11613 research outputs found
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Emergency incidents: assessing the University of the Free State’s State of preparedness
No full textThe aim of this study was to examine the level of emergency preparedness at the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State. The research examined the measures put in place by the university to prepare for any kind of emergencies that face many universities in the world, as well as a sense of obligation and hurdles hindering further preparedness. Data was collected from 80 participants in different areas of the Bloemfontein campus. The study found that the major incidents that the university experience were civil unrests, theft and assaults, but the university was prepared to handle all these emergency incidents. The Occupational Health and Safety guide or checklist was used to assess the safety of the Bloemfontein Campus facilities, and it was found that the lecture halls and areas within the campus met the standards. In addition, the study found that the students were of the impression that the university was able and prepared to deal with emergencies; however, the majority of the female students had a perception that they were not safe. The results showed that the students’ level of preparedness was limited by perception and lack of interest. The main recommendation was information management, which may be facilitated by increased communication and other innovative and strategic preparedness campaigns supported by the university
Discovering nature’s flux: a riparian research and discovery center along the Sabie River
No full textThis design dissertation investigates the proposal of a Riparian Research and Discovery Centre on the bank of the Sabie River neighbouring the Kruger National Park. Riparian zones do not function independently from other ecotones and biomes, but they play a complex role in the integration of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The project aims to establish a centre that focuses on riparian observation (long term monitoring) which serves as a base camp for conservationists (researchers and students) to conduct necessary fieldwork for ecological research in the region as well as to educate the commercial and subsistence agricultural communities to encourage healthier forms of interaction with the river and finally to create an awareness of this volatile and fragile biome within the eco-tourism industry. Environmental experiences and the relationship we have with the natural environment can be subjective and a personal question of how we perceive ourselves in relation to it. In order to mediate ventures of discovery, the environment is seen as a locus of meaningful interpretation which evokes an environmental identity where we see ourselves as part of the natural environment. This dissertation aims to interpret this biome conceptually into the proposed design that enhances and aids the experience of the riparian zone on the Sabie River. The proposed design is a result of an ecologically ethical consideration that stems from the establishment of an environmental identity. The building, therefore, responds to the site in a way that evokes a narrative between the user and the surrounding landscape where architecture features as the mediator
The effect of gross motor stimulation on gross motor proficiency of Grade R learners in a low-resourced environment
No full textIntroduction: Motor development has been reported as a crucial part of learners’s overall development and is interweaved into many different fascist of the growing child. In addition, the growth and development of young learners can be influenced by many factors, with nutrition and the surrounding environment being highlighted as major contributing factors. Grade R learners in South Africa are typically five – six years of age and are expected to perform certain tasks and skills as set out by the National Curriculums and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). In the CAPS, specific motor skill tasks are identified which needs to be mastered by the Grade R learner. The development of Grade R learners’ motor skill ability will influence the motor skill foundation they start Grade 1 with. Exploring Grade R learners’s motor proficiency levels and growth status in low resourced environments will enable the identification of possible delays, and consequently provide direction for future interventions. Aims: This study aims to answer three questions. Firstly, what is the gross motor proficiency of Grade R learners in a low-resourced environment? Secondly, using the anthropometric profile of the participants, does stunting influence gross motor proficiency? Lastly, will a gross motor stimulation program have an impact on the gross motor proficiency of Grade R learners in a low-resourced environment? Methodology: This study was conducted in a low resourced town in the Southern Free State in South Africa. The participant group included Grade R learners (four to six years old). The study consisted of a pre-test, intervention and post-test. During the pre-test 57 learners with a mean age of 5.2 years (SD=0.33) were evaluated, of which 36 were girls (62.1%) and 21 were boys (37.9%). Motor proficiency was evaluated using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, second edition. Anthropometric data collected consisted of height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and upper-arm circumference. After concluding the pre-test, the experimental group (n=18) participated in an 18 week gross motor intervention, specifically designed by the researcher to aid in the gross motor development of Grade R learners. Teachers were equipped to present the gross motor intervention in a set out free-play period. After the intervention concluded a post-testing was conducted. The motor proficiency of 49 participants was again measured. Results: The anthropometric profile of the participants indicated a mean average height of 107.3 cm, weight of 17.3 kg, BMI of 15.03 kg/m² and upper arm circumference of 15.6 cm. These measurements were slightly lower than the indicated norms by the World Health Organization. When the anthropometric profiles were compared to the norms of malnutrition, two (3.5%) out of the 57 participants were underweight and nine (15.5%) were stunted. The motor proficiency results identified upper-limb coordination (17.5%) and running speed and agility (15.7%) as gross motor skills that participants struggled with. In regards to balancing skills, 50.8% of the participants scored mainly on or above standard. No statistically significant gender differences were found with regard to motor proficiency. When comparing the pre- and post-test data of the experimental and control group, no statistically significant differences were found. Small increases were noted in the running speed and agility (control = 14.9 vs 17.9; experimental = 15.1 vs 16.9) and upper-limb coordination (control = 15.96 vs 17.1; experimental = 15.5 vs 17.8) subtests’ standard mean scores. Conclusion: Grade R learners in low resourced environments portray anthropometric measurements below standard norms, and although their balance skills were adequate, below average upper-limb coordination, and running speed and agility were noted. Although the gross motor intervention program did not yield any statistical significant improvements, a need was identified to better equip teachers to be able to deliver meaningful gross motor stimulation
Ganderma: diversity, ecological significances, and potential applications in industry and allied sectors
No full textFungi are an understudied, biotechnologically valuable group of organisms. Due to their immense range of habitats, and the consequent need to compete against a diverse array of other fungi, bacteria, and animals, fungi have developed numerous survival mechanisms. However, besides their major basic positive role in the cycling of minerals, organic matter and mobilizing insoluble nutrients, fungi have other beneficial impacts: they are considered good sources of food and active agents for a number of industrial processes involving fermentation mechanisms as in the bread, wine and beer industry. A number of fungi also produce biologically important metabolites such as enzymes, vitamins, antibiotics and several products of important pharmaceutical use; still others are involved in the production of single cell proteins. The economic value of these marked positive activities has been estimated as approximating to trillions of US dollars. The unique attributes of fungi thus herald great promise for their application in biotechnology and industry. Since ancient Egyptians mentioned in their medical prescriptions how they can use green molds in curing wounds as the obvious historical uses of penicillin, fungi can be grown with relative ease, making production at scale viable. The search for fungal biodiversity, and the construction of a living fungi collection, both have incredible economic potential in locating organisms with novel industrial uses that will lead to novel products. Fungi have provided the world with penicillin, lovastatin, and other globally significant medicines, and they remain an untapped resource with enormous industrial potential.
Volume 1 of Industrially Important Fungi for Sustainable Development provides an overview to understanding fungal diversity from diverse habitats and their industrial application for future sustainability. It encompasses current advanced knowledge of fungal communities and their potential biotechnological applications in industry and allied sectors. The book will be useful to scientists, researchers, and students of microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, and environmental biology
A business model for arts education in a non-formal context
No full textInspired by the positive outcomes of the non-formal education (NFE) approach experienced during the twelve years on the music staff of the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir, the researcher initiated the Ladybird International Arts Academy (Ladybird), based on this footprint in 2003. The leading research question of the study, Why would the Ladybird business model be feasible and viable to use in non-formal arts education as a trade initiative for the South African market? aligns with the primary objective, which was to explore the successes of Ladybird and evaluate whether it is feasible and viable to comply as a non-formal arts educational trade opportunity in South Africa. An interdisciplinary approach was chosen for this research, due to the nature of the topic which involved both the exploration of business (Economic and Management Sciences), and non-formal arts education (Humanities). Underpinning the Deweyan educational focus of the study on the non-formal context of the business model, a pragmatist stance was chosen, with a mixed methods approach to the case study of arts business, rooted in a constructivist paradigm. The study showed the Ladybird business model to be a relevant academic contribution to the fields of business development and arts education in the nonformal sector. The apparent insufficient research and publications regarding the process and outcomes of non-formal arts education revealed a need for more academic research to be done to explore this learning approach. Arts educators and entrepreneurs in South Africa will be able to use the business model as a guideline to enhance their arts departments in formal schools or set up their own enterprise, using this model. Hypothetically, this study can initiate opportunities for exploring the possibilities of franchising the business model. The heuristic value of this study is embedded in the challenge on how private non-formal initiatives can network to create collaboration, worthy of the attention of the formal education sector, possibly in the direction of the mutual advancement of the education of arts-talented learners
(De)coding Contemporary South African Opera: Multimodality and the Creation of Meaning, 2010–2018
No full textCongruent with new investigative avenues considering the mediatisation and increased digital dissemination of opera, this thesis contributes to new directions in the field of opera studies. It promotes
a multimodal analysis of opera production to uncover the multitude of, and relationships between, semiotic elements influencing the reception of opera production, specifically as it pertains to contemporary South African opera. I present multimodal readings of three South African operas: Saartjie (2009), Poskantoor (2014) and Mandela Trilogy (2011/2014), focusing on the interplay between elements ranging from musical and visual modes of opera production to paratexts and the audience’s own subjectivity – to gauge their impact on reception. I draw on the work of Michael Hutcheon and Linda Hutcheon, and Yayoi Uno Everett, who, in varying degrees, unpack the multimodal communication of opera as an artform comprising multiple modes. I devise a multimodal framework for the analysis of opera production divided into four categories encompassing the multiple elements complicit in the creation of meaning in opera production: (1) design modes, (2) production media, (3) paratextual networks, and (4) horizons of expectation. Consistent with the genre’s increased digital presence, I significantly expand paratextual networks to include the video trailer as a meaning-encoded paratext capable of shaping audiences’ expectations. Redirecting the focus from the score as the primary semiotic source, the analytic approach adopted in this study drew heavily on video resources available in the public domain, extending to both production media and paratextual networks. In addition, media archives were utilised to inform the critical reception of the works discussed. The intricacies of the multimodal network are illustrated by focusing on a select set of relationships across categories, applying strategies of close reading to three contemporary South African opera productions. In my discussion of the opera Saartjie, my analysis utilises recorded production media informed by the iconographic history of Sara Baartman. I illustrate how both production design – drawing heavily on the canon of Baartman’s visual representation – and the composer’s problematic take on the subject disseminated as part of paratextual networks – affect the reading of production media. The discussion of Poskantoor and Mandela Trilogy focuses on the role played by paratextual networks. In the case of Poskantoor, the first Afrikaans opera to be staged post-apartheid, the opera’s creators sought to position it as an opera reflective of contemporary Afrikaans identity. However, attempts to challenge problematic apartheid nostalgia are undermined through design modes and production media’s simultaneous indulgence of that nostalgia. Poskantoor’s avant-garde aesthetic, relayed through conceptual photographs and trailers, positions the opera as a novel work challenging the aesthetic legacy of apartheid opera. The transformative role of the trailer as a persuasive paratext is illuminated in the case of Mandela Trilogy (2011/2014). Considering the wealth of trailers accompanying the work’s international tours, I demonstrate how these paratexts play into an aesthetic of “blackness” characteristic of Cape Town Opera, with each tour presenting a curated operatic image of South Africa to international audiences. This thesis makes a noteworthy contribution to the field of South African opera studies by placing an invigorated emphasis on the multimodal in opera production. Contextualising the case studies within the post-apartheid milieu, this research zones in on the multimodal experience of contemporary South African opera, building on existing scholarship that interacts with musical aesthetics and socio-political contexts. By mapping the complexities of the genre’s multimodal network, I show that opera is encoded with layers of meaning extending beyond the genre’s musical mode. The broadening of the investigative scope to include digital paratexts is especially significant, paving the way for new avenues of inquiry in the field.South African Cultural ObservatoryMusic and Letters TrustRoyal Musical AssociationNational Arts Council of South AfricaUniversity of the Free State Postgraduate Schoo
Patriarchal expressions in modern selected Sesotho novels: a feminist perspective
No full textThis research work entitled, Patriarchal expressions in modern selected Sesotho novels: A feminist perspective, is about the ill-treatment that women are subjected to in society through the system of patriarchy and some of the traditional cultural values which oppress them. Chapter one is an introduction that deals with the background of the study, research methodology, statement of the problem, review of literature, significance of the study as well as aims of the study. Chapter two presents a theoretical framework focusing on feminism, African feminism, gender, patriarchy, culture and characterisation. In this chapter, the study shows how patriarchy as a system that oppresses women, should be challenged. Feminism is discussed as an approach which is concerned with how women are treated in society. Feminists believe that society is subjected to a patriarchal culture which promotes men at the expense of women. As a result, feminists challenge the ills of patriarchy in society and the equality of men and women. Women should not be treated as second- class citizens but should have equal rights as men. African traditional cultural values which oppress women are strongly challenged by African feminists. The third chapter deals with how male and female characters are portrayed in the novel, Bophelo ke dihaeya. Female characters are portrayed in negative terms. Characters such as Lefulesele, Dilahlwane, Ntswaki and Mmakgotso are portrayed as evil, sex objects, powerless and submissive to their male counterparts. Male characters such as Kotleng and Matsekane are portrayed as powerful, leaders, manipulative and dominant over women. In the fourth chapter, the novel, Hei! Ke tsamaile, is analysed. Senganangana is authoritative and has no respect for his daughter, Sepapatlele, and considers her as weak, dumb and a failure. He does not encourage and support her, instead he demoralises her and treats her as a slave. He chases Sepapatlele away when he discusses his son’s academic achievement and tells her that she is a good-for-nothing person and will not reach the high academic standard of his son. Sepapatlele is used as a sex object by Snoeky and Bolokwe. When Sepapatlele realises that she is pregnant, she flees to KwaZulu-Natal out of fear of her father. She does not succeed there and goes back home. The last chapter is the conclusion and observations of the study
Exploring the psychological and relational challenges experienced by lesbian couples during the adoption process in South Africa: an interpretative phenomenological analysis
No full textMost of the existing literature on lesbian couples’ experiences of the adoption process either elucidate an investigation into cognitive, psychological and sexual development of children who were adopted by same-sex individuals or examine the stability of these individuals with limited attention being paid to the experience of the lesbian couples who partake in the adoption process itself. In this study, the researcher adopts an Interpretative Phenomenological approach to investigate how lesbian couples experience the phenomenon of adopting in South Africa by exploring the psychological and relational challenges that these couples might have experienced. Eight female participants (4 couples) were interviewed through semi-structured interviews by utilising the video conferencing software Zoom, and by focusing on investigating their experiences of the adoption process. Two major themes emerged from the data, namely: Psychological introspection, which investigates the psychological challenges that the adoption process has on the individual and couple, and secondly; In Love and War, which evaluates social support, family and friend’s opinions of the adoption process as well as institutional attitudes, like the assumptions and beliefs of social workers and adoption agencies. The findings suggest that most participants found the adoption process taxing on their individual psychological well-being and their relationship. The analyses suggest that all participants experienced some form of homophobia whilst in the process. Therefore, findings of this study are specific to these research participants and their unique experiences of the adoption process. In this regard, findings cannot be generalised to a broader population
An analysis of drought preparedness interventions in Daluka ward, Lupane district, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe
No full textDrought is a natural phenomenon and affects almost all areas of the world. What is important is for those communities at risk to prepare and plan for drought to lessen its impact on their livelihoods. Analysis of drought preparedness, therefore, helps to explain why some communities are hard hit by the effects of drought and some are continuously affected by droughts. This study analysed drought preparedness interventions in Daluka ward of Lupane district in Matabeleland North province of Zimbabwe. The research objectives that guided the research study were to; assess drought preparedness planning interventions; assess the challenges faced by communities when responding and recovering from drought disaster; determine the effectiveness of drought preparedness interventions in Daluka ward and make recommendations concerning relevant drought preparedness interventions for Daluka ward. The researcher used a case study qualitative research method to do an in-depth analysis of drought preparedness. The main findings of the study showed that Daluka ward is not prepared to deal with drought. Lack of preparedness stems from the fact that the frequency and impact of drought seem to be increasing, coupled with underlying poverty and poor soils, the community has failed to respond and fully recover from each drought event. Poverty and the increased frequency of drought have eroded the community’s adaptive and absorptive capitals. The study identified that interventions that are meant to manage drought are reactive and focus on drought response. Most interventions are meant to provide short term relief when drought strikes. The centralised management of drought makes it difficult for the community to participate in the drought preparedness and response role being handed over to the government and NGOs. On the other hand, the government and NGOs have not involved the Daluka community in drought risk assessment, information and early warning systems. Preparedness has not been effective and there is no action even after early warnings are given. Capacity building and training that is provided by the government and NGOs focus mainly on conservation agriculture which focuses on food production ignoring water resources management and other adaptive strategies. The study, therefore, recommends that drought management should be more proactive and increase the participation of community members in resources mobilisation for preparedness and response. Drought planning should thus start at the micro-level (village) and emphasis should be on preparedness and mitigation instead of response. Preparedness will ensure there is an effective drought response
Fungal cellulases: current research and future challenges
No full textFungi are an understudied, biotechnologically valuable group of organisms. Due to their immense range of habitats, and the consequent need to compete against a diverse array of other fungi, bacteria, and animals, fungi have developed numerous survival mechanisms. However, besides their major basic positive role in the cycling of minerals, organic matter and mobilizing insoluble nutrients, fungi have other beneficial impacts: they are considered good sources of food and active agents for a number of industrial processes involving fermentation mechanisms as in the bread, wine and beer industry. A number of fungi also produce biologically important metabolites such as enzymes, vitamins, antibiotics and several products of important pharmaceutical use; still others are involved in the production of single cell proteins. The economic value of these marked positive activities has been estimated as approximating to trillions of US dollars. The unique attributes of fungi thus herald great promise for their application in biotechnology and industry. Since ancient Egyptians mentioned in their medical prescriptions how they can use green molds in curing wounds as the obvious historical uses of penicillin, fungi can be grown with relative ease, making production at scale viable. The search for fungal biodiversity, and the construction of a living fungi collection, both have incredible economic potential in locating organisms with novel industrial uses that will lead to novel products. Fungi have provided the world with penicillin, lovastatin, and other globally significant medicines, and they remain an untapped resource with enormous industrial potential.
Volume 1 of Industrially Important Fungi for Sustainable Development provides an overview to understanding fungal diversity from diverse habitats and their industrial application for future sustainability. It encompasses current advanced knowledge of fungal communities and their potential biotechnological applications in industry and allied sectors. The book will be useful to scientists, researchers, and students of microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, and environmental biology