management thinking trends as a theoretical background to the kind of management at the school. What makes the school interesting as a case study is its rich history and its location in a deprived and impoverished township environment. The school was also part of the ex-Department of Education and Training, the black educational department of the past apartheid state. The kind of research undertaken was in the form of unstructured personal :interviews with influential stakeholders at the school. Some of these stakeholders fonn part of the school governing body and the questions asked probed forms of governance at the school and how decision-making impacted on the overall school governance. The research fmdings acknowledges that decision-making does occur democratically at the school but that the practical implementation of positive consensual decisions are rarely realized. The school governing body only meets to deal with crises underpinned by a lack of learning and teaching and has not even debated the policies within the South African Schools Act. The study also argues that only by building capacity within the school and empowering the stakeholders, can constructive participation by all become a reality.
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Kintoki, Alain Nzuzi. "The e-agriculture research landscape in South Africa : a systematic literature review." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2586.
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Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017.The objective of this study was to determine the current status of e-agriculture research in the South African context. A systematic literature review was used to gather and analyse data in alignment with the objective of the study. The researcher used keywords and combined search keywords on web search engines and digital databases to obtain pertinent research papers. The scope of the study was limited to the period 2000-2016. The books, theses, conference papers and journal articles identified as pertinent to conduct the study, amounted to 114 in number. The analysis of the study described the focus of research papers, research methods, research approaches, theoretical lenses, units of analysis and observation, levels of analysis, historical development, and major concepts and disciplines used by authors in their studies. The study also sought to discover the year of publication and assessment of searchability of the papers. The results indicate that 13 papers (11.4%) were published in the first five years (2000- 2004) and 51 papers (44.7%) in the last five years (2012-2016) of the delimited period for the study. The results of the study further indicate that the application of geographic information systems (GISs) towards improving agriculture was the most prominent eagriculture research area in South Africa (27 papers, 23.6%), followed by the use of satellite enhancing agriculture (26 papers, 22.8%). E-government direct services, mobile in agriculture, and agricultural information systems were the least prominent e-agriculture research areas in South Africa with a contribution of two papers (1.8%) each. The results of this study show that information mapping was the most used research method by researchers in their studies (57 papers, 50%), followed by the case study method with 31 papers (27.1%). The results further denote that the least used research method was industry reports with no mention of it in any of the pertinent papers, followed by grounded theory with two papers (1.7%). Interpretivism was the most used research approach by researchers (six papers, 5.2%) during the period 2000-2016. The findings of this study clearly show that researchers still need to address certain issues or problems regarding e-agriculture in South Africa in order to improve the agricultural sector. The contribution of the study is to understand the importance of enhancing research capability and socio-economic transformation of farmworkers and farmers through enhanced communication of agriculture research knowledge in the area of agricultural informatics. A foundation for further studies was created for continuous e-agriculture research in South Africa.
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Skinner, Kerry. "The 'feminisation' of psychology in South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8043.
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This study investigates the gender trends within psychology since 1990 using a quantitative assessment of enrolments and graduations, professional registrations, academic staff composition, and publication output in psychology in South Africa. Among the current trends, five are noteworthy: the rapid growth of the profession; the disproportionate increase in the number of female psychologists; the disproportionate number of White psychologists; the increasing emphasis on practical aspects of the discipline and the decline of the scientific; and the under-representation of women as authors in psychology publications.
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Muluse, Lungile J. "[Research projects]." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003623.
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This study is a situational analysis of a school located at Nonkcampa village, just ten kilometres from King William’s Town, west of the national road between Peddie and King William’s Town. Toise Senior Secondary School is in the former Ciskei region. The Bulembu / Bisho airport is just next to our school. My focus on Toise Senior Secondary School, provides me as the principal of the school with a golden opportunity to find out more about the school. As a relative newcomer to the school this study also enables me to look at the school community, from this particular focal point. As this is a situational analysis, my focus will be on the history, the biophysical and socio-political aspects that influenced the development of the school to the present. In this way I will be able to analyse the school’s readiness to implement the new Out-Comes-Based Education (OBE) Curriculum soon to be implemented at secondary school level.
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Segal, Isidor. "Three decades of gastroenterology in Soweto South Africa from descriptive to scientific observations /." [S.l. : Amsterdam : s.n.] ; Universiteit van Amsterdam [Host], 2002. http://dare.uva.nl/document/66363.
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Ndou, Aifheli Amos. "Assessing the statistical methodologies of business research in the South African context." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1484.
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The aim of the study is to establish an acceptable classification scheme for the statistical methods used in business research. The approach compares the statistical component of the research and evaluates how it has changed over time and across different journals. If, as expected, the statistical expertise has changed, the change would be identified with the view to recommending curriculum changes for Statistics Departments of South African tertiary institutions.
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Campbell, Megan Michelle. "The adaptation of the 'Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure' (CORE-OM) from English into a valid Xhosa measure of distress." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001538.
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In South Africa access to mental healthcare resources is restricted for a number of reasons including language barriers that prevent suitable communication between mental healthcare professionals and African language speaking South Africans. The translation of psychometric tools into African languages has been identified as one method in improving access to psychological services for African language speakers. The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) has demonstrated its clinical utility within the United Kingdom (UK) National Healthcare Service (NHS) as a standardised psychotherapy outcome measure that evaluates the degree of psychological distress individuals present with at the start of psychotherapy treatment, and the degree of change that has been effected at the termination of therapy. A measure like the CORE-OM holds valuable clinical utility for the South African context. This thesis argues that the availability of a valid Xhosa version of the CORE-OM would allow for improved access to psychotherapy resources for Xhosa speaking individuals, and allow for the evaluation of the effectiveness of psychotherapy interventions conducted in Xhosa. The CORE-OM developers have provided a translation design and set of guidelines to standardise the translation of the CORE-OM into different languages. However this thesis argues that these guidelines are incomplete. Instead International Test Commission (ITC) guidelines are recommended as a culturally sensitive method to supplement current CORE-OM translation guidelines, in order to generate a valid Xhosa measure of distress. A mixed methods approach is applied which first investigates the construct equivalence and bias of the CORE-OM English version within a South African student population sample, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in order to establish the degree of adaptation required to generate a valid Xhosa version of distress. Next the CORE-OM English version is translated into Xhosa using the five-stage translation design prescribed by the CORE System Trust, supplemented by ITC guidelines. All changes made to the CORE-OM during translation into Xhosa are documented. The CORE-OM Xhosa version is then investigated for reliability and validity. This investigation reveals low internal reliability within the subjective wellbeing domain indicating that these items are less meaningful as depictions of distress within the Xhosa language. A reduced version of the CORE-OM demonstrates strong psychometric properties as a valid Xhosa measure of distress.
