The CUSUM chart method as a tool for continuous monitoring of clinical outcomes using routinely collected data

BACKGROUND: The lack of robust systems for monitoring quality in healthcare has been highlighted. Statistical process control (SPC) methods, utilizing the increasingly available routinely collected electronic patient records, could be used in creating surveillance systems that could lead to rapid detection of periods of deteriorating standards. We aimed to develop and test a CUmulative SUM (CUSUM) based surveillance system that could be used in continuous monitoring of clinical outcomes, using routinely collected data. The low Apgar score (5 minute Apgar score < 7) was used as an example outcome. METHOD: A surveillance system based on the Observed minus Expected (O-E) as well as the 2-sided Log-Likelihood CUSUM charts was developed. The Log-Likelihood chart was designed to detect a 50% rise (deterioration) and halving (improvement) in the odds of low Apgar scores. Baseline rates were calculated from data for 2001 to 2004, and were used to monitor deliveries for 2005. Deliveries for nulliparous and multiparous women were monitored separately. All analyses were retrospective. RESULTS: The CUSUM system detected periods of increased rates of low Apgar scores for each of the nulliparous and multiparous cohorts. The overall rate for 2005 was eventually found to be 0.67%, which was higher than the baseline reference rate of 0.44% from 2001 to 2004. CONCLUSION: CUSUM methods can be used in continuous monitoring of clinical outcomes using routinely collected data. Used prospectively, they could lead to the prompt detection of periods of suboptimal standards

In search of social justice through Ubuntu: a critical analysis of Zimbabwe’s post-colonial Education for All (EFA) policy.

This thesis is an analysis of Education for All (EFA) as Zimbabwe’s post-colonial education policy. Discourse on Zimbabwe’s post-colonial education system, particularly between 1980 and 1995 tends to be a positive one, often laced with the idea that Zimbabwe’s education system was highly successful in addressing inequalities that had been characteristic of the colonial education system. While it can be argued that there is some measure of ‘truth’ in this narrative, no apparent research has been conducted to date, specifically assessing the social justice imperatives of the claimed educational successes. As such, the aim of this research, particularly given the historic inequalities and imbalances of the colonial era, was, firstly, to establish whether the EFA policy in Zimbabwe reflects Ubuntu social justice? Secondly, whether by implementing this policy the government has succeeded in making Zimbabwe’s education more socially just. In a deliberate effort to avoid imperialistic and colonising research methodologies, this research has adopted an Afrocentric paradigm. Ubuntu as a Southern African concept of being (personhood) was used as both an analytical lens and methodology for analysing the EFA policy. This research is therefore ground-breaking, both methodologically and in terms of the research focus. It is my contribution to the on-going discourse on social justice education in formally colonised and oppressed communities. This research found that while Zimbabwe achieved unprecedented outcomes in terms of educational expansion, access and raising literacy levels, the government failed to reform the system in terms of its social justice agenda. While the EFA policy was premised on education as a human right and therefore foundationally consistent with an Ubuntu theory of social justice, it still failed to address social justice issues from an Ubuntu perspective as it remained anchored on a Euro-Western conceptualisation of human rights as individualistic. This research also concluded that challenges in reforming the education system, particularly the curriculum; were caused by a ‘passive revolution’ which failed to transform the colonial socio-economic, and political infrastructure. Consequently, the foundations for an Ubuntu informed socially just education system do not yet exist in Zimbabwe

A comparative study of wild yam starch from Dioscorea schimperiana

A JASSA comparative study of wild yam starch.Starch was extracted from the tubers of Dioscorea schimperiana and the following physicochemical properties were determined: viscosity, gelation temperature, solubility, water-binding capacity, grain size and refractive index. Elemental, phosphorus, protein, amylase, oil and ash contents were also determined. The analyses results of the above parameters were compared to those of the starch derived from Dioscorea dumetorum which had been the subject of an earlier investigation

Managing Learner Behaviour in a Virtual Classroom: Experiences of Selected Private High School Teachers in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe

The study examined experiences of private high school teachers in managing learners’ behaviour in virtual classrooms. The study was motivated by paradigm shift from physical classroom to virtual classroom in most educational institutions globally because of corona virus pandemic. A qualitative study, rooted in interpretive paradigm employed case study design. The participants who constituted ten teachers were purposively selected from two private high schools in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. The data solicited through emailed open-ended questionnaire were transcribed, coded and thematically analysed. The findings revealed that there is a mixture of good and bad behaviour in a virtual classroom just like in a physical classroom. The results showed that private high school teachers have adopted diverse strategies to manage learners’ behaviour in virtual classrooms such as use of collaborative learning, ensuring that learners’ videos are on throughout the lesson, constantly referring to learners by their names to remain alert, punctuality in starting online lessons and marking attendance register. The study established that private high school teachers experienced innumerable challenges in managing learners’ behaviour in virtual classrooms. It emerged that some learners absent themselves from lessons although they have all resources supporting their learning, and there was lack of collaboration from some parents who were reluctant to guide their children in behaviour modification. The results further suggest that the private high schools support the management of learners’ behaviour through various ways which include providing timetable which is shared with learners and parents to ensure that learners do not miss the lessons and distributing school rules with consequences well spelt out, to learners and parents. It emerged that the school heads regularly engage learners to moral and values sessions. The study established that the parents are appraised of their children’s attendance and performance through a weekly summary report sent by the schools. The study concludes that the selected private schools apply whole school approach to manage learners’ behaviour in virtual learning.  The study recommends that private high schools should train parents to acquaint them with roles they should play in assisting their children in virtual learning. Key words: behaviour management, private high schools, strategies, virtual classroom DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-6-13 Publication date: February 28th 202

In Their Own Words: Nostalgia, Trivia and Memory in Local Cinema History

A presentation as part of the Theorising the Popular Conference, held at Liverpool Hope University in June 2017.Britain has a strong history of popular local cinema history, particularly as explored by amateur historians and non-academics. While they vary in their modes of address, they share a common emphasis on collating empirical information about exhibition practices within a town or region, in order to create a sense of individual identity. The relationship between a locality and its cinema history is thus constructed as a product of that specific place and community, rather than a non-specific expression of national or global practices. The nature of international film distribution naturally means that local cinema histories are told in the contexts of larger trends, but prominence is always given to the effects they have on localities. Part of the reason for this emphasis on highly localised issues comes from their nature as non-academic pieces of historiography; without the need for express academic rigour, the need for contextualisation is limited largely to providing a basic understanding for the reader. These histories typically speak to locals, or those with specific interest in these geographical spaces, rather than to those with a more general interest in cinema history. This paper discusses the relationship between the academic and non-academic historiography of cinema and exhibition history. It explores the reasons why local cinema histories are written, and the functions they serve as markers of community and identity. As time marches onwards, the ability for scholars to access primary accounts and materials related particularly to early local cinema history becomes ever more difficult; this paper seeks to argue for the value and potential usage of popular cinema histories as both compendia of esoteric regional historical data, and primary memory works. The author’s work on the early history of sound cinema in Birmingham will also serve to illustrate potential uses of such material

Open Review: Kadenge & Simango 2014. Comparing vowel hiatus resolution in ciNsenga and chiShona: An Optimality Theory analysis

No Abstract

Beyond the written word: Newspapers as critical literacy teaching tools in the South African classroom

This paper provides the rationale and purpose for a critical literacy awareness strategy, implemented to 20 English second language students at a township secondary school in South Africa. This empirical study provides insight into using newspapers as a pedagogical tool to develop students’ language and critical literacy skills. Using different classroom activities and class discussions, the teacher helped the students to read beyond different texts and raised their awareness of different ideologies that inform texts. Working in pairs and groups, the learners engaged with different genres of texts. In this study, special emphasis is promoting critical thinking for social justice where critical literacy is used as a tool to better understand and improve the world. Findings of the study show students engaging in critical conversations without being directed into one way of thinking, which leads to significant improvement in their critical thinking. This further shows that texts that raise questions about different discourses can create an inclusive critical curriculum. It can be concluded that students can learn best when presented with a context they can identify with and are able to tap to their everyday experiences

The effect of share repurchases and special dividends on the share prices in South Africa

Abstract : The study investigates the impact of share repurchase and special dividend announcements on the share price of JSE listed companies for the period 1999-2015. On the announcement day of share repurchases negative average abnormal returns of 0.108% were observed. The market delayed by a day to react to the share repurchase announcement as abnormal returns of 0.439% were observed on the 1st day after the announcement. Positive abnormal returns of 1.213% were observed on the announcement day of special dividends. Average positive abnormal returns of 0.154% were observed 25 days before the announcement. Negative abnormal returns of 0.202% were observed on average 25 days after the announcement. The results for share repurchases and special dividends were tested for significance at 95% confidence level and were found to be insignificant.M.Com. (Finance

