This study investigated the implementation of computer-assisted education in the outcomes-based education system at Sterling Primary School in East London. A literature study was done on constructivism on which outcomes based education is based. The literature review also focused on computer-integrated education. The integration of computer-assisted education at Sterling Primary School was appraised with the help of the Evolutionary Model developed by Miller (1997). It was observed that the educators and learners at this school were trying to integrate computers into their teaching and learning process. Although this study focussed on the Intermediate Phase, it could provide a basis for further study in the field of computer-assisted education in Senior, and Further Education and Training Phases throughout the Republic of South Africa. / Dissertation (MEd (Computer-Assisted Education))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

This research is important because it has identified a gap in the existing knowledge base. A term is therefore coined to label a computer-based test mode effect, the so-called Item Randomisation Effect, discussed in detail in this thesis. Item Randomisation Effect is a test mode effect occurring in computer-based testing contexts, especially noticeable in test-takers that may be susceptible to test anxiety. The practise of randomising multiple choice items in computer-based test venues is commonplace, mainly as a deterrent for cheating. Previous research attempted to determine the degree of equivalence across testing modalities of any test. The need was to ensure test-takers in paper-based tests would not have an advantage/disadvantage over test-takers given the same test in a computer-based mode. Such studies have a nomothetic perspective. This research contrasts with those earlier studies in that it has an ideographic perspective because it is concerned with the performance of individuals taking any test in the computer-based modality. This subtle difference in perspective may account for the apparent gap in the existing educational research literature. Evidence of Item Randomisation Effect was found in this study but further research into this test mode effect is necessary. / Dissertation (MEd (Computer-Integrated Education))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

Only an Afrikaans abstract is available. Die astronomiese ontwikkeling van informasie kommunikasie tegnologie (IKT) hou verreikende gevolge in vir elke lewensfeer in die twintigste eeu. Spesifiek op die terrein van produksie en oordrag van kennis, twee kernfunksies van hoer onderwys, hou IKT nie net ‘n bedreiging in vir die tradisionele wyse waarop hierdie kernfunksies vervul word nie, maar bied ook moontlik die uitdagings van toegang, koste, buigsaamheid en kwaliteit waarmee universiteite gekonfronteer word. Waar die toepassing van tegnologie in afstandsonderrig reeds help om bogenoemde uitdagings aan te spreek, is dieselfde resultate meer ontwykend in tradisionele residensiële universiteite soos Rhodes Universiteit. Verder is universiteite meer geneë om IKT in navorsing en administratiewe prosesse te gebruik, as in onderrig en leer. Hierdie opstel fokus dus op die behoeftes en verwagtings van onderrigpersoneel aan Rhodes Universiteit om IKT te gebruik om die onderig-en-leerproses te verryk. Die rasionaal vir die gebruik van IKT fokus op die veranderende omgewing waarin hoër onderwys fungeer, die veranderende konsepte van kennis en kennisproduksie, en die oënskynlike potensiaal van IKT om onderwys te verbeter. Daarteenoor word die wyse waarop IKT gebruik word bespreek teen die agtergrond van voorvereistes vir suksesvolle integrasie en praktiese toepassings van tegnologie in onderrig en leer. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Curriculum Studies / Unrestricted

