Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Permanent URI for this communityhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/9

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 25

Academic training evaluation of building technology programme
(Department of Construction Economics and Management, University of Cape Town, 2022-08-01) Obaju, Biodun; Fagbenle, Olaposibo; Amusan, Lekan; Olaniran, Temitope
Training evaluation is one method through which tertiary institutions examine the effectiveness of the training they deliver in order to establish their students' readiness for the workplace. However, several higher institutions' evaluation methods have been confined to assessment in tests and exams without considering the knowledge and competencies acquired by students via training in fulfilling workplace expectations. Hence, the study assessed the training received by Building technology graduates in construction management and construction technology courses. The study adopted the Kirkpatrick model's first two stages of training evaluation (Reaction and Learning levels) with a questionnaire distributed to purposively selected Building technology graduates from two polytechnics in Southwestern Nigeria using a snowball sampling technique. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistical tools. The study's findings show that respondents were satisfied with the training acquired and possess the basic competency from the training. However, the graduates lack sufficient knowledge of laws and regulations governing construction work, the use of computer programme for planning and scheduling projects and the ability to use tools and equipment for construction work. The study findings imply that building graduates would be unable to work adequately in the construction industry without additional training, putting enormous strain on construction firms to re-training them to meet their expectations. Tertiary institutions need to revamp their training strategies and methods for students to improve their competency to strive in the construction industry.
An appraisal of building information modelling technology in building construction and maintenance in Africa : a case of Nigeria and South Africa
(2023-05) Toyin, James Olaonipekun; Mewomo, Modupe Cecilia
Building Information Modelling technology (BIM-T) continues to gain attention. Its adoption creates a platform that allows the built environment professionals to share project information through a common database. At the same time, there is an increased perception that implementing BIM on construction projects will positively influence building production throughout its lifecycle. Recent studies have revealed a low level of BIM implementation in the African construction industry. Currently, the utilisation of BIM for building production has received a significant acceptance rate in developed regions, while in African countries, it is still at an infant stage. Moreover, previous studies have established that BIM application comes with various barriers. These barriers contribute to its low adoption, application and implementation. Nevertheless, there are still some notable benefits and impacts on building production, which have been the main drivers for its continual adoption. Therefore, this study aimed to research BIM-T applications in African countries, focusing on the Nigerian and South African construction industries. The goals are to assess its level of awareness, usage, barriers hindering its application/implementation and benefits accruable with its adoption. BIM impacts the building production lifecycle and determines the strategies to promote its application among construction professionals for sustainable construction in developing countries. To achieve the objective of this research, an extensive review of the literature was conducted on usage, barriers to BIM adoption, application/implementation, benefits of adopting BIM, its impacts on building production, and strategies to promote its application/implementation. A structured questionnaire elicited constructive data from the Nigerian built environment professionals (NIA, NIOB, NIQS, and NSE) and the South African construction-related professionals (SACPCMP). The web-based (Google form) questionnaire was distributed online. According to the distribution among the professionals, 276 and 105 respondents indicated their willingness and availability to participate in the research from Nigeria and South Africa, respectively. The generated data was analysed using the following descriptive measures: mean item score (M.I.S), relative important index (RII), ranking and frequency and quantitative inferential analysis (factor analysis, pairwise comparison, one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis). It was found that there is a significant increase in the level of BIM awareness among Nigerian and South African construction professionals compared to previous findings. 98.55% and 96.19% of respondents, respectively affirmed that they are aware of BIM. Nevertheless, these findings established that there are still BIM-related barriers peculiar to both countries; the top common three barriers are low computer skills among some of the professionals, habitual resistance to change from the traditional style of design and build, and government's unwillingness to support BIM use. These barriers could be responsible for the professional’s low level of BIM tool usage. The study also revealed that all 13 identified BIM benefits are significantly important in both countries. From this, it could be concluded that BIM application has significantly improved the production of buildings through its contribution to performing tasks from building design to post-construction stages. Finally, the respondents identified the need for foundational knowledge in an educational institution on BIM tool use and its applications as a critical area of focus that could assist the promotion of BIM. This study has extensively documented the various research contributions carried out in this study's area of focus. The preliminary survey result concludes that the findings will assist the professional body in making intelligent decisions and adequate measures to advance the adoption, application/implementation of BIM among their members. It will also inform the institutions about what is required from their construction graduates to improve their employability in the industry.
A critical assessment of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on construction education, teaching and learning in South Africa
(2024-05) Sohuma, Phindile; Mewomo, M.C; Okorafor, C.
