UNAM Gā-aisib Repository (University of Namibia)
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Exploring grade 4 teachers’ challenges in using manipulatives to teach place value: The case of Rundu circuit, Kavango east region
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Inclusive Education)This qualitative exploratory case study design explored the challenges faced by Grade 4
Mathematics teachers in utilising manipulatives to teach place value in Rundu Circuit,
Kavango East educational region. Although, manipulatives play a crucial role in
enhancing mathematical understanding, particularly for foundational concepts such as
place value; many Namibian teachers do not utilise them. Studies carried out on
manipulatives in Mathematics did not explore challenges that Grade 4 Mathematics
teachers face when incorporating manipulatives to teach the topic place value. The study
is situated in Shulman’s theory of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and Piaget’s
Constructivism theory. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with ten (10)
out of a population of fifty-one (51) Grade 4 Mathematics teachers from 32 government
schools in the Rundu circuit. The teachers were purposively selected based on their
experience of teaching Grade 4 for more than two years. The researcher further analysed
documents, which were composed of lesson plans and three learners’ assessment tasks
done on the topic place value of each sampled teacher for data triangulation purposes.
Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns, themes and categories within the data.
The findings reveal that the main challenges that teachers experience in using
manipulatives include teaching in overcrowded classrooms, lack of training, availability
of manipulatives, lack of professional development opportunities for novice teachers, and
time constraints. The factors influencing the selection and implementation of
manipulatives were teachers' pedagogical knowledge and preparedness, knowledge of
learners, language barriers and learners’ behaviours.
Based on the findings, the study recommends provision professional development
opportunities focused on manipulatives, adjustments in the mathematics curriculum
content as well as in the duration of teaching. The study further recommends availing
resources to Mathematics teacher
An assessment of how to build a diverse entrepreneurial leadership team
No full textIn highlighting the significance of cultivating an inclusive culture for increased
creativity, innovation, and adaptability, this chapter explores the crucial elements
of building a diverse entrepreneurial leadership team. In-depth analysis and insights
into the essential elements and tactics of assembling a diverse entrepreneurial lead ership team are the goals of the chapter. Another goal of this chapter is to provide
organizations that want to embrace diversity and inclusion among their leadership
ranks with useful advice and doable suggestions. Concerns about a lack of knowl edge about the advantages of diversity in entrepreneurial leadership teams may be
covered in this chapter. It will underline how crucial it is to recognize and appreciate
the contributions that different points of view make. Concerns about organizational
culture's resistance to change will be discussed in this chapter
An investigation into women’s economic empowerment in the blue economy: A case study of Omankete seafood processors in Walvis Bay, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Gender and Development StudiesNamibia's fishing industry is the third largest contributor to gross domestic product
(GDP), accounting for approximately 20% of export earnings. Despite such stellar
numbers, women are still not sufficiently empowered to gain economic opportunities
in this industry due to a lack of knowledge and technical know-how and it being a
male-dominated sector, hence the gender disparities. This study explored the
opportunities and barriers to women’s economic empowerment in the fishing industry,
including how their economic empowerment is perceived by women employed by
Omankete Seafood Processors Pty (Ltd). The study contributes to the policy changes
in the fishing industry. The study was informed by the Women Empowerment
Framework (WEF), which aims to move towards gender equity and gender equality.
Moreover, the framework takes into consideration the four dimensions of women’s
empowerment, which are: women to access resources, exercise self-awareness,
mobilize their rights, and control their environment. The study made use of the
qualitative research methodology employing the case study approach. The data was
collected through semi-structured interviews, with a total of 28 participants (4 key
informants and 24 female factory workers) through purposive sampling. The data was
subjected to thematic analysis, from which it was determined that women do derive
opportunities and benefits from the fishing industry in the form of monetary
compensation and access to pension funds. Moreover, the study found that women are
hindered from actively participating in the industry due to certain job opportunities
only being available to men. Future studies will benefit from interviewing more fishing
companies and employees employed in auxiliary services. This research aimed to
examine opportunities for women’s economic empowerment in the Namibian fishing
industry and explore constraints to women’s economic empowerment in the fishing
industry. The research study further explored perceptions of the empowerment of
women in the fishing industr
The role of K-12 educational leadership practices to promote effective teaching and learning
No full textOne of the main pillars of society is education, and the quality of education is impacted by the quality of educational leadership. Principals and other school administrators are examples of educational leaders who impact and change learning environments. This study aims to clarify how effective leadership can improve teaching and learning, encourage student engagement and well-being, and eventually result in better learning outcomes. This study employed a systematic review of the secondary data on educational leadership practices. The findings demonstrated that improved teaching performance was significantly predictable given a transformational leadership and a positive school culture. The findings also provide insight into ways to enhance school culture and educational leadership to put policies into place that will improve student outcomes. These results give school administrators important new information about how important school culture is to attaining teaching excellenc
Frequency and factors associated with cancellation of elective surgical operations in Intermediate Hospital Oshakati
No full textA thesis in partial fulfilment for the requirements for the Degree of Master of Medicine (Anesthesiology, Critical care and Pain management)Introduction: An elective surgical case cancellation refers to any planned operation that
was not performed on the scheduled day. This problem has a negative impact on health
systems, especially in resource challenged countries. This study determined frequency and
factors associated with cancellation of elective surgical operation in Intermediate Hospital,
Oshakati.
