Browsing by Author "Munro, Nicholas."

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Access to success: qualitative accounts of successful Access/Foundation Program students from University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg Campus.
(2019) Mbatha, Nokwethemba Hlobisile.; Munro, Nicholas.
Higher education in South Africa has undergone numerous changes over the past few decades. These changes have focused on addressing the discriminatory practices that the past apartheid laws (e.g. Bantu Education Act) have had on higher education in South Africa. As such, higher education in South Africa has been on an ongoing process of positive transformation so as to provide equal opportunities for previously disadvantaged groups of students. The increase of participation in higher education through the expansion of formal access for all learners, was one strategy that was used to contribute to the transformation of higher education. In recent years, conversations in higher education have shifted towards increasing epistemological access and success for students. This study aimed to explore success stories and accounts of students who entered the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) through access programmes. The study sought to explore how academically successful students who started their university studies through UKZN access programmes account for their academic success, what aspects of the university environment enabled and constrained these students’ academic success, and what aspects of their personal history enabled and constrained their academic success. The findings of this study revealed that there are various aspects in a student’s life that contribute to their success in university. These aspects range from academic factors, to family background, and to social and personal challenges. The findings from this study (such as sub-theme 1:1 attention and motivation, sub-theme 1:2 preparation and transitioning sub-theme 1:3 smaller classes and style of lecturing) are presented according to three thematic clusters, namely 1) The benefits of an access programme for academic success, 2) Explaining academic success by access programme students, and 3) Challenges that impacted on access programme students’ academic success. Within the three thematic clusters, eight sub-themes were identified as factors that either contributed to the participants’ academic success or were challenges that impacted on the participants’ academic success. The findings of this study highlight aspects that are worth considering when working towards optimising student success in university. For instance, it was evident in the findings that doing the access programme prepared students for transitioning into university and equipped them with the foundational skills needed for academic success. As such, the researcher highlighted the need for higher education institutions to enhance support programmes or even extend programmes (such as the access programme) to all students entering university so as to assist them with transitioning and to equip them with the skills needed for academic success. The findings also highlighted the challenges that successful non-traditional students encounter during their studies such as finances, language/communication barriers and time management amongst other challenges. The awareness of the realities that successful access programme students experience is important especially for institutions and other stakeholders who are intending optimise student success by addressing challenges that present themselves in the students studying experience.
African Students who Excel in South African Higher Education: Retro(Pro)Spectivity and Co-Regulation of Learning.
(University of KwaZulu-Natal., 2015) Samuel, Michael Anthony.; Munro, Nicholas.
In addition to being more likely to fail and dropout, African students are also less likely to succeed academically, let alone excel while doing so. In a critical move against a dominant deficit, failure, and drop-out discourse that surrounds African students in South African higher education, this paper reports on a study that explored exceptional academic achievement in African students. Specifically, using the data production strategies of auto-photography and photo-elicitation, eight academically exceptional undergraduate African students in a South African university explored the (academic) activities that were associated with their academically exceptional outcomes. Interpretative thematic analyses of the auto-photographical accounts highlighted not only how the participants excelled academically, but also who they were becoming in the process. Data from three of the eight participants is drawn upon in this paper to introduce the notion of retro(pro)spectivity, and to show how co-regulation of learning can be centralised when explaining an exceptional academic achievement trajectory for African students in South African higher education.
Aggression in high school sports: a qualitative study of coaches' perspectives.
Nidd, Alexandra Thelma.; Munro, Nicholas.
This study explored the phenomenon of aggression in high school sports, focusing on the perspectives of high school coaches. The research was motivated by three research questions, namely: (1) What types of aggression are observed by coaches in high school sports? (2) What systemic factors do coaches attribute to the expression of aggressive behaviours in high school sports? (3) How do coaches encourage and/or discourage aggressive behaviour in high school sports? Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from a sample population of participant coaches, and this data was analysed with the aim of identifying common themes. The research findings suggest aggression to be a complex and dynamic phenomenon, as seen from the perspectives of high school sports coaches. These findings also offer insights into how aggression may be effectively addressed, by focusing on elements such as clarity, consistency and communication within the context of high school sports.
Challenging the binary: a photo-narrative exploring sexual fluidity and the sexuality–sex–gender continuum in adult women in South Africa.
(2021) Nicholas, Lisa Anne.; Munro, Nicholas.
