3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

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Constructing Knowledge is More Complex: Opposing the Uncritical Adoption of Pop Psychological Fads and Neuromyths in Education among teachers in private schools in Midrand, South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025-04) Jacob, Lizanne Leslie; Aloka, Peter
This study examined the rise of pop psychological fads and neuromyths within education, which are false or misleading beliefs that lack scientific validation but are widely adopted. Pop psychology often offers quick solutions to complex problems, while neuromyths—misunderstandings about brain function—have become prevalent in educational practices. Teachers may also resort to these unproven concepts due to a lack of understanding of the complexities of learning, leading to ineffective teaching strategies. Although these beliefs may seem appealing, they can waste resources and time, and their uncritical adoption in classrooms can hinder evidence-based teaching methods and ultimately harm student learning outcomes. The study highlights the importance of moving beyond these myths to embrace more scientifically supported approaches in education. However, there is dearth of literature in South African context regarding adoption of neuromyths and fads among teachers, and this is the research gap that was filled by this PhD study. This study aimed to investigate adoption of Pop Psychological Fads and Neuromyths in Education among teachers in private schools in Midrand, South Africa. The study was informed by two theories, Feuerstein’s Mediated Learning Experience Theory and the Constructivist Learning Theory. Within an interpretivist paradigm, the study adopted a qualitative research methodology, and a multiple case study design was utilized. Data was collected from four private schools in Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa. The study sample size comprised 20 trained professional teachers from four private schools in Midrand, South Africa, with five teachers selected from each school. The teachers were chosen using purposive sampling method. Semi-structured interviews were used as tools to gather data. The four criteria—credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability—ensured the reliability and validity of qualitative data. Thematic framework was used to analyse the qualitative data from interviews. The study findings indicated that many teachers, despite being aware of prevalent neuromyths like the left brain-right brain myth and learning styles, continue to incorporate these misconceptions into their teaching practices. The findings also reported that teachers gather knowledge from a range of sources, including professional development, media, and peer discussions, but often fail to critically evaluate the credibility of this information. Thus, many teachers believe in fads and neuromyths about learning and brain function, despite evidence against this. The findings also indicated that teachers acquired these fads from sources like professional development seminars and media. The study concluded that misinformation-based strategies often do not improve learning outcomes compared to scientifically validated methods, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making. The study further concluded that many teachers, despite being aware of prevalent neuromyths, still incorporate these misconceptions into their teaching, often due to a lack of critical evaluation of the sources of information they encounter. The study findings have led to the development of framework for continuous professional development to help address misconceptions from neuromyths and fads, which aims to help teachers critically assess and eliminate unscientific practices, fostering a culture of evidence-based teaching to improve student outcomes.
Investigating the use of Translanguaging in Reading Literacy among Multilingual First-year Tourism Students at a University of Technology in South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-06) Chihobo, Akulina; Makalela, Leketi
The study aimed to investigate the efficacy of translanguaging in the reading literacy of multilingual tourism students at one of South Africa’s technology universities. To fulfil this aim, 30 multilingual participants from a tourism course participated in this study. This study was centred on translanguaging practices in a multilingual classroom in Gauteng province in South Africa and was based on three frameworks: heteroglossia, Ubuntu translanguaging and new literacy studies. The study used quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The study revealed that students demonstrated enhanced comprehension levels in recall, reorganization, inference, evaluation, and application when translanguaging practices were integrated into their reading. This finding suggests that the translanguaging intervention had a positive effect on the reading literacy of the participants. Translanguaging not only helped to enhance the reading literacy of participants but also promoted positive identity construction among the students. This study meant that translanguaging is an all-rounder pedagogy that offers cognitive benefits and transforms both the learning space and the individual. It is argued that translanguaging is better for helping students with reading literacy in higher education. Therefore, this study recommends that lecturers in higher education should practice translanguaging in their classrooms to solve the students’ reading woes and help build their identities. There is a need to expand the translanguaging and reading literacy field to more technical subjects like engineering and information technology in higher education.