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Conradie, Joelene. "A review of intimate heterosexual relationship research in South Africa." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4805.
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Digitized using a Konica Minolta 211 PCL Scanner. 300dpi (OCR).Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Intimate heterosexual relationships play a vital role in shaping the lives of many people, and have therefore become an important topic of research within psychology. The South African population is also currently faced with many prevalent psychosocial problems, such as HIV/Aids, rape, violence against women and divorce, which need to be contextualised within the context of intimate heterosexual relationships. Research on intimate heterosexual relationships has therefore become a priority. In order to determine directions and priorities for such research, the objective of this assignment was to provide a review of selected international and South African research on intimate heterosexual relationships. This review focused on: the definition and operationalisation of intimate heterosexual relationships; the salient theoretical frameworks used; the characteristics of participants; as well as the methodologies employed by relationship researchers. The review highlighted the following: A variety of terms is used by relationship researchers to conceptualise intimate heterosexual relationships which makes it difficult to integrate intimate heterosexual relationship research. Although theoretical frameworks like the social learning theory, cognitive behavioural theory and some metatheoretical perspectives such as postmodernism, feminism and social constructivism are utiiised, South African relationship researchers mostly have an atheoretical approach to research. A review of the research participants revealed that most participants in South African relationship studies are married adults. While the male-female ratio of the participants was balanced, the diversity of the South African population was not well represented in these studies. Researchers mostly used qualitative research strategies and employed the survey method of data gathering. Based on these findings, it was recommended that relationship researchers should recognise the need to clarify the relationship concepts used in their studies; attempt to incorporate better-known relationship theories; ensure that the South African population is well represented; and to combine qualitative research strategies with quantitative research strategies.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMINGE: Intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings speel 'n deurslaggewende rol in die vorming van baie mense se lewens en het daarom 'n belangrike navorsingsonderwerp in sielkunde geword. Die SuidAfrikaanse populasie staar tans verskeie psigososiaie probleme so os MIVNigs, verkragting, geweld teen vrou en egskeiding in die gesig, wat almal binne die konteks van intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings gekonseptualiseer behoort te word. Navorsing oor intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings het daarom 'n prioriteit geword. Ten einde rigtings en prioriteite vir sulke navorsing te bepaal, was die doel van hierdie werksopdrag om 'n oorsig te voorsien van selektiewe internasionale en Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing oor intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings. Hierdie oorsig het gefokus op: die definisie en operasionalisering van intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings; die prominente teoretiese raamwerke wat gebruik is; die karaktereienskappe van die deelnemers; so wei as die metodologiee wat deur verhoudingsnavorsers gebruik is. Die oorsig het die volgende duidelik gemaak: 'n Verskeidenheid van terme word deur verhoudingsnavorsers gebruik om intieme heteroseksuele verhoudings te konseptualiseer en die die integrasie van intieme heteroseksuele verhoudingsnavorsing word daardeur bemoeilik. Alhoewel teoretiese raamwerke soos die sosiale leerteorie, kognitiewe gedragsteorie en sekere metateoretiese perspektiewe soos postmodernisme, feminisme en sosiale konstruktivisme gebruik word, het Suid-Afrikaanse verhoudingsnavorsers grotendeels 'n ateoretiese benadering tot navorsing. 'n Oorsig van die deelnemers van die studies het getoon dat die meeste deelnemers in Suid-Afrikaanse verhoudingstudies getroude volwassenes is. Terwyle die manvrou ratio van die deelnemers gebalanseerd was, is die diversiteit van die Suid-Afrikaanse populasie nie goed verteenwoordig in die studies nie. Navorsers gebruik meestal kwalitatiewe navorsingstrategiee en gebruik grotendeels die opame-metode van dataherwinning. Op grond van hierdie bevindinge, is daar aanbeveel dat verhoudingsnavorsers die behoefte aan die verheldering van verhoudingskonsepte in hulle studies moet herken; moet poog om meer bekende verhoudingsteoriee te inkorporeer; te verseker dat die Suid-Afrikaanse populasie goed verteenwoordig is; en kwalitatiewe navorsingsstrategiee met kwantitatiewe navorsingstrategiee moet kombineer.
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Pittorino, Leonardo Andres. "The relationship between culture, commitment and performance in a South African electricity utility." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003878.
