11613 research outputs found
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Edged on the strange and emerged - nature’s indigenousness: an eco-regenerative research centre, Barberton
No full textDissertation (M.Arch. (Architecture))--University of the Free State, 2022This dissertation investigates the architectural design of an Eco-Regenerative Research Centre in Barberton. Two objectives guide the research. The primary aim of the dissertation project is to accommodate the programmatic needs of
the Research Centre. The Research Centre investigates the potential of employing hyperaccumulative plants for landscape rehabilitation after mining. Toxins in the soil are naturally broken down by hyperaccumulative plants, restoring the soil and allowing for landscape regeneration. This process further allows for a more feasible rehabilitation solution through processing these hyperaccumulative plants to extract the metals. This process is known as phytomining. Apart from functioning as a Research Centre, the Centre also welcomes visiting academics and representatives from the mining industry to observe and learn about the negative impact of mining and the regenerative processes being studied. To this educational purpose, the second aim of the dissertation project is linked: to create a facility that poetically aids in nurturing the experience of being indigenous to nature – not separate from nature. The first aim links to the client’s needs, whereas the second aim attempts to link to the client’s inherent desire: creating a consciousness of our human indigenousness to nature – put differently: our human embeddedness in the fruits and harm of one natural system. In order to highlight this embeddedness, the design attempts to create awareness of both the harm caused by our anthropocentric condition and the opposite nature-centered condition, where humans are but a participant in the network of nature. Ecognosis is the emerged understanding of the strange and dark motions of our natural world, including our devastation of it (counting the act of mining), which both frightens and enlightens us about our natural kinship with the environment
Psychometric properties of a workplace spirituality measure
No full textOrientation: Scholars are encouraged to provide contextualised definitions of spirituality (e.g. workplace spirituality) and validate measures using non-academic samples and advanced statistics.
Research purpose: This study aimed to determine (1) the dimensionality associated with a measure of workplace spirituality and (2) whether the estimated primary factor scores (alignment with organisational values, meaningful work, sense of community) outperforms the prediction of the estimated scores for perceived employee performance compared with the estimated scores for the general factor (workplace spirituality).
Motivation for the study: Valid measures of workplace spirituality are required for conducting research to advance our understanding of its relationship with organisational outcomes.
Research approach/design and method: Using a cross-sectional survey design, 789 public servants completed measures on workplace spirituality and perceived employee performance. A three-stage process was followed to investigate (1) the basic internal assessment qualities of the measure, (2) the added-value of the subscales (i.e., alignment with organisational values, meaningful work, sense of community) to the model, and (3) the assessment of the external validity of the measure in relation to an external variable (in this case perceived employee performance). Different indices are consulted during the three stages to determine (1) whether the measurement in question is essentially unidimensional in nature and (2) whether the estimated group factor scores are better predictors of the criterion than the estimated general factor scores.
Main findings: The various indices suggested that the measure of workplace spirituality could be treated as multidimensional and essentially unidimensional in nature. The three primary factors (alignment with organisational values, meaningful work and sense of community) resulted in a significant (yet small) increase in accuracy of predicting the estimated scores associated with perceived employee performance compared with the prediction based on the estimated scores for the general factor (workplace spirituality). However, the presence of a strong general factor cannot be ignored, pointing to a measure that is also essentially unidimensional and to be scored accordingly – allowing for quick and accurate assessment of individuals’ levels of workplace spirituality.
Practical/managerial implications: Applied researchers and practitioners should take note of the theoretical and statistical value associated with the subdimensions of workplace spirituality to better understand why these dimensions are predictors of employee performance. The results of the study emphasise the important role of both personal-level and organisational-level variables associated with workplace spirituality in relation to perceived employee performance.
