Separate bibliographical references are given at the end of Chapter 7 / The general aim of this research was (1) to develop a holistic and integrated theoretical model for the effective management and evaluation of occupational learning programmes in the South African skills development context, and (2) to develop a valid and reliable measure comprising the elements and dimensions of the theoretical model. The research used a non-experimental cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected from a sample of 652 respondents comprising learning and development managers, learning and development assessors/facilitators/moderators, skills development officers/providers and apprentices/learners. The sample was drawn from organisations representing 5 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and the South African Board for People Practices (SABPP). A selfadministered questionnaire was developed for the purposes of this research and its psychometric properties were rigorously scrutinised in accordance with the existing scale development protocols and scientific conventions. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to establish the factorial structure of the new Learning Programme Management and Evaluation (LPME) scale. The factorial structure was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. Further statistical tests conducted include structural equation modelling, multi-group structural equivalence, Pearson product moment correlations, multiple regression analyses and tests for significant mean differences. The findings of this research confirmed an 11 dimensional structure LPME scale. The research confirmed the structural equivalence of the LMPE scale for males and females and type of learning programme. Age, education and occupation were found to be significant predictors of the LMPE sub-scales. This research contributed a valid and reliable LPME scale for the effective management and evaluation of occupational learning programmes in the South African skills development context. To this end, the research provides recommendations for practice and future studies. / Business Management / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

<p dir="ltr">The present era of industrial growth, along with the rise in big data, has led to an increase in the demand for data-savvy professionals employing visualization techniques and software to fully leverage the value of this data. Since data visualization is an expansive and intricate field, it leads to challenges for novice learners as they seek to understand it. The Data Visualization Capacity (DVC) Tool is an online learning platform designed to enhance data visualization literacy amongst learners. The DVC Tool encompasses fundamental principles and techniques essential for proficient data visualization, by including external resources, quizzes, and tutorials in a distance-based modular format.</p><p dir="ltr">This study investigates the usability of the DVC Tool using a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative analysis of Google Analytics data, System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaires, and qualitative insights from usability testing sessions and interviews. The research aims to assess the effectiveness of the DVC Tool across diverse user profiles and identify strategies for optimizing user experience. User studies were conducted with participants from various backgrounds and experience in data visualization to gain insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the DVC Tool, as well as gain recommendations for effective learning strategies and user experience design. The findings reveal a high overall usability rating for the DVC Tool, with users from various educational backgrounds and levels of expertise expressing satisfaction with its functionality and organization. The SUS usability scores indicate a mean usability score of 81.8, highlighting the tool's effectiveness in providing a user-friendly learning experience for all users across diverse profiles. Interviews also give insight into the importance of clear organization, visual aids, and custom learning plans to enhance the learning experience of the student.</p><p dir="ltr">In general, this research contributes to the advancement of data visualization education by providing insights into effective instructional strategies and components of digital learning platforms. The findings offer practical implications for educators and developers looking to enhance data visualization literacy among learners, while also addressing theoretical gaps in usability research within the field.</p>

This thesis concerns the study, development and analysis of innovative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven optimization techniques within the System-by-Design (SbD) framework aimed at efficiently addressing the computational complexity inherent in advanced electromagnetic (EM) problems. By leveraging the available a-priori information as well as the proper integration of machine learning (ML) techniques with intelligent exploration strategies, the SbD paradigm enables the effective and reliable solution of the EM problem at hand, with user-defined performance and in a reasonable amount of time. The flexibility of the AI-driven SbD framework is demonstrated in practice with the implementation of two solution strategies to address the fully non-linear inverse scattering problem (ISP) for the detection and imaging of buried objects in ground penetrating radar (GPR)-based applications, and to address the design and optimization of mm-wave automotive radars that comply multiple challenging and contrasting requirements. A comprehensive set of numerical experiments is reported to demonstrate the efficacy and computational efficiency of the SbD-based optimization techniques in solving complex EM problems.

