Medication administration errors (MAEs) may lead to adverse drug events, patient morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and increased readmission rates, and may contribute to major financial losses for the health system. MAEs are the most common type of error occurring within the health care setting leading to an estimated 7,000 patient deaths every year. Interventions have been designed to prevent MAEs including education for nurses who administer medications; however, little effort has been made to design systematic educational programs that are based on local needs and contexts. The purpose of this project was to identify internal and external factors related to MAEs at the practice site, develop an education program tailored to the factors contributing to MAEs, and implement the program using a pretest posttest design. The Iowa model was used to guide the project. The 26 nurse participants who responded to an initial survey indicated that nurses felt distractions and interruptions during medication administration, and hesitancy to ask for help or to report medication errors increased MAE risks. After the education program, the pretest and posttest results were analyzed and revealed improvement in knowledge and confidence of medication administration (M = 3.2 pre, M = 3.7 post, p < .05). Open-ended question responses suggested a need for dedicated time for preparation and administration of medications without interruptions. Positive social change is possible as nurses become knowledgeable and confident about medication administration safety and as patients are protected from injury secondary to MAEs.

The effective and sustainable use of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) in education has become commonplace as it is necessary to keep up with demands of the 21st century. ICT in education has become a tool for the empowerment of both teachers and learners for better teaching and learning. Although various ICT strategies and initiatives are implemented across South Africa, no system-wide effective and sustainable ICT integration in schools has yet come about. The pace of integration is slow and teachers avoid using ICT in their teaching and learning practices due to insufficient training. The aim of teacher professional development (TPD) is to improve teachers’ ICT application skills and knowledge, as well as to enable teachers to integrate ICT effectively in their classroom practices. Principals play a vital role in leading school reform, implementing innovations and bringing about change. The widespread assumption that high-quality leadership is an essential dimension of successful school management, leads to the question of how principals can influence teachers’ effective and sustainable integration of ICT into classrooms through TPD activities. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to determine the influence that principals have on teachers’ ICT integration through TPD. As school leadership is frequently cited as an essential for the successful integration of ICT into education, the very position of the principal is associated with authority, accountability and power. My initial research is based on Stoner’s (1999) Adapted Life Cycle Model of Learning Technology Integration. I used this model to illustrate the principals’ influence on teachers’ integration of ICT into education. From this review subsidiary questions emerged. Qualitative research through in-depth interviews formed the basis of an interpretative perspective, allowing principals to reflect on ICT integration, as well as their influence on teachers’ use of ICT. This study followed a basic grounded theory approach where I assumed an inductive stance and strived to derive meaning from the data in order to develop new theory. Pre-defined theoretical criteria determined the selection of the respondents to ensure validity of the data. The seven principals represented secondary schools across cultural and socio-economic levels. The perceptions and experiences of the principals were analysed, compared, and patterns of influence were identified. This study indicated that principals do not only influence the integration of ICT in classrooms through their leadership and management styles, but also through their attitude toward ICT integration, knowledge on related ICT and TPD issues, as well as their strategic thinking on ICT integration. Emerging findings on the role of the principal lead to new insights on the empowerment of teachers. The study resulted in a proposed theoretical framework that indicates the interrelatedness of the emerging patterns that influence the principals’ role through TPD. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

This study was devoted to researching the effectiveness of e-learning, in terms of the reported experiences of the Language Services section employees in Parliament RSA. At present, the internet is seen as a successful and influential educational tool in both academic and corporate institutions. Academically, it has been adopted for e-learning methods of teaching and learning. It is perceived as a cost-effective method of providing lifelong education. It is important to know about the pros and cons of e-learning in adult education and compare them with the experiences of the people who are and have been engaged in adult education. To create an adult education skills development framework that can be used successfully in e-learning, it is important to get information about and from the people concerned regarding their learning experiences. To understand more about the influence of e-learning, this study administered a questionnaire to the employees of the Language Services Section of Parliament who participated in the pilot learning programmes offered by Parliament. The questionnaire was designed to gather structured responses from the participants in the inquiry. The results were studied and applied to draw recommendations for what can be improved in the programme to promote and endorse continuing learning experiences as is the aim of the in-house programme offered by Parliament. The study also has relevance in terms of a discussion of issues that arise in the literature on adult education, which were located as part of the study. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

