Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Education)
http://hdl.handle.net/11394/5552
2024-03-29T09:58:12ZRethinking representation of African identity and belonging in a selection of south African writings
http://hdl.handle.net/11394/10672
Rethinking representation of African identity and belonging in a selection of south African writings
Singh, Himmath
In debates around Afrocentrism and decolonisation after the #rhodesmustfall student protests, as
well as in historicising the marginalisation of black writings in the South African literary
landscape, there is agreement on the urgency to shift African theoretical perspectives to the centre.
With the aim of contributing to these conversations, this thesis engages with African literary
thought as an attempt to disrupt the epistemological and ontological exclusion of black writings
and writers.
Deploying qualitative textual analysis, this study examines the representation of identity in Herbert
Dhlomo’s Writings (1935); Bloke Modisane’s Blame Me on History (1963); Oswald Mbuyiseni
Mtshali’s The Washerwoman (1971); Sipho Sepamla’s Words, Words, Words (1984); Mongane
Wally Serote’s To Every Birth Its Blood (1981); Lauretta Ngcobo’s And They Didn’t Die (1990);
and Phaswane Mpe’s Welcome to our Hillbrow (2001). This survey of black writings and literary
representation aligns with the history of colonial/apartheid resistance and key periods including:
the rise of Afrikanerdom in the 1930s; 1960s Sharpeville; 1970s Black Consciousness and Soweto;
the advent of democracy with Mandela in 1994; and the post-apartheid neo-liberal dilemma of the
black nationalist elite.
Philosophiae Doctor - PhD
2024-01-01T00:00:00ZThe synthesis,characterization and reactivity of diene and functionalized alkyl complexes of iron
http://hdl.handle.net/11394/10663
The synthesis,characterization and reactivity of diene and functionalized alkyl complexes of iron
Dooling-Mopp, Dalene
This thesis deals with the synthesis, characterisation and reactivity of a number of diene and functionalized alkyl complexes of iron. Iron alkenyl complexes of the type [(Cp)(C02)Fe{(CH2)nCH=CH2] (n = 2-4, 6), were used as precursors in the preparation of diene, heterobinuclear µ-alkanediyl and ro-hydroxyalkyl complexes of iron. Chapter 1 gives an overview of known hydrocarbyl complexes. Chapter 2 deals with the synthesis and characterisation of cationic diene complexes of iron of the type, [(175-C5H5)Fe(C0)2{r/-(a,ro-diene)}]PF6. These complexes were prepared by the reaction of the iron alkenyl complexes, [(Cp)(C02)Fe{(CH2)nCH=CH2] (n = 2-4, 6), with trityl salt, (Ph3CPF6) (-hydride elimination) to give a series of cationic diene complexes of iron of the type [(175 -C5H5)Fe(C0)2 { 172 -( a,rodiene)} ]PF 6. The cationic diene complexes, [(175-C5Hs)Fe(C0)2{172-(a,rodiene)} ]PF 6, were isolated as yellow air stable solids, which were fully characterized by microcroanalyses, FTIR, 1 H NMR, 13C NMR, 2D NMR (COSY) and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Thermal analysis and thermal decomposition studies were also carried out on these compounds. Chapter 3 details the reactivity studies of these cationic diene complexes. We subjected these complexes to reactions with nucleophiles such as halides, hydrides, phosphines, amines and enolates. These reactions were found to proceed via four generalized pathways i.e. l) ligand substitution ( displacement) of the diene, 2) formation of the dimer, [CpFe(C0)2h 3) addition to the coordinated diene, 4) deprotonation of the diene using tertiary amines i.e. Et3N Where possible, the products of these reactions were fully characterized by microanalyses, FTIR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. n Chapter 4 we subjected the iron alkenyl complexes, [(Cp)(C02)Fe{(CH2)nCH=CH2] (n = 2-4, 6), to hydrozirconation reactions using Cp2Zr(H)Cl to produce heterobinuclear µ-alkanediyl complexes of the type, [(Cp)(C02)FeCH2(CH2)nCH2Zr(Cp)2CI]. These complexes were isolated as yellow/brown oils which were found to decompose to the oxo-bridged dimer, [Cp2ZrC1]20 and the corresponding uon alkyl compounds, Cp(C0)2FeCH2(CH2)nCH3 In situ reactions of the heterobinuclear µ-alkanediyl complexes with various electrophiles were found to proceed in a similar fashion to those of the known mononuclear iron and zirconium alkyl complexes. Chapter 5 deals with the reactivity studies of c.o-hydroxyalkyl iron complexes of
the type [(Cp)(C0)2Fe{(CH2)nCH20H}] (n = 3-5, 7) which were prepared by the oxidative hydroboration of the iron alkenyl complexes, The reactions of the c.ohydroxyalkyl were found to take place at either the metal centre or at the hydroxy group. Where possible the products of these reactions were characterized by microanalyses, FTIR, spectrometry.
Doctor Educationis
2003-01-01T00:00:00ZAn investigation of Zimbabwe a-level chemistry teachers' epistemological beliefs, laboratory instructional practices and students' images of the nature of science
http://hdl.handle.net/11394/10661
An investigation of Zimbabwe a-level chemistry teachers' epistemological beliefs, laboratory instructional practices and students' images of the nature of science
Vhurumuku, Elaosi
This study set out to investigate the nature of A-level Chemistry teachers' science epistemological beliefs, the teachers' laboratory instructional practices and their students' images of science. Science epistemological beliefs (SEBs) are the views of the teachers about the nature of scientific knowledge and the processes of its development and validation. Laboratory instructional practice was looked at from the angle of the teachers' practice of inquiry. Students' images of the nature of science are the ideas which students hold about the nature of scientific knowledge and the processes of its development and validation. The subjects in the study were twelve teachers and 72 A-level Chemistry students drawn from twelve schools in three of Zimbabwe's nine schools' administrative provinces. Teachers' science epistemological beliefs were determined through a Likert-type instrument and interviews. The nature of teachers' laboratory instructional practices was ascertained through observation of laboratory classes, a teacher Laboratory Programmes Variables Inventory, a student Laboratory Programmes variables inventory and teacher and student interviews. Students images of the nature of science were obtained through, a Likert-type questionnaire, an open-ended questionnaire and interviews of selected students. Their perceptions of their laboratory experiences were obtained through a Laboratory Programmes Variables Inventory and interviews.
Philosophiae Doctor - PhD
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZThe Development of a Reference Framework for Measuring Students' Understanding in a First Year Calculus Course
http://hdl.handle.net/11394/10633
The Development of a Reference Framework for Measuring Students' Understanding in a First Year Calculus Course
Kannemeyer, LD
This thesis investigates the development of an instrument, a reference framework, for measuring students' understanding of mathematical concepts in a first year calculus course at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The reference framework is a detailed method for analysing students' written and oral responses to non-routine questions. Criteria for constructing the reference framework are
established within the context of a theoretical framework developed to model understanding, and based on analysis of empirical data collected by the author and those gleaned in relevant literature. A "fuzzy" measure of the level of students' understanding is also implemented.
Doctor Educationis
2003-01-01T00:00:00Z