An exploration of the criteria used by educators in the identification of children with attention related problems.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The main purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which educators were able to identify behavioural descriptors pertaining to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as outlined in the DSM-IV and to explore the management strategies employed by educators in the classroom in their attempt to deal with the disorder. The participants were 36 Foundation Phase educators (grades 1 to 3) in the South Durban Region. An analysis of data obtained from the administration of questionnaires to educators indicated that, although educators were able to identify behavioural criteria descriptive of ADHD, they were unable to differentiate between ADHD and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). They viewed the disorders as interrelated. However, they showed insight into the difficulties experienced by ADHD learners. This was evident in the effective classroom management practices educators adopted to deal with these special learners. Finally, knowledge of ADHD and qualification level appeared to have no impact on accuracy of educators' ratings

ISSUES IN MEDICINE: Models for increasing the health workforce

A stable human resource base in the health sector is critical to achieving health-related Millennium Development Goals. There is a severe quantitative and qualitative shortfall of healthcare professionals in South Africa, and the existing and future health workforce production is inadequate for our healthcare needs. The production model must include all healthcare disciplines because the quadruple burden of disease necessitates multi-professional healthcare teams working synergistically to improve healthoutcomes and life expectancy

Exploring grade 11 learner routines on function from a commognitive perspective

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy September 2015This study explores the mathematical discourse of Grade 11 learners on the topic function through their routines. From a commognitive perspective, it describes routines in terms of exploration and ritual. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 18 pairs of learners, from six South African secondary schools, capturing a landscape of public schooling, where poor performance in Mathematics predominates. The questions pursued became: why does poor performance persist and what might a commognitive lens bring into view? With the discursive turn in education research, commognition provides an alternate view of learning mathematics. With the emphasis on participation and not on constraints from inherited mental ability, the study explored the nature of learner discourse on the object, function. Function was chosen as it holds significant time and weight in the secondary school curriculum. Examining learners’ mathematical routines with the object was a way to look at their discourse development: what were the signifiers related to the object and what these made possible for learners to realise. Within learners’ routines, I was able to characterise these realisations, which were described and categorised. This enabled a description of learner thinking over three signifiers of function in school Mathematics: the algebraic expression, table and graph. In each school, Grade 11 learners were separated into three groups according to the levels at which they were performing, from summative scores of grade 11 assessments, so as to enable a description of discourse related to performance. Interviews were conducted in pairs, and designed to provoke discussion on aspects of function and its signifiers between learners in each pair. This communication between learners and with the interviewer provided data for description and analysis of rituals and explorations. Zooming in and out again on these routines made a characterisation of the discourse of failure possible, which is seldom done. It became apparent early in the study that learners talked of the object function, without a formal mathematical narrative, a definition in other words, of the object. The object was thus vested in its signifiers. The absence of an individualised formal narrative of the object impacts directly what is made possible for learners to realise, hence to learn. The study makes the following contributions: first, it describes learners’ discursive routines as they work with the object function. Second, it characterises the discourse of learners at different levels of performance. Third, it starts exploration of commognition as an alternate means to look at poor performance. The strengths and limitations of the theory as it pertains to this study, are discussed later in the concluding chapter. Keywords commognition, discourse, communication, participation, routines, exploration, ritual, learners, learning, narratives, endorsed narratives, visual mediators

Material parameter identification for modelling the left ventricle in the healthy state

