Use of the Institutional Repository by Academics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal

Mousaion ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Mutsvunguma ◽  
Ruth Geraldine Hoskins
Keyword(s):  
Research Approach ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Institutional Repository ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Ongoing Training ◽  
Online Submission ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
The University

This study examined the extent of use of the institutional repository (IR) by academics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). The following research questions were addressed: What progress has been achieved to support the use of the university’s IR? What is the attitude of academics towards self-archiving? What challenges are hindering repository use at UKZN? What strategies can be employed to improve acceptance and use of the repository at UKZN? A mixed method research approach was adopted. A questionnaire was designed to gather quantitative data from academics, while qualitative data were sought from management and administrative staff of the university through interviews. Documents and statistical data from online websites were incorporated to corroborate field data. The study findings revealed that the signing of the Berlin Declaration, employment of a full-time IR librarian, updating of the DSpace, development of an online submission guide, and ongoing training and awareness programmes, were achieved to support the use of the IR. Academics’ attitude towards IR use was positive but was hampered by limited knowledge of OA and the benefits of uploading scholarly content on the IR, limited skill for self-archiving, and lack of time to upload content on the IR. Use of other OA platforms by some academics, such as subject repositories, personal websites and social media platforms like ResearchGate, Academia and Mendeley, took their attention away from the university’s IR. The study concluded that, with improved training, the implementation of a mandating OA policy and a reward system, use of the repository by academics at UKZN could improve.

scholarly journals THE USE OF MARKETING AS A TOOL FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AMONG POTENTIAL AND PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL CLUBS IN KZN, SOUTH AFRICA

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 319-335
Author(s):  
Joseph Kolawole Abon ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Professional Football ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Football Clubs ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
Marketing Actions

Football, as the most popular sport amongst other sports, is a household name in the world and South Africa particularly. This study examines the use of marketing in improving competitive advantage among potential and professional football clubs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Several sponsorship opportunities that could serve as an impetus to disseminate various club projects are noted to be undermined. Arguably, some of the clubs’ activities are seasonal, and the applicability of marketing by football clubs in the KZN province could not be tactically emphasized. Therefore, the amount of marketing activities in clubs’ seasonal operations is unidentified which poses a challenge in achieving club objectives. This paper argues that it is of importance for the club marketing managers to consider features of each specific season and corporate marketing activities for the development of appropriate marketing actions that could serve as competitive advantages. This study adopts a mixed-method research approach, and a convenient sampling technique with responses from 80 questionnaires were retrieved. Five (5) coaches, 5 club owners, 5 managers, 5 supporters, and 5 players from five football clubs each located in KwaZulu-Natal province were interviewed to extract their understanding of the use of marketing to gain competitive advantage. Findings from the study state that using marketing correctly could improve the chances of potential professional football clubs’ popularity and increase financial gains. Most respondents emphasized that when clubs use a proper marketing strategy with appropriate use of marketing mix, it could position the clubs in the hearts of their supporters and public.

scholarly journals 90 Day Trial Periods in New Zealand - The Impact on Young Unskilled Workers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Anthea Finlay
Keyword(s):  
Youth Unemployment ◽  
Youth Employment ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Skills Mismatch ◽  
Unskilled Workers ◽  
Low Incidence ◽  
The Impact

<p>This thesis examines the early work experiences of low skilled youth against the background of the recently introduced 90 day trial periods legislation. A mixed method research approach was employed to survey young people’s experiences of their early work careers, along with interviews with key stakeholders in the field of youth employment. From a sample of 100 self administered surveys from young people, the research finds that 90 day trial periods are not widely used for 15 to 19 year olds. Low incidence of use can be explained by majority of respondents being in part time or casual work. Where respondents were in full time employment trial periods are widely used, and they are more likely to be applied in a formal and long term manner by employers within the construction industry. The research concludes that while 90 day trial periods are one mechanism for increasing youth employment, they may not be the most effective as youth unemployment is a complex issue with systemic causes. The factors that contribute to youth unemployment are widespread and could be addressed by increased career advice in schools, a more comprehensive youth transition between school and employment and addressing the skills mismatch with employers needs in the workplace. Addressing these issues may have greater impact on youth unemployment than 90 day trial periods.</p>

