Most universities are incorporating elements of Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALN) into their traditional classrooms. However, it is not known how well learners who are used to traditional face-to-face learning environments and who do not necessarily prefer ALN adapt when placed in such environments. This study was initiated to investigate the use of ALN with university students from traditional face-to-face classrooms. Second year Computer Science Education students from the Department of Computer Science in the Faculty of Education participated in a constructivist on-line learning environment (mixed mode of delivery). The aim of creating this constructivist learning environment using a mixed mode of delivery was to firstly create an environment for students where they can construct knowledge for themselves as well as to provide access to scholarly resources; provide access to data during student's time; promote self directed learning; enable active engagement with course content; facilitate communication with students; and to provide to some extent a way of accommodating different learning styles. A qualitative study was done on the attitudes of students to a constructivist online learning mode as compared to a total face-to-face (traditional) mode of instruction. Part of a second year module, Data Communication, was offered as an on-line module to students. The process began with converting the existing course to a mixed mode delivery form. Conversion required a re-think of the learning activities and objectives within the context of an electronic asynchronous learning environment, as well as the options and resources available, the limitations, a redesign taking note of how to meet the instructional objectives and how to assess learning. The on-line module was developed using WebCT (WebCT Inc.). The module ran for three weeks and thereafter Q-methodology and qualitative data analysis techniques (questionnaires) were used to analyse response of students to the course. The hypotheses tested where: Mastery of course material in the virtual classroom (VC) will be equal or superior to that in the traditional classroom (TC) and VC students will report higher subjective satisfaction with VC than the TC under a number of dimensions, including improved overall quality, better use of time and assessing the experience as being better in some way as when compared to TC. In addition students were able to compare this type of course delivery to total face-to-face course delivery that they took in the first semester. The results showed a positive trend towards the acceptance of a constructivist on-line environment for learning. All students involved in the mixed mode said that it was the mode of delivery that enabled them to benefit from this course, they had more contact with the lecturer and they were motivated to work. Most students felt that the efficiency and quality of education had improved. These results prove that the hypotheses were not refuted and therefore give grounds to my vision of offering existing courses in a constructivist way. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

"The physical environment in which teaching and learning occurs is being replaced with an electronic classroom, but the process of teaching is very much the same. In the second phase, however, we will begin to use technology in new ways, to advance beyond what was possible in the classroom. "Downes. (2004). This overview supports an application for a PhD by publication at the University of Glamorgan. It identifies the tensions, barriers and facilities within the field which is broadly called eLeaming, but which I prefer to term Technology Supported Leaming. Successful uses of appropriate innovative technologies by staff and students in education is not a mystical or ethereal goal. Real innovation is often driven by the passionate few, frequently developed in their own time and enthused by a real desire to make a difference to the learning of their students. This motivation is not unique, unusual or perhaps unexpected. However the real problem is in 'mainstreaming' this innovatory practice or activity, (O'Donoghue, 2006, p. vii). As contemporary society becomes increasingly diverse and complex, so does the process of preparing young people for life as independent thinkers, productive citizens, and future leaders. The changing nature of students, the collegiate experience, learning, teaching, and outcomes assessment all have substantive implications for altering educational practice. The information age has encouraged the ubiquity of a seemingly endless supply of information that is there just waiting to be internalised by students who have the ability and the inclination to interrogate the vast range of information systems available. There is a need to consider the relationship between pedagogy and technology in driving the changes to the education process and what outcomes will determine the efficacy of these new learning environments. Pedagogic determinism needs to be focused within the 'real' world of increasing financial pressures on students and educational establishments. The development of Higher Education Institutions into 'customer' focused establishments competing for students who are, in some cases, reluctant or unable to attend formal educational institutions but who want to acquire qualifications and skills creates problems for both the establishments and staff. There are associated issues which my overview addresses, such as how technology might service this cohort of people who are looking to less formal mechanisms of education, technology versus pedagogy, issues of social learning whilst being remote and yet online, issues and necessary change required if the concept of 'virtual' educational institutions are to be realised. Higher education is best seen as a process, focused on learning, in which content is combined in some way with some forms of technology, whether they be "chalk and talk," television broadcast, or an IT-based delivery platform. My conclusion is that the development of technology-based learning support structures, that is, technology based enhancements to formal teaching and learning strategies embedded in the pedagogy, will assist the education and training sector. In some ways, many of the changes currently going, economic, technological, political, are compelling us to examine issues about how we support student learning, an issue which many of us might prefer to ignore, (Bernardes and O'Donoghue, 2003). I have endeavoured to consider this within a variety of different learning contexts - nursing to engineering, (Drozd and O'Donoghue, 2007; O'Donoghue and Laoui, 2008).

