No abstract available / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

No abstract available / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Sibling research in the past twenty years has moved away from a focus on particular variables such as sex differences, birth order, and rivalry, to a more searching investigation of the influences of sibling interaction. In this study the contribution of sibling dyads to cognitive growth is explored. Of particular interest were the implications of learning style for academic performance. To investigate the informal learning context of black township children from an ecological perspective, the household family structure and community networks are also considered. Twenty eight sibling dyads were divided into two groups on the basis of tutor's age. The older group comprised ten to thirteen year olds, and the younger group six to nine year olds. Each tutor had a younger sibling, not attending pre-school, who was the tutee for the tasks. Tutor-pairs were presented with puzzle-tasks designed to test Western-type academic competencies. Videotaped interactions were subjected to a behavioural micro-analysis coded into seven categories, originally devised for a previous study of mother-child interaction that utilised the same tasks, and adapted to highlight certain teaching strategies. Vygotsky's (1978) zone of proximal development provides the matrix for the discussion of results in conjunction with Feuerstein's (1980) concept of mediated learning experiences which are interpreted within a multicultural context. Using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the findings are presented in terms of teaching style. Age and sex differences are discussed. Comparisons are made between this study, other local studies, and an American sample. Related research findings, including crosscultural studies, are considered in relation to the particular problems of black education. Home interviews yielded information about educational and occupational levels in the community studied. These provide the setting for sibling transmission of culture. Family caretaking roles reveal a broad social base for urban blacks, with siblings contributing a substantial proportion. Educational perspectives, as well as future research possibilities, are considered. The results suggest that despite the limitations of child tutors due to varying maturational factors, siblings can offer a unique resource for promoting and extending intrafamilial cognitive growth, particularly for a society in transition. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1986.

Children less than five years of age are at a risk of growth failure worldwide. The South African National Food Consumption Survey (NFCS) of 1999 showed that 25.5% of children aged 1 - 3 years were stunted. Poor growth of young children in developing countries (South Africa included) has been associated with multiple micronutrient deficiencies because of the use of starchy plant-based complementary foods with little variety, especially among resource poor households. Dietary diversification through the use of crop and livestock production has been recommended as a strategy to improve the micronutrient intake and food security of households in resource poor settings. This study was a cross sectional secondary analysis of the South African NFCS of 1999 data, designed to investigate the impact of crop and livestock production on nutrient intake, dietary diversity, intake of selected food groups, hunger perceptions and anthropometric status of children aged 1 - 3 years in South Africa. Children from households producing crops only (n=211), crops and livestock (n=110), livestock only (n=93) and non-producers were compared at the national, in rural areas and among households with a total income of less than R12 000.00 per household per year. In rural areas and among households with a total income of less than R12 000.00 per household per year, children in the crops and livestock group had higher nutrient intakes for energy, vitamin 86, calcium and folate than the other groups (p<0.05), while the crops only group had higher nutrient intakes for vitamin A and vitamin C. The majority of children in all the four study groups had less than 67% of the RDAs for vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron and zinc. In addition , children in all the groups had a median dietary diversity score of four out of 13 food groups. In rural areas and among low income households, higher percentages (over 60%) of children in the crops only group consumed vegetables while the non-producers group was the lowest (47.7%). The non-producers group had the highest percentages of children consuming meat and meat products and the crops and livestock and livestock only groups had the lowest percentages. In both rural areas and among households withlow income, the majority of the households in all the study groups were experiencing hunger. In rural areas, one in five households were food secure. Crop and livestock production improved the nutrient intake and the intake of vegetables of children in rural and poor households. However, nutrient intakes were not adequate to meet the recommended nutrient levels. The high levels of food insecurity require support of these households to increase crop and livestock production and, integration of nutrition education to increase the consumption of the produced products. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.