African Identity and the Provenance of the Centre for African Literary Studies: A University of KwaZulu-Natal Special Collection

Mousaion ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Margaret Polak ◽  
Christine Stilwell ◽  
Peter Graham Underwood ◽  
Ruth M. Hoskins
Keyword(s):  
Literary Studies ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
African Identity ◽  
Private Collection ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Special Collection ◽  
Afrocentric Paradigm ◽  
The University

Drawing on Asante’s Afrocentric idea and the importance of location and agency in an Afrocentric paradigm, this article explores African identity. The study is located in the Centre for African Literary Studies (CALS) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg, which was established to house the Lindfors private collection of African literature. This article also draws on Polak’s 2016 study, which explores the role of CALS as a UKZN special collection and the question as to whether CALS is able to fulfil its role in facilitating African studies at UKZN and in the broader community. In seeking to define African identity, the researchers conducted an in-depth literature review and, in attempting to elucidate the provenance of CALS, they relied on the findings of in-depth interviews with its founders and directors. The study was underpinned by an historical research approach. The article concludes that there is no definitive description of what African identity is. It throws light on the role of CALS in advancing African scholarship and Afrocentric research, and makes recommendations for policy and practice.

scholarly journals 90 Day Trial Periods in New Zealand - The Impact on Young Unskilled Workers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Anthea Finlay
Keyword(s):  
Youth Unemployment ◽  
Youth Employment ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Skills Mismatch ◽  
Unskilled Workers ◽  
Low Incidence ◽  
The Impact

<p>This thesis examines the early work experiences of low skilled youth against the background of the recently introduced 90 day trial periods legislation. A mixed method research approach was employed to survey young people’s experiences of their early work careers, along with interviews with key stakeholders in the field of youth employment. From a sample of 100 self administered surveys from young people, the research finds that 90 day trial periods are not widely used for 15 to 19 year olds. Low incidence of use can be explained by majority of respondents being in part time or casual work. Where respondents were in full time employment trial periods are widely used, and they are more likely to be applied in a formal and long term manner by employers within the construction industry. The research concludes that while 90 day trial periods are one mechanism for increasing youth employment, they may not be the most effective as youth unemployment is a complex issue with systemic causes. The factors that contribute to youth unemployment are widespread and could be addressed by increased career advice in schools, a more comprehensive youth transition between school and employment and addressing the skills mismatch with employers needs in the workplace. Addressing these issues may have greater impact on youth unemployment than 90 day trial periods.</p>

scholarly journals Developing Innovative Support Structures in Higher Education Institutions: A Student Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mxolisi Walter Ntoyakhe ◽  
Musa Ngibe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Academic Departments ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
The University

Higher education institutions have been obliged to work extremely hard to ensure their sustainability and growth to meet the ever-increasing demands of university students, parents, and stakeholders. Universities have been under great pressure to remain competitive with a great deal of emphasis placed on being innovative, building auxiliary structures, and acquiring qualified academics. The concept of service delivery of academic departments in universities of technology has received minimal attention. This study explored student expectations and perceptions of service quality provided by academic support departments with the intention of enhancing the level of student satisfaction and experience. A quantitative research approach was employed using questionnaires. A nonprobability convenience sampling was adopted to identify 260 students. Data were coded and analyzed for descriptive analysis using SPSS Version 23.0. The findings revealed that many students were not content with various services provided by the academic departments within the university and that the academic departments did not offer students the services that they expected. The dimension of SERVQUAL displayed a negative gap in services provided by academic administrative staff. On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that the university attends to the identified key areas of concern, particularly administrative staff competency.

scholarly journals COVID-19 induced psychosocial challenges in South African higher education: Experiences of staff and students at two rural universities

