In higher education institutions, virtual learning systems (VLSs) have been adopted, and are becoming increasingly popular among educators. However, despite this ubiquity of VLS use, there has not been widespread change in pedagogic practice to take advantage of the functionality afforded by VLSs. Knowledge of the actual usage of e-learning systems is limited in terms of what specific feature sets are deemed useful, and how this influences system usage. VLSs have a suite of tools with associated functions/features and properties, as well as non-functional system characteristics. In addition, these systems incorporate pedagogic features to cater for online teaching. Educators in higher education, who are the chief agents of e-learning, are confounded by system-related, pedagogic, organisational, user difference and demographic factors that influence VLS usage. Virtual learning system usage involves system feature usage extent and frequency, total system usage and usage clusters. The aim of this study is to develop a model representing the factors that influence usage of VLSs in higher education. The links between system usage and system-related factors, pedagogic factors, organisational factors, user-difference and demographic factors is researched. This research incorporated a literature study, a pilot study, interviews and surveys. A case study research strategy was combined with a mixed methods research design. The results of the qualitative analysis was triangulated with the findings of the quantitative analysis and compared to the findings of the literature study. The study was conducted at two residential higher education institutions (HEI), namely, University of KwaZulu-Natal and Durban University of Technology. The main contribution of this study is the Virtual Learning System Usage Model (VLSUM) representing the factors that influence VLS usage in residential higher education institutions. The proposed VLSUM is based on the empirical results of this study. VLSUM can be used by managers of educational technology departments and instructional designers to implement interventions to optimize usage. The constructs of VLSUM confirmed existing theories, replicated and synthesised theories from different fields, and extended existing models to produce a new model for understanding the factors that influence VLS usage in higher education. / Computing / D. LITT. et. Phil. (Information Systems)

行動通訊產業隨著日韓、西歐、亞太、北美和中國大陸陸續啟動B3G行動通訊的商業運轉，全球行動通訊服務和技術的發展進入嶄新的紀元，傳輸速度的大幅提昇，行動通訊服務商積極推動多媒體簡訊、行動音樂、行動影音、行動遊戲、行動訊息和企業數據應用等服務，寄望透過多元應用服務及創新經營模式提升顧客價值與獲利能力；另一方面，行動廣播、無線寬頻、網路電話等新興技術匯流至行動通訊領域，不僅催生行動通訊技術朝IMS和All-IP網路發展，並促使行動通訊服務商在行銷、服務、帳務和網路等層面朝向行動和固網雙網融合與數位匯流的願景佈局。在政府開放營運執照後，行動通訊服務業者皆投入巨額資金經營，期藉由傳輸速度快的優勢，可以發展出更多的行動加值服務內容，以期在語音營收成長飽和之下，創造另一營收來源；但是，行動通訊產業在大規模的投資下，未產生預期的效益，產業間渴望能讓產業創新的殺手級應用(Killer Application)，引導台灣行動通訊產業找到高獲利的藍海市場。本研究期望，透過分析行動通訊產業的價值供應鏈在營運發展過程中碰到的困境，及其面對創新的技術與商業模式如何評估與發展，在面對市場與技術的不確定性下，分析出產業價值鏈的廠商面對創新的競爭所必須思考的關鍵因素，提供台灣行動通訊業者經營業務的一些建議，以便協助台灣在行動通訊市場的產業創新能力，提昇業者對行動加值服務應用與行動通訊設備市場的創新決策正確性，以期推動台灣電信市場的蓬勃發展。 本研究以克雷頓‧克里斯汀生(Clayton M. Christensen)所提出的對突破性科技的看法，利用提出的破壞性創新及資源、流程與價值理論分析模式；以傑佛瑞‧墨爾(Geoffrey A. Moore)提出的技術採用生命周期(Technology Adoption Life Cycle)模式分析五種消費者,探討行動通訊產業如何分析電信業創新的鴻溝,如何邁向康莊大道。在訪談台灣行動通訊產業價值鏈的五家廠商中，就創新的驅動方式、創新的風險評估、如何管理創新與當前產業創新所面臨的問題與解決方案等議題，做充分意見交流，再經由文獻與理論探討、行動通訊產業市場的趨勢與分析、行動通訊產業技術的趨勢與分析，與台灣行動通訊產業個案分析後，最後作成結論與建議，並提出後續研究課題的建議。 經研究與分析台灣行動通訊產業的創新模式，了解行動通訊產業價值鏈創新發展過程中，所碰到過的困境及其後續改善之方案，並對台灣政府與行動通訊業者提出以下的結論與建議： 壹、結論: 一、技術驅動的創新重視程度通常是愈接近產業價值鏈的上游愈高；市場驅動的創新重視程度通常是愈接近產業價值鏈的下游愈高；突破性的創新可能發生於產業鏈中的每一環節。 二、突破性的創新需要同時處理產業鏈中的市場風險與技術風險，兩大天險必須要降低其中一項才容易創新成功；兩種風險都與財務因素息息相關。 三、創新常常來自邊陲，發展創新的組織需要不同於主流產品的績效目標與財務支援。 四、政府正確的產業監理政策常常是行動通訊產業的發展要件；產業生態系的活躍與否常取決於政府對產業的科技政策走向與合宜的法律。 貳、建議： 一、 政府方面: 1.基地台網路: 協調業者以共構的方式及加速整合寬頻接取技術以解決網路品質的問題。 2.技術平台與內容產業:制定適當的產業政策，以協助整合產業上中下游業者，以帶動產業研究與發展。 二、行動通訊營運商: 1.投入研究行動通訊的消費者行為: 行動通訊服務業者應投入資源研究本地消費者行為，以便洞悉創新的殺手級應用。 2.內容與服務平台:積極扮演內容服務開發與技術平台整合角色，以帶動內容產業的蓬勃發展創造「皆贏」的局面。 3.合宜費率: 根據消費者所獲得的行動通訊價值與成本動因計費。 / The mobile telecommunication industry along with Japan, Korea, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and mainland China, it starts the B3G mobile telecommunications commercial subscriber service launch, the global mobile telecommunications service and the technology development enter a brand-new era. Following by the transmission speed of infrastructure network is improved rapidly, the mobile telecommunications service providers are positively to promote the multimedia services, mobile music, mobile video streaming, mobile gaming, mobile messaging and enterprise data service applications. We hope the penetration multi-dimensional applications to serve and innovate the business model to promote the customer value and profit ability. On the other hand, those emerging technologies, such as mobile broadcasting, wireless broadband, IP network telephony are converged to mobile