Eastern Cape students’ barriers to well-being and academic success in higher education: A photovoice study
- Authors: Dilley, Jessica
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Education, Higher , Educational change -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20949 , vital:46862
- Description: The contemporary educational landscape in South Africa is characterised by prevailing inequities and disparities within higher education institutions and poor academic achievement. Although participation in higher education has increased over time, many students do not complete their courses within the required time and a high proportion of students continue to drop out, with few students progressing to postgraduate level. Majority of students who do not complete their courses are poor. Many students are faced with a number of barriers that stand in the way of academic success and, ultimately, graduation. However, through agency students often draw from a range of supports to promote their well-being and academic success. This study aims to balance the literature by investigating not only the barriers, but also the supports to success in university. This study addresses the notion that students from historically black universities are underrepresented in the literature. The current study explored Eastern Cape students’ barriers and supports to success within higher education. Five undergraduate female students participated in focus groups, which incorporated photovoice, adding to the participative nature of the research methodology. Focus group data were subjected to thematic analysis, informed by social constructionist theory. Three themes were prevalent: barriers within higher education, coping strategies positioned on a continuum and supports in higher education. Descriptions revealed that barriers and supports are reinforced by prevailing discourses, which are critiqued and/or used for the benefit of the students’ well-being. Barriers were limiting, yet also sites for personal growth and agency, whilst the engagement with supports was mediated predominantly by the intersection of social categories (race, gender, socio-economic status) occupied by students. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2020
- Full Text:
Evaluation of the utilisation of game liver and maize meal in the production of liver sausage
- Authors: Cairncross, Kelly Inga
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Meat -- Preservation , Sausages
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23743 , vital:59029
- Description: The study aimed to evaluate the utilisation of game liver and maize meal as a partial fat replacer in the production of liver sausage. Mixed game livers (Blesbok, Impala and Springbok) were purchased and processed into sausages with varying levels of maize meal (6percent, 8percent, 10percent and 12percent). The liver sausages were cooked in a water bath for 2 hours to an internal temperate of 70 °C. Cooked sausages were cooled in ice water before storage at 4 °C before vacuum packed and frozen at -20 °C for 30 days. Proximate and fatty acid composition, pH, water activity, texture, lipid oxidation, and microbial content was determined on both day 0 and 30 days after frozen storage. Of the proximate composition, carbohydrate content had significant differences (P≤0.05) and increased as maize meal inclusion increased. The pH of raw game liver sausage batter differed (P≤0.05) between treatments. The pH of cooked game liver sausage differed (P≤0.05) from the raw batter. Textural parameters showed an increase (P<0.01) for both hardness and chewiness after 30 days of frozen storage. A positive correlation was found between hardness and chewiness with an increase in maize meal inclusion. TBARS values of the 12percent treatment differed (P≤0.05) from the maize meal inclusion treatments, but no differences (P>0.05) were recorded over 30 days of frozen storage. No differences (P>0.05) were recorded for the fatty acid composition between treatments. No growth was observed for microbial quality indicators nor Campylobacter spp. for all treatments. This study showed that frozen storage only had a negative effect on some textural parameters, while the inclusion of maize meal affects most physicochemical characteristics. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2020
- Full Text:
Exploring the performance of four and five-year-old rural children on two and three-dimensional cognitive test items within the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality
- Authors: Sohena, Kholwani Bulelwa (https://orcid.org/ 0000-0001-6451-0446)
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Creative thinking , Cognition
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21178 , vital:47384
- Description: Digital assessment, in particular tablet-based assessment, is on the rise and holds favourable prospects, especially for the rural South African context. However, the use of two-dimensional test items, such as pictures or patterns, has been found to lead to test bias in rural African settings, where such formats are unfamiliar. Little is known whether this would also be the case for two-dimensional tablet-based items. Therefore, this study investigated four and five-year-old rural isiXhosa-speaking children’s performance on two-dimensional tablet-based items compared with three-dimensional replicas of the tablet-based items. A total of sixty-three children were assessed and the data collected through the two test modes was statistically analysed according to the objectives of the study using the statistical package for the social science (SPSS). Descriptive statistics were employed by computing frequencies to determine the total sample’s performance on the two-dimensional tablet-based items as well as the three-dimensional items. Furthermore, a cross tabulation, followed by a chi-square analysis was done to examine the association between the children’s performance and the two test modes. The findings indicate a similar performance for the sample on both test formats with a slightly stronger performance by the sample on tablet-based items. More than just dimensionality was found to influence test performance in this study. Overall tablet-based assessment seems to be a promising tool for assessing children’s cognitive development in the rural South African context. , Thesis (MSoc Sci) (Psychology) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
- Full Text:
Exploring young children’s tablet-based cognitive assessment within the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality: a case study approach.
