An evaluation of the assessment of creative writing essays in the Further Education and Training band

The current process of assessing creative writing essays (using the correction code and the rubric to mark the pre-final and final drafts of essays in the Further Education and Training band) does not provide useful feedback that learners can use to improve their creative essay writing skills. This discursive paper highlights the basic flaws of the process. Amongst others, is the issue of the holistic nature of the rubric feedback presented to learners on their essays, the generic essence of the rubric in assessing different essay types as though they are similar and the divergent focus of the rubric feedback on the macro-scale issues from the focus of the correction code on micro-scale essay features. The argument here is that the different foci of the two assessment tools leave learners with uncertainty on what they need to improve in their writing, thus impairing the whole process of assessment. This study recommends, inter alia, an inclusion of rubric feedback in pre-final drafts and the expansion of rubric feedback presented to learners. Keywords: Assessment; Further Education and Training; Holistic rubrics; Analytic rubrics; Correction Codes; CAPS; Creative writing essay

Development of a dynamic multivariate power system inertia model

A research project submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering, 2018.The power system inertia immediately following small and large system disturbances was investigated. By understanding factors affecting the system inertia and primary frequency response behaviour, an online inertia model was developed. Historical data was extracted from the Eskom Energy Management System (EMS) and Wide Area Monitoring System (WAMS). The developed model using Multivariate Analysis (MVA) includes measured and estimated data from Eskom generators, Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) and the interconnected Southern African Power Pool (SAPP). Inertia plus Fast Primary (Frequency) Response (FPR) (as determined by the load behaviour) and system inertia models were developed from June 2015-December 2016 and validated with past frequency disturbance events (June 2014-March 2017). From the comparison between the measured and model results for 355 actual disturbances, 225 disturbances resulted in errors within ±5% and 51 events resulted in errors between ±5% and ±10%. Eight disturbances caused errors greater than ±10%, which were largely from trips at particular large power stations and HVDC. During a large disturbance, the multivariate coefficients for Renewable Energy Sources, HVDC and interconnectors were very small for the pure inertia model (excluding the load frequency behaviour and the generator damping). In contrast, the spinning reserve provides significant contribution and is location based. The location of a disturbance affects the FPR behaviour and the system inertia but not the Rate of Change of Frequency (RoCoF) with reference to the central power station. The strong and weak areas with respect of the stiffness of the system (extent of frequency nadir for particular disturbances) were identified. This can contribute to future grid planning and real-time operations in managing the system inertia and primary frequency response. The model is expected to improve with time, as the accuracy of a statistical approach requires large amounts of data. The model can be used to determine and monitor the maximum level of RES in real time.XL201

Pilot testing models of task shifting for the care of severe mental illness in South Africa