telecommunications domain. Not only expedites the mobile telecommunications technology to IMS and the All-IP network development, but also urges the mobile telecommunications service provider in all aspects of marketing, service, billing and network infrastructures migrate to the wireless and wire-line network fusion and the vision of digital convergences. After the restriction of operation licenses released by government, the mobile telecommunications service providers invest a large amount of funds on new business development. Relying on the quick transmission speed superiority, may develop more mobile value-added service content. We expect to have more another revenue increasing objects while the voice-only service revenue mutuality. Nevertheless, the mobile telecommunications industry under the large-scale investment has not had the anticipated benefit, the industry hope we can let the industrial innovation to produce the “Killer Applications” that guides the Taiwan mobile telecommunications industry to find the high profitable blue sea market. The research expects that, by the penetration analysis mobile telecommunications industry value supply chain the difficult position which bumps into in transport business developing process, and how faces the innovative technology and the business model appraised and development, is facing the indefinite market and the technology, analyzes the industrial innovation the competitive strategy and the key success factors, provides Taiwan the mobile telecommunications entrepreneur to manage the business strategies and suggestions. In order to assist Taiwan in mobile telecommunications market industrial innovation ability, promotes the entrepreneur to the value-added service field and motivates the communication equipment market innovative decision-making accuracy, impels the Taiwan telecommunications market by the time the vigorous development. The research is based on the viewpoint of disruptive technology issued by Clayton M. Christensen to leverage the analysis model of disruptive innovations and resource, process and value theorem; analyzes the five types of consumers by Technology Adoption Life Cycle model issued by Geoffrey A. Moore to investigate how telecommunications industry analyzes the chasm of innovations and how to adopt the early majority of market. In the interview of 5 enterprises across Taiwan mobile telecommunications industrial value chain, we make good communications and share opinions about all the issues of the method of innovation driven, risk assessment on innovations, how to manage innovations, to face problems and resolutions on industrial innovation. By leveraging the entire reference thesis, issued papers and theorem, the trends of market, analysis of market, and technology issues in the mobile telecommunications industry, collaborate with case study of Taiwan mobile telecommunications industry to study and make comments and conclusions on this topic. Also, we provide the suggestions on governing policies, industry strategies, and further research direction. A.Conclusions: 1.Nearby the front end of industry value chain, technology driven innovations methodology is highly enhanced and focused; Nearby the rear end of industry value chain, market driven innovations methodology is highly enhanced and focused. Disruptive technology is possibly occurred in any section of industry value chain. 2.The two major risk factors, market and technology, need to be handled together while manage disruptive innovations. It would make success to assess at least one of two major risk factors and they are all related to financial variables. 3.Innovation is always occurred in the border of organizations which is supported by key performance indicator setting of different major products and necessary financial funding. 4.The mobile telecommunications industry grows by major inferences of correct governing policies and proper regulations issued by technology management department of government. B.Suggestions: 1.For government: a.Base Station System: Coordinate all operators to co-construct the system to speed the integration of broadband wireless access technology to resolve the network quality issues. b.Technology platform and content industry: Collaborate with the enterprises of industry chain to support the research and development by proper industry regulations. 2.For wireless operators: a.Research on wireless consumer behaviors: Coordinate all operators to invest subscriber behaviors and statistic analysis in local market to learn how to produce the killer applications. b.Content and service platform: Proactively involve the content service developing and technology platform integration to develop the content industry as win-win purpose. c.Proper subscriber fare: Charge wireless consumers by the value of requisition and cost driven factor.

