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Contextualising critical thinking pedagogy in South African teacher education
No full textSince 1994, South Africa, a developing democracy, has endeavoured to improve the quality of its education. Crime, poverty, and unemployment among other socio–economic ills decry quality living. While politics and economics have driven education policy and curriculum transformation, these are symbolic in practice. Critical thinking pedagogy emphasises the importance of developing and enabling critical consciousness for quality living and healthy citizenry. Though complex in nature, critical thinking pedagogy is considered a student–centred inquiry–based dialogical approach. Contextualising critical thinking pedagogical practices embedded in theory needed for sustainable change and ongoing transformation is about quality education especially in South African higher education. In line with the call for quality education from local Non–Governmental Organisations and international institutions like the United Nations, this paper seeks to contextualise critical thinking pedagogy as an approach through the culture of collaboration and inquiry in South African teacher education. The paper advances an explicit inclusion of critical thinking pedagogy in teacher education at South African higher education institutions. Lipman’s Philosophy for Children framework is offered as a means for engaging a context–driven, collaborative, storytelling pedagogical approach centring fairness, respect and dignity sensitive to local and universal application that could address quality educatio
New hope for obscured AGN: the PRIMA-NewAthena alliance
No full textUnderstanding the AGN-galaxy co-evolution, feedback processes, and the evolution of Black Hole Accretion rate Density (BHAD) requires accurately estimating the contribution of obscured Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). However, detecting these sources is challenging due to significant extinction at the wavelengths typically used to trace their emission. We evaluate the capabilities of the proposed far-infrared observatory PRIMA and its synergies with the X-ray observatory NewAthena in detecting AGN and in measuring the BHAD. Starting from X-ray background synthesis models, we simulate the performance of NewAthena and of PRIMA in Deep and Wide surveys. Our results show that the combination of these facilities is a powerful tool for selecting and characterizing all types of AGN. Although NewAthena is particularly effective at detecting the most luminous, the unobscured, and the moderately obscured AGN, PRIMA excels at identifying heavily obscured sources, including Compton-thick AGN (of which we expect 7500 detections per deg2). We find that PRIMA will detect ∼60 times more sources than Herschel over the same area and will allow us to accurately measure the BHAD evolution up to z ∼ 8, better than any current IR or X-ray survey, finally revealing the true contribution of Compton-thick AGN to the BHAD evolutio
FAST drift scan survey for HI Intensity mapping: simulation of Bayesian-stacking-based HI mass function estimation
No full textThis study investigates the estimation of the neutral hydrogen (Hi) mass function (HiMF) using a Bayesian stacking approach with simulated data for the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) Hi intensity mapping (HiIM) drift-scan surveys. Using data from the IllustrisTNG simulation, we construct Hi sky cubes at redshift ∼ 0.1 and the corresponding optical galaxy catalogs, simulating FAST observations under various survey strategies, including pilot, deep-field, and ultradeep-field surveys. The HiMF is measured for distinct galaxy populations– classified by optical properties into red, blue, and bluer galaxies– and injected with systematic effects such as observational noise and flux confusion caused by the FAST beam. The results show that Bayesian stacking significantly enhances HiMF measurements. For red and blue galaxies, the HiMF can be well constrained with pilot surveys, while deeper surveys are required for the bluer galaxy population. Our analysis also reveals that sample variance dominates over observational noise, emphasizing the importance of wide-field surveys to improve constraints. Furthermore, flux confusion shifts the HiMF toward higher masses, which we address using a transfer function for correction. Finally, we explore the effects of intrinsic sample incompleteness and propose a framework to quantify its impact. This work lays the groundwork for future HiMF studies with FAST HiIM, addressing key challenges and enabling robust analyses of Hi content across galaxy populations
Reflections of resilience and vulnerability of adolescents living with HIV during COVID-19: a photovoice study in peri-urban Cape Town, South Africa
No full textBackground: Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) in low socio-economic contexts face challenges related to physical development and health, stigma, and economic instability. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these vulnerabilities, impacting the physical, mental, and social well-being of ALHIV. ALHIV were positioned in a particularly precarious situation, requiring them to navigate the disruptions caused by the pandemic while simultaneously striving to maintain resilience and adherence to their antiretroviral treatment (ART). Objectives: To explore the resilience and vulnerability of ALHIV on ART in a peri-urban community in Cape Town, South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: A participatory photovoice study was employed with 20 ALHIV aged 14 to 19 years. Participants received basic training on photography techniques and were asked to capture images representing their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. These photographs were shared and discussed in both individual interviews and group discussions. All interviews and discussions were audio-recorded, and the resulting transcripts were analysed using content analysis to identify key themes and insights. Results: Four key themes were identified: (1) disrupted routines and emotional strain, (2) support systems and coping mechanisms, (3) HIV treatment adherence facilitators and barriers, and (4) economic vulnerability and household stress. Despite the compounded challenges and significant hardships, ALHIV in this study demonstrated notable resilience, maintaining treatment adherence and a positive outlook despite economic struggles and social disruptions. Conclusions: This study highlights the resilience and vulnerability of ALHIV in resource-limited settings. Findings underscore the need for targeted mental health and social support interventions to address their unique vulnerabilities. Strengthening healthcare access, social support networks, and local community resources can improve the well-being and coping capacity of ALHIV in future crises
