D.Ed. / The use IT is increasingly becoming a reality in education in South Africa (SA). Despite this very few historical black universities (HBU's) utilize it in the training of their student teachers. For this reason the use of IT by student teachers in the historical black universities in the Northern Province has been disappointing. This study raises questions for investigation regarding the use of information technology in initial teacher education (ITE) in the Northern Province (South Africa), which ultimately enabled the researcher to generate an approach for the implementation of IT in initial teacher education in Universities in the Northern Province. In order to reach possible solutions for the stated problem and to suggest an approach for the implementation of IT in ITE, a literature study on information technology in initial teacher education was undertaken. An empirical study was also conducted which included: • Interviews with deans of the schools of education (faculties of education) in the two Universities in the Northern Province. • HOD's of the department of Educational Practice (The department of Curriculum Studies and Teachers Education). • Lecturers in the faculties of Education (School of Education) • HED & UED student teachers at these two universities. • Computer Centre Personnel at these two institutions. • Colleges of Makhado and Mokopane were also visited with a view to observe what was happening in terms of IT training and, to interview rectors and lecturers responsible for IT training.

No description available.

M.Com. (Human Resource Management) / The use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) to work after regular working hours has become prevalent in the academic profession. Although ICTs are known to enhance work flexibility, they also seem to encourage academics to use ICT devices after hours for work-related purposes. This consequently questions the work flexibility, which is enabled by ICTs, and the potential impact that this has on the work–life conflict (WLC) experienced by academics. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the phenomenon of technology assisted supplemental work (TASW) and the implications that this has on the WLC experienced by academics at a higher education institution in South Africa. In addition, the moderating roles of gender, marital status and whether or not the respondents had children were factors, in these academics‟ personal lives, which were taken into consideration in investigating the relationship between TASW and WLC. The study adopted a quantitative research approach, and made use of an online survey, composed of three sections, to collect data. Section A included demographic-related questions, while Section B contained questions from a pre-existing WLC scale, and Section C comprised of a pre-existing scale used to assess TASW. The sample consisted of academics from a higher education in South Africa (n = 216). The results of the research engaged in revealed a significant relationship between TASW and WLC. Regarding the relationship between TASW and the three forms of WLC, the results revealed that TASW is significantly and positively related to time-based and strainbased WLC. There is no significant relationship between TASW and behavioural-based WLC. TASW is a significant predictor of WLC. Furthermore, the results revealed that gender, children and marital status all significantly moderated the relationship between TASW and WLC. This study contributes further knowledge to the emerging field of research relating to TASW in a South African context. In addition, this study also emphasises the implications of using ICTs and their potential to encourage academics to extend their working hours. This study therefore questions the benefits of this work flexibility that many academics are privileged to have from using ICTs.

Thesis (PhD (Accountancy))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The accountancy profession operates within an environment that is changing at a rapid pace. It is the responsibility of the profession to ensure that all its members (including future members) meet the expectations placed on them by the users of their services. Professional accountants need to stay relevant in this changing environment that may require them to change or adapt the services they offer to their clients. It is the responsibility of professional accountancy bodies to strategically plan for these changes to ensure that members that join the profession posses the required knowledge and skills to be relevant and to stay relevant within the environment they operate in. One of the key drivers of change in the environment has been identified as the advances in information and communication technologies. Information and communication technologies have an impact on the role that accountants play in the environment (i.e. what they do) as well as on how they perform their role (i.e. how they do it). The main aim of this research was to determine if, and to what extent, students, that have completed their formal education and enter the profession as trainee accountants, possess the knowledge and skills to enable them to interact with and use information technology to be regarded as competent accountants within the South African business environment. Accountants are educated in South Africa at universities that offer programmes that have been accredited by a professional accountancy body as well as through practical training offered by training organisations. During this education process, accountants are imparted with the knowledge and skills as prescribed by the professional accountancy body so that they can join the profession as competent accountants. This research showed that there are serious shortcomings in the formal education of students regarding information technology that results in students entering the profession as trainee accountants not being competent in using information technology. The reasons for students not being competent in information technology are: • the lack of clear guidance on the IT skills required of students completing their formal education because of professional accountancy bodies setting IT syllabi that are too vague and/or concise; • ignorance of the demands on trainee accountants as to the IT skills they require to be competent in the South African business environment; and • the lack of proper IT training offered by South African universities that deliver trainee accountants that possess a limited range of IT skills that may not be relevant to the environment students will function in. Through a survey the perceptions of role-players at South African universities on the strategies that universities would have to employ to ensure that the students they deliver to profession, acquire the relevant IT skills to be competent in the use of information technology, were determined.

