This study explores the training of Psychology tutors at the University of South Africa's (UNISA) learning centres with a view to providing a paradigm shift in tutor training and contributing towards new ways of thinking about education and training in South Africa. It furthermore opens up alternative ways of thinking about the process of facilitation in general. Although the study focuses on tutor training within the discipline of Psychology, the outcomes of the study are applicable to tutor training and tutoring in general, and make a valuable contribution in identifying the basic principles underlying tutor training in other disciplines as well. An ecosystemic approach encourages the trainer-trainee system to become aware of how they affect each other's thinking and behaviour. The basic principles underlying the process of facilitation that emerge in the study, therefore apply equally to the training of tutors and the tutoring of learners by others. These principles provide guidelines in terms of the processes involved in tutor development, as well as inform the issues and themes around which the sharing of ideas can be choreographed in the field of tutor training and tutoring. In conclusion, the information generated in the study focuses specifically on student support in the form of face-to-face tutorials in the distance education setting, the form of tertiary education which is most accessible to many historically disadvantaged learners in South Africa today. More generally, it will make a valuable contribution in the current educational context in South Africa, where student support is of the utmost importance in striving for equality in education, and where the focus is on outcomes-based education. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

This research is predicated in the firm conviction that the quality of education is dependent upon the quality of teachers. Teachers as the bedrock of education must participate actively and conscientiously in their intellectual growth through various forms of INSET discussed in the research. From an international comparative perspective DE as a strategy of INSET is deemed as the most functional, if not prudent and efficacious educational experience for the upgrading and improvement of the qualifications of teachers. In this research the origin of DE in terms of its antecedents and evolution, the raison d'etre and the advantages and limitations of DE are adumbrated in order to focus on the complexity and diversity of DE. As part of the conceptual and theoretical framework various terms used synonymously with DE are considered. A syntagma of principles providing a utilitarian and pragmatic connotation for DE is then postulated. Selected theories relevant to DE provide the synthesis for theoretical perspectives. The typology of DE institutions comprising autonomous, dedicated providers of DE and those that are mixed or hybrid or dual mode systems is analyzed. In koeping with the theme of educational borrowing fundamental to comparative education studies provision of DE by the UKOU and AU for developed countries, IGNOU and the ZINTEC model for developing countries is discussed. National examples are UNISA, Vista University and SACTE. The provincial institutions discussed are the former SCE, NCE, UCFE and the newly formed SACOL. General and specific recommendations for the provision of DE programmes for the upgrading and improvement of the qualifications of teachers in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal are adumbrated. By way of conclusion, it is iterated that the provision of DE for the upgrading and improvement of the qualifications of teachers is irrefragably xxvii the quintessential factor in the new generation of teacher education and a pivotal element for INSET. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / The transformative mission of the White Paper on Education (1995: 19) states that the South African education system is moving towards a single, national, non-racial system where all people are offered equil opportunities. Demographic and other changes make particular demands on the education system. The HSRC (1987:54) claim that distance edcation is increasingly viewed as a possible solution for educational problems. The literature study aims to motivate, from an andragogic-didactical perspective, the use of two-dimensional silent images in study material. A literature study was also undertaken on the perception of silent images and the elements involved in the perception of depth, movement, size, colour, etc., from which certain didactic guidelines were deducted with a view to the design of silent images. The ability of distance education students to identify the elements above, was emperically researched. The validity of the didactic guidelines were verified in this phase. / Die transformatiewe missie van die Witskrif vir Onderwys (1995: 19) stel dit dat die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel oorgaan na 'n "enkele nasionale, nie-rassige stelsel" waar daar gelyke geleenthede vir aile mense gebied word. Demografiese en ander veranderinge stel besondere eise aan die onderwysstelsel. Die RGN (1987: 54) stel dit dat afstandsonderrig al meer as 'n moontlike oplossing gesien vir die onderwysprobleme. Die literatuurstudie het dit ten doe! om die gebruik van tweedimensionele stilbeelde in studiemateriaal in die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie andragogies-didakties te fundeer. 'n Literatuurstudie oor die persepsie van stilbeelde en die elemente wat betrokke is by die persepsie van diepte, beweging, grootte, kleur, ens. is gedoen waaruit sekere didaktiese riglyne met die oog op die ontwerp van stilbeelde gestel is. Die afstandsonderrigstudente se vermoe om bogenoemde elemente waar te neem, was empiries nagevors. Die geldigheid van die didaktiese riglyne is tydens hierdie fase geveri fireer. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didaktiek)

