Magister Educationis - MEd / Previous studies on the academic utilisation of mobile devices in South Africa have rendered some invaluable insights into the rationale and different ways students utilise mobile technologies in and outside the classroom. However, these studies have addressed issues about social practices of adoption in high schools that emphasise tutor-directed, instant messagingmediated supply of supplementary tuition/training in subjects like science and mathematics. Consequently, insufficient attention has been devoted to understanding the dynamic complexities of implementing mobile learning (m-Learning) projects in tertiary institutions. This research contributes to the m-Learning discourse by exploring a collaborative m-Learning perspective, through the pedagogical application of WhatsApp, a special-purpose instant messaging service implemented at a University of Technology in South Africa. This research paper argues that mobile instant messaging (MIM) may create alternative academic discussion platforms for the students’ collaborative interactions outside the classroom, which implies the transformation of pedagogical delivery. The FRAME model was utilised as the theoretical lens for this study. An interview instrument was developed based on the FRAME model constructs. Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted with twenty participants. The findings suggest improved academic participation, the promotion of collaborative m-Learning for critical thinking, knowledge creation and sharing, as well as fostering effective learning through student-centered approach hence liberal transformation in the lecturer’s mode of instructional delivery.

Mobiltelefonens mångfacettering erbjuder många möjligheter inom studier, men även flera utmaningar. Den här studien har utgått ifrån en sociokulturell teori om lärande, där det endast går att förstå eller undersöka människors tänkande eller kunskaper genom en analys av språk och handlingar, i relation till sociala och kulturella resurser som används av människan. I detta fall mobiltelefoner. Studien baserades i uppbyggnaden av fallstudier, då det som undersökts är ”hur” och ”varför” ett aktuellt skeende i ett konkret socialt sammanhang ser ut som det gör. Studiengenomfördes även med influenser av symbolisk interaktionism, detta då mänsklig interaktion sker bland annat med hjälp av symboler och mobiltelefonen i sig kan ses som en symbol, likväl som denger tillgång till andra symboler. Då en djupare förståelse för attityderna och uppfattningarna rörande mobilanvändandet i sociala sammanhang eftersträvades var denna studie kvalitativ och utfördes med semistrukturerade intervjuer som metod för insamling av data. Intervjupersonerna kan både se för- och nackdelar med att använda mobiltelefoner i studier, bland annat mobiltelefonens lättillgänglighet och mobilitet, men även det negativa i att olika sociala medier kan pocka på uppmärksamheten och störa koncentrationen både för mobiltelefonens ägare och även andra personer i dess närhet. Dock välkomnas teknik som kan förenkla studierna, men mobiltelefonen i dag saknar anpassning till detta, vilket gör att den därmed inte är en självklar del inom utbildning och studier. / <p>Godkännande datum: 2017-06-02</p>

In order to leverage the use of various modalities such as audio-visual-touch in instilling learning behaviour, we present an intuitive approach of annotation based hapto-audio-visual interaction with the traditional digital learning materials such as eBooks. By integrating the traditional home entertainment system and respective media in the user's reading experience combined with haptic interfaces, we examine whether such augmentation of modalities influence the user's reading experience in terms of attention, entertainment and retention. The proposed Haptic E-Book (HE-Book) system leverages the haptic jacket, haptic arm band as well as haptic sofa interfaces to receive haptic emotive signals wirelessly in the form of patterned vibrations of the actuators and expresses the learning material by incorporating audio-video based augmentation in order to pave ways for intimate reading experience in the popular eBook platform. We have designed and developed desktop, mobile/tablet based HE-Book system as well as a semi-automated annotation authoring tool. Our system also supports multimedia based diverse quiz augmentations, which can help in learning tracking. We have conducted quantitative and qualitative tests using the developed prototype systems. We have adopted the indirect objective based performance analysis methodology, which is commonly used for multimedia based learning investigation. The user study shows that, there is a positive tendency of accepting multimodal interactions including haptics with traditional eBook reading experience. Though our limited number of laboratory tests reveal, that haptics can be an influencing media in eBook reading experience, but it requires large scale real life tests to provide a concluding remarks.

