Die tesis is voorgelê ter verwerwing van die graad: Magister in Opvoedkunde aan die KAAPSE SKIEREILAND UNIVERSITEIT VAN TEGNOLOGIE Fakulteit Onderwys en Sosiale Wetenskappe, 2012 / The aim of the research was to examine the development of writing skills through drawing in order to identify skills and strategies needed by grade R learners of a rural multi-grade school for motor development and invented writing. Appropriate teaching was researched according to which an intervention programme was developed, applied and evaluated. Literature was examined to establish what is already being taught in this development phase and context. When drawing, children not only go through the same universal development stages and inherent biological processes, but their mark-making has meaning regarding communication and writing. During the drawing process children develop control of large and small motor muscle groups. Through daily drawing activities on different levels through interesting presentation these muscle groups are developed, skills mastered and concentration on the learning process improved. When, however, children come from a home context where a stimulating milieu of learning is lacking, it leads, not only to weak sosio-emotional and cognitive development, but can also be linked to weak health and physical growth, which includes large and small motor skills. These large and small motor skills are required for the development of writing skills which in turn are required for future formal teaching. The following questions were answered: Which characteristics of drawing are important in writing skills? What appropriate teaching is necessary for drawing and writing competence? How are teaching of drawing and writing skills currently applied in grade R classes in multi-grade schools? Of what components should an intervention programme consist so that grade R learners of a multi-grade school can benefit with regard to writing skills? What requirements must the intervention programme for this special group meet to implement drawing and writing skills in a sustainable way? Design based research was used as methodology. A literature study was done during the preliminary phase and an intervention programme was designed. During the prototype phase the intervention programme was implemented and honed by repeated design cycles. Assessment showed that the intervention met the preconceived specifications by achieving remarkable results in respect of the general poise, action of drawing, position of drawing, posture, dominance and grip. The development levels of the children were increased by daily drawing accompanied by conversation and writing modelling. During the three phases data was collected in the following ways: informal conversations with the teacher; a semi-structured interview with the teacher; check-lists; a pre and post test; participatory observation; artefacts (children’s art); video recordings and field-notes. A needs analyses and expert appraisal were used as strategies. To be able to write is a basic skill, and without it the future prospects of the children are seriously hampered. Early stimulation and exposure to drawing media and instruments, the manipulation thereof and the development of large and small motor skills to enhance writing skills, therefore play a decisive role in the optimal development of the children. When children have the ability to write it leads to a future of opportunities for schooled and highly schooled labour which in turn contributes to the economic stability of the country.

Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Magister of Technologiae: Educationis In the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2007 / Currently any Post Level One Educator in South Africa may be appointed to the position of School Principal with only the basic qualification, i.e. matric and a three-year teaching diploma (REQV 13). As per the Educators Employment Act (1998), the minimum teaching experience required for a principalship range from 3-7 years depending on the grading of the school (P1- 4 for primary schools and S1 -4 for secondary schools). According to these stipulations, a qualification in management or another form of validation to ensure that candidates have the ability to cope with the demands of the management of a school is not a requirement. The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges experienced and coping strategies new school managers (school principals) employ to manage their institutions. It also addresses the common challenges and obstacles faced by new school managers. The study was conducted in the Western Cape using a mixed method qualitative approach to investigate the research questions. After the development of the data collecting instruments, data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires were sent to thirty school managers in primary and secondary schools in the seven Education Management Development Centres. The data collected was used to ascertain what the challenges are school manager's face. Subsequently five new school managers were interviewed to find what coping strategies they use. A second set of questionnaires were sent to 100 new school principals to ascertain the challenges experienced and coping strategies employed. The research reveals the following aspects: (1) there is a lack of support from the Western Cape Education Department for new school principals; (2) research respondents identified a need for mentoring to assist them to cope; (3) there is a need for a management qualification to help principals to manage their schools as educators are only trained to become classroom teachers; ( 4) the Western Cape Education Department need to consult with schools regarding, among others, schools' year programs as this clash with dates of departmental programmes.

