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Exploring senior phase teachers’ use of Kahoot! Gamification as a formative assessment tool to scaffold mathematical understanding

  • Authors: Balele, Silence
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Kahoot! Algebra by DragonBox , Mathematics Computer-assisted instruction , Pedagogical content knowledge , Mathematics Study and teaching (Secondary) South Africa , Gamification , Educational technology , Mathematics teachers Training of South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/423891 , vital:72102
  • Description: In South Africa, digital technology, particularly gamification, continues to become an important teaching and learning tool. Its importance lies in scaffolding mathematical understanding, improving the quality of assessment, and developing twenty-first-century technological skills for effective mathematics assessment. To explore this importance, senior phase mathematics teachers are encouraged to adopt gamification technology such as Kahoot! in assessment. The study adopted a case study research design with a interpretivist research paradigm, as this method allows detailed exploration and understanding of a specific context through a close connection with the participants. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires, focus group interviews, non-participant observations, and reflective journals. The research involved ten purposively selected senior-phase mathematics teachers from two schools in the Sarah Baartman District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study drew upon Vygoysky's Sociocultural Theory for its theoretical framework, while the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge was used for analysis. The data analysis pursued an inductive approach. Adopting a thematic analysis included coding participant responses, organizing codes into concepts and categories, and developing a theoretical framework from the resultant categories. A four-phase process was involved: coding, conceptualizing, categorizing, and theorizing, was employed. This process and using NVivo software for data organization and management helped identify patterns, themes, and significant concerns surrounding the study's core subject. The findings from the study were as follows: Firstly, it was revealed that most teachers have a positive perception and attitude towards using Kahoot! for formative assessment, believing that it enhances teaching and learning quality. However, they showed scepticism due to insufficient Information and Communication Technologies knowledge and training. Second, teachers' pedagogical and technological experiences were predominantly enjoyable. Kahoot! was accepted as beneficial for promoting collaboration, interaction, and immediate feedback. Third, the study identified enabling and constraining factors in using Kahoot! for formative assessment. The enabling factors include Kahoot!, which was convenient and accessible, promoted immediate feedback and fostered collaboration and interaction. The constraining factors include Information and Communication Technologies and network interference, which posed limitations. The research concluded that Kahoot! as a platform for formative assessment indeed scaffold mathematical understanding. The study recommends increasing teachers' access to educational technology, incorporating continuous professional development programs, providing subject-specific training, and encouraging teachers to adapt to emerging technologies. The study also provided recommendations for future research to explore learner perceptions, employ a mixed methods approach to help quantify learner performance and investigate the pedagogical and technological experiences of senior phase mathematics teachers regarding formative assessment. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, Secondary and Post-School Education, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring the continued importance of technique in the co-production of art with A.I.

  • Authors: Venter, Simon Denis
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Art and technology , Mass media and culture , Artificial Intelligence
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63573 , vital:73504
  • Description: n Plato’s Republic, artists are criticised for their perceived lack of rationality, since “art encourages and appeals to emotion,” insofar as “its ruling principle is the passions, which in a happy and well-ordered life must be controlled by reason;” indeed, on this basis, “the aesthetic experience” is even said to be “a psychological anarchy, [and] an orgy of misrule” (Collingwood, 1925: 156). However, this reification of reason in Plato’s hypothesized world,1 informed as it was by static hierarchy, has remained dissonant with the path of history toward entropy, as evinced by the chaotic flux of postmodernity. Certainly, this is exemplified in our own postmodern world, characterized as it is by ever greater degrees of disintegration into diversity, as the economic, social, and geo-political orders established in the mid-twentieth century are challenged and transformed into new paradigms through the increasing multiplicity of demands being made on them (Fowlie & Sills, 2011: 120-121). Accordingly, far from being a source of delusion and dissimilation, it could equally be argued that, collectively and individually, artists’ works reflect this kaleidoscopic trace of time more truthfully than the lens of reason, precisely because life – like art – is also largely psychological anarchy and an orgy of misrule. And within this dynamic environment, the reflections of artists, in turn, assume their value, as traces of what, for want of a better term, will henceforth be referred to as living dialogical time. That is, from this perspective, artists are not the political problem Plato suggested them to be, but rather as a whole comprise a reflection of the living dialogical time that, today, recognises itself collectively as humanity. However, while art has always involved material marks, digitality has recently changed this requirement, in ways which have raised a series of important and difficult questions for the world of art. That is, digitality has changed the wall of the cave into the digits of ones and zeros, which are eradicated at the click of an icon, only to be reconstructed at the click of an icon. Thus, the interface between art and digitality involves the former being presented with increasing opportunities for dynamism, but only at the expense of its materiality – insofar as such dynamism requires art to transition to cyber-virtual platforms. But in this regard, it must be remembered that, by definition, an icon is something which connects us to what cannot ever be represented, because it is beyond our everyday living reality, in an atemporal plane. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring the perceptions of coloured Christian lesbian Women of the influence of Christianity on their identity development