Includes bibliographical references.An idealized truncated ellipsoidal model, was used to simulate a healthy canine left ventricle. Passive behaviour of the myocardium was modelled using the constitutive model of Usyk. In addition, active behaviour of the myocardium was modelled by the active stress law of Guccione. Furthermore, the load faced by the left ventricle in ejecting blood into the arterial system, was modelled with the three element Windkessel model of Westerhof. The model was calibrated to pressure-volume data, which was adaptedfrom the work of Kerckhoffs. The projected Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm was used to identify material parameters. Identification of the anisotropic constants in the model of Usyk proved to be difficult, with the calibration algorithm often converging to parameter values that produced numerical instability. An idealized truncated ellipsoidal model, was used to simulate a healthy canine left ventricle. Passive behaviour of the myocardium was modelled using the constitutive model of Usyk. In addition, active behaviour of the myocardium was modelled by theactive stress law of Guccione. Furthermore, the load faced by the left ventricle in ejecting blood into the arterial system, was modelled with the three element Windkessel model of Westerhof. The model was calibrated to pressure-volume data, which was adapted from the work of Kerckhoffs. The projected Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm was used to identify material parameters. Identification of the anisotropic constants in the model of Usyk proved to be difficult, with the calibration algorithm often converging to parameter values that produced numerical instability. An idealized truncated ellipsoidal model, was used to simulate a healthy canine left ventricle. Passive behaviour of the myocardium was modelled using the constitutive model of Usyk. In addition, active behaviour of the myocardium was modelled by the active stress law of Guccione. Furthermore, the load faced by the left ventricle in ejecting blood into the arterial system, was modelled with the three element Windkessel model of Westerhof. The model was calibrated to pressure-volume data, which was adaptedfrom the work of Kerckhoffs. The projected Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm was used to identify material parameters. Identification of the anisotropic constants in the model of Usyk proved to be difficult, with the calibration algorithm often converging to parameter values that produced numerical instability. An idealized truncated ellipsoidal model, was used to simulate a healthy canine left ventricle. Passive behaviour of the myocardium was modelled using the constitutive model of Usyk. In addition, active behaviour of the myocardium was modelled by the active stress law of Guccione. Furthermore, the load faced by the left ventricle in ejecting blood into the arterial system, was modelled with the three element Windkessel model of Westerhof. The model was calibrated to pressure-volume data, which was adapted from the work of Kerckhoffs. The projected Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm was used to identify material parameters. Identification of the anisotropic constants in the model of Usyk proved to be difficult, with the calibration algorithm often converging to parameter values that produced numerical instability

Liberatory Education: Unmasking Apartheids Pedagogical Plunder The South African Liberation Struggle (1912 – 1990)

This study creates the possibility of providing a template for an interactive and participatory resource where activists, scholars and the general populous can converge into a dialogue highlighting the role of ordinary citizens in the formulation and conception of their own history and how this historicity has informed the development and trajectory of the South African (and other) National Liberation Struggle/s

"Bring a Picture, Song, or Poem": Expression Sessions as a Participatory Methodology

Partizipative Forschungsansätze, bei denen die Teilnehmer*innen im Mittelpunkt der Forschung stehen, haben sich als erfolgreich erwiesen, um deren Engagement und Äußerungsbereitschaft zu unterstützen. In diesem Artikel beschreiben wir unsere Erfahrungen mit einer neuartigen, hybriden partizipatorischen Methodik, den Expression Sessions (ES), mit Heranwachsenden. Wir erläutern insbesondere, wie wir ES konzeptualisiert und operationalisiert haben und diskutieren die Nützlichkeit dieses Ansatzes. Im Verlauf unserer Studie wurden 24 Fokusgruppendiskussionen mit 144 Jugendlichen zwischen 12 bis 17 Jahren durchgeführt. Wir haben festgestellt, dass durch die ES die aktive Teilnahme gefördert, offene und aussagekräftige Äußerungen erleichtert und die gemeinsame Reflexion verbessert wurden. Durch den ES-Ansatz hatten die Teilnehmer*innen die Freiheit, die ihnen am sinnvollsten erscheinenden Ausdrucksweisen zu wählen, was die Reflexion und Diskussion von Themen auf neue, sinnvolle Weise erleichterte. In diesem Artikel stellen wir daher eine alternative, partizipative Methodik vor, die von qualitativen Forscher*innen und bei unterschiedlichen Untersuchungsgruppen leicht angewendet werden kann.Participatory research approaches in which participants are placed at the center of the research have been successfully used to facilitate research engagement and open expression. In this article we describe our experiences of using a novel, hybrid participatory methodology called expression sessions (ES) with adolescents. We specifically explain how the ES method was conceptualized and operationalized and offer reflections on the usefulness of this approach. Our study was implemented through 24 focus group discussions with 144 adolescent participants aged 12-17 years old. We found the ES method valuable to encourage active participation, facilitate open and meaningful expressions, and enhance collaborative reflection. Through the ES approach participants had the freedom to choose their most proficient ways of expression, which facilitated reflection and discussion of issues in new meaningful ways. In this article thus we present an alternative, participatory methodology that can easily be adopted by qualitative researchers and with diverse samples

Unpacking the 2-year age-gap provision in relation to the decriminalisation of underage consensual sex in South Africa