This research explored sexual fluidity in attractions, associations and experiences relating to sexual orientation dimensions and sexual identity development in 5 sexually fluid, South African women between the ages 30–50 years. Prior to being interviewed, participants sourced and selected photographic representations of their experiences regarding their sexual identity development and sexual fluidity. The photographs were utilised during the narrative inquiry interviews to promote discussion and glean deeper understandings of participants’ unique experiences. The interviews sought to explore participants’ sexual fluidity in attractions, associations and experiences relating to their sexual orientation dimensions (sexual identity and attractions) and sexual identity development within the South African context. Grounded in dynamic systems and queer theory, this study used a narrative inquiry research design to generate the narratives of participants. Sexual fluidity in attractions were reported by all the participants, with four out of five experiencing feelings of attraction to both women and men during adolescence and early adulthood. Sexual fluidity in sexual identity, based on experiencing changes in attractions, were experienced by four of the five women. The narratives reveal how upbringing, religion, patriarchy and psychological stress, associated with being sexually fluid, may inform sexual identity development among South African women. In addition, the findings from the study highlight the complexities and commonalities pertaining to the impact of the socio-political environment; the influence of internalised value systems; limited opportunities for exposure to LGBTQ communities and; the potential dangers and risks associated with same-sex relationships in South Africa. The implications of this research concur with the findings of Diamond (2008b), Diamond (2013) and Katz-Wise (2012), that sexual orientation is not fixed and even individuals that consider themselves heteronormative may engage in same-gender sexual behaviour and relationships when prompted by situational or interpersonal factors (Diamond, 2021). Additionally, whilst South Africa has one of the most progressive constitutions when it comes to LGBTQ rights, homophobia and hatred of the ‘other’ is rife (Nel & Judge, 2008; Wells & Polders, 2006). Future studies are required to investigate channels to reduce homophobia and bring South African attitudes in line with policies. Of primary importance is the assessment of how environment impacts and shapes sexual identities and sexual orientation, and how these may lead to social stress and marginalisation.
A critical discourse analysis of the mission and vision statements of public universities in South Africa.
(2021) Bartholomew, Luke Benjamin.; Munro, Nicholas.
According to the South African government’s National Development Plan and Department of Higher Education and Training, universities need to play a central role in the knowledge economy, the production of new knowledge and skills, and contribute towards redressing inequalities that were perpetuated by South Africa’s apartheid past. The study reported in this dissertation explored the dominant discourses within the mission and vision statements of the 26 public universities in South Africa. The main research question that guided the study focused on identifying the dominant discourses in the 26 public universities’ mission and vision statements. Sub-questions aimed to firstly identify whether there were differences and similarities within the mission and vision statements according to current modes of institutional differentiation, and secondly to determine the extent to which the discourses within the mission and vision statements reflect current national and global efforts to reconstruct and redress past inequalities. There is a relative dearth of knowledge on university mission and vision statements within South Africa and so this research adds to the limited pool of knowledge that currently exists on this topic. The researcher analysed the data through the use of thematic analysis as well as critical discourse analysis, locating this analysis and the entire study within a critical pedagogy framework. The findings suggest two prevailing discourses in the 26 public universities mission and vision statements, namely universities as “the solution”, and universities as the “place to be.” The first discourse positions South African universities as “the solution” to several socio-economic, political, and development problems in South Africa (and to some extent globally), while the second discourse presents universities as idealised, nurturing, and intellectually stimulating places for students and (academic) staff members. The findings suggest that South African mission and vision statements do, to some extent, reflect the national and global efforts to reconstruct and redress past inequalities, however there is very little that distinguishes universities on the basis of current modes of differentiation. The study is important as it provides a critical perspective on idealised discourses inherent in South African universities’ mission and vision statements and questions whether current modes of institutional differentiation are adequately reflected in these statements. The study is of relevance to government officials, university executives and staff, and students and other relevant role-players who may use university mission and vision statements to inform policy, partnership, funding, employment, or study decisions.
The difference between failure and success: barriers and facilitators impacting on academic performance of progressed learners within the FET Phase of a school in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2019) George, Janet Lamont.; Munro, Nicholas.
Academic underperformance, grade repetition, and subsequent non-completion of school are educational challenges that are not indigenous to South Africa. Progression (or social promotion), where a learner is promoted to a subsequent grade even though the learner may not have fulfilled the requirements for promotion, is one strategy that has been used in education systems worldwide to address these kinds of educational challenges. Within the South African context, even though the progression policy mandates that schools provide support measures and interventions targeting progressed learners, a high proportion of progressed learners still end up failing to complete school. The purpose of this study is to provide insight into the barriers and facilitators facing progressed learners, the influence of key role players, and aims to identify additional support initiatives, which could potentially aid in improving academic outcomes of progressed learners. Current literature in the South African context has not focused on the actual support measures being implemented to address progressed learners’ barriers to learning. Therefore, this study provides some insight into the type of support measures employed by schools, and therefore assists in understanding the impact thereof and guides future recommendations of effective support measures. This was a qualitative study drawing on the perspectives of educators and progressed learners on how contexts and relationships with key role players impact on academic performance of progressed learners. The findings of the study illustrate that interventions provided for progressed learners typically only focus on the academic curriculum. Ideally, support measures should be multitiered and structured to the specific needs of individual learners across the classroom, home and community setting. Key findings of this research suggest that training on identifying learning barriers will need to be a priority of the Department of Basic Education and schools. Such identification will allow learning barriers to be addressed adequately by educators and likely lead to less learners requiring progression.
