Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBibl / The study investigates the role of CPUT libraries in supporting research and how academics perceive this role. CPUT is a new university of technology and aims at improving its research record. Research is crucial to South Africa to develop economically, socially and to compete globally. Research is fundamental to the existence of universities. Universities of technology libraries face the challenge of providing support for research. Previously the colleges / technikon libraries provided support for undergraduate and underdiplomates only. Today, they have to provide support for researchers at masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral levels. Questions arising from the research problem are: • How much and what kind of research is being conducted by academic staff at CPUT? • What programmes does the library have to meet the needs of the researcher? • How do academic researchers use the library at present? • What do researchers see as the inhibiting and encouraging factors for their research with regard to library services? • How do they perceive the role of the library in their research? There were two phases in the research design: an in-depth interview with the recently appointed Research Librarian at CPUT libraries whose job it is to plan and implement library support services to researchers and to run the Research Information Support Centre (RISC) and an electronic survey of researchers on the academic staff of CPUT. The purpose of the interview was to explore the library plans for research support. Nine themes were highlighted during the interview with the Research Librarian for example: • Librarians should be researchers, research support is a whole-library responsibility • Postgraduate degree research is the core function of RISC. The purpose of the survey was to investigate what researchers need and want from the library as well as their perceptions and attitudes towards the role of the library in research. A questionnaire consisting of mixed questions (qualitative and quantitative) was sent by email to all 602 academics at CPUT across eight campuses. The aim was to achieve a representative sample across all six faculties. The final sample was 102 with one faculty underrepresented. The study made the following findings: • 52% of respondents strongly agree that research is essential to their job and that CPUT needs to build a stronger research culture. • PhD and Masters degree research dominates. • For a University of Technology the low proportion of industrial-sponsored research is perhaps surprising. • The average time percentage spent in a working year on research is 23.4%. Several comments in the final open-ended question point to heavy workloads. • 65% of respondents have not published any articles in accredited journals in the past three years. • 57% of respondents do not agree that they source information directly from the Internet and so no longer need the library. • Most respondents, 95 of the 102, make use of the library for research support. However, RISC is not their number one choice for research support. RISC is perhaps underused. The three library services being extensively used by respondents are eresources, borrowing print resources and Inter-library loan services. Quite a high number of respondents, 27 (28%), are undecided whether the Digital Knowledge Repository at CPUT, a library project, is important to them. However, comments in the final open-ended question indicated that respondents are unaware of this service. • The number one on researchers’ wish lists for library research support services is to be kept informed of new research in their field – thus the traditional current awareness services of libraries. • The ICT infrastructure has been highlighted as critical. The main reason for low rating of the library is that the network / databases are too slow. • There seems to be fairly strong doubt that librarians have adequate subject knowledge to support research with 27% agreeing that librarians lack subject knowledge. • The cross tabulations suggest that there might well be some differences among faculties in terms of responses. But statistical tests of significance would be needed to confirm this suggestion. The study had a few limitations. The survey left the researcher with some questions. It only focused on one institution. Postgraduate students who are not staff members were excluded from this study. Some of the recommendations coming from the study are: • ICT infrastructure needs to be improved • Library current awareness and alerting services must be improved • The Digital Knowledge research repository must be made more visible to academics • Document delivery and inter-library loan services should be made more efficient and faster • Collection development processes need to be geared more closely to the needs of researchers. The aim of the project was to gather information for CPUT libraries to develop further their services to form a part of the research culture. The study might make academics and researchers aware of the potential role the library plays in contributing to their research needs. If South Africa is to progress to a knowledge society, its universities will have to increase research output. Universities of Technology have a particularly important role to play as South Africa urgently needs scientific and technological research. Therefore their libraries have a special responsibility to support their efforts to improve their research culture and production. It is hoped that this study will contribute some insight into how University of Technologylibraries might enhance their research support. / South Africa

<p>The study investigates the role of CPUT libraries in supporting research and how academics perceive this role. CPUT is a new university of technology and aims at improving its research record. Research is crucial to South Africa to develop economically, socially and to compete globally. Research is fundamental to the existence of universities. Universities of technology libraries face the challenge of providing support for research. Previously the colleges / technikon libraries provided support for undergraduate and underdiplomates only. Today, they have to provide support for researchers at masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral levels.</p>

<p>The study investigates the role of CPUT libraries in supporting research and how academics perceive this role. CPUT is a new university of technology and aims at improving its research record. Research is crucial to South Africa to develop economically, socially and to compete globally. Research is fundamental to the existence of universities. Universities of technology libraries face the challenge of providing support for research. Previously the colleges / technikon libraries provided support for undergraduate and underdiplomates only. Today, they have to provide support for researchers at masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral levels.</p>

