UNAM Open Access Journal University of Namibia
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Code-switching as a means of struggling against the English hegemony at Midlands State University
Get PDFEnglish, as a foreign language has enjoyed superiority over indigenous African languages since the advent of British colonisation in Africa. At Midlands State University English is the language of hegemony. Policy regarding language use stipulates that English is the working language and language of instruction, and indigenous languages are completely disregarded. The study recognises that whilst there are hard and fast rules that speak against the use of indigenous languages, people do not conform to the standard mainly because English is not the language of the people. There are means that are used to operate above the hegemony and code-switching is one such avenue. That being the case, this inquiry examines the extent to which code-switching is used and can serve as a means of struggling against the hegemony of English language at Midlands State University. The study also unpacks the forces that are behind the nurturing of the hegemony of English language. In an attempt to come up with informed decisions, a hybrid theoretical framework comprising the competence and markedness model is adopted. The study is qualitative in nature and data was collected through observation and personal interviews. The study establishes that code-switching is the order of the day in lectures at Midlands State University. It acknowledges the role that is played by code-switching in ensuring that indigenous languages are not completely excluded from domains that are reserved for English language. The study concludes that code-switching is an effective way of struggling against English hegemony since it enhances the use of indigenous languages, particularly Shona in the classroom
Moving to deep and transformative learning: Professional development programmes at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST)
Get PDFFollowing the transformation from a Polytechnic to a University of Science and Technology, NUST recently introduced a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) as a transformative professional development programme both for its new and experienced lecturers to ensure excellence in teaching and learning. This article explores the views of the lecturers on the immediate impact of the PGCHE on their professional practice. Framed in the interpretive paradigm, the study adopted a qualitative approach. Data were collected through an open-ended qualitative questionnaire distributed to lecturers in the first four weeks of the programme and six months afterwards. The data were supported with an analysis of PGCHE participants’ reflective reports. The findings reveal positive outcomes of the PGCHE including among others, lecturers’ new insights gained on teaching and learning, the use of student-centred teaching, teaching students how to learn and reflective practice. Further, the PGCHE has broadened lecturers’ conceptions of teaching and learning, challenged their roles and expanded their repertoire of innovative active learning teaching strategies. The conclusion drawn is that the PGCHE is a powerful tool which is transforming lecturers’ conceptions about teaching and learning as well as their pedagogic skills to enhance their professional practice in robust ways that benefit student learning
Agronomic and morphological diversity of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) accessions in North-Central Namibia
Get PDFBambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L) Verdc.) is an orphan, underutilised and less exploited crop in Africa and beyond, yet it is an essential traditional crop for subsistence farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, in Namibia, neither a pre-breeding nor a breeding programme exists for Bambara groundnut. Twenty-five Bambara groundnut accessions acquired locally and outside Namibia were characterised for descriptor state, including possible character diversity on the quantitative descriptors. Square lattice design with three replications was used. Data were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation moment, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis. ANOVA indicated significant differences (P < 0.05) among accessions for most of the characters measured, and highly significant differences (P < 0.01) for the number of pods per plant, pod yield, seed yield, plant height, and dry biomass. The dendrogram sub-criterion indicated three clusters, confirming the results of the PCA, which grouped accessions with common descriptors in the same quadrants. PCA biplot showed that the first two components explained 59.55% of the variation. Overall results suggest that the Bambara groundnut accessions evaluated in this study showed high variability, thus can be used as a source of pre-breeding materials to initiate a national breeding programme
The English access course students’ views and preferences on corrective feedback at the University of Namibia
Get PDFCorrective feedback has for long been an area of interest to second language learning and teaching researchers. Most renowned researchers in this area, Lyster and Ranta (cited in Vasquez & Harvey, 2010) define corrective feedback as teachers’ feedback to learners’ erroneous or inappropriate utterances to provide correct forms, hints or clues to elicit learners’ reformulations of their errors or inappropriate utterances. Different studies carried out have been preoccupied with comparing CF techniques in terms of their effectiveness. Most revisited techniques are recasts and elicitation prompts. This study explores English Access Course (EAC) students’ perceptions on immediate oral feedback with an aim to find out their preferences, especially between recasts and prompts as corrective feedback techniques. This was a mixed-method study that collected data by means of interviews and questionnaires. The study comprised of 12 students registered for the (EAC) at the University of Namibia in the department of Language Centre. The study results reveal that students prefer recasts in terms of the affective states, but find elicitation prompts to be more effective in oral feedback than recasts in developing their proficiency in English
From user questions to a basic microstructure: developing a generative communication theory for a Namibian German dictionary
Get PDFThis article reports on the initial planning stages of a Namibian German dictionary project, i.e. a dictionary that would primarily provide semantic information in Standard German about Namibian German lexical items. The concept of Namibian German is explained, and existing dictionaries of Namibian German are briefly surveyed. The theoretical framework is that of a new lexicographic theory, i.e. the theory of lexicographical communication. Within this framework, a new classification of three types of dictionary purposes is introduced, i.e. macro-contextual purposes, meso-contextual purposes and micro-contextual purposes. The focus then shifts to the development of a basic micro-structure for the dictionary, which refers to a set of lexicographic messages encoded in lexicographic utterances that would be included in a dictionary article in order to answer specific potential target user questions. Pertinent elements of the theory of lexicographical communication are worked out to develop a basic microstructure for the equivalent relation of full equivalence. This demonstrates that the theory can be applied generatively, i.e. to develop a dictionary model starting from a set of empirically identified user questions relating to a particular user situation. In the process, a formal link between user questions, consultation objectives, lexicographic messages and lexicographic utterances is established. This is followed by an overview of how a basic microstructure could be amplified to ensure successful lexicographical communication