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The Electricity Distribution Industry (EDI) in South Africa is in the process of restructuring into six Regional Electricity Distributors (REDs). This would entail the merging of the national electricity utility, Eskom Distribution with municipalities to consolidate skills and to improve on efficiencies. This integration would involve the assimilation of not only physical assets but also various organisational cultures into a separate organisation responsible for supplying electricity services within its designated geographical area. A separate challenge facing Eskom is an intensive capital expansion program to increase generation capacity which will require a committed workforce to execute. Organisational culture has been regarded as leading to greater productivity and generating commitment to the values and philosophies of the organisation. The purpose of the research was to determine whether there was a significant relationship between the organisational culture, organisational commitment and employee performance in Eskom Southern Region. In order to achieve this purpose a survey was undertaken (N=83) which measured perceptions regarding the existing organisational culture, preferred organisational culture as well as organisational commitment. Performance rating scores were linked to each respondent and were obtained from the performance management process of Eskom Southern Region. The main findings of this research can be summarised as follows: • The dominant existing organisational culture in Eskom Southern Region is the power culture, while the dominant preferred organisational culture is the achievement culture. • There is a significant organisational culture gap between the existing and the preferred organisational culture in Eskom Southern Region. • The dominant organisational commitment within Eskom Southern Region is affective commitment together with normative commitment. • The findings related to the employee performance include: o A slight but significant negative relationship was measured between the existing achievement culture and employee performance. o No significant relationships were measured between the preferred cultures and employee performance. o No significant relationships were measured between the organisational commitment scales and employee performance. • The findings pertaining to the relationship between organisational culture and organisational commitment can be stated as follows: o A significant positive linear relationship between the existing achievement culture and affective commitment was measured. A strong, significant negative linear relationship between the existing power culture and the affective commitment was also measured. o No significant relationships were measured between the preferred organisational cultures and organisational commitment. o The organisational culture gap has a significant effect on the organisational commitment of employees. • The findings pertaining to the relationship between the biographical variables and the organisational culture, organisational commitment and employee performance can be stated as follows: o There exists a strong significant relationship between the years of service and the existing organisational culture scales. o No significant relationships exist between the preferred organisational culture scales and any of the biographical variables. There was a common agreement across all respondents on the preferred organisational culture. o A significant relationship was found between organisational commitment and the number of people supervised. o A slight but significant positive linear relationship between the age of respondents and employee performance ratings was measured. It can therefore be concluded that the type of organisational culture has a significant impact on the level of affective commitment of the employees within Eskom Southern Region. No significant positive relationship was found between organisational commitment and organisational performance in Eskom Southern Region.
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Wessels, Inge. "Parenting programmes in South Africa: investigating design and evaluation practices." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11562.
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Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.
Parenting programmes have been shown to have wide-ranging benefits, including the prevention of behavioural and emotional problems in children as well as child maltreatment. The majority of research conducted on parenting programmes is from high-income countries, with little available knowledge on programmes within low- and middle-income countries, such as South Africa. This study sought to identify, as far as possible, the range of parenting programmes offered in South Africa and investigate their design and evaluation practices in relation to best practices. It also sought to identify high-quality programmes which could be scaled-up successfully. This is particularly important in South Africa due to the country’s high rates of violence and child maltreatment.
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Naidoo, Pevashnee. "Barking up the wrong tree : pet therapy in South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7989.
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Bibliography: leaves 183-238.There exists but one local detailed, documented study by Bergensen (1989) that focused on the effects of pet facilitated therapy on the self-esteem and socialisation of primary school children. In addition, a handful of articles have been published in South African journals. It is rather perturbing to note that a proven, highly effective adjunct to conventional therapeutic intervention is lacking in the South African therapeutic milieu. The marked ignorance and defence behind practitioners scorn for this form of therapy is rather perplexing, especially in light of its official existence for over thirty years. This dissertation probes the concept of pet-facilitated therapy by referring to extensive studies, focusing on various sub-populations, and concludes with a study investigating local opposition to pet therapy.
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Rosin, Menachem Mendel. "Integrated resource plan for South Africa using electricity load profiles." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14625.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-135).Integrated resource planning aims to fulfil electricity requirements with supply and demand resources. Least cost resources are optimised as supply expansions compete with measures to modify the load in meeting energy services. A demand side study is conducted to determine representative load profiles for electricity use within South Africa. Analysis of electricity consumption us in g load profiles of each sector ' s end-use electrical loads is essential for determining the appropriate supply technologies as well as the impact of demand side management and energy efficiency measures . A supply side study considers all existing and future power generation options required for expected electricity growth and system load characteristics. Energy model, TIMES, provides time-slices for adequate load profile representation TIMES is a Partial Dynamic Equilibrium Model as constraints are placed on the investment, usage and availability of technologies. All optimisations are for the least cost to the system. Demand and supply options are integrated into a single plan using the TIMES model and the supply expansion plan is changed when demand reduction targets are achieved using DSM and EE. The base case us in g a business-as-usual approach is compared with a low and medium impact DSM and EE scenario. Demand resources are estimated from the industrial, commercial and residential economic sectors. The scope of the plan is 22 years and there is full utilisation of all existing supply capacity with small amounts of decommissioning. Mothballed power stations are recommissioned initially. Peak-load plants are needed from 2007 and OCGT are selected using natural gas or LNG. Intermediate-load capacity is needed by 2011 using CCGT. Base-load capacity demands are met using new coal PF power stations in 2014. FBC stations using discard coal begin operation in 2016. The capacity expansion plan anticipates 2. 93GW of OCGT, 2.5 GW of CCGT, 7. 2GW of coal PF, 2. 8 GW of FBC plants and 2 GW of pump storage stations to be in use by 2020. Imported hydroelectric capacity of0.9 G W and PBMR capacity of3 GW is expected to be commissioned by 2024. Approximately 4 % less installed capacity is needed when a medium impact DSM and EE strategy is implemented. The marginal cost of energy gradually increases from 0. 06 R/kWh in 2002 to 0. 175 R/kWh in 2016 and to 0.325 R/kWh in 2024 as supply capacity is added. Compound load profiles from all national electricity usage provide an effective means whereby appropriate supply technologies are selected whilst incorporating load modifications due to DSM and EE.
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Linde, Kathryn Leigh. "An analysis of the determinants and recent decline of private savings in South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002742.
