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A Framework For Effective Formal Mentoring Of Novice Teachers
Get PDFThesisThe aim of this phenomenological qualitative study was to develop a framework for the formal mentoring of novice teachers. To achieve this aim, the study successfully responded to research questions, which sought to find the mentoring essences, practices, barriers, benefits and specific needs of novice teachers. Veterans and novice teachers were purposefully selected from eight English-medium secondary schools in the Lejweleputswa Education District in the Free State province of South Africa. Veterans are considered to be teachers with more than three years’ experience in teaching while novices are those with two years or less.
Data from the literature review, focus group interviews and open-ended questionnaires were triangulated and thematically analysed to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. Veterans and novice teachers gave their life experiences, perspectives and perceptions on formal mentoring. The study revealed that in South African schools, mentoring is patchy and unsystematic. Data collected revealed a new working environment presents some social, personal and professional challenges to novices. It revealed that veteran teachers were willing to support their fellow novice colleagues despite the fact they were not trained and did not receive the necessary support from the School Management Team (SMT). It revealed practices and barriers that usually contributed to the premature exit of novice teachers from the profession. The study also identified the benefits of a formal mentoring programme, which were collaborative, transformative and focusing on the specific needs of novices. Findings of this study were used to develop a framework for an effective formal mentoring programme, which aims at the socialisation, personal and professional enhancement of novice teachers in order to increase self-efficacy, job satisfaction, performance and retention. The framework outlined staff members, veterans, novices, support teams, development needs and accountability as the main components. There should be training of mentors, needs assessments, collaboration and formulation of mentoring programme objectives in order to provide effective mentoring to novice teachers
Assessment Of T-Reflex In Adult Patients With Early Guillain-Barré Syndrome At Groote Schuur Hospital
Get PDFGuillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a polyneuropathy involving both proximal (spinal root) and peripheral nerves, and is characterised clinically by acute progressive weakness associated with reduced or absent deep tendon reflexes. Electromyographically recording the deep tendon reflex (T-reflex) has proven to be useful when confirming the diagnosis of many peripheral neuropathies. However, research on the T-reflex in GBS remains limited. The primary aim of this study was to describe the T-reflex in patients with GBS compared with healthy subjects.
This is a prospective, controlled, non-blinded, cohort study. Adults with GBS (GBS cohort) and healthy subjects (Control cohort) were recruited concurrently. During all electrophysiological evaluations, both T-reflexes and conventional NCS (including F-responses), were performed on all subjects.
The T-reflex was successfully recorded in 28 subjects (14 GBS- and 14 control cohort). In patients with GBS, T-reflex responses had significantly prolonged latencies, slowed conduction velocities and increased duration. Furthermore, T-reflex responses were abnormal in all subjects with GBS manifesting the clinical presentation, CSF features and abnormalities on conventional nerve conductions studies consistent with this diagnosis. In contrast to normal control patients, the T-reflex response had indistinct onset and offset and polyphasic rather than biphasic or triphasic morphology. However, no significant differences in the T-reflex were identified between the various subtypes of GBS. Significantly, the T-reflex was more often recordable than the more widely utilised conventional F-response. Thus, the results of this study strongly suggest that the T-reflex is sensitive to the electrophysiological changes associated with GBS, but that it is not specific for the subtype of GBS. Given that the T-reflex is painless and easy to perform, the results of this study suggest that it should be more widely utilised, together with conventional nerve conduction studies, in the assessment of patients with GBS
An Evaluation Of M-Government Services Proliferation In South Africa
Get PDFDissertationE-government contributes to the improvement of government service delivery to citizens. Access to information and services permit citizens through the facilitation of interactions. E-Government commonly provides online services through wired networks and computers; which poses a challenge of fair access for entire citizens, predominantly for those living in rural areas and/or in disadvantaged financial state. In view of this, mobile phone penetration is growing faster than that of landline connection and is deemed having the chance to give wider access to citizens. Statistics show that more people access the internet via their cell-phones, suggesting that the computer has lost its dominance as a tool for information access. Due to the high-level use of mobile devices, many countries have been moving towards m-Government as the next step in improving their contact with citizens.
