Tackling Gendered Violence: Social Workers Intervention in Violence That is Meted Against Men? A Case Study of a Rural Town in a South Africa

The study discusses the issue of gendered violence against men and whether laws and legislation equally protect them. It focuses on the findings of research conducted in Bityi, outside Mthatha, which aimed to improve social work interventions in dealing with gender-based violence cases regardless of client gender. It summarises the literature on violence against men and how the concept of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against men worked in practice. The study also offers a reflection on men's experiences with violence and the need for improved social work intervention. The research was conducted with 12 selected participants using snowball sampling and qualitative methods, and findings were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic content analysis. The study found that men are also victims of gendered violence and further recommended that social workers should be at the forefront of speaking against all forms of violence

TikTok Videos Enhance the Understanding of Food Processing among Grade 9 Technology Learners

This study investigated the effectiveness of TikTok videos in enhancing Grade 9 Technology learners’ understanding of food processing. Grounded in constructivist theory, the research employed a mixed-method approach using a Concurrent Embedded Design. A total of 120 learners were sampled from three schools within the Lebowakgomo Circuit, Limpopo, South Africa. Quantitative data was collected through pre- and post-test scores, while qualitative data was collected through analysing the scripts of the learners. The findings revealed that learners who were taught using TikTok videos achieved higher scores than learners who received instruction through traditional lecture method. The findings further discovered that TikTok videos are effective in enhancing the understanding of subject matter. Our study results highlight the potential of digital platforms to enhance teaching, particularly in practical and conceptual subjects. This study recommends that teachers incorporate TikTok videos into their teaching methods to enhance conceptual understanding and make lessons more engaging. Teachers should consider creating TikTok accounts to share educational content, providing learners with accessible resources for self-study

Work-Integrated Learning in a Changing Educational Context

Teaching, while acknowledged to be a noble career, can be a very difficult path. Preservice teacher educators are tasked with the immense duty of transforming preservice teachers into pedagogues that could and should make a difference to the lives of those they interact with. As teacher educators, we must strive to create continuing support and shared accountability, so that preservice teachers will be empowered as effective educators to extend themselves to ensure that the learners at schools attain their highest goals. This research looked at the way Work Integrated Learning (WIL) aides in this process. After the necessary ethical issues were addressed and permission obtained to conduct the study, final-year undergrad students, inservice teachers, and staff were encouraged to participate in this interpretative study. They were required to respond to an online questionnaire and a sample of participants was interviewed. The results are not unexpected and reinforce the idea that WIL learning has to adapt to the evolving technological culture that pervades all of society

Enhancing Pedagogical Development of Natural Science Teachers Through a Key Concepts in Science Project: A Social Constructivist Perspective

This study investigated whether the Key Concepts in Science Project influenced the pedagogical development of Natural Science teachers. Grounded in social constructivism, emphasising collaborative learning and hands-on interaction, the study employed qualitative methods to collect empirical data. Through photographic evidence, field notes, and focus group discussions with participating teachers, the study unveiled several themes, including the mastery of practical teaching approaches, horizontal and vertical knowledge articulation in syllabus delivery, sharing of best practices, and the significance of practical demonstrations in school settings. Field notes highlight rich information sharing and teacher commitment to professional development. The findings underscore the pivotal role of partnering with local community schools in fostering teacher optimism, resilience, and ongoing professional growth. This research offers valuable insights for educators seeking to enhance practical teaching skills and promote effective science education.&nbsp

Episodes of Student Vandalism in Higher Education Institutions in South Africa

The South African higher education sector is annually buffeted with student unrest, ensuing costly vandalism of institutional property and jeopardy of academic progress. This paper explores episodes of vandalism in higher education institutions in South Africa. The literature review is utilised as a qualitative sub-methodology. 47 journal articles and one book chapter were accessed using data engines such as EBSCOhost, the Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest and Google Scholar to analyse and synthesise thematic findings. The study established the following findings: Student indiscipline emanating from their social backgrounds, destruction of property, reputational deficits, and litigation consequences to students. The paper recommends that the next academic studies focus on determining the global, regional and South African statistical prevalence of student vandalism in higher education institutions

Exploring Female Psychology Students’ Volunteering Experiences at the Inside-Out Outside-In South African Corrections Interest Group

In the context of higher education, as propounded by the Community Engagement and Outreach Policy (Unisa, 2013), the University of South Africa (Unisa) academics are encouraged to involve students in In-Service Learning programmes, including those who may wish to volunteer their time to gain soft skills, experiential learning, and work-related skills. This study explored the volunteerism experiences of female Psychology students as part of Unisa’s “Inside-Out Outside-In” Corrections Interest Group. An exploratory, qualitative approach grounded in a phenomenological research design was incorporated into the study, and the standard ingroup identity model was used as the study’s theoretical framework. Ten study participants were recruited purposefully, and the data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. The results revealed that the terrain of volunteering is abundant with learning opportunities and that the volunteering experiences are unique, vary widely across individuals, and hold different meanings to different people. The results showed that volunteering among students requires resilience as its challenges can easily lead to burnout and despondency, owing to the fluctuating emotional situations they confront in carceral communities. It was also found that upon joining the Inside-out Outside-in South African Corrections Interest Group, the students did not come ‘empty-handed’ but brought misguided perceptions about the Criminal Justice System (CJS). However, through their participation over time, they gradually developed a rational understanding of the CJS. Conclusively, this study demonstrated that volunteering manifests many benefits, including debunking personal myths about carceral communities, deriving satisfaction and a sense of purpose, and building the capacity for active citizenship

