Infrastructure is presenting significant national and global challenges. Whilst often seen as performing well, infrastructure tends to do so against only limited terms of reference and short-term objectives. Given that the world is facing a new infrastructure bill of ~£40T, improving the benefits delivered by existing infrastructure is vital (Dobbs et al., 2013). This thesis investigates strategic intent and the management of infrastructure systems; how factors such as organisational structure and business practice affect outcomes and the ways in which those systems — not projects — are managed. To date, performance has largely been approached from the perspective of project investment and/or delivery, or the assessment of latent failures arising from specific shocks or disruptive events (e.g. natural disaster, infrastructure failures, climate change). By contrast, the delivery of system-level services and outcomes across the infrastructure system has been rarely examined. This is where infrastructure forms an enduring system of services, assets, projects, and networks each at different stages of their lifecycle, and affecting one another as they develop, then age. Yet system performance, which also includes societal, organisational, administrative and technical factors, is arguably the level relevant to, and the reality of, day-to-day public infrastructure management. This research firstly investigated industry perceptions in order to test and confirm the problem: the nub of which was the inability to fully deliver appropriate and relevant infrastructure outcomes over the long term. Three detailed studies then explored the reasons for this problem through different lenses; thereby providing an evidence-base for a range of issues that are shared by the wider infrastructure industry. In confirming its hypothesis that “the strategic intent and the day-to-day management of infrastructure systems are often misaligned, with negative consequences for achieving the desired long-term infrastructure system outcomes”, this research has increased our understanding of the ways in which that misalignment occurs, and the consequences that result. It found those consequences were material, and frequently not visible within the sub-system accountable for the delivery of those outcomes. That public infrastructure exists, not in its own right, but to be of benefit to society, is a central theme drawn from the definition of infrastructure itself. This research shows that it is not enough to be focused on technical outcomes. Infrastructure needs to move beyond how society interacts with an asset, to the outcomes that reflect the needs, beliefs, and choices of society as well as its ability to respond to change (aptitude). Although the research has confirmed its hypothesis and three supporting propositions, the research does not purport to offer ‘the solution’. Single solutions do not exist to address the challenges facing a complex adaptive system such as infrastructure. But the research does offer several system-oriented sense-making models at both the detailed and system-level. This includes the probing methodology by way of a diagnostic roadmap. These models aim to assist practitioners in managing the transition of projects, assets, and services into a wider infrastructure system, their potential, and in (re)orienting the organisation to the dynamic nature of the system and its societal imperative.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of using animated computer 3-D figures illustration (ACTDFI) in the learning of polyhedron in geometry. By random sampling, intact group of four grade 9 classes in four different schools from a cluster of four educational district schools of Limpopo province in South Africa were selected. The study involved quasi-experimental and inquiry research approaches, the quasi-experimental approach involved pre and posttest design while the inquiry research approach involve classroom observation. There were three experimental groups and a control group with a total of 174 study participants. ACTDFI was used as an intervention for two weeks in the three experimental groups while in the control group, chalk-talk traditional teaching approach was used. Pre-test and post-test was used to collect quantitative data while classroom observation was used to collect qualitative data. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of using animated computer 3-D figures illustration (ACTDFI) in the learning of polyhedron in geometry. By random sampling, intact group of four grade 9 classes in four different schools from a cluster of four educational district schools of Limpopo province in South Africa were selected. The study involved quasi-experimental and inquiry research approaches, the quasi-experimental approach involved pre and posttest design while the inquiry research approach involve classroom observation. There were three experimental groups and a control group with a total of 174 study participants. ACTDFI was used as an intervention for two weeks in the three experimental groups while in the control group, chalk-talk traditional teaching approach was used. Pre-test and post-test was used to collect quantitative data while classroom observation was used to collect qualitative data. The findings from the quantitative Classroom observations were carried out to collect relevant data on how the study participants were taught stationary points in differential calculus, especially with the use of the constructivist pedagogical approach. A suitable observation checklist was developed for this purpose (Appendix 6 refers). Classroom observation checklist is a list of factors to be considered while observing a class. It gives a structure and framework for the observation. suggested that the use of ACTDFI might have improved academic achievement in learning of polyhedron during the intervention, while the qualitative data analysis indicated that the use of ACTDFI in the experimental groups might have facilitated the learning of the concepts of polyhedron. It is therefore recommended that further research is necessary on the application of ACTDFI in the teaching of 3-dimensional shapes at the primary schools / Mathematics Education / M. Sc. (Mathematics Education)

<p>External representations (ERs) used in science education are multimodal ensembles consisting of design elements to convey educational meanings to the audience. As an example of a dynamic ER, an animation presenting its content features (i.e., scientific concepts) via varying the feature’s depiction over time. A production team invited the dissertation author to inspect their creation of a biochemistry animation about the role of the actin cytoskeleton in cell motility and the animation’s implication on learning. To address this, the author developed a four-step methodology entitled the Multimodal Variation Analysis of Dynamic External Representations (MVADER) that deconstructs the animation’s content and design to inspect how each content feature is conveyed via the animation’s design elements.</p><p><br></p><p> </p><p>This dissertation research investigated the actin animation’s educational value and the MVADER’s utility in animation evaluation. The research design was guided by descriptive case study methodology and an integrated framework consisting of the variation theory, multimodal analysis, and visual analytics. As stated above, the animation was analyzed using MVADER. The development of the actin animation and the content features the production team members intended to convey via the animation were studied by analyzing the communication records between the members, observing the team meetings, and interviewing the members individually. Furthermore, students’ learning experiences from watching the animation were examined via semi-structured interviews coupled with post- storyboarding. Moreover, the instructions of MVADER and its applications in studying the actin animation were reviewed to determine the MVADER’s usefulness as an animation evaluation tool.</p><p><br></p><p> </p><p>Findings of this research indicate that the three educators in the production team intended the actin animation to convey forty-three content features to the undergraduate biology students. At least 50% of the student who participated in this thesis learned thirty-five of these forty-three (> 80%) features. Evidence suggests that the animation’s effectiveness to convey its features was associated with the features’ depiction time, the number of identified design elements applied to depict the features, and the features’ variation of depiction over time.</p><p><br></p><p>Additionally, one-third of the student participants made similar mistakes regarding two content features after watching the actin animation: the F-actin elongation and the F-actin crosslink structure in lamellipodia. The analysis reveals the animation’s potential design flaws that might have contributed to these common misconceptions. Furthermore, two disruptors to the creation process and the educational value of the actin animation were identified: the vagueness of the learning goals and the designer’s placement of the animation’s beauty over its reach to the learning goals. The vagueness of the learning goals hampered the narration scripting process. On the other hand, the designer’s prioritization of the animation’s aesthetic led to the inclusion of a “beauty shot” in the animation that caused students’ confusion.