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Media reporting and student self-representation: a Comparison of the 2015 #FeesMustFall campaign at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University by The Herald and #FeesMustFall

  • Authors: Matrose, T L
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Mass media -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Finance
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53456 , vital:45155
  • Description: South Africa’s higher education system was deeply disrupted in October 2015 by the #FeesMustFall student-led movement which affected almost every student from most South African universities. As student movements called for a national shutdown of tertiary institutions, students in their numbers gravitated to social media, mainly Twitter and Facebook, where they mobilised, and held discussions pertaining to the protest movement. Whilst, most studies on mainstream media coverage of protest movements have shown that protests around the world are typically portrayed in a negative and delegitimising manner, scholars have declared social media to be very useful in helping protesters counter the negative mainstream media coverage towards them by telling their side of the story to the public, and in a manner in which they want to be perceived. Considering these nuances, this study focuses on The Herald, a Port Elizabeth based newspaper, and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 2015 #FeesMustFall student protest movement. Through a content analysis, this study aims to, firstly, to explore the mainstream media’s representation and students’ social media self-representations of the #FeesMustFall student protest movement, and secondly; to identify the purpose(s) for which students utilised social media during the #FeesMustFall student protest movement. The results showed that The Herald coverage was predominantly positive and pro-student, and that students represented themselves and the movement in a positive and legitimising manner on their #FeesMustFall social media platforms. The results also showed that the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University students did not only use social media to communicate, organise and coordinate, debate, build and maintain unity during the course of #FeesMustFall movement, but also as a channel to attract mainstream media coverage for their movement, and to further shape the narrative in the coverage. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Motivation to learn science and make sense of the concept of malleability through the traditional blast furnace in a grade 9 Physical Science class

  • Authors: Kudumo, Wilfred Peter
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia -- Kavango West , Metals -- Effect of high temperatures on , Blast furnaces , Ethnoscience -- Namibia -- Kavango West , Ubuntu (Philosophy) , Culturally relevant pedagogy , Motivation in education -- Namibia -- Kavango West , Continuity Argumentative Theory (CAT)
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177262 , vital:42804
  • Description: The current situation of teaching and learning science in Namibia is of great concern since it does not seem to take into consideration learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds. As a result, learners are finding that science is not relevant to their everyday life experiences and hence are not motivated to learn it. This is compounded in part by the fact that the Namibian curriculum seems to be silent on how science teachers should include learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds, for example, local or indigenous knowledge in their teaching repertoires. It is against this background that in this study I explored how mobilising the cultural practice of a traditional blast furnace (mudukuto) as an approach enables and/or constrains learners’ motivation to learn science and make sense of the concept of malleability. This is a qualitative case study underpinned by a combination of interpretive and Ubuntu paradigms. It was carried out in a rural school in Namibia, Kavango West Region, where I am currently teaching. The participants in the study were grade 9 learners and one expert community member. Focus group interviews, participatory observation, learners’ reflections, and stimulated recall interviews were used to gather qualitative data. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory was used as a theoretical framework and Ogunniyi`s Continuity Argumentative Theory (CAT) was used as analytical framework or lens to analyse the data. A thematic approach to analyse data was employed. That is, qualitative data were analysed inductively to come up with sub-themes and themes. The findings of the study revealed that the traditional furnace motivated the learners involved in this study to learn science and learners were able to extract science concepts on malleability from the traditional practice. The implication for this study is that when science is related to learners’ daily life or real-world experiences, they are enabled to bridge the gap from what they learn at home or in the community with school science. The study thus recommends that teachers should make an effort to integrate local or indigenous knowledge and practices to make science accessible and relevant in their classrooms. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Education, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

National minimum wage : a comparative study between Germany and South Africa

  • Authors: Tshete, Vusumzi Victor
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Gqeberha (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , Minimum wage--Law and legislation
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/51183 , vital:43227
  • Description: This comparative research study attempted to provide the comparative analysis between the Germany’s MiLoG and the South African NMWA. The study has adopted the ILO definition of the Minimum Wage as the minimum amount of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work performed during a given period, which cannot be reduced by a collective agreement or an individual contract The Desk review was an appropriate data collection method for the present research studies. Desk research refers to secondary data that was collected without fieldwork. This included reviewal of libraries and the internet, that includes Journals; newspapers; clippings; reports; government statistics; dictionaries; books, On-line databases, Internet sources, legislations and case laws. The multiple research questions that will be addressed by the study question involve the regulation of the implementation of the NMW, the effectiveness and efficiency of the implementation of the NMW between South Africa and Germany, the impact of the NMW in addressing inequality, poverty and unemployment or socio-economic challenges, as well the overall role of the NMW in the entire labour between the two countries. The present study conducted a literature review on the historical development of the Minimum Wage in South Africa and Germany, the legislative framework around the Minimum Wage in both countries. The literature review also covered the impact of NMW on poverty alleviation and Wage inequalities. The literature further covered, the differences between the implementation of the MiLoG in the case of Germany and the NMWA in the case of South Africa. The literature also covered adjusting amendment and monitoring compliance including the best practices. The findings of the study is that the overarching purpose of introducing a NMW had multi- faceted purpose function such as of transforming the country’s inordinately unequal wage structure while at the same time redressing the inherent poverty, inequalities and transformation of the unequal wage structures both in South Africa and Germany. The Minimum Wage is implemented to prevent workers from earning very low wages. In both 3 countries the Minimum Wage is backed by the legislative framework. Processes to measure and enforce compliance are prevalent in both countries; however, the study found that it is very sophisticated to estimate the exact extent of non-compliance. The study further revealed that the effectiveness of Minimum Wages was seen to depend entirely on their policy design, implementation, and adoption as well as compliance measures. The success of the Minimum Wage solely depend on the compliance rate by employers, hence the study recommends that the New Minimum Wage legislation needs to ensure higher rates of compliance. The effective Minimum Wage should put measures in place to ensure that the compliance enforcement measures are practically implemented. A room still exists for both countries to mitigate wage inequalities that will benefit mostly the vulnerable employees. The study revealed that the NMW Commission needs to be capacitated with resources. A need of recruiting highly qualified inspectors was identified in order to strengthen the process of monitoring and ensuring compliance. The study further revealed that the appropriate Minimum Wage needs a collaborative participation of all stakeholders such as employers, the state, employees, trade unions, employer’s organization, bargaining councils, the member of public in order to achieve its professed mandate. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, Mercantile Law, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Nature conservation, protected areas and local communities : the Tsitsikamma National Park

