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The majority of children in mainstream (no fee, poorly resourced, African language dominant) public schools in South Africa fall significantly behind curricular norms in mathematics by Grade 3; the early learning gap grows across time. The provision of quality instructional materials is a well-recognised component of effective strategies to improve early grade mathematics in low- and middle-income contexts. However, there has been little explication of what constitutes quality instructional materials, nor long-term design work to contribute theory to this instructional design challenge. Across 15 years, the author has been working in an education design hub with teacher educators and teachers in the rural Eastern Cape, with the goal of improving early grade mathematics. The gains in mathematics performance have been among the most significant reported in research literature. This paper presents the design principles emerging from the work. Engaging the theoretical layers discussed by diSessa and Cobb, the paper contributes to design theory by emphasising the relationship between explicit instructional assumptions and design principles, integrating four ontological categories (motive, pedagogy, language use and mathematical meaning-making). Since 2011, the Department of Basic Education has provided learner workbooks to support teaching and learning in foundation phase mathematics at system scale. It is hoped that this paper will contribute to the ongoing development of this vital national resource. The paper makes explicit instructional assumptions and design principles (available for critique, adaptation, and refinement), and provides a more nuanced framework through which to assess and improve materials across time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the growing attention and research activity surrounding early grade mathematics (EGM) in South Africa and Malawi. The introduction of curriculum reforms and policy-linked interventions, such as the Teaching Mathematics for Understanding model and the Primary Teacher Education initiative, have led to increased research in this field. The article highlights the importance of foundational understandings of mathematics in addressing low performance in the subject. It also examines different approaches to EGM research, including large-scale interventions and projects that engage with the mathematics education literature base. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for ongoing attention to both larger-scale and smaller-scale intervention studies in order to improve mathematical outcomes. [Extracted from the article]

Teacher quality in primary schools in South Africa is a serious concern, and how best to prepare teachers in initial teacher education—with regard to mathematics—remains an open and vexing question. There is a confluence of challenges facing the mathematics education community in South Africa: poor conceptual understanding of mathematics amongst teachers; poor attainment in Primary Teacher Education mathematics tests at both first and fourth year levels; and few initial teacher education programmes having evidence of improving knowledge for teaching mathematics. In addition, few lecturers in initial teacher education make explicit the theoretical tenets informing their course design for mathematics. In response to the latter challenge, this paper makes explicit the design choices made in the Emergent Number Sense first year mathematics module in Bachelor of Education degrees, used across six universities in South Africa. It then theorises the choice to commence the B.Ed mathematics programmes with two pathways into number knowledge: (1) a counting pathway, making use of discrete objects or events which can be quantified by counting in ones; and (2) a measurement pathway, making use of continuous extents which can be quantified by introducing a unit of measurement. Each has a distinct metaphor, strategy for the reification of the 10 and supporting representation. This offers the lecturers using the course in their own design trials, and initial teacher educators beyond the Maths4Primary Teachers collective, a conceptual framework for this design choice, which can now be critiqued and further improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on mathematical equivalence, and to some extent, on number structure in early grade mathematics, has shown that most students at primary and secondary levels understand these concepts instrumentally rather than relationally. The study reported in this paper uses a design research approach to explore both mathematical equivalence and number structure in a primary pre-service teacher education programme at a university in South Africa and reports on an intervention strategy intended to culminate in developing design principles comprising guidelines for the effective teaching of number structure and mathematics equivalence in primary pre-service teacher education programmes. The mixed method study comprises 70 first-year primary pre-service teachers (PSTs) and a teacher educator. The PSTs wrote pre- and post-tests, and were interviewed following the pre-test. Skemp's notion of relational and instrumental understanding guided the design of the intervention and the analysis of the data. The results from the study indicates that PSTs' understanding of the notion of equivalence is similar to what has been reported for students in schools, and that there were some learning gains in the post-test results. Based on the findings from the study in general, some emergent design principles are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the importance of mathematics performance of learners and the challenges in South Africa, it is important that the expertise of all role-players, including the subject advisors who visit the teachers to guide and support them, is used to its full potential. While some studies have explored the experiences of teachers in this regard, literature on the experiences of mathematics subject advisors is scant. Furthermore, little has been published on the experiences of subject advisors within the context of rural areas with a low population, such as the Northern Cape Province. This article addresses the gap by exploring the deeper understanding of mathematics subject advisors’ experiences when conducting school support visits. Taking a qualitative research approach, I conducted semi-structured interviews with six mathematics subject advisors from the four phases (foundation, intermediate, senior, and further education and training) in all five of the education districts of the Northern Cape Department of Education (Frances Baard; Z.F. Mgcwawu; Pixley Ka Seme; Namakwa; and J.T. Gaetsewe). Through Husserl’s phenomenological theoretical framework, complemented with Gibbs’ reflective cycle and Colaizzi’s seven steps of data analysis, participants were found to have had both good and bad experiences when conducting school support visits. Experiences included positive attitudes from educators and schools in general, and good curriculum implementation and teaching and learning practices. However, participants were sometimes received with hostility, and observed poor curriculum implementation and teaching and learning practices. Noteworthy is some negative union influence, lack of specialisation in mathematics by foundation phase departmental heads, lack of coherence in communication, and lack of cooperation and collaboration amongst district officials. If the concerns raised by mathematics subject advisors in this paper are not addressed, these may have a negative impact on the experiences of subject advisors and, by implication, on learner performance as well as education in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reported on here was conducted to explore four Grade 7 mathematics teachers' understanding of the relationship between the objectives indicated in the CAPS for teaching different topics/concepts and instructional time stipulated for doing so. Seven lessons were studied in 4 primary schools in the Vhembe district of the Limpopo province, South Africa. A constructivist philosophical approach was used. The data collection methods included interviews and classroom observations. The main finding indicates teachers' understanding of instructional time as either a regulatory or a teaching tool. The ability to translate instructional time into social time depends on the level of teachers' curriculum literacy. Consideration of how CAPS objectives could be fulfilled based on the topic/concept to be taught and the stipulated instructional time, influenced the learners' conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and competency in mathematics. The conclusion underscores the importance of instructional time as both an essential authoritative regulatory tool and signal of a pedagogic device and communication required to advance the instructional objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participating in classroom mathematics