During the last decade there has been a rapid increase in the use of television in tertiary institutions and there are few, if any, who do not have a significant financial commitment to television equipment either in a large audio visual centre or in unco-ordinated departmental units. In a series of five experiments the field study seeks to assess the possible effects on the learning process of two aspects of present television usage:- - the technical limitations of existing U-matic equipment. - the conditions under which the material will be viewed. Results show that when used for first-generation recording and convenient replay access,U-matic equipment has proved reliable and useful but when used for multigeneration recording, editing and dubbing, technical problems can affect the attitudes of the viewers. Similarly the difficulty experienced in trying to control viewing conditions in many existing teaching areas appears to be a major limitation in the effective use of media.

Tertiary educational institutes have had many Information Systems developed and implemented for the use of students and lecturers. The problem is that more often than not, the impacts of Information Systems on social communities of organisations have not been taken into account, or insufficient attention has been paid to them. The social impact of Information Systems are rarely taken into account when systems are being designed or implemented, and as a result lead to many Information System failures. This research explores the issues of the interface between information systems and society, and addresses the social impact of these systems. A thorough investigation of the Information Systems and users of those systems at the University of South Africa has been undertaken in this study Details regarding certain social impact of Information Systems will be discussed. This research proposes a set of guidelines to help ensure that the social impacts of tertiary institutes’ Information Systems are taken into account in the design and implementation of these systems, thereby increasing the chance of success of those systems. Those who stand to benefit from information contained in this study include various tertiary institutes’ faculties of Information Systems and Technology, the departments responsible for the development of those Information Systems, users of those systems, and the social community encompassing those systems.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / The South African Choice on Termination of Pregnancy (CTOP) Act (no. 92 of 1996) regulates the process of termination of pregnancy in the country. However, research has shown noncompliance to the stipulation leading to clandestine practices, ostracism and lack of knowledge regarding the Act. The aim of this study was thus to explore perceptions of Psychology Honours students toward termination of pregnancy as well as to investigate their knowledge of the CTOP Act and assess how far the legislature informs their perceptions, if at all. Although CTOP Act legislation stipulates pre and post CTOP counselling, evidence suggests that few women seeking termination of pregnancy (TOP) rarely receive counselling as envisaged. Numerous challenges were indicated as factors affecting the implementation of this stipulation. Considering this evidence, the way that prospective mental health care professionals such as Psychology Honours students’ – perceptions toward TOP were regarded pivotal in engaging with the implementation of the TOP legislature. A qualitative exploratory research design was used to explore and describe the perceptions that Psychology Honours students have toward TOP. Individual interviews with 15 students from a historically disadvantaged university in the Western Cape were conducted and recorded. The collected data was transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s model of Thematic Analysis. The results from the collected data reveal complex perceptions toward TOP. Participants reflected gradual modification of their perspectives due to exposure to different contexts and views in tertiary institutions, different friends and social engagements. Most participants indicated a religious background, however, indicated deviation from religious prescriptions pertaining to TOP.

Tertiary educational institutes have had many Information Systems developed and implemented for the use of students and lecturers. The problem is that more often than not, the impacts of Information Systems on social communities of organisations have not been taken into account, or insufficient attention has been paid to them. The social impact of Information Systems are rarely taken into account when systems are being designed or implemented, and as a result lead to many Information System failures. This research explores the issues of the interface between information systems and society, and addresses the social impact of these systems. A thorough investigation of the Information Systems and users of those systems at the University of South Africa has been undertaken in this study Details regarding certain social impact of Information Systems will be discussed. This research proposes a set of guidelines to help ensure that the social impacts of tertiary institutes’ Information Systems are taken into account in the design and implementation of these systems, thereby increasing the chance of success of those systems. Those who stand to benefit from information contained in this study include various tertiary institutes’ faculties of Information Systems and Technology, the departments responsible for the development of those Information Systems, users of those systems, and the social community encompassing those systems.