  • Authors: Grootboom, Kim Jodie
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Lesbians -- Counseling of. , Homosexuality -- Religious aspect , Gays -- Social conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63857 , vital:73620
  • Description: South Africa is a nation of which the greater number of its citizens are followers of the Christian faith. Coloured people form part of this population, as the majority of Coloured people in South Africa consider themselves to be Christians. In the Christian faith, homosexuality is considered to be a sin and is frowned upon which may result in difficulty navigating identity development of members of the LGBTQIA+ community. This conflict may, in turn, greatly affect the identity development and overall wellness of these individuals who may want to hold onto a religious identify, but are in conflict, as their sexuality falls outside of what is considered acceptable. This research study sought to explore the perceptions of South African Coloured lesbian women, who follow Christianity, regarding the influence of religion on their identity development. This exploration was considered necessary as it contributes to a gap in the literature on the influence that religion has on identity development for a queer person. The research study was qualitative in nature and research participants were recruited by way of the purposive sampling strategy and 12 participants were interviewed. Semi-structured virtual interviews were conducted as the data collection tool to the research study. Ethical clearance to conduct this study, informed consent, voluntary participation, the right to withdraw participation from the research study, anonymity and confidentiality, and no harm of the participants are the ethical points that this study adhered to. The research study used thematic analysis to identify patterns in the data and Braun and Clarke’s data analysis technique was employed. The trustworthiness of this study, was guided by Lincoln and Guba’s four constructs; credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability. The themes identified in this study were as follows: 1) The imposition on identity (subthemes of guilt and confusion; feelings of being lost and isolated); 2) The significance of race in prejudice against lesbian women; 3) Spiritual transition. The main finding of the aforementioned themes included an underlying understanding amongst they have at some point experienced uneasiness to “coming out” for fear of judgement as Christian lesbians. Although some participants were able to navigate through their identity development, they have experienced confusion and conflict in accepting all the different facets of their identity, simultaneously, due to judgement of other Christians who have imposed a “choose one or the other” mindset upon them. In addition, added minority stress within race factors were identified as a pinning point amongst participants, who felt that their experiences within their sexuality and religious interactions would be different, if they were other races. This highlights the triple minority stress that is faced by marginalised communities in South Africa. Finally, the participants expressed a transition away from religious communities, to a more spiritual relationship with their God, signifying a shift in religious interaction. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Science, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring the psychological effects of children exposed to domestic violence: a scoping review

  • Authors: Mudau, Adivhaho
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Family violence -- South Africa , Victims of family violence -- South Africa , Abused children -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63893 , vital:73623
  • Description: An intergenerational sequence of violence exists within families such that children’s direct or indirect experience to domestic violence may result in psychological and behavioural effects in their adulthood. In addition to the implications on children’s emotional and psychological well-being, exposure to domestic violence seems detrimental to children’s expression of emotions. This study aimed to synthesize the type of evidence available on the psychological and emotional effects of domestic violence on children exposed to such experiences. By means of a scoping methodological framework, previously published literature addressing the psychological trauma that children experience due to the exposure to domestic violence was identified. Findings indicate that the consequences on children who have been exposed to domestic violence are broad and can be determined by various factors such as the child’s temperament, environment and genetic predispositions. In this study, 218 studies were screened, with 24 studies assessed for eligibility, whereby only 18 studies met the inclusion criteria for the study. in addition, through the discussion of themes below, it is evident that various factors such as age, cultural differences, gender, etc., play a significant role on how various children can be psychologically affected from exposure to domestic violence. While previous studies have focused on the psychological impacts of domestic violence on the direct victims, the study highlights the gap and attention that should be given to these children, and further encourages limited physical, emotional and any other form of violence that can occur and be potentially harmful to the children exposed to the domestic violence. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Science, School Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2022
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring the role of herbivory in Albany Subtropical Thicket restoration

