Strategies to realise the decoloniality of the Comparative and International Education curriculum in South African higher education

This article sought to investigate the implementation of strategies to realise the decoloniality of the Comparative and International Education (CIE) curriculum in South African higher education. This is a qualitative study in which the participants were selected from CIE senior lecturers and students who are registered for the CIE module. Data was collected from four senior lecturers and nine students who were identified using multi-stage sampling. Data pertaining to the experiences of these academics and students were collected by semi-structured interviews. The study revealed numerous decolonial challenges, including people valuing the Western system more than their own system and a reluctance to move out of their comfort zone. Valuable information was received from the participants suggesting strategies to realise the decoloniality of the CIE curriculum in South African higher education. Based on the suggestions made by participants, this study recommends ways in which to implement strategies of the decoloniality of the CIE curriculum

The relevance of indigenous technology in curriculum 2005/RNCS with special reference to the technology learning area

In this article it is argued that indigenous technology with its long history cannot be ignored and should be as signed a more prominent place in the Technology Learning Area (TLA) within Curriculum 2005/RNCS Grades R – 9.2 The argument is based on the findings of a study in which the relevance of indigenous technology in the TLA curriculum was investigated. The findings not only pointed to the long history of indigenous technology, but also evidenced the continued use of such technology among indigenous people, especially in the rural contexts. The findings in the study are suggestive of an enhanced recognition of indigenous technology in the TLA curriculum. Therefore, informed by the findings, the authors pose certain recommendations pertaining to the TLA curriculum.The article has as secondary purpose creation of awareness of, and sensitivity for, the cultural heritage of indigenous people in South Africa and context-specific community needs which can be recognised and addressed in learning areas such as the TLA.South African Journal of Education Vol. 26 (4) 2006: pp. 501-51

Synthesis, Conformational Analysis and Evaluation of the 2-aryl-4-(4-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)benzo[1,5]thiazepines as Potential α-Glucosidase and/or α-Amylase Inhibitors

The ambident electrophilic character of the 5-bromo-2-hydroxychalcones and the binucleophilic nature of 2-aminothiophenol were exploited to construct the 2-aryl-4-(4-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)benzo[1,5]thiazepines. The structures and conformation of these 2-aryl-4-(4-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)benzo[1,5]thiazepines were established with the use of spectroscopic techniques complemented with a single crystal X-ray diffraction method. Both 1H-NMR and IR spectroscopic techniques confirmed participation of the hydroxyl group in the intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interaction with a nitrogen atom. SC-XRD confirmed the presence of a six-membered intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded pseudo-aromatic ring, which was corroborated by the DFT method on 2b as a representative example in the gas phase. Compounds 2a (Ar = -C6H5), 2c (Ar = -C6H4(4-Cl)) and 2f (Ar = -C6H4(4-CH(CH3)2) exhibited increased inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase compared to acarbose (IC50 = 7.56 ± 0.42 µM), with IC50 values of 6.70 ± 0.15 µM, 2.69 ± 0.27 µM and 6.54 ± 0.11 µM, respectively. Compound 2f, which exhibited increased activity against α-glucosidase, also exhibited a significant inhibitory effect against α-amylase (IC50 = 9.71 ± 0.50 µM). The results of some computational approaches on aspects such as noncovalent interactions, calculated binding energies for α-glucosidase and α-amylase, ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) and bioavailability properties, gastrointestinal absorption and blood–brain barrier permeability are also presented