In the minor key: the minuscular mycelium and its implications for citizen science
No full textIn an era marked by ecological precarity and growing demands for knowledge systems that are more inclusive, situated, and responsive, grassroots initiatives have begun to challenge dominant models of science and expertise. Among these, citizen science has emerged as a powerful mode of inquiry that brings together university-based scientists with communities to highlight lived experience, local knowledge, and collective sense-making. One such initiative, which is grounded in a commitment to care, justice, and co-creation is the project Diamonds on the Soles of our Feet (DSF) which originated as a locally rooted water literacy project in the province of Limpopo in South Africa. Since its inception in 2019, the project has evolved in unexpected, generative and at times even unfathomable ways. From its start in one rural village, it grew into a multi-sited, transnational, and increasingly entangled exploration of environmental justice and relational care. This paper seeks to make sense of these developments through the conceptual lens of a ‘fungal turn’ and the aesthetics of care. Engaging with the entanglements of citizen science, we found, can open up forms of learning that stretch beyond conventional scientific frameworks. Here the image of the fungal as a (dis)organizing principle allows us to contrast it with the more rigid image of science as a container. As DSF networ(ld)s extend into uncharted geographical terrains, the application of an ethics of care, coupled with fungal imagery, offers a valuable lens to interpret the unexpected and indeterminate textures that characterize our unfolding DSF journey. By equipping both learners and educators, DSF aims to create a collaborative model that supports long-term behavioral change and where authentic, value-transparent conversations become the fertile ground for meaningful engagement. We thus aim to create a pedagogy of connection, one that links ecology, identity, and imagination, resisting the impulse to fix, explain away or simplify, but instead to cultivate the capacity to remain present with the troubling complexity of it all. Once we took citizen science out of the container, we began to inhabit a space where encounters became unpredictable, often uncomfortable and occasionally deeply troubling. By resisting the impulse to command, to classify and to control and by resting instead in the minor key, meaning in the unfolding process rather than the singular event, we allowed ourselves to become entangled. Mushrooms offer more than a biological metaphor; they become a lens to reimagine ecological entanglement and the often-invisible networks that shape our understanding of science, learning, and care
Developing Grade 3 learners’ vocabulary knowledge using isiXhosa idioms
No full textThis article focuses on qualitative research that was conducted on Grade 3 learners. The purpose of the research is to look at how Xhosa idioms, which are part of folklore, can be taught to increase Grade 3 learners’ vocabulary. Using idioms shows fluency in any language and if you do not know the idioms, do not use them. Purposeful sampling and convenience sampling techniques were used for selecting the schools and participants. Analysing the results of the use of idioms is followed by the ideas of the cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), which considers how physical and psychological cultural resources are used to mediate learning. This research followed a qualitative research approach, an interpretive paradigm and an exploratory case study research design. It was conducted in two schools located in black townships in the Western Cape that use isiXhosa as medium of instruction in the Foundation Phase. Data were collected through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. This article concludes that idioms should be taught in a learner-centred teaching method which is class discussions, questions and answers, role playing and explanations so that learners’ vocabulary can grow and they can read with comprehension in Grade 3. When the vocabulary is not developed, it is a challenge for learners to read with understanding, because it is what helps them to understand what is said and written. Learners also use vocabulary when they speak and write. Therefore, this article also focuses on changes found by including traditional literacy idioms, cultural tools to enrich vocabulary and master language fluently
The ipp-effect in Afrikaans: something old, something new.
No full textThis article concerns the so-called Infinitivus Pro Participio (IPP) effect - in terms of which what appears to be an infinitive surfaces where a selected past participle is expected - as it manifests in modern Afrikaans. Prior research has highlighted the apparent optionality of this effect, leading to conflicting conclusions regarding the continued existence of a productive IPP-effect in contemporary Afrikaans. Here we draw on recent corpus- and questionnaire-based investigations to consider the optionality of the IPP-effect in Afrikaans in more empirical detail, with the objective of establishing (i) the status of the IPP in Afrikaans and (ii) how it differs from the IPP in Dutch. The article's second objective is to consider the role of language contact in shaping the IPP-effect as it is currently attested in (varieties of) Afrikaans.
