Toward Multi-Level, Multi-Theoretical Model Portfolios for Scientific Enterprise Workforce Dynamics

Development of theoretically sound methods and strategies for informed science and innovation policy analysis is critically important to each nation's ability to benefit from R&D investments. Gaining deeper insight into complex social processes that influence the growth and formation of scientific fields and development over time of a diverse workforce requires a systemic and holistic view. A research agenda for the development of rigorous complex adaptive systems models is examined to facilitate the study of incentives, strategies, mobility, and stability of the science-based innovation ecosystem, while examining implications for the sustainability of a diverse science enterprise.Agent-Based Model, Complexity, Innovation, Science Studies, Diversity

Exploring teachers’ experiences of teaching Economics threshold concepts in Grade 10 FET phase at Ugu district.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.In recent years there has been a growing concern about the importance of curriculum since it has an impact in teaching and learning at school level. Thus this thesis presents an instrumental case study of four Economics teachers who shared their experiences of teaching threshold concepts in Grade 10 class. The study employed interpretive paradigm as the intention was to explore how teachers assign to Economics curriculum implementation process in a classroom situation in order to make the subject content meaningful to learners. As a result, reflective activity, focus group discussions and one on one semi-structured interviews were used for constructing meaningful data about teaching experiences. Purposive and convenience sampling were found most usable in clustering teachers for easy accessibility. Data were also analysed through the application of guided analyses. Furthermore, all proceeding of this study were guided by four curriculum principles drawn from Tyler’s theory articulating in depth on teaching practices particular in Grade 10 Economics classrooms. Literature proposed that teachers are influenced by personal, societal and professional rationales in order to embark on teaching practice. While teaching experiences portray how teachers assign themselves in the teaching of Economics in Grade 10 for the attainment of curriculum goals. Thus teachers’ experiences were categorised base on themes emerged during the study. Finding revels that teachers make use of various policy documents in order to make their Economics lesson understood by learners during teaching and learning. It is further shown that three levels of experiences may assist in the smooth implementation of Economics curriculum in Grade 10. Further to this, this study reprimanded Economics teachers be qualified through pursuing relevant academic programmes from various institution of high learning in order to have sound Economics knowledge. This suggests that, teachers should possess the ability for effective teaching learners for successful achievement of scholastic goals

Exploring teenage mothers' experiences of psycho-social support services provided in a secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal.

Master of Education in Educational Psychology. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2016.This study is an exploration of teenage mothers` experiences of psycho-social support services provided in a secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal. This study was anchored on two major research questions; what are experiences do teenage mothers have of school-based-psycho social support services provided in a secondary school, and how can these school-based psycho-social can be improved to ensure excellent performance by the teenage mother? To answer these research questions, the qualitative approach to research was used to generate deep insight around the research phenomenon. To fine-tune the research, the case study style to research was employed to give focus to the study as well as to dig deeper into the phenomenon. Exploring teenage mother’s experiences require depth and continuous digging which can only be done under the canopy of case study research. For this digging to be effective, semi-structured interviews were used to generate data for the study. This was complemented using observation to make sure that what the researchers say happened, actually happened. The participants of the study were sampled purposively and the data generated was analyzed using grounded analyses. The interpretive paradigm and the social constructionist’s theory was used to make sense of the data generated. The data was categorized into three main themes; educational support, financial support and emotional support. These themes were further divided into six subthemes; extra classes, mentoring, financial exclusion, financial upliftment, counseling and personal care. These themes were analyzed alongside literature and direct quotations from the participants. Secondly, the researcher also recommends that the Department of Education or the Department of Social Welfare should take full responsibility for the provision of these services to ensure that some teenage mothers don’t benefit from the services more than others. Since teachers were the ones sourcing and providing these services, those under them can only benefit from what they were able to raise or offer. Lastly, the researcher recommends that the challenges teenage mothers facing should be the bases of the provision of psycho- social support and not the resource available to the school or that which the mentor or teachers can raise on behalf of teenage mothers