Citizenship education and learners with mild-intellectual disabilities in South Africa: A critique of post-apartheid citizenship education policy
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-12) Mnisi, Nomsa; Mathebula, Thokozani
Citizenship education, as a knowledge branch of the philosophy of education, affirms and educates learners in schools about citizenship as a legal status, feeling of belonging and the practice of activism in preparing them for citizenship participation. Globally, citizenship education policy is segmented between liberal, communitarian and civic republican strands. Arguably, contemporary communitarianism and civic republicanism are apt to accrue educational benefits that foster the development of learners with mild-intellectual disabilities’ intellectual and adaptive functions, yielding effective citizenship. The study’s research problem is citizenship education policy embraced upon classical liberalism, which individualises learners with mild-intellectual disabilities in post-apartheid schools. As an unintended consequence of policy, the social problem becomes the exclusion of learners with mild-intellectual disabilities, who are left in the doldrums and characterised as passive citizens. The conceptual and philosophical study uses philosophical research in education as a methodology, with Frankena’s three methods of enquiry serving as a methodological approach. In addressing the problem, Critical Disability Theory and Tomaševski’s 4-A scheme framework are adopted as theoretical lenses which form part of the transformative paradigm to critique policy under the prime objectives of attaining social justice and human rights. The central argument of the study asserts that the implementation of post-apartheid citizenship education policy reflects a tendency to adopt and overemphasise classical liberal strands of citizenship. In the critical analysis of citizenship education policy, the liberalism explicated undermines and underemphasises the educational benefits of contemporary communitarianism and civic republicanism. Invariably, the theoretical contributions of social justice and human rights when educating learners with mild-intellectual disabilities in post-apartheid South African schools are not supported. By shifting the pendulum between the ideals of citizenship education policy and its implementation, strategies are presented to help learners find their identity as a means of fostering agency, community involvement and responsiveness, while also balancing formal knowledge and experiential learning. In looking to the future, citizenship education in schools under communitarianism in a civic-orientated Republic of South Africa is proposed in which learners with mild-intellectual disabilities’ intellectual and adaptive functions can be developed for effective citizenship.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention in Eswatini: understanding the barriers, facilitators and opportunities for women
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Bärnighausen, Kathryn
In 2015 the World Health Organization confirmed the efficacy and safety of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and recommended PrEP for use within populations at high risk of HIV acquisition. In Eswatini – the country with the highest incidence and prevalence globally – the Eswatini Ministry of Health, in partnership with Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), designed a demonstration project which aimed to understand what was needed to successfully introduce PrEP into a national HIV prevention programme for the general population at risk for HIV. Here, using a PrEP prevention cascade to organise our findings, this thesis presents the content of five peer reviewed research articles which stem from a formative qualitative research component built within the demonstration project. Between 2017 and 2020 there were two rounds of rigorous data collection, including 217 semi-structured in-depth interviews, with adult (>18 years) Health Care Workers (HCWs) providing PrEP, relevant stakeholders and PrEP uptake, decline, discontinuation and continuing PrEP clients in Eswatini. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, this thesis describes qualitatively where – along the cascade – gaps in service provision, demand creation, access, and retention in care for women (and others) are visible. The thesis highlights adaptations made by HCWs and recommendations from participants to address these gaps. The thesis describes the developed and adapted theoretical models we use to demonstrate where resilience can be used to create demand for PrEP, the structural, policy, community, personal and inter-personal levels that influence PrEP uptake, decline, continuance and discontinuance, and how a prevention-effective-adherence approach to PrEP could save resources, limit adherence burdens and mitigate negative perceptions related to stopping and starting PrEP. The work demonstrates the need for community-based demand creation, the inadequacies of the PrEP Promotion Package (PPP), and where changes were made to the PPP based on the analysis and interpretation of our data. While the findings have informed the successful national scale up of PrEP in Eswatini and have contributed to positive programmatic and implementation adaptations, it is also clear how PrEP clients – those most at risk of HIV infection – lie at the intersections of poverty, vulnerability, injustice and inequality. Ensuring the effectiveness of PrEP and the prevention of HIV acquisition requires multilevel approaches that extend far beyond a prevention cascade, and need to consider and incorporate the lived experiences of those in Eswatini and other high incidence settings globally.