This study was conducted at the University of South Africa in the Department of Information Science and looked at the students’ perception about e-learning. The study context was Open Distance Learning (ODL) which allows multi-dimensional e-learning aimed at bridging the time, geographical, economic, social, educational and communication distance between student and institution, student and academics, student and courseware and student and peers. It has emerged in the literature that student’ perceptions and understanding of e-learning are susceptible to challenges related to infrastructure, geographic location, skills set, support services, pedagogical matters and other related matters. These challenges are likely to affect the students’ perceptions of e-learning which is likely to have a negative impact on effective learning as well as success and completion rates. The main aim of the study was to examine the perceptions of Information Science students towards e-learning. This study opted for multi-methods. The quantitative approach which involves the use of controlled questionnaires was employed. The questionnaire was designed in the web survey for the purpose of reaching scattered respondents and the opportunity to obtain large numbers of respondents to contribute. Also the qualitative method was considered as appropriate for this study because it helped to conceptualise the research and enabled the researcher to gather information from lecturers on influencing students and the strategies used to promote e-learning. The overall population of this study was 125 students and 17 lecturers. The study revealed that not all students knew what e-learning was, and the major challenge was the internet access as students complained about the shortage of internet bundles. Many students at UNISA considered e-learning as a flexible for teaching and studying method because it is not bound to a particular time and place, also they commended that the usability of myUnisa has created more accessibility in learning environment for tuition. If the current students are not assisted with the lowest prices for internet access, students might not continue interacting with lecturers in the e-learning platforms. Also, first year students at UNISA should be trained for the e-learning environment and be given an overview of the UNISA e-learning platform. / Information Science / M. Inf.

The study was necessitated by the fact that the throughput rates of accounting students studying at distance learning institutions in South Africa are disturbingly low when compared to students studying at residential universities. Bearing in mind the magnitude of the University of South Africa’s (Unisa’s) market share of accounting students in South Africa, it was pivotal to comprehend the unique challenges related to retention and throughput of these students. This thesis reports on a case study of the use of mobile phones in an Accounting module by applying the theories of didactic conversation and transactional distance to understand the retention and throughput rates of the Accounting students in an open distance learning (ODL) environment. Considering the landscape of accounting education in South Africa, the specific challenges faced by accounting students at Unisa and the recent scholarly discourse on retention and throughput of distance education students, this study contributes to the limited theoretical understanding of students’ retention and throughput rates in an Accounting module at Unisa. This theoretical understanding has been obtained through combining the transactional distance theory of Moore (1973) and the didactic conversation of Holmberg (1982) in a single conceptual framework. By applying this framework, this thesis makes an original contribution to the deepening understanding of the retention and throughput rates of accounting students in an ODL environment. The study has shown that retention and throughput rates can be improved through the lessening of the transactional distance between facilitator and student and by improving the quality and extent of the two-way didactic conversation in the learning process. To this effect, the study provided empirical evidence of the successful use of various complementing technology interventions, suitable for accounting students with time constraints, to enhance the learning process. / Management Accounting / D. Com.

This is a phenomenographic study, of which the aim was to explore the variation of experiences, needs, views and understandings through a phenomenographic study of academics who were enrolled in the MEd in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) at Unisa during 2012-2015. The MEd in ODL is a dual university programme between University of South Africa (Unisa) and University of Maryland University College (UMUC). The research question was around issues which Unisa academic staff members experienced during the course of their enrolment for the MEd in ODL. Relevant scholarly literature on online learning, theories for online learning, and previous research on online learning, was surveyed in this regard. Variation theory which framed the study through a phenomenographic research lens was described. Interviews were conducted with seven participants from the students on the MEd in ODL programme. Postings on MyUnisa Discussion Forum which were treated as data were analysed in relation to the aspects raised in the interviews. The findings revealed students’ varied online experiences in the three main aspects namely, experience and understanding, understanding the object of learning and learning objects. Important recommendations made, were based on the findings. In conclusion, the findings exhibited students’ varied experiences about issues which they battle with in the MEd in ODL programme, of which Unisa should take into consideration as they further enrol students in the programme. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Open and Distance Learning)