  • Authors: Hunt, Kristen Louise
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Shrubs -- South Africa , Portulacaria afra -- South Africa , Grasslands -- South Africa , Plant communities -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64060 , vital:73647
  • Description: This dissertation attempted to investigate the influence of herbivory on the success of thicket restoration, addressing a critical gap in the current knowledge within the restoration initiative. Despite two decades of thicket restoration practices, the role of herbivory in influencing restoration success has been assumed and not yet quantified. This research aimed to observe and identify herbivore species and their interactions that may affect the survival of Portulacaria afra Jacq. material planted in thicket restoration contexts. This research took place on three game farms serving as case studies within the Albany Subtropical Thicket (Eastern Cape, South Africa). Multiple experiments were conducted to assess how the concept of different “natural refugia” might impact herbivore interactions with planted material, incorporating factors such as planting around rainfall, within open and semi-intact vegetation patches, and in proximity to water sources. Trail cameras were used for real-time monitoring of herbivore interactions within planted sites to understand and quantify herbivore interactions with P. afra cuttings and how they may impact plant survival. Results from the trail camera monitoring (Chapter 2) indicate varied herbivore interactions occurring on planted material, with the primary herbivore responsible for these interactions varying among farms. Species interactions were not consistent across farms, and herbivore interactions exhibited spatial and temporal variability. Notably, interactions declined soon after the start of the wet phase when surrounding vegetation could recover, indicating the influences of alternative forage availability on herbivore foraging choices. Different herbivore interactions were identified and quantified through trail camera images, ranging from minor biomass removal (estimated at <5 cm of stem and leaf material) to more detrimental actions such as uprooting and leaf stripping. Consistently, planted P. afra survival rates (Chapter 3) were significantly higher for protected material than those exposed to herbivores, regardless of whether planted in a dry or wet phase. Moreover, when exposed to herbivores, rooted material had significantly higher survival rates than unrooted material, indicating the potential advantage of a well-developed root system in faster recovery after a herbivory event. This research explored the influence of various factors, including rainfall, rooting state, protection, surrounding vegetation, and proximity to water, on P. afra survival and how some of these factors may affect P. afra survival in relation to herbivore interactions (Chapter 3). Significant differences in cutting survival were observed between dry and wet phases, rooted and unrooted material, and material protected vs exposed to herbivores. While survival was not significantly different in experiments involving surrounding vegetation and proximity to water, potential patterns were identified, warranting further investigation. A clipping and defoliation experiment under simulated seasonal conditions emphasised the significance of , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring the views of selected, unafflicted women from Walvis bay and Windhoek, Namibia, regarding intimate partner killing and its effect on their well-being.

  • Authors: Amadhila,Luise Utuhole
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Intimate partner violence , Gender-based violence , Post-traumatic stress disorder in women
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63653 , vital:73575
  • Description: Intimate Partner Killing (IPK), popularly known as passion killing in certain regions, such as in southern parts of Africa, Europe, and America, and also referred to as intimate partner homicide, is a global concern. In Namibia, the rate at which men take the lives of their intimate partners due to failed romantic relationships has sparked apprehension within the communities. This study delves into the perspectives of unafflicted women in Namibia, shedding light on the broader impact of intimate partner killing on female well-being. Using a qualitative approach, the study conducted face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 14 participants. Grounded theory was applied to analyse the collected data and form categories from it. The data were transcribed and analysed using codes, thematic analysis, and interpretation. The theoretical frameworks intersectionality theory, social feminist theory, structuralist theory and systems theory underpin this study. The findings reveal that intimate partner killing severely affects women’s mental health, leading to vicarious trauma characterised by fear and anxiety. Participants reported difficulty experiencing positive emotions in their romantic relationships due to the pervasive uncertainty of this growing issue. Intimate partner killing leaves women feeling scared, unsafe, and traumatised, often prompting them to exercise extreme caution in their relationships to avoid becoming victims themselves. Symptoms such as feeling unsafe, scared, and traumatised align with post-traumatic stress and generalised anxiety. The study recommends implementing policy interventions and stringent laws in Namibia to prevent or discourage men from resorting to violence against their loved ones. Moreover, establishing assistance centres staffed with social work and mental health professionals is crucial to counselling and supporting women experiencing post-traumatic stress and anxiety resulting from intimate partner violence. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of behavioural Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Exploring youth unemployment through entrepreneurship education: a case study of Biziniz in the box in Newcastle

  • Authors: Ndlovu, Bonginkosi Siphelele
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Youth -- Employment -- South Africa -- KwaZulu Natal , Entrepreneurship -- South Africa -- KwaZulu Natal , Economic development -- South Africa -- KwaZulu Natal
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63386 , vital:73267
  • Description: Youth unemployment is a long-standing social and economic issue in South Africa. One possible drive behind the ever-increasing rate of youth unemployment is the school curriculum that is still tainted by the so-called “bantu education” which is training learners to be job seekers rather than job creators. Government-led initiatives have served to empower the youth through capacity-building projects and financial assistance. One such example is the Bizniz in the Box initiative. Using a qualitative research methodology, and by examining Bizniz in the Box as a case study, this study sought to explore the types of methods, strategies, and outcomes that the Bizniz in the Box initiative used and produced, along with its role in imparting entrepreneurship knowledge and skill to its participants. Through such strategies, the study aimed also to find the possible role the government could have in the imparting of entrepreneurship education. By employing Vygotsky’s Activity Theory (1978) and drawing extensively on Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970), the study seeks to make recommendations on how government initiatives could critically engage with school curricula and the ways in which government intervention and initiatives can aid school teachers that are ill-trained to impart entrepreneurship skill and knowledge, which is vital to abate the problem of youth unemployment. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Governmental and Social Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Facilitating language communication in English using “VFL” in English second language (ESL) primary school science classrooms

