The introduction of e-learning in teaching and learning has necessitated the training of staff members in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This study focuses on the challenges that staff members, who are the facilitators of learning, experience when undergoing training in ICT. The research design employed a qualitative methodology which involved focus groups from a public university. Data was collected from the participants through semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that the challenges that staff members experienced during ICT training are related to a lack of computer competence, lack of time, an information overload, the non-involvement of staff in the planning of their training, facilitation limitations, lack of technical support and institutional challenges that involve infrastructure. The study further revealed that the principles of adult learning play a reciprocal role in the staff’s professional developmental challenges. In view of these findings, this study offers recommendations for improving the ICT training of staff members. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

The introduction of e-learning in teaching and learning has necessitated the training of staff members in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This study focuses on the challenges that staff members, who are the facilitators of learning, experience when undergoing training in ICT. The research design employed a qualitative methodology which involved focus groups from a public university. Data was collected from the participants through semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that the challenges that staff members experienced during ICT training are related to a lack of computer competence, lack of time, an information overload, the non-involvement of staff in the planning of their training, facilitation limitations, lack of technical support and institutional challenges that involve infrastructure. The study further revealed that the principles of adult learning play a reciprocal role in the staff’s professional developmental challenges. In view of these findings, this study offers recommendations for improving the ICT training of staff members. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is about the missional challenge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic to the leadership of the Kwazakhele congregation in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. This undertaking should be dealt with from the premise of a practical theological point of view. In this context, the HIV/AIDS pandemic aggravates the plight of those in the community with the least resources, i.e. orphans and the destitute. Very limited resources, for example financial, psychological and spiritual, are available to them. This has severely impacted on the lives of South Africans across the country. And, this impact of HIV/AIDS is being felt at all levels of the society with its ever-increasing cases of infections, deaths, rejections, stigmatization, number of orphans and households headed by children. This social reality poses a burden on ministerial health budgets, thus a dilemma for health resources. Through her leadership, the Church, as an instrument and field for the Triune God‟s missional praxis, is called to respond and act upon this plight. In that sense, a clear understanding of the missional Church is central in this theological and practical undertaking. The Kwazakhele leadership's empowerment will enable them to lead the congregation in a faithful response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic while taking cognizance of appropriate theological reflections that relate to the Triune God's salvific work. In essence, the researcher intends to investigate how the congregation of the Kwazakhele Uniting Reformed Church of South Africa (URCSA) can combat and deal with HIV/AIDS in a compassionate Christian manner while taking cognizance of biblical imperatives. In that respect, the researcher has been engaged with interviews of families in the Kwazakhele congregation, members of whom had died of AIDS. The objective was to shed light on their experiences and to determine whether the Church is doing enough to support their members regarding this pandemic. Furthermore, this research also challenges the Kwazakhele congregation, in particular, whether she fulfills her calling, that is, crosses the boundaries to take care of the plight that the community faces regarding HIV/AIDS. In actual fact, the discernment of God's will is possible by a critical and sensitive leadership who should determine whether the congregation whom they serve is competent enough to deal with this HIV/AIDS pandemic, or not. This, indeed, challenges their Christian consciences. The researcher believes that the information and the resource material, as well as the institution to which he referred, will be of assistance to the Christian leadership of the Kwazakhele congregation and also the entire URCSA congregation at large. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die fokus van hierdie studie is die missionêre uitdaging van die MIV/VIGS pandemie aan die leierskap van die Kwazakhele gemeente in Port Elizabeth. Die studie word onderneem vanuit die gesigspunt van die Praktiese Teologie. Binne hierdie konteks, vererger die MIV/VIGS pandemie die lot van diegene in die gemeenskap met die minste bronne, naamlik die weeskinders en hulpbehoewendes. Baie min bronne (sielkundig, finansieel en spiritueel) is beskikbaar vir hulle. Die impak op die lewens van Suid-Afrikaners landswyd is drasties. Daar is toenemende sterftes, verwerping, stigmatisering en weeskinders, asook kinders aan die hoof van huishoudings. Hierdie maatskaplike werklikheid plaas groot druk op die nasionale gesondheidsbegroting. Die kerk, as instrument en lokus vir die missionêre praksis van die drieënige God, is geroepe om op te tree en hierdie haglike toedrag van sake aan te spreek deur haar leiers. 'n Duidelike verstaan van wat 'n missionêre kerk is, staan sentraal in hierdie teologiese en praktiese onderneming. Bemagtiging van die leierskap in die Kwazakhele gemeente sal hulle in staat stel om die gemeente te lei om getrou te wees aan hulle roeping om die MIV/VIGS pandemie aan te spreek. Terselfdertyd moet hulle ook bewus wees van toepaslike teologiese nadenke oor die drieënige God se ingrype om Sy reddened genade te laat realiseer. Die navorser poog dus om te ondersoek hoe die Kwazakhele Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk (VGK) die MIV/VIGS pandemie kan teëwerk en daarmee op 'n barmhartige Christelike wyse kan handel, en voortdurend bewus wees van Bybelse imperatiewe in hierdie verband. Die navorser het ook onderhoude gevoer met familielede van persone wat as gevolg van VIGS gesterf het ten einde, aan die hand van hulle ondervindinge, vas te stel of die Kerk genoeg doen om lidmate te ondersteun ten tyde van hierdie pandemie. Hierdie navorsing is ook 'n uitdaging aan die Kwazakhele gemeente om te bepaal of sy haar roeping vervul, grense oorsteek, en omgee vir 'n gemeenskap in nood. Onderskeiding van God se wil is moontlik deur kritiese en sensitiewe leierskap wat moet bepaal of die gemeente, waarin hulle dien, in staat is om genoegsaam aandag aan die MIV/VIGS pandemie te skenk. Hierdie oefening daag hul Christelike gewete uit. Die navorser is van mening dat die inligting en navorsingsmateriaal, asook die instelling waarna verwys word, die Christelike leierskap van die Kwazakhele gemeente, sowel as hele VGKSA, van hulp kan wees.

Research report (MMed) -- Stellenbosch University, 2010. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Hypertension and its complications is responsible for a significant proportion of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Dora Nginza Hospital, clinical experience has shown that hypertension and its complications are common but despite this assumption, the overall prevalence of complications, social and demographic characteristics and various forms of presentations of hypertension in pregnancy is still largely unknown. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of complications, risk factors, social and demographic characteristics of hypertensive complications of pregnancy in Dora Nginza Hospital. STUDY DESIGN: The study is a retrospective descriptive study performed on medical records. The study was carried out by looking at records of patients admitted with hypertension in pregnancy over a 2 year period (2007-2008). MS Excel was used to capture the data and STATISTICA version 9 was used for data analysis. SETTING: Dora Nginza hospital, Port Elizabeth Hospitals Complex. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The incidence, risk factors, maternal complications, perinatal outcome. RESULTS: A total of 22,711 deliveries were recorded in Dora Nginza hospital over the two year period (2007-2008). 1520 cases were complicated by hypertension giving an incidence of hypertension as 6.69% (66.9 per 1000 deliveries). The incidence of pre eclampsia is 35.40% and chronic hypertension 2.80%. Maternal complications occurred in 40.29% of the hypertensive women. Maternal deaths occurred in 0.79% (790 per 100000 deliveries) accounting for 38.71% of the total maternal deaths in the facility. Poor neonatal outcome was recorded in 5.90% of these women. The 2.30% stillbirths represent 3.30% of all fetal deaths in the facility for the study period. Prominent risk factors are age, race, low socioeconomic status, smoking and BMI CONCLUSION: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in Dora Nginza hospital is common and is an important cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Improved socioeconomic status, quality obstetric services which include early booking, proper antenatal care, early referral and proper documentation can minimise the effect of hypertension on pregnancy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: geen opsomming

