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No description available.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 W94 / Master of Science

A quantitative, descriptive research study was conducted at a nursing college to investigate the nature of nursing learners' exposure to computer assisted instruction and computer-based learning, the perceived benefits of this exposure, and the problems that they had encountered. Learners, who had been exposed to computer assisted instruction and computer-based learning, participated. A self-administered, structured questionnaire was administered to collect data. The research results revealed that the learners had limited exposure to educational computer packages, and computer-based learning activities. They encountered numerous problems. Although the learners derived many benefits from computer assisted instruction, this did not result in effective learning. They indicated that they preferred computer assisted instruction more than traditional teaching methods. This study contributed towards recommendations on improving learners' access to the necessary facilities, equipment and educational computer software. The researcher also recommended strategies to ensure that computer assisted instruction is based on sound educational principles. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Language Practice, Department of Media, Language and Communication, Durban University of Technology. Durban. South Africa, 2014. / This study, carried out within a critical realist orientation, offers a digital approach to providing language learning resources to learners in KwaZulu-Natal by developing a language learning object repository (LLOR). The purpose of designing and setting up a LLOR prototype was to find a way to augment and supplement the resources provided by text books, the provision of which has hitherto been fraught with service delivery problems. Margaret Archer’s substantive theory of morphogenesis was used to provide a social science framework within Bhaskar’s critical realist meta-approach. The morphogenetic approach suggests that, for technological advances to be accepted as part of everyday educational practice, they must be included in the fabric of the existing social structures of teaching and learning. This had implications for the human computer interaction (HCI) aspects of the artefact, which was developed by both anticipating user needs at the outset and confirming these at intervals; it also looked at the development of digital resources over a period of time in terms of the artefact being part of a larger movement towards using digital resources. The iterative design of the LLOR followed a series of piloting different application stacks, including MediaWiki, TikiWiki CMS and Joomla. Moodle was chosen as the most suitable application as it facilitates the sharing of content using the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) and can also easily be packaged in an offline self-contained pack for distribution to users who have limited Internet access. Three user groups, comprising experts (those who are proficient with web and computer technologies), teachers (a representative group of teachers who were second language teachers of English) and a representative from the Department of Basic Education (DOBE), were asked to test-drive the LLOR and respond to questions about its ease of use and potential. The LLOR was primarily intended for teachers although it supports students as well. The use of a user-contributed model in the design of the LLOR anticipates i the challenge of providing direct support (editorial), as in adding new resources by only the researcher and also accepting that consumers are more likely to support user-contributed models, if they are also contributors. The key to facilitating access to resources like the LLOR is to make them accessible through different devices especially mobile platforms such as (cell-phones and tablets); future development will prioritise a mobile ready version of the LLOR. The value of the research is thought to lie in furthering an innovative mode of teaching in a digital medium setting where educational communication achieves virtual mode in and out of the physical classroom.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is an investigation into the four year implementation period of WebCT as web-based learning support and content management system, within the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences in order to: • Identify the critical success factors related to the success of the implemented system. • Review the relevance of these critical success factors by means of literature study, along with reference to case studies of similar WebCT implementations. • Review the initiatives undertaken by both the university and the faculty in order to adhere to the identified critical success factors. • To test, by means of a faculty questionnaire, whether these critical success factors have in fact been met. • To make recommendations for the way fonward based on the literature review, the faculty review and the results obtained from the faculty questionnaire. Reviewing e-Iearning derives various definitions and understandings of the concept of e-Iearning within the modem e-Iearning environment and expands into the basic activities of e-Iearning as practised within traditional universities to establish an understanding of e-Ieaming application of e-Iearning within the University of Stellenbosch. A further investigation reveals how the leaming and content management system (WebCT) was implemented at the University of Stellenbosch as supportive e-Iearning systern as supported by various advantages and subjected to several criticisms. The following eight critical success factors were identified for the faculty: • All staff and students have access to the necessary stable 24/7 IT infrastructure and support. • All stakeholders have a shared vision of the system's objectives. • Top management is strongly committed to the idea of e-Iearning. • Performance evaluation of implemented system. • Establishing a minimum online presence as launch pad. • The Faculty buying into/taking ownership of the new system. • Establishing lecturer's competency, benefits and e-Iearning integration. • WebCT management becomes part of the normal business activities. From the review into the relevance of the eight critical success factors, as identified above, along with the faculty investigation of how these factors were managed and the results obtained from the faculty survey, it can be concluded that there is room for further improvement and that specific prioritised and classified management recommendations relating to the future management of WebCT as learning support system within the faculty can be made. Specific recommendations are made to promote faculty development through strategy formulation that addresses a prioritised list of recommendations, including the following: • The inclusion and recognition of e-Iearning development and administration in normal workload. • Lecture's development through technical competency development, the developing awareness of benefits of e-Iearning and developing the awareness and competency of e-Iearning integration. • Setting and maintaining a standard of minimum presence. • Providing additional lecturer support. • System evaluation. • Establishing a reward system for e-Iearning initiatives. • Strategy review. • E-Iearning research. These recommendations aim to drive the faculty development in line with the university's e-Iearning's vision and the university's e-Iearning main objective of: "elearning becoming a strategic asset". / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is 'n ondersoek na die vierjaar-implementering van WebCT as webgebaseerde leerondersteunings- en inhoudbestuurstelsel, binne die Fakulteit van Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe met doel om: • Die kritiese suksesfaktore t.o.v. die geimplementeerde stelsel te identifiseer. • Die relevantheid van hierdie suksesfaktore te ondersoek deur middel van literatuurstudie, tesame met verwysing na gevallestudies van soortegelyke WebCT implementerings. • 'n Oorsig te verskaf oor die bestuursinisiatiewe wat deur die universiteit en die fakulteit onderneem is om te voldoen aan die kritiese suksesfaktore soos geidentifiseer. • Om deur middel van 'n fakulteitsvraelys te toets of die fakulteit aan hierdie kritiese sukses faktore voldoen het. • Om aanbevelings aan die hand van die literatuurstudie, die fakulteit se inisiatiewe en die resultate van die fakulteitsvraelys, aanbevelings te maak vir die pad vorentoe. Uit die literatuurstudie spruit daar verskeie definisies en verklarings vir die konsep van e-leer binne die moderne e-Ieer omgewing. Hierdie basiese definisies lei na 'n oorsig van die basiese e-Ieer aktiwiteite soos beoefen in tradisionele universiteite om ten einde 'n basiese agtergrond daar te stel van die toepassing van e-Ieer by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. 'n Verdere ondersoek wys hoe die leer- en inhoudsbestuurstelsel (WebCT) geimplementeer was in die Universiteit van Stellenbosch om as ondersteundende e-Ieer stelsel te funksioneer aan die hand van die voordele en kritieke gekoppel aan die gebruik van soortegelyke stelsels. Die volgende agt kritiese suksesfaktore is vir die fakulteit geidentifiseer: • Alle personeel en studente het 24/7 toegang tot die vereiste infrastruktuur en ondersteunding. • Alle belanghebbendes het 'n verenigde visie van die stelsel se doelwitte. • Topvlakbestuur is sterk toegewyd tot die e-Ieer konsep. • Prestasie-evaluasie van die geimplementeerde stelsel. • Die daarstel van 'n minimum aan-Iyn teenwoordigheid as vertrekpunt. • Dosente (gebruikers) se inkoop/eienaarskap in die nuwe stelsel. • Die daarstel van dosente se bevoegdheid, voordele en e-Ieer integrasie. • Bestuur van WebCT word gevestig as deel van normale besigheidsaktiwiteite. Vanuit die oorsig van die relevantheid van elk van die agt kritiese suksesfaktore, soos hierbo ge'fdentifiseer, tesame met die ondersoek t.o.v. hoe die faktore bestuur is binne die fakulteit en die resultate wat vanaf die vraelys verkry is, kan daar tot gevolgtrekking gekom word dat daar ruimte vir verdere verbetering bestaan. Om hierdie ruimte vir verbetering te vul en die toekomstige bestuur van WebCT as e-Ieer ondersteunende stelsel aan te spreek, kan spesifieke, prioriteitsgekoppelde en geklassifiseerde aanbevelings t.o.v. die toekomstige bestuur van e-Ieer gemaak word. Spesifieke aanbevelings is gemaak om die fakulteit se ontwikkeling d.m.v. strategieformulering wat 'n Iys van geprioritiseerde aanbevelings aanspreek, te bevorder. Die aanbevelings stuil die volgende in: • Die insluiting en erkenning van e-Ieer ontwikkeling en administrasie in die normale werklas. • Dosente-ontwikkeling d.m.v. tegniese vaardigheidsontwikkeling, ontwikkeling van bewustheid van voordele van e-Ieer en die ontwikkeling van bewustheid en vaardigheid t.o.v. e-Ieer integrasie. • Die daarstel en onderhoud van 'n minimum teenwoordigheid. • Verskaffing van addisionele dosente-ondersteuning. • Stelsel-evaluasie. • Die daarstel van 'n erkenning- en vergoedingstelsel vir e-Ieer inisiatiewe. • Strategie hersiening. • E-Ieer navorsing. Hierdie aanbevelings poog om die fakulteit te dryf in Iyn met die universiteit se e-Ieer visie en die hoofdoelwit van e-Ieer aan die universiteit: "dat e-Ieer 'n strategiese bate moet word."

