Because computer use become more and more important in the educational environment, the attitudes of students toward computer may play an important role in their learning success. This study investigated the attitudes toward computers and gender differences of sixth-grade Kuwaiti students and examined the relationships between students’ attitudes toward computers and school, motivation/persistence, study habits, empathy, creative tendencies, and achievement in the Informatics field. The Computer Attitude Questionnaire (CAQ), translated from the English into Arabic Language for this study, was originally developed by Knezek and Miyashita for the Texas Center for Educational Technology (University of North Texas). The CAQ was administered to a random cluster sample of 10 public middle schools: (5 boys’ and 5 girls’ schools), with a total of 562 students, (265 boys and 297 girls), in the State of Kuwait during the academic year 1999-2000. The pilot test was conducted to calculate the reliability with Cronbach’s alpha = .87 for the CAQ Arabic version. This study found positive attitudes toward computer use (mean = 3.31 on 4-point Likert-scale); however, girls had significantly more positive attitudes toward computers (mean = 3.36) than did boys (mean = 3.26). It also found statistically significant correlations between attitudes toward computers and school (r. = .149), motivation/persistence (r. = .459), study habits (r. = .371), empathy (r. = .308), creative tendencies (r. = .530), and achievement in the Informatics field (r. = .201). A statistically significant gender difference was found in the correlations between attitudes toward computers and empathy. Girls had a stronger correlation (r. = .405) than boys (r. = .215). This study also found that students who use computers at home (mean = 3.40) have more positive attitudes toward computers than did students who do not (mean = 3.22). The main conclusion of the current study is that students like to use computers, therefore, the researcher suggests that computer should be introduced for the students in the classrooms environment and to be integrated into the curriculum of all subject areas.

M.Ed. / Computers are an integral part of life, and have become integral to everyday functions of work, travel, health, entertainment and study. It is crucial that this technology be utilised to maximum effect. In schools, learners are increasingly required to enhance their computer skills, and at tertiary level students explore ways they can be used to develop and enhance capacity, functions and responsibilities. This study examines ways in which computer technology can be used to teach, so as to benefit all role-players in the learning process, including lecturers, students, the learning fraternity and industry, contributing to a more competent and capacitated workforce. In particular, it looks at an electronic assessment tool implemented by the University of Johannesburg (UJ), intended to enhance and upgrade learning in courses where computers are used. However, with the initial use of system, certain shortcomings were identified which affected its performance. As computer-related testing was considered important in contributing to assessment, it was critical to identify any problems that were inhibiting its optimal performance. To this end, the researcher studied the subdepartment End-User Computing (EUC), located within the department of Business Information Technology (BIT) at UJ. A qualitative phase consisted of two identified focus groups made up of specific individuals from BIT, comprising lecturers engaged in the daily use and activation of the electronic assessment system and supported by information system technical support personnel. A second phase, quantitative in nature, used responses to structured questionnaires delivered to students who had used the assessment tool. The University’s Statcon unit analysed results, and identified problems. Lecturers pointed to the language used in questions and system challenges to teaching and learning, while students highlighted a need for preparing them for the process, particularly calling for a tutorial with class presentation prior to assessment.

This research study was an investigation of current faculty development practices for alternative delivery systems. Attention was given to faculty development in general as well as specific facets of faculty development for alternative delivery systems. Future or intended faculty development practices were pursued, along with factors that influence decisions related to faculty development practices for alternative delivery systems at Christian graduate institutions of higher education. The examination of the precedent literature presented theological foundations for the study, current research on faculty development, and current research on alternative delivery systems. The concepts revealed in the literature review focused the structure of the research design and instrumentation. The presentation of the methodological design included the primary research questions, an overview of the research design and coding criteria, discussion of the research population, samples and delimitations, and the limitations of generalization. This section also discussed instrumentation and procedural processes guiding the research. The research then offered a summary and analysis of the data, organized according the order of the research questions. Conclusions based upon the research findings included a number of insights. The principal type of faculty development for alternative delivery systems was consulting or help desk support. The interviewees stated that faculty learned the most from one-on-one sessions tailored to faculty members' specific topics when faculty need "just in time" assistance. The distance education coordinators were available for a faculty "crisis," and many coordinators would venture out into the faculty hallways to offer their services. The second-most common type of faculty development for alternative delivery systems was the initial training session. Multiple institutions offered (and some required) a 1-3 day faculty boot camp in order to teach online, hybrid, or blended courses. These courses were followed up with journal articles, one-on-one meetings, and other resources. Institutions provided web sites and comprehensive printed notebooks to assist the faculty in their transition to alternative delivery systems. Hands-on training in a lab setting, with small groups of up to four professors, was communicated as the preferred training environment to provide both technical and pedagogical development. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

