KovsieJournals - University of the Free State (UFS)
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Enkele Suid-Afrikaanse beplanningsvraagstukke / Some South African planning issues by Das Steÿn
No full textSouth African planning issues are always a point of discussion considering the colonial and apartheid history of the country. There are different viewpoints on such planning issues, about which Steÿn writes from the position of an Afrikaner. The book is bilingual and consists of eight chapters (including introduction and reflection) on issues such as the influence of values of thinking; sound planning: wealth and poverty; confronting power to stop corruption; mercantilism and colonialism that have a grip on state capture; lessons from Afrikaners’ urbanisation and acquisition of political power, and different values to alternative approaches to the land debate in South Africa
Astrotheology: The natural interface between hyperspace and the Trinity
Get PDFOver the past few decades, physicists are seeking a unifying theory that could encapsulate the theories of general relativity and quantum mechanics, our understanding of the very big and the infinitesimal small, into one all-inclusive theory. This quest led to a renewed interest in the proposal of hyperspace, which states that the structure of space and time are folded into one another, creating multiple dimensions. The author believes that the biblical confession about the resurrected Christ could be beneficial to science and theology in this respect. Biblical testimony provides insight into the apparent natural and effortless movement of Christ between the different dimensions in nature. Astrotheology, as a nexus between the different disciplines, is well equipped to describe themeaning and implications of the resurrection with regard to the fabric of space-time. The author opines that it could facilitate as a natural interface between hyperspaceand the Trinity. This proposal aims to accentuate, from a scriptural point of view, that reality indeed comprises more than four dimensions and that astrotheology could make a significant epistemological contribution in the dialogue about hyperspace and God’s agency in creation.
Optimising academic writing assessment during Covid-19: The development multiple choice tests to develop writing without writing
Get PDFRestrictions and challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic challenged higher education institutions to innovate to keep reaching teaching and learning goals. In South Africa, existing social inequalities were exacerbated by the pandemic restrictions and many students faced severe challenges in terms of access and support to aid in their academic success. Even under ‘normal’ circumstances, developing students’ academic writing skills and critical thinking ability can be challenging. It is this teaching and learning goal, along with the added contextual challenges brought on by the pandemic that prompted the intervention described in this paper. How can we teach and assess critical thinking, and higher-order aspects of academic writing, in such a resource scarce environment? In this paper, the development and results of formative, multiple choice question (MCQ)-style, online tests aimed at developing critical thinking and higher-order aspects of academic writing is discussed. The development of the test through intentional test item design and online test setup is explained whereafter statistical analysis of student participation and results are presented. These preliminary results show that students generally use learning opportunities to their advantage to learn and improve their marks. It also shows that flexible test structure and a supportive test environment can promote equality of outcomes for students, egardless of the contextual challenges they face
Does the state have to provide substantiating evidence when an accused pleads guilty to drug-related charges? A discussion of S v PAULSE 2022 (2) SACR 451 (WCC)
Get PDFThis analysis assesses the ruling in the case of S v Paulse 2022 (2) SACR 451 (WCC) and examines the possibility of an accused entering a guilty plea and subsequently being convicted for offenses under sec. 4(b) of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act 140 of 1992 (DDTA), even when the State presents no supporting evidence for such a conviction. According to the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 (referred to as “CPA”), a court has the authority to convict an accused who pleads guilty to a serious offense as defined in sec. 112(1)(b), following a thorough inquiry of the accused. This process is designed not only to safeguard the accused from unwarranted convictions but also to expedite proceedings. Nonetheless, legal precedents have indicated that determining whether a substance falls within the category of an “undesirable dependence producing” substance, as outlined in Part III of Schedule 2 of the DDTA, might be beyond the accused’s knowledge. To prevent unjust convictions, the State should provide the court with a certificate as outlined in sec. 212(4)(a) of the CPA, if the accused is unable to offer this information. This certificate is issued by a qualified expert subsequent to necessary tests that establish the chemical composition of the substance in question. The certificate acts as preliminary evidence of the relevant fact. When such a certificate is not presented, the courts ought to adopt a more careful approach, especially when an accused is unrepresented by legal counsel. This careful approach during questioning is intended to satisfy the court that the substance indeed falls under the prohibited category as per the DDTA. This approach underscores the importance of due process. There have been instances where some courts have been hesitant to demand the sec. 212(4)(a) certificate or to employ a more cautious approach, seemingly giving greater weight to crime control. However, to safeguard accused individuals from baseless convictions and to uphold their right to a fair trial as stipulated in sec. 35(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, it is imperative to prioritize considerations of due process
Towards flexible learning and teaching: Lessons learned from educator and student experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textThis discussion explores student and educator academic experiences of online learning and teaching (OLT) at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose was to report on lessons learned during the pandemic, and how this may contribute to a flexible blended learning and teaching (BLT) approach within higher education post the pandemic. While most South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) used a BLT approach prior to the pandemic, the face-to-face component was used as the primary method of learning and teaching, with the online component used as a support or ‘add-on’ to face-to-face practices. We reflected on student social workers and their educators’ academic experiences during the pandemic, and how these experiences may guide the planning and implementation of a stronger combination of online and face-to-face learning and teaching in higher education settings going forward. The findings describe study environments that influenced OLT, academic participation and performance during the pandemic when no face-to-face learning and teaching took place, OLT resources and support for OLT during the pandemic, and suggestions for BLT that could support flexible learning and teaching practices at HEIs post the pandemic. The discussion concludes with some recommendations for aspects to consider when planning and implementing a BLT at HEIs post the pandemic
