This study set out to investigate Grocott’s Mail journalists’ appropriation of information and communication technologies in news-gathering and processing using the social shaping of technology as a theoretical lens. It mainly focuses on digital ICTs that journalists use in news-gathering and processing including the Internet, electronic mail, and mobile telephony. Grocott’s Mail is a small-scale newspaper based in Grahamstown, South Africa. Using qualitative research method and the case study as its sub-method, the research reveals that Grocott’s Mail journalists’ appropriation of ICTs involves various opportunities and challenges in news-gathering and processing. In terms of the state of the existing technological infrastructure, the study reveals that since it embraced the digital ICTs in 2003, Grocott’s Mail boasts an adequate ICT infrastructure for a small-scale African newspaper with 30 PCs and one laptop, and professional software for 28 permanent employees. On the other hand, the research reveals serious constraints with the existing ICTs: a huge need for staff training and capacity building to fully utilise the ICTs, and the need to look for ways of raising funds to either upgrade or replace the existing ICTs. Grocott’s Mail journalists use the Internet to do background research on news stories, to verify the accuracy of information, and to check competition across other media. These are the merits of the Internet in news-gathering and processing. On the other hand, there are specific unintended consequences of the Internet such as wasting the company’s working time, and its use leading to lazy/press release journalism. Informants unanimously indicate that the main problems of the Internet are heavy dependence on other online news-sources and wasting time on online entertainment. In terms of using email in news-gathering, the research finds email technology as having advantages such as being a tool of flexibility and speed, a tool for email interviews, and as a technology that promotes participatory journalism. On the other hand, challenges related to email include its limitations because of what interviewees view as its supplementary and small-scale use because of its low contextual richness as opposed to face to face interviews. In terms of cellular telephony, the study finds that regardless of the ubiquity of cell phones and cell phone networks, they have not yet been deployed in news-gathering and processing due to various constraints. These are cell phones not being a big factor in reporting, lack of a proper funding and refunding scheme, prevalence of negative attitudes towards cell phones, and lack of a business model. Thus, cellular phones seem to have little or no relevance in news-gathering and processing at Grocott’s Mail presently.

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been in a state of change, and in South Africa, the term “transformation” is used to describe the changes occurring. These changes have implications for the structure, processes and focus of HEIs, and as such have implications for Information Technology (IS/ICT) support for HEIs. IS/ICT support for organisations is predicated on several factors, such as effective informational and technical support at all levels of the organisation, but especially support for the strategic goals of the organisation (alignment). For organisations in a state of rapid change other issues need to be considered, such as flexibility, and new and diverse information and communication needs. This paper investigates the use of Information Technology to support HEIs in transformation. The research examines factors that make HEIs less amenable to rationalist techniques such as mixed management styles and a “different” value chain. The difficulties for IS/ICT support of HEIs at all managerial levels is discussed, especially the issue of alignment with institutional goals. Thereafter, transformation of HEIs and the possibility of IS/ICT support in achieving the ill-defined goal of transformation is examined. The research uses management and IS/ICT theories such as the widely used and reported Porter’s value chain, Anthony’s information model, and Minzberg’s organisational model to suggest an analysis model for HEIs (Applegate, McFarlan and McKenney, 1996; Minzberg, 1979; Ward and Peppard, 2002). Furthermore, from the analysis of the literature, a model of antecedent factors for successful HEI transformation supported by IS/ICT is proposed. The research makes use of a comparative case study approach in which 3 (three) South African HEIs are investigated through the “lens” of the developed model. The major finding of the research is that the potential use of IS/ICT support for HEIs is not optimal in the three cases examined. Results of the analysis suggest that: • IS/ICT alignment with organisational goals at HEIs is low and holistic IS/ICT strategic management is lacking. The areas of Knowledge Management and Communication Management are conducted informally and Knowledge Management, especially, is not fully exploited. • The greatest area of concern is the lack of IS/ICT support for academic management, where academics are increasingly required to perform administrative and managerial tasks. • The merger/incorporation information needs have not caused major system problems, but other intangible aspects of the mergers/incorporations could be better supported by IS/ICT. The research concludes with a set of actions that should ensure a higher level of support, amongst which are the more holistic management of IS/ICT especially for Academic management needs, and particularly the use of IS/ICT in innovative ways to overcome the challenges of the “transformed” Universities: There are areas of excellence but the full possibilities afforded by technology are not exploited maximally in support of transformation. Research suggests that the reasons for this are mainly the lack of holistic strategic management of IS/ICT.