Contribution/value-add: The study suggests that this measure of workplace spirituality can be treated as essentially unidimensional and multidimensional in nature – depending on the purpose of the assessment (fine-grained versus general). In addition, the present study provides evidence of the usefulness in employing novel procedures to determine the dimensionality of an instrument using external validity evidence.Publisher's versio
Reflections on The Good Ancestor
No full textRoman Krznaric’s The Good Ancestor: How to Think Long Term in a Short-Term World (2020) is about developing an argument for long-term thinking. In Part 1 he takes up a question posed by Jonas Salk, who
was part of the team who developed the first safe polio vaccine, namely ‘Are we being good ancestors?’ (v, 3) in a more active form, ‘How can we be good ancestors?’ (4). He observes that the future has been ‘colonised’ (4) by short-term thinking and calls for it to be ‘decolonised’ (241). Albeit in the background, his
argument rests on the rise of Western modernity as the coloniser of how we engage with time, the future
and generations to come. Krznaric is convinced that there has been an ‘unprecedented’ ‘growing public
belief’ (8) in long-term thinking over the past 25 years in terms of a number of concrete projects, but that there is an ‘intellectual vacuum’, even a ‘conceptual emergency’ in as far as the conceptual development of the term goes.Publisher's versio
An integrated service-learning praxis approach for flourishment of professional development in community-higher education partnerships
No full textThesis (Ph.D (Higher Education Studies))--University of the Free State, 2022Universities and communities should embrace engaged scholarship for sustainable development challenges, through co-creation of responsive knowledge for the public good. Therefore, academics have infused community engaged service-learning (CESL) into the functions of teaching-learning and research, to deliver engaged scholarship in democratic community-higher education partnerships. However, sustainable CESL practice and partnership development are challenged by the complex process of institutionalisation. This five-articles-style thesis explored the contribution of an integrated service-learning praxis approach towards the flourishment of engaged scholarship in community-higher education partnerships. The approach combined CESL, appreciative inquiry and appreciative leadership, to advance the praxis of engaged scholarship. The study was demarcated in the field of higher education, applied in the discipline of nursing education, and contextually bound to three interrelated action research cycles and settings – for international, national and local level engagement. The study followed a transformative paradigm and qualitative, strength-based action research design of appreciative inquiry. Participants were conveniently and purposefully selected, based on their practical, career-bound wisdom of engaged scholarship. Data was co-generated in paired appreciative conversations, which were followed by collective data analysis in small and large-group format and guided by a 5D-process-driven (define, discovery, dream, design and delivery/destiny) semi-structured interview protocol. The research contributed to practical theory development, by providing five articles for improved CESL practice towards positive change. These articles comprised (1) a practical framework towards an integrated model for advancing engaged scholarship; (2) best practices for national support of engaged scholarship; (3) a community-university research partnership model, which affiliated with the Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL), to reward reciprocal action learning in parallel with academic certification; (4) a set of principles for becoming globally competent citizens; and (5) the WHOLE model for engaged scholarship, balanced by social justice values-in-action, to co-create action-oriented knowledge for a better future for all people, the economy and the environment
Molecular changes of sorghum cell suspension Cultures in response to exogenous abscisic acid
No full textDissertation (M.Sc.(Plant Sciences))--University of the Free State, 2022Abiotic stresses reduce the growth and productivity of crops, thus threatening food security. It
is therefore, important to develop crops that can withstand harsh environmental conditions in
order to ensure availability of food. In general, plants have developed a wide range of
mechanisms in response to these abiotic stresses. For example, under stress conditions, plants
undergo molecular changes which include alterations in gene, protein and metabolite
expression patterns that are mostly regulated by the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA). ABAregulated stress responsive pathways are well studied in the model plant Arabidopsis
(Arabidopsis thaliana), yet similar processes in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), a drought tolerant
crop, are not yet fully understood. The aim of the study was to investigate the biochemical
properties and protein expression patterns of sorghum cell suspension cultures in response to
exogenous ABA. White sorghum cell suspension cultures were used, and at eight days postsubculture, the cultures were treated with 100 μM ABA prepared in 70% (v/v) methanol. For
control cells, an equal volume of 70% (v/v) methanol was added, and both treatment groups
were incubated with shaking at 27℃ for 72 hours. Analysis of cell viability using the 3-(4,5-
dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay indicated that ABA does
not affect the viability of the cells at 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours. However, exogenous application
of ABA for 72 hours resulted in increased accumulation of proline in the sorghum cells relative
to the controls. Furthermore, proteins were extracted from the cells, as total soluble proteins
(TSP), and from the culture medium, as culture filtrate proteins (CF) 72 hours after the
exogenous ABA treatment. The protein profiles of the two proteomes were visually analysed
on Coomassie brilliant blue-stained one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide
gels. The gels showed that the two proteomes were of good quality even under control
conditions. Furthermore, following the 72-hour ABA treatment, proteins were differentially
expressed in both the TSP and CF proteomes. Moreover, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) method and mass spectrometry were used to identify and quantify the
differentially expressed proteins. A total of 725 and 256 proteins were identified in the TSP
and CF proteomes, respectively. Of all these, 46 and 82 were ABA-responsive in the TSP and
CF, respectively, and 8 proteins were common to both proteomes. Signal peptide analysis
revealed that the majority of TSP found in the intracellular matrix did not have a predicted
signal peptide (72%), while the majority of CF proteins found in the extracellular matrix
contained signal-peptides (82%). Amongst these differentially expressed proteins in both the
TSP and CF proteomes, the majority of them proteins were involved in metabolism with 37%
and 35%, followed by defence with 24% and 24%, respectively. However, the metabolic
processes in the CF were mainly related to carbohydrate metabolism. The signal transduction
functional group was only unique to the TSP fraction, while transporters, and cell structure
functional groups were unique to the CF protein fraction. The differentially expressed proteins
are well-known stress proteins such as peroxidases and superoxide dismutases whose levels
change under abiotic stresses. Together with causing an increase in proline content, a known
osmoprotectant, exogenous ABA does indeed act as a stress phytohormone. Furthermore, these
results showed that ABA influences the differential expression of both intracellular and
extracellular matrix proteins, possibly suggesting the importance of both cell compartments in
stress response. Furthermore, these two compartments have different roles in stress responses
as suggested by the results. Therefore, the application of exogenous ABA could be the way
forward to further understand plant stress response networks, and possibly to develop crops
that can survive under any abiotic stress
Libraries breaking barriers through TikTok: enhancing access and visibility
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this study is to ascertain the usage of TikTok by libraries in enhancing access and visibility of services, facilities and resources. Design/methodology/approach: This is a review paper of literature related to the usage of TikTok in libraries. Findings: The literature revealed that TikTok is being used mostly for library marketing and advocacy. Though there is scant literature on TikTok for information literacy, this platform is being used for teaching and learning purposes. Originality/value: This is a welcome contribution to the utilization of TikTok for enhancing library services and reaching out to users beyond the library walls.Published versio
Enzootic geophagy by elephants (Loxodonta Africana) in relation to geochemical composition of mineral licks in Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa
No full textDissertation (M.Sc.(Zoology))--University of the Free State, 2022Geophagy, the deliberate ingestion of soil, is a common occurrence amongst various animal species including mammalian herbivores such as elephants. Despite the documented instances of soil-eating, and several nonexclusive hypotheses, the real motivation behind the phenomenon remains controversial. In this study, six camera traps were set up throughout Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa at selected geophagy sites which captured visitation frequency as well as the demographic trend of elephant groups during site visits from April 2019 to May 2020. The geochemical and mineralogical composition of soils at these selected geophagy sites were analysed using X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). Furthermore, the spatial distribution of five collared elephants (three matriarchs and two males) in relation to the six geophagy sites were investigated using kernel density estimations (KDE). Females had larger home ranges that incorporated more geophagy sites than males. Visitation frequency to geophagy sites were estimated using 500 m buffer zones from the centre of each site. Individuals visited at least three or more geophagy sites throughout the study period. Overall, essential elements Na, Ca and Mn were identified as main drivers for geophagic behaviour in the elephants of AENP. These essential elements (Na, Ca and Mn) are important for certain physiological demands such as bone and tusk growth in elephants and reproductive (pregnancy and lactation) demands in females. Geophagy is considered to be a contributing factor of movement patterns and area utilisation and may have important implications for conservation and management
Evaluation of income tax concessions available to small businesses in Bloemfontein
No full textDissertation (MBA (Business Administration))--University of the Free State, 2022As the scripture announces, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are like seeds that can never be dismissed since their operations have contributed significantly to the global economy, and thus all those who see them must acknowledge their contribution. Despite making a major economic contribution, SMEs nonetheless experience several difficulties. One of the difficulties concerns tax regulations which stifle the smooth flow of the functions of SMEs. Considering that small businesses are acknowledged as the backbone of the country’s economic growth, the Government was urged to provide support for them. As a result, Section 12E of the ITA was introduced. Despite the fact that businesses save money through these tax concessions, there have been apprehensions that these ITA Sections are ineffective because of their complex legislation and onerous criteria. Consequently, the aim of this research was to evaluate income tax concessions stipulated in Section 12E of the ITA, specifically regarding small businesses in Bloemfontein. In order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the income tax concessions offered to small businesses in Bloemfontein, interviews were performed as a qualitative approach of data collection. Ten participants with small business clientele who had an understanding of Section 12E were interviewed by utilising an interview schedule with open-ended questions. Findings revealed that the concessions provided in Section 12E were valuable to small businesses; however, due to a number of reasons, a sizable proportion of small businesses did not qualify for concessions as stipulated by Section 12E. It was recommended that the Government should promote the understanding and utilisation of Section 12E. Changes to the legislation were also proposed
Comprehensive sexuality education: the experiences of teachers in one Bloemfontein secondary school
No full textDissertation (M.Ed.(Education Studies))--University of the Free State, 2022Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is one of the most crucial programmes, among many, that can be entrusted with reducing the prevalent risky sexual behaviours to reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS, STIs and unintended childbearing among learners in South African schools. Formal CSE instruction is mainly limited to the Life Orientation (LO) classroom which is ineffective because of the influences on the subject content as a result of cultural differences. The main objective was to gain insight into the experiences (difficulties) of teachers teaching CSE in one selected secondary school in Bloemfontein, and to explore how teachers teaching the new structured CSE lessons in a selected secondary school in Bloemfontein deal with the challenges they may face. The study used the interpretive paradigm and draws on Dewey's education and experience theory. In this study, I used a semi-structured one-on-one interview to collect data from eight participants, allowing for probing and clarifying both questions and answers. The teachers' norms and attitudes that guide their teaching of CSE posed a severe danger to its effective delivery, as did the nuanced nature of the new CSE lessons. The study's findings revealed that teachers' experiences teaching the new structured CSE lessons in LO were unquestionably driven by their culture, religious orientation as well as their belief and value system. Teachers expressed their discomfort in teaching what they referred to as ‘sensitive topics’ in CSE, which were considered taboo in their community. They chose to exclude such topics and select what to teach based on their values and beliefs. The decision of what to teach and what not to teach compromised the intentions of the new structured CSE lesson plans. Participants also complained that CSE was a waste of their time because the high rate of teenage pregnancy remains unchanged and the relevant authorities had failed to give CSE the attention it deserves. They also reported that they had seen no improvements in the learners' behaviour since they were introduced to the programme. Participants also expressed their dissatisfaction with teaching the new structured CSE lessons, citing issues to do with the nature of the programme's content, and lack of proper consultation from the educationists about CSE implementation and monitoring in schools.
Even though some teachers were convinced that CSE was designed to expose learners to explicit sex and pornographic issues at a young age, they discovered that it was not as bad as they thought. Participants explained that CSE enables learners to maximise their potential on the levels of the body, mind, soul, and society. Participants also suggested that through CSE, learners learn how to constructively relate to and contribute to family, community, and society while also living up to the principles outlined in the constitution. It gave pupils the opportunity to exercise their constitutional rights and obligations, respect others' rights, and show tolerance for differences in culture and religion in order to help create a democratic society. With CSE participants further learners were urged to learn and put into practice life skills that would enable them to respond positively to challenges and play an active and responsible role in the economy and society. They were also encouraged to make informed decisions, become morally accountable for their decisions about their health and their environment. CSE is a crucial subject that can help learners become fully reliable people and responsible members who can competently handle life’ challenges in their democratic society. However, teachers discovered later that CSE curriculum was not as atrocious as they had imagined. They further noticed that it was not intended to expose students to explicit sex and pornographic material at an early age. Therefore, CSE gives students the opportunity to reach their full potential on all levels of life being, physical, mental, spiritual, and social. In collaboration with UNESCO, I propose that the Department of Education (DoE) host seminars for parents, legislators, and cultural and religious leaders, to develop the support structure within the teaching sector focused on CSE. This study showed that, like any other subject in the classroom, CSE would be one of the most motivating factors for teachers if it received the attention it merits. I suggest that CSE be offered as a field of study at higher education institutions, allowing student-teachers with a CSE major to enrol