Digital natives running wild: exploring adolescent girls’ identity development through wilderness adventure.
(2020) Seidler, Amanda Jane.; Munro, Nicholas.
Ecotherapy as a therapeutic modality has rapidly gained in global popularity in the last three decades. Taking on many forms such as animal- assisted therapy, gardening therapy, outdoor camps or wilderness adventure programmes, ecotherapy utilises the medium of nature and/or the wilderness to develop and grow self-competence, self-mastery, self-discipline and self-identity. This research explores the influence of a structured ecotherapy programme on the psychosocial development of a group of adolescent girls in South Africa in the context of the digital era. Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of Development was used to understand the mechanisms of adolescent psychosocial development which centre around the achievement of competence and growth of self-identity. The relative dearth of South African literature reflecting research in the field of ecotherapy is contrary to evidence of a broad range of existing programmes and interventions that falls withing the scope of ecotherapy practice in the country. This research responds to this deficit by contributing to the local knowledge base regarding the efficacy of ecotherapy as a therapeutic and personal development tool for adolescents in the context of the digital age. Transcendental phenomenology was used as the philosophical framework around which the research methodology was structured. The researcher accompanied a group of girls on the ecotherapy programme called Journey as a participant-observer in order to record the lived experience of the girls over a 21 day period. Data from focus group discussions, field discussions and observation notes and recordings were clustered and thematic analysis used in order to capture the essence of Journey and its psychosocial impacts on the adolescent girls. Findings demonstrated the efficacy of Journey as a positive contributor to the psychosocial development of adolescent girls and that the programme provides the economies of scale that would allow replication for other adolescent groups in South Africa.
Discourses of Black women professors in two South African universities.
(2020) Zulu, Ncamisile Thumile.; Munro, Nicholas.
Under the policy of apartheid, racial categorisation deeply moulded South African society and ensued in widespread inequalities. These inequalities inevitably extended to higher education institutions, with White people being advantaged in the journey to professoriate. Despite being 25 years after the end of apartheid, the South Africa professoriate is still predominantly White. Coupled with a racist ideology, a social system of patriarchy has enabled White men specifically (and men in general) to thrive in institutions of higher education via obtaining promotions and professorship status. The discrimination that comes with racism and patriarchy often leaves Black women academics experiencing difficulties in gaining promotion to the professorial level. Although there are a number of Black women professors in South Africa, the proportion is small when compared to professorial members of other race and gender groups. While there is (South African) literature on Black women academics, there is little that focuses on Black women professors. The study reported in this thesis had three objectives. First, it sought to identify and present the discursive strategies that Black women professors in South Africa use to construct their journey to professorship. Second, the study aimed to explore the ways in which Black women’s journeys to professorship may lead to (and arise from) their constructed identities. Third, the study aimed to identify the ways in which Black women professors argue for the benefit that they bring to their institutions. Grounded in a social constructionist research paradigm, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Black women professors from two South African universities. A combination of critical race theory, the concept of community cultural wealth, critical consciousness theory, and the concept of empowerment are integrated as a framework to understand the phenomenon of Black women professors. The Foucauldian discourse analysis was used to analyse the data. Collectively, the participants seemed to use three discourses when talking about their journey to professorship: a victim of educational and professional disempowerment discourse, a persistent resilience discourse, and an empowered to empower discourse. The first discourse (the victim of educational and professional disempowerment discourse) was used to discredit the discursive objects that were active in the participants’ disempowerment and the second and third discourses (persistent resilience in education and the empowered to empower discourses) were used to legitimate the discursive objects that were active in the participants’ empowerment. Collectively, the Black women professors in the study constructed a nurturing, transformative leader identity which seemed to be informed by protagonist mothers and academic and professional mentors. The third empowered to empower discourse seemed to arise from the nurturing, transformative leader identity. Due to the intersectional nature of race and gender, the participants brought unique research, management, and leadership insights to their disciplines and institutions. The findings from this study offer new insights into Black women professorship, challenge a variety of racial and gender stereotypes, and highlight the importance of supportive communal engagement. The study findings also reiterate the challenges that basic and higher education institutions (and South African society as a whole) still need to address in order to shift a transformation agenda beyond the current status quo.