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The aim of this study was to determine the key factors which explain the adoption of mobile data services in South Africa and incorporate them into an explanatory framework that can be used to indicate whether a new mobile data service that is introduced into the South African Mobile Market will be successful. Additionally, it shows that the current usage of mobile data services in South Africa supports the framework. The research used a design based on a mixed methods methodology. The research was conducted using a literature survey and two research phases. The literature survey was an extensive review of communication technology adoption frameworks and all the possible factors of adoption. This literature survey was also used to develop the discussion document which was used as the guidelines for the Phase 1 interviews. The interviews were with experts in the telecommunications market in South Africa and were used to determine the key drivers of adoption and possible moderating factors of mobile data services. From those interviews a preliminary model was proposed. Phase 2 was a market survey which tested the framework and moderating factors in different metropolitan areas as well as examined the current usage of mobile data services. The statistical analysis used in determining the framework incorporated Descriptive Statistics, Factor Analysis, using Principal Axis Factoring, and Structural Equation Modelling. The framework, which was based on the Technology Acceptance Model, introduced two new constructs. The first new construct was the Mobile Service Providers Marketing Tactics and the second was Social Pressure and Aspirational Value. The two constructs combined can be used to explain why mobile service providers with low cost strategies are not successful. Demographic factors such as Age were found to influence the adoption as well as Socio-economic factors such as Income. Personal factors such as Technical Knowledge, Ability and Skills and Attitude towards Technology were also found to influence adoption. Geographical location was found to be the most important moderating factor. The current mobile data usage supported the framework. The results of data usage highlighted the fact that nearly 50% of the study’s participants spent over 4 hours per day interacting with their mobile devices and that the participants from Gauteng spent more than 2½ times on mobile services than those in the other metropolitan municipalities of Cape Town and eThekwini / Die doel van hierdie studie was om die sleutelfaktore te bepaal wat die aanneming van selfoondatadienste in Suid-Afrika verklaar, en hulle te verenig in ʼn raamwerk waarmee aangetoon kan word of ʼn nuwe selfoondatadiens die Suid-Afrikaanse selfoondatamark suksesvol sal betree. Afgesien hiervan dui hierdie studie aan dat die huidige gebruik van selfoondatadienste in Suid-Afrika die geldigheid van die voorgestelde raamwerk bevestig. ʼn Mengsel van metodes is in die navorsing toegepas. Die navorsing het uit ʼn literatuuroorsig en twee navorsingsfases bestaan. Die literatuuroorsig het ʼn deurtastende oorsig van die raamwerke vir die aanneming van kommunikasietegnologie en alle moontlike faktore daarvoor behels. Uit die literatuuroorsig is die besprekingsdokument saamgestel wat as riglyn gedien het vir die onderhoude in fase 1 van die navorsing. Onderhoude is met kundiges uit die Suid-Afrikaanse telekommunikasiebedryf gevoer om die belangrikste dryfvere vir aanneming en moontlike remfaktore ten opsigte van selfoondatadienste te bepaal. ʼn Voorlopige model is op grond van die onderhoude aangebied. Fase 2 het ʼn markopname behels waarin die raamwerk en remfaktore in verskeie metropolitaanse gebiede getoets en die huidige gebruik van selfoondatadienste ondersoek is. Die statistiese analise waarop die raamwerk berus, het bestaan uit beskrywende statistiek, faktorontleding met behulp van hoofasfaktorering, en struktuurvergelykingsmodellering. Twee nuwe konstrukte het uit die raamwerk wat op die tegnologieaanvaardingsmodel gegrond was, gespruit. Die eerste was selfoondiensverskaffers se bemarkingstrategieë en die tweede sosiale druk en aspirerende waarde. Saam verklaar die twee konstrukte waarom selfoondiensverskaffers wat laekostestrategieë volg, misluk. Daar is bevind dat demografiese faktore soos ouderdom, en sosiaal-ekonomiese faktore soos inkomste, aanneming beïnvloed. Volgens die bevindings word aanneming eweneens bepaal deur persoonlike faktore soos tegniese kennis, vermoë en vaardighede asook houding jeens tegnologie. Daar is bevind dat geografiese ligging die belangrikste remfaktor is. Die huidige selfoondatagebruik bevestig die geldigheid van die raamwerk. Die uitslag van datagebruik benadruk die feit dat byna 50% van die deelnemers aan die studie langer as vier uur per dag met hulle selfone doenig is, en dat deelnemers in Gauteng twee en half keer meer as deelnemers in die metropolitaanse munisipaliteite van Kaapstad en eThekwini aan selfoondienste bestee. / Inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuthola izinto ezibalulekile ezichaza ukwamukelwa kwezinsiza zamadatha amaselula eNingizimu Afrika nokuzifaka ohlakeni oluchazayo olungasetshenziswa