The Durban University Of Technology's Experiences Of Open Educational Resources

There seems to be growing confidence that the open education movement is set to reshape the higher education landscape. Perhaps the single most formidable challenge retarding the uptake of open education resources (OERs) is instructors' lack of knowledge and experience of these materials. This descriptive case study examines the experiences Durban University of Technology (DUT) faculty have of OERs. As such, it lays the groundwork for subsequent studies of the attitudes of faculty to OERs and to the philosophy of open education. It also interrogates the national and institutional policy environment to establish to what extent these foster a culture of sharing and openness in local higher education.  The findings reported here may thus provide a context for understanding the attitudes of DUT faculty to OERs (examined in a separate study) and may serve as useful indicators of how the university is positioned; that is, how deep its foundations are, with respect to its prospects of participating successfully in the higher education OER movement

Are Higher Education Institutions Positioned To Reap The Dividends Of Open Education Resources? The Case Of Durban University Of Technology

The potential benefits of open education resources (OERs) are well documented in the literature. These include cheaper education, improved equity in respect of educational prospects, greater access to higher education opportunities for non-traditional learners, encouraging new modes of collaborative learning and leveraging public funds by sharing knowledge. So compelling are these advantages that leading universities globally are currently experimenting with new business models calibrated to extract value from educational offerings that, increasingly, will be expected to include free content. In spite of the obvious merits of OERs, the open education movement faces challenges which are rooted significantly in educators' perceptions of these resources. This descriptive case study sought to examine the attitudes Durban University of Technology (DUT) faculty have towards OERs with the aim of gauging their capacity to be actively involved as developers and users of these materials. The study found that in spite of respondents' recognition of the advantages of OERs and even a degree of superficial employment of these instructional aids, there appears to be no real open education ethos at the institution. Evidence of this includes the relatively low level of sharing of content amongst faculty and the consensus of respondents that there is no institutional support for OER initiatives. The study concludes that for the university to retain its relevance in an evolving educational landscape, it should create a framework that will not only create space for OER projects but should also address the very human need for recognition and acknowledgement that developers of free and open content have

The sexual offences prosecutor: a new specialisation?

The South African Law Commission recognised the fact that victims of sexual violence  require treatment different to that of other crime victims, and that sexual offences are more difficult to prosecute than other crimes due to the nature of the crime itself. Sexual offences courts were created and require prosecutors who have become specialised in this field. This article analyses the role of the sexual offences prosecutor in relation to child witnesses and further discusses and comments on a study conducted with sexual offences prosecutors in order to investigate the nature of this new specialisation

Hearsay evidence and the child witness

In terms of section 3(1)(c) of the Law of Evidence Amendment Act 45 of 1988 the court has, since 3 October 1988, been given a wide discretion to admit hearsay evidence if it would be in the interests of justice to do so. How this discretion is to be applied has given rise to difficulty. The question to be addressed here is whether it would be in the interests of justice to admit the hearsay statements of a child who is a complainant in a criminal matter and who is subsequently unable to testify. The courts are very wary of admitting hearsay statements emanating from children, due to issues of competency and the cautionary rule, and for this reason certain countries have created specific legistative provisions to regulate the admissibility of children’s hearsay statements. In Namibia, the Combating of Rape Act 8 of 2000 admits hearsay via the backdoor. It is submitted that not legislation, but a common sense approach is needed to determine whether hearsy statements from child victims should be admissible. The fact that evidence is hearsay is a factor which should go to weight and not the admissibility thereof

Manufacturing of custom-made medical implants for cranio / maxillofacial and orthopaedic surgery - an overview of the current state of the industry

Published ArticleExtensive work has been done in the area of manufacturing implants for medical purposes, and more recently the development of customised implants. Areas of application include cranio/maxillo-facial implants, dental drill guides, hip, knee and shoulder replacements, as well as different implants for the spine. Due to their high prevalence and complex anatomical geometry the purpose of this study is to investigate the current state of the industry regarding customised medical implants for cranio/maxillofacial and orthopaedic surgery. Implant customisation has far-reaching benefits, and a collective approach to solving current difficulties will require an in-depth study of successes already achieved. Several issues in this regard are examined, including what defines customisation, regulatory issues that govern customisation and design constraints, trends in different areas of application, suitable materials, and finally which manufacturing techniques are being employed, with a focus on the use of Layer Manufacturing technologies and their role in custom-made medical implants

