ResearchSpace
ResearchSpace is the institutional repository of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, unlocking knowledge, empowering impact, and preserving UKZN's research legacy.
Recent Submissions
Volatility spillovers and interconnectedness between cryptocurrencies and traditional asset classes in emerging markets.
(2025) Madondo, Lungelo.; Muzindutsi, Paul-Francois.; Kunjal, Damien.
Cryptocurrencies have emerged significantly in financial markets as a medium of exchange, seeking to disrupt traditional financial systems by allowing individuals to conduct peer-to-peer transactions without the interference of the third party. However, cryptocurrencies are marked by highly volatile prices due to their detachment from the traditional financial system. This volatility significantly spills over among cryptocurrencies and is suspected to extend to traditional asset classes, particularly in emerging markets. This is because emerging markets are often characterized by significant price fluctuations, driven by factors such as inflation rates, economic and political instability, and exchange rate volatility. As such, this study seeks to investigate volatility spillovers and interconnectedness between cryptocurrencies and traditional asset classes in emerging markets. To achieve the objective of this research, the study uses Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Ripple, Litecoin, and Bloomberg Galaxy Cryptocurrency Index against the traditional asset indices of stocks, bonds, and commodities. The study incorporates daily closing prices from the 6th of October 2019 to the 31st of January 2024 and applies the Diebold and Yilmaz spillover approach to examine the nature of volatility spillovers between these cryptocurrencies and traditional assets. In order to capture the non-linear and time-varying nature of these volatility spillovers, the study employs the Time-Varying Parameter Vector Autoregressive (TVP-VAR) model which offers a more comprehensive analysis of the spillover effects over time.
For the robustness of the results, the sample period was divided into two segments, (1) the whole sample period and (2) the period during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest time-varying volatility spillovers during both market crises and stable periods. However, cryptocurrencies exhibit greater internal influence than external influence, indicating that they operate within their own isolated market, with a weak connection to stocks, bonds, and commodities. These findings indicate that investors can view cryptocurrencies as a distinct asset, offering potential diversification benefits when combined with stocks, bonds and commodities in emerging markets. For policymakers, the weak connection between the two markets highlights the need to focus on internal market dynamics and regulations tailored to address risks within the cryptocurrency market without relying on traditional market
mechanisms.
Un-cloaking the estuary: the current state of the uMngeni Beachwood Mangroves unveiled through creative practice-led research.
(2026) Adams,, Denise Ingrid.; Hall,, Louise Gillian.; Patrick,, Katherine Elizabeth.
This creative Practice-Led Research study arose from explorations of the uMngeni Beachwood Mangroves Estuary, situated in Ethekweni municipal area, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Estuary is of significant environmental importance to the area, but the biodiversity is threatened by pollution, invasive alien vegetation and species, as well as encroaching urban development. Within the broad context of global warming and climate change, raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity is paramount. The artist-researcher lives near the Estuary and knows it intimately. Through this study, she aimed to develop new ways of making visible the state of the Estuary, as opposed to simply repeating typically didactic environmental education messages. The artworks arose from an artmaking heuristic of wandering and meditating in the Estuary, collecting discards and natural artefacts. These items were incorporated into mixed-media artworks utilising natural materials from the Estuary, fabric rejects, hand-made dyes, stitching, printing and painting methods. Out of this practice, the research questions emerged and developed. This thesis is the exegesis accompanying the body of work exhibited at the culmination of the research. The study is draws on the philosophies of Deep Ecology by Naess, Weintraub’s Eco-Materialism, and current theories of plant life which challenge human-centric views. Zen Buddhism, Sumi-e painting, and the artist’s working life experiences in the clothing industry exerted influences on the work. The cyclical cross-pollination of the art practice with theory, journal writing, visual documentation, walking and meditation, led to un-envisaged creative developments. The processes are recorded extensively in a series of workbooks which enhance the text and the viewing of the artworks. Engagement of the senses through meditation revealed miniscule realities and the innate reparative mechanisms of the plants together with further discoveries in literature. Sublimation of painting and drawing skills made way for the artefacts of the Estuary to lead the way. This culminated in the creation of cloaks, unexpected somatic forms, in which the wearer may be absorbed into the translated realities of this Estuary and its life forms. The initial negative assumptions about the environmental degradation of the Estuary shifted to a more positive outlook, that of reparation. The intrinsic nature of the Estuary plants to repair damage helps to strengthen this eco-system, partially offsetting the ongoing degradation. The revelation of these positive elements was an unexpected outcome of this research, offering hope.
Teaching mathematics to isiZulu home language speakers in rural high schools: a study of teachers’ experiences.
(2023) Phoswa, Sifiso.; Shongwe, Benjamin.