Dynamic assessment of cognitive ability: investigating the construct validity of the Learning Potential Computerised Adaptive Test (LPCAT) within an academic context.
(2018) Zurakat, Ganiyat Olushola.; Mitchell, Carol Jean.; Munro, Nicholas.
No doubt, intelligence testing is vital for placement, intervention and other academic purposes, however, when factors that might disadvantage the individual, such as their impoverished socio-economic backgrounds are not considered in the process, such endeavours might further disadvantage the individual. In a bid to fill this assessment loophole, which is more peculiar to the static approach, the psychological assessment community witnessed the emergence of the dynamic approach to assessment, which gives hope for fairer assessments through its test-train-test approach. Although several measures using this approach have been developed, the dearth of empirical evidence on their psychometric properties still limits their popularity and acceptance across the globe. This study therefore investigated the construct validity of a locally developed dynamic measure of learning potential, the Learning Potential Computerised Adaptive Test (LPCAT), by comparing scores on it to those obtained on the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM). The intent of this endeavour is for findings to lend credence to the use of the LPCAT within the South African context and invariably, the dynamic assessment approach. The study also investigated the influence of demographic factors (race, gender, socio-economic status (SES) and English language proficiency) on the LPCAT, with the intent of verifying its culture-fairness. The study adopted a quantitative approach and the sample included 92 undergraduate students, conveniently drawn across the Pietermaritzburg campus of the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Findings indicated a strong positive relationship between the LPCAT and the SPM, while none of the variables tested had a significant effect on the LPCAT scores, aside from English language proficiency. The study therefore affirmed the construct validity and culture-fairness of the LPCAT with a caution that the language proficiency of the examinee be considered to ensure a culture-fair assessment. Keywords: Dynamic assessment, cognitive assessment, static approach, construct validity, culture-fairness, intelligence, zone of proximal development, learning potential
Early intervention programmes and parenting deaf children: parental experiences of stress.
(2018) Brown, Rosemary Ann.; Munro, Nicholas.
When confronted with a child recently diagnosed as deaf, parents can find themselves in a foreign and stressful situation. Parenting stress can have detrimental effects (e.g., socio-emotional problems) on the family and child. Early intervention programmes seek to equip parents for their parenting journey with their deaf child. This study sought to determine if participation in an early intervention programme, specifically HI HOPES, was associated with levels of parenting stress, perceived social support, and the perceived socio-emotional functioning of the child. Two groups of maternal caregivers were compared, one who had been through the HI HOPES intervention (n=35) and one who had not (n=23), using three different measures: Parental Stress Index, Social Support Questionnaire and Strengths-Difficulties Questionnaire. The results from the analyses indicate that participation in the HI HOPES early intervention programme seems unrelated to levels of parenting stress, perceived social support, and the child’s perceived socio-emotional functioning. These non-significant findings are discussed in relation to the theoretical foundations of the study and the contextual nature of the typical South African extended family structure. Although early intervention programmes are likely to be useful, it is possible that an extended family provides an important supportive and stress-relieving function for maternal caregivers of deaf children, which may negate the reported influence of an early intervention programme. In addition, the findings from the study are discussed in relation to certain methodological limitations (e.g., sample size, validity of questionnaire’s used, and data collection strategies)
Employment and employability profiles of psychology graduates from the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s professional psychology master’s programmes: a graduate tracer study.
(2020) Wurzel, Kelly Jade.; Munro, Nicholas.
This dissertation reports on a graduate tracer study of professional psychology master’s programme graduates from one South African university (i.e., the University of KwaZulu-Natal). Since its inception in 2004, the University of KwaZulu-Natal has offered professional psychology training in clinical, counselling, educational, industrial, and research psychology. This tracer study aimed to identify these graduates’ employment patterns and employability and to provide a retrospective evaluation of the professional training programmes that the graduates underwent. The study is also linked to current debates of relevance around South African psychology and higher education, and whether South African psychologists are appropriately trained to meet the demands of the specific South African labour market and the complex mental health needs of the population. Between 2005 and 2020, the University of KwaZulu-Natal produced close to 500 professional psychology graduates. Drawing on this sampling frame, this tracer study managed to survey 112 of these graduates (i.e., 25.28% response rate) via an online questionnaire designed specifically for the purposes of the study. The findings indicate that the University of KwaZulu-Natal professional psychology graduates who participated in the study are employed in a variety of fields, but most predominantly in private practice (36,6%) and public higher education (21,8%). Moreover, graduates possess a wide variety of skills that can be applied to the working environment, implying good employability skills. Qualitative findings show an overall positive view towards the institution and the training received. The study importantly indicates the University of KwaZulu-Natal is training students who are able to secure employment and contribute towards the profession of psychology within the South African context.
