In South Africa, urbanized environments are often studied individually, not taking the surrounding natural environment into account (McConnachie and Shackleton, 2012: 2). Current approaches focussing on the integration of Urban Planning and Urban Ecology seek to address these issues of integrated planning. Urban Ecology practice aims to describe the study of (1) humans in human settlements, of (2) nature in human settlements, and of (3) the joined relationships between humans and nature. Urban Ecology thus forms a major part of Urban and Spatial Planning, with regard to the objectives of sustainable planning and development, green infrastructure planning, and resilience. The role and impact of green spaces to support sustainable human settlements are no new phenomenon (Byrne & Sipe, 2010: 7). This is related to the different benefits which nature provides, referred to in this research as ecosystem services (or environmental benefits) of green spaces. Green spaces, in this sense, are fundamental areas in human settlements, in need of intentional and structured planning approaches to enhance sustainability and said environmental benefits. It is important to realise that the environment in urbanized areas is dependent on the local communities (in terms of conservation and appropriate planning approaches), but that local communities (society) are also dependent on the environment (in terms of certain benefits which are provided by the said green spaces and environment). Rural settlements in South Africa experience various problems and challenges in terms of planning for the environment through green spaces (as well as sustainability), mainly as a result of the fragmentation of these rural areas, the existence of lost spaces, urbanisation, urban sprawl and poverty (Trancik, 1986; Barnett, 1995; IIED, 2000; DEAT, 2006; McMahan et al, 2002). This research attempted to address the challenges of integrated planning and green space provision in a local rural context, by means of: (1) A literature study encompassing research on Urban Ecology; Urban Planning; environmental dimension of planning; provision of ecosystem services; green infrastructure planning; resilience, and relevant policies and legislation; (2) An empirical investigation and comparative evaluation of international case studies, along with a local case study; and (3) drawing conclusions and recommendations for the local case study, based on the international approaches and identified best-practices. This research evaluated the spatial and environmental benefits of green space and enhanced the importance of planning for such benefits in rural South African areas. / MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In South Africa, urbanized environments are often studied individually, not taking the surrounding natural environment into account (McConnachie and Shackleton, 2012: 2). Current approaches focussing on the integration of Urban Planning and Urban Ecology seek to address these issues of integrated planning. Urban Ecology practice aims to describe the study of (1) humans in human settlements, of (2) nature in human settlements, and of (3) the joined relationships between humans and nature. Urban Ecology thus forms a major part of Urban and Spatial Planning, with regard to the objectives of sustainable planning and development, green infrastructure planning, and resilience. The role and impact of green spaces to support sustainable human settlements are no new phenomenon (Byrne & Sipe, 2010: 7). This is related to the different benefits which nature provides, referred to in this research as ecosystem services (or environmental benefits) of green spaces. Green spaces, in this sense, are fundamental areas in human settlements, in need of intentional and structured planning approaches to enhance sustainability and said environmental benefits. It is important to realise that the environment in urbanized areas is dependent on the local communities (in terms of conservation and appropriate planning approaches), but that local communities (society) are also dependent on the environment (in terms of certain benefits which are provided by the said green spaces and environment). Rural settlements in South Africa experience various problems and challenges in terms of planning for the environment through green spaces (as well as sustainability), mainly as a result of the fragmentation of these rural areas, the existence of lost spaces, urbanisation, urban sprawl and poverty (Trancik, 1986; Barnett, 1995; IIED, 2000; DEAT, 2006; McMahan et al, 2002). This research attempted to address the challenges of integrated planning and green space provision in a local rural context, by means of: (1) A literature study encompassing research on Urban Ecology; Urban Planning; environmental dimension of planning; provision of ecosystem services; green infrastructure planning; resilience, and relevant policies and legislation; (2) An empirical investigation and comparative evaluation of international case studies, along with a local case study; and (3) drawing conclusions and recommendations for the local case study, based on the international approaches and identified best-practices. This research evaluated the spatial and environmental benefits of green space and enhanced the importance of planning for such benefits in rural South African areas. / MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Please read the abstract in the dissertation. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