  • Authors: Kemp, Hermione
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Science -- Study and teaching , Science -- Study and teaching -- Methodology , Communication -- Study and teaching
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63985 , vital:73635
  • Description: Many classrooms across South Africa have teachers and learners who are English Second Language (ESL) speakers. As a result, teaching and learning becomes a challenge, especially in science education. Science has its own language, which has concepts, terminology, definitions and more that teachers and learners are expected to engage with. The language issues seem to weigh heavier on the learners’ scale as they are learning the Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT), while they are learning science. Likewise, science teachers face their own challenges in that they are trying to teach the language of science while their learners are still in the process of learning the English language. Therefore, this research study addresses the issue of using language as a resource rather than seeing it as a challenge so that it can enhance the learners’ ability to engage with science concepts. In doing so, this study introduces a group of teachers to using VFL to teach science education through a Community of Practice. Through the use of qualitative methods such as questionnaires, video-recorded lessons and a focus group interview discussion, this study explores how VFL enhance the communication of ESL primary school science classrooms. The vehicles that were used in this study are drama, poetry, visual art, stories, and music. This study adds to the conversation around using the arts to teach science as well as the benefits thereof. One of the findings was that the learners were able to recall scientific content. Multilingual classrooms are the order of the day; therefore, language issues will be present. The teachers shared the same domain in this study within the COP. This space enhanced the opportunity for the teachers to create a community, where they were able to learn, share and grow from one another. Thus, this study encouraged teachers to step out of their comfort zone and to restructure how they teach science by including VFL. Therefore, VFL are a platform for teachers to see themselves as change agents. , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty of Education, School of Postgraduate education, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Factors affecting learning of English as a second language in South African schools

  • Authors: Notshulwana, Lamla Augustin
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers , Second language acquisition , English language - Study and teaching (Secondary)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63440 , vital:73359
  • Description: The aim of this study was to identify the factors that are affecting the learning of English as a second language in South African schools. Although many South African learners are not fluent or native speakers of the English language, they are required to learn the content of their subjects in English. This is because there is a lack of resources in South Africa to teach other languages and English is seen as the language that grants access to better education and job opportunities, and it is the language that is used to communicate worldwide. The input, output, interaction and sociocultural theories were used to inform the theoretical framework of the study. This study used both qualitative and quantitative methods in order to answer the research question. The participants for this study consisted of individuals who matriculated in South Africa within the period of the past five years and were taught English as a second language. The participants were approached through social media platforms. One hundred participants responded to the questionnaire and 14 were interviewed. The methods of conducting interviews and distributing questionnaires were used to help the researcher to gain a better understanding of the topic. The findings of this study indicate that there are still teachers in South African schools who are not well qualified or proficient in the English language. In addition, learners face a variety of challenges in learning English as a second language. These challenges are found not only within the school context but also outside of school. The learners’ external environment also influences their learning of English as a second language. These external influences include overcrowding at schools, lack of resources such as libraries or books, and parents who are not involved in their children’s learning of English. Being proficient in L1 is important in order develop L2 because a learner can use their L1 skills to learn L2. There are also affective factors such as motivation, confidence and anxiety that play a role in in learning a second language. One of the reasons that some learners perform better than others when it comes to learning English is because of the motivation and self-confidence that they possess. Anxiety related to learning English as a second language is seen as a threat to an individual’s self-concept. This is because learners might find it difficult to communicate well in a language they have not learnt completely. Learners need to be encouraged to achieve their best level in their English skills so that their learning outcomes can be improved. Also, in order for the literacy rate of poor performing schools in South Africa to be improved, teachers should be trained to teach the English language better, parents need to be involved actively in their children’s learning of English as a second language and the Department of Basic Education needs to develop programmes and a policy that puts emphasis on the use of English as a LoLT. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Factors contributing to stress and coping strategies used by police officers in the Eastern Cape (EC) Province

  • Authors: Sofuthe, Thuliwe Nontsikelelo
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Job stress , Stress (Psychology) , Burn out (Psychology) , Stress management Police -- Job stress Police -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65434 , vital:74147
  • Description: Police officers work under demanding circumstances that could cause stress. Isolating factors that contribute to stress and identifying coping strategies used to deal with stress, could inform interventions and inform management practices. The purpose of the study was to determine factors causing stress among police officers in the Eastern Cape Province, and the coping strategies used. Study motivation: Police officers are faced with significant challenges as they fulfill their duty to prevent, investigate and combat crime. The study was necessary due to environmental, organizational, and role pressures experienced by police officers. A positivistic paradigm was adopted, and a quantitative research approach was chosen for this study. A survey in the form of a questionnaire was conducted among members of the South African Police Service in various clusters in the province, who were performing operational duties. A statistical investigation was conducted to examine the relationships between factors using correlation analysis. A lack of management support was ranked as the most prominent factor contributing to stress, followed by job design, training (a lack of), and work-life issues. The results revealed moderate to strong positive and significant correlations between the factors contributing to stress, namely job demand, training, management support, and work/life. A practical link between coping strategies and stress factors could not be established. All the coping strategies were positively and significantly correlated. Managerial implications and practicality: Direct managers of police officers should demonstrate more care for police officers and give them recognition. Efforts should be taken to reduce the impact of job demand and career development conversations with police officers are required as part of performance management. Police officers should be encouraged to continue using positive coping strategies. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Factors influencing consumer buying behaviour of luxury goods among the LGBTQI+ market segment

