Challenging the domestication of critical reflection and practitioner reflectivity

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A massive outbreak of food poisoning - a reminder of the importance of proper toxic waste control

Because of rapid urbanisation in South Africa, scavenging from waste disposal sites by  poor communities poses an increasing health risk. Reject cough lozenges, some of which contained larger amounts of dextromethorphan than usual, were illegally removed from a disposal site and, after resale by informal traders, caused moderately severe symptoms of toxicity in 171/540 (24%) primary school pupils. Although  dextromethorphan was implicated as a cause, contributing effects of other toxins could not be excluded. Bacteriological cultures and a pesticide screen were negative. Had more toxic substances been involved. the consequences would have been disastrous.  This incident supports calls for an integrated national waste management policy and waste control act to govern the management and control of waste from generation to disposal. Such a policy is necessary to prevent potentially serious incidents in the future

Enterprise in the New Zealand Curriculum and its Challenge to Ethical Teacher Professionality.

The release in 2006 by the New Zealand Ministry of Education of a Draft national Curriculum set for release in November 2007 challenges schools and teachers to evolve their role to align with the priority to ‘embed’ enterprise values and methodologies. These values and methodologies will be expressed in curricula that school communities will develop locally in line with the new national Curriculum. This paper contextualises the place of ‘enterprise’ in the Draft New Zealand Curriculum of 2006 and considers some modifications in the final version released in November 2007. The possible impact of an emphasis on enterprise for teacher education is considered before evaluating ‘enterprise’ in reference to the occupational role of teachers, expressed here as their ‘teacher professionality’, following the work of Hoyle & John (1995). This paper extends the concept of ‘professionality’ to what is termed ‘ethical teacher professionality’. It concludes by giving thought to how an enterprise focus in the New Zealand Curriculum challenges teacher education and the concept of ethical teacher professionality

Teachers’ critical reflective practice in the context of twenty-first century learning

In the twenty-first century, learning and teaching at school must prepare young people for engaging in a complex and dynamic world deeply influenced by globalisation and the revolution in digital technology. In addition to the use of digital technologies, is the development of flexible learning spaces. It is claimed that these developments demand, and lead to, enhanced reflective practice by teaching practitioners. This article is based on a project that has used multiple New Zealand case studies to engage teachers and leaders in interviews to explore their experiences at the futures– digital–reflective intersection. Critical theoretic and critical hermeneutic approaches inform the exploration of the relationships between reflective practice and twenty-first century learning by analysis and comparison of educational theoretical discourses with voices from a group of principals and ex-leaders on the one hand, and teachers, on the other hand

A massive outbreak of food poisoning : a reminder of the importance of proper toxic waste control

ArticleThe original publication is available at http://www.samj.org.zaBecause of rapid urbanisation in South Africa, scavenging from waste disposal sites by poor communities poses an increasing health risk. Reject cough lozenges, some of which contained larger amounts of dextromethorphan than usual, were illegally removed from a disposal site and, after resale by informal traders, caused moderately severe symptoms of toxicity in 171/540 (24%) primary school pupils. Although dextromethorphan was implicated as a cause, contributing effects of other toxins could not be excluded. Bacteriological cultures and a pesticide screen were negative. Had more toxic substances been involved, the consequences would have been disastrous. This incident supports calls for an integrated national waste management policy and waste control act to govern the management and control of waste from generation to disposal. Such a policy is necessary to prevent potentially serious incidents in the future.Publishers' versio

A pro-forma approach to car-carrier design

To mitigate accidents, reduce loss of life and to protect road infrastructure, it is important that heavy vehicles are regulated. Regulatory frameworks can be divided into two main groups: prescriptive and non-prescriptive. The prescriptive regulatory framework is currently the norm in South Africa and the majority of countries worldwide. Road safety in this framework is governed by placing constraints on vehicle mass and dimensions. These parameters can be measured by the law enforcer and if these are found to exceed prescribed limits, the vehicle is deemed unfit for road use. Although such a legislative framework is simple to enforce and manage, prescriptive standards inherently impose constraints on innovative design and productivity, without guaranteeing vehicle safety. An alternative regulatory framework is the performance-based standards (PBS) framework. This alternative non-prescriptive framework provides more freedom and directly (as opposed to indirectly) regulates road safety. Limits regarding overall length and gross combination mass (GCM) are relaxed but other safety-ensuring standards are required to be met. These standards specify the safety performance required from the operation of a vehicle on a network rather than prescribing how the specified level of performance is to be achieved. On 10 March 2014, the final version of the South African roadmap for car-carriers was accepted by the Abnormal Loads Technical Committee. The roadmap specified that, from thereon, all carcarriers registered after 1 April 2013 would only be granted overall length and height exemptions (which logistics operators have insisted are essential to remain in business) if the design is shown to meet level 1 PBS performance requirements. This resulted in an increased demand for car-carrier PBS assessments. One significant drawback of the PBS approach is the time and expertise required for conducting PBS assessments. In this work a pro-forma approach is developed for assessing future car-carrier designs in terms of their compliance with the South African PBS pilot project requirements. First, the low-speed PBS were considered and a low-speed pro-forma design was developed by empirically deriving equations for frontal swing, tail swing and low speed swept path. These were incorporated into a simplified tool for assessing the low-speed PBS compliance of car-carriers using a top-view drawing of the design. Hereafter, the remaining PBS were considered, incorporating additional checks to be performed when evaluating a potential vehicle. It was found necessary to specify a minimum drive axle load in order to meet the startability, gradeability and acceleration capability standards. The required drive axle load was determined as 19.3% of the GCM. It was confirmed that the static rollover threshold performance can accurately be predicted by means of the applicable New Zealand Land Transport Rule method. The study is limited to 50/50-type car-carriers, however the methodology developed will be used to construct assessment frameworks for short-long and tractor-and-semitrailer combinations. The pro-forma approach offers a cost-effective and simplified alternative to conventional TruckSim® PBS assessments. This simplified approach can significantly benefit the PBS pilot project by offering a sustainable way to investigate the PBS conformance of proposed car-carriers