‘A critical review of language errors in the writing of distance education students’ examines linguistic competence and investigates the language errors made by a heterogeneous group of 100 entry-level distance education university students with a view to improving their academic writing skills. The research follows a process of error identification and statistical analysis, and reviews intervention strategies based on the findings. Despite the continuing debates on the value of error correction, especially in relation to ‘World Englishes’, language accuracy remains a key factor in determining academic success. This is of particular concern in the South African multi-lingual context and in the light of the under-performance of South African students as evidenced in international comparative studies. The implications of the bimodal pattern of distribution in the review findings are discussed and pedagogically appropriate approaches and intervention strategies are suggested. / English Studies / M.A. (TESOL (Teaching English to speakers of other languages))

The general aim of this research was to investigate whether a relationship exists between the perceptions of job characteristics, job satisfaction (JS) and organisational commitment (OC) of e-tutors in a virtual work environment in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) university in South Africa. Considering the nature of the virtual work environment and the Job Characteristics Model (JCM), the design of e-tutors’ jobs does not encompass some of the core dimensions. This creates certain distinctive issues in terms of how e-tutors work, relate and communicate with their supervisors and co-workers. This has the potential to negatively affect their levels of JS and OC and increase their intention to leave the organisation. Accordingly, a quantitative survey was conducted on a sample of 279 (n = 279) e-tutors serving contracts at an ODL institution in South Africa. An exploratory factor analysis in the absence of good fit revealed a three-factor model for job characteristics, a two-factor model for JS, and a three-factor model for OC. Moreover, a correlational analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between perceptions of job characteristics, JS, and OC. A bivariate-partial correlation revealed that the relationship between job characteristics and JS is stronger than the relationship between job characteristics and OC. Following these correlations, a regression analysis was done to test the influencing nature of job characteristics on JS and OC. Accordingly, the results revealed that 26% of the effect of JS on OC is mediated by job characteristics. Tests for statistically significant mean differences revealed no significant difference between male and female e-tutors, nor differences in terms of their job tenure. However, in terms of educational background, significant mean differences were found between e-tutors holding undergraduate degrees and those holding postgraduate degrees. In order to determine which colleges differ significantly, multiple comparison tests were done, but the results revealed no significant individual differences. These results are applicable to similar populations and may help to improve the work experiences of other virtual workers. In addition, it is envisioned that they may help to improve human resource management practices in virtual work environments. / Human Resource Management / M. Com. (Human Resource Management)

This thesis reports on the findings of a study to validate an assessment scale for writing in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) context by first-year students in their responses to English literary texts. The study involved the interrogation of an existing scale, adapted from Jacobs et al. (1981), which was being used for the Foundations in English Literary Studies (ENG1501) module at the University of South Africa. Despite the credibility of the original scale, the modified version had been used in language- and literature-based courses in the English Studies Department since 1998 and had not been updated or empirically tested in the context of the target group. Thus, the gap that this current study addressed was the need for a valid rating scale that takes into account the complexities of literature teaching and ODL in the current South African university environment. This thesis includes a review of the debate on validity and the validation of rating scales both internationally and in South Africa, the ODL environment, and the assessment of assignments based on literary texts, particularly in the multicultural South African context. The methodology included research of both a quantitative and a qualitative nature. The outcome was an empirically-validated scale that should contribute to the quest for accuracy in assessing academic writing and meet the formative and summative assessment needs of the target group / English Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (English)

This research was aimed at the optimisation of the usability of content-rich computer and mobile based e-learning material. The goal was to preserve the advantages of paper based material in designing optimised modules that were mobile and computer-based, but at the same time avoiding the pitfalls of converting traditional paper based learning material for use on screen. A mobile eye tracker was used to analyse how students studied similar course content on paper, and on mobile device. Screen based eye tracking was also used to analyse how participants studied corresponding content on a desktop screen. Eye movements which were recorded by an eye tracker revealed the sequences of fixations and saccades on the text that was read by each participant. By analysing and comparing the eye gaze patterns of students reading the same content on three different delivery platforms, the differences between these platforms were identified in terms of their delivery of content rich, text based study material. The results showed that more students read online content on a computer screen than on mobile devices. The inferential analysis revealed that the differences in reading duration, comprehension, linearity and fixation count on the three platforms were insignificant. There were significant differences in saccade length. This analysis was used to identify strong aspects of the respective platforms and consequently derive guidelines for using these aspects optimally to design content rich material for delivery on computer screen and mobile device. The limitations of each platform were revealed and guidelines for avoiding these were derived / Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)