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Low domestic saving rates make South Africa highly dependent on foreign capital inflows to fund higher investment levels. These inflows are highly volatile and may prove to be unsustainable in the long-run. This study analyses the determinants of private saving in South Africa, with specific reference to the decline in private saving rates that occurred at a time of higher economic growth prior to the 2008 global financial crisis. The Johansen cointegration method is used to estimate separate vector error correction models (VECM) in order to assess the effect of specific variables on both corporate and household saving. The results obtained that are common to both corporate and household savmg show that the govemment budget balance negatively impacts private saving rates though the offset is less than one. The real prime overdraft rate positively impacts private saving, although the result is small . The impact of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is positive. In recent years, however, private saving rates fell alongside higher economic growth, which may reflect a structural change in corporate saving behaviour. The results distinct to the corporate saving model show that commodity prices have a negative impact on corporate saving. This does not conform to a priori expectations, but is supported by the behaviour of these two variables in recent years. Foreign savings were found to impact negatively on corporate saving. This result is important, since the dependence of the South African economy on foreign capital inflows to fund higher investment levels is reflected by high current account deficits during recent periods of economic growth. Evidence of financial liberalization negatively impacting on private saving in South Africa due to the removal of borrowing constraints was found. A negative relationship was found between corporate saving and investment demonstrating that corporations have reduced levels of retained eamings for funding investment expenditures. The results distinct to the household saving model provide evidence of a negative wealth effect in South Africa, with rising housing wealth found to increase consumption. Evidence of households "piercing the corporate veil" in South Africa was found. Therefore, households view corporate saving behaviour as essentially being conducted on their behalf. This finding and the finding that the offset between the budget deficit and private saving is less than one suggest that counter-cyclical fiscal policy will be an important policy response for achieving higher domestic saving rates in South Africa.
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Dassah, Maurice Oscar. "Assessing the impact of applied research on communities." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/1683.
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Thesis (DTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007Since 1992 the National Research Foundation and the Department of Trade and Industry, with support from industry, have been running a funding initiative under the auspices of Technology for Human Resources in Industry Programme (THRIP). This initiative provides funding to qualifying academics/researchers in South Africa's tertiary institutions and science councils to conduct research and development-oriented (or applied) research. This collaborative funding of applied research is geared to facilitating cross-transference of knowledge, skills and resources across academic institutions, government science, engineering, technology institutions and the industrial sector. It is also expected that research and project outputs will be commercialised to improve the competitiveness of South African industry in the face of globalisation and technological advancement. With public money spent on research projects of national importance, impact and value for money become Vitally important, hence the need for impact assessment. A non-probabilistic sample of 52 research projects in seven standard industrial classification categories or sectors conducted by 44 project leaders (who are academics/researchers) based in seven traditional universities, one former technikon (now university of technology) and three divisions of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, were assessed for impact. A non-experimental design was used, involving synergising the goal-attainment and side-effects evaluation models, and reinforcing them with two elements of causal tracing, temporal precedence and coherence, to facilitate attribution of benefits and impacts. THRIP's strategic objectives served as relevant indicators for impact assessment since projects' objectives co-terminate with them. In the context of the research, a definition of 'performance indicator' as "evidence of what has actually happened" was adopted, lending weight to project leaders' reports of projects' impacts. 'Success', defined in terms of projects' not only accomplishing their objectives, but also yielding value to beneficiaries and stakeholders, is posited as a possibly problematic term given that different stakeholders might have different criteria of judging it. Responses obtained from questionnaires administered to project leaders and industry partners' or sponsors' contact persons, the latter for triangulation, were analysed and categorised into four broad thematic areas: human resource development/intellectual, commercial/economic, social and technological. A number of findings emerged from the main questionnaire. A little more than half (56%) of the projects were completed and 44% were ongoing; majority (85%) were implemented according to plan; three categories of primary beneficiaries were cited by project leaders; projects were meant to address multiple problems/situations; they had multiple objectives; and majority (92%) were successful and made many impacts. Managerial strategies, supplemented by environmental and other factors, contributed to projects' success. Several reasons were offered for failure or inconclusiveness.
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Johannes, Edgar Anthony. "Using collaborative action research to improve classroom discipline: an action research study at a secondary school in the Boland." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2005. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&.
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This study focused on improving the learners behaviour through classroom management and the implementation of human rights awareness as an intervention strategy. The purpose of the research was to prevent learners from misbehaving through the implementation of different teaching strategies. Learners transgression will not stop completely and a second objective was to use the implementation of human rights awareness as an intervention strategy if the learners behaviour become unacceptable. The strategies the educators has to instigate were primarily considered to be those associated with classroom management.
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Bobbins, Kerry Leigh. "Developing a form-process framework to describe the functioning of semi-arid alluvial fans in the Baviaanskloof Valley, South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005500.
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The Baviaanskloof catchment is a semi-arid catchment located in the Cape Fold Mountains of South Africa. Little is known about the functioning of the complicated Baviaanskloof fluvial system and the role alluvial fans in the fluvial landscape. This thesis will contribute to field of geomorphology and, more specifically, to the field of fan morphometry by producing a standalone fan framework outlining methods to investigate the influence of external and internal control variables on alluvial fans. In this thesis, outcomes of the applied framework and case study are used to develop fan restoration guidelines for the Baviaanskloof Valley. The framework incorporates external and internal fan control variables at a valley-wide and local fan scale. External control variables include accommodation space, base-level change, and drainage basin inputs. Internal control variables include fan style, morphometry and fan channels. In order to apply the framework, fan morphometry data was required. This data was collected by creating a spatial plan of fans and basins in the valley. Outcomes of the applied framework include; an understanding of baselevel change on fans, relationships between fan basin characteristics and the fan surface and insight into fan channel processes. Results of the applied framework are investigated further using bivariate (correlation matrix) and multivariate (principle component analysis and regression analysis) analysis techniques. Significant relationships identified are: drainage basin area versus fan area, fan area and fan slope and drainage basin ruggedness and basin size. The primary outcomes of this thesis include an alluvial fan form-process framework, key considerations to be included in alluvial fan restoration projects and fan restoration guidelines. Contributions of this thesis to broader alluvial fan morphology science includes new insights into general fan literature by compiling a form-process alluvial fan classification framework to identify external and internal fan control variables and identify fan form. Additions have been made to Clarke’s (2010) evolutionary stages to describe stages 4 and 5 of fan evolution that has been adapted to describe fan evolution and differentiate between stages of mature fan evolution. This thesis has also contributed to the study of alluvial fans in South Africa, particularly in the Baviaanskloof Valley. The layout of the procedural guidelines and key considerations for an alluvial fan project provides a guide for rapid fan assessment for maximum cost and time benefits for stakeholders.
