Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Development in each sector of our society, especially with regard to computer technology, has progressed so dramatically that we have reached a stage where it is virtually impossible for an individual who does not have computer knowledge and skills to function with ease in society in almost any part of the world. In order to counter this situation the governments of a large number of countries across the globe are encouraging their citizens to become computer literate. These governments spend huge amounts of money on the integration and improvement of technology in education in order to ensure effective teaching and learning for each learner in each school. The South African government has also caught on and acknowledged the importance of communication technology in education, hence the White Paper on e-Education, which provides for the integration of technology in schools. The question that arises is whether enough is being done to enable underprivileged schools to benefit from this development as well. This study observed the way in which the policy regarding e-Education is applied in privileged and underprivileged schools. During the course of the study the researcher visited schools that utilise their technological facilities, as well as schools that do not, and the reasons and circumstances that prevent them from utilising these facilities were also investigated. An investigation regarding the application of the technology policy within schools and how schools adapt this policy to accommodate their requirements, was conducted. The study endeavoured to determine the reasons why the technology policy is applied wel land properly in some schools, while other schools that have the technology do not apply the policy. The difference between privileged and underprivileged schools regarding the application of the policy was also investigated. The situation regarding the application of technology policy in privileged and underprivileged schools in the Western Cape was researched in four schools: two schools in rural areas and two in urban areas. Two of these schools are privileged schools that have technology and utilise it daily. The other two schools are underprivileged schools with technology that, however, is not used to the advantage of the learners on a regular basis. Two schools have mainly Afrikaans-speaking learners while the learners of the other two schools predominantly have English as their mother tongue. The policy is applied differently at each of these schools, possibly due to circumstances or untrained staff who do not have the necessary knowledge and skills to utilise technology as method of instruction. The study aims to cause awareness at schools of the importance of technology and that a paradigm shift should take place in the methods and techniques of instruction of educators. It also aims to make teachers more aware of the value of technology when used effectively in their lesson presentations. In this way we could ensure that our learners receive the tuition they will need to be competitive globally. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwikkeling in elke sektor van die samelewing en veral op die gebied van rekenaartegnologie het só dramaties vooruitgegaan en gegroei dat dit ʼn stadium bereik het waar dit vir ʼn persoon sonder rekenaargeletterdheid byna onmoontlik geword het om gemaklik in die gemeenskap in die meeste dele van die wêreld te funksioneer. Ten einde hierdie situasie die hoof te bied, moedig die meeste regerings regoor die wêreld hul burgers aan om tegnologie-geletterd te word. Lande spandeer groot bedrae geld om tegnologie in die onderwys te integreer en te verbeter om so effektiewe onderrig en leer vir elke leerder in elke skool te bewerkstellig. Plaaslik het die Suid-Afrikaanse regering die belangrikheid van inligtings- en kommunikasietegnologie in die onderwys besef en erken, vandaar die Witskrif oor e-Onderwys, wat voorsiening maak vir die integrasie van tegnologie in skole. Die vraag wat ontstaan, is of daar genoeg gedoen word om voorsiening te maak vir minder gegoede skole om ook voordeel uit dié ontwikkeling te trek. Hierdie ondersoek kyk na die beleid aangaande e-Onderwys en hoe dit toegepas word binne gegoede en minder gegoede skole. Tydens die studie het die navorser skole besoek wat oor tegnologiese fasiliteite beskik en dit gebruik, sowel as skole wat tegnologie besit en dit nie gebruik nie, en die redes en omstandighede wat hulle verhoed om dit te gebruik, is dus ook ondersoek. ʼn Ondersoek is gedoen na die toepassing van die beleid rakende tegnologie binne skole en hoe skole by hierdie beleid aanpas om hulle behoeftes te akkommodeer. Die studie het ook gepoog om vas te stel wat die redes is waarom die beleid rakende tegnologie in sommige skole na behore toegepas word, terwyl ander skole wat wel oor die tegnologie beskik, dit nie behoorlik toepas nie. Daar is verder ondersoek ingestel na die verskil in toepassing van die beleid tussen gegoede en minder gegoede skole. Die situasie ten opsigte van die toepassing van beleid oor tegnologie in gegoede en minder gegoede skole in die Wes-Kaap is by vier skole onder die soeklig geplaas: twee skole in die platteland en twee skole in ʼn stedelike gebied. Twee van die skole is gegoede skole wat tegnologie besit en dit daagliks gebruik. Die ander twee skole is minder gegoede skole wat oor tegnologiese hulpbronne beskik, maar dit nie gereeld tot voordeel van hul leerders gebruik nie. Twee skole het oorwegend Afrikaanssprekende leerders en twee oorwegend Engelssprekende leerders. Die beleid word by elk van hierdie skole verskillend toegepas, moontlik weens omstandighede of onopgeleide personeel wat nie die nodige kennis en vaardighede besit om tegnologie as onderrigmetode te gebruik nie. Die studie poog om skole bewus te maak van die belangrikheid van tegnologie en dat daar ʼn paradigmaskuif moet plaasvind in onderwysers se onderrigmetodes en -tegnieke. Dit poog ook om onderwysers meer bewus te maak van die waarde wat tegnologie kan hê as dit in lesaanbiedings geïntegreer word. Só kan daar moontlik verseker word dat leerders die opleiding ontvang wat nodig is om globaal mededingend te wees.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Twenty-first century youth have been privy to regular exposure to digital technology, both in their schools and in the home, which has resulted in a change of both lifestyle and educational practice from that enjoyed by prior generations. Parallel to the technology market trajectory that has arguably influenced the psychological and psycho-social development of contemporary youth is the burgeoning industry of learning technology. Integration of such technology into South African schools is relatively in its infancy when compared to global initiatives, and has sparked debate as to the place of technology within education in a country fraught with divided resources. In consideration of the influence of technology on education, research which investigates the motivating role of technology upon learning, particularly from the perspective of the learners themselves, is amiss. This study aimed to discover the extent to which technology tools used in education motivate the twenty-first century South African learner to learn, and whether the use of such technology would create a more engaging, relevant educational environment. In order to investigate the topic, exploratory qualitative research as underpinned by the constructivist paradigm and within a social constructivist theoretical framework was conducted as a case study. Purposive sampling was employed to select Grade 11 learners in order to gain their perspectives and those of their teachers who bear witness to their learning at one private co-educational high school in the Western Cape. Qualitative content analysis was utilised to interpret the data collected from a semi-structured focus group interview conducted with eight learners, as well as from learner and teacher questionnaires which provided valuable contextualisation for the focus group interview. The research findings from the study indicated that the learner participants could identify the role of intrinsic motivation to learn, and demonstrated awareness of the factors that contributed to the facilitation thereof, of which learning technology played a prominent role. The participants noted the importance of the complementary role of learning technology; a means to an end and not an end in itself. Important considerations were highlighted, such as the potential for distraction, personal learning preferences, and conceptualisations of learning required for technology to be successfully integrated into the twenty-first century learning environment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In teenstelling met vorige generasies word die jeug van die 21ste eeu gereeld blootgestel aan digitale tegnologie, tuis sowel as in hul skole, wat ‘n verandering in beide hul leefstyl en die onderwyspraktyk tot gevolg het. Parallel aan die baan van ontwikkeling van die tegnologiemarkte, wat ʼn betwisbare invloed het op die sielkundige en psigososiale ontwikkeling van die hedendaagse jeug het, is die ontluikende industrie van leertegnologie. Die integrasie van sulke tegnologie in Suid-Afrikaanse skole is nog in sy kinderskoene as dit vergelyk word met globale inisiatiewe en dit het debat oor die plek van tegnologie in ‘n land met oneweredig verdeelde hulpbronne ontlok. As die invloed van tegnologie op opvoeding in ag geneem word, is navorsing wat die motiverende effek van tegnologie op leer ondersoek, veral vanuit die perpektief van die leerders self, beperk. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel tot watter mate tegnologiese hulpmiddels in die onderwys die Suid-Afrikaanse leerder van die 21ste eeu motiveer om te leer en of die gebruik van sulke tegnologie ʼn meer deelnemende, relevante onderwysomgewing sal skep. Hierdie verkennende, kwalitatiewe gevallestudie binne die konstruktivistiese paradigma het sosiale konstruktivisme as die onderliggende teoretiese raamwerk gehad. Doelbewuste steekproefneming is uitgevoer om die Graad 11 leerders uit 'n enkele private hoërskool in die Wes-Kaap te selekteer om sodoende hul perspektiewe asook dié van hul onderwysers, wat van hul leerproses kan getuig, te bekom. Data is deur middel van ʼn semi-gestruktureerde fokusgroeponderhoud asook vraelyste aan beide die leerders en onderwysers ingesamel, wat waardevolle kontekstualisering vir die fokusgroeponderhoud voorsien het. Die ontleding van die navorsingsdata is met behulp van kwalitatiewe inhoudsanalise uitgevoer. Die bevindings van hierdie studie het aangedui dat die leerderdeelnemers die rol van intrinsieke motivering om te leer kon identifiseer en hulle het ʼn bewustheid getoon vir die faktore wat dit bevorder. Leertegnologie het ʼn prominente rol gespeel in hierdie faktore. Die deelnemers het gewys op die belangrike komplementêre rol van leertegnologie; ʼn weg tot ʼn doel en nie die doel self nie. Belangrike oorwegings is uitgelig, soos die potensiaal vir aandagafleiding en ook persoonlike leervoorkeure en konseptualiserings van leer benodig vir suksesvolle integrasie van tegnologie in die 21ste eeuse leeromgewing.