Thesis ((MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is experiencing similar problems as those occurring in other developing countries. Such problems include: large scale poverty; unequal regional development; inefficient policies; fragmented transport systems. The list goes on. This is largely due to apartheid policiesthat were implemented. After 1994 a series of new policies and programmes was implemented. Their aim was to eradicate apartheid planning; to provide equal and fair development for everyone and to stimulate and boost the economy. The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) was the first policy of its kind, followed by the Growth, Employment and Redistribution programme (GEAR). The aim of these two policies was to stimulate the economy, especially in areas where there is a need for an economic boost. This ultimately led to programmes such as the Spatial Development Initiative (SDI); Local Economic Development and Export Processing Zones or as they are better known in South Africa, Industrial Development Zones. Programmes or initiative such as these were aimed at boosting the economy, providing employment and utilising resources in a region. This is the shift that has taken place in development planning, from traditional regional policies towards incentive driven policiesthat try to attract investment into under-developed regions. Programmessuch as Industrial Development Zones however have a long history, not all of it positive. These zones have been known as sweatshops and that they use child labour. The largest problem of these zones is that labour legislation is almost non-existent. In 2001 South Africa declared Coega the first Industrial Development Zone in the country. The zone will link to the Spatial Development Initiative programme that was implemented in 1996. An uproar followed when labour organisations such as COSATUlearned that the government is going to use Industrial Development Zones, which are similar to Export ProcessingZones, to stimulate the economy and to solve the problem of unemployment in specific areas of the country. However the labour legislation of South Africa will be applied in the Industrial Development Zones. That just leaves the problem of efficiency and effectiveness. Will these zones really address and solve the employment problems in South Africa? Zones such as those in Mauritius have been a success, but there are cases where the zones did not create employment and more money was spend on putting in the infrastructure and services in the zones, than was made in the zone. Time will be the judge in the case of Coega Industrial Development Zone. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika ondervind basies dieselfde probleme as wat ander onderontwikkelde lande ondervind. Die probleme sluit in: grootskaalse armoede; ongelyke streekontwikkeling; ondoeltreffende beleide. Die probleem spruit grootliks uit die apartheidsbeleide. Na 1994 is daar egter 'n reeks van nuwe beleide en programme geïmplementeer. Die beleide moes apartheidsbeplanning uitwis; moes gelyke ontwikkeling aan almal voorsien en die ekonomie stimuleer. Die Heropbou- en Ontwikkelingsprogram was een van die eerste beleide, en is gevolg deur die "Growth, Employment and Redistribution" program. Die twee beleide se doel was om die ekonomie te stimuleer, veral in gebiede waar daar 'n behoefte aan ekonomiese groei is. Dit het dan ook gelei tot programme soos "Spatial Development Initiatives", "Local Economic Development" and "Export Processing Zones" of soos wat dit in Suid-Afrika bekend staan "Industrial Development Zones". Programme of inisiatiewe soos die se doel is om die ekonomie van 'n streek te versterk, om werksgeleenthede te skep en om gebruik te maak van die hulpbronne in die spesifieke streek. Die programme het 'n groot verandering in ontwikkelingsbeplanning meegebring, vanaf tradisionele streekbeleide tot inisiatief-gedrewe beleide wat poog om beleggings in onderontwikkelde streke te versterk. Programme soos "Industrial Development Zones" het 'n lang geskiedenis, en nie almal is posititief nie. Hierdie sones het 'n algemene naam van "sweatshops" gekry waar kinderarbeid gebruik word. Die grootste probleem van hierdie sones is dat arbeidwetgewing gewoonlik nie toegepas word binne die sones nie. In 2001 is Coega as die eerste "Industrial Development Zone" verklaar in Suid Afrika. Die sone is verbind tot die "Spatial Development Initiative" programme wat geïmplementeerd is in 1996. Dit is egter sterk deur die arbeidsorganisasie COSATU veroordeel, toe hulle hoor dat die regering nou "Industrial Development Zones", wat basies dieselfde is as "Export Processing Zones", gaan gebruik om die ekonomie te stimuleer en die hoë werkloosheid in die land te verminder. Maar, in hierdie sones sal arbeid wetgewing toegepas word. Dit los net die probleem van effektiwiteit en doeltreffendheid. Gaan hierdie sones die werkloosheids probleem van Suid Afrika oplos? Sones soos in Mauritius was suksesvol, maar daar is egter talle ander wat nie werkgeleenthed geskep het nie en die uitgawes wat gemaak is om infrastruktuur en dienste in die sones te voorsien is veel hoër as die profyt wat gemaak is op die einde. Tyd sal leer in die Coega "Industrial Development Zone'.

Newspaper article: "Planted 100 years ago”. At the bottom of the article, a typed addition reads: "In January 1960 the old tree which stood just inside the gates of the Botanical Garden's Grey Street entrance was partially blown down in a gale, and ordered to be removed in toto. It had been planted by Col. Grahams, the founder of Grahamstown."

The success of a course offered by a university and the effectiveness of the instructors have commonly been measured by means of student evaluations. The feedback generated is typically used to identify instructors who need additional training, courses that need to be restructured or the need for financial rewards for those who excel. The principal objective of educating students is, knowledge, training and skills they can use and apply after graduating, regardless of the field of study. The perception of the Alumni about the extent of learning and the usefulness of the knowledge is a key measure for universities to assess their success. A service guarantee is defined as a formal promise made to customers about the service they will receive or it is a written promise made by the company through advertising or company literature that it will provide compensation if promises are broken. In order to ensure customer satisfaction in a service offering, the quality of service performance needs to be guaranteed. Many service industries promise a level of service performance, with or without conditions attached. Customer value is a complex concept as it is often interpreted with various meanings depending on the point of view adopted. A definition of customer value is the perceived value that the customer gains when purchasing a product or receiving a service. However, customer value can be used in a variety of contexts. The purpose of this research study is to measure the perception and satisfaction of Alumni of the Department of Computing Sciences and identify areas for improvement by performing a systematic analysis of the determinants of satisfaction. This research is an exploratory, quantitative study consisting of literature- and case-study components used to test proposed hypotheses. The literature study was performed on secondary sources to establish the key concepts related to the topics of Service Guarantee and Marketing, Stakeholder Theory, Customer-perceived Value and Alumni Perceptions. The empirical study consisted of surveys (questionnaires) completed by Alumni of the Department of Computing Sciences. The questionnaire used in this research consisted of questions regarding demographic data and questions regarding perceived perception of the Department of Computing Sciences and influencing factors. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data into a more compact form which could simplify the identification of patterns in the data. Inferential statistics were used to verify if conclusions made from the sample data could be inferred onto a larger population. Recommended university and teaching practices based on the statistical analysis of the survey results were identified. A model identified the following factors as having an influence on Alumni Satisfaction with the NMMU Department of Computing Sciences: Customer Satisfaction, Course Contents, Modern Technologies, Academic Staff, Admin. Staff, Departments, University Atmosphere and Perceived Value. The importance of each factor was identified to understand how to improve the Alumni perception. According to the inferential ranking of Alumni Satisfaction that ranks the factors on the average mean values, a factor that should be improved upon is the Alumni Network. Recommended improvements were suggested for the Department of Computing Sciences based on the statistical analysis of the survey results. Two sub-groups were defined by different levels of education and they were found to have different perceptions of the factors that were measured. It was shown that there are small and medium significant differences in only two of the factors of the proposed Alumni satisfaction model, distinguising through different levels of education. The Alumni Satisfaction model developed in this study specified the factors that influence Alumni Satisfaction with the Deptarment of Computing Sciences and the effect that each of these factors has on that satisfaction.

Matriculation pass rates in South Africa, especially in Mathematics, have been poor. The literature and personal experience suggests that a problem with homework may be a factor in this. In order to discover how Port Elizabeth learners from ex-DET schools perceived and experienced Mathematics homework, and the nature of such homework, ten case studies of Grade 11 learners were done. While conducting and analyzing the case studies, a pattern emerged from the findings, which together with some new questions, needed to be explored on a larger sample population. In order to do this and to be able to generalize the findings, four follow-up studies in the form of surveys on Mathematics homework were conducted at nine schools. These studies involved a learner questionnaire, a teacher questionnaire, the timing of learners as they did set Mathematical problems and the analysis of common errors made by the learners while doing the problems. The findings revealed that learners received too little homework too infrequently and did it inefficiently and ineffectively. The learners worked too slowly, did not complete the homework, left out the difficult problems and made numerous unnecessary mistakes. However, most of the learners claimed to have enough time available to do their homework and spent approximately one hour on Mathematics homework when it had been assigned. Many of the misconceptions and the resultant errors originated from work that should have been well covered in previous grades. However, parts of the syllabi were omitted in previous grades and completion of the syllabus and homework was only seriously considered in Grade 12. Some implications of the findings for educational practice and further research are discussed.