This study reports on the use of action research methodology to generate a critical reflective collaborative setting. The aim was to infuse the institution with the results of this study in order to stimulate debate on the issues regarding change in practice and systems. The suitability of Internet communication technologies, more specifically the online learning community, is evaluated as a delivery mode that would address today&#8217;s learning needs. This required the collaborative construction of knowledge in a community setting with the teacher enabling communication and interaction, and facilitating and stimulating the sharing and testing of ideas and constructs. But such a learning scenario was found to be significantly challenging to the current print-based learning experience. It implied a challenge to teaching and support staff as well as the questioning of the efficiency and legitimacy of current instructional design staff and procedures used. The teaching responsibilities and commitment in the online community was outlined as against current print-based teaching practice. The current development and production culture, which restricts innovation and change in practice and systems significantly, came under pressure. The success of the online learning community in the Unisa context was nevertheless significant and it has the potential to serve as an opportunity to re-examine print-based production and delivery and to devise strategies and solutions to increase the quality significantly. / Faculty of Education / D. Ed.

In higher education institutions, virtual learning systems (VLSs) have been adopted, and are becoming increasingly popular among educators. However, despite this ubiquity of VLS use, there has not been widespread change in pedagogic practice to take advantage of the functionality afforded by VLSs. Knowledge of the actual usage of e-learning systems is limited in terms of what specific feature sets are deemed useful, and how this influences system usage. VLSs have a suite of tools with associated functions/features and properties, as well as non-functional system characteristics. In addition, these systems incorporate pedagogic features to cater for online teaching. Educators in higher education, who are the chief agents of e-learning, are confounded by system-related, pedagogic, organisational, user difference and demographic factors that influence VLS usage. Virtual learning system usage involves system feature usage extent and frequency, total system usage and usage clusters. The aim of this study is to develop a model representing the factors that influence usage of VLSs in higher education. The links between system usage and system-related factors, pedagogic factors, organisational factors, user-difference and demographic factors is researched. This research incorporated a literature study, a pilot study, interviews and surveys. A case study research strategy was combined with a mixed methods research design. The results of the qualitative analysis was triangulated with the findings of the quantitative analysis and compared to the findings of the literature study. The study was conducted at two residential higher education institutions (HEI), namely, University of KwaZulu-Natal and Durban University of Technology. The main contribution of this study is the Virtual Learning System Usage Model (VLSUM) representing the factors that influence VLS usage in residential higher education institutions. The proposed VLSUM is based on the empirical results of this study. VLSUM can be used by managers of educational technology departments and instructional designers to implement interventions to optimize usage. The constructs of VLSUM confirmed existing theories, replicated and synthesised theories from different fields, and extended existing models to produce a new model for understanding the factors that influence VLS usage in higher education. / Computing / D. LITT. et. Phil. (Information Systems)