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Bowers, Leisl Joanne. "Utilisation of research in South Africa's research institutes." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50216.
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Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The overarching aim of this study is to analyse what researchers in South African higher education institutes and science councils mean by the term 'utilisation'. In specific terms, this aim is interpreted as determining what researchers mean when they indicate that their research findings are being utilised. The data used to conduct this analysis is taken from a national survey conducted to establish the extent to which research findings in South Africa are utilised. The Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies - now called the Centre for Research on Science and Technology - conducted the survey for the National Advisory Committee on Innovation (NACI). This study for NACI involved a questionnaire survey of research being conducted with universities, technikons and science councils, and a telephone survey of a sample of research and development managers in 116 companies. As a researcher in the Centre, I played an active role in this two-fold survey component of the research process. Besides coding the questionnaire for the NACI survey, for the purposes of my study I did additional coding of the questionnaire data. This involved coding 1052 responses to an openended question using a software package. After exporting this data to Microsoft Excel, I further coded the data into one of three categories: Mode 1, Mode 2 and a combination of Mode 1 and Mode 2. This 'new variable' created, formed part of the quantitative analysis since it was correlated with the following variables: the 'trigger' or 'driver' behind the research; the expected outcome of the project or study; the scientific field of the project; the project's or the study's science culture; the source of funding of the study, the modes of dissemination of the results and the intended beneficiary(ies) of the research. Results of the qualitative analyses reveal a profile for projects exhibiting features of Mode 1, Mode 2 or a combination of Mode 1 and Mode 2 knowledge utilisation. With Mode 1 we see that research was likely to be utilised within the discipline, was conducted for the benefit of the researcher's peers and it expanded on existing knowledge - all indicating that Mode 1 knowledge utilisation is predominantly associated with fundamental research. With Mode 2 we see that research was produced primarily for its use value and included the user's interests - indicating that Mode 2 knowledge utilisation is predominantly applied, commissioned and/or strategic. Projects that exhibited both features of Mode 1 and Mode 2 were both indicative of fundamental and applied research. Besides the quantitative analyses also showing the same result mentioned above, it was also discovered that the majority of the projects exhibited features of Mode 2, with one third of the projects exhibiting features of Mode 1 and a small proportion of projects as comprising both modes of utilisation. This was a very interesting finding because it is no longer just speculation that a shift is occurring to more applied, strategic research. The analysis revealed that this shift is a reality. The correlations of mode of utility with the seven other variables produced a range of results that expanded on the features of Mode 1 and Mode 2 type of knowledge production and verified that each mode had qualities unique to itself. My recommendations to researchers in South African research institutes concerns conducting the type of research which will be more relevant to the needs of South African society at large. To funding bodies and programmes of South Africa, the suggestion is to become more informed about the dissemination and intended utilisation strategies that they fund.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n analise te doen van die begrip "navorsingsbenutting", soos verstaan deur navorsers binne die publieke Suid Afrikaanse navorsing- en ontwikkelingsektor. Data wat verkry is van 'n landswye ondersoek na die aanwending van navorsingsuitsette binne die publieke sektor, soos onderneem deur die Sentrum vir Interdissiplinêre Studies, is geanaliseer. As 'n lid van die navorsingspan wat die studie onderneem het, was ek aktief betrokke by die proses wat onder meer 'n vraelys-ondersoek ingesluit het na navorsingsprojekte wat in swang is aan SA universiteite, tegnikons en wetenskapsrade. Vir die doel van die studie het ek 1052 response wat die resultaat was van 'n oop vraag in die vraelys in drie kategorieë gekodeer naamlik Modus 1, Modus 2 asook Modus 3, 'n kombinasiekategorie met die benaming "modus van aanwending". Die kwalitatiewe analise het getoon dat in die geval van modus 1, die navorsing mees waarskynlik binne die dissipline en tot die voordeel van die navorser se eweknieë aangewend sal word en dat dit in die meeste gevalle 'n uitbreiding van bestaande kennis behels - 'n aanduiding dat modus 1 navorsing hoofsaakilk verbind kan word met fundamentele navorsing. In die geval van modus 2 blyk dit dat navorsing primêr berus op die utiliteit- of aanwendingswaarde daarvan. Dit vertoon 'n noue verband met die gebruiker se behoefte of belangstelling en is hoofsaaklik toegepaste, kontrak of strategiese navorsing. Projekte wat aspekte van beide modi 1 en 2 vertoon, het tegelykertyd gedui op fundamentele en toegepaste navorsing. Die kwantitatiewe analise het aangedui dat die meerderheid projekte eienskappe van modus 2 vertoon het, met 'n derde van die projekte wat eienskappe van modus 1 vertoon het. 'n Klein hoeveelheid projekte het aspekte van beide modi 1 en 2 vertoon. Hierdie analise het aangetoon dat 'n verkuiwing inderdaad plaasgevind het vanaf fundamentele na meer toegepaste en strategiese navorsing. Die korrelasie van die modus van aanwending met sewe ander veranderlikes, het 'n reeks resultate tot gevolg gehad wat die eienskappe van modi 1 en 2 verder uitgebrei het. Dit het ook bygedra tot die bevestiging van die spesifieke eienskap van elke modus en unieke aspekte van elke modus aangetoon. Aanbevelings word ten slotte gedoen met die oog op 'n keuse vir meer relevante navorsing binne die publieke sektor gemeet aan die kriteria van die navorsingsbehoeftes van die breër Suid Afrikaanse gemeenskap. Aanbevelings m.b.t. disseminasie en navorsingsaanwendingstrategieë van navorsing wat deur befondsingsliggame befonds word, word ook gemaak.