The emergence of the global pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease was confirmed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) on the 5th of March 2020. Across the world, the outbreak of the COVID-19 has challenged the education system such that academic institutions have been struggling with ways of delivering education safely and affordably to prevent the spread of the virus. This stimulated the need for higher education institutions to fully adopt the online learning approach in teaching and learning (T&L). Unfortunately, the sudden shift from the traditional approach of teaching to an online mode of teaching and learning has given rise to new problems due to the unpreparedness of society to face sudden change. This study aims to examine the impacts that the new online teaching and learning methods have on students with a view to proffering possible measures of improving the teaching and learning in this era of digital platform among the construction management and quantity surveying students in South Africa tertiary education institutions. The study adopted a mixed research method approach using a questionnaire for quantitative and semi-structured interview instruments for the qualitative aspect of the research. A total of seventy-seven (77) questionnaires were obtained from construction students within the Construction Management Quantity Surveying department at the Durban University of Technology. The target participants for this study. In addition, six (6) academic staff were interviewed to get the qualitative data for the study. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected simultaneously but were analysed separately. The quantitative data from the questionnaire were analysed through descriptive and exploratory factor analysis utilising Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28. While the qualitative data from the semi structured interview were analysed thematicall The overall findings of this study showed that changing from face-to-face to online learning during the pandemic had a major impact on students’ performance. The key findings from quantitative results indicated that the transition from face-to-face to online has resulted in various challenges or setbacks such as technical problems associated with internet connectivity, lack of skills training, psychological setbacks associated with mental health, social setbacks and infrastructure support. This study discovered these challenges are crucial towards the academic performance of students and the successful implementation of online learning. Furthermore, the results of the qualitative analysis concluded that class attendance, internet connections, lack of technical skills and lack of infrastructure support are key challenges facing the delivery of online learning during the pandemic and the academic performance of the students. These findings were in line with findings of quantitative analysis. Other challenges that contributed to poor performance are, that students were isolated, and they couldn’t collaborate. The study also revealed lack of proper devices for online learning such as laptops and cell phones affected students and the delivery of online learning. The findings of this study also highlighted measures that can be implemented to improve online T&L during the COVID 19 pandemic. From the findings of this study, it was evident that there is a need for proper training in skills on how to use online platforms. Other measures included: the provision of infrastructure support such as computers, laptops and enough data provision of counselling for students and academic staff to maintain the state of mental health, introduction of learning management systems such as blended learning, distance learning and massive open online courses. Globally higher education institutions have demonstrated resilience in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study recommends that online learning should be promoted by the government and university policymakers thus this will help to enhance the practice among students and academics also working towards the Industrial Revolution. This will be achieved through assuring that. The competence skills required by students and lecturers to utilise the technological functions of online learning, the provision of infrastructure support, quality assurance and different learning management systems such as blended learning are being prioritised
Decolonising the engineering curriculum in a South African University of Technology
(Research India Publications, 2017) Fomunyam, Kehdinga George
The coming to being of the ‘MustFall’ movements in South Africa heightened the call for decolonising the higher education sector. With engineering being at the heart of national development and transformation, there is greater need for engagements in the engineering curriculum to foster the debate on epistemological access and skills development. This paper therefore explores the challenges in the engineering sector in South Africa and highlights decolonising the curriculum as one way of addressing it. As such the research was designed as a qualitative case study and data was generated using open ended questionnaires. The data generated was coded and categorised and themes were developed from the categories which were used for analysis. The findings of the study reveal that four key areas required decolonisation; theory and practice, language, academics and pedagogy. It further revealed that teaching and learning within the institution failed to enhanced decolonisation. The findings further indicated that the decolonisation process can be enhanced by creating contextual relevance and curriculum change. The paper concludes by recommending that decolonising the engineering curriculum is long overdue and the powers that be need to take responsibility and engage the subject if the training of more engineers is the goal. Secondly, the language of instruction, pedagogy, teaching and learning process and or theory and practice requires further interrogation to enhance the training of young engineers for without this the engineering question or challenge will for ever be a mystery.
Development of a project delivery model for Umgeni Water : infrastructure projects
(2019-05-05) Naidoo, Ashok Deenadayalan; Aiyetan, Olatunji Ayodeji
Project delivery challenges encountered within the built-environment is a global phenomenon. Factors causing project delivery challenges in construction projects differ between countries, due to various fundamental reasons. The fundamental reasons that could exert an influence on project delivery challenges could extend into numerous causes relating to; the client, project planning, risk management, cost estimating, communication, quality and project management approach. The construction industry is a key component to the economy, however many construction infrastructure projects are hindered because of project delivery challenges and fail to be delivered successfully. This study aims at identifying lack of performance and its effects on project delivery for construction infrastructure projects and to develop a project delivery model to mitigate or minimise these challenges for Umgeni Water. A typical Likert Scale using a five-point gauge statistical tool was used for the data analysis. The sample population derives from Umgeni Water employees involved in the planning and implementation of construction infrastructure projects. The sample group consists of qualified and experienced professionals that are project managers, civil engineers, planning engineers, quantity surveyors, servitude administrators and environmental project managers. Findings that were identified as major project delivery challenges at Umgeni Water include the following; • Insufficient planning and designing done during the project, communication problems within the project; • Inadequate attributes and capabilitii;is endorsed by the project manager that hinder the implementation of a good project management approach; • Inadequate participation and contribution by the client during the project; • Project risks that are poorly identified assessed, mitigated and controlled during the project; • Unsatisfactory cost estimating resulting in errors and oversights, and • Oversight of critical quality factors during the project. Recommendations include: (1) the project team must ensure that ample effort is applied at the beginning of the project, sufficient time must be allocated to successfully complete the planning and designing process and consultants must be selected on their experience rather than low bidding; (2) the following courses / modules are recommended for inclusion in built environment tertiary education programmes for all disciplines. They are: design management, quality management, cost management, operational management, resource management and project management; and (3) the model developed should be adopted for use at Umgeni Water for the delivery of projects to minimise project delivery challenges.