本研究在合作式數位閱讀環境中發展了一套「知識標註學習系統」，可以支援多人同時針對一篇數位文本進行閱讀標註與互動討論，以提升讀者閱讀的深度與廣度。此外，本研究更進一步地以專家評估法設計「知識萃取機制」，用於判斷讀者閱讀標註的重要度。 「知識萃取機制」是基於讀者閱讀標註中所蘊含的閱讀理解策略與閱讀技巧，以及合作式閱讀社群中產生的標註共識，考量了「標註範圍長度」、「標註範圍詞性」、「標註範圍位置」、「標註策略類型」、「標註範圍共識」與「標註喜愛共識」等六項因素，以專家評估法制定的標註重要度模糊隸屬函數來評定各因素的重要度並量化為「標註因素分數」指標，最後將六項因素以模糊綜合評判進行推論，再將推論結果解模糊化而成為代表標註重要度的量化指標「標註分數」。基於「知識萃取機制」所計算代表標註重要度的「標註分數」，可作為讀者進行閱讀標註是否不佳的判斷，並據此提供標註技巧建議與優質標註內容推薦的「標註建議」，以幫助讀者提昇閱讀理解能力。 為了驗證「知識萃取機制」計算「標註分數」的有效性，以及探討未來改善「知識萃取機制」和可加入的考量因素與適性化設計的可能方向，本研究以單組後測設計規劃實驗，並以國立政治大學圖書資訊數位碩士在職專班19位學生作為實驗對象，進行一份數位學習論文的合作式閱讀標註學習，並於實驗後評估實驗對象閱讀文章之後的閱讀理解能力，作為評鑑「知識萃取機制」計算方式是否有效的指標。最後再以問卷蒐集實驗對象對於「知識萃取機制」的意見，歸納成為未來研究改善的參考依據。 研究結果發現，本研究所提出「知識萃取機制」中計算標註重要度的「標註分數」與實驗對象的閱讀理解能力呈現低度正相關，一定程度地證實了「知識萃取機制」計算方式的有效性。而「知識萃取機制」六項考量因素中，「標註範圍長度」與「標註喜愛共識」為分辨實驗對象閱讀理解能力的關鍵因素；「標註策略類型」與「標註範圍詞性」的標註重要度模糊隸屬函數有待修正；「標註範圍共識」與「標註範圍位置」為無效因素，但這可能是受到計算方式錯誤與閱讀文章類型的影響，未來仍有待進一步評估。在未來發展方面，系統操作標註行為頻率越高，實驗對象的閱讀理解能力也有較高的跡象，未來可以將其納入「知識萃取機制」作為考量因素之一；而閱讀理解能力較差的實驗對象，呈現出比較不願意回應「標註建議」與較常使用社群互動的現象。本研究歸納可能原因為實驗對象自身的閱讀素養不成熟，以至於無法判斷「標註建議」的正確性，而需要參考他人閱讀標註。 未來研究可針對本研究的實驗對象與閱讀標註資料進行更深入的分析，並且將改良後的「知識萃取機制」擴大至探討其他類型的數位文本閱讀標註與實驗對象。也可以搭配認知策略教學法建構閱讀教學鷹架，或是將「知識標註學習系統」用於支援數位典藏與數位圖書館閱讀學習，以激發更多不同領域的應用研究。 / Based on the concept of cooperative reading learning, the study presented a cooperative reading annotation system termed as "Knowledge-based Annotation Learning System (KALS)", which can support cooperative reading annotation while reading a common text-based digital material, to accumulate reading knowledge and to promote readers’ reading comprehension abilities. Through KALS, readers could freely increase annotation for any text words on a text-based digital material with HTML format. Readers can also share and discuss the contributed annotation with other readers via interaction interface in KALS. Furthermore, this study also developed an intelligent Knowledge Extraction Mechanism (KEM), which can mine the quality annotation knowledge and annotation skills based on a large amount of readers’ annotation archived on KALS, to further promote reading comprehension of readers via on-line recommending high quality annotation knowledge and good annotation skills to readers. KEM employed fuzzy synthetic decision approach to quantify each reader’s annotation as a numeric index termed as "Annotation Score" under simultaneously considering two annotation consensuses including anchor consensus and favorite consensus, and four annotation features including anchor length, part of speech of anchor word, anchor location and annotation strategy. In a manner, "Annotation Score" can represent the importance of reader's annotation. Thus, KEN uses "Annotation Score" to determine which annotation needs the suggestion of annotation skill tips, and which high-quality annotation can be recommended to readers. At the same time, readers are encouraged to reflect their annotation behavior based on the suggestion of annotation skill tips and high-quality annotation recommended by KEN, and are asked to respond the feedback from KEM. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed KALS with KEM, the study designed an experiment to collect readers' annotation behavior after readers read an assigned text-based digital material, and then assessed readers’ reading comprehension ability. Reading comprehension ability was used to verify the effectiveness of "Annotation Score" inferred by KEM and to explore the potential factors that can improve KEM. In the designed experiment, participants were 19 graduate students of E-learning Master Program of Library and Information Studies of National Chengchi University who took the course of Integrating Information Technology into Teaching. All participants were asked to read an academic paper related E-Learning issue based on the support of KALS with KEM during two weeks. Moreover, they had to finish a reading report and accept a test of reading comprehension after finishing reading learning activity. The report and test were served as the measurement of participants' reading comprehension. The experimental results show that there is a low positive correlation between "Annotation Score" and participants' reading comprehension score, thus confirming the effectiveness of the proposed KEM. Furthermore, KEM could be improved by adjusting the annotation importance calculation approach of part of speech anchor word and annotation strategy. This study also confirmed that the considered factors of KEM should eliminate two factors including anchor consensus and anchor location. Additionally, future study should consider adopting frequency of annotation behavior as considered factors of KEM. Moreover, the experimental results also show that participants with low level of reading comprehension ability have higher need of community interaction than participants with high level of reading comprehension ability while using KALS for reading learning, and they are difficult to confirm whether the recommending tips of annotation from KEM is correct or not. Obviously, exploring the difference of participants’ annotation behavior between different levels of reading comprehension abilities provides benefits to develop adaptive functionalities of KEM in the future.

