Browsing by Author "Joubert, Francois"
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- ItemThe effectiveness of Schroth exercises in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis : a systematic review and meta-analysis(AOSIS, 2019) Burger, Marlette; Coetzee, Wilna; Du Plessis, Lenka Z.; Geldenhuys, Larissa; Joubert, Francois; Myburgh, Elzanne; Van Rooyen, Chante; Vermeulen, NicolBackground: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is one of the most common structural spinal deformities in adolescents, becoming apparent around the time of puberty. Schroth scoliosis-specific exercises have demonstrated promising results in reducing the progression of AIS. Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify, critically appraise and establish the best available evidence for the effectiveness of Schroth exercises in comparison to non-surgical management to reduce the progression of AIS. Methodology: Seven databases were searched in April 2018. Main key search terms included AIS, Schroth exercises, physiotherapy, exercise, electrical stimulation, yoga, Pilates, tai chi and bracing. The quality of the trials was critically appraised according to the PEDro scale. Revman© Review Manager Software was used to pool the quality of life (QOL) results. Results: Four randomised control trials with an average PEDro score of 6.75/10 were included in this study. Results indicated that Schroth exercises had a significant effect in decreasing the Cobb angle (p < 0.05) in comparison to non-surgical management. The pooled effect on QOL showed a significant result in favour of Schroth exercises at 12 weeks (p < 0.002) and at 24 weeks (p < 0.0004). Conclusion: Level II evidence suggests that Schroth exercises have a significant effect on reducing the Cobb angle and improving QOL in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. Clinical implications: This review’s findings should be considered with caution for physiotherapy practice because of the limited number of identified articles and their methodologic limitations. Based on the current available and limited evidence, clinicians could combine supervised Schroth exercises with conventional physiotherapy care (observation, exercise, bracing and manual therapy) when treating adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.
- ItemKnowledge assets in enterprise architecture(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-12) Joubert, Francois; Botha, Daniel F.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Information Science.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Knowledge assets can be defined as anything that affects a business’s disposition to act on data received from the environment. Knowledge assets are embedded in the objects within an organisation and are the source of an organisation’s competitive advantage, by being closely linked to what the organisation knows and by allowing the organisation to act and to be innovative. Knowledge assets evolve over time as knowledge agents, through a process of sense making, substitute physical resources for informational resources by codifying and abstracting knowledge assets, in the process increasing their value and ability to be diffused to wider audiences. These knowledge assets are internalised in an organisation and impact on the organisation when they are applied to concrete problems. Knowledge assets play an important role in the creation of information assets in an organisation. Information assets are created when a knowledge agent makes use of his or her knowledge to make sense of data received from sources in the environment. The creation of information through the sense making process creates new knowledge which is added to the agent’s knowledge base. Enterprise architecture is the process of designing future states for an organisation and then planning, leading and governing the organisation towards that future state. Enterprise architecture focuses mostly on the organisational process, on information and technology. Enterprise architects make use of enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF or the Zachman framework, which are primarily concerned with the domains of business, information and technology architecture, yet none of these mainstream frameworks used by enterprise architects takes knowledge assets into account, despite the obviously important role that they play in the organisation and especially in the information creation process. This research proposes to show that knowledge assets have an important role to play in enterprise architecture by allowing enterprise architects to • identify or facilitate the creation of knowledge assets pertaining to a specific problem; • understand whether information assets are located in the ordered and complex or the chaotic regimes and what would be the implication of moving them between regimes; • plot knowledge assets movements and relationships to each other on the social learning cycle path, which would enable enterprise architects to balance the types of learning that the organisation employs; • define the level of codification, abstraction and diffusion of knowledge assets, based on the intended audiences and to understand where knowledge assets could be developed to improve quality and when outdated knowledge should be destroyed in favour of new knowledge. Knowledge assets are related to Enterprise Business Architecture (EBA) through the specific knowledge domains that exist within an organisation. Understanding whether knowledge assets exist in the ordered, complex or chaotic regimes will provide a more complete view of the organisation. Architecture of knowledge assets in this space will provide a better understanding of an organisation’s culture: this understanding can compensate for differences in knowledge agents’ spatio-temporal positions, how and when they receive data and their particular cognitive styles. The importance of knowledge assets in the creation of information links it emphatically with Enterprise Information Architecture (EIA). Knowledge asset architecture provides a better understanding of how information is created and flows through an organisation, taking into account the meaning of the information to the organisation, which compensates for that oversight in information theory, which regards the accuracy of data that is communicated as the only concern. Information technology has exponentially increased mankind’s ability to codify, abstract and diffuse knowledge assets. Enterprise Technical Architecture (ETA) is mainly concerned with the technology infrastructure implemented within an organisation. Enterprise architects can apply knowledge asset architecture to decide whether the technology should be used to enhance the codification and abstraction of information, allowing more efficient diffusion of information to a larger audience, or whether more concrete information should be diffused to a more closely-knit audience. This research will argue that the use of knowledge assets as a domain within enterprise architecture will greatly enhance the enterprise architect’s ability to understand and lead the organisation to a more desirable future state.
- ItemLeerkragte se belewing van bemagtiging en die implikasies daarvan vir die skoolkultuur en -klimaat : 'n ondersoek aan 'n hoërskool in die Suid-Kaap(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002-12) Joubert, Francois; Schreuder, J. H.; Prinsloo, N. P.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the light of the emphasis on the decentralization of school management in South Africa, the empowerment of all role players to be involved in decision-making has became crucial. My concern is with the experience of the process of empowerment by leaders in education. The implications of empowerment or the lack there-off for the school culture and climate, as well as the underlying role played by the leadership approach of educational leaders, are examined. By engaging in an interpretative analysis of data (questionnaires which contains the views of various role players) I examined the relationship between empowerment, school culture and climate, as well as transformational leadership. Empowerment is not a simplistic concept which is clear from the mutual coherence between the school culture and climate and the particular role assumed by the transformational approach. The particular interaction between transformational leadership, empowerment and the school culture and climate implies greater clarity from all role players about the impact of empowerment. In this way participative management can realise in a spontaneous manner and can change be seen as a unique opportunity to improve teaching and learning. KEY WORDS Empowerment, school culture and climate and transformational leadership.
- ItemOntwikkelingstrategiee vir die bemagtiging van jeugleiers: 'n indersoek na enkele Suid-Kaapse skole(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2007-12) Joubert, Francois; Carl, E. A.; Kapp, C. A.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.Leadership development is a life-long process, but support for this process should be started at an early stage. All learners have the gift for leadership, but most do not realise this gift. Adolescence is a time when the leadership potential of individuals must be awakened – it provides an opportunity to help adolescents to became the leaders they already are. The main aim of this study was to devise strategies – through structured survey studies – that could be used by schools and individuals to enhance youth leadership development. The aims that emerged were to determine and describe the current state of affairs regarding youth leadership development in certain schools. Obstacles in the way of effective leadership development were identified and strategies for effective leadership development were formulated. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, undertaken from a structured survey study perspective within an interpretivistic research paradigm, was used. The problem that was researched was the absence of purposeful youth leadership development and how this shortcoming could be addressed in the context of a high school environment, with the support of the necessary development strategies. This study attempted to identify new knowledge that can be used to address the challenges related to youth leadership. The research confirmed the research question that deficient purposeful leadership development strategies exist at school level. This formed the basis for the implementation of a dynamic and flexible leadership development model that includes aspects of both the Quality Leadership and Stage model of youth leadership development. The proposed youth leadership strategies can be applied effectively to address youth leadership development within the current South African context.
- ItemRapid Tooling and the LOMOLD Process(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2005-12) Joubert, Francois; Dimitrov, D. M.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering.The LOMOLD process is a new plastic moulding process being researched at the University of Stellenbosch. The process essentially combines injection moulding and compression moulding. Molten plastic is forced into the mould cavity using a plunger. This plunger then forms part of the cavity wall. The plunger face must therefore follow the geometry of the part. Rapid Tooling evolved from Rapid Prototyping. There are two categories of Rapid Tooling: indirect and direct rapid tools. Indirect rapid tools are manufactured by using a master pattern to form the mould cavity. The accuracy of the mould cavity depends heavily on the accuracy of the master pattern. The master pattern is usually produced using Rapid Prototyping technology. Direct rapid tools use Rapid Prototyping technology to build the mould through and additive, layer by layer process or a subtractive process. This research investigates the use of Rapid Tools for the LOMOLD process. Aluminium Filled Epoxy Tooling (AFET) represents the indirect technology and CNC-machined tooling the direct technology. Both of these technologies are available at the University of Stellenbosch. Parts are manufactured on these tools using an experimental LOMOLD machine. These two technologies are compared in terms of part accuracy, tool lead time, tool cost and part cost. The research concluded that the only advantage the AFET has over the CNC-machined tool is a shorter manufacturing lead-time. In terms of tool cost, tool life, part geometric accuracy, part cost and cycle time the CNC tool is superior. Therefore the application of AFET is limited to small volume, prototype or pre-production runs for tool design confirmation, part functional testing and part appearance testing. It is also demonstrated that a cooling system on the AFET tool has no significant influence on the tool performance and should therefore, especially for production runs less than 150 parts, not be included in the tool to save on tool cost. Another conclusion is that the LOMOLD process is not consistent enough for a production process. This statement could be limited to the machine used for the research but to prove this statement wrong, the machine must be improved and more investigation is required.