An energy efficient resources allocation scheme for flexible translucent optical transport networks
(Psychology and Education, 2021-03-02) Nleya, Bakhe; Molefe, Mlungisi; Chidzonga, Richard
The present study attempts to explore how academic streams and learning styles play role in the preferences of coping strategies among prospective teachers. A quantitative approach was selected to explore the relationship. A survey was conducted with 300 prospective teachers (150 of science stream and 150 of humanities stream). A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to collect relevant information. Research instrument to measure coping strategies was developed by the researcher himself and Learning Style Inventory (LSI) by Ritu Dangwal & Sugata Mitra, 1997 was used to measure learning styles of prospective teachers. Statistical techniques i.e. mean, S.D., multivariate ANOVA were applied. Results revealed an essential significant effect of academic streams and learning styles on preference of coping strategies among prospective teachers. It is recommended that teacher training institutions should establish guidance or counseling centers to provide counseling to prospective teachers regarding coping skills and learning styles
An evaluation of digital and artificial intelligent tools in an electronic and computer engineering curriculum at a university of technology in South Africa
(2023-12-08) Maharaj, Shaveen; Pillay, Nelendran
Digital tools have become integral to higher education, offering a wide array of opportunities for improving the learning experience. This study explores the adoption and impact of digital tools in engineering education. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, utilizing quantitative data and qualitative data collection. Participants included both staff and students in a comprehensive analysis. The integration of technology in higher education has witnessed significant growth, encompassing educational software, learning management systems (LMS), and online platforms. In engineering education, tools like Moodle, MATLAB, Turnitin, Simulink, and MS Teams have gained prominence (Joksimović & Milosavljević, 2016). However, their effectiveness in achieving educational goals remains to be fully evaluated. One key advantage of digital tools is personalized learning. Advancements in technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), enable adaptive learning software like ChatGPT to tailor lesson plans based on individual needs. Furthermore, digital tools expand students' access to resources, such as online lectures, readings, and simulations, supplementing traditional teaching methods. They also facilitate collaborative learning and group projects through platforms like Moodle and Blackboard, enabling effective communication, document sharing, and teamwork. The findings of this study shed light on the current landscape of digital tools in engineering education. A SWOT analysis is applied to inform future strategies. The study emphasizes the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of these tools and their potential to transform engineering education. This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on optimizing digital tools for personalized learning and collaborative education in engineering programs. It underscores the importance of evaluating their impact and tailoring their use to enhance the overall educational experience.
Exploring industry's contribution to curriculum design of Civil Engineering programmes at Universities of Technology : a case study of Durban University of Technology
(2015) Hariparsad, Shalindra; Allopi, Dhiren; Ramrathan, P.
Promulgation of the Higher Education Qualifications Framework (HEQF) tasks the Council for Higher Education (CHE), South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and standards generating bodies (Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)) with guiding institutions through the implementation of the new framework. Implementation is through a phased approach spanning a five-year period beginning in January 2011 and with anticipated culmination in December 2014. As the Higher Education Framework Handbook (CHE 2011:2) states: ‘all existing institutions, public and private, offering existing and previously accredited higher education programmes will be impacted upon by this process in some manner or form, whether it be through a minor name change or a complete renewal of the programme content.’ Consequently, universities of technology (UoT’s) have embarked on a curriculum renewal process and the Civil Engineering Department of Durban University of Technology (DUT) is no different. It is within this context of participation and multiple contributory environments of different role-players that this study was founded. This research explored the Civil Engineering industry’s involvement in the curriculum renewal at DUT with the intention of understanding its contribution and influence in the renewal process and particularly in terms of curriculum design. The scope of the study was restricted to DUT Civil Engineering Department and their graduates, with subjects selected from a convenience sample of DUT Civil Engineering Department’s database of employers that have in the past and presently employ DUT graduates and/ or Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) students. The sample constituted organisations from the contracting, consulting and para-statal fields of employment. A questionnaire was designed containing both open-ended questions and rating scales that explored and probed the Civil Engineering industry level of involvement in the curriculum and curriculum renewal activities at DUT. In addition, interviews were conducted with seasoned Civil Engineering staff that have interacted with industry at various levels to gain their view of industry’s involvement with design of the Civil Engineering curriculum. Data from both questionnaires and interviewees overwhelmingly suggested that industry is not directly involved with the curriculum renewal currently underway at DUT, some respondents only gathered that such an activity was taking place through the medium of the questionnaire. This suggests that the resultant curriculum will be void of much industry engagement and influence. The nature of engagement that does occur is largely through the utilisation of DUT graduates or WIL students. Engagement occurs most commonly when curriculum issues are raised by staff at interviews of employers during WIL, suggesting that the nature of association with DUT is limited to employment of students or graduates. It is inferred that industry has very little direct input into the curriculum. DUT Advisory Board is considerably under-utilised for its intended purpose of engaging industry on curriculum issues, and its existence is unfamiliar to industry at large. As much as the Advisory Board is the most appropriate avenue to discuss curriculum issues, it has limitations in that its function is not entirely realised. The data generated also resoundingly suggests that industry is fully supportive of an inclusive participation process. Data further suggest that industry genuinely wants to be involved in curriculum discussions, and decisions for reasons ranging from participating to create more relevant course content, to contributing to creation of graduates with more appropriate employability attributes. Participants from industry further intimated that their role remains for on-site experiential learning: they provide the working knowledge to complement the academic knowledge provided by DUT. They also consider themselves to be providers of other facets that contribute to a holistic graduate, and assume further roles such as those of mentors and supervisors. The likely outcomes of their influence would be rapid engagement of graduates within the Civil Engineering field. A symbiotic relationship therefore becomes apparent between DUT and industry, where with more input into the curriculum by industry; a more work- orientated graduate is produced to better serve the needs of industry. The following recommendations emerge from the findings of this study: Since most of industry’s engagement occurs during WIL interviews, it would be prudent if a generic curriculum- based questionnaire is devised. This should be filled in by employers during student WIL visitations by staff in addition to the existing questionnaire. In doing so DUT would be proactive in literally ‘taking curriculum issues to them’. The DUT Civil Engineering Department should target those companies that have an interest in making a concerted effort by enlisting them onto the Advisory Board. From an institutional perspective DUT should be more proactive and advertise the existence of such an entity, created solely for curriculum discussions with the public, and particularly with industry. Assessments, course content and the project component of the programme generated considerable comments from industry that the Civil Engineering Department could take into consideration during the curriculum renewal process.