Background Mental and substance use disorders cause significant disability worldwide. In spite of the availability of evidence-based treatment, non-adherence rates remain high in people with severe mental illness. Mental health services are however under-resourced, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Interventions that employ task shifting, the delegation of health care delivery tasks to less specialized health workers, have the potential to address this resource shortage. Community health workers, while an established and important delivery agent for task shifting in many forms of chronic illness, including mental illness, have lacked access to standardized structured training in mental health. Together with novel approaches such as mobile health, task-shifting interventions have the potential to improve adherence and clinical outcomes for MHSU, thus reducing the burden on stretched mental health resources. While the evidence for the effectiveness of task shifting interventions is growing, it is unclear whether the combination of a task shifting intervention with mobile health would be acceptable and feasible in low resource settings. It is also unclear to what extent a structured mental health training programme would result in improved knowledge, confidence and attitudes amongst community health workers. Methods First, I conducted an appraisal of current evidence for interventions delivered by non-specialist workers for mental illness in Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim was to characterize the types of such interventions that have been carried out in Sub-Saharan Africa, to ascertain extent of use of non-specialist workers; the outcomes explored; any acceptability and feasibility findings; as well as any efficacy outcomes. Second, I developed and piloted two task shifting interventions geared at improving care for severe mental illness in Cape Town, and evaluated their acceptability, feasibility and preliminary effectiveness. Systematic review: For the systematic review, eligible studies published prior to 21 June 2017 were identified by searching the Cochrane library, PsychInfo, and Medline databases; as well as the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials and Pan African Clinical Trials Registries. The bibliographies of study reports for all eligible trials were scanned for additional studies. Included trials were those of interventions a) delivered by non-specialist health workers for b) adult populations (18-65 years) with c) psychiatric disorders diagnosed in line with ICD or DSM classification systems in d) Sub-Saharan Africa. No restriction was placed on the nature of the psychiatric disorder. Pilot randomized controlled trial: A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted, in which 77 participants with severe mental illness were recruited from Valkenberg psychiatric hospital in Cape Town, with 42 randomized to receive the intervention and 37 to receive treatment as usual. In the intervention arm, a treatment-partner selected by the participating MHSU underwent a psychoeducation and treatment-partner contracting session. The intervention pair then received two text message reminders of clinic visit appointments monthly. The primary outcomes were acceptability and feasibility of the intervention, measured through qualitative interview and process evaluation at 3 months post-discharge. Secondary outcomes for efficacy were 1) adherence to the first clinic visit; 2) any readmission in the 9 months following discharge; 3) quality of life; 4) symptomatic relief; and 5) medication adherence. These efficacy measures were conducted at baseline and again at 3-month study review. Between-group comparisons were done using an intention to-treat ANOVA analysis for efficacy outcomes. Community Health Worker Training Intervention: My second task shifting intervention was a quasi-experiment evaluating whether structured mental health training would improve the knowledge and skill of community health workers while improving their confidence and attitudes towards mental illness. A training programme was developed in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Health, and piloted with 58 community health workers who had not previously received mental health training. Mental health knowledge and skill were measured though the use of case vignettes and the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS). Confidence was measured using the Mental Health Nursing Clinical Confidence Scale (MHNCCS), while attitudes were measured using the Community Attitudes towards the Mental Ill Scale (CAMI). Measures were conducted at baseline, at the end of the training, and again 3 months after the end of training for the knowledge and skill measures. Daily evaluation questionnaires were used to establish acceptability, and a training evaluation questionnaire was used to obtain further acceptability data, as well as to establish feasibility of the training intervention. T-tests and regression models were used to test changes in questionnaire scores before and after each intervention, adjusting for baseline scores. Quantitative data were entered and analysed using STATA 10.0 for the pilot randomized controlled trial and the R statistical programme for the CHW intervention, while qualitative data were managed and analysed using NVIVO 8, a qualitative analysis programme for all analyses, for which a grounded theory approach was used, followed by thematic analysis. Ethics and registration: Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Cape Town Human Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Health Sciences for the treatment partner and mobile health intervention (HREC REF: 511/2011) and for the community health worker training intervention (HREC 913/2015). Both interventions were registered on the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR201610001830190 and PACTR201610001834198 respectively). Finally, Health Impact Assessment Unit clearance was obtained from the Western Cape Department of Health for both trials (RP168/2011 and WC_2016RP59_635 respectively). The systematic review was registered on the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROPSERO) (CRD42017065190)). Results Systematic Review: Due to heterogeneous methods and treatment outcomes, a meta-analysis was not possible. A narrative synthesis is thus presented. Fifteen trials of interventions delivered by non-specialist workers (5087 participants) were identified. In each of the trials, the intervention was acceptable and feasible, with preliminary efficacy findings favouring the interventions. Pilot randomized controlled trial: The treatment partner and text message intervention components were acceptable. While the treatment partner and psychoeducation components were feasible, the text message component was not, as a consequence of several socioeconomic and individual factors. While efficacy outcomes favoured the intervention, they did not reach statistical significance due to the small sample size. Community Health Worker Training Intervention: Mental health knowledge improved as demonstrated by improved diagnostic accuracy on case vignette response. Sixty-three percent of participants demonstrated improved accuracy in making a diagnosis, with a roughly two-fold increase in performance in these individuals. There was a significant increase in the average scores on the Mental HeAlth Knowledge Schedule pre- to post training (t = -4.523, df = 55, p < 0.001, N=56). This improvement was sustained at 3 months after the end of training assessment scores (t = -5.0, df = 53, p < 0.001, N = 54). There was a significant increase in the average Confidence scores pre-intervention (mean SD): 45.25 (9.97) to post-intervention 61.75 (7.42), t-test: t = -8.749, df = 54, p < 0.001, N=58). Attitude scores (n=45) indicated no change in authoritarian attitudes [mean (SD): Pre 27.87 (2.97); Post 26.38 (4.1), t = 2.720, p-value = 0.995], while benevolence [mean (SD): Pre 37.67 (4.46); Post 38.82 (3.79), t = -1.818, p-value = 0.038] and social restrictiveness [mean (SD): Pre 24.73 (4.28); Post 22.4 (5.3), t = -2.960, p-value = 0.002] attitudes showed improvement pre- and post-training, as did tolerance to rehabilitation of the mentally ill in the community (t = 2.176, p-value = 0.018). Participants responded well to training, appraising it as acceptable and appropriate to their work. They expressed a need for a longer training programme with further training on substance use and geriatric disorders. Stakeholder participation was consistent and contributed to the feasibility of the intervention. Conclusions A review of task shifting interventions by non-specialist health workers indicates that these have yielded positive outcomes for mental health service users in published trials. Such interventions have the potential for reducing the mental health treatment gap in low and middle income countries in a cost-efficient way. Further work is however required to develop specific treatment approaches for particular disorders, and to assess the outcomes of such interventions, including cost-efficiency measures. The measures of outcome used in this field remains somewhat disparate; the development of a common research agenda may assist in developing and replicating further investigations and generalising findings. A treatment-partner intervention is acceptable and feasible in a low- and middle-income setting such as ours. Careful work is, however, needed to ensure that any additional components of such an intervention, such as mobile health, are tailored to the local context. Appropriately powered studies are needed to assess efficacy. Structured training in mental health is acceptable and feasible in our setting. The training intervention led to an improvement in knowledge and skill amongst community health workers while improving confidence and attitudes. Participation of policy stakeholders was key in ensuring the success of the intervention. There is a need for interventions evaluating the outcomes of community health worker training to provide more detailed descriptions of their training interventions. More focus must be placed on measuring service and end-user outcomes to improve the rigor and quality of such investigations, with well-powered randomized controlled trials being best placed to answer questions regarding efficacy and cost-effectiveness. In summary, my systematic review, and my pilot task-shifting interventions in the South African context indicate that task shifting interventions such as these are acceptable and feasible, offering a promising solution to addressing the under-resourcing of mental health care. However, interventions should ideally be tailored to the specific communities they target, taking into account specific individual, community, technological, and sociodemographic factors. Future training interventions should provide more detailed descriptions of programme components and focus on measuring patient outcomes, while all task shifting interventions may benefit from incorporating an evaluation of cost effectiveness. Task shifting presents a viable and accessible opportunity for creative innovation and as we work towards achieving mental health for all