The Risk Auditing for Accounting Standard Reform Through a Corporate Governance Perspective: A Case Study in Luckin Coffee

This study investigates how risk auditing, accounting standards, and corporate governance influence accounting reforms in China's Luckin Coffee. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 30 audit professionals from nine accounting networks. The gray correlation coefficient technique was used to assess the risks associated with Luckin Coffee, focusing on material misstatements at the financial reporting level. The analysis involved risk evaluation, judgment matrix consistency checks, and gray relational, descriptive, correlation, and content analyses. The findings reveal that: 1) The risk of material misstatement at the financial statement level was R1=0.473, and the risk at the hierarchical level was R2=0.527. 2) The highest audit risk factors, ranked by gray correlation degree, include: 1) Information system risk (0.754), 2) Management fraud risk (0.744), 3) Industry risk (0.733), 4) Revenue recognition (0.729), 5) Sales expenses (0.719), 6) Policy risks (0.719), 7) Supply chain management (0.585), 8) Business model risk (0.581), 9) Regulatory risk (0.546), and 10) Consumer acceptance (0.494). Corporate governance issues identified include: 1) Audit Committee neglect, and 2) Failure of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The study highlights key challenges in accounting standards reform: 1) Lack of effective monitoring, 2) Insufficient external oversight, and 3) Inadequate regulation of innovative retail models. The audit process for new retail business models poses unique regulatory challenges due to differences in distribution channels and customer service. This research contributes to achieving long-term goals of justice, peace, and economic progress

Wartime and Online Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

This study sheds light on the existing void regarding wartime and online education in Africa. Over three-quarters of African nations have experienced various forms of conflict over the past three decades, resulting in a significant loss of life and immense suffering for African citizens striving for education. The African continent has witnessed nearly 88% of conflict-related fatalities worldwide. The widespread destruction of schools and universities, from primary to higher education, has worsened the problem of limited technology resources. This lack of technology makes it even harder for educational institutions to function effectively. Recent insecurity poses a formidable challenge to many African higher education institutions, impeding efficient administration and management, disrupting academic calendars, claiming student lives, and damaging the critical infrastructure for teaching and learning. In addition, African higher education institutions still lag behind their counterparts on other continents in embracing digital transformation. Using the Scopus database, this study conducted a bibliometric analysis of publications from 2000 to 2024, focusing on wartime and online education. The gathered documents were meticulously analysed using visualisation tools like VOS Viewer. The findings highlight a significant research gap regarding the intersection of wartime conditions and online education in African institutions, as there are no publications on wartime and online learning from the African continent. The findings highlight that the publications are mainly from a Western perspective, which has marginalised African higher education institutions in the global knowledge production and dissemination landscape. The paper identifies promising areas for further research on improving education during African conflicts to guide future efforts

An Analysis of Staff Perceptions on Translanguaging in Teaching and Learning at One South African University

Translanguaging is increasingly recognized as an essential strategy to improve epistemic access in multilingual societies, including many developing societies. This view is especially spurred by scholarly results that have confirmed that all languages are essential resources for learning beyond the language of teaching and learning. Therefore, this study focused on the perceptions of academics at a South African University on translanguaging, as they are crucial in successfully implementing these strategies to improve learning. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, using semi-structured questionnaires to gather academic data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data, while the qualitative data was analysed thematically. The results show that most staff had positive perceptions of translanguaging and conceded that it positively affected student learning. However, a few noted that using other languages was an impediment since students do not understand all languages. The study recommends that universities provide academics with language learning opportunities, ensure that academics understand the official university language policies, and provide training on translanguaging to ensure that academics know translanguaging strategies that can be adopted in university learning spaces.   &nbsp

Eclectic Contexts of Xenophobic Workplace Discrimination in Post-apartheid South Africa

Today, a fresher look at social structures shows that the possibility of living in a socially homogeneous society has lost its credibility. When any workplace is considered, migrant workers are exposed to both intended and unintended forms of xenophobic workplace discrimination daily in many migrant-receiving countries.  Xenophobic workplace discrimination has pernicious and ramifying consequences for migrant workers. This article uses a review of the literature methodology. Xenophobic-driven workplace discrimination towards migrant workers in the workplace may manifest itself through the following forms: institutional discrimination at work, wage discrimination, discriminatory assignment to hazardous jobs, and discriminatory assignment to precarious and ‘ghettoized’ jobs. Because in the post-apartheid South African context, it is black African migrants who bear the brunt of xenophobic-driven workplace discrimination, these researchers recommend that: firstly, workplace ethics regulating the employment of labour migrants in the post-apartheid context should be guided by Article 1 of the ILO‟s (International Labour Organisation) Convention Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) of 1958. Trade union federations should utilise their bargaining power to shield migrant workers from forms of workplace discrimination that are xenophobically driven. Finally, the contribution of migrant workers, who are often victims of xenophobic-driven workplace discrimination, constitutes a significant economic dividend that could benefit the country’s economic productivity and growth.  For this reason, it is of paramount importance for the government, business, and labour to collectively work together to eradicate the scourge of xenophobia as a form of discrimination in the workplace.  &nbsp