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Tai-Hing, Paul. "Research into entrepreneurship and small business in South Africa: current status and future challenges." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015981.
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This research seeks to advance knowledge of the current state of entrepreneurship and small businesses in South Africa, and reports on a review of 32 articles and 244 research abstracts in the field. The studies as a whole indicate that entrepreneurs in South Africa require more knowledge in the fields of: Networking in business, Internationalisation of business, Entrepreneurship training. Since the 1990s, research in entrepreneurship has grown in terms of the number of articles published and conference papers presented. In many countries entrepreneurship has also become part of the political agenda as it is perceived as a possible solution to high unemployment rates. In addition, interest in entrepreneurship has heightened during the 2000s, especially in business schools. Much of this interest is driven by student demand for courses in entrepreneurship, either because of genuine interest in the subject, or because students see entrepreneurship education as a useful hedge given uncertain corporate careers. Most of the entrepreneurship research abstracts reviewed for this study focused on race, gender and ethical issues in South Africa. These three research topics focused on: Attitudes and experiences of black women: differ from other racial groups in business with the results indicating that black women were competent and highly-motivated, but lacked communication skills and Western business orientation. Many black women also desired equality although their male counterparts opposed this. Black women also lacked role models and career guidance. Different population groups participate in the economy: reflect regional, income, expenditure, skill, occupational and labour differences, including labour supply and demand. Ethics concerns: include whether it should be taught in the human resources management curricula taught in universities. From the findings it appeared that entrepreneurship research in South Africa is fairly similar to international research contexts. As entrepreneurship and small businesses are diverse and multi-disciplinary, the studies reviewed indicated a wide range of different models, theories, frameworks, and combinations of these. However, the theoretical richness of the studies reviewed was, in many cases, relatively low, and only a few of the studies could be regarded as highly-theoretical. In addition, the presentation of the various theories and models applied was very often inadequately reported. It is also important to note that altogether between 7 and 11 percent of the studies were without any well-argued theoretical framework. Thus, researchers in the field should discuss the theoretical frameworks applied in their empirical analyses, to ensure this will improve the theoretical understanding of the phenomenon. Although this study made use of the mixed-method approach to conduct the research, it is also important to note that, in 12 percent of cases, methodological issues were poorly described. Most of the studies often did not describe the data collection response rate provide sample demographic and firm size details as well as identify the target industry. These details were often missing or loosely defined. The reasons for the selection of a certain research approach were also poorly explained, making many of the research studies deficient or limited methodologically. These omissions present a challenge, not only to authors in the field, but also to reviewers and editors in academic journals, as this impacts on the scientific rigor of published papers. On the basis of published papers reviewed, it seems that, personally-administered data collection works best in South Africa. From the research studies undertaken in South Africa, it is evident that much has been researched in the areas of gender (specifically the role of women in business), entrepreneurship training and ethics in business. It is evident that during the 1980s, no research was conducted in South Africa in the areas of family businesses and entrepreneurship training, while international research focuses on these topics. During the 1990s, no research focused on networking in small businesses, and. during the 2000s, there was a lack of research on internationalisation of businesses as only six articles were published from 2000 until 2011 on these topics. This highlights a need for internationalisation research especially as it is well-documented that the South African economy cannot survive if it does not take cognisance of its international competitors. On the basis of the articles and abstracts reviewed, the current state of knowledge concerning entrepreneurship and small businesses in South Africa was assessed, especially the need for the internationalisation of South African small businesses. Moreover, research studies could also focus on the obstacles encountered in the internationalisation process of South African small businesses.
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Govender, Bernadette. "The experiences of school leaders regarding action research as a tool to enhance school functioning." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1623.
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South African schools especially those situated in previously disadvantaged communities, are faced with a myriad of challenges that school leaders have to deal with on a daily basis. School leaders are inter alia required to improve the running and functioning of their schools. A prerequisite for good schools is strong leadership. Transformational leadership seemed an appropriate focus for this research study, in which an action research approach was followed to deal with issues that impact negatively on the functioning of schools. The aim was to explore the potential benefits of this approach in terms of improving school functioning. A qualitative approach was adopted, as the experiences of the school leaders regarding action research as a tool to enhance the functioning of their schools were described. The aim was also to describe not only school leaders‟ experiences of action research, but also to interpret these so as to make recommendations based on the findings of the qualitative investigation, as to how best action research can be used as a tool for helping school leaders address issues that impinge on school functioning. This study was informed by phenomenology, and an interpretive as well as a critical paradigm. Multiple data gathering, such as field notes, observation and interviews were employed. In line with the qualitative approach, purposive sampling was used. The results of the research study appear to suggest that the benefits of an action research approach in improving school functioning relate to the transformation of the school climate, and that school leaders experience personal as well as professional transformation. This study recommends that action research as a model be incorporated into preparation programmes as well as professional development programmes for school leaders.
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Witwatersrand, University of the. "Farmworker Research & Resource Project (DSRP): Press clips summary 3." University of the Witwatersrand, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68951.
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Thousands of farmers were saved from bankruptcy by the Department of Agriculture, says Minister Greyling Wentzel. He said in 1986/1987 2 741 farmers who would have been bankrupt were saved through the department’s production aid scheme. The Rill,7m they received as loans enabled them to get a crop in the ground, without which they would have gone under. The debt consolidation scheme likewise helped about 2 000 farmers escape bankruptcy for the period 1983/1984 to 1986/1987.
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Donaldson, Natalie. "Lumberjacks and hoodrats: negotiating subject positions of lesbian representation in two South African television programmes." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002473.