Fabrication and analysis of nanoparticle-infused natural fibre honeycomb core in sandwich structures
(2024-05) Govender, Sumeshan; Kanny, Krishnan
his study investigates the feasibility of employing natural fibre materials to fabricate honeycomb core structures, addressing concerns over the environmental impact associated with conventional cores composed of aluminium, Nomex, and petroleum-based materials. The research process involves the fabrication of honeycomb cores utilizing a 3D printed moulding technique, followed by the adhesion of these cores to flax and glass fibre facings, thereby augmenting structural durability. Through the incorporation of cellulose and nanoclay as additives to the adhesive, the investigation reveals a substantial enhancement in flexural strength and impact resistance, surpassing the performance of structures bonded solely with epoxy. However, a notable reduction in compressive strength is observed upon the introduction of these additives to the adhesive. Quantitatively, the study demonstrates that the addition of 3wt% cellulose to the epoxy adhesive results in a remarkable 7.43% increment in flexural strength, a 4.09% increase in yield stress, a 0.17% rise in flexural modulus, a 6.45% enhancement in core shear ultimate strength, a 7.17% increase in facing bending stress, and a 7.94% elevation in absorbed energy. Similarly, the addition of 3wt% nanoclay to the epoxy leads to a significant enhancement, with a 10.48% rise in flexural strength, a 4.09% increase in yield stress, a substantial 20.92% augmentation in flexural modulus, a 10.75% improvement in core shear ultimate strength, a 10.5% increase in facing bending stress, and an elevated absorbed energy by 14.37%. Furthermore, in out-ofplane oriented structures, ultimate compressive strength experiences an increase of 7.32% and 20.1% for cellulose and nanoclay additives, respectively, while compression modulus rises by 6.6% and 29.65%. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that the structures bonded with nanoclayfilled epoxy exhibit the most favourable overall performance, boasting an ultimate compressive strength of 7.72 MPa and a compression modulus of 7.77 MPa, outperforming their in-plane counterparts due to the larger compressive area of the out-of-plane samples. In terms of tensile properties, the study establishes that hybrid face sheets display an impressive 33.65% higher ultimate tensile strength compared to plain flax fibre samples. Additionally, the hybrid face sheets manifest a 69.45% increase in tensile strength and a substantial 58.73% enhancement in yield stress and Young's modulus, respectively, in contrast to exclusively flax fibre facings. Moreover, the research indicates that hybrid face sheets lead to significantly reduced moisture absorption, with structures employing solely flax fibre face sheets experiencing a mass increase of 11.88% after 168 hours of exposure, while structures utilizing hybrid face sheets encounter a substantially lower mass increase of 6.31%. This corroborates the effectiveness of hybrid face sheets in enhancing the water resistance properties of the composite. In summation, the study underscores the potential of natural fibre honeycomb composite structures to perform comparably to traditional honeycomb materials such as Nomex and aluminium, while being constructed from environmentally sustainable materials. The integration of an efficient additive manufacturing process further bolsters the prospects of these structures, enabling customization and scalability for diverse applications across industries, including aerospace, automotive, and marine sectors.