ukukhombisa ukuthi ngabe insiza entsha yedatha ethulwe emakethe yamaselula eNingizimu Afrika izophumelela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kukhombisa ukuthi ukusetshenziswa kwamanje kwezinsiza zedatha yamaselula eNingizimu Afrika kuyalusekela uhlaka. Ucwaningo lusebenzise umklamu osuselwe ezindleleni zokwenza ezixubile. Ucwaningo lwenziwe kusetshenziswa ucwaningo lwezincwadi kanye nezigaba ezimbili zocwaningo. Ucwaningo lwezincwadi belungukubuyekezwa okubanzi kokwamukela kwenzinhlaka zobuchwepheshe kwezokuxhumana kanye nazo zonke izici ezingenzeka ukuthi zamukelwe. Lolu cwaningo lwezincwadi lusetshenzisiwe futhi ukuthuthukisa umqulu wezingxoxo osetshenziswe njengezinkombandlela zokuxoxisana nabantu besigaba 1. Izingxoxo ebezinazo bezingochwepheshe emakethe yezokuxhumana eNingizimu Afrika futhi zasetshenziselwa ukuthola izidingongqangi zokwamukelwa kanye nezici zokulingisanisa kwezinsiza zamadatha amaselula. Kulezo zingxoxo, kuphakanyiswe isifaniselo sokuqala. Isigaba 2 bekungukucwaningo lwezimakethe oluhlola uhlaka kanye nezici zokulinganisa ezindaweni ezahlukahlukene zedolobha kanye nokuhlola ukusetshenziswa kwamanje kwezinsiza zedatha yamaselula. Ukuhlaziywa kwezibalo okusetshenzisiwe ekunqumeni uhlaka lufake izibalo ezichazayo, ukuhlaziya izakhi, kusetshenziswa izisekelo eziyinhloko zokuphamba, kanye nesifaniselo sokulinganisa esihlelekile. Uhlaka, olwalususelwa kusifaniselo sokwamukela ubuchwepheshe, lwethule izakhiwo ezimbili ezintsha. Isakhiwo esisha sokuqala kwakungamacebo wokukhangisa wabahlinzeki bezinsiza zamaselula futhi owesibili kwakuyingcindezi yomphakathi nenani lesifiso. Lezi zakhiwo zombili ezihlanganisiwe zingasetshenziswa ukuchaza ukuthi kungani abahlinzeki bezinsizakalo zamaselula abanamasu ezindleko eziphansi bengaphumeleli. Izici ezithinta abantu ezinjengobudala zitholakele ukuthonya ukwamukelwa kanye nezici zezomnotho nezenhlalo ezifana nomholo. Izici ezithinta umuntu ngqo ezifana nolwazi lwezobuchwepheshe, ukwazi ukwenza kanye namakhono, nesimo sengqondo maqondana nezobuchwepheshe zatholakala zithonya ukwamukelwa. Indawo yendawo yatholakala njengesici sokulinganisa esibaluleke kakhulu. Ukusetshenziswa kwedatha yeselula yamanje kusekele uhlaka. Imiphumela yokusetshenziswa kwedatha igcizelele iqiniso lokuthi bacishe babe ngama-50% ababambe iqhaza kulolu cwaningo bachithe isikhathi esingaphezu kwamahora amane ngosuku bexhumana nemishini yabo yamaselula nokuthi ababambiqhaza abavela eGauteng bachithe izikhathi ezingaphezu kwezingu-2½ kuzinsiza zamaselula kunalabo bakwamanye amadolobha amakhulu aseKapa naseThekwini. / Business Management / D.B.L.

本文嘗試在傳統的R&D模型中，引入技術引進的概念，並從技術發展型態的角度來探討其與經濟成長之關係。理論的結果告訴我們各個國家會採取何種技術發展的型態決定於其本身的技術水準。技術水準愈低的國家，基於成本的誘因，會採取較具優勢的技術引進的發展策略；相反地，技術水準較高的國家，則會利用本身較佳的技術優勢而自行研發。 採取不同技術發展型態的國家，其經濟成長的型態也跟著不同。採取技術引進策略的國家其成長的速度取決於本身和世界的技術差距，當差距愈大時，成長的速度就愈快；相反地，隨著差距的縮小，成長的速度也就會跟著緩慢下來。採取研發的國家，如同大部分R&D模型的結論，其均衡的成長路徑是維持一固定的成長率。 不同於以往內生成長模型只專注於長期的成長，我們的模型中，除了具有長期持續成長的特色外，更強調各個國家由於初始條件的差異及其成長的速度和世界成長的速度的不同，致使成長的路徑也會不同，而且每個國家收歛的恆定狀態也不相同，這也說明了為什麼世界各國之間會存在廣泛的所得差異性的現象。 另外，我們的理論也強調技術落後的國家不見得會永遠處於落後的地位，只要其成長的速度足夠支持其發生技術發展型態的結構性改變，就有可能追趕上先進國家，甚至超越。而原先處於領先地位的先進國家，也有可能因本身研發的效率退步，致使成長速度落後於世界的平均水準，結果反倒是由領先的地位退到落後國家之林。 而成長的另一個普遍獲得實證支持的現象，也就是在Solow模型中預測的條件性收歛，在我們的模型中的解釋是當一個國家的成長路徑一直高於世界的平均水準的話，換言之，該國家是一直在不斷進步的過程中，則也會發生所謂條件性收歛的現象。而我們的理論更預測了另一種現象是，當一個國家的成長路徑是處於世界平均水準之下的話，也就是說是由原本的領先退步到落後的過程中，其成長的速度反倒是開始時會較慢，而在接近收歛時開始加快速度，然後達到恆定狀態，這種現象和所謂的條件性收歛恰好反其道而行，我們稱之為逆條件性收歛現象。 除了理論之外，我們更藉由數值模擬的方式進行了政策上的分析。我們發現在成長速度上處於領先地位的國家，若要保持其領先的優勢，必定要採取研發的策略。而處於成長速度較緩慢的國家，若想要擺脫落後並追趕上領先國家的話，就得靠技術引進的方式來加快其成長的速度。 同時我們亦分析了幾種改變成長速度的政策手段，發現每一種政策的效果對不同的國家而言也不盡相同，所以各個國家所應採取的手段應視其條件而定。另外，當外生的世界成長率加快時，我們發現這個現象對成長速度落後的國家是很有幫助的，因為可以使得其速度加快趕上世界的水準。

North-West University in South Africa is committed to expanding use of learning technologies for contact and distance education students by augmenting the existing NWU teaching and learning policy with an e-learning policy. The School of Continuing Teacher Education at North-West University is currently training about 24 000 in-service teacher students through Open Distance Learning. Only a few students submit assignments in typed format and seldom electronically. Students rarely use electronic technologies to augment their learning, and the SCTE employs few to support students. This does not comply with the South African Government’s policy on e-Education that demands information and communication technology mastery in teacher training. The aim of this research was integration of learning technologies in open distance learning at SCTE NWU through recommendations compiled in a sociologically transformative emergent implementation framework. The researcher followed a concurrent mixed-method sociologically transformative approach, focussing on the use of technology for social empowerment to cross the digital divide, through a theoretical lens of ICT for development. The lived experience in the natural setting of distance education students, lecturers, and involved stakeholders was used as initial data collection, informed by a continuous literature study of emergent learning technology use. Purposeful sampling was used during participant selection. The role of the researcher was that of participant observer, interviewer, and