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With the inclusion of sexual orientation in the Equality clause of the post-Apartheid constitution which demands equal rights and protection for all individuals regardless of sexual orientation, South Africa has been praised as one of the most liberal countries in the world. Because of this legal equality, gay and lesbian experiences have become a lot more visible in every day South African lives. This includes visibility in South African television programmes and film. Today, a number of South African produced television programmes have included at least one lesbian character in their storyline and many LGBTIQ activist organisations have deemed this increased visibility as a positive step for LGBTIQ rights. However, discriminatory discourses such as same-sex sexualities as 'un-African ' and unnatural, which often result in brutal hate crimes against LGBTIQ individuals (such as corrective rape), contribute to the social and cultural intolerance of same-sex sexualities. South African research into the lives of lesbian women has often related lesbian experience to that of gay men or has focused on lesbian women as victims of corrective rape and oppressive practices at the hands of the dominant heteronormative culture. This research was a discursive reception study, using three focus group discussions with self-identified lesbian audiences (black and white). The study explored how this audience received (interpreted/talked about) the available fictional representations of 'black' lesbian women and 'white' lesbian women in three clips from two South African television programmes, Society and The Mating Game. Using Wetherell's (1998) critical discursive psychology approach, this research focused on examining the 1) Subject positions made available in/by these representations; 2) Interpretive repertoires used by the audience in appropriating and/or negotiating and/or reSisting these subject positions; and 3) Ideological dilemmas experienced by participants in this negotiation process. The predominant subject positions made available in these representations were differentiated according to binary racial categories of white lesbian women and black lesbian women. For example, participants positioned white lesbian women as "lumberjacks" and "tomboys" while black lesbian women were positioned as "township lesbians" and "hood rats". In working with these subject positions, participants drew on interpretative repertoires of othering and otherness as well as interpretative repertoires of survival. In negotiating with these subject positions and others found in the discussions, ideological dilemmas often arose when participants found themselves having to draw on interpretative repertoires which extend from a heteronormative discourse. These kinds of interpretative repertoires included religion, nature, and compromise which contradicted and created a troubled position when used in relation to the participants' lesbian sexualities. Therefore, when the ideological dilemma and troubled position became apparent, participants had to work to repair the troubled position by justifying their use of these heteronormative interpretative repertoires.
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Schudel, Ingrid Joan. "Research Projects Portfolio." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1016368.
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This collection of research projects tells a story of the time I have spent with members of the Albany Working for Water team; including preparations made, lessons learned and insights gained. My first project was to analyse the methodology of a research paper. I chose the paper by Arjen Wals because I intended, like him, to examine people's perceptions of environmental issues. From this paper I gained ideas for a qualitative research process and learnt the importance of theoretical and methodological consistency. My next project was to present a report on my research into the perceptions of workrelated environmental issues among the Albany Working for Water workers. From this research I gained insight into the knowledge of the workers and also some of the misconceptions that they have about social and ecological issues. I made educational recommendations based on these insights. This experience inspired me to initiate a play with a group of the workers about alien plant eradication. The process of developing this play formed the basis for a research paper that I have submitted as another research project. Concurrent with the development of the play, I conducted a fourth research project that was a situational analysis of the Albany Workingfor Water Project. I hoped that this analysis would provide useful insight into the context of the above two projects. Overall, I hope the story reflects how I have grown through the learning experiences I shared with the Albany Working for Water team. I would like to extend to my thanks to all those who assisted and shared my journey with me.
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Cherrington, Avivit Miriam. "Research as hope intervention: a visual participatory study with rural South African school children." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8350.
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There is a dearth of knowledge on rural South African children’s perspectives of hope, and how their hope can be nurtured, shaped, and strengthened. Guided by a qualitative approach, and located within a critical transformative paradigm, this study explores the following research question: How could visual participatory methodology as ‘research as intervention’ enable rural South African primary school children to explore their conceptualisations of hope, as well as strengthen their hope? To answer this question I pose two sub-questions: Firstly, what are rural primary school children’s conceptualisations of hope? Secondly, how could using visual participatory methodology to explore their hope also strengthen the children’s hope? Hope plays a key role in the lives of people, influencing decisions and behaviour, as well as coping skills and wellbeing. The socio-economic and cultural contexts in which rural South African children find themselves are critical in enabling hope and influencing their psychosocial wellbeing. While international hope research boasts a diversity of theories, there is scarce representation of such research from an African perspective. Unable to turn to an Afrocentric theory of hope this study is framed by two theories from the global-North: Scioli’s (2007) Integrative theory of hope which provides a description of the individual’s hope process, and Prilleltensky and Prilleltensky’s (2007) Framework of psychosocial wellbeing which provides a broader context in which to view this process. Over a period of a year I engaged with twelve purposively selected 9-13 year old Basotho children, beneficiaries of a children’s programme situated in a rural village in the QwaQwa region, Free State, South Africa, to explore their hope. Using visual participatory methodology, data was co-constructed through four visual data generating tools (collage-making, drawing, Mmogo-method®, and photovoice), as well as individual interviews, a group interview, and notes and photographs kept in my research journal. A qualitative thematic analysis was followed, and a literature control conducted to re-contextualise the findings. The results of this study are presented in themes. The first three themes, Hope is having a better life; Hope is community participation and togetherness; and Hope is weakened by others and by one’s environment, combine to represent hope as a multi-layered, multi-dimensional experience towards attaining a better life on a contextual, personal, relational, and collective level. These levels of hope are all inter-related, interdependent, and influenced by cultural factors and the children’s belief system (or worldview). I therefore conclude that, according to these rural South African school children, hope is an internal process of being that develops within the individual, with assistance from external resources, and then extends outwardly through hopeful beliefs, feelings, and behaviours to promote togetherness, care, and respect in one’s community. The last three themes, Strengthened personal hope; Enhanced relational hope; and Mobilised collective hope, show that using visual participatory methodology to engage the participants in an exploration of hope potentially strengthened, enhanced, and mobilised their hope across three inter-related and overlapping levels: Personal, Relational, and Collective. The participants expressed a growing understanding of their hoping process, increased sense of autonomy, and improved coping skills for strengthening their own hope. They also began to refer to themselves as Hope Champions - able to foster hope in others by behaving in a hopeful manner, teaching others about hope, and offering care and support. I therefore conclude that this shifting view of themselves as competent and valuable members of the community mobilised their collective level of hope as they began to formulate ideas of how they could be active citizens in their community, pursuing collective wellbeing for themselves and other members of the community so that everyone could live a better life. The findings have several implications for educational psychologists working with marginalised and vulnerable children’s hope, for fostering hope in school contexts, and for educational hope research with marginalised children in rural South African communities. While this study cannot presume to have achieved long-term social change, it does certainly lay the foundation for proposing that ‘research as intervention’ has promising potential as ‘research as hope-intervention’ in educational contexts. In responding to the research question, I argue that visual participatory research methodology, when focused on hope, is in and of itself a hope-enhancing intervention. Consequently, combining visual participatory methodology with hope-focused explorations enables ‘research as hope-intervention’, facilitating a strengthening of the participants’ hope, and resulting in meaningful personal transformation. I conclude that using ‘research as hope-intervention’ with rural South African children holds many possibilities for mobilising a ‘pedagogy of hope’.