Empowerment and academically exceptional students.
Shuttleworth, Terry.; Munro, Nicholas.
This dissertation reports on a study, which explored psychological empowerment and exceptional academic achievement in a South African higher education institution. The significance of exploring the relationship between psychological empowerment and exceptional academic achievement of students rests on the current discourse of underachievement in South African higher education. The study offered a contrasting perspective within the South African higher education sphere. Firstly, the study was situated within a historical-contextual perspective, and secondly, was positioned in the transformative paradigm. The transformative paradigm was explicated from a social justice agenda, and with a critical lens of South Africa’s neoliberal transformative paradigm in higher education. In the quantitative phase of the study in response to the historical-contextual perspective of higher education in South Africa, the study sought to explore whether a relationship existed between psychological empowerment of undergraduate students and academic achievement. The qualitative phase of the study specifically incorporated a methodological Photo voice activity that offered a meaningful exploration of psychological empowerment and the phenomenon of exceptional academic achievement. Within the context of their exceptional academic achievement, the study explored the people, places, structures, and processes that had influenced their exceptional academic achievement. In line with the historical-contextual and conceptual perspectives, and the research questions, a social justice stance was assumed and a transformative mixed methodology was employed. The methodology involved two concurrent phases that were situated in a higher education institution that was both racially transformed and internationally ranked. In the quantitative phase of the study, the Psychological Empowerment Instrument (PEI) which had been validated in over fifty studies was used to investigate the level of psychological empowerment Psychology 101 students felt they had in relation to their learning environment. From the PEI, a correlational model was developed. The model was developed from a sample of 84 Psychology 101undergraduate students who were currently registered for a variety of degrees at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Other analyses included Cronbach’s Alpha to establish the internal consistency and reliability of the scale, while a secondary exploratory factor analysis using principal components was run to establish the number of factors on the scale after the wording had be adjusted. The correlational model identified that there was no relationship between empowerment scores and students’ final results for their Psychology 101 module. However, the type of degree a student registered for revealed a practically significant result when compared to their final results for Psychology 101. In the qualitative phase of the study, two South African and four international female and male students who had attained exceptional academic achievement were purposively invited to participate in the study. Using the transformative paradigm and an interpretive analytic perspective, the important meaning participants gave to their Photo voice activity was used as a data collection method. Furthermore, all six of the participants engaged in photo-elicitation interviews with the researcher. The themes generated from the data revealed that multiple factors/holistic perspective (emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual factors) influenced each participant’s exceptional academic achievement. Some of these influences were inspirational role models, strong family support systems, academic and peer support, psychological and physical boundaries being challenged, cultural practices and religious beliefs. Moreover, the findings highlighted conscientised students situated in an educational context of previous injustice and oppression. The findings further highlight that despite the participants’ socio-economic and educational background, their exceptional academic achievement within a persistently unjust higher education system, was attainable. The current and historical dynamics involved in the academic paths of undergraduate students who excel academically, reveals that, when set in a transformative educational context with the goal of social justice, exceptional academic achievement and the socio-political transformation of lives is possible.
Exceptional academic achievement in South African higher education.
(2014) Munro, Nicholas.; Vithal, Renuka.
