The problem with which this study is concerned is to determine the status of academic program evaluation in Texas' senior colleges and universities. The purpose of the study is to determine current procedures, timelines, participants, and use of results of academic program evaluation in the surveyed institutions. The presidents of the seventy-three senior colleges and universities in Texas were contacted for permission to conduct the study. Fifty-four presidents gave their permission and supplied designated contact individuals, forty-six of whom responded for a 62 per cent response rate. The twentyitem survey instrument, which was designed to fulfill the purpose of the study, was evaluated by experts in the field of academic program evaluation at the senior institutional level. All data are reported by frequency, percentage, and rank ordering because these data indicate frequency of use and degree of importance.

Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBibl / In the academic world, open access institutional repositories (IRs) are beginning to play a vital role in storing and disseminating scholarly communication. Through this method, higher education institutions are able to showcase their intellectual outputs and to contribute to sharing and building knowledge. This evolutionary process of scholarly communication is an important feature of knowledge societies.Furthermore, IRs allow scholars to make known the research they are involved in,which can result in their academic reputation improving, as well as the reputations of the institutions they represent.The purpose of this study is to examine the processes of establishing IRs in the four tertiary education institutions in the Western Cape, which form part of the Cape Higher Education Consortium (CHEC). Within this consortium is the collaborative library project, the Cape Library Consortium (CALICO), which represents the four academic library services. The researcher investigated whether the four Western Cape Higher Education Institutions have established IRs and their experiences in doing so. They are examined in the light of the guidelines for successful IRs already established in the international professional literature on IRs. Throughout the study,the partnerships that are needed for the success of IRs, with a specific emphasis on the crucial role that the librarian might play in this regard, are a central focus.The study is a qualitative case study, relying on interviews with key informants from the four HEIs and analysing policy and other supporting documents. The study confirms comment in the literature that IRs evolve in “messy” and “spotty” ways. The key findings might be summarised in the form of four assertions:• “It is all about people”• Philosophical differences are significant • Context and history cannot be ignored • The role of the university library is ambiguous.It is hoped that the study of fledgling IR projects might provide insights useful to the broader IR research and professional literature.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Higher education institutions in South Africa have invested heavily in information technology and information systems, with variable outcomes. Organisations in other sectors, such as engineering, the defence industry, public administration and business, have developed and adopted standards and guides to good practice for the development and operation of software-based systems. In the history of standards-making there was an early vision of the need to extend standardisation beyond software engineering into the world that acquires and uses systems, and yet the overall scope of available standards is still limited. Seeing slow progress in the international committees that develop nationally-endorsed standards (such as ISO-IEC/JTC1/SC7) practitioner communities moved to develop good practice guides such as COBIT and ITIL, that have found considerable interest in progressive organisations. Hence a range of potential guidance is available. In order to assess the extent to which standards and good practice guides might assist higher education, the four tertiary institutions in the Western Cape were approached and a representative range of academic, administrative and managerial individuals agreed to contribute to the study as respondents. Interviews were organised in two parts: the first an open conversation about their involvement with systems, and the second a structured examination of systems-related events that they considered significant. By inspection of those events, bipolar scales were developed by which respondents were able to characterise events (for example as ‘challenging’ or ‘easy’, or as ‘functional’ or ‘dysfunctional’). Respondents rated events on those scales. Repertory Grid analysis was applied so as to investigate which scales correlated with event success. 30 scales (out of 170) proved to be adequately correlated with success, and by principal component analysis they were combined to form nine ‘success scale’ groups, indicating nine areas where the deployment of standards or good practice guides might be expected to lead to more effective use of improved information systems. The study adopted an abductive approach to the work, keeping open the question of what might be the contribution to knowledge. In the event, a new Reference Model emerged from the data analysis that contributes to the effective choice and management of standards and good practice guides .A review of available standards and good practice guides using the new Reference Model concludes that the good practice guides are more applicable than the internationally developed standards, and in some areas management models and frameworks have a contribution to make. The utility of standards, good practice guides and management models will depend on the circumstances and context of use, which are extremely variable. A portfolio approach to the management of information systems provides a means to deal with that variability. It is further found that the IMBOK1 can be used to assess the linkages between information technology, information systems, business processes, business benefits and business strategy. The new Reference Model has a role to play in resolving the need for standards in the four junctions between those five IMBOK domains. Selected standards are assessed in that way, and an illustrative commentary is provided showing how projects and other systems-related initiatives can be assessed using the new Reference Model and the IMBOK. / Carnegie Corporation of New York