Prevalence of early childhood caries in Africa: a systematic review
No full textBackground: The prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) continues to increase. It is recognised as a public health concern, particularly in developing countries. Early childhood caries has numerous adverse effects on children’s growth and overall well-being. Despite the global burden of ECC, data from Africa remain limited, varied and are based on inconsistent diagnostic criteria and study methodologies. Aim: The aim was to perform a systematic review to ascertain the prevalence of ECC in children across Africa between January 2000 and March 2025. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search of peer-reviewed articles published in English between January 2000 and March 2025 was conducted using multiple databases, including PubMed, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, AFRICA-WIDE INFO, African Journals Online (AJOL) and CINAHL. Prospero Registration: CRD42018112161. Results: A total of 70 studies, representing 58 644 participants from 13 African countries, were included in the review. The overall prevalence of ECC was 37.9% (95% CI: 31.2–44.6), with variations observed among countries and urban/rural settings. The mean dmft score was 1.98 (95% CI: 1.86–2.10). Discussion and Conclusion: The prevalence of ECC varies considerably across the African continent. This could be due to differences in education, access to dental care and human resources among countries and regions
Detecting the turnover of the power spectrum with SKAO and other surveys
No full textDetecting the turnover of the power spectrum with SKAO and other surveys. This thesis explores the potential of next-generation experiments, specifically the Square Kilometre Array and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, to detect and constrain the power spectrum turnover, a key feature of the universe’s large-scale structure holding the key for probing ultra-large scales. Employing intensity mapping and galaxy surveys, we utilize Fisher forecasts and Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations to model and analyze this subtle cosmological signature. Our findings reveal that SKA-MID Band 1 demonstrates the highest detection significance and Figure of Merit, establishing it as the most promising instrument for this endeavor. However, foregrounds introduce a bias on the detected value of the turnover position. While DESI surveys excel at probing small-scale structures, they effectively complement intensity mapping surveys, crucial for a holistic understanding of the universe’s matter distribution. We address significant challenges such as foreground contamination and analyze the effects of the telescope beam, which can obscure the turnover signal for intensity mapping observations. Our study emphasizes the importance of advanced foreground cleaning techniques and beam-induced bias correction for accurate cosmological analysis. This work confirms the feasibility of detecting the power spectrum turnover with observational tools and provides a critical comparative evaluation of current methodologies across various surveys. The insights discussed lay a robust foundation for future research dedicated to refining our understanding of cosmic evolution and its governing parameters as well as addressing the Hubble tension
Healing bodies, healing communities: a community-based qualitative study of adult survivors of childhood sexual trauma in South Africa
No full textHighlights: Body-based care models respond better to long-term, intergenerational and somatic aspects of sexual trauma in survivors being historically excluded from mental health care. Co-creation of care pathways ensures culturally sensitive approaches that are responsive to lived experiences of marginalized survivors of childhood sexual trauma. What are the main findings? Relational safety and somatic engagement were foundational to trauma recovery, enabling survivors to process trauma at their own pace and integrate dissociative experiences through embodied therapeutic praxis. Recovery was relational and continuous, with participants reporting increased peace, authenticity and social connection despite structural barriers, highlighting the effectiveness of culturally grounded, non-pathologizing care. What is the implication of the main finding? Integrative Trauma-Informed Care (ITIC) offers a culturally sensitive, adaptable framework that can be tailored to diverse communities and age groups, emphasizing embodied, intergenerational and relational healing. Decolonial and feminist approaches to mental health care can bridge epistemic gaps in ITIC praxes by centering survivors’ lived, embodied experiences, promoting sustainable and inclusive therapeutic models globally. Background: While sexual trauma is inherently an embodied experience, research on psychological interventions that is cognisant of geographic and socio-political community contexts within which embodied, therapeutic interventions occur remains limited. Decolonial, African and feminist community psychologies have noted this epistemic–ethical gap. Objectives: This paper explores the co-development of trauma-informed care pathways for adult survivors of childhood sexual trauma (CST) in under-resourced communities in Cape Town, South Africa. The study aimed to integrate intergenerational community knowledge, embodied therapeutic practices and collaborative approaches into locally relevant models of care. Methods: Drawing on feminist mental health frameworks, this qualitative study engaged 13 adult female survivors who identify as “coloured”. Embodiment was central in guiding the deconstructive therapeutic praxis, informing both the co-development of care pathways and the conceptualization of integrative trauma-informed care (ITIC) beyond pathologizing, deficit-based narratives. The cultivation of trust and the situated lived realities of survivors were foregrounded to illustrate the relational dimensions of trauma recovery. Results: Establishing relational safety emerged as the foundation for therapeutic engagement, supported by non-directive therapeutic probing. Grounding practices, affective regulation and embodied awareness enabled participants to process trauma at their own pace. Somatic engagement allowed the integration of dissociative experiences while strengthening relational resilience. Recovery was a continuous process, with participants reporting increased peace, authenticity and capacity for social connection despite structural barriers to community support. Conclusions: The development of care pathways was embedded within the research process itself, offering an approach that is culturally sensitive and responsive to survivors’ lived experiences. ITIC accounted for temporal, intergenerational and embodied trauma and should be adaptable across age and community-specific needs. The ITIC approach offers a transferable framework for co-developing de-pathologizing, culturally responsive interventions that can be adapted across diverse global contexts to support sustainable trauma integration