  • Authors: Monakali, Samkele
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Luxuries -- Marketing , Luxury goods industry , Consumer behavior -- South Africa , Consumer profiling Gay consumers -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65230 , vital:74061
  • Description: This study delves into the factors shaping the purchasing behaviour of luxury goods within the LGBTQI+ market segment in South Africa. Despite being a substantial and diverse market with distinctive consumer preferences, limited research exists to understand the specific motivations driving the LGBTQI+ community's luxury product purchases. The growing acceptance of the LGBTQI+ community has not only increased their visibility but has also led to heightened consumer spending within this segment. The Pink Economy, a term coined to describe the economic power of the LGBTQI+ community, highlights their substantial financial contributions across various sectors. This encompasses businesses and industries customized specifically for LGBTQI+ consumers, ranging from essential goods to luxury items like those found in fashion, travel, and entertainment. Against the backdrop of the expanding luxury brand product category and the increasing expenditures of the LGBTQI+ market segment, particularly in the luxury sector, there arises a need to explore strategies for attracting a more significant share of LGBTQI+ consumers. Diverse motivations drive the purchase of luxury goods within this segment, with individuals from various demographics having distinct perspectives on and connections to luxury brands. To investigate these factors, the study targeted individuals who identify as queer or non-heterosexual. Specifically, those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and other sexual orientations such as pansexual and Two-Spirit (LGBTQI+), reside within South Africa and were between the ages of 18 and 65. The Taro Yamane formula was used to determine the sample size needed for the study. It identified a required sample size of 400 respondents, and the study ultimately received 428 responses. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 28, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 28, aimed to reveal insights into the relationships between variables. The findings highlight a significant and positive correlation between psychological factors , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Management Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

From Clown Prince to critical phenomenon: Fashioning the Joker as a nomadic war machine

  • Authors: Goldmann, Talya
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Joker -- (Fictitious character) , Comic books, strips, etc. -- United States -- History and criticism , Literature and society -- United States
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/62769 , vital:72941
  • Description: Based on the original clown prince of crime in the DC comic books, the Joker is one of the most notorious villains in cinematic history. He originated in the comic book Batman #1 (Finger, 1940) over eighty years ago, and he remains a prominent character across a myriad of media platforms. In film and television, the Joker has appeared in major and minor roles in approximately nine animated series, eighteen animated films, six live-action series, and five live-action films. Indeed, multiple roles, actors, and decades after the character’s first debut in the Batman television series (1966), the Joker continues to be well-received and sought-after, insofar as every time a new Joker is announced, the character garners more intensive publicity and the film as a whole becomes highly anticipated. Thus, what started as a simple clownish character in the role of a minor villain in Batman (1966), has evolved into a multi-faceted villain so captivating that he has recently earned his own stand-alone films, namely Todd Phillips’ Joker (2019), and the sequel, Joker Folie à Deux (2024) – where he is no longer the antagonist, but now the protagonist. In this research, firstly, key features of the Deleuzoguattarian schema relevant to this study will be presented, before capitalism – as the context of Batman’s Gotham – is considered through a Deleuzoguattarian lens. This study will delve into what makes the beloved Joker so extraordinary along with the aesthetic features associated with his meteoric rise to fame. In this regard, what will be theorized is that the Joker constitutes an example of a Deleuzean nomadic war machine: that is, a critical character who borrows aspects of the State Apparatus and then twists and shapes them into weapons through which he questions and mocks society for its authoritarian and ideological flaws, and with which he exposes its conceptual and ethical blind spots. In this way, he acts like a mirror, reflecting what is wrong with society, and by implication, with the human ‘nature’ – not only in the fictional world of Gotham, but also in the contemporary era created therein. More specifically, discourse analysis and film analysis will be used here, to engage critically with the Joker’s persona in relation to the changing contexts in which the various films were made, in order to trace the development of the character through a Deleuzoguattarian lens. As will be discussed, Phillips’ Joker (2019) signals the deterritorialization of the Joker from the ambit of Batman’s influence, and opens up the possibility for his further deterritorialization as an increasingly mobile and nomadic catalyst of critical thinking beyond even Gotham itself. Then, thirdly, an in-depth analysis on the five key cinematic Jokers will be completed in terms of the characters’ historical contexts, character backgrounds, and aesthetics. And thereafter, the deterritorializing ‘line of flight’ already underway – as by Phillips’ Joker (2019) – will be continued through the creative media production component of this study, which will entail the conceptualization, design and illustration of three new Joker manifestations, each of which will reflect critically upon failing systems in South African society across select time periods, and how these failing systems have contributed to the collective trauma of marginalized groups of people. The first South African Joker manifestation, set in the 1980s, will reflect upon the faltering political infrastructure during the Apartheid era. The second Joker manifestation, set in the early 2000s, will encapsulate the repercussions of the post-Apartheid neoliberal economic landscape. And the third Joker manifestation, set in the 2010s, will draw attention to sociocultural collapse particularly in the space of gender-based violence and sexual assault. Thus, the creation of these Jokers will act as an exploration of trauma, insofar as the tragedy and pain caused by the above-mentioned failing systems will manifest physically through their character designs. In terms of this, and in keeping with the dynamics of appropriation and inflection that are definitive of nomadic war machines, here focus will fall on how their character aesthetics pose critical questions about relevant issues in the South Africa. On account of this, although this research is by definition situated within the spectacle/performance paradigm, it also runs counter to the largely apolitical orientation of creative media production that occurs therein, through its emphasis, instead, on how such creative media production can also entail critical thought that is aimed at thematizing socio-cultural and politico-economic issues and the trauma that they create; thus, this creative media component aims to encourage a more trauma-aware society through art. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Grade 12 literary writing: Perceptions and practices of educators and learners in an English Home Language classroom

