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The Influence of the Pandemic on the Affective States of School Principals and Teachers: A Comparative Study between South Africa and Latvia
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Education, Educational Leadership (Edu-Lead)-- Potchefstroom CampusThis study explores the extensive influence of COVID-19 on the affective states of school principals and teachers. A comparative, qualitative study was conducted on Latvian and South African participants’ experiences during the pandemic, with a focus on leadership, change, extra workload, ICT, and uncertainty. A total of 59 participants from rural, urban, and private schools in both countries took part in this study. Data were collected by conducting interviews with open-ended questions after which themes were identified and grouped. The results demonstrated that the states of mind of Latvian school principals and teachers were more affected than those of South Africans for whom vaccination was not compulsory. Furthermore, it was found that technological adaptation was easier for Latvian than for South African educators. The role of the Department of Education has evoked mixed feelings. Leadership, and the lack of it, also influenced the affective states of school principals and teachers. Emotional support from society, family, and colleagues was experienced differently in Latvia than in South Africa. The results of this study revealed that a pandemic can be experienced differently by principals and teachers but also that there are similarities in these experiences, as no one is ever completely prepared for the effects of a pandemic.Author Contributions
Conceptualization, C.W. and L.L.; Methodology, L.v.J. and L.L.; Validation, L.v.J., L.L., C.W. and B.C.; Formal analysis, L.v.J. and L.L.; Investigation, L.v.J., L.L., C.W. and B.C.; Data curation, L.v.J. and L.L.;Writing-original draft preparation, L.v.J., L.L., C.W. and B.C.; Writingreviewing and editing, L.v.J., L.L., C.W. and B.C.; Project administration, L.v.J. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Institutional Review Board Statement
The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Ethics Committee of NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY (ethical clearance number NWU-00277-22-A2) for studies involving humans. Date of approval: 20 October 202
Transforming cultural identity: Textual analysis of Aawambo cultural practices in three post-independence Namibian texts
Get PDFDoctor of Philosophy in Linguistics and Literary
Theory, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark CampusThe issue of transforming cultural identity has emerged in the writings of Namibian post independence female authors, particularly in the context of the cultural identity of women. In the name of culture, widows face numerous challenges while they grieve for their departed husbands. Marriage is seen as a means of honouring a woman. She is humiliated, abused, and left without dignity after the spouse passes away. Women are also subjected to biological parenting to gain the status of motherhood and being respected as mothers in society. As a qualitative desktop study, this research purposely selected three books written by Namibian female authors, following independence of the country, to promote the idea of
self-narrative, women empowerment and self-determination for women to fight the injustice of the patriarchal system. Approached from a womanist concept, the study employed African womanism, African post-colonial feminism and literary criticism to establish the arguments from a feminist point of view. The study employed a qualitative desktop approach within a womanist paradigm of textual analysis. It was designed to investigate Aawambo cultural practices as depicted in Namibian female autobiographies in terms of self-narrative, biography and prose as literary
genres. These theories were used to determine how the authors created a platform to challenge the patriarchal system, enabling the characters – mothers, women and widows to express their own experiences in a more comprehensible manner. In the study, I examined cultural practices as portrayed in the narratives and interpreted specific aspects related to transforming cultural identity. The focus was on Oshiwambo culture, which formed the basis for the general conclusions as derived from the research findings. The research concludes that the selected texts respond to the Namibian postcolonial situation. The main characters depicted in these texts carry the torch of women’s liberation, constituting both a liberating and transformative voice. They portray eagerness and strength in mobilising other women, despite facing numerous challenges in a patriarchal environment.Doctora
Machine translation training data form English–Tshivenḓa
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Humanities, Unit for Languages and Literature In The SA Context-- Potchefstroom CampusThis data article describes a machine translation training data set for translation between English and Tshiven ḓa. The data set contains parallel, aligned English–Tshiven ḓa data as well as monolingual Tshiven ḓa data. The data was collected from both web crawling of multilingual South African government sites and matched documents from translators or publishing sources. Additional unique data was translated from English into Tshiven ḓa by professional translators to increase the to- tal corpus size. This article contains information about the collection and translation of the data as well as how align- ments and corpus cleanup were done. The wordcounts of the