human instrument, from a position of methodological pragmatism as a method of inquiry. Using a design-based research approach, the thesis addresses the main research question through five research papers; each addressing one of the sub-questions as design-based research cycles, while collectively addressing the research problem to address the main research question. Nonstandardised measuring instruments were developed based on themes identified from literature and the analysis of qualitative data. Significant barriers to population-wide ICT adoption exist. Strong intentions of perseverance in attaining functional computer literacy are evident. Support and enablement are required to promote trust to attempt using computers, necessary to obtain self-confidence through accomplishment. In this way perseverance to attain functional computer literacy may be cultivated. The study presents a model for intention to use, confidence, trust and perseverance in attaining computer literacy competence with statistically significant standardised regression weights. In terms of affective responses of students during computer literacy training, a twodimensional model for computer literacy learning emotions is presented. Perceptions during professional development produced a model for faculty development towards socially transformative learning technology integration for open distance learning. The researcher also presents a people-technology interaction in teaching and learning model in the fifth paper. A distinction is made between reactionary interventions and pre-emptive unobtrusive seamless support, based on requirements identified through bottom-up feedback listening to latent requests of participants. Technology-enhanced learning integration should be legitimised through visible commitment from the university as institution. Lecturer training, innovative planning of time issues, acquisition of appropriate infrastructure, buying in from the institution and IT support services, and support of teacher-students are all essential for evolvement towards an e-mature organisation for the delivery of ODL to vast numbers of newly industrialised context clients. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

North-West University in South Africa is committed to expanding use of learning technologies for contact and distance education students by augmenting the existing NWU teaching and learning policy with an e-learning policy. The School of Continuing Teacher Education at North-West University is currently training about 24 000 in-service teacher students through Open Distance Learning. Only a few students submit assignments in typed format and seldom electronically. Students rarely use electronic technologies to augment their learning, and the SCTE employs few to support students. This does not comply with the South African Government’s policy on e-Education that demands information and communication technology mastery in teacher training. The aim of this research was integration of learning technologies in open distance learning at SCTE NWU through recommendations compiled in a sociologically transformative emergent implementation framework. The researcher followed a concurrent mixed-method sociologically transformative approach, focussing on the use of technology for social empowerment to cross the digital divide, through a theoretical lens of ICT for development. The lived experience in the natural setting of distance education students, lecturers, and involved stakeholders was used as initial data collection, informed by a continuous literature study of emergent learning technology use. Purposeful sampling was used during participant selection. The role of the researcher was that of participant observer, interviewer, and human instrument, from a position of methodological pragmatism as a method of inquiry. Using a design-based research approach, the thesis addresses the main research question through five research papers; each addressing one of the sub-questions as design-based research cycles, while collectively addressing the research problem to address the main research question. Nonstandardised measuring instruments were developed based on themes identified from literature and the analysis of qualitative data. Significant barriers to population-wide ICT adoption exist. Strong intentions of perseverance in attaining functional computer literacy are evident. Support and enablement are required to promote trust to attempt using computers, necessary to obtain self-confidence through accomplishment. In this way perseverance to attain functional computer literacy may be cultivated. The study presents a model for intention to use, confidence, trust and perseverance in attaining computer literacy competence with statistically significant standardised regression weights. In terms of affective responses of students during computer literacy training, a twodimensional model for computer literacy learning emotions is presented. Perceptions during professional development produced a model for faculty development towards socially transformative learning technology integration for open distance learning. The researcher also presents a people-technology interaction in teaching and learning model in the fifth paper. A distinction is made between reactionary interventions and pre-emptive unobtrusive seamless support, based on requirements identified through bottom-up feedback listening to latent requests of participants. Technology-enhanced learning integration should be legitimised through visible commitment from the university as institution. Lecturer training, innovative planning of time issues, acquisition of appropriate infrastructure, buying in from the institution and IT support services, and support of teacher-students are all essential for evolvement towards an e-mature organisation for the delivery of ODL to vast numbers of newly industrialised context clients. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Within the context of technological development, the needs and preferences of the 21st century student (Generation Y), the changing higher education environment, the increasing use of technology in teaching and learning, and the significant role of online learning facilitators in e-learning, the e-readiness of academic employees became imperative. Thus, considering the importance of academic employees' e-readiness, the primary objective of the study aims to determine the role of key human factors in their e-readiness, with specific focus on personal work profile patterns, preferred learning style and pace and style of technology adoption. The research problem therefore is how to determine the role of these key human factors in the e-readiness of academic employees. In this respect the study argues that the e-readiness assessment of academic employees must be included in the human resource performance appraisal process. The purpose of this research is to develop a framework for assessing the ereadiness of academic employees during their performance appraisals, as well as determining and assessing the role of key human factors in their e-readiness in order to draft an e-profile which will provide guidance in terms of structuring unique training and development approaches for each e-profile. Once accademic employees' e-readiness has been assessed during their performance appraisals, they can be plotted on the framework. The outcome of their e-readiness assessments will reveal their e-profiles, which will portray insight into the presence or absence of particular ereadiness indicators, outlined in an e-readiness construct. Subsequently, a personal development plan can be drafted, making provision for uniquely structured training and development interventions, best suited for each accademic employees' e-profile. The most suitable motivating factors for each employee will also be considered during the drafting of the personal development plan. The empirical research by means of a self-administered questionnaire and a focus group discussion revealed two prominent e-profiles indicating various levels of ereadiness, namely an early adopter-pragmatist-compliance e-profile and an early majority-theorist-steadiness e-profile. The findings made it evident that the traits portrayed by a person belonging to a certain technology adoption category show similarities to traits portrayed by particular learning styles and personal work profile patterns. Certain profiles could be identified, based on trends and similarities pertaining to interpersonal traits. The findings further revealed that with an increase in age and teaching experience of respondents (which also imply an increase in age), the willingness to be assessed on e-readiness declined. It was also determined that the human resource performance management policies and practices at the North-West University (NWU) (which is used as case study), do not make provision for the inclusion of e-readiness in performance appraisals of academic employees. Further it became evident that training and development interventions should not only focus on the technical skill of e-learning, but follow a broader teaching and learning approach, also including the philosophy of e-learning and the use and adaptation of teaching and learning strategies to obtain optimal learner learning. The findings of the study thus supported the need for a framework, providing guidance in this regard. Presently, neither the literature of human resource performance appraisal nor the literature of e-readiness or e-learning makes provision for assessing the e-readiness of academic employees. The study thus contributes to the scholarly discourse and knowledge in the field of public human resource management, as sub-field of Public Administration, by developing a theoretical framework (that currently does not exist), consisting of three matrixes for this purpose to determine the role of the key human factors in the e-readiness of academic employees. / Public Administration and Management / D. Litt. et Phil. (Public Administration)