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-193
Author(s):  
Babawande Emmanuel Olawale ◽  
Bonginkosi Hardy Mutongoza ◽  
Emmanuel Adu ◽  
Bunmi Isaiah Omodan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
University Environment ◽  
Psychosocial Challenges ◽  
Rural Universities ◽  
The University ◽  
University Community

Although the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education and mental health of the university environment is relatively unknown, it is expected to be very significant considering the high incidence of emotional reactions amongst university students and staff.  While fears around COVID-19 exposure, anxieties, and the challenges of support normalize stress, anxiety, and depression as emotional reactions in the face of the pandemic, this psychosocial impact has negative consequences for the university community. Thus, in order to salvage the higher education institutions from the debilitating effects of the pandemic, there is a clear need to safeguard the welfare of students and staff. Hence, it becomes vital to examine the experience of members of the university community during the COVID-19 crisis in order to develop measures and implement interventions that will assist in navigating psychosocial challenges. To achieve this objective, the study employed a mixed-method research approach in which data was collected using web-based survey and online interviews. Concurrent triangulation sampling technique was employed to select a sample of fifteen (15) students, five (5) university managers, and five (5) lecturers – making twenty-five (25) respondents at each of the two universities, thus making a cumulative total of fifty (50) at two (2) rural universities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Thus, qualitative and quantitative data collected were analysed concurrently by first reporting the qualitative findings and then comparing them to the quantitative findings. Findings revealed that although the university environment traditionally provided opportunities for strengthening social ties which satisfy the universal need to belong to a community, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered rural university life, thus, significantly impacting on psychosocial wellbeing. The study recommends that rural institutions must facilitate psychosocial wellness programming with the assistance of wider stakeholders such as the government and the private sector who can assist in financing this initiative.

scholarly journals Usefulness of Digital Game-Based Learning in Nursing and Occupational Therapy Degrees: A Comparative Study at the University of Burgos

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 11757
Author(s):  
María Consuelo Sáiz-Manzanares ◽  
Caroline Françoise Martin ◽  
Laura Alonso-Martínez ◽  
Leandro S. Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Digital Game ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University

Teaching in higher education in the 21st century is moving towards e-Learning or b-Learning teaching models. This situation has increased due to the SARS CoV-2 health crisis. Therefore, teaching–learning models must be based on the use of active methodologies that facilitate students’ motivation to work in learning management systems (LMS). One of the most current resources is the digital game-based learning (DGBL) use, specifically in health sciences degrees (e.g., nursing). In this study, we worked with 225 third-year students of degrees in nursing (ND) and occupational therapy (OTD). The objectives were (1) to find out if there were significant differences between students who had worked with DGBL techniques vs. those who had not, and (2) to find out if there were significant differences depending on the type of degree (ND vs. OTD) regarding access to the LMS, learning outcomes and students’ satisfaction with teachers’ performance. A mixed-method research approach was applied. In the quantitative study, significant differences were found in the accesses to the LMS in favor of the groups that had worked with DGBL techniques. Significant differences were also found in ND students with respect to learning outcomes in the group that worked with DGBL. Regarding the results of the qualitative study, differences were found in the frequency of interaction and in the preference of DGBL activities depending on the type of degree. Further studies will investigate the possible causes of these differences.

scholarly journals The Implication of the HEQSF Act on Human and Financial Resources

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-65
Author(s):  
Karel Kapp
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Funding Policy ◽  
Senior Lecturer ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Fee Structure ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

