The purpose of the study was to investigate knowledge practices in Nkangala District Municipality (NDM), situated in the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The objective of the study was to discover NDM managers’ level of understanding participation and establish any challenges of knowledge sharing in NDM. This study employed qualitative research method. An interview guide was designed to collect data through in-depth interviews. To determine the number of participants for the interview, stratified and purposive sampling methods were used. The study established that there is little knowledge and understanding of the knowledge sharing concept by NDM managers, hence, it is not formally recognised by the institution. However, managers acknowledged that knowledge sharing could play a huge role in improving service delivery. The study recommends that NDM should consider introducing the knowledge sharing concept, through the establishment of a knowledge sharing section. A culture of knowledge sharing could be developed through the development of knowledge sharing policies, which should be aligned to the Integrated Development Planning (IDP) process of NDM. In addition, the study recommends an upgrade on the existing ICT infrastructure and internet connection, especially in rural municipalities. This will ensure that ICT fully supports knowledge sharing activities. The study suggested that an additional study is conducted to establish knowledge sharing practices among the lower level staff members of NDM. / Information Science / M.A.(Information Science)

Magistro darbe analizuojamas informacinių technologijų taikymas Lietuvos logopedų darbe. Apie IKT ir KMP taikymą Lietuvos logopedų darbe nėra daug žinoma, nėra parengta išsamių mokslinių straipsnių ar apžvalgų, kurie nurodytų, kokiomis informacinių technologijų programomis ar priemonėmis naudojamasi logopedų darbe, kokios iš jų vyrauja ir kurios yra efektyviausios dirbant su kalbos, kalbėjimo ir komunikacijos sutrikimų turinčiais asmenimis. Praktinis tyrimo naudingumas – atskleisti informacinių technologijų taikymo realybę logopedų darbe su kalbėjimo ir kalbos sutrikimų turinčiais asmenimis. Palyginti pasiekimus šioje srityje Lietuvoje ir užsienio šalyse. Prieduose pateikiamas internetinių svetainių sąrašas, kur galima rasti logopedinėse pratybose pritaikomų lavinimo užduočių. / Master’s thesis analyzes the informational technologies application in Lithuanian speech and language therapists’ work. The aim of this research - to assess the informational and communication technology (ICTs) and computer-based speech training system (CBST) use at the speech and language therapists work in comprehensive schools who work with persons who have language, speech and communication disorders. The empirical part of the paper deals with the use of ICTs/ CBST at speech and language therapists work, their possibility of usage, the coherence between speech therapists qualification and their age, the usage of the programs for development educable self-dependent tools, speech and language therapists interest in various sources of work-related topics and others. In the questionnaire survey (in electronic form) have participated 258 speech and language therapists who work in comprehensive schools.

In the lead up to the Year 2000 dot.com crash of publicly traded high-technology equities, Information Communication Technology (ICT) Companies proudly displayed inter-firm allegiances on their newly created websites. These collaborative relationships were in reality licensing agreements to develop or market new products internationally. Phenomena associated with ICT product development - collaboration, innovation, and internationalisation - are the core tenets of the accompanying dissertation. Leading scholars have suggested these phenomena challenge conventional economic theories of the firm. This study commences with tracing the evolution of trade and production theories from absolute advantage through to competitive advantage and introduces the concepts of non-adversarial collaborative advantage. Within the framework of the technology cycle, this dissertation then seeks to answer why firms engage in international collaborative innovation. The cycle of technological innovation is investigated and this leads to postulating a period of technological overlap and its implications for collaboration. One of the shortcomings acknowledged in the literature is the generic application of the term collaboration to cover a wide scope of inter-firm agreements. Within the literature this is referred to as a problem of multidimensionality. A model is developed in this dissertation that identifies the choices available to the firm and addresses the problem of defining collaboration. The choices provided in the developed model are more complex than simply choosing between external and internal intermediate markets. As a separable form of industry organisation, the success rates of alliance collaboration are compared to Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) to validate issues of sustainability before examining the impact of location on innovation and collaboration. Again, theory is tested by recent events that require explanation. These events include the relocation of early stage foreign R&D to both developed and lesser-developed nations. The final chapter assesses the findings throughout this study and identifies separate and distinct roles for large and small firms in the international and collaborative commercialisation of new innovations. This central conclusion requires empirical validation and suggests the need investigate how firms shape the cycle of innovation from a reflected vantage point to the evolutionary perspective taken in this study. Further research is warranted because the literature on international innovation and collaboration is at an early stage and gaps in understanding remain.

