This thesis, Utilising Open Educational Resources in support of curriculum transformation at Africa Nazarene University: A participatory action research approach, derives from a multi-year project implemented by OER Africa, and funded by the Hewlett Foundation, to explore the potential of Open Educational Resources (OER) in support of pedagogic transformation in African universities. The project involves four institutions: Africa Nazarene University (ANU) in Kenya, the Open University of Tanzania (OUT), and the Universities of Pretoria and the Free State (UP and UFS) in South Africa. This study centred on ANU only in the period 2013 to 2016, with a focus on the period 2015-2016, and was timed to inform ANU’s new strategic planning process from 2017. The wider project adopted a participatory action research process in its engagement with the four core institutions. Within this over-arching project methodology, this study made use of an analytical autoethnographic approach to capture and analyse data and to make recommendations, to acknowledge the researcher’s dual role as both a co-participant and an institutional project lead. The approach was informed primarily by hermeneutics and systems thinking and involved multiple in-country engagements with ANU and the triangulation of information derived from document review, observation and iterative focus group discussions and individual interviews. An OER Maturity Index and Planning Tool was also developed and used to inform planning and reflection and to provide a barometer of changing attitudes and activities regarding engagement with OER. Initially the engagement focused on developing a supportive policy and capacity-building environment for individuals to integrate OER into specific Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) courses and to publish revised course materials under an open licence. However, as the initiative progressed, it became apparent that there was need to revisit the institution’s overall business model considering increased competition, new regulatory requirements and a growing demand from students for more flexible forms of provision. In fact, the key finding of this study is the suggestion that engagement with OER is unlikely to move from being an individual to an institutional focus unless such engagement is aligned with the overall vision, mission and business model of the university. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

This study was conceptualised within a social-constructivist ontological orientation and, further, uses an interpretive epistemological lens to extract information from the participants who are coming from different life worlds. This thesis, Effective assessment in open distance and e-learning: using the Signature Courses at the University of South Africa as a model for future practice, investigated how emerging information communication technologies (ICTs) can be used to transform, enhance and influence student assessment practices in Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) contexts. The ultimate objective of the study was to establish assessment guidelines for effective student assessment in distance education using technology as an enabler. To achieve the objectives of this study, a mixed methods research methodology was adopted in which Unisa lecturers’ and first-year students’ experiences, perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs regarding the use of ICT as a tool to enhance and influence student assessment were sought. Despite some limitations, the study was able to reveal that technology has the potential to influence student-lecturer, and student-peer interaction thereby bridging the isolation gap that normally exists between them. Further, these potential benefits also include the identification of teaching strengths and weaknesses, the indication of areas where instructional change or modification is needed, and the application of more effective means of interacting with students. A key function of this study, therefore, is to help the lecturers involved in higher learning assessment to use technology effectively and efficiently to enhance assessment practices as a means of maintaining both the academic standards and enhancing the quality of the student learning experience. In addition, the study has shown that technology has the potential to enhance and influence student learning and motivation. Furthermore, this study made theoretical and practical contributions to the literature on information communication technology implementation on lecturers’ and students’ pedagogical and technological readiness to online learning and assessment in open distance and e-learning. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Online learning through the use of information and communication technology (ICT) features in institutions of higher education globally. If integrated successfully online learning holds many benefits. Research however has highlighted that the focus of online learning is often on the technology, while pedagogical considerations are neglected. As such online learning has not yielded significant changes from a pedagogical perspective. The impetus of this study was driven by the need to find approaches of integrating pedagogically sound online learning in distance education (DE). The study employed a case study research design, and was qualitative in nature. Questionnaires, interviews and documents informed the case study. The findings of the study reveal that online learning should be purposefully planned. In light of the findings, the study presents a framework for the integration of online learning in DE. The framework is built on the concept of awareness and argues that online learning should depart from three types of awareness, i.e. lecturer, student and institutional. The framework is entrenched in theory from both DE and online learning and offers direction for stakeholders at various levels of DE higher education institutions in terms of integrating online learning. / Boithuti ka inthanete ka tšhomišo ya theknolotši ya tshedimošo le kgokagano (ICT) bo hlaga ka go dihlongwa tša thuto ya godingwana lefaseng ka bophara. Ge e le gore di kopantšwe ka katlego, boithuti ka inthanete bo na le mehola ye mentši. Le ge go le bjalo, dinyakišišo, di bontšhitše gore nepišo ya boithuti ka inthanete gantši e ka go theknolotši, mola ditlhoko tša mokgwathuto di hlokomologilwe. Ka fao, boithuti ka inthanete ga se bo tšweletše diphetogo tša go bonagala go tšwa go kgopolo ya mokgwathuto. Tlhohleletšo ya dinyakišišo tše e laolwa ke nyakego ya go hwetša mekgwa ye e kopantšwego ye e kwagalago ya thuto ya boithuti ka inthanete le boithutikgole (DE). Dinyakišišo di šomišitše tlhamo ya dinyakišišo ya tshekatsheko ya maemo, gomme ka tlhago e be e le tša boleng. Mananeopotšišo, dipoledišano le dingwalwa di tsebagaditše tshekatsheko ya maemo . Diphihlelelo tša dinyakišišo di utolla gore boithuti ka inthanete bo swanetše go beakanywa ka maikemišetšo. Go ya ka diphihlelelo, tlhako e hlagišwa ke kopanyo ya boithuti ka inthanete ka go DE. Tlhako ye e theilwe godimo ga kgopolo ya temošo le go hlagiša gore boithuti ka inthanete bo swanetše go tšwa go mehuta ye meraro ya temošo, k.g.r. mofahloši, baithuti le dihlongwa. Tlhako ye e hlalošwa ka botlalo ka go teori go tšwa go DE le boithuti ka bobedi ka inthanete gomme e fa taetšo go baamegi maemong a go fapafapana a dihlongwa tša thuto ya godingwana ya kgole go ya ka boithuti ka inthanete. / Ukufunda ngokuxhumana ngekhompuyutha ngokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bolwazi nokuxhumana (i-ICT) kuyinto ekhona ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme emhlabeni wonke. Uma kudidiyelwe ngempumelelo, ukufunda ngokuxhumana ngekhompuyutha kunemihlomulo eminingi. Kodwa-ke, ucwaningo luqhakambise ukuthi ukugxila ekufundeni ngokuxhumana ngekhompuyutha kuvame ukuba mayelana nobuchwepheshe, bese kuthi okuphathelene nezindlela zokufundisa kunganakwa. Kanjalo, ukufunda ngokuxhumana ngekhompuyutha akuzanga noshintsho oluningi maqondana nezindlela zokufundisa. Isisusa salolu cwaningo kwaba ngukukhuthazwa yisidingo sokuthola izindlela zokudidiyela izindlela zokufundisa ngokuxhumana ngekhompuyutha ezisebenzayo kwezemfundo yamabanga (i-DE). Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise uhlobo lokucwaninga olubheka izindawo ezithile okugxilwa kuzo kanti luwuhlobo olubheka imininingwane yezinto ezikhona ezingamaqiniso. Amaphephamibuzo, izingxoxiswano kanye nemiqulu yikona okwaholela ocwaningweni olugxila ezindaweni ezithile. Okwatholakala kulolu cwaningo kwaveza ukuthi ukufunda ngokuxhumana ngekhompuyutha kumele kuhlelwe ngendlela. Ngenxa yokutholakele, uhlaka luhlinzekelwa ukuba kudidiyelwe ukufunda ngokuxhumana ngekhompuyutha kwezemfundo yamabanga. Uhlaka lwakhiwe ngomqondo wokuqwashisa futhi lubeka phambili ukuthi ukufunda ngokuxhumana kwekhompuyutha kufanele kusukele ezinhlobeni ezintathu zokuqwashisa, kuthisha wasenyuvesi, kumfundi nakwisikhungo. Uhlaka lugxile emqondweni wezinzululwazi wakona kokubili imfundo yamabanga nokufunda ngokuxhumana ngekhompuyutha futhi luhlinzeka umhlahlandlela kwabathintekayo emazingeni ahlukahlukene ezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme yamabanga maqondana nokudidiyela ukufunda ngokuxhumana ngekhompuyutha. / Educational Studies / Ph. D. (Education)