conversations, particularly engaging with the opinions of others, can improve learners' mathematical comprehension. Teachers can use a variety of invitation and follow-up moves to encourage student engagement. The study aimed to explore teacher follow-up on learners' initial responses to teacher questions and building on learner ideas in Grade 9 mathematics classrooms. A qualitative approach and descriptive case study design were utilised. Data were collected from three schools in the same circuit in South Africa through classroom lesson observations, face-to-face teacher interviews and researchers' field notes. Three Grade 9 mathematics teachers, one from each school, were purposively selected, and the selected teachers' already established Grade 9 classes, with a maximum of 30 learners each (owing to the COVID-19 health protocol), were automatically involved. Cognitively guided instruction, a learner-centred approach that uses social constructivism as a research paradigm, guided this study. The exploration was supplemented by Brodie's conceptual framework on teacher follow-up moves. The findings revealed that the three teachers followed up on learner contributions and used different follow-up moves, namely insert, elicit, press, maintain and confirm. The study showed hybrid teacher moves. Although more teacher moves were skewed towards elicit and insert, which are closer to traditional practices, there is an indication of moving towards the press, maintain and confirm, which are reform-oriented moves. In addition to these moves identified by Brodie, acknowledging or praising the learner for responding was another move that emerged in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is concern over the learning and teaching of mathematics in South Africa. The aim of this study was to explore high school mathematics teachers' conceptual difficulties in trigonometry and coordinate geometry. The participants were in-service teachers (n = 236), who were enrolled in an in-service programme at a South African university. The research instrument was based on a previous Grade 12 national mathematics paper. The study used Duval's theory on semiotic systems to try to understand the teachers' difficulties experienced with the content. Ethical clearance was obtained from the university research office for the collection of data. All participants provided informed consent to participate in the study. The study used a mixed methods approach where the quantitative data was first analysed. Thereafter a content analysis was conducted on 50 scripts to gain insight into the areas which presented challenges to the teachers. The results showed that the teachers obtained an average of 55% overall in the items. The average for the trigonometry and coordinate geometry was 52% and 61% respectively. The study suggests that teachers need more support in mastering the Grade 12 content and developing representational fluency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, there is no adequate research that explored mathematics learning and teaching within rural schools and classrooms. Various literature posits that mathematics education research has virtually over-concentrated on urban and township schools and consistently ignored rural contexts and schools. Arguments exist that rural education and rural education research have been understudied in South Africa. Presumably, this would include mathematics education research as well. This paper explores the relationship between witchcraft beliefs, which is considered as an entrenched cultural phenomenon, and learners' mathematics learning within rural classrooms. In this paper, the local influences include that the learners end up not demonstrating their full understanding of mathematics contents because of the beliefs that if they exhibit their knowledge of the subject, they may be bewitched. Cultural Relativism was used to theorise the study within qualitative critical phenomenology as a methodology for the study. The study comprises 12 mathematics learners from a rural Acornhoek region in Mpumalanga Province, and data were collected using individual semi-structured interviews while the collected data were analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis. Findings from this study illuminated that local beliefs and knowledge such as witchcraft exert significant influence on schools and learners' learning, including learners' not demonstrating their optimum understanding of mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematics is a core subject in South Africa. Studies have shown that the performance of learners on this subject is not encouraging. Many factors have been alluded to by scholars as contributing factors to this poor performance. The gap between theory and practice of mathematics teaching can be bridged by the use of appropriate learning styles, availability, and utilization of instructional. This paper finds out the relationship that exists among learning styles, instructional materials, and mathematics performance of Grade 6. The choice of Grade 6 is important because it is the last grade level of primary school before a learner can enter secondary school level in South Africa. The study adopted a correlational research design of a quantitative approach. Stratified sampling techniques were used to select 1225 learners from Grade 6 schools within Buffalo City Metropolitan Education District. The data revealed among others that in Buffalo City, availability and utilization of instructional materials have no significant relationship with the mathematics performance of selected grade 6 learners (B=.023, t=.804, P=0.05) while students learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) have a significant relationship with grade 6 learners Mathematics performance (B=-.113, t=-3.886, p<0.05). The study concluded that one of the most fundamental issues to consider in improving Mathematics performance is the understanding of the learners' learning styles and effective use of appropriate instructional materials for teaching Mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated how high school mathematics teachers in South Africa integrate GeoGebra, a free dynamic mathematics software program, into their teaching practices. The research explored teachers' perceptions of the training they received for the GeoGebra software, their ability to create and implement GeoGebra-based lessons, and their confidence in using it in the classroom. The study employed an interpretive research paradigm to gather insights through unstructured interviews with four purposefully selected teachers from South Africa's Northwest Province. Despite the absence of a structured training program, the study findings indicate teachers' enthusiasm for adopting GeoGebra. The study underscores the need for the Department of Basic Education to enhance support to address potential obstacles and the importance of aligning GeoGebra training with existing guidelines for integrating information and communication technologies within the Department of Basic Education and school management. In summary, this study provides valuable insights into how professional development impacts high school mathematics teachers' incorporation of GeoGebra, with implications for the design and implementation of future programs aimed at helping teachers integrate technology into their instructional practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learners are often tasked with activities that require them to solve problems in mathematics classrooms. Problem posing is one of the teaching strategies that can enable learners to appreciate the mathematics concepts to be extracted from familiar or everyday situations. However, problem posing, as a teaching and learning strategy, is mostly under-utilised, despite its potential to enhance mathematics learning. This article explores how Grade 11 learners pose Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy questions from a 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer match and determines the extent to which the questions posed by learners mirror the given soccer context. The study involved 42 participants, comprising 22 Mathematics and 20 Mathematical Literacy learners from a high school in the Soshanguve township in Tshwane, South Africa. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through a written task in which learners were given a scenario in the form of an extract from a 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer match report. The qualitative findings of the study show that learners were generally capable of posing or formulating questions based on the real-life soccer context provided. The analysis showed that (a) Mathematics learners formulated more questions with more mathematical terms in them than Mathematical Literacy learners did, and (b) Mathematical Literacy learners formulated questions that were more aligned to the analysis of the game than was the case with Mathematics learners. We argue that learners' responses to the task were consistent with how they were socialised with the Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unsatisfactory mathematics performance of South African learners has long been a concern. South Africa is ranked among the lowest performing countries in mathematics, calling for a rethinking of the way the subject is being taught. Mathematics needs to be contextually relevant and interesting for learners to be motivated to learn. Ethnomathematical games provide a means of making mathematics meaningful to learners because of the potential mathematical knowledge embedded in them. Playing gamesis a fun way of learning, and indigenous games are an integral part of learner culture. The aim of this article is to explore the games played by community elders to determine how the games can be used in the classroom. We employed observations and interviews to collect data from community elders on the indigenous games. This article is framed by the following research question: which indigenous games, with mathematical relevance are played by community elders, and what mathematical skills and knowledge are identifiable in the games? The study offers four (4) main findings that are relevant to address the crisis in mathematics teaching and learning. Thisstudy identified various ethnomathematical games and various mathematical operations embedded in them. Based on these findings, recommendations are made to use ethnomathematics to improve the mathematics performance of learners in the intermediate phase. A further recommendation is that mathematics teachers need to be trained in alternate methods of mathematics instruction such as the use of indigenous games. Future research comprises the piloting of indigenous games in intermediate phase mathematics classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of progression policy, which prohibits the repetition of a grade to more than once within each of the four phases of Basic Education, was enforced in South Africa in the Further Education and Training phase in 2013, but appropriate strategies which could be applied to support progressed learners are not addressed. This research was qualitative by nature and approached according to the interpretative paradigm. It was a comparative case study, which investigated strategies to support Grade 12 progressed Mathematics learners using Information Communication Technologies in comparison with other strategies that do not apply ICT instructional technologies. Data collection strategies were semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and support policies. The study population was sixteen FET Mathematics educators from five schools in Ekurhuleni North district. The findings indicated that connectivism, when incorporated into teaching and learning, becomes an effective support tool for progressed learners. ICTs within networks makes teaching and learning more learner centred, improves participation, learner attainment and pass rate. Learners are able to learn at their own pace, in their most convenient set-up and they manage what they learn, how they learn, with whom they learn and what information they require. The study found that there are greater benefits of using ICT instructional technologies in a connectivist classroom to support progressed learners, but that traditional support strategies cannot be ruled out due to the socio-economic challenges schools under research experienced. The findings further indicated that there is a dire need of a comprehensive support policies, strategies and guidelines to support progressed and low-ability learners in Mathematics both digitally and non-digitally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses, empirically, on the developments seen in a group of South African early grades' mathematics teacher educators in the course of a university-provincial education department partnership project. This project sought to support the district Mathematics Subject Advisers to support, in turn, teachers to implement an intervention consisting of a sequence of four lessons focused on multiplicative reasoning. Outcomes based on pre- and post-tests administered by the Subject Advisers suggested substantial pre- to post-test improvement at the student level. Subject Adviser observations and reflections pointed to successes in engendering more dialogic conversations between mathematics teachers and mathematics teacher educators focused on mathematics and its teaching and learning. The 'double move' of increasing overlap between the subject adviser and teacher communities, coupled with evidence that implementing the intervention had enabled the Subject Advisers to develop their mathematical and pedagogical understandings, provides a useful way of considering development in the capacity of mathematics teacher educators to support mathematics teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a significant body of research that indicates that the use of tablets to learn mathematics in elementary school motivates students to learn. Low mathematical attainment in international benchmarking tests of mathematics in South Africa led the authors to investigate the potential that the mobility of the tablet provided for children to learn how to reason using what Mercer called 'exploratory' talk, a form of dialogical interaction indicative of reasoning. In this article the authors investigate two grade 6 classrooms in two schools where students are learning mathematics using tablets. In this multiple case study, the authors videotaped children during mathematics lessons where they used tablets to solve mathematical problems, and the data were transcribed. Findings indicate that the tablets across both contexts facilitate what Mercer calls exploratory talk, which is indicative of reasoning and, therefore, learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether tobacco expenditure leads to the crowding out or crowding in of different expenditure items in South Africa. We apply genetic matching to expenditure quartiles of the 2010/2011 South African Income and Expenditure Survey. Genetic matching is a more appealing approach for dealing with the endogeneity of tobacco expenditure that often plagues studies using systems of demand equations. Further, genetic matching provides transparent measures of covariate balance giving the analyst objective means of assessing match success. We find that the poorest tobacco consuming households in South Africa consistently allocate smaller budget shares towards food items than non-smoking households. Specifically, we find that dairy, fruits, nuts and oils are displaced in favour of tobacco expenditure in the two poorest quartiles. Unsurprisingly, food items are never displaced for households in the top two quartiles, given these households’ greater access to resources. Like other studies in the literature, we find that tobacco expenditure consistently crowds-in alcohol across all quartiles confirming the strong complementarities between the two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between satisfaction with life and mathematics achievement among a nationally representative sample of Grade 9 learners in South Africa. Methods: Using the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 2019) based on a sample of 20,829 learners (females = 11,067 and males = 9,719), and employing structural equation modelling (SEM), we examined the nature of the relationship between satisfaction with life and mathematics achievement, considering the role of gender, parental involvement, and instructional clarity. Results: Our findings showed that satisfaction with life is positively related to mathematics achievement, but is not moderated by gender. Additionally, instructional clarity contributes to, and is a partial mediator of, the relationship between life satisfaction and mathematics achievement. This suggests that greater instructional clarity is positively associated with high achievement in mathematics, over and above the relationship with satisfaction with life. By contrast, parental involvement negatively mediates this relationship, suggesting that mathematics achievement is negatively associated with certain forms of parental involvement, such as setting time aside for homework; and checking if homework is done. Discussion: Given the tested linear relationship between life satisfaction, instructional clarity and mathematics achievement, the results of the study suggest that if wellbeing is improved and existing instructional practices are constantly reviewed, mathematics scores could be positively affected. In addition, the emerging finding on the negative role of parental involvement in the hypothesised mediated relationship suggests that learners could benefit from properly tailored, and governmentsponsored, afterschool tutoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal health coverage (UHC) aims to ensure people have access to the health services they need. Sixteen tracer indicators were developed for implementation by countries to measure UHC in the health system. South Africa uses 15 of the proposed 16 indicators. Operational managers in the public health care sector collect data and report on these indicators at a primary health clinic level. This qualitative study explored the knowledge and attitudes of managers toward data and UHC service indicators in a sub-district in Ugu, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Operational managers saw data collection as information gathering, measuring performance and driving action. They understood UHC indicators as 'health for all' linking them to National Department of Health Strategic plans and saw the value of indicators for health promotion. They found the lack of training, inadequate numeracy skills, requests for data from multiple spheres of government and the indicator targets that they had to reach as challenging and untenable. While operational managers made the link between data, measuring performance and action, the limited training, skills gaps and pressures from higher levels of government may impede their ability to use data for local level planning and decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TB is rated as one of the world’s deadliest diseases and South Africa ranks 9th out of the 22 countries with hardest hit of TB. Although many pieces of research have been carried out on this subject, this paper steps further by inculcating past knowledge into the model, using Bayesian approach with informative prior. Bayesian statistics approach is getting popular in data analyses. But, most applications of Bayesian inference technique are limited to situations of non-informative prior, where there is no solid external information about the distribution of the parameter of interest. The main aim of this study is to profile people living with TB in South Africa. In this paper, identical regression models are fitted for classical and Bayesian approach both with non-informative and informative prior, using South Africa General Household Survey (GHS) data for the year 2014. For the Bayesian model with informative prior, South Africa General Household Survey dataset for the year 2011 to 2013 are used to set up priors for the model 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2016, all the second-year Intermediate Phase students at the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa, who have enrolled for the MTBI2503 module have been exposed to family math (FM) activities during six compulsory contact sessions. The main aim of the FM training sessions for student-teachers was to expose them to reallife and hands-on mathematics teaching and learning. It was decided by the key role players that the FM program should be subjected to formative evaluation. A self-constructed questionnaire was used as an assessment tool. The first section of the questionnaire focuses on the generics of the program (FM training program per se, content, training outcomes, course material, and assessment). This paper reports on data from the second section of the questionnaire and aims to answer the following research question: Are MTBI2503 students satisfied with the way the UFS adapted the FM program to make provision for Intermediate Phase students' specific expectations and needs? Statements relating to the FM program are evaluated using five-point Likert scale items. Overall, the rating of the contact sessions, teaching and learning, facilitators, and personal experiences of the students are high. It was concluded that an awareness of the inherent educational value of the FM program for Intermediate Phase students may have a positive influence on future initial teacher training programs in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is centred around a framework for studying teaching—Mediating Primary Mathematics (MPM)—developed in the context of the teaching of Whole Number Arithmetic (WNA) in South Africa. Findings from the analysis of four WNA lessons are used to illustrate how the application of the MPM framework can measure nuanced differences in the meditational means—both artefact- and human-based—employed by teachers. Detailed analysis of differences observed across these lessons shows that the mathematics taught can go beyond localized procedures and counting-based methods, and engage learners in mathematical activity that involves affordances for making connection and generalizing, particularly with respect to counting with composite units, a key developmental stage in WNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergence of drug resistance among pathogens has resulted in renewed interest in bioprospecting for natural microbial products. Methods: This study aimed to bioprospecting endophytic actinobacterium associated with Aloe ferox Mill for its antibacterial activity. Endophytic actinomycetes were isolated from the gel of A. ferox Mill by surface sterilization technique using actinomycete isolation agar. The isolate with a promising antibacterial activity was identified using 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract was assessed by the micro-dilution method and its effect on the respiratory chain dehydrogenase (RCD) activity was ascertained by the iodonitrotetrazolium chloride (INT) assay. Fourier transform-infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) were employed to identify functional groups and the chemical constituents, respectively. Results: The actinobacterium was found to be Streptomyces olivaceus CP016795.1. Its extract displayed noteworthy antibacterial activity (MIC ≤1 mg/mL) against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25925), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10102), and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922); and showed an inhibitory effect on the RCD activity. FTIR spectrum displayed hydroxyl, amine, and aromatic groups, and the GC–MS revealed 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural as the main constituent (19.47%). Conclusions: S. olivaceus CP016795.1 can serve as a potential source of effective antibacterial compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to predict the COVID-19 infection fifth wave in South Africa using the Gaussian mixture model for the available data of the early four waves for March 18, 2020-April 13, 2022. The quantification data is considered, and the time unit is used in days. We give the modeling of COVID-19 in South Africa and predict the future fifth wave in the country. Initially, we use the Gaussian mixture model to characterize the coronavirus infection to fit the early reported cases of four waves and then to predict the future wave. Actual data and the statistical analysis using the Gaussian mixture model are performed which give close agreement with each other, and one can able to predict the future wave. After that, we fit and predict the fifth wave in the country and it is predicted to be started in the last week of May 2022 and end in the last week of September 2022. It is predicted that the peak may occur on the third week of July 2022 with a high number of 19383 cases. The prediction of the fifth wave can be useful for the health authorities in order to prepare themselves for medical setup and other necessary measures. Further, we use the result obtained from the Gaussian mixture model in the new model formulated in terms of differential equations. The differential equations model is simulated for various values of the model parameters in order to determine the disease's possible eliminations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the approach used to assess the performance of a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and principal component regression (PCR) chemometric method when measuring respirable quartz, kaolinite, and coal in samples from a variety of mines from different countries; relative to target assigned values determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD). For comparison, FTIR results using the partial least squares regression (PLSR) method are also available. Bulk dusts from 10 Australian mines were scanned using XRD and grouped into three sets based on the levels of quartz, kaolinite, and feldspar within their crystalline mineral composition. Prediction samples were generated from 5 of these Australian mine dusts, Durrans coal dust, 2 mine dusts from the UK, and a single South African mine dust (71 samples in total) by collecting the aerosolized respirable dust onto 25-mm diameter polyvinylchloride filters using the Safety in Mines Personal Dust Sampler (SIMPEDS) operating at 2.2 l min−1. The predicted values from the FTIR chemometric methods were compared with assigned target values determined using a direct on-aerosol filter XRD analysis method described in Method for the Determination of Hazardous Substances (MDHS) 101. Limits of detection (LOD) and uncertainty values for each analyte were calculated from a linear regression between target and predicted values. The uncertainty was determined using the calibration uncertainty equation for an unweighted regression. FTIR results from PCR and PLSR are very similar. For the PCR method, the LOD for