The integration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) into contemporary society and business operations is observed as a clear reality in Namibia. While Namibia faces one of the typical hurdles of developing nations, lack of a skilled knowledge workforce, literature presents a contrasting face of ICT investment in the country, in particular the financial services sector. This sector is considered a critical sector in the Namibian economy, embracing global trends while boasting world class ICT infrastructure. This is despite the sector struggling with a shortage of expertise. The situation in Namibia’s financial sector thus warrants a critical review of knowledge development practices as research shows. As literature explains, the financial institutions in Namibia are dependent on expertise from parent companies in the South African financial sector. The result is a need to identify means to develop the knowledge of Namibia’s workforce in the banking sector. Although there is evidence from literature to suggest that ICT can be used to create a skilled and knowledge based workforce mainly due to the promise of cost savings, and convenience, there exists a critical gap in literature on the adoption of ICT for knowledge development in the Namibian financial sector. This gap in knowledge as well as the high investment in ICTs in the banking sector pose a problem that the research aimed to address. This study explored the adoption of ICTs for knowledge development activities in the banking sector of Namibia identifying the perceptions and factors influencing its adoption for knowledge development purposes. Although adoption of ICT is influenced by various factors, this study focused on a specific factor, namely the impact of perceptions on ICT adoption. ICT adoption models such as the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) or the Technology Adoption Model (TAM) and more recently the Unified Theory of Adoption and Use of Technology (UTAUT) argue that the perceptions of users are fundamental determinants for the adoption of the ICT. Driving, thus, the need to understand the views of users of the ICTs in banks in order to understand the potential it may yield in knowledge development. The study adopts the Activity Theory (AT) as the means to uncover and clearly interpret the perceptions of banking staff, through its theoretic underpinnings of naturalistic investigation and beliefs of “intentional human-action”. This study thus set out to explore the perceptions of banking staff on the use of ICTs in knowledge development and identify the critical factors in their adoption of ICTs in the process. Drawing from the Activity Theory the investigation used a multi-case qualitative study that used semi-structured interviews that were administered on twenty-three respondents from three of the biggest banks in Namibia (cases). The respondents comprised of managerial and nonmanagerial staff with the three cases chosen based on their ties with South African banks. The findings show that all three Namibian banks have advanced ICT infrastructure which they have managed to adopt for knowledge development purposes. The Management of the banks in all three cases were of the belief that the use of ICT supports knowledge development. Nonmanagerial bank staff in all three cases likewise have a positive perception about the use of ICT for knowledge development purposes. However, key concerns about the development of ICT driven knowledge development initiatives which could affect adoption of the ICTs were expressed by the non-managerial staff. These included, management support, consultation in the development phase of the knowledge development initiatives, integration of knowledge development strategies into the staff processes and increasing awareness activities among the staff. The recommendations indicate a need for the institutions to drive knowledge management in general in the institution, which will in turn help foster knowledge development initiatives fully. Another recommendation concerning the design of knowledge development initiatives is the need to involve the targeted staff more fully. Yet another strong recommendation was the need to blend knowledge development initiatives into the work processes of staff and ensure active support by management. / Computing / M.A. (Computing)

The aim of the research was to investigate the relationship between facilitation, computer software and the learner in teaching a computer-integrated lesson. South Africa has recently changed their education system from that of content-based to that of outcomes-based. With these changes came the introduction of e-Education. The Government e-Education goal is that every South African learner in the general and further education and training bands will be ICT (Information and Communication Technology) capable by 2013. Educators are expected to facilitate these classes without having being trained as facilitators in a computer environment. Most educators’ follow an instructivist mode of teaching and the researcher decided to do a case study at a school in the Western Cape to investigate the role of an educator in a computer environment. The researcher also wrote the computer-mediated software for the educator to use in his lesson. The software was written for a lesson on Physical Science which was not the field of study of the educator. The educator, however, is a computer technician. These issues raised questions as to what the methodology of teaching of this educator would be, how would the learners interact with the facilitator and the content and to what degree learning would take place with regards to transfer of skills and knowledge. From the literature survey the researcher compiled a checklist of what the role of an educator in a computer environment should be whereby the educator was assessed. A questionnaire was compiled whereby the learners evaluated the software that was used for this computer integrated lesson. The learners had to write a pre- and post-test to determine whether content was transferred in this lesson and they were asked to perform a practical experiment to determine their skills. This dissertation shows how good facilitation, coupled with pedagogically well-designed software and good learner participation leads to a successful learning community. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