A research report submitted to the Wits School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Education by combination of coursework and research. Johannesburg 2016 / Increasingly teachers are expected to integrate ICTs into their teaching practice. Recent studies have focused on the role played by teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge in explaining how they exploit the affordances offered by the new digital technologies, and yet the pace of integration has been far slower than expected. Education is founded on the business of knowledge, and yet there is a knowledge blindness in educational research. This study tries to discern what effect subject specialization and knowledge has on teacher’s adoption of ICTs into their pedagogical practice, using the framework of Legitimation Code Theory, in particular semantic waves. Seeing ICT practices as affording both knower and knowledge practices, and as affording gravitation or levitation allows us to start to unpack further how the forms knowledge takes influences decisions around ICT adoption. / MT2017

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Humanities in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by research in the discipline of Psychology. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017. / Education is an immensely powerful agent of development and innovation and as such, educational outcomes are given high priority in most settings. The advent of highly functional mobile personal computing (PC) devices such as tablet computers and related technologies has helped to generate great interest in and hype surrounding educational technology and its potential to improve educational outcomes, democratize knowledge and skills development and to kick-start development, particularly in socio-economically depressed environments. However, education has made use of technology from its very inception, with the written word itself being a prominent example, making PC device-based educational technology simply a newer entrant into the field, equally worthy of scrutiny along with other existing technologies. The written word plays a fundamental role in learning and is therefore a key vehicle through which to examine the impact of PC device-based educational technology on learning. This dissertation examines the notion of the analogue (physical) and digital word and uses both existing theoretical considerations and research experiments to better understand differences which may exist between the two and the subsequent impact on learning. Existing empirical evidence and a range of theoretical contributions are used to construct a theoretical framework which argues for the uniqueness of the digital in comparison to its analogue predecessors. A research experiment was conducted with high school-age research participants using tablet PCs and printed paper to complete a reading task or a reading and note-taking task, followed by a test on the text passage read approximately one week later. Results obtained suggest real, but weak effects, with participants using paper performing better for questions which test factual recall in the reading-only condition and better for questions testing conceptual understanding in the reading and note-taking condition. These findings support the view that the digital word is not necessarily equivalent to its analogue predecessors and point towards further research in this area. It is concluded that further research is required in order to better understand the mechanisms which underpin the digital word and that its primary strength lies in its ability to expand the usefulness of the written word in conjunction with the more traditional analogue word. Key words: educational technology, reading, handwriting, the digital word, tablet PCs e-learning. / XL2018

A research project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of BA Masters (Educational Psychology) in the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, January 2017 / Educational Technology (ET) is fast becoming a part of South African classrooms. Educators play a major role in the effective and successful integration of this technology within the classroom. This study explores the relationship between educators’ level of access to ET, their attitudes towards ET and their use of ET for various teaching related purposes. The factors of perceived competence, cultural relevance and perceived usefulness are also explored. Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Ajzen and Fishbein’s Theory of Reasoned Action and Theory of Planned Behaviour were used as the theoretical framework for this study. A convenience sample of 119 educators from various schools in Gauteng (both public and private) completed a questionnaire consisting of a demographics section, the Attitudes towards Computer Scale (ACTS) and the Information and Communication Technology Survey. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regressions. The study found that while educator’s attitudes towards ET are positive, levels of use and integration of more complex ET items are still low. Varying levels of access were recorded for different ET items at home and at school. Both, perceived usefulness and levels of access were found to be the most significant predictors of educators ET use and integration. These results are in keepings with both Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Ajzen and Fishbein’s Theory of Reasoned Action and Theory of Planned Behaviour as attitudes were shown to predict use and integration of ET. This research has potential to contribute to teaching policy, practice and research in South African schools / XL2018