This study compares the impact of dimensional modelling and data vault modelling on the performance and maintenance effort of data warehouses. Dimensional modelling is a data warehouse modelling technique pioneered by Ralph Kimball in the 1980s that is much more effective at querying large volumes of data in relational databases than third normal form data models. Data vault modelling is a relatively new modelling technique for data warehouses that, according to its creator Dan Linstedt, was created in order to address the weaknesses of dimensional modelling. To date, no scientific comparison between the two modelling techniques have been conducted. A scientific comparison was achieved in this study, through the implementation of several experiments. The experiments compared the data warehouse implementations based on dimensional modelling techniques with data warehouse implementations based on data vault modelling techniques in terms of load performance, query performance, storage requirements, and flexibility to business requirements changes. An analysis of the results of each of the experiments indicated that the data vault model outperformed the dimensional model in terms of load performance and flexibility. However, the dimensional model required less storage space than the data vault model. With regards to query performance, no statistically significant differences existed between the two modelling techniques. / MSc (Computer Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This study compares the impact of dimensional modelling and data vault modelling on the performance and maintenance effort of data warehouses. Dimensional modelling is a data warehouse modelling technique pioneered by Ralph Kimball in the 1980s that is much more effective at querying large volumes of data in relational databases than third normal form data models. Data vault modelling is a relatively new modelling technique for data warehouses that, according to its creator Dan Linstedt, was created in order to address the weaknesses of dimensional modelling. To date, no scientific comparison between the two modelling techniques have been conducted. A scientific comparison was achieved in this study, through the implementation of several experiments. The experiments compared the data warehouse implementations based on dimensional modelling techniques with data warehouse implementations based on data vault modelling techniques in terms of load performance, query performance, storage requirements, and flexibility to business requirements changes. An analysis of the results of each of the experiments indicated that the data vault model outperformed the dimensional model in terms of load performance and flexibility. However, the dimensional model required less storage space than the data vault model. With regards to query performance, no statistically significant differences existed between the two modelling techniques. / MSc (Computer Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Om ’n beroepskeuse te maak of oor ’n (nuwe) beroep te besluit, is op sigself ’n oefening wat geweldige emosionele insig, krag en volwassenheid verg. Indien hierdie belangrike besluit geneem moet word deur ’n adolessent wat boonop hakkel, verg dit soveel me er innerlike sterkte. Vir so ’n jongmens is dit ’n enorme taak om ’n beeld van hom-/haarself in die toekoms te projekteer en besluite rakende ’n beroep en/of loopbaan te neem. Om te hakkel beïnvloed ongetwyfeld ’n adolessent se toekomsvisie en - planne. Benewens die feit dat die siening van die self in die hede aangepas moet word om ruimte te laat vir hakkel as ’n persoonlikheidseienskap en besluite wat dit behels en beïnvloed, moet die betrokke adolessent ook hierdie beeld op so ʼn wyse kan aanpas dat die self suksesvol in die toekoms geprojekteer kan word. Dit is die primêre doelwit van die onderhawige studie om vas te stel watter waarde lewensontwerpberading inhou vir ’n adolessent wat hakkel, en die studie word onderneem teen die agtergrond van beide die sisteemteorie en die sosiale konstruktivisme ten einde die navorser te help om op die ervaring van die deelnemer binne sy unieke konteks te fokus. Die studie is spesifiek gerig op die belewingswêreld van die adolessent wat hakkel. Ten einde die subjektiewe en diverse ervarings van die deelnemer beter te begryp, het ek ondersoek gedoen na die wyse waarop adolessente oor die algemeen (en my deelnemer in die besonder) deur middel van interaksie met ander (en die omgewing) deur die lens van die sosiale konstruktivisme vir hulself betekenis skep. Ek het vanuit ʼn kwalitatiewe paradigma gewerk en ʼn gevalstudie gedoen waar die eenheid van ondersoek ʼn adolessent was wat hakkel. My studie het gefokus op aanpasbaarheid as ’n element van hierdie adolessent se lewensontwerp, maar dan spesifiek ook op die wyse waarop die vier kerndimensies van aanpasbaarheid in sy lewe voltrek, te wete beroepsbelang, beroepsbeheer, beroepsnuuskierigheid en beroepselfvertroue. Ek het oorkoepelend ondersoek ingestel na die waarde van lewensontwerpberading in terme van die betekenisgewing (meaning making) en ‘heelwording’ (becoming more whole) van hierdie deelnemer as ’n persoon wat hakkel. ENGLISH : Making a career choice or deciding about a (new) career/job is an exercise that in itself already requires significant emotional insight, command and maturity. When this important decision is to be made by an adolescent who also stutters, this requires so much more inner strength. For such a youth it is a gigantic task to project an image of him/herself into the future and to make decisions concerning a future job/career. To stutter, unquestionably influences a person’s future vision and plans. Not only does it require an adaptation of the view of the self in the present to make space for this personality trait and the decisions that will influence and concern it, but the adolescent who stutters also will have to adjust this image of the self in order to successfully project the self into the future. It is the primary goal of this study to investigate the value of life design counselling for