This study was conducted at the University of South Africa in the Department of Information Science and looked at the students’ perception about e-learning. The study context was Open Distance Learning (ODL) which allows multi-dimensional e-learning aimed at bridging the time, geographical, economic, social, educational and communication distance between student and institution, student and academics, student and courseware and student and peers. It has emerged in the literature that student’ perceptions and understanding of e-learning are susceptible to challenges related to infrastructure, geographic location, skills set, support services, pedagogical matters and other related matters. These challenges are likely to affect the students’ perceptions of e-learning which is likely to have a negative impact on effective learning as well as success and completion rates. The main aim of the study was to examine the perceptions of Information Science students towards e-learning. This study opted for multi-methods. The quantitative approach which involves the use of controlled questionnaires was employed. The questionnaire was designed in the web survey for the purpose of reaching scattered respondents and the opportunity to obtain large numbers of respondents to contribute. Also the qualitative method was considered as appropriate for this study because it helped to conceptualise the research and enabled the researcher to gather information from lecturers on influencing students and the strategies used to promote e-learning. The overall population of this study was 125 students and 17 lecturers. The study revealed that not all students knew what e-learning was, and the major challenge was the internet access as students complained about the shortage of internet bundles. Many students at UNISA considered e-learning as a flexible for teaching and studying method because it is not bound to a particular time and place, also they commended that the usability of myUnisa has created more accessibility in learning environment for tuition. If the current students are not assisted with the lowest prices for internet access, students might not continue interacting with lecturers in the e-learning platforms. Also, first year students at UNISA should be trained for the e-learning environment and be given an overview of the UNISA e-learning platform. / Information Science / M. Inf.

The purpose of this study was to determine how a specific group of lecturers identified and supported students experiencing language barriers. The study aimed to make a contribution by adding to literature on how language barriers affect teaching and learning at TVET level. The study was guided by the theory of Lev Vygotsky, known as the Sociocultural and Cognitive Perspective on Language and Communication Barriers in Learning. The study was conducted within a qualitative, constructive paradigm. Interview schedules were used for data collection. The researcher used semi-structured interviews and open-ended questions for data collection. Six National Certificate (Vocational) programme lecturers for NC (V) level 2 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) from the selected TVET College in Bojanala District, North West (NW) province were interviewed. The interviewees were purposively selected from three campuses in the district. Findings revealed that lecturers are affected by lack of support, lack of resources and lack of staff development when addressing language barriers experienced by students The study recommended that the Department of Higher Education and Training should provide a budget to provide professional development to lecturers teaching students experiencing language barriers. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The improvement of throughput rates is a crucial factor at higher education institutions; hence, university departments focus on improving pass rates per module. This study investigated how lecturers in the School of Computing (SoC) at the University of South Africa, use technology for improving throughput rates in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) context. The study sought answers to the main research question on how lecturers in the SoC use technology for improving throughput rates in an ODL institution. A mixed research methods approach was used, where quantitative data was extracted from the university systems and integrated with the qualitative data collected from interviews. Thirteen lecturers for the thirty modules under investigation were interviewed. A thematic analysis was used on the qualitative data, and quantitative data was analysed using rankings and correlation coefficients, leading to the interpretation that the use of myUnisa technology assisted to improve throughput on the modules. / Mathematics Education / M. Sc. (Computing Education)

