http://hdl.handle.net/10500/172 Sun, 19 May 2013 04:19:23 GMT 2013-05-19T04:19:23Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9270 A critical review of language errors in the writing of distance education students Ward-Cox, Maxine ‘A critical review of language errors in the writing of distance education students’ examines linguistic competence and investigates the language errors made by a heterogeneous group of 100 entry-level distance education university students with a view to improving their academic writing skills. The research follows a process of error identification and statistical analysis, and reviews intervention strategies based on the findings. Despite the continuing debates on the value of error correction, especially in relation to ‘World Englishes’, language accuracy remains a key factor in determining academic success. This is of particular concern in the South African multi-lingual context and in the light of the under-performance of South African students as evidenced in international comparative studies. The implications of the bimodal pattern of distribution in the review findings are discussed and pedagogically appropriate approaches and intervention strategies are suggested. Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9270 2012-11-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9236 Media and environmental awareness : a geographical study in Kembata Tembaro Zone, southern Ethiopia Roba, Tesema Fote In Ethiopia people are highly dependent on natural resources which often lead to environmental degradation. The perception is that environmental degradation is partly due to lack of environmental awareness. The level of environmental awareness and the role of the media in creating awareness in Kembata Tembaro Administrative zone were investigated. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used to identify sources of environmental knowledge, content, spatial extent, volume and priority of media coverage, impact of media, and expectation of audiences and producers. Experience, rather than outside sources, such as provided by the media, is the main source of environmental information, but awareness is key to reduce further environmental degradation. Environmental media programs should be transmitted at suitable times and the experiences of successful farmers in natural resources conservation and development should be shared. Attention should also be given to identification of awareness obstacles and training and sensitizing of journalists on environment issues Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9236 2013-04-26T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9036 Art and gender : imag[in]ing the new woman in contemporary Ugandan art Tumusiime, Amanda Evassy This thesis is based on the belief that representations of women in contemporary Ugandan art serve cultural and political purposes. The premise is that the autonomous woman (seen as the new woman in this study), emerging in Uganda in the mid-1980s, agitated for the social, economic and political emancipation of women in Uganda. It has been demonstrated that the patriarchy attempted to subordinate, confine and regulate this new woman. The press, drama, music and film became powerful tools to force her into silence. This study posits that contemporary Ugandan art was part of this cultural discourse. Adopting a feminist art historical stance, it examines and assesses the gendered content of Uganda’s contemporary art masked as aesthetics. On the one hand, the study exposes the view that some men artists in Uganda use their works to construct men’s power and superiority as the necessary ingredients of gender difference. I demonstrate that some artists have engaged themes through which they have constructed women as being materialistic, gold-diggers, erotic and domesticated. I argue that this has been a strategy to tame Uganda’s new woman. On the other hand, the thesis attempts to show that some women artists have used visual discourse to challenge their marginalisation and to reclaim their ‘agency’ while revising some negative stereotypes about the new woman. This study makes an interdisciplinary contribution to Uganda’s art history, cultural studies and gender studies. Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9036 2012-04-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9027 A qualitative textual and comparative analysis of the representation of masculinity in the action and romantic comedy genres Pascoe, Gerald James This study is an exploration of the representation of masculinity in film, with particular focus on the way in which the leading male characters in a purposive sample of action genre and romantic comedy genre films represent masculinity. It is posited that masculinity is a construct, the meaning of which is dependent on the social context of the individual. Film being a social artefact could then possibly influence individuals understanding of the construct. Therefore an exploration of the kind of masculinity, the variations thereof across genres, and masculine characteristics of masculinity prevalent in each genre, is a first step in understanding possible influences of the definition of masculinity. In order to accomplish this exploration, a combination of methods is used to analyse these fictional characters according to a set of codes and „real‟ world norms. The real world norms are based on seven theoretically derived norms of masculinity developed from previous research on masculinity conducted by Levant, Hirsch, Celentano, Cozza, Hill, MacEachern, Marty and Schnedekerl (1992). The results of the findings from this study indicate that the way in which male characters are created for each genre are different, with male lead characters from the action genre having more characteristics that align with the „real‟ world norms of masculinity (Levant et al 1992). Alternatively, the male lead characters from the romantic comedy genre, have fewer characteristics that align with the seven theoretically derived norms of masculinity. The masculinity represented in the romantic comedy genre is more emotionally available and expressive, less aggressive, more compromising and reliant on others; while in the action genre masculinity is more independent, stoic, aggressive and more physically adventurous. The male lead characters in the romantic comedy genre are more about the emotional aspects of masculinity while the male lead characters in the action genre are more about the physical aspects of masculinity. Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9027 2013-04-19T00:00:00Z