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Perceived pervasive skills acquired through educational games in an accounting undergraduate degree
Get PDFAbstract: Orientation: Learning should be active, experiential and fun. Research purpose: This study investigated the perceptions of students regarding the development of pervasive skills within an undergraduate accounting syllabus. Motivation for the study: Game-based learning is an effective way to increase students’ knowledge, evoke intense involvement in a collaborative setting and promote effective learning, which could result in the development of pervasive skills. Research approach/design and method: The perceptions of second-year students were gathered through a questionnaire with closed- and open-ended questions. The questionnaire sought to compare the two games that are played by the same set of students, one in their first year of study in a commerce module and another in their second year of study in an accounting module. Main findings: It was found that students enjoyed both games, particularly their collaborative nature and how they could learn from fellow students. The students perceived that the Monopoly board game primarily developed strategic thinking, critical thinking and professionalism whilst the 60 Seconds game developed teamwork, time management and communication (listening). The two games were, therefore, seen as effective learning aids since skills development occurred both within a formal, mark-bearing game and in an informal game with no bearing on the students’ marks. Practical/managerial implications: Learning through games can be interactive, practical and enjoyable and should be used as a tool to develop students’ pervasive skills. Contribution/value-add: This study also showed that it is not always necessary to spend much resource on a learning supplement. Both games proved to be effective learning tool in the development of pervasive skills
Citizenship, indigeneity, and the experiences of 1.5- and second-generation Fulani Herders in Ghana
Get PDFAbstract: Issues of indigeneity and citizenship rights for second-generation pastoralist migrants across the West African States have received little to no attention in migration and pastoralist studies. This article explores this under-researched area in the field of migration studies and revisits the highly contested migration–citizenship nexus among Fulani herders in the Shai-Osu- Doku and Agogo traditional areas of Ghana. The article captures the crises of citizenship facing descendants of Fulani herders and families, particularly in relation to their integration into local host communities. I argue that second-generation migrants remain at the margins, spatially and socio-politically defined, of both development and society. While they do not have any ties with their ancestral “home countries,” they are also considered non-citizens and face growing hostility in the places they call home. Being a citizen is not simply a static legal position, but a status developed through routine practices, building relations, and shared experiences
Teacher strategies to support learners experiencing visual processing challenges in foundation phase classrooms
Get PDFAbstract: The purpose of this research was to investigate teachers’ strategies to support learners experiencing visual processing challenges in Foundation Phase classrooms in a mainstream school. Visual processing refers to a person’s ability to make sense of information taken in through sight. This process plays an important role in the learners’ ability to learn; however, it is often overlooked or misinterpreted. Visual processing challenges affect how visual information is interpreted and affects a person’s reading, writing, and planning skills, amongst others. These challenges are not the same as vision issues, dyslexia or ADD, but this barrier to learning needs to be correctly recognised and supported to allow learners to be able to reach their academic potential. The context of the study was inclusive education. It employed a generic qualitative design and interpretive paradigm. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory underpinned the study as the conceptual framework. The sample included purposively selected Foundation Phase teachers at a single primary school on the East Rand of Johannesburg. Data collected using the incomplete sentence activity and the mini focus group interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Document analysis was used to corroborate results from the analysis and to enhance triangulation of the findings. The main findings of the study indicated that the teachers have a basic understanding of visual processing and its indicators. Teachers felt that their training, coaching and experiential learning were lacking when it came to supporting learners with visual processing challenges and other learning barriers in their classrooms. As part of inclusive education, SIAS needed to be implemented consistently. The study also found that holistic support was especially important for those in the Foundation Phase. Recommendations were made for policy, practice and future research.M.Ed. (Educational Psychology
Estimating divergence times from DNA sequences
