The use of mobile devices to access the World Wide Web is becoming more prevalent. When browsing webpages on small-screen devices, it is difficult to locate information of interest since the limited screen space can be fully packed with information. Also, browsing Web tables on small-screen devices is a non-trivial problem. To fit a large table in a small-screen device, the association between data values and their corresponding headers may be disrupted. It is difficult to locate information accurately if the data meanings are lost. For visually impaired users, the problem is even more challenging. Sequential presentation of the webpage by a screen reader is too time-consuming if the information of interest is placed at or near the end of the webpage. Therefore, there is a need to re-organize useful information in webpages in order to enhance information finding on small-screen devices. In this thesis, various adaptations are proposed by exploring and exploiting relationships between Web elements in the webpage. In the current literature, some proposed heuristics are based on specific HTML elements, which cannot be generalized. Some other algorithms assume a correct DOM structure, which would fail if the webpage is not properly marked up. Many algorithms extract blocks without assigning them the proper titles. A gap needs to be filled, such that extracted blocks will be given a proper title through exploring the relationships between semantic elements. In this thesis, I propose to integrate relationship analysis and DOM-tree structure traversal for identifying logical sections together with their section headings. By extracting all the section headings, a table of content can be constructed to provide direct access to interested sections in an efficient way. Relationship analysis is a critical complement to the DOM structure for identifying the semantic content hierarchy when a webpage is not properly marked up. By exploring relationships between table cells, the structure of an unstructured Web table can be extracted. The semantic meanings of the data values are retained by preserving the data values and their corresponding headers. A novel way of accessing a webpage, which converts the page itself and its Web table into menu-based presentation, is then proposed. Converting the webpage into an Interactive Voice Response System introduces yet another mode of access which can enhance the accessibility of the webpage. In addition to improving mobile accessibility, the proposed adaptations can also benefit the visually impaired users. Experiments show that the average effectiveness and efficiency of adaptation with direct access are improved by 18% and 15% respectively, which are clearly better than the case without adaptation. Also, by adapting the Web table into a series of menu pages, the effectiveness and efficiency are improved by 61% and 37% respectively. For the evaluations with visually impaired users, the adaptation with direct access can greatly improve efficiency by 85%. Some complicated Web tables in fact could not be properly interpreted by visually impaired users; the Web table adaptation makes them accessible. Information finding indeed becomes more efficient and effective when using the adapted versions. / published_or_final_version / Computer Science / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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published_or_final_version / Business / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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D.Ed. / Teaching and learning in the Technology Education and the Information Technology learning area traditionally focused on the acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes and reproductive thinking - with minor reference to the facilitation of complex thinking. An appropriate instructional methodology in the Higher Education and Training band is of utmost importance due to the fact that current instructional approaches and strategies in the Information Technology area of learning are not suitable for the facilitation of complex thinking. There are no instructional models for the facilitation of complex thinking through web page design available in South Africa. The cross-curricular nature of Technology Education and Information Systems permits the integration of the stages of the technological process and methodologies of information system design with particular reference to web page design. The problem-based nature of information system design correlates with the aim and functionality of the stages of the technological process. Within the stages of the technological process the balance between constructivist and behaviourist instructional approaches and strategies can provide for meaningful learning. The aim of this study is to design and implement an instructional web design programme (IWDP), and furthermore on the basis of an evaluation of the programme, to develop a prospective instructional model that could promote complex thinking in the project-based classroom. The development of the instructional programme was based on the three pillars of the technological framework (mind tools within web page design, complex thinking, instructional models and strategies), which provided a conceptual framework in the form of criteria on the manner in which complex thinking of learners can be facilitated. This study was developed within the qualitative research paradigm. The use of the case study design and action research was considered the most appropriate for the nature of this study. A group of 17 learners at an institution of higher education and training band was observed during the implementation of the instructional programme. Data was gathered using interviews, classroom observations, journals and essays, in order to explore learners' and the teacher's experiences in respect of the instructional programme. A qualitative data analysis approach was employed to provide meaningful categories and subcategories. From the data it was evident that the learners and teacher had positive experiences with regard to the instructional programme. The programme provided an array of instructional approaches and strategies, as well as the opportunity for learners to experience a multi-method learning environment utilising the technological resources and a network of human resources inside and outside the project-based classroom. It became clear that different instructional approaches and strategies (constructivist and behaviourist) contributed to a variety of learning modes particularly emphasizing discussions, cognitive apprenticeship and peer tutoring in collaborative teams, indicating the facilitation of complex thinking in general. Based on the findings an instructional model was designed and developed that could be applied in the Information Technology learning area, as well as in Technology Education in general.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the use of the corporate websites of listed financial services companies to communicate their corporate social responsibilities. This research also examines how adherence to section thirteen of the Financial Sector Charter, regarding Corporate Social Investment, is communicated on the corporate websites. The research also examined how the websites are used and how the information is organised and presented in order to draw conclusions about corporate social responsibility within the companies. This research was carried out in two stages. The first stage of the research was used to interview experts on CSR in South Africa. This data was used to create the framework for assessing the corporate websites, incorporating the information obtained from the literature review. The second stage of the research was the examination of the corporate websites to understand the CSR representation. A key finding, based on the information on the corporate websites, was that the companies generally position the CSR information in prominent locations on the corporate websites indicating that it is considered fairly important to the company. However, the information could have been more current to reflect more accurately their CSR activities. There is also no encompassing South African definition of corporate social responsibility, thus all companies interpret their activities and the components in their unique ways. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This research project is one part of an intensive study concerning the development, design and marketing of Primary School Web sites, focussing on the construction of a Web site for Laerskool Lynnwood, Pretoria. The dissertation of my fellow-researcher, Ms Hendrihette du Preez focuses on the marketing and promotional aspects, where as my dissertation discusses content development, content management and Information design aspects. Due to the fact that a large part of the complete study consists of the specific development of the product, some parts of the two dissertations are necessarily similar or overlap in some instances (especially in chapter 3). However each dissertation can function as an independent entity that is supportive and complementary to the other. / Dissertation (MA (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Information Science / unrestricted

The purpose of this project was to develop an easy-to-maintain web site for the Gamma Lambda Chapter of Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society here at California State University, San Bernardino, which will manage complete and up-to-date information about the mission, members, officers and all the activities of the honor society.

In 1975, J.K. Hvistendahl and Mary R. Kahl tested 200 individuals to determine if readers preferred serif type for the body text of stories in newspapers. Subjects read stories set in serif and sans serif type. They were timed and asked for their preference as to which typeface they felt was more legible. The researchers found that test subjects preferred serif type the body text in their newsprint. After comparing the time it took subjects to read stories, researchers found readers needed less time to read stories set in serif type than sans serif.Almost 25 years later, another generation of readers has emerged, and Web pages are commonplace among many newspapers today. Yet nothing has been done to determine if these same findings are true for the World Wide Web. This study set out to do just that.Two hundred subjects were recruited for this study, each one placed into one of four groups: male student, male non-student, female student, and female non-student. Each subject was asked to read two 325-word stories, each on its own World Wide Web page. One story was set in a serif typeface, the other set in a sans serif typeface. Subjects were unobrusively timed with a stopwatch as they read each story. After reading the two stories, they were asked which typeface they felt was more legible, serif or sans serif.Overall, readers showd no statistically significant preference for serif or sans serif type in body text on the World Wide Web. The data was tested with ANOVA while frequencies and were also gathered. Only one statistically significant interaction surfaced which found that male students, who preferred sans serif type, took a statistically significant longer time to read online stories set in serif type. / Department of Journalism