This study was conceptualised within a social-constructivist ontological orientation and, further, uses an interpretive epistemological lens to extract information from the participants who are coming from different life worlds. This thesis, Effective assessment in open distance and e-learning: using the Signature Courses at the University of South Africa as a model for future practice, investigated how emerging information communication technologies (ICTs) can be used to transform, enhance and influence student assessment practices in Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) contexts. The ultimate objective of the study was to establish assessment guidelines for effective student assessment in distance education using technology as an enabler. To achieve the objectives of this study, a mixed methods research methodology was adopted in which Unisa lecturers’ and first-year students’ experiences, perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs regarding the use of ICT as a tool to enhance and influence student assessment were sought. Despite some limitations, the study was able to reveal that technology has the potential to influence student-lecturer, and student-peer interaction thereby bridging the isolation gap that normally exists between them. Further, these potential benefits also include the identification of teaching strengths and weaknesses, the indication of areas where instructional change or modification is needed, and the application of more effective means of interacting with students. A key function of this study, therefore, is to help the lecturers involved in higher learning assessment to use technology effectively and efficiently to enhance assessment practices as a means of maintaining both the academic standards and enhancing the quality of the student learning experience. In addition, the study has shown that technology has the potential to enhance and influence student learning and motivation. Furthermore, this study made theoretical and practical contributions to the literature on information communication technology implementation on lecturers’ and students’ pedagogical and technological readiness to online learning and assessment in open distance and e-learning. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The research in this dissertation of limited scope aimed to identify theories of education for effective teaching and learning when using Web2.0 technology in distance education. The rationale for such a study is based on the premise that, globally, the dawn of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is bringing about a rapid technological growth and innovative information communication technology (ICT) tools which are utilised in distance education. The increase in connections across the globe has also seen an increase in online learning as the barriers of time and space have been bridged. These advances in technology have a direct impact on the education system which needs to experience a similar exponential development in the guiding theories for universities offering distance learning using Web2.0 technology. Qualitative research methods were used to conduct an integrative literature review of the most utilised pedagogical theories over time. The pedagogical principles were applied to the requirements for effective online teaching and learning to develop a guideline to determine which pedagogical principles and combinations are therefore applicable to 21st century distance education. The finding is that no one pedagogical theory researched in this study can be isolated to be applied to online learning, but rather that a combination – in varying degrees – will support an effective online teaching and learning environment. A document analysis was conducted to understand the current guidelines provided for e-learning in selected South African universities. This analysis indicated that there is much room for development to separate the traditional classroom policies from the online learning policies at higher education institutions. Summaries of applications and tools for effective online learning were presented, along with recommendations for developments within the field and for further research. / Die navorsing in hierdie verhandeling van beperkte omvang, is uitgevoer om opvoedkundeteorieë vir doeltreffende onderrig en leer wanneer Web2.0-tegnologie in afstandsonderrig gebruik word, te identifiseer. Die beweegrede vir sodanige studie is gebaseer op die uitgangspunt dat die aanbreek van die Vierde Nywerheidsomwenteling wêreldwyd aanleiding gee tot snelle tegnologievooruitgang en innoverende hulpmiddele vir inligtings- en kommunikasietegnologie (IKT) wat in afstandsonderrig gebruik word. Die toename in verbindings oor die wêreld heen het ook ʼn toename in aanlynleer meegebring, aangesien hindernisse ten opsigte van tyd en ruimte oorbrug is. Hierdie vooruitgang in tegnologie het ʼn direkte impak op die opvoedingstelsel, wat soortgelyke eksponensiële ontwikkeling in die rigtinggewende teorieë vir universiteite wat afstandsleer deur middel van Web2.0-tegnologie aanbied, moet ervaar. Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes is gebruik om ʼn geïntegreerde literatuuroorsig uit te voer van die pedagogiese teorieë wat oor tyd die meeste gebruik is. Die pedagogiese beginsels is toegepas op die vereistes vir doeltreffende aanlynonderrig en -leer om ʼn riglyn te ontwikkel ten einde te bepaal watter pedagogiese beginsels en kombinasies dus betrekking het op afstandsonderrig in die 21ste eeu. Die bevinding is dat geen pedagogiese teorie wat in hierdie studie ondersoek is, uitgesonder kan word vir toepassing op aanlynleer nie, maar eerder dat ʼn kombinasie – in wisselende mate – ʼn doeltreffende omgewing vir aanlynonderrig en -leer sal ondersteun. ʼn Dokumentontleding is gedoen om insig te verkry rakende die huidige riglyne vir e-leer wat by uitgesoekte Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite gegee word. Die ontleding het getoon dat daar baie ruimte vir ontwikkeling is om die tradisionele klaskamerbeleide te skei van die aanlynleerbeleide by hoëronderwysinstellings. Opsommings van aansoeke en hulpmiddele vir doeltreffende aanlynleer is voorgehou, sowel as aanbevelings vir ontwikkelings op die studieterrein en vir verdere navorsing. / Kolu phando lungenamhlaba ubanzi kakhulu kujoliswe ekufumaniseni iingcingane zemfundo zokufundisa nokufunda kwabo bafunda bekude besetyenzisa isixhobo sobuchwepheshe beintanethi esibizwa ngokuba yiWeb2.0. Intsusa yolu phando iphuma kuluvo lokuba iNguqukazi Yorhwebo Yesine, i-4IR idala ukukhula okungummangaliso kwimisebenzi yezobuchwepheshe kunye nokuqanjwa kwezixhobo zobuchwepheshe bonxibelelwano lolwazi ezisetyenziswa ngabafundi abafunda bekude. Likhulile inani labantu abaqhagamshelanayo kwihlabathi liphela kwaye oku kunyuse inani labafundi abafunda bekude besebenzisa i-intanethi, ngenxa yokuba iphelisiwe imida yexesha kunye nendawo yokufundela. Ezi ndlela zintsha ziqanjwayo kwezobuchwepheshe zinefuthe elithe ngqo kwinkqubo yezemfundo, nedinga ukukhuliswa kweengcingane zokufundisa kwiiyunivesithi ezifundisa abafundi abafunda bekude, besebenzisa ubuchwepheshe beWeb2.0. Kuye kwasetyenziswa indlela yophando ngokuzathuza (qualitative) ekuphengululeni uncwadi olungezona ngcingane zokufundisa zisetyenziswe kakhulu ngexesha elithile. Kusetyenziswe iinqobo zokufundisa eziyimfuneko ekufundeni nasekufundiseni ngeintanethi okusebenzayo, ukwenzela ukufumanisa ukuba zeziphi ezona zifanelekileyo kwimfundo yabakude kule nkulungwane yama-21. Kufunyaniswe ukuba akukho ngcingane yokufundisa inokusebenza yodwa ekufundiseni ngeintanethi, koko kunokusetyenziswa umxube – ngokushiyana kwemigangatho yawo – ukuze kuxhaswe imiba yokufundisa abafundi abahleli emakhaya bejongene neekhompyutha zabo. Kwenziwe uhlalutyo lwemibhalo ekhoyo ukuze kuqondisiswe ukuba zeziphi izikhokelo ezikhoyo zemfundo esebenzisa izixhobo zobuchwepheshe kwiiYunivevisithi ezichongiweyo zaseMzantsi Afrika. Olu hlalutyo lubonakalise ukuba usemninzi umhlaba ekufanele ukuba unyathelwe ukuze kwahlukaniswe imigaqo nkqubo yesiqhelo yokufundela egumbini lokufundela naleyo yokufunda ngeintanethi kumaziko emfundo ephakamileyo. Kuziswe ngaphambili izishwankathelo zeendlela zokusebenza kunye nezixhobo zokufunda okusebenzayo kubafundi abafunda bekude, kwacetyiswa kwakhona iindlela zokuphuhlisa neminye imiba ekusafanele ukuba kuphandwe ngayo. / Institute for Open and Distance Learning (IODL) / M. Ed. (Open and Distance Learning)