This study reflects on an outreach initiative between two differing tertiary cultures established on different continents. The aim is to develop an understanding of what happens when a prestigious American university and a South African Higher Education Institution meet around a computer-mediated situation. Various inter-relating aspects such as cooperation and cooperative learning, educational technology, Higher Educational Institutions, globalisation, the international Digital Divide, cultural diversity, commonalities, cultural differences, an international learning programme, and power relations in international partnerships are explored. The effect of technology on education is that information is no longer restricted to a single geographical setting, instead it has expanded and became a dynamic international driving force. Increasing educational needs compel Higher Education Institutions to provide in these needs and to adapt to a more flexible learning style. Globalisation causes the world to get smaller, compressed, interconnected and resulted in a world that is in effect flat. Information communication technologies are changing the world. On the one hand the Internet promotes communication and freedom but on the other hand causes uneven development all over the globe. The Digital Divide pertains to the divide between the global well-resourced learners and the local under-resourced learners. Cultural differences between nations and organisations can be interpreted against the background of different models of cultural dimensions. The focus of the study is to explore the effect of commonalities and cultural differences on cooperative learning at organisational level. Power relations between international partners were challenging and resulted in conflict and differences of opinion. The project started with the University of Pretoria’s visit to Stanford University in November 2004. The preparation, organisation and planning phases continued through 2005. The ELISA project was intended as a three-year intervention from 2006 through 2008. The first year was supposed to be a pilot phase to gather and provide information for use in the second and third years. This study pertains to the pilot phase which started in February 2006 until June 2006. It was successfully completed and achieved a 93% success rate. However, in September 2006 Stanford unexpectedly informed the South African partners that the project would be discontinued due to several reasons. Their objections related to the lack of visible progress regarding content scheduling, media production, course logistics, and research practicalities. Although there were accommodating personalities among the project leaders on both sides interpersonal conflict between the remaining project leaders developed. The partners on both sides could not generate sufficient commonality regarding the need to continue. The situation was worsened by the fact that the initial rationale for the project lacked shared motivation among the project leaders on both sides. It is suggested that more research be conducted to explore possible differences of opinion and undercurrents among project leaders throughout the project, and to scrutinize the initial rationale as well as curriculum issues in good time, and to investigate the role of power relations between international partners that are funded by international grants, and the effect of these power relations on the learning experiences of the students involved. Copyright / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / unrestricted

The measurement of research output is common practice among public institutions internationally, and is increasingly contested and controversial. The term “research” is itself contested and can cover quite a wide range of activities, from carefully designed studies by independent, university-based researchers to analysis of data for particular administrative or political purposes to arguments for specific policy positions that may be more or less well grounded in evidence. Such measurement of research output is needed for decisions about professional staff and resource allocations. Measures of research productivity, covering both quantity and quality at national level, support government decisions on setting priorities and funding. With increasing competitive allocation of research funding and declining public funds for higher education, institutions around the world are facing increasing pressure to produce research outputs. The revenue generated through published research has therefore come to assume greater and greater significance in institutional budgets and in academic reward systems. Moreover, research in public institutions is funded mainly according to the number and quality of publications of members of staff. On the other hand, the growing international trend towards ranking institutions in competitive terms has assigned considerable value to research output as a measure of institutional standing in the global marketplace. What counts as an acceptable unit of measurement therefore becomes the subject of considerable debate within and outside institutions as they seek to enhance institutional standing and revenue. Whilst measurable output such as scientific publications and research reports are usually considered for government subsidy, it is difficult to accept that other output types such as patents, software, advisory work for government, consulting, or technical assistance, are not measurable, and do not have any relevance with respect to research subsidy. This thesis was set out to critically examine the effects that current government policy on the measurement of research output of public higher education institutions will have on the performance of South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The purpose of this study was to trace and explain the differential impact of new government policies on the measurement of institutional research output in four different university faculties. The study has highlighted key challenges facing the universities in implementing the new research subsidy policy; and made recommendations and proposals on how best can the policy be implemented with the view of increasing or improving the institutions’ research output. / Dissertation (M.Ed (Education Management, Law and Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

O presente trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre a identificação e a avaliação dos principais atributos e respectivas dimensões da qualidade, na percepção dos alunos de graduação do curso de Administração, que influenciam na sua satisfação em relação aos serviços prestados pela Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS). Ao identificar e avaliar estes atributos e as dimensões da qualidade dos serviços prestados, na perspectiva dos alunos do referido Curso, existe a possibilidade de contribuir para um melhor planejamento e desempenho institucional, buscando a qualificação do curso de Administração, estimulando a retenção de clientes (alunos), além de ampliar o nível de competitividade da Instituição no mercado. Para tanto, a pesquisa foi desenvolvida em duas fases: a primeira, caracterizada como uma pesquisa qualitativa, de caráter exploratório, implementada por meio de entrevistas individuais em profundidade; e a segunda, caracterizada como uma pesquisa quantitativa, de caráter descritivo, com a aplicação de uma survey. Para o processo de análise dos dados foram utilizadas técnicas estatísticas que evidenciaram a avaliação do grau de satisfação geral e por atributo identificado, bem como, a identificação das dimensões (fatores) da qualidade dos serviços prestados pela Instituição de Ensino Superior. Pela Análise Fatorial, foram contemplados 39 atributos que ficaram agrupados em 10 dimensões (fatores). / This paper presents a study about the identification and evaluation of the main characteristics of quality according to the business Administration students related to their satisfaction with the services offered by the Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS). When naming and evaluating these features, as well as the quality of the services offered, according to those students' views, the chances of innovating the administrative processes are enlarged. These not only contribute to qualify the program of business Administration and to keep the students at the Institution but also enlarges the Institution´s competitiveness in the market. The survey was divided into two parts: the first one, under a qualitative exploratory basis, through individual interviews; and the second part was characterized by a quantitative research, in a descriptive basis. In order to analyze the data, statistical resources were applied so that the level of satisfaction for each item could be evidenced, as well as the range of the quality in the services offered by the Higher Education Institution. By Means Factor Analysis, 39 features were put in 10 categories.

Magister Commercii - MCom / There is an increase in the number of people with disabilities entering, and in the workplace. Industrialised countries are encountering a workforce that is ageing, which makes the prevalence of disability, due to chronic illness amongst employees, more evident. However, even with legislation and policies that support people in the workplace, such as the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003 and the Code of Good Practice on Disability in the Workplace, many people still choose not to disclose their disabilities. Therefore, the main purpose of the study is to identify the perceived factors that could possibly prevent the disclosure of disability in the workplace. The study was conducted at one of the universities in the Western Cape. The study was qualitative in nature and made use of semi-structured interviews. Ten participants took part in the study and comprised of two academic staff members from each of the faculties on the main campus. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data where various themes and subthemes emerged.