Student teacher mentors’ perceptions of their roles during school based studies: Possibilities and challenges
Get PDFThe study explored the perceptions of student teacher mentors (STMs) in relation to their mentorship roles during school-based studies (SBS). It unpacks possibilities and challenges embedded in the mentoring process. This qualitative study adopted a case study design, employing purposeful sampling in the identification of the study settings and participants. Using purposive sampling, ten STMs from ten primary schools (five rural and five urban) in the Kavango East and West regions of Namibia were selected to participate in the study. Semi-structured questionnaire with open-ended items were employed to solicit information pertaining to student teacher mentors’ perceptions of their mentoring roles. Responses were grouped into themes and categories in line with the research objectives. The findings of the study are twofold. First, it revealed that student teacher mentors were inadequately trained, and uncertain about their mentoring roles, apart from providing student teachers workspace. Second, STMs perceived the presence of student teachers in schools as a setback in the timely completion of the Gilbert Likando syllabi requirements, because they considered them too inexperienced to handle their classes. As a result, the study recommends a mentoring model to enhance STMs’ understanding of their roles, address challenges they experience, and unveil possibilities for STMs’ professional development and learning during the mentoring process
Feed intake, growth performance, carcass characteristics and organ sizes of broilers fed baobab seed oilcake supplemented finisher diets
Get PDFBaobab (Adansonia digitata L.) seed oilcake has been proven a potential low-cost and locally available protein source for various livestock diets. A study was conducted to determine growth performance, carcass characteristics and organ sizes of finisher broilers fed a commercial finisher diet supplemented with baobab seed oilcake. Three-week-old ROSS 308 broiler chicks (n = 160) that were reared on a starter and grower commercial diets for the first three weeks were allotted to one of four broiler finisher dietary treatments (10 chicks/pen, four replications/treatment) using a completely randomised design. The broiler finisher diets were: control diet, which was a commercial finisher diet (T1), T2 contained 6 g/kg baobab seed oilcake plus maize mash (BSOCMM) mixed with 114 g/kg commercial finisher diet; T3 contained 18 g/kg BSOCMM mixed with 102 g/kg commercial finisher diet; while T4 contained 30 g/kg BSOCMM mixed with 90 g/kg commercial finisher diet. There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in the growth parameters among the treatments. However, the birds on T2 had a higher feed conversion ratio and average daily gains. Final body weights at day 35 were not significantly (P > 0.05) different, but T3 and T4 birds had the highest values numerically. There were significant (P < 0.05) differences in the carcass weights and dressing percentages among the treatments. The T4 birds had the highest dressing percentage (P < 0.05) compared to T2, which had the lowest. The cut portion yield (thigh, wing, breast and feet) of the carcass were not significantly (P > 0.05) different among the treatments. However, the drumstick yield was significantly (P < 0.05) different among the treatments. Organ sizes showed no significant (P > 0.05) differences among treatments, except for the gizzard and the heart, which differed (P < 0.05) among treatments. The study concluded that the inclusion of 6–30 g/kg of BSOC blended with maize mash as partial supplementation to a commercial diet can improve final body weights without negatively affecting the feed intake, feed conversion ratio and carcass characteristics in the broiler
National standardised achievement tests: a source of reliable formative feedback for teachers
Get PDFNamibia has been implementing the national Standardized Achievement Tests (SATs) since 2009. These tests (SATs) as a national assessment are aimed at overcoming constraints in the assessment system, especially at the primary school level as well as to improve the quality of education through learner assessment. The Namibian SATs are low-stakes in nature; hence they are not used for promotional purposes but rather to provide diagnostic feedback to schools, decision makers and other education stakeholders. Six years down the line, the SATs results have been showing improvement in learner performance at primary school level. A perception survey conducted amongst primary school teachers in Namibia (N =130) revealed a largely positive perception about SATs with majority of respondents agreeing with the relevance of this assessment and its continuation in the education system. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of Namibian SATs as well as to highlight teachers’ perceptions about this national assessment
An evaluation of the Oshana Region school principals’ on the seven factors related to transformational leadership
Get PDFThe purpose of the study was to evaluate the level to which School Principals in Oshana Region Namibia utilise the transformational leadership style in their daily school administration. The study used a quantitative research design through the use of a questionnaire which was administered to 40 school principals in selected schools in Oshana Namibian School Region. Findings of the study show that the school principals still lack most of the factors for transformational leadership. Another finding was that school principals are using the Lassez-faire type of leadership and management by exception. The study recommended that the school principals need to undergo continuous staff development on transformational leadership style for them to improve their administration strategies
Handing down the poisoned chalice: institutionalisation of partisanship, coercion and solipsism in Mlalazi's "They are Coming" (2014)
Get PDFThe seizure and maintenance of power does not merely involve physical violence or force. In most in-stances, it is a combination of force through coercive state institutions that are used as props of self-legitimating and/or the creation of self-authenticating narratives that are often unquestioned and seemingly ‘logical.’ This paper argues that Zimbabwe, like Rhodesia, depended on the institutionalisation of partisanship and force, in order to sustain the elite’s tenacious hold on power. This involves the blurring of the distinction between party and state so that in the context of this paper, ZANU-PF became a party and the state, and vice-versa. In this way all state institutions and organs invariably became party organs. The paper uses Mlalazi’s short story “They Are Coming” to problematise the ways in which the ruling elite have sought to shut out the possibilities for change through the ballot and, instead, show how violence has muddied the Zimbabwean political culture such that the vistas for democracy and consen-sus-building have become remote. The paper concludes by arguing that the culture of militarising elections and youths, and the counter violence of the opposition, amounts to handing a poisoned chalice to successive generations