11613 research outputs found
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Weaving temporal threads: a wool processing at Houtkraal Railway Station in the Karoo, South Africa
No full textDissertation (M.Arch.(Architecture))--University of the Free State, 2023Many unused and abandoned railway stations are scattered throughout the Karoo, the site of Houtkraal Railway Station being one of them. The remaining buildings verge on ruin, and slow and deliberate decay has set in, mediating between present, future and past.
The main question is: ?
Though the wool industry in South Africa is largely unstable due to outbreaks of cattle diseases, which limits the export of wool to other countries, the local processing of wool has yet to be established. Much research has been done on wool processing and its social, economic and environmental impact, though past research and precedent studies fail to address the possible architecture that may accommodate and balance both the hand-driven processes of wool processing and the industrial nature of a railway line in South Africa. Furthermore, the interpretation of patinas in architecture relies heavily on time, temporality and ruin theories. Along with the theory, investigations are done regarding materiality and promenades, which will attempt to make sense of the experience of passing time. The successful and realistic design and development of a wool-processing facility in the Karoo, next to a railway, may revitalise the railway and the local economy and may change onlookers’ perspectives on buildings laid waste over time
Narrative identities of late adolescent males who experienced the loss of a parent
No full textThesis(Ph.D.(Child Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2023Many children in South Africa have lost a parent through various causes, including HIV/AIDS. In 2021 alone, a staggering 2 920 000 children were affected, with 960 000 young people losing a parent to this disease. Additionally, South Africa recorded the highest number of children who lost their primary caregiver to COVID-19 between March 2020 and April 2021. The death of a parent can be a significant turning point in a young person's life, altering the construction of their narrative identity. Hence, this qualitative study aimed to explore and describe the emerging narrative identities of late adolescent males who had lost a parent between birth and 14 years of age. The current study explored these narratives around parental loss and the subsequent bereavement stressors using the Dual Process Model of Coping with Grief and Bereavement and the Continuing Bonds Model. Furthermore, the study aimed to understand the meaning that the late adolescents ascribed to the loss using the Meaning Reconstruction Theory. In addition, the Gender Role Strain Paradigm was used to explore how the narrative identities and meaning-making processes of late adolescent males have been shaped by gender roles. Being positioned within an interpretivist-constructivist paradigm, this qualitative study was interested in the meaning of individual participants’ experiences.
Using a narrative research design, the study specifically focused on turning points or significant events in the participants’ lives. The participants were late adolescent males between the ages of 15 years and 19 years who had lost a parent between birth and 14 years of age. In this study, data were collected through a semi-structured interview using the Life Story Interview method (Atkinson & Hagenah, 1994), and subsequently analysed using thematic narrative analysis. The results suggested that parental loss brought about significant personal changes, secondary losses, and particular challenges as participants came to terms with their grief. Specifically, the grieving process reflected how grief occurs throughout the developmental years. Furthermore, participants’ views signified how gender-related changes in society have affected how male loss is expressed. The participants' views on gender roles indicated significant changes in how society perceives traditional gender roles. The role of significant others was also highlighted as a salient theme and suggests that the surviving parent, extended family, teachers, and peers play a pivotal role in the grief process. Finding meaning in the loss was considered and how participants were engaged in the meaning-making process was demonstrated. The importance of agency and goal-directedness was central in the narratives of parentally bereaved late adolescent males. Lastly, the value of telling the story of loss was also highlighted. This study contributed to the limited research that has been conducted on narrative identity and parental loss. Furthermore, the unique focus on late adolescents who have experienced parental loss using a narrative inquiry approach highlights potential areas of intervention for this population
Transformative teacher training strategies of stringed instruments in South African Community Music programmes
No full textThesis(Ph.D.(Odeion School of Music))--University of the Free State, 2023South African Community Music programmes are at the vanguard of responding to a multitude of challenges, including not only access to music education but also to teacher training and, more specifically, string teacher training. Where high standards are not persistently met, the historical inequities in the provision of quality music education may perpetuate legacies of inequality. Thus, to provide students with the best possible music education that fosters high aspirations and enables them to realise their full potential and personal growth, string teachers engaged in Community Music programmes must receive training that is intentional, structured, frequent, and both intense and intensive. This study examined the current state of string teacher training in South African Community Music programmes where former students are now employed as teachers with the aim of investigating their successes and weaknesses. The objective was to gain an in-depth understanding of these programmes to make recommendations for enhancing string instruction. To achieve this, a descriptive research design and an interpretive multiple case study underpinned by social constructivism were implemented, supported by a theoretical framework that was applied to transformational teaching. Through an extensive literature study that extracted previous research on Community Music and divergent practices, accounts of string pedagogy and contemporary string teaching methodologies were reviewed. By conducting interviews with 13 participants from three cases (Community Music programmes), the study shared the insights and lived experiences of programme directors and string teachers which illuminated the central tenets of transformative strategies for string teacher training. A shortage of resources, successful and ineffective string teaching practices and methodologies, factors affecting the growth and effectiveness of string teachers, and measures to improve string teacher training were some of the findings that emerged from the data. The study also identified strategies for string teacher training that encourage teachers to work collaboratively, frequently, and intensively in an environment that promotes active engagement and reflective practice. Community Music programmes have the potential to promote positive social outcomes, such as personal development through music education achievement, community development through cultural and economic empowerment, social cohesion, and improved wellbeing, as determined by and demonstrated in this study
Transcriptome sequencing and digital expression analyses of flower morphogenesis genes in Clivia miniata
No full textDissertation (M.Sc.(Genetics))--University of the Free State, 2023Flower morphology is an important aspect in horticulture as it can be used to create new varieties, it plays an important role in pollination and it influences the visual appeal of a plant. The genus Clivia is important in horticulture due to the plant’s ornamental value, adaptability, low maintenance requirements, easy propagation and showy flowers. The genus comprises plants that exhibit two distinct flower morphologies, namely, the pendulous (drooping) and non-pendulous (upright) forms. The aims of the study were to sequence the transcriptome of the two Clivia flower shapes; identify flower morphogenesis genes and identify differentially expressed morphogenesis genes between the pendulous and non-pendulous Clivia flowers. Illumina sequencing and analyses generated a 200 MB Clivia flower transcriptome. A total of 36 flower development-related genes from the Flower Interactive database (FLOR-ID) were identified, including AGAMOUS, APETALA, SEPALLATA, PISTILATA, TERMINAL FLOWER1 and WUSCHEL. DE analysis resulted in 7,303 DEGs which were annotated using the SwissProt/Uniprot, KEGG, GO, PANTHER, Pfam, TMHMM, SignalP, EggNog and RNAmmer databases. The top three species with sequence homologies to the annotated Clivia transcriptome were Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays and Oryza sativa. Several transcription factors were found to be unique to each flower form, including a MADS-box gene likely to be responsible for the different morphologies. Our results contribute towards understanding the molecular mechanisms of flowering, flower development and morphogenesis in Clivia
Critical success factors for the implementation of Value-Based Management (VBM) in a Provincial Government Department in the Free State
No full textDissertation (MBA (Business Administration))--University of the Free State, 2022Many organisations, both public and commercial, employ value-based management as a powerful management philosophy to assess their performance. Departments and agencies are challenged to improve programme and service performance at all levels of government. The ability of public sector organisations to demonstrate value generation will determine their long-term survival as they become more performance- driven and citizen-focused. To ensure the Free State province's survival in these trying economic times, provincial executives must establish a state capable of carrying out its developmental mandate within their different departments. This requires the government to conserve the planned financial resources and spend them wisely on service delivery. The purpose of this study was to examine the critical success factors for the implementation of value-based management in a provincial government department in the Free State. The critical success factors for the implementation of value-based management were investigated through the literature review to understand its applicability to the public sector environment such as provincial government departments. Through a series of interviews, a qualitative research approach was used to acquire a deeper knowledge of the essential success factors that add value to the provincial departments in the South African Free State province. Although the research study revealed that the participants understand the value drivers within the government departments in the province, most of the participants indicated the need for appropriate training and education on the concept of value- based management and the benefits thereof
Challenges of pre-service teachers' classroom participation in a rurally located university in South Africa
No full textDespite the enriched curriculum and pedagogical practices that expose everyone enrolled to be trained as
professional teachers to teaching skills, the number of incompetent teachers produced by many higher
learning institutions is still increasing. There is an outcry from the general public in South Africa. In order to
gain insight into this concern, this study examined the challenges of pre-service teachers’ classroom
participation in a rurally located university in South Africa. A qualitative research design of a case study
approach was employed to collect data from ten years 3 and 4 pre-service teachers and five lecturers. A semistructured
and focus group discussion (FGD) was organised to collect data on a thematic analysis. The
findings revealed that lack of preparation from both lecturer and student, the use of teacher-centred
approach, difficulty in understanding English language, teaching workload, large classes, student
background and tribalism are major challenges limiting pre-service teachers’ classroom participation in a
rurally located university in South Africa. Pertinent recommendations were made, including student-centred
and collaborative teaching and learning approaches that could encourage students to participate actively in
classroom activities. This would also catalyse the pre-service teachers' involvement in the teaching and
learning process.Publisher's versio
Exploring the use of mobile learning applications in the Physical Sciences classroom
No full textDissertation (M.Ed.(Subject Education in Science and Technology))--University of the Free State, 2022Over the years, there has been a rapid increase in the development of technology. Most researchers have realised the importance of integrating technology in teaching and learning activities. This should also be included into curriculum planning as teaching with technology will assist in better lesson delivery. Since ICT tools are expensive to buy and maintain, smart phones through mobile apps provide alternatives that are readily available with most of them not requiring a subscription fee. Although e-Education policies that support the use of technology in the classroom are being implemented, schools in the Free State are still not exploiting this advantage. However, guidelines on how to use a smart phone in the classroom, is lacking. Additionally, because of the numerous apps advertised in stores, it is difficult to find a relevant app for use in the classroom. This study emanated out of concern that South African schools lack ICT and Physical Sciences resources and therefore learners will not grasp the importance of using smart phone technologies to enhance learning activities thus creating a digital gap in their knowledge and skills. In attempting to understand the role free mobile applications could play in a Physical sciences classroom, this study investigated if learners know how to install and use apps appropriately, and then assess them for suitability and applicability in the teaching-learning processes. The teaching and learning policies and the CAPS document were used to inform the study on what type of skills learners should acquire in Physical Sciences, especially by using smart phone apps. Additionally, TPACK informed on the different types of knowledge that an educator must possess in order to integrate technology in teaching and learning activities.
This concurrent mixed method study selected 72 Grade 10 and 11 Physical Sciences learners from 2 schools in the Southern Free State by utilising observation sheets and questionnaires to elicit the impact of adopting mobile apps in teaching and learning activities. This was done through the testing of 4 applications; namely, the Physical Science mobile app, WhatsApp, the school planner app, and the Google classroom app. Key findings revealed that learners knew how to acquire mobile applications on their own. This can be acquired from an app store, or the internet through a browser and through sharing software which allows apps to be shared as an APK file. Additionally, learners knew how to evaluate content through the apps concerning its relevancy to the Physical Sciences. Learners experiences indicated that apps can be used to impact planning, provide sufficient practice, and improve communication between teachers and learners. Moreover, these apps prioritised learners to be in charge of their learning by allowing them to schedule events for later dates and to practise at any point without the supervision of an educator. However, app usage in the classroom provided loopholes that made it easier for learners to collude, proving that the usage of apps in the class must be supervised. These findings, therefore, call for a revision of policies that can guide smart phone usage in the classroom to avoid collusion. Additionally, app usage must be promoted in schools to provide learners with sufficient resources to access learning content with ease which will somewhat address the lack of resources in schools. Teacher- training must also include the use of ICT programmes to facilitate learning in schools. Teacher-trainees when on practice sessions at schools could monitor the progress of teaching-learning situations when using smart phones in classroom. Future studies must utilise eye-tracking software to determine the areas that learners generally hone into when using an app which can lead to better suitable apps being created for teaching and learning purposes
The perceptions of teachers on the implementation of the school progression policy in primary schools
No full textDissertation (M.Ed.(Education Law))--University of the Free State, 2022In reaction to high repetition rates in South African primary schools, the Department of Education introduced the progression policy through the National Policy Pertaining to the Progression and Promotion (NPPPR) of learners and the National Protocol for Assessment (NPA), to serve as guidelines on how to promote and progress learners through the education system. The intention of this study was to explore the perceptions of teachers about the implementation of the progression policy. It is believed that teachers’ perceptions influence how they maximise their production, especially when confronted by unprepared learners who are not grade ready. This qualitative study provides an interpretation and analysis of teachers’ perceptions and experiences by responding to the question, What are the perceptions of teachers about the implementation of the progression policy in primary schools? Situated in an interpretive paradigm with a phenomenological design, the study explored teachers’ perceptions. The study was embedded in a social justice theoretical framework that advocates for fair treatment and participation and promotion of teachers’ human rights through being afforded recognition and freedom of speech in policies that affect them. Teachers require support, just practices and opportunities to raise their concerns in order to give effect to their role and hinder their reluctance to fulfil their job descriptions. The research was carried out with a sample of purposively selected participants, namely teachers and departmental heads. The participants’ perceptions were interrogated using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions.
Document analysis was also employed to corroborate the data gathered through interviews and focus group discussions. The NPA as well as the NPPPR were analysed. These documents guide the promotion and progression process at schools. The findings indicate that the challenges teachers are confronted with deny them the opportunity to implement the policy effectively. Teachers are not ready to accept and implement the policy, because of its effects on learners and the way teachers perceive it. Although the findings reveal that teachers had not undergone training in the implementation of the policy, some schools had remediation strategies in place to assist the affected learners. It was evident that teachers needed training, as a large number of them confessed to using the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to teaching. Teachers do not consider the range of abilities of learners, therefore learners continually fall into the progression web. The findings indicate that the progression policy degrades the quality of education if it is not implemented effectively. In South Africa, the progression policy is implemented differently in different schools. Progressed learners suffer stigma, and teachers are unable to provide the necessary support suggested by the progression policy. From the findings of the interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis, the study made several recommendations: regular monitoring of the policy by the school management team is necessary, there should be bottom-up consultation, alternative ways to teaching should be investigated, inclusive education teachers should be available at schools, and they should cater exclusively for progressed learners’ classes, and teachers’ grievances should lead to amendments to the policy
Effectiveness of cattle dung biogas digestate on spinach growth and nutrient uptake
No full textNew farming techniques should be introduced to improve yield quality and quantity while taking preservation of the environment into consideration. This study investigated effectiveness of cattle dung biogas digestate on spinach growth and nutrient uptake. Spinach was grown with cattle dung biogas digestate (BD), inorganic fertiliser (IF) and unfertilised control (CO) treatments under complete randomised design field conditions. Spinach planted under BD showed significantly higher growth in terms of plant height and number of leaves compared to spinach under CO and IF. A linear relationship between leaf numbers and leaf area index (LAI) (R2 0.691, p <0.0001) was established for the study. Cattle dung biogas digestate (BD) plants produced significantly the longest roots followed by IF plants. The IF plants produced more biomass per rooting depth (0.85 g cm 1) than BD (0.61 g cm 1) and CO (0.35 g cm 1). Regarding macronutrient content of the spinach leaves, significant differences were only observed for potassium (K) in the order of IF (8.6 g kg 1), BD (6.8 g kg 1), and CO (6.7 g kg 1). Significantly higher amounts of zinc (Zn2þ) accumulated in spinach leaves under BD compared to IF and CO. Fertilising spinach with BD improves growth and development just as much as IF. Additional benefits include improving nutrient content of the spinach, assisting with environmental preservation and decreasing production cost.Publisher's versio
Tattoos as an expression of narrative identity among emerging adults
No full textDissertation(M.Soc.Sc.(Counselling Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2022The aim of this study was to explore and describe the use of tattoos as an expression of narrative identity among emerging adults. The practice of tattooing is almost as old as humanity itself, yet we are only now starting to uncover the profound and unique narratives that are expressed by these images. Narrative identity theory served as the framework for this study with the assumption that the self consists of three interconnected layers. The actor self is concerned with the present and the performance of social roles while the agent self focuses on the achievement of future goals by constructing and personalising a worldview. The author self becomes prominent during the emerging adulthood stage and attempts to make meaning of past nuclear events. Emerging adulthood is a distinctive life stage with multiple paths undertaken by individuals in the exploration of their unique identity.
This qualitative study followed an explorative and descriptive research design rooted in a constructivist framework. Through purposive sampling, 10 emerging adults with at least one tattoo were selected. Data were gathered through the use of a reflective writing exercise and semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using thematic narrative analysis. The findings demonstrated that the emerging adults from this study used tattoos to express their affiliation with others. Tattoos also reminded participants of the nuclear events that form part of their life narratives. The resilience shown to overcome challenges was another aspect expressed by the tattoos. Furthermore, it was indicated that there still seems to be a generational gap, with older individuals reacting negatively to the participant’s tattoos. Finally, the findings showed that participants used tattoos to express their unique identities.
This study emphasises the importance of all three layers of the self for narrative-identity development by describing how the actor, agent, and author use tattoos to perform their various roles. This study draws a similarity between tattoo narratives and aspects of narrative identity such as agency, communion, and meaning-making. The study also emphasises the importance of the balance between agency and communion. Furthermore, a unique perspective was presented regarding vicarious narratives and their possible role in altering the master narrative. Lastly, the study adds valuable knowledge to emerging adulthood theory by showing the applicability of the proposed developmental pathways within the South African context. This study illustrates the importance and relevance of research on tattoos for the expansion of knowledge in the fields of narrative identity and emerging adulthood