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Attitudes of Grade one educators towards the implementation of inclusive education in classrooms at Botshabelo Schools
Get PDFThesis (Master of Education)--Central University of Technology, 2020The provision for learners with disabilities has been part of a process and the development of an inclusive education system can be traced back to the nation’s founding document, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 108 of 1996. Creating an inclusive education environment is about celebrating diversity among learners and creating a welcoming culture where all learners are valued and made to feel that they belong. Inclusivity is about recognising that no two children are alike, and all children can learn. Most children with barriers to learning are accommodated in ordinary schools. Frequent causes of barriers to learning include discriminatory attitudes, labelling and discouragement. The study investigated Grade one educators’ attitude towards the implementation of inclusive education at selected Botshabelo Primary Schools in the Free State Province. The study adopted an interactive qualitative approach. A self-structured questionnaire and interview guide was used as instruments to obtain relevant data from school educators. The population was educators and principals from selected primary schools in Botshabelo. A non-probability selection of participants was used to randomly select educators and principals from five schools. Data were analyzed by means of thematic analysis. The results of the study indicate that there are different factors contributing to the attitudes of Grade one educators towards the implementation of inclusive education in classrooms. Some that were stated are: untrained educators for inclusive education; unsuitable environment for the disabled and learners with learning barriers; lack of resources for inclusive education and curriculum at the level of learners with learning barriers; lack of parental involvement; and classroom overcrowding. The results revealed solutions to the negative attitudes of Grade one educators towards the implementation of inclusive education in classrooms. Solutions include training educators for inclusive education; parental involvement in learner’s education; a suitable environment for disabled learners and those with learning barriers, consideration of learner-teacher ratio; availability of suitable resources for inclusive education; and availability of inclusive curriculum. The study recommends that educators should be developed professionally by being trained about inclusive education; parents should be involved to support educators and their children; the school environment and buildings should be free from hazards; and overcrowding in classrooms should be avoided by all means
The Implementation Of Formal Assessments In Intermediate Phase Mathematics As A Foundation Of Teaching And Learning Enhancement In The Lejweleputswa District
Get PDFThe purpose of this research was to delve into the manner in which intermediate
phase mathematics teachers implement formal assessments in order to enhance
teaching and learning. The research was elicited by several reports on the
underperformance of South African learners in mathematics. The constructivist
philosophy was embraced to underpin the study; specifically, Piaget‟s cognitive
constructivism and Vygotsky‟s social constructivism. The research emulated a
mixed-methods research design, namely the sequential explanatory research
design; hence it combined both the positivists and interpretivist paradigms. The
sample of the study involved 151 intermediate phase mathematics teachers in the
Lejweleputswa district. The study employed simple random sampling for the
quantitative strand and purposive sampling for the qualitative strand. Data was
gathered through the questionnaire, document analysis, which utilised a checklist
and semi-structured interviews. The analysis of quantitative data was done in two
sections, thus descriptive statistics first, followed by inferential statistics. Interview
data analysis was done through the themes that emerged from participants‟
responses.