The changes brought about by society's move from an industrial to an information society has brought with it changes in the way that society operates - from the way we do business to the way we entertain ourselves and, increasingly, in the way we educate our children. That the society of tomorrow requires new skills to survive and operate had been, and continues to be, debated in a growing number of books and in the popular media. More and more educationists are calling for schools to 'restructure' so as to be able to provide the skills that this new society requires, especially those related to the management of information. The nature of these skills are discussed, together with the potential provided by information technology, particularly computers, to provide them. The current use of computers in schools is addressed, together with the apparent inability of schools to generate effective change from within using in-service training. The researcher suggests that this makes it imperative that teacher training institutions provide the next generation of teacher-trainees with a thorough understanding of the requirements of an information society and the tools that it uses. The research undertaken attempted to provide final year primary education teacher-trainees with one example of the way in which the electronic database can be used to change the teaching of history. By researching in the field and entering data into a data base, the teacher-trainees were able to look at information in new ways. By selecting and sorting data by different fields, they were able to act as ' true' historians - each interacting with the data in his or her own way to extract knowledge that is arguably unique for each participant. The data base was then used with a class of standard four pupils, with the researcher acting as participant observer. The reactions and responses of the pupils to the data was noted and these are discussed in the results . A non-participant observer, also a primary school history -teacher, provided input with respect to the validity of the learning experience and to act as a control. The research is described, together with the observations of the researcher, teacher-trainees and pupils involved. The observations of the non-participant observer are also discussed. Shortfalls and difficulties encountered are pointed out, and areas for further research suggested.