An analysis of DTPassociated reactions by manufacturer, batch, vaccinator, series number and infant weight

Objectives. To detennine whether two commonly used DTP batches manufactured by Rh6ne-Poulenc Rorer were more reactogenic than two commonly used batches manufactured by the South African Institute of Medical Research.Design. Prospective study.Setting. Six community clinics.Patients. Infants routinely scheduled for their first three DTP immunisations.Main outcome measures. Local and systemic adverse reactions following immunisation with DTP.Results. Local reactions were significantly more common with both Rh6ne--Poulenc Rarer products.Conclusion. AJI adverse reaction rates compared favourably with those reported by the Centers for Disease Control

School evaluation or disciplinary subjection? A consideration of the ‘complementary’ evaluation of New Zealand’s Education Review Office

Educational evaluation in New Zealand schools harmonises with the reformist agenda of public choice theory that applies dispassionate reviews of schools conducted by non–captive ex–teachers and school leaders, who work in the Education Review Office. They are ‘non–captive’ in the sense of being beholden to State Services, rather than the Ministry of Education. Variously accused of engaging in politics of blame or teacher bashing, ERO has attempted to present itself as supporting schools in a cycle of ‘complementary’ review, which synthesises external accountability with internal learning from review. This paper will examine the underpinning epistemology of the Education Review Office approach to review and reflect on its particular research method, arguing that it is motivated by a commitment to ‘evidence–led’ teaching, a problematic concept. Questions are raised regarding the ‘complementary’ nature of the review process to establish whether there is commitment to democratic participation by schools in the review process, as implied in the concept of complementariness. With reference to Foucauldian concepts, of disciplinary subjection, it will be argued that the so–called ‘complementary’ dimension of the Education Review Office process is characterised by the administration of technologies of self–discipline and self–punishment, and that ‘learning’ in this context is deeply punitive in nature

Thoracic and lumbar vertebrae of African hominids ancient and recent: morphological and fuctional aspects with special reference to upright posture

A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Science University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg for the Degree of Master of Science January, 1990This is a study of the morphological and functional aspects of A. africanus thoracic and lumbar vertebrae in comparison with those of modern human and anthropoid ape vertebrae. The purpose is to determine if any derived features in the morphology of hominids, as distinct from primitive features shared with non-hominids, were present and if so to what stage of attainment of full erectness such features point. The major results of this study are as follows: (i) There is a difference in the configuration of the lumbar articular facets between pongids, on the one hand, and modern human and A. africanus, on the other hand. This difference suggests that similar stresses operate in these regions in the two hominid groups. (ii) Bony adaptation to a developed lumbar lordosis is present in A. africanus. (iii) Major agreement has been found in the relative dimensions of modern human and A. africanus lumbar vertebrae, in contrast to those of pongid vertebrae. This indicates probable correspondence in the pattern of weight transmission to the pelvis in modern humans and A. africanus. (iv) The decrease of inferior lumbar vertebral body area starts at higher levels in sts 14 (an A. africanus partial skeleton) than in modern man, suggesting a longer curved lower lumbar region in A. africanus. From these results it may be concluded that the trunk was probably carried in a fully erect posture in A. africanus. The bony adaptation thereto, however, may not have been fully developed as in modern man. It is proposed that, in Sts 14, the last two lumbar vertebrae were carried at an angle relative to each other and to the sacrum, in contrast to the abrupt change in direction between L5 and the sacrum in modern man

Introduction of "Sugar Tax" in South Africa: Placebo or panacea to curb the onset of cardio-metabolic diseases?

During 2016 an announcement was made that South Africans will be obliged to pay a 20% “sugar tax’’ that will soon be implemented in order to help curb the rising prevalence of cardio-metabolic diseases. This announcement was met with mixed responses, with strong support from some quarters while others questioned whether it would indeed lead to improved health and well-being of South Africans. As sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) constitute a significant portion of added sugars in modern-day diets, it is firmly in the cross-hairs of the new taxation. This perspective article reflects on the proposed sugar tax by exploring the nature of SSB consumption patterns, evaluating epidemiological evidence associating SSB intake to cardio-metabolic diseases risk and by considering examples where a similar tax had previously been introduced. Here data reveal that there is robust evidence supporting a detrimental link between high SSB consumption patterns and the onset of cardiometabolic diseases. It is therefore our strong opinion that the sugar tax option should be pursued in parallel with well-designed, long-term studies to evaluate whether it decreases SSB intake and lowers the prevalence of cardio-metabolic diseases within the South African context