Results of the research have uncovered that the majority of teachers do not align
assessment in mathematics to theories of education, in this case, the constructivist
theory which informed the study. Furthermore, document analysis has revealed that
assessments are inadequately implemented; they do not meet the requirements as
stipulated by the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). Some teachers
face challenges when it comes to formal assessment implementation because they
are not trained to teach in the intermediate phase, instead, they are trained for other
phases. Additionally, the Free State Department of Education does not adequately
train teachers in formal assessments. Learners have difficulties in understanding
word sums, hence making it difficult for them to solve complex procedures in
mathematics. Hypotheses tests were conducted to compare teachers‟ implementation of formal
assessments according to gender, age, teaching experience, professional teaching
qualification, class size and school quintile. Independent-sample t-tests show that there is no statistically significant difference between male and female teachers on
formal assessment scores. However, there is a statistically significant difference
between young and old teachers on formal assessment scores. Old teachers
implement formal assessment better than young teachers. The results also reveal
that there is a statistically significant difference among teachers with teaching
experience of 1-5 years and 6-28 years on formal assessment scores. Teachers with
6-28 years of teaching experience implement formal assessment better than
teachers with 1-5 years of teaching experience. The results show that there is a
statistically significant difference among mathematics teachers with or without
professional teaching qualifications in the intermediate phase on formal assessment
scores. Teachers qualified to teach in this phase implement formal assessment
better than those who are not qualified to teach in this phase. The results also show
that there is a statistically significant difference among intermediate mathematics
teachers who teach an average of 25-40 learners and an average of 41-55 learners
on formal assessment scores. Teachers who teach 25-40 learners implement formal
assessment better than those who teach 41-55 learners. One-way between-groups
analysis of variance (ANOVA) has revealed that there is no statistically significant
difference among mathematics teachers who teach different intermediate phase
grades on formal assessment scores. ANOVA has also revealed that there is a
statistically significant difference among intermediate mathematics teachers who
teach at different school quintiles on formal assessment scores. Teachers at quintile
4 and 5 schools implement formal assessment better than those at quintile 1, 2 and
3 schools. The study, therefore, recommends that teachers must be involved in curriculum
design. Teachers must be placed according to the subjects and phases they are
qualified for. Teacher training institutions should practically train mathematics
student teachers to implement formal assessments effectively. Teachers should be
continuously developed by their subject advisors and lastly, teachers need to
continue developing themselves to keep abreast of current developments in
mathematics
Challenges And Opportunities Of Urban Smallholder Farmers In A Metropolis: A Case Study In The City Of Cape Town
Get PDFDissertationThis study investigates challenges and opportunities faced by urban smallholder farmers in the City of Cape Town metropolis. The study was conducted in five districts using 39 smallholder farmers in the metropolis as respondents. Based on the surveys employed for the purpose of this study, a structured questionnaire was used to collect data through face-to-face interviews. The questions contained in the questionnaire were both open- and closed- ended. In this study, attributes such as age, gender, highest academic qualification, farming experience, locality and region were asked.
Enterprises covered include vegetable crops (at Philippi, Khayelitsha and Kraaifontein); bee farming (Somerset West); as well as eggs and crops (Atlantis). In the study, 48,7% of the respondents were female and 51,3% male. The survey found that 15 of the 39 respondents (38,5%) use a computer in their farming. Educational levels of respondents were found to be low (Grade R to Grade 7) in Khayelitsha (71,4%) followed by Atlantis district (20,0%). This is in line with many studies conducted in South Africa and other developing countries among similar groups of smallholder farmers.
The results of the study suggest that more attention must be given to supporting smallholder farmers in all five study areas to ensure that they engage in agricultural commercial production. To facilitate more opportunities for smallholder farmers, support systems should include provision of infrastructure development; supportive policy environment; institutional support services; and measures to improve the management level of smallholder farmers.
The implication of this is that it is important for policymakers to know that a vital requirement of smallholder farmers’ is access to markets, therefore localising markets in centres can improve agricultural production.
Despite opportunities that have been created to facilitate participation of smallholder farmers in the economy, these farmers continue to face numerous challenges that limit their ability to participate in commercial agriculture. Policymakers should create an enabling environment for smallholder farmers and empower them to produce high quantities of good-quality products on a regular basis
Engineering Sustainable Public Parks In Residential Areas Of Cities In South Africa
Get PDFDissertationPublic parks (PP) in urban residential areas are essential for a balanced urban lifestyle. The literature gives evidence that public parks have a positive influence on the wellbeing of persons who have access to, and regularly spend time, in public parks.
A fair number of public parks in the residential areas of South African cities, are found to be well-spaced and developed according to urban planning guidelines and regulations established by urban planners. Nevertheless, many of them are not functional or effectively utilised by the residents living in their vicinity. Only a few of the residents seem to visit the public parks in their area.
Many factors, for instance, attractiveness, accessibility, comfortability, and social concerns such as the incidence of crime, or the fear of being exposed to crime, lifestyle, and time constraints are frequently given as the reasons for the non-utilisation of public parks. This phenomenon has been identified as a public park lacking in vibrancy.
