Background: Information Communication Technologies (ICT)-mediated support can reduce family caregiver burden and may bridge service gaps caused by time constraints and language or cultural barriers. (Non)-usage behaviour can be explained using Andersen’s Behavioural Model of Health Service Utilization, Venkatesh’s Unified Theory of Use and Acceptance of Technology, Eysenbach’s Law of Attrition, and Wilson’s and Chatman’s Information Behaviour Theories. Purpose: This study aimed to describe and explain (non)-usage behaviour of ehealth services among Chinese caregivers. Method: This two-phase study used a mixed methods design involving 46 Chinese caregivers who cared for a family member with dementia. Usability of the ICT tools designed in the study was tested. Phase I participants (N=28) had access to a bilingual information site and personalized email support from professionals. Phase II participants (N=18) were randomized to use one of three enhanced features. Pre- and post-intervention data were collected, and qualitative interviews were conducted. Results: The Phase I ICT tools supported the core functions without major usability issues. Perceived efforts to use the ICT-mediated services influenced the consent decisions of Phase I caregivers (p=.036). Caregivers initiated service earlier if they had a higher acceptance of the service (p=0.017). Frequent users of email support experienced a decline of perceived burden compared with an escalation of perceived burden by non-users (p=0.023). An older age, greater caregiving competence, and lower English or computer proficiency explained non-usage behaviour. Requirements were identified to enhance the Phase I ICT tools. In Phase II, a test of three enhanced features showed there was no major usability issue. The intervention study found the enhanced features did not influence email use as hypothesized. Qualitative analysis showed usage patterns were explained by caregiver needs, caregiving beliefs, personal capacity, social support, ICT factors, and style of use. Non-users preferred Chinese to English compared with users (p=0.046). Integrating the theories and empirical findings, three concepts were developed to explain (non)-usage behaviour: usage in context, usage paths, and stages of use. Conclusion: Usage and non-usage behaviour can be explained by the service needs in the caregiving context, the use of non-ICT-mediated resources, and the access barriers to Internet use. Use of ICT-based support can be beneficial to caregivers if they do not drop out of the service.

Background: Information Communication Technologies (ICT)-mediated support can reduce family caregiver burden and may bridge service gaps caused by time constraints and language or cultural barriers. (Non)-usage behaviour can be explained using Andersen’s Behavioural Model of Health Service Utilization, Venkatesh’s Unified Theory of Use and Acceptance of Technology, Eysenbach’s Law of Attrition, and Wilson’s and Chatman’s Information Behaviour Theories. Purpose: This study aimed to describe and explain (non)-usage behaviour of ehealth services among Chinese caregivers. Method: This two-phase study used a mixed methods design involving 46 Chinese caregivers who cared for a family member with dementia. Usability of the ICT tools designed in the study was tested. Phase I participants (N=28) had access to a bilingual information site and personalized email support from professionals. Phase II participants (N=18) were randomized to use one of three enhanced features. Pre- and post-intervention data were collected, and qualitative interviews were conducted. Results: The Phase I ICT tools supported the core functions without major usability issues. Perceived efforts to use the ICT-mediated services influenced the consent decisions of Phase I caregivers (p=.036). Caregivers initiated service earlier if they had a higher acceptance of the service (p=0.017). Frequent users of email support experienced a decline of perceived burden compared with an escalation of perceived burden by non-users (p=0.023). An older age, greater caregiving competence, and lower English or computer proficiency explained non-usage behaviour. Requirements were identified to enhance the Phase I ICT tools. In Phase II, a test of three enhanced features showed there was no major usability issue. The intervention study found the enhanced features did not influence email use as hypothesized. Qualitative analysis showed usage patterns were explained by caregiver needs, caregiving beliefs, personal capacity, social support, ICT factors, and style of use. Non-users preferred Chinese to English compared with users (p=0.046). Integrating the theories and empirical findings, three concepts were developed to explain (non)-usage behaviour: usage in context, usage paths, and stages of use. Conclusion: Usage and non-usage behaviour can be explained by the service needs in the caregiving context, the use of non-ICT-mediated resources, and the access barriers to Internet use. Use of ICT-based support can be beneficial to caregivers if they do not drop out of the service.