In this study, I investigated the interactions between multiple intelligences and performance of learners in open-ended digital learning tasks, and to suggest possible approaches to the teaching and learning process using computers in Tanzania. With the current introduction of computers in the education system in Tanzania, the qualities of instruction and learner participation in learning computer application skills and achievement have not necessarily shown improvement (Nelson, Post,&Bickel, 2003; Tilya, 2003). It is imperative for computer teachers to know the pedagogical strategies that can help them use the current technology effectively. Researchers in instructional design have suggested instructional methods that incorporate methods that encourage the use of learner-centered instruction, incorporating activity oriented methods, and problem solving that are designed around real-world problems (Huba&Freed, 2000). Learners will be able use their knowledge effectively, reveal their uniqueness as learners, and learn computer application skills in a social setting (Gardner, 1983; Wiggins, 1993, 1998; Teele, 2000; Huba&Freed, 2000). The theory of multiple intelligences by Howard Gardner (1983) was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The theory postulates that that everybody has at least eight intelligences which reflect different ways of interacting with the world. In an effort to achieve quality learning, learning must be based on multiple approaches with a series of activities which are authentic in nature and have to be completed by the learners. The study was conducted in Tanzania using a qualitative research design. Four secondary schools were selected and 40 learners doing computer studies course participated in the study. Four intelligences from the theory of multiple intelligences were assessed: logic-mathematical, verbal-linguistic, visual-spatial and interpersonal intelligences. Assessment was done using performance assessment procedures. The findings indicated that there are distinctive intelligence profiles apart from the four intelligences that were investigated in this study. Despite the intelligence profiles of the learners, didactical issues that will enhance ICT adoption in the education environment are important. These include the use of authentic tasks, performance assessment to acknowledge learners unique performance abilities across several intelligences and teachers familiarization in the use of performance assessment procedures. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / An analysis of South African school mathematics results indicates that one of the problem areas in the mathematical performance of learners is proof and proving. In an endeavour to improve the mathematical proving ability of first year students at UWC, the MAM 112 class (a first year elective mathematics course) was taught a course in elementary logic. In the initial part of the study, logic puzzles were utilized as a tool to teach students to make logical connections between and from mathematical statements using the rules of inference. Subsequently research was done to determine if knowledge and understanding of logic would translate into improved proving abilities of students. To put proof and proving into perspective the origins and functions of proof was explicated and proving in South African schools was investigated. Consequently reasons are advanced for the dismal high school mathematics results in terms of proof and possible solutions are discussed. Recent discoveries of neuroscience are utilized to delineate the brain structures and cognitive processes involved in learning so as to gain a better understanding of the learning of mathematics. The findings of neuroscience, cognitive psychology and educational psychology are employed to elucidate the influence of emotion, confidence, experience and practice on the learning of mathematics in order to determine which factors can be applied to improve the proving abilities of students. The findings of the study indicate that knowledge of logic does help to improve the ability of students to make logical connections (deductions) between and from statements. The results of the study, however, do not indicate that knowledge and understanding of logic translates into improved proving ability of mathematical statements by students.