The vibrancy of public parks are determined by four key elements namely, the degree of sociability, the availability and practicality of infrastructure that encourage a variety of activities, comfort levels and image, and the conditions influencing the accessibility of a public park. The degree of influence from these four key elements towards the vibrancy of public parks in residential areas has not yet been investigated. Also, the major independent factors making up the four key elements have not yet been analysed and modelled. Consequently, an investigation into the determinants influencing vibrancy of public parks and how the degree of vibrancy of the public parks in the residential areas of South African cities can be improved, was conducted. This was done by means of a case study of the public parks in some of the residential areas of Bloemfontein, a mid-sized city in central South Africa, where many of the public parks in the city are under-utilized and far from vibrant.
An applied systems analysis methodology, survey researching, the use of GIS and development of linear and multilinear regression models were followed in this investigation. Data was collected through household-, physical park-, and park use surveys. The surveys were performed in five of the suburbs, as a representation of all of the suburbs in the city. The suburbs representing the city was Universitas (on the south-western side of Bloemfontein), Langenhoven Park (on the western side of the city), Batho (east of Bloemfontein, Lourier Park (on the southern end of the city), and Dan Pienaar (on the northern side of Bloemfontein). The suburbs were selected according to a set of criteria such as the geographic location, the population density, the social demographic circumstances in the area, the number, size and type of public parks available, and the types of access, for example, road- and sidewalk-networks. The suburban residential areas selected differ from each other in terms of its demographics, size, location, and accessibility via road networks.
A household survey with a sample size of 400, was completed by using a systematic stratified random sampling process through a semi-structured interview method. The physical- and park use surveys were carried out through uninterrupted digital photography and videography. Eighteen public parks located in the five selected residential areas were identified for the physical- and park use surveys. To this purpose, a camera which filmed the parks, non-stop, for a period of up to one month, was set up in each of the identified public parks. The purpose of the filming was to determine the extent of park use and to identify the factors responsible for the low degree of vibrancy of the public parks. GIS was employed to extract the spatial- and location attributes of public parks. In order to identify the determinants with the most influence on the vibrancy of public parks as well as establish the relationships between the use of public parks and the major control determinants, the data collected were analysed statistically. On the grounds of Applied Systems Analysis paradigms, theoretical multilinear regression models were developed. These models established the relationships between the use of public parks (measured in terms of the average number of users per year) as the dependent variable and the most influential independent variables. The models are then used to examine the extent of the use of public parks under varied simulated scenarios. The simulated results were used to develop several policy scenarios intended to improve the use of the public parks in the residential areas of South African cities.
The findings of the surveys suggest that there are 18 key determinants, which most commonly influence the vibrancy of the public parks in the city. The variables include the availability of volunteer caretakers, the average number of organized events hosted in the public parks per year, the percentage of the adjacent land being used for residential purposes, the number of trees in the park, the presence of a water feature, the availability and numbers of playground apparatus, the availability of seating, the number of tables available, the availability and number of sports fields and other sports facilities, the percentage of grass covering, the residents’ perception of safety in the service areas of the public parks, the extent of cleanness, the attractiveness of a park, the greenness of a park, the number of streets accessing the public park, the public park environment, the extent of illumination in the public park, and the road-network to sidewalk-network ratio. Of these 18 key determinants, however, only four variables namely, the road-network to sidewalk-network ratio, the average number of organized events hosted in the public parks per year, the presence of a water feature, and the perception of safety in the public park service area are the control variables, which significantly influence the vibrancy of the parks independently, and in combination.
The major infrastructural-, social-, and environmental challenges were examined against the creation of sustainable and vibrant public parks in the study area and the factors acting as obstacles against it were analysed. A delineation of the major control influential engineering infrastructure, social- and environmental attributes that will contribute to the creating of successful public parks in the study area were established.
The simulated scenarios revealed that in a composite scenario with an increase in the perception of safety, setting the road-network to sidewalk-network ratio on an optimal level, having an increased number of organized events per year, and the inclusion of a water feature, will improve the utilization of the parks extensively. The sensitivity analysis shows, however, that the combination of the physical design elements contributing to accessibility, comfort, usability and image, and the number of organized events hosted in the public parks per year, is the most important consideration for making public parks vibrant. All of these elements, individually, or in combination, can be augmented to improve the vibrancy of public parks in the cities of South Africa.