Lightning as a natural phenomenon is shallowly presented in the Namibian curriculum documents such as the syllabus and textbooks. This gap in curriculum triggered my interest to investigate whether learners’ meaning-making in static electricity was enabled or constrained by elicitation and integration of their cultural beliefs and experiences about lightning and by their practical activities. This study was conducted with my grade 8 learners at the school where I am currently teaching. The school is located in a rural area in Ohangwena region in Northern Namibia. The study is situated within an interpretive paradigm. Within the interpretive paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was adopted. I considered this methodological orientation appropriate in this study as it allowed me to use the following data gathering methods: document analysis, brainstorming, discussions and presentations, semi-structured interview, focus group interview, observation and an assessment test. Multiple methods to gather data were used for triangulation and validation purposes. For data analysis purposes, the data sets were colour-coded to derive themes and analytical statements. Ethical considerations were also taken seriously in this study and all participants gave consent. An analysis of data revealed that there is no learning objective or basic competence in the Namibian Physical Science syllabus for grade 8-10 that requires learners to bring in their cultural beliefs and experiences, in particular, about lightning. Yet the study revealed that learners possess a lot of prior everyday scientific and non-scientific knowledge and experiences about lightning that they had acquired from their communities. Also, mobilization of learners' everyday knowledge and experiences about lightning enabled learner engagement during the science lessons. Likewise, engaging learners in practical activities in static electricity helped them to make meaning of scientific concepts. Based on my research findings, I therefore, recommend that learners' prior everyday knowledge and experiences about lightning should be incorporated during teaching and learning of the topic on static electricity.

Health care service providers in South Africa and elsewhere in the world are increasingly faced with an enormous challenge of modeling their approach to health care to meet the needs and expectations of the diverse societies they serve. The norms and customs that are inherent in these indigenous cultures are fundamental to the day-to-day existence of the people concerned and may hold a key to the understanding of many aspects of their lives, including the understanding of disease, in the case of this thesis, those transmitted sexually. A grounded theory study was used based on its theory of symbolic interactionism to explore the indigenous knowledge and health practices of the Vhavenda in sexually transmitted diseases. Data was collected through in-depth interview with traditional healers and key informants. Snowball sampling was used to idenify key informants as categories continued to emerge. Dara was analyzed using three basic types of coding namely, open coding, axial coding and selective coding. The findings of the study revealed a variety of terms used to identify SDs. Also emerging from the results was that cultural gender roles in the Vhavenda society justify women as sole agents of STDs. In accordance with grounded theory the decriptions of types of diseases, disease patterns, signs and symptoms culminated in "dirt" as the core category. It came out clear that dirt in the form of women'svaginal discharges and moral dirt is the main course of a STDs. It was also evident that strategies for combating STDs will have to take into account popular beliefs and attudes regarding views on STDs as well as the role and influence of traditional healers. Based on the above findings guidelines for designing a module for teaching health professionals has been formulated to aid them in understanding the beliefs and practices of people they serve. / Health Studies / D. Litt et Phil. (Health Studies)

After the dispensation of the White Paper 6 in schools, there were no detailed guidelines to accommodate the learners with invisible impairments like absence epilepsy, especially those who live in underprivileged communities. Affected learners are still struggling and not receiving proper instruction in ordinary schools because of the nature of absence epilepsy. It seems like it is unknown that they are suffering, because the symptoms are absent. These learners are performing poorly; they are having learning and behavioural problems. At home parents are ignorant of their plight, teachers are oblivious of their problems and at schools they are being discriminated against by other children. As a result, they repeat grades and some end up leaving school to join the unemployed. They have a low self-esteem and remain unsociable. This is because they suffer from absence epilepsy which is a medical problem. Absence epilepsy is unknown to both parents and teachers in these communities. Cultural beliefs and ignorance prevent parents from taking these children to clinics for identification, which results in them not being supported in schools. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)