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg, August, 2014. / The research described in this thesis is a case study of the factors influencing teachers’ use of computers for teaching at a private secondary school in South Africa. Two problems motivated the study. Firstly, teachers were not using ICT for meaningful learning despite the South African Education Department's emphasis on the use of ICT in education. Secondly, teachers were not coping with the demands of a new school curriculum involving innovative practices and new content. The case study school had purchased a software package for the sciences which claimed to be suitable for the new South African curriculum. The software package was evaluated as part of the study, to investigate its usefulness for supporting Life Sciences teachers to teach new content during a period of curriculum change. The study comprised two phases, one before and one after the school introduced an innovation promoting the use of ICT for instruction. In the absence of a suitable model to underpin the investigation a literature-based mind-map was constructed to provide a conceptual framework to guide the study. An analysis of 48 papers reporting on the factors affecting teachers’ use of computers led to the identification of 43 factors, which were classified into categories and sub-categories in the form of a hierarchical map showing the relationships between the factors, and providing the framework used to structure the investigation of factors. This was later developed into a holistic model showing the relationships between the factors, based on the theory of planned behaviour, but modified by the addition of knowledge and skills, which were found to influence teachers’ computer usage directly, as well as impacting on teachers’ beliefs, attitudes and behavioural intentions about using technology. This model could be useful for stakeholders to identify factors that could be used to promote the use of ICT in ways that benefit learning. During the first phase factors were identified using participant observation recorded by means of a researcher’s journal and semi-structured interviews with four teachers, with open-ended checklists being used for the software evaluation. Five categories of teacher-level factors (factors within teachers' control) were identified which affected their use of ICT: teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of ICT; teachers’ attitudes towards ICT; teachers’ level of innovativeness; teachers’ technological knowledge; and teachers’ level of ICT proficiency. Five categories of institutional factors (beyond teachers’ control) also emerged: the availability and accessibility of computer hardware; the availability of suitable software; the level of technical support available; the provision of training; and the amount of time available to plan for and use technology for teaching and learning. The biodiversity section of the software package purchased by the school was evaluated in terms of supporting teachers with teaching this new section of content required by the new curriculum. Five features of software design were evaluated: the extent to which the software promoted seven of the nine new classroom practices required by the new South African curriculum, the extent to which the package covered the content needed to teach biodiversity and the pedagogical strategies used to teach this content, how effectively the user interface conveyed messages to users, and the multimedia strategies used in the software package to promote effective learning. The software evaluation aspect of the study led to the development of several open-ended checklists to evaluate different relevant curriculum-related criteria, and a new model for the context-based evaluation of software which could be useful for designers of instructional software. iii The introduction at the case study school of an innovation promoting the use of ICT for instruction allowed the study to enter a second phase extending the sample for investigating factors affecting ICT use, and focusing on teachers' use of computers in response to being provided with more ICT resources and being required to set computer-based tasks for learners to complete at home on dedicated technology days (DigiDays). During this phase multiple online questionnaires were administered to a sample of 29 teachers, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and 33 ICTbased tasks set by the teachers were reviewed using content analysis, to see whether they used technology effectively. The innovation allowed three obstacles which had emerged during the first phase of the study to be investigated in more depth. Firstly, the setting aside of time for computerbased work addressed the lack of time for using computers in lessons, mentioned by teachers during the first phase of the study, and permitted an investigation of whether this alleviated the time pressures teachers associated with using computers. Secondly, the effect of the training provided for using Moodle on DigiDays was investigated to see whether it adequately prepared teachers to use computers in ways which enhanced learning. A lack of training which met teachers' needs had emerged during the first phase as a major factor hindering teachers' use of computers. Thirdly, the influence of teachers’ levels of innovativeness on their computer use outside of the mandated usage on DigiDays was investigated. Teachers were classified into groups based on Rogers’ adopter categories (Rogers, 1962, 2003), but using additional features to just the rate of uptake of an innovation, used by Rogers. A quick and easy method involving a questionnaire and associated key for placing teachers into adopter categories was developed. This method could facilitate the classification of teachers into adopter categories and the tailoring of support aimed at promoting the rate of uptake of ICT, based on the characteristics of the different adopter groups. Case studies of selected teachers were carried out to better understand why they were using computers in certain ways. Based on the model of Donnelly et al. (2011) the selected teachers were grouped according to whether they were using ICT for teaching in instructivist or constructivist ways, and whether or not they showed discerning use of ICT for teaching. A number of subgroups emerged, highlighting the need to understand the complex reasons underlying teachers' behaviours relating to using ICT and underscoring the importance of designing training programmes based on why teachers use ICT for teaching in a particular way.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education. Johannesburg, March 2016. / “Free quality education for anyone, anywhere” (Khan, 2012:1) is the proclamation of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) the world over. There can be no denying that such a proclamation is enticing and exciting. It seems to be intuitively correct that the technology and hyper connectivity that defines this postmodern era should also radically change the way in which education is conducted. In my research I seek to test the authenticity and strength of this claim. To do so I have 1) analysed a number of primary texts from the creators of various MOOCs in order to understand their pedagogy (andragogy); 2) synthesised a number of principles of education from two primary texts published by John Dewey in order to create a theoretical framework; and finally 3) utilised said framework to test the MOOCean conception of education. Throughout the research, I also appeal to multiple secondary sources that deal with certain important concepts and content from the most up-to-date perspectives possible. / LG2018