The linguistic impact of the symbiotic relationship between amaNdebele and amaXhosa on the isiXhosa language and the amaXhosa culture in the Mbembesi area of Zimbabwe

The study sought to investigate how the symbiotic relationship between amaXhosa and amaNdebele impacted on IsiXhosa language and amaXhosa culture in Mbembesi area in Zimbabwe. The study was conducted where two ethnic groups of amaXhosa and amaNdebele coexist. Language policies in the past have disadvantaged amaXhosa by treating the language as a minority language which led to its marginalisation at school and in public life. Dynamic Social Impact Theory was used to explain the concept of the evolution of language. Language contact, language change, and bilingualism are the main terms that were discussed in relation to what happened to the two languages of study. The case study was descriptive in nature. The participants were purposefully selected according to what the researcher desired to achieve. The data were collected through interviews with heads of schools in Mbembesi, teachers, elders and youths of the community. Document analysis was also employed when the Indigenous Languages syllabus and teachers’ schemes were observed. The pupils were given a topic on which to write a short composition in IsiXhosa and IsiNdebele to ascertain if indeed IsiNdebele had impacted on IsiXhosa. A comparison between IsiXhosa of Mbembesi and that of South Africa was made as a way of verifying if there has been a change from the original IsiXhosa that is spoken in South Africa. The two ethnic groups’ cultural activities were also studied as a way of investigating the level of impact in their way of life. After administering the research instruments, the findings revealed that there is a level of impact on IsiXhosa language and amaXhosa culture through their contact with amaNdebele. The terminology in the two languages has overlapped as well as their cultural lives. The Zimbabwean 2013 Constitution has tried to raise the status of IsiXhosa by making it officially recognised but it seems to be still functioning at community level as before. IsiXhosa is still not learned at school although it was introduced in 2013 in the two pilot schools but which discontinued in 2016 reverting to IsiNdebele citing lack of teaching and learning materials. The recommendations from the study include: that the teachers should be trained in IsiXhosa at institutions of higher learning; that amaXhosa educated personnel should spear-head the writing of teaching and learning materials and that the language should be used in public life so that its speakers maintain their identity.Linguistics and Modern LanguagesPh. D. (Languages, Linguistics and Literature

Indigenous knowledge and communicative strategies for peace and conflict management among Zimbabwean Ndebeles: a case of Silobela district

Indigenous knowledge systems are ―a body or bodies of knowledge‖ which Africans have survived on for a very long time (Mapara, 2010). This study intends to examine the various communicative and indigenous strategies that are employed by the Zimbabwean Ndebeles in issues of peace and conflict management. It is necessitated by the realisation that there is an increase in conflict in the region and country as a result of political and socio-economic challenges. The study adopts a bottom-up approach where conflict management becomes a process that starts from the grassroots going outward. This should also provide an opportunity to demonstrate that indigenous people are as sophisticated as every other society in dealing with their challenges (Warren, 1991). At the same time, it seeks to examine effectiveness of the indigenous and communicative conflict management strategies used by the Ndebele people. The study makes use of research questionnaires and interviews as well as descriptive and content analysis for data gathering and analysis respectively. The main theoretical concept guiding this study is ubuntu because it is considered best for Afrocentric approach to African studies. This is emphasised by Moyo and Lantern (2015:103) who state that ―... the philosophy of ubuntu should be the guiding philosophy in a Zimbabwe poisoned by ill-understood and often ill-digested ontological philosophies of individual rights that give rise to selfishness, violence, fragmentation and the sterile, barren philosophy of each man for himself‖ which continues to tear our society apart. The study focuses mainly on the Ndebele speaking communities in Silobela District of Zimbabwe. The study helps the nation in combating and addressing cases of conflict by ushering in the cultural dimension which is albeit not foreign in the worldview of the local people. This compliments all other efforts being made by the government to address socio-political challenges. By documenting (indigenous knowledge systems) that which has been otherwise ignored and side-lined for a long time, the study is part of an on-going process of mental decolonisation of the African people at the same time empowering them to face a globalising world with confidence and pride.African Language