Master of Technology Business Administration in Project Management in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / The purpose of this study is to investigate the understanding and awareness of Project Management graduates regarding the soft and hard skills of Project Management, specifically the application of these skills in the successful outcome of projects. The research participants for this study were BTech Project Management graduates from CPUT. This study investigates the perceptions of the critical cross-field outcomes of the BTech Project Management programme in association with the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) with regard to hard and soft skills. As Project Management continues to grow as a discipline; it is becoming more evident that success of the role of project managers cannot be attained with technical skills only. Hard skills are being recognized as one of the minimal requirements for a project manager. A need for excellent interpersonal or soft skills are necessary conditions for success, and although some would disagree, others advocate that these are skills that can be taught and learned rather than skills that are innate or genetic. Considerable effort has been made in the area of hard skills processes, tools and techniques. Project Management methodologies are being developed and improved, but still a large number of projects do not deliver. Apart from hard skills, research in the area of soft skills is promising. A range of soft skills attributes required by project managers has been acknowledged. Good Project Management requires not only knowledge of and the ability to apply technical or “science” skills, but also the softer “art” skills, which include human behaviour and interactions. Applying the right balance or mix of art and science, which will vary for different projects, is key to successful Project Management.

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister Technologiae: Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / The space environment is characterised by harsh radiation, extreme temperatures and vacuum. Electronics subsystems for satellite applications are designed to be fault tolerant and robust enough to survive this environment. A power distribution module (PDM) for a CubeSat nanosatellite application is developed here, with the aim to distribute power to CubeSat subsystems reliably. The PDM prototype is carefully designed with reference to an extensive literature study. The study dwells on the low Earth orbit (LEO) space environment, critically identifying radiation sources and temperature ranges in the LEO. The study further investigates traditional analogue techniques of logic circuit design using bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) which are known for their higher tolerance to radiation sources as compared to recent integrated circuits (ICs). Careful consideration is given to different ways of designing a fault tolerant system. The study specifically looks at redundant circuit design within the limitations of weight and space of a nanosatellite. Possible electrical faults in power systems are identified, which include over-currents, over-voltages, over-temperatures, inrush currents and latchup. This study shows that identified faults generally are overcurrents. A power switch is included in each power distribution channel to trip the current in case a faulty condition is detected. The PDM is designed to have eight power output distribution channels to allow a subsystem load to connect to more than one channel, thereby meeting its power requirements. The PDM power channels are designed identically. Upon application, current limits are selected by a two-resistor divider circuit and connectors are used to connect to a required voltage bus at manufacturing time. The system’s functionality is tested and verified using an Arduino development board interfaced to all I2C devices as a master node, typically the on-board computer (OBC) in a real satellite mission. The system’s functionality in a Gamma irradiated laboratory environment is verified to perform as required. The PDM system is further tested in a temperature cycled chamber from -31°C to 61°C. The system survived the entire eight hour test duration of two cycles. It is observed that the system is fault tolerant to radiation sources up to 10 krad and the temperature limits mentioned. The PDM system is recommended as an additional module to the CubeSat electrical power subsystem (EPS), thereby improving the reliability of the power subsystem. Keywords: CubeSat, power channel, module, radiation, reliability, efficiency, I2C, prototype.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / Harmonic voltages and currents in distribution networks are on the increase in recent times due to the introduction of a proliferation of electronic controlled devices such as variable speed drives. These non-linear devices improve efficiency but distort the supply waveforms. To address the harmonic issues, harmonic filters are used to mitigate distortion levels and prevent damage. These harmonic filters are commonly found at medium voltage levels in power systems. The problem is that knowledge from the design to commissioning stages of these medium voltage harmonic filters are neither well developed nor adequately documented. The aim of this research is to investigate and expound upon the process whilst taking into account all the factors involved throughout the process from bringing such a filter into operation in the real world. Medium voltage harmonic filters are usually the open rack type found in outdoor installations. Capacitors and reactors are the main components used in the construction of such harmonic filters and in some instances resistors are also used. The physical size and spacing of such components determines the construction layout area and how this is done in practice warrants being researched and explained in this thesis. In order to make these factors explicit, a methodology is developed from design, to installation and commissioning and is applied to two networks which are used to prove that the developed methodology is applicable for the different types of harmonic filters designed. The network voltage levels are also different, thus implying that the components will have different design factors. The final arrangements of the harmonic filters are later drawn and shown in three-dimension (3D) as per dimensions. The 3D figures are a further contribution as the design is taken from theory and is ultimately implemented into an installation and construction layout for erection at site. Interviews and surveys are conducted with specialists in industry dealing with harmonic filter applications and the results are analysed as part of implementation of the developed methodology. The design, installation and construction phases are documented and shown to be effective in application and the work disclosed in this thesis will help newcomers to this specialised field and is recommended for use in industry.

