<p>HIV poses considerable social and health challenges in South Africa, particularly among young people aged 15-24. Research indicates a strong link between risky sexual behaviour and alcohol and illicit drugs. In the Western Cape drug-related behaviours is a growing concern among young people because of relatively high prevalence rates of drug abuse, particularly methamphetamine. Previous South African studies have tended to focused on the link between substance use and risky sexual behaviour among commercial sex workers. The theoretical approach of this study is the information motivation behavioural skills model. Participants were selected using non-probability sampling of 279 first year students registered for Psychology I at the University of the Western Cape. This study employed a quantitative research approach using a survey design. Results: Forty-six percent of students do not believe that the use of illicit drugs has an impact on a person&rsquo / s sexual behavior. However, the findings also showed that only 45% of students believed that there was a difference between illicit drug users correctly using condoms when compared to non-users. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Conclusion: Prevention is our best and most effective means of decreasing risk-taking behaviours associated with HIV infection. Information is the first line of intervention that is necessary to reduce risk-taking behaviours / however prevention strategies and interventions of risk-taking behaviours should aim to increase motivation and help young people integrate information in a way that it is personally relatable. This is vital to address the inconsistencies between perceptions of risk and the realities of risk-taking behaviour.</p>

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / The study investigated three aspects related to smoking, namely, smoking behaviour, risk perception and attitudes to anti-smoking legislation. The theoretical framework of the study was the Information-Motivation-Behavioural (IMB) skills model. The study was a quantitative one, making use of a cross-sectional survey design to obtain data about the three variables of interest. Responses to statements about risk perception and attitudes to anti-smoking legislation in the questionnaire were arranged on a three-point Likert scale. The inferential statistics used were one-sample t-tests and Chi-square analyses. The results showed an overall smoking prevalence of 16%, with twice as many females than males being smokers in the sample. 'Coloured' students in both genders had the highest smoking rate compared to all other race groups. The knowledge of the health risks of smoking were very high, however smokers had a lower perception of risk compared to non-smokers. Moreover, while there was a fair amount of support for anti-smoking legislation among smokers, smokers tended to show less support for legislation than non-smokers, especially to those parts of the legislation that affect them more directly. The results of the study indicate a clear connection between smoking behaviour and the effect it has on both risk perception as well as attitudes to anti-smoking legislation in individuals. / South Africa

