Published Article / This paper reports on a mixed methods study that investigated access to, use, and perceptions of current and emerging technologies among Information Technology (IT) staff and students at universities of technology (UoTs) in South Africa. Fifty-eight IT staff and 410 IT students from 4 UoTs participated in the study. The primary research instrument was an online survey questionnaire, which was supplemented by semi-structured interviews with 31 of the study participants. Web investigations and conversations with IT support staff from UoTs also formed part of the mixed methods employed in the study. The findings of the online survey are analysed both from individual institutional perspectives and in aggregate form representative of the sector as a whole. Cross tabulations are used to analyse the data across institutions. The quantitative analysis reveals interesting trends and patterns in how students and staff are taking advantage of the potential held by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for teaching and learning and for use in their daily lives. The qualitative findings question the assumptions that have been made about a digital divide between digital native students and their digital immigrant lecturers, suggesting that we need to develop a more sophisticated understanding of the role that technologies play in the lives of both students and staff. Results indicate that while students are very enthusiastic about using various ICTs and Web 2.0 tools, most have still to be convinced about their use for formal academic functions. Academic staff, on the other hand, continues to be cautiously optimistic about the use of ICTs in teaching and still harbour a number of concerns.

TITLE: Multimedia applications in French language teaching SUMMARY: This thesis describes the possibilities of using tablets as educational devices within learning French as a foreign language. The work has a theoretical part and a practical part. In the theoretical part the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the educational process is defined. Tablet is characterized and classified in the system of didactic tools. Studies that have dealt with the teaching and learning via tablets are presented and programmes that enable equipping schools with these devices are mentioned. The way of teaching is transforming due to the upcoming educational technology and also the teacher's role in the process of education is changing. The practical part provides a critical review of the applications available in the App Store, which can be used for the development of different language skills in French class and beyond. Furthermore the thesis offers methodological instructions as a teacher's support. Through these materials, lessons containing work with authentic French applications could be introduced in class. The contribution of this thesis is thus both a critical review of selected educational applications that can serve as basic information for newcomers to the environment of multimedia...

SUMMARY: This thesis presents the possibilities and benefits of the use of anchoring vignettes method in educational science, in connection with information and communication technologies (ICT). It is the first ever use of the anchoring vignettes method in this field. In its theoretical part, the thesis introduces the works of other authors in which research was done with the use of self- assessment questions. It also shows the research using the anchoring vignettes method, and research in which this methodology was used in educational science. The practical part presents the results of the author's own survey, which shows the diversity of self-assessment of ICT knowledge and skills of Year 1 and 2 students at secondary schools. The thesis proves distinctive subjectivity in students' self-assessment, different usage of the scale by respondents and the purposefullness of using the anchoring vignettes method in this field. First and foremost, it shows an entirely different self-assessment of students of different study programmes, genders etc. before and after the correction using the anchoring vignettes method.

His thesis deals with . the issues of measuring and managing projects In the first part the author describes the methodics of IS/ICT management, such as ITIL, COBIT, MMDIS and BSC and also some methologies of IT project management as PMBoK, PRINCE2, or ValIT MMDISŘíP After analysis of this metodology, there was constructed metrics model, which is based on these methodologies and uses metrics that are contained in methodologies, or the metrics are logically derived from these methodologies.In the second part the author describes the characteristics and usage of this model. For application were used data of the 20 projects from the course 4IT414 IS/ICT Project Management. The conclusion contains an analysis and evaluation of data generated by this model. Keywords: Project methodology, Methodology for IS/ICT Management, Metric, Model metrics, project evaluation.