m-Government is a subsection of e-Government and the former is a supplement or extension of the latter. The key advantages of m-Government services include: personalization, ubiquity, reduced cost, providing information and services anywhere and at any time, ease of use, and placed-based services. m-Government has four major domains which includes: m-Services, m-Communication, m-Administration and m-Democracy. The main research question for this study was: “To which extent has m-Government services in the Free State been implemented and accepted by the citizens”. The primary objective was to evaluate and measure m-Government implementation in the Free State Province and provide the roadmaps and guidance for future directions.
As this is an Information Systems research project, a problem-centered approach was adopted. In order to accomplish the main objective of the study, the researcher made use of four data collection tools: literature review, observations, in-depth interviews and surveys. The study commenced with an intensive literature review, by investigating e-Government and m-Government initiatives in SA and also investigated and assessed m-Government maturity models. This allowed the researcher to design and develop a mGMM that was utilised in measuring and assessing m-Government implementation in the Free State. In order to validate the mGMM, case studies in two different government departments (DoE and DoH) in the Free State were conducted. Each case study was thoroughly observed to gather information on m-Services that were currently available to the community. The observations were followed by in-depth interviews, and the in-depth interviews assisted the researcher to assess and measure the level of maturity of m-Government services in these departments.
The data was analysed using descriptive statistics as well as thematic approach. The findings from this exercise were used to develop questions for the survey for the community. The survey was carried out among community members of the Free State province (in rural, urban and township areas). The survey enabled the researcher to collect data on m-Services that the citizens currently know of and are using; factors that are influencing the use or non-use of m-Services and also m-Services they would like to use in the future. UTAUT framework was utilised to develop the questions to measure m-Government (Technology) adoption from the citizen’s point of view. From the observation done at DoE, three m-Government services were discovered (School Finder, Social media pages and Student Portal). The in-depth interviews were conducted to find at which level / stage were these m-Government services when rated using the mGMM. The results indicate that two of these m-Government services are at the augmentation stage and the last m-Government service is at the involvement stage. Furthermore, the results indicate that some of the participants find the m-Government services easy to use and other participants would like to see more m-Government services provided in the future. From the observations done at DoH, only two mobile applications were offered to citizens (Mom-Connect and AitaHealth). Participants who used AitaHealth found the application easier to use and much more significant. The m-Services currently offered by DoH when rated using mGMM, the results indicate that AitaHealth is at Augmentation stage, while Mom-Connect at Elementary stage. The factors that affect m-Government services include: user adoption, lack of investment, staff not computer literate, lack of trust and financial constraints.
Considering the data analysed and presented in this dissertation, Free State government, particularly the DoE and DoH, are not yet ready to transition to m-Government. The systems provided by these departments are still at the Augmentation stage of the mobile Government Maturity Model and the Departments are still yet to prepare to transition to the Elementary stage. The researcher also identified factors for successful implementation of m-Government services in the Free State in SA. The proposed m-Government factors include the following: Technology Infrastructure, Security, Trust and Privacy, Application Services, Agile Policies and Strategies, Knowledge Management, Human factors, Adequate Investment, Training, Education and Support and lastly Marketing. All the identified factors play a crucial role in the successful implementation of m-Government
Modification of Novel Chitosan-Starch Cross-Linked Derivatives Polymers: Synthesis and Characterization
Get PDFPublished ArticleThis paper reports on the synthesis and characterization of cross-linked chitosan products prepared from using crab, shrimp
beads and ten different cross-linked polymers which includes; glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, epichlorohydrine, maleic anhydride,
p-benzoquinone, poly (ethylene) glycol diglycidyl ether (PEG diglycidyl ether), 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, 1,3-dichloroaceone,
acrylic acid and s-methyl-benzylamine. Characterization of the cross-liked chitosan products was done using Fouriertransform
infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to determine the structural morphology and
the stretching frequencies of the products. The obtained FTIR stretching frequencies of the cross-linked chitosan products
were matched against the starting material and the literature values to confirm the products. SEM analysis showed mixtures
of regular and amorphous products. Different percentage yields (crab, 26–98% and shrimp, 30–88%) were obtained for the
cross-linked chitosan products depending on the cross-linked polymer used
Simulations and experimental validation of Pico conduit pressure hydropower systems with battery storage
Get PDFArticleAn increase in the world's population has led to an increased energy demand. Sustainable renewable energy
sources must be broadly executed to fulfil the continuous need for energy. Amongst different renewable energy
technologies, hydropower generation proved to be the most feasible solution. A portion of small hydropower can
be acquired by recovering the energy inside water supply networks. This may lead to a sustainable electrification
solution and reduced electricity bills for the water utility companies. Hence, the procedure of energy recovery
using conduit hydro technology must be a part of the water cycle.