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Technology: Chemical Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013 / It has been noticed that effluent from wastewater treatment plants in South Africa does not comply with the minimum requirements of environmental standards of wastewater effluent for discharge into the environment. This is due to the presence of soluble, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and other related pollutants, in particular ammonia (PakWaterCare Services, 2011). To rectify this situation, this study sought to treat wastewater effluents, initially using natural clay (bentonite and Montmorillonite). Secondly, the clay was activated by sulphuric acid to increase its adsorptive properties. The concentration of sulphuric acid ranged from 0.5M to 18.4M so that the effective concentration could be reached. Tests were carried out to evaluate the dosages and conditions (mixing and flocculation stirring speeds, durations, and settling times) required to achieve optimum POPs capture. The experiment was conducted two ways: 1) at first the only bentonite was used, and 2) samples were subsequently activated with H2SO4 (6M; 8M and 11M). The dosage of the coagulant into the jar tester beakers per litres of water was 0.5; 1; 1.5; 3; 5 and 10g. And then, by keeping the mixing speed (rapid mixing at 150rpm for 1min and slow mixing at 20rpm for 20min) and settling time constant (30min), the bentonite and Montmorillonite were activated by H2SO4 (0.5M; 3M; 5M; 11M and 18.4M). It was observed that for an increase in coagulant dosage, a decrease in pH was observed. This was due to an increase in acid dosage which influences the acidity of the water. The achieved results for wastewater effluents indicated that using activated clay (bentonite) as a coagulant with an optimum removal and maximum surface area for acid activation attained at 5M concentration of sulphuric acid used for activation of clay. The combinations of 5M bentonite clay to ZINPs (zero valent iron nano particles), in a mass ratio of 99:1 respectively, reduced ammonia up to 96.85% with a dosage of 61.6mg coagulant, a reduction from the raw water 277mg/L to 8.71mg/L. Most of the sample pH ranged from 6.5 to 9 as required by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. The samples’ conductivities were below the standard 2500μs/cm; the 5M+ZVINPs at 60.1mg had a conductivity of 259μs/cm. Hence, this treatment is not only effective and economical, but also ecologically acceptable.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister Technologiae: Mechanical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2008 / The increasing requirement for light weight constructions and the unsatisfactory performances of traditional metals and conventional engineering materials, especially in their failure to positively respond to environmental stimuli, in a demanding environment have made the search for the development of alternative materials inevitable. Such alternative materials being sought, which are the so-called adaptive, multifunctional, smart or intelligent composites would facilitate the realization of some engineering applications that are simply difficult to achieve with the existing conventional materials. Composite materials have found increasing applications in construction, aerospace and automotive industries due to their good characteristics of light weight, improved strength, corrosion resistance, controlled anisotropic properties, and reduced manufacturing and maintenance costs. However, there is a growing demand to improve on composite materials to have “smart" capabilities so as to be able to sense, actuate and respond to the surrounding environment. Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are metallic alloys that can undergo martensitic phase transformations as a result of applied thermomechanical loads and are capable of recovering permanent strains when heated above a certain transformation temperature. SMAs possess sensing and actuating functions and have the potential to control the mechanical properties and responses of their hosts due to their inherent unique characteristics: shape memory effect (SME) and pseudoelasticity. When integrated into structural components, they perform sensing, diagnosing, actuating and repair or healing functions, thereby enhancing improved performance characteristics of their hosts. Amongst the commercially