21623 research outputs found
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The impact of COVID-19 on the South African stock market: a sectoral-level analysis.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The novel 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) quickly spread all over the world. It dramatically affected the financial markets in almost every country, creating substantial uncertainty permeating every aspect of life and business. Investors and markets are facing a high degree of volatility regarding the physical and financial impacts of the virus. Behavioural Finance studies are steadily emerging, highlighting the impact of investors' emotions on their investment decisions in stock markets during macroeconomic events. Existing research of the pandemics impact on volatility and/or stock returns have predominantly focused on the overall performance of the South African stock market with limited evidence on the industry specific impact. This study therefore aims to analyse the impact of COVID-19 on the 8 largest industry sectors of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). In particular, the study attempts to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on industry performance, stock returns, trading volume, stock volatility and COVID-related investor sentiment. These research objectives are analysed using a variety of different methodologies, such as an event study, and GARCH (1,1) model. With existing global studies indicating a rise in the importance of industry specific factors which aid in the pricing of equities, a study of this sort is imperative to the South African investor. The sample in this study consists of daily data from the 8 largest sectors on the JSE and spans the period 1 January 2017 – 30 August 2022. The selected period ensured to include stock market performance before the COVID-19 outbreak, allowing a more accurate comparison of industry performance. The results of this study suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on all sectors of the JSE included in this paper, both in the short-term and long-term. Some sectors gained from the impact of the pandemic and others suffered - with the number of the sectors negatively impacted outweighing the number of sectors positively impacted. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest significant implications for investors and policymakers. For investors, it is suggested that they be cognisant of how industry sector idiosyncrasies affect company performance during crises. Investors who seek a healthy return on their investment should avoid investing in sectors that are more vulnerable in times of crisis and negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, risk-seeking investors may opt to invest in higher-risk sectors since these stocks may generate higher returns due to an increased market risk premium. For policymakers, the findings of this study indicate that the implementation of strict lockdowns in times of crisis be carefully implemented as many sectors were not able to recover from the implications brought on by this policy, crippling further operation of many companies. Regulators should be cautious of the effect of such policies on industries and the economy as a whole. Policymakers must customise such policies based on the characteristics or nature of each market sector
Critical friends in school leadership: a case study of the development of departmental heads in high schools.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.In the intricate tapestry of human connections lies a unique facet: critical friendships. These alliances, characterised by trust, guidance, and diverse perspectives, hold particular relevance in school leadership, notably for Departmental Heads (DHs). This study explores Critical Friends (CFs) within high school leadership, drawing from Transformational Leadership Theory and Transformative Learning Theory, tracing their historical underpinnings and evolution. Utilising a case study methodology, this research pursues three primary objectives: firstly, identifying the contributors to DHs development as CFs; secondly, exploring the expansion of CF networks among DHs; and lastly, delineating the leadership domains where CF guidance is sought. Using semi-structured interviews and Metaphorical Photo-Elicitation (MPE), this case study delves into the dynamics of CFs in school leadership. Purposeful sampling ensures a mosaic of insights, capturing the kaleidoscope of participant perspectives. The findings of the case study further identify pivotal elements imperative for the cultivating and sustaining of CF networks. Among these elements, participants underscored the indispensability of listening skills, confidentiality, and honesty within such relationships. Trust emerges as a cornerstone in critical friendships, intricately intertwined with the practice of active listening. Participants in the study highlighted the pivotal role CFs play in supporting school improvement initiatives, particularly in low-performing schools, as observed in both research schools. DHs expressed engaging with CFs to strategise and implement approaches aimed at elevating their schools from the low-performance zone. This exploration serves to spotlight the indispensable role of CFs in the landscape of school leadership development, shedding light on their multifaceted contributions to growth, transformation, and resilience in DHs
The design and development of an AI based digital forensic protocol for first responders.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.In today's society, access to computers and the internet has become indispensable, offering a myriad of opportunities such as online shopping, trading, banking, communication, and social media interaction. However, along with the increasing usage of the internet, there is a corresponding rise in cybercrimes, posing constant threats to organizations. Recent years have witnessed a significant surge in cyber incidents and breaches, exacerbated by emerging technologies like the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as the availability of tools such as Crimeware-as-a-Service (CaaS), anonymous technologies like Tor, and the utilization of the Darknet. In response to these challenges, cyber forensic experts and digital investigators must possess the necessary skills and expertise to effectively investigate cybercrimes, analyse electronic evidence found on digital devices, and present findings in a legally acceptable manner. To stay ahead of cybercriminals, digital forensic investigators and first responders must leverage AI and cutting-edge technologies of the 4IR era. This study addresses the evolving cybersecurity landscape by designing an AI-based digital forensic protocol tailored for first responders. Employing a design science research (DSR) methodology, the study develops a novel investigation protocol utilising AI prediction modelling. Additionally, it explores various AI models to create an efficient framework for integrating Machine Learning (ML) and predictive modelling in cybercrime data analysis of a cloud-based dataset. The design and development of Intelligent Digital Evidence Extraction Protocol or I-DEEP, a novel protocol provides a framework to make the process of cybercrime investigation more agile using triaging and quick decision making by predictive analysis. This is accomplished by development and implementation of AI and Machine Learning algorithms
Is the ethics review process prepared for digital autonomy?
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The ethics review process is of primacy in ensuring research is ethical and the protection and rights of participants are maintained. Internationally, review ethics committees (RECs) are run independently and have different ethics review methods that they use. However, very
little is known about what methods are used in the ethics review process, and the challenges and successes around adopting digital platforms for ethics review (DPER). The current study aimed to address this gap by inquiring whether the ethics review process in Kenya is ready
for digital autonomy.
A qualitative approach was adopted in this study, including six in-depth interviews with REC members and two focus group discussions with researchers. The in-depth interviews and focus group discussions entailed two sub-groups: one group included participants who mainly use
traditional methods (paper and email) and the other group included participants who mainly used DPER. These transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis, informed by Braun and Clarke’s (2013) six-step approach.
While generalisability is not assumed, the findings suggest that the ethics review process will only be ready for digital autonomy when all the challenges highlighted are dealt with and infrastructure is reinforced to support it. These findings imply that digital autonomy in the ethics review process is best effected when all research stakeholders are involved in the deployment, creation, and implementation stage, where institutions offer support and privacy, and security is upheld in all these technologies. Recommendations are made in practice for all research stakeholders, inclusive of RECs, researchers, and DPER deployers and developers.
Recommendations are also made for future research developments on how to make the research ethics review process ready for digital autonomy
Exploring how secondary school teachers of English in Ogun state, Nigeria, teach students to read for comprehension.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This study contributes to the literature on the teaching of reading for comprehension by adding to scholarship on how English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers in Ogun State, Nigeria, taught It looked at the methods used by ESL teachers to teach reading comprehension, as well as the reasons behind their chosen approaches to the subject. The study, which was qualitative in nature, oriented to Vygosky’s (1978) sociocultural theory. It utilised an interpretative paradigm to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of selected secondary school English Language teachers. Semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and focus group discussions were used to generate data among nine English Language teachers from four purposefully selected secondary schools in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results showed that while some teachers had a basic understanding of teaching reading for comprehension by viewing it as little more than understanding a passage, others had an advanced understanding of teaching reading for comprehension which manifested in their use of prior knowledge activation, summary, questioning, and visualisation strategies. The study shed light on the challenges teachers encountered when teaching reading for comprehension, such as lack of basic amenities, lack of teaching resources, teacher shortage, large class sizes, and lack of time allocated specifically for teaching reading for comprehension. Additionally, the results demonstrated how the curriculum and syllabus impacted the teachers' teaching of reading for comprehension. The results also showed that there were insufficient textbooks and no access to libraries. The findings showed that the government, parents, and students all have an impact on how reading comprehension is taught in schools. Several recommendations were made to increase the efficacy of the teaching of reading comprehension in ESL secondary classes in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study recommends employing a variety of techniques, forming a team to oversee reading comprehension, and allocating additional funds. It also
highlights how important it is for curriculum designers and textbook writers to produce interesting and developmentally relevant content to enhance student learning. Lastly, it recommends building more classrooms to reduce class sizes
Modeling the effectiveness of control measures from the within-host dynamics to the population dynamics of sleeping sickness.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.This study addresses the persistent health challenge of sleeping sickness in sub-Saharan Africa by comprehensively exploring its transmission dynamics. The primary focus is on developing, studying, and analyzing mathematical models spanning from within-host dynamics to multiscale interactions of sleeping sickness. The thesis begins by investigating the dynamics within a single sleeping sickness-infected human host. The model considers the interplay between parasite types, macrophages, and cytokines within the human host. Findings suggest that the immune response play a pivotal part in regulating parasite growth, and the absence of switching enables effective immune system intervention. Two distinct optimal control problems emerge, emphasizing the need to identify the disease stage for effective drug application, thereby preventing parasite persistence and reducing drug toxicity. The study’s second phase focuses on developing an epidemiological model of sleeping sickness transmission among humans, non-human hosts, and tsetse flies. Sensitivity analysis reveals that parameters such as biting rate and death rate are particularly influential. The examination of bifurcation concerning the effective reproductive number (Re) indicates the presence of a backward bifurcation within the system which signifies that the traditional condition of Re < 1 is no longer adequate for achieving effective disease elimination. Disease dynamics are strongly scale dependent, so we propose a multi-temporal scale model that incorporates within-host and between-host disease dynamics. Results are compared with the single-scaled models. Furthermore, the numerical solutions for susceptible humans in both the between-host and multiscale models demonstrated a similar pattern: a rapid reduction in susceptible human populations within the first 50 days in the absence of intervention. The vector profiles in both the multiscale and between-host models showed similar trends, with intervention initially applied at maximum intensity and rapidly reduced within the first 50 days of use. However, a notable distinction arose regarding treatment profiles: whereas within-host results indicated that drugs needed to be administered at maximum dosage to reduce the burden of infection effectively, the opposite was observed in the between-host model. In conclusion, this thesis offers valuable insights into the disease transmission dynamics of sleeping sickness, highlighting the significance of comprehending both within host and between-host interactions. Essentially, our models proved to be more mathematically, numerically, and biologically tractable compared to most standard models used for projecting sleeping sickness.
Iqoqa.
Lolu cwaningo lubuka izingqinamba zezempilo ezingaphezi zesifo sokulala e-Afrika emaphakathi nasezansi ngokuhlola okuphelele ukuthelelana kwaso okwehlukahlukile. Kugxilwe kakhulu ekuthuthukiseni, ukucwaninga, kanye nokuhlaziya amamodeli ezibalo kuhlanganisa kusukela phakathi ekwehlukeni komsingathi kuya ekuhlumaneni okuvamile kwesifo sokulala. Ucwaningo luqala ngokuphenya ukwehlukahluka phakathi komsingathi wesifo sokulala oyedwa othelelekile. Imodeli ibuka ukuxhumana phakathi kwezinhlobo zento ephila ngokudla emzimbeni wenye into, izigaba ezinkulu, kanye nokwehlukana kwezinhlayiya phakathi komsingathi owumuntu. Okutholakele kuphakamisa ukuthi ukuphendula kwamasosha omzimba kubamba iqhaza elibalulekile ekwengameleni ukukhula kwezinto eziphila ngokudla emzimbeni wenye into, kanye nokungabi bikho kokushintsha okuvumela ukungenelela kwendlela yamasosha omzimba eyimpumelelo. Izinkinga ezimbili ezilungile ezingefani zokwengamela zaqubuka, okugcizelela Isidingo sokukhomba isigaba sesifo ukuze kubukwe ukusebenza kwemithi yokwelapha, ngenxa yalokho kuvikele ukusabalala kanye nokwehlisa ubungozi bemithi yokwelapha.
Isigaba sesibili socwaningo sigxile ekwakheni imodeli yokukhombela, ukuvela kanye nokusabalala kokuthelelana ngezifo nokuthelelana ngesifo sokulala phakathi kwabantu, abasingathi abangebona abantu, kanye nezinambuzane zetsetse. Ukuhlaziya kokuzwela kuveza ukuthi imikhawulo efana nezinga lokuluma kanye nezinga lokufa kujwayele ukuba nomthelela. Ukuhlola okuhlukanisa kabili mayelana nokusebenza kokwanda kwenombolo i-R_e kuveza ubukhona bokuhlukanisa kabili okubheke emuva phakathi kwenqubo ekhomba ukuthi isimo sendabuko se-R_e<1 asisakufanele ukufinyelela ekwehliseni isifo. Ukwehlukahluka kwesifo kuncike kakhulu esikalini, ngaleyo ndlela siphakamisa imodeli yesikali engaphindaphindeka isikhashana ehlanganisa maphakathi nomsingathi kanye naphakathi kokwehluka kwesifo kubasingathi. Imiphumela iqhathaniswa namamodeli esikali esisodwa. Okunye futhi, izixazululo zezinombolo zabantu abasebungozini kukho kokubili phakathi abasingathi kanye namamodeli ezikali eziningana zaveza indlela efanayo; ukwehla ngamandla komphakathi wabantu abangabasingathi esinsukwini zokuqala ezingama-50 uma kungekho ukungenelela. Izinhlaka zobungako obunezakhi ezimbili ezizimele kuko kokubili izikali eziningana kanye namamodeli aphakathi nabasingathi kwaveza izinkomba ezifanayo, ngokungenelela okuqale kwasetshenziswa kwase kwehliswa futhi kakhulu ezinsukwini ezingama-50 zisetshenziswa. Yize noma kunjalo, umehluko oqaphelekayo wavela mayelana nezinhlaka zokwelashwa: kanti imiphumela ephakathi kwabasingathi yaveza ukuthi imithi yokwelashwa idinga ukusetshenziswa ngesikali esikhulukazi ukwehlisa umthwalo wokutheleleka ngempumelelo okuphikisanayo kwabonakala kwimodeli ephakathi nabasingathi.
Isiphetho, lolu cwaningo lunikeka imibono ebalulekile ekuhlukeni kokutheleleka ngesifo sokulala, lugqamisa ukubaluleka kokuqonda kokubili imaphakathi lomsingathi kanye nokuxhumana kwaphakathi nomsingathi. Okubalulekile, amamodeli ethu aqinisekisa ukusebenza ngezibalo, izinombolo, kanye nokuphilayo okuphathekayo uma kuqhathaniswa namamodeli ajwayelekile asetshenziswa ukukhomba isifo sokulala
Exploring the influence of instant message marketing communication on the attitudes and behavioural intentions of Generation Z consumers in Zimbabwe.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The mobile technology revolution has transformed society and business across the globe, with
mobile instant messaging applications (MIM apps) now challenging social networking sites (SNS)
as the most widely adopted means of communication for individuals and groups. With over 3
billion users across the globe exchanging more than 23 billion messages daily, for marketers, MIM
apps present a ubiquitous, pervasive, and rich marketing communications (MC) channel that
supports interactive and dialogic communications with young consumers, particularly in
developing countries like Zimbabwe. Thus, this study aimed to establish, through a quantitative
approach, firstly, the central route and peripheral route characteristics of instant message
marketing communications (IMMC) and their influence on the attitude of Gen Z consumers in
Zimbabwe, secondly, the influence of subjective norms, perceived control and consumer attitude
towards IMMC on behavioural intentions, and thirdly, the moderating role of impulsiveness on
the relationship between the attitude of the Gen Z consumers towards IMMC and their behavioural
intentions.
Data were collected through a structured questionnaire. Stratified sampling method was used to
survey 410 Gen Z consumers at Great Zimbabwe University, situated in Masvingo, Zimbabwe.
Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the research hypotheses. Regarding the
central route characteristics of IMMC, the study revealed that informativeness and entertainment
did not influence consumer attitude, whereas personalisation had a positive influence and irritation
generating a negative association. Notably, all the peripheral route characteristics of IMMC,
namely; credibility, interactivity and media richness had a significant and positive influence on
the attitude of Gen Z consumers. Concerning the planned behaviour constructs, namely; subjective
norms and perceived control, a significant and positive association with consumer attitude was
observed, but when tested against behavioural intention, only subjective norms and consumer
attitude revealed a significant and positive relationship whilst perceived control demonstrated a
negative association.
It is recommended that mobile marketing practitioners should consider the peripheral route
characteristics of IMMC messages along with personalisation and irritation. It is further suggested
that mobile marketing communication planners and designers should consider the influential role
of subjective norms and consumer attitude on the behavioural responses of Gen Z consumers
Application of machine learning in cosmology.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Abstract available in PDF
Orphaned and vulnerable learners’ psychoeducational challenges: foundation phase educators’ experiences.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The loss of a parent is one of the most traumatic events a child can face, making it imperative to understand the specific challenges encountered by orphaned learners for effective support and intervention. Orphaned learners often grapple with the difficulty of living without their parents, leading to numerous psychological challenges such as depression, stress, anxiety, and poor selfconcept. This study aimed to explore foundation phase educators’ experiences of teaching and offering support to orphaned learners who display psychoeducational challenges. The research study was conducted in a Quintile 5 public primary school in the KwaKhangela District. The study was framed within Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system. This qualitative case study used the interpretivist paradigm to understand three purposively and conveniently sampled Foundation Phase educators’ experiences of offering psychoeducational support to orphaned and vulnerable learners. Data generation encompassed semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Thematic analysis was conducted to distill patterns, themes, and underlying meanings from the generated data. The study revealed that a myriad of challenges was faced by orphaned learners, including emotional trauma, significant academic difficulties, socio-emotional struggles, and barriers to effective engagement within the classroom environment. Drawing largely on data from interviews and document analysis, the study found that the schools are obligated to make substantial progress in supporting orphaned learners, facilitated by a proactive school management team, a dedicated school-based support team and empathetic educators. The findings recommended that interventions such as differentiated instruction, additional support including the provision of food and stationery, one-on-one teaching sessions, and counselling from a school-employed social worker were implemented at the school. In addition to the support provided within the schools, efforts are to be made to seek support structures outside the school environment
Teachers’ pedagogic practices: a case study of the enactment of the Nigerian upper basic Social Studies Curriculum.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.This study aims to answer the question: How is the Social Studies Education curriculum understood and implemented in the classroom? Empirically, this study is located within a specific case of Nigeria’s 2013 revised 9-Years Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC) reform, which replaced the 2008 9-Years Basic Education Curriculum (BEC). The study explores and analyses four teachers’ understanding of the purpose of Social Studies Education and describes the process of teachers’- interpretation and recontextualisation of Social Studies messages from the written curriculum to the classrooms. The conceptual framework for the study draws on Basil Bernstein’s theory of pedagogic discourse, extended with concepts from Barr et al.’s categorisation of the instructional purpose of Social Studies and Newmann et al.’s authentic intellectual work concepts. It is premised on the assumption that teachers will not seamlessly adopt all that the written curriculum requires of them as they enact Social Studies Education but will adapt the curriculum. The empirical work is a case study of the 9-Years RBEC Social Studies Education. Data were generated using a range of data collection methods that comprised the official curriculum documents, video recording of four consecutive lessons in each of the four upper basic nine classrooms, interviewing the Social Studies teachers and field notes. The study draws on the official curriculum documents, classroom observations, and interviews, to make sense of the assumptions about knowledge and pedagogy that underpin the official curriculum documents, teachers’ understanding of the official curriculum and teachers’ pedagogic practices. Analysing teachers’ pedagogic practices highlights a mismatch between the envisaged pedagogic prescription and the teachers’ practice. The underpinning principle of the RBEC is knowledge integration, and pedagogically the curriculum prescribes a mixed theory of instruction. In contrast, the teachers’ deep-seated belief is that knowledge is to be inculcated in the learners with no critical engagement, and traditional pedagogic practice still dominates the classrooms. The study contributes theoretical, methodological, and contextual insights into the issues under investigation, thereby contributing more nuanced ways of research within the field of curriculum implementation. Notably, the study provides a deeper engagement in making sense of teachers’ classroom practices in Nigeria by employing theory and concepts that helped refine broad categorisations of pedagogic style (teacher-centered or learner-centered approach) into dimensions of pedagogic classroom practices