Methodology: A prospective observational cohort study design was employed. All patients
scheduled to undergo elective surgeries from September to November 2023 were recruited.
A proforma was used to extract data from patient’s record, daily scheduled operation lists
and theatre surgery register. A thematic analysis of reasons for cancellation was employed.
Furthermore, analysis included descriptive statistics as frequencies and percentages,
presented in tables.
Results: During the study period, 1599 elective surgeries were booked, of which 336 cases
(21%) were cancelled on the day of surgery. Of the total cancelled cases, 186 (55.4%) were
female and 150 (44.6%) were males patients. Vascular surgery (45.8%) had the highest
proportion of cancellations while Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department had the least
(9.4%). The most common factors why surgeries were cancelled were time constraints
(21.4%) and lack of theatre space (15.5%).
Conclusion: The overall cancellation incidence was found to be higher than the
internationally recommended rate of less than 5%. Our 21% rate was found higher than
that of most developed countries but lower than some African countries. Resource
limitations related factors constituted the most common category of reasons for
cancellations.
Recommendation: Most causes of cancellation can be avoided by building more theatre
space, employ more staffs and prioritizing the optimal functioning of operating theatre in
the hospital. Development of operating theatre standard of practice and policies is of
equally important. Furthermore, a constant communication between theatre user parties
should me maintaine
Grade one teachers’ experiences in developing children’s phonological awareness in English as a second language: A case of Onankali circuit, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Early Childhood Education)This study aimed at exploring the challenges Grade 1 teachers encounter when teaching
phonological awareness in English as a Second Language (ESL) in the Onankali Circuit
of the Oshikoto Education Region of Namibia. The difficulties that children face during
the early stages of learning affect the acquisition of better reading skills in future (Naiken,
2016). In an effort to comprehend the difficulties that Grade 1 teachers face in teaching
phonological awareness, a single case study design and qualitative approach were used in
this study. In addition, the study used purposive sampling to identify the three schools,
which consisted of six Grade 1 teachers, three Junior Primary Heads of Departments, and
one Advisory teacher from Onankali Circuit. For data collection, face-to-face interviews,
observations and document analysis were utilised. Moreover, content analysis was used
for data analysis. Some major challenges revealed in the study are but not limited to are a
lack of conceptual knowledge about the development of phonological awareness,
insufficient teaching and learning resources for phonological awareness, teachers’ lack of
English proficiency as well as the insufficient training on the development of phonological
awareness which leads to poor reading skills among the Grade 1 learners. The study
further revealed the need for Grade 1 teachers to broaden their pedagogical content
knowledge of the suitable teaching strategies for phonological awareness and the usage of
relevant teaching activities for phonological awareness. Finally, the study recommends
Educational Regional offices to make provision for quality professional development
training workshops and universal teaching materials for all Grade 1 teachers to support
phonological awareness instructio
A comparative analysis of GNSS-inferred precipitable water vapour at the potential sites for the Africa Millimetre Telescope
No full textIn this study, GNSS station data from both the H.E.S.S. site and the Gamsberg Mountain, MERRA-2 data from both the H.E.S.S. site and Gamsberg Mountain were processed and converted into PWV for both sites. MERRA-2 data were used to find whether there is an agreement with the GNSS station data, and therefore validate and support the measurements from the GNSS station. Moreover, MERRA-2 data were used together with am to model and find the relationships between PWV and opacity at 86, 230, and 345 GHz for both sites. Furthermore, the PWV and atmospheric transmission at 86, 230, and 345 GHz was quantified during the EHT window of observations and the winter period which offered possibilities of single-dish and VLBI observations.The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is a network of antennas across the globe currently used to image supermassive black holes (SMBHs) at a frequency of 230 GHz. Since the release of the image of M87
in 2019 and, subsequently, that of Sgr A
in 2022 by the EHT collaboration, the focus has shifted to dynamically imaging SMBHs. This has led to a search for potential sites to extend and fill in the gaps within the EHT network. The Gamsberg Mountain and the High-Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) site are both located within the Khomas highlands and have been identified as potential sites for the Africa Millimetre Telescope (AMT). Precipitable water vapour (PWV) in the atmosphere is the main source of opacity and noise from atmospheric emissions when observing at millimetre to sub-millimetre wavelengths. This study aims to establish the PWV content and the atmospheric transmission at 86, 230, and 345 GHz at the AMT potential sites using Global Navigation Satellite System derived PWV data. Results show both sites have potential for observations at 86 and 230 GHz, with 345 GHz possible at the Gamsberg Mountain during winter. The overall median PWV of 14.27 and 9.25 mm was calculated at the H.E.S.S. site and the Gamsberg Mountain, respectively. The EHT window had PWV medians of 16.62 and 11.20 mm at the H.E.S.S. site and Gamsberg Mountain, respectively. Among the two sites, the Gamsberg Mountain had the lowest PWV conditions, therefore making it the most suitable site for the AM
Dissemination of health information by public libraries in the Khomas region, Namibia
No full textThis study investigated the dissemination of health information by public libraries in the Khomas region of Namibia. In addition, the study looked at the following specific research objectives:
•
To explore how public libraries in the Khomas region are disseminating health information to community members.
