In many developing economies, access to and subsequent utilisation of mainstream financial services act as a barrier to financial inclusion. The merging of financial services and information technology, especially by means of mobile devices, result in consumers being able to make use of financial services at any time and place, thereby overcoming the distribution challenges and subsequent use (Gu, Lee, & Suh, 2009). This research examined the factors influencing the continued use of tech-based financial services post adoption by the Base of the Pyramid (BOP) in South Africa. The research uses the risk-benefit framework to understand usage behaviour focusing on cost, convenience, perceived ease of use and risk (security and operational) as predictor variables. The research makes use of analysed secondary data on 481 low-income individuals using the Structural equation modelling (SEM).The partial least squares structural modelling was utilised to test the hypotheses and relationship between the variables. The findings indicate that perceived benefit has a greater influence on usage than perceived risk. Even though consumers consider both benefit and risk in decision making, the expectation of potential benefits is a greater driver of usage. Convenience, cost and perceived ease of use were found to have significant impacts on usage, with the latter two having the greatest impacts. Perceived risk had a significant but weak impact on usage, with operating risk influencing usage more than security risk. The research recommends that when creating a value proposition for Fintech products, resources should be weighted more towards improving and highlighting those factors that drive the perception of benefit or value added to customers (cheaper, quicker etc.) vs. those that manage a potential risk. Customers are likely to respond positively and increase usage when there is an additional benefit to be derived.

Teachers are often the source of referrals to Occupational Therapy in mainstream schools. The researcher wanted to determine what the Grade one teachers’ perceptions are regarding Occupational Therapy and children with learning difficulties. A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted to gather in-depth information about the teachers’ lived experiences and thus gather information about their perception of Occupational Therapy and children with learning difficulties. This study was conducted in Tshwane South District, Gauteng. A total of seven focus groups where held at the three types of mainstream primary schools namely: No-Fee-, Former Model-C- and Private schools. The focus groups were recorded with written permission and data was transcribed and analysed. The themes highlighted the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of the teachers towards Occupational Therapy and the children with learning difficulties. It furthermore indicated the teachers’ perception of the role that parents play in helping their children with learning difficulties. Teachers’ perceptions proved to be important when referring a child with learning difficulties to Occupational Therapy. / Dissertation (MOccTher)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Occupational Therapy / MOccTher / Unrestricted

Thesis advisor: Sara Moorman / Thesis advisor: Eve Spangler / This research project explores the narratives of how and when young Black people came to understand their race, as well as the implications of it. In order to expand upon the existing studies regarding racial realization and provide specific stories of such instances, qualitative interviews with nine Black people (ages 18-22) were conducted. The upbringings of these young Black people were analyzed in depth in order to provide insight to different types of racial socialization. It was found that both colorblind upbringings and non-colorblind upbringings that center individuals rather than systems of oppression are not helpful in the racial identity formation of young Black people. They both result in the perpetuation of the idea that racially marginalized people should modify their behavior. Additionally, this project exposes some of the reasons why racial realization is often a jarring experience for Black people in America, and in turn, expose some of the ways it can be less so. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Departmental Honors. / Discipline: Sociology.

Magister Artium - MA / Scholarship on theatre in South Africa has shown how under the Apartheid government theatrical practices were divided into different genres such as protest theatre, township theatre, black theatre, mainstream theatre etc. In many ways theatre today presents the same fractures and polarisations: community and mainstream theatre. This study investigates ways in which black theatre artists from marginalised and disadvantaged communities with and without formal training negotiate themselves within theatre spaces in Cape Town. Discussing and analyzing the works and the trajectories of two case-studies: the Ukwanda Puppet and Design Company and the Back Stage Theatre Production Company, I attempt to demonstrate how works of arts that awkwardly sits with labels such as “community” or “mainstream” theatre are emerging more and more in the Cape Town theatre scene.

Syftet med detta arbete var att ta reda på vilket stöd det finns för språkminoritetselever, dvs elever i USA som inte har engelskan som modersmål, i de amerikanske klassrummen. Jag intervjuade fem amerikanska lärare i Atlanta. Jag ville ta reda på hur medvetna dessa lärare är om de speciella behov språkminoritetselever har. De fem intervjuade lärarna kände till grundläggande ideer om att undervisa språkminoritetselever i sina klassrum men ingen av dem hade läst om det under sin utbildning. Undersökningen indikerar att andra språk än engelska inte har så stor betydelse i skolor i Atlanta och att lärare inte får tillräckligt med undervisning om språkminoritetselever. Något som är överraskande eftersom det är förutspått att år 2020 kommer tjugofem procent av de amerikanska eleverna ha ett annat modersmål än engelska. / In order to find out what support there is for ELL students, students with a first language other than English in mainstream classrooms in the US, I have interviewed five teachers in Atlanta. I was interested in seeing how much these teachers know of the special needs these students have. The five teachers interviewed knew basic idea of how to instruct ELL students in their mainstream classroom but no one had been taught anything about second language acquisition or theories about the needs of ELL students in their education. This study also indicates that other languages than English are not of importance in the schools in Atlanta and teachers are not taught how to deal with ELL students. This is surprising since predictions say that in 2020 twenty five percent of students in the US will speak a first language others than English.