Nanopartículas de prata foram preparadas pela redução química de íons prata (AgNO3) por borohidreto de sódio (NaBH4) na presença de poli-(N)-vinil-2-pirrolidona em solução de álcoois de cadeia curta. As nanopartículas de prata apresentaram maior estabilidade em 2- propanol, e o diâmetro aproximado das nanopartículas Ag0 obtidas neste solvente é de aproximadamente 6 nm. As propriedades fotofísicas dos corantes coumarinas e derivados de acridina, em 2-propanol, são afetados pela presença das nanopartículas de prata. A interação das nanopartículas de prata com os derivados de acridina leva a uma mudança espectral da banda de absorção de transferência de carga intramolecular ´ICT - intramolecular charge transfer´. Para dois dos derivados de acridina, há um aumento significativo de emissão com a adição inicial de nanopartículas de Ag0. Mas em altas concentrações de nanopartículas de prata, ocorre supressão estática de fluorescência, com uma progressiva diminuição da eficiência de fluorescência. A intensidade de fluorescência das amino coumarinas é somente suprimida pela presença de nanopartículas de prata em solução. / Silver nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical reduction of silver ions by sodium borohydride in the presence of poly-(N)-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone in solution of short chain alcohols. The nanoparticles are stable in 2-propanol, and the average diameter of the Ag colloid obtained in this solvent is about 6 nm. The photophysical properties of acridinium and coumarin dyes in 2-propanol are affected by the presence of silver nanoparticles. The interaction of silver nanoparticles with acridinium derivative leads to a spectral change of its intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) absorption band. The dye emission increases suddenly with the initial addition of the Ag metal nanoparticles, but at a high concentration of the colloid, static fluorescence quenching occurs with a progressive decrease of the fluorescence efficiency. Amino coumarin fluorescence is only quenched by the silver nanoparticles in solution in the concentration range used.

Although literature reveals that significant efforts have been made to study ICT adoption and diffusion, the diversity of research in terms of theory and methodology is very low. Most studies have relied on traditional adoption theories (e.g., TAM and DOI) and these theories are not capable of providing rich explanantion on how the adoption and post-adoption develop over time. It is argued here that ICT adoption involves multi-dimensional and complex issues. These issues range from how various roles played by actors in emerging ICT are accounted for to ensuring successful adoption. Therefore, this research aims to advance our understanding of emerging ICT adoptions in SMEs from a dynamic process perspective. The specific objectives of this research are to: establish the stages of the dynamic process, identify the key actors and their roles, explore the critical factors affecting the emerging ICT adoption process, identify the challenges and provide recommendations and implications for stakeholders in promoting future adoption and diffusion in UK SMEs. The research adopts a social-technical approach that challenges the ideas of the mainstream thinkers. More specifically, it adopts Actor Network Theory (ANT). The key ANT concepts that influenced the empirical investigation are inscription, translation, framing and stabilisation. The research adopted a qualitative method using face to face interviews. Two rounds of data collection were undertaken. The first round started with a theoretical review, the analysis of relevant literature, and unstructured interviews mainly with small business managers. Eleven interviews were carried out. The second round of interviews was semi-structured with key human actors identified in the first round of interviews. A total of fifteen interviews were conducted. They included the small business manager; SMEs service sector customers, government agencies, SMEs consultants, and IT vendors. The aim was to further explore the dynamic adoption process, the roles and challenges of actors and to validate the outcomes of the findings. The analysis was guided by a hybrid approach of thematic analysis using NVivo software. The study proposed and validated a conceptual framework that illustrates the dynamic process of emerging ICT adoption in SMEs from the Actor Network Theory perspective. This framework helps to understand the adoption process, actors involved, actors’ roles and interactions, and the critical factors. Using the key concepts of ANT as the basis of the investigation, the findings identify a number of key activities associated with the adoption process. These activities include: problem assessment and evaluation, concept generation and evaluation, concept specification, product outsourcing /role delegation, misalignment and alignment of interests, product trial, product modification, adaptation, and impact and problem redefinition. These activities reveal that adoption of emerging ICT in a small business context is not constant, straightforward and certain; instead it is unpredictable, dynamic, and an on-going and reiterative process. ANT concepts were further used to analyse and categorise 20 roles that different actors play, 15 critical factors influencing emerging ICT adoption in SMEs, and the challenges facing actors. While all of these roles, factors, and challenges are critical, in this study, the findings reveal that monitoring and legislation are the most recurring roles at each stage. Furthermore, ease of use, managerial time, shared support, customer focus and adoption costs are the factors affecting the success of multiple stages (three stages). Finally, the thesis presents the contributions and implications for both research and practice in future adoption and diffusion.