Teachers tend to use traditional teaching methods, even though young learners are more digitally oriented. The purpose of this study was to analyse teachers' understanding and practices in grade R classes to clarify their use of digital play for language acquisition. The participants consisted of eight grade R teachers at one selected primary school in an urban area that had access to digital technology. Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory as a theoretical framework informed this study. This qualitative single case study generated data from teacher participants and their interaction with the learners. The data generation included semi-structured individual interviews, focus group interviews, and non-participant observations. Analyses to answer the research questions were conducted by means of thematic analysis. The main finding was that grade R teachers have some knowledge and understanding of digital play and they are willing to try new games, but they feel they need to know more about digital technology and the use of digital games for language acquisition. Recommendations include the need for the development of more digital games relevant to language acquisition and for teachers to adopt relevant pedagogies to benefit from available digital games. A similar study in a rural area and a comparison between this study and such a study will then be useful in determining teachers' understanding and use of digital play for language acquisition. / Onderwysers is geneig om tradisionele onderrigmetodes te gebruik, selfs al is jong leerders meer digitaal georiënteerd. Die doel van hierdie studie was om onderwysers se begrip en praktyke in graad R-klasse te ontleed, om hul gebruik van digitale spel vir taalverwerwing duidelik te maak. Die deelnemers het bestaan uit agt graad R-onderwysers by een uitgesoekte laerskool in ʼn stedelike gebied, met toegang tot digitale tegnologie. Hierdie studie is geïnspireer deur Bronfenbrenner se ekologiese stelselteorie as ʼn teoretiese raamwerk. Hierdie kwalitatiewe enkelgevallestudie het data van onderwyser-deelnemers en hul interaksie met die leerders gegenereer. Die datagenerering het halfgestruktureerde individuele onderhoude, fokusgroeponderhoude en niedeelnemer-waarnemings ingesluit. Die vernaamste gevolgtrekking was dat graad R-onderwysers oor ʼn mate van kennis en begrip van digitale spel beskik en dat hulle bereid is om nuwe speletjies te probeer, maar hulle voel hulle behoort meer te weet van digitale tegnologie en die gebruik van digitale speletjies vir taalverwerwing. Aanbevelings sluit in: die behoefte aan die ontwikkeling van meer digitale speletjies wat op taalverwerwing betrekking het; en dat onderwysers tersaaklike pedagogieë moet inspan om uit die beskikbare digitale speletjies voordeel te trek. ʼn Soortgelyke studie in ʼn landelike gebied en ʼn vergelyking tussen hierdie studie en so ʼn studie sal dan nuttig wees om onderwysers se begrip en gebruik van digitale spel vir taalverwerwing te bepaal. / Barutiši ba na le go šomiša mekgwa ya sekgale ya go ruta, le ge e le gore baithuti ba baswa ba na le tsebo ya theknolotši. Morero wa nyakišišo ye e be e le go sekaseka mašomelo le kwešišo ya barutiši ka diphapošing tša kreiti R go hlalosa tšhomišo ya bona ya papadi ya ditšitale ya go ithuta polelo. Bakgathatema ba bopilwe ke barutiši ba seswai ba kreiti R sekolong se se kgethilwego sa poraemari ka nagasetoropong seo se nago le theknolotši ya ditšitale. Teori ya mekgwa ya ekolotši ya Bronfenbrenner bjalo ka foreimiweke ya teori e thekgile nyakišišo ye. Kheisesetati ye e tee ya khwalithethifi e tšweleditše datha go tšwa go bakgathatema ba e lego barutiši le kopano ya bona le baithuti. Tšweletšo ya datha e akareditše dipoledišano tša motho o tee ka o tee tša go beakanywa seripa, dipoledišano tša go nepiša sehlopha, le ditlhokomelo tša ba go se kgathe tema. Ditshekatsheko go araba dipotšišo tša dinyakišišo di dirilwe ka go šomiša tshekatsheko ya thematiki. Kutullo ye kgolo e bile gore barutiši ba kreiti R ba na le tsebo le kwešišo ye nyane ya papadi ya ditšitale le gore ba rata go leka dipapadi tše diswa, eupša ba kwa ba nyaka go tseba tše ntši ka ga theknolotši ya ditšitale le tšhomišo ya dipapadi tša ditšitale tša go ithuta polelo. Ditšhišinyo di akaretša nyakego ya tlhabollo ya dipapadi tša ditšitale tše ntši tša maleba go ithuteng polelo le gore baithuti ba amogela serutiši sa maleba gore ba holege dipapading tša ditšitale. Nyakišišo ye bjalo nagamagaeng le papišo gare ga nyakišišo ye le nyakišišo ye bjalo gona e tla ba le mohola taetšong ya kwešišo ya barutiši le tšhomišo ya papadi ya ditšitale ya go ithuta polelo. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)