Blended learning constitutes a key element of the NMMU’s Vision 2020; therefore, creating the expectation that academics from the NMMU will implement and utilise blended learning as part of their teaching pedagogy. Implementation reports drawn from Moodle (the learning management system utilised by NMMU) indicates that there are still numerous departments that are not fully utilising blended learning. The aim of this study was thus to determine the factors that impact on the acceptance and implementation of blended learning by academics at the NMMU. A modified version of the Technology Acceptance Questionnaire was electronically distributed to academics from the various NMMU campuses in order to collect the empirical data, with purposeful non-probability sampling being employed. The results indicated that factors, such as perceived usefulness, the student-centered nature of blended learning, the appeal of such environments to students, accessibility, as well as administrative- and communication benefits, had a positive influence on blended learning adoption. Lack of time and lack of knowledge with regard to blended learning use and implementation, concerns regarding accessibility, and lack of capacity and technical support were cited as issues that hampered blended learning implementation.

Submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education, in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education at the University of Zululand, 2008. / The present study is about the problem solving and the use of computer in teaching and learning of mathematics. The study was conducted to grade eight learners where basic mathematics concepts are introduced. The reason is that lack of knowledge of basic mathematics concepts, irrelevant approaches and methods used in teaching mathematics are perceived as the cause of poor performance in mathematics. Therefore if learners could master these concepts and acquire problem solving skills at elementary level they can do better in upper levels especially in grade 12. In this regard the effects of problem solving involving the use of computer at grade eight level have been investigated. The first aim was to test the effects of multidimensional approach using computer in algebra problem solving. The second aim was to determine the effects multiple representations in computer environment have on mathematics problem solving. The third aim was to determine the effects of computer assisted collaborative learning on mathematics problem solving. To achieve these aims an unstandardised achievement test and a questionnaire was administered to a sample of grade eight learners from three high schools in KwaZulu Natal. The results revealed that if problem solving is integrated with other components (dimensions) such as the teaching of facts and skills, teaching for understanding and the use of technology (computer) learners are likely to achieve better results in mathematics. The results also revealed that the use of multiple representations in expressing the mathematical concept or idea and collaboration among learners in problem solving improve learners' understanding of mathematics. The discussion of the results of this study leads to the discussion of implications of the findings and recommendations. / University of Zululand.