Female graduation rate in STEM programs in tertiary education : the case of the Gulf Cooperation council Countries (GCCs)
(2022-11-01) Fomunyam, Kehdinga George
There is increased demand for professionals with science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM) skills globally and with the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, it is expected that there will be new jobs which requires new skills. It is therefore imperative that there are increased demands in enrolment and graduation rate in STEM programs so as to curtail the disproportionality between current skills and the skills that are vital for the future. The study focused on the percentage of graduates from STEM programmes in tertiary education in the GCCs who are women. Data from World Bank provided insight into the graduation rate in STEM programs. Findings from the study revealed that the higher education landscape in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has had significant development over the past two decades and one of the things that made this possible is the revenues from oil and gas exports and the diversification into the knowledge driven economy. It was also found out that females are important in STEM programs, and this was considered from a human, scientific and development perspective. The study recommended that that there should be intensification of effort on females transiting from the universities into employment to encourage sustainability and contribute to the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Integrating the 4th Industrial Revolution in spatial planning curricula : the case of South African tertiary institutions
(Deakin University, 2021-10-29) Pretorius, Ockert; Pillay, Nischolan; Letsoko, Vuyiswa; Huston, Zinea
The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) – the narrative of change associated with technologyrelated disruptions through the proliferation of cyber-physical systems – is set to have a profound impact on the built environment. Technological applications that include big data analytics, cloud computing, and machine learning will affect spatial conceptualisation and design, construction activities, building operations and management, and real estate activities. The statutory and strategic nature of spatial planning processes may be disrupted by future technological applications. Equipping current and future spatial planning practitioners with the necessary skills is essential in maintaining property sector productivity and catalysing renewed efforts toward spatial transformation in South African human settlements. The objective of this research is to evaluate current approaches in tertiary education institutions in effectively transferring knowledge regarding 4IR as it relates to the spatial planning discipline and equipping said students with the relevant skills to prolong sector competitiveness. A qualitative case study analysis is applied, which includes the assessment of the curricula of selected accredited spatial planning schools and their relevant integration of 4IR applications. Research findings highlight the limited inclusion of 4IR and related multidisciplinary, practical, and theoretical themes in spatial planning education. Recommendations include increased knowledge transfer on the theoretical synergies between 4IR and spatial planning; development of computer-based skills; and implementing existing competencies, including critical thinking and problem solving, to foster sectoral adaptability.
An investigation into road safety education in KwaZulu-Natal
(2005) Sunker, Neeraj
Road fatalities claim more than one million lives annually worldwide. The emotional, social and economic impact of road traffic fatalities demands urgent attention globally. This epidemic of road traffic fatalities is plaguing everyone, especially the poorer nations. Some countries like Australia and Sweden have been more successful than others in combating this epidemic. South Africa is currently seeking strategies to combat this epidemic because South Africa’s road traffic fatalities have been increasing annually, with a substantial percentage of teenagers and young adults between the ages of 16 and 29 contributing to these statistics. This age group will become or already have become part of the economically active population and concern is mounting as to why this particular age group is vulnerable. This thesis provides an overview of the road safety problem globally, nationally, provincially and locally and also looks at the historical factors that have contributed to this problem. The Victorian model, which has been classified as the ‘world’s best practice’, has been reviewed. A pilot survey was conducted at the Mangosuthu Technikon and the focal survey was conducted at the tertiary institutions in the Durban area. Students from this sector were selected as they fall in the most vulnerable age group and data was collected from them on various aspects of road safety. On analysing the data, various problems were identified, in particular, lack of resources and limited education pertaining to road safety. A range of possible solutions is recommended and the focus areas are the 3E’s namely: education, enforcement and engineering. However, the focal recommendation is on education and looks at the possibility of introducing learner’s licence testing to the grade 12 syllabi.
An investigation of the condition of maintenance of facilities at public primary and high schools in Alfred Nzo East District, Eastern Cape Province South Africa : a literature review
(2023-08-10) Nqakaza, Bavuyise G.; Chikafalimani, Samuel Herald Peter
This paper reviews literature on the condition of maintenance of facilities at public primary and high schools (PPHS) at Alfred Nzo East District (ANED) in the Eastern Cape Province (ECP) in South Africa. Scoping review of accessible literature was the research approach used to collect data for the paper. Results of the study identified: overcrowding of facilities, poor design and planning of facilities, lack of facilities maintenance knowledge and skills of school governing bodies (SGBs), and lack of funding for facilities maintenance as main causes of the poor maintenance condition of facilities at PPHS in South Africa. It was revealed through the study also that poor maintenance of facilities at PPHS caused: poor learning and teaching environment; poor performance of learners and educators; scarcity of educators; and security, safety and health concerns at PPHS. Furthermore, the study identified: prioritization and provision of government funding for extension and construction of new school facilities, inclusion of well qualified facility managers and users at facility planning stage, and provision of facilities training to SGBs as main interventions that can be implemented to improve the condition of maintenance of facilities at PPHS in South Africa. Findings of this study will contribute towards the improvement of the condition of maintenance of facilities at PPHS, support high quality education delivery, reduce unemployment and poverty, and accelerate economic development at ANED and in other parts of South Africa in the future
An investigation of the condition of maintenance of facilities at public primary and high schools in Alfred Nzo East District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
(2023-09) Nqakaza, Bavuyise Gift; Chikafalimani, Samuel Herald Peter
Most of the facilities at public primary and high schools in South Africa are in a dilapidated state with little maintenance. Therefore, this study intends to investigate the condition of maintenance of facilities at public primary and high schools in Alfred Nzo East District, Eastern Cape Province. The rationale for the research is the importance of maintenance of facilities at schools to guarantee safe and secure learning environments for the learners and educators. Unfortunately, school governing bodies in have neglected maintenance at schools due to a lack of knowledge about maintaining facilities and inadequate funding. This study will intervene by investigating the condition of facilities and developing recommendations which will support the maintenance of facilities to create good learning environments for learners and educators in order to improve education at Public Primary and High schools in the area. To collect quantitative data, questionnaires were administered to schools in Alfred Nzo East District and the condition of the schools was assessed using a prepared condition assessment tool. Alfred Nzo East District has a total of 218 schools, which were the target population. The schools were clustered into their circuits and schools in each cluster were then randomly sampled to get the required sample of 138 schools, from the target population of 218 schools. Two district officials responsible for school maintenance were sampled to make a total of 140 sample. Upon carefully analysing the collected data, it was established that the school facilities are in a state of disrepair and schools have turned into death traps for the occupants. The cause for dilapidating school infrastructure was found to be poor level of understanding of those people responsible for school infrastructure maintenance, inadequate funding, poor planning and monitoring which cause poor implementation of maintenance. To change the current state collaboration between the role players and capacitation is required, such as school governing bodies, district infrastructure officials and provincial department. Proper allocation of funds and other resources; proper planning and utilisation of existing funds were found to be vitally important. The employment of handymen or women for each school was identified as key to address challenge of poor maintenance of the school facilities.