This study explored Professional Teacher Technical Identity Development through the use of Mobile Technology. A sample of fifteen teachers was conveniently selected from one school in an urban setting. An action research was designed consisting of three phases. Each phase formed the basis of the next phase to identify the development of professional teacher technical identity. Data was collected using a written questionnaire, two reflective journals, an online questionnaire, focus group discussions, lesson reflections, and interviews. Each instrument was designed using the literature to identify factors that impact on the implementation of mobile technology in classrooms and teachers’ acceptance towards mobile technology. The results were interpreted using three existing models to create a framework: The Technology, Pedagogy and Content Knowledge model, Technology Acceptance Model and Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition Model. It was found that there are six factors that affect the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of technology. These are attitude, anxiety, ability, subjective norm, facilitating conditions and voluntariness. The perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness determine the level at which technology is implemented in classrooms. The level of integration determines whether or not successful teaching in terms of the three elements of TPCK is being used. During the process whereby teachers attempt to implement technology in their classrooms, it is possible to identify changes in their professional teacher technical identity development. These changes are interpreted and a new framework for Professional Teacher Technical Identity Development is created. It is proposed that this framework can be used to explain the implementation process and behaviour of teachers during the process as their teacher identity is altered. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / PhD / Unrestricted

Das Projekt „Entwicklung eines elektronischen Informations- und Lernprogramms zum Arbeitsschutz für Berufskraftfahrerinnen und -fahrer im Fernverkehr“ befasst sich mit Fragen der Lernwirksamkeit und der beruflichen Integrationsfähigkeit von mobilen Lernangeboten für Berufskraftfahrer. Ausgehend von der Problematik der zunehmend älter werdenden Arbeitnehmer und der Notwendigkeit deren Arbeitskraft langfristig zu erhalten, werden Lerninhalte zum Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutz mediendidaktisch aufbereitet und den Berufskraftfahrern auf einer Lernplattform zur Verfügung gestellt. Per Netbook und UMTS-Verbindung greifen die Fahrer zeit- und ortsunabhängig auf die Lerneinheiten zu und beantworten entsprechende Wissensfragen. Erste Ergebnisse konnten bereits im Rahmen eines Lernmaterialtests gewonnen werden, wohingegen der Usability-Test sich derzeit noch in der Auswertung befindet.

Mobile learning (m-learning) is a relatively new technology that helps students learn and gain knowledge using the Internet and Cloud computing technologies. Cloud computing is one of the recent advancements in the computing field that makes Internet access easy to end users. Many Cloud services rely on Cloud users for mapping Cloud software using virtualization techniques. Usually, the Cloud users' requests from various terminals will cause heavy traffic or unbalanced loads at the Cloud data centers and associated Cloud servers. Thus, a Cloud load balancer that uses an efficient load balancing technique is needed in all the cloud servers. We propose a new meta-heuristic algorithm, named the dominant firefly algorithm, which optimizes load balancing of tasks among the multiple virtual machines in the Cloud server, thereby improving the response efficiency of Cloud servers that concomitantly enhances the accuracy of m-learning systems. Our methods and findings used to solve load imbalance issues in Cloud servers, which will enhance the experiences of m-learning users. Specifically, our findings such as Cloud-Structured Query Language (SQL), querying mechanism in mobile devices will ensure users receive their m-learning content without delay; additionally, our method will demonstrate that by applying an effective load balancing technique would improve the throughput and the response time in mobile and cloud environments.

