This study forms part of a larger study funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) -FA 2006041100003, stretching across five years within AUTHeR (Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research), in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus. The aim of the larger study is to gain a better understanding of alcohol consumption patterns and causes as well as consequences of binge drinking. While the link between binge drinking and interpersonal violence is well documented, paucity of researched information focusing on the nature of the link was identified. The identified problem pointed to a need for a theoretical study, accomplished by means of a literature review. It is concluded that while binge drinking and interpersonal violence co-occur, there is no evidence that binge drinking causes interpersonal violence. Literature is systematically reviewed to understand the social aspects of alcohol abuse in the broader South Africa. The review concluded that alcohol abuse is caused by a multiplicity of factors and does pose a threat to the quality of life of many South Africans. It has conclusively been determined that there is a need to readdress existing liquor policies. Factors contributing to binge drinking and interpersonal violence at and around different alcohol drinking outlets were explored, following an observational study. The investigation produced some of the following findings: • Neighbourhoods with a higher density of alcohol drinking outlets tend to display public disorder. • Poor management of alcohol outlets poses a health and physical hazard to patrons. • Marketing strategies used are aggressive and irresponsible. It is concluded that there seem discrepancies between existing liquor policies and the actual running of liquor businesses. Narratives of binge drinkers and those of non-binge drinkers were analysed using focus groups and in-depth interviews. The analysis revealed some of the following as precipitating and maintenance factors of the alcohol-violence link: • A culture of drinking: Participants drink alcohol for social, cultural, coping, and enhancement motives. • A culture of violence: Men seem violent prior to consuming alcohol, and violence seems to be a learned behaviour. • Traditional gender roles seem transgressed by women mainly through their drinking of alcohol in public. These findings necessitated further investigation into services in the North West Province in terms of job creation, liquor licensing, non-adherence to ethics and unavailability on weekends by some service providers, and the shifting of traditional gender roles of women. Based on the critical analysis of service delivery networks in the North West Province by interviewing key informants and analysing documents, it was revealed that, not withstanding gaps, the province has policies in place dealing with: job creation; liquor regulation; ethically bound police services; specialized social work services to sexually assaulted victims on weekdays and weekends, and the empowerment of men. It has conclusively been determined that the analysed services, when re-addressed, hold possibilities of instilling hope in community members, including victims and perpetrators of alcohol-induced violence. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The environmental impacts of genetically modified (GM) crop plants such as Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) maize have not yet been fully assessed in South Africa. Bt maize designed to express Bt endotoxin for control of Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is planted on approximately 1.103 million hectares in South Africa. The monitoring of GM crops after release is important in order to assess and evaluate possible environmental effects. No risk assessment for Bt maize was done in South Africa before its release in 1998 and no targeted post-release monitoring of possible resistance development or impact on non-target species have been done. Awareness has risen in South Africa through research highlighting the possible effects GM crops may have. The aim of this study was to determine, through feeding experiments, the effects of Bt maize on selected non-target Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera species that occur in maize agro-ecosystems in South Africa. Results provide information for use in future risk assessment studies on Bt maize and indicate which species could possibly be of importance in post-release monitoring of Bt maize. Priority insect species were identified and laboratory- and semifield experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of Bt maize on these species. In the light of the reportedly lower toxicity of Bt maize to certain noctuid borers, the effect of Bt maize was evaluated on Sesamia calamistis (Hampson), Agrotis segetum (Denis & Schiffermüller), and Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner). Feeding studies were also conducted to determine the effect of Bt maize on non-target Coleoptera, i.e. Heteronychus arator Fabricius (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and Somaticus angulatus (Fahraeus) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The effect of indirect exposure of the stem borer parasitoid Sturmiopsis parasitica (Curran) (Diptera: Tachinidae) to Bt toxin was evaluated to determine if there is any effect when it parasitizes Bt-resistant B. fusca larvae that have fed on Bt maize. Results