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Multigrade teachers perceptions of the benefits and challenges of learning and teaching in multigrade settings : a case study of selected primary schools in the East London district
(University of Fort Hare, 2011-01) Matshoba, Sindiswa Sybil Serity
This study mainly focuses on the perceptions of multigrade teachers with regard to the benefits and challenges of learning and teaching in multigrade classes. In the light of literature reviewed, the reflections of the challenges from the empirical work were done and form the basis for tools to promote quality in teaching and learning in a multigrade setting. The study was conducted within the interpretive paradigm, where the researcher sought to understand the phenomena. The qualitative approach allowed the researcher to enter the participants' life-worlds and study their lived-experiences. This means that dynamic, holistic and individual aspects of the teachers' experiences were captured. This researcher was keen to capture this holistic aspect in its entirety, within the context of the teachers who experienced it. A multiple-case type of case- study design was preferred as more than one case was investigated. Through the use of phenomenological 'hierarchical' interviews and document analysis, the study revealed interesting data. It became evident in this empirical chapter that benefits were more inclined to learning as well the impact on learners' social and cognitive advancement. The same cannot be said about the challenges. Challenges were mostly focused on the struggles experienced by teaching multigrade classes. Challenges included teaching learners of different levels of understanding simultaneously, a lack of learner
support material and the teacher's lack of skills and tools to teach these classes effectively. One step towards quality promotion in multigrade settings is to identify the challenges of the environment and develop a means to overcome the challenges. In this regard the literature supports the autonomy of the multigrade school when it addresses the problems.
An investigation into the nature and factors which lead to violence in Buffalo City high schools
(University of Fort Hare, 2010-11) Ncontsa, Vusumzi Nelson
The escalation of violence in schools is of great concern not only to researchers but also to the South African government. Themes and percentages were used to analyse and interpret data collected from learners and educators. Questionnaires and interviews were used as data collection instruments. The purpose of the study was to investigate the nature and factors which lead to violence as well as forms of violence prevalent in schools. The factors which lead to violence and victims of school violence had to be identified if violence is to be completely eradicated in schools. The perpetrators and victims of violence were identified. The study adopted a mixed method design and concurrent triangulation design in order to ensure credibility and trustworthiness of the study. Four high schools in Buffalo City Municipality in the East London District were purposively selected to form the context of the study. The participants were 80 learners and 20 educators from the selected high schools. All schools were township schools in the Mdantsane area. The questionnaire was piloted in a school outside the East London District. The results of the study revealed that violence is prevalent in the schools. Bullying, vandalism, gangsterism, and corporal punishment were some of the forms of violence prevalent in schools. The factors which lead to violence were ascribed to the high rate of violence and crime in our communities; indiscipline on the part of learners; intolerance; the high rate of unemployment; easy access to school premises by people from outside, including gangsters and lack of recreation facilities in schools, especially township and rural schools.
Police and community trust in an organisation in transition : the case of Mbare-Musika metropolitan province of Zimbabwe
(University of Fort Hare, 2017) Singende, Matildah
The focus of this study was to explore the relationship between the police and the community in terms of trust considering that the Zimbabwe Republic Police is in transition.
Underpinned by the Procedural Justice Theory and the Social Exchange Theory, the study used a mixed methods approach. The sample was stratified and purposefully drawn from the community and the police respectively. Focus groups were carried out with 30 police officers of the rank of sergeant and constable. The questionnaires were administered to 200 members of the Mbare-Musika community, who were stratified as touts, bus drivers, commuter omnibus drivers, vendors and residents who spent most of their time in the market and around the Mbare termini. Ten (10) interviews were carried out with key informants from the chosen strata. Qualitative data were analysed through thematic data analysis and quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The major findings were that the police and the community in Mbare have challenges in terms of trust in their relationship. Crime was found to be on the increase despite efforts made to reduce it. Corruption was found to be rampant in society and in the organisation too although the Mbare community legitimises the police as they cooperate with them comply with police orders and obey the law. The study recommends that the police be funded to allow them to boost their human and material resources. This in turn will help to improve and increase their training and education programmes in different areas including those that build, enhance and maintain trust. This will also allow the police to meet set standards and keep promises which were endorsed in the Client Service Charter. A model of enhancing trust was suggested.
Thermal characterization of a passive solar house in Alice, Eastern Cape province, South Africa
(University of Fort Hare, 2018-10) Ochuko, Kelvin Overen
A passive solar hoμse was designed and constructed as a prototype low-cost energy efficient house to avert the underperforming low-cost housing plaguing the rural communities in South Africa. Thermal performance characterisation of the passive solar house and developing a thermal load model of a single family house was the aim of this research. The net thermal energy change in the inner space of a house is equal to the difference between the total heat gain and the total heat loss from the inner space. This is given by the first law of thermodynamics and serve as the basic principle of a house thermal load evaluation. To this effect, the various contributors of heat gain and loss of the passive solar house were identified. Typically, heat gain in a house occurs in the form of solar heat gain, heat transmission through the building envelope, ventilation/infiltration and internal heat gain. Whereas, heat loss occurs in the form of conductive (building envelope) heat transfer and ventilation/infiltration. As such, the indoor and ambient weather parameters over a year period were monitored. Monitored parameters include air temperature, global horizontal irradiance, and global irradiance at the various elevations of the house. The surface temperature of the building envelope components such as the floor, perimeter walls (inner and outer surface) and the inner surface of the roof was also monitored. At the same time, the occupancy daily
activities and operation of the house were closely observed. The occupancy activities refer to the number of occupancies, type of appliances used, lighting, time in and out, as well as their operation of the ventilation components.