In the field of Biology there is a reasonable amount of software available for educational use but in the researcher's experience there are few teachers who take the computer into the classroom/laboratory, Teachers will make use of video machines and tape recorders quite happily, but a computer is a piece of apparatus which they are not prepared to use in the classroom/laboratory. This thesis is an attempt to devise an educational package, consisting of a Selection Form and an Evaluation Form, which can be used by teachers to select and evaluate educational software in the field of Biology. The forms were designed specifically for teachers to use in preparation of a computer lesson. The evaluation package also provides the teacher with a means of identifying whether the lesson has achieved its objectives or not. The teacher may also be provided with feedback about the lesson. The data is gathered by means of a questionnaire which the pupils complete. It would appear that teachers are uncertain as regards the purchase of software for their subject from the many catalogues that are available. The evaluation package implemented in this research can be regarded as the beginnings of a data base for the accumulation of information to assist teachers with details on which software to select. Evidence is provided in this thesis for the practical application of the Selection and Evaluation Forms, using Biology software.

The knowledge explosion of the last decade has left education in schools far behind. The emphasis in schools must change if they are to prepare students for their future lives. Tertiary institutions as well as commerce and industry need people who have well-developed cognitive skills. A further requirement is that the school leaver must have skills pertaining to information processing. The skills that are required are those which have been labelled higher order thinking skills. The work of Piaget, Thomas and Bloom have led to a better understanding of what these skills actually are. Resnick sees these skills as being: nonalgorithmic; complex; yielding multiple solutions; involving nuanced judgements; involving the application of multiple criteria; involving uncertainty; involving self-regulation of the thinking process; imposing meaning and being effortful. How these can be taught and the implication of doing so are considered by the researcher. The outcome of this consideration is that higher order - thinking entails communication skills, reasoning, problem solving and self management. The study takes the form of an investigation of a particular case: whether a Biology field trip could be used as a source of information, which could be handled by a computer, so that higher order thinking skills could be acquired by students. Students were instructed in the use of a Database Management System called PARADOX. The students then went on an excursion to a Rocky Shore habitat to collect data about the biotic and abiotic factors pertaining to that ecosystem. The students worked in groups sorting data and entering it into the database. Once all the data had been entered the students developed hypotheses and queried the database to obtain evidence to substantiate or disprove their hypotheses. Whilst this was in progress the researcher obtained data by means of observational field notes, tape recordings, evoked documents and interviews. The qualitative data was then arranged into classes to see if it showed that the students were using any of the higher order thinking skills. The results showed that the students did use the listed higher order thinking skills whilst working on the database.

