A comparative analysis of South African Life Sciences and Biology textbooks for inclusion of the nature of science

This study reports on the analysis of South African Life Sciences and Biology textbooks for the inclusion of the nature of science using a conceptual framework developed by Chiappetta, Fillman and Sethna (1991). In particular, we investigated the differences between the representation of the nature of science in Biology textbooks that were written for a previous curriculum and the new Life Sciences textbooks that are in accord with the National Curriculum Statement. The analysis reflects that both Life Sciences and Biology textbooks still overwhelmingly represent the theme “Science as a body of knowledge” according to this framework. Despite significant curriculum reform that underlines a more balanced perspective of science encompassing the acquisition of knowledge through inquiry, the limited coverage given to the themes “The investigative nature of science”, “Science as a way of thinking” and “The interaction of science, technology and society” does not reflect this reform.Keywords: Biology textbooks; Life Sciences textbooks; nature of science; school science curriculum; science textbook analysi

Possibilities for long-term shifts in higher education assessment praxis: Reflecting on COVID-19 as a stimulus for change

It is widely recognized that assessment impacts on the process and behavior of learning. In this article, we, as academic staff development professionals in two faculties at a research intensive South African university, explore the assessment challenges, processes and behaviours that emerged in the context of Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning during the Covid 19 pandemic. We argue that an analysis of changes in assessment culture and behaviour point to possibilities for a shift from the pre-Covid-19 dominance of the “assessment of learning” paradigm, to an orientation of assessment where both “assessment of learning” and “assessment for learning” are more equitably balanced, with potentially profound implications for shaping the ways students construct their understandings and succeed academically

An audit of the perioperative anaesthetic management of ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion in the paediatric population at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital

Objective: Our study included an assessment of current anaesthetic practice in paediatric ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion (VPSI), a review of shunt revision and complication rates, an evaluation of the incidence of congenital syndromes, retroviral disease and tuberculosis meningitis, and differentiation with regard to the age groups in which shunt surgery most commonly occurs.Method: This is was a retrospective audit study. We reviewed information obtained from the computerised database on children from birth to 18 years of age undergoing VPSI at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital from 1 September 2012 to 1 September 2013.Results: One hundred and ten children were included in the study. Arnold-Chiari II and Dandy-Walker syndrome were associated with 8 (7.3%) and 9 (8.2%) of the children, respectively. Tuberculosis meningitis was documented in 21 (19.1%) of the cases. The majority of the anaesthetic techniques included a volatile induction and maintenance of anaesthesia (VIMA) approach, with opioid-sparing practice. Laryngoscopy was not difficult and most of the children were extubated. Half of the shunt insertions were performed in infancy. One fourth of the children required shunt revisions within three months, and these were mostly blocked shunts.Conclusion: The anaesthetist needs to be cognisant of differences in the anatomy and physiology in these patients, and to have an awareness of associated syndromes and co- morbidities. A VIMA approach seems to be appropriate and the anaesthetist must be prepared to manage the infant age group, together with complications that result in revision surgery.Keywords: hydrocephalus, paediatric, anaesthesia, ventriculoperitoneal shunt, congenital syndromes, shunt revisio

Implementing Electronic Conferencing Within A Distance-Based University: University Of South Africa Case Study

The outcome of this paper is primarily to survey and analyse student interactions with electronic conferencing systems and to reflect on the impact of such a system on the students’ learning within an open distance learning context. This pilot study is articulated within action research methodology to generate critical reflection on collaborative, online environments such as electronic conferencing systems for teaching and learning. This study aims to assess the benefits and feasibility of integrating such a system within the University of South Africa’s (UNISA) current organisational structure. These results are intended to generate debate and further research within the university into possible evolution in practice within the institution that would address contemporary learning needs of students. As this was a feasibility study, a comparative study of the current tools available for electronic conferencing was warranted. The findings of this study may be used as a basis for further investigation on the challenges that might face the university if online learning were to be implemented. The success of the online conference is nevertheless significant within the context of the University of South Africa. It provides the opportunity to re-examine the current print-based delivery system, and to devise strategies and solutions to significantly increase the quality of learning within the organisation

Addressing curriculum decolonisation and education for sustainable development through epistemically diverse curricula