</p><p><br></p><p> </p><p>MVADER was used to examine the content, design, and their relationships in the actin animation at multiple aspects and granularities. The result of MVADER was compared with the students’ learning outcomes from watching the animation to identify the characteristics of content’s depiction that were constructive and disruptive to learning. These findings led to several practical recommendations to teach using the actin animation and create educational ERs.</p><p><br></p><p> </p><p>To conclude, this dissertation discloses the connections between the creation process, the content and design, and the educational implication of a biochemistry animation. It also introduces MVADER as a novel ER analysis tool to the education research and visualization communities. MVADER can be applied in various formats of static and dynamic ERs and beyond the disciplines of biology and chemistry.</p>

Text in Afrikaans. Abstracts in Afrikaans, English and Zulu / This study explored how nine adolescent learner-participants with cerebral palsy or other physical disabilities responded to an emotional support programme (EOP) of 20 intervention sessions, aimed at developing their emotional intelligence. The research study highlighted the utilisational value and importance of emotional intelligence, which is associated with problem-solving skills, career success, selfactualisation, stress management and the like. The rationale for compiling the EOP was in accordance with the rationale for the research study, being embedded in diverse learning needs, support for learners, and the design of learner opportunities. The study focused among others on the development and implementation of an EOP based on Bar-On as conceptual model (2000), together with the five core competencies of social and emotional learning (SEL), namely: responsible decision-making, emotional self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills. The Lions Quest SEL-programme, Skills for Adolescence, formed the basis of the EOP, although the researcher had to adapt it for her learner-participants’ special educational needs. The EOP was further extended with the knowledge obtained through the literature study regarding emotional intelligence and adolescence, and was aligned with the aims of the South African school curriculum in respect of emotional intelligence skills, as stated in the aims of the subject Life Skills. The researcher’s embedded, mixed-method research design allowed the larger qualitative component to include the smaller quantitative component, so that the specific phenomenon could be understood from different participants’ perspectives. Qualitative data was collected by means of metaphor interviews and collage activities. The quantitative research component of the study refers to the standardised Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQ-i:YV) together with the researcher’s own structured questionnaire. The researcher did not interpret the data obtained from the quantitative data collection instruments in isolation, but used it to expand and verify the results of her qualitative generated data. The integrated data results of the learner-participants brought the answer to the research problem: most of the adolescent learner-participants with special educational needs who had participated in the EOP, did indeed benefit through their involvement, and their emotional intelligence (the phenomenon under scrutiny) had improved. / Die studie ondersoek hoe nege adolessente leerder-deelnemers met serebrale en fisieke gestremdhede op ’n emosionele ondersteuningsprogram (EOP) van 20 intervensiesessies reageer met die doel om hulle emosionele intelligensie te ontwikkel. Die benuttingswaarde en belangrikheid van emosionele intelligensie word deur die navorsingstudie uitgelig. Hoë emosionele intelligensie word geassosieer met probleemoplossingsvaardighede, werksukses, selfverwesenliking en streshantering, onder andere. Die rasionaal vir die samestelling van die EOP stem ooreen met die rasionaal vir die navorsingstudie en is gevestig in uiteenlopende leerbehoeftes, ondersteuning aan leerders, en die skep van leergeleenthede. Die studie fokus op die samestelling en implementering van ’n emosionele ondersteuningsprogram (EOP) gebaseer op Bar-On (2000) se konstruk van emosionele intelligensie as konseptuele model van die studie saam met die vyf kernbevoegdhede van sosiale en emosionele leer (SEL), naamlik: verantwoordelike besluitneming, emosionele selfbewussyn, selfbestuur, sosiale bewussyn en verhoudingsvaardighede. Die