Teaching mathematics in Ndwedwe, a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal where most learners are isiZulu home language speakers is investigated through the experiences of three mathematics teachers teaching in rural high schools located in the ILembe district. Understanding the teaching experiences of an abstract subject such as mathematics, this study attempts to respond to the main research question; what teacher experiences of teaching mathematics to isiZulu home language speakers are, and the subsidiary question of how teachers’ experiences assist in teaching learners for understanding in rural high schools. The study adopts Phenomenology as a methodology, and uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis as a methodological framework for handling and analysis of data, gathered from interviews and lesson observations. The findings of the study indicate that isiZulu is preferred by learners as they engage in classroom discussions, the learners are affected by their unsupportive backgrounds. To address learner challenges, teachers devise strategies to circumvent the adverse implications at school, which includes adapted teaching strategies, motivation, and creating additional time for learners to learn at school. In the study’s investigation of teachers’ experiences, it was revealed that mathematical language is a standalone language that is not dependent on either isiZulu or English, moreover, the teachers were shown to be central to the design of lessons despite resource challenges.
An analysis of Grade 12 learners’ mental constructions and difficulties of differentiation and integration: a case study of one school in Umlazi District.
(2023) Madonsela, Promise Sethembiso.; Ngcobo, Annatoria Zanele.
This study is an analysis of Grade 12 learners’ mental constructions and the difficulties they experienced with the calculus topics of differentiations and integration at a school in Umlazi District, South Africa. With the introduction of Technical Mathematics, which emphasises application, as a high school subject in South Africa in 2016, increasing attention has focussed on learners’ mental constructions. Consequently, learners’ understanding of differentiation and integration, which are key concepts taught in Grade 12, has come under scrutiny. It has therefore become imperative to investigate learners’ mental construction and the nature of the difficulties they encounter in learning the concepts of differentiation and integration. The study relied on the APOS (Action, Process, Object and Schema) theory of learning to explain the nature of learners’ mental constructions.A qualitative approach was used. Data was collected using activity sheets with all participants and interviews with five participants. A pilot study preceded the main study. Purposive sampling was used to select ten Grade 12 learners for the pilot study and ten others for the main study. Analysis of data was both deductive and inductive. The findings revealed that learners’ conception of differentiation and integration was mainly at the action stage (with reference to the APOS model), with few learners operating at the process stage. Weak foundational mathematical knowledge was found to hinder learners’ development of the necessary mental constructions 3.4. Concepts were overgeneralised from one domain to another and everyday language was used to explain mathematical concepts. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the teaching of differentiation and integration be integrated with algebraic concepts, which are the pre-requisite concepts needed for the schema development of differentiation and integration. It is also suggested that the genetic decomposition designed in this study be used by teachers as a tool to analyse their learners’ mental constructions in order to design and plan appropriate alternative instructional activities to improve learners’ development of differentiation and integration schema.
Preparing mathematics teachers for the 21st-century classroom.
(2023) George, Celestine Francis Ofili.; Mudaly, Vimolan.
This qualitative study explored pre-service mathematics teachers’ preparation for teaching in the 21st-century classroom during their B.Ed. Programme at a university. This purpose was explored mainly from the perspective of a set of 4th year pre-service mathematics teachers’ contextual understanding of the effectiveness of the theories and practices that comprise their training. The researcher employed a qualitative approach because it allowed for multiple perspectives and permitted flexibility in questions and probes. This study utilised an open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to elicit the required answers to the research questions. Hence, a purposeful sampling technique was utilised to select 6 participants to represent the entire population. The participants' responses were organised using the coding process to generate categories and themes for analysis and interpretation of the findings.
From the analysis of the data, the following findings emerged: Participants identified lesson planning and enactment and the use of appropriate teaching methods as some of the most critical training that was helpful in their teaching practice: question and answers, group work, concrete and visual representations were effective teaching strategies used by the participants to engage learners actively; the independent practice was used to allow each learner to work towards mastery of the subject content knowledge and progress at their own pace, while guided practice was offered to support learners with difficulties, but these were shot lived because participants high jacked the process to provide quick answers due to shortage of time; real-world problems were used to prove that mathematics is about reasoning and connecting abstract ideas to improve our daily lives, rather than memorising the procedures. Above all, participants demonstrated they could explain mathematical concepts better by using the 4Cs. The study also identified some factors that inhibit preservice mathematics teachers’ ability to teach effectively, including frustration due to lack of resources, inadequate time, learner mindset, and language barrier. The following recommendations were made to serve as a remedy to the above challenges: it is recommended that priority be given to quality assessment rather than quantity; provide a Mathematics remediation programme, which focuses on reviewing and building foundational mathematics skills; and provide adequate learning resources. These findings affirm the efficacy of using 21st-century skills to actualise effective teaching and learning in our classrooms, and the researcher recommends its application in schools.