- Authors: Mdyogolo, Thandokazi
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Human-computer interaction
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21070 , vital:46947
- Description: The adaptation and development of tablet-based measures are on the rise and hold promising prospects particularly for the rural South African context. However, limited research has been done on tablet-based assessment and whether it can be applied to the psychological assessment of the rural isiXhosa speaking children. For this reason the purpose of the study was to explore and describe how South African rural isiXhosa speaking children respond to a set of newly developed tablet-based items. By gathering information of this kind, the study hopes to inform and contribute to a larger national project concerned with the development of a tablet-based cognitive measure for isiXhosa speaking children. A multiple-case study design was utilized in a qualitative research paradigm. The data was collected amongst ten isiXhosa speaking children between the ages of 4 years and 5 years. The qualitative data was thematically analysed and Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) model for assessing the trustworthiness of qualitative data was applied. Findings indicate that tablet-based assessment holds promising prospects for the cognitive assessment of isiXhosa speaking children. However a number of factors were identified that influenced the rural isiXhosa speaking children’s performance on the tablet-based cognitive items. , Thesis (MSoc Sci) (Psychology) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
- Full Text:
Fossil Shell Flour supplementation in the diet of Dohne Merino rams: effects on feed acceptability and heat stress tolerance
- Authors: Mwanda, Lwazi https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9503-6150
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Sheep--Feeding and feeds , Animal feeding , Fossils
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22567 , vital:52464
- Description: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of feeding Dohne Merino rams with various inclusion levels of Fossil Shell Flour (FSF) as an additive supplement on feed preference and heat tolerance response of Dohne Merino rams. The FSF is used as an animal feed additive and is known to be rich in minerals. A total of twenty-four Dohne Merino rams (average 19.8 ± 0.43 kg body weight) were used to determine the feed preference of varying inclusion levels fossil shell flour (0g FSF/kg, 20g FSF/kg, 40g FSF/kg and 60g FSF/kg). The preference was assessed using feed intake and coefficient of preference. The feed intake, co-efficient of preference and physical attributes of feed (such as colour, smell and texture) was measured. The feed intake and coefficient of preference were higher in rams supplemented 60g FSF/kg (P < 0.05). The physical attributes of the experimental diets were adjudged based on the colour, smell and texture. The colour of experimental diets were brown in 0g FSF/kg while in 20g FSF/kg, 40g FSF/kg and 60g FSF/kg the colour of experimental diets were light brown (P< 0.05). All the experimental diets had a pleasant smell (P< 0.05). The texture of diets with 0g FSF/kg was moderately firm while diets 20g FSF/kg, 40g FSF/kg and 60g FSF/kg had a firm texture. The order of preference of diets supplemented with fossil shell flour in terms of feed intake by Dohne Merino rams was: 60g FSF/kg > 40g FSF/kg > 20gFSF/kg > 0g FSF/kg. In the second experiment, a total of twenty-four (n=24) Dohne Merino rams of about 8 to 9 months old, weighing 19.8 ± 0.43 kg were confined in individual pens for a period of 100 days. The rams were subjected to four varying inclusion levels of fossil shell flour (0g/kg, 20g/kg, 40g/kg and 60g/kg. Water and feed intake were recorded throughout the period of successive feeding. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 45 and 90. The parameters studied included the average daily water intake (ADWI), average feed intake (ADFI), skin temperature (ST), respiration rate (RR), pulse rate (PR), rectal temperature (RT), total plasma protein (TPP), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). The inclusion levels of FSF affected both the ADWI and ADFI, showing a high-water intake and feed intake in rams subjected to 40g/kg of FSF followed by 60g FSF/kg, 20g FSF/kg and 0g FSF/kg (P< 0.01) respectively. All the physiological parameters ST, RT, RR, HR and PR decreased with an increase in the inclusion levels of FSF (P< 0.01). The TPP increased as the levels of FSF increases (P< 0.01). The MCHC was low in rams subjected to 60g FSF/kg and in 0g to 40g FSF/kg TPP increases as levels of FSF increases (P< 0.01). This study concluded that supplementing with various inclusion levels of FSF had a positive effect on feed preference. The FSF also showed the ability to mitigate heat stress in Dohne Merino rams. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2020
- Full Text:
Leadership competencies of primary health care facility managers at Buffalo City Metropolitan District in the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Makinana, Noxolo Beauty
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Primary health care -- Leadership , Facility management
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22033 , vital:51954