from the study conducted with S. calamistis indicated that Bt maize of both events (Bt11 and MON810) were highly toxic to S. calamistis. The behavioural characteristic of S. calamistis to feed behind leaf sheaths and to enter stems directly did not result in escape of exposure to the toxin. Larval feeding on leaf sheaths therefore resulted in the ingestion of sufficient toxin to kill larvae before they entered maize stems. Results showed that the effect of Cry1Ab toxin on the biology of A. segetum larvae and moths were largely insignificant. Whorl leaves were observed to be an unsuitable food source for H. armigera larvae and larval growth was poor. No larvae survived to the pupal stage on any of the Bt maize treatments. When feeding on maize ears H. armigera larval mass increased on non-Bt maize whereas no increase occurred on Bt maize. The feeding study conducted with Coleoptera showed that the effect of Bt maize on H. arator and S. angulatus was insignificant and no differences were observed in any of the parameters measured for the two species. Although not always significant, the percentage parasitism of Bt-consuming host larvae by S. parasitica was always higher compared to host larvae that fed on non-Bt maize. It could be that Bt toxin affects B. fusca fitness to such an extent that the immune systems of host larvae were less effective. The different parameters tested for S. parasitica indicated only one case where fly maggots originating from diapause host larvae feeding on non-Bt maize had a greater mass compared to host larvae that fed on Bt maize. The same applied to S. parasitica pupal length. For other parameters tested there were no significant differences. Sesamia calamistis is stenophagous and occurs in mixed populations with other borer species. It was therefore concluded that the ecological impact of local extinctions of S. calamistis caused by Bt maize is not expected to be great. Bt maize will most likely not have any significant effect on the control of A. segetum under field conditions. The feeding study conducted with H. armigera quantified the effects of Bt maize on this species and provided important information on the potential of Bt maize as protection against this polyphagous pest. However, the likelihood of H. armigera becoming an important secondary pest is high. It can be concluded that the Cry1Ab toxin targeting lepidopteran pests will not have adverse effects on H. arator or S. angulatus. Although some adverse effects were observed on S. parasitica mass and pupal length it is most likely that this will not contribute to adverse effects in the field, but that there rather be synergism between Bt maize and S. parasitica. An ecological approach was followed in which the potential effects of exposure of priority species to Bt toxin in maize was investigated. A series of selection matrixes were developed in which each of the above mentioned species was ranked for its maximum potential exposure to Bt toxin by assessing it occurrence, abundance, presence and linkage in the maize ecosystem. Through the use of these selection matrixes, knowledge gaps were identified for future research and to guide the design of ecologically realistic experiments. This study contributes to knowledge regarding the possible effects of Bt maize on the most economically important non-target pests in South Africa. There is, however, a need to evaluate other non-target species in feeding studies, as well as in field studies. From this study it can be concluded that some species can be eliminated from further testing since Bt maize had no adverse effect while more research have to be conducted on other species. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Environmental Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

This study forms part of a larger study funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) -FA 2006041100003, stretching across five years within AUTHeR (Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research), in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus. The aim of the larger study is to gain a better understanding of alcohol consumption patterns and causes as well as consequences of binge drinking. While the link between binge drinking and interpersonal violence is well documented, paucity of researched information focusing on the nature of the link was identified. The identified problem pointed to a need for a theoretical study, accomplished by means of a literature review. It is concluded that while binge drinking and interpersonal violence co-occur, there is no evidence that binge drinking causes interpersonal violence. Literature is systematically reviewed to understand the social aspects of alcohol abuse in the broader South Africa. The review concluded that alcohol abuse is caused by a multiplicity of factors and does pose a threat to the quality of life of many South Africans. It has conclusively been determined that there is a need to readdress existing liquor policies. Factors contributing to binge drinking and interpersonal violence at and around different alcohol drinking outlets were explored, following an observational study. The investigation produced some of the following findings: • Neighbourhoods with a higher density of alcohol drinking outlets tend to display public disorder. • Poor management of alcohol outlets poses a health and physical hazard to patrons. • Marketing strategies used are aggressive and irresponsible. It