Molecular epidemiology and characteristics of immune adaptations across the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins from Gauteng, South Africa, 2020 to 2022
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Subramoney, Kathleen
The SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic has been fueled by several variants of concern (VOC) that have gained more efficient transmission or immune evasion properties over time. To better understand the diversity and evolutionary characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in South Africa we described the analysed the SARS-CoV-2 lineages and VOCs circulating during 2020 to 2022, as well the impact of the S protein and its potential to act as a candidate vaccine. The first objective of this study was to rapidly identify emerging VOCs based on key SARS- CoV-2 S protein mutations. The second objective was to describe the impact of intra-host immune adaptations on the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 S protein genes among individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infections. Thirdly, by timing the emergence SARS-CoV-2 dominant variants we aimed to unravel the significance and abundance of low-frequency lineages that emerged during five COVID-19 waves in South Africa. The final objective was to assess if accounting for diversity among SARS-CoV-2 S protein’s improved predicted epitope coverage of a derived immunogen. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) PCR-based genotyping assays targeting specific mutations were used to detect VOCs that circulated in 2021. The allele frequencies (AF) as determined by SNP PCR analysis and variant calling from FASTQ reads using galaxy.eu were performed to describe intra-host SARS-CoV-2 S protein variants. Whole genome sequencing was performed to identify and analyse SARS-CoV-2 strains circulating in South Africa from 2020 to 2022 and detect low-frequency lineages. Mosaic vaccine suite tools were used to design an optimal S protein construct from sequences generated in this study. The construct was further tested for antigenicity, toxicity, N- and O-linked glycosylation sites and CTL predictions. A combination of P681R and L452R SNPs were detected in 73.6% (538/731) of the samples classified as Delta, while N501Y and del69/70 SNPs were detected in 3.6% (26/731) of samples classified as Alpha. The detection of the del69/70 and K417N coupled with SGTF is efficient to exclude Alpha and Beta variants and rapidly detect Omicron BA.1. SNP assays detected 5.3% of cases with Delta that displayed heterogeneity at delY144, E484Q, N501Y and P681H. However, heterogeneity was confirmed by sequencing only for the E484Q and Characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 Page 9 of 155 delY144 mutations. Variant calling from FASTQ reads identified intra-host diversity in the S protein among 9% of cases that were infected with Beta, Delta, Omicron BA.1, BA.2.15, and BA.4 lineages. Heterogeneity was primarily identified at positions 19 (1.4%) with T19IR 371 (92.3%) with S371FP, and 484 (1.9%) with E484AK, E484AQ and E484KQ. In 2020, 24 lineages were detected, with B.1 (3%; 8/278), B.1.1 (16%; 45/278), B.1.1.348 (3%; 8/278), B.1.1.52 (5%; 13/278), C.1 (13%; 37/278) and C.2 (2%; 6/278) circulating during the first wave. Beta dominating the second wave of infection in 2020. B.1 and B.1.1 continued to circulate at low frequencies in 2021 and B.1.1 re-emerged in 2022. Beta was outcompeted by Delta in 2021, which was thereafter outcompeted by Omicron sub-lineages during the 4th and 5th waves in 2022. Several significant mutations (del69-70, delY144, E484K, N501Y and D614G) identified in VOCs were also detected in low-frequency lineages. During the 5 waves of infection, B.1 and C.1/ C.2 lineages co-circulated with a dominant VOC. Following our findings of co-circulation of VOCs and other lineages and evidence of quasispecies we investigated if accounting for diversity of SARS-CoV-2 strains would render an improved S immunogen. The optimal mosaic S protein generated had predicted CTL epitope coverage of ~95% to 98% and was classified as an antigen based on a