abstract: Paper assessment remains to be an essential formal assessment method in today's classes. However, it is difficult to track student learning behavior on physical papers. This thesis presents a new educational technology—Web Programming Grading Assistant (WPGA). WPGA not only serves as a grading system but also a feedback delivery tool that connects paper-based assessments to digital space. I designed a classroom study and collected data from ASU computer science classes. I tracked and modeled students' reviewing and reflecting behaviors based on the use of WPGA. I analyzed students' reviewing efforts, in terms of frequency, timing, and the associations with their academic performances. Results showed that students put extra emphasis in reviewing prior to the exams and the efforts demonstrated the desire to review formal assessments regardless of if they were graded for academic performance or for attendance. In addition, all students paid more attention on reviewing quizzes and exams toward the end of semester. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Computer Science 2017

The demand for innovative end users of information technology is increasing along with the proliferation of computer equipment within the workplace. This has resulted in increasing demands being made upon educational institutions responsible for the education of computer end users. The demands placed upon the teachers are particularly high. Large class groups and limited physical resources make the task especially difficult. One of the most time consuming, yet important, tasks is that of student evaluation. To effectively assess the practical work of information technology students requires intensive study of the storage media upon which the students'efforts have been saved. The purpose of this study was to assess the suitability of criterion-referenced testing techniques applied to the evaluation of end user computing students. Objective questions were administered to the students using Question Mark, a computer-managed test delivery system which enabled quick and efficient management of scoring and data manipulation for empirical analysis. The study was limited to the classroom situation and the assessment of primary spreadsheet skills. In order to operate within these boundaries, empirical techniques were used which enabled the timeous analysis of the students' test results. The findings of this study proved to be encouraging. Computer-mediated criterion-referenced testing techniques were found to be sufficiently reliable for classroom practice when used to assess primary spreadsheet skills. The validation of the assessment technique proved to be problematic because of the constraints imposed by normal classroom practice as well as the lack of an established methodology for evaluating spreadsheet skills. However, sufficient evidence was obtained to warrant further research aimed at assessing the use of computer-mediated criterion-referenced tests to evaluate information technology end user learning in situations beyond the boundaries of the classroom, such as a national certification examination.

Computers are a valuable tool for education. Studies have proven that the computer can assist in the development of a positive self-concept and a positive attitude toward school. Computers can increase student-teacher interaction and achievement by individualizing the learning process. The research clearly documents the dominance of males in the computer field. Home economics educators have the ability to assist individuals and families in using this tool to their best advantage. This research study included 224 students at Sir Charles Tupper School in Vancouver, B.C. The students were thirteen or fourteen years of age and in grade nine or ten. The study was conducted between September 1989 and February 1990. The purpose of this study was to determine if the integration of computers into home economics can encourage attitude changes and promote equitable computer use between male and female students. This study will test the assertion of previous research that indicates females are less interested in computers and less likely to use computers than males. Can females do as well as males and males as well as females when given the opportunity to study personally relevant material under the supervision of a female role model? Of the 224 students in the study, 185 were in the control group and 39 were in the treatment group. The treatment involved participation in the new course, Computers in the Home. This course studies the impact of computers on family life, and explores personal and home computer applications. The survey was designed to assess student attitudes toward the computer and how they may have changed as a result of the course. Student responses to the survey were analyzed using SPSS-X and Chi-Square analyses were performed to determine any significant differences. During the period of study, the enrollment patterns in both Computer Science and Computers in the Home refute the majority of research in that more females than males were enrolled in these computer classes. It was expected and postulated that students enrolled in Computers in the Home would have been exposed to a different experience than those not enrolled. Unfortunately, there was no significant difference between the attitudes of the students enrolled in the course and students not enrolled in Computers in the Home. Although empirical observation throughout the study period lead the researcher to believe there were differences, statistical analysis of the survey responses did not support this observation. Males overtly displayed their enjoyment—they were more adventurous, aggressive and curious. Female students were quieter and tended to be more covert toward this machine. Since no difference in attitude was found, this research study has shown that females are as interested and use computers as often as male students at Sir Charles Tupper School. Although females react differently toward computers, the general trend appears to be moving toward more equitable computer experiences for all. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

No description available.

The goal of this project is to create a piece of educational software that most anyone can use without prior instruction. The intended audience is secondary level students and up. The content of the software is in the form of a data bank on vertebrates and invertebrates of the Caribbean ocean.