Learning styles, teaching methods, and student performance in industrial engineering at a University of Technology
(2015) Jackson, Hester; Singh, Penny; Andrew, Theophilus Nethiekreethum
Student success and throughput rates remain a challenge at South African higher education institutions (Strydom, Mentz and Kuh, 2010) and the results in Industrial Engineering at the Durban University of Technology are no exception. Statistics released by the Department of Management Information Systems at this university in November 2012 on the graduation rates of students registered for the National Diploma: Industrial Engineering from 2009 to 2011 bear testimony to this, as the average graduation rate is between 10% and 21%. This research study investigated the learning styles, teaching methods and student performance in Industrial Engineering at a selected university of technology in South Africa by examining the preferred learning styles of students, and lecturers’ preferred teaching styles at various levels. The Felder and Silverman Model (1988) which was specifically designed to capture significant differences in learning styles amongst engineering students, was employed as the framework for the study. Using a mixed-methods research approach, the target population for the study was the 200 students registered for the National Diploma: Industrial Engineering at the Durban University of Technology in 2013. The lecturers were identified through convenience sampling. The sample comprised five lecturers and 150 students. The participants were recruited by sending letters to inform them about the study and its purpose. Student participation was completely voluntary. The data was collected through questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. The study used the ILS Questionnaire developed by Felder and Solomon to assess the four scales of leaning style preference among engineering students. The questionnaire was adapted to include some demographic information such as race and gender. After the lecturers were interviewed, direct observation took place in the class room in order to determine their teaching style. The researcher ensured validity of the data through triangulation and tested the reliability of the ILS questionnaire by running a pilot study. In order for the questionnaire to be reliable, the results should be the same on both occasions. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used to analyse the data from the ILS questionnaire and the data from the interviews were analysed using NVivo™ software. After the learning styles and teaching styles were identified, the quasi experiment was used to determine if changes in the lecturers’ teaching methods had any influence on the students’ learning styles and performance. It was found that this was indeed the case. In some instances such as Engineering Work Study 1, changes in the teaching method had a positive effect on student performance, but in modules such as Costing 2 and Production Engineering 2, the changes negatively impacted student performance. The study therefore confirmed that teaching styles and learning styles influence student performance. This knowledge could be used by lecturers to familiarise themselves with their students’ learning styles and to match their teaching to these learning styles in a manner that benefits all students. Students also need to be aware of their preferred learning styles and to be guided on how to use these to improve their performance in each of their modules.
Predicting the success of TVET learners in a higher education engineering programme
(2021-12-01) Stops, Rodney Alan; Lortan, Darren; Ramsuroop, Suresh
South Africa has experienced radical political and social change since 1994. Recognised for their role in the transformation process, universities have been and remain at the forefront of this change. While learners recognise that higher education is paramount to changing their socioeconomic condition, the massification of education along with new and advanced curricula has presented ongoing challenges for both universities and learners. Coming from diverse backgrounds and dealing with a variety of academic choices, learners encounter many challenges to entering Higher Education (HE). University programmes accept learners with varying competency levels and needs but are required to ensure that graduates meet standards that are acceptable to both industry and the academia. In the quest for universities to improve the delivery of educationally sound and industrially relevant programmes, ongoing research is being conducted and new and innovative ways have had to be developed to solve the problems associated with larger numbers of underprepared learners. An emerging method being employed in HE is the use of Data Analytics and Education Data Mining (EDM) techniques to derive solutions to assist institutions in maximising retention, and through-put rates. Durban University of Technology (DUT) has, since 1994, accepted learners into the Report 151 National Diploma from Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges. These learners, in respect to the Articulation Policy for the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system of South Africa in terms of Section 8(2)(b) of the NQF Act, 2008 (Act 67 of 2008), are among those referred to as articulating learners. The perception among DUT staff involved with the teaching of these learners, is that they are as able to cope with the complexity and quality of engineering programmes as those learners entering the institution directly after completing their school leaving Senior Certificate/National Senior Certificate (SC/NSC). As no previous formal tracking, analysis or research has been conducted to determine the success or failure of learners articulating from TVET Colleges into DUT in general or into DUT’s Department of Electrical Power Engineering specifically, this research utilised Educational Data Mining and Inferential Statistics on an engineering learner dataset, to determine hidden patterns and relationships. Specifically, those relationships that promote progression, correlation, and selection were investigated. The Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis (WEKA) was employed to do the EDM, and a tool was developed to assist with the selection of learners entering the department, as well as ranking those entrance requirements that affect course content and throughput and various statistical methods were employed to conduct a retrospective longitudinal study. The Knowledge Discovery in Databases Process is used to work with 5 years of learner data. Both from the perspective of the progression of learners from semester 1 to semester 2 and the cohort throughput analysis, the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the performance of learners articulating from TVET colleges into the National Diploma: Electrical Engineering at DUT and their counterparts from high school admitted directly in the said qualification. The findings are that learners from a TVET College articulating into an HEI qualification, specifically the National Diploma: Electrical Engineering at DUT, complete the course in similar rates and in similar proportions to those learners admitted directly from school. The statistical analysis indicates that 77.6% of TVET N4 learners are promoted to semester 2, compared to 70.0% of SC/NSC learners and the EDM prediction tool developed for TVET N4 learners, the IBK classification tool resulted in a 77.61% accuracy, while the ANN classification tool returned an accuracy of 77.56% for the SC/NSC learners.