Healthcare attendance patterns by pregnant women in Durban, South Africa

Background: High rates of perinatal mortality and morbidity and maternal mortality in South Africa remain a major problem. The Saving Mothers and Saving Babies Reports identified patient-related factors as possible causes. Among the patient-related factors was non-attendance, or attendance late in pregnancy, for antenatal care in public hospitals. It would appear that pregnant women confirm their pregnancies by visiting general practitioners, but do not attend antenatal care in the public sector. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine healthcare attendance patterns among pregnant women in Durban, South Africa. Method: This was a descriptive study. Participants were recruited and categorised into “early booker”, “late booker” and “unbooked in labour” groups. All the participants were interviewed individually using a structured questionnaire. Results: The majority of participants presented for formal “booking” late in pregnancy; 47.9% “booked” at a gestational age of six months after the last menstrual period. Among the “early bookers”, the majority (94.4%) had confirmed their pregnancy by four months of amenorrhoea, and 60.6% of these confirmed their pregnancies within the public health sector. All the “early bookers” began antenatal care prior to the 20th week of gestation. A total of 66.9% of the “late bookers” and 66.7% of the “unbooked” women also had their pregnancies confirmed at four months amenorrhoea, but 49.0% of the “late bookers” and 59.8% of the “unbooked” women confirmed their pregnancies in the private health sector. The “late bookers” also showed a delay of two to three months between confirming the pregnancy and booking visits. Of the women in this study, 49% visited a general practitioner (GP) to confirm the pregnancy after two to four months of amenorrhoea. This figure rose to 53.0% if only the “late bookers” and the “unbooked” were analysed. Further, 35.3% visited a GP more than once, either for antenatal care or because of ill health. Conclusion: It is imperative for GPs to understand the role of antenatal care and to refer pregnant women appropriately.South African Family Practice Vol. 48 (10) 2006: pp. 17-17

Thermomechanical properties and thermal degradation kinetics of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC) filled with cerium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Ce:YAG) prepared by melt compounding

This paper reports on the thermomechanical properties and thermal degradation kinetics of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC) composites filled with cerium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Ce:YAG) at different contents ranging between 0.1 and 5 wt%, and prepared by melt compounding. The interaction between PMMA and the filler was much stronger than that between PC and the filler, and this resulted in a significant improvement in the dynamic mechanical properties of the PMMA composites. The presence of filler did not significantly increase the thermal stability of the PC, while an observable increase in the thermal stability was only observed at higher filler loadings for the PMMA composites. This was attributed to the stronger interaction between Ce:YAG and PMMA and/or its degradation volatiles

Preventing HIV Infection in Women: A Global Health Imperative

Women account for approximately one-half of all human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections worldwide. Sexual transmission is the dominant mode of HIV transmission to women, and there is a concomitant associated epidemic of transmission to infants. The majority of HIV infections in women are in sub-Saharan Africa, with a disproportionate burden in young women < 25 years of age. Acquisition and prevention of HIV infection in women is complex and influenced by biological, behavioral, and structural factors. Efforts to reduce the incidence of HIV infection among women in sub-Saharan African could play a substantial role in altering global trajectories of HIV infection. Increasing access to sexual and reproductive health services, addressing gender-based violence and social instability, reducing poverty and the need to engage in sex for survival, and encouraging greater male responsibility are critical short-to-medium-term interventions. Efforts to find a microbicide and HIV vaccine need to be matched with efforts to deepen understanding of acquisition of HIV in the female genital tract to inform development of targeted molecules for prevention of HIV infection

I make signs : a rhetorical analysis of Katlehong’s informal enterprises and ‘high-end’ wall communications as a reflection of conflicting township identities

Abstract: This study investigates vernacular typography and images, as well as ‘high-end’ graphic art advertising murals, found in Katlehong Township, South Afrika, with the aim of demonstrating how these promotional signs construct a visual rhetoric that is embedded with connotations of conflicting township identities. Vernacular ‘signages’ are deeply expressive of township experience, in terms of local people, township economy, lifestyle, and a shared language, namely kasi lingo. Central to this local visual culture, which is applied to promote the services of spaza shops, supermarkets, barber shops and salons, is the use of language, expressed as letterforms, to signify ‘oneness’. ‘High-end’ advertising murals, on the other hand, seek to ‘remake’ the township by introducing Katlehong to a global community and instilling a brand-oriented township lifestyle...M.A. (Graphic Design

African spirituality and methodism : a survey of Black members of the Thaba-Nchu Methodist Church.

Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1997.The Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) has been plagued by a number of problems. One of this problems has been the breakaway of some of its members. Some of these members have joined other churches (Mainstream and African Indigenous Churches) and others have founded their own churches. One of the major reasons for the breakaways is what I have framed lack of "African Spirituality" in the MCSA. By "African Spirituality" I imply that the African way of life does not distinguish between sacred and secular. African spirituality includes the following component elements: Belief in one God, belief in Divinities, Believe in spirits, veneration of ancestors and practice of medicine. My research in the Thaba-Nchu area confirmed the existence of this problem in the Thaba-Nchu Methodist church. There were three categories of respondents in this research: those who left the church are: those who live between two worlds (belonging to the MCSA and attending services in the African Indigenous Churches at the same time); and those who have single membership. The first two categories, unanimously agreed that the lack African spirituality and that is why they left the church or have dual membership. Ways of addressing this problem, i.e., to remedy the situation, have been suggested by the respondents, some scholars and leaders of the MCSA. These suggestions include the following: (i) singing: use of drums, clapping of hands, etc. (ii) special Sundays for prayers of healing: the church is to use people who are gifted in this, e.g. diviners, sangomas and barapelli. (iii) symbolic things like water to be used. It is hoped that if these suggestions were implemented, the problem would be addressed and the breakaways would stop or slow down and those who have dual membership would be satisfied to stick to the Thaba-Nchu Methodist Church alone. To implement these suggestions, the "top down" communication strategy adopted by the MCSA's leadership on this and other problems has to be revised, the language used must be understandable to the ordinary people (the grassroots or the marginalised) and the material must be easily accessible to them

Exploring narcissism as an influential personality trait for established entrepreneurs

Research focused on gaining a better understanding of the entrepreneurial personality and related psychological characteristics continues to be of interest. Narcissism has often been associated with the entrepreneurial personality, with some scholars highlighting how it is a personality trait that is central to entrepreneurship. Narcissism has also been suggested as having significant positive and negative influences on the entrepreneurial journey. This research study set out to explore the narcissistic traits of established entrepreneurs so as to gain deeper insights into the prevalence of narcissism, and also to understand how it influences the entrepreneurial journey both positively and negatively. The study employed a qualitative, exploratory approach in order to gain new insights and a deeper understanding of the dynamic between narcissism and entrepreneurship. 12 in-depth interviews were conducted with established entrepreneurs across various industries. The findings of the study indicated the prevalence of narcissistic traits among established entrepreneurs. The study contributed to existing literature through emerging insights related to a dynamic of identity separation among entrepreneurs that involved an Authentic Identity and an Entrepreneur Identity. Also, the positive and negative influences of narcissistic traits on the entrepreneur’s personal development as well as their business journey provided new insights.Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2020.Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)MBAUnrestricte

Morphology, interfacial interaction, and thermal degradation of polycarbonate/MCM-41 (nano)composites

This article reports on the morphology, interfacial interaction, thermal stability, and thermal degradation kinetics of polycarbonate (PC)/mesoporous silica (MCM-41) composites with various MCM-41 contents, prepared by melt compounding. The composites with low filler loadings (<0.3 wt%) maintained their transparency because of the well dispersed MCM-41 particles, but at higher filler loadings the composites lost their transparency due to the presence of agglomerates. The presence of agglomerates decreased the thermal stability of PC due to the reduced effectiveness of the particles to immobilize the polymer chains, free radicals, and volatile degradation products