is concluded that there seem discrepancies between existing liquor policies and the actual running of liquor businesses. Narratives of binge drinkers and those of non-binge drinkers were analysed using focus groups and in-depth interviews. The analysis revealed some of the following as precipitating and maintenance factors of the alcohol-violence link: • A culture of drinking: Participants drink alcohol for social, cultural, coping, and enhancement motives. • A culture of violence: Men seem violent prior to consuming alcohol, and violence seems to be a learned behaviour. • Traditional gender roles seem transgressed by women mainly through their drinking of alcohol in public. These findings necessitated further investigation into services in the North West Province in terms of job creation, liquor licensing, non-adherence to ethics and unavailability on weekends by some service providers, and the shifting of traditional gender roles of women. Based on the critical analysis of service delivery networks in the North West Province by interviewing key informants and analysing documents, it was revealed that, not withstanding gaps, the province has policies in place dealing with: job creation; liquor regulation; ethically bound police services; specialized social work services to sexually assaulted victims on weekdays and weekends, and the empowerment of men. It has conclusively been determined that the analysed services, when re-addressed, hold possibilities of instilling hope in community members, including victims and perpetrators of alcohol-induced violence. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Although a relationship between womens work and use of child care is well-established, little is known about womens beliefs about who (family or society) is responsible for this care. Using data from a province-wide survey, path analysis determined how beliefs about caregiving predict womens decisions to work or use child care, at different stages of family life. Overall, Albertans believe caregiving is a social responsibility, particularly urban Albertans and women. Womens social beliefs about caregiving predict working for women with preschool and school-age children, and women without children under 14, but do not directly predict use of care at all. Social beliefs are predicted by more education (women with preschool and school-age children) and more children (women with school-age children). The results of this study are presented using an ecological framework, and confirm that beliefs about caregiving should be considered in future studies of womens labour force participation. / Family Ecology and Practice

This thesis looks at the impact of migration and place on the traditional healing knowledge and practices of a Mexican immigrant mother from Guanajuato, Mexico: Sofia Perez. Through the use of oral history methodology and the application of the Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wisdom (TEKW) model and the Social Ecological Model (SEM) to analyze the narratives, this study looks at the origin of Sofia's healing knowledge and practices and at how she has managed to keep these traditions alive despite migrating to the United States and living in a society that may not believe in the efficacy of these healing traditions. The application of the Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wisdom (TEKW) model provided insight into the healing traditions of Sofia's home community and the ways in which these were learned, practiced, and preserved and proved useful in looking at how this was done by Sofia before and after migrating. Next, the Social Ecological Model (SEM) proved useful in looking at how place and its various social, cultural, and ecological aspects have influenced Sofia's use of traditional medicine since she migrated. Overall, Sofia's knowledge and practices have been impacted by migration and place; however, she continues to practice these traditions as best as she can.

Bakgrund: Brist på daglig fysisk aktivitet ökar risken för folksjukdomar samt påverkar ungdomars fysiska förmåga negativt. Ungdomar som gör värnplikten i Försvarsmakten behöver ha en viss nivå av fysisk förmåga för att klara av krav och träning som militärtjänstgöring kräver. Social Ecological Model används för att förklara hur ungdomars fysiska förmåga påverkas av många faktorer i ungdomarnas omgivning. Syfte: Studiens syfte är att studera vilka uppfattningar anställda i Försvarsmakten har kring förutsättningar och påverkansfaktorer för ungdomars fysiska förmåga innan och under värnplikten. Metod: Studien har använt en kvalitativ metod och semistrukturerade telefonintervjuer har genomförts med tre anställda inom Försvarsmakten. Data har analyserats med manifest innehållsanalys. Resultat: Skolidrott samt förberedelser lyfts fram som förutsättningar inför värnplikten medan tidig elitsatsning och idrottsspecialisering upplevs som problem för den fysiska förmågan innan värnplikten. Ungdomars fysiska förmåga under värnplikten upplevs ha försämrats och skador är vanligt. Under värnplikten påverkas den fysiska förmågan av kravnivåer, träning samt psykiskt välmående. Slutsats: För att förbättra ungdomars förutsättningar innan samt höja den fysiska förmågan under värnplikten krävs att skolan, föreningsidrotten och Försvarsmakten möjliggör ungdomars fysiska aktivitet. I bedömningen av den fysiska förmågan under värnplikten måste även krav, träning och psykiska påverkansfaktorer beaktas.