This thesis reports on a study which explored the equity of representation within the phenomenon of exceptional academic achievement in South African higher education. The significance of the thesis rests with its unique position among a prevailing higher education discourse of academic underachievement and high levels of failure. In this way, this study offered a complementary strengths-based perspective within the South African higher education domain. Firstly, the study was located in a historical-contextual framework, and secondly grounded within three conceptual frameworks. These included a critical quantitative stance, a social cognitive framework, and a sociocultural framework. The latter framework specifically incorporated cultural-historical activity theory and was offered as an integrative stance from which the phenomenon of exceptional academic achievement in South African higher education could be most effectively conceptualised. In response to the historical-contextual and conceptual frameworks, the study first sought to identify the profile of exceptional academic achievement in South African undergraduate students. Given the critical nature of the study, the second and third research questions sought to explore those students who did not fit the profile of exceptional academic achievement. In resonance with the historical-contextual and conceptual frameworks and the research questions, a critical dialectical pluralist stance was assumed, and a critical dialectical mixed methodology was employed. This methodology involved two interlinked phases, and these were embedded within a case study of a racially transformed and internationally ranked South African higher education institution. In the first phase of the study, a logistic regression model for exceptional academic achievement in South African higher education was developed. The model was developed from a sample of 20 120 graduates from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, who completed undergraduate degrees between the years 2006 and 2010. The model identified that even when controlling for financial aid, matriculation score, and matriculation English symbol, white female students were 16 times more likely to excel when compared to African female students, and seven times more likely to excel when compared to African male students. In the second phase of the study, 18 academically exceptional African female and African male undergraduate students were purposively invited to participate in the study. Their first task involved an interpretation of the logistic regression model, this interpretation being garnered through the students’ participation in three focus group discussions. Of the original 18 students, eight then embarked on an auto-photographical data production process and participated in photo-elicitation interviews with the researcher. Using the theorised activity system within cultural-historical activity theory as a heuristic device, three systems of academic activity were constructed and analysed. The constructions generated evolving and historical activity systems of exceptional academic achievement, and a third institutional system of academic activity. The analyses highlighted the regulatory role of collective emotions in exceptional academic achievement, and in particular, the importance of the resolution of an injustice-based anger and edu-emotional struggle, with a vision for the future and the development of a positive edu-emotional valence. The three activity systems offer a conceptual perspective of exceptional academic achievement in higher education that is persistently unjust, however prospectively hopeful. The current and historical dynamics involved in the academic trajectories of undergraduate African students who excel are offered as a way in which a transformative and socio-political object of exceptional academic achievement could be attained. This object is constituted by an iterative trajectory within a fragile and homologous space between enabling and constraining environments. Importantly, these environments are positioned as having the potential to yield outcomes of both exceptional academic achievement and academic underachievement in higher education.
The experiences of high school English Home Language educators in preparing and delivering e- learning lessons to General Education and Training (GET) learners: a qualitative study.
(2019) Gibson, Rozanne Tracey.; Munro, Nicholas.
The ever-evolving role of the educator has seen educators being encouraged to adopt a more learner-centred approach within the classroom. In addition to this, numerous policies regarding education have been issued by the Department of Basic Education (DoBE), which have resulted in many educators feeling pressurised. Furthermore, there has been a recent shift towards the integration of electronic learning (e-learning) tools within the classroom which has resulted in educators needing to develop a technological skill set. This research explored the experiences of high school English Home Language educators in preparing and delivering e-learning lessons, with a focus on the Learning Management System (LMS), Moodle, to learners within the South African General Education and Training (GET) phase of education. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and the Technology Acceptance Model 2 (TAM 2) were used in order to conceptualise and guide the study. Data was collected, through semi-structured interviews, from a sample of six English Home Language educators. The data was then analysed using thematic analysis. The research findings revealed that all participants saw great value in a blended approach to teaching; however, their perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of e-learning tools depended on both external and internal processes which shaped their experiences regarding the preparation and delivery of e-learning lessons. All educators in the study reported negative and positive experiences with regard to e-learning. Positive experiences included that e-learning allows for information to be saved and modified, improves familiarity with electronic tools and content matter, results in increased learner involvement and allows for increased interactions between the educator and learners. Negative experiences pertained to difficulties in acquiring the necessary technological skill set, the preparation of e-learning lessons as initially time-consuming, a sense that many learners lacked self-control when using technology in educational contexts and frequent connectivity issues. The findings in this research provides insight into English Home Language educators’ experiences of preparing and delivering e-learning lessons within the GET phase along with what determines an educators’ perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness regarding e-learning. The findings could also be used to inform educators about what might be involved in adopting an e-learning approach to their teaching or to realise that their experiences are similar to those of other educators. The findings may even encourage educators or school management teams to develop e-learning strategies in order to deliver effective lessons and improve their learners’ understanding of concepts taught. Finally, this research could potentially assist in guiding school policies and practices with regard to e-learning.
Experiences of secondary stigma among AIDS care volunteers.
(2015) Zondi, Lungelo Phephelani.; Akintola, Olubunmi Omoyeni.; Munro, Nicholas.