Industries, as well as the governments of the world, scrutinise higher education institutions. Although Higher Education is the most stable of all the educational levels, the demand for greater relevance of these institutions in today’s society is a matter of certainty. South Africa’s economy is strongly dependent for its growth on finance, real estate and business services. This fast growing sector demands a knowledge-based economy for sustainable growth. In order to stay relevant and to be sustainable, research is imperative. The new responsibility to produce more research has led to a transition phase that puts universities constantly on the defence. This study considers the effect of producing more and more research and the race to be the top research university in South Africa. Challenges are numerous, including Government’s pressure on universities be more independent of state funds. The University of Pretoria serves as exemplar to study the effect and consequences of the transition from a knowledge management perspective. The researcher implemented the Work System Theory of Steven Alter to analyse the elements of the research work system. The study has been conducted on two levels: The Research Information Management System (RIMS) database of the Department of Research and Innovation Support (DRIS) was analysed to obtain a broad overview of the research conducted by University of Pretoria researchers between 2006 and 2009. On the second level, the top researchers from faculties on the main campus were identified and interviewed during 2014 and 2015 in order to obtain an individual perspective. The findings and gap analysis showed that although the University of Pretoria is considered one of the top research institutions, many gaps exist that inhibit the dissemination of knowledge throughout organisations and that changes need to be implemented. The fields of Economic Geography and Information Systems were applied to get a better understanding of knowledge integration in the knowledge management field. The study culminated in a research framework derived from strategic, tactical and operational input by top researchers. Aspiring researchers can use the framework to understand the environment in which research needs to take place and to improve their personal strategies to enhance their research output. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / DPhil / Unrestricted

Doctor Legum - LLD / Many of the disadvantaged groups which are impacted by a high burden of poverty and are thereby food insecure in South Africa, have over the years received attention from the government, resulting in many interventionist schemes to guarantee their right to food. These include for instance, social grants for children, the disabled and the elderly, as well as school meals for primary and high school students. Unfortunately, one of such groups has hitherto received little or no attention -that is, students in South African tertiary institutions. Food insecurity among students in tertiary institutions links back to the trajectory of poverty- students in tertiary institutions are food insecure mainly because they come from homes which are food insecure. This is proven in the disparity between the numbers and severity of food insecure students in historically advantaged universities and historically disadvantaged universities in South Africa.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / The inception of the democratic government in 1994 was accompanied by the promulgation of progressive legislature. Chapter Two of the Constitution makes provision for reasonable accommodation for those who are differently-abled due to psychiatric difficulties. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts functioning adversely. The process to request, access and receive reasonable accommodation for students with ADHD remain inconsistent across various sectors of education. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators of reasonable accommodation for students with ADHD registered at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use electronic portfolios (e-portfolios) in private tertiary institutions in South Africa to enhance the learning experience of scholars. The study adopted an interpretive ontological stance and subjective epistemological stance as the researcher sought to understand how-portfolios can be used to enhance learning. The focus was on understanding people in a social setting though employing field research to collect and interpret data. Action research, in this case employing a pre-test, intervention and post-test limited to a single cycle, was selected as strategy. The empirical part of the study was conducted during the first semester of 2014 (January to May) at a private tertiary university in Gauteng, South Africa. A pre-survey has been conducted before implementation and a post-survey after the implementation of e-portfolios to test the attitude of the participants, where after the results were compared. The pre-test was administered before creating e-portfolios and the post-test towards the end of the semester after developing and maintaining e-portfolios. Questionnaires were used to obtain information such as the attitude of the respondents on learning, assessment, reflection, collaboration and interpersonal communication through the use of e-portfolios. Questionnaires served as the main data collection tool throughout the survey. The sample was selected from first and second year students in the Information Technology faculty, with the sample size n=48. The researcher further collected data through observing subjects and conducting group interviews that were recorded to augment the questionnaire approach and verify the results through triangulation. The questionnaires were distributed to the participants who were given thirty minutes to complete. Responses were made using a five-point Likert scale and open-ended questions. The response rate was outstanding as all 48 subjects participated in the study. The researcher used a mixed-methods approach for this study; SPSS 22.0 was used for quantitative data analysis and thematic analysis was employed for the qualitative data. Reliability for quantitative data was determined using Cronbach’s alpha. Regression analysis was done as well as correlations to determine relationships and associations. To further cement relationships, t-tests and Spearman’s correlation coefficient were employed. Trustworthiness for qualitative data and justification for credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability were discussed. vi The results revealed that e-portfolios could be used effectively at private tertiary institutions to enhance the learning experience of scholars as evidenced by the significant statistics obtained in this study.

