Undergraduate software engineering learners demonstrate a lack of motivation with face-to-face classroom education. Limited access to the Internet via PCs and laptops, hinders effective communication and collaboration. However, the majority of learners enrolled for studies in tertiary education, have cellphones and are proficient in the use of digital technology. A technology-enhanced m-learning solution is indicated. This research project evaluates the usability and user experience of an m-learning environment, custom-designed for a tertiary educational context and delivered by mobile handheld devices, features a synthesized framework of categories and criteria, and determines the nature and scope of an emergent digital divide. A design-based research model suited to the context of the study is implemented, gathering quantitative and qualitative data from experts and learners by survey questionnaires. Analysis of data highlights usability and UX problems, provides insight into an emergent digital divide and suggests guidelines specific to the design of m-learning implementations. / Educational Studies / M. Sc. (Information Systems)

Universities want to go where the learners are to share their rich scientific and intellectual knowledge beyond the walls of the academy and to expand the boundaries of the classroom. This desire has become a critical need, as the worldwide economy adjusts to globalization and the need for advanced education and training becomes ever more critical. Unfortunately, the work of creating, processing, distributing and using quality multimedia learning content is expensive and technically challenging. The work combines research results, lessons learned and usage findings in the presentation of a fully open source based scalable lecture capture solution, that is useful in the heterogenous computing landscape of today’s universities and learning institutes. Especially implemented user facing applications and components are being addressed, which enable lecturers, faculty and students to record, analyze and subsequently re-use the recorded multimedia learning material in multiple and attractive ways across devices and distribution platforms.

English text, with summaries in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / This study aims to propose an e-learning framework for mobile devices in Africa to help improve enrolment rates and education standards in the FET (Further Education and Training) phase. The study is qualitative in nature and employs document analysis as main research method. An overview of the South African education context with supporting statistical data to motivate why an e-learning alternative is crucial for improving South African and African education is provided. The literature review includes a descriptive analysis of 7 existing e- and m-learning frameworks, with key features highlighted for possible adaptation or incorporation into an e-learning framework for Africa. Behaviourism, Constructivism and Connectivism are discussed as applicable learning theories to pedagogically underpin this proposed e-learning framework. Thereafter, a critical evaluation of current South African education policy documents (White Papers, the Norms and Standards for Educators and the Draft Policy for the Provision and Management of Learning Teaching and Support Materials) is conducted to determine whether these policies support and enable e-learning effectively. Part 2 of Chapter 5 comprises a critical analysis and comparison of education systems and applicable legislation in the USA, Finland and Malawi to establish how education is structured and how e-learning is administered in these countries to make relevant recommendations for South Africa and to inform the design of an e-learning framework for Africa. Research findings are presented as answers to the research questions posed and the proposed e-learning framework with further recommendations are presented to the South African Department of Basic Education, teachers and researchers. / Die doel van hierdie studie is om ‘n e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk vir mobiele toestelle vir Afrika voor te stel, sodat inskrywingsgetalle en onderrig- en leerstandaarde in die Verdere Onderrig en Opleidings (VOO) fase verbeter kan word. Dit is ‘n kwalitatiewe studie en dokumentanalise word as navorsingsmetode toegepas. ‘n Oorsig van die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel en konteks met ondersteunende statistiese bevindinge word verduidelik om e-onderrig-en-leer as noodsaaklike alternatief vir Suid-Afrika en Afrika te motiveer. Die literatuuroorsig sluit ‘n beskrywende analise van sewe bestaande e- en m-onderrig-en-leer (mobiele-onderrig-en-leer) raamwerke in. Hoofkenmerke van elke raamwerk word uitgelig vir moontlike aanpassing en inkorporering in ‘n e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk vir die Afrika-konteks. Leerteorië, nl Behaviourisme, Konstruktivisme en Konnektivisme (Connectivism) word in diepte bespreek as pedagogies fundamenteel om die e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk te onderbou en te ondersteun. ‘n Kritiese evaluasie van Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysbeleid (d.w.s. Witskrifte, die Norme and Standaarde vir Onderwysers en die konsepdokument oor die Voorsiening en Bestuur van Onderrig-, Leer- en Ondersteuningsmateriaal) is gedoen om vas te stel of die beleid wel e-onderrig-en-leer effektief ondersteun en prakties moontlik maak. ‘n Krities analitiese en vergelykende studie van die VSA (Verenigde State van Amerika), Finland en Malawi se onderwysstelsels- en wetgewing is gedoen in hoofstuk 5 deel 2 om te bepaal hoe dié lande onderwys struktureer en hoe e-onderrig-en–leer geadministreer word, sodat relevante voorstelle vir Suid-Afrika gemaak kan word en om insae te lewer in die ontwerp van ‘n e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk toepaslik vir die Afrika-kontinent. Navorsingsbevindinge word voorgelê aan die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van Basiese Onderwys, onderwysers sowel as aan navorsers. / Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuphakamisa uhlaka lwe-e-learning lamadivaysi eselula e-Afrika ukusiza ukuthuthukisa izinga lokubhalisa nezindinganiso zemfundo kwiSigaba se-FET (Further Education and Training). Ucwaningo luyimfanelo enemvelo futhi lusebenzisa ukuhlaziywa kwedokhumenti njengendlela yokucwaninga eyinhloko. Ukuhlolisisa umongo wezemfundo waseNingizimu Afrika ngokusekela imniningwane yezibalo ukugqugquzela ukuthi kungani enye yokufunda email ibalulekile ekuthuthukiseni imfundo yaseNingizimu Afrika ne-Afrika. Ukubuyekezwa kwezincwadi kuhlanganisa ukuhlaziywa okuchazayo kwezinhlaka eziyisikhombisa ezisekhona ze-e- e-m-learning, nezici eziyinhloko eziqokonyiswe ukukhishwa kwe-adaption noma ukufakwa kwisakhiwo se-e-learning se-Afrika. Ukuzikhethela, Ukwakhiwa kwe-Constructivism (Kwe Zokwakha) kanye ne-Connectivism (Kwe Zokuxhumana) kuxoxwa njengezifundo ezifanele zokufunda ukusekela lolu hlelo oluhlongozwayo lwe-e-learning. Ngemuva kwaloko, ukuhlolwa okubalulekile kwemibhalo yamanje yemfundo yaseNingizimu Afrika (Amaphepha Asemhlophe, Imigomo Nemigomo Yabafundisi kanye neNqubomgomo Yohlaka Lokufundiswa Nezifundo Nokusekela) kwenziwa ukuze kutholakale ukuthi lezi zinqubomgomo zisekela futhi zikwazi yini ukufundisa nge-e-ephumelelayo. Ingxenye yesibili yeSahluko sesihlanu iqukethe ukuhlaziywa okubucayi kanye nokuqhathaniswa kwezinhlelo zemfundo kanye nemithetho esebenzayo eMelika, eFinland nase Malawi ukuqinisekisa ukuthi imfundo ihlelwe kanjani nokuthi i-e-learning inikezwa kanjani ukwenza izincomo ezifanele eNingizimu Afrika nokwazisa ukuklama uhlaka lwe-e-learning lwe-Afrika. Imiphumela yokucwaninga inikezwa njengezimpendulo zemibuzo yokucwaninga ephakanyisiwe kanye nohlaka oluhlongozwayo lwe-e-learning kanye nezincomo ezengeziwe ezethulwa eMnyangweni wezemfundo Eyisisekelo, othisha nabacwaningi baseNingizimu Afrika. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

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.