Thesis (M.A. (Media Studies) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / This study explored the uses of Facebook by youth in the Vhembe District Municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa. It is exploratory qualitative research. The research sample consisted of twenty (20) respondents both 10 males and 10 females whose ages range between 18 and 29 years who are on Facebook. Purposive sampling was adopted for the study to sample the study population members. The method used to collect data was the structured interview. The data collected from research respondents were analysed in themes and sub-themes using texts and tables. The study found that Facebook is the most preferred social media by youth from the Vhembe District. The platform connects users irrespective of their geographical boundaries and promotes the level of interaction on social and entertaining issues. Facebook also enables the Vhembe District youth to search for jobs and also helps them to discuss their academic and sometimes political issues. Most of the Vhembe District youth prefer using Facebook to share recent information and create content such as pictures and videos with their friends when they are online. The Vhembe District youth also use the platform to entertain each other. The major problems faced by the Vhembe District Facebook users are that a majority of them become exposed to pictures and videos of sexual nature, cyberattack, cyberbullying and vulgar language whereas a minority become victims of account hacking and invasion of privacy. The research respondents came up with solutions to prevent social media challenges. A majority of respondents suggested that strong passwords, an increase in privacy, social media law implementation, social media campaigns and social media education can help prevent online challenges. A minority of students indicated that parental support, strong age restriction, adding known Facebook users, blocking, unfollowing and unfriending unwanted users can help to prevent challenges faced by Facebook users.

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Many Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD) projects are established with the overall aim of positively developing the communities they are implemented in. However, the solutions that are provided are often commonly developed without the needs of these communities being sufficiently investigated beforehand. As a result the ICTD strategy of the project ends up not well aligned with the aims and targets of the needs of the community. As a result of this, an appropriate programme theory for the project and relevant impact indicators fail to be adequately developed. Consequently, when an impact assessment is conducted it is often found that the intended effects are not directly linked to the needs of the community or what the community had hoped to gain from the ICTD initiative. The purpose of this research serves to develop a needs-ICTD strategy alignment foundation that supports the identification and formulation of impact assessment indicators. Through this research, a framework is developed to support the alignment of ICTD strategy, the development and the promotion of contextual needs of rural communities and other frequently marginalized areas. The Needs-ICTD strategy alignment framework is composed of eight main components that describe the process that can be used to align ICTD strategy with community needs. These components include: collaboration between the internal and external stakeholders, the development of the community, conducting baseline studies, the needs assessment, the ICTD strategy, linking of the needs-ICTD strategy, and lastly the identification of impact indicators. An interpretive research approach is used to explore and inform the framework through a multi-case study investigation of the Siyakhula Living Lab and two projects in the Systems Application Products (SAP) Living Lab. Two main case study questions drive the exploration of the framework, that being: 1) How are the needs of the community elicited and how is the ICTD strategy aligned to the needs of the community? 2) And, why were the selected approaches chosen for aligning the needs of the community and ICTD strategy? Data for this research was collected qualitatively through interviews, document analysis and participant observation. Key findings indicate that the involvement of internal (local) stakeholders in the development and alignment of ICTD strategy to the needs of the community is still lacking. As a consequence, many community members end up not fully understanding the project objectives and how these objectives aims are to be achieved. The research also finds that ‘solution specific’ projects also fail communities as they focus specifically on one target group and repeatedly fail to assist the community holistically in supporting their information and their community development needs.

Thesis (PhD (School of Public Management and Planning ))—University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This study comprises a discursive analysis of the underlying assumptions, rhetorical devices and the latent agendas masked within: (i) the burgeoning international ICT, poverty and development literature; (ii) the policy agendas of the major players in international development; and (iii) the ICT, poverty and development discourse of the post-apartheid South African government. The aim of the study is to move beyond the current enthusiasm for derivative description and technological determinism, and to introduce a deeper, more balanced understanding of the relationship between ICT, poverty and development.

本論文通過十二個月的田野研究，探討城市化進程中，鄉鎮、城鎮與城市等三個處於不同城市發展階段的地方，信息化進程中的性別政治有何異同。本研究的核心問題是：城鎮化與信息化的交互作用如何進行？在城鎮化與信息化同時推進的當下中國，個體，尤其是個體的性別化身體，如何與以電腦、互聯網爲代表的數字科技之間産生脫嵌與再嵌入的"雙向形塑關係？ / 本研究運用科技馴養、個體化和性別-科技共創理論，分析城鎮家庭中電腦和互聯網的社會化生活。本研究發現中國社會現代性建構中，城鎮用戶通過在家庭內部採用電腦和互聯網，逐步形成一種數字化家庭關係，其中互聯網本地化特徵明顯。此外，本研究還發現，性別化的網絡互連的個體化是當下中國社會中的城鎮化、信息化發展過程中的主要特徵。本研究採用綫上與綫下相結合的多點民族誌的混合方法，探討在中國城鎮化過程中研究性別與互聯網的共創關係。 / Based on ethnographic data collected in 12 months of field work, this thesis studies the gender politics in the process of digitization and urbanization by comparing the phenomenon in a village, a town, and a city. The three main research questions of this study are: How are the interactions between urbanization and digitalization? How do digitization and gender relations mutually construct each other in the process of urbanization? / Using theories of technology domestication, individualization theory and the mutual construction of gender and technology, I analyze the use of computers and internet in the social life of rural and town families. This research found out that in the process of modernization, as rural and town families adopted the use of computers and internet; they gradually transformed themselves into, digitalized families. Furthermore, the individualization of gendered networks stood out as the key characteristic of urbanization and digitalization of post socialist China. This research pioneered the combination of multi-sited ethnography and virtual ethnography in exploring the interplay between gender and the internet in Chinese urbanization. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / 任珏. / Thesis (Ph.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 201-228). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Ren Jue.

The ubiquitous and pervasive nature of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) fosters societies driven by knowledge rather than traditional capital and labour through the simplified socio-economic participation. No longer are individuals impacted by spatial and environmental conditions when conducting personal, community and even national obligations and duties. However, the effective use of ICT is governed by personal, interpersonal and environmental factors. Nowhere else is this impact more evident than in rural areas. Rural areas are plagued by a number of challenges which affect ICT use. Some of these challenges relate to the scarcity of income, education and infrastructure. A holistic investigation on the challenges experienced by rural areas was necessary. Based on the outcome of the investigation, rural areas were classified as resource-constrained environments. The study then set out to explore concepts that highlight the opportunities offered by ICT in rural areas and those that mitigate challenges posed by these environments on ICT use. The theoretical grounding of the concepts identified in the study firstly set out to understand and explain general ICT use, then extended this ICT use to rural areas. A conceptual model explaining challenges posed by resource constraints inherent in rural areas on ICT use was incepted. This conceptual model was empirically investigated for evaluation and validation purposes resulting in the final model of the study. The final model of the study facilitated the process of understanding and explaining the effective use of ICT in rural areas based on the inherent resource constraints in these environments. By mitigating the factors affecting ICT use in rural areas, the impact of effective ICT use can potentially be extended to resource-constrained environments, including rural areas. / School of Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)

This thesis is a reception analysis using qualitative interviews to investigate the formation of cultural groups around computer-game LANs present in Rhodes University. It also looks at how issues of social inequalities evident on the university's campus impact on the participation of students in these LANs. The findings of this study are that the participants have established a community around the practice of computer LAN-gameplay based on values developed through the combination of the material and gameworlds. It serves as a home-on-campus for them; where they can fully explore their passion for games thus reaffirming their identity as gamers on a campus where being a gamer is viewed negatively. In this light, computer-game playing is not just a practice these participants perform, but a culture they live out every day. This is a culture predominantly lived out by men. One of the reasons for this is because most women have been raised to believe to have negative predispositions about digital gaming e.g. that it is childish, addictive and anti-social, but also that computer are meant to be used by men - women use them only when it is absolutely necessary, for example, that it is childish, for academic-related purposes. As a result, not many of them will use computers for any otherreason for fear of being socially criticised. In addition, the gaming culture being dominated by whites is due to the fact that admittance in to this community is still unaffordable for the majority of black students on the Rhodes University campus as a result of their social backgrounds.

Based on in-depth focus group and individual interviews, this thesis examines how Rhodes University students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds experience campus social life and how they subsequently use Facebook to perform, represent and negotiate their social identities. The study discusses utopian and dystopian positions and interrogates these theoretical perspectives in relation to the students‟ Facebook usage. The popularity and uptake of Facebook by students from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as those here at Rhodes University, is a growing phenomenon, provoking questions about the relationship between social experiences, social identity and social networks. Rhodes University‟s social space has been identified by previous studies as modern, liberal, “elite” and divided along race and class lines. The ways in which students experience this campus social space relates to their subject positions and identities. The study employs different perspectives of identity construction to interrogate the students‟ subject experiences in home and school contexts before coming to Rhodes University. The students‟ subjective positions are primarily embedded in tradition and their subject positions are sometimes in tension or come in conflict with the modern and liberal elements permitted by the Rhodes University context. The students also experience and adopt modern and liberal elements in their lifestyles which are permitted within the Rhodes University social space. The thesis found that Facebook offers a platform which facilitates a social connectivity that influences how students perform their identities in relation to their offline social identities and lived social experiences. This study concludes that the mediated symbolic materials for the construction and negotiation of identity provided by Facebook are sometimes in tension with the demands of traditional subjectivities experienced by these students at Rhodes University. Facebook allows the students to reinforce and affirm the validity of their traditional identities in this modern and liberal space. However, it also emerged that Facebook facilitates and allows students who experience and incorporate the modern and liberal elements permitted at Rhodes University to represent and negotiate their subjective positions online. The findings of the study indicate that participants primarily communicate with their friends, families, relatives and acquaintances - people they know personally offline, in line with the theoretical position which argues that online relationships are primarily shaped by offline relationships.

We live in the era in which the internet is now available on the majority of mobile phones at a very cheaper rate. This advancement in technology has created a boom in the use of mobile phone social networking as a primary communication tool - not only for individuals but also commonly used by professionals in most fields. The trends and growing usage of social networking via mobile phone indicate a potentially effective new platform for increasing production especially in agricultural sectors. In this age of information technology, farming communities can be empowered with the latest information and knowledge through mobile phone social networking to enhance agricultural development. The study investigates the use of mobile phone social networking as an extension tool in small-scale (emerging) farmers in selected farming communities in the Cacadu District Municipality of the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Specifically, the study investigates the use of available mobile phone social networks; what they are used for; and the importance and benefits of social networking both generally and to the farming communities. The study further identifies problems inhibiting the use of mobile phone social networking. Other channels through which the small-scale (emerging) farmers acquire agricultural information, aside from via mobile phone, and the type of agricultural information these farmers acquire, are also investigated. This study focuses on the use - and not the testing or adoption of - mobile phone social networking in small-scale (emerging) agriculture. In the exercise to investigate the use of social networking apps via mobile phone, data was collected from 40 small-scale (emerging) farmers using a purposive sampling method. This study used a survey design, exploratory and descriptive research methodologies. Data was captured by administering a questionnaire through personal face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics such as simple frequency tables, percentages and bar graphs were used. From the Chi-square testing, it was found that agricultural knowledge levels, internet access and size of production farm land influence the use of social networking by the small-scale (emerging) farmers. However, the result of this study showed that gender, age, other income and educational level of the small-scale (emerging) farmers are not statistically significant determinants of social networking use. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was found to be 0.95. To establish the strength of associations of the variables, Cramer’s V ranging between 0.04 and 0.9 (signifying relationships from negligible to very strong association) was used. The findings showed that different social networks are used by the farming communities, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Blackberry messenger, MXit, Twitter and YouTube. The various uses of these social networks by the farmers are discussed. The benefits and problems inhibiting their use are also outlined. Other sources of acquiring agricultural information by the farmers aside from social networking via mobile phone are examined. The result of the study shows that [agricultural extension officers, other farmers, farmers’ discussion groups, friends and family,] are major sources of agricultural information to the small-scale (emerging) farmers while other sources are television, radio, print media and result demonstrations. The study suggests that to enhance mobile phone social networking to ensure that timely and effective agricultural information is readily accessible to the small-scale (emerging) farmers. These include agricultural extension officers making optimal use of social networking via mobile phone, due to the strong interaction and trust between them and the farmers. This interaction can be instrumental in the effective use of this technology as a resourceful medium for accessing agricultural information to enhance productivity. Proper awareness and understanding of the potential and benefits of mobile social networking by the farmers will motivate the small-scale (emerging) farmers to use the technology for effective agricultural purposes. Also, ensuring the availability of agricultural information to small-scale (emerging) farmers by setting up on-line pages or websites to discuss matters of interest and educate and update farmers on agricultural issues should be encouraged. This may attract the younger generation and the youth to participate fully in agricultural activities - thereby enhancing agricultural development.

