ResearchSpace
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What about online teaching? University of KwaZulu-Natal students’ perceptions about staff readiness to take on online teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic.
(2025) Mbambo, Sqedile Imperitive.; Pitcher, Sandra Jane.
The shift to online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic dramatically changed educational landscapes worldwide (Park et al., 2020). While the immediate challenges and successes of this transition have been widely documented, it is essential to understand its long-term impact (Li, 2022). Despite some positive feedback from existing studies, there is an urgent need for further evaluation about online teaching. Concerns were raised about technological challenges, particularly in the South African context, where many universities struggled to implement online teaching and learning effectively. For instance, a study by Malatji et al. (2021) assessed perceptions of online learning and teaching at the University of Limpopo during the Covid-19 pandemic. Similarly, a 2021 study by Mbambo at the University of KwaZulu-Natal-Pietermaritzburg focused on third-year media students' perceptions of online learning in 2020. Both studies indicated that students felt their lecturers were not adequately prepared to teach online. Moreover, disparities in digital access and literacy significantly impacted the student learning experience, affecting how students perceived and interacted with their lecturers in virtual environments. Therefore, drawing on existing studies regarding emergency online learning and teaching in South Africa and addressing the issue of the digital divide, this study investigates how well UKZN-P Humanities lecturers were equipped to teach effectively and efficiently online during Covid-19, as perceived and experienced by students. Following a qualitative approach, the research used questionnaires and focus group interviews to collect data, and thematically analysed the data to explore these perceptions. It was discovered that UKZN-P Humanities students had both positive and negative perceptions regarding their lecturers’ readiness for online teaching with socio-economic factors, such as students’ high school backgrounds, geographic locations, expectations, preferences, and levels of study, playing a large role in how they perceived their lecturers' ability to teach effectively online during the pandemic.
Anxiety and depression amongst learners facing homophobia in a secondary school in Pinetown District.
(2025) Methula, Xolani Hopewell.; Jairam, Visvaranie.
Homophobia remains a serious issue that adversely affects Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) learners both emotionally and psychologically in South African schools. This study explores the experiences of secondary school learners, their coping mechanisms, and their motivations for dealing with anxiety and depression in the face of homophobia. The research was conducted in a public, multiracial, secondary school in the Pinetown district of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Guided by Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), developed in the 1980s, the study aims to address three key research questions: What are learners’ experiences of anxiety and depression when facing homophobia? How do they cope with anxiety and depression when facing homophobia? Why do they cope in the way that they do? Anchored in an interpretivist paradigm, the study employed a qualitative approach to gain in-depth insight into learners’ experiences. Purposive sampling was used to recruit four participants, and data were generated through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, non-participant observations, and drawings. Furthermore, SCT informed the analysis and was used to interpret the findings using visual data analysis and thematic analysis.
The study reveals that learners who experience homophobia tend to have high levels of anxiety and depression that negatively affect their academic performance, social interactions, and selfesteem. Learners adopt various coping mechanisms; some seek peer support and advocacy, while others resort to avoidance strategies due to fear of discrimination. The study concludes that secondary school learners facing homophobia are negatively impacted by a lack of inclusive education policies, limited teacher involvement in addressing the issue, and a hostile school culture. These findings emphasise the need for a comprehensive school-wide approach incorporating inclusive education policies, teacher training, and support systems for learners to create a safe and affirming school environment.
Challenging the identity of South African Indian women through playwriting (and theatre): a look at three South African Indian women playwrights writing within the KwaZulu-Natal region post 1994.
(1999) Govender, Krijay.; Loots, Lliane Jennifer.