prediction score of 0.47. Reverse translation was used to generate the novel S gene for the expression construct SC2M2. The NTD and RBD regions were non-toxic, and the derived novel S protein comprised 10 additional N-linked glycosylation sites and 4 O-linked glycosylation sites when compared to the Wuhan Hu-1 strain. Our study findings have shown that (i) rapid detection of emerging VOCs was possible using SNP genotyping assays, and can be used by low to middle income countries to detect Alpha, Beta, Delta and Omicron BA.1; (ii) heterogeneity within the S protein encourages escape from neutralising antibodies and the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, which may contribute to the ongoing emergence of new variants associated with continued outbreaks globally; (iii) low frequency lineages that share mutations with VOCs could lead to convergence and recombination events that result in the next novel lineages or variants that may further increase transmissibility, infectivity and escape immunity; and lastly (iv) the novel S expression construct designed, based on previous and currently circulating VOCs and lineages, could potentially be used to develop improved SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
The Effect of Insecticide Resistance on Malaria Vector Control in Chikwawa, Southern Malawi
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Kumala, justin; Coetzee, Maureen
Insecticide resistance poses a significant threat to malaria vector control measures, compromising the efficacy of interventions such as indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated nets. This cross-sectional study investigated the impact of insecticide resistance on vector control tools and explored the association between resistance and mosquito plasmodium infectivity rates. CDC bottle and WHO tube assays were used to detect phenotypic resistance in wild- collected non-blood-fed female An. funestus, a key vector in the region. Circumsporozoite ELISA tests were used to detect sporozoite positivity following bioassays. The Chi-square test of independence was used to investigate the relationship between bioassay mortality and sporozoite infection rates to estimate the entomological impact of resistance. Furthermore, selected long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) brands, Royal Sentry and Yorkool nets, were tested for their effect on a series of wild-collected and laboratory mosquito strains with variable levels of insecticide resistance. Wash resistance tests of the selected LLINs followed a WHO protocol. The study revealed an escalation of resistance among wild An. funestus to pyrethroids. There was high resistance intensity against alpha-cypermethrin and moderate resistance to deltamethrin and permethrin. However, there was complete susceptibility to DDT and pirimiphos methyl, an organophosphate. The overall sporozoite positivity rate for An. funestus was 11.5% (n=400), highlighting high transmission in the population. The Chi-square test of independence found a significant relationship between bioassay mortality and sporozoite infection (X2 (1, N=157) = 6.889, p= 0.009). Comparatively, Royal Sentry nets exhibited higher v mortality rates (100%) for susceptible An. gambiae s.s Kisumu than Yorkool nets (69.4%). Additionally, Royal Sentry nets had better mortality rates on wild pyrethroid- resistant An. funestus (74.04%) than Yorkool nets (7.80%). Both LLINs demonstrated better efficacy in wash resistance tests on susceptible strains, especially at baseline. However, a notable decrease in efficacy was observed against the resistance mosquito strains, suggesting the potential impact of resistance on net efficacy. While these findings showed no evidence that insecticide resistance might compromise our efforts to control transmission, they highlighted the potential entomological impact of resistance. The findings also highlighted the importance of evidence-based decision-making in prioritising interventions that are effective against resistant populations. Thus, they emphasised the importance of tailoring intervention choices based on local insecticide resistance profiles.