Currently the fee structure at a University of Technology is based on subject and not credit base. Qualifications found in the same funding category within the University showed a large variability in costs. The research seeked to understand how the alignment of the fee structure of the Higher Education Qualifications Sub Framework (HEQSF) would affect class fees at UoTs. To propose a new fee structure in a sustainable way a model was developed. A University of Technology was used as a case study. A mixed method research design was followed in the realm of an epistemological paradigm that focusing on policy and needs analysis and on predicted future requirements. The model takes into consideration the qualification mix, funding groups, National Qualifications Framework (NQF) levels, NQF credits of the qualifications. Benchmarking between universities indicate significant discrepancies, based on qualifications of similar duration, funding category and resources required. It showed that the UoT was much lower than the country average. The novelty of the developed model was to calculate the total income of a qualification for each funding group. Based on classification of educational subject matter (CESM) categories, Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) funding, Teaching Input Units (TIUs) , Teaching Output Units (TOUs), the Rand value of a Senior Lecturer Equivalent (SLE), the targeted number of Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) per SLE per CESM category, TUT financial targets, and benchmarked data. Variables of the model were dynamic, implying that it could easily be adapted for changes in (DHET) funding policy. The developed model showed the new class fee structure for all qualification types. Ring fencing of 25% between the lowest and the highest funding group was done, and the impact it has on income generated by class fees.

scholarly journals The Impact of Social Media Engagement from a Pathology Department During COVID

2021 ◽  
Vol 156 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S163-S164
Author(s):  
C Crowe
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Full Time ◽  
University Of Alabama ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Twitter Account ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction/Objective The events of the past year brought into stark relief the importance and impact of social media and digital communications for pathology departments as managed by an intra-departmental team of communications professionals. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pathology is home to nearly 100 faculty, more than 200 staff members and close to 40 trainees. The department’s internal communications team consists of a director of communications and content coordinator, both full time employees. Prior to the COVID pandemic, the team hosted departmental Twitter and Facebook accounts. During the course of the year, we added Instagram and LinkedIn accounts, as well as a YouTube channel. These vehicles provided multiple platforms for communicating our messages, relating to COVID and promoting regular news and updates broadly, to both internal and external audiences. Methods/Case Report We created LinkedIn and Instagram accounts in July 2020, to round out our social media platforms. We use Sprout Social to manage our various accounts. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) For the timeframe of March 2020–2021 our @UABPathology Twitter account had a total of 933 published posts, and 1,022,785 total impressions, for 3,889 followers. Total engagements with the posts were 48,420, with 2,301 post link clicks. For the same timeframe, our nascent @UABPathology Instagram account earned 56,662 impressions, and 3,329 total engagements, for a 5.9% engagement rate. Most experts agree that a good engagement rate is between 1 and 5%. Conclusion Our departmental social media accounts generated high impact engagements with an audience primarily in the demographic of our target for trainee and young faculty recruits, ages 25-34, in addition to broadly disseminating our department’s ongoing news and updates during the COVID pandemic. The impact of effectively communicating through social media channels is measurable, and will continue to grow the reputation of the department as a top-tier clinical, research and educational program in the field.

Assessing sources of resilience in orphans and vulnerable children in Amajuba District schools

2021 ◽  
pp. 008124632110627
Author(s):  
Kehinde C. Lawrence ◽  
Lindokuhle O. Makhonza ◽  
Thanduxolo. T. Mngomezulu
Keyword(s):  
School Curriculum ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Future Expectations ◽  
Vulnerable Children ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Orphans And Vulnerable Children ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
The Social ◽  
Kwazulu Natal

The main aim of the study was to assess the sources of resilience in orphans and vulnerable children in district schools in the local communities of Amajuba. The study has drawn insight from the social ecological theory of Bronfenbrenner. Being a mixed-method research approach, its design is grounded within the post-positivism paradigm. A self-administered questionnaire and individual interviews were used to collect data from 303 orphans and vulnerable children purposively sampled from schools within the Amajuba district KwaZulu-Natal for the quantitative phase, while eight orphans and vulnerable children were interviewed for the qualitative phase. Frequency distributions and a thematic analysis were employed to analyse the data. The findings establish that apart from HIV/Aids related deaths of parents, poverty, disabilities, abandonment or neglect, and COVID-19 are found to be other causes of vulnerability among the participants. Conversely, future expectations, religion or spirituality, and an extraverted personality type were found to be the sources of resilience in the participants. The inclusion of resilience in the education/school curriculum across all levels as well as resilience booster interventions are recommended for African children.

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