Cette thèse se penche sur les contributions de la formation enseignante partiellement à distance et à l’aide du mobile, comment celles-ci évoluent et quels facteurs l’influencent. Les deux premiers chapitres discutent le contexte de recherche de cette thèse. Ils montrent le lien étroit entre l'évolution des politiques éducatives, les stratégies de recrutement des enseignants et la nécessité d'une formation à la fois réaliste et qualitative des enseignants. Après un rappel de la croissance exceptionnelle du secteur des infrastructures mobiles, la revue de littérature expose les résultats de recherches récentes de l’utilisation du mobile pour la formation des maitres à distance. Le contexte de la recherche montre qu'il y a un manque de recherche sur les contributions à moyen terme de la formation assistée par mobile et que cela est étroitement lié à l'approche ‘court-termiste’ des projets pilotes. C’est pour cela que quatre études (chapitres 5 à 7) cherchent à analyser les contributions dans une perspective à la fois multidimensionnelle et longitudinale. La première étude (chapitre 5) analyse d'un point de vue exploratoire les contributions rapportées et observées de la formation IFADEM chez les anciens participants. Il révèle entre autres que les contributions de soutien sont principalement reposent sur le mobile et sont intégrées dans la sphère professionnelle et privée. Ces usages durables sont motivés par une motivation intrinsèque et perdurent grâce à une forte expérience d'appropriation collective qui a servi de « coup d'envoi» aux nouvelles pratiques. Compte tenu de la domination des usages mobiles, la deuxième étude (chapitre 6) se concentre sur les communications mobiles. Elle confirme la pérennité des communications téléphoniques malgré la fin des stimuli organisationnels ou financiers externes, et montre également comment ces communications durables par téléphone reflètent l'appropriation permanente du mobile pour le travail et le privé. Ce chapitre permet en outre d'identifier les facteurs clés qui permettent ce processus d'appropriation en premier lieu. En plus de cette identification de ce que l'on peut appeler des « facteurs de risque et de réussite» pour des contributions mobiles de formation continue des enseignants, elle révèle également l'importance de la communication continue entre pairs parmi les anciens participants. Par la suite, la troisième étude (chapitre 7) analyse les structures et les processus de ces connexions mobiles prises en charge. Comme l'ont indiqué les répondants interrogés pour la première étude, la présence d'un réseau d'enseignants collaboratif stable pourrait être confirmée. Son analyse permet de qualifier les liens entre les anciens participants, qui sont à la fois de nature instrumentale et expressive. Les motivations multiples pour faire partie de ce réseau contribuent à sa durabilité et à son autonomie plus de deux ans après la fin de la formation, durabilité qui est renforcées par la présence de leaders qui assurent la circulation de l'information interne et externe. Globalement, il fournit une perspective supplémentaire sur l'importance et les résultats d'un processus d'appropriation collective. Enfin, la quatrième étude (chapitre 8) change de perspective, abordant la question des contributions à moyen terme et des facteurs pertinents pour la durabilité à travers l'organisation des parties prenantes, à savoir ceux qui financent, organisent, conçoivent et évaluent la formation mobile des enseignants. Cette étude indique non seulement que les acteurs se perçoivent comme faisant partie d'un système soumis à une pression politique considérable et exigent que leurs activités soient fortement limitées, ce qui conduit à une perspective à court terme sur les facteurs de succès. / This dissertation analyzes the contributions of mobile supported teacher training, how these evolve and which factors take influence on this evolution. The first two chapters expose the close link between the evolution of education policies, teacher recruitment strategies and the need for a both realistic and qualitative teacher training. After a recall of the exceptional growth of mobile infrastructure sector, the use of distance and notably mobile supported teacher training is discussed. The research context shows that there is lack of research on the medium-term contributions of mobile supported teacher training and provides strong indicators that this issue is closely related to the overall short-term approach of pilot projects. Therefore, four studies (chapter 5 to 7) seek to analyze contributions through a both multidimensional and longitudinal perspective. The first study (Chapter 5), analyzes from an exploratory perspective the reported and observed contributions of the IFADEM training among former participants. It reveals amongst others that the sustaining contributions are mostly mobile phone supported and well embedded in the professional and private sphere of former individuals. These sustainable usages are driven by intrinsic motivation, and sustain because of a strong collective appropriation experience that acted as ‘kick off’ phase for new practices. Given the domination of mobile usages, the second study (chapter 6) focuses on mobile communications, one of the reported key contributions of the IFADEM training. It confirms the sustainability of phone communications despite the end of external organizational or financial stimuli, and shows also how phone these sustainable communications reflect the ongoing appropriation of mobile for work and private matters. This chapter allows further to identify those key factors that allow for this appropriation process to happen in the first place. Besides this identification of what can be called ‘risk and success factors’ for sustainable mobile teacher training contributions, it reveals also the importance of ongoing peer to peer communication among former participants. Subsequently, the third study (Chapter 7) analyzes structures and processes of these mobile supported connections. As indicated by respondents interviewed for the first study, the presence of a stable, collaborative teacher network could be confirmed. Its analysis allows qualifying the ties among former participants, which are both of instrumental and expressive nature. Multiple motivations to be part of this network contribute to its sustainability and autonomy over two years after the end of the training, strengthened by the presence of leaders who ensure internal and external information flow. Overall, it provides an additional perspective on the importance and outcomes of a collective appropriation process. Finally, the fourth study (Chapter 8) shifts perspectives, approaching the question of medium-term contributions and pertaining factors for sustainability through the lens of organizing stakeholders, i.e. those who fund, organize, design and evaluate mobile teacher training. This study indicates not only that actors perceive themselves as part of a system with considerable political pressure and demands that constraint significantly their activities, leading to a short term perspective on success factors.It reveals also that projects partners are considered simultaneously as goal and obstacle. Their descriptions indicate an often difficult and sometimes patronizing relationship, which occupy a central place in projects preoccupations’. Actors depict also pilot projects as organizational and political instrument. The collision of a normative discourse of high moral value with a technical and organization oriented discourse is one of the striking results of this study.

No description available.

No / The rise of mainstream virtual learning environments has facilitated the operation of information spaces to support display, simulation, and interactive modelling. As well as disseminating information and knowledge, they can also be used to accumulate learning as each user is also a potential contributor. This paper examines the use of information environments to support mobile learning and dynamic decision making and the extent to which physical or social space can support the application. Such applications are not limited to the traditional data analysis and modelling functions but can be extended to include storytelling, theatre, and other aspects of the arts and the entertainment industry.

No description available.