Over the past 24 years, the South African criminal justice system has undergone major transformations in relation to sexual offences, including sexual violence against children. More recently, there have been a number of developments to certain provisions in the law relating to sexual offences involving children. In response to the Teddy Bear Clinic Court Case and Constitutional Court ruling, sexual offences legislation related to underage consensual sex was amended. In this regard, the legislation now decriminalises underage consensual sexual activity between adolescent peers aged 12 - 15-year-olds. In addition, the law provides broader definitions for consensual sexual activity, including decriminalising consensual sex and sexual activity between older adolescents (above age of consent for sex, i.e. 16 - 17-year-olds) and younger adolescents (below the age of consent for sex, i.e. 12 - 15-year-olds), granted that there is no more than a 2-year age gap between them. One of the reasons for decriminalising consensual sexual activities between adolescent peers was because the expanded legislation cast the net for sexual offences so wide that the effects had far-reaching harmful impacts, particularly for girls, who would then be exposed to the criminal justice system. This paper focuses on unpacking the 2-year age-gap provision in SA legislation relative to selected better-resourced countries, including the rationale and the potential implications for adolescents (outside of the 2-year age gap provisions), for researchers, service providers and policy-makers. It concludes with some recommendations for law reform and further research

Taking HIV testing to families: designing a family-based intervention to facilitate HIV testing, disclosure and intergenerational communication

Introduction: Facility-based HIV testing does not capture many adults and children who are at risk of HIV in South Africa. This underscores the need to provide targeted, age-appropriate HIV testing for children, adolescents and adults who are not accessing health facilities. While home based counseling and testing has been succesfully delivered in multiple settings, it also often fails to engage adolescents. To date, the full potential for testing entire families and linking them to treatment has not been evaluated. Methods: The steps to expand a successful home-based counseling and testing model to a family-based counseling and testing approach in a high HIV prevalence context in rural South Africa are described. The primary aim of this family-based model is to increase uptake of HIV testing and linkage to care for all family members, through promoting family cohesion and intergenerational communication, increasing HIV disclosure in the family, and improving antiretroviral treatment uptake, adherence and retention. We discuss the three-phased research approach that led to the development of the family-based counseling and testing intervention. Results: The family-based intervention is designed with a maximum of five sessions, depending on the configuration of the family (young, mixed and older families). There is an optional additional session for high-risk or vulnerable family situations. These sessions encourage HIV testing of adults, children and adolescents and disclosure of HIV status. Families with adolescents receive an intensive training session on intergenerational communication, identified as the key causal pathway to improve testing, linkage to care, disclosure and reduced stigma for this group. The rationale for the focus on intergenerational communication is described in relation to our formative work as well as previous literature, and potential challenges with pilot testing the intervention are explored. Conclusion: This paper maps the process for adapting a novel and largely successful home-based counseling and testing intervention for use with families. Expanding the successful home-based counseling and testing model to capture children, adolescents and men could have significant impact if the pilot is successful and scaled-up

TEM-145 and TEM-146 &#223-lactamases produced by Escherichia coli isolates from state hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Two Escherichia coli isolates which were isolated from the urine of patients in state hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were investigated to determine the sequence of the TEM -lactamases responsible for their resistance to -lactamase inhibitors. The isolates were subjected to MICdeterminations, iso-electric focusing analysis, plasmid analysis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of -lactamase genes and sequencing of the blaTEM. Analysis of the nucleotide sequencesrevealed the presence of two novel TEM -lactamases, TEM-145 and TEM-146 which had the R244H mutation. Mutations at position 244 have been previously reported in other inhibitor-resistant TEMs (IRTs)

Child consent in South African law: Implications for researchers, service providers and policy-makers

Children under 18 are legal minors who, in South African law, are not fully capable of acting independently without assistance from parents/legal guardians. However, in recognition of the evolving capacity of children, there are exceptional circumstances where the law has granted minorsthe capacity to act independently. We describe legal norms for child consent to health-related interventions in South Africa, and argue that the South African Parliament has taken an inconsistent approach to: the capacity of children to consent; the persons able to consent when children do not have capacity; and restrictions on the autonomy of children or theirproxies to consent. In addition, the rationale for the differing age limitations, capacity requirements and public policy restrictions has not been specified. These inconsistencies make it difficult for stakeholders interacting with children to ensure that they act lawfully