quartz, kaolinite, and coal were 5, 25, and 71 µg, respectively. For quartz, an LOD of 5 µg corresponds to an airborne quartz concentration of 10 µg m−3, assuming a 4-h sampling time and collection flow rate of 2.2 l min−1. The FTIR measurement met the expected performance criteria outlined in ISO 20581 when sampling quartz for more than 4 h using a flow rate of 2.2 l min−1 at a concentration of 0.1 mg m−3 (100 µg m−3), the current workplace exposure limit in Great Britain. This method met the same performance criteria when measuring exposures at the Australian Workplace Exposure Standard (WES) concentration of 0.05 mg m−3, although in this case a sampling period greater than 8 h was needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the effects of both free optional mathematics learning support and engagement on the mathematics performance in a foundation mathematics subject of a cohort of engineering students entering university with poor mathematical skills. New engineering students were directed to either a foundation or standard mathematics subject based on the results of a placement test. For students in the foundation subject, it was found that high levels of learning support were associated with greater improvement over the semester. Some form of learning support was used by 57.9% of the students, a reasonably high proportion of the cohort. Some factors for this high level of use of learning support are considered. One possible factor, the placement test, appears to have had a positive effect. Engagement in the subject activities as measured by tutorial attendance and learning management system use was found to have a positive association with final mark. Students who utilized a high level of learning support were more likely to be more engaged with the subject, making it impossible to draw conclusions about improvements being solely due to the use of learning support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although buoyed by the induction of a democratic government, and the high ideals of our constitution, the South African education system has in many ways not met the expectations of its people, in this case, the mathematics education community. With the birth of an expansive intended curriculum came the monitoring of the outcomes through systemic type testing, the so-called attained curriculum. In time, it became clear that the inevitable 'teaching to the test' would constitute a narrowing of the implemented curriculum. Two possible constraining influences of the systemic test were identified, namely, a narrowing of the curriculum, and reliance on only one source of external monitoring. To counteract these, a project titled Assessment Enhanced Teaching and Learning (AETL) has been initiated, involving Grade Nine mathematics teachers. The aim of the project is to provide intermittent markers of progress to the teachers and learners at strategic points throughout the year. Teacher involvement in the design and implementation of these formative assessment tasks is thus central to the project. In this paper, we report on a case study at one school in the Pretoria region, and explore the use of structured assessment tasks as an approach to professional development. The question posed here is, "How does the implementation of strategically designed assessment tasks support professional development and enable professional agency?" Our findings indicate a strong sense of agency motivated by the need to excel in systemic type testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimation equations based on different body segments are commonly used to predict height in patients whose height cannot be directly measured. This study aimed to assess the agreement between measured (reference) height and height predicted from published equations derived from measurement of body segments, in a South African public hospital setting. A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken. Medical, surgical, pulmonary, orthopaedic, cardiovascular and general wards at three public hospitals in Bloemfontein. Admitted patients, 20–50 years old; able to stand upright without assistance and without medical conditions or treatments affecting height. Stadiometer height, recumbent height, arm span, demi-span, ulna length, knee height, tibia length, fibula length and foot length were measured with standardised techniques. Height, predicted by 12 published equations, was compared with stadiometer height by 95% confidence intervals (CI) and Bland–Altman analysis. The median stadiometer height of the sample (n = 141; 38.3% female; median age 38.8 years, IQR 33.3–44.4 years) was 165.5 cm (males 169.3 cm; females 158.4 cm). Only a set of equations based on knee height and standardised on a large population of adults < 65 years in the United States estimated height without statistically significant deviance from the stadiometer height. Most standardised equations applied to hospitalised adults in a South African public health setting resulted in height estimations that differed significantly from height. Thus, equations standardised on other populations may not be suitable for the South African population, possibly due to differences in genetic and environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, conducted in one high-achieving secondary school in a disadvantaged area in the Western Cape province of South Africa, asks whether mathematics teachers alter their "talk" across the face-to-face and computer-based lessons. Data were gathered through video recordings of teacher/student interactions across ten face-to-face and computer-based mathematics lessons conducted by two teachers. Findings indicate that the teachers studied significantly altered their "talk" across the two contexts, with a medium effect size. Further, a significant association at a medium effect level between any two of the three variables—location of lesson, "talk" type and scale of interaction—was found. In particular, teachers used significantly less mathematical talk in the computer lessons. As language is the primary mediator of conceptual acquisition (Vygotsky, 1978), this calls into question what mathematical concepts are learnt in a computer-based lesson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on the notion of epistemic agency to illustrate how the enactment of shared epistemic agency is enabled or hindered in a mathematics classroom for student teachers. I used data from an ethnographic study that was conducted in a third-year class of mathematics for educators. Data was drawn from verbal interactions that took place between mathematics student teachers, and between student teachers and myself as their lecturer, as they worked on class tasks. A narrative mode of analysing data was employed to synthesise data from critical incidents, while excerpts of these incidents represented data. From this analysis, I argue that, with extended wait time by a facilitator, students' disposition of epistemic virtues and vices may enable or hinder enactment to epistemic agency, respectively. In article, those vices presented themselves as epistemic stinginess, prejudices against answers by peers and epistemic disclaimer. The epistemic virtues were presented as impartiality and intellectual courage. I further suggest that the recommended wait time of 1–3 during classroom questioning and answering should be extended for classes where epistemic practices are encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to determine pre-service accounting teachers' perceptions of the confidence and motivation in doing mathematics in Bachelor of Education Accounting courses at a higher education institution, with the aim of informing higher education heutagogy as it relates to teaching and learning in accounting. This study included a convenience sample of 255 preservice accounting teachers from a higher education institution in South Africa and a purposive sample of 18 students was drawn. Data collection was done through questionnaires and an interview schedule. A sequential explanatory design and sampling were employed. Data were analysed using SPSS for quantitative data and the interviews were transcribed and analysed qualitatively. The mean scores are above average (positive) for the cohort, however, there were numerous students with low scores in the effectance motivation and confidence scales. A more positive attitude towards effectance motivation in doing mathematics came from Indian, English and suburban respondents (p<.050). These students were not discouraged by difficult mathematical problems and are thus motivated by the challenges of mathematics. The interviews showed that parents positively influenced these students to persevere when faced with challenging mathematics problems. The results show no significant differences in the confidence in doing mathematics subscale (p >.050) in relation to gender, age, race group, mother tongue, Grade 12 mathematics, accounting module or location of schools. This finding runs counter to interview responses where 10 of the participants did not believe that they had a lot of selfconfidence when it comes to mathematical accounting calculations and could not do advanced work without seeking help from others, compared with 6 participants who agreed that they had a lot of selfconfidence when it comes to mathematical accounting calculations and could do advanced work without seeking help from others. In third-year accounting, strong significant connections were found between motivation in doing mathematics, confidence in doing mathematics and achievement in Accounting 420. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an arts based approach toward mathematics learning, a story, crossing the River was used in a multidisciplinary community engagement project in rural South Africa. Subsequently, the playing of the story highlighted key connections between mathematics and the arts. Play created the space, or 'stage', for the showcasing of the nature of mathematics. More importantly, similar to the notion of 'here' and 'now' in drama, play enabled access to mathematical thinking by inviting participants to converse about the problem at hand, while enrolled in respective characters entailed in the story. In the process, the activity challenged a long-standing argument that separates the two subjects and treats mathematics as a cognitive thinking and rational left-brain activity, while the arts are considered to be an affective, feeling and emotional right-brain activity. Through the teacher's comments, such as those linked to the 'performing mathematics', 'pedagogy' as well as 'the nature of mathematics', we learn that the crossing the river case study represents an attempt toward capturing the aesthetic nature of human cognition that needs to form part of mathematics teaching and learning. Accordingly, such interplay between arts and maths education provides an opportunity for engaging learners in such a way that the teaching of mathematics in isolation may never accomplish. Hence the argument of 'bringing learners to mathematics' as opposed to 'bringing mathematics to the learners', and adoption of an integrated learning approach that has play using an artistic creativity as an entry point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the findings of an evaluative study of an initiative, in its sixth year of implementation, enhancing the learning and teaching of mathematics in 20 disadvantaged secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, twenty years after democracy. Findings highlight the importance of initial and ongoing professional development for under-qualified teachers. Support and strategies that have enhanced the achievement in mathematics of learners in these still underresourced schools, are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of South Africa’s identified priorities is the implementation of ICT in education. To this end a phased implementation plan was initiated in 2004 for ICT to be implemented into schools across the country over eight years. During this time South Africa also participated in three international studies undertaken by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) focusing on ICT in Education. Each of these permitted the country to benchmark its progress in terms of other countries and their implementation of ICT in education. The latest study, SITES 2006 provides a useful set of indicators against which South Africa can evaluate its progress with regard to its implementation of ICT. This paper seeks to evaluate South Africa’s readiness to integrate ICT into mathematics and science classrooms. This was done using a number of indicators of “sustainable change” derived from SITES 2006 and then comparing these to countries such as Chile, Thailand and Norway, the former two with similar context and conditions and the latter with contrasting conditions. The findings reveal that whilst South Africa has made some progress since 1998 in terms of the implementation of ICT in education, that the majority of schools are still in their infancy regarding the acquisition of ICT and most of those who have access are still in the process of trying to integrate the ICT into their teaching and learning. It would appear that more fundamental needs in South Africa’s education system have dominated its priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the reading demands of restricted-use items1 administered to South African Grade 9 learners as part of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2015. The method proposed by Mullis, Martin and Foy (2013) was used to categorise items into low, medium and high readability groups. The Knowing domain contained mostly low readability items, the Applying domain was almost equally medium and high readability items, with the Reasoning domain containing mostly high readability items. Results show significant differences between the percentage correctly answered between the low and high categories and between the medium and high categories. However, the full impact of reading demand on performance cannot be fully analysed without cross-reference to English proficiency. Nevertheless, the higher the readability, the greater the chance for learners to answer incorrectly. A continued expected low performance for most South African learners is implied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mathematical model, populated primarily with data from South Africa, was developed to model the numbers of children affected by maternal HIV, and the number who will experience long-term negative developmental consequences. A micro-simulation model generated two scenarios. The first simulated a cohort of women whose HIV status mimicked that of a target population, and mother–child dyads by way of age- and disease-specific fertility rates. Factors defining risk were used to characterize the simulated environment. The second scenario simulated mother-child dyads without maternal HIV. In the first scenario an estimated 26% of children are orphaned, compared to 10% in the absence of HIV. And a further 19% of children whose mother is alive when they turn 18 are affected by maternal HIV. School drop-out among all children increased by 4 percentage points because of maternal HIV, similarly population level estimates of abuse and negative mental health outcomes are elevated. Relative to HIV unaffected children, HIV affected have elevated risk of poor outcomes, however not all will suffer long-term negative consequences. Interventions to protect children should target the proportion of children at risk, while interventions to mitigate harm should target the smaller proportion of children who experience long-term negative outcomes.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor academic achievement and negative attitude of learners towards Mathematics are not only influenced by teaching styles but the learning styles as well. In other words, the mismatches between teaching and learning styles have a way of raising its ugly head in affecting effective classroom interaction and hence leads to poor performance in Mathematics. Therefore, this study investigated the correlation between learning styles and Grade 6 Mathematics performance. The study adopted correlational research design of quantitative approach. The target population for this study are Grade 6 learners in Buffalo City education district. Stratified sampling was used to select 1225 Grade 6 learners. The finding shows that Grade 6 learners with visual learning style (= 13.242, SD = 5.565) had the best performance in Mathematics at Buffalo City, followed by learners with auditory learning style (= 12.996, SD = 3.883), and learners with Kinaesthetic learning style (= 11.525, SD =3.800). It is recommended that teachers should be trained to know the different type of learning style exhibit by their learners to use them to impact knowledge and disseminate information to them since learning style could be described as a set of factors, behaviours and attitudes that facilitate learning for an individual in a given situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we explore female learners' perceptions of learning Grade 11 geometry. Many learners have difficulty in learning geometry in mathematics, thus, teachers and researchers are constantly searching for reasons why learners have challenges with learning geometry with the aim of developing suitable pedagogic strategies to alleviate these challenges. An improvement in female learner performance advances learners' pass rates in mathematics, which has the potential to improve the economic status of South Africa. Data was generated from 1 secondary school for girls in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Qualitative data was generated through the use of learner journal entries and focus group interviews. All generated data was coded and analysed using the NVivo software program. Employing Piaget's constructivist theory as a lens to analyse the data generated, the article highlights that the participants (N = 30) held both positive and negative perceptions of learning Grade 11 geometry. Findings