Lions Quest SEL-program, Skills for Adolescence, vorm die grondslag van die EOP, alhoewel die navorser baie aanpassings vir haar leerder-deelnemers se spesiale onderwysbehoeftes moes maak. Die EOP is verder uitgebrei deur die kennis wat die navorser tydens die literatuurstudie ingewin het ten opsigte van emosionele intelligensie en adolessensie, en sluit aan by die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolkurrikulum-doelwitte wat verband hou met emosionele intelligensie-vaardighede soos uiteengesit in die doelwitte vir die vak Lewensvaardighede. Die navorser se ingebedde, gemengdemetode-navorsingsontwerp laat toe dat die groter kwalitatiewe komponent die kleiner kwantitatiewe komponent insluit, sodat die spesifieke fenomeen vanuit verskillende deelnemers se perspektiewe verstaan kon word. Kwalitatiewe data is deur middel van die metafooronderhoud en collage-aktiwiteit ingesamel. Die kwantitatiewe navorsingskomponent van die studie verwys na die gestandaardiseerde Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQ-i:YV) tesame met die navorser se eie gestruktureerde vraelys. Die navorser het die data wat sy uit die kwantitatiewe datainsamelingsinstrumente verkry het, nie net in isolasie geïnterpreteer nie, maar dit ook gebruik om die resultate van haar kwalitatief-gegenereerde data uit te brei en te verifieer. Die geïntegreerde data-resultate van die leerder-deelnemers bied die antwoord op die: die meerderheid van die adolessente leerderdeelnemers met spesiale onderwysbehoeftes wat aan die EOP deelgeneem het, het inderdaad gebaat by hulle deelname, en hulle emosionele intelligensie (die fenomeen wat ondersoek is) het verbeter. / Ucwaningo luhlola ukuthi ngabe ukuzibandakanya kwabafundi abangabadlalindima abayisishiyagalolunye abasesigabeni sobubhungu/sobutshitshi abakhubazeke ngokwengqondo noma ngayiphi indlela emzimbeni baphendule kanjani kuhlelo oluxhasa ngokommoya (emotional support programme) kumihlangano engama- 20 yokunceda, ehlose ekuqiniseni ubuhlakani bommoya. Isifundo socwaningo siveze ukubaluleka kokusebenzisa kanye nokubaluleka kobuhlakani bommoya, okuhambisana namakhono okuxazulula izinkinga, impumelelo yobizo lomsebenzi, ukuzibonakalisa, ukulawula ingcindezi yengqondo kanye nokunye. Isizathu sokuhlela i-ESP sasihambisana nenhloso yesifundo socwaningo, esitholakala kwizidingo zemfundo ezahlukahlukene, kanye nokuhleleka kwamathuba omfundi. Ucwaningo lubheke hlangana nokunye nokuthuthukiswa kanye nokusetshenziswa kohlelo lwe-ESP olususelwa ku-Bar-On njengemodeli yegama (2000), kanye namanye amacebo abalulekile amahlanu ohlelo lokufunda kwabantu kanye nokufunda ngokwemizwa (SEL), wona yilawa alandelayo: Ukumelana nezinqumo ozithethe, ukwazi imizwa yakho, ukuziphatha ngokwakho, ukuxwayiswa komphakathi kanye namakhono okwenza ubudlelwano. Uhlelo lwe- Lions Quest SEL, Skills for Adolescence, akha isisekelo se-ESP, yize umcwaningi kwakufanele aluguqule lolu hlelo ukwenzela ukuba luhambisane nezidingo ezikhethekile zemfundo yafundi abadlala indima. . Uhlelo lwe--ESP lwaqhubeka nokukhuliswa ngolwazi olwalutholakala ngocwaningo lombhalo wobuciko obumayelana nobuhlakani bokusebenzisa imizwa kanye nesigaba sobutshitshi/sobubhungu, kanti lolu hlelo lwaluhambisana nezinhloso zekharikhulami yezikole zaseNingizimu Afrika mayelana namakhono okusebenzisa obuhlakani bokusebenzisa imizwa, njengoba kushiwobkwizinhloso zesifundo samaKhono Empilo (Life Skills). Isakhiwo somcwaningi esequkethwe, sohlelo-oluvangene locwaningo siye savumela isigaba esikhulu socwaningo olugxile kukhwalithi (qualitative) ukuba sixube isigaba esincane esigxile kumanani (quantitative), ukuze kuzwisiseke uhlelo oluthize ngokwemiqondo yabadlalindima abehlukahlukene. Idatha yohlelo lwequalitative yaqoqwa ngokusebenzisa izinhlolombono zokungathekisa kanye nemisebenzi yokuhlanganisa imifanekiso eminingi. Isigaba socwaningo olugxile kumanani sichaza uhlelo olufanayo lwe--Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQi:YV) kanye nemibhalo yemibuzo ehlelwe wumcwaningi. Umcwaningi akazange achaze idatha etholakele kumathuluzi okuqoqa idatha encike kumanani yodwa, kodwa le datha iye yasetshenziselwa ukukhulisa kanye nokuqinisekisa imiphumela yakhe eyakhiwe ngokwendlela yekhwalithi. Imiphumelo ehlangene yedatha yomfundi ongumdlalindima ilethe impendulo kwinkinga yocwaningo: Iningi labafundi abadlala indima abasesesigabeni sobubhungu/sobutshitshi abadinga imfundo ekhethekile abazibandakanye ohlelweni lwe-ESP, ngempela baye bazuza ngokuzibandakanya kwabo, kanti-ke izinga labo lokusebenzisa ikhono lobuhlakani bemizwa buye bathuthuka kakhulu (the phenomenon under scrutiny). / Inclusive Education / D. Ed. (Inklusiewe Onderwys)