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To ascertain the types of health information disseminated to communities.
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To identify the challenges and opportunities that public libraries are facing in the dissemination of health information.
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To investigate solutions on how the dissemination of health information through public libraries can be enhanced.This study investigated the dissemination of health information by public libraries in the Khomas region of Namibia. The objectives of the study were to determine if public libraries in the Khomas region are disseminating health information to their communities; identify the types of health information being disseminated; explore the challenges and opportunities faced by public libraries in the dissemination of health information; and investigate possible solutions to the challenges. The study targeted library staff working in public libraries in the Khomas region. A qualitative research approach with purposive sampling was used to obtain data through semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed using thematic and content qualitative data analysis. The study found that public libraries play a major role in the dissemination of health information, as library staff showed that they understood their responsibilities of distributing health information to members of the public. The study further revealed that public libraries use various sources such as pamphlets, brochures, leaflets, magazines, newspapers and books to disseminate health information to community members. In addition, it was found that one of the major challenges in disseminating health information is a lack of collaboration between public libraries and other organisations to provide health information to users. A further challenge is the insufficient availability of health books in public libraries with content suitable for the intended audience. The study recommends that all the raised challenges be resolved to facilitate health information dissemination to community member
Challenges experienced in English language by learners and promoters of adult upper primary education programme in Khomas region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education( Adult Education)The lack of acceptable fluency in speaking, reading, and writing of the English language
among adult learners, at the Adult Upper Primary Education level of the National
Literacy Programme in Namibia poses a significant challenge. This study explored the
challenges experienced by promoters and learners at the AUPE level of the NLPN, in the
Khomas Region, in teaching and learning the English language, respectively. By
employing a phenomenological design of the qualitative approach, the data was
collected through interviews and observation techniques. Three (3) promoters and six (6)
adult learners were purposively sampled and interviewed, and classroom observation of
three (3) promoters’ teaching English language was conducted after the interviews.
Through the content analysis, the interview data revealed that although promoters were
motivated by the love of working with adults, their practice was challenged by a lack of
permanent teaching centres, outdated teaching materials, and some learners tend to be
slow to understand the lesson, making it a challenge for the promoter to move on within
the limited time. Another challenge is the stringent recruitment policy of a minimum of
fifteen (15) adult learners per class, which is difficult to attain and sustain, as well as
limited support from the Directorate of Adult Education (DAE). Nevertheless, the
observation data indicated that promoters employed various effective techniques such as
lectures, question and answer, incorporation of translation and practical activities in
lessons to promote learners’ learning of the English language. The findings shed light on
the difficulties experienced by learners related to reading comprehension, listening
skills, grammar usage, spelling, pronunciation, and sentence construction. External
factors such as work schedules and limited class time further hindered learners’ English
language learnin
The viability of legalising trade in ivory and endangered species products: A Namibian perspective with SADC comparisons
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Laws (LLM)This thesis investigates the viability of legalizing trade in ivory and endangered species
products in Namibia and its impact on species conservation, anti-poaching efforts, and
sustainable development. The study employs a mixed-methods approach,
incorporating both doctrinal legal analysis and empirical data collection through
questionnaires distributed to key 29 stakeholders, including conservation experts,
government officials, and community leaders.
The research objectives include evaluating current Namibian and international legal
frameworks; assessing the ecological, economic, and enforcement implications of
legalizing ivory trade; comparing Namibia's legal regime with South Africa,
Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and proposing policy recommendations that ensure
conservation while considering economic benefits for local communities. The study
also explores the potential consequences of implementing legal trade systems, such as
the risk of encouraging poaching and the mismanagement of wildlife populations.
Key empirical findings indicate that while there is substantial support for legalizing
trade, significant concerns remain about enforcement mechanisms, public trust, and
the potential for increased poaching. The legal frameworks in Namibia, such as the
Controlled Wildlife Products and Trade Act and the Prevention of Organised Crime
Act (POCA), provide a strong foundation for wildlife crime prevention but are
insufficient for regulating legal trade due to conflicting provisions on asset forfeiture
and wildlife trafficking. Comparisons with South Africa and Zimbabwe reveal gaps in
enforcement and coordination that could undermine a regulated trade system.
The study concludes that legalizing trade in ivory is not currently viable due to the
high risks of exploitation by criminal networks and the potential negative impacts on
endangered species. Instead, Namibia should focus on strengthening anti-poaching
efforts, enhancing community-based conservation programs, and seeking alternative
income-generating activities for communities reliant on wildlife. The thesis
recommends refining existing legal frameworks, improving cross-border enforcement
cooperation, and exploring regulated trade options under stringent international
supervisio