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The referral of a student for a psycho-educational evaluation is one of the most important responsibilities of school-based personnel, in particular for the general education classroom teacher (Abidin & Robinson, 2002; Artiles & Trent, 1994; Hosp & Reschly, 2003). A referral for evaluation or intervention is also one of the most important predictors of future special education eligibility. The Commonwealth of Virginia has traditionally used Child-Study Committees (CSC) to address the provision of supportive interventions within regular classroom settings to students prior to referral for special education eligibility. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the support given by CSCs to those students who were referred for academic and/or behavioral concerns. Effectiveness was measured by the alignment of the referral concern(s) with the assigned intervention to address this concern(s) as well as the notion that a referral was not delayed which would have delayed needed services for students. This inquiry addressed the intervention assistance given to elementary grade students who were referred in order: (a) to determine the outcomes of the CSC process by grade level, and by race and gender of students; and (b) to determine if the CSC process facilitated or delayed appropriate referral for special education services prior to the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) approaches in the state. Methods of quantitative descriptive content analysis were utilized. The findings of this study indicated that of the students (n=136) referred to the CSC, 62.5% were recommended for a complete evaluation and determined eligible for special education services. In addition, 77.2% of referrals were related to academic concerns, and 17.6% were for behavioral concerns; only 5.1% of the referrals were made for both academic and behavioral concerns. The percentage of students who recycled through the process was insignificant and there was not a delay in the referral for special education services, suggesting that the initial interventions were appropriate for the given student. Results further indicated that the retention and promotion status of the referred students was not affected by the process. As it relates to implications for practice, the CSC provided a systematic approach that school divisions may be able to utilize to determine the efficacy of interventions that address the current academic and/or behavioral needs of students in the classroom. It is recommended that future research in this area be conducted with a larger sample of the country, thus allowing more generalizability to other populations. In addition, as the CSC process develops, it would be interesting to examine the evolution of the process and the modifications made. / Ph. D.

This study focuses on the transgender community's presence and portrayal in advertisements that reach a broad, mainstream audience base. Through a mixed-methods use of focus groups and qualitative content analysis, the content, context, and framings of ads between the years 2015 and 2018 are explored to illustrate current portrayals of the trans community and how the industry is approaching this subcultural group. Its findings contribute to advertising research by exploring current trends in trans portrayals in the cultural context they exist. Because trans advertising in both LGBTQ+ publications and to mainstream audience is largely unexplored, this study seeks to begin a conversation among advertising professionals. The main objective is to ultimately improve the number of genuine, positive portrayals of trans people in advertising and hold the industry accountable for the role they play in serving this community.

The main aim of this study was to attempt to establish by the use of an environmental specific Personal Growth Programme, whether it is possible to assist students towards a more ‘holistic’ personal formation. It also aimed to investigate whether a move away from traditional education in the form of alternative or parallel programmes, would assist in bringing about an integrated individual, who is more capable of dealing with life as a whole (Krishnamurti 1953). The research was undertaken with adult students between the ages of 21 and 60, at the multi-cultural and extremely diverse residential theological College of the Transfiguration, in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province. An overview of Holistic and Mainstream education was explored in this study, which included also the challenges and influences which each type of education faces. The study then went on to investigate whether it is possible to bridge the gap that exists between holistic and mainstream education using various methods of alternative education. In the qualitative study, the Personal Growth Programme Annual Review Questionnaire was used to obtain feedback from the students to assess the usefulness of the Personal Growth Programme in their journey towards wholeness. This, together with the student’s responses from the in-depth interviews were used to ascertain the study’s limitations, credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability.

The main aim of this study was to attempt to establish by the use of an environmental specific Personal Growth Programme, whether it is possible to assist students towards a more ‘holistic’ personal formation. It also aimed to investigate whether a move away from traditional education in the form of alternative or parallel programmes, would assist in bringing about an integrated individual, who is more capable of dealing with life as a whole (Krishnamurti 1953). The research was undertaken with adult students between the ages of 21 and 60, at the multi-cultural and extremely diverse residential theological College of the Transfiguration, in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province. An overview of Holistic and Mainstream education was explored in this study, which included also the challenges and influences which each type of education faces. The study then went on to investigate whether it is possible to bridge the gap that exists between holistic and mainstream education using various methods of alternative education. In the qualitative study, the Personal Growth Programme Annual Review Questionnaire was used to obtain feedback from the students to assess the usefulness of the Personal Growth Programme in their journey towards wholeness. This, together with the student’s responses from the in-depth interviews were used to ascertain the study’s limitations, credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability.