scholarly journals Capacitating national research: a review of South African natural sciences research projects, theses and dissertations, 1986-2006

Author(s):  
Omwoyo Bosire Onyancha ◽  
Daisy Jacobs
2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (H16) ◽  
pp. 544-544
Author(s):  
M. Pović ◽  
P. Nkundabakura ◽  
J. Uwamahoro

Until 2009, astronomy was undeveloped in Rwanda, without astronomy courses at universities and schools, astronomical facilities, or any outreach programmes. With the international year of astronomy in 2009, Dr. Pheneas Nkundabakura and Dr. Jean Uwamahoro from the KIE Maths-Physics department, both graduates from the South African NASSP Programme (http://www.star.ac.za), started a program of implementing the astronomical knowledge at schools and universities. During the same year 2009, IAU donated 100 galileoscopes for the secondary schools, and several astronomy workshops were organised for the teachers. IAU donated also 5 laptops to help students and lecturers to learn and use astronomy software. With this, KIE students have now a possibility to choose astronomy/space science for their undergraduate final year research projects. Moreover, there is an ongoing effort to look for further collaboration towards establishing the first astronomical facility (observatory) in the country.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy Sibanda

This paper, deriving from a larger study, evaluates the readability of two Grade 4 natural sciences textbooks used by learners who speak English as an additional language in two South African schools. The study is set within the context of the reading-related transitional challenges faced by English second language learners when they move from the foundation phase to the intermediate phase. Text readability is critical for educational achievement during this transition. The case study was conducted by means of a qualitative content analysis of factors that are not accommodated in the readability formulae which were used to investigate the textbooks. While the findings from the two instruments were ambivalent for Book 1, with the content analysis showing the book to be largely readable, but the readability calculator indicating it to be beyond the learners’ reading level, both instruments indicated poor readability for Book 2. The study recommends a close consideration of text readability by both authors and teachers.


2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110367
Author(s):  
Siviwe Bangani ◽  
Michiel Moll

The study employed bibliometrics methods to analyse the scattering of 596 journals cited in legal master’s theses and doctoral dissertations in three South African law schools from 2014 to 2018. In addition, the study included an analysis of the extent of citation of different sources and examined the effect of use of non-legal journals by law students. It was found that students used 449.2 documents on average in writing a doctoral dissertation and 110.9 references per master’s thesis. Journals received more citations than any other document formats although 16 master’s theses were completed without citing a single journal. Generally, the journals cited in legal theses and dissertations conform to Bradford’s Law but they differ in their level of conformity by law school. There was a high degree of overlaps between Zone 1 journals in the three law schools. All journals in the core lists were available in all the law schools which was attributed to the strength of collections in these schools. The results support the application of bibliometric analyses to legal master’s theses and doctoral dissertations to make collection development decisions. In making those decisions, however, law librarians would have to look beyond the Zone 1 journals of their own institution for wider access. These results also serve as a caution to law librarians to look beyond the traditional law journals in de/selecting journals, as some of the non-legal journals in this study made it to the core list of cited periodicals. Furthermore, this study points to the strength of library collections in the top law school libraries in the country.


Literator ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dianne Shober

The global challenges of environmental devastation and gender-based injustice require a multifocal approach in appropriating effective solutions. While acknowledging the effectual endeavours initiated through the social and natural sciences to counteract these areas of degradation, this paper offers another field of potential mediation: ecofeminist literary criticism. Through its interrogation of selected works by the black South African writer, Sindiwe Magona, it seeks to reveal the value of literature as a tool to counteract destructive political and patriarchal rhetorical paradigms, which have served to oppress nature and women and, through ecofeminist discourse, mitigate lasting global change.


1982 ◽  
Vol 1 (18) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
K.S. Russell

The paper presents a review of the historical movement of ships around the South African coastline, traces the evolution and development of the harbours of South Africa, describes the development of coastal engineering and summarises the organisations and their activities in both basic and applied research projects contributing towards coastal works.


Author(s):  
Sam Ramaila ◽  

This study examined technology integration in Natural Sciences teaching and learning in South African township schools. A mixed method approach was adopted as part of an exploratory descriptive survey design. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations as well as administration of open-ended survey questionnaire. The study involved purposively selected grade 9 Natural Sciences teachers and learners as participants. The empirical investigation is underpinned by technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) as the underlying theoretical framework. The participants demonstrated a positive disposition about technology integration in Natural Sciences teaching and learning. In particular, technology integration was perceived to provide opportunities for the enhancement of meaningful Natural Sciences teaching and learning in township schools. Digital resources were largely viewed as essential educational tools that can be deployed to demystify abstract scientific concepts with a view to enhance scientific literacy. Theoretical implications for technology-enhanced teaching and learning are discussed.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document