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Intergovernmental relations as a vehicle to improve service delivery and implement Back to Basics (B2B) programme in Gauteng (case study Emfuleni local municipality)
No full textDissertation (MGT (Governance and Political Transformation))--University of the Free State, 2021The Back to Basics (B2B) Programme was launched in September 2014 by the Minister of CoGTA and it classified municipalities into three categories, namely, municipalities that are doing well, municipalities at risk of dysfunctionality and municipalities that are dysfunctional. The B2B Programme’s objective is to build a responsive, caring and accountable local government, which has the capacity to exercise its legislative imperatives effectively and efficiently. B2B operates within the framework of intergovernmental relations to achieve the objectives of service delivery. Intergovernmental relations is a platform that facilitates and coordinates the function of the B2B. The linkage between B2B takes place within the ambit of the applicable local government policy and legislation that guide implementation of programmes. The motivation of this study was underpinned by the relationship between intergovernmental relations and B2B to improve service in Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM). The aims of the study were to investigate the role of intergovernmental relations as a platform to facilitate the implementation and improvement of service delivery. The research question is concerned with how effective intergovernmental relation structures are in achieving the objectives of the B2B Programme, which seeks to address service delivery challenges? The study combined an explanatory research and analytical research through a literature review of material on the same subject. The study discussed the profile of Emfuleni Local Municipality in terms successes and failures of service delivery within the context of B2B. The analysis and interpretation of the study were informed by the research objective and compliance with the Constitution no.108 of 1996 of the Republic of South Africa and applicable legislation. The focus was particularly concerned with service delivery to communities in a sustainable manner. The findings of the study indicated a lack of cooperation and ineffective intergovernmental relations structures. B2B could not achieve the objectives of service delivery through intergovernmental relations. The conclusion with the lessons learned, and the value of the study, recommend that all three spheres of government must collaborate in a coherent and a cohesive manner to deliver services within the context of B2B. Lack of cooperation and collaboration of intergovernmental relations structures in the implementation of B2B provide the answer to the research questions
Humanitarian response: an investigation of the City of Ekurhuleni’s strategies in resolving response challenges
No full textDisasters are physical events or human activities that may lead to loss of lives or injuries, damage to properties and disruptions to the economic and social environment. However, the effects of disasters can be reduced through disaster response and effective humanitarian response strategies. This study examines the barriers the City of Ekurhuleni disaster practitioners encounter during humanitarian response operations, as well as the strategies employed to resolve the challenges and propose recommendations for ensuring efficient response in disaster relief operations. Face-to-face interviews were used to obtain data from the City of Ekurhuleni disaster practitioners. The study revealed several challenges affecting the humanitarian response operations in the City of Ekurhuleni. The major challenges associated with disaster relief operations are insufficient resources, corruption, political interference, community unrest and lack of coordination among humanitarian agencies. Strategies for efficient humanitarian response operations should include public awareness campaigns, community capacity building, proper coordination among stakeholders and strengthening the humanitarian response plans with appropriate and corresponding details of how to manage the challenges
Zoonotic diseases in high-risk populations in the Free State province, South Africa
No full textZoonotic diseases are infectious diseases transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans and are accountable for more than 60% of all recognized human diseases and 75% of all new or emerging infectious diseases (EID). In South Africa (SA), endemic zoonoses include Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), Brucella sp., and Leptospira sp. The prevalence and burden of other pathogens, such as hantaviruses, are unknown. Therefore, identifying high-risk occupations and other risk factors are important for control and preventative measures to decrease the disease burden of these zoonoses. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the incidence rate of M. bovis and Brucella sp. in cattle and farm workers in two different farming communities (communal and commercial), as well as their associated risk factors. This study aimed to document occupational exposure to Brucella sp., Leptospira sp. and hantaviruses across the Free State province, South Africa. Four commercial farms and a rural cattle farming community within the Moqhaka and Ngwathe municipal regions were selected for the purpose of this study. From these farms, sputum and blood specimens were collected from 13 commercial farm workers and 13 communal farm workers. Sputum samples were screened for M. bovis through Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) culture. Blood specimens from these 26 farm workers, in addition to 301 archived sera, were screened for Brucella sp., hantaviruses, and Leptospira sp. antibodies using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). From the 26 farm workers, no M. bovis was isolated. Out of the 327 sera screened, 35/327 (10.7%) were Brucella sp. IgG positive, 17/327 (5.2%) Leptospira sp. IgM positive, and 38/327 (11.6%) hantavirus IgG positive. A combined total of 321 cattle were screened for M. bovis through tuberculin skin testing (TST); 71 cattle were from communal farms and 250 from commercial farms. Additionally, blood samples collected from 69 and 1793 cattle within the communal and commercial farms, respectively, were screened for Brucella sp. using a Rose Bengal test (RBT) and complement fixation test (CFT). A total of 8/321 (2.5%) cattle reacted positive to the TST, and two were positive using the interferon-gamma release assay. Initial RBT screening resulted in 52/1859 (2.8%) positive results, further testing using a CFT identified 19/1859 (1%) brucellosis-positive cattle. A higher percentage of brucellosis-positive animals were from communal cattle (6/69; 8.7%) compared to commercial cattle (13/1859; 1.1%). Statistical analysis and probability values were calculated using a chi-squared or Fisher's exact test in the case of sparse data. Analysis identified higher Brucella sp. occupational exposure in veterinarians (p-value = 0.0006) and laboratory workers (p-value = 0.031). Further analysis showed a statistically significant correlation between people who reported illness post-exposure to animal blood/tissue (p-value = 0.029); and older age (p-value = 0.0008) with Brucella sp. seropositivity. Working at the abattoir (p-value = 0.024) was identified as a high-risk occupation for contracting Leptospira sp. In conclusion, the low incidence rate of M. bovis in cattle suggests limited contact with known reservoirs (i.e. buffalo or other wildlife). However, the higher incidence rate of brucellosis in communal cattle highlights the importance of implementing mass herd vaccination campaigns, particularly in communal settings. This report documents the seroprevalence of Leptospira sp., Brucella sp. and hantaviruses in various high-risk occupations in the Free State province and can be used as a basis for the development and establishment of adequate preventive or control measures