The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) in Saudi Arabia aims to move toward a knowledge-based economy and many knowledge management (KM) and knowledge sharing (KS) initiatives have been taken to accelerate the achievement of this goal. Despite the substantial body of research into KS in the business environment, research that investigates factors that promote KS practices among academics in higher education institutions (HEIs) is generally limited, but particularly in Saudi Arabia. To bridge this gap, the goal was to explore what individual and organizational factors contribute to a person’s willingness to share knowledge and develop a profile of the current knowledge sharing culture of academics within HEIs in Saudi Arabia. An online survey was designed based on extant literature and used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data on organizational factors (i.e. leadership, organizational structure, information technology platform, and organizational culture) and individual factors (i.e., willingness to share knowledge, attitude toward KS, expected rewards and associations, expected contribution, and trust) that influence the success of KS in HEIs. A total of 140 completed surveys were analyzed. The quantitative data were analyzed through validity, reliability, descriptive, and multivariate regression analyses. A qualitative coding process was used to analyze the open-ended questions. Quantitative data analysis resulted in a significant main effect for factors of trust, leadership, and attitude toward KS on the person’s willingness to share knowledge. Results for the factors of expected rewards and associations, expected contribution, organizational structure, information technology platform, and organizational culture were not significant. Qualitative analysis revealed that Saudi academics generally have a positive attitude toward knowledge sharing and prefer sharing knowledge face-to-face. Knowledge sharing is mainly related to teaching strategies followed by research. Trust and time are key factors in their willingness to share, as well as, support from their institutions through effective information systems and facilitation of open communication and collaboration. While most academics are intrinsically motivated to share knowledge, some expect extrinsic rewards and recognition. Findings will assist Saudi HEIs to design systems necessary to become knowledge-based institutions, help HEI management plan and apply KS practices, and identify future research opportunities to advance KS in HEIs.

Due to the specialist nature of their use of a visual language, Deaf and hard of hearing students have unique experiences at institutions of higher education. This research explored the experiences of Deaf teachers as students at Wits University. I employed a qualitative research design in the study. In -depth interviews and documentary information were used to collect data from twelve current and past Deaf and hard of hearing students. Current theory, practice and legislation designed to guide the creation of an inclusive education society were examined in order to explore the implications they have for Deaf students in terms of inclusion and access to education. The findings showed high level of academic competitiveness among the Deaf and hard of hearing students but low social participation. Their academic success was driven by factors such as commitment to Deaf education, the availability of interpreting services, having Deaf peers and their pre-university experiences.

This study examines which competencies, among recent graduates in accounting and auditing, audit firms versus higher education institutions consider to be important and whether there are significant differences of opinion between these two groups. The study is limited to higher education institutions that train and teach in accounting and/or auditing as well as staff at auditing firms that practice and practice in accounting and/or auditing. We used T-tests and ANOVA tests to carry out the analysis of the collected answers. The results confirm previous studies to some extent, around the fact that there is an expectation gap between practitioners and educators, as some of the competencies examined had significant differences. We found that the intellectual skills; analytical ability, problem solving and critical thinking were the most important competencies for both groups. In addition, higher education institutions valued analytical skills as the most important competence, while audit firms valued accountability as the most important. / Denna studie undersöker vilka kompetenser, hos nyutexaminerade inom redovisning och revision, revisionsbyråer kontra lärosäten anser vara av vikt och om det finns signifikanta skillnader i åsikter mellan dessa två grupper. Studien är begränsad till lärosäten som utbildar och undervisar inom redovisning- och/eller revision samt personal på revisionsbyråer som är verksamma inom redovisning- och/eller revision. För att genomföra analysen användes T-test samt ANOVA-test för att genomföra analysen på de insamlade svaren. Resultaten bekräftar till viss del tidigare studier, kring att det finns ett förväntningsgap mellan utövare och utbildare, då några av de undersökta kompetenserna hade signifikanta skillnader. Kompetensområdet för de intellektuella färdigheterna; analytiska färdigheter, problemlösning samt kritiskt tänkande var de viktigaste kompetenserna för båda grupperna. Utöver detta värderade lärosätena analytiska färdigheter som den viktigaste kompetensen medan revisionsbyråerna värderade ansvarstagande som den viktigaste.