In higher education institutions, virtual learning systems (VLSs) have been adopted, and are becoming increasingly popular among educators. However, despite this ubiquity of VLS use, there has not been widespread change in pedagogic practice to take advantage of the functionality afforded by VLSs. Knowledge of the actual usage of e-learning systems is limited in terms of what specific feature sets are deemed useful, and how this influences system usage. VLSs have a suite of tools with associated functions/features and properties, as well as non-functional system characteristics. In addition, these systems incorporate pedagogic features to cater for online teaching. Educators in higher education, who are the chief agents of e-learning, are confounded by system-related, pedagogic, organisational, user difference and demographic factors that influence VLS usage. Virtual learning system usage involves system feature usage extent and frequency, total system usage and usage clusters. The aim of this study is to develop a model representing the factors that influence usage of VLSs in higher education. The links between system usage and system-related factors, pedagogic factors, organisational factors, user-difference and demographic factors is researched. This research incorporated a literature study, a pilot study, interviews and surveys. A case study research strategy was combined with a mixed methods research design. The results of the qualitative analysis was triangulated with the findings of the quantitative analysis and compared to the findings of the literature study. The study was conducted at two residential higher education institutions (HEI), namely, University of KwaZulu-Natal and Durban University of Technology. The main contribution of this study is the Virtual Learning System Usage Model (VLSUM) representing the factors that influence VLS usage in residential higher education institutions. The proposed VLSUM is based on the empirical results of this study. VLSUM can be used by managers of educational technology departments and instructional designers to implement interventions to optimize usage. The constructs of VLSUM confirmed existing theories, replicated and synthesised theories from different fields, and extended existing models to produce a new model for understanding the factors that influence VLS usage in higher education. / Computing / D. LITT. et. Phil. (Information Systems)

The adoption of eHealth is very slow despite evidences showing its benefits. This research examines the individual, clinical, technical and organizational challenges for eHealth adoption from healthcare provider‟s perspectives. A cross-sectional study design with a quantitative paradigm was used. The study was conducted on 312 doctors and nurses randomly selected from ten hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Most respondents viewed eHealth positively with no significant differences in terms of profession or gender. Computer skill, workload, patient interaction, management support, cost and infrastructure were the main concerns. Privacy and security were not the main concerns. Knowledge of eHealth applications and utilization was low, even for evidence-based medicine and online databases. Specialists and males were better aware of eHealth applications. The study showed that eHealth acceptance was good. Increasing eHealth literacy was recommended as a cost effective means for improving access to updated information to improve the quality of healthcare. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health (Medical Informatics))

Gegenstand dieser Dissertationsschrift ist die Erforschung der Akzeptanz digitaler Medien durch Personen im Ruhestand, die im ländlichen Raum leben. Es galt insbesondere Faktoren aufzudecken, die sich förderlich oder hinderlich auf die Nutzung von Smartphones und Tablet-PCs auswirken. Basierend auf den Ergeb-nissen lassen sich Hinweise darauf gewinnen, wie die betroffene Personengruppe in der Nutzung der Medien unterstützt werden kann. Theoretische Grundlagen für die Ermittlung von Einflussfaktoren stellen das klas-sische Technologieakzeptanzmodell von Davis (1989) und dessen Folgemodelle (2000, 2008), das Seniorakzeptanzmodells von Renaud und Biljon (2008) und der Uses-and-Gratification-Ansatzes von Blumler und Katz (1974) dar. Weiterhin wer-den Faktoren, die den ländlichen Raum charakterisieren, berücksichtigt. Spezifika des Ruhestands werden über das kalendarische Alter und das subjektive Alterser-lebens einbezogen. Die aus den Theorien herausgearbeiteten Einflussfaktoren wurden mit drei explo-rativen Vorstudien, auf ihre Relevanz für die Zielgruppe hin geprüft. Dabei handelt es sich um ein Experteninterview (n = 5), eine teilstandardisierte Befragung (n = 39) und ein Leitfadeninterview (n = 10). Die daraus gewonnenen Einflussfak-toren wurden anschließend in einer Fragebogenstudie von Personen im Ruhe-stand (n = 203) in den Landkreisen Bautzen und Zwickau beurteilt. Die Daten wurden statistisch mit Korrelations- und Regressionsanalysen sowie der einfakto-riellen Anova analysiert. Im Ergebnis zeigte sich, dass insbesondere der wahrgenommene Nutzen, die Leichtigkeit des Lernens und Leichtigkeit der Bedienung die Technikakzeptanz der befragten Personen beeinflussen. Diese Faktoren werden ihrerseits direkt durch die Selbstwirksamkeit sowie indirekt durch Vorerfahrungen mit Computer und Internet aber auch die Angst vor Bedienfehlern oder Sicherheitsbedenken geleitet. Eine wichtige Rolle kommt lernunterstützenden Maßnahmen zu. Der wahrgenommene Nutzen, die Einstellung und auch die Verhaltensabsicht unterscheiden