- Description: The study explored and described the perceptions and experiences of Primary Health Care facility managers regarding their leadership and management competencies in the Buffalo City Metro Health District in the Eastern Cape Province. The objectives of this study were to explore and describe the leadership competencies required for facility managers to exercise their leadership in Primary Health Care facilities and to bring about the recommendation. The population of this study comprised of facility managers who are appointed in facility management position permanently or on acting basis during the time of the study, in rural, urban, and semi-urban Primary Health Care facilities (clinics) in Buffalo City Health District. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to select the participants. Two focus group interviews with 10 participants per group were held to collect data. Thematic data analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings were discussed according to themes and subthemes. Four themes and 9 subthemes were identified from the data. Themes include departmental factors, individual factors, and political factors. The subthemes include managers lack of support, need for capacitation of staff, lack of uniformity in exercising leadership, work positions, infrastructure, staff shortages, lack of involvement in decision making, lack of resources, feeling of being a failure, not meeting expectation (workload) role of managers, pressure, the resistance of staff members to change, absenteeism, teamwork, compliance to policies, the 80/20 principle, nurse-patient ratio, and consultation. The trustworthiness of the findings was ensured by focussing on dependability, confirmability, transferability, and credibility. The study concluded that facility managers receive very limited supervision to perform their management duties in their facilities. They also need adequate resources, induction, training and a habitable work environment to ensure that quality care is provided. The study recommended that the Department of Health should have a program for supervision, mentorship, and guiding the facility managers in the Primary Health Care facilities. It should also establish a training and development program on leadership, finance management and technology. Lastly, there should be more accountability by facility managers at the different departmental levels i.e. national, province, district subdistrict, and other internal and external stakeholders. , Thesis (MPH) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2020
- Full Text:
Special Economic Zones and Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Authors: Mongi, Tshaka https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1492-5584
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Africa, Sub-Saharan -- Economic policy , Free ports and zones
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20230 , vital:45434
- Description: Developing countries, especially those in the Sub-Saharan African region are still marked with high and increasing rate of unemployment. To counter this, countries in the African countries introduced the Special Economic Zones programme in the 1970s which proliferated during the 1990s to date. However, there is scant academic literature on the role of SEZs’ contribution to job creation. Against this background, this study investigated the contribution of the SEZs to job creation in the SSA region in general and South Africa in particular. A mixed method approach was used wherein the qualitative data focused on the South Africa and the quantitative data focused on SSA in general. In-depth interviews with key informants in four operational SEZs and DTI in South Africa were complimented with document reviews and direct observation. Inductive thematic analysis was also used to analyse qualitative data, while the Panel Corrected Standard Errors was used to analyse the qualitative data. The results show that SEZs have made a positive contribution to job creation in South Africa. This contribution is constrained, inter alia, by stringent visa regulations, an ineffective one-stop-shop model, reliance on government funding and the lag between the signing and operation of investments. Nevertheless, incentives and support services seem to counteract some of these challenges. Similarly, the SEZs have a positive contribution to job creation in SSA. However, this impact has been largely insignificant. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2020
- Full Text:
The determinants of the currency deposit ratio of South Africa: an econometric analysis
- Authors: Chiwota, Richard
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Econometricshttp://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85040763
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19694 , vital:43169
- Description: The main objective of the study was to investigate the determinants of the currency deposit ratio of South Africa. The stability of the demand for money has been a recurring area of interest of empirical research on the South African economy. Underlying this interest in the behavior of money demand is the potential role of movement in monetary aggregates as indicators of future developments in inflation. Specifically, if a stable relationship exists between the demand for money and its determinants, changes in the money supply can provide useful information in the longer terms. While there has been considerable empirical research on estimating the money demand function for many less developed countries (LDCs), the currency demand function has been largely ignored. The study used secondary data sourced from the South African Reserve Bank, Statistics South Africa and Quantec. It also used annual data from 2000 to 2018 with an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) technique used for regression purposes. The study opted for this model because the variables were a mixture of me (0) and me (1). The empirical results show that income had a positive relationship with currency deposit ratio. In other words, when income increases, the amount of currency in circulation increases relative to deposits. Results show that there is a negative relationship between inflation and currency demand ratio. The SARB has to monitor changes in income in order to keep pace with the demand for cash. They must also use other monetary policy operational variables such as M3 to ensure that there is a match between income and money demand and money supply. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2020
- Full Text: