A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements of Master of Arts, Durban 2018 / This dissertation examines the social, cultural and economic significance of locally forged field-hoes, known as amageja in Zulu. A key question I have engaged in this study is whether gender-based divisions of labour in nineteenth-century African communities of this region, which largely consigned agricultural work to women, also affect attitudes towards the tools they used. I argue that examples of field-hoes held in eight museum collections form an important but neglected archive of “hoeculture”, the form of subsistence crop cultivation based on the use of manual implements, within the Phongolo-Mzimkhulu geographic region that roughly approximates to the modern territory of KwaZulu-Natal. In response to observations made by Maggs (1991), namely that a disparity exists in the numbers of fieldhoes collected by museums in comparison with weapons, I conducted research to establish the present numbers of amageja in these museums, relative to spears in the respective collections. The dissertation assesses the historical context that these metallurgical artefacts were produced in prior to the twentieth-century and documents views on iron production, spears and hoes or agriculture recorded in oral testimony from African sources, as well as Zulu-language idioms that make reference to hoes. I furthermore examine the collecting habits and policies of private individuals and museums in this region from the nineteenthcentury onwards, and the manner in which hoes are used in displays, in order to provide recommendations on how this under-utilised category of material culture should be incorporated into future exhibitions. / XL2019

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本影音創作以筆者父親逝世的自身經驗為發想，創作動機從解決自我內在的焦慮感出發，欲以第三人稱的影像視角陳述從喪父至今，個人主體所感知到的自我認同轉折，以及一路走來所經歷的連續性心境變化。希冀可透過此實驗性創作表達出筆者最純粹的感受，以及帶給有相似經驗的觀者一種力量。 創作作品形式以三段實驗性質影像短片呈現，由演員肢體語言表演內心心境為主，輔以意境式的大自然場景和動物鏡頭，以編導式影像的建構與重演等方式，傳達三階段式的抽象心境畫面。公開放映時，依三段實驗影片的特色與展場空間，設計出適合的錄像藝術放映模式，輔以平面式編導攝影作品和展場敘事之營造，意圖使觀者完整感受到筆者一路從情感上的「腐朽」，過渡到「混沌」的自我掙扎，最後則是生命旅程「重生」的敘事過程。 從兩次公開放映的展演成果出發，多數觀者雖可明確接收到創作主題，但仍偏好事前以文字解說情境的敘事脈絡，影像的「敘事之道」在此作品尚無法獨立存在。另，展演空間與放映模式的互動，會影響觀者對創作作品的詮釋與情緒投射，故作品在後製剪接階段，即需依據展場敘事做出適當的調整。最後根據觀者訪談與問卷調查，檢視本創作成品的放映成效與製作檢討，希冀能帶給後續創作者相關的創作建議。 / This presentation is based on the author’s own experience, trying to solve the inherent anxiety as creative motivation and image a statement from the perspective of the third person who has lost her father, expressing individual subjects of perceived self-identity transition and the continuity of mood changes experienced along the way. This presentation is created to express the purest feelings of author, and hope to bring a power to the audience who have similar experiences through seeing this presentation. This presentation is composed by three experimental films, which presented by an actor performing body language to stand for one’s inside heart with Fabricated Photography, and supplemented by nature scenes and animals’ lenses to reconstruct and convey three-stage manner formula and abstract mood scene. When it comes to public performance, this presentation is designed to use video arts mode according to the characteristics of the exhibition space and three films, combined with works of Fabricated Photography and the narrative of the exhibition, with the intention that the audience can feel the narrative way as the author, starting from the emotional “rottenness” stage to the self struggle transition “chaos”, finally coming to the process “rebirth” of life’s journey. From the results of two public performances, the majority of the audience still prefer to narrative contexts by words rather than images although they can clearly receive the creative theme from three experimental films. “Another way of telling "of images doesn’t work independently in this presentation as imagined. Also, the interaction of exhibition space and videos mode will affect the audience the interpretation and emotional projection to the films, thus the films need to make appropriate adjustments based on the exhibition narrative in post- production editing stage. Finally, according to interviews and questionnaires of the audience, it shows the effectiveness and production review of this presentation, hoping to provide relevant suggestions for subsequent creators of this similar theme.

The aim of this master’s thesis is to examine how libraries can organize their collections in terms of library shelving and displays and to what extent these activities stem from a desire to create a user-friendly library. The thesis is based upon a case study of Arkenbiblioteket in Sweden and the material consists of a literature study and qualitative, semi-structured interviews with three librarians at Arkenbiblioteket. The theoretical framework consists of theories on information-seeking behavior, classification and displays. These theories form the basis of the analysis of the empirical material.The main reason for the changes in shelf arrangement at Arkenbiblioteket was a desire among the library staff to create a user-friendly library. Their experience of the previously used SAB classification system was that it was outdated and suited neither the collection nor the users’ information-seeking behavior. Many Swedish libraries have recently decided to change from SAB classification to the internationally used Dewey decimal classification. This, however, was not an option for Arkenbiblioteket as the staff believed that DDC, with its classification’s notation based on Arabic numerals, was likewise ill-suited for their users. As a result they created their own classification and shelving system using text in plain and colours for each category. Furthermore, the staff at Arkenbiblioteket focuses on library displays with commercial inspiration from bookshops. They work with face-front displaying techniques to inspire users. In conclusion, both the new shelving system and the library displays are designed to suit the users and their information-seeking behavior, whether they are conducting a specific search or merely browsing. The feedback from users on the new shelving system has been mainly positive.This study is a two years master’s thesis in Archive, Library and Museum studies.

The re-curated Canadian History Hall (CHH) opened at the Canadian Museum of History (CMH) in Gatineau, Québec, on July 1st, 2017, becoming the first Canadian national narrative to exhibit the history, experiences, and aftermath of Canada’s genocidal Indian Residential School (IRS) system. Through interviews and participant observation, this case study considers experiences of CHH curatorial engagements between Alberni IRS Survivors and museum professionals. Their experiences illustrate practical challenges, structural limitations, and complementary interests of Western museums and Indigenous source communities attempting to collaboratively curate difficult history. Despite having limited capacities for indigenization or decolonization, this thesis demonstrates that museums like the CMH can be complicated but beneficial partners for some Indigenous source communities and their anti-colonial engagements with Canadian society. / Graduate

This study examines how women are represented in exhibitions about the ancient cultures of Greece, Rome and Egypt. The two museums which have been studied are the Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm and the British Museum in London. Observations of the exhibitions, notes and interviews with museum personnel are the methods used in this study. The theory used is gender theory, focussing on Yvonne Hirdman’s gender system. The purpose of the study is to examine how the museums are working with representing women in ancient cultures, what objects are exhibited that relates to women and how museum teachers include women in tours. The study shows that women are represented in different degrees in the exhibitions and are much less included in texts. The Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities have the ambition and interest from the personnel to review their exhibits to include a broader perspective where women are better represented.

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a Technology Outreach Programme on Public Understanding of Science, Engineering and Technology (PUSET). The study further intended to give feedback to the management of the Tsebo Koloing Technology Outreach Programme, to assist them to make an informed decision with regard to the continuation, termination or revision of the existing programme, which represent a major investment of resources. It was also foreseen that the findings of this study could contribute towards the design and successful implementation of similar PUSET programmes elsewhere. To facilitate the understanding of the problem statement of this study, an evaluation framework based on the Context-Input-Process-Product (CIPP) model of Stufflebeam, Madaus&Kellaghan, (2000) was applied. The research was carried out at four secondary schools that were considered disadvantaged situated in townships near Pretoria, South Africa. Secondary school learners and science and technology teachers, who visited the Tsebo Koloing programme, as well as members of the executive committee of the programme, participated in the study. This study provided valuable insight into the understanding of the effects of the TK programme on learners and teachers in schools (particularly in a developing nation context) who visited the programme and how the extent to which the programme created and promoted PUSET furthermore this study emphasized the importance of programme evaluation and proper planning of S&T outreach programmes with regard to needs assessment; identification of target groups; programme design; programme development and content; as well as programme implementation and evaluation. Although valuable information was obtained from this research, there is still scope for further research on how to evaluate the effects of S&T programmes on PUSET as well as research on the effectiveness of mobile S&T programmes. / Dissertation (MEd (Assessment and Quality Assurance in Education and Training))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Curriculum Studies / MEd / unrestricted

Interactive installations in public settings have increased in popularity over the past decade, as well as the construction of digital musical instruments. In this paper I present a study of the interaction with a large sized augmented string instrument intended for a large installation in a museum, with focus on encouraging creativity, learning, and providing engaging user experiences. In the study, 9 participants were video recorded while playing with the string on their own, followed by an interview focusing on their experiences, creativity, and the functionality of the string. I then used McCarthy and Wright’s framework for analysing technology as experience and Frank E Williams creativity taxonomy model to analyse the results. In line with previous research, results highlight the importance of designing for different levels of engagement (exploration, experimentation, challenge). However, results additionally show that these levels need to consider the users’ age and musical background as these profoundly affect the way the user plays with and experiences the string. / Interaktiva installationer i offentliga miljöer har ökat i popularitet under det senaste decenniet, liksom även skapandet av digitala musikinstrument. I denna uppsats presenterar jag en studie av interaktionen med ett stort augmenterat stränginstrument avsedd för en stor installation i ett museum, med fokus på att uppmuntra kreativitet, lärande, och att ge engagerande användarupplevelser. I studien blev 9 deltagare videoinspelade samtidigt som de spelade med strängen på egen hand, följt av en intervju med fokus på deras upplevelse, kreativitet, och strängens funktionalitet Jag använde sedan McCarthy och Wrights ramverk för att analysera teknik som upplevelse och Frank E Williams kreativitets taxonomi för att analysera resultaten. I linje med tidigare forskning så betonar resultaten vikten av att designa för olika nivåer av engagemang (undersökande, experimenterande, utmaning). Dock så visar resultaten dessutom på att dessa nivåer måste ta hänsyn till användarnas ålder och musikaliska bakgrund då dessa starkt påverkar hur användaren spelar med och upplever strängen.