Developmental and gene expression changes during intra-puparial development in Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
No full textCriminal investigations are dependent on postmortem interval estimations (PMI) to solve crimes by determining when a homicide occurred. Time of death is estimated using several components, including pathology; however, a pathologist can only determine time of death up to 72 hours postmortem. Therefore, during and beyond this period, entomological evidence is very valuable as the age of the eldest immature fly stage available is used to determine the time of death. In forensic investigations, it is important to have validated growth information at hand for entomological samples, involving all developmental stages, to determine the age of the samples collected. In forensic investigations, blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are important as primary colonizers of cadavers, especially in exposed areas, and current age estimation methods of entomological samples are based on morphological changes of the immature stages. Larvae, often encountered at crime scenes, already have established age estimation methods and preservation protocols. However, pupal developmental and preservation studies are in the minority. The main reason for the lack of data is based on the difficulty of working with pupal samples due to the puparium which conceals morphological changes. Considering the importance of the pupal stage, additional techniques such as molecular analysis are required to augment techniques to improve age estimation of the pupal stage. This dissertation reports on a study that followed a multidisciplinary approach to age estimation of Chrysomya albiceps (blowfly) pupae, which are abundant at crime scenes due to their predatory nature. Investigating the morphological changes occurring within the puparium and the possibility to link this to differential gene expressions changes. Two methods for age estimation were therefore developed: external morphology changes and temporal gene expression changes. In addition, different preservation protocols were tested to determine the most effective preservative dependant on the type of analysis. Validated collection and preservation methods are not readily available for pupal samples and the use of unvalidated collection and preservation methods ultimately hinders age estimation. Laboratory colonies of C. albiceps, reared from wild samples, collected at the University of the Free State, were utilized for pupal sample collection during three trials to obtain optimum
number of samples. Three preservation protocols (pierced before hot water kill (HWK) or not pierced before HWK and placing in 70% ethanol or 10% buffered formalin) for morphological examination were tested on 580 – 590 pupae aiming to retain the native morphology. For nucleic acid integrity, to conduct age estimation by gene expression, 78 pupae were subjected to liquid nitrogen as a killing method and samples were preserved at -80˚C. After morphological and molecular examination of pupae the following preservation method is proposed: for morphological examination pupae are pierced prior to HWK and then stored in 70% ethanol, for long- and short-term preservation as ethanol is the best for retaining native morphology; and for gene expression analysis, pupae are immediately subjected to liquid nitrogen and stored at -80˚C. In addition to previously identified markers, we proposed four new landmarks and based on these results, age estimation can be refined up to 96 hours at 26˚C. The temporal gene expression levels based on 78 pupal samples were quantified using qRT-PCR. It emerged that actin, which was previously used as a reference and target gene, cannot be used as a reference gene due to the changes in expression levels during pupal development and that RpS17, 18S and Rp49 are the best reference genes for normalization. This study made a valuable contribution to the forensic science field in criminal investigations by validating current suggested reference genes, analysing previously identified target genes and identifying new morphological markers which can be used as a baseline for future C. albiceps studies
A framework for integrated emergency care education in South African undergraduate medical programmes
No full textCompetence to manage emergencies is expected from medical practitioners and should be acquired during undergraduate medical training. Since the causes of emergencies can originate from many different systems, both physiological and psychological, a variety of clinical specialities is involved in the teaching of the diagnosis and treatment of emergencies. Bringing various different people and approaches together in undergraduate medical education constitutes a challenge. The lack of an integrated approach to undergraduate medical education in emergency care was identified as a relevant gap worth investigating in this PhD project. This study was undertaken with the aim to provide a framework for the integration of undergraduate medical education in emergency care with the intention to contribute to the steady improvement of undergraduate medical education and, through this, ultimately, to better health outcomes. Specific objectives of the research included the identification of international and national trends in the field and of current education practices at the medical schools in South Africa, including outcomes, objectives, education strategies and ways of assessment. A constructivist approach was followed in the sense that the mostly qualitative insights from the different methods are regarded as contributions towards a larger overall framework, but without the epistemological claim to discover an ultimate truth behind the subjective facts. As methods, an extensive review of published literature on emergency care training and of the regulatory environment for undergraduate medical training provided an international background of recent developments and a local context for South Africa. Semistructured in-depth interviews were held with key people in the established undergraduate medical programmes in South Africa and this promoted a multi-facetted insight into current education practices in the country, into challenges and successes. A three-staged nominal group technique was applied as the second empirical method, to evaluate the current education practice in the undergraduate medical programme at the University of the Free State and to identify needs and make suggestions for improvements. This process collected prioritised statements on strengths and