Poor urban learners' long walks to school and the influence on their school activities. My study is about poor urban learners who walk long distances to school. I explore how their school trip affects their participation in school activities - co-curricular and extra curricula activities, and their understandings about the educational implications. The purpose of this study is two-fold: to understand poor urban learners' school trips through their own voices; and to reflect on the school management implications of the findings. In a case study of one school located in the Cato Manor redevelopment area of Durban, I explore Grade 10 learners' accounts of their walks to and from school and how this affects their early morning and afternoon school activities and what they understand might be the reasons and consequences in their futures. My findings are that poor urban learners encounter security risks daily on their way to school and they use various strategies to navigate those risks; learners experience unsympathetic and negative responses from some staff relating to their long walks to reach school; and the learners say that school regimes rather than the long distances they walk are jeopardising their educational aspirations. At the outset my theoretical perspective was that the school trip is an obtacle to poor urban learners' education capabilities. However my conclusion is that some school regimes are unresponsive to poor urban learners' needs and may obstruct the educational opportunities for learners to better their futures more than does their walking long distances to school. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2012.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1992.

This dissertation is a sociolinguistic study that applies the methods of Critical Discourse Analysis and Systemic Functional Grammar to written discourse generated in the context of student unrest at a South African tertiary educational institution in May 2000. The unrest was triggered by management's de-registration of students for non-payment of fees due, and hence the local press dubbed it the "fees crisis". Four one-page texts, each representing a major participant in the events of the "fees crisis", were selected for detailed analysis. The principal finding from the four analyzed texts is that they exhibit widely divergent discoursal styles that vividly express equally divergent ideologies and attitudes. Some of these ideological schisms are caused by the immediate situational context, where the groupings are competing for access to and control of resources, or to gain strategic advantages in a power struggle. The four texts are divided equally into two discoursal types: two employ the hegemonic, 'schooled' literacy; the other two use the marginalized, topic associative, oral literacy based style. This illustrates the radically different contexts of culture that inform the ideologies of the four participant groupings. Power struggle is inherent in all discoursal exchanges, but it is an element made especially prominent in discourse by the uncertainties associated with social transition such as that taking place currently in postapartheid South Africa. The frequency of the word "community" and its shifting semantic load in the four texts has been clearly demonstrated to encapsulate the vacillations in the groups' self-identities and inter-group relations already suggested by the broader stylistic variations between the four discourses. Uncertainty breeds fear, and like other primates, hominids display the greatest aggression when afraid. Discoursal analysis of the four "fees crisis" texts uncovers the reasons for the intense affect which characterized the events of the May 2000 "fees crisis". / Thesis (M.A.) - University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

This study explores the experiences of oppression Lesotho students studying at the University of Natal (Durban). The study explored the experiences in relation to oppression in relation to racism, xenophobia and sexism. Interviews and observation were the research tools used in this study. The results reveal that most of these students experience a vertical racism in the same way black South Africans experience it and they also experience xenophobia from black South African students. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

This study assessed the information literacy (IL) skills of first-year students at Mangosuthu Technikon (MANTEC) at a pre-library orientation and instruction phase. What is evident is that students do, to a greater or lesser degree, display inadequate levels of IL skills. What is not so evident is the extent and nature of these inadequacies. The purpose of the study was to establish the level of these inadequacies. Background information concerning the MANTEC library orientation and instruction programme and the Eastern Seaboard Association of Libraries (esAL) User Education Pilot Project study was provided and an overview of MANTEC and its library was given. The assessment of IL skills in higher education libraries, with reference to the MANTEC library was discussed. The MANTEC students' IL skills were assessed using Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, which are evident throughout the objectives of the study. The research method used for this study was the descriptive survey method. The sample consisted of 170 first-year students. A purposive sampling procedure was used. The questionnaire consisted of two main sections, one which elicited demographic data of students and the other extracted data that addressed the objectives of the study. Results were coded and analyzed using the SPSS program. The findings of the survey indicated that there is a dearth of IL skills among the majority of MANTEC first-year students. Like many other studies it revealed that many first-year students, especially from the historically disadvantaged institutions (HDI) are under-prepared for tertiary education generally and for IL demands made on them at the tertiary level. Even those who have had previous library exposure appear to bring with them little or no IL competencies to tertiary institutions. Based on the findings for this study, recommendations were made with the aim of improving MANTEC students' IL skills. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Background to the study: The Internet is rapidly becoming an important learning tool in academic institutions and workplaces. In academic institutions it plays a pivotal role in meeting information and communication needs of students, academics and researchers. Despite internet becoming an important information gathering and dissemination tool, literature reflects under-utilization both in academic and in practice settings for a number of reasons. This study therefore described the utilization of internet as an academic tool among undergraduate nursing students in a selected University in KwaZulu Natal in order to establish ways of enhancing its utilization. Methodology: A quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive design was used in this study. The population of the study was 222, and the the sample size was 141 of undergraduate nursing students which was calculated using Raosoft sample size calculator. The sample was stratified according to the percentages of the population in the Nursing program and the year of the study of the respondents. However, only 115 agreed to participate in this study and the response rate was rate therefore 81.1%. Data was collected using a survey after obtaining ethical clearance from the university and were analyzed descriptively. Findings: The findings revealed that participants perceived themselves to be at different levels of utilizing the Internet; intermediate level (32.2%) advanced level (19.1%) competent level (29.6%), beginner level (17.4%) and expert level (1.7%). The results reflected traditional university students as better equipped to use the Internet than non-traditional university students. The Internet was used for different purposes including; academic (96.5%); communication (82.6%), pleasure (71.3%), work related activity (53.9%) and shopping (13.9%). Facebook (77.4%) was the most commonly used social network followed by the twitter (24.3%). Challenges cited covered restricted access to certain sites (62.6%), very slow internet connection (55.7%), limited training in the use of the Internet (38.3%), limited number of computers (37.4%). The majority of the participants (89%) singled out training on internet use as priority with specific focus on basic IT skills (72.2%), accessing academic related material (70.4%), using Moodle (51.3%), Turnitin (35.7%) and endnote (33.9%). Conclusion: Contrary to other studies, this study reflected that students do use the Internet for a number of reasons. They however recommend structured support on how to use internet for academic purposes. / Thesis (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