African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are a focus of welfare research in zoos due to their high intelligence, complex social structure, and sheer size. Due to these challenges, some argue that zoos are inherently incapable of providing appropriate care for elephants, while others believe that zoos can fulfill the needs of these species with improved husbandry. There is a general consensus from both within and outside of zoos, however, that zoos must improve their elephant programs or cease exhibiting these animals altogether. Now more than ever, applied research on zoo elephant welfare is needed to provide context for this debate. Researchers are interested in how far zoo elephants walk due to the potential health and welfare benefits of walking in these highly mobile species. Zoo researchers recently adopted GPS technology to study elephant walking, and preliminary evidence suggests that African elephants in large zoo exhibits walk distances that correspond with wild elephants under non-extreme conditions. However, data are limited from Asian elephants and from elephants in more typically-sized exhibits. In Chapter Two, I discuss important methodological considerations of utilizing GPS in a zoo environment, including an introduction to the technology, sources of error and mitigation, methods to improve GPS performance, and possible effects of GPS device attachment on animal behavior. This review shows GPS performance is adequate for tracking zoo elephant walking when proper methodological techniques are applied, and should serve as a useful reference for zoo researchers considering using GPS. In Chapter Three, I used GPS anklets to measure outdoor daily walking distance in 56 adult female African (n = 33) and Asian (n = 23) elephants housed in 30 zoos. I collected 259 days of data and found that elephants walked an average of 5.34 km/day with no significant difference between species. Multivariate regression models predicted that elephants with more dynamic feeding regimens (more diverse feeding types and frequencies; unscheduled feeding times) will walk more. Distance walked was also predicted to be higher in elephants that spend time in a greater number of different social groups. Distance walked was predicted to decline with age. Finally, I found a significant negative correlation between distance walked and nighttime space experience. The results of the analysis suggest that zoos that want to increase walking in their elephants need not rely solely on larger exhibits, but can increase walking by adding quality and complexity to exhibits. However, my results failed to establish a definitive link between walking distance and other validated measures of elephant welfare. Thus, the direct health and welfare benefits of walking in zoo elephants remain unresolved. Resting behaviors are an essential component of animal welfare, but have received little attention in zoological research. In Chapter Four, I used accelerometers in anklets to complete the first large-scale multi-species investigation of zoo elephant recumbence. I collected 344 days of data from 72 adult female African (n = 44) and Asian (n = 28) elephants at 40 zoos. I found that African elephants are recumbent an average of 2.14 hours/day, which is significantly less than Asian elephants at 3.22 hours/day. Multivariate regression models predicted that African elephant recumbence increases when they experience more space at night, and Asian elephant recumbence increases when they spend time housed alone. Both species showed a similar response to substrate, such that African elephants spending time on all-hard substrates are predicted to be recumbent less, while Asian elephants spending time on all-soft substrates are predicted to be recumbent more. The discovery that occasional non-recumbence is a common behavior in zoo elephants also introduces a new area of research that may have important animal welfare consequences. Finally, this study established that zoos should continue their efforts to replace hard substrate with soft substrate in order to provide zoo elephants with environments that facilitate recumbence. Overall, this work assessed walking and recumbence in zoo elephants, which will allow zoos to gauge the prevalence of these behaviors in their elephants as compared to the sub-population studied here. A variety of factors that are associated with these behaviors were also identified. With this information, zoos can prioritize modifications to their facilities and animal management programs to create an environment that encourages zoo elephants to express walking and recumbence behavior, should they choose to do so. This work is one component of the Elephant Welfare Project, the largest zoo animal welfare project ever undertaken, and is unprecedented in both scope and scale. The project was funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), an independent, U.S., federal, grant-making agency that supports libraries, museums, and zoos. At the time of this writing, the first manuscripts from this project are being submitted to academic journals. These papers will describe the prevalence and distribution of a variety of elephant behaviors and welfare indicators, serve as a benchmark for future elephant welfare studies, and aid in decision making with regard to best practices in elephant management.