corpus are also given. In addition to training machine transla- tion systems this data can also be used for the development of other Tshiven ḓa core technologies as well as for linguistic studies.Acknowledgments
This research was made possible with the support from the South African Department of Arts and Culture (DSAC) as well as the support from the South African Centre for Digital Lan- guage Resources (SADiLaR), a research infrastructure established by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) of the South African government as part of the South African Research In- frastructure Roadmap (SARIR). The creation of the dataset was funded as part of the ongoing Autshumato project
Pre-reductionofNchwaningmanganeseoreinCO/CO2,H2/H2O,and H2atmospheres
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Engineering, Hydrogen South Africa (HySA)-- Potchefstroom CampusHydrogen (H2), a relatively underexplored reductant in ferromanganese (FeMn) production, offers an attractive avenue for mitigating gaseous carbon (C) emissions. The reduction behaviour of South African Nchwaning manganese (Mn) ore using gaseous CO/CO2, H2/H2O, and H2 atmospheres was investigated experimentally in the temperature variation of 700, 800, and 900 °C. The effect of different gas compositions and temperatures was studied using a vertical thermogravimetric (TG) tube furnace. During pre-reduction, two parallel reactions occurred, namely the reduction of higher Mn- and iron (Fe) -oxides, and the decomposition of carbonates. After each test, decrepitation, chemical composition, phase transformation, and porosity were characterised. Using the rate of mass loss, a kinetic model was obtained to predict kinetic constants. The oxidation state of the higher Mn- and Fe-oxides was lowered during CO/CO2 and H2/H2O pre-reduction. Only during pure H2 pre-reduction was Fe2+ reduced to its metallic state, Fe0. The majority of carbonates decomposed in the presence of the CO/CO2 atmosphere at 900 °C, whereas in the presence of H2 in the reducing atmosphere carbonates decomposed at a higher rate and lower temperatures. Additionally, the extent and rate of mass loss were expedited by increasing the temperature, employing H2-containing atmospheres, and lowering the oxygen partial pressure (pO2) of the H2-containing atmospheres. No significant trends were observed in ore decrepitation and porosity across various atmospheres and temperatures, except for decrepitation in the water vapour-containing atmosphere. The utilisation of a pure H2 atmosphere has a significant ability for pre-reducing Mn ores with carbonate content by expediting carbonate decomposition and promoting Fe-oxide metallisation, thereby enhancing the efficiency of ore treatment in metallurgical applications.Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the Research Council of Norway (RCN) as the Thanos project (INPART Project 309475) and by HySA Infrastructure Centre of Competence, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) South Africa, through the KP5 program, and are gratefully acknowledge
Concentrations and health risks of selected elements in leafy vegetables: a comparison between roadside open‑air markets and large stores in Johannesburg, South Africa
Get PDFJournal Article, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management-- Potchefstroom CampusThis study compared concentrations and health risks of selected elements (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) in leafy vegetables (coriander, lettuce, mint, spring onion, swiss chard) from roadside open-air markets (OM) and large stores (supermarkets: SM, vegetable markets: VM) in Johannesburg, South Africa. Along with washed leaves (OMW, SMW, VMW), unwashed OM leaves (OMUW) were assessed to investigate the contribution of deposition. The findings revealed that OMUW leaves had the highest concentrations of all elements. Furthermore, compared with washed leaves, OMUW leaves showed significantly higher (p OMW (1.83) > SMW (1.29) > VMW (1.01)). Determined cancer risk for Cd and As was greater than 1 × 10-6 in both washed and unwashed leaves, and the greatest cancer risk was estimated for OM leaves. Thorough washing of OM vegetables with water reduced non-carcinogenic risk (84%) and cancer risk (74‒87%) markedly. In conclusion, residents primarily relying on open-air markets for their regular leafy vegetable supplies might face far more severe lifelong health implications compared to customers of large stores in Johannesburg.Author contribution
Sutapa Adhikari: Conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, funding acquisition, investigation, writing—original draft, review and editing.
Madeleen Struwig: Conceptualization, methodology, writing—review and editing. Both authors reviewed and edited the original and subsequent versions of this manuscript.