The novelty and contribution of this study lies in the development of models that can forecast the number of annual public park users and measure the vibrancy of public parks in suburban areas of South Africa. This can be used for developing and analysing different scenarios under different simulated scenarios to evolve policy interventions or strategies leading to public parks becoming more vibrant
Principals’ Perceptions On The Nature And Extent Of Support And Development Given To Secondary School Principals In The Frances Baard Education District
Get PDFDissertationIn many countries of the world, both established and developing, there is a growing acknowledgement that schools need effective school leaders (Walker & Dimmock, 2006). In instances where schools have failed, inadequate headship has often been identified as a major contributing factor. In the South African context, school districts as administrative centres are important role-players in promoting and rendering support to school principals in their area. The role of the district offices is particularly important since they are so close to the schools under their jurisdiction. Equipped with the knowledge and experience of working with schools across different areas and their supporting role in educational matters, the Frances Baard Education District can serve as a trusted role player in supporting and developing secondary school principals in the FBED. Through a mixed method research of interviews, questionnaires and focus group discussion, I evaluated the manner in which principals perceived the nature and extent of support and development given to secondary school principals in the Frances Baard Education District. The study revealed that the FBED does provide a wide variety of support and development programmes which are designed to help secondary school principals to comply with educational requirements. The study found that while the FBED rendered support and development, there existed a lack of co-operation between secondary school principals and the district office. Principals’ responses indicated that old-style support and development programmes used were not in touch with the realities of what it takes to be in charge of a school today. There is therefore, a need to improve the support and development programmes given to secondary school principals in the Frances Baard Education District. There is also a need for secondary school principals to augment the support and development programmes offered by the FBED with support available from external professional development courses which can encourage compliance and also increase their confidence. Secondary school principals in the Frances Baard Education District must realise that conservative ways and techniques of support and development to school principals will not enhance adequately their competence, energy, vision and skill to advance the educational standard of their schools and learners
A Framework For The Adoption And Effective Use Of Icts For Visually Impaired Learners In Higher Education
Get PDFThesisEducation is a vital asset that makes a valuable contribution in society. That is because it helps shape people into responsible citizens. Citizens who attain higher education play an important role in the economic stability and social prosperity of a nation. It is therefore imperative that all individuals in a country are assured of equal educational opportunities. The South African Constitution has embraced an inclusive education policy to ensure that no student is left behind in the education system. Inclusive education is an educational system that is designed in such a way that addresses the needs of all the students regardless of their disabilities. Special schools in South Africa cater for the educational needs of learners with disabilities. However, various researchers have observed that learners who are visually impaired are often excluded from participating in higher education institutions, especially in Engineering courses. Consequently, it is essential to identify the challenges that visually impaired learners in South Africa face when contemplating entry into higher education and more specifically, Engineering courses.
Unlike other courses such as Management and Education, Engineering courses are more practical-based. That is because Engineering courses are visual in nature, especially subjects such as Computer Science, IT and Electrical Engineering which might prove challenging to visually impaired learners. Therefore, such learners require the assistance of specialised Information and Communications Technology (ICT) tools and resources for studying Engineering courses. ICT has revolutionised the education sector by facilitating the teaching and learning process of visually impaired learners. This study aims to develop a framework for the provision of visually impaired learners in Engineering education in SA using ICTs. This study also examines the ICT tools that could be adopted to better facilitate the entry of visually impaired learners into Engineering courses.
A design science research paradigm is used in this study. The study started with an intensive literature review, followed by a case study which was divided into two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A of the case study was done at school level and utilised focus groups and questionnaires from educators at special schools. Part B of the case study was conducted at university level and utilised questionnaires to collect data from disability units at universities; HODs and senior lecturers from Engineering faculties at universities. The data collected from all the data sources were triangulated to develop the proposed framework for the study.
The proposed framework for the provision of visually impaired learners in Engineering education in SA using ICTs comprised six components: government and management support; finance; infrastructure; mobility; teaching and learning; and student support services. The framework was evaluated by specific field experts so as to establish its validity and refine its suitability for higher education in SA. The proposed framework was refined based on the feedback from the experts. Experts consisted of a group of researchers who had done research in Engineering education, HODs of Engineering faculties, managers of disability centres and a visually impaired person working in an Engineering/IT field. Consequently, a modified framework is presented in this thesis.
The scientific contribution of this study is the provision of a framework that may be used to provide better access to Engineering courses for VILs in higher education in South Africa using ICT’s. This research has identified six principal factors and twenty-one sub-factors that would assist the provision of VILs in Engineering education. Establishing such a framework could provide improved academic access for VILs in SA, thereby increasing their prospects of employment and empowerment. Accommodating VILs in the labour sector of SA will improve their quality of life, thereby contributing to the country’s economic prosperity
Water Quality Of The Fonteinspruit Stream On The Outskirts Of Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa
Get PDFDissertationIntroduction: The quality of water was measured in water samples collected at the 12 water sampling sites in the Fonteinspruit stream. The Fonteinspruit stream extends about 4.5 km in length and drains an area of about 17 km2, wherein high-density residential areas, a Water Treatment Plant, industrial and agricultural areas as well as an informal settlement, are located. The contamination of the Fonteinspruit stream is attributed to human-induced activities such as improper disposal of solid waste and domestic sewage, animal manure and industrial effluent, which contain pollutants and other emerging contaminants. The contamination of this stream poses health risks to humans, animals and aquatic organisms.
Methodology: In this study, water quality was assessed in water samples collected in the Fonteinspruit stream in terms of conventional physical, chemical and microbiological properties as well as the presence of emerging contaminants, namely carbamazepine, estrone, estradiol, 17a ethynylestradiol, bisphenol A, atrazine, metolachlor and terbuthylazine. The ecological quality of the stream was also assessed by enumerating aquatic macroinvertebrate families from which the quality of their habitats could be evaluated. A Water Quality Index was calculated for the water at each water sampling site to ascertain the overall water quality at a particular water sampling site and thereby obtain an understanding of the water quality in the Fonteinspruit stream. The South African Scoring System 5 was employed to measure the biological effects of polluted water on aquatic macroinvertebrate families. The health conditions of the water at each sampling site were classified in terms of the modelled reference conditions for the Highveld Ecoregion.
Results and Discussion: The water quality of the Fonteinspruit stream was found to be poor due to high levels of turbidity, electrical conductivity and phosphate and high bacterial counts of coliforms and Escherichia. coli. The compliance rate was below 20% for many of the measurements, particularly for turbidity, phosphate and total number of coliform bacteria as well as the emerging contaminants, such as carbamazepine, estrone, estradiol, 17a ethynylestradiol, bisphenol A, atrazine, metolachlor and terbuthylazine. The presence of only pollution tolerant aquatic macroinvertebrate families strongly supported the notion that ecological conditions of the water at all 12 water sampling sites in the Fonteinspruit stream were critically impaired.
Conclusion: In conclusion, water quality of the Fonteinspruit stream was deteriorating; that human-induced activities were affecting the water quality in the stream; that the poor water quality in the Fonteinspruit stream was affecting the aquatic macroinvertebrates and their diversity. Finally, human and animal health could be at risk if they accidentally drink the contaminated water in the Fonteinspruit stream during swimming or if they eat vegetables irrigated with the contaminated water
Evaluation Of Pesticide Residues On Beta Vulgaris Subsp. Vulgaris, Solanum Tuberosum And Brassica Oleracea Var. Capitata In Bloemfontein
Get PDFDissertationThe presence of pesticide residues in vegetables and related fresh products agricultural products is a health concern to consumers. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the level of pesticide residues in the staple vegetables; cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.), Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris spp.) and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) from fresh produce markets in Bloemfontein area. A total of 15 vegetable (three per five sites) samples were analyzed for the presence of 16 selected, commonly detected pesticides using the quick easy cheap effective rugged and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method and further quantified using gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution time-of flight mass spectrometry (GC-HR-TOF-MS). Results from GC-HR-TOF-MS were used to estimate human health risk exposure and uncover the limitation of the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Seeds and Remedies Act No.36 of 1947 (Fertilizers Act) safety on the use of pesticides on vegetables to human.
