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The Conversation: Applying Gadamer’s Theory on Seeking Understanding in a South African Context
Get PDFAmidst the turmoil and controversy which characterises much of the public debate on social concerns in South Africa, the issue of apartheid-type perceptions of identity continues to dictate the nature and outcome of interactions. Student feedback on a first-year English Language Studies module at Nelson Mandela University suggests that through the medium of ‘hermeneutic conversations’ (as described by Gadamer), there is potential to both address and overcome many of these ideologically-based obstacles which appear so persistent in our struggle for transformation. The concept of conversation forms the core of Gadamer’s explanation of the quest for understanding. Gadamer describes the task of hermeneutics as establishing ‘agreement, where there was none or where it had been disturbed in some way’ and he claims that it is through the format of a hermeneutical conversation that such understanding is achieved. This article considers Gadamer’s theory on gaining common understanding in terms of student interactions which form part of the above-mentioned first-year module. Students are prompted to enter into conversations aimed at encouraging understanding between those of diverse backgrounds. In addition, the course aims to prompt ‘inner conversations’ regarding everyday understanding of the world and that which is assumed as ‘truth’
The Shifting Sands of Music Leadership: Searching for Disciplinary Space in a Research-led University
Get PDFFrom the perspective of an arts-based discipline in need of curricular transformation, this paper examines certain fragilities within the university systems and calls for a transformational style of leadership. Recent events in higher education in South Africa have brought to light the crisis in leadership at its public universities, with critical focus on curriculum leadership. While universities may conceive of themselves as being under attack, with their legitimacy, traditions and values being called into question, current student opinion is that the issue of leadership in universities fails to be sufficiently transparent when compared to the public or private sectors. This research is located within an autoethnographic context and highlights the experience and challenges of an academic leader in the arts, and specifically, the music discipline. The experiential data affords insight into problems existing between leadership, management and more especially the academic leadership of the discipline. While arguing for a different role for curriculum leadership within the contemporary university, this paper goes further, contending that it is imperative for the music discipline to engage with its new media challenges in order to ensure its contemporary relevance
The Role of Telehealth in Disaster Management: Lessons for the Philippines
Get PDFAccording to the WorldRiskIndex 2016, the Philippines is the third country most at risk of disasters in the world. Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest on local record, caused widespread destruction to life and property. Current disaster management strategies in the country do not include telehealth as a formal tool in disaster mitigation, response, or recovery. This study reviewed research incorporating telehealth in disaster management from multiple low and lower middle income countries like the Philippines to address this gap by identifying lessons the country might be able to adopt. Studies show that most initiatives centre on evaluating telehealth’s effectiveness during the response phase. Unsurprisingly, mobile technology and satellite communications predominated, and most projects were launched using donor funding. Use of telehealth in disaster management in the Philippines could begin by recognising and including telehealth in formal government protocols. The government could leverage the National Telehealth Service Program of the University of the Philippines National Telehealth Center. Documentation and systematic research on telehealth’s expected positive contributions to disaster preparedness and response should also be initiated
Childbearing Women’s Perception About the Use of mHealth for Maternal Health Information in Rural Communities, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Get PDFBackground: Poor access and utilisation of maternal health services among rural women is a major contributor to the high maternal mortality in Nigeria. Inadequate healthcare facilities and personnel in the rural communities are some of the major factors militating against women’s access and use of maternal health services. Harnessing mobile health (mHealth) in supporting health services delivery to widely-dispersed women will improve access to reproductive healthcare and reduce maternal mortality. This study aimed at assessing women’s perception about the use of mHealth for maternal health information in rural communities. Methods: This was a descriptive community-based cross-sectional study that involved 403 women of childbearing age (15 to 49 y) who gave birth within the five years prior to the study. Data were collected over two weeks using structured questionnaires. Results: The majority of the women possessed mobile phones, 91%, but only 48% currently used them for maternal health information and 87.3% had a positive perception about use of mHealth for maternal health information. Women who had positive perception had higher odds of accessing a health institution for delivery compared to those who had poor perception (OR=1.72, SE=0.6, CI=0.92-3.22). Conclusion: Women had positive perceptions about use of mHealth but current use of mobile phone for maternal health information was poor. Innovative methods like mHealth to strengthen maternal health services delivery for the hard to reach populations are urgently needed to support Nigeria efforts towards desirable global maternal and child health targets against year 2030
The Feasibility and Satisfaction of Using Telemedicine to Provide Tertiary Paediatric Obesity Care
Get PDFAlthough telemedicine in paediatric tertiary care has been tried, satisfaction and outcome data is limited due to small sample sizes and the variation of methods and personnel by which telemedicine technology is delivered and participants assessed. Aim: to determine the feasibility of using telemedicine to deliver Paediatric tertiary obesity care and to evaluate Patient/Physician/Staff satisfaction. Method: we used a commercially available telemedicine system to conduct a prospective study where 30 patients in a Paediatric Healthy Life Centre Outpatient Clinic were evaluated by a specialist physician using telemedicine technology. A qualitative assessment of the patient/physician/staff perceptions of telemedicine use was assessed through a five-point Likert Scale and free text answers. Results: of the 30 patient sessions, 27 (90%) consultations were performed to completion. Fifteen consultations were initial assessments. Physician, staff and patient responders agreed that the use of telemedicine is an appropriate and effective use of the clinician’s skillset and time (≥96%), and can avoid patient travel from an underserved area to a tertiary care clinic (≥95%). Responders were comfortable and satisfied using the telemedicine equipment (≥85%). Physician and patients agreed that the telemedicine equipment helped the patient avoid a face-to-face visit (≥90%). Physician and patients felt the technology was effective in the management of their visit (≥93%). Conclusions: we successfully delivered tertiary obesity care through the use of telemedicine equipment in different clinical situations associated with paediatric obesity. Telemedicine is feasible, and is a realistic, successful and cost-effective modality to provide well-received specialty care for the obese paediatric population