A research report submitted to the School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Education. Johannesburg 2017. / In this study, the affordances of Digital Mobile Devices for educational purposes was explored, with an emphasis on determining the feasibility of integrating Digital Mobile Devices into secondary education in South Africa; particularly in the area of Learner Social Support. An empirical, qualitative research approach was adopted, where a questionnaire was administered for the collection of data, and this data was analysed for possible trends. The experiences and perceptions of both educators and learners at both schools have been detailed. It was ascertained through both the literature and the analysis of data that Digital Mobile Devices are advantageous, and ubiquitously owned and used by both educators and learners. This exposed the fallacy of the existence of a digital divide on the basis of access to ICTs. Conclusions have been drawn as to the feasibility of integrating Digital Mobile Devices into secondary education in South Africa, and recommendations have been made for further investigation into the non-adoption of Digital Mobile Devices into secondary education in South Africa. / LG2018

A research project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA in Research Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, March 2016 / Despite 20 years of democracy, education in South Africa is still plagued by the inequalities carried over from apartheid. Concerns on issues of standardisation in education, which are linked to socio-economic status, make it increasingly difficult to determine what skills learners are leaving the schooling system with (Blignaut, 2009; Du Plessis & Webb, 2012; Lumadi, 2011; Maiyo, 2015; Watts, 2001). There is a need to bridge the gap that currently exists within education, and one way in which this is thought possible, is through the integration of technology in the classroom (Department of Education, 2004). In 2015 the Smart Schools Project was put in place to promote the implementation of technology in South African schools. One of the aims of this project is to standardise education through redressing the inequalities within the country. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of parents, with regards to the introduction of technology within primary school classrooms in South Africa. In order to achieve the main aim of this study, perceptions of parents were explored from parents whose children were in private and government-funded schools. This study used a combination of two models in order to understand how parents’ usage and acceptance of technology could possibly influence their children’s interaction with technology. This study found that how parents come to use and accept technology is not influenced by socio-economic status. Further, it was noted that acceptance and usage impacted how they viewed technology being introduced in the classroom. / GR2017