AbstractTransformation in Higher Education has been an ongoing concern in post-apartheid South Africa, especially in light of universities’ expected contribution to economic and socio-political transformation. In particular, curriculum transformation has proved challenging, as evidenced in actions and calls by students in recent years for decolonisation of the curriculum. This study, which formed part of an institutional response to the challenge of curriculum transformation and decolonisation, initially sought to examine perceptions of the term ‘decolonisation’ amongst a group of early career lecturers at a leading university in South Africa. Highlighted in the outcomes of the study was the centrality of personal and contextual relevance in notions of decolonised curricula, the impact of curriculum conversations on lecturers’ well-being, and the broader implications of responsive and relevant curricula for institutional and societal well-being. In this respect, the findings of the study illustrated the similarities of curriculum decolonisation approaches and the concept of education for sustainable development which is underpinned by the goal of global well-being and the common good. Also highlighted was the need for greater balance between Mode 1 (theoretical) and Mode 2 (contextually relevant) knowledge in curricula, leading us to posit that both curriculum decolonisation and education for sustainable development are equally necessary for institutional and broader societal reform and well-being, and that both imperatives may potentially be achieved by focusing on the principles of epistemically diverse curricula

An aspect-oriented model to monitor misuse

The efficacy of the aspect-oriented paradigm has been well established within several areas of software security as aspect-orientation facilitates the abstraction of these security-related tasks to reduce code complexity. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that aspect-orientation may be used to monitor the information flows between objects in a system for the purposes of misuse detection. Misuse detection involves identifying behavior that is close to some previously defined pattern signature of a known intrusion

From pandemic disruption to post-pandemic transformation: New possibilities for teaching in South African higher education

The COVID-19 pandemic has had previously unimaginable and far-reaching effects on higher education globally (Baker et al. 2022; Cranfield et al. 2021; Kara 2021; Le Grange 2020). On top of the widespread loss felt by students and teachers across the world, we have had to make rapid changes to previously taken-for-granted ways of doing, being, learning and teaching (Baker et al. 2022; Cranfield et al. 2021). Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning (ERTL) brought constraints and opportunities, challenges and innovations. This article gives form to the statement: “there is an opportunity in the moment for genuine equity-focused innovation in policy-making, provision and pedagogy” (Czerniewicz et al. 2020). We use a theoretical framework of structure, culture and agency through which to view possibilities for transformation of pedagogy, and a form of semi-autoethnography as methodology. Two lecturers, one in the Humanities (Education) and one in the Life Sciences, wrote extended narratives of their experiences of ERTL and the other authors then posed a series of questions to the story authors, which elicited a set of analytic descriptions and explanations. Through iterations of this analysis, we identified two important themes: attending to students’ socio-emotional needs and developing students’ engagement, self-regulation and reflexivity. The analysis identifies key opportunities and challenges that these required and how they were addressed by the lecturers concerned. Based on the analysis and drawing on Case’s (2015b) argument for an expanded sense of agency for students, we argue that the lecture is a key structural and cultural element of the university space that was disrupted during the pandemic and can be transformed going forward. We thus argue for decentering the lecture. Furthermore, we argue that care and concern for students has not been a primary cultural element of teaching and learning in higher education, for structural reasons, and that it should be an integral part of pedagogies going forward

Learning to belong: Navigating liminal spaces between disciplinary and teaching identities

The continuous professional learning of academics as university teachers is a national imperative in South Africa. At our university, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Higher Education) was introduced in 2015 with the aim to professionalise university teaching through a formal qualification. Students (i.e., candidates) must transition in two ways: firstly, from being disciplinary specialists to being students again; and secondly, into the community of scholarly teaching in higher education. This article examines the liminality experienced by candidates as they navigate the programme and learn to belong to a new scholarly teaching community. Drawing on empirical data collected from graduates and programme coordinators, the authors track candidates’ shifting identities and showcase how, though initially turbulent and unsettling, the process of learning to belong to a new teaching identity can be rewarding and enriching. The authors conclude by discussing the conditions required to enable candidates to acquire a strong university-teacher identity

The Johannesburg cardiac rehabilitation programme

Cardiac rehabilitation has become a generally accepted mode of treatment for patients suffering from coronary artery disease. The Johannesburg cardiac rehabilitation programme has started in 1982 and has rapidly grown to become one of the largest programmes in southern Africa. This paper describes the 387 patients admitted to the unit l;Ietween June 1986 and July 1988 and evaluates the effects of a combined exercise training and lifestyle modification programme. The mean age on admission was 55 years for males and 58 years for females. Most patients were from social classes I and 11. Myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft and a combination of both were the most common reasons for admission (35,4%. 23% and 21,2% respectively). On admission 72,9% of patients were smokers, 26,3% had hypertension and 34,3% had hypercholesterolaemia. A 50% drop-out rate within 12 months of starting the programme was noted. An increase in peak oxygen uptake, weight and skinfold thickness reduction, and improvement in the lipogram were seen after 6 months in patients who complied well with the programme. Cardiac rehabilitation is a secondary preventive strategy that can complement traditional medical and surgical therapies