Problématique : L’avènement de la documentation infirmière des soins dans les dossiers cliniques informatisés (DCI) engendre des changements dans la pratique infirmière actuelle. Le personnel infirmier devra acquérir les habiletés et savoirs nécessaires pour documenter électroniquement la démarche de soins infirmiers. À cet effet, des chercheurs de l’Université de Sherbrooke, en collaboration avec une compagnie informatique, ont développé un logiciel de simulation nommé Environnement Virtuel d’Apprentissage (EVA). Ce dernier vise à permettre aux personnes étudiantes infirmières, au moyen d’un simulateur sur écran, de pratiquer, à partir d’histoires de cas, l’évaluation clinique, l’examen physique, de même que la documentation électronique de la démarche de soins infirmiers, tout en se familiarisant avec une terminologie infirmière standardisée. But : Cette étude visait à évaluer l’impact du système EVA sur le sentiment d’auto-efficacité d'étudiants et étudiantes en sciences infirmières concernant leur performance clinique associée à la documentation électronique de la démarche de soins infirmiers. Méthodologie : Un devis quasi-expérimental avant-après a permis de décrire le sentiment d’auto-efficacité du groupe témoin et expérimental. Une appréciation concernant les fonctionnalités d’EVA a aussi été documentée par le groupe expérimental. Analyses et résultats : L’échantillon était composé majoritairement de femmes entre 21 et 30 ans ayant moins d’un an d’expérience en soins infirmiers. Un total de 63 personnes étudiantes ont rempli le questionnaire d’enquête au pré-test. Les résultats sur le sentiment d’auto-efficacité initial étaient similaires chez les groupes témoin et expérimental. En raison d’une importante perte de sujets, les calculs en post-test et pour la comparaison des groupes dans le temps ne sont pas significatifs. Une présentation graphique et une comparaison descriptive des données de quatre sujets ont été possibles pour décrire l’évolution du sentiment d’auto-efficacité dans le temps. Conclusion : Malgré quelques embûches concernant la participation du groupe expérimental, nous avons décrit le sentiment d’auto-efficacité avant et après l’utilisation du logiciel, effectué des comparaisons inter et intra groupe et fourni une rétroaction au développeur du logiciel. / Abstract : Issue: The advent of nursing care documentation in computerized clinical records generates changes in the current nursing practice. Nurses will need to acquire the skills and knowledge required to electronically document the nursing process. To this end, researchers at the University of Sherbrooke, in collaboration with an IT company, have developed a simulation software called Environnement Virtuel d’Apprentissage (EVA). The purpose of this program is to enable nursing students, using a simulation software, to practice, from case histories, clinical assessment, physical examination, as well as electronic documentation of the nursing process while becoming familiar with the nursing terminology. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the impact of the software EVA on the self-efficacy of nursing students about their clinical performance associated with electronic documentation of the nursing process. Methods: A quasi-experimental design before and after allowed to describe the feeling of self- efficacy in the control and experimental sample. An appreciation regarding EVA’s features was described by the experimental sample. Findings: The sample was predominantly composed of females between 21 and 30 years of age with less than one year of experience in nursing. A total of 63 students completed the survey questionnaire in the pretest. The results for the initial self-efficacy measure were similar in for the control and experimental group. Due to a significant loss of participants, our calculations regarding the post-test and comparison of groups over time were not significant. A graphic presentation and a descriptive comparison of four subjects was possible to describe the evolution of self- efficacy over time. Conclusion: Despite some difficulties concerning the participation of the experimental sample, we described the feeling of self-efficacy before and after using the software, made inter and intra-group comparisons and provided feedback to the software developer.

Second language (L2) researchers and teachers have increasingly come to believe that using a computer-based corpus can be extremely helpful in the language classroom. The purpose of this study is to examine whether corpora can be used outside of the classroom in order for students to improve their essays independently. No previous study has tried to examine students' essays in relation to corpus use so that this study is exploratory. Seven international students wrote five essays on specific topics and then corrected their errors through corpus research. Two experiments were conducted with different students and followed three steps: receiving information about how to use the BYU COCA, writing and correcting, and interviews with students. I examined quantitatively the number and types of errors that students were able to correct in two experiments and reported qualitatively on students' interview responses.

Vista University is known in South Africa as a historically disadvantaged or black university. It is a multi-campus university (it has eight campuses throughout South Africa) and caters for learners from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. The Department of Mathematics and Statistics holds an annual meeting to coordinate the activities in the department across all eight campuses. Attendance is compulsory for all lecturers from all the campuses. Every year the same problem arises, which is to have examination papers drawn up that will be of a uniform standard across all the campuses. It is a very frustrating task for the compiler of the papers to get contributions from the lecturers that are submitted on time, in the agreed format and of an acceptable standard. During the 2000 meeting it was unanimously agreed that the long-term solution to the problem would be a database of questions in the agreed format and of an acceptable standard. Because the lecturers are spread over South Africa, this database must be available through Vista’s Intranet. The development of such a product would involve a great deal of time and energy, and the most important question to ask is whether the lecturers would use the product. The solution is to design a prototype of the product: a database with a Web-based portal populated with a sample of questions. The usability of such a database must be determined to ensure the effectiveness of the final product. The aim of this study is, after a prototype of a Web-based Statistical Data and Story Library in the South African Context (in future referred to as SSS) has been implemented, to determine the usability of the product. Copyright 2001, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Basson, EM 2001, The usability of a computer-based Statistics Data and Story Library in the South African context, MEd dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02042002-094953 / > / Thesis (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2001. / Curriculum Studies / MEd / Unrestricted

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Gemeinsamer Workshop von Universitaetsrechenzentrum und Professur Rechnernetze und verteilte Systeme (Fakultaet fuer Informatik) der TU Chemnitz. Workshop-Thema: Infrastruktur der ¨Digitalen Universitaet¨ Der Vortrag führt in den in Entwicklung befindlichen Standard IEEE1484 ein. Die Standardisierung im Bereich computer- und netzgestützter Kurse ist Voraussetzung für Datenaustausch und Verbreitung.

