Research in Social Sciences and Technology

A Corpus-Assisted Comparative Analysis of Adversative Conjunctions in Student and ChatGPT Essays: A Rhizomatic Perspective

Tlatso Nkhobo — 2026-02-17

Employing a Deleuzian-Guattarian rhizomatic framing of multiplicity, this study had a dual purpose: to investigate the occurrence frequencies of four adversative conjunctions (but, however, while, and yet) in student-written discursive essays (SWDEs, n = 50) and in ChatGPT-generated discursive essays (ChatGPT-GDEs, n = 50) as analysed by AntConc; and to extrapolate the Deleuzian-Guattarian multiplicity in these two essay sets as displayed by the use of these four adversative conjunctions in the paragraphs of the said essay sets. These two essay sets were selected, in the case of the former set, and generated in the case of the latter set, through convenience sampling. Student essays were written by first year university students, who were registered in an undergraduate English language module in the first semester of 2023 at a university in South Africa. Then, the study used AntConc (version 4.3.0) to analyse the two essay sets. In the main, the study found that the usage of the first three adversative conjunctions (but, however, and while) was almost evenly spread across SWDEs, a feature that indicated that in this essay set, students very nearly displayed a consistent adversative variation in contrasting ideas or in expressing concession or opposition to such ideas. On the contrary, in ChatGPT-GDEs, while was excessively and very nearly monopolistically employed by ChatGPT in contrasting ideas or in expressing concession or opposition to such ideas in this set of essays as compared to the other three adversative conjunctions. Finally, cases of multiplicities were almost nearly evenly distributed across the first three adversative conjunctions in SWDEs, whereas they were inordinately and almost monopolistically concentrated in one adversative conjunction (while) in ChatGPT-GDEs.

Establishing the Operational Practices Of E-Learning In An Online And Distance Learning Curriculum In Botswana: A Case Study Of An Open University

Tebogo Angela Magetse — 2026-02-17

This qualitative study established the students’, tutors’, and Learning Management officers’ practices of e-learning in an Online and Distance Learning curriculum in Botswana. An adjunct model was used as an underpinning model where seven students who were registered for an online programme, together with two of their LMS officers and tutors, were purposively selected to take part in the study. Open-ended e-questionnaires were used as interviews where the participants had a chance to share with the authors their operational practices with e-learning. The reason for e-questionnaires was prompted by the fact that the data was collected during the COVID-19 outbreak. Findings revealed that the online University in Botswana has a clear plan for online programmes, but students continue to struggle with it due to various reasons like lack of internet connectivity, poor maintenance of gadgets, as well as age, which makes most of them not digital natives. Tutors showed dissatisfaction with how students engage with them online, where due dates are missed, while the LMS officers felt like they do not have proper support from the institutions in terms of resourcing them to assist struggling students. The study recommends that perhaps the government needs to come in to improve on issues of infrastructure in the country, where the internet and bandwidth would be improved for e-learning to thrive.

The Review of Action Learning Approach Formulae Heutagogical Practice in Civil Engineering and Construction Studies

Khojane Geoffrey Mokhothu — 2026-02-17

The Action Learning Approach (ALA) is a teaching method that promotes learning by doing. ALA encourages full students’ engagement through interaction with peers in groups and with lecturers. In Civil Engineering and Construction Studies, teamwork is emphasised in both theoretical (content knowledge) and practical learning processes. Heutagogy, on the other hand, is a learning strategy that fosters self-driven learning through active practical involvement. It aims to cultivate students’ critical thinking, innovation, creativity, as well as their problem-posing and problem-solving skills. Within technical and vocational education, as well as engineering and technology education, the steps of the technological process play a central role in teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to review existing action learning approach formulae and models to enhance the integration of theoretical (content knowledge) and practical work in Civil Engineering and Construction Studies. The main objective was to develop an action learning formula to support lecturers in applying action learning methods for quality teaching that integrates theory and practice. A systematic evaluation of available empirical evidence, along with a critical and comprehensive review of existing data, was carried out to inform the study. The review analysed the action learning approach through the lens of six steps of the technological process. Furthermore, the study recommends that heutagogy be adopted as the primary strategy for implementing action learning, in order to strengthen the integration of content knowledge and practical work in Civil Engineering and Construction Studies, and more broadly within the built environment disciplines.

From Adolescence to Old Age: Continuity, Change, and Identity Across the Lifespan

Peter Ndiangui — 2026-02-17

This qualitative study examines how enduring dispositions and adaptive change interact over more than five decades among former secondary school classmates who studied together in the early 1970s in their twenties and reconnected in the 2020s in their early seventies. Using a narrative-based design, data were collected through cross-validated conversations, including telephone interviews, text messages, WhatsApp group discussions, and virtual meetings. Guided by Ecological Systems Theory and life-course perspectives, the analysis explores how individual agency operates within nested ecological, cultural, and historical contexts to shape identity, generativity, and adaptation in later adulthood. Findings show that core traits such as intellectual curiosity, empathy, loyalty, creativity, and moral commitment persisted across decades, even as priorities shifted toward family, health, community engagement, and mentorship. Narrative reconstruction through collective and individual storytelling reinforced identity coherence, social connection, and self-understanding, revealing that knowing others often uncovers only the aspects of self they choose to disclose. The confidence to reveal deeper dimensions of the core self, strengthens with age. Echoing the Rip Van Winkle metaphor, participants awoke to a transformed world while maintaining enduring qualities. The study highlights the coexistence of personality continuity and adaptive transformation and demonstrates how early dispositions, ecological influences, and culturally grounded meaning-making collectively shape human development across the lifespan.

Using Artificial Intelligence Methodologies in Examining Parenting Behaviors and Services

Mihaela Robila — 2026-02-17

Artificial intelligence methodologies have been successfully applied to different areas of behavioral and social sciences, such as increasing effectiveness of diagnosis and prediction of different conditions, increasing understanding of human development and functioning, as well as increasing the effectiveness of data management in different social and human services, many of them focused on parenting. The goal of this article is to provide a systematic examination of artificial intelligence and machine learning methodologies that are currently employed to analyze parenting behaviors and to implement and deliver parenting programs and services. Enabled by transformative technological advances, social and human services on parenting are redesigned to better serve a diverse society through increased digitization and automation and workforce retraining based on new evidence-based approaches. The examination reveals that AI has already become a pervasive trait among vast areas of parenting research and programs. Beyond identifying themes around the use of AI in the context of parenting, ethical issues, such as ensuring equity and fairness of access to services through technology have been addressed.