Government-to-Government e-Government: A Case Study of Challenges Facing User Adoption in KwaZulu-Natal
No full texte-Government (e-Gov) projects are continuing to fail in countries across the world, including South Africa. Therefore, although e-Gov presents a means to transform government service delivery to citizens, the intended benefits are not achieved. In addition, the failure of e-Gov leads to significant wasteful expenditure. This paper focuses on a specific category of e-Gov, Government-to-Government (G2G), concerned with the use of Information and Communications Technology to automate and streamline business processes within a government department and across departments. Challenges facing user adoption of G2G in a South African context are analysed using the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport as a case study. As the first step in this research, cases of G2G user adoption challenges in South African government were identified. This helped inform the focus of the literature review and the research instrument used. A qualitative research methodology was used to understand the G2G user adoption challenges. This research has shown that user adoption is a central challenge facing G2G. User adoption is influenced by six main themes: Addressing User Requirements, Business Process Management, Change Management, User Involvement, Organisa-tional Culture and Priority. The six main themes in turn are influenced by sub-themes: strategy, usability, complexity, HR skills, resistance, systems develop-ment methodology, management support and data quality. Technology infra-structure was identified as an important yet peripheral issue affecting G2G. This research has provided a deeper understanding of the challenges facing G2G user adoption, by focusing on these emerging themes and sub-themes and describing how they impact on G2G. The findings are summarised in a G2G User Adoption Challenges model
Academic Freedom and the Problems of Patriotism and Social Responsibility in Post-colonial Africa
Get PDFThis article interrogates the meaning of academic freedom in African universities after the attainment of political independence. It explores the nuances of the concept of academic freedom and traces its appropriation in African contexts. The article contends that African scholars operate in challenging political environments due to the quest by political leaders to dabble in philosophy. African ‘philosopher kings’ have sought to articulate grand visions and narratives of development and they brook no dissent in this ‘sacred quest’. As a result, African academics are generally expected to tow the line and endorse the grandiose philosophies articulated by the ambitious presidents. We argue that this is dangerous and results in loss of academic freedom. The article concludes by emphasising that African intellectuals can make more effective contributions to the nations by refusing to be co-opted and remaining faithful to the tenets of academic freedom
Implications of the Articulation Gap between Geography Learners in Secondary Schools and University
Get PDFThere is a concern in South Africa that most learners arrive at university underprepared. This is also a major concern for students who enroll for the BEd programme specialising in geography education. Due to the learners’ articulation gap, they are unable to cope with the standard that is expected of them. Hence this study investigated the level of geography learners’ prepared-ness when they arrive at university. The aim of the study was to investigate the challenges experienced by geography students in their first-year of study. The researchers used a qualitative approach grounded in phenomenology as the research design. Purposive sampling was used to select students who failed geography education in both semesters in their first-year of study, the academic year 2016. Two lecturers who teach geography in the first-year were sampled. The geography curriculum used in the secondary schools and university were also reviewed to determine the extent of alignment between the two. A the-matic approach was used to analyse the data. The results of the study revealed that geography students enter university without proper preparation, and are therefore unable to cope with their first-year of study. The study further revealed that teachers who teach geography in secondary school are not sufficiently trained to teach geography, which results in their engaging in surface learning as opposed to deep learning. The study recommends that there be collaboration between secondary schools and universities to discuss the university’s expectations with regard to learner preparedness. Moreover, geography teachers should be trained on an on-going basis in order for them to keep up with current trends in the area of geography education
Determinants of Food Insecurity amongst Primary School Children through the Lens of Affected Parents and Teachers: The Case of Matobo District, Zimbabwe
Get PDFChildren from food insecure households tend to be vulnerable to diseases and miss school or fail to participate in school activities. This paper reports on the determinants of food insecurity amongst primary school children in southwestern Zimbabwe, a context where inadequate data presently exists. According to Chattopadhay (2000: 312), an explanation for Zimbabwe’s food insecurity can be understood using the entitlement framework by Amartya Sen (1981). Qualitative research using a case study research design was used. School administrators, teachers and parents of food insecure children were purposively selected. The tools were semi-structured interviews (28 in total) and focus group discussions (14 in total for the six schools that were sampled). The results show that the determinants of food insecurity amongst primary school children in Matobo district are multifaceted: social, economic and environmental and they tend to compound each other. Most households are vulnerable to food insecurity as a result of a loss or lack of physical, social, financial, natural and human assets. Additionally, poverty and climate change seem to be the major contributors of food insecurity in rural areas. The paper concludes by asserting that government can ensure food security in southern Zimbabwe by reviving existing irrigation schemes and supporting income generating projects at household level through training and the provision of start-up capital. There is also the need for non-governmental organizations to empower the local residents of Matobo district on the available options to germinate livelihood success and thus ensure future food security for their families