21623 research outputs found
Sort by
The influence of musical interventions on drug abuse reduction among Nigerian youths: a study of David Jones’s popular music (2017 – 2022)
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Drug abuse is one of the extreme health and social problems confronting Nigeria, as the national prevalence rate of 14.4 per cent surpasses the global prevalence rate of 5.5 per cent (UNODC, 2021). Drug abuse prevalence is perceived to be very high among Nigerian youths (NDLEA, 2013; Umukoro et al., 2016; Adeyemo et al., 2016; Umukoro & Aina, 2020) as a result of several prevailing risk factors (Unya & Onya, 2020; Adeniyi, 2022) that the Nigerian youths are predisposed to in their immediate environments. A good number of communication strategies have been adopted in the past, both at international and national levels, to reduce the impact of these risk factors on Nigerian youths. However, these approaches have failed to yield the expected outcomes, partly due to the complexities in developing drug abuse interventions that can help to address the situation.
The use of educational programmes in Nigeria's efforts to address drug abuse has since been championed (Ajayi & Alli, 2020; Olarewaju et al., 2022). Entertainment Education (EE) applications are rare health interventions in the Nigerian context. This thesis explores, in a broader sense, the EE potential of an anti-drug abuse popular music intervention, David Jones's anti-drug abuse popular music (2017-2022), as a tool to address drug abuse among Nigerian youths. Using Social Cognitive Theory, this study explores David Jones’s anti-drug abuse interventions through the lived experiences of Nigerian youths exposed to it, towards exploring the EE potential for drug-related interventions.
The epistemological assumption upon which this study draws is the interpretive paradigm. The study used hermeneutic phenomenological methodology fortified by seven FGDs to generate qualitative data. The purposive sampling was employed to select a sample comprising 41 Nigerian youths who volunteered from seven tertiary institutions, namely the Rivers State University (RSU), Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University (KOMU), Godfrey Okoye University (GOU), Coal City University (CCU), Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) and Veritas University (VU).
The data collected for the study were analysed employing reflexive thematic analysis. The findings of this study sustain the conclusion that EE holds vast potential in the development of interventions that would help address the growing prevalence of drug abuse among Nigerian youths aged 18 -25 years. David Jones’s anti-drug abuse interventions’ messages were found to have offered transformative educational information, promoted guidance and counselling of the study’s participants, and stimulated self-belief. This also indicates that the anti-drug abuse popular music intervention was grounded in SCT and perceived to be relevant in informing EE interventions (Willoughby et al., 2018). However, David Jones’s anti-drug abuse popular music intervention (2017-2022) does not fully address the entertainment needs of some Nigerian youths due to the music composition and deferential in the listening functions of significant music uses. These include the music theme, melody, repetitive and minimalist pattern, and static nature, as it lacks dynamics and contrast. The study concludes that continuous engagement in the production of intriguing EE music is essential to foster the saturation level needed for the success of music interventions. It also emphasises the importance of incorporating theories in EE music messages through design and implementation. The appeal for behavioural changes and the highlight of the dire consequences of drug abuse should be paramount in music intervention. This approach may help suppress the risk factors responsible for drug abuse among Nigerian youths and trigger good drug use behaviour. The success of EE music intervention depends on a nuanced understanding of youths' music genres, information or practical needs, and entertainment experiences
An exploration of measures to enhance the financial sustainability of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This study investigates the financial sustainability of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality (UMDM), a key component of effective municipal governance in South Africa. The research is guided by four theoretical frameworks: Financial Control Theory, Contingency Theory, Collaborative Governance Theory, and Risk Management Theory. Financial Control Theory underscores the need for sound fiscal management and accountability; Contingency Theory considers the municipality’s adaptability to external pressures such as economic and technological changes; Collaborative Governance Theory emphasizes stakeholder cooperation in addressing complex service delivery issues; and Risk Management Theory highlights the importance of identifying, assessing, and mitigating financial and operational risks to safeguard long-term sustainability. The research examines the root causes of financial instability, including escalating debtor balances, cash flow difficulties, and operational inefficiencies, while proposing actionable strategies to strengthen the municipality’s financial resilience. A convergent one-phase mixedmethod approach was employed, integrating quantitative data from 104 municipal customers with qualitative insights from interviews with 9 municipal officials. This comprehensive methodology enabled a thorough analysis of financial management practices, customer experiences, and operational challenges within UMDM. Key findings indicate that economic constraints, inaccurate billing, and errors in municipal statements significantly hinder customers' ability to pay for services. High tariff rates and insufficient income exacerbate these challenges. Qualitative insights further reveal issues such as aging infrastructure, inconsistent meter readings, and weak enforcement of policies and bylaws as major barriers to financial sustainability. Municipal officials emphasized the importance of strategic leadership, robust governance, and enhanced financial practices to address these challenges effectively. The study concludes that achieving financial sustainability requires a holistic approach. Proactive public engagement, consumer education, and strengthened collaborative governance are essential for fostering stakeholder trust and compliance. Additionally, operational reforms, including modernised infrastructure, improved financial controls, and integrated planning, are critical to ensuring UMDM’s ability to deliver equitable and sustainable services amidst economic and institutional challenges
