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A reflective dialogue between the lesson study experts on their journey towards becoming koshi : learnings, experiences and the perceived roles
Sekao, David (Emerald, 2026)
PURPOSE : Lesson study (LS) is a collaborative teacher development practice, and one of the key attributes thereof is the involvement of the external knowledgeable other (koshi). Despite well-documented evidence that LS improves the craft of teaching, the entrenched concept of koshi and the role thereof is not well explored and documented. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to reflect on and share my learnings and experiences of becoming a koshi, subsequently, what I perceive to be the role of a koshi. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : My colleague and I engaged in a reflective dialogue about our experiences in our journey towards becoming the koshis. The current study is framed by Kolb’s reflective practice as a theoretical lens. Guided by Kolb’s reflective cycle, we engaged in dialogical reflection on our experiences of becoming a koshi, subsequently forming conceptual abstractions regarding the perceived roles of koshi. FINDINGS : Learning to become a koshi through on-the-job learning without the presence of an experienced koshi to learn from is a difficult undertaking. Two koshis are essential in the LS process internal koshi for planning and external koshi for reflection. Two broad characterisations of koshi’s roles are distinguished knowledge/skills sharing and koshi’s attributes. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : Drawing from the findings in this paper, my learnings and experiences coalesced into re-thinking the formulation of the role of koshi within the LS context. This is against the backdrop that, although the concept of koshi features quite prominently in the implementation of LS, the actual roles of koshi are not sufficiently documented.
A postcolonial feminist reading of entrepreneurial leadership
Scheepers, Caren Brenda (Wiley, 2026)
This paper applies the researcher's reflexivity and challenges researchers to acknowledge our positioning and to acknowledge that we perpetuate the gender order and Western knowledge in the ways we produce knowledge. The approach includes a literature review of postcolonial feminist epistemology, in particular, as well as citing examples of challenges and opportunities in fieldwork on women's entrepreneurial leadership in sub-Saharan Africa. It demonstrates the need for postcolonial feminist epistemological approaches in studying women's entrepreneurial leadership in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings highlight the lack of consideration of the intersection of gender with race, ethnicity, and class in Western entrepreneurial leadership studies and specifically advance postcolonial and decolonial feminist scholarship. This paper contributes to decolonizing knowledge on entrepreneurship, opening up postcolonial feminist discourse by contributing the Ubuntu-centric entrepreneurial leadership approach and surfacing tensions and possibilities for the domain.
A possible challenge for cold and warm dark matter
Vegetti, Simona; White, Simon D.M.; McKean, John P.; Powell, Devon M.; Spingola, Cristiana; Massari, Davide; Despali, Giulia; Fassnacht, Christopher D. (Nature Research, 2026)
Measuring the density profile and mass concentration of dark-matter haloes is a key test of the standard cold dark matter paradigm. Such objects are dark and thus challenging to characterize, but they can be studied via gravitational lensing. Recently, a million-solar-mass object was discovered superposed on an extended and extremely thin gravitational arc. Here we report on extensive tests of various assumptions for the mass density profile and redshift of this object. We find that models that best describe the data have two components: an unresolved point mass of radius ≤10 pc centred on an extended mass distribution with an almost constant surface density out to a truncation radius of 139 pc. These properties do not resemble any known astronomical object. However, if the object is dark matter dominated, its structure is incompatible with cold dark matter models but may be compatible with a self-interacting dark-matter halo where the central region has collapsed to form a black hole. This detection could thus carry substantial implications for our current understanding of dark matter.
A place-based assessment of biodiversity intactness in sub-Saharan Africa
Clements, Hayley S.; Biggs, Reinette; De Vos, Alta; Do Linh San, Emmanuel; Hempson, Gareth P.; Linden, Birthe; Maritz, Bryan; Monadjem, Ara; Reynolds, Chevonne; Siebert, Frances; Stevens, Nicola; Child, Matthew; Di Minin, Enrico; Esler, Karen J.; Hamann, Maike; Loft, Ty; Reyers, Belinda; Selomane, Odirilwe; Singh, Geethen; Skowno, Andrew L. (Nature Research, 2026-01-01)
Maintaining biodiversity is central to the sustainable development agenda. However, a lack of context-specific biodiversity information at policy-relevant scales has posed major limitations to decision-makers. To address this challenge, we undertook a comprehensive assessment of the biodiversity intactness of sub-Saharan Africa using place-based knowledge of 200 African biodiversity experts. We estimate that the region has on average lost 24% of its pre-colonial and pre-industrial faunal and floral population abundances, ranging from losses of <20% for disturbance-adapted herbaceous plants to 80% for some large mammals. Rwanda and Nigeria are the least intact (<55%), whereas Namibia and Botswana are the most intact (>85%). Notably, most remaining organisms occur in unprotected, relatively untransformed rangelands and natural forests. Losses in biodiversity intactness in the worst-affected biomes are driven by land transformation into cropland in grasslands and fynbos (Mediterranean-type ecosystems), by non-agricultural degradation in forests and by a combination of the two drivers in savannas. This assessment provides decision-makers with multifaceted, contextually appropriate and policy-relevant information on the state of biodiversity in an understudied region of the world. Our approach could be used in other regions, including better-studied localities, to integrate contextual, place-based knowledge into multiscale assessments of biodiversity status and impacts.
Technology use by Undergraduate South African Speech-Language Therapists in clinical practice : What we know and where do we go?
Haasbroek, Joelene; Grobler, Iva; Vollmer, Erika; Rossouw, Danelle (University of Pretoria, 2025)
Background: Technology is transforming speech-language therapy by enhancing accessibility and client engagement through tools, such as telehealth and therapy applications (apps). Most tools were developed in high-income countries, limiting their relevance in South Africa’s diverse linguistic and cultural context. Undergraduate students face barriers, including limited training and uncertainty about app quality. Objective: This study described factors influencing South African SLT students’ selection and use of technology in clinical practice, and explored their perceived benefits, challenges, readiness, and self-assessed competence. Method: The study was conducted at a South African university among senior undergraduate SLT students with clinical experience in resource-limited environments. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was administered to 31 participants using a 27-item online questionnaire. Quantitative data were analysed statistically, and qualitative responses thematically. Results: Limited use of digital tools (48.4%), with reliance on social media (87.1%). The majority (90.3%) of participants reported no use of telehealth or therapy applications. Benefits included improved client engagement (64.5%) and easier access to resources (58.1%), although most agreed that digital tools cannot replace in-person therapy (83.9%). Confidence in technology use was moderate (64.5%), with few feeling competent (12.9%) and nearly all expressing a strong need for further training (96.8%). Conclusions: The study highlights the gap between the availability of digital tools and the preparedness of South African SLT students to use them effectively, underscoring the need for structured training and contextually relevant resources in undergraduate curricula.