This thesis deals with proposal for an education program for employees of UHS JAKOS, a.s. which implemented a new information system 3 year ago and because of this they are planning to implement a bar codes. The analysis was realized by questionnaire survey between the employees who will work with the bar codes. The thesis is divided into 3 sections. The first section is theoretical and describes an education as process of change during implementing the bar codes. Next is analysis section which describes a current situation in the company by questionnaire. At the end it focuses on proposal of education program which will get easy the implementing of code bars.

This study was devoted to researching the effectiveness of e-learning, in terms of the reported experiences of the Language Services section employees in Parliament RSA. At present, the internet is seen as a successful and influential educational tool in both academic and corporate institutions. Academically, it has been adopted for e-learning methods of teaching and learning. It is perceived as a cost-effective method of providing lifelong education. It is important to know about the pros and cons of e-learning in adult education and compare them with the experiences of the people who are and have been engaged in adult education. To create an adult education skills development framework that can be used successfully in e-learning, it is important to get information about and from the people concerned regarding their learning experiences. To understand more about the influence of e-learning, this study administered a questionnaire to the employees of the Language Services Section of Parliament who participated in the pilot learning programmes offered by Parliament. The questionnaire was designed to gather structured responses from the participants in the inquiry. The results were studied and applied to draw recommendations for what can be improved in the programme to promote and endorse continuing learning experiences as is the aim of the in-house programme offered by Parliament. The study also has relevance in terms of a discussion of issues that arise in the literature on adult education, which were located as part of the study. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

The knowledge-driven, network society is founded upon technology. Educators need to implement technology effectively into the three main pillars of education, namely teaching, learning and assessment. This would assist students to become independent, confident and motivated life-long, self-directed learners that can use technology effectively in an educational environment. It would also ensure that graduates are able to become change agents, transferring their knowledge, skills and values to others in their communities. Alternative assessment methods that are technology driven could enable both educators and students to become more effective in a network society. This study advocates the use of alternative assessment methods by using technology driven assessment tools for possible replacement of traditional, paper based and "one size fits all" assessment methods within the subject field of Theology. Document analysis was used in a broad sense to evaluate technology-based multimedia documents. Ten documents were identified and evaluated as possible alternatives for traditional assessment methods. Inter-rater reliability ensured that the investigation provided constant estimates and results. The SECTIONS model used for this evaluation provided opportunities to include criteria important for higher education, the use of technology and subject relevant information to ensure that the evaluation was done with a specific purpose and scope in mind; to find technology-based tools that can substitute traditional assessment tools in order to enhance effective education to students. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Open and Distance Learning)

The knowledge-driven, network society is founded upon technology. Educators need to implement technology effectively into the three main pillars of education, namely teaching, learning and assessment. This would assist students to become independent, confident and motivated life-long, self-directed learners that can use technology effectively in an educational environment. It would also ensure that graduates are able to become change agents, transferring their knowledge, skills and values to others in their communities. Alternative assessment methods that are technology driven could enable both educators and students to become more effective in a network society. This study advocates the use of alternative assessment methods by using technology driven assessment tools for possible replacement of traditional, paper based and "one size fits all" assessment methods within the subject field of Theology. Document analysis was used in a broad sense to evaluate technology-based multimedia documents. Ten documents were identified and evaluated as possible alternatives for traditional assessment methods. Inter-rater reliability ensured that the investigation provided constant estimates and results. The SECTIONS model used for this evaluation provided opportunities to include criteria important for higher education, the use of technology and subject relevant information to ensure that the evaluation was done with a specific purpose and scope in mind; to find technology-based tools that can substitute traditional assessment tools in order to enhance effective education to students. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Open and Distance Learning)