This dissertation concerns itself with challenging the identity of South African Indian women through playwriting (and theatre). It focuses on three South African Indian women playwrights writing in KwaZulu-Natal post 1994. The identity ofSouth African /ndiun' women has been historically constructed as a
cultural one. This construction has largely been perpetuated by the South African Indian male through cultural practices like theatre. In challenging such constructions it is important to consider discussions on identity and culture itself. As such Gayatri Spivak’s (1990) arguments on identity are appropriated in this dissertation. Alice Walker (1984) articulates the black woman's position as that of a 'Womanist'-marginalised by race, class and sex. It could be argued that the South African Indian woman is not only marginalised by race, class and sex, but also by a constructed sense of not belonging to South Africa and the African continent at large. This sense of not belonging to the African continent extends to the South African /ndian community at large, who as a result of apartheid have emerged as a marginalised minority group. This is perhaps one of the main reasons that the South African /ndian community has looked to India as their historical and cultural ‘homeland’. The South African Indian identity is therefore constructed within this fixed notion of ‘Indian culture’. The role and identity of the South African /ndiun woman within this ‘culture’ (and cultural practice) has been constructed as a submissive and subordinate one. The notion of culture itself needs to be investigated, since culture is not a neutral entity (Tax, 1973). Moreover, this so-called ‘Indian culture” is situated within patriarchy and thus carries further gendered ideological constructions. It therefore becomes necessary to challenge this constructed notion of South African /ndiun women’s identity by allowing South African Indian women to begin to articulate their own subjectivities.
Exploring translation of University of KwaZulu-Natal ndaba online publications from English into isiZulu.
(2025) Ngcobo, Snothando.; Ngcobo, Tholakele Ruth.; Dlamini, Phindile Dorothy.
This study delves into the translation of University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) ndaba online publications from English into isiZulu. The primary objective is to identify the translation procedures employed and assess their impact on the translation process. Guided by SouthAfrica’s multilingual language policy and UKZN’s commitment to promoting bilingualism, the study addresses the pressing need to advance indigenous languages, particularly isiZulu, within academic and institutional communication. Vinay and Darbelnet’s (1995) linguistic model, supplemented by additional translation procedures, serves as the theoretical framework for this research. The study adopted a qualitative research design within an interpretive paradigm and conducted textual analysis on eight ndaba online publications published between 2020 and 2023. The analysis revealed a variety of translation procedures used by translators, with transposition emerging as the most frequently employed strategy. This reflects the structural differences between English and isiZulu. While the selected procedures generally facilitated accurate meaning transfer, one instance of mistranslation underscored the necessity for strengthened editorial processes. Overall, this study contributes to the limited body of research on institutional and technical translation in South Africa. It emphasizes the pivotal role of translation in supporting the development of isiZulu in academic settings and advancing UKZN’s bilingual mandate. The study recommends that ndaba online consider employing additional translators and editors, expanding the number of translated publications, and conducting further research, including interviews with translators, to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges inherent intranslating institutional texts.
Balancing of content and language: experiences of IsiZulu speaking historys.
(2025) Gumede, Zikhethele Harington.; Maharajh, Lokesh Ramnath.
The teaching of content through a second language presents a notable challenge within the global education landscape, particularly in multilingual classrooms. In South Africa, while the constitution recognises eleven official languages, English is predominantly used as the medium of instruction. This creates a complex dynamic where teachers, especially in subjects like History with its heavy content load, must navigate the complexities of teaching in a language that is not their own to learners who may also have limited proficiency in that language. This study addresses the experiences of IsiZulu-speaking teachers who face the challenge of balancing content delivery and language development in this multilingual context. This research employed an interpretive paradigm within a qualitative research approach. Data was generated through semi-structured interviews conducted with History teachers in four schools within the ILembe District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The selection of schools aimed to represent a variety of teaching backgrounds and educational environments within the district. The findings of this study highlight the linguistic and pedagogical challenges faced by IsiZulu-speaking teachers when teaching History in English. Specifically, the study reveals the importance of acknowledging and incorporating the learners' first language (IsiZulu) to facilitate a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Furthermore, the research emphasises the interconnectedness of language proficiency and content comprehension, demonstrating that language proficiency is fundamental to effective content delivery. This study underscores the need for educational strategies and policies that acknowledge and address the linguistic diversity within South African classrooms. The findings suggest that supporting teachers in effectively integrating language and content is crucial for improving teaching practices and enhancing learning outcomes. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the complexities of second language instruction and provides valuable insights for teacher training and curriculum development in multilingual contexts.