Wissenschaftliches Schreiben ist eine sehr komplexe Aufgabe, die eine Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Aktivitäten umfasst. Viele Studierende haben jedoch Schwierigkeiten, die damit verbundenen Anforderungen selbständig zu bewältigen. Im Mittelpunkt des Interesses der vorliegenden Arbeit stand daher die Entwicklung und Evaluation interaktiver computerbasierter Trainingsaufgaben, die Studienanfänger beim Erwerb von Grundkompetenzen des wissenschaftlichen Schreibens unterstützen. Zentrale Anliegen dieser Arbeit waren: (a) die psychologisch begründete Entwicklung einer computerbasierten Schreibumgebung für das wissenschaftliche Schreiben, (b) die theoretisch und methodisch begründete (Weiter-)Entwicklung von Instrumenten zur Untersuchung der Bedingungen und Wirkungen der Schreibumgebung und (c) die empirische Überprüfung der lern- und motivationspsychologischen Wirkungen des Arbeitens mit der Schreibumgebung. Im ersten Teil der Arbeit wird aus theoretischen Überlegungen und Modellen zum Schreibprozess bzw. zum Textverstehen ein integratives Modell des wissenschaftlichen Schreibens abgeleitet. Auf dieser Grundlage wird eine prototypische Trainingsumgebung entwickelt und formativ evaluiert. Anhand der Ergebnisse der formativen Evaluation wird der Prototyp zur Schreibumgebung „escribo“ weiterentwickelt. Diese Schreibumgebung setzt systematisch empirisch bestätigte Schreibstrategien um. Somit werden die Schreibenden in ihrem Schreibprozess kognitiv und metakognitiv unterstützt und angeleitet. Zur Untersuchung individueller Einflussgrößen auf den Schreibprozess werden im zweiten Teil der Arbeit verschiedene Fragebögen, z.B. zu motivationalen Aspekten beim wissenschaftlichen Schreiben entwickelt. Weiterhin wird ein verhaltensorientierter Fragebogen zu Strategien beim akademischen Schreiben (FSAS) konzipiert und hinsichtlich seiner Struktur sowie Reliabilität überprüft. Die Ergebnisse einer empirischen Studie mit zwei Messzeitpunkten zur Wirkung der Schreibumgebung weisen darauf hin, dass das Arbeiten mit der Schreibumgebung einer Übungssituation überlegen ist: Zum Messzeitpunkt 1 z.B. schrieben die Versuchspersonen mit computerbasierter Schreibunterstützung besser verständliche Texte. Daraus lässt sich der Schluss ziehen, dass es unter folgenden Bedingungen möglich ist, wissenschaftliches Schreiben computerbasiert zu fördern: Der komplexe Schreibprozess muss aufgebrochen werden, um die Anforderungen des wissenschaftlichen Schreibens transparent machen zu können. Außerdem sollten empirische und theoretische Erkenntnisse systematisch genutzt werden, um angemessene Strategien gezielt fördern zu können. / Academic writing is a complex task that involves a variety of cognitive and metacognitive activities. However, many university students perceive academic writing as an ill-defined task which, as a consequence, leads to feelings of incompetence and frustration. Thus, the purpose of the research presented here was to develop and evaluate interactive web-based training exercises to support students’ acquisition of basic writing competences. The main concerns include the: (a) development of a psychologically sound computer-based writing environment for academic writing; (b) development and enhancement of theoretically and methodologically sound instruments to study conditions and effects of such a writing environment; and (c) empirical investigation of the effects of working with the writing environment on achievement and motivation. In the first part of the dissertation an integrative model of academic writing is derived from theoretical considerations and models of the writing process as well as text comprehension. On this basis, a prototype of the writing environment is developed and evaluated in a pilot study. The results of the pilot study were used to design the writing environment “escribo”. This writing environment systematically applies empirically proven writing strategies. As a result, students receive cognitive and meta-cognitive support in their writing. To investigate individual influences on the writing process, various questionnaires, e.g. on motivational aspects of writing, were developed in the second part of the research presented here. Furthermore, a behaviour-oriented questionnaire on strategies in academic writing (FSAS) was designed and assessed regarding its structure and reliability. An empirical study using two measuring values was carried out to determine the effects of the writing environment. Its results show that there is some evidence that working with the writing environment is superior to a situation without any support; in session 1, for example, students supported by “escribo” wrote texts with a better readability compared to students working without support. Therefore, it can be concluded that such a computer-based writing environment can foster the acquisition of basic competencies in academic writing. This holds true only, if the following prerequisites are met. Firstly, the complexity of the writing process has to be broken up in order to make the demands of academic writing transparent. Secondly, theoretical and empirical findings should be used systematically to foster adequate writing strategies.

This paper deals with medical data extraction from electronic patient record (EPR) system. Most of the medical data are stored in patient record systems, and data that are much valuable for medical research. If a researcher wants to extract medical information today, it has to be done manually because the data are stored in unstructured textual format in a system created by hospital staff. There is no way of extracting data in structure way. This paper is going to introduce an information extraction application for EPR system that allows the researcher to set up a study with inclusion and parameters for extraction for retrospective surveys in a webuser-interface environment. Inclusion is what the researcher would like to study (a defined category or criteria) and parameters specify the characteristics of inclusion the criteria. Result of this application provides an extracted clinical data that is used for retrospective surveys, downloadable to an MS-Excel file.