Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Research Articles

Knowledge sources in L2 learning

Should one bother to teach grammar to second language (L2) learners of English? The purpose of this article is to examine the hypothesis that there is an interface between explicit and implicit knowledge sources. Three groups of learners at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University were asked to articulate, first without a prompt and then with a prompt, the grammatical rules they were applying to correct common errors. The test results suggest that there is a high correlation between what they seemingly know implicitly and the hidden, possibly previously explicit knowledge source on which they are drawing. The article concludes by discussing some of the theoretical implications of the research.

Refugee Perceptions of the Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Centre

This article presents findings from an empirical survey conducted at the Nelson Mandela University Refugee Rights Centre based at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, to establish the perceptions and experiences of refugees/asylum seekers of the Refugee Reception Centre in Port Elizabeth in terms of Batho Pele principles. First, an overview of violence in South Africa against refugees/asylum seekers, primarily of African descent, is presented, followed by an outline of the obligations of hostgovernments to such people as described in the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees. As South Africa subscribes to this Convention, an overview is important to contextualise legislation dealing with refugees. After an outline of the method, sample and data analysis techniques, a presentation of the findings follows.

Having Their Say: Engaging with Contemporary Picture Books at Work and at Play

Summary Can picture books offer something of value to readers who might otherwise encounter difficulties with texts not published in their home language? It is suggested in this article that picture books, particularly those which engage readers with different kinds of metafictive devices, can encourage them to respond in their additional language, where more conventional texts in the additional language might be less effective. Critical attention has fallen increasingly on works containing “postmodern” or “metafictive” characteristics, as authors and illustrators appear to extend traditional boundaries of both content and format. Readers are frequently drawn into “games” by texts that abound in verbal and pictorial wit. Examples of such texts are discussed in the first section. It is proposed that student teachers can benefit from exposure to high-quality picture books, both through expanding their own language horizons and through discovering a rich learning resource for the classroom. Novel and unusual features appearing in some of the texts should have the potential to elicit responses from readers who might normally feel diffident about expressing their opinions on what they are reading. This is borne out to some extent by the responses of EFAL firstyear BEd students at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), South Africa, to selections of picture books, including some with metafictive features. There is also evidence that some of the above respondents perceived a link between their own responses and how they might use such resources in their own classrooms.

Developments in undergraduate wood science education at Stellenbosch University, South Africa

In South Africa, Stellenbosch University (SU) is the designated provider of Bachelor, Master and Doctorate level qualifications in Forestry and Wood Products Science. SU provides educational programs to both mechanical (sawmilling, preservation, composite products, furniture, etc.) and the chemical (pulp & paper) processing sectors. To ensure academic quality, SU regularly has her academic programs assessed externally. In 2000, several changes to the then existing 4 year B.Sc. Wood Science program were recommended. A restructured SU undergraduate program, similar to the B.Sc. Wood Products Processing program at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada, was consequently introduced in 2003. That same year, to provide more support to this effort, a partnership between UBC, SU and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, the SA institution responsible for the National Diploma and Bachelor of Technology degrees in similar subjects, was established. The objective was to develop and deliver successful tertiary programs in value-added wood product processing education for South Africa and later, for other African countries as well. A Wood Products Processing Education Project, implemented in 2004 and running until mid 2010, funded by the respective partner institutions and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through the University Partnership in Cooperation and Development Program, was established. In addition to curriculum developments based on the UBC model, module content was modified to address relevant South African conditions. To make modules accessible to part-time students and members of industry off-campus, conversion of several Wood Products Science modules into e-learning format was implemented. A concise overview of Wood Science education at Stellenbosch University is given and the implementation and progress of the CIDA project at SU is briefly discussed. Solutions to the educational needs of the SA pulp & paper sector are also highlighted.