weaknesses from recent graduates and, informed by these contributions by members, prioritised suggestions by the members of the education team, which were then discussed with academic programme managers. Results of the methods are presented as five publishable manuscripts, with one manuscript each reporting the findings from a rapid review of the international and national regulatory environment, one on a scoping review of peer-reviewed publications on undergraduate medical education in emergency care over the last decade, one on in-depth interviews conducted at South African medical schools and the nominal group technique at the University of the Free State, with the fifth manuscript suggesting a framework for the training. Key findings from the regulatory review show that many international bodies explicitly include emergency competencies in their exit outcome objectives, and that the latest trend is towards expressing those objectives in entrustable professional activities. This trend was confirmed in the literature review, which also found that there is, internationally, a growing role being played by emergency medicine, that training is increasingly based on online resources and simulation, and that experiential training typically happens in emergency rooms. The routine standard use of ultrasound in emergency care and the broad integration of ultrasound teaching in undergraduate training was equally significant. The in-depth interviews provided information on an array of issues, with different medical schools sharing the challenges of integrating emergency skills training across modules, reviewing the outcome objectives for curricular renewal, and trying to map such objectives effectively. Increasing student load against a constrained staff basis, complicated further by joint appointment status, interprofessional teaching and the role of emergency medicine, were found to be relevant. From the nominal group technique conducted at the University of the Free State, the importance of short courses in skills training, the need for integrated and well managed coverage of emergency care, for more in-situ clinical experiential learning opportunities, and for appropriate staff development in the field of health professions education, was re-emphasised. The proposed framework illustrates the complex interaction between the key factors of high-quality clinical practice, best current educational practice, and the institutional culture, with each of the three factors dependent on additional factors. In conclusion, the researcher recommends further research to formulate a national set of entrustable professional activities and enabling competencies, and to achieve a comparative mapping of outcome objectives between different medical schools.Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA
Luminescence properties of Gd2O3:Bi3+ co-doped Ln3+ as powder and thin films phosphor for solar cell application
No full textThe main aim of this project is to study the luminescence properties of Gd2O3:Bi3+ co-doped Ln3+(Yb3+ and Er3+) phosphor powder and thin films to improve the energy conversion efficiency of photovoltaics (PV) by using the solar spectral conversion principle for use in solar cell applications. The luminescence properties of Gd2O3:Bi3+ single doped was investigated. The effect of different annealing temperatures and different concentrations of Bi3+ on the luminescence properties were investigated. The combustion method was used to synthesize all the powders samples. The optimum Bi3+ doping concentration was found to be x = 0.003 and the optimum annealing temperature was found to be 1000 °C (2 h). An increase in the average crystallite size with increasing annealing temperature and a decrease with an increase in Bi3+ doping concentration were obtained. The morphological studies showed small particles (less than 100 nm) that started to agglomerate to form bigger particles with sizes up to close to 400 nm during thermal treatment at higher temperature. Diffuse reflectance measurements of the pure host material showed absorption bands at 250, 275 and 315 nm that were attributed to the 4f-4f transitions of the Gd3+ ions. The bandgap was found to be influenced by the annealing temperature, which was determined to be 5.09 eV for the as prepared Gd2O3 host and then increased with increasing temperature. For all the doped samples the strong band at about 227 nm was observed corresponding to inter-band transitions of the Gd2O3 matrix in addition to three bands located around 260, 335, and 375 nm corresponding to the excitation transitions of Bi3+ ions into the different sites (C2 and S6). The luminescent properties of Gd2-xO3:Bix phosphor powder were investigated and the fluorescence spectra show that the luminescence was stimulated by the emission from two types of centers which exhibited efficient blue-green emission bands. The excitation and emissions that correspond to the 1S0→3P1 transitions in the Bi3+ ion depend on the presence of Bi3+ in the two different sites (S6 and C2) of Gd2O3. Significant changes in the thermoluminescence (TL) intensity for the different annealing temperatures and different dopant concentration in the Gd2O3 were observed. The TL glow curves of the UV-irradiated samples showed a low temperature peak at about 364 K and a high temperature peak at 443 K for all the samples. Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) was employed to analyse the surface chemical composition of the powder at a vacuum base pressure of 1.3 × 10−8 Torr and after back-filling with O2 to a pressure of 1.0 × 10−7 Torr. Simultaneous monitoring of the cathodoluminescence (CL) and AES peak-to-peak heights (APPHs) during prolonged electron bombardment in vacuum and O2 over time for 40 h was done. The CL emission of Gd2O3:Bi powder was found to be stable under electron irradiation. Thin films were successfully prepared using the pulsed laser deposition technique. Gd2-xO3:Bix=0.003 phosphor that was optimized for blue luminescence was deposited on Si (100) substrates in vacuum and an oxygen atmosphere at different substrate temperatures. The background atmosphere and substrate temperature were found to significantly affect the microstructure and luminescence of the thin films. The thicknesses for the thin films were relatively constant around 100 nm. The CL emission intensity degradation in a vacuum and an oxygen atmosphere was checked synchronously with the APPHs using the same electron beam for both measurements. The effect of the electron bombardment on the surface state of the samples was studied by using AES and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). All major elements (gadolinium and oxygen) were located, with additional carbon and chlorine that were removed during the early stages of electron bombardment. The CL intensity of the thin films with a blue-green emission was stable under electron bombardment. The Gd2O3 materials based on the Bi3+,Yb3+ phosphor powders were investigated for possible improvement of the photovoltaic conversion efficiency via spectral modification, utilizing the down-conversion (DC) process. The optical bandgap of Gd2O3 increased with additional doping. The DC emission was obtained successfully from Yb3+ co-doped Gd2-xO3:Bix=0.003 samples. The visible emission has blue and green bands related to the Bi3+ in the S6 and C2 symmetry of Gd2O3. The near-infrared (NIR) of DC emissions were centered at 976 nm and less intense peaks centered around 950 nm, 1025 nm and 1065 nm caused by the crystal field Stark splitting of the 2F5/2 and 2F7/2 energy levels corresponding to the Yb3+: 2F5/2 →2F7/2 transitions after absorption of a single UV photon. It was observed that the visible Bi3+ emission gradually decreased with the addition of Yb3+ ion concentration while the NIR emission increased due to energy transfer from Bi3+ to Yb3+ ions. There was a strong increase in DC emissions with doping by adding of Bi3+ ions compared with the samples doped by Yb3+ ions. Er3+ co-doped Gd2-xO3:Bix=0.003 was investigated for up-conversion (UC) processes for the possible use in applications for c-Si SCs. The 980 nm infrared excitation was successfully converted into visible (green-orange-red) emissions and was confirmed for Er3+ doped Gd2O3 samples with and without the presence of Bi3+. There was an increase in the UC emissions with the addition of Bi3+ compared to the sample doped with single Er3+ ions due to the enhancement in Er3+ emission. The UC emissions were observed at 520, 537, 560, 670 and 870 nm and were assigned to the 2H11/2, 4S3/2, 4F9/2 and 4I9/2→ 4I15/2 transitions of the Er3+ ion. The results showed that the presence of Bi3+ ions improved the UC emission of the Er3+ ions. The effect of different concentrations of Yb3+ on the luminescence of Gd2O3:Bi3+, Er3+ phosphor powder was investigated successfully. The structure and morphology of the surfaces revealed that the phosphors were affected by an increasing concentration of the Yb3+ ions. There was a decrease in the crystallite size with an increase in the Yb3+ doping concentration. The successful UC emission spectra of Gd1.977-xO3:Bi0.003, Er0.02, Ybx (x = 0.0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.06, 0.09 and 0.12) were studied under 980 nm infrared excitation. The UC visible emission spectra consisted of a series of green, red and NIR emission bands at 520, 537, 550, 560 and 670 nm and are ascribed to the 4F5/2, 4F7/2, 2H11/2, 4S3/2 and 4F9/2→ 4I15/2 transitions of the Er3+ ions, respectively. The intensity of the UC emission of the green, red and NIR emission bands of the Gd2O3:Er3+ was dependent on the introduction of the Bi3+ and Yb3+ into the matrix. Co-doping by Bi3+ ions strongly enhancing the UC green emission, while co-doping with Yb3+ ions enhanced the UC red emission intensity. The intensity for both the visible emission spectra of Er3+ monitored by using a 379 nm excitation wavelength and CL at 5 keV exhibited a reduction in the intensity with an increase in the Yb3+ concentration due to the energy transfers from Er3+ to Yb3+ by cross-relaxation in contrast to the UC emission results. Under the excitation at 375 nm the emissions were centered at 418 nm corresponding to the 3P1 → 1S0 transition of the Bi3+ ions and in addition the peaks mentioned earlier corresponding to the transitions of the Er3+ ions. Our results indicated that the obtained phosphors might be possibly used for applications in displays, lighting and as a luminescence layer used to modify the solar spectrum with the aim of improving the efficiency of solar cells.National Research Foundation (NRF)South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI)University of the Free State (UFS
A support framework for social learning and integration of first-year undergraduate medical students
No full textThesis (Ph.D.(Health Professions Education))--University of the Free State, 2021In an effort to address the absence of a social learning and integration support system that could facilitate the transition of first-year undergraduate medical students from high school to a new education environment in the School of Clinical Medicine (SoCM) in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FoHS) of the University of the Free State (UFS), an in-depth study was conducted to construct a support framework for social learning and integration of first-year undergraduate medical students. The researcher aligned literature from two theories relating to social learning (Bandura 1969:217) and social integration (Tinto 1975:107) respectively. An aligned theory, called social learning and integration, and defined as the interaction, through institutional experiences, that can influence how individuals learn from each other through observation, imitation, modelling and persistence, was used to obtain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of transitioning into a new education environment, and means of achieving successful transition.
With the application of appropriately selected techniques, namely the nominal group technique and Delphi technique as methods of investigation, the researcher investigated factors that affect the social learning and integration of medical students at the SoCM in the FoHS at the UFS, when they transition from high school into university. During the nominal group meetings, the medical students at the SoCM indicated six factors, namely underpreparedness, peer support, confidence, self-management, alienation and academic advice, that affected their transition from high school to university. After the social learning and integration factors had been identified by the medical students at the SoCM in the FoHS at the UFS, they were engaged further to suggest social learning and integration skills which could ease the social learning and integration factors that had been identified. The social learning and integration skills recommended by the medical students were subsequently presented to a panel of experts in a Delphi study. The experts in the fields of higher education and health sciences education were recruited in South Africa and xx abroad with the aim of achieving consensus on recommendations that could be used to formulate the contribution of the study, namely, the construction of a support framework for social learning and integration of first-year undergraduate medical students.
In addition to achieving consensus on 12 of the recommendations suggested as useful skills for social learning and integration factors, the panel of experts also contributed comments that identified key role players who need to facilitate the recommendations, in an attempt to resolve the social learning and integration factors that had been identified. Four key roles were identified and denoted as levels of engagement, namely community: SoCM, individual, group setting and collaborative relationships. Complementary to the levels of engagement, the literature overview highlights support programmes, which were denoted as actions, namely preparation for health sciences workshop support, mentorship and student-led group support, which are likely resolve the identified social learning and integration factors. By combining the two theories on social learning (Bandura 1969:217) and social integration (Tinto 1975:107), greater depth of understanding was obtained on social learning and integration factors, skills and support programmes. As a contribution to new knowledge, this study constructed a support framework for social learning and integration of first-year undergraduate medical students. Implementing the support framework could facilitate successful transition of first-year undergraduate medical students from high school to university.
___________________________________________________________________In 'n poging om die afwesigheid van 'n sosiale leer- en integrasie-ondersteuningstelsel aan te spreek wat die oorgang van voorgraadse mediese eerstejaarstudente van hoërskool na 'n nuwe onderwysomgewing in die Skool vir Kliniese Geneeskunde in die Fakulteit Gesondheidswetenskappe van die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) kan fasiliteer, is 'n indiepte-studie vir voorgraadse mediese eerstejaarstudente gedoen om ’n ondersteuningsraamwerk vir sosiale leer en integrasie daar te stel. Die navorser het onderskeidelik literatuur uit twee teorieë met betrekking tot sosiale leer (Bandura 1969:217) en sosiale integrasie (Tinto 1975:107) belyn. 'n Belynde teorie, genaamd sosiale leer en integrasie, en gedefinieer as die interaksie, deur institusionele ervarings, wat kan beïnvloed hoe individue by mekaar leer deur waarneming, nabootsing, modellering en volharding, is gebruik om 'n dieper begrip te verkry van die dinamika van oorgang na 'n nuwe onderwysomgewing, en maniere om suksesvolle oorgang te bewerkstellig.
Met die toepassing van toepaslik geselekteerde tegnieke, naamlik die nominale groeptegniek en Delphi-tegniek as metodes van ondersoek, het die navorser faktore ondersoek wat die sosiale leer en integrasie van mediese studente by die Skool vir Kliniese Geneeskunde in die Fakulteit Gesondheidswetenskappe aan die UV beïnvloed wanneer hulle van hoërskool na universiteit oorgaan. Tydens die nominale groepbyeenkomste het die mediese studente by die Skool vir Kliniese Geneeskunde ses faktore aangedui, naamlik onvoldoende voorbereiding, groepondersteuning, selfvertroue, selfbestuur, vervreemding en akademiese advies, wat hul oorgang van hoërskool na universiteit beïnvloed het. Nadat die sosiale leer- en integrasiefaktore deur die mediese studente by die Skool vir Kliniese Geneeskunde in die Fakulteit Gesondheidswetenskappe by die UV geïdentifiseer is, is hulle verder betrek om sosiale leer- en integrasievaardighede voor te stel wat die sosiale leer- en integrasiefaktore wat geïdentifiseer is, kan vergemaklik. Die sosiale leer- en integrasievaardighede wat deur die mediese studente aanbeveel is, is daarna aan 'n paneel kundiges in 'n Delphi-studie voorgelê.
Die kundiges op die gebied van hoër onderwys en gesondheidswetenskappe is in Suid-Afrika en in die buiteland gewerf met die doel om konsensus te bereik oor aanbevelings wat gebruik kan word om die bydrae van die studie te formuleer, naamlik die konstruksie van 'n ondersteuningsraamwerk vir sosiale leer en integrasie van voorgraadse mediese eerstejaarstudente. Benewens dat konsensus bereik is oor 12 van die aanbevelings wat voorgestel is as nuttige vaardighede vir sosiale leer en integrasiefaktore, het die paneel kundiges ook kommentaar gelewer en sleutelrolspelers geïdentifiseer wat die aanbevelings moet fasiliteer, in 'n poging om die sosiale leer- en integrasiefaktore wat geïdentifiseer is, op te los. Vier sleutelrolle is geïdentifiseer en as vlakke van betrokkenheid aangedui, naamlik gemeenskap: Skool vir Kliniese Geneeskunde, individuele, groepopset en samewerkende verhoudings. Aanvullend tot die vlakke van betrokkenheid, beklemtoon die literatuuroorsig ondersteuningsprogramme, wat as aksies aangedui is, naamlik voorbereiding vir gesondheidswetenskaplike werksessie-ondersteuning, mentorskap en studentgeleide groepondersteuning, wat waarskynlik die geïdentifiseerde sosiale leer- en integrasiefaktore sal oplos. Deur die twee teorieë oor sosiale leer (Bandura 1969:217) en sosiale integrasie (Tinto 1975:107) te kombineer, is groter diepte van begrip oor sosiale leer en integrasiefaktore, vaardighede en ondersteuningsprogramme verkry. As 'n bydrae tot nuwe kennis het hierdie studie 'n ondersteuningsraamwerk vir sosiale leer en integrasie van voorgraadse mediese eerstejaarstudente gekonstrueer. Die implementering van die ondersteuningsraamwerk kan die suksesvolle oorgang van voorgraadse mediese eerstejaarstudente van hoërskool na universiteit vergemaklik.
___________________________________________________________________Bakeng sa mekutu ya ho rarolla ho ba siyo ha tshebetso ya tshehetso ya ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng, e leng e ka thusang ka potlako ho ananelwa ha baithuti ba bongaka ba selemo sa pele ba so fumane dikgau, ho tlwaela tikoloho ya ho tswa sekolong se phahameng ho ya tikolohong e ntjha ya thuto ya School of Clinical Medicine (SoCM) ka hara Fakhalthi ya Mahlale a Bophelo bo botle (FoHS) mona Yunivesithing ya Freistata (UFS), ho entswe diphuputso tse tebileng e le ho theha moralo wa tshehetso bakeng sa ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng ha baithuti ba bongaka ba selemo sa pele ba so fumane dikgau. Mofuputsi o bokeletse diteori tse pedi tse amanang le ho ithuta setjhabeng (Bandura 1969:217) le ho ananelwa setjhabeng (Tinto 1975:107) ka ho latelana. Teori e theilweng e bitswang ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng mme ya hlaloswa ka hore ke kamano ka lebaka la boiphihlelo ba institjushene, e ka tshwaetsang kamoo motho ka mong a ka ithutang ho e mong ka teng ka ho tadima, ho etsisa, ho kgaba le ho latella, e ile ya sebediswa ho ba le kutlwisiso e tebileng ya mekgwa ya phetohelo ho kena tikolohong e ntjha ya thuto, esita le mekgwa ya ho fumana phetohelo e jwalo e atlehileng.
Ka ho sebedisa mekgwa e kgethilweng ka nepo e leng mokgwa wa ho tadima sehlopha se itseng sa baithuti esita le mokgwa wa Delphi e le mekgwa ya dipatlisiso, mofuputsi o ile a batlisisa mabaka a bakang ho ithuta le ho amohelwa setjhabeng ha baithuti ba bongaka ba SoCM mona FoHS mona UFS, ha ba fetoha ho tswa sekolong se phahameng ho kena yunivesithing. Nakong ya dikopano tsa sehlopha, baithuti ba bongaka ba SoCM ba hlahisitse mabaka a tsheletseng, e leng ho se itokise ka botlalo, tshehetso ya bomphato, tshepo, boitaolo, ho ikgetholla le keletso ya thuto, ka hore di tshwaeditse phetoho ho tswa sekolong se phahameng ho ya yunivesithing. Kamora ho hlwaya mabaka a ho ithuta le ho amohelwa setjhabeng, baithuti ba bongaka ba SoCM ho FoHS mona UFS, ba ile ba ikakgela ka setotswana ho tswela pele ho hlahisa tsebo ya mesebetsi ya ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng e ka bebofatsang mabaka a hlwailweng a ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng. Mesebetsi ena e kgothaleditsweng ke baithuti ba bongaka hamorao e ile ya hlahiswa ho moifo wa ditsebi tsa diphuputso tsa Delphi. Ditsebi mafapheng ana a thuto e phahameng le mahlale a bophelo bo botle a thaothilwe mona Afrika Borwa le mose ho mawatle ka sepheo sa ho fihlella tumellano ya bohle mabapi le dikgothaletso tse ka sebediswang ho theha seabo sa diphehiso diphuputsong tsena, e leng kaho ya moralo wa tshehetso bakeng sa ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng ha baithuti ba bongaka ba selemo sa pele, ba so fumane dikgau.
Ho eketsa hodima ho fihlella tumellano ya bohle ho dikgothaletso tse 12 tse kgothaleditsweng e le mesebetsi ya bohlokwa bakeng sa mabaka a ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng, moifo wa ditsebi o bile wa hlahisa maikutlo a hlwaileng bankakarolo ba motheo ba lokelang ho phethahatsa dikgothaletso tsena e le ho leka ho rarolla mathata a hlwailweng a ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng. Diabo tse nne tsa motheo di ile tsa hlwauwa mme tsa bontshwa e le maemo a ho ba le seabo, e le setjhaba: SoCM, motho ka mong, maemo a sehlopha le dikamano tsa kopanelo kapa kgobokano. E le ho kgema le maemo ana a ho ba le seabo, dingolwa di totobatsa mananeo a tshehetso, a bontshitsweng e le diketso, e leng ditokisetso bakeng sa tshehetso ya wekeshopo ya mahlale a bophelo bo botle, botataisi le tshehetso ya sehlopha se laolwang ke moithuti, e leng ba ka bang le hona ho rarolla mabaka kapa dintlha tse hlwailweng tsa ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng. Ka ho kopanya diteori tse pedi tsa ho ithuta setjhabeng (Bandura 1969:217) le ho ananelwa setjhabeng (Tinto 1975:107), ho fumanwe kutlwisiso e tebileng bakeng sa ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng, tsebo ya mesebetsi le mananeo a tshehetso. Jwaloka diphehiso tsa tsebo e ntjha, diphuputso tsena di thehile moralo wa tshehetso bakeng sa ho ithuta le ho ananelwa setjhabeng ha baithuti ba bongaka ba selemo sa pele. Ho sebedisa moralo ona wa tshehetso ho ka potlakisa phetoho e atlehileng ya baithuti ba bongaka ba selemo sa pele mme ba so fumane dikgau ho tloha sekolong se phahameng ho kena yunivesithing.
___________________________________________________________________Emzamweni wokubhekana nokungabi bikho kohlelo lokusekela lokufunda nokuhlanganiswa ngokwenhlalo olungasiza uguquko lwabafundi bezokwelapha abenza unyaka wokuqala besuka esikoleni esiphakeme baye endaweni entsha yemfundo eSikoleni Sezokwelapha (SoCM) ku-Faculty of Health Sciences (i-FoHS) yeNyuvesi yaseFreyistata (i-UFS), ucwaningo olunzulu lwenziwa ukuze kwakhiwe uhlaka lokweseka lokufunda ngezenhlalo kanye nokudidiyelwa kwabafundi bonyaka wokuqala abenza izifundo zobudokotela. Umcwaningi waqondanisa izincwadi ezivela emibonweni emibili ephathelene nokufunda komphakathi (Bandura 1969:217) kanye nokuhlanganiswa komphakathi (Tinto 1975:107) ngokulandelana. Injulwalwazi ehambisanayo, ebizwa ngokuthi ukufunda nokuhlanganiswa kwezenhlalo, futhi echazwa ngokuthi ukuxhumana, ngokusebenzisa ulwazi lwesikhungo, olungathonya indlela abantu abafunda ngayo komunye nomunye ngokubuka, ukulingisa, ukumodela nokuphikelela, yasetshenziswa ukuze kutholwe ukuqonda okujulile kokuguquguquka kwenguquko endaweni entsha yemfundo, kanye nezindlela zokuzuza uguquko oluyimpumelelo.
Ngokusetshenziswa kwamasu akhethwe ngokufanele, okuyisu leqembu elibizwa ngegama kanye nenqubo yeDelphi njengezindlela zophenyo, umcwaningi uphenye izici ezithinta ukufunda komphakathi kanye nokuhlanganiswa kwabafundi bezokwelapha e-SoCM ku-FoHS e-UFS, lapho beshintsha kusukela phezulu esikoleni ukuya enyuvesi. Phakathi nemihlangano yeqembu, abafundi bezobudokotela e-SoCM babonise izici eziyisithupha, okungukuthi, ukungalungiseleli, ukwesekwa kontanga, ukuzethemba, ukuzilawula, ukuzihlukanisa kanye nezeluleko zezemfundo, ezithinte ukuguquka kwabo kusukela esikoleni esiphakeme ukuya enyuvesi. Ngemva kokuba izici zokufunda nokuhlanganiswa kwezenhlalo sezihlonzwe abafundi bezokwelapha e-SoCM ku-FoHS e-UFS, baphinde bahlanganyela ukuze baphakamise amakhono okufunda ngokwenhlalo kanye nokuhlanganisa okungadambisa izici zokufunda ngokwenhlalo kanye nezici zokuhlanganisa ezazihlonziwe. Amakhono okufunda ngokwenhlalo kanye nokuhlanganiswa okunconywe ngabafundi bezokwelapha abe esethulwa kuphaneli yochwepheshe ocwaningweni lwaseDelphi. Ongoti emikhakheni yemfundo ephakeme kanye nesayensi yezempilo baqashwa eNingizimu Afrikha naphesheya ngenhloso yokuzuza ukuvumelana ngezincomo ezingasetshenziswa ukwenza umnikelo wocwaningo, okungukuthi, ukwakhiwa kohlaka lokusekela umphakathi, ukufunda nokuhlanganiswa kwabafundi bezokwelapha abenza unyaka wokuqala.
Ngaphezu kokuzuza ukuvumelana kweziyi-12 zezincomo eziphakanyiswe njengamakhono awusizo ekufundeni komphakathi kanye nezici zokuhlanganisa, iphaneli yochwepheshe iphinde ibe nesandla ukuphawula okuhlonze ababambiqhaza ababalulekile abadinga ukwenza lula izincomo, emzamweni wokuxazulula ukufunda nokuhlanganiswa komphakathi. Izindima ezine ezibalulekile zahlonzwa futhi zachazwa njengamazinga okuzibandakanya, okungukuthi umphakathi: I-SoCM, umuntu ngamunye, ukuhlelwa kweqembu kanye nobudlelwano bokusebenzisana. Okuhambisana namazinga okuzibandakanya, uhlolojikelele lwezincwadi lugqamisa izinhlelo zokweseka, ezachazwa njengezenzo, okungukuthi, ukulungiselela ukwesekwa komhlangano wokucobelelana ngolwazi lwesayensi yezempilo, ukweluleka nokusekelwa kweqembu eliholwa ngabafundi, okungenzeka ukuthi yizo ezixazulula izici ezihlonziwe zokufunda nokuhlanganiswa kwezenhlalo. Ngokuhlanganisa izinjulalwazi ezimbili okufunda komphakathi (Bandura 1969:217) kanye nokuhlanganiswa komphakathi (Tinto 1975:107), ukujula okukhulu kokuqonda kwatholakala ekufundeni komphakathi kanye nezici zokuhlanganisa, amakhono kanye nezinhlelo zokusekela. Njengomnikelo olwazini olusha, lolu cwaningo lwakha uhlaka lokusekelwa lokufunda ngezenhlalo kanye nokuhlanganiswa kwabafundi bezokwelapha abenza unyaka wokuqala weziqu zezokwelapha. Ukusebenzisa uhlaka lokweseka kungasiza ekushintsheni ngempumelelo kwabafundi abenza unyaka wokuqala abafundela ubudokotela besuka esikoleni esiphakeme baye enyuvesi.
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A place of prostration: a Masjid complex in Bloemfontein
No full textSalah is one of the most important duties in the life of a Muslim which is centred around the Masjid. Bloemfontein has a growing Muslim community consisting of a diverse demographic of people however, there is a lack of formal religious spaces. Salah is performed five times a day and so the Masjid is a significant space for praying, community engagement and learning. Aside from the diversity, the community is well dispersed across the city with many residents away from their extended family which means that the Masjid is an important gathering space and place of identity. This thesis aims to identify the dynamics of the current population and praying spaces to design a Masjid and community centre. Due to the diverse nature of Muslims, a more universal approach will be explored in terms of ritual and traditional aesthetics to create a Masjid that is free from stereotypical forms. As a result, the history and functions of the Masjid will be explored to create a space that orientates the congregant within the context while remaining alien. Ultimately the new design is inspired by abstract and contemporary interpretations of traditional elements to create a place of prostration
The Sr isotopic stratigraphy of the LCZ-UCZ transition in the Western Limb of the Bushveld Complex
No full textData on the modal mineralogy, whole-rock geochemistry, plagioclase mineral chemistry and Sr isotopic compositions in lithologies covering an interval of ~100 m across the Upper Critical Zone (UCZ) and Lower Critical Zone (LCZ) transition in the Western Limb of the Bushveld Complex are presented in this study. The aims of this study were to (1) investigate the presence or absence of isotopic disequilibrium in plagioclase (2) to investigate differences between the LCZ and UCZ from a geochemical, petrological and Sr isotopic perspective and (3) to refine chromitite formation models using the data obtained over the course of the study. Samples were obtained from the BH7929 drill core donated by Impala platinum to the University of the Free State. Samples were analysed using transmitted light microscopy, X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS), Electron Probe Micro-Analyzer (EPMA) and Laser Ablation Multi-Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA MC-ICP-MS) to produce whole-rock major and trace element geochemistry and plagioclase elemental and isotopic compositional profiles across the UCZ-LCZ transition. Results reveal that the LCZ is composed of orthopyroxene-dominated lithologies that display cryptic layering, hosting two chromitite layers (MG1-2), with plagioclase predominantly existing as an intercumulus phase. Plagioclase is predominantly cumulus in the UCZ, dominating the UCZ lithologies that display modal layering. Two chromitite layers were investigated in the UCZ (MG3-4). Compositional breaks in whole-rock major and trace elements are detected at the UCZ-LCZ transition and at the level of the chromitite layers, reflecting variations in the dominant mineral phases. Fractionation indices including whole-rock Mg# and Cr/V ratio reveal little variation throughout the study interval in silicate-dominated lithologies, with variations mostly detected at the level of chromitite layers. Plagioclase An% averages 82.10 ± 1.90% in the UCZ, whereas it averages 73.58 ± 2.60% in the LCZ. Chromitite layers in the LCZ reveal lower An% values in comparison with adjacent silicate lithologies, whereas the UCZ reveals very little to no variations between chromitites and silicate lithologies. Sri values in the UCZ average 0.7059 ± 0.0003, whereas Sri in the LCZ averages 0.7054 ± 