  • Authors: Le Fleur, Yvette Adele
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: National parks and reserves -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Protected areas -- Management , Programme of Work on Protected Areas , Human ecology -- South Africa -- Tsitsikamma , Nature conservation -- Citizen participation
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSocSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177247 , vital:42803
  • Description: Since the twentieth century, protected areas, usually in the form of nature reserves or national parks, have become increasingly more dominant as an international conservation strategy. An important factor in protected area management is the relationship between protected areas and its surrounding communities. Historically, the fortress conservation model based on the exclusion of human use and occupation prevailed in relation to protected areas. It is known that this approach brought with it many social and environmental injustices to local communities living in or adjacent to parks. However, a shift in conservation thinking occurred towards the end of the twentieth century, where it has increasingly been advocated for a more participatory approach in protected area management. South Africa has signed the international Convention on Biological Diversity that promotes a participatory approach to nature conservation, which is also reflected in the country’s national laws and policies. In relation to the literature and the lens of political ecology, this thesis sets out to assess in what ways and to what extent the participatory approach has been embraced by South Africa’s conservation authorities. As a case study, it looks at the Tsitsikamma National P ark ( incorporated into the larger Garden Route National Park). In order to get insight on h ow the participatory approach plays itself out at the T NP and what the nature of local communities’ relationship with the park is, this study looks at the aspects of (1) local communities’ socio-economic conditions, (2) their relationship with their natural environment, (3) their perception of nature conservation and (4) their perception of tourism. Then, taking all these aspects into account, (5) how local communities, in general, perceive their relationship with the p ark and its authorities. This study looked at the communities of Kurland, Nature’s Valley, Covie and Storms River. It shows in concurrence with other studies, that despite progressive laws and policies that express the intention of the South African state and SANParks to embrace the participatory approach, its implementation o n t he g round is riddled with challenges. , Thesis (MSocSc) -- Faculty of Humanities, Athropology, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Ndiyazi ukuba ndiza kufa njani : ingqokelela yemibongo

  • Authors: Mdliva, Mqhubi Given
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Creative writing (Higher education) -- South Africa , Xhosa poetry -- 21st century , Xhosa poetry -- History and criticism , Diaries -- Authorship , Xhosa fiction -- 21st century
  • Language: Xhosa
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178295 , vital:42928
  • Description: Le mibongo inyathela kwizinto ezitsarhayo; ukufa, ukukhula kweziganeko ezingobundlobongela obuphathelele kwezesondo nesini, kubulawa abantwana namanina ngamadoda norhwaphilizo olugqugqisayo. Lo msebenzi uphonononga ukwavavanya ukusetyenziswa kweempawu zokubhala kungalandelwa miqathango yokubhala koko kusetyenziswa ezi mpawu njengezixhobo zokuphuhlisa iimvakalelo zembongi. Ezi mpawu ziquka iidesh, iikholoni, iisemikholoni ukuqelelaniswa kwamagama kukwashiywa nezikhewu phakathi kwamagama kukhokelwa ngumoya wemibongo. Oku kubangele ukuba le mibongo ibe nezakhiwo ezahlukileyo nezingaqhelekanga kubhalo lwesiXhosa. Oko kukuthi, lo msebenzi utyebisa uncwadi lwesiXhosa ngokukwandisa kule ndlela ingaqhelekanga yokubhala. Umsebenzi kaSt E.P. Yako ube nefuthe kakhulu kulo msebenzi, ngakumbi indlela alusebenzise ngayo ulwimi oluteketeke zizafobe nemifanekiso ukubhala imibongo njengoko enzile kumbongo othi, Izibongo zikaMhlekazi uArchie Sandile. Kumbhali uMarina Tsvetaete kubolekwe indlela ayisebenzise ngayo imifanekiso kumbongo osihloko sithi, Poems for Block kuba udubula ngegama uthi thaa umfanekiso kwingqondo yomfundi. Isimbo sokuyila isakhiwo sombongo sikaSimphiwe Nolutshungu naso sibe nefuthe kule mibongo, kwaye le thisisi yandisa apho lo kaNolutshungu aphele khona ngakumbi kwindlela asebenzise ngayo iimpawu zokubhala. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Languages and Literatures, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Night-time gravity waves detected with multi-frequency airglow imager