Bowling biomechanics, physical profiles, and injuries among female cricket players
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Jacobs, Jolandi; Olivier , Benita; Brandt, Corlia
The recent surge in interest, participation, and investment in women’s cricket has ushered in a more professional environment with heightened competition and popularity. The growth of women's sports and professionalism in female cricket players necessitates support from applied sports science and sports medicine (SSSM) clinicians to enhance well-being and performance. However, higher participation rates and athlete professionalism pose challenges for practitioners due to the lack of injury prevention and performance-enhancement research for female cricket players. This thesis presents four novel papers that aim to address the current gap in research for female cricket players. The first paper, a scoping review, consolidates evidence from 158 studies in SSSM for female cricket players, identifying research gaps and highlighting future topics. The second paper investigates the physical profiles and preparation strategies of female cricket players, revealing differences in body composition, muscle strength, power and fitness among player roles. The third paper explores injury profiles of female cricket players, reporting an incidence of 85.23 injuries per 1000 player match days, with pace bowlers experiencing the highest incidence compared to other player roles. Fielding was the most injury-prone activity, emphasising the need for injury prevention strategies, particularly in training. Most injuries are due to direct contact and are acute. The fourth paper compares anthropometric and biomechanical factors of elite male and female pace bowlers. The results indicate sex-specific differences, such as increased rotational movements observed in female pace bowlers during the delivery vi stride and variations in the sequence of the trunk side flexion strategy, emphasising the need for tailored coaching and preparation strategies specific to female bowlers. The findings from this thesis provide ample SSSM evidence to guide the management of female cricket player’s well-being in a professional environment. This thesis not only offers applied guidelines for clinicians but also highlights priority areas for future research.
The Feasibility of Introducing a Harmonised Treatment Regimen, Comparing Affordable Blood Tests and PET-CT Scans, to Improve Two-Year Survival Rates in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Hodgkin Lymphoma in South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Geel, Jennifer Ann; Ballot , Daynia; Metzger, Monika
Paediatric classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is highly curable using chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Prior to this study, no collaborative, prospective cHL studies had been performed in South Africa. The retrospective assessment informed the creation of the prospective harmonised guideline. We aimed to determine a baseline survival rate and prognostic factors; explore reasons for mortality in HIV-positive patients, assess the feasibility of introducing a harmonised treatment guideline, prospectively assess survival and analyse the prediction of chemosensitivity at interim assessment. In the retrospective analysis, multiple potential prognostic factors were analysed and survival rates calculated with Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis. An initial survey was conducted of the clinical researchers before the launch of the prospective study, followed by a mid-study assessment. Two-year overall survival was calculated by Kaplan-Meier curves and computer-learning models were utilised to compare chemosensitivity based on interim PET-CT assessment with changes in haematological and non-specific markers of disease activity. The retrospective analysis accrued 294 patients, of whom 29 were HIV-positive. The 5-year overall survival was 84% in HIV-negative and 49% in HIV-positive patients. Advanced stage, HIV infection and treatment with regimens other than doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine (ABVD) were associated with lower survival rates. In HIV-positive patients, an AIDS-defining CD4 count and hypoalbuminaemia were associated with poorer prognosis. The pre-study assessment indicated that the majority of centres fulfilled all criteria to participate in the study. The mid-study assessment identified barriers to participation and methods to mitigate these challenges. Analysis of 132 prospectively accrued patients (19 HIV-positive, 113 HIV-negative) treated on a risk-stratified, response-adjusted treatment regimen resulted in higher survival rates of 93% in HIV-negative and 89% in HIV-positive patients. Changes in low-cost, widely available blood tests correctly predicted chemosensitivity, identifying patients who may not require radiotherapy. In conclusion, higher survival rates for paediatric cHL were documented following the introduction of a harmonised management guideline in South Africa. In settings that do not have access to PET-CT, changes in affordable blood tests may be used to substitute for xvi radiological interim assessment, although a format suitable for individual patients is yet to be developed for the clinical setting. This research marks the inaugural collaborative effort where patients from every South African paediatric oncology unit and the majority of private paediatric oncology practices, were afforded the opportunity to participate in a prospective study aimed at enhancing survival rates.
Teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in teaching learners with learning barriers in one mainstream secondary school in Soweto
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-10) Twala, Busisiwe Prudence; Ajayi, Oluwakemi; Aloka, Peter
Examining teachers' self-efficacy is crucial in the field of inclusive education. This concept plays a vital role as it directly influences how educators address the unique requirements of learners facing learning challenges. Despite its importance, there are significant gaps in research within the South African context regarding the obstacles teachers encounter when implementing inclusive education, particularly in relation to self-efficacy. The absence of thorough research could be a factor of the ongoing, valid worries in township high schools. Several research conducted globally demonstrate how self-efficacy attitudes regarding inclusive education influence teaching methods and could be advantageous to learners. The primary goal of this study was to find out about teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in accommodating learners with learning difficulties in a mainstream township high school in Soweto. This research employed a qualitative method that worked with the interpretive research paradigm. The study's design was a case study. Using the purposive sampling method, the sample size of eight teachers from grades 8–12 at the chosen school was determined. For the eight participants, a semi-structured individual interview was used as the study tool. Thematic framework analysis was utilized to facilitate the examination of internal data. Additionally, the reliability of the qualitative data was guaranteed. The research findings revealed varying levels of self-efficacy among teachers in accommodating diverse learners in their classrooms. Educators with high self-efficacy demonstrated superior organizational skills and were more happily effective in teaching learners with learning disabilities despite the contextual challenges. Conversely, those with low self-efficacy perceived inclusive education as challenging due to the psychological and social hurdles faced by both teacher and learners in the school environment. Additionally, the study identified several strategies employed by teachers to support learners with disabilities, including differentiated instruction, scaffolding, and responsive teaching techniques. The study utilized certain strategies with the goal of incorporating students with learning challenges into regular classrooms. The research suggests that educators need to tackle serious hurdles affecting their own efficacy in teaching effectiveness. It further proposes that continuous professional development programs should be organized by the Education Department, focusing on better understanding and implementation of SIAS policy (Screening, Identification, Assessment, Support Provisioning and Monitoring).
The Impact of using Monolingual pedagogies in South African Classrooms on the Academic Performance and Social Inclusion of African Learners who are Learning through an Additional Language
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Shumba, Thato Jessica; Charamba, Erasmos
Within the South African educational landscape, a critical challenge arises when transitioning to an additional language as the sole medium of instruction. This hasty embrace often neglects the crucial development of both Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) in the learners' first languages, also known as their mother tongue. This oversight is particularly concerning when implemented as early as grade four, as the pressure of globalization often dictates a swift shift from mother tongues to English as the primary language of instruction. This abrupt linguistic transition exacerbates existing educational disparities, highlighting the urgent need for a critical examination of language policies and their practical implementation within South African schools. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to investigate whether monolingual pedagogies contribute to the academic performance of Grade 4 learners studying in an additional language (English) different from their mother tongues. The research took place in a township school in Kaalfontein, predominantly populated by Black African learners with no prior exposure to English outside the classroom setting. The mixed-method design involved two key data sources: a sample of approximately 140 learners divided into control and experimental groups, and a range of data collection tools. Both groups participated in pre- and post-test assessments to gauge their academic progress in English, while the experimental group received additional interventions employing translanguaging and multilingual pedagogy approaches. These approaches deliberately intertwined learners' home languages with English in the learning process. Data from classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with participants further enriched the study. Quantitative data from the written tests was analysed using R-computing software, while interview responses were analysed through Glaser and Laudel's model of grounded theory. The paired t-test revealed statistically significant differences in post-test performance between the groups, favouring the experimental group. This suggests that the translanguaging and multilingual interventions positively impacted learners' academic performance in English, providing them with a valuable bridge between their home languages and the language of instruction. This study's findings offer compelling evidence that monolingual pedagogies may not be the optimal approach for learners acquiring an additional language. By incorporating translanguaging and multilingual strategies, educators can leverage learners' existing linguistic resources, fostering deeper understanding and ultimately improving academic outcomes in diverse educational settings.

3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

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