The purpose of this study is to examine the digital competence a the part of the workforce who didn’t get any education in the subject, we have also examined how they have compensated for this lack of education. We have done this by using semi-structured interviews with five individuals working in the public sector who use IT-systems in their daily work but who aren’t IT-specialists. Through the study we found that all of the people we interviewed were digitally competent and throughout their careers they have relied heavily on their social network at the workplace to gain and develop their digital competence. / Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka den digitala kompetensen hos den del av arbetskraften som inte fick någon utbildning i ämnet, vi har också granskat hur de har kompenserat för denna brist på utbildning. Vi har gjort detta genom att använda semistrukturerade intervjuer av fem personer som arbetar inom den offentliga verksamhet, vilka använder IT-system i sitt dagliga arbete men som inte är IT-specialister. Genom studien hittade vi att alla  intervjupersonerna var digitalt kompetenta och genom sin karriär så litade de mycket på sitt sociala nätverk för att skapa och utveckla sin digitala kompetens.

Nanopartículas de prata foram preparadas pela redução química de íons prata (AgNO3) por borohidreto de sódio (NaBH4) na presença de poli-(N)-vinil-2-pirrolidona em solução de álcoois de cadeia curta. As nanopartículas de prata apresentaram maior estabilidade em 2- propanol, e o diâmetro aproximado das nanopartículas Ag0 obtidas neste solvente é de aproximadamente 6 nm. As propriedades fotofísicas dos corantes coumarinas e derivados de acridina, em 2-propanol, são afetados pela presença das nanopartículas de prata. A interação das nanopartículas de prata com os derivados de acridina leva a uma mudança espectral da banda de absorção de transferência de carga intramolecular ´ICT - intramolecular charge transfer´. Para dois dos derivados de acridina, há um aumento significativo de emissão com a adição inicial de nanopartículas de Ag0. Mas em altas concentrações de nanopartículas de prata, ocorre supressão estática de fluorescência, com uma progressiva diminuição da eficiência de fluorescência. A intensidade de fluorescência das amino coumarinas é somente suprimida pela presença de nanopartículas de prata em solução. / Silver nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical reduction of silver ions by sodium borohydride in the presence of poly-(N)-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone in solution of short chain alcohols. The nanoparticles are stable in 2-propanol, and the average diameter of the Ag colloid obtained in this solvent is about 6 nm. The photophysical properties of acridinium and coumarin dyes in 2-propanol are affected by the presence of silver nanoparticles. The interaction of silver nanoparticles with acridinium derivative leads to a spectral change of its intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) absorption band. The dye emission increases suddenly with the initial addition of the Ag metal nanoparticles, but at a high concentration of the colloid, static fluorescence quenching occurs with a progressive decrease of the fluorescence efficiency. Amino coumarin fluorescence is only quenched by the silver nanoparticles in solution in the concentration range used.

This diploma thesis focuses on the issue of implementation of ERP system for small company, and proposes a solution to create a custom enterprise system for e-commerce, which is integrated with the ERP system. Author´s proposals are conceived in the form of a project, including definition of goals, definition of the logical framework, time analysis, risk analysis and economic evaluation.