Mass shootings have been a persistent issue in the United States, and the underlying factors that continue to influence this crime are not yet evident. This study explored the effects of social media as an influence on mass shootings in the United States. Its purpose was to address the role of social media in spreading opinionated ideologies. The research question addressed the role of social media in influencing the actions of perpetrators of mass shootings in the United States. The study framework was based on the social-ecological model to facilitate classification of the susceptibilities of social media users to adverse ideologies; 7 experts on mass shootings were interviewed in the study. Findings revealed that social media tend to influence mass shooting in 4 capacities: as enablers of the conceptualization process of the crime until the final act of mass violence; as facilitators of the individual or personal agenda of the mass shooter; as platforms that harness emerging technology for knowledge building during the planning phase and create operational efficiency for the final act; and as coordinators of group or symphonic terrorism. Government authorities in charge of combating mass shootings perform their tasks through actionable intelligence, legislation and policy, training of police and other first responders, mechanical barriers or deterrents, and brainstorming for new techniques and strategies. They are, however, constrained by considerable odds, which often come conjointly with their methods of crime resolution and strategies. Predictive technologies, as vehicles to fight or prevent mass shootings, have limiting influences on government action, particularly relating to the First and Fourth Amendments and the culture of hate that is nurtured and sustained through social media.

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into a teacher’s experience in implementing the asset-based approach to teach Life Orientation to a Grade 7 class. More specifically I explored expected and unexpected benefits as well as challenges in relation to the implementation of asset-based teaching. My working assumptions were that both teachers and learners possess assets that may support teaching and learning and that the process of asset-based teaching can support teachers to attend to a variety of needs in one classroom. Nested within the wider positive psychology paradigm I relied on the asset-based approach as theoretical framework. I conducted qualitative research following an instrumental case study research design, applying participatory action research principles. Meta-theoretically I framed the study within Interpretivism in order to obtain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. One Grade 7 teacher was selected as participant through purposeful sampling. A government primary school in Pretoria was selected conveniently. I used semi-structured interviews, analysis of existing documents and artefacts, and observation to collect data, that were documented in the form of verbatim transcripts, photographs, field notes and a research journal. Following thematic data analysis three main themes emerged related to the process of asset-based teaching, positive changes of assetbased teaching, and challenges associated with asset-based teaching. In identifying assets within the classroom (Theme 1), the teacher in this study became aware of both the learners’ and her own assets that could be mobilised to support teaching and learning. Assets identified within the different systems of the bio-ecological model and own action plan were used to support the mobilisation of assets. Ownership and commitment formed an essential part of the phase of managing assets. Positive changes that were identified subsequent to implementing asset-based teaching (Theme 2) relate to increased confidence and self-knowledge of learners and the teacher, identification of assets, enablement in the classroom, recognising the value of reflection in teaching, focusing away from learners’ needs towards their assets and strengths, increased motivation and trust amongst learners, a decrease in behaviour difficulties, and learners working more independently. Challenges that were identified in implementing asset-based teaching (Theme 3) include an increased workload and responsibility in teaching, difficulty to focus away from needs to strengths, lack of sustainability of positive changes, behaviour challenges, limited understanding of asset-based terminology, difficulty to integrate asset-based teaching into the curriculum of various learning areas, high teacher-learner ratios, socio-economic challenges, the needs-based orientation of society, and limited support to learners from home. Based on the findings of the study I conclude that asset-based teaching can be viewed as a suitable alternative way of teaching, following the dynamic process of identifying, mobilising and managing assets. In this manner, the diverse needs of learners may be addressed in one classroom. In addition the study indicates that asset-based teaching may support adolescents in dealing with developmental changes. # Additional information of the Appendices are kept on Level 3 Merensky Library. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Educational Psychology / Unrestricted