Developing a Patient-Specific Maxillary Implant Using Additive Manufacturing and Design

Published Conference ProceedingsMaxillectomy is the surgical removal or resection of the maxilla or upper jaw bone. A total or partial maxillectomy can be performed depending on how far the tumour has spread. This paper will discuss a patient diagnosed with an aggressive tumour in half of the top jaw who had to undergo an operation to remove the hemi-maxilla and orbital floor. Due to the extent and complexity of the defect, it was decided to manufacture an anatomical model of the hard tissues for planning a possible laser-sintered titanium implant using Additive Manufacturing (AM). The CRPM had only two weeks to design and manufacture the titanium implant, due to the severity of the tumour. The anatomical model was sent to the surgeon to cut the nylon model where the bone resection was planned. Furthermore, the prosthodontist made a wax model of the planned titanium frame that was reverse- engineered and used as reference geometry in the design software.Materialise® design suite was used to design the patient-specific maxilla and cutting jig. The EOS M280 Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) system was instrumental in achieving the direct manufacturing of the bio-compatible titanium implant. The EOS P385 system was used to manufacture the pre-operation planning model as well as the cutting jig.The process chain followed to complete this case study will be discussed showing how this intervention improved the quality of life of a SA patient. Furthermore, the proposed paper and presentation will discuss the post-operation review of the patient showing the impact AM had in accelerating patient-specific implant manufacturing. The authors seek to claim a progressed level of maturity in the proposed manufacturing value chain. The claim is based on the successful completion of the analysis and synthesis of the problem , the validated proof-of-concept of the manufacturing process and the in-vivo implementation of the final product

Sourcing the ore from the Drierivier copper smelting site in central Namibia, using lead isotope fingerprinting

Copper smelting residues from C. AD 1650 found at the Drierivier site near Rehoboth in central Namibia have 207Pb/206Pb isotope ratios that match a particular deposit at Swartmodder, but are markedly different from other known occurrences in the Rehoboth–Windhoek areas. For this reason, precise lead isotope determination is not necessary to source the ore, and raw peak height ratios obtained by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry are sufficient. This characteristic signature is present in all samples of malachite ore, slag, and copper prills collected on the site. Significantly, it is absent from a sample of local native copper, as well as from seven copper beads found elsewhere in central Namibia. This not only identifies the probable source of malachite ore but also provides a powerful tool for provenancing copper artefacts made at the Drierivier site, distinguishing them from those made elsewhere in the Namibian highlands

Biosecurity risks posed by a large sea-going passenger vessel: Challenges of terrestrial arthropod species detection and eradication

Large sea-going passenger vessels can pose a high biosecurity risk. The risk posed by marine species is well documented, but rarely the risk posed by terrestrial arthropods. We conducted the longest running, most extensive monitoring program of terrestrial arthropods undertaken on board a passenger vessel. Surveillance was conducted over a 19-month period on a large passenger (cruise) vessel that originated in the Baltic Sea (Estonia). The vessel was used as an accommodation facility to house workers at Barrow Island (Australia) for 15 months, during which 73,061 terrestrial arthropods (222 species - four non-indigenous (NIS) to Australia) were collected and identified on board. Detection of Tribolium destructor Uytt., a high-risk NIS to Australia, triggered an eradication effort on the vessel. This effort totalled more than 13,700 human hours and included strict biosecurity protocols to ensure that this and other non-indigenous species (NIS) were not spread from the vessel to Barrow Island or mainland Australia. Our data demonstrate that despite the difficulties of biosecurity on large vessels, stringent protocols can stop NIS spreading from vessels, even where vessel-wide eradication is not possible. We highlight the difficulties associated with detecting and eradicating NIS on large vessels and provide the first detailed list of species that inhabit a vessel of this kind