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

Teacher education programmes are expected to prepare pre-service teachers (PSTs) to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in their future teaching and learning practice. However, whether and how PSTs actually integrate ICT in their teaching practice is influenced by many other factors in addition to their own personal background and educational exposure. This study investigates the technologies used and the kind of ICT-related pedagogical approaches adopted by PSTs’ teaching practicum, and to examine how these are influenced by school-level and personal-level factors. Fifteen PSTs assigned in the same teaching practicum group were selected as the focal subjects for this study. The methodological approach taken in this research was multiple case studies, involving in-depth data collection through surveys, interviews, observations and document analysis during various stages of the PSTs’ in seven preschools over two semesters. Findings reveal three pedagogical approaches adopted by the PSTs: 1) teacher-initiated and teacher-directed, 2) teacher-initiated and children-directed, and 3) children-initiated and children-directed. The most frequent pedagogical approach overall was teacher-directed approach. The adoption of children-directed activities was much lower, and children-initiated activities were very infrequent. Similar patterns were found in ICT-related learning activities: a majority of these were initiated and directed by PSTs and only limited opportunities for children to direct the use of ICT. No ICT was used in children-initiated activities. Further analyses reveal that school-level conditions were important in influencing PSTs’ decision-making in relation to ICT use. These conditions include: nature of the curriculum adopted by the school, ICT access, and the mentor teachers’ pedagogical use of ICT. In schools with a greater understanding and adoption of children-centred approaches, PSTs had more opportunities to involve children in using ICT in teacher-initiated and children-directed activities. In structured teacher-centred classrooms, PSTs follow their mentor teacher’s use of ICT, mainly in teacher-initiated and teacher-directed approach. It is found that the mentor teacher played a very important role in demonstrating the pedagogical use of ICT. The study found that personal conditions such as the PSTs’ self-reported personal use of ICT and their competence in using ICT also affected how they used ICT in their practice. While the PSTs had similar ways of using ICT for their own personal activities, they varied in the confidence and competence in pedagogical use of ICT. They all felt confident in using ICT to prepare and present visual learning resources, but were less confident in preparing lessons that involve the use of ICT by children, and even less confident in guiding children’s use of ICT. These findings suggest that in order for teacher education programmes to effectively prepare PSTs for ICT integration, mutual understanding and collaboration with practicum schools and mentor teachers are important. Teacher educators and teacher education institutions are only part of the education ecosystem. Aligned vision and efforts involving policy makers and school leaders at the system and school levels are necessary to create the appropriate conditions for mentor teachers to support PSTs in exploring innovative ways of using ICT in early childhood education. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of computer assisted instruction on the development of literacy skills. The effect of instructional methodologies designed to stimulate sensory processing (auditory, visual, and somatic sensory) through information processing activities was analyzed. A software program was designed to present instruction to stimulate learning in one sensory modality, visual processing. Also, the effect of delivery mechanisms on the acquisition of literacy skills was investigated. Three treatment groups and a control group were established to analyze differences: cognitive processing methodologies presented via computer technology, conventional methodologies presented via computer technology, cognitive processing methodologies presented through traditional classroom tools, and a control group. A portable keyboard computer with word processing capabilities was selected to deliver technology-enhanced instruction. Results from this study suggest that activities designed to specifically promote processing in one sensory modality, do not promote acquisition of skills in other regions. There was no change in scores when visual methodologies were applied to auditory and somatic sensory cognitive processing goals. When spelling tests that utilized all sensory modalities were analyzed, visual processing instruction had no effect on achievement. This result was duplicated when tests requiring auditory processing skills were examined. However, when visual processing skills were applied to words requiring sight word memorization techniques, the methodologies improved achievement scores. Therefore, it can be concluded that methodologies increase achievement only if activities are designed to stimulate the sensory cognitive modality that the skill requires. Results of analysis concerning the effect of delivery mechanisms on spelling achievement revealed that technology is a useful tool when used to promote information processing related to the learning goal. Visual cognitive processing activities delivered via computer technology were effective only when practice activities matched instructional objectives. When conventional methods of learning spelling skills were presented utilizing technology, student scores did not increase. It can be concluded that spelling achievement can be improved through the introduction of intelligent software applications if the instructional program is designed to stimulate appropriate cognitive processes and to meet targeted learning objectives. A theory for designing instructional software to meet these criteria, The Integrated Processes Method, was presented.