Not available / text

This research project forms part of a comprehensive coordinated project to determine whether it is feasible to introduce e-Education in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) public schools by 2013, as envisaged in the Department of Education's 2003 White Paper on e-Education. This project mainly focuses on human problems that need to be solved among learners in urban schools of KZN for e-Education to be introduced successfully. The following problems are under investigation: 1. Before e-Education can be introduced in public schools in KZN by 2013 it must be empirically established whether learners are ready to learn effectively in an electronically managed educational environment. 2. Before the South African education and training authorities can establish clear standardized e-learning evaluation criteria it must first be established whether such criteria exist abroad, and if they do, how they are to be applied in die emerging South African e-education context. 3. Before e-Education can be introduced in public schools in KZN it must be determined what e-Education facilities are available in public schools in KZN, to serve as base line for what facilities need to be provided to schools by the educational authorities in order for e-education to succeed. This research used a quantitative research method to ascertain what the attitudes of learners in the Umlazi District of the Ethekwini Region in KZN, are towards e-Education. The research instrument that was used was a questionnaire to collect data. 800 questionnaires were disseminated and retrieved personally by the researcher at six approved schools. The survey was conducted among learners in Grade 9 andl 1 from a random selection of urban schools in theUmlazi District by the researcher, fellow researchers and the supervisor. The researcher used all 800 responses to set up the data base. The statistical program SPSS 13 was used to process and analyze the data that was collected. The following major findings emanate from this study: 1. No significant prior empirical research has been done about the state of ereadiness of learners in KwaZulu-Natal public schools. 2. The vast majority of learners are very positive about studying in an e-education environment. 3. Very few learners have been exposed to any form of e-education. 4. According to a case study reported, neither teachers nor learners were able to make effective use of sophisticated and expensive active boards that were donated by the British Department of Trade and Industry. / Thesis (M.Admin.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Technology: Language Practice, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / The innovative application of an online educational portal in everyday teaching and learning is proposed to meet the needs of the new generation of students entering Universities of Technology (UoTs). The setting is against a background of educationally under-prepared but multimedia-literate students, and the university vision of integrating eLearning into the curriculum. The emergence of the Academic Commons Attribution has facilitated the channelling of free-to-use/open source educational information through the dedicated artefact. The investigation combined the challenges of artefact design with the necessity of authenticating subject content so that it was geared to the needs of the students in the Photography Programme. This study highlights the importance of managing knowledge so that it can be passed down to current and future generations in ways which keep pace with their exponential development of digital expertise. This research was carried out within Bhaskar’s critical realist philosophy, which argues that there is a real world which exists independently of one’s perception of it. It must be stressed that the artefact contained in the multimedia portal did not follow a linear, logical development but was a process of transformational iterative change, very similar to the developmental consistency described by Bhaskar. Bhaskar’s philosophical overview was complemented by Archer’s morphogenetic approach. The latter showed that the application of technology in teaching and learning is not just about use of “better tools” but signals a shift in social structure. The main technical challenge was for the researcher to standardise the multimedia resources so that they could be used on most personal computers, with the option of downloading short tutorials on mobile phones for later use. The resulting multimedia portal provides strong support in guiding inexperienced students and novice academics to choose resources appropriate to both the Photography curriculum and rapidly changing Industry requirements. The portal can also reduce the number of time consuming searches on various themes or topics, as it directs users to specific hyperlinked online resources in any given syllabus item. The curated educational portal is, therefore, currently being introduced as an enhancement to the traditional teaching and learning methods hitherto used in the Photography Programme. While the traditional methods have the strong humanist leanings essential for personal development, they are not geared to tackle the cutting edge technological advances required by industry. Moreover, in promoting the Durban University of Technology (DUT) as a centre using cutting-edge multimedia tuition, the portal might better establish influences with Industry (one of the core functions of a UoT) as well as attract international academics and students. The end result is to offer a blended learning model of tertiary programme delivery which is supported by the literature as currently being one of the most effective options. / D

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.

Thesis (MTech) Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / The rapid growth of digital technology has exceeded society’s expectations. The overload and pace of technological advances causes many individuals at the workplace or organisations of higher learning, such as universities of technology, to become exposed and prone to stress. Students in higher education environments often find themselves vulnerable to technological stress. The problem is that we do not know the extent of the perceived implications of techno-stress, and it is not clear what the perceived psychological and emotional implications of techno-stress may have on the academic performance of higher education students. The study investigated the perceptions and implications of techno-stress in an e-learning environment to explore and describe the implications of techno-stress; the physical, mental and behavioural outcomes also how it impacts on the academic performance of students at higher education institutions. The questions of the study were focused on finding what the implications of techno-stress are as perceived by students on their studies; what the types and elements of techno-stress that students experience at universities; what the potential causes of techno-stress are as perceived by students; and how students think techno-stress impacts on their academic performance. The qualitative methods approach was used. It was found that students were more stressed over technology when problems occur as they lack the ability to manage or control it, and it was evident that this influence had an undesirable consequence on students’ results. The research concluded that despite the importance technology plays in an e-learning environment by allowing students to conduct their research, download class material and learn online, students perceive technology as an important source of stress. Despite technology’s advantages mentioned above, technology can be unpredictable and when problems occur, students exhibit lack of skills to manage or control it. It was recommended that universities of technology such as CPUT should design a program that helps students to cope with techno-stress.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies))-University of Pretoria, 2006. / Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.