The results revealed that all of the residues detected were below the maximum limits set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). Vegetable samples analyzed had detected pesticide residues in 73.4% of the samples, while 26.60% had no compounds. The highest concentration of chlordane at 1.62 x 10-2 ng∙g-1 and heptachlor at 1.22 x 10-2 ng∙g-1 was detected from cabbage; followed by Swiss chard with endosulfan ether at the concentration of 1.33 x 10-2; and lastly potato with methoxychlor at the concentration of 1.05 x 10-2 ng∙g-1. The highest estimated daily intakes (EDIs) for an average person was 10 % for aldrin of the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The most critical commodity was cabbage, contributing 1.27% to acute consumer health risk (aHI) for chlordane. Regardless of low levels of pesticide residues in vegetables. Results in this study could indicate Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) by farmers. However, there are still presence of long time banned pesticides residues such as hexachlorobenzene, lindane, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, chlordane, chlorbicyclen, dieldrin, endrin, methoxychlor, endosulfan ether, p,p’-DDE, o,p’-DDD, o,p’-DDT and aldrin. Thus, there are limitation and discrepancies in the Fertilizers Act, particularly on effective pesticide residues management in the country. Moreover, this shows the gap on the RSA pesticide monitoring program, procedure of pesticides registration and personnel training. To date, RSA only enforce monitoring adherence on exportation than the importation due to lack of expertise and expensive procedures mentioned. Furthermore, the regulations of the Fertilizers Act do not encourage co-ordination among departments that focuses on pesticides controls. These challenges impact the effectiveness of pesticides management and safety of agricultural products
An Intepretive Structural Modelling Analysis Of Social Value Implementation Barriers In Infrastructure Delivery Systems
Get PDFArticleThe debate concerning the contributions of infrastructure
assets to economic growth persists in contemporary
society. Also, the delivery of infrastructure assets has been
identified as veritable platforms for implementing socioeconomic
policies. Social value (SV) happens to one of such
policy which has attracted the attention of the construction
industry. However, till date, research into SV implementation
performance remains underreported in extant literature.
This study set out to bridge this gap through an investigation
into the criticality of SV implementation barriers within an
IDS by interrogating the nature of interrelationships existing
among these barriers. This qualitative study utilized a focus
group discussion group session for eliciting the perspectives
of a purposively selected sample of key industry actors with
extensive experience. Eight discussants participated in the
focus group discussion group sessions. The data emanating
from the session was subjected to further analysis using
the Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) to ascertain
the relationships between the SV implementation barriers
and subsequently, determine the levels of criticality
thereof. Findings from the study indicate that poor policy
interpretation, poor government support and unnecessary
complexity of the implementation process proved to be
most critical when compared to other barriers. This study
holds significant implications for policy makers and industry
practitioners as it provides them with valuable knowledge
to enable the development of protocols for engendering
successful SV implementation in the IDS
End Of Life Care For The Elderly: A Care Ethics Approach
Get PDFArticleThis article approaches end of life care for elderly people from a care
ethics perspective. End of life care should not be confused with assisted
life ending approaches and support or euthanasia. End of life care refers
to care of people who are dying, immaterial of age or medical condition.
Vulnerability is not limited to elderly people (as care-receivers) only but
also to caregivers as a vulnerable group in own right.
Care ethics for healthcare is defined as creating a relationship between
caregiver and care-receiver (in this case the elderly person), recognising
their mutual vulnerability and potential power relationship within the
healthcare value chain, and carrying out the responsibility to care for and
protect life and its dignity in order to improve quality of life and health and
grow personal life orientations. Care ethics is influenced by a changing
relationship between caregiver and care receiver, ethical environment,
palliative care and social determinants.
Understanding and dealing with end of life care can never be removed
from the discussion on quality of life, dignity and human suffering that
adds no value to life. The Christian narrative is used to promote and
uphold the dignity and prolonging of life. To this may be added, care for
the dying. This narrative is built on God as the Creator of life, the duty to
care for life and the respect for life no matter the quality thereof