This study reports on the use of action research methodology to generate a critical reflective collaborative setting. The aim was to infuse the institution with the results of this study in order to stimulate debate on the issues regarding change in practice and systems. The suitability of Internet communication technologies, more specifically the online learning community, is evaluated as a delivery mode that would address today&#8217;s learning needs. This required the collaborative construction of knowledge in a community setting with the teacher enabling communication and interaction, and facilitating and stimulating the sharing and testing of ideas and constructs. But such a learning scenario was found to be significantly challenging to the current print-based learning experience. It implied a challenge to teaching and support staff as well as the questioning of the efficiency and legitimacy of current instructional design staff and procedures used. The teaching responsibilities and commitment in the online community was outlined as against current print-based teaching practice. The current development and production culture, which restricts innovation and change in practice and systems significantly, came under pressure. The success of the online learning community in the Unisa context was nevertheless significant and it has the potential to serve as an opportunity to re-examine print-based production and delivery and to devise strategies and solutions to increase the quality significantly. / Faculty of Education / D. Ed.

In higher education institutions, virtual learning systems (VLSs) have been adopted, and are becoming increasingly popular among educators. However, despite this ubiquity of VLS use, there has not been widespread change in pedagogic practice to take advantage of the functionality afforded by VLSs. Knowledge of the actual usage of e-learning systems is limited in terms of what specific feature sets are deemed useful, and how this influences system usage. VLSs have a suite of tools with associated functions/features and properties, as well as non-functional system characteristics. In addition, these systems incorporate pedagogic features to cater for online teaching. Educators in higher education, who are the chief agents of e-learning, are confounded by system-related, pedagogic, organisational, user difference and demographic factors that influence VLS usage. Virtual learning system usage involves system feature usage extent and frequency, total system usage and usage clusters. The aim of this study is to develop a model representing the factors that influence usage of VLSs in higher education. The links between system usage and system-related factors, pedagogic factors, organisational factors, user-difference and demographic factors is researched. This research incorporated a literature study, a pilot study, interviews and surveys. A case study research strategy was combined with a mixed methods research design. The results of the qualitative analysis was triangulated with the findings of the quantitative analysis and compared to the findings of the literature study. The study was conducted at two residential higher education institutions (HEI), namely, University of KwaZulu-Natal and Durban University of Technology. The main contribution of this study is the Virtual Learning System Usage Model (VLSUM) representing the factors that influence VLS usage in residential higher education institutions. The proposed VLSUM is based on the empirical results of this study. VLSUM can be used by managers of educational technology departments and instructional designers to implement interventions to optimize usage. The constructs of VLSUM confirmed existing theories, replicated and synthesised theories from different fields, and extended existing models to produce a new model for understanding the factors that influence VLS usage in higher education. / Computing / D. LITT. et. Phil. (Information Systems)