Numerous nations have started with the improvement of this innovative conduit hydro technology. However,
very little has been exploited. Hence, this study focuses on developing a simulation tool that can be used to
analyse conduit hydropower generation system with a battery storage. Subsequently, this paper exhibits the
modelling and performance analysis of a small conduit hydropower system in MATLAB/Simulink software. This
will assist the conduit hydropower developers to quantify the available energy and evaluate the viability of the
conduit hydropower projects.
Furthermore, the performance of the modelled conduit hydropower system is compared to the performance of
a prototype setup in a laboratory environment. Inlet water pressure was assessed to observe how the system
reacts to the variation of the water pressure. This data was used to simulate the performance of the model in
MATLAB/Simulink in comparison with the laboratory prototype. The results revealed that the developed model
reacted viably under variable pressure. The conduit hydropower was just dynamic when the excess pressure was
accessible, this is because of the pressure distinction between Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) pre-set pressure
and the system pressure. Hence, the excess pressure is used to drive the generator and the generated energy is
then stored in the battery
A Numerical Analysis of Viscoelastic Flow Between Porous Moving Walls
Get PDFPublished ArticleA viscoelastic fluid flow between porous moving walls is studied. This study is motivated by flow of
biological fluids through veins and arteries with moving walls. Most studies in fluid flow rarely include moving
walls. A special analysis of viscoelastic fluid flow between moving walls is considered, the problem was previously
considered for Newtonian fluids which resulted in a simple fourth order differential equation. The present study
resulted in the fifth-order modified Proudman-Johnson equation. A unique partial differential equation is developed
which is then solved numerically by the Simple Iteration Method (SIM). The numerical method is newly developed
based on the fixed point theorem.The method agrees with other numerical solutions in the literature. The important
results reported are that the effect of varying viscoelastic and the drag-force parameters result in decreasing velocity
profiles for both high and low Reynolds numbers. Wall dilation and injection/suction effects affect velocity profiles
giving more understanding of the flow of biological fluids in both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids
A Mixed Method Study On Social Sustainability Consideration By Public Sector Organizations During Infrastructure Procurement
No full textPublished ArticlePURPOSE
Although adequate consideration is being accorded to
economic and environmental aspects of sustainable
development (SD) during infrastructure procurement,
the opposite seems to be the case with social sustainability
aspects (SSA). This study elicits the perspectives
of procurement officials working in public sector
infrastructure client organizations (ICOs) as it concerns
the factors influencing the incorporation of SSA during
infrastructure procurement.
RESEARCH METHOD
A mixed method research design was adopted. Qualitative
data was sourced from purposively selected interviewees
whilst quantitative data were obtained from respondents
within selected ICOs. Qualitative data were analysed
thematically and, descriptive statistics was deployed in
the analysis of the quantitative data.
FINDINGS
Results indicate a lack of awareness and a knowledge gap
concerning social sustainability aspects. Furthermore,
the results highlight the influence of the levels of
understanding within the ICOs on the degree of incorporation
of SSA aspects during infrastructure procurement. It is expected that these findings will contribute to the
development of awareness and, subsequent incorporation
of SSA by relevant stakeholders during infrastructure
procurement in the Free State Province.