Get PDFAbstract: The patterns of genetic variation within and among individuals and populations can be used to make inferences about the evolutionary forces that generated those patterns. Numerous population genetic approaches have been developed in order to infer evolutionary history. Here, we present the “Two-Two (TT)” and the “Two-Two-outgroup (TTo)” methods; two closely related approaches for estimating divergence time based in coalescent theory. They rely on sequence data from two haploid genomes (or a single diploid individual) from each of two populations. Under a simple population-divergence model, we derive the probabilities of the possible sample configurations. These probabilities form a set of equations that can be solved to obtain estimates of the model parameters, including population split times, directly from the sequence data. This transparent and computationally efficient approach to infer population divergence time makes it possible to estimate time scaled in generations (assuming a mutation rate), and not as a compound parameter of genetic drift. Using simulations under a range of demographic scenarios, we show that the method is relatively robust to migration and that the TTo method can alleviate biases that can appear from drastic ancestral population size changes. We illustrate the utility of the approaches with some examples, including estimating split times for pairs of human populations as well as providing further evidence for the complex relationship among Neandertals and Denisovans and their ancestors
Evolution of cytokine production capacity in ancient and modern European populations
Get PDFAbstract: As our ancestors migrated throughout different continents, natural selection increased the presence of alleles advantageous in the new environments. Heritable variations that alter the susceptibility to diseases vary with the historical period, the virulence of the infections, and their geographical spread. In this study we built polygenic scores for heritable traits that influence the genetic adaptation in the production of cytokines and immune-mediated disorders, including infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases, and applied them to the genomes of several ancient European populations. We observed that the advent of the Neolithic was a turning point for immune-mediated traits in Europeans, favoring those alleles linked with the development of tolerance against intracellular pathogens and promoting inflammatory responses against extracellular microbes. These evolutionary patterns are also associated with an increased presence of traits related to inflammatory and auto-immune diseases
Another Bloody Clean-Up: The Experiences of Trauma Cleaners in South Africa
Get PDFAbstract: South Africa has one of the highest violent crime rates globally, where physical and emotional trauma is used in homicides and suicides. While this is apparent to the ordinary South African, what is less clear is what happens after the police and forensics have done their job at a crime scene: Who cleans up the bloody mess? In South Africa, as in many other nations, trauma cleaners restore the scenes where homicides and suicides have been committed, and where industrial accidents have taken place. Little to no scholarly research has been conducted on the experiences of the cleaners of trauma scenes. Cleaning up these scenes consists of labour charged with violence that most cannot countenance, but which the cleaner must face. Drawing on 13 qualitative interviews, this article explores the challenges of cleaning up a site where violent and/or traumatic acts have occurred, and how the cleaners develop strategies to cope with their own concomitant trauma. The cleaners are exposed to various health and safety issues, as well as the emotional trauma associated with cleaning up horrific accidents and crimes. Findings show that trauma cleaners emotionally distance themselves from the violence to which they bear witness and use emotional labour, spirituality, humour, and debriefing as coping strategies. In its conclusion, this article suggests a greater acknowledgement of trauma cleaners’ responsibilities and recommends that proper physical and emotional training is necessary to ensure their wellbeing
Measuring financial inclusion and its determinants among the smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe: An empirical study
Get PDFAbstract: The study sought to assess the levels of financial inclusion among the smallholder farmers and to investigate its determinants among the same. The study employed a household measure to measure the level of financial inclusion and multiple regression to assess the determinants of financial inclusion. The results indicated that the level of financial inclusion among the smallholder farmers was low because the percentage of households who were actively participating in the formal financial system was below 27 per cent below 50 per cent. The investigation on the driving factors of financial inclusion indicated that off-farm income, education level, distance, financial literacy and age of the household were the significant variables in explaining the determinants of financial inclusion among the smallholder farmers in Manicaland Province of Zimbabwe. Therefore, the study discovered that it is important for the government of Zimbabwe and financial institutions to form partnerships to come up with policies that ensure that smallholder farmers are included in the formal financial market and these policies should motivate households to use the formal financial services. Also, the crafted should strive to remove all the barriers to financial inclusion among the smallholder farmers. For instance, looking at farmers, many farmers are finding it difficult to access loans due to lack of collateral security, so banks need to come up with services and products that are tailor-made for the smallholder farmers especially on credit, services that allow smallholder farmers to borrow