At the moment, there is a low level of students’ knowledge in natural sciences. The problem is particularly acute in the field of tasks solving. This paper offers actual ways to solve a task by developing a universal technology for solving tasks. This technology will become the basis for training courses aimed at filling students' knowledge gaps and improving their ability to solve tasks. The paper also considers the automation of educational activities of the Network Engineering School. As a result of the work, the current level of schoolchildren’s training was determined and the causes of the problem were identified. The existing methods of solving tasks were analyzed and identified their shortcomings. A universal technology for solving problems using the method of tabular analysis has been developed and its mathematical justification has been given. Compiled methodological manual and published in scientific journals. The business processes of the Network Engineering School were also automated: a distance learning system was introduced into the learning process. The obtained results have already been applied in practice: the developed methodology has become the base of mathematics course at the Network Engineering School, in which classes are already being held. Also, the effectiveness of the methodology was evaluated during a study conducted on the basis of the school Olympiad. In addition, an assessment of the effectiveness of the project on the implementation of a distance learning system was made and it was revealed that the project is profitable. / В настоящий момент наблюдается низкий уровень подготовки школьников по естественно-научным направлениям. Особенно остро ощущается проблема в области решения задач. Данная работа предлагает актуальные пути решения проблемы путем разработки универсальной технологии решения задач. Данная технология станет основой для учебных курсов, направленных восполнить пробелы в знаниях учеников и подтянуть их способности решать задачи. Также в работе рассматривается автоматизация учебной деятельности Сетевой инженерно-технической школы. В результате работы был определен текущий уровень подготовки школьников и определены причины возникновения проблемы. Проанализированы существующие методики решения задач и выявлены их недостатки. Разработана универсальная технология решения задач методом табличного анализа и дано ее математическое обоснование. Составлено методическое пособие и опубликовано в научных изданиях. Также были автоматизированы бизнес-процессы Сетевой инженерно-технической школы: в процесс обучения была внедрена система дистанционного обучения. Полученные результаты уже применены на практике: разработанная методика стала основной курса по математике в Сетевой инженерно-технической школе, по которому уже проводятся занятия. Также эффективность методики была оценена во время исследования, проведенного на базе школьной Олимпиады. А также была произведена оценка эффективности проекта по внедрению системы дистанционного обучения и выявлено, что проект является прибыльным.

<p dir="ltr">Vocabulary is a crucial element in second language learning. However, researchers in vocabulary acquisition express concerns about students’ successful acquisition of vocabulary (e.g., no significant gain after one semester of instruction (Clark & Ishida, 2005)) and the limited classroom instruction dedicated to vocabulary. In an effort to address these issues, the present study developed an online vocabulary learning system intended for use as homework, incorporating relevant theories, hypotheses, and empirical findings from existing literature and investigated its effectiveness employing a mixed-methods design.</p><p dir="ltr">For the quantitative component, students’ vocabulary gains were measured across three aspects of vocabulary knowledge (breadth/size, depth, and speed of access). A three-week experiment was conducted with students enrolled in the third-semester Japanese language course at a US Midwest institution. The final dataset included 54 students’ data. The experimental group (<i>n</i> = 28) utilized the new system to learn target words, while the control group (<i>n</i> = 26) used the current system employed in the course. The current system is also operated online and includes two types of exercises (i.e., listen-and-repeat and flashcards). ANCOVAs were employed to identify any significant differences between the groups, controlling for their pretest scores. Additionally, regression analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between the time the experimental group students spent learning new words using the new system and their outcomes, while also controlling for their pretest scores.</p><p dir="ltr">For the qualitative component, eight students from the same participant pool as the quantitative component participated in one-hour focus group discussions, conducted separately for the experimental and control groups.</p><p dir="ltr">The quantitative analysis revealed no significant differences between the groups; however, it was found that the time spent by the experimental group learning new words using the system significantly predicted two aspects of vocabulary knowledge. The qualitative data offered insights into potential explanations for the lack of significant differences between the groups, including the influence of students’ motivation on the experiment and the perceived difficulty level of the vocabulary exercises implemented in the new system. Based on the results of the present study, numerous suggestions are made for future development projects of similar systems and research.</p>