Die Reaktionen von Hochschullehrern und Unternehmern auf Bildungsreformen und -expansion in Westdeutschland und Britannien nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg sind Gegenstand dieser Arbeit. Sie untersucht, wie sich beide Gruppen zu Hochschul- und Schulreformen im Besonderen und zur sozialen Öffnung im Allgemeinen äußerten. Welche bildungs- und hochschulpolitischen Interessen verfolgten diese Gruppen? Mit welchen Argumentationen versuchten sie, ihre Interessen durchzusetzen? Spielten bürgerliche Werte und Bildungsideale dabei noch eine Rolle? Herrschte eine bildungspolitische Werte- und Interessenübereinstimmung zwischen Hochschullehrern und Unternehmern, und knüpften sie gemeinsame Netzwerke zur Durchsetzung dieser Interessen? Die Arbeit bietet im ersten Teil einen Überblick über bildungspolitische Veränderungen und über gesellschaftliche Entwicklungstendenzen der Vermögens- und Einkommensverteilung sowie der Einordnung der beiden Akteursgruppen in die jeweilige Prestige- und Sozialstruktur ihrer Länder. Im zweiten Teil folgt eine Analyse ihrer bildungspolitischen Aussagen auf Hinweise einer Existenz von bürgerlichen Werten und Abgrenzungsversuchen gegenüber nicht-bürgerlichen Schichten. Im dritten Teil werden schließlich bildungspolitische Netzwerke und Gremien nach ihrer Zusammensetzung und -arbeit betrachtet. Damit möchte die Arbeit einen Beitrag zur Frage leisten, ob nach 1945 weiterhin ein Bürgertum mit einem Berufsgruppen übergreifenden Standesbewusstsein existierte, oder ob dieses in einzelne Berufsgruppen wie Hochschullehrer und Unternehmer mit je eigenen Interessen und Identifikationen zerfallen war. / This thesis compares the responses of university lecturers and business people to educational reform and expansion in West Germany and Britain in the postwar period. It examines how these groups reacted to increased social mobility in general, and university and school reform in particular. How did they attempt to persuade others of their position? Did middle-class values and educational ideals play a role? To what extent did the values and interests of university lecturers and business people intersect, and did they create networks to achieve their goals? The first part of this study surveys the postwar social and educational landscape, changes in income and wealth distribution, as well as the position of university lecturers and business people in each country. Part two analyses both groups’ positions on education, with particular reference to the existence of middle-class values and attempts to define themselves in relation to other classes. The final part explores how networks and bodies on education issues were set up and how they pursued their work. This study contributes to the debate as to whether a middle-class group identity existed in the postwar period, or whether this identity had disintegrated into individual professional groups, each with their own interests and identifications.

The aim of this study is to conduct a thorough theoretical study on mobile learning (mlearning) in order to achieve the primary objective of the study which is to develop a general framework to implement and manage mobile technologies in a higher education environment. The focus of the literature study was to research the state of mobile technologies and their relevance to teaching and learning. The literature study investigate the implications of mobile technologies for students, lecturers and thus for the institution and provided an overview of frameworks found in literature with the emphasis on the management of m–learning within the higher education institution. M–learning is part of a new mobile conception of society, with the mobility of the technologies impacting on the mobility of the students, the lecturers and ultimately on the mobility of higher education. Literature suggests that, while m–learning is proving to be innovative, the factors that most strongly impact on the ultimate success or failure of mlearning will depend on human factors, the balancing of technological ideals and pedagogical imperatives, and the successful management of the interface between human educational systems and technology systems. The proposed general framework focuses on addressing key issues related to m–learning from the perspective of the student, the lecturer and thus the institution. In order to remain competitive higher education needs to be diligent in maintaining the complex technology infrastructure that supports a thriving mobile culture that will meet and exceed the expectations of both lecturers and students. The empirical research conducted had as objectives to investigate the mobile technology assets of respondents with regard to the hardware and the software that they own, the mobile technology actions of respondents in regard to what they do with the mobile technology that they own and to investigate the respondent's attitude towards mobile technologies. A survey was designed and distributed to a sampling of the academic staff and students of the North–West University (NWU) in South Africa, specifically the Potchefstroom Campus. There is ample proof from the empirical study that there is a gap with regard to the level of accessibility, usage, and attitude with regards to the different interest groups in the higher education environment. Higher education institutions should invest in investigating these gaps further and in leveraging off the benefits of the effective management of these technologies to improve teaching and learning. The final chapter concludes with a summary of the secondary objectives researched in the literature (Chapter two) and empirical research (Chapter three) chapters in order to support recommendations towards the primary objective of this study. The rapid pace of adoption and advancement of mobile technologies creates opportunities for new and innovative services provided through such mobile devices. Higher education finds itself in the early innings of the mobile Internet pulling both lecturers and students towards the same place: smaller, faster, cheaper devices working together in a web of connectivity. Recommendations were made in this final chapter on how higher education institutions can leverage the benefits of the effective management of mobile technologies to improve teaching and learning. M–learning has the potential to increase the capacity of higher education through improving efficiency and productivity of teaching and learning. Mlearning could