Browsing by Department "Professional Communications Unit"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    A review of gender-based violence organisations in South Africa and their influences of decision-making
    (2023) Kieser, Jemma; Duffy, Carren
    As a country attempting to come to grips with high levels of Gender-based Violence (GBV) corroding the social and political fabrics of society, it has never been more important to acknowledge the dimensions of struggles, activism, and interventions of GBV in South Africa. This research explores what intervention designs are used, what is inhibiting and preventing a positive change in the GBV sector, and what influences GBV non-government organisations' (NGO) decisions regarding programme design, implementation, and evaluation. Interview data of nine GBV NGO staff members were collected and thematically analysed to answer the research questions. From the results of this analysis, a model of decision-making for GBV NGOs is proposed. This model includes the influences of funder requirements, organisational learning, and evidence-based literature and theories. Furthermore, the constraints of these influences and the strategies that NGOs take to manage them are revealed. This model shows that while the influences of funder requirements and organisation in-learnings seem to be comparable in scope and frequency, in-learnings are more valued than funder requirements. Moreover, evidence-based research was only found to have a small influence on decision-making and programme design especially due to the perception of “outsider” feedback versus organisational in-learnings. This study presents preliminary best practise suggestions for both funders and GBV NGOs and a broad view of the trends, practises, and drivers of decision-making in the GBV NGO sector. Various stakeholders, NGOs, and funders can draw learnings from the results of this research and adjust where necessary and possible to improve their interventions and/or their practise.
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    An Assessment of Parents' Book-sharing Quality, Children's Level of Engagement, and the Effects on Children's Verbal Exchanges
    (2023) Kaleebu, Nasiib; Chapman, Sarah
    A process evaluation study was conducted for the Book-sharing for Families Programme, implemented by Living Hope in South Africa. Living Hope is a faith-based organisation that was established in the year 2000 with a vision of reaching people for Christ, bringing hope, and breaking the despair of poverty and disease. The Book-sharing for Families Programme aimsto strengthen capacity of parents and caregivers to foster positive relationships and provide enriching environment for their children that enable them grow and develop pre-literacy skills (including language development, concentration development, and book handling skills) that are needed for children to be ready to acquire reading when they go to school. The programme targets parents of low socioeconomic status and children aged 30 to 60 months, and it is implemented using a seven-week curriculum. The purpose of this evaluation was to examine the extent to which the programme achieved its short-term outcomes (effect on children's verbal exchange) and to gain a deeper understanding of how well the programme was implemented. Children's verbal exchange was assessed before and after the end of the programme using the Naturalistic Assessment of Verbal Exchanges tool, and the children's level of orientation to book-sharing was assessed using the Children Orientation to Booksharing (COB) rating scale. This was supplemented by data collected through interviews with the programme participants. Whereas the findings of the evaluation revealed that the programme did not have a statistically significant affect on children's verbal exchange, the programme had positive effects on the participants. The book-sharing interactions deepened children's orientation to shared reading, which according to the literature reviewed impacts on other child's development domains, including language and vocabulary acquisition. This study developed a logic model to guide the development and evaluation of similar programmes. The study introduced COB as a new tool which Living Hope had not previously used to supplement the existing tools and assist in examining the level of children's interest, engagement, and attention to book-sharing activities
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    The case for 'face-time' in a multi-cultural, computer-mediated global economy
    (Taylor & Francis, 2005) Grant, Terri
    The advent of computer-mediated communications has put traditional interpersonal communications such as face-to-face (FtF) communication under scrutiny. Are these traditional channels becoming obsolete and, if so, are we, as communication teachers and practitioners, teaching our students appropriate and relevant communication skills for the global economy? A communication needs analysis in business, conducted at the University of Cape Town (UCT) during 2001/02, found that the underlying assumption regarding obsolescence of traditional communication channels was, for the most part, unfounded. Although written business communications have changed dramatically with the advent of e-mail, FtF oral communication is still preferred by student, staff and professional respondents overall. Reasons for the popularity of 'face-time' as espoused in the literature were confirmed in this study. Although respondents urged teachers to 'stick to the basics', most acknowledged the role and impact of electronic and cellular communication in modern-day communications. Rather than advocating an either-or scenario, respondents recommended a complementary high- and low-technology approach to communicative competence, especially in South Africa with its First and Third-World characteristics.
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    The case for mindfulness in teaching and learning
    (University of Stellenbosch, 2005) Grant, T
    In this article the nature of mindfulness is explored in conjunction with its mental neighbour, mindlessness. At first glance, mindfulness conjures images of alert consciousness and willing responsibility whereas mindlessness reflects a far more negative perception of attitude and behaviour; a state of mind seemingly detrimental to effective learning.
    In Eastern philosophy, however, emptying the mind, a positive mindlessness if you will, is a recommended state of consciousness where learners intuitively act from a state of grace with seeming ease and prowess. This mindful mindlessness is a worthy educational pursuit which belies the simplicity of polarised opposites.
    The mindful-mindless equation impacts our lives as teachers and learners as potential partners-in-education and thus carries potentially positive and negative societal and educational consequences.