Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 152-167).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wyoming, 2007. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Feb. 6, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 131-141).

The study outlines general trends evident in Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), participants’ perceptions and the promotion of CMC across the curriculum in a South African Secondary School. This case study focuses on the Global Teenager Project (GTP), which started as a bi-national pilot project in April 1999 between secondary schools in South Africa and the Netherlands. The study sets out to investigate how well the GTP can be incorporated into the existing school curriculum through the teacherresearcher’s direct involvement in facilitating the project at a school where she is a fulltime teacher. The main purpose of the study is to review existing literature to establish how collaborative learning could be achieved through a CMC environment between teenagers from various countries based on the research done at an international level and link the practice at this school to the existing international trends. It was found that the GTP has great potential in enhancing collaborative learning within various learning areas at Nathaniel Nyaluza Secondary School (NNSS). Despite the usefulness of the GTP and the overwhelming enthusiasm learners displayed, its success at NNSS depended on the motivation of teachers and how easily the activities of the GTP could be incorporated within day-to-day teachers’ activities. / Hodgkinson, Cheryl

This research was aimed at the optimisation of the usability of content-rich computer and mobile based e-learning material. The goal was to preserve the advantages of paper based material in designing optimised modules that were mobile and computer-based, but at the same time avoiding the pitfalls of converting traditional paper based learning material for use on screen. A mobile eye tracker was used to analyse how students studied similar course content on paper, and on mobile device. Screen based eye tracking was also used to analyse how participants studied corresponding content on a desktop screen. Eye movements which were recorded by an eye tracker revealed the sequences of fixations and saccades on the text that was read by each participant. By analysing and comparing the eye gaze patterns of students reading the same content on three different delivery platforms, the differences between these platforms were identified in terms of their delivery of content rich, text based study material. The results showed that more students read online content on a computer screen than on mobile devices. The inferential analysis revealed that the differences in reading duration, comprehension, linearity and fixation count on the three platforms were insignificant. There were significant differences in saccade length. This analysis was used to identify strong aspects of the respective platforms and consequently derive guidelines for using these aspects optimally to design content rich material for delivery on computer screen and mobile device. The limitations of each platform were revealed and guidelines for avoiding these were derived / Computing / M.A. (Computing)

This research was aimed at the optimisation of the usability of content-rich computer and mobile based e-learning material. The goal was to preserve the advantages of paper based material in designing optimised modules that were mobile and computer-based, but at the same time avoiding the pitfalls of converting traditional paper based learning material for use on screen. A mobile eye tracker was used to analyse how students studied similar course content on paper, and on mobile device. Screen based eye tracking was also used to analyse how participants studied corresponding content on a desktop screen. Eye movements which were recorded by an eye tracker revealed the sequences of fixations and saccades on the text that was read by each participant. By analysing and comparing the eye gaze patterns of students reading the same content on three different delivery platforms, the differences between these platforms were identified in terms of their delivery of content rich, text based study material. The results showed that more students read online content on a computer screen than on mobile devices. The inferential analysis revealed that the differences in reading duration, comprehension, linearity and fixation count on the three platforms were insignificant. There were significant differences in saccade length. This analysis was used to identify strong aspects of the respective platforms and consequently derive guidelines for using these aspects optimally to design content rich material for delivery on computer screen and mobile device. The limitations of each platform were revealed and guidelines for avoiding these were derived / Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)

This qualitative study investigated the influences of psychosocial meta-capacities on learning capacity development in a foreign government agency that is undergoing extensive organisational change. The data was obtained through semi-structured interviews with seven participants, who are employees of a foreign visa-processing unit based in South Africa. The participants shared their experiences during the organisational change process, and how different aspects impacted on their learning capacity development. The study highlighted self-efficacy and emotional intelligence as key meta-capacities that can be enhanced to aid learning capacity development. Furthermore, the study recommended that organisations intending to introduce significant changes should be aware of the psychosocial meta-capacities that can be exploited to enhance employee learning capacity development, thereby ultimately ensuring organisational success. This study seems to suggest that the positive influences on learning capacity development are: self-efficacy in the form of self- beliefs about one’s performance ability; the ability to take initiative; and learning orientation - for example, a sense of exploration; emotional intelligence in the form of self-awareness in relation to what needs to happen, and the positive impact of social support systems, for example, supervisors, role models and fellow colleagues. Negative influences on learning capacity development seem to include the following: the inability to manage performance anxiety; high levels of self-doubt, the lack of technical expertise, and learning paralysis in the form of procrastination and the lack of self-motivation. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)