sich signifikant in Abhängigkeit vom bereichsspezifischen Alterser-leben. Relevanz besitzen zudem personenbezogene und soziodemographische Faktoren wie z.B. der Gesundheitszustand, der Bildungsabschluss und das Haus-haltseinkommen. In Abhängigkeit vom Wohnort wirkt sich das soziale Engage-ment signifikant auf die Verhaltensabsicht aus. Weiterhin lassen sich Zusammen-hänge zwischen der Wohnentfernung zu den Kindern, dem wahrgenommenen Nutzen und den sozialen Motiven nachweisen. Die Ergebnisse der Dissertationsschrift sind vor allem interessant für Wissen-schaftler und Lehrende, die ältere Menschen bei der Bedienung digitaler Medien unterstützen. Daneben bieten sie Anhaltspunkte für Kommunen, die sich mit ge-sellschaftlicher Teilhabe von Älteren befassen.:1 Einleitung 1.1 Themenrelevanz 1.2 Zielsetzung und Beitrag der Arbeit 1.3 Vorgehensweise 2 Theoretischer Hintergrund 2.1 Das Phänomen „Alter(n)“ 2.2 Der Sozioökologische Kontext: Altern im ländlichen Raum 2.3 Ältere Erwachsene im Fokus der Mediennutzungsforschung 2.4 Älterer Erwachsene im Fokus der Akzeptanzforschung 2.5 Forschungsbedarf und Forschungsfragen 3 Methodisches Vorgehen 3.1 Explorative Vorstudie 1 - Expertenbefragung 3.2 Explorative Vorstudie 2 – schriftliche, halboffene Befragung 3.3 Explorative Vorstudie 3 –leitfadengestützte Interviews 3.4 Einflussgrößen auf die digitale Mediennutzung 3.5 Hypothesen 4 Hauptstudie 4.1 Studiendesign 4.2 Feldphase 4.3 Datenaufbereitung und –analyse 4.4 Stichprobenzusammensetzung 4.5 Statistische Analysen 4.6 Ergebnisse: Technikbezogene Faktoren 4.7 Ergebnisse: Subjektbezogene Ressourcen 4.8 Ergebnisse: Wohnortbezogenen Ressourcen 5 Diskussion und Zusammenfassung 5.1 Zusammenfassung und Interpretation der Ergebnisse 5.2 Diskussion der Methoden 5.3 Fazit und Ausblick / The dissertation investigates smartphone and tablet acceptance by elderly users and non-users in rural areas in Germany, especially in federal provinces in Saxo-ny (Bautzen and Zwickau). Following a mixed-methods design, both qualitative and quantitative studies were used. The theoretical framework is based on the Technology Acceptance Models by Davis (1989) and Venkatesh (2000, 2008), the Senior Technology Acceptance and Adoption Model by Renaud and Biljon (2008), and the Uses-and-Gratification Approach by Blumler and Katz (1974). The models served to identify influence factors on technology acceptance. Those factors were validated empirically for the specific group of (potential) elderly users by three qualitative studies: 1. Expert interviews (n = 5), 2. Interviews using a partly standardised guideline (n = 39) and 3. Structured-interviews with elderly people (n = 10). The influencing factors gained were then analysed in a questionnaire study completed by elderly persons, who live in rural areas (n = 203). Data was analysed by means of correlation analysis, regression analysis and uni-variate ANOVA. Findings show that for elderly users perceived usefulness, per-ceived ease of use and learning (as main factors of TAM) significantly affect atti-tude, behavioral intention to use and acceptance. Self-efficacy is a strong predic-tor for ease of use and learning. Moreover, prior experiences with computers and the Internet as well as fear of operating errors and security concerns are of inter-est. Measures to support learning are also important. Users and non-user’s differ in acceptance of smartphones and tablets. Users’ motives for digital media use and perceived ubiquity of new media influence perceived usefulness, whereas non-users have more sense of fear with regard to operating errors and safety concerns. Furthermore, age affects perceived usefulness, ease of use, ease of learning and behavioral intention to use whereas attitude towards ageing significantly affects perceived usefulness, attitude towards use and behavioral attention to use. Due to the characteristics of rural areas social commitment is relevant for behavioral intention, and the geographical distance to children influences perceived useful-ness as well as social motives for usage. This dissertation should be of interest for researchers, lecturers, politicians, and technology designers, especially with regard to mobile devices.:1 Einleitung 1.1 Themenrelevanz 1.2 Zielsetzung und Beitrag der Arbeit 1.3 Vorgehensweise 2 Theoretischer Hintergrund 2.1 Das Phänomen „Alter(n)“ 2.2 Der Sozioökologische Kontext: Altern im ländlichen Raum 2.3 Ältere Erwachsene im Fokus der Mediennutzungsforschung 2.4 Älterer Erwachsene im Fokus der Akzeptanzforschung 2.5 Forschungsbedarf und Forschungsfragen 3 Methodisches Vorgehen 3.1 Explorative Vorstudie 1 - Expertenbefragung 3.2 Explorative Vorstudie 2 – schriftliche, halboffene Befragung 3.3 Explorative Vorstudie 3 –leitfadengestützte Interviews 3.4 Einflussgrößen auf die digitale Mediennutzung 3.5 Hypothesen 4 Hauptstudie 4.1 Studiendesign 4.2 Feldphase 4.3 Datenaufbereitung und –analyse 4.4 Stichprobenzusammensetzung 4.5 Statistische Analysen 4.6 Ergebnisse: Technikbezogene Faktoren 4.7 Ergebnisse: Subjektbezogene Ressourcen 4.8 Ergebnisse: Wohnortbezogenen Ressourcen 5 Diskussion und Zusammenfassung 5.1 Zusammenfassung und Interpretation der Ergebnisse 5.2 Diskussion der Methoden 5.3 Fazit und Ausblick