O objetivo geral desta dissertação é o de investigar as percepções de professoras e professores sobre o uso das TICs no cotidiano da sala de aula. Essa discussão considerou na análise dos dados uma perspectiva de gênero, compreendida a partir das relações sociais que se desenvolveram entre estas/es profissionais no âmbito dos espaços público, da escola, e privado, do lar. A opção metodológica pautou-se por uma pesquisa qualitativa de natureza interpretativa, permitindo a análise dos depoimentos das/os entrevistadas/os. A investigação contou com a participação de dezenove docentes, mulheres e homens, que responderam a um roteiro de entrevista semiestruturada com questões abertas. Verificou-se que a maioria das/os docentes não teve em sua formação acadêmica inicial e na pós-graduação uma disciplina que abrangesse uma discussão teórica/prática sobre a utilização das tecnologias. Verificou-se, também, a falta de cursos de formação continuada e de oficinas pedagógicas com uma abordagem ao uso das TICs em sala de aula. Ficou evidenciado que existem dificuldades no manuseio dessas tecnologias no cotidiano da sala de aula, e analisadas sob a perspectiva de gênero, revelou que apesar da maioria dos professores em seu discurso afirmarem que homens e mulheres são iguais diante dessas tecnologias, ele é contraditório. A maioria das professoras assume ter dificuldades com o uso das TICs, já os professores negam tê-las, evidenciando o discurso patriarcal de que as mulheres não são iguais aos homens para a manipulação das TICs. A pesquisa revelou ainda uma extensa carga horária de aulas, distribuídas em diferentes estabelecimentos de ensino e, também, a existência da dupla jornada de trabalho para todas/os elas/es. Entretanto, ficou evidenciado que essa dupla jornada é marcada pela diferença entre atividades para essas/es profissionais. Nela, a maioria dessas mulheres assumem atividades especificamente na esfera doméstica limpando a casa, lavando e passando roupas, lavando louça, cozinhando e cuidando dos filhos, sem remuneração, por estas, serem desenvolvidas em seus lares. Apesar dos homens admitirem dividir as tarefas domésticas com suas companheiras, seus discursos retratam uma divisão com o sentido de “ajuda”, reforçando o discurso patriarcal de que as mulheres são responsáveis pelas tarefas domésticas. Essas diferenças estão associadas à divisão sexual do trabalho nos espaços público e privado e se mantém, sobretudo, por representações de gênero que associam a mulher ao espaço privado, ao cuidado e à delicadeza e, os homens, ao espaço público, ao provimento da família e ao trabalho pesado. Evidenciou-se, portanto, que as relações sociais entre estas/es professoras/es, na vida profissional e no âmbito do lar, são relações permeadas por poder, e que, apesar dessas mulheres experienciarem situações de igualdade em alguns espaços no âmbito do colégio e do lar, de certa forma, ainda estão subordinadas ao discurso patriarcal capitalista, que ainda hoje reproduz desigualdades de gênero, e condiciona essas mulheres a uma posição de subordinação e desvalorização. / The main objective of this dissertation is to investigate the perceptions of teachers on the use of ICTs in the classroom. The discussion considers a gender perspective in data analysis, understood from social relationships developed between those professionals, in relation to a public space, the school, and private space, the home. The methodological option is based on a qualitative research with interpretative nature, which permits the analysis of interviews. The investigation counts with the participation od ninetenn teachers, male and women, who answered an semi- estructured interview script with open questions. It was verified that in most cases the teachers didn´t have a discipline which covered the technologies utilization in their initial academic formation or post-graduation. Also, It was verified the lack of initial and continuing courses and pedagogical workshops towards the use of ICT´s in the classroom. It was evidenced the difficulties in the handling of technologies in daily classes, and under the gender perspective, although teacher´s discourse affirm the equality between men and women towards those difficulties, the discourse remains contradictory. Most of the female teacher´s assume difficulties in handling ICT´s, but male teacher´s deny it; which evidenced the patriarchal discourse that states that women are different from men at handling ICT´s. The research reveals that most of the teachers work extensive hours of classes, in different schools, even the double working day. However, it´s evidenced the differences between those double working day: most of women assume domestic activities like cleaning houses, washing and ironing clothes, doing the dishes, cooking and caring for their children, without remuneration because they are developed in their houses. Even though men assume that they are dividing domestic tasks, their discourse shows that they “help”, which reinforces the patriarchal discourse that states that only women are responsible for domestic tasks. These differences are associated to sexual division of work in public and private spaces, which maintain itself because of the gender representations which associates women to private space, to caring, to sensitivity; and man to public space, to family provision and to hard work. It was evident, therefore, that the social relationships between those teacher´s in professional and family life are permeated by power, and, spite those women experiences equality in some spaces at school and home, they are still subordinated to the capitalist patriarchal discourse, which still today reproduces gender inequalities, conditioning these women to a position of subordination and devaluation.