  • Authors: Machubeng, Karabo Pebane
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Gravity waves , Airglow , Gravity waves -- Seasonal variations , All Sky Imager
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/178341 , vital:42931
  • Description: This thesis shows the statistics of atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) observed in the OI emission 557.7 nm at _97 km altitude using an all-sky imager based in Sutherland, South Africa (32.37_ S, 20.81_ E) in the year 2017. The wavelengths were determined using the propagation vector method, velocity was determined using the cross correlation of 1D FFT and the period was determined using the equation that relates wavelength and velocity. It was found that the horizontal wavelength in summer was almost evenly distributed between 10 and 40 km and for autumn, winter and spring were mostly between 10 and 30 km. The favoured speeds were between 40 and 50 m/s in autumn, as well as 30 and 50 m/s in summer, but the AGWs in winter had a bimodal speed distribution of 20 - 40 and 50 - 70 m/s. The majority of periods observed in all seasons were less than 20 minutes with a dominant peak of 5 - 10 minutes in autumn and spring. There was no favoured propagation direction for spring, but AGWs favoured a southeastward propagation in summer, and a southward propagation in autumn and winter. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Physics and Electronics, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Nurse educators’ understanding of Africanising undergraduate education at a nursing education institution

  • Authors: Mlatsha, Ayanda
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Nursing --South Africa , Organizational Change -- Education , Educational change--South Africa --Nursing
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60764 , vital:67197
  • Description: In the light of transformation and the need for a relatively recently liberated country to enhance higher education, one of the foremost demands of South Africans in education was that of Africanising higher education. Africanising is associated with the term ‘transformation’. The latter is a process that requires the revision of the existing education system towards that of an African-contextualised education system in Africa. Concurrently the nursing profession has an increased need for transcultural nursing in education to ensure that undergraduates deliver culturally aligned and African contextualised nursing care. At present, there is no clear description of how Africanising nursing education can be carried out by nurse educators. Hence some educators argue that the change may not be a smooth process as there is no blueprint that provides guidance for how the process should be conducted. This study intended to assist in describing the meaning of Africanising nursing education as it is understood by nurse educators in a Nursing Education Institution (NEI). Therefore, this study explored and described nurse educators’ understanding of Africanising undergraduate nursing education at a NEI in the Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape, South Africa in order to construct recommendations for NEI managers and nurse educators on how the process of Africanising undergraduate nursing education at NEIs can be facilitated. The researcher used a qualitative descriptive approach. The postcolonial theory was used to underpin this study. Purposive sampling was utilised to select nurse educators for participation in the study. Each of the twelve participants were asked to draw a naïve sketch regarding their understanding of fricanisation of the undergraduate nursing education followed by an individual semi-structured interview. Data collection was conducted online, using recorded Zoom sessions. Content analysis was used to aanalyse the data and the findings were used to construct recommendations for NEI managers and nurse educators on how the process of Africanising undergraduate nursing education at NEIs can be enhanced. Throughout the study ethical principles as well as the requirements related to the concepts of trustworthiness, credibility; dependability; confirmability and transferability were upheld. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical care and Medicinal Sciences, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Observations of cosmic re-ionisation with the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array: simulations of closure phase spectra

  • Authors: Charles, Ntsikelelo
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Epoch of reionization , Space interferometry , Astronomy -- Observations , Closure phase spectra
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/174470 , vital:42480
  • Description: The 21 cm transition from neutral Hydrogen promises to be the best observational probe of the Epoch of Reionisation. It has driven the construction of the new generation of low frequency radio interferometric arrays, including the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA). The main difficulty in measuring the 21 cm signal is the presence of bright foregrounds that require very accurate interferometric calibration. Thyagarajan et al. (2018) proposed the use of closure phase quantities as a means to detect the 21 cm signal, which has the advantage of being independent (to first order) from calibration errors and therefore, bypasses the need for accurate calibration. Closure phases are, however, affected by so-called direction dependent effects, e.g. the fact that the dishes - or antennas - of an interferometric array are not identical to each other and , therefore, yield different antenna primary beam responses. In this thesis, we investigate the impact of direction dependent effects on closure quantities and simulate the impact that primary antenna beams affected by mutual coupling have on the foreground closure phase and its power spectrum i.e. the power spectrum of the bispectrum phase (Thyagarajan et al., 2020). Our simulations show that primary beams affected by mutual coupling lead to an overall leakage of foreground power in the so-called EoR window, i.e. power from smooth-spectrum foregrounds is confined to low k modes. We quantified this effect and found that the leakage is up to ~ 8 orders magnitude higher than the case of an ideal beam at kǁ > 0:5 h Mpc-1. We also found that the foreground leakage is worse when edge antennas are included, as they have a more different primary beam compared to antennas at the centre of the array. The leakage magnitude is worse when bright foregrounds appear in the antenna sidelobes, as expected. Our simulations provide a useful framework to interpret observations and assess which power spectrum region is expected to be most contaminated by foreground power leakage.
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