from this study suggest that if teachers wanted to improve female learners' performance in mathematics, then important steps needed to be taken to alleviate learners' negative perceptions of learning Grade 11 geometry. Some suggestions are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Girls performing well in mathematics at school do not necessarily enrol for mathematics courses at South African universities. Teachers could be transferring beliefs about the nature of mathematics favouring boys. This paper compared male and female pre-service teachers’ beliefs about the nature of mathematics. A quantitative, descriptive research approach was adopted. One hundred and twenty-six mathematics pre-service teachers, enrolled for an undergraduate teaching training programme at a South African university, completed a questionnaire. While both genders hold the same Platonist and instrumentalist beliefs, females embrace lower experimentalist beliefs than males. Research on differences between male and female pre-service teachers’ beliefs about the nature of mathematics could promote gender equity in mathematics teacher training and better facilitation of the subject, which might consequently encourage more girls to opt for mathematics-related careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algebra is a key course in the secondary mathematics curriculum. As a prerequisite for post-secondary mathematics, science and engineering courses, it is considered a gateway course. Since mathematical knowledge for teaching involves more than content knowledge algebra, teachers must be able to do more than successfully complete algebraic problems. They should understand algebra deeply and flexibly so that they are able to mediate students’ ideas, make choices about representations of content and modify curriculum materials. Yet, little is known about how certain groups view algebra and its teaching. In order to determine the beliefs held by a group of South African mathematics teachers with historically disadvantaged backgrounds teaching in schools that were previously segregated through Apartheid, this paper reports on what the group felt are the most important features of algebra. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Can providing learner support materials, particularly custom-designed workbooks, improve primary mathematics achievement more cost effectively than providing conventional textbooks? To contribute to this debate, this paper reports on the findings of a study conducted in 201 Obya consortium of educational researchers at JET Education Services and University of the Witwatersrand. Between January and June 2010, the consortium undertook a randomised control trial of learning support materials in Grade 6 classes in 44 primary schools serving low income communities in Gauteng province. The study shows that Grade 6 learners exhibit the same degree of learning improvement in mathematics, whether they use a conventional textbook or a workbook specifically customised to address the problems exhibited by South African learners. From a policy perspective, no warrant can be issued on the relative effectiveness of the specific workbooks considered in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization recommends "same-day" initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV patients who are eligible and ready. Identifying efficient, safe, and feasible procedures for determining same-day eligibility and readiness is now a priority. The Simplified Algorithm for Treatment Eligibility (SLATE) study evaluated a clinical algorithm that allows healthcare workers to determine eligibility for same-day treatment and to initiate ART at the patient's first clinic visit.Methods and Findings: SLATE was an individually randomized trial at three outpatient clinics in urban settlements in Johannesburg, South Africa and three hospital clinics in western Kenya. Adult, nonpregnant, HIV-positive, ambulatory patients presenting for any HIV care, including HIV testing, but not yet on ART were enrolled and randomized to the SLATE algorithm arm or standard care. The SLATE algorithm used four screening tools-a symptom self-report, medical history questionnaire, physical examination, and readiness assessment-to ascertain eligibility for same-day initiation or refer for further care. Follow-up was by record review, and analysis was conducted by country. We report primary outcomes of 1) ART initiation ≤28 days and 2) initiation ≤28 days and retention in care ≤8 months of enrollment. From March 7, 2017 to April 17, 2018, we enrolled 600 patients (median [IQR] age 34 [29-40] and CD4 count 286 [128-490]; 63% female) in South Africa and 477 patients in Kenya (median [IQR] age 35 [29-43] and CD4 count 283 [117-541]; 58% female). In the intervention arm, 78% of patients initiated ≤28 days in South Africa, compared to 68% in the standard arm (risk difference [RD] [95% confidence interval (CI)] 10% [3%-17%]); in Kenya, 94% of intervention-arm patients initiated ≤28 days compared to 89% in the standard arm (6% [0.5%-11%]). By 8 months in South Africa, 161/298 (54%) intervention-arm patients had initiated and were retained, compared to 146/302 (48%) in the standard arm (6% [(2% to 14%]). By 8 months in Kenya, the corresponding retention outcomes were identical in both arms (137/240 [57%] of intervention-arm patients and 136/237 [57%] of standard-arm patients). Limitations of the trial included limited geographic representativeness, exclusion of patients too ill to participate, missing viral load data, greater study fidelity to the algorithm than might be achieved in standard care, and secular changes in standard care over the course of the study.Conclusions: In South Africa, the SLATE algorithm increased uptake of ART within 28 days by 10% and showed a numerical increase (6%) in retention at 8 months. In Kenya, the algorithm increased uptake of ART within 28 days by 6% but found no difference in retention at 8 months. Eight-month retention was poor in both arms and both countries. These results suggest that a simple structured algorithm for same-day treatment initiation procedures is feasible and can increase and accelerate ART uptake but that early retention on treatment remains problematic.Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02891135, registered September 1, 2016. First participant enrolled March 6, 2017 in South Africa and July 13, 2017 in Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We describe CD4 count recovery among HIV positive individuals who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) with and without severe immune suppression using complete laboratory data from South Africa’s national HIV treatment programme between 2010 and 2014 and discuss implications for CD4 count monitoring. Methods: Retrospective analysis of routinely collected laboratory data from South Africa’s National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS). A probabilistic record linkage algorithm was used to create a cohort of HIV positive individuals who initiated ART between 2010 and 2014 based on timing of CD4 count and viral load measurements. A CD4 count < 50 copies/μl at ART initiation was considered severe immunosuppression. A multivariable piecewise mixed-effects linear regression model adjusting for age, gender, year of starting ART, viral suppression in follow up and province was used to predict CD4 counts during follow up. Results: 1,070,900 individuals had evidence of starting ART during 2010–2014 and met the criteria for inclusion in the cohort -46.6% starting ART with CD4 < 200 cells/μl and 10.1% with CD4 < 50 cells/ μl. For individuals with CD4 counts < 200 cells/μl, predicted CD4 counts > 200 cells/μl, >350 cells/μl and >500 cells/μl corresponded with mean follow up durations of 1.5 years (standard deviation [s.d] 1.1), 1.9years (s.d 1.2) and 2.1 years (s.d 1.3 years). For those with CD4 counts < 50 cells/μl, predicted CD4 count above these threshold corresponded with mean follow up durations of 2.5 years (s.d 0.9 years), 4.4 years (s.d 0.4 years) and 5.0 years (s.d 0.1years) for recovery to the same thresholds. CD4 count recovery varied mostly with duration on ART, CD4 count at the start of ART and gender. Conclusion: For individuals starting with ART with severe immunosuppression, CD4 recovery to 200cells/μl did not occur or took longer than 12 month for significant proportions. CD4 monitoring and interventions recommended for advanced HIV disease should continue until full recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of the Annual National Assessment (ANA) Grade 6 Mathematics assessment instrument, administered in the year 2012 guided by the main question: to what extent does the 2012 Grade 6 Mathematics assessment instrument provide meaningful and consistent information for making appropriate interpretations? The responses to 29 questions, comprising 56 items, from 546 learners' scripts were coded individually, recaptured and analysed. The analysis shows that the Annual National Assessment was not well targeted, that is, the mean of the item and the mean of the person measures were not approximately equivalent. Specifically, in relation to this cohort, and taking into account the many factors that influence performance, we recommend that for reliable inferences to be made from test results, the quality of the assessment instrument should first be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Assessment of early childhood development programme effectiveness in South Africa is hampered by a lack of suitable measures that account for variations in cultural and socio‐economic backgrounds and can be administered by non‐professionals. This contribution reports the standardisation of the South African Early Learning Outcomes Measure (ELOM), an instrument designed for population level monitoring of the developmental status of children aged 50–69 months and for evaluation of early learning programmes. Methods: The development of the ELOM was informed by South Africa's National Curriculum Framework from Birth to Four and its National Early Learning and Development Standards. ELOM items were drawn from reliable and valid instruments, particularly those used in Africa and other developing regions and were clustered in five domains: gross motor development, fine motor coordination and visual motor integration, emergent numeracy and mathematics, cognition and executive functioning, emergent literacy and language. The ELOM was standardised on a sample of 1,331 children aged 50–69 months, from five South African official languages and five socio‐economic strata. Item Response Theory techniques were used to establish reliability, validity, and differential item functioning. Results: Confirmatory Factor Analysis established that ELOM domains are unidimensional and internally consistent. Items discriminate reliably between more and less able children and do not discriminate unfairly between children of the same ability from different language backgrounds. Socio‐economic gradients were evident in children's performance. South African Early Learning Development Standards (ELDS) based on standard scores were developed and set at the 60th percentile of the sample standard score distribution. Conclusions: This research produced the first South African, age‐validated population‐level standardised instrument that can be administered relatively cheaply by trained non‐professionals. This will facilitate the assessment of the efficacy of early learning programmes in enabling children to reach ELDS prior to entering Grade R and track progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the study was to develop and validate, by consensus, the construct and content of an observations chart for nurses incorporating a modified early warning scoring (MEWS) system for physiological parameters to be used for bedside monitoring on general wards in a public hospital in South Africa. Methods: Delphi and modified face-to-face nominal group consensus methods were used to develop and validate a prototype observations chart that incorporated an existing UK MEWS. This informed the development of the Cape Town ward MEWS chart. Participants: One specialist anaesthesiologist, one emergency medicine specialist, two critical care nurses and eight senior ward nurses with expertise in bedside monitoring (N = 12) were purposively sampled for consensus development of the MEWS. One general surgeon declined and one neurosurgeon replaced the emergency medicine specialist in the final round. Results: Five consensus rounds achieved ≥70% agreement for cut points in five of seven physiological parameters respiratory and heart rates, systolic BP, temperature and urine output. For conscious level and oxygen saturation a relaxed rule of <70% agreement was applied. A reporting algorithm was established and incorporated in the MEWS chart representing decision rules determining the degree of urgency. Parameters and cut points differed from those in MEWS used in developed countries. Conclusions: A MEWS for developing countries should record at least seven parameters. Experts from developing countries are best placed to stipulate cut points in physiological parameters. Further research is needed to explore the ability of the MEWS chart to identify physiological and clinical deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successive governments of post-apartheid South African have sought to address the problems of learners in Mathematics by introducing various pro-active measures. However, these efforts by governments have not yielded the desired results in Mathematics. King William's Town Education District is not immune to this poor performance of learners in Mathematics. This study therefore sought to find out the motivation and attitude of grade Nine learners towards Mathematics in the District. Three hundred and sixty grade Nine learners were selected for the study. A structured questionnaire was adopted as a research instrument in collecting data from the learners. The study showed that, learners lack motivation from their educators to study Mathematics and this adversely affects their attitude towards the subject. Mathematics educators were recommended to provide extrinsic motivations such as praises, gifts, to learners during Mathematics lessons. Scholarship to well performing students in Mathematics, feedback and Visitation of learners at home by their Mathematics educators should also be encouraged. On the other hand, learners must develop a positive attitude towards Mathematics. They must love the subject and make consistent efforts of studying Mathematics every day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pre-university education curriculum changes may increase the skills and knowledge gap between secondary (high school) and tertiary (university) education that have been identified as having a major impact on the success of students from underresourced educational backgrounds. This study investigated the impact of extensive pre-university curriculum revision on the generic learning skills of entrants to South African medical schools, which admit students directly from high school. Methods: In this prospective study, students entering four medical schools during 2008–2011 were surveyed to determine their practice of and confidence in information handling, managing own learning, technical and numeracy skills, and computer, organizational, and presentation skills in the 12-month preceding entry. The 2008 entrants were the final cohort of the old secondary school curriculum. The mean levels of practice or confidence of entrants to the four medical schools, during 2008–2011, were compared using analysis of variance. The Bonferroni's test was used for further pair-wise comparison of cohorts of students either entering in different years or different institutions. Results: While entrants at the four medical schools did not demonstrate a consistent or sustained change in their practice of or confidence in each skill category over the period of study, there were some significant differences between entrants at the respective institutions. Furthermore, entrants to one medical school were consistently less confident of their skills, despite more practice. These findings are best accounted for by the long-standing history of inequitably resourced pre-university education in South Africa. Discussion: These findings highlight the need for close monitoring of the impact of pre-university education changes on the learning skill profiles of university entrants, in order to design effective university programs which enable students from diverse backgrounds to participate and adequately meet curricula demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1999, many South African education policy documents have mandated integration of HIV & AIDS education in learning areas/disciplines. Policy document research has shown that although South African politicians and managers have produced volumes of eloquent and compelling legislation regarding provision for HIV & AIDS education, little of this is translated into action. The impact of HIV & AIDS permeates the social, economic and political arenas in South Africa. Integration of HI V & AIDS education across disciplines can serve as a strategy to further the ideals of social justice. This paper focuses on how integration in the teaching and learning of Mathematics Education provides opportunities to take action for social justice. The inquiry explores the following question: How can the myth that there is nothing we can do 'about HIV & AIDS, which is linked to social justice issues, be addressed through integration of HIV & AIDS education in Mathematics pre-service teacher education? Drawing on self-study, the work of a Mathematics teacher educator who worked with pre-service teachers to integrate HIV& AIDS education at a higher education institution is described. By considering integration of HIV & AIDS education in Mathematics Education and taking action it is possible to develop strategies which directly relate to social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]