The measured meteorological parameters were analyzed in term of data integrity, seasonal distribution and thermal implication. It was found that 5% of the total measured data were lost due to the mechanical error of the data acquisition system. The obtained 95% of data was found sufficient to present tangible thermal behavior of the house. Hence, working with the available data, the measured meteorological data were further presented in typical summer and winter days. In term of operations of the house, a typical working-class family was occupying the house during the monitoring period. As a result, the house had a minimum occupancy during the day and maximum at night time. It was also found that during the weekends, the house was usually unoccupied. Also, during the monitoring period," all appliances were located in the living room/ kitchen (zone 1). Although, only the 7.70 kW stove
and 0.78 kW refrigerator were taken into consideration for the internal heat gain analysis. A total heat gain of2.10 kW was obtained with both appliances in used, and the refrigerator alone generates 0.25 kW. The daily cumulative heat energy without the influence of other heat sources or sink was 0.58 kWh/m2. Another aspect of internal heat gain taken into consideration was electrical lighting fixtures. A total of five 11 W CFLs were installed in the house. Three of the installed lamps were located in zone 1. and one each in the north and south facing bedrooms (zone 2 and 3, respectively). The lighting daily cumulative heat energy was found to be 1.33 Wh/m2, 0.71 Wh/m2 and 0.88 Wh/m2 in zone 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
Also, the air exchange rate of each zone with different scenarios of the ventilation components operation was performed upon completion of the house. The findings of the air exchange testing were used to evaluate ventilation/infiltration air heat transfer of the house. The daily cumulative heat energy due to ventilation and infiltration was 0.196 kWh/m2, 0.033 kWh/m2, and 0.080 kWh/m2 in zone 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Based on the indoor and ambient air temperature difference, the said heat energy indicates the amount of heat loss. As such, the daily cumulative internal heat energy in zone 1 was reduced by 0.38 kWh/m2. Transmission heat transfer through the components of the building envelope was analyzed in the form of opaque and transparent components. Opaque components further comprise the walls and roof. The south wall was found to have the maximum heat loss with a daily average of 161.95 Win the summer season and 147.14 Win the winter season. The north wall was found to have the maximum heat gain with 153.43 Wand 201.60 Win summer and winter seasons, respectively. In both seasons, the solar irradiation on the perimeter walls was reduced by more than 95%. Based on the roof design, the house ceiling was classified into crawlspace and skillion ceiling design. Whereby, the skillion ceiling covers the southern floor area, while the crawlspace ceiling dominates the n01ihem floor area. In both seasons, heat loss through the crawlspace ceiling was approximately 54% higher than that of the skillion ceiling. However, the average daily heat loss and gain through the ceiling of the whole
building were 0.19 and 0.45 kW, respectively in the summer season. In the winter season, the daily average heat loss was 0.18 kW and a gain of 0.44 kW.
Antibacterial evaluation of South African Aloe ferox (Mill)
(AOSIS Publishing, 2024-03-15) Goge, Sipho; Singh, Karishma; Buwa-Komoreng, Lisa Valencia; Coopoosamy, Roger M.
Background
There has been an alarming increase in infections because of multidrug resistance. Several multidrug-resistant microbes are becoming more resistant to medications with several side effects. There is an urgent requirement for natural, safer and inexpensive antimicrobial agents.
Aim
The study sought to examine the effects of the antimicrobial activity of Aloe ferox (A. ferox) in different regions across South Africa.
Method
The antimicrobial activity was determined using the agar disk diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration was determined using the microplate dilution method. 100 mg of dry extract was dissolved in 1 mL of ethanol, ethyl acetate and aqueous to obtain the concentration of 100 mg/mL dilutions (1:10, 1:100 and 1:500), respectively.
Results
The aqueous extracts showed antibacterial activity against all Gram-positive bacteria. Ethanol extracts showed greater inhibition of Gram-positive bacteria than ethyl acetate extracts. Ethanol showed inhibition on Gram-negative bacteria, that is, Protea vulgaris, Escherichia coli and S. sonnei. Aqueous and ethanol extracts displayed strong inhibition at the concentration of 1:10 against all fungal species across regions.
Conclusion
A. ferox showed inhibition to varying degrees across all the regions. The concentrations of A. ferox active ingredient used in traditional medicine differ by region. The study validates the potential difference in the antimicrobial activity of A. ferox across different geographical regions.