On the ideals and semimodules of commutative semirings

  • Authors: Olivier, Ruan
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Gqeberha (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/52782 , vital:44026
  • Description: Semirings are a generalisation of rings where additive inverses need not exist. In this dissertation, we focus on results of commutative semirings with non-zero identity. Many results that we study are analogous to results from commutative rings with non-zero identity. Properties which are unique to semirings are also investigated, such as semirings where all elements are additively idempotent. The notion of ideals is examined in the context of a semiring. Specifically, prime ideals, maximal ideals, k-ideals and partitioning ideals of semirings are considered. Additionally, the module over a ring is generalised to a semimodule over a semiring. The emphasis is on prime subsemimodules and multiplication semimodules. Lastly, invertible ideals of semirings are examined. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Optimising the uptake of [𝐈𝐫𝐂𝐥𝟔]𝟐− by a diammonium resin: HCl effect and resin performance

  • Authors: Ngayeka, Mbokazi Zizipho
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54089 , vital:46284
  • Description: The separation of [IrCl6]2- from [RhCl5(H2O)]2- by silica microparticles functionalized with 1,10-diamindecane (C10) and quaternized with 4-nitrobenzylchloride (NO2Benz) in various hydrochloric acid mediums was investigated by continuous column studies. The sorbent materials were synthesized using three different routes: Synthesis route 1 (NaI catalyzed synthesis of diammonium functionalized silica microparticles), Synthesis Route 2 (via silylazation of silica followed by functionalization) and Synthesis Route 3 (silane-based sorbent material). The functionalized sorbent materials were characterized by NMR, Microanalysis, SEM-EDS, FT-IR, TGA and BET surface area. The separation efficiency of the quaternary diammonium cations was investigated under dynamic flow adsorption conditions. Preliminary ICP-OES runs were done, at 6 M HCl, to assess which synthesis route gave the best performing sorbent material. [IrCl6]2- selectivity of the sorbent materials was achieved by washing with an HCl solution to remove unadsorbed metal species, then stripping off the [RhCl5(H2O)]2- with 0.05 M of sodium chlorate and the iridium species was eluted with a 20% HCl solution. From the preliminary ICP-OES, loading capacities were calculated, and it was observed that the three sorbent materials from synthesis route 2 (13.89 mg/g for (4) SSC10NO2Benz-A, 1.44 mg/g for (5) SSC10NO2Benz-HoA, and 1.0859 mg/g for (6) SSC10NO2Benz-DoA) showed the highest uptake of [IrCl6]2- and route 1 (1.89 mg/g for (1) SSC10NO2Benz-A, 1.25 mg/g for (2) SSC10NO2Benz-HoA and 0.99 mg/g for (3) SSC10NO2Benz-DoA ) and Route 3 (0.55 mg/g for (7) SC10-AI and 0.755 mg/g for (8) SC10-ACl) materials did not perform efficiently enough, thus were not used further for the HCl study. Within synthesis route 2, three sorbent materials were evaluated, which had varying quantities of the cation: SSC10NO2Benz-A (having a quantity previously used in our research and denoted A), SSC10NO2Benz-HoA (having a quantity Half of A) and SSC10NO2Benz-DoA (having a quantity double of A). SSC10NO2Benz-A showed the highest loading capacity than SSC10NO2Benz-HoA and SSC10NO2Benz-DoA; HCl studies were carried out using SSC10NO2Benz-A. HCl solution having different concentrations (5, 5.5 , 6 , 6.6 and 6.8 M) were used to prepare the metal solutions. This was done to assess which HCl concentration gave the best metal solution containing high amounts of [IrCl6]2- and [RhCl5(H2O)]2-, which would result in a more efficient separation. An auto titrator was used to standardize the HCl concentrations, and the metal ion chloride species solutions were determined by UV-Vis, and their concentrations were confirmed with ICP-OES. Column sorption of iridium and rhodium on SSC10NO2Benz-A using these HCl solutions was carried out, and loading capacities of [IrCl6]2- were obtained. The loading capacities of the 5 M, 5.5 M, 6 M, 6,6 M and 6.8 M HCl solutions for [IrCl6]2- were 2.64, 4.01, 13.89, 18.15 and 7.23 mg/g, respectively. The optimum separation conditions were thus determined by investigating effective parameters such as the method of synthesis, silica to cation ratio, HCl concentration and flow rate. This thesis presents quaternary diammonium sorbent materials that could be applied in feed solutions from ore processing for iridium recovery. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Overall experience of expatriate TEFL teachers in China using positive and negative affectivity