The objective of this study is to examine whether the effects of stress on University of KwaZulu Natal first year students’ well being depend on the level of perceived social support. First year students are faced with the challenges of leaving the comfort of their homes in search for education and experience that enhance their growth. This life transition can be a stressful experience that requires social support from other people in order for the student to enjoy a healthy wellbeing. Methods; One hundred and fifty survey packages, which comprised of four measures: The Demographic Survey, The Multidimensional Scale of Perceives Social Support, The Perceived Stress Scale and The WHO (five) Wellbeing Index were distributed. Ninety three (62%) survey packages were anonymously completed and returned by the participants. Hypotheses; Four hypotheses were tested in this study: Whether the level of perceived social support will moderate the effects of stress on wellbeing of university students; whether females will perceive themselves to have more social support as compared with male students; whether younger students will perceive themselves to have more social support than their older counterparts. And lastly to find out whether students who live at home with their family perceive themselves to have more social support as compared to those that live away from their families, either in on-campus accommodation or renting accommodation alone or with other students. Results; The results obtained indicate that the level of perceived social support moderates the effect of stress on students’ wellbeing. The second hypothesis was also supported on the basis that females perceived themselves to have more social support than their male counterparts. The third hypothesis which sought to find out whether students who live at home with their family perceived themselves to have more social support as compared to those that live away from their families, either on on-campus accommodation or renting out a flat alone or with other students has not been clearly confirmed, therefore is an implication for further research. Lastly, the results do not indicate that younger students perceive themselves to have more social support than their older counterparts. Conclusions; It is evident that social support plays a very important role in the life of a first year student, as it assists them in moderating the effects of stress on their wellbeing. The availability and the way that individual perceive social support depends on the gender of an individual. Key words: Perceived Stress; Perceived Social Support; General Wellbeing; Moderating effect; First Year University Students. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

Transactional sex is associated with high-risk HIV transmission behaviours. Published prevalence rates of this behaviour are varying and the sensitive nature of this behaviour may inhibit self-report disclosure. A two-phase study, involving qualitative analysis of focus group discussions on transactional sex, and a subsequent survey employing different self-report methods amongst a population of female tertiary education level students (N=305) was undertaken. The Unmatched Count Technique (UCT) and the Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ) in both computer and paper modes were compared in terms of disclosure levels yielded and socially desirable response scores. Base rates of transactional sex as yielded by the UCT were comparable to those of published research. No statistically significant results were obtained for differences in disclosure levels of transactional sex between the UCT and the SAQ. Performance of the UCT was mixed, demonstrating that the reliability and validity of findings obtained by the UCT are contingent on many factors, and further research regarding this is required. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the internet by the Faculty of Humanities, Development and Social Science third year students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus. The study tried to establish how often students used the internet; what did students use the internet for; what internet services did students use the most and why were those services used. Furthermore, the study investigated what information services were relevant and important for students; whether students had the necessary skills to use the internet and what problems they experienced while using the internet. Conclusions were drawn and a set of recommendations were made based on the findings of the study. The study population comprised 330 Faculty of Humanities, Development and Social Science third year students. A total number of 254 undergraduate third year students responded, which gave a very good response rate of 77%. The researcher employed a triangulation approach where both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. For quantitative data collection the researcher used a questionnaire. An interview schedule to obtain qualitative data from the Director of Information Communication and Technology was used. The data from the interview was used to support the data from the questionnaire. The quantitative data was analysed using SPSS and the qualitative data was analysed using thematic content analysis. To maintain validity and reliability the questionnaire was pre-tested to non Faculty of HDSS undergraduate students at the UKZNP. The findings of the study showed that a majority of HDSS undergraduate third year students at UKZNP used the internet on campus with less than half of them also using the internet off campus. The most relevant and important internet services for third year students were e-mail, Web and telnet. However, the most used internet services by third year students were the Web, e-mail, social networks and telnet. A majority of students used GroupWise e-mail even though they had other e-mail accounts. In addition, a majority of students used FaceBook and students preferred Google more than other search engines. There were a number of challenges students experienced regarding the use of the internet. Such challenges included a limited number of computers in the LANs, slow internet connections, restricted access to certain sites and a lack of training on how to use the internet on campus. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

HIV/AIDS has exacted a devastating death toll on sub-Saharan Africa. Of the African countries South Africa has been the hardest hit by the epidemic. Young people between the ages 15-24 have been identified as the group most at risk for contracting HIV. The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been shown to decrease opportunistic infections and increase lifespan and quality of life of HIV infected people. VCT is an entry point to accessing life saving treatment as well as psycho-emotional and social support. A concern is that not all people who are at risk for VCT get tested. It is important to examine which psychosocial factors affect the uptake of VCT. A questionnaire that measures willingness to test for HlV and various other psychosocial and socio-demographic factors affecting VCT uptake, was administered to a group of first year psychology students, (N= 181). Chi Square (X2 ) analysis determined that knowledge of HIV transmission, knowledge of VCT, fear of testing, perceived social support and perceived social stigma were significantly associated with willingness to test for HIV (p / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.