address challenges related to quality of teaching such as continuous professional training, lifelong upgrading, connecting with academics worldwide and communicating effectively with students. Higher education is discovering the potential of mlearning to promote student engagement and improving the quality of learning. Management of higher education institutions and systems, management of policymaking including storage and analysis of data, construction and assessment of policy scenarios, and tracer studies or academic tracking systems can be improved through the use of m–learning. Mobile technologies will continue to increasingly become an integral part of students' and lecturers' private and day to day lives and m–learning will be integral in educational content delivery. Additional research is required to study the effective and optimal implementation of m–learning. A better understanding of the benefits and leverage thereof is required and additional research should provide answers to these questions. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The aim of this study is to conduct a thorough theoretical study on mobile learning (mlearning) in order to achieve the primary objective of the study which is to develop a general framework to implement and manage mobile technologies in a higher education environment. The focus of the literature study was to research the state of mobile technologies and their relevance to teaching and learning. The literature study investigate the implications of mobile technologies for students, lecturers and thus for the institution and provided an overview of frameworks found in literature with the emphasis on the management of m–learning within the higher education institution. M–learning is part of a new mobile conception of society, with the mobility of the technologies impacting on the mobility of the students, the lecturers and ultimately on the mobility of higher education. Literature suggests that, while m–learning is proving to be innovative, the factors that most strongly impact on the ultimate success or failure of mlearning will depend on human factors, the balancing of technological ideals and pedagogical imperatives, and the successful management of the interface between human educational systems and technology systems. The proposed general framework focuses on addressing key issues related to m–learning from the perspective of the student, the lecturer and thus the institution. In order to remain competitive higher education needs to be diligent in maintaining the complex technology infrastructure that supports a thriving mobile culture that will meet and exceed the expectations of both lecturers and students. The empirical research conducted had as objectives to investigate the mobile technology assets of respondents with regard to the hardware and the software that they own, the mobile technology actions of respondents in regard to what they do with the mobile technology that they own and to investigate the respondent's attitude towards mobile technologies. A survey was designed and distributed to a sampling of the academic staff and students of the North–West University (NWU) in South Africa, specifically the Potchefstroom Campus. There is ample proof from the empirical study that there is a gap with regard to the level of accessibility, usage, and attitude with regards to the different interest groups in the higher education environment. Higher education institutions should invest in investigating these gaps further and in leveraging off the benefits of the effective management of these technologies to improve teaching and learning. The final chapter concludes with a summary of the secondary objectives researched in the literature (Chapter two) and empirical research (Chapter three) chapters in order to support recommendations towards the primary objective of this study. The rapid pace of adoption and advancement of mobile technologies creates opportunities for new and innovative services provided through such mobile devices. Higher education finds itself in the early innings of the mobile Internet pulling both lecturers and students towards the same place: smaller, faster, cheaper devices working together in a web of connectivity. Recommendations were made in this final chapter on how higher education institutions can leverage the benefits of the effective management of mobile technologies to improve teaching and learning. M–learning has the potential to increase the capacity of higher education through improving efficiency and productivity of teaching and learning. Mlearning could address challenges related to quality of teaching such as continuous professional training, lifelong upgrading, connecting with academics worldwide and communicating effectively with students. Higher education is discovering the potential of mlearning to promote student engagement and improving the quality of learning. Management of higher education institutions and systems, management of policymaking including storage and analysis of data, construction and assessment of policy scenarios, and tracer studies or academic tracking systems can be improved through the use of m–learning. Mobile technologies will continue to increasingly become an integral part of students' and lecturers' private and day to day lives and m–learning will be integral in educational content delivery. Additional research is required to study the effective and optimal implementation of m–learning. A better understanding of the benefits and leverage thereof is required and additional research should provide answers to these questions. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.