  • Authors: Berman, Gabriella Kirsty
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers , English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign countries , Teachers, Foreign -- China
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50955 , vital:43175
  • Description: Mirroring the growth in the global population, there is a growth in unemployment and due to the current global COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment statistics are set to soar. In many countries, the lack of quality working opportunities results in qualified, educated and trained people (often the youth) opting to emigrate in order to pursue better quality jobs as well as to increase their standard of living and reduce their socio-economic costs, known as the “brain drain” phenomenon. While there are many work opportunities which youth are pursuing, teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in a foreign country has become a very popular option, specifically in China. According to the Experience Model by Pine and Gilmore, the overall experience an individual has will be impacted by different factors, with the experience of being a foreign TEFL teacher in China being no exception. Furthermore, following the principles of human affectivity, the individual’s personal disposition or affectivity towards the activity will also influence their experience. It is therefore of interest to distinguish which factors influence the overall experience of teaching TEFL in China. From the comprehensive literature reviews, a proposed theoretical framework was constructed to identify the influence which social influences, work environment, location, cultural aspects, monetary benefits and non-monetary benefits (independent variables) have on the overall experience of teaching TEFL in China (independent variable). Six sets of hypotheses were formulated relating to the identified variables and through empirical research, it was decided whether the hypotheses of this study were accepted or rejected. In order to establish the influence of the independent variables on the dependent variable of this study, empirical research was conducted. The study employed a positivistic paradigm and a quantitative approach. The sample population of this study was TEFL teachers, who were teaching in China, during the time of the study. Due to the fact that no true sample frame exists for TEFL teachers who are working in China, non-probability sampling, more specifically, convenience sampling, was used to select respondents. Respondents were reached through online social media platforms. For the purpose of this study, online surveys were utilised as a data collection method and the specific data collection instrument was a web-based self-administered questionnaire. Section A of the questionnaire was used to collect the demographic data of the respondents, while Section B – Section G related to the variables of the study. A total of 379 usable questionnaires were received from a possible 479 respondents, indicating an 80.2% response rate. The study made use of descriptive (measure of central tendency as well as standard deviation and skewness of the data set) as well as inferential (Spearman’s correlation coefficient, ANOVA’s, Tukey Test, Cohen’s d, Kruskal-Wallis test and ordinal regression) statistics to interpret the raw data quantitatively, which was graphically illustrated. The empirical investigation conducted in this study between the variables, and sub-variables, revealed significant relationships between social influences (the presence of an expat community, the potential influence of a language barrier, acceptance by locals, access to healthcare), work environment (the work conditions of the TEFL teacher, specific working hours), location (the standard of accommodation provide, the specific city in which the TEFL teacher works and resides), cultural aspects (the lifestyle TEFL teachers are known to have, increased tourism opportunity), monetary benefits, and nonmonetary benefits and the overall experience of teaching TEFL in China. Within this study, the independent variables social influences, work environment, location cultural aspects and monetary benefits presented the highest correlation with the dependent variable, the overall experience of teaching TEFL in China. Additionally, of the above-mentioned variables, it was established that respondents with a higher monetary benefits factor score, were 3.64 times more likely to have a more positive overall experience, while respondents with a higher social influences factor score, were 2.80 times more likely to have a more positive overall experience. Based on the empirical findings, and corresponding literature findings, of this study, recommendations were provided to both aspiring TEFL teachers as well as to the institution in China who employ expatriate TEFL teachers regarding the variables of this study. The limitations of this study comprised of a lack of time; minimal budget; slow questionnaire response or access to respondents, and; availability of reliable resources to support the study. Finally, based on the findings of this study, the researcher made recommendation for future areas of study. The research conducted indicates the importance of the influence of the variables identified in this study on the overall experience of teaching TEFL in China. Through this study it is hoped that the experience of TEFL teaching in China can be brought to light, and enable the experience to be bettered for aspiring TEFL teachers, as well as for the institutions who employ them, as the phenomenon has an influence, not only on these two parties, but on host nationals of the country. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Marketing, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Parents’ perceptions of the impact of social media use on adolescent identity formation and safety

  • Authors: Rochér, Stefné Elana
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Identity (Psychology) in adolescence , Parent and teenager -- Safety measures , Online social networks -- Safety measures
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/51883 , vital:43381
  • Description: Traditionally, parents were able to protect, monitor, guide, and support adolescents within the microsystem. However, in a society where the technosystemic digital world has entered microsystemic parent-adolescent interactions and the developmental process of adolescents’ identity formation, it is crucial to understand how parents experience and perceive the role that social media plays in their adolescent children’s identity development and safety. The primary aim of this study is to understand parents’ perceptions and experiences of social media use in adolescent identity formation and safety. The researcher utilised a qualitative research approach with an exploratory descriptive design. A non-probability purposive sample was employed, and telephonic semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants. All of the participants were parents of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. The participants’ responses were analysed using thematic analysis. Four categories arose from the data analysis and demonstrate that social media was perceived to have both a helpful and unhelpful impact on adolescents’ identity formation and safety. The first category refers to the perceived role social media plays in adolescents’ development of physical, gender, sexual, and social identity. The permanence of social media, the role parent-adolescent relationships play in adolescents’ online identity experiences, and identity commitment and exploration maturity emerged as key themes. The second category of key findings associated with social media and adolescents’ safety include social media violations, the mental health of adolescents, emotional regulation, identity formation, and reality illusion as themes that emerged from the data. The third category encompasses the resources that parents perceive to be of assistance in maintaining and enhancing safe social media use among adolescents, namely parent-adolescent relationships, remaining educated, and adjusting monitoring in a developmentally appropriate manner. The fourth category refers to a network of resources that parents apply to maintain and increase safe social media use by their adolescent children. Limitations of the study, recommendations for future research studies, and recommendations to support parents are discussed and described. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Participation of stakeholders in the rationalisation of schools: a case of closure and merger of schools in the Amatole West Education District of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

