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Research Publications (Management Sciences)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/217

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    Roots and causes of occupational stress amongst female academics in Universities of Technology in South Africa
    (Sciedu Press, 2022) Mathews, Mercillene; Khumalo, Njabulo; Dlamini, Bongani Innocent
    tress and stress-related problems have negative human resource and financial implications for Universities of Technology (UoT) in terms of absenteeism, productivity, organizational effectiveness, employee morale and medical aid subsidies. For tertiary institutions, the impact of stressed academics on core business activities relating to students and examinations are far-reaching. The paper assessed the roots and causes of occupational stress amongst female academics in a UoT in South Africa. The paper adopted a qualitative research approach with a focus group of selected female academics in the UoT. The paper revealed that workload and performance management, as well as family life and personal life; teaching vs research and administration; Covid-19 and online teaching and learning; holidays and leave and lack of leave; meetings and support deficiency; resources and lack of care and empathy, as well as poor HR, bullying and imposition and a lack of professionalism; nepotism and favouritism; retrenchments and instability, along with poor recognition and appreciation, were the roots that contribute to occupational stress in the UoT in SA. The paper recommends that effective interventions be implemented by the UoT in order to manage the stress of these female academics, thereby reducing the negative impact thereof on themselves and the institution. University policy-makers should devise a variety of solutions in a well-balanced package that places responsibility on both the university and staff to manage occupational stress.
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    Comparing a hybrid mathematics course with a conventional mathematics course : a case study at a University of Technology
    (Kamla-Raj, 2016) Naidoo, Kristie; Naidoo, Richard; Ramdass, K.
    This study compares student performance in an undergraduate mathematics education course using a Traditional Learning Model and a Blended Learning Model at the University of Technology. The control and experimental groups consisted of 150 students in each group. Student examination scores from both groups were analyzed quantitatively. A random sample consisting of 40 students, from the Blended Learning Model group, was clinically interviewed and a qualitative analysis was performed. The Theory of Connectivism informed the method used to analyze the data. The quantitative analysis indicates that the students performed better using blended learning. The qualitative analysis indicated that the students preferred the blended learning in terms of resources, communication and collaboration. The study has implications for both curriculum development and pedagogical considerations for the training of pre-service secondary school mathematic teachers in a 21st century undergraduate course at a University of Technology.
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    “I am what I am Not”- Reflections of the re-construction of my identity as a novice postgraduate supervisor at a University Of Technology in South Africa
    (MCSER Publishing, 2014-09) Rawjee, Veena Parboo
    The overall aim of this paper is to explore my experiences as a novice postgraduate supervisor through the process of reflection. This study adopts a qualitative approach and uses self-reflection as a method of enquiry by reflecting and documenting personal experiences and practices of postgraduate supervision. The findings are analysed so as to give meaning and to make sense of the supervision process. The results reflect that the journey of postgraduate supervision, in part, has not only resulted in the development of the student, but has also resulted in the academic journey of development of myself. This process has entailed the re-establishment of my academic identity of working within a redefined context of a University of Technology (UoT). Whereas, in the past my key role at a Technikon was undergraduate study only, I have had to reconstruct and re-negotiate my identity to integrate the scholarship of research, which has to an extent, contributed positively to my professional development. Based on these findings I suggest that, to add credence to the supervisory process and to the novice supervisors experiences, a postgraduate supervision module is introduced as a core study module for all first-time supervisors before they embark on their journey of supervision. This process could possibly assist the novice researcher to re-negotiate an identity for possible inclusion into the broader academic community and to build supervision capacity at the newly established UoT’s in South Africa.