  • Authors: Krause, Sade
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Creative writing -- Study and teaching , Language and languages -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , English language -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63122 , vital:73188
  • Description: This study sought to understand perceptions and practices of the literary writing abilities of educators1 and learners of Grade 12 at a high school in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. Evidence reveals these abilities to be poor. Interviews with educators in the English Home Language Department at the selected school aimed to gain insight into their approaches to teaching literary writing as well as their comprehension and methods of implementation of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement’s guidelines for the teaching of the literary essay. Focus group discussions were held with the predominantly isiXhosa or Afrikaans-speaking learners to gauge whether their identities as isiXhosa and Afrikaans speakers in the English Home Language classroom affect their perceptions of the literary texts they have to read and write about. Lastly, an analysis of the learners’ literary essays provided a window into the translation of writing techniques taught and learned. The study found that literary essay writing and literature study lessons contributed to the alienation learners experienced. Learners’ varying learning styles are not prioritised for literature study and literary essay writing. The educators’ selected approach is partly due to the overloaded curriculum which does not equip teachers with the information and skills to execute lessons which lead to effective acquisition of literary writing skills. The CAPS’s flawed premises of the nature of language and lack of support of educators’ teaching of the literary essay perpetuates the subjugation of learners. A framework is suggested to create access to academic writing skills for the learners. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Language, Media and Communication, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Guidelines for improved coordination of public works projects in Buffalo City Metro

  • Authors: Puta, Mabhelonke
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Public works -- South Africa , Infrastructure (Economics) -- South Africa , Economic development projects -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64775 , vital:73890
  • Description: This aim of this study was to determine how improved coordination of public works projects in Buffalo City Metro (BCM) can be promoted. The aim was predicated on the notion that coordination failure adversely affects scope, time, budget, and quality. A pragmatic worldview related to problem- solving informed the collection of both textual and statistical data for the study through surveys and interviews. In BCM public works projects failures in coordination have resulted in negative outcomes of project implementation. The study shows a correlation between coordination and project success, whilst failure in coordination will negatively impact project cost and project scope, resulting in project failure. The study was able to determine prioritised coordination activities. The study further developed coordination guidelines that mitigate coordination failure by outlining mechanisms, which are as follows: appointment of a coordination leader, scheduling coordination activities, participate plan and quality assurance plan. The outputs of these are the coordination of meetings, the online coordination of software, a schedule of lessons learnt, the drawing up of an execution plan and establishing performance incentives. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Built Environment and Civil Engineering, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Guidelines towards the use of virtual consultation in primary healthcare

  • Authors: Ndome Ndame, Evelyne Alexandra
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Telecommunication in medicine , Medicine -- Communication systems , Health services administration -- Information technology
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64728 , vital:73872
  • Description: In an environment of expanding demand on the healthcare system to provide equitable, accessible, and safe healthcare, the use of information and communication technology (ICT) is one of the strategies identified to fulfil such expectations. To make this achievable, ICTs are integrated in healthcare using telehealth, which permits the provision of remote healthcare by using virtual health technologies. One domain of telehealth which permits remote care is virtual consultations. It is an important tool in the healthcare industry used to promote access to healthcare services, especially for elderly people or people with disabilities, those suffering from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension, among others, and for people in rural and underserved communities. This is possible using videoconferencing technology, telephone consultations, email, or instant messaging. Virtual consultations are becoming an integral part of the healthcare industry all over the world, and it is important to understand how to make use of them to promote healthcare access. The purpose of this study was to create guidelines to assist primary health care professionals in the most effective ways of using virtual consultations to improve access to essential health care services. As such, the objectives governing this study were to identify the role that virtual consultations play in healthcare, to investigate the factors that impact the use of virtual consultations, to review the existing guidelines on virtual consultations, as well as to identify the requirements needed for virtual consultations. This research followed several aspects to guide the methodology of this study. The research process governing this research was the design science research process. The research made use of literature reviews, argumentation, and a survey for data collection as well as a qualitative content analysis to analyse the data. The data collection consisted of 32 survey responses, which aided in the identification of the factors impacting the use of virtual consultations. The results showed that virtual consultations are utilised for various aspects of care delivery, but face-to-face consultations are still the first choice of consultation. , Thesis (MIT) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Information Technology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Herpetofaunal diversity and affiliations of the Okavango River Basin, with specific focus on the Angolan headwaters

  • Authors: Conradie, Werner
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Water conservation -- Okavango River Delta , Watersheds -- Okavango River -- Angola , Biodiversity -- Angola
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctorate theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63667 , vital:73576
  • Description: Although Africa is reputed to possess some of the richest herpetofaunal diversities in the world, a number of areas remain poorly documented and thus inadequately conserved. One such area in particular is the south-eastern part of Angola. Angola endured a long struggle for independence with a protracted civil war that lasted for nearly three decades, leaving the status of the country’s biodiversity in turmoil. Over the past two decades, Angola has become more accessible for biodiversity surveys, opening up new opportunities to document these previously poorly studied areas and help conserve its biodiversity. South-eastern Angola is the water source of the world-renowned Okavango Delta. However very little is known about the biodiversity, diversity status and conservation significance of the headwaters supplying the largest inland delta in the world. To address this bias in sampling and to investigate the conservation importance of the region, a series of rapid biodiversity surveys of the Angolan Okavango River Basin were conducted between 2012 and 2019. This study contributed over 2150 individual records of amphibians and reptiles, representing 88 reptile and 43 amphibian species. At least 15 species were added to the growing country checklist, with the south-eastern region of Angola now comprising 113 reptile species and 51 amphibian species. Because of this study, the area is now one of the most species-rich and well-studied areas in Angola. This study provided the first genetic data for 26 species, and sequences containing Angolan specimens for the first time were generated for 80 species, of which 23 species have originally been described from Angola. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses, supported by species delimitation analyses, were utilised to validate specific species statuses. This allowed for the description of five new species of snake, one gecko and two frogs for Angola. The material further contributed to the description of a new genus of snakes. Numerous undescribed and potentially cryptic species were identified, long-lasting taxonomic issues were resolved, and various taxonomic adjustments were emphasised. Further contributions of the material include assisting in the revision of targeted Angolan amphibian and reptile groups as well as large-scale phylogenetic studies across Africa. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Science & Management, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

IL-4/ IL-13 directed microglial activation and differentiation in response to LPS-induced neuroinflammation

  • Authors: Ackerdien, Shiraz
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Inflammation , Inflammation -- Treatment , Anti-inflammatory agents
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63606 , vital:73554
  • Description: Microglia activation is a common hallmark of neuroinflammation that occurs during pathogen invasion or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. A neuroinflammatory response is elicited by the release of proinflammatory cytokines which stimulates microglia in an autocrine manner to be polarized into classically activated, pro-inflammatory M1 cells. Prolonged exposure to the inflammatory response can have disastrous effects on the central nervous system (CNS). However, microglia can alternatively be polarized into the activated M2 anti-inflammatory phenotype, but the exact molecular mechanism mediating this phenotypic switch remains poorly understood. Studies have shown that interleukin (IL)-4 can induce the M2 phenotype and activate the signal transducer and activator of the transcription 6 (STAT6) signalling pathway that in turn provokes a beneficial Th2 immune response. Since IL-4 and IL-13 share a common IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) chain, it is possible that alternative microglia differentiation and its anti-inflammatory action also involve IL-13. This study aimed to investigate how IL-13 and STAT6 signalling orchestrates the microglial response and differentiation associated with LPS-induced inflammation. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms that relieve LPS-induced neuroinflammation and neural protection through IL-13-enhanced BDNF signalling were also investigated. C8-B4 microglial cells were induced with LPS to exhibit an M1 pro-inflammatory phenotype or stimulated with IL-4 and/or IL-13 to exhibit an M2 anti-inflammatory microglial phenotype. The cell viability following LPS, IL-4, and/ or IL-13 exposure was determined. The LPS-induced neuroinflammatory response and the anti-inflammatory response induced by IL-4 and IL-13 which promotes STAT-6 signalling were determined by measuring TNFα, IL-1β, and BDNF protein concentrations using ELISA assays. The polarising effects of LPS and IL-4/IL-13 cytokines were also examined via changes in the expression of Iba-1, CD206, CD86, and STAT-6 determined by immunofluorescence analysis. These changes were further investigated by quantifying the mRNA transcripts of TNFα, IL-1 β, Arg-1, CD206, IL-4R, and STAT-6 and BDNF using qRT-PCR. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Biomolecular & Chemical Sciences, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Implementation of the world health organization surgical safety checklist in the operating room in a private hospital in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

  • Authors: Obeng, Emelia
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: World Health Organization , Operating room nursing , Preoperative care
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63517 , vital:73384
  • Description: The World Health Organisation Surgical Safety Checklist (WHO SSC) was developed to improve teamwork among healthcare professionals and ensure consistent use of safety processes in the operating room (Abbott et al., 2018: 147). The WHO SSC has successfully reduced common and avoidable surgical errors relating to nerve cutting, among others (Jain et al., 2018:7). However, the implementation of the WHO SSC has not been widely acknowledged in South Africa due to specific barriers (Koopman, 2018: 20; Sauls, 2019: 15). To this end, the aim of this study was two-fold: (i) to determine the factors that contribute to the implementation of the WHO SSC among operating room healthcare professionals and (ii) to develop a contextually appropriate process implementation guide that may be used to facilitate utilisation of the WHO SSC in a private operating room healthcare facility. A non-experimental descriptive quantitative approach underpinned by positivism and a descriptive exploratory survey was used to study the factors contributing to implementing the WHO SSC. A self-reported questionnaire was used as the method for data collection. Purposive sampling was adopted by selecting all the 130 operating room staff directly involved in completing the WHO SSC. All 130 respondents completed and returned the questionnaire. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package Software for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 28.0 for Windows (IBM Corp, 2021). The study described four factors (i.e. awareness, relative advantage, complexity, and usability) contributing to the implementation of the WHO SSC. The analysis revealed a significant inter-relationship between two factors (i.e. relative advantage and awareness) and characteristics of the operating room healthcare professionals (regarding highest qualification, current age and work experience). The study’s main contribution to the existing body of knowledge is the proposed process-oriented implementation guide, including a readiness assessment template for effective implementation of the WHO SSC. It is recommended that good knowledge of the WHO SSC should be created by making operating room healthcare professionals aware of the arrangements and interventions by the private hospital to implement the WHO SSC. , Thesis (MCur) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical care & medicinal sciences , 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Incorporating emotion detection in text-dependent speaker authentication

  • Authors: van Rensburg, Ebenhaeser Otto Janse , Von Solms, Rossouw
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Automatic speech recognition , Biometric identification , Computer networks -- Security measures , Computer networks -- Access control
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64566 , vital:73767
  • Description: Biometric authentication allows a person to access sensitive information using unique physical characteristics. Voice, as a biometric authentication method, is gaining popularity due to its unique characteristics and widespread availability on smartphones and other devices. It offers a secure and user-friendly alternative to traditional password-based authentication and allows a less intrusive authentication method than fingerprint authentication. Furthermore, a vast amount of information is portrayed through voice, such as age, gender, health, and emotional state. Gaining illegitimate access to information becomes significantly more difficult as biometrics are difficult to steal, and countermeasures to techniques such as replay attacks are constantly being improved. However, illegitimate access can be gained by forcing a legitimate person to authenticate themselves through voice. This study investigates how the emotion(s) carried by voice can assist in detecting if authentication was performed under duress. Knowledge is contributed using a three-phased approach: information gathering, experimentation, and deliberation. The experimentation phase is further divided into three phases to extract data, implement findings, and assess the value of determining duress using voice. This phased approach to experimentation ensures minimal change in variables and allows the drawn conclusions to be relevant to each phase. The first phase examines datasets and classifiers; the second phase explores feature enhancement techniques and their impact; and the third phase discusses performance measurements and their value to emotion detection. , Thesis (DPhil) -- Faculty Of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Information Technology, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Investigating long-term sustainability of financing photovoltaic systems, small scale inverters for the local communities in Soweto, South Africa

  • Authors: Mnyani, Siphamandla
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Photovoltaic power systems , Solar energy , Sustainable development -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65197 , vital:74045
  • Description: The study explores the energy supply challenges faced by South Africa. The research was triggered by the decline of the social fabric and lack of economic development in communities such as Soweto due to energy crisis in South Africa. It also analyses the impact that the energy supply challenges have on communities, as well as socio-economic development, employment opportunities and human development. Hence, it provides the nexus between the feasibility of funding photovoltaic (PV) installations, supply of clean reliable energy, socio-economic development, and environmental sustainability. An in-depth literature review was conducted to obtain insights into various funding mechanisms that were adopted in Asia and the Andean countries for the installation of renewable PV systems to provide electricity in marginalised communities, with the aim of achieving sustainable development. This study was conducted using quantitative research methods, which consisted of collecting data from Soweto residents and using probability sampling method, 92 of the respondents completed the survey. The data collected was analysed using data analysis techniques such as, Pearson correlation test, Chi2 and sample T-testing analysis which were conducted to help the researcher to create knowledge and better decision-making and allowed for multiple measurements to be analysed simultaneously. The results obtained from the Pearson correlation as well as Chi2 techniques, indicated a positive relationship between the value of funding PV solar systems and the installation of small-scale inverters in Soweto Township. The analysis performed shows that funding the installation of PV solar system will contribute towards affordable, sustainable energy as well as economic growth in Soweto. Strong emphasis should be put on the analysis of funding models that will contribute towards affordable, clean, sustainable energy in the Townships. This can be achieved through tax breaks or incentives that were implemented by the national treasury in February 2023 or, the establishment of green funds coupled with incentives from the United Nations (UN) (National treasury , 2023). This study was significant in South Africa, since there are no studies of similar nature that have been conducted before, that are related to funding models, renewable energies technologies, micro grids for the marginalised communities. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04
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