  • Authors: Mahanjana, Litha Lennox
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Public school closings
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20108 , vital:45274
  • Description: The Department of Basic Education (DBE) in South Africa has shut down many public schools in the last few years and several other township and rural schools face imminent closure. The major reason adduced for this disturbing development is the increasing reduction of pupils because of poor performance. However, it is not clear whether all stakeholders are involved in the school rationalisation programme. Schools are custodians of children’s education and thus stakeholders such as parents, teachers, learners, community members and traditional leaders are important stakeholders in the education system and therefore, should participate fully in policy development and implementation processes. This study investigated how stakeholders in the school system such as teachers, learners, parents, and traditional leaders participated in the implementation of the school rationalisation policy. Using a qualitative approach within the interpretive research paradigm, the study investigated the case of two secondary schools that were closed and merged in the Amatole West Education District of the Eastern Cape Province. The researcher adopted this research approach because of its exploratory, descriptive, and contextual nature. A non-probability purposive sample was selected from the categories of teachers, learners and parents including traditional leaders of the communities of the two schools that were investigated. Data was collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions, while the content analysis technique was used to analyse the data. The data collected and analysed was also tested for its trustworthiness and ethical imperatives were also considered. The study revealed a lack of proper consultation of stakeholders prior to and during the implementation of school rationalisation policy. The DoE, to give an impression that stakeholders participated, in order to comply with the legislation, adopted a pseudo-participation strategy. This lack of consultation and pseudo-participation of stakeholders declared their participation as undemocratic. As a result, many challenges emerged and there were also unintended consequences that manifested themselves in the process. These findings were then translated into conclusions. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that the authorities should consult with the relevant stakeholders and create platforms that will allow them to express their views about any proposed school rationalisation policy before it can be implemented. The DoE should also consider all relevant legislative imperatives before embarking to the implementation of its decision to close or merge schools. In compelling situations where school closures are necessary, the anticipated social and economic impacts and unintended impacts on learners must be planned and mitigated before the school closure policy can be implemented. Lastly, the relevant authorities should develop an alternative policy framework to address the gaps and challenges that manifested themselves during the implementation of the current school rationalisation policy framework. Recommendations for further research like widening the scope of the investigation to in include primary schools, urban schools and participants from the district office were also proposed. , Thesis (MEd.) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Participatory mapping of cultural ecosystem services in the Mountain Zebra National Park, South Africa

  • Authors: Mpapane, Nelsiwe Pertunia
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Gqeberha (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , Nature--Effect of human beings on--South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/52103 , vital:43432
  • Description: Cultural ecosystem services (CES) are an essential part of human well-being. CES characterize the intangible connections that people have with their surrounding environments, and act as vessels to facilitate the understanding of meaningful and respectful relationships between humans and nature, which are necessary for sustainability. However, CES render themselves as complex cultural dimensions that are difficult to connect to specific aspects of an ecosystem, or to measure and manage. Thus, a progressive approach is required for promoting effective management of CES within landscapes. This thesis endeavours to understand human─nature interactions in protected areas, the CES benefits that arise from such interactions, and the links of these to ecosystems, facilities or features within the landscape. Protected areas represent some of the last remaining intact ecological areas that support biodiversity conservation and human─nature experiences. Protected areas, such as the Mountain Zebra National Park, are therefore suitable study sites to cast light on: (a) how human─nature relationships manifest in parks, (b) which CES are experienced by visitors, (c) which landscape features are associated with CES benefits, (d) who visits the Park, and (e) how the delivery and/or accessibility of CES to visitors of the Park could be improved. My research involved qualitative and spatial elements as forms of enquiry over a period of six months of data collection. I used semi-structured interviews (n = 20) paired with a participatory mapping approach. Additionally, I performed a comparative analysis using a peer-reviewed paper that focused on the management perspectives of CES delivery, to seek out similarities and differences between management perspectives and actual visitor experiences. The findings of this study have outlined that the Mountain Zebra National Park offers significant benefits to visitors. Aesthetic, recreational, inspirational value and cultural heritage emerged as the most frequently mapped CES. The findings have also shown that CES benefits are widely distributed across the landscape, with a spatial correlation in hotspot areas. Moreover, amenities or built infrastructure such as picnic iii sites, camping areas and viewpoints within the Park, are crucial for strengthening social relationships among family and friends, as well as in aiding the delivery of CES. This study provides insights into the subjective and diverse ways that human─nature relationships translate into CES benefits. It also sheds light on the importance of adequate planning within protected areas, for the maximization of the benefits from CES to people without compromising the mandate of biodiversity conservation. This study also contributes to a growing body of evidence that documents human─nature interactions in, and non-material benefits acquired from, protected areas within South Africa. I further advocate for improved access, adequate infrastructure, awareness creation and strategies to attract the younger generation to the national parks of South Africa. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Management, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Pedagogic videos as a foreign language learning resource in textbooks used in the German studies section of a South African university: A digital multimodal discourse perspective

  • Authors: Schafli, Sasha-Lee
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Language and languages Study and teaching Audio-visual aids , Educational technology , Media programs (Education) , German language Study and teaching Foreign speakers Audio-visual aids , Visual learning , Rhodes University , German language Discourse analysis , ‎Digital multimodal discourse analysis
  • Language: English
  • Type: Masters theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177087 , vital:42789 , http://doi.org/10.21504/10962/113934
  • Description: Video is a prominent teaching and learning tool within foreign language (FL) textbook media packages in the 21st century. While studies undertaken in the Global North highlight that video materials in the FL classroom have the potential to influence learning and cultural knowledge acquisition, there is a lack of research on the manner in which pedagogically designed videos influence adult FL learning and cultural knowledge acquisition in a South African context. In this study, I explore the opportunities and challenges in terms of language learning and cultural knowledge acquisition that arise from three pedagogic videos in the Menschen A1 textbook which is used in teaching students registered for the German Studies 1 course at Rhodes University. I compare and contrast two sets of data to examine the relationship between pedagogic video and student knowledge acquisition: the results of a digital multimodal discourse analysis (DMDA) of these videos, and questionnaires and transcriptions collected from semi-structured group interviews with German Studies 1 students. These questionnaires and transcriptions were analysed thematically. Findings in terms of the language learning experience indicate that actor over-exaggeration and visual aids assist students when learning German at this level with this type of video. However, these visual aids can be distracting and confusing without balanced representation and contextual information. Differences between videos in terms of speech rate seem to affect students’ perceptions of their ability to comprehend the videos. Students reported forming only positive impressions of German culture(s) on the basis of the videos. In general, students find Germans portrayed as friendly and helpful in the videos. The results of this investigation provide recommendations for the optimal use of this type of teaching and learning resource, for example, teachers/ lecturers/ facilitators should allow for focus group discussions on cultural discourse to occur in order to balance stereotype formation and should consider the speech rate of videos for language learning. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Perceived impact of cyberbullying on young adults’ psychological well-being

  • Authors: Whitehorn, Hayley
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Cyberbullying -- South Africa -- Psychological aspects , Youth -- Crimes against -- Psychological aspects
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/52374 , vital:43620
  • Description: Cyberbullying is a significant field of study within cyberpsychology and requires continued research and development in order to further literature and understanding in a South African context. An increase in cyberbullying results in an increased prevalence of the occurrence of psychological distress in the form of short-term consequences as well as long-term chronic impacts such as depression, anxiety, and decreased life satisfaction. This qualitative study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of young adults who have experienced cyberbullying and the perceived impact of this experience on their psychological well-being. Qualitative research is a flexible exploratory and descriptive approach to understanding the lived experiences of an individual and their subjective view of a specific phenomenon through an interpretivist paradigm. This study utilised purposive and snowball sampling of Nelson Mandela University students aged 18 – 25 years old to gain a total of 6 participants for data gathering through semi-structured interviews. This research process followed a retrospective perspective which focuses on the specific meaning-making and understandings which that individual places on that experience, in relation to their psychological well-being. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data and trustworthiness criteria and was utilised throughout to ensure the credibility of the study. It was found that cyberbullying, through multiple forms and methods, has various short-term and long-term perceived impacts in several spheres. The perceived psychological impacts occurred in the short-term and were internalised to extend to long-term impacts on psychological well-being, of which the majority were negative. There are influencing factors to the development, coping and management of perceived long-term impacts which reflect the outcomes on well-being. The findings of this study highlight the perceived impact of cyberbullying on young adults’ psychological well-being which is vital for future recommendations and intervention. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Perceived success of skills-development readiness within 4IR in RSA

  • Authors: Hunt, Norman William
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Technological innovations -- Economic aspects , Labor demand -- Research -- South Africa , Labor supply -- Research -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/51567 , vital:43310
  • Description: The purpose of this study was to develop four scenarios for South Africa over the next forty years. The Positive Seed scenario portrays a positive image of hope and determination, with positive institutional innovations, as well as positive innovative learning methodologies. While the Shankar scenario also portrays positive institutional innovations, it is lacking in terms of innovation learning methodologies. The Negative Seed is lacking in both innovation learning methodologies, as well as institutional innovations. Finally, the fourth scenario, that of the ‘What If’ scenario, portrays a scenario whether good innovative learning methodologies exist, or not, but lacks institutional innovativeness. The goal of this thesis was not only to affirm the known and knowable about the skills-development environment, but it is also aimed at exploring its future within the 4IR towards 2060. This was achieved by scenario planning and the Causal Layered Analyses (CLA) methodology, which is designed to help navigate through this creative process. This thesis starts off by identifying the forces of change, which it then combines in various ways to create the set of scenarios about how the future of the skills-development sector could evolve towards 2060. This thesis provides useful insight into drivers for change for the South African skills-development sector and how to anticipate skills-readiness in South Africa within the 4IR towards 2060 in accordance with the CLA and scenario planning methods. This thesis looks at the future of skills-development in South Africa over the next forty years from a decision makers point of view. , Thesis (DBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business Administration, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Perceptions of blended learning by academic staff in the Health Sciences Faculty at Nelson Mandela University

  • Authors: Barry, Janet
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Blended learning -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality -- Faculty , Medical sciences -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality -- Faculty
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50999 , vital:43199
  • Description: Numerous studies have investigated the use of blended learning by academic staff at tertiary institutions. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of blended learning by academic staff at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Nelson Mandela University. A related objective was to identify barriers and facilitators to the adoption of blended learning by academic staff. A sequential, exploratory mixed-methods design was adopted for this study whereby Phase 1 (focus groups) was used to inform Phase 2 (questionnaire) of the study. Results were analysed from both phases and organised according to strategies, support, and structure of a blended learning adoption framework. Existing support structures to assist with blended learning adoption, understanding of what blended learning is, confidence in using blended learning tools, and time to attend training were some of the findings of the study. The researcher concluded that academic staff in the Health Sciences Faculty at Nelson Mandela University are positioned in the second stage of the blended learning adoption framework, namely the early adoption stage of blended learning. These findings imply that existing strategies and support within the Faculty and the University need to be further developed, and structures put into place to move to an advanced stage of adoption of blended learning by academic staff in Health Sciences Faculty of Nelson Mandela University. , Thesis (MPharm) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, Pharmacy, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Perceptions of employees towards the performance management and development system: department of social development: Eastern Cape

  • Authors: Magugwana, Sive
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Performance--Management
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/52908 , vital:44324
  • Description: The Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) is a human resource management (HRM) strategy utilised for enhancing employees’ performance. The strategy has gained momentum over recent years in the public sector. Much interest in the contemporary world is centred on optimising the performance of both the individual and organisations. As a result, many organisations are introducing and strengthening their PMDS implementation. Effective implementation and evaluation of employees’ performance and continuous development is an essential element for any organisation’s survival and growth. Thus, it is the obligation of any organisation to ensure that its employees are highly motivated to perform so as to obtain organisational goals and objectives. This study explored the perceptions of employees regarding the PMDS in the Department of Social Development in the Eastern Cape (ECDSD), and was underpinned by Herzberg’s (2005) Two-factor Theory, which focusses on the feelings of employees towards their working environments. The study adopted a qualitative research approach with the use of both primary (interviews) and secondary data collection methods in order to gather data that would answer the research questions. Results from the data collection and analysis revealed that the employees within the ECDSD are knowledgeable about the PMDS and that the majority of participants perceive the strategy as appropriate for enhancing employee performance. This study also found that employees currently face a myriad of challenges regarding PMDS implementation within the Department that include a lack of feedback, a lack of transparency, insufficient training, and a lack of fairness. Training, strengthening communication, providing feedback on performance, and a migration away from financial rewards were identified as strategies that could enhance the proper implementation of the PMDS that best serves the interests of employees. The study recommends that the ECDSD work closely with its Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) in order to constantly monitor and evaluate PMDS implementation. The study also recommends that the Department conduct regular supervisor training sessions regarding the PMDS as well as awareness programmes about the PMDS for both its employees and its managers. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Humanities, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Perceptions of the role of Lantana camara on human well-being and rural livelihoods in Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, South Africa

  • Authors: Mhlongo, Edward Swazi
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Lantana camara -- South Africa -- Vhembe District Municipality , Introduced organisms -- South Africa -- Vhembe District Municipality , Biological invasions -- South Africa -- Vhembe District Municipality , Plant invasions -- South Africa -- Vhembe District Municipality , Lantana camara -- Control -- South Africa -- Vhembe District Municipality , South Africa -- Rural conditions , Ethnoscience -- South Africa -- Vhembe District Municipality
  • Language: English
  • Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177952 , vital:42893
  • Description: In the past, social aspects on biological invasions were less documented, this hindered the development of sound and effective management of Invasive Alien Species (IAS). However, there has been a shift in trends with more studies on biological invasions integrating local knowledge together with ecological studies to develop effective management interventions. Invasive Alien Species are widespread throughout Southern Africa and are usually prevalent in the rural areas. Limpopo province consists of large rural areas where people depend on natural resources, wild and exotic species for their livelihoods. Lantana camara is one of the major invaders that is problematic worldwide having detrimental impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and economies. This study assessed the perceptions of the role of L. camara on the well-being and rural livelihoods of local communities in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve using household surveys. A total of 300 surveys were administered in six villages. The study further used a two-pronged approach to examine invasion extent and management options. The two-pronged approach included (i) detailed vegetation surveys in 50 household yards within each village, and (ii) focus group to solicit local knowledge of invasion extent and managing L. camara by the rural communities. The results of the study showed that almost all the respondents knew L. camara and could describe it. Most of the respondents were of the view that L. camara had no negative impacts on their livelihoods. Other respondents stated costs associated with L. camara were more than benefits and wanted a reduction in L. camara densities in the area. Most respondents wanted more government intervention to help in managing L. camara, this is because of the perceived future impacts of L. camara. Vegetation survey results showed no significant difference in L. camara abundances and plant heights among the six study villages. The average number of L. camara counted per household yard in all villages was (2.41 ± 0.20) plants, with average plant basal diameter of (0.94 ± 0.02 cm). There were significant differences in canopy width of L. camara among the six study villages. Plant basal diameter was high in Tshakhuma (1.05 ± 0.04 m) and Duthuni (1.00 ± 0.04 m) villages, and low in Ha Mutsha village (0.82 ± 0.03 m). Lantana camara canopy width at household level across all villages averaged 1.34 ± 0.03 m. Canopy cover was high in Tshakhuma village (1.70 ± 0.09 m) and low at Ha Mutsha village (1.03 ± 0.03 m). In all six village focus group discussions, it was noted that mechanical clearing of L. camara was the most used method, but they reported minimum help from the government particularly Working for Water (WfW). The study concludes that L. camara has no substantial adverse impacts to most of the respondents. The study further noted that L. camara is dominant in most household yards ii and that management is taking place however current control options are not enough on their own. Suggestions for further research are to explore more alternative indigenous species present or easily accessible to the community members which may offer the same benefits as IAS. Furthermore, additional research at local level is required for implementing management techniques best suited for the area. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Environmental Science, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04
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