Theology and identity: The impact of culture upon Christian thought in the second century and in modern Africa
Get PDFIn this book, Kwame Bediako explores the theme of identity and Christianity from a broad perspective, addressing many issues modern scholars have battled with. Although Bediako’s focus is postmissionary Christianity in Africa, dating from the 1960s to the present, he gives a foundational background to issues related to culture and identity since the birth of Christianity in the first century AD
Decolonising Bibles? Image, imagination, and imagin(in)g in the postcolonial academy
Get PDFThe complicity of the Bible in the colonial endeavour is no longer seriously disputed. However, efforts to decolonise the Bible, biblical studies and their roles in colonising theology, that start with accounting for interpreters’ social locations, remain few and limited in scope. Ensconced in the image of ideologically secure and contented intellectual space, epistemological and hermeneutical approaches which explicitly involve the social location of interpreters and academic discourses are still viewed with concern if not suspicion. Antipathy towards cultural studies approaches such as postcolonial theory on the one hand is born from ideological preoccupation, intellectual comfort and turf-protection, but on the other hand deprives the biblical studies guild (and associated studies in theology and religion) from a broader spectrum of resources and reimagined engagements with biblical texts and their colonialist-infused legacies
Lesbianism: Deconstructing the Christian church and social hierarchies in South Africa
Get PDFChristianity places a high value on one’s faith in Jesus Christ, and from this belief, one fosters a perception of LGBTQI people. The general patriarchal idea that the only true, biblical sexual orientation is heterosexuality is one of the elements contributing to the religious obstacle the LGBTQI face. Lesbian[1] spouses and their children are frequently subjected to animosity and rejection from members of the local community, where they choose to participate in religious activities. This is because lesbians and/or lesbian families depart from the so-called heterosexual norm. To analyse how the Christian church refers to homosexuality. I will use Michel Foucault’s philosophy on discourse and power as a theoretical underpinning to examine the preconceived concept of a fixed social hierarchy within the Christian church and society. The paper focuses on the biblical discourses that underlie lesbian identity. By highlighting how colonial impressions resulted in a homophobic reception of the bible, I argue for a positive reimagining between churches and the LGBTQI community and provide evidence that the Christian church and social hierarchies impact lesbian identity negatively through the implementation of the Biblical text and patriarchal ontology.
[1] The term lesbian will be used to describe lesbian individuals with or without partners and children.
Christianity’s emphasis on faith in Jesus Christ can shape perceptions of LGBTQI individuals. The notion that heterosexuality is the only biblically sanctioned sexual orientation, rooted in patriarchal ideals, presents a religiouschallenge for the LGBTQI1 community. Lesbian couples and their children often face hostility and exclusion from local religious communities, due to their departure from heterosexual norms. This article employs Michel Foucault’sdiscourse and power theory to examine how the Christian church and society maintain a fixed social hierarchy. Itfocuses on biblical discourses shaping lesbian identity and highlights how colonial influences have fuelled ahomophobic interpretation of the Bible. The argument advocates for a more positive relationship between churches and the LGBTQI community, asserting that the Christian church and social hierarchies negatively impact on lesbian identity through the use of biblical text and patriarchal views
A systematic review of the implications for teaching, learning and assessment at South African universities after the Covid-19 pandemic
Get PDFThis paper presents the results of a systematic review of literature, reported in research journals, on the experiences of higher educational institutions regarding teaching, learning, and assessment during the Covid-19 pandemic. Different studies related to the Covid-19 pandemic have been conducted within the South African context, but there has not been a systematic review of these studies highlighting the lessons learned, how these lessons have affected education in higher education institutions (HEIs), and how these lessons can inform future planning. This study aims to summarise literature on teaching, learning and assessment in higher education institutions and to conceptualise possible guidelines for future planning. An analysis of 52 research articles revealed 7 implications for the lessons learnt from the pandemic for future teaching, learning and assessment (TLA) in South African HEIs (realisation of the affordances of technology for TLA, institutional changes related to online TLA during the pandemic, students’ experiences related to TLA, lecturer’s experiences related to TLA, the need for care, assessment related matters, approaches to teaching, learning and assessment) and several recommendations for how these lessons can be leveraged to help HEIs to prepare effectively for future catastrophic disruptions to education in South African HEIs. The discussion shows the digital divide that exists within the South African population and other contextual challenges faced by higher education institutions during the pandemic, and the different sacrifices by both institutions and students to survive the pandemic. Overall, the findings of this review provide valuable guidance for HEIs and stakeholders involved in TLA, offering insights on how to integrate the lessons learned from the pandemic into their future planning and strategies
Insights into the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on postgraduate students at a university of technology
Get PDFThe objective of this study was to ascertain the impact and effects of Covid-19 on postgraduate students at a university of technology. A qualitative exploratory research approach was used to guide the study, and semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with postgraduate students (N=10) from the Faculty of Health Sciences. Analysis of the study results indicated that postgraduate students encountered numerous challenges and issues that affected their mental health negatively and hindered their holistic academic experience. Findings of the study suggest that the institution should implement concerted efforts to assist students with psychological, social, and financial support that would reduce the adversity experienced through the Covid-19 pandemic