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / In South Africa there is a fierce competition among Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to attract as many students as possible. This makes most institutions to strive to meet and exceed students (customer) satisfaction. Most institutions strive to meet and exceed customers’ (students) expectations similar to business organisations. It however remains to be investigated if they do succeed in this goal. The purpose of this study was to explore students’ and staff members’ perceptions in regards to customer satisfaction and the level of efficiencies during the registration process at the Business and Management Sciences Faculty at CPUT. This study measures if the registration processes is aligned with students’ needs.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / Student counselling services, typically located within a holistic developmental approach, aim to render comprehensive student services to service users in relation to their psychological, social, educational and spiritual well-being. However, a number of cognitive and affective barriers reportedly reduce the likelihood of young people at universities seeking professional psychological help for personal-emotional problems. Accordingly, the aim of this study, which is located within the Theory of Reasoned Action, was to explore students' attitudes towards utilising student counselling services, as well as their interpretations of the influence of age, gender and education on their attitudes and self-rated knowledge regarding seeking psychological help. The study thereby attempts to provide an understanding of the factors that influence help-seeking behaviours in university students. The research sample consisted of twenty nine students from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. The data was collected through focus group discussions, which were conducted using an open-ended and participant centred approach to the discussion. The qualitative approach of the study was informed by the theory of social phenomenology. Data gathered from the focus group discussions was thematically analysed. The results suggest that attitudes have a potentially important influence on intentions to seek out psychological counselling. Findings show that students feel shame and guilt when they are struggling psychologically and as a result avoid seeking psychological intervention for fear of being negatively stigmatised. The study revealed that education around mental health disorders and the management thereof was crucial in order for them to be demystified and de-stigmatised, and to facilitate openness in the sharing of these problems, and society's understanding and acceptance of people experiencing psychological disorders. Results also indicate that there is a shift taking place in these attitudes, and suggest ways in which this change can be further facilitated, such as the utilisation of peer helpers who could playa key role in facilitating and reinforcing help seeking behaviour. The outcomes of the study may further contribute to informing universities' goal to provide accessible, quality and effective development and support services to its students.

Doctor Educationis / Writing is an important skill throughout learners’ schooling trajectory because it is through writing that learners need to situate meaning and sense-making across the curriculum. Writing proficiency becomes even more important when learners access tertiary studies. Yet studies suggest that most students struggle with academic writing. Various authors suggest that writing has not been taught appropriately especially in secondary schooling contexts in South Africa and that writing becomes even more daunting for Second Language speakers of English when they reach tertiary education. There is abundant literature on students’ challenges with academic writing and ways to address academic writing challenges but the use of digital storytelling in relation to academic writing development is recent and distinctively underexplored in the literature.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degreerequirements Master of Technology: Civi Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Supervisor: APN. Sutherland Co-supervisor: Prof. R. Haldenwang Cape Town October 2013 / The reliable prediction of pressure drop versus flow rate for non-Newtonian pipe flow is important in many industrial processes. In laminar flow scale up is straightforward, but transitional velocity and turbulent flow predictions remain a practical problem. Various theoretical models exist, but nothing in literature shows conclusively which of these is the most reliable and consistent, nor is it evident what effect the choice of rheological model has on the predictions. The aim of this work was to i) evaluate the influence of different rheological models when used in existing prediction techniques for non-Newtonian flow ii) characterise each material type using selected (commonly used) rheological models and iii) predict laminar, transitional and turbulent pipe flow characteristics for each material type using existing prediction techniques, for comparison with experimental results. Only time-independent, homogeneous, non-Newtonian fluids in pipe sizes from 13mm to 200mm were investigated. Rheological models and laminar flow predictions used only the power law, Bingham plastic, Herschel-Bulkley, Casson and Hallbom yield plastic models. The techniques used to predict transitional velocity were Ryan & Johnson, Metzner-Reed, Hedström intersection method, Slatter and Hallbom. For turbulent flow the Newtonian approximation, Dodge & Metzner, Wilson & Thomas, Slatter, Hallbom modified Wilson & Thomas and the Bowen correlation methods were used. The study documents the relevant theory and presents an assessment of the influence of rheology on pipe flow predictions, summarised in terms of the practical performance of the various rheological model/prediction method combinations for the different materials. In laminar flow at practical pseudo shear rates (8V/D; taken as 40s-1) the choice of rheological model does not significantly influence pressure drop predictions. For yield-pseudoplastic materials (eg. kaolin) the Hedström intersection and the Slatter Reynolds number method with Bingham plastic or Casson rheology predicted transitional velocity most accurately. For Bingham plastic materials (eg. bentonite) the best predictions were obtained using the Metzner & Reed Reynolds number with Bingham plastic rheology, although similar results were observed for this technique with all rheologies. The transitional velocity for pseudoplastic materials (eg. CMC) was best predicted by the Slatter and Metzner & Reed Reynolds number methods, using power law or Casson rheology. For turbulent flow of yield pseudoplastic materials the Slatter method using the Casson rheology gave the most accurate predictions overall. Turbulent flow of Bingham plastic materials was best predicted by the Slatter, Hallbom pseudo fluid Nikuradse and Dodge & Metzner methods, using Bingham plastic, Casson or yield plastic rheology. For pseudoplastic materials the Slatter and Wilson & Thomas methods were the most accurate, when used with yield plastic or power law rheology. Transitionalal velocity and turbulent flow predictions for materials with a yield stress vary significantly with rheological model. Laminar data should therefore be examined thoroughly and rheological models fitted with care. For pseudoplastic fluids there is little difference in predictions between the various techniques as long as power law rheology is used.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister Technologiae Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Supervisor: Mr. J. Wheeler Co-supervisor: Dr. R.H. Wilkinson Cape Town October 2013 / This report presents the design and development of a five cell multicell inverter for driving a piezoelectric load. The multicell inverter was chosen for this application as it became evident that it would be more suitable for driving piezoelectric transducers due to its high apparent switching frequency. The multicell inverter was designed using DirectFET’s as this type of FET has a high current switching ability in a very small package. A positive and negative bootstrap power supply was incorporated in the design to reduce the number of supplies to power the gate drive circuits of the multicell inverter. Three compensation networks were designed and constructed to investigate which one would transfer the most energy to the piezoelectric transducer. It was also important to investigate whether these compensation networks were able to reduce the harmonic content produced by the multicell inverter. This is necessary in order to excite the transducer correctly. It was found that the Q-Matching compensation network reduced the harmonic content applied to the load the most. Experiments were also conducted to determine if the advantage of the apparent frequency of the multicell inverter would mean that the piezoelectric load could be driven directly with the multicell inverter without any damage to the transducer. It was however required to increase the applied apparent power to the transducer to compensate for the reactive component of the load in order to melt the plastic which was used as the load to the transducer. Experiments were conducted to determine if the charge on the cell capacitors of the multicell inverter would stay balanced while driving a non linear load such as a piezoelectric transducer. The results showed that the voltages stayed balanced when driving the piezoelectric transducer.

Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBibl / The purpose of this project was to investigate job satisfaction at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Library (CPUT). Academic libraries throughout the world and in South Africa have undergone massive change in the last few years. CPUT Library is the result of the merger of two technikon libraries in 2005. The study aimed to investigate the impact of the merger on staff job satisfaction. If libraries are to meet the challenges of change, they need satisfied and committed staff. This dissertation project is framed by two closely related models in human resources management, namely Herzberg‟s two factor theory of motivation and Hackman and Oldham‟s Job Characteristics Model (JCM). Questionnaires were used to gather data from 91 library staff in CPUT. A total of 44 responded. The survey identified areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction among staff and the impact of the merger on staff who were employed before 2005. The study finds that 66% report overall job satisfaction with strong satisfaction with the work itself and the sense of accomplishment it brings. The majority of library staff is dissatisfied with promotion prospects and work distribution. Despite the years of restructuring, there are several comments on library structures. The need for more participative style of management and clear reporting structures are mentioned. The four questions on respondents‟ future plans reveal that affective commitment to the institution is not very high. Respondents like their work but 48% say they would accept a job outside the CPUT Library and only 50% claim to be proud to say they work at CPUT Library, with another 27% neutral. There are mixed findings on the impact of the merger, which might well be connected to the lack of institutional commitment. Only 50% of respondents who were at CPUT before the merger claim to be more satisfied now than before it. And the open-ended questions uncover the challenges in building or rebuilding a sense of belonging.

Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technologiae: Consumer Science: Food and Nutrition in the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Supervisor: Dr I Venter Co-supervisor: Ms L du Toit Cape Town September 2013 / Objective: To develop a valid and reliable test to determine the food knowledge of first-year students at a university of technology (UOT) in the Western Cape, South Africa. Design: Two preliminary food knowledge tests were developed covering the content domains, namely fruit and vegetables and fats and oils, as these topics attend to the areas of concern in the dietary intake of young adults. Both tests consisted of multiple-choice questions and incomplete statements compiled following the test item construction rules. The items of both tests were evaluated by experts in the field of food science and nutrition to ensure item content and face validity. Both tests were independently administered to two sample groups represented by knowledgeable students (having food-orientated subjects as part of their course) and less knowledgeable students (not having food-orientated subjects as part of their course syllabus) at a UOT in the Western Cape, SA for the item analysis and test construct validity and reliability determinations. The second preliminary test incorporating three response alternatives was developed as the number of items retained after the item analysis of the first preliminary test incorporating four alternatives was less than the envisaged number of about 20 items. Results: After the item analysis of the first preliminary test (n = 72 items) only 10 and 13 items were respectively retained after two administrations to two sample groups. The second preliminary test (n = 135 items) completed by knowledgeable (n=119) and less-knowledgeable (n=91) student sample groups delivered 74 items after its item analysis across the two content domains, namely fruit and vegetables (n=49) and fats and oils (n=25). The test was found valid, with a significant difference (p < 0.001) in the knowledge scores between the two sample groups (Mann-Whitney test, z = 9.74) and highly reliable (KR20 and Cronbach's alpha= 0.934). Conclusions: The test being a valid and reliable assessment tool can be used to determine the food knowledge of first-year students at a UOT in the Western Cape, SA, across the two content domains to establish if guidance and possible teaching is necessary to equip them with basic food knowledge to support them in their food provision. / Cape Peninsula University of Technology