In the West there has been a substantial quantity of scholarly work about the integration of learning technologies at tertiary institutions and these works have at times been assigned a noteworthy role in governmental policy development. Although generalised statements have been made on the need for the effective integration of learning technology at national institutions of higher education situated in the Middle East, the issues surrounding the practical adoption of such technology are often more varied and complex than is usually supposed. Indeed, no substantive discussion of the subject has yet been undertaken for an institution situated within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Yet, there is a clear need for such an analysis which has the potential to influence government policy in the UAE, thereby improving teaching and learning at a time of dramatic political change. The purpose of this study is to evaluate, through detailed investigation, the factors associated with the integration of learning technologies as they relate to the teaching and learning environment of Zayed University (the University). It examines the background of the University and the role technology plays within its curriculum, placing it within the unique political, social, and religious contexts of the UAE. In particular, what are the critical issues involved in the effective integration of technology into such a culturally distinctive higher education environment? An answer to this question involves exploring: (i) the role of technology as expressed in the University's visions and goals; (ii) the outcomes-based curriculum model and the role technology plays in supporting it through an electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) model; and (iii) the level of technology integration within the professional practice of Faculty. Instrumental to the findings of this research is the researcher's design and implementation strategy for a technology integration portfolio (TIP) model. In sum, this thesis presents information, implications and recommendations obtained from an evaluation of the current practices relating to the integration of learning technology into the University curriculum. It is from this information that a clear picture emerges of the present role of technology, at the same time providing possible directions for the next stage of the University's evolution. Indeed, this work responds in a practical way to the possibilities and problems involved in the formulation, implementation and efficient working of further learning technology initiatives at the University. Moreover, the findings of this thesis could also be transferred to other higher educational settings in the UAE that share similar curriculum models and goals for technology integration.

Tertiary institutions in South Africa are being called to account for the quality of education that they provide. Evidence suggests that staffs at all levels are working longer hours than in the past in order to adhere to the above-mentioned requirement. Non-academic personnel in universities are the key performers to establish service quality. They know that they have to support academic staff in their main roles of research and teaching at institutions of higher education. Different support personnel groups within a university experience distinct problems. The nature of the support personnel's work is continuous and demanding. Support personnel must deal with the dilemmas inherent in simultaneously administering, supervising instruction, being accessible, delegating and accepting responsibility. Multiple personal and professional qualities seem to be needed to carry out the job successfully. Not surprisingly, then, support personnel in tertiary institutions can be extremely prone to experience burnout and occupational stress. The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between burnout, strain and job characteristics and to determine whether dispositional optimism moderates the effect of job characteristics on burnout. A stratified random sample (N = 334) was taken of personnel working in universities in the North-West province. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey, the Health subscales of ASSET and the Life Orientation test (revised edition) were used as measuring instruments. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the results. The results of the study showed that work overload and certain task characteristics (for example, no possibilities for independent thought and action) caused personnel to experience exhaustion as well as cynicism, which resulted in strain. On the other hand, certain task characteristics (for example, variety in work, adequate management and job security) were all linked to higher professional efficacy, which, in turn, resulted in less experienced strain. Exhaustion and cynicism, both of which are dimensions of burnout, were also significantly correlated. Dispositional optimism, however, was related to lower exhaustion and professional efficacy, which resulted in less experienced strain and burnout. Therefore, it seems that optimism moderates the effects of job characteristics on exhaustion. Recommendations were made for future research / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.