The world today is continuously influenced by ever-changing technological developments introducing new knowledge and applications into society’s culture, and social, political, and educational environments (Angeli & Valanides, 2009:154). Consequently, the educational environment as a branch of human knowledge needs to be redesigned in order to keep pace with current technological developments. Technological integration in education is inevitable and teachers are faced with the challenge of being competent ICT users. Internationally, there is growing consensus that the integration of ICT in education increases 21st-century learners’ skills (Blignaut, Hinostroza, Els & Brun 2010:89). Technology offers learners a better understanding of concepts with the use of visual interactions that enable them to store it in their long-term memories. For most teachers this is an obstacle, because the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) was not included as part of their teacher training programmes (Tropakci, n.d.:1; Afshari, Bakar, Luan, Samah & Fooi, 2009:89). By obvious implication, 21st-century learners require teachers who are knowledgeable and possess technological skills so that they can facilitate technology-integrated lessons. This study investigated secondary-school teachers’ Information Communication Technology competencies in classroom practices within Bojanala District, North West Province, South Africa in order to suggest a strategy that could assist teachers in effectively integrating ICTs in teaching and learning. As a former Computer Application Technology (CAT) teacher, I was prompted to conduct this study by my involvement, experiences and observations of using ICT in teaching and learning. The picture of teachers’ ICT competencies in the Bojanala District where the fieldwork was conducted indicates that of the 134 secondary schools in the district only 25 have integrated ICTs into their teaching and learning. Furthermore, some secondary schools in the district have computer laboratories that are not being utilised. This indicates that the participating teachers were not competent ICT users, with no strategy that could be implemented to assist them in effectively integrating ICTs in their classroom practices. Despite the introduction of the South African policy on e-Education in the education system, little has been done in terms of its implementation. According to this policy, every learner in the General Education Training (GET) and Further Education Training bands (FET) should have been technologically savvy by 2013 (DoE, 2004:17). The research question guiding this study was: What are secondary school teachers’ ICT competency skills in classroom practices? The study was grounded in the interpretive epistemological paradigm. I employed a qualitative research method and the research design comprised collective or multiple case studies. Four secondary schools were selected on the basis of their proximity to my residence. Eight secondary-school teachers were invited to participate in this study. These teachers were purposively sampled on the basis of their expertise in the use of ICTs in teaching and learning. The data collection strategies were semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation and document analysis. Data analysis was done according to the four key steps of the data analysis process suggested by Anderson (209:156,157), while the procedure of analysing data which was adapted from Creswell (2007:214). Ethical consideration was maintained by not disclosing participants’ personal information. To ensure trustworthiness in this study, four issues were established, namely credibility, transferability, dependability and transferability. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The study investigated the effect of accessibility and utilization of electronic resources by academic staff on productivity at the University of Calabar and the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. In order to determine the effect of accessibility and utilization of e-resources on productivity of academic staff, a lone hypothesis was formulated thus: there is no significant correlation between accessibility and utilization of e-resources and productivity of academic staff in Nigerian universities. The study adopted quantitative approach as research paradigm; with survey and bibliometrics as research methods. Questionnaire was used as the primary instrument for data collection on accessibility and utilization of e-resources and productivity of academic staff in the study. The population of 2035 academic staff and sample size of 586 academic staff were used for the study, and a response rate of 55.29% was obtained for data analysis. The data for the study were analysed with SPSS. The finding of the study revealed that there is significant correlation between accessibility and utilization of e-resources and productivity of academic staff at the surveyed universities (r=0.135; p=0.004), especially at the level of international publication (r=0.158; p=0.004). The study concluded that there is a positive effect due to accessibility and utilization of e-resources on productivity at the surveyed universities. Further findings of the study revealed a low level of electronic information environment at the surveyed universities in relation to global practices; although, the University of Ibadan was found to have a better electronic information environment than the University of Calabar. The result from questionnaire survey revealed that the University of Calabar was more productive than the University of Ibadan; the converse was obtained with bibliometric analysis as the University of Ibadan was found to be more productive than the University of Calabar. From the findings of the study the influence of demographic variables (discipline, gender, age, education and professional rank) on accessibility and utilization of e-resources was not significant at the surveyed universities. The study recommended increased investment in ICT facilities at the surveyed universities to promote increase in accessibility and utilization of e-resources by academic staff in research. / Information Science / D.Litt et. Phil. (Information Science)

Library automation is approaching its 90th birthday (deduced from Pace, 2009:1), and many librarians no longer remember the inefficiencies of the manual systems that were previously in place. For some, however, automation has not gone nearly far enough. In this second decade of the new millennium some libraries in Lesotho face multiple challenges in automating their services while libraries internationally are staying relevant by rapidly adapting their services to address the needs and demands of the clients. It was anticipated that full library automation is a prerequisite for delivering 21st-century library services and the researcher embarked on a process to establish whether libraries belonging to the Lesotho Library Consortium (LELICO) have automated to the extent where they will be able to provide the services that are currently in demand. The purpose of this study was to analysewhether full library automation is indeed a prerequisite for libraries to offer the services required in the current millennium. The study focused on LELICO member libraries. Benchmarking was done with selected South African academic libraries. Data were collected by means of interviews with all respondents, namely, LELICO member libraries, librarians from South African libraries and with international system vendors operating from South Africa. The study found that LELICO member libraries are indeed lagging behindin terms of service provision. LELICO member libraries do not appear to understand; which library services are possible when state-of-the-art technology is fully implemented. The study found furthermore that the laggard status is caused by factors such as a lack of funding, too few professional staff and ineffective support from management. These and other findings helped formulate recommendations that would underpin a renewal strategy for LELICO. The proposed recommendations include that LELICO should deliver a more meaningful service to its current members. LELICO member libraries should be using technology more effectively in their operations and good relationship between a system vendor and its clients should be seen as an asset that should be maintained.LELICO should be playing a key role in making change a reality. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)