Abstract Technological advancement in the field of information-and-communication technologies (ICT) was rapid during the first decade of the new millennium. Universities started to use the new information-and-communication technologies more in their core processes, which speeded up their transformation from the traditional campus mode toward virtual universities. Research done in this thesis first investigates the traditional campus university’s change process toward the virtual university model. During the implementation process a geographically distributed e-learning concept was also developed for university use. This concept was transferred and researched in the small and medium enterprise (SME) context in the last part of this research. In large and complex organizations such as universities, it is difficult to find out how the change really was implemented. The literature on change management is voluminous but is dominated by descriptions of single projects. To overcome the limitations of such case studies, this research applies a longer and wider perspective to the change process and, by the introduction of an overarching method that categorizes the investments, shows more clearly the trends, stages of, and the barriers to the development. This long-term study is based on 116 development projects during a ten-year period in a decentralized and networked development environment. In the company setting, conventional training is being replaced more and more by e-learning. To scaffold SMEs in their e-learning adaptation, the concept of e-learning was transferred to the SME environment. The company cases’ part of the thesis presents how the transferability of geographically distributed e-learning concept was developed and tested in the SME environment. As a result, the principles that guided ICT strategy implementation and how the strategies were implemented during a ten-year period are presented. The concept for geographically distributed e-learning environments and its development are also introduced. Finally, the process and results from the concept implementation to the SME environment are presented. This thesis presents university management with an understanding of how larger long-term trends give us the possibility to better understand today’s fast-paced changes. It also gives company managers an example of how models developed in the university environment can be transferred to the company environment. / Tiivistelmä Tietotekniikan kehitys on ollut nopeaa vuosituhannen vaihteen jälkeen monilla aloilla. Yliopistoissa sitä on alettu käyttää yhä enemmän osana perustoimintoja, mikä on edistänyt niiden kehitystä traditionaalisista kampusyliopistoista kohti virtuaaliyliopistoja. Tämän tutkimuksen ensimmäisessä osassa on tarkasteltu perinteisen kampusyliopiston muutosprosessia kohti aktiivisesti uutta teknologiaa hyödyntävää yliopistoa ja toisessa osassa muutosten yhtenä tuloksena syntynyt konsepti siirrettiin yritysympäristöön. Yliopistossa muutos toteutettiin määrittelemällä ensin tavoitteet strategioiksi ja sen jälkeen niiden toimeenpanoprosessin avulla. Suurissa organisaatioissa, kuten yliopistoissa, on vaikea hahmottaa kuinka muutokset todellisuudessa toteutetaan. Kirjallisuutta ja tutkimusta organisaatiomuutoksen toteuttamisesta on paljon, mutta suuri osa siitä keskittyy tarkastelemaan yhden projektin aikana tapahtunutta muutosta. Tässä tutkimuksessa on pyritty esittämään laajempi ja pitkäkestoisempi kuva muutosprosessista. Tutkimus pohjautuu 116 kehitysprojektin saamaan rahoitukseen kymmenen vuoden ajalta. Sen avulla on tarkasteltu yliopiston kehitystrendejä ja keskeisiä kehityskohteita. Rahoitus on jaettu projekteille strategioissa määriteltyjen tavoitteiden mukaisesti strategioiden toimeenpanemiseksi. Osana toimeenpanoprosessia syntyi yliopistokäyttöön maantieteellisesti hajautetun oppimisympäristön konsepti. Yritysympäristössä perinteinen koulutus on korvattu yhä useammin teknologiaa hyödyntävillä koulutuksen muodoilla. Pienillä ja keskisuurilla yrityksillä on kuitenkin varsin rajoitetut resurssit koulutuksessa käytettävien teknologioiden käyttöönottoon ja tehokkaaseen käyttöön. Tämän tutkimuksen toisessa osassa yrityksen maantieteellisesti hajautetun oppimisympäristön käyttöönottoa pyrittiin tukemaan tarjoamalla sen käyttöön valmis yliopistoympäristössä kehitetty konsepti. Tämän konseptin siirrettävyyttä ja käyttöönottoa tutkittiin tutkimuksen toisessa osassa. Tämän tutkimuksen tuloksena esitetään periaatteet, jotka ohjasivat yliopiston tieto- ja viestintätekniikan opetuskäytön strategian laadintaa ja toimeenpanoa vuosina 2000–2009. Lisäksi esitellään maantieteellisesti hajautetun oppimisympäristön konsepti. Lopuksi esitellään konseptin käyttöönottoa yritysympäristössä. Tämä väitöskirja esittelee yliopiston johdolle ja toimijoille, kuinka pitkäkestoisten trendien tunteminen auttaa ymmärtämään nykyhetkeä ja sen nopeita muutoksia. Yritysjohdolle väitöskirja tarjoaa esimerkin, kuinka yliopistoympäristöön kehitetty konsepti voidaan siirtää yritysympäristöön.