Funding
Open access funding provided by North-West University. This work was supported by the North-West University, South Africa (NWU PDRF Fund NW.1G01487)
Enhancing the Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity of Sputtered Ni, NiO, and NiNiO Thin Films by Incorporating Fe
Get PDFArticle, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (Chemical Resource Beneficiation)--Northwest University, Potchefstroom CampusThe effect of Fe-containing alkaline electrolyte, on the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity of Ni electrocatalysts, has long been of interest as Fe increases the OER activity of Ni electro-catalysts. However, controversy exists as to whether it is surface or bulk Fe that is responsible for the increased activity. In this study, magnetron sputtering was employed to sputter Ni, NiO and NiNiO thin film electrocatalysts to study the effect that different concentrations of Fe in the electrolyte have on their OER activities. It was found that increasing concentrations of Fe increasingly enhanced the OER activity of these thin film electrocatalysts until the electrolyte was saturated with Fe. The lowest overpotential achieved is 279 mV (at 10 mA cm 2) for NiNiO cycled in KOH containing 1 mM Fe, with all three thin film electrocatalysts exhibiting overpotentials within the same range after 30 voltammetry cycles in 0.9 ppm Fe and 1 mM Fe. All Tafel slopes are between 36 and 45 mV dec 1 indicating similar kinetics for the samples cycled in different Fe concentrations. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy results show that Fe is found in the top layers of the electrocatalysts after cycling
Unpacking fatigue: How burnout and engagement influence commitment and overtime among South African workers
Get PDFArticle, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (Workwell: Research Unit for Economic; Management Sciences )--Northwest University, PotchefstroomOrientation: Workplace fatigue has harmed the working environment, with workers becoming increasingly exhausted, disgruntled and detached from their work and co-workers. Curbing workplace fatigue is important to increase job performance, commitment, satisfaction and safety in the work environment. Research purpose: The objective of the study was to investigate the impact of fatigue on the relationship between overtime, burnout, commitment and engagement among South African blue-collar workers. The study also aims to understand the mediating role burnout and engagement play in the relationship model. Motivation of the study: The motivation behind this study was to understand the role fatigue plays in the working life of blue-collar workers. Research approach/design and method: A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional study explored the relationship between overtime, burnout, engagement and commitment among blue-collar workers in South Africa. Data from 381 participants were gathered using purposive sampling. Main findings: The study found negative links between burnout, work engagement, and
fatigue, showing that burnout or low engagement increases fatigue. Burnout and fatigue both reduce work commitment, weakening dedication to work. Practical/managerial implications: Reducing fatigue in blue-collar workers may lower burnout and increase commitment, engagement, and overtime willingness. Addressing burnout and promoting engagement is key to minimising fatigue’s negative impact on organisational outcomes. Contribution/value-add: The study contributed to deeper insight into the effect fatigue and burnout have on the blue-collar sample’s work commitment, work engagement and willingness to work overtime
Evaluation of recruitment methodologies for Boscia albitrunca in the southern Kalahari, South Africa
Get PDFMaster of Science in Environmental Sciences, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark CampusBoscia albitrunca is protected under the National Forest Act (Act No. 84 of 1998) as well as under the Northern Cape Nature Conservation Act (Act No. 9 of 2009). The survival of this species is threatened by farming practices such as high browsing pressure and thicket control; development
pressures of habitat destruction and tree losses coupled with the limited rehabilitation success recorded to date. Even though B. albitrunca germinates relatively easy from seed and can be regenerated using vegetative cuttings, long-term survival of both cuttings and seedlings has
hitherto proved challenging. Hundreds of tree destruction permits are issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the
Environment (DFFE) with the requirement to compensate for its loss through the re-establishment of three to ten trees for every B. albitrunca lost. Even though these requirements are enforced through a monitoring and reporting system, these compensation requirements have not resulted
in the expected survival and/or increase of B. albitrunca specimens in the regions they were lost. This study aimed to determine to what degree soil amelioration affect the recruitment rate of B. albitrunca when sowing (freshly harvested or stored seeds) and when planting vegetative cuttings. The soil characteristics and establishment rates of naturally recruited B. albitrunca saplings in areas where this species was legally removed were also evaluated. Nursery trials, field trials and veld assessments were undertaken within a 50 km radius of Kathu town in the Southern Kalahari. A total of 15 soil samples were collected and analysed. To test the germination, seeds were harvested by hand, cleaned, dried and stored from two respective farms in the study area. Seeds of different ages were then planted in both ameliorated and untreated soils whereafter germination was monitored daily for the first thirty days and then bi-weekly for survival until hardening. To assess vegetative propagation, root cuttings and stem cuttings were collected from adult trees. Sealed and unsealed cuttings were planted in planting bags (nursery trials) or directly into the ground (field trials). The same monitoring regime as for seed germination applied. The field trials tested the establishment of the hardened saplings and additional sourced saplings, as well as the