HIV/AIDS is a disease that is still highly stigmatised around the world and it affects the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). By virtue of taking care of PLWHA, volunteer caregivers also bear the burden of HIV/AIDS-related stigma as well as discrimination. Studies show that stigma is one of the heavy challenges that volunteer caregivers experience in their daily work. However, most studies talk about HIV/AIDS stigma towards volunteer caregivers in passing, and not in-depth. Thus the aim of this study is to explore the experiences of secondary stigma on HIV/AIDS volunteer caregivers, its influence and how they deal with it. Six focus group interviews of HIV/AIDS volunteer caregivers were conducted from six different organisations that provide home-based caregiving services to PLWHA in township communities in Durban, South Africa. The findings of this study reveal that the main agents of stigma towards volunteer caregivers are their family members or relatives, community members as well as nurses. Gossips, name-calling and ridicule were the most popular stigmatising behaviours that volunteer caregivers encountered, particularly from their communities. Volunteer caregiving is perceived as work done by people with low social status and low education. Due to stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, volunteer caregivers found it difficult to gain access to potential patients because family members refused their services in fear of being stigmatised by neighbours and other community members. Overall, stigma and discrimination towards volunteer home-based caregivers impedes their daily work and results in a compromised service for PLWHA. These results indicate that there is a great need to teach communities about the role of HIV/AIDS home-based care organisations and volunteer caregivers. In order to foster a good working relationship between caregivers and nurses in clinics, it is also important that nurses be clear about the work and services of home-based care volunteer caregivers. This will then reduce the secondary stigma burden experienced by volunteer caregivers, thus improving the quality of HIV/AIDS home-based caregiving.
An exploration of the psychosocial experiences of women who head households.
(2017) Mkhize, Generose Nomusa.; Munro, Nicholas.
This study explored the psychosocial experiences of a sample of six females heading households in Imbali Township in the City of Pietermaritzburg (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa). The term psychosocial is based on the idea that interconnected and interdependent factors which may include biological, emotional, spiritual, cultural, social, mental and material aspects are responsible for a person’s well-being, and impacts on their functional ability (“IASC Guidelines”, 2007). This study has sought to find out from women that head households what their psychosocial experiences are, and the effect this role has on their well-being. Exploration of the nature of the interpersonal relationships within the family environment, the nature of behavioural patterns within their families, the interaction with the family ecological environment and how they cope with stressful life events encountered during the execution of their roles were studied. In this exploratory qualitative study, participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule and data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings suggest that women heading households encourage their children to persist in education in order to secure a bright future for themselves. Women heading households were also found to enforce discipline in their households; discipline to which their children respond. Moreover, women heading households were also found to have adopted strategies that help them cope with their challenges, and those coping measures include having conversations with significant others and possessing what they referred to as a supernatural power. The women in the study were also found to be resilient in the execution of their role as heads of households and they remain resilient despite the challenges they encounter. Findings further suggest that women heading households experience discrimination from their extended families and society. These findings could mean that when research on women heading households is conducted, contextual factors should be taken into consideration.
Exploring autism spectrum disorder in African children using multiple case study methodology.
(2015) Dixon, Michelle Glenise.; Munro, Nicholas.; Killian, Beverley Janet.
Despite the sharp global increase in prevalence, there is a paucity of South African research into autism spectrum disorders (ASD), so little is known about how ASD manifests in African children. This qualitative multiple case study explores six family units with a boy child with ASD (ranging in age from six to eleven years). The sample was recruited from five public schools for learners with special education needs (LSEN) in KwaZulu-Natal. The methodology incorporated (i) in-depth individual interviews with the parents to obtain an understanding of their experiences of raising a child with ASD, and (ii) the administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) to the children to confirm the diagnosis, contextualise parental accounts, and to observe the children’s responses to the ADOS activities. The findings indicate that the parents experienced a difficult help-seeking journey, which began when they first noticed signs of atypical development (most frequently related to delayed speech development and lack of social interaction), to the time when the diagnosis was made. Lack of awareness of ASD, at both the community and primary healthcare levels, made the journey unnecessarily prolonged. Most of the participants in this sample explored cultural factors that could account for their child’s difficulties and engaged in various rituals to appease ancestors. Initially, African cultural beliefs strongly influenced their views about the causes of ASD, but over time, they drifted towards a Western perspective. Since there are no physically detectable features associated with ASD, the parents experienced much criticism in response to the child’s challenging behaviours in various social and religious contexts. The ADOS observations provided insight into South African children’s responses to the tasks, suggesting more universality into the way in which ASD manifests than had been expected from an African worldview perspective. This small qualitative study is critiqued and suggestions made for future research focal areas.
Exploring factors influencing career decision-making in first year students of the University of KwaZulu-Natal coming from rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2017) Luthuli, Silondile Pinkie.; Munro, Nicholas.