Communicating about pandemics: exploring Covid-19 communication responses in Kigali City.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Globally, public health communication has taken an ongoing top-down approach. Community engagement is overlooked in emergencies, yet it is pivotal because it helps in recruiting new allies and resources, creating better communication, building trust, and improving overall health outcomes. COVID-19 preventive communication in Rwanda focused on disseminating information to the public, expecting them to adopt preventive behaviours. Development communication researchers have criticised the top-down approach as antagonising participation and engagement, thus advocating for a participatory communication model. The model follows a liberating communication philosophy in which participants cease to be filled but participate in the communication process, with dialogue and conscientisation as key drivers of that process. Unfortunately, how and when to start engaging communities is not clearly described in development communication literature. This study aimed to examine how dialogue and the stages of conscientisation in communities influenced COVID-19 prevention messages in Kigali, Rwanda. It examined how Kiruhura, Karama and Mwendo residents understand local contexts and how these influenced their communication of dominant messages. The study adopted the Participatory Communication Approach from Freire and Dutta’s Culture-Centred Approach, selected eighty-one participants through purposive sampling, collected data with nine focus group discussions, and utilised reflexive thematic analysis to illustrate the contextual perceptions, responses, and dialogical scenarios. It found that residents of Kiruhura, Karama and Mwendo communities perceived COVID-19 as illusory. Influenced by their culture, socioeconomic limitations and other pandemic experiences, communities perceived COVID-19 prevention messages as inapplicable, which resulted in mixed and ambivalent responses. Also, COVID-19 instructional communication humped dialogue and conscientisation by neglecting local contexts, which should constitute a practical foundation for the pandemic-related discussions, thus overlooking local communication structures. Therefore, this study suggests analysing communities' culture, experience with other pandemics, changing socioeconomic situation and their intersection with perceptions of emerging pandemics. It also advises introducing dialogue by linking pandemic narratives and community lived experiences, and basing community participation on local communication systems. In addition, this study suggests prioritising interpersonal over media channels. Scholarly, this research contributes insights on how to communicate contextually applicable pandemic preventive messages and apply the principles of humility, empathy, love, and hope in dialogically engaging Rwandan communities in pandemic communication. Practically, it discusses local enablers of pandemic dialogue
Investigating the impact of home gardens on household welfare and multidimensional poverty: The case of Limpopo Province, South Africa.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, PietermaritzburgSouth Africa, despite achieving food security at the national level, faces significant householdlevel food insecurity and poverty challenges, particularly in rural areas. This stark contrast is notably visible in provinces like Limpopo, where food insecurity persists despite the country's overall food surplus. Home gardens present a potential solution to alleviate poverty and address food and nutrition insecurity in these regions. This study investigated the role of home gardens in enhancing household welfare and reducing multidimensional poverty in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The specific objectives were: (i) to identify factors influencing rural household participation in home gardening, (ii) to assess home gardens' contribution to food security, (iii) to evaluate home gardens' role in improving household nutrition security, and (iv) to examine home gardens' impact on multidimensional poverty in rural households. The study employed a stratified random sampling technique to select 2,043 participants from Limpopo Province. Data analysis utilized various econometric models and indices, including the probit model, endogenous switching Poisson regression model, multidimensional poverty index, and endogenous switching probit model. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) measured food security, while the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) served as a proxy for nutrition security. The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) assessed poverty levels in rural households. Results revealed that 46% of households were food secure, while 24% experienced severe food insecurity, 17% moderate food insecurity, and 13% mild food insecurity. Several factors positively influenced food security, including household size, land access, agricultural assistance, participants' market proximity, and non-participants' employment status. Conversely, negative impacts were associated with household head age, social relief dependency, and certain socio-economic conditions for both participants and non-participants. Home garden participation significantly reduced multidimensional poverty, with older household heads and larger households experiencing lower poverty levels. Major deprivations included education, with 78% of households lacking members who completed at least six years of schooling, high undernourishment rates (89%), and child mortality (77%). Home gardens proved crucial in addressing these challenges by providing fresh produce and enhancing nutrition awareness. The study concludes that home gardens significantly contribute to food and nutrition security and poverty reduction, though socio-economic barriers persist. To maximize home gardening benefits, recommendations include strengthening agricultural education, improving land accessibility, and enhancing support programs. Policymakers should prioritize initiatives that promote home gardening, transform land into income-generating assets, and encourage youth participation in education and agricultural activities. These interventions could effectively address poverty and improve household welfare, targeting critical food and nutrition security challenges in rural South Africa
The nexus between social media and ethnic identity: a study of students at Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The relationship between social media and ethnic identity has huge worldwide implications. Social media platforms serve as virtual spaces for people to express and reaffirm their ethnic affinities, whether they are cultural, ethnic, religious, or ideological. It is critical to comprehend how social media platforms contribute to the creation, maintenance, or alteration of ethnic identity as these platforms emerge as important venues for communication and information sharing. One major issue is the presence of online communities that reinforce established ethnic identities. The aim of the current study is, therefore to establish the nexus between social media and ethnic identity amongst a group of students at Daystar University, Nairobi. The study employed social identity theory, behavioral theory, primordialism theory, constructivism theory, ethnosymbolism, and instrumentalism theory. The current research utilizes a descriptive research design and a qualitative research approach to provide a comprehensive understanding of the concept under study. Data was collected using focused group discussions as well as an interview guide employed for primary data collection. Further, key informant interviews were conducted. Results indicate that students join social media for professional development, and it serves as a platform for cultural expression, community building, and identity formation. Moreover, social media is used for content creation and live streams of cultural events in their daily life. The students also use social media to connect with other ethnic members, learn about their own and other cultures, and express their cultural identity. Social media is used to promote ethnic identity by ensuring that in modern society there is a need to preserve culture. The study recommends that universities should implement programs that control the use of social media for social segregation and othering among students
Analysis of the transparency policy review mechanisms within particular regional trade agreements: a specific focus on common market for Eastern and Southern Africa and Southern African development community.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.This dissertation examines transparency mechanisms within regional trade agreements, focusing on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). It aims to assess how transparency principles have been integrated and applied within these regional frameworks and compares their effectiveness against global mechanisms such as the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM). The research further explores the role of transparency in achieving Africa’s development goals as outlined in Agenda 2063, emphasizing the need for informed decision-making, equitable trade practices, and regional cooperation. Through a detailed comparative analysis of SADC and COMESA’s transparency instruments, this study highlights the institutional and implementation challenges these regions face, particularly in dispute resolution, public access to information, and digital platforms for enhancing transparency. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening transparency for fostering sustainable economic integration and advancing Africa's collective development objectives
Facilitating the solid-phase synthesis of oligonucleotides and peptides.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Oligonucleotides and peptides are important chemical entities in pharmaceutical and material industries. The synthesis of both is carried out using the solid-phase approach first developed by Merrifield for peptides. Briefly, protected monomers (nucleotides or amino acids) are incorporated into a solid support through a linker, then a protecting group is removed, and the next monomers are incorporated sequentially. At the end, the oligonucleotide or the peptide is detached from the linker-solid support. In the present thesis, we describe the synthesis of base labile linker
(4-((2hydroxyethyl)sulfonyl)benzamide) and its application in solid phase synthesis of a 3’ phosphorylated oligonucleotide. The new linker is compatible with phosphoramidite chemistry and enables obtaining the desired 3’ phosphate oligonucleotides in excellent yields. Secondly, we reported the synthesis of ((2-oxopyridin-1(2H)-yl)oxy)tri(pyrrolidin-1-yl)phosphonium (PyHOPO) coupling reagent for solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) application and racemization study. PyHOPO was produced in excellent yield, and it enabled peptide synthesis with high purity and no detectable racemization. Furthermore, the crystal structure of PyHOPO, which is a bidentate molecule, has been solved, which has allowed to determine univocally its structure
The exploration of technological advancement changes on employee optimal performance: A case of Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the integration of technology solutions into organizations to ensure continuity in operations. It emphasised the role played by technology to enhance communication in the workplace. The advent of new technologies in the workplace has an impact on employees and their understanding of how things should be done. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of technological advancements on employees at the Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality. Using a pragmatic worldview, the study adopted a qualitative approach and gathered relevant information through semi-structured interviews involving ten (10) administrative officials operating in key departments in the municipality to aid in gaining an in-depth understanding of the contribution played by technology to enhance service delivery. Thematic content analysis was used to interpret and analyse the data, which confirmed an urgent need for an upgraded technology infrastructure, especially in rural municipalities such as Ubuhlebezwe. The findings revealed that the lack of decent infrastructure significantly affects the retention of talented personnel, as they tend to seek employment in organisations that utilise better tools, thereby impacting the effectiveness of service delivery and the overall performance of the municipality. The study concludes that prioritised investment in robust technological infrastructure is vital for operational functionality and skilled employee retention in rural municipalities like Ubuhlebezwe. Further research is recommended to optimise this infrastructure. Proactively managing technological transitions, by addressing positive and negative consequences, allows the Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality to leverage advancements. This enhances worker productivity and service efficacy while safeguarding their health and ensuring a smooth transition
Leading teaching and learning: lessons from two secondary school principals leading in a deprived context.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The role of principals has significantly evolved. In modern schools, principals face multiple responsibilities. Today’s principals are often likened to CEOs, as they are tasked with leading and managing complex organisations while performing managerial, instructional, and political roles. This multifaceted role is especially challenging for principals, as they work in environments fuelled by constant changes and heightened accountability. Furthermore, the context in which schools are situated heavily influences leadership. Some schools are located in environments that are supportive and conducive to effective leadership. However, many others are situated in deprived contexts where multiple factors collude to making the task of leading and managing more challenging. This study explored the leadership practices of principals leading schools in deprived contexts, focusing on how they navigate these challenging environments. It also aimed to identify the factors that constrain and enable their leadership, utilising the Leadership for Learning model as its theoretical framework. Adopting a case study methodology, the study employed semistructured interviews as the primary data collection method. Two principals from secondary schools situated in deprived contexts were purposively selected for this inquiry. The thematic analysis of the data revealed that the principals employed various strategies to promote effective teaching and learning in their schools. These strategies included fostering collaboration with the school community and adopting the three-legged approach to ensure active participation from multiple stakeholders. The principals also prioritised strengthening the instructional core by ensuring full curriculum coverage, delegating monitoring responsibilities, and assigning the most effective teachers to Grade 12. In addition, the principals went beyond their traditional roles by taking on extra responsibilities, such as teaching, marking and other administrative tasks, to address the challenges of resource constraints and ensure the continuity of teaching and learning. While the principals demonstrated adaptability in navigating leadership challenges, the study also highlighted significant systemic obstacles, such as inadequate resources and bureaucratic delays in procurement processes, which negatively impacted teaching and learning. Despite these challenges, the principals identified parental involvement and support from internal and
external stakeholders as critical enablers of their leadership practices
The Use of a blog to improve mathematics and mathematical literacy results of grade 9 To 11 learners at Thornwood Secondary School, Pinetown district.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The challenge of mathematics remains a stumbling block for many learners in South Africa and many other countries. With the alarming number of learners who complete high school without mathematics, the subject of mathematical literacy (ML) was introduced in the South African curriculum. However, evidence that the problem still exists is found in the literature and is observable by those in the fields of mathematics and ML. As an educator, I needed to conduct an action research study under the critical paradigm that underpins the connectivist theory to address the challenge. This study aims to explore the use of a blog to improve mathematics and ML results of grade 9 to grade 11 learners and to explore the learners' perceptions and experiences towards using the blog. This study was conducted at Thornwood Secondary School, Marianhill area, under the Pinetown district. Since the study was dealing with minors, the issue of consent was addressed and followed according to the university regulations. The study purposively collected qualitative data, and conveniently collected quantitative data guided by a mixed-method evaluation design. Two closed-ended questionnaires, focus group interviews, and data comparison using secondary and primary data were the tools selected for data collection. The response rate was 100% due to everyday access to the participants, and all of them agreed to participate in the study. The findings revealed that most learners had positive perceptions of using the blog before training on the blog. They believed that the blog would be a good medium of teaching and learning, and it would be beneficial for them to use the blog in learning mathematics and ML The learners gained various skills, including collaborative learning, organising learning material on their blogs, and sharing links of information with other learners. There were also some challenges that learners experienced while using the blog: technical issues, real-time access, and internet availability and affordability. Nonetheless, learners managed to improvise, adapt, and overcome these challenges, which is considered part of learning. There was an increase in the average marks for learners using the blog. Statistical tests, backed up by the literature, revealed that the increase was influenced by using the blog. The study concluded that using the blog can help improve learners' results through increased learner interest in a subject, decentralised access to information, and collaborative learning. Learning with the use of technology is the future of learning. It is recommended that more attention should be given to making ICT and the Internet available at schools, specifically, public schools