RESEARCHERS - The African Mirror

Jul

2023

COVID-19 pandemic policies overlooked long-term needs of children

RESEARCHERS from South Africa, the UK, and Brazil recently conducted a study on the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people, particularly those from disadvantaged households. Their research highlights that the pandemic has deepened existing inequalities, with children and young people’s voices and needs not being considered in policy decisions. The study conducted by researchers from the University of the Free State (UFS) and the University of Fort Hare in South Africa; the University College London, the University of Birmingham, and Nottingham Trent University in the UK; and the University of São Paulo in Brazil, found that pandemic policy…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

Teachers change lives – but what makes a great teacher?

EDUCATION

EXCELLENT teachers can change our lives. Researchers have shown that good teachers encourage us to think critically, reflect and learn across disciplines. These are all skills that can set us up for life. Author ZAYD WAGHID, Associate professor, Cape Peninsula University of Technology I have had the privilege of being taught by a few brilliant teachers in my life, and I have also observed teaching excellence at the numerous schools I have visited over the years as an education academic. Those who stand out are devoted, imaginative, motivated and motivating, and eager to overcome challenging conditions to make a positive…

Nov

2020

By The African Mirror

Eight common problems with science literature reviews and how to fix them

LITERATURE

NEAL ROBERT HADDAWAY, Research Fellow, Africa Centre for Evidence, University of Johannesburg RESEARCHERS regularly review the literature that’s generated by others in their field. This is an integral part of day-to-day research: finding relevant research, reading and digesting the main findings, summarising across papers, and making conclusions about the evidence base as a whole. However, there is a fundamental difference between brief, narrative approaches to summarising a selection of studies and attempting to reliably, comprehensively summarise an evidence base to support decision-making in policy and practice. So-called “evidence-informed decision-making” relies on rigorous systematic approaches to synthesising the evidence. Systematic review…