Public libraries, globally, are adopting the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in order to improve services to the users. ICTs in public libraries are enhancing services to the users by ensuring that services are available to them quickly and efficiently. ICTs in public libraries include computers and their Internet-based facilities, printers, photocopiers, laminators, faxes, telephones, televisions, compact discs, (CDs) and digital video discs (DVDs). This study focussed on the utilisation of ICTs in public libraries at Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM). The general aim of the study was to assess the utilisation of ICTs at EMM public libraries by the users. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches through a survey research method were deployed. The study targeted all public libraries at Ekurhuleni and within the libraries; library users and control librarians (librarians in charge of libraries at Ekurhuleni) were targeted. Control librarians participated in the study as key informants. The researcher needed to find out if they would corroborate what users said. There is a total of 43 public libraries at Ekurhuleni and eight were included in this study. These eight libraries were selected through stratified sampling. Out of 24033 registered users at Ekurhuleni libraries, 332 were randomly selected to take part in the study. All eight control librarians of participating libraries were included in the study. The total response rate for the targeted library users was 51% (170). The findings of this study indicate that although ICTs in EMM libraries are highly utilised, staff attitudes, cost of ICTs services, users’ lack of ICTs knowledge and skills, slowness of ICTs and power failure, make it difficult for users to maximise the full benefits offered by ICTs. The study recommended that the cost of ICTs services be reduced, customer care workshops and ICTs training be prioritised for staff, structured ICTs training programmes be developed for library users, users’ access time to Internet be extended, subscription to online databases be prioritised, Internet bandwidth be increased, uninterrupted power supply be installed in libraries and that positions be created for librarians specialising on ICTs. / Information Science / M. Inf.

Text in Afrikaans / Various technological developments have taken place in the last century, but most of them had very little or a minimal influence on higher education. It has often been speculated that technology would increase the pass mark and retention of students, but to date that has not happened. Where has technology failed? Or is it not technology that has failed, but, rather, the educational model? These questions will be addressed in this study. Riegelman, Povat, Ott and Piemme (1985:279) state that knowledge doubles every three to five years and that lecturers can no longer be mere disseminators of knowledge. Therefore, the present-day student should be guided to find knowledge him- or herself within a broad framework. This means that the educational model of higher education institutions needs to be renewed. The traditional lecturer-centered teaching approach should give way to a more student-centered learning approach. However, the problem is that there are not yet guidelines [or a model] for the use of, for example, the Internet in such a new educational approach. In this study, the focus is on the creation of a didactically justifiable model [guidelines] for the use of the Internet in a multi-mode educational approach, since the Technikon currently does not have such a model. This model and these guidelines should enable the lecturer, as the teaching-learning manager, to plan, develop, implement and evaluate a multi-mode teaching-learning programme. However, before any didactic model is, or guidelines are, developed, it is essential to determine the starting point from which the design should be done. In order to arrive at a well-founded starting point, a comprehensive literature study of local and international publications was undertaken, personal interviews were conducted and specialists locally and abroad were visited. In this manner, an illuninating overview was obtained of that which has already been done to deal with the set problem, as described in the previous paragraph. The research for the development of the model [didactic guidelines] was preceded by a three-year institutional study, in the course of which trends, needs and perceptions were debated at an institutional forum chaired by the researcher, namely, the TLTR [Teaching, Learning and Technology Roundtable]. The report on this study is divided into six chapters and represent the problems identified by the TLTR, which form the foundation [core] on which the model and guidelines are based. The questions are as follows: Who are we and how do we currently execute our core task? [How do we teach?] Who are our clients and what are their needs? [How do they learn and how do they wish to be served?] How could we use technology to facilitate our task and teach our students effectively without sacrificing quality? [What teaching-learning opportunities are there?] The theoretical study that provides the answers to the above questions is embodied in a model [guidelines] for the use of the Internet within a multi-mode educational approach. This model is then evaluated by 106 lecturers and 437 students to: Determine the lecturer's attitude to the proposed model, determine the lecturer's perception of the differences between on-line and contact instruction management, and determine whether there are any differences in the learning experience(s) of students who receive instruction by means of an Internet-supported programme and students who receive contact instruction. Lastly, attention is given to a number of related findings and recommendations that flow forth from the study. These aspects also lead to recommendations on future research in this field. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Verskeie tegnologiese ontwikkelings het die afgelope eeu plaasgevind, maar die meeste daarvan het weinig of 'n minimale invloed op hoer onderwys gehad. Daar is baie gespekuleer dat die tegnologie die slaagsyfer en die retensie van studente sal verhoog, maar tot nou toe was dit nie die geval nie. Waar het die tegnologie gefaal, of het die tegnologie nie gefaal nie, maar die onderwysmodel? Hierdie is van die vrae waarop in hierdie studie gefokus word. Riegelman, Povat, Ott en Piemme (1985:279) stel dit dat kennis elke 3 - 5 jaar verdubbel en dat die tyd verby is dat dosente slegs uitdelers van kennis kan wees. Die hedendaagse student behoort daarom begelei te word om self kennis binne 'n bree raamwerk te vind, en dit kom daarop neer dat die onderwysmodel van hoeronderwysinstellings om vernuwing vra. Die tradisionele dosentgesentreerde onderrigbenadering moet plek maak vir 'n meer studentgesentreerde leerbenadering. Die probleem is egter dat daar tans nog geen riglyne [of model] bestaan vir die gebruik van byvoorbeeld die internet binne so 'n nuwe onderwysbenadering nie. Hierdie studie is daarop gefokus om 'n didakties-verantwoordbare model [riglyne], vir die gebruik van die internet binne 'n multimodus-onderwysbenadering daar te stel, aangesien daar tans nie so 'n model by die Technikon is nie. Hierdie model en riglyne behoort die dosent as onderrig-leerbestuurder in staat te stel om 'n multimodus onderrig-leerprogram te beplan, te ontwikkel, te implementeer en te evalueer. Voordat enige didaktiese model of riglyne egter ontwikkel kan word, is dit noodsaaklik dat vasgestel word vanuit watter vertrekpunt die ontwerp gedoen moet word. Ten einde tot 'n gefundeerde vertrekpunt te kom, is 'n omvangryke literatuurstudie van plaaslike en oorsese publikasies en persoonlike onderhoude en besoeke aan kundiges plaaslik en internasionaal onderneem. Sodoende is 'n insiggewende oorsig verkry van wat reeds gedoen is om die probleem, wat in die vorige paragraaf beskryf is, te hanteer. Die navorsing vir die ontwikkeling van die model [didaktiese riglyne] is deur 'n driejaarlange institusionele ondersoek voorafgegaan, waartydens tendense, behoeftes en persepsies op 'n institusionele forum onder voorsitterskap van die navorser, naamlik die TLTR [Teachning, Learning and Technology Roundtable] gedebatteer is. Die verslag van hierdie ondersoek word in ses hoofstukke verdeel en verteenwoordig die probleme wat deur die TLTR ge"identifiseer is en wat die fondament [kern] vorm waarop die model en riglyne gebaseer is. Die vrae is soos volg: • Wie is die Technikon Pretoria en hoe word daar tans aan die Technikon onderrig? • Wie is die Technikon se klient(e) en wat is hulle behoeftes? [Hoe leer hulle en hoe wil hulle bedien word?] • Hoe kan die akademici van die Technikon, die tegnologie gebruik om hulle taak te vergemaklik en die studente effektief te onderrig sonder om kwaliteit in te boet? [Watter onderrig-leergeleenthede bestaan?] Hierdie model is deur 106 dosente en 437 studente geevalueer om: • die houding van die dosent teenoor die voorgestelde model te bepaal; • die dosent se persepsie van die verskille tussen aanlyn- en kontakonderwysbestuur vas te stel; en • te bepaal of daar enige verskille in die leerervaring(s) van studente bestaan wat onderrig deur middel van 'n internetondersteunde program ontvang, en studente wat 'n kontakprogram ontvang. Laastens is aandag aan 'n aantal verbandhoudende bevindings en aanbevelings wat uit die studie voortvloei, geskenk. Hierdie aspekte het aanleiding tot aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing binne die veld gegee. / Various technological developments have taken place in the last century, but most of them had very little or a minimal influence on higher education. It has often been speculated that technology would increase the pass mark and retention of students, but to date that has not happened. Where has technology failed? Or is it not technology that has failed, but, rather, the educational model? These questions will be addressed in this study. Riegelman, Povat, Ott and Piemme (1985:279) state that knowledge doubles every three to five years and that lecturers can no longer be mere disseminators of knowledge. Therefore, the present-day student should be guided to find knowledge him- or herself within a broad framework. This means that the educational model of higher education institutions needs to be renewed. The traditional lecturer-centred teaching approach should give way to a more student centred learning approach. However, the problem is that there are not yet guidelines [or a model] for the use of, for example, the Internet in such a new educational approach. In this study, the focus is on the creation of a didactically justifiable model [guidelines] for the use of the Internet in a multi-mode educational approach, since the Technikon currently does not have such a model. This model and these guidelines should enable the lecturer, as the teaching-learning manager, to plan, develop, implement and evaluate a multi-mode teaching-learning programme. However, before any didactic model is, or guidelines are, developed, it is essential to determine the starting point from which the design should be done. In order to arrive at a well-founded starting point, a comprehensive literature study of local and international publications was undertaken, personal interviews were conducted and specialists locally and abroad were visited. In this manner, an illuminating overview was obtained of that which has already been done to deal with the set problem, as described in the previous paragraph. The research for the development of the model (didactic guidelines) was preceded by a three-year institutional study, in the course of which trends, needs and perceptions were debated at an institutional forum chaired by the researcher, namely, the TLTR [Teaching, Learning and Technology Roundtable). The report on this study is divided into six chapters and represent the problems identified by the TLTR, which form the foundation [core] on which the model and guidelines are based. The questions are as follows: • Who are we and how do we currently execute our core task? [How do we teach?] • Who are our clients and what are their needs? [How do they learn and how do they wish to be served?] • How could we use technology to facilitate our task and teach our students effectively without sacrificing quality? [What teaching-learning opportunities are there?] The theoretical study that provides the answers to the above questions is embodied in a model [guidelines] for the use of the Internet within a multi-mode educational approach. This model is then evaluated by 106 lecturers and 437 students to: • Determine the lecturer's attitude to the proposed model, • determine the lecturer's perception of the differences between on-line and contact instruction management, and • determine whether there are any differences in the learning experience(s) of students who receive instruction by means of an Internet-supported programme and students who receive contact instruction. Lastly, attention is given to a number of related findings and recommendations that flow forth from the study. These aspects also lead to recommendations on future research in this field. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Submitted in full compliance with the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology: Dental Technology, Durban University of Technology, 2014. / This study investigated how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is understood within the KwaZulu-Natal dental technology industry, as an indication of the position of the industry nationally. The objectives of this study were to provide clarity regarding how the members of the dental technology industry in KwaZulu-Natal perceive CSR, to determine what is being practised in terms of CSR, and to provide possible insights into how the dental technology industry in KwaZulu-Natal might understand and consider CSR principles going into the future. This is a qualitative study conducted in the interpretive paradigm. The conceptual framework utilised for the study was Carroll’s CSR pyramid (1991) which was reviewed by Ferrell et al. (2010). For the purpose of this study CSR was understood to encompass the economic, legal and ethical aspects of running a business. It further extended into an understanding of philanthropy that goes beyond the primary purpose of a business. Simple random sampling was used to select participants for individual semi-structured interviews. The data collected was analysed using thematic content analysis. This study found that CSR is an unfamiliar term amongst dental laboratory owners and dental technicians. Dental laboratory owners and technicians failed to understand that CSR involves not only the basic aspects of running a business which are economic advancement but also compliance with legislation and ethics considerations. This study found that the poor understanding of CSR by dental laboratory owners and dental technicians stems from a poor understanding of basic business principles as was revealed in reported practices of the industry participants that lacked business ethical consideration. The perceived lack of participation in the industry by the South African Dental Technicians Council was seen to be a contributing factor to unethical behaviour within the industry. A degree of localised philanthropy was found to be practised by some in the industry. However, such practice was not generally accepted as a norm and that the industry should necessarily take cognisance of. The results generated by this study indicate that the dental technology industry’s lack of knowledge and understanding of CSR are such that industry should be informed and educated in CSR practices and that a coordinated approach to CSR practice by the industry is needed.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa, an increased effort is being made to integrate the use of technology into the public education system, as technology has proved to be beneficial to both teachers and learners. Technologies introduced in schools are not always adopted equally by all educators. There are differences in both the rate at which the technology is adopted, as well as differences in the extent to which each teacher is willing to integrate the technology into the classroom. iSchoolAfrica has extensive experience in the successful roll out and implementation of technology at schools. The objective of the research was to study iSchoolAfrica’s implementation approach, with a focus on educator engagement, to enable the generation of a set of guidelines that can be used by service providers who implement similar projects in the future. A secondary objective was to understand the reasons for resistance towards technology. Primary data was obtained via interviews with iSchoolAfrica employees. In order to include the views of a set of end-users and possibly the primary stakeholders in such projects, this study offers input from teachers at a school where iSchoolAfrica implemented a technology program. The attributes of a school have a significant impact on the success or failure of a technology project. Implementers must have a deep understanding of the management of the school and the challenges that the school faces before they undertake any technology projects. Resistance from teachers towards a technology change initiative arises for a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic reasons. The main reason why teachers tend to be unwilling to adopt new technology is their lack of self-confidence in terms of their competency in using the technology. Teachers are also overwhelmed by their existing workload and may resist a technology change that they feel adds to their workload. There is also a high probability of resistance from teachers who integrate technology into lessons under duress, after exposure to inadequate training programs. Appropriate training is the primary measure used to counter potential resistance. This training should not only focus on device usage, but rather on pedagogical practices so that teachers understand how to integrate the technology into existing lessons. The role of a facilitator is also important. Although facilitators lead the training effort, they also assume a supportive role and guide the teachers through their adjustment to technology. Although resistance towards change is expected, an implementer can take proactive measures to minimise this resistance and thereby increase the probability of success of the project.