Magister Educationis - MEd / 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. In this study, I seek to explore the potential that digital storytelling has in the teaching of undergraduate academic writing skills. I will focus on first year students' academic writing skills, how they are taught currently and how technology in the form of digital storytelling can help first year students improve their academic writing skills. The theoretical framework for the study is largely based on the New Literacies Studies which is championed by members of the New London Group such as Street and Street (1984) Lea and Street (2006) among others. The theoretical framework will draw on the notion of literacy as social practice rather than a set of reading and writing skills which explains why educators need to find new ways of teaching academic writing skills. I use semiotics and multimodality as a foundational concept for using digital storytelling in academic writing. That is because semiotics and multimodality further support the idea that literacy goes beyond words but that audio and visual elements are also part of learning and can help engage students in their academic work. The main aim of this proposed research is to explore both students and lecturer practices of digital literacies in the teaching and learning of academic writing at The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). I propose the following research objectives: (i.) elucidate current academic writing scaffolding in academic modules; (ii.) draw on the use of digital storytelling in a first-year undergraduate course; (iii.) shed light on lecturers and students’ perceptions of the ways digital storytelling impacts on first-year academic writing; (iv.) highlight the implications of infusing multimodality into academic writing in this context; and (v.) explore the ways first-year students’ take on new writing practices and how these new practices are facilitated by the ii lecturer. I plan to use a qualitative research method to achieve my set objectives. I have opted to conduct action research, as both participant and researcher. The qualitative research method allows me to use the following research tools: document analysis; questionnaires and interviews. I analyse 15 student essays in order to elucidate current academic writing scaffolding in academic modules. These essays are divided into three categories: high performance; average performance; and low performance. Then questionnaires are distributed to students through a Google Forms link. Of the 40 student participants; 32 students filled in the questionnaires. The interviews were conducted with three lecturers across two departments at CPUT. These interviews, together with questionnaires that the students filled in served to address the following objectives: draw on the use of digital storytelling in a first-year undergraduate course; shed light on lecturers and students’ perceptions of the ways digital storytelling impacts on first-year academic writing; highlight the implications of infusing multimodality into academic writing in this context; and explore the ways first-year students’ take on new writing practices and how these new practices are facilitated by the lecturer. All the ethical considerations were adhered to for my research. I categorized my findings according to the research questions that I posed in the study. There were three research questions which serve as the three main themes of my data analysis. However, during the process of analyzing the data, a fourth theme emerged. The first finding indicates that academic writing scaffolding in academic writing modules is adequate for students who have essays in the high-performance category. However, it is inadequate especially for students who wrote essays in the low performance categories as they could not meet the demands of academic writing. The second finding indicates that students are able to use digital storytelling to help them with various aspects of academic writing. They are able to improve language and grammar; the structure of their writing, that is, the introduction, body and conclusion. The third finding illustrates that lecturers also feel that there are academic writing benefits to when using digital storytelling. Even though that may be, the use of technology for the medium of digital storytelling proved to be somewhat difficult. That is mostly because students did not have access to various technology such as internet connection or even equipment to complete the digital stories unproblematically. Then the fourth finding emerged during lecturer interviews, that is, fees must fall protests and the impact it had on the traditional university structure across. Fees must fall protests led to disruptions in academia because one key aspect they highlight is the need for decolonisation of the curriculum The use of digital storytelling then not only addressed the student academic writing challenges that are highlighted by this study, but also speak to decolonisation of the curriculum because it is an innovative way for students to engage with the demands of academic writing. The conclusion of my thesis is that as useful as digital storytelling is in academic writing; those who wish to use it as a teaching tool need to be well versed with technology as it can have challenges if not used adequately. The most pertinent of the factors revealed is that there is a need for innovative ways to teach the 21st century student.

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.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the IMB skills model for its relevance to the Ethiopian context. According to the model, adherence-related information and motivation work through adherence-related behavioural skills to affect adherence to ART. Quantitative, analytical, observational, cross-sectional, institution-based study was conducted to evaluate the model by assessing those patients who have and do not have the right information, motivation, and behavioural skills whether they have or do not have good adherence to ART. Data was collected using structured questionnaires where a total of 400 randomly selected participants provided data on adherence-related information, motivation and behavioral skills as well as adherence behavior per se. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Both descriptive and inferential statistics used in the study. Only 90.75 % of the total sample population reported ART adherence rate of more than or equal to 95% in this study. Free and restricted model tests, through bivariate and multivariate analyses, used to assess the propositions of the IMB model of ART adherence and provided support for the interrelations between the elements proposed by the model. The study has supported the applicability of the IMB model of adherence to the Ethiopian context highlighting its application in adherence-promotion intervention efforts. The findings revealed the need for on-going educational, informational and other interventions to address the knowledge, motivation and adherence behavioural skills of patients in order to improve the current levels of ART adherence behaviour. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et. Phil. (Health Studies)

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the IMB skills model for its relevance to the Ethiopian context. According to the model, adherence-related information and motivation work through adherence-related behavioural skills to affect adherence to ART. Quantitative, analytical, observational, cross-sectional, institution-based study was conducted to evaluate the model by assessing those patients who have and do not have the right information, motivation, and behavioural skills whether they have or do not have good adherence to ART. Data was collected using structured questionnaires where a total of 400 randomly selected participants provided data on adherence-related information, motivation and behavioral skills as well as adherence behavior per se. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Both descriptive and inferential statistics used in the study. Only 90.75 % of the total sample population reported ART adherence rate of more than or equal to 95% in this study. Free and restricted model tests, through bivariate and multivariate analyses, used to assess the propositions of the IMB model of ART adherence and provided support for the interrelations between the elements proposed by the model. The study has supported the applicability of the IMB model of adherence to the Ethiopian context highlighting its application in adherence-promotion intervention efforts. The findings revealed the need for on-going educational, informational and other interventions to address the knowledge, motivation and adherence behavioural skills of patients in order to improve the current levels of ART adherence behaviour. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)