an adolescent who stutters and it is done against the background of both the systems theory and social constructivism in order to help the researcher to focus on the experience of the participant within his unique context. The study is specifically the world of experience of the adolescent who stutters. In order to better understand the subjective and diverse experiences of the participant, I investigated through the lens of social constructivism the way in which adolescents in general (and my participant in particular) created meaning through interaction with others (and the environment). I worked from a qualitative paradigm and conducted a case study where the unit of investigation was an adolescent who stutters. My study focused on adaptability as an element of this adolescent’s life design, but then specifically on the way that the four core dimensions of adaptability, that is career concern, career control, career curiosity and career confidence, manifest themselves in his life. I conducted an overall investigation into the value that life design counselling holds for the participant as a person who stutters in terms of his making meaning of life and becoming more whole as a person. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Text in Afrikaans / Health care has typical challenges and stress factors as employees deal with people in a very personal manner. This exclusively client-centred environment requires special skills from employees if they wish to perform well. In addition to excellent interpersonal and stress management skills, they need to be able to handle their own and patients' emotions well. These skills can be referred to as emotional intelligence competencies. Emotional intelligence is a relatively new concept with many possibilities if applied correctly. This study involves 114 employees, their colleagues and supervisors in two health-care organisations. The 360° Emotional Competency Profiler was used together with the internal performance evaluation scores, and statistical techniques such as t-tests and discriminant analysis were utilized. It was found that certain emotional intelligence dimensions and work performance are related to a certain extent. However, other factors also need to be considered if one wants to make predictions in this regard. / Die gesondheidsorgomgewing het unieke uitdagings en stresfaktore omdat werknemers op 'n baie persoonlike vlak met mense werk. Die uitsluitlik klientgesentreerde omgewing verg spesiale vaardighede indien werknemers goed wil presteer. Buiten uitstekende interpersoonlike- en streshanteringsvaardighede, moet hulle ook in staat wees om hulle eie en huile pasiente se gevoelens te kan hanteer. Hierdie vaardighede kan na verwys word as emosionele intelligensievaardighede. Emosionele intelligensie is 'n relatief nuwe konsep wat baie toepassingsmoontlikhede het indien dit reg aangewend word. Hierdie studie betrek 114 beskikbare werknemers en hulle kollegas en toesighouers in twee gesondheidsorgorganisasies. Die 360° Emotional Competency Profiler is saam met die interne prestasie-beoordelingstellings gebruik en daar is gebruik gemaak van statistiese tegnieke soos f-toetse en diskriminantontleding. Daar is bevind dat sekere emosionele intelligensie dimensies in 'n sekere mate 'n onderlinge verband toon met werksprestasie. Ander faktore moet egter ook in ag geneem word indien mens 'n voorspelling in hierdie verband wil maak. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCOM (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / Health care has typical challenges and stress factors as employees deal with people in a very personal manner. This exclusively client-centred environment requires special skills from employees if they wish to perform well. In addition to excellent interpersonal and stress management skills, they need to be able to handle their own and patients' emotions well. These skills can be referred to as emotional intelligence competencies. Emotional intelligence is a relatively new concept with many possibilities if applied correctly. This study involves 114 employees, their colleagues and supervisors in two health-care organisations. The 360° Emotional Competency Profiler was used together with the internal performance evaluation scores, and statistical techniques such as t-tests and discriminant analysis were utilized. It was found that certain emotional intelligence dimensions and work performance are related to a certain extent. However, other factors also need to be considered if one wants to make predictions in this regard. / Die gesondheidsorgomgewing het unieke uitdagings en stresfaktore omdat werknemers op 'n baie persoonlike vlak met mense werk. Die uitsluitlik klientgesentreerde omgewing verg spesiale vaardighede indien werknemers goed wil presteer. Buiten uitstekende interpersoonlike- en streshanteringsvaardighede, moet hulle ook in staat wees om hulle eie en huile pasiente se gevoelens te kan hanteer. Hierdie vaardighede kan na verwys word as emosionele intelligensievaardighede. Emosionele intelligensie is 'n relatief nuwe konsep wat baie toepassingsmoontlikhede het indien dit reg aangewend word. Hierdie studie betrek 114 beskikbare werknemers en hulle kollegas en toesighouers in twee gesondheidsorgorganisasies. Die 360° Emotional Competency Profiler is saam met die interne prestasie-beoordelingstellings gebruik en daar is gebruik gemaak van statistiese tegnieke soos f-toetse en diskriminantontleding. Daar is bevind dat sekere emosionele intelligensie dimensies in 'n sekere mate 'n onderlinge verband toon met werksprestasie. Ander faktore moet egter ook in ag geneem word indien mens 'n voorspelling in hierdie verband wil maak. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCOM (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)