Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As the information age evolves, society is undergoing changes based on developments
in technology that have tremendous implications for the educational systems. Institutions
of tertiary education are increasingly facing the pressures of globalisation. Associated
with this is the knowledge society that demands experience with technology, different
skills and a different learning experience (US, 2001). Furthermore, new information and
communication technologies have demonstrated the potential to transform the way that
knowledge is packaged, delivered, accessed and acquired, thereby altering higher
educations' core production and delivery processes. Institutions of tertiary education that
want to remain competitive, both locally and internationally, should, therefore, act proactively
to facilitate the successful and innovative integration of relevant technologies
into currently established practice and procedures.
The University of Stellenbosch (US) recognises the importance of staying abreast with
these global and local changes. The Virtual Information Space (VIS) project for optimal
information sharing is a research initiative that developed as a direct response to the
need for an inquiry into the functionality of alternative synchronous and asynchronous
computer-mediated communication media (CMC), to be provided as part of the
technological infrastructure of the US for enhanced information sharing and
communication. The VIS project provides the framework within which this study was
conducted.
The aim of this study was to conduct an exploratory study through the use of empirical
research and prototyping, by quantification of the usability of synchronous CMC media,
for application in the South-African on and off-campus tertiary education environment
(focused at post graduate level), in order to enhance information sharing between inter
alia, information service suppliers, lecturers, students and researchers at the US. It was
anticipated, however, that the degree to which the synchronous CMC media add value
to the learning and information sharing processes within the VIS, will be influenced by
the usability of the software applications within which the media are embedded, the
perceived need of the role-players for the media, as well as the feasibility and viability of
the systems when employed within the technological infrastructure of the US. These elements were, therefore, empirically investigated by conducting several usability
experiments in a setting which simulated a usability laboratory, in order to acquire the
necessary subjective and objective data, related to the identified goals and objectives
that encapsulate the aim of this study.
In order to demonstrate the value of the VIS environment, a theoretical perspective is
provided by means of a literature review of the fundamental concepts of communities of
practice and flexible learning. It is proposed that the use of the synchronous CMC media
(embedded within the software applications) will assist in the creation of a VIS that
supports the more advanced educational paradigm of constructivism by linking users
into collaborative conversational networks, thus forming learning communities (better
known as communities of practice) in cyberspace. The purpose of these communities is
to create a means through which ideas and materials can be shared and exchanged,
aiding individuals in building their own conceptual networks of interrelated ideas,
strategies and theories and therefore construct and share knowledge.
Information was obtained concerning participants' characteristics, preferences, needs
and evaluation of the usability of the two software applications, NetMeeting and Yahoo
Messenger, when utilised within the technological infrastructure of the US for the
purpose of increased information sharing and communication. Performance
measurement data (related to selected usability criteria) was obtained during the
experimental phase, as well as information about the feasibility and viability of the
systems when utilised within the technological parameters of the US. The analysis of the
information consisted of descriptive statistics as the research aimed to illustrate the
attitudes concerning usability, the perceived needs for the software applications, as well
as the feasibility and viability of the systems.
The results revealed that both NetMeeting and Yahoo Messenger were perceived by the
participants as usable, achieving a positive rating on almost all of the dimensions of
usability it was tested on. In the case on NetMeeting, technological limitations imposed
on the system (such as bandwidth and network traffic) severely limited the effectiveness
of the system as a whole and require further investigation to ensure successful
implementation. Technological limitations in the case of Yahoo Messenger mainly
centered on the unstable server environment that the system functions within. Hence, further research is therefore needed to ensure successful implementation and utilisation
of NetMeeting and Yahoo Messenger within the technological parameters faced by the
US. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Soos wat die informasie-era ontplooi, is die samelewing besig om ingrypend te verander.
Die dramatiese impak van die tegnologiese revolusie op die hoër onderwyssektor
dwarsoor die wêreld hou dus aansienlike implikasies in vir tersiêre onderwysinstellings.
Hierdie instellings is toenemend onderhewig aan die druk van globalisering en die
kennis-samelewing wat al hoe meer vereistes stel in terme van ondervinding met
tegnologie, verskillende vaardighede wat vereis word en 'n veranderende leer ervaring.
Nuwe informasie- en kommunikasietegnologieë beskik oor die potensiaal om die
maniere waarop informasie herwin, verwerk en gestoor word, te transformeer. Dit
impliseer noodwendig 'n wysiging in die kern informasie produksie en -aflewerings
prosesse van tersiêre onderwysinstellings. Sulke instellings word dus genoop om
daadwerklik en pro-aktief op te tree ten opsigte van die suksesvolle en innoverende
integrasie van relevante tegnologieë by bestaande prosedures, ten einde internasionale
en nasionale mededingendheid te verseker.