0.0004. Decreases in the Sri value of plagioclase are observed at the level of the chromitite layers in the LCZ, whereas the UCZ reveals a constant Sri up the stratigraphy. The data provide credence to the importance of magma mixing (i.e. Irvine, 1977) as a process operational in the formation of chromitite layers within the LCZ and UCZ and argue against models suggesting variations in intensive parameters or in-situ crystallization as dominant processes in the formation of chromitite layers. It is proposed that the UCZ-LCZ transition displays credible evidence for the repeated intrusion of batches of isotopically distinct magmas, with chromitite layers in the LCZ forming in response to the mixing of newly introduced and resident magma in a manner analogous to that envisaged by Irvine. The MG3 layer in the UCZ also appears to have formed as a direct consequence of mixing between newly intruded UCZ magma and the residual LCZ magma. The MG4 layer does not preserve Sr-isotopic evidence for magma mixing as it has similar Sri as that of adjacent silicate lithologies. In order to account for the mass balance of Cr, it is argued that at the level of chromitite layers, intruded magma pulses were chromite-laden, with additional chromite formation occurring in response to magma mixing. The MG1 chromitite layer provides potential evidence in support of such an argument in the form of multiple isotopically distinct populations of plagioclase that may have been intruded along with suspended chromite crystals.DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Integrated Mineral and Energy Resource Analysis (DST-NRF CIMERA)Impala platinum LT
The role of intersemiotic translation in multimodal communication in educational textbooks
No full textOur social world is a multitude of semiotic resources which we use in combination with language to make and convey meaning. The ever-increasing integration of language with other semiotic resources is turning our social world into a multimodal-communicative environment. Multimodality is using and combining various semiotic resources, for example, images and linguistic expression, for communication. It looks at all meaning-making resources available and how different resources are used in multiple contexts. Moreover, it includes the study of how these resources are organised in these contexts to form coherent meaning. These organised sets of resources are called modes. Through the selection and arrangement of modes, people create meaning, which they can then communicate. The modes in multimodality are the various semiotic resources used in combination with language, which creates a message. Since these resources can be translated into a written text and vice versa, an argument can be made that a multimodal text resembles an intersemiotic translation. Intersemiotic translation is the interpretation of language and/or linguistics signs through other non-verbal semiotic resources. It can be further hypothesised as resemiotisation, which focuses on how meaning conceptualisation occurs when there is a shift between different semiotic resources. Resemiotisation is thus concerned with "tracking" how meaning translates from one semiotic sign to another through intersemiotic translation when meaning-making takes place through a multimodal text. One field in which multimodal communication plays an ever-increasing role is education. Education as an academic field has transformed tremendously over the years. Changes are not just pedagogical but also, even more importantly, seen in the composition of learning material. Learning and teaching from predominantly text-based textbooks are gradually falling out of favour, and a greater emphasis is placed on adapting educational material to become more multimodal. One of the theories emphasising the importance of multimodal texts is the theory of multiliteracies. The pedagogical approach behind this theory is that a wide range of communicative, cultural and linguistic tools should be incorporated into teaching methodology. This framework thus creates the space for studying the relationship between the different modes in a multimodal text, as well as the composition. This research aimed to conduct a descriptive content analysis of an academic literacy textbook that communicates predominantly via multimodal texts. The primary research question this study wanted to answer was what relationship, if any, exists between the written text and the other semiotic resources used for communication? Thus, the communication process that was looked at here was specifically multimodal communication. This was done through descriptive analysis. The text that was analysed was from a multimodal literacy textbook used in the field of Natural Sciences at the University of the Free State, South Africa. Additionally, the research also looked at how semiotic resources compare across different subject fields. For the comparison, another multimodal academic literacy textbook was used; this one was from the field of Humanities, also used in classes at the University of the Free State. The aim of the comparison was to see whether similar semiotic resources were used in the meaning-making process or if perhaps certain semiotic resources were used in particular subject fields only. The study investigated the role intersemiotic translation played in creating multimodal communication by studying one chapter of a textbook to answer the research question. The analysis and subsequent comparison focused on finding answers for the following questions: What semiotic resources are used when creating multimodal texts, and lastly, whether there is a relation between text type and resource? In other words, does a particular text type favour a particular semiotic resource. The research design was qualitative. Explorative and descriptive content analysis was done to illustrate the relationship of semiotic resources used in the analysed text. This showed how these resources were compared across different fields and how they created the message together with written text. The data that was analysed in this study was one chapter from a first-year literacy course textbook used at the University of the Free State. The analysis and subsequent comparison established whether specific semiotic resources were consistently used across subject fields, whether one is preferred over another, and how intersemiotic translation transformed communication. This research proved helpful in understanding the interaction between semiotic resources and language and how multimodal texts communicate meaning