Introduction Being an effective communicator is a core competency required of all health care practitioners. Some undergraduate medical students at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine (NRMSM), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, are unable to communicate in isiZulu, the mother tongue of nearly 80% of the 10.2 million people in the province, and the most common home language spoken in South Africa. A one-year isiZulu course to teach communicative competence in the language, and assessed in the first three years of the 6-year MBChB programme, is currently offered at the first year level to medical students. Aim This study was conducted in 2012 to assess how isiZulu clinical communication was perceived by a third year cohort of medical students, and whether current teaching in the period 2010-2012 had prepared them to communicate with their patients. Methods An observational, cross-sectional study design was used to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of the study group through a self-completed questionnaire. Their knowledge of isiZulu was assessed in a written test, and the students’ marks were compared with their marks in 2010. Oral competence was assessed in an isiZulu history-taking station in the objective structured clinical examination. Students’ comments on their experiences and their recommendations were recorded. Ethics approval was obtained to conduct the study, and informed consent was obtained from participants. Results & Discussion Medical students’ competence in isiZulu had improved. They were largely positive about learning the language of their patients but seldom used the language in the clinical setting. Many students indicated that the current teaching of isiZulu in the programme was inadequate for their needs. Conclusion & Recommendations Although isiZulu is taught to non-isiZulu students, this does not convert into an ability to use the language in the clinical setting. In order for medical students to acquire a satisfactory and safe level of communicative competence in isiZulu, and in line with the UKZN Language Plan to emphasize language training specific to various vocational groups, it is recommended that the teaching, learning and assessment of isiZulu language and culture be integrated into all levels of the undergraduate medical programme in the form of vocation-specific isiZulu for medical students. / Thesis (M.Med.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

The research reflected here examined in depth how one cohort of learners viewed and engaged in literature searches using web browser based resources. Action research was employed using a mixed methods approach. The research started with a survey followed by interviews and a screencast examining practice based on a series of search related exercises. These were analysed and used as data to establish what deficits in using the web to search for literature existed in the target group. Based on the analysis of these instruments, the problem was redefined and a workshop intended to help remediate deficiencies uncovered was run. Based on this a recommendation is made that a credit bearing course teaching digital research literacy be made available which would include information literacy as a component. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of library resources by doctoral students of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), College of Humanities, Pietermaritzburg campus. The study investigated the extent of the use of the library resources by doctoral students in the College of Humanities, the type of library resources used and the factors that influenced such use. The study also looked at the competency of doctoral students to use them. The study population consisted of registered doctoral students in the College of Humanities as at April 2012 when the data was collected. Out of a total of 118 questionnaires distributed, 99 doctoral students responded, which yielded a response rate of 83.9%. The method that the research took was triangulation where both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. The researcher used one-on-one interviews with subject librarians at the UKZNP Library and a questionnaire as data collection instruments. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 21, while the qualitative data was analyzed using thematic content analysis. The questionnaire was pre-tested before it was used. The findings of the study revealed that a majority of the doctoral students did use the UKZNP Library resources for their research studies. As regards the importance of the library resources, out of 98 respondents who responded to the question, 77 (78.6%) of the respondents indicated that their use of library resources was because of its importance to their research study. Regarding the dependency on library resources, out of 98 respondents who responded to the question, 60 (61.2%) respondents said their extent of use of the library‟s resources was because they were very dependent on the resources of the library for their research study. In terms of usage of the library‟s resources, out of the 99 respondents who responded to the question, 50 (53.8%) said they use the library‟s resources more for their research study. When investigating the types of library resources used by doctoral students in the College of Humanities, 85 (86.7%) respondents used electronic databases, while 77 (78.6%) used print materials (books and journals); 68 (69.4%) used the inter-library loan service and 60 (61.2%) used theses and dissertations amongst other resources. With regards to the influencing factors for such use of library resources by doctoral students in the College of Humanities, the study found that 93 (97.9%) influencing factors for the respondents was to borrow materials, like printed books and journal articles, for their research studies, while for 52 (54.7%) respondents, a factor was to use inter-library loan services for their research studies and for 38 (40.0%) it was to search the databases for information for their research studies. Furthermore, the study also wanted to determine how competent the doctoral students in the College of Humanities were in using the different library resources of the UKZNP Library. Out of 99 respondents, 79 (79.8%) considered themselves to be competent users of the different library resources with particular reference to electronic resources, while 16.2 (16.2%) considered themselves not to be competent and four (4.0%) did not respond to the question. Having seen the extent of use of the library resources by doctoral students in the College of Humanities, the type of resources the doctoral students used, the factors that influenced such use and the competency of use, the study also discovered that there were challenges that these doctoral students encountered while using the library‟s resources. Some of these challenges were: difficulties in locating resources on shelves as a result of the misplaced and disorganized arrangement of material; out of date printed resource material and insufficient time for borrowing books on reserve. With electronic databases, some of the challenges were that important journals and books were not available electronically, remote access was difficult because of passwords and logins, and some electronic databases only offer abstracts rather than full text articles. In addition, electronic databases were often very slow to conclude searches. A final challenge encountered by the doctoral students was that subject librarians were always very busy attending to students and sometimes not available to help. Recommendations based on the findings of the study were also presented in chapter five and six of this study. Suggestions on how the library can better serve the doctoral students of the UKZNP campus were also given in the concluding chapter. / Thesis (M.I.S)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Since the democratic transition, South Africa has come a long way in paving a path that enables citizens to take advantage of education. Within universities, certain overlooked socio-economic and food security factors affect academic performance. The prevalence of food insecurity and factors affecting academic performance was investigated in the context of underperforming first year students. A mixed methodology was used where questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used to collect in depth information. The individual dietary diversity score (IDDS) and household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS) were used to assess the severity of food insecurity. Fifty-three per cent of students came from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds characterised by unemployed parents and a high dependency on government grants. Twenty per cent of students regularly send remittances home, diverted from their scholarships/ bursaries and study loans thus leaving little for students to survive on. HFIAS results showed majority of students were food insecure as 80% experienced anxiety about food availability and accessibility and 54% had periods of complete inaccessibility to food. The majority of students proved to lack skills in grocery listing and financial management skills. Affordability and storage facility challenges led to students consuming nutritionally poor foods which compromised their health status. The IDDS showed 92% of students consumed bread, rice and maize; 70% ate foods with high levels of sugar, 71% ate foods made with oil, fat or butter; 66% ate meat; 58% ate vegetables, 50% ate fruits. This showed students’ diet is lacking in diversity as they resort to rich, energy-dense and cheap foods found at cheap prices. This robbed students of essential nutrients. Students who lived in university-owned residences were at higher risk of food insecurity. A significant proportion of study participants had substandard secondary school education. The shift in the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) created challenges evident in lack of classroom engagement and lack of efficiency in communicating answers in tests and exams. Student accommodation and its proximity to learning facilities also affected performance negatively. The study therefore recommends, among other things, that university-owned residences reintroduce and/or subsidize dining halls to increase food accessibility, availability, quality, quantity and dietary diversity challenges. Food coupons could be introduced to low socio-economic students to purchase food from supporting grocery stores. Mandatory attendance of first year students to specialized programs organized by faculties and Student Counseling Centre to improve preparedness of students is needed. The UKZN LoLT policy needs to be implemented effectively so that the performance of second and third language speakers is improved. Translated material and academics who can speak the main local language is encouraged. The use code-switching techniques for the benefit of second and third language speakers are also encouraged when academics can use the main language. / Thesis (M.Sc.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.