available SMAs, NiTi (Nickel-Titanium) alloys in forms of wires, ribbons, bars, particles and porous bulks are the most widely used because of their excellent mechanical properties and superior material characteristics. Embedding SMAs into composite materials can create smart or intelligent hybridized composites. This thesis details an investigation of the mechanical properties and behaviour of the hybridized composites formed by embedding NiTi SMA wires into 60D polyurethane. The composites were produced by the vacuum process of manufacturing. The properties of the implanted SMA wires were enhanced by ageing and pre-straining. Uniaxial tensile and four point bending tests were conducted to ascertain the significance of embedding SMA wires into the polyurethane host matrix. It was found that the embedded SMA results in an increasing in elastic modulus, tensile strength and bending stiffness. It was found that these improvements in the properties can not be sustained at high temperature owing to degradation of interfacial strength between the SMA and polyurethane as a result of the high recovery stress generated by the SMA upon activation. Some measures that can ameliorate the interfacial breakdown were suggested.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Mechanical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / High temperatures encountered in combustion chambers of jet engines has demanded the creation of new technologies and new materials for the construction of one of the most critical elements of these systems - the stator and rotor turbine blades. They have to withstand extreme temperatures for extended periods without the loss of mechanical strength, conditions under which many steels and alloys fail. Such failure is ascribed to the combination of high temperatures and high centrifugal forces, resulting in creep. The high temperature creep mechanism of grain boundary sliding has limited the operation capability of fine-grained equiaxed castings. Higher operating temperatures were achieved with higher alloy contents and coarse-grained equiaxed castings. This is especially prevalent in multi-crystalline structures in which grain boundaries present weaknesses in the structure. However, notwithstanding these improvements, high temperature resistant alloys formed as single crystal structures offer the necessary material properties for safe performance under these extreme conditions. Damage to turbine blade surfaces is often caused by oxidation and hot corrosion. For this reason, turbine blades are coated with a thermal barrier coating (TBC), which consists of ceramic materials that reduce the heat flux through the airfoil. In this research work, modelling and simulation techniques were initially used to study the directional solidification (DS) of crystal structures during vacuum investment casting. The modelling of the solidification process was implemented using a Finite Element casting simulation software, ProCAST, to predict thermal and flow profiles. These models allowed the study of the dendritic growth rate, the formation of new grains ahead of the solid/liquid interface and the morphology of the dendritic microstructure. These studies indicated the opportunity to optimise the velocity of the solidification front (solidification rate) for single crystal structures. The aim of this research was therefore to investigate the effect of the solidification rate (or withdrawal velocity) on the quality of SC castings. The investigations were carried out for nickel-based superalloy CMSX-4 turbine blade casts and rods using the Bridgman process for vacuum investment casting. The SC castings were heat treated to improve the grain structure for enhanced creep resistance. The heat treated SC castings were inspected by X-ray diffraction to analyse crystallographic orientation and chemical composition; and by SEM, OP (optical microscopy) and microprobe analysis to analyse the microstructure; in addition to macrostructural investigations. In the experimental analysis, the formation of new grains ahead of the solidi/liquid interface and the effect of dendrite packing patterns on the primary dendrite spacing were investigated. Creep tests were conducted to compare the creep properties of the SC castings for different withdrawal rates, and to draw conclusions regarding the effect of withdrawal rate on the microstructure (and hence the creep properties) of SC castings.

THESIS Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree MAGISTER TECHNOLOGIAE in INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY in the FACULTY OF BUSINESS INFORMATICS at the CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 2005 / The aim of this research was to determine how search engine exclusion policies and spam affect the indexing of e-Commerce websites. The Internet has brought along new ways of doing business. The unexpected growth of the World Wide Web made it essential for firms to adopt e-commerce as a means of obtaining a competitive edge. The introduction of e-commerce in turn facilitated the breaking down of physical barriers that were evident in traditional business operations. It is important for e-commerce websites to attract visitors, otherwise the website content is irrelevant. Websites can be accessed through the use of search engines, and it is estimated that 88% of users start with search engines when completing tasks on the web. This has resulted in web designers aiming to have their websites appear in the top ten search engine result list, as a high placement of websites in search engines is one of the strongest contributors to a commercial website’s success. To achieve such high rankings, web designers often adopt Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices. Some of these practices invariably culminate in undeserving websites achieving top rankings. It is not clear how these SEO practices are viewed by search engines, as some practices that are deemed unacceptable by certain search engines are accepted by others. Furthermore, there are no clear standards for assessing what is considered good or bad SEO practices. This confuses web designers in determining what is spam, resulting in the amount of search engine spam having increased over time, impacting adversely on search engine results. From the literature reviewed in this thesis, as well as the policies of five top search engines (Google, Yahoo!, AskJeeves, AltaVista, and Ananzi), this author was able to compile a list of what is generally considered as spam. Furthermore, 47 e-commerce websites were analysed to determine if they contain any form of spam. The five major search engines indexed some of these websites. This enabled the author to determine to what extent search engines adhere to their policies. This analysis returned two major findings. A small amount of websites contained spam, and from the pre-compiled list of spam tactics, only two were identified in the websites, namely keyword stuffing and page redirects. Of the total number of websites analysed, it was found that 21.3% of the websites contained spam. From these findings, the research contained in this thesis concluded that search engines adhere to their own policies, but lack stringent controls for the majority of websites that contained spam, and were still listed by search engines. In this study, the author only analysed e-commerce websites, and cannot therefore generalise the results to other websites outside ecommerce.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Information Technology in the Faculty of Informatics and Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / The application of software systems in business organizations continue to increase as the Internet technology grows. Business processes that previously required manual interventions are becoming automated using software systems. The use of software systems is fundamental to electronic processing of business transactions. More business organizations, large and small, are utilizing information technology in order to have competitive advantage in the business arena. Software is ubiquitous. Among areas where software plays core roles are e-Banking where software systems are used to process banking transactions, e-Health where software systems are used to facilitate activities in the health sector, e-Commerce where software systems are used to facilitate online business transactions, e-Government where software system are used to facilitate government activities and e-Learning where software systems are used to facilitate the teaching and learning process. Nevertheless, the large number of failing software projects and the increase in software security problems coupled with shortage of skilled software developers are still major obstacles in the software development industry. Among others, the solution can be achieved by improving the competency of software developers so that software systems developed are of good quality, safe, robust, and support business objectives. Software companies and business organizations stand a big chance to increase their return on investment (ROI), if competencies of software developers are improved. A software developer plays critical roles in software development projects. A software developer, however, requires specific skills and knowledge in order to develop software systems that solve problems and deliver solutions. This research is about competencies of software developers. The research focuses on software development activities performed by software companies and business organizations within the Western Cape Province. The unit of analysis is software developers. Data pertaining to tasks performed by software developers, tools used by software developers and skills required were collected, examined and analysed. The objective of the research is to develop a competency framework for software developers. It can be used by institutions and the industry to provide better education. Most importantly, the industry will have access to competent software developers who can perform their job well. As justified in this research, knowledge of a competency framework for software developers is extremely essential.ÿ