survival rate of planted cuttings. The additional saplings were also hardened. Field trails were monitored for survival and growth bi-annually for a period of 18 months. During the same period, naturally recruiting saplings were georeferenced and monitored bi-annually in an area where topsoil clearance took place for construction. This study found that B. albitrunca prefers well-draining sandy soils, although germination and establishment is not significantly affected by soil nutrient or chemical values. Amelioration further had no significant effect on germination. B. albitrunca can be successfully recruited from seeds or sealed stem cuttings. Larger cutting sizes had better establishment, and the youngest seeds had the highest mean germination. The correct cleaning and storage of seeds is however very important, and if done correctly, seeds remain viable for up to 12 months. Hothouses were further proven to have shorter germination periods than outdoor trials. A survival of below 25% were recorded for field trial saplings after 18 months, despite their stunted above ground growth and the coppicing ability of B. albitrunca were confirmed.Master
Guidelines for developing human-computer interaction students as reflective practitioners
Get PDFNorth-West University, Doctor of Philosophy in Computer and Information Sciences
with Computer Science and Information Systems, Potchefstroom CampusHuman-Computer Interaction (HCI) is a theoretical field that serves as a foundation for design processes. Its primary focus is on addressing the practical needs of users when interfaces and products are created. The researcher, who is also a lecturer for the HCI module, realised that students make little use of the theoretical work they have learned to create solutions for practical work. The research intended to address the theory-practice gap experienced in HCI classes and to investigate practical solutions. The study explored ways to develop the potential of the students to be able to apply appropriate theoretical work to practice. This will subsequently enable them to be ready for the workplace environment. The study further aimed to formulate guidelines to develop HCI students as reflective practitioners to bridge the theory-practice gap. Different paradigms that are used in Information Systems were explored in terms of their ontological and epistemological stance; and critical social theory was selected. Critical social theory is suitable for this study because the research focuses on emancipating students against the current system through a practical understanding of the present context. This study involved a collaborative investigation where students' knowledge and background served as the foundation for establishing shared assumptions that guided the research. Action research was selected to facilitate this process because of its iterative nature. The process consists of five phases which are diagnosis, action planning, action taking, evaluating, and specifying learning. The problem is explored by diagnosing it to gain some understanding of the students’ experiences before selecting an appropriate theory to guide the action taking phase. Reflective practice (RP) was identified as a strategy that can be used to bridge the theory-practice gap by assisting students in thinking about what they are doing. The initial set of guidelines was formulated from the students’ data. A literature review on reflective practice and human-computer interaction was conducted, resulting in the development of more guidelines. The guidelines were consolidated to form five categories to be used to develop HCI students as reflective practitioners. Possible interventions were formulated in each iteration to design actual interventions. The aim of the actual intervention was twofold, to improve the RP skills and to verify the practicality of the guidelines. The primary objective of these interventions was to provide guidance to users on how to effectively use the guidelines. After the action was taken, content analysis was employed to evaluate the data collected from the participants. This was followed by a reflection on the results. After three iterations, the five categories of guidelines were sufficiently verified to produce a final set of guidelines to develop human-computer interaction students as reflective practitioners. After this study, the researcher is convinced that when students are skilled in RP, they will be better equipped to apply their theoretical knowledge while creating HCI solutions
The role of intervention programs under the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 in preventing the removal of a child from the family environment
Get PDFMagister Scientiae in International Child Law, North-West University, Potchefstroom CampusIn terms of several international instruments and domestic legislation, each child has the right to be cared for by its family and to grow up within a family environment. The consequence of abusing or denying this right is removal of the child from the family. Due to the severity of this action, international instruments and regional legislation provide for prevention and early intervention programmes aimed at keeping the child within the family environment. These programmes require a social worker to evaluate the functioning of the family and make further recommendations according to the best interests of the child. This dissertation investigated whether social workers implement the prevention and early intervention programmes correctly to prevent the removal of children from the family environment. The study further examined several case law studies to analyse the possible effects of these prevention and early intervention programmes when not implemented within the best interests of the child. The chosen research methodology for this study entails a thorough examination of primary and secondary legal sources through desktop analysis. The investigation will encompass an exploration of both international and domestic law, inclusive of case law, alongside scholarly literature. The writer applied findings of several literature studies, case law studies, legislation, international instruments, and law journals in her study