Provision of private student accomodation within sub-urban residential neighbourhoods and the impact on inclusive neighbourhood land use management : a case of Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal
(2020-09) Hlope, Edith Nombuso; Musvoto, Godfrey Gombana
Student accommodation, residential neighbourhoods, studentification, inclusion Student accommodation shortage is an international issue that is not unique to South Africa. The role of student accommodation is important to students as it does not only satisfy the need for housing but also in perpetuating student culture. Student accommodation is necessary for safe and secure residential space for students during their term of study. Due to many factors affecting student accommodation provision, a gap in the market has been created which has resulted in a rise in the provision of private student accommodation. This comes with its own challenges such as increased conversion of private residential homes to student housing, eradicating the residential fabric in neighbourhoods that host tertiary institutions, tension between students and original residents over ‘anti-social’ behaviour of students, rise in land use changes and illegal land uses. Based on the background presented, the objective of this study is to investigate the provision of private student accommodation within residential neighbourhoods. The study aims to understand how the provision has affected inclusive land use management within the residential area of Scottsville. While the shortage of student accommodation is a known and accepted fact of modern-day tertiary education life, the literature review presented in this paper indicates that it is still a topic to be explored. The literature suggests that it might take years before the shortages in student accommodation are addressed which implies that between now and then, communities must find a way to either tolerate or accept the land use and peacefully cohabit with the student population. Some of the arguments presented in the literature review originate from Hubbard (2008:323) who states that specific neighbourhoods become dominated by student residential occupation, he argues that this results in unbalanced communities, with an element of antisocial behaviour by students. According to Donaldson et al. (2014:177) studentification causes complete spatial restructuring and re-organisation of an area where eventually only the needs of the student sub-culture are catered for. Barton et al. (2010:3) argue that neighbourhood change is hindered by the absence of integrated and clear policy guidance that represents the diverse perspectives from stakeholders including the local community themselves.. To investigate this study, the research design used is a qualitative and a case study method was adopted. Participants for the research were purposefully selected for primary data collection purposes and secondary data was obtained from the municipality through policy documents, mapping and official municipal registers. The result findings of the study reveal that Scottsville is “studentified”, meaning that the student population is dominating the area and that this comes with social, economic, infrastructural, cultural and environmental changes to the area. The study also revealed that the changes in Scottsville are visible and that there are concerns relating to the lack of forward thinking and planning by the municipality and the university. Lastly, there is a belief that if stakeholders come together, Scottsville can be changed for the better. The study recommends that planning practices in the area must promote a sustainable transition for self-sustaining neighbourhoods. There must be pro-active policy making that is done in consultation with the community. Public participation processes must be consultative and open. There is a need for all affected stakeholders to engage on the issues that affect them, strengthening of enforcement measures and public awareness about private student accommodation in order to reduce the stigmatization of the land use as well as the promotion of public private partnerships that focus on the provision of student accommodation. In summary, private student accommodation plays an important role in addressing the current student accommodation shortage in South Africa, it is important that it is not viewed as a foreign land use but an extension of the residential land use that cater for a specific market demand.
Quantitative assessment of human health risks from chemical pollution in the uMsunduzi River, South Africa
(Springer, 2023-10-24) Ngubane, Zesizwe; Dzwairo, Bloodless; Sokolova, Ekaterina; Moodley, Brenda; Stenstrom, Thor Axel
A quantitative chemical risk assessment was performed using published data as well as data from the official monitoring programme for the uMsunduzi River in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The chemicals assessed were organochlorinated pes- ticides (OCPs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), heavy metals, and nitrates and phosphates. The water from uMsunduzi River is used locally without treatment. Consequently, the exposure routes investigated were via ingestion during domestic drinking and incidental ingestion during recreational activities, which were swimming and non-competitive canoeing, for both adults and children. For the individual chemicals, non-carcinogenic risks using the hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risks using the cancer risk (CR) were quantified. It was found that the exposed population is likely to experience non-carcinogenic effects from pesticides and phosphates, but not from PPCPs, heavy metals and nitrates. This study also found that the carcinogenic risks for OCPs were higher than the tolerable limit of 10-5, while for lead the risk was below the tolerable limit. Some of the activities that potentially contribute to chemicals onto the uMsunduzi River are sub- sistence farming, small plantations, illegal dumping, industries, and broken sewers. The findings of this study may act as the technical foundation for the introduction of pollution reduction measures within the catchment, including public education
Re-constructing the use of educational technology in the deprived engineering classroom
(2018-11-01) Fomunyam, Kehdinga George
The use of educational technology in classrooms is gaining grounds in the world. Educational technologies such as Intercom, Internet use, Email, use of phones and tablets for research, video chats, YouTube video lesson, WhatsApp discussion groups and many others are used today to enhance learning. Despite this rapid embrace and use of technology, the bone of contention in this paper is that engineering classrooms in Cameroon are still being deprived of educational technology. The research sought out to examine the reason for this nonexistence of educational technologies in classrooms as well as state the advantages that accrues from using educational technology in deprived engineering classrooms in Cameroon. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with final year engineering students and their lecturers, transcribed and analyzed using the qualitative analytical approach. The study reveals that ignorance of the significance of educational technology, fear of being replaced by the new technology, stiff administrative grip on funds for these technologies are some of the reasons why some engineering classrooms are deprived of educational technology. The advantages include: time serving, access to alternative educational materials, audio-visuals, knowledge sharing with distant and foreign students, an increase in on-line course availability and learning activities, the growth of interactive communications usage, a growing dependence on distant interactions and non-face-to-face learning, increasing numbers of international education and business relationships and partnerships. The article recommends that the reconstruction of educational technology in engineering education in Cameroon needs to be embraced by school authorities, and classroom teachers. It should begin with school administrators who should be intentional about introducing this alternative education technology in their institutions.
Relevance of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in the geomatics programme at the Durban University of Technology
(2022-05-13) Raghubar, Avidesh; Allopi, Dhiren
The Durban University of Technology (DUT) phased out the National Diploma: Surveying and the B-Tech: Surveying qualifications and introduced a new qualification, Bachelor of the Built Environment (BBE): Geomatics in January 2018. Work integrated learning (WIL), which is also referred to as experiential learning (EL), emphasises workplace learning encompassing a career-focused educational strategy, inclusive of classroom-based and workplace-based forms of learning that are appropriate for a professional qualification. WIL has become an integral part of the teaching and learning pedagogy within the surveying profession at a national diploma level across many of the technikons and universities of technology (UoTs) nationally over the past few decades, including the DUT. WIL has become widely recognised as the cornerstone of student development because this interaction with industry encourages students to understand and appreciate the mechanisms of real WPL and the dynamics of a professional working environment, with the opportunity to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses while inculcating a sense of work identity and professionalism. Sattler (2011) explained that the term WIL is often used interchangeably with work-based learning, practice-based learning, work-related learning, vocational learning, experiential learning, co-operative education, clinical education, internship, practicum, and field education etc. For the purposes of this study, the terms ‘experiential learning’ and ‘work integrated learning’ will be used interchangeably. WIL has now been excluded from the new BBE: Geomatics qualification, as this qualification seeks to be more academically oriented and aligned. However, the lack of a WIL component could possibly result in a graduate who exhibits deficiencies in practical knowledge, technical skills, and work-related proficiencies when compared to the traditional survey technician/technologist that industry has become accustomed to over the years, which may have further detrimental consequences for the learner and the industry sector. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate and evaluate the historical impact of EL in terms of the impact on the student’s personal and professional development, in the National Diploma: Surveying programme, and to evaluate the relevance of WIL in the geomatics programme at the DUT. Data was collected through interactions with industry practitioners within the surveying and geomatics fraternity in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) region. The motivation for the study was to increase our understanding of industry’s perspectives on WIL to assist in terms of informed decision making and best practices, which will be beneficial to all stakeholders. There is an abundance of supporting literature highlighting the relevance and benefits of WIL which has been widely acknowledged as a vehicle for contributing to student development and increasing graduate employability outcomes. Dressler and Keeling (2011, cited in Baker 2014), summarised over 100 research publications on the benefits of WIL, regarding academic, personal, professional, and work skill development aspects. Smith (2012, cited in Wingrove and Turner 2015) explains that WIL creates the opportunity for higher education institutions (HEIs) to design, refine and teach curricula that are responsive to current and future workplace requirements, equipping students with the knowledge and capabilities to actively engage with industry and community partners, and improve work readiness. The study was conducted by employing a mixed-method approach incorporating quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative method however was the predominant technique since it constituted a significant part of the study. Quantitative techniques involve data collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of numerical data in both tabular and graphical formats. Appropriate statistical techniques were applied through the use of SPSS data analysis software. The qualitative method involved brief analysis of employer comments from the experiential training (ET) report data set and feedback from the open-ended question on both questionnaire surveys. The findings confirmed that the EL in the National Diploma: Surveying had a positive and meaningful impact on the development of the Diploma graduate. Further, the findings are that there is significant consensus from industry and students regarding the importance and relevance of WIL in promoting an enriching career focused education, and in facilitating the acquisition of discipline knowledge, practical proficiency, graduate attributes, employability skills, and core competencies that will culminate in an all-round holistic graduate to meet the needs of a modern workforce for the various industry sectors. Some of the recommendations arising from the study to support informed decision making going forward include: implementation of a six or twelve month WIL programme, increase in industry engagement and collaboration, implementation of WIL simulation methods, establishment of a survey camp, WIL staff industry secondment, and reintroduction of the WIL empowerment project.