M.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

D.Ed. / As a curriculum initiative Technology Education is in its infancy in South Africa. It has only recently, in 1996, been introduced as a compulsory area of learning in the school curriculum. Technology Education with its particular elements of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values is conceptually different from anything previously taught in the school curriculum. The appropriateness of methodology is of fundamental importance to the success of the subject/learning area and probably represents the most significant factor in the effectiveness of its delivery. It is clear that current approaches to learning and instruction are not geared towards the attainment of the desired outcomes in Technology Education. For example, the opportunities for knowledge construction through engagement in the cognitive processes of critical and creative thinking, decision-making problem solving and designing are overshadowed by traditional approaches to curriculum delivery. This is compounded by the fact that no instructional models, which exemplify appropriate instructional practice in Technology Education exist currently in South Africa. The aim of this study was to design and implement an instructional programme in the learning area Technology at a College of Education, and based on the findings, generate a prospective instructional model which would exemplify appropriate instructional practice and at the same time contribute towards the attainment of the desired outcomes in Technology Education. The qualitative research paradigm, using the contextual case study design was considered the most acceptable research strategy for a project of this nature. A group of 20 second year learners was observed around specific tasks comprising the programme. Data was gathered using a variety of methods, viz. direct observation, questionnaires and interviews to gauge firstly, how the learners had experienced the programme, and secondly, how the teacher educator experienced the programme. From the study it appeared that exposure to the instructional programme proved to be an empowering educational experience for both learners and teacher educator alike. In addition to widening the scope and providing opportunities both inside and outside the classroom, the programme appeared to have provided entrepreneurial opportunities for the participants of the programme. Although the instructional programme catered for knowledge construction using a variety of approaches (both behaviourist and constructivist) the most significant gain for learners seemed to have emanated from both group discussion and group work. Although it cannot be stated conclusively that cognitive development had taken place, positive interdependence, shared responsibility, social skills and enhanced learning were evident. The findings of the research provided the foundation for the design and development of an instructional model in Technology Education.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of an M.Com. degree in Information Systems, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, March 2017 / Purpose – The aim of this research is to examine one case of the adoption and contextualisation of an international computing curriculum at a South African university in order to improve the understanding of this process for literature as well as practice. An international computing curriculum is a curriculum developed by international professional and scientific bodies such as the Association for Information Systems (AIS), Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) or the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). Design/methodology/approach – The research adopts an interpretivist approach and follows an exploratory research design using qualitative methods to gather data and directed content analysis for data analysis. The research site is a traditional South African university which has used the IS2010 curriculum as a guideline for their undergraduate Information Systems degrees. The site was chosen using convenience sampling. Data was obtained through interviews with staff at the Information Systems department as well as university documentation. Findings - The research indicates that university objectives, university context and industry skills needs have shaped the way the university has adopted and contextualised the IS2010 curriculum. The research also indicates that there are two types of challenges that were encountered: challenges caused by IS2010 and existing challenges that affected IS2010. The major challenges caused by IS2010 were the absence of important elements related to teaching and learning, particularly pedagogy. The challenges that affected the adoption of IS2010 but were not caused by IS2010 were challenges that the university was already facing. These include the language of instruction, institutional culture, staff shortages and students’ cultural and educational background. Originality and Practical contribution – Most of the research on this area focuses on African countries other than South Africa. Researchers have argued that it is important to conduct this kind of research on an individual country level because of the unique nature of the challenges facing each country. This research is an attempt to conduct such research specifically for South Africa. The research findings have shed light on how a South African university may adopt and contextualise an international computing curriculum and the challenges the university might face in doing so. This will in turn help computing educators in addressing such challenges and provide some guidance on how to go about doing so. The research also puts forward a conceptual framework that can be used to research computing curriculum contextualisation in South Africa. / GR2018

Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Peninsula Technikon, 2005 / "This study was initiated to determine whether cost estimation is a necessary skill for an Information Technology (IT) consultant. The historic poor record in the software industry for delivering software projects within budget has highlighted a need for IT students to receive adequate preparation for future experiences in the world of work especially if they were to become self-employed. The literature revealed that a variety of employability skills are required when preparing students for entrepreneurship. In IT there is a particular need for project management skills when the entrepreneur is responsible for all aspects of the software project. Cost estimation is a key function of project management.

M.Ed. (Eucational Media) / The training of student-teachers in media selection, integration and utilization in Venda is not done according to expectations. To investigate this problem it was necessary to identify problem areas in the theoretical and practical training of media of teachers in Venda. In order to reach possible solutions to the set problem in confirmation of the purpose of the study, a literature survey on teacher education with special reference to pre-service education and media training was undertaken. An empirical study was also conducted which included four groups of respondents, namely: Rectors of Colleges and the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University. Heads of Departments at these institutions. Lecturers at these institutions. Final year student-teachers at colleges and the university. The research as stipulated above yielded the following results: * The lecturer of student-teachers in training cannot use the available teaching media at the College/University because he himself has not been trained in the'use of available teaching media in the didactic situation. * The training programme of student-teachers is congested, which limits the time for training in and practising of the use of media in didactic situations. * The student-teacher completes his training without enough knowledge on how to use teaching media in a teaching-learning situation. * The rejection of using teaching media by lecturers and student-teachers Js il result of lack of knowledge on how to use teaching media. * There is no in-service training for lecturers and teachers to update them in teaching media. * Mainly three teaching media can be used by student teachers, lecturers and teachers, that is Chalkboard, Maps and Wall Charts. * Schools where student-teachers do teaching practice have a lack of audiovisual materials and other equipment. * The period of teaching practice is not enough to practise teaching media in the real teaching-learning situation, is, where some of the teaching media are available. * Teachers at schools cannot offer guidance to student media during practice * Student-teachers have a good theoretical knowledge but no practical knowledge of teaching media in the didactic situation.

M.Ed. (Subject Didactics) / Knowledge and understanding of computers and those skills essential for using a computer are legitimate goals of education. It is not questionable that computer literacy is the most important skill for any work-seeker to posses. It is thus essential for school-Ieavers to be equipped with computer skills. If school-going children are really going to benefit from the new computer technology, then there must be teachers who are comfortable with facilitating the learning of children. In order to facilitate the development of teachers in order to use computers to enhance learning, teacher-training support needs to be increasingly diversified. We need to find methods of empowering the limited number of formally and semi formally trained teaching resources with the ability to impart computer knowledge and skills to the widest population of both teachers and students. Computer usage in education within existing subjects will be characterised by the incidental nature of its application by individual teachers. Since the aim is to integrate computers in existing subjects, in the context of the revised curriculum, it has to be noted that to achieve this aim, further growth in the usage of computers in education is needed. The intention of this study is to provide guidelines designed to help teachers in schools use computers as well as to expose the need for the inclusion of teachers with exper~ise in software development teams. What has triggered the researcher to conduct this study is the fact that she has noted the following: inadequate emphasis has been placed on implementation of computers in the classroom, effective the training of teachers for the use of computers in the classroom is generally lacking, and the need for the inclusion of teachers with subject expertise in software development. The findings of this study indicate that for computers to be implemented in schools, there should be pressure on the requirements for efficiency, effectiveness and quality performance of staff to carry out the innovation. This suggests that there is need for sufficient and appropriate teacher training and provision of ongoing support to teachers.