VALUE FOR AUTHORS
The findings reveal how procurement personnel of
infrastructure client organizations view the concept of
sustainability and factors, which influence the approach
of various infrastructure client organizations in engaging
with the incorporation of SSA during the procurement
processes of the infrastructure projects
Beautiful and Functional: A Review of Biomimetic Design in Additive Manufacturing
Get PDFPublished Articlethe practice of learning from and emulating nature - which can be increasingly realized in engineering applications
due to progress in additive manufacturing (AM). AM has grown tremendously in recent years, with
improvements in technology and resulting material properties sometimes exceeding those of equivalent parts
produced by traditional production processes. This has led to the industrial use of AM parts even in highly
critical applications, most notably in aerospace, automotive and medical applications. The ability to create parts
with complex geometries is one of the most important advantages of this technology, allowing the production of
complex functional objects from various materials including plastics and metals that cannot be easily produced
by any other means. Utilizing the full complexity allowed by AM is the key to unlocking the huge potential of this
technology for real world applications – and biomimicry might be pivotal in this regard. Biomimicry may take
different forms in AM, including customization of parts for individuals (e.g. medical prosthesis, implants or
custom sports equipment), or optimization for specific properties such as stiffness and light-weighting (e.g.
lightweight parts in aerospace or automotive applications). The optimization process often uses an iterative
simulation-driven process analogous to biological evolution – with an improvement in every iteration. Other
forms of biomimicry in AM include the incorporation of real biological inputs into designs (i.e. emulating nature
for its unique properties); the use of cellular or lattice structures – for various applications and customized to the
application; incorporating multi-functionality into designs; the consolidation of numerous parts into one and the
reduction of waste, amongst others. Numerous biomimetic design approaches may be used – broadly categorized
into customized/freeform, simulation-driven and lattice designs. All these approaches may be used in combination
with one another, and in all cases with or without direct input from nature. The aim of this review is to
unravel the different forms of biomimetic engineering that are now possible – focusing mainly on functional
mechanical engineering for end-use parts, i.e. not for prototyping. The current limits of each design approach are
discussed and the most exciting future opportunities for biomimetic AM applications are highlighted
The Tensile and Flexural Properties of Treated and Untreated Sisal Fibre-Epoxy Resin Composites
Get PDFPublished ArticleThe influence of chemical treatment of sisal fibres through the subsequent processes of mercerisation (alkali treatment), then silane treatment and eventually acid hydrolysis on the fibres were investigated. The effect of the treated fibres on the tensile and flexural properties of their composites with epoxy resin were also studied. Scanning electron microscopy examination of the treated and untreated fibres showed that the subsequent processes of chemical treatment enhanced the removal of surface impurities and therefore increased the roughness of the fibre surfaces. It was concluded that this would avail an increased surface area on the fibre for interlocking with matrices and would therefore enhance adhesion of the two. Consistent to this conclusion, subsequent testing of treated fibre reinforced composites gave rise to higher values of tensile and flexural strength and toughness than the untreated fibre reinforced composites
Assessment of Stress Raiser Factor Using Finite Element Solvers
Get PDFPublished ArticleThe stress raisers factor around circular holes in a plate exposed to uniform tensile load at the edges has been studied using Finite Element Analysis solvers. The effect of mesh quality on stress raisers factor, the maximum Von Mises stresses, the computing time, and the percentage error has been examined. 4 Node Quadrilateral Element and 8 Node Quadrilateral Element were utilized respectively as first-order component (4NQE) and higher-order component (8NQE) to assess the maximum Von Mises stress and the numerical stress raiser factor (Kn) at various mesh sizes. The maximum Von Mises stress and the stress raiser factor were determined using the following finite element solvers: ABAQUS, ANSYS, CATIA, STRAND 7, ALGOR, COSMOS/M, and FEMAP. The estimations of the numerical stress raiser factor (Kn) were compared with the theoretical stress raiser factor (Kt). There were discrepancies observed between the maximum Von Mises stresses of the FEA solvers