Volume 44, Issue 1, 2012
Acta Academica - Volume 44, Issue 1, January 2012
Volume 44, Issue 1, January 2012
Source: Acta Academica 44, pp I –II (2012)
Na my emeritaat in 2010 het ek aan die begin van die huidige akademiese jaar kennis gegee van my bedanking as die Redakteur van Acta Academica, 'n taak wat ek sedert 1992 verrig het. Ek is die laaste lid van 'n span van kollegas (destyds met wyle Dirk du Toit as leier) wat sedert 1989 'n nuwe bedeling vir UV wetenskaplike joernale help vestig het, gerig op die uiteindelike totstandkoming van 'n onafhanklike universiteitsuitgewery. Hierdie ideaal is gedeeltelik in 2009 bereik met die stigting in van SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein (SMB) as 'n gesamentlike onderneming van die UV en SUN MeDIA in Stellenbosch.
Following my emeritation in 2010, I gave notice at the beginning of the 2012 academic year of my resignation as Editor of Acta Academica, a task I have been performing since 1992 as the last member of a team (at that time with the late Dirk du Toit as leader) that established a new dispensation for UFS scholarly journals. Its aim was gradual progress towards the future establishment of an independent UFS university press. This ideal was partly realised in 2009 with the launching of SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein (SMB) as a joint enterprise of the UFS and SUN MeDIA in Stellenbosch.
Gated developments : international experiences and the South African context
Author Manfred Spocter
Source: Acta Academica 44, pp 1 –27 (2012)
Gated developments, more commonly known as gated communities, have become a feature of urban living throughout the world. Gated developments in South African cities are an ubiquitous feature of the contemporary urban landscape with many new housing developments in the form of secure estates or fortified town house complexes. A review of international research on gated developments reveals four broad themes into which such research can be placed. South African gated development research is discussed within these themes and it is found that the themes are present in varying degrees in South Africa. This highlights not only global commonalities in gated development research, but also the importance of local or regional conditions in facilitating the increased proliferation of gated developments.
Geslote woonbuurte : internasionale ervaringe en die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks
Stede die wêreld oor word gekenmerk deur die groei van geslote woonbuurte, meer algemeen bekend as geslote gemeenskappe. Geslote woonbuurte is alomteenwoordig in die hedendaagse Suid-Afrikaanse stad met baie nuwe behuisingsontwikkelinge wat as beveiligde landgoede en meenthuiskomplekse gebou word. 'n Oorsig van internasionale navorsing oor geslote gemeenskappe openbaar vier temas waarin sulke navorsing geplaas kan word. Navorsing oor geslote gemeenskappe in Suid-Afrika word binne hierdie temas bespreek. Daar is gevind dat die temas, in 'n mindere of meerdere mate, in Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing teenwoordig is. Dit bring na vore nie net die gemeenskaplike eienskappe van geslote gemeenskappe regoor die wêreld nie, maar ook die belangrikheid van plaaslike- en streeksomstandighede, wat die groei van geslote gemeenskappe vergemaklik.
Equality and freedom in South Africa : creating a democratic paradox?
Source: Acta Academica 44, pp 28 –55 (2012)
South Africa's democratic transformation from authoritarian rule to a constitutional democracy was a dramatic legal revolution that signalled the end of parliamentary sovereignty and its replacement by a supreme constitution. This adoption of a supreme constitution, including a bill of rights to protect individual rights, for the first time formally indicated the presence of a constitutional state in South Africa. The "legal revolution" had a direct influence on the way democracy would be defined and applied in the future. However, the emphasis in the Constitution on equality and freedom, in direct relation to democracy, may have created a potential paradox in the understanding and application of the concept in South Africa. This article investigates this potential paradox between equality and freedom in the application of democracy in South Africa.
Gelykheid en vryheid in Suid-Afrika : die skepping van 'n demokratiese paradoks?
Suid-Afrika se demokratiese transformasie van 'n outoritêre regering na 'n konstitusionele demokrasie was 'n dramatiese staatsregtelike rewolusie wat 'n einde aan parlementêre soewereiniteit en die vervanging met 'n oppermagtige grondwet gemaak het. Die aanvaarding van 'n oppermagtige grondwet, met 'n handves van menseregte om individuele regte te beskerm, het vir die eerste keer in Suid-Afrika die teenwoordigheid van 'n konstitusionele staat bevestig. Hierdie "staatsregtelike rewolusie" het 'n direkte invloed op die wyse waarop demokrasie in die toekoms omskryf en toegepas sou word, uitgeoefen. Die klem wat egter in die grondwet op die waardes van gelykheid en vryheid in 'n demokrasie geplaas is, het egter 'n potensiële paradoks in die verstaan en toepassing van dié konsep geskep. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die potensiële paradoks tussen gelykheid en vryheid in die toepassing van demokrasie in Suid-Afrika.
The rephonologisation of Shona loanwords from English : an optimality theory analysis
Author Maxwell Kadenge
Source: Acta Academica 44, pp 56 –84 (2012)
In their quest to respond to scientific and educational demands, speakers of Shona, a Southern Bantu language spoken in Zimbabwe, have expanded its lexical stock by borrowing mainly from the English language. The two languages have different phonologies, the phonology of English being much more complex than that of Shona. This article examines some aspects of the phonology of Shona loanwords from English, focusing specifically on how they are constrained by the Bantu CV syllable structure underlying the receptor language. The focus is on vowel and glide epenthesis which are employed to repair "illegal" complex onsets, syllable codas and diphthongs.
Die herfonologisering van Shona-leenwoorde uit Engels : 'n optimaliteitsteorie-analise
In hul poging om tred te hou met wetenskaplike en opvoedkundige vereistes het sprekers van Shona, 'n Suidelike Bantoetaal wat in Zimbabwe gepraat word, die taal se leksikon uitgebrei deur hoofsaaklik woorde uit Engels te ontleen. Die twee tale beskik oor verskillende fonologiese sisteme, waar die fonologie van Engels aansienlik meer kompleks is as dié van Shona. Hierdie artikel ondersoek bepaalde aspekte van die fonologie van Shona-leenwoorde uit Engels, en fokus spesifiek op hoe hulle ingeperk word deur die CV sillabestruktuur van die Bantoetale wat onderliggend aan die ontvangertaal is. Daar word gefokus op vokaal- en glyerinvoeging, wat ingespan word om "onwettige" komplekse aansette, kodas en diftonge te herstel.
Authors: Lochner Marais, Mark Ingle, Kholisa Sigenu and Donald Skinner
Source: Acta Academica 44, pp 85 –120 (2012)
This article details the evaluation of an NGO Family Support Programme (FSP) that was implemented in the southern Free State's Kopanong local municipality. The FSP is primarily aimed at strengthening Early Childhood Development (ECD) in what is a very socio-economically deprived environment for small children. The article argues for the critical importance of ECD within the human development paradigm. It then reports on the actual FSP assessment and advances a number of recommendations for how the initiative could be bolstered. It concludes that the FSP methodology is sound in principle and that it warrants replication at scale.
'n Evaluasie van 'n gesinsondersteuningsprogram in die Suid-Vrystaat
Hierdie artikel beskryf die evaluasie van 'n ontwikkelingsprogram vir 'n burgerlike organisasie wat gesinsondersteuning bied. Die program is in die Suid-Vrystaatse Kopanong munisipaliteit geïmplementeer. Die Family Support Programme (FSP) se doelwit was die bevordering van voorskoolse ontwikkeling in 'n agtergeblewe gemeenskap. Die kritiese belang van voorskoolse ontwikkeling binne die menslike ontwikkelingsparadigma word beklemtoon. Die artikel evalueer die FSP en verskaf verskeie voorstelle vir die versterking van die program. Die slotsom is dat die FSP se metodologie in beginsel goed ontwerp is, en dat die program op 'n groter skaal uitgerol moet word.
Enkele voorspellers van die akademiese prestasie van eerste-jaarstudente in drie- en vierjaar-kurrikulums
Authors: Andri Keeve, Luzelle Naude and Karel Esterhuyse
Source: Acta Academica 44, pp 121 –158 (2012)
In die lig van lae sukseskoerse aan Suid-Afrikaanse hoëronderwysinstellings het hernude belangstelling in die voorspellers van akademiese prestasie ontwikkel. Hierdie studie ondersoek akademiese en psigososiale voorspellers van die akademiese prestasie van eerstejaarstudente in drie- en vierjaarkurrikulums. Gesamentlik verklaar die voorspellers 20.2% van die variansie in akademiese prestasie. Vir studente in die driejaarkurrikulum bied akademiese faktore (Graad 12 prestasie, taalvaardigheid) 'n betekenisvolle verklaring. Dit geld egter nie vir vierjaarkurrikulumstudente nie, waar psigososiale faktore (ouers se opleidingsvlak) 'n rol speel. Toelating tot hoëronderwys gebaseer op Graad 12-prestasie en taalvaardigheid blyk dus verantwoordbaar te wees, maar is minder akkuraat by vierjaarkurrikulumstudente.
Some predictors of academic performance of first-year students in three- and four-year curricula
Low success rates at South African higher education institutions instigated renewed interest in the predictors of academic performance. This study article investigates academic and psychosocial predictors of academic performance of first-year students in three- and four-year curricula. In combination, the predictors explain 20.2% of the variance in academic performance. For three-year-curriculum students, academic factors (Grade 12 performance, language proficiency) provide a significant explanation. This does not apply to four-year-curriculum students, where psychosocial factors (parents' education level) play a role. Admission to higher education based on Grade 12 performance and language proficiency appears to be justified, but is less accurate for four-year-curriculum students.
Meeting challenges in rural African education : a Zambian case study
Authors: Jannie Compion, Hennie Steyn, Charl Wolhuter and Hannes Van der Walt
Source: Acta Academica 44, pp 159 –190 (2012)
Private initiatives can contribute to the eradication of many of the educational problems of developing countries, specifically in rural Africa. This article explores the crippling education problems of several developing countries. It argues that many of these problems can be addressed by non-governmental organisations making use of privately funded mini-education systems. In particular, an analysis and discussion of the Foundation for Cross-Cultural Education shows that a private educational initiative, acting as a mini-education system itself, can make a substantial contribution towards the pedagogical upliftment of a community in a rural area, such as that of the Masaïti area of Zambia.
Die oplossing van onderwysprobleme in landelike Afrika : 'n Zambiese gevallestudie
Privaatinisiatiewe kan 'n bydrae lewer tot die oplossing van baie van die onderwysprobleme in ontwikkelende lande, veral in die landelike gedeeltes van Afrika. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die onderwysprobleme in verskeie ontwikkelende lande. Hierdie probleme kan die hoof gebied word deur nie-regeringsorganisasies wat gebruik maak van privaatbefondste mini-onderwysstelsels. 'n Analise en bespreking van die Foundation for Cross-Cultural Education toon dat 'n privaat-onderwysinisiatief wat in sigself optree as 'n mini-onderwysstelsel 'n aansienlike bydrae kan lewer tot die pedagogiese opheffing van 'n gemeenskap in 'n landelike area, soos dié van die Masaïti-gebied in Zambië.
Developing an intentionally inviting school culture : a case study
Source: Acta Academica 44, pp 191 –223 (2012)
Effective professional development (PD) programmes may deepen teachers' understanding, transform their assumptions and beliefs and thus change their teaching practice. This article is part of a research project and focuses specifically on the views of teachers from two schools on implementing invitational education (IE) intentionally in their schools to achieve improved learner success. An explorative, descriptive qualitative research design was considered the most suitable method to address the research problem. Purposive sampling was used for the study since it focused on two schools that had applied for the inviting school award from the International Alliance of IE in 2010. An awareness PD programme was conducted at each of the schools. Data was collected obtaining participants' views in naïve sketches on how they envisaged implementing IE to make their schools intentionally more inviting. The following categories emerged from the data: assuming an intentionally inviting stance; four levels in the IE model; four dimensions in the IE model, and appreciation for the IE workshop.
Die ontwikkeling van 'n doelbewuste uitnodigende skoolkultuur : 'n gevallestudie
Effektiewe professionele ontwikkeling (PO) programme verdiep onderwysers se begrip, verander hul aannames en oortuigings wat tot 'n verandering in hul onderrigpraktyk mag lei. Hierdie artikel is deel van 'n navorsingsprojek en is in besonder gefokus op die menings van onderwysers van twee skole in die doelbewuste implementering van Uitnodigende Onderwys (UO) ten einde leerdersukses te verbeter. 'n Ondersoekende, kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is as die geskikste metode oorweeg om die navorsingsprobleem te benader. Doelbewuste steekproefneming is gebruik vir die studie deur skole wat aansoek vir die uitnodigende skooltoekenning van die International Alliance of Invitational Education in 2010 te identifiseer. 'n Bewuswordingsprogram is by elk van die skole gedoen. Data is ingesamel deur deelnemers aan die program te versoek om by wyse van naïewe sketse te beskryf hoe hulle die doelbewuste implementering van UO in hulle skole beskou. Die volgende kategorieë het uit die data gespruit: waardering vir die UO werkswinkel; die uitnodigende houding; vier vlakke van die UO model, en die vier dimensies van die model.
Author Martina Jordaan
Source: Acta Academica 44, pp 224 –246 (2012)
Community engagement is a form of experiential learning aimed at accomplishing tasks that meet genuine human needs in various local communities. It focuses on the execution of tasks that serve as educational and learning tools for students to acquire a number of important life skills. It is very challenging to sustain a community-based project module in an educational environment where accountability and evidence-based practice are important. The success of such a module rests to a large extent on the strength of the relationship between the faculty and the community. The successful running of the module also depends on the triad of student, lecturer and community partner. The commitment of all the parties involved in the outreach projects and in community development, in general, is of crucial importance for the success of community-based projects.
Volhoubaarheid van 'n gemeenskapsgebaseerde projek-module
Gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid is 'n vorm van ervaringsleer wat gerig is op take wat die werklike behoeftes van verskeie plaaslike gemeenskappe aanspreek. Dit fokus op die uitvoering van take waardeur studente belangrike lewensvaardighede verwerf met behulp van onderrig- en leermiddels. Dit is 'n groot uitdaging om so 'n gemeenskapsgebaseerde projek-module te onderhou in 'n onderwysomgewing waar aanspreeklikheid en bewysgebaseerde praktyke belangrik is. Die sukses van so 'n module rus grootliks op die verhouding van die gemeenskap en die betrokke fakulteite, asook die drieledige verhouding tussen die student, die dosent en die gemeenskapsvennoot. Al die betrokke partye moet ten volle toegewyd wees aan die uitreikprojekte en aan gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid oor die algemeen. Dit is van uiterste belang vir die sukses van die gemeenskapsgebaseerde projekte.