At a glance, this study is a critique of local development policies with specific reference to the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipalities in the Eastern Cape. The researcher enters the debate by posing a primary research question: Do the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) ventures that constitute anti-poverty strategies succeed in addressing the issues of poverty, and achieving more equitable development at the municipal level in the Eastern Cape? This research proposes a problem statement: The local development policies of PPP and BBBEE that are being applied through Local Economic Development strategies are not in the interests of the majority of people living in the Eastern Cape. At a methodological level this research employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches to answer the central question and to verify the problem statement of this study. This triangulation approach is employed to utilize the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative methods. More specifically, the researcher uses a number of different research instruments to collect the data including four hundred questionnaires, four focus groups and elite interviews in both municipalities. The findings of this study indicate that local development policies in both municipalities do not improve the lives of the people. This line of thinking is indicated by both the empirical study conducted by the researcher and is supported by a number of scholarly materials. This study contributes to the body of knowledge in Political Economy and Development Studies including other disciplines in Social and Economic Sciences. The central argument of this thesis is that both BBBEE and PPPs are inspired by neo-liberalism (BBBEE is not neo-liberal per se though it may be heavily influenced by it) and neo-liberalism in practice is contradictory in nature as it involves the allocation of state resources to politically influential individuals, rather than promoting economic development for the majority. The evidence of this research further shows that the local business and political elites through the BBBEE, PPPs and outsourcing of services are using their strong networks (associated political, social and capital resources) in their efforts for personal accumulation. The researcher in this study examines the local development policies from a particular standpoint which is a political economy approach. The business and political elites according to political economic perspective use state resources to enrich themselves.

The overall aim of the case study was to investigate the effectiveness of EIAs in NMB and to determine whether EIA legislation and implementation can lead to the promotion of sustainable development practices. The research made use of the qualitative research methodology and followed the inductive approach by critically evaluating the EIA process in the NMBM using the case study approach. This was supported by a survey which was administered to willing participants chosen at random whose extensive experience is relevant to this research topic. Interviews involved direct personal contact with participants who were asked to respond to questions relating to the research study. The research sample consisted of eight participants. The local authority was represented by two participants, the Environmental Assessment Practitioners were represented by five participants and the Non-Governmental Organization was represented by 1 participant. The first objective of the study was to evaluate the role of government during the EIA process. The results showed that EAPs in NMB municipality are relatively satisfied with how the municipality is handling the EIA process with regards to commenting on both internal and external applications. There was however a view that most municipalities lack sufficient capacity to be able to comment on EIA applications as required by legislation and that human resource issues were one of the contributing factors where skills are concerned. The second objective of the study was to examine and evaluate the role of civil society and NGOs during the EIA process. The results showed that NGOs are quite vocal and very much involved in driving the sustainable development agenda and that in South Africa NGOs are usually the ones that are responsible for getting the message across in the form of environmental education and awareness through the translation of environmental knowledge into practical on the ground conservation. 4 The third objective of the study was to analyze the responsibilities of Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) in the EIA process. The EAPs had a very good knowledge of the EIA process and what was required of them in terms of the process. The fourth objective was to evaluate compliance to the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) by the applicant once Environmental Authorisation (EA) has been granted by the responsible authority. The results showed that all the participants were in agreement in terms of the need for EMPs but their lack of enforcement was highlighted as a very serious problem which is in need of urgent attention sooner rather than later. It was also highlighted that EMPs were generally not adhered to due to their lack of legal status and that many developers viewed EMPs as guideline documents rather than something that has legally enforceable provisions. The study concluded that EIAs are not effective in meeting the requirements of NEMA and promoting sustainable development agenda. The IEM planning process which has largely been focused on EIAs as a tool to support decision-making by specialists and hence promote sustainable development has its weaknesses and has not been successful in driving the sustainable development agenda in Nelson Mandela Bay