Academic Psychobiography in South Africa: Past, Present and Future

Our aim is to highlight the past, present and future state of affairs of South African psychobiography. Particular attention is given to the trends and the challenges faced by academic psycho-biographers in South Africa. Over the past decade psychobiography has evolved into an established research genre and has become a methodology used by various academics and post-graduate research scholars at South African universities. Psychobiography entails the study of historically significant and extraordinary individuals over their entire life spans with the aim to uncover and reconstruct their lives psychologically. These longitudinal case studies include the psychological study of personalities in diverse occupational fields such as architecture, arts and literature, business and entrepreneur-ship, politics, religion and spirituality, sport, science, as well as the popular biographies of celebrities. Psycho-biographical studies in South Africa have been nurtured in the departments of psychology at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Rhodes University, the University of Johannesburg, and the University of the Free State. Most of these biographical studies have been completed as postgraduate r research endeavours in master's and doctoral degree programmes in psychology where academic staff have initiated and grown psychobiography as a strategic research focus area within their faculties. Psycho-biographical research has considerable logistical and administrative value for postgraduate research and the supervision process, and is also of academic benefit to the theoretical development of South African psychology. In South Africa an array of exemplary personalities constitute a ‘hall of fame’. Their legendary lives are ideal case studies which may be used to develop and/or refute aspects of psychological theory and its applicability to human development over the span of an individual's life.

South Africa's wood processing industry education strategy: north south partnership to develop a globally competitive workforce for the 21st century

The reintegration of South Africa into the global economy and technological change on many fronts has increased the need for investment in human capital to make South Africa's industry globally competitive. This paper describes how a partnership was formed between government, industry and educators in South Africa and Canada to develop university-level wood products education programmes capable of producing the managers needed to make South Africa's wood processing industry globally competitive. We describe the revitalisation of the professoriate at the Stellenbosch University and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, the institutions that offer these education programmes, and then describe how these institutions worked with the University of British Columbia in Canada to restructure their programmes. We also describe how the delivery of the restructured programmes is making use of new digital educational technologies to overcome the educational divide between academia and industry. The partnership with industry has been critical to the success of the wood processing industry educational strategy and we describe the strategies that were used to foster this partnership. We conclude by describing the outcomes of the partnership and the challenges that lie ahead for the strategy to realise its aim of helping to develop the human capital that South Africa's wood processing industry needs to be globally competitive in the twenty-first century.

Invest in Opportunity, Not Inventory of Hotspots

Department of Botany, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa,email rmc@kingsley.co.za†Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa‡Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa

The decline of academic bilingualism in South Africa: a case study

Language policies in South African higher education were formalized between 2000 and 2002, just prior to a major restructuring of the higher education system. During this period institutions of higher learning were expected to formulate both a language policy and a detailed language plan. National policies on language in education are intended to substantiate the constitutional commitment to using and developing the 11 official languages. Gaps between official commitments to ‘multilingualism’ and actual language practices are nevertheless evident at national and institutional levels. In this article I explore the concepts ‘bilingual university’ and ‘academic bilingualism’, as a prelude to a contextualized discussion of the decline of English-Afrikaans bilingualism at the University of Port Elizabeth (which after the January 2005 merger with the PE Technikon, became part of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University). I explore the emergence of a gap between formal policy pronouncements and actual institutional practices. I then situate this local trend within the wider context of post-1994 political and socio-economic changes and the emergence of a new official discourse on ‘multilingualism.’ I explain the ostensive shift from a ‘dual medium’ to a ‘multilingual’ policy at UPE in terms of broader trends and contradictions in the national field of higher education. The article employs a theoretical framework, which—drawing on the work of Bourdieu—seeks to (a) situate the case within a wider national field of higher education, and (b) theorise ‘academic bilingualism’ as form of cultural capital within this field. In terms of this framework, the analysis of the case raises specific questions about current institutional language policies in South Africa and more general questions about the nature of bilingualism in higher education.

Exploring a different approach to teaching French

This article questions the traditional approaches to French teaching based on literature and suggests ways to improve the French language component at South African universities by incorporating task-based learning within the context of French for Specific Purposes into the curriculum. Using a project run at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, the article examines ways in which to integrate this into the curriculum. It focuses on the value of the newly-introduced French/Media project which is not only interdisciplinary in nature but which will also enhance the students’ employability. This article argues that since we live in a world of technology where learners expect everything to be fast, entertaining and often disposable, teachers and lecturers of foreign languages, such as French, need to introduce a new methodology into the curriculum in order to enrich it. This article is an exploratory study of how to develop a new strategy to teach foreignlanguages.

Report: ‘African voices’ ii

‘African Voices’: The Second Conference of the South African Society for Research in Music. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 21-23 August 2008

Report: ‘African voices’ i

‘African Voices’: The Second Conference of the South African Society for Research in Music. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 21-23 August 2008

Analysis of performance and device parameters of CIGS PV modules deployed outdoors

Two 20 W copper indium gallium diselenide photovoltaic modules were subjected to a thorough indoor assessment procedure, followed by outdoor deployment at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University as part of an ongoing study. The initial indoor measurement of maximum power output ( P MAX) of one of the modules was considerably higher than the manufacturer's rating (E.E. van Dyk, C. Radue and A.R. Gxasheka, Thin Solid Films 515 (2007) 6196). The modules were deployed on a dual-axis solar tracker and current–voltage characteristics were obtained weekly. In addition to the normal PV parameters of short-circuit current, open-circuit voltage, P MAX, fill factor and efficiency, shunt and series resistances were also monitored. The performances of the two modules are compared and analyzed and the results presented in this paper.

High‐involvement and low‐involvement products

PurposeKnowledge of brand awareness and its role is important for the design of an organisation's marketing strategies. This study aims to determine the brand awareness of high‐ and low‐involvement products among Black and non‐Black students enrolled at a South African university.Design/methodology/approachA self‐administered survey was completed by a convenience sample of 300 students of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The focal high‐involvement product was sportswear clothing and the low‐involvement product, coffee.FindingsThe results indicated a higher awareness of high‐involvement product brands than of low‐involvement product brands. Advertising played an important role in the awareness of sportswear clothing brands, but seemed unimportant in the case of coffee. The brand name was important for coffee, while the name and the logo played a role in students' awareness of sportswear brands.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited to students of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and to sportswear clothing and coffee product categories. Future studies could comprise larger samples, different contexts and other product or service categories.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that marketers employ different strategies to create and increase brand awareness for high‐ and low‐involvement products.Originality/valuePrevious research found that brand awareness played an important role in low‐involvement products; however, little is known about brand awareness differences between high‐ and low‐involvement products, particularly with respect to the brand awareness of South African students.

Preface: phys. stat. sol. (c) 5/2

AbstractThe Conference on Photonic Materials held at Kariega Game Reserve from 2–6 May 2007, has been a successor to the successful Conference on Photo‐responsive Materials held at the same venue in 2004. Located in pristine surroundings, the tranquillity and splendour of the reserve, a Big 5 game lodge, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, is beyond doubt awesome, making it a unique venue for this conference. The conference has since grown from 60 delegates representing 12 countries to more than 80 delegates from just over 20 countries, exceeding all expectations both from a representation and an academic standard point of view.The purpose of this meeting was to bring together scientists working on various aspects of photonic materials, to share their latest research results and ideas and to foster links, consequently stimulating this all important field of solid state physics in South Africa and indeed the rest of the world.The academic programme allowed sufficient time for interaction and exchanging of views and covered a wide range of important current topics in the field. The growth and characterization of narrow gap semiconductors for light emitting applications received considerable attention, as did ZnO and GaN and a range of nano materials. An interesting contribution in the photovoltaic section suggested that printed nano particle Si composites may have a role to play in the silicon photovoltaic market. On the social front, delegates were entertained by game drives and boat cruises up the Kariega river to view the majestic fish eagle. Dinner was served around a barn fire in an African Boma, with traditional African dancers entertaining delegates while they enjoyed traditional meals.The academic programme committee members were: Reinhardt Botha and Andrew Leitch (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University), Margit Härting (University of Cape Town), Jackie Nel (University of Pretoria) and Hendrik Swart (University of the Free State).All papers appearing in these proceedings underwent a strict reviewing process separate from the conference. We express our appreciation to the referees for there diligence in this important task.The conference was organized by the Department of Physics of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (formerly known as the University of Port Elizabeth) under the auspices of the Condensed Matter Physics and Material Science (CMPMS) subgroup of the South African Institute of Physics. It was sponsored by EMF Limited (UK), the African Laser Centre (ALC), DETEK, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and Cambridge Chemical.

Managing Diversity in Transforming Institutions of Higher Education: The Case of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa

Managing Diversity in Transforming Institutions of Higher Education: The Case of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa

From rhetoric to reality: the role of Living Theory Action Research in transforming education

Transformation, based on the values of social justice, inclusion and respect for human dignity, is currently a repeated refrain in the corridors of Higher. Education and Training Institutions (HETIs) in South Africa. The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University is no exception and espouses transformation as a core value. However, there is a danger that transformation and its accompanying values will remain empty rhetoric unless they are incorporated into everyday practice at microlevels. In this article, we pose the question, “How can we ensure that our institutional values (that promote transformation) are incorporated into our teaching practices?” We contend that action research provides an ideal opportunity to realise these values, thereby ensuring that transformation does take place at ground level. We make a case that self-study practitioner enquiry has a vital role to play in the development of new theories of practice which will contribute to the transformation of the epistemology of educational enqu...

Developing inquiry-based teaching and learning in Family Maths programme facilitators

The inquiry-based Family Maths professional development programme, offered by the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, attempts not only to support the transformative education practices targeted by the South African National Department of Education, but also to extend them beyond the school walls to the community at large. This study investigates the extent to which this programme develops facilitators’ ability to implement inquiry-based learning. The research undertaken uses both qualitative and quantitative methods in an empirical study of 39 facilitators. The facilitators’ inquiry beliefs and ability to implement inquiry learning was measured by means of questionnaires, observation schedules and interviews. Data generated by the study reveal that both the facilitators’ understanding and practice of inquiry improved as they progressed through the novice, intermediate and veteran categories of the Family Maths professional development programme.

Polymorphism, selectivity and reactivity of inclusion compounds

24 European Crystallographic Meeting, ECM24, Marrakech, 2007 Page s192 Acta Cryst. (2007). A63, s192 MS18 P01 A Comparison of the Inclusion Ability of Two Related Hosts Ayesha Jacobs, Kanyisa L. Nohako, Luigi R. Nassimbeni, Jana H. Taljaard, Department of Chemistry, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. E-mail: jacobsa@cput.ac.za

Mind the Gap: Have the Registered Counsellors Fallen Through?

The professional category of Bachelor of Psychology (B.Psych.) Registered Counsellor was created in order to deliver psychological services at a primary health care level to previously disadvantaged communities. Between 2002 and 2004 the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, in the Eastern Cape, produced 84 graduates in this category. In an attempt to follow the career paths of these graduates, a survey was undertaken to determine how many graduates had progressed to the stage of professional registration and were working as Registered Counsellors, and to explore their present status and employment experiences. It was found that very few had registered with the Professional Board for Psychology and that most were continuing postgraduate studies or had moved into alternate career fields. Themes that emerged from the survey concern difficulty with registration, difficulty with employment, and lack of public and professional knowledge of the scope of practice of the Registered Counsellor. There were also some positive perceptions regarding the value of the Registered Counsellor category and the quality of training.

Challenges for the curriculum of a comprehensive university: A critical case study

This case study concerns the challenges for knowledge production through the curriculum of a newly merged 'Comprehensive University'. The rationalisation of South Africa's higher education system formed a crucial part of the transformation strategy proposed by the National Commission on Higher Education (1996). The subsequent Report of the Shape and Size Task Team of the Council for Higher Education (CHE 2000) proposed mergers between certain higher education institutions to create Comprehensive Universities. Their primary function would be to deliver vocational qualifications. The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) is such an institution comprising the former University of Port Elizabeth and the Port Elizabeth Technikon. The article examines the perspectives of middle management of the challenges that the merger poses for the development of the curriculum. Interviews were subjected to content analysis and compared to draw generalizations and identify contrasts. These were critically discussed to draw conclusions about the curriculum of a Comprehensive University. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 19(6) 2005:1021-1032