Matematik är ett debatterat ämne som diskuteras i såväl skolans och medias värld. Få andra skolämnen skapar så mycket känslor som detta ämne (Olèn, 2016). Detta arbete syftar till att undersöka attityder till matematik hos unga elever samt dess bakomliggande faktorer i den sociala närmiljön. Vidare ämnar även studien att undersöka om det förekommer skillnader i attityder på två grundskolor i Malmö med olika socioekonomiska förutsättningar. För att undersöka detta har en enkät blivit besvarad av elever i en klass från varje skola. Tidigare nationell och internationell forskning visar på elevers negativa attityder gentemot matematik. Trots det visar resultatet i denna studie att en majoritet av eleverna uttrycker positiva attityder oavsett socioekonomiska förutsättningar. Framträdande skillnader mellan skolorna är användandet av matematik utanför skolmiljön. Tendenser påvisar att vårdnadshavare med högre utbildning har en prevalens av att vara mindre involverade i elevers matematik-utveckling i hemmet, enligt elevernas uppfattning. Samma elever uttrycker i högre utsträckning att de sällan får hjälp i eller samtalar om matematik i hemmet. Däremot visar resultatet att de elever som uppgett att deras vårdnadshavare saknar utbildning på högskola eller universitet erbjuds mer stöttning genom hjälp och samtal om matematik i hemmet. Studiens resultat belyser att läroboken, av eleverna, anses utgöra en central roll i matematikundervisningen på båda skolorna. Övriga likheter uppvisas genom att samtliga respondenter anser att ämnet är viktigt och en majoritet uppger även att de vill fortsätta att arbeta i läroboken i matematikundervisningen. Det framgår av resultatet att en merpart av eleverna upplever att undervisningen utgörs av kommunikation i form av diskussion och samtal i tillägg till lärobokens centrala roll. Flera svar tyder också på att mottagarna av undervisningen uppfattar lektionerna som varierade. Studien visar vidare att lärare eller vårdnadshavare är de som, ur elevernas perspektiv, har störst inverkan på attityden till matematik. / Mathematics is a topic which is up for debate and discussion in school as well as the media. Few other educational subjects induces emotions in the same manner as mathematics. The purpose of this paper is to examine the attitude towards mathematics in young students and the underlying influences by the immediate social environment. Further, the papers intends to examine if there are differences in attitudes towards mathematics in two different elementary schools in Malmö, Sweden, with different socio-economic conditions. In order to examine the topic, a questionnaire has been conducted with one class from each school. Pre-existing national as well as international research indicates a negative attitude towards mathematics in students. In contrary to this, the results of this study concludes a majority of the students expresses positive attitudes on the subject regardless of socio-economic basis. Augmented differences between the two schools are found to be in the use of mathematics outside of the educational environment. There are tendencies at display which indicates parental guardians with higher education are prevalent to be less involved in the students development in mathematics at home, according to the students perception. To a higher extent, the same students expresses that they receive less assistance or discussion regarding mathematics at home. On the contrary, the result indicates that students who stated their parental guardians lack higher level education such as a university degree receives more support through assistance and discussion regarding mathematics at home. The result illustrates that the textbook is, by the students, perceived as a central role of the mathematical education on both schools. Other similarities are at display through the fact that all respondents are of the opinion that mathematics is an important subject and a majority of them reports that they would like to continue working in the text book during mathematics education. It also apparent from the result that a majority of the students experience that the learning is conducted through communication in the form of discussion and conversation in addition to the central role of textbooks. Several answers also indicates that the recipients of the education acknowledges the classes or lessons as varied. Further, the study demonstrates that teachers or parental guardians are the ones, out of the students perspective, who implicates the students attitude towards mathematics the most.

Literature has found that some minority groups with diabetes have a negative perception of medical professionals when a health problem occurs. This trend is particularly problematic with the diabetes epidemic in the United States. African Americans are more than 2 times as likely to die from diabetes than are Whites, and diabetes prevalence has increased exponentially in New York City where a majority of Afro-Caribbeans live. To address this problem, a cross-sectional design was used to recruit Afro-Caribbeans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes across 7 churches to examine whether shared knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors about diabetes screening and its complications exist, and whether they would attend a type 2 diabetes class or workshop at their church. A 114-item questionnaire, adapted from reliable and validated national health surveys, was administered to a convenience sample of 67 participants aged 35 to 90 to collect demographic, health, and cultural belief information. The conceptual frameworks of the social ecological and cultural consensus models were used for discovery of social influences and shared knowledge of type 2 diabetes. A cultural consensus analysis of 28 eligible participants was used to infer trustworthy answers to cultural questions. Participants demonstrated an above-average knowledge of type 2 diabetes, with a level of agreement of .52 ('.192 SD); further, 85.2% reported that they would attend a diabetes class or workshop at their church. These findings promote social change by educating Afro-Caribbeans about diabetes, and by facilitating partnerships between churches and doctors. Future community-based research with churches could help to improve glycemic control and delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.