Die Universiteit van Stellenbosch (US) erken the belangrikheid daarvan om op hoogte te
bly met verandering. Die Virtuele Informasie Spasie (VIS) projek vir optimale
informasiedeling is 'n navorsingsinisiatief wat ontwikkel het vanuit 'n behoefte vir 'n
ondersoek na die funksionaliteit van die verskillende sinkrone en asinkrone rekenaargebasseerde
kommunikasie media, wat as deel van die tegnologiese infrastruktuur van
die US voorsien sal word - ten einde verbeterde informasiedeling en kommunikasie
teweeg te bring. Die VIS projek het 'n raamwerk verskaf waarbinne hierdie studie
uitgevoer is.
Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om 'n verkennende studie uit te voer, deur die
gebruik van empiriese navorsing en prototipering, vir die kwantifisering van die
bruikbaarheid van sinkrone rekenaar-gebasseerde kommunikasie media. Die spesifieke
toepassingsarea is die Suid-Afrikaanse tersiêre onderwysomgewing (spesifiek gefokus
op nagraadse vlak) met die doelom informasiedeling tussen informasiediensverskaffers,
dosente, studente en navorsers te verbeter. Daar word egter verwag
dat die graad waartoe die sinkrone media waarde toevoeg tot leer- en informasiedelings
prosesse binne die VIS, beïnvloed sal word deur die bruikbaarheid van die sagteware waarbinne die media gesetel is, die waargenome behoeftes van die rolspelers vir die
media, sowel as die uitvoerbaarheid en lewensvatbaarheid van die sisteme wanneer dit
aangewend word binne die huidige tegnologiese infrastruktuur van die US. Hierdie
elemente was dus empiries ondersoek deur die uitvoering van verskeie
bruikbaarheidseksperimente in 'n omgewing wat 'n tradisionele bruikbaarheids
laboratorium simuleer, ten einde the nodige subjektiewe en objektiewe data te ontgin
wat gemik is op die doelwitte en mikpunte wat die strewe van hierdie studie omsluit.
'n Teoretiese perspektief word voorsien deur 'n literatuur-oorsig, ten einde die waarde
van die VIS omgewing te konseptualiseer. Konsepte wat veral aandag geniet hou
verband met die ontwikkeling van elektoniese gemeenskappe en buigsame leer
omgewings. Die aanname word gemaak dat die gebruik van sinkrone rekenaargebasseerde
kommunikasie media (soos gesetel in die sagteware pakkette, NetMeeting
en Yahoo Messenger) die ontwikkeling van 'n effektiewe VIS sal fasiliteer wat 'n nuwe
onderrigparadigma ondersteun. Die uitgangspunt van hierdie paradigma is dat kennis
nie net weergegee moet word nie, maar dat dit gekonstrueer kan word soos wat die
partye betrokke raak in relevante gespreksnetwerke binne die virtuele informasie spasie.
So word elektroniese gemeenskappe dus geskep waarbinne individue idees en
materiaal met mekaar kan deel en uitruil, terwyl kennis effektief geskep en gedeel word.
Informasie is ingewin aangaande die deelnemers se kenmerke, voorkeure, afkeure,
behoeftes en persepsies oor die bruikbaarheid van die sagtware pakkette, NetMeeting
en Yahoo Messenger, wanneer dit aangewend word binne die tegnologiese
infrastruktuur van die US, ten einde verhoogde informasiedeling en kommunikasie te
bewerkstellig. Prestasiemetingsdata (gekoppel aan sekere bruikbaarheidskriteria) was
ook verkry tydens die eksperimentele fase, sowel as informasie oor die uitvoerbaarheid
en lewensvatbaarheid van die onderskeie sisteme wanneer dit aangewend word binne
die huidige tegnologiese parameters van die US. Die analise van die data het
beskrywende statistieke behels aangesien die navorsing ten doel gehad het om die
ingesteldhede betreffende die bruikbaarheid en behoefte aan die sagteware pakkette,
sowel as sekere tegniese aspekte rakende die stelsels, uit te lig.
Die resultate het getoon dat die respondente beide NetMeeting en Yahoo Messenger as
bruikbaar waargeneem het, aangesien 'n positiewe beoordeling op bykans al die dimensