RUTH ALBERTYN

Curriculum vitae
ASEV Research and Development Consultants
P.O. Box 4953,

Tyger Valley

7536
Tel: 021 – 976 0126     Cell: 082 9266899     
Fax:  021 - 976 0924

e-mail:   empoweva@mweb.co.za

 

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE AND AFFILIATIONS
 

  • Three years’ experience as a community development worker and Nutrition educator in KwaZulu-Natal
  • Five years’ experience as a researcher in NGOs, the Infant Feeding Research Project, the Language Survey of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, University of Stellenbosch (US) and private companies
  • Seventeen years’ experience as a lecturer at the University of the Western Cape
  • Seven years’ experience as a part-time lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch
  • Currently a researcher at the Centre for Higher and Adult Education Stellenbosch University
  • Member of the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA)

 

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

 

1983

University of Stellenbosch

Degree:    B. in Consumer Science (Ed)

1991

University of Stellenbosch

Degree:     Hons. in Consumer Science
Subjects:   Non-formal Education, Community Nutrition and Housing
Research project:      
"Evaluation of the Home Economist's contribution to increase knowledge in a week-long holistic approach education clinic for rural diabetics in KwaZulu"

1995

University of Stellenbosch

Degree:     Master’s in Consumer Science [cum laude]
Thesis:
"The effect of a training programme on the empowerment status of women"

2000

University of Stellenbosch

Degree:     Ph.D. (Adult Education)
Dissertation:
“Conceptualisation and measurement of the
empowerment of workers: an educational
perspective”


RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

1988-1990

Community Developer

Nutrition educator employed partly by Natal Provincial Administration, Emmaus Hospital in rural KwaZulu-Natal, and partly by the Emmaus Community Project. Work included facilitating support groups and co-ordinating field- and follow-up work in the community and nutrition counselling in the hospital and community, and in training paraprofessionals.

1991-2007

Lecturer

Lecturer in the Human Ecology Department, University of the Western Cape (UWC)

  

1998-1999
&
2001-2005

Part-time lecturer

Part-time lecturer in Adult Education for third- and fourth-year and postgraduate students, Consumer Science Department, University of Stellenbosch (US)

  

2001-2008

Researcher/ consultant

Private companies, NGOs, Infant Feeding Research Project, Language survey (Centre for Teaching and Learning, US); Centre for Higher and Adult Education (US)

  

 

  • Pre-graduate instruction

Adult Education, Non-formal Education, Community Nutrition, Housing, Management and Decision-making, Introduction to Human Ecology, Research Methodology, Community Development and Nutrition

 

  • Postgraduate instruction

Honours - Adult Education, Research Methods, Community Nutrition, Housing; Master’s - Research Ethics, Research Methods, Community Development Philosophy and Ethics for Human Ecology, Issues facing families in communities

 

  • Community work

Field work in Grabouw; Community development work in Belhar, Mfuleni and Gugulethu; Needs assessment with 4th-year students amongst residents of an informal settlement in Grabouw; Evaluation of community training project in Khayelitsha; Internships for Community Development and Nutrition in Delft, Bloekombos, Khayelitsha, Kayamandi and Gugulethu

 

  • Postgraduate supervision

12 Final research projects at the University of Stellenbosch and UWC
3 Honours students (UWC)
5 Master’s students (UWC, UCT and Stellenbosch)
1 PhD student (UWC)

 

  • External examiner

Examiner for 1 PhD and 12 Master’s theses

 

  • Papers at national and international conferences

Read papers at 8 international and 7 national conferences

 

  • Researcher

 

2005 Collaborative research project - Infant Feeding Research Project (IFRP)

 

2006                    Project Manager- Centre for Teaching and Learning, US
2006-2008           Researcher at the Centre for Higher and Adult Education, US

 

  • Consultant

2001-2007           Evaluation for companies and community development projects on consultation basis

 

  • Publications

1992

A multi-disciplinary Education Clinic for Rural Diabetics in KwaZulu. South African family practice, 13(8): 360-366.

1994

The strategic role of women in the promotion of development and education in communities. Proceedings of the International Consumer Science day. Department of Human Ecology and Dietetics, UWC.  Cape Town. Editor: Ms PS Daniels.

1995

The needs of pregnant teenagers. Proceedings of the Third National Congress of the Home Economics Association of South Africa, Stellenbosch.

1998

Human ecology and empowerment. Journal of Health and Community Sciences, (UWC), 5(1): 1-11.

2001

Increased accountability through empowerment assessments. People Dynamics, 19(2): 20-22.

 

Power to the people. People Dynamics, 19(4): 32.

2001

Patterns of empowerment in individuals through the course of a life-skills programme in South Africa. Studies in the Education of Adults, 33(2): 180-200.

 

The effect of a self-development programme on the empowerment of workers in South Africa. Proceedings of the International Conference, Lifelong learning: Developing Human and Social Capital. Nottingham (U.K).

2004

Planning programmes for empowerment: Case studies from South Africa. Proceedings of the International Adult Education conference, Adult education and poverty reduction: a global priority. Gaberone (Botswana).

2005

Increased Accountability through Monitoring Empowerment Programmes. Journal of Family Ecology and Consumer Science, 33: 31-36.

 

Changing behaviour: the continuing dilemma. South African Association for Family Ecology and Consumer Science Gazette, (2): 4-5.

2007

Entrepreneurial skill development: Participatory action research approach in a rural community. Journal of Family Ecology and Consumer Science, 35: 9-19.

 

Accepted or rejected: editors’ perspectives of common errors (in press) Acta Academica

 

Taking the sting out of thesis evaluations. (in press) South African Journal of Higher Education