Career psychology in the South African context was predominantly practiced on White learners from urban areas during the Apartheid era. Subsequent to the Apartheid era, the South African democratic government introduced a curriculum that ensured all learners in South Africa are equipped with skills to make good career decisions. However, post the Apartheid era, many Black African learners in South Africa, especially in rural communities, still do not have access to facilities that assist in career decision-making. This study explores factors that influenced career decision-making in first year students of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) from the rural communities. The study is an exploratory research study and used the narrative approach to guide the data collection process. Non-probability sampling was used in the study to select the research participants. Purposive sampling and snowball sampling were used as the main strategies for sampling in the study. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and individual interviews were used as data collection strategies. Ten first year students of UKZN Pietermaritzburg campus participated in the study. Framework analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings of the study showed that in the process of career decision-making family and community influenced the first year students belonging in rural communities. The findings of the study are embedded in the context of the individuals, highlighting interconnectedness and communality that exist in rural communities. The study concludes that there is a need for career decision-making and career development approaches and theories that are embedded in African values.
From victim to survivor, to prosocial change agent: exploring the contributions made by survivors of human trafficking towards fighting against human trafficking.
(2021) Hutchinson, Blessing Anya.; Munro, Nicholas.
The study reported in this dissertation explores the transitional journeys of survivors of human trafficking in South Africa. There is a special focus on survivors of sex trafficking, and how they narrate their transition from victims, to survivors, to prosocial change agents. This study was conducted within an interpretivist paradigm with a qualitative research design. Through narrative inquiry, data was collected from the participants and transcribed verbatim. The study is unique in that it attempts to fill a gap in understanding about how survivors of human trafficking transition to become prosocial change agents while contributing to the fight against human trafficking in South Africa. Typically, research on human trafficking does not focus on the transition that trafficking survivors make to become prosocial change agents, but rather seems to focus on the tragedy and damaging effects of human trafficking. Findings from this study highlight participants’ resilience in surviving the devastating physical and psychological abuse and severe traumatic experiences from traffickers, which they have had to live with and manage for years. The participants explained how they used their past traumatic stories to create awareness and sensitise South African communities about the dangers of human trafficking. The participants also highlighted how they used their past traumatic experiences to provide hope to those currently trapped in human trafficking - for example, when undertaking late night street outreach programmes. The participants explained how the criminalisation of prostitution and prosecuting sex buyers could help reduce human trafficking and as such help fight against the phenomenon. Lastly, this study recommends, First, joining existing efforts against human trafficking is an effective way to combat human trafficking. Second, the criminalisation of prostitution and prosecuting sex buyers would reduce the demand for human trafficking. Third, South African Government and individuals to give Survivors of human trafficking practical support to enable Survivors to continue to be prosocial change agents in the fight against human trafficking in South Africa. Fourth, an ongoing empowerment and psychosocial strategy should be provided to those who have served their conviction terms in prison for human trafficking related offenses.
High academic achievement among black South African students : enabling and constraining processes.
(2018) Thamae, Mpheng Priscilla.; Munro, Nicholas.
One priority for South African higher education has been on increasing the numbers of students who are able to access higher education. Moreover, it has been important to increase access for students from historically disadvantaged race groups (Higher Education South Africa, 2015). As a consequence of this focus, higher education access has indeed increased in post-apartheid South Africa; however, the academic achievement of students who manage to access higher education still needs improvement. Findings from studies locally and internationally, indicate that academic achievement is constrained and/or enabled by the complex interplay of internal and external processes (Council on Higher Education, 2013). For the purposes of this study, academic achievement was understood to include the attainment of final marks for modules that students pass, while high academic achievement was consequently understood as marks attained in the 70 – 100 % range. The purpose of this study was to identify and explore the processes which enable and constrain high academic achievement for black South African students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The study used a qualitative methodology to achieve this purpose. Three focus group discussions and an interview were conducted with high achieving black South African students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. A semi-structured focus-group discussion and interview schedule were used to guide the data collection process, while thematic analysis was employed for data analysis purposes. Findings suggest that high achieving black South African students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal found multiple enabling and constraining processes as important in their high academic achievement trajectories. Specifically, being motivated to break the family poverty cycle, time management skills, studying a preferred course/degree, emotional and financial support from family, association with likeminded peers, positive attitude from lecturers, and having access to resources (such as the internet, library services, textbooks and laptops) were isolated as key enabling processes in the participants’ high academic achievement. In contrast, losing focus and motivation in one’s academics, lacking time management skills, some lecturers’ negative attitudes, complex university structures and procedures with slow and bureaucratic services, and English language as the primary medium of instruction were reported as barriers to the participants’ high academic achievement. These findings suggest that high academic achievement at university for black students is affected by both internal and external enabling and constraining processes. University interventions aimed at improving academic achievement levels need to consider both internal and external processes in their execution.