Social bonding and public trust/distrust in COVID-19 vaccines
Get PDFAbstract: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has been a growing concern. The pandemic has proved to be very complicated with the mutated virus. The Delta variant is contributing to a surge of cases across the globe. Vaccine hesitancy can be socially contagious, requiring more stringent efforts from policy makers and health professionals in promoting vaccine uptake. Some evidence shows that vaccine acceptance appears to have played an integral role in successfully controlling the pandemic. Vaccination acceptance, however, demands that the public has a good understanding of the vaccine’s benefits in promoting healthier societies and people’s quality of life. Unclear COVID-19 vaccine information can lead to distrust in vaccines and vaccine hesitancy. It is of paramount importance to communicate clear and unbiased vaccine information to the public to encourage vaccine uptake. Word of mouth communication remains important to further promote COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the community. This short paper discusses the role of social bonds and public trust/distrust and word of mouth communication in vaccine decision making
Effectiveness of in situ upgrading in improving the quality of life of beneficiaries living in informal settlements in South Africa
Get PDFAbstract : Informal settlements have been a recurring problem in South Africa and it is undeniable that eradication of informal settlements is a goal difficult to achieve. However, the fundamental problem is not the mere existence of informal settlements but, the poor quality of life the residents are subjected to. Since 2004, South Africa has embarked on a journey to improve the quality of life of informal settlement dwellers through the implementation of Upgrading of Informal Settlement Programme (UISP). Not only did the state recognise that upgrading informal settlements can be a viable solution to the housing backlog but also acknowledged that housing strategies that relocate the poor have a significant impact on the livelihoods of the urban poor. Thus, UISP is set to achieve effective informal settlement upgrading through ensuring minimal disruption to livelihoods, encourage community empowerment and community participation. The paper presents results of a study conducted on the implemented UISP in Slovo Park informal settlement. The study is conducted using a qualitative approach which entails in-depth interviews with ten residents of Slovo Park and two City of Johannesburg officials on the possible impact UISP has on improving quality of life. This paper reveals how effective is UISP in ensuring land tenure security for the urban poor. Furthermore, the paper highlight factors that hinders the effectiveness of UISP. Results from this paper can be used to monitor and review the outcomes of in situ upgrading by highlighting the shortcomings in the planning and implementation process. In addition, findings from this study could assist the National Department of Human Settlements in achieving successful in situ upgrading by improving the UISP process using recommendations provided
Mapping pre-service teachers’ faulty reasoning in geometric translations to the design of Van Hiele phase-based instruction
Get PDFAbstract: Background: Pre-service teachers (PSTs) training does not equip students with adequate skills and knowledge of geometry to enable them to teach this section of mathematics competently. Inadequate teacher knowledge of transformation geometry, in particular, requires intervention that targets PSTs’ faulty reasoning displayed in errors they make. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the use of Bachelor of Education (BEd) students’ faulty reasoning in geometric translations, in designing a Van Hiele phase-based instructional programme that could address such faulty reasoning. Setting: The setting for the study was a newly established rural university in South Africa. Methods: Tests on geometric translations were administered to BEd Foundation Phase students, followed up by interviews to explore errors made when responding to the test items. The errors were then mapped to the design of a Van Hiele phase-based instructional programme. Results: The results revealed that the students had several misconceptions with geometric translations. The misconceptions were delineated into the errors that the students displayed and these were classified under two themes. The first theme was incorrect properties of transformation and under this theme, the errors were coded as confusing translation with rotation, wrong translation method, incorrect interpretation of coordinates and confusing the x and y axis. The second theme was errors involving basic mathematics operations including wrong diagrammatic representation of coordinates and incorrect calculations. Conclusion: The study showed that if the students’ misconceptions and the resulting errors are mapped to specific instructional approaches, their faulty reasoning in geometric transformations is addressed and effective learning is enhanced
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