M.Tech. (Operations Management) / The South African manufacturing sector is considered the main driver of economic growth, but is falling behind in adopting and adequately using information and communication technology (ICT) to improve productivity and competitiveness. This is creating a constraint that hinders the manufacturing sector, adversely affecting its ability to access the global market and produce high value-added goods, and also to compete globally. Thus, the main objective of this dissertation is to gain an in-depth understanding of the impact of ICT on service design and operations to address barriers to manufacturing sector growth and to improve productivity and competitiveness. This study proposes an ICT-based service design model to increase productivity and competitiveness in the South African manufacturing sectors. It argues that the challenges faced can be addressed and that some of the solutions lie in the integration of ICT into service design and operations processes. The research adopted an interpretive approach through qualitative methods and, was carried out as a single case study using ArcelorMittal South Africa for which a purposive sampling technique was considered appropriate. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and tape recorded and analysed through descriptive procedures. The findings suggest that ICT diffuses rapidly, creating opportunities and challenges for manufacturing companies. In addition it was found out that the adoption and adequate use of ICT depends on the implementation phase. This is when most challenges and impacts are experienced: for example, technological capability, technical skills, resources and ICT infrastructure capabilities. In addition, the findings suggest that a more educated workforce possesses the capability to acquire the necessary skills, in the form of self-education to overcome any challenges encountered. Evidence also shows that companies are facing challenges in relation to the selection and integration of the right technologies due to lack of ICT expertise. Therefore, this research proposes an ICT-based service design model to increase productivity and global competitiveness in the manufacturing sectors in South Africa.

A research project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MA in Social and Psychological Research in the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. 2016 / The use of various information technologies in education is becoming more prevalent due to the fact that they are thought to have several advantages over traditional pen and paper as well as the fact that they are seen as a means to decrease the digital divide and ensure equal access to educational resources. In South Africa, initiatives such as the Smart Schools program aim to make schools paperless in the near future through the use of smartboards and tablets. With such emphasis on the success of the integration of educational technology it is imperative that we understand the factors which influence this process. Current research points to the idea that the mere provision of educational technology is not sufficient to garner success and that there are also intrinsic factors which need to be considered when integrating educational technology. This study follows on from this premise of intrinsic factors in that it investigates learner attitudes towards tablet usage in a blended learning environment. An extended version of the Technology Acceptance Model which posits that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyability are the factors which need to be taken into account when exploring learner attitudes is used as the theoretical basis for this study. Other factors which are thought to influence attitudes as well as the success of tablet integration (as measured by learner achievement) are learning style preferences, motivation as well as access to various form of technology and thus familiarity with such technology. These factors were also explored through this research. Access to technology, learning style preference and motivation as predictors of overall attitudes and the three components of attitudes were thus explored. This study further investigated whether attitudes (and the three components of attitudes), learning style preferences or learner motivation best predicted academic achievement. The sample consisted of 276 learners from one independent and one public school in Johannesburg where tablets had already been introduced into the learning environment. A questionnaire consisting of an Attitudes Towards Tablet Usage Scale, a Learning Styles Scale, a Motivation Scale and an Access Scale was used. The results of this study indicated that overall attitudes towards tablet usage were relatively positive. The most positive component was perceived ease of use followed by perceived usefulness and then perceived enjoyability. Attitudes towards ECT (and the three components) were influenced by learning style preferences, motivation and access to technology while learner achievement was influenced by learner attitudes as well as learning style preferences. This provides valuable insights into the tablet integration process in that we conclude that tablet provision, while necessary, is not sufficient for the successful integration of tablets and subsequent reduction in the digital divide. / GR2017

As technology has become a part of our everyday lives, including our educational institutions, it will definitely have an impact on the teaching and learning. The premise is that the use of ICTs has the ability to transform teaching and learning effectively if it is implemented constructively. The research is to ascertain whether Facebook is used for academic purposes as well as the integration of other Information and Communications Technologies. The study was conducted with a group of lecturers at the University of the Witwatersrand. Data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed at a later stage. Common themes were identified. Positivity about the implementation of ICTs as well as institutional support is imperative for lecturers to continue their commitment to the process.