M. Tech. Business Administration / This study examines public secondary school teachers technology acceptance as another form of pedagogical method in the classroom. The widely used Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used to determine the factors associated with either acceptance or non-acceptance of technology in the classroom. In this study, only secondary school teachers from disadvantaged schools in one of the biggest townships in South Africa were sampled. The sample size was 271 respondents from a population of approximately 455. TAM was tested on the use of any of the Microsoft Softwares (Powerpoint, Word, Excel) in the classrooms for teaching purposes. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data and five hypothesis statements were tested. The results revealed fundamental determinants (e.g. perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) as primary contributors for their acceptance of technology.

Thesis (MTech. degree in Business Information Systems.)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2010. / The lack of ubiquitous social presence of instructors, tutors and knowledgeable experts was seen as a research problem, where the above are not always available for consultation should a learner face a learning challenge. With the existence of Web 2.0, there are opportunities to cushion those challenges faced by learners, by incorporating a personal learning environment. The activity and social presence theories were used as lenses, to understand learner interactions (whose outcome is personalized learning) provided by varied Web 2.0 tools. The research argument was, therefore, that Web 2.0 could help learners achieve personalized learning support, in varied learning contexts. The evidence shows that different applications available in a Web 2.0 environment creates a personalized learning environment for learners to interact, share knowledge and collaborate, with those who are not in the same location.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / English Studies / Master / Master of Arts

In engineering technology and other scientific-based education, lab-based courses play a crucial role (Ma & Nickerson, 2006). Even though laboratory experience in student learning is crucial, it faces some problems. Due to insufficient laboratory conditions that lead to overcrowding and inability to view demonstrations, the effectiveness of hands on experience declines (Tiwari & Singh, 2011; Tuysuz, 2010). Considering the limitations that constrain lab experience, investigating and implementing alternatives to enhance pedagogical laboratory based learning becomes inevitable. This study investigates multimedia enhanced pedagogical teaching methods for delivering laboratory instruction to students. The purpose of this study was to improve pedagogical laboratory based learning. First, this study implemented a multimedia enhanced pedagogical laboratory based instructional method. Second, this study evaluated the impact of multimedia enhanced instructional method on student learning outcomes to assess improvement in pedagogical laboratory based learning. To evaluate the impact of multimedia enhanced instructional method on student learning outcomes, a student population was subjected to 1) traditional laboratory lecture and 2) video lecture. This study used two different assessment techniques to evaluate the instructional methods 1) surveys and 2) quizzes. The use of these different assessment techniques achieved two purposes. First, the surveys allowed the study to receive students’ evaluation on the lecture in order to compare the two types of instructional methods. Second, the quizzes allowed measuring the students’ understanding of the demonstrations in order to evaluate the impact of multimedia enhanced instructional method on pedagogical laboratory based learning. Survey results revealed that based on overall evaluations, students prefer traditional lectures in comparison to video lectures in terms of level of interest and engagement. Furthermore, quiz results revealed that multimedia enhanced instructional methods do not have an impact on pedagogical laboratory based learning.

"2008". / Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Australian Centre for Educational Studies, School of Education, 2009. / Bibliography: p. 268-283. / Introduction -- Review of the literature -- Methods and procedures -- Pre-intervention qualitative data analysis & discussion of findings -- Intervention -- Post-intervention qualitative data analysis & discussions of findings -- Post-intervention quantitative data analysis & discussions of findings -- Conclusions. / Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional approach that is organized around the investigation and resolution of problems. Problems are neither uniform nor similar. Jonassen (1998, 2000) in his design theory of problem solving has categorized problems into two broad types - well-structured and ill-structured. He has also described a host of mediating skills that impact problem solving outcomes. However, this list of skills is not exhaustive and in view of the utility of the Internet as an informational repository, this study examined the need for effective information searching skills to be included in this list. -- This study was aimed at studying how students solve well and ill structured problems and how different Internet information seeking strategies can be used to engage in problem solving. This study devised and empirically tested the efficacy of an interventionist conceptual model that maps the application of different information seeking techniques to successfully resolving well and ill structured problem types. The intervention helps to better understand the influence of information searching skills on problem solving performance and the various problem solving strategies students can adopt in approaching problem solving. The contrasting patterns of navigational path movements taken by students in seeking information to resolve ill and well structured problems were also investigated. -- A mixed methodology research design, involving a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches was used in this study. The research site was a polytechnic in Singapore that has implemented problem-based learning in its curriculum design. A first year class of 25 students were the sample population who participated in this study. Six problems from the curriculum were chosen for this study - three well-structured and another three ill-structured problems. -- The research findings of this study inform that information searching skills indeed play an important role in problem solving. The findings affirm the need for students to be systematically instructed in the skills of information searching to be aware of the complexities involved in information seeking and accomplish desired problem solving goals. This study has also shown that well and ill structured problems demand different cognitive and information seeking capabilities. Well-structured problems are easily solved and come with singular correct answers. The information searching necessary for solving well-structured problems is constrained and readily manageable. Thus, students only have to be acquainted with fundamental information searching skills to solve well-structured problems. On the other hand, ill-structured problems are messy and contain a number of unknown elements. There are no easy prototypic solutions. Subsequently, the information needs of ill-structured problems are usually complex, multi-disciplinary and expansive. Hence, students have to be trained to apply a more advanced set of information searching skills in resolving ill-structured problems. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / xiv, 283 p. ill

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 274-294.

Thesis (M.T.S.C.)--Miami University, Dept. of English, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF document. Document formatted into pages; contains [1], vii, 65 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Education Management Information System (EMIS) is the business unit that is responsible for information management and business reporting in the Department of Education. EMIS finds it difficult to provide high quality information to the Department of Education internally and its stakeholders externally and attributes the reduction of the quality of its education information to factors such as the organisational nature of the South African education system, the lack of information management standards and practices, the low level of information technology skills in EMIS, the existence of a multitude of disparate information systems in the Department of Education and Provincial Education Departments, and the apparent discontinuity in the flow of information from education institution level to the national department and back. Most research in information management confirmed the state of EMIS as being typical of most large organisations whose functioning depends on the quality of their information. The factors that influence information quality in EMIS had been identified as accuracy, timeliness, consistency and relevance of the information. A “quick-fix” to the information problem is not possible but research in information systems management indicates that there are trends in the electronic business arena that may provide an acceptable solution to most of the problems encountered by EMIS. This report investigates the nature of EMIS problems in terms of information management and investigates possible solutions to the problems. The investigation is done within the framework of acknowledged information systems planning process and aligned to the process model of information management. An exposition is given on the theory pertaining to information management, information systems and information systems management to give insight into the particular fields of study and their interdependencies. A section on business intelligence is included since business reporting is the primary function of EMIS. Investigations into information systems development indicate an exponential growth in electronic technology development specifically the Internet and the Web. The information systems plan provides the framework or set of guidelines to determine the information systems solution that will be able to solve their problems. The research report included four stages of the information systems plan framework. The first stage pertains to the identification of minimum information required from the education sector and supporting sectors to provide high quality education information for decision-making and planning. The second stage determines and benchmarks the state of EMIS in terms of information management processes. The third stage investigates the trends in electronic business and specifically electronic information systems applications. Current best practices indicate that a possible solution to information management problems in large organisations is the application of a web-based, electronic, enterprise-wide, integrated information system. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: EMIS as ‘n besigheidseenheid in die nasionale Onderwysdepartement is verantwoordelik vir inligtingsbestuur en verslaggewing. EMIS vind dit moeilik om hoë kwaliteit inligting intern aan die onderwysdepartement en ekstern aan sy rolspelers te verskaf. en skryf die verlaging in die kwaliteit van inligting toe aan faktore soos die organisasiestruktuur van die Suid Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel, die gebrek aan standaarde vir inligtingsbestuur en -praktyke, die lae vlak van inligtingstegnologiekennis van die personeel in EMIS, die bestaan van ‘n magdom van ongelyksoortige inligtingstelsels in die nasionale onderwysdepartement en provinsiale onderwysdepartemente en die sigbare diskontinuïteit in die vloei van inligting vanaf die onderwysinrigtings na die nasionale onderwysdepartement en terug. Die meeste navorsing in inligtingsbestuur bevestig dat die toestand waarin EMIS verkeer tipies is van die meeste groot organisasies wie se funksionering van die kwaliteit van hulle inligting afhang. Die faktore wat ‘n rol speel in die kwaliteit van inligting in EMIS word geïdentifiseer as akkuraatheid, tydigheid, uniformiteit en geldigheid. ‘n Vinnige oplossing vir die inligtingsprobleem is nie moontlik nie maar navorsing in inligtingstelselsbestuur dui aan dat daar tendense in die rigting van elektroniese besigheidarena is wat aanvaarbare oplossings bied vir die meeste van EMIS se probleme. Hierdie verslag ondersoek die aard van EMIS se probleme in terme van inligtingsbestuur en ondersoek moontlike oplossings vir die probleme. Die ondersoek word gedoen binne die raamwerk van ‘n aanvaarde inligtingstelsel-beplanningsproses wat opgestel is om binne die prosesmodel vir inligtingsbestuur te val. ‘n Uiteensetting van die teorie ten opsigte van inligtingsbestuur, inligtingstelsels en inligtingstelselbestuur word gegee ten einde insig oor die betrokke studieterreine en hul interafhanklikheid te gee. ‘n Afdeling oor besigheidsintelligensie word ingesluit aangesien besigheidsverslaggewing die primêre funksie van EMIS is. ‘n Ondersoek na inligtingstelselontwikkeling dui op ‘n eksponensiële groei in die ontwikkeling van die elektroniese tegnologiebedryf en spesifiek die Internet en Web. Die inligtingstelselsplan voorsien die raamwerk of riglyne waarbinne die inligtingstelseloplossing gesoek kan word. Die navorsingsverslag sluit vier fases van die raamwerk van die inligtingstelselsplan in. Die eerste fase het te make met die identifisering van die minimum inligting wat nodig is vir besluitneming en beplanning. Die tweede fase stel die toestand van EMIS ten opsigte van inligtingsbestuur vas. Die derde fase ondersoek die neigings in elektroniese besigheidstransaksies en toepassings. Huidige beste praktyke dui aan dat ‘n moontlike oplossing vir die inligtingsbestuurprobleme van groot organisasies die toepassing van ‘n web-gebaseerde, elektroniese, geïntegreerde inligtingstelsel, wat al die komponente van die onderneming insluit, is.