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Reuter, Gerhard Wilhelm. "Observations and numerical simulations of mixing mechanisms in South African cumulus conqestus clouds." Thesis, McGill University, 1985. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=71976.
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The mixing mechanism of South African cumulus congestus clouds is investigated using a combined observational and modeling approach. The experimental data consists of aircraft measurements collected in developing cloud towers near Nelspruit on three case study days. The observations are analyzed to determine the source regions of the entrained air. The mixing processes are simulated using both axially and slab symmetric cumulus models with very high spatial and temporal resolutions. The simulated clouds have a structured organization with small scale features such as in-cloud downdrafts. The mixing processes are examined by analyzing the time variation of dynamic and thermodynamic quantities along computed parcel trajectories.Both observations and simulations indicate that most of the entrainment occurs at the cloud top. Evaporative cooling causes downdrafts that transport highly diluted air from the cloud top down to lower levels. The trajectory analysis shows that the penetrative downdrafts are also affected by pressure perturbations.
In the presence of wind shear the downshear sides of the clouds become more diluted, cooler and have stronger downdrafts. The asymmetric organisation is attributed to turbulent exchange of horizontal momentum at the cloud top.
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Emmerson, Norman. "Observations on the biochemical reactions and clinical relations of C.diptheriae, and on the carrier rate amongst natives in Port Elizabeth and surrounding districts." Thesis, 2014.
Find full text
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Gounden, Manisagaree. "Observing a rape crime scene with the intent to identify evidence." Diss., 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/23232.
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Investigating a crime of rape relies heavily upon physical evidence, which provides the court with tangible objects that are not subject to memory loss. The recognition ofphysical evidence plays a critical role in the investigation process. The first step of crime scene investigation is to conduct observation to locate valuable physical evidence; a task that depends on the skills of the investigating officer. The more common types of physical evidence that could link a suspect to the crime were identified in this study.
This dissertation endeavours to provide crime scene investigators with answers on how to conduct observation at a rape crime scene. This research is based on interviews and a literature study, and will furnish insight and information about the observation process at rape crime scenes. The findings of the research may generate guidelines for crime scene observation. Recommendations and conclusions are indicated in the final chapter.Police Practice
M. Tech (Forensic Investigation)
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Rossouw, Daniel F. J. "The design of a Climate Change Awareness Center, Pretoria." 2014. http://encore.tut.ac.za/iii/cpro/DigitalItemViewPage.external?sp=1001507.
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M. Tech. Architecture (Professional)The aim of the dissertation is to create an architectural interpretation of a new interactive center. The center will explore the adaption of buildings in a natural context within the city of Pretoria, to promote research, solutions and understanding of climate change in a developing country that is dependent on energy. The awareness center will be situated on a prominent untouched site within the Innovation Hub campus. The aspiration for this site is to reintroduce the link between two major research facilities namely the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the University of Pretoria (UP). The development of the design will investigate the following issues: The background and effect of climate change; Climate change as a reality and architecture in an eco-systemic approach; and How architecture should respond to climate change and nature.
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Harrison, Elaine Sonet. "Transformation of a service organisation through participatory action research." Diss., 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/877.
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The research aimed to pro-activeiy embark in an internal transformation process, in order to
improve efficiency of the Social Work Department of Gauteng Medical Command of the
South African Military Health Service.
Participatory action research as a qualitative research design was- used. The intervention
identification process was implemented as a problem-solving technique to direct the process
of transformation-change.
The research was conducted by a research group often social workers from the South
African National Defence Force. The results of the research were the implementation of
interventions on identified systems, namely the service delivery system and the performance
management system of the Social Work Department of Gauteng Medical Command.
The use of particpatorv action research as a process to address problems in an organisation was confirmed. The contribution of the participatory action process to process outcomes,
such as empowerment and learning, was also indicated in the findings.Social Work
MA(SS) (Mental Health)
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Khumalo, Cynthia Tuduetso. "A reflection on the group interaction and cohesion in a participatory research process :." Diss., 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17083.
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In 1995 a participatory research project was undertaken in the Gauteng Welfare
Deparbnent by two outside researchers. The subject for the research was the management
of change in the Gauteng Welfare Department. During the research, the researcher
observed how the discouraged, apathetic and negative group became animated and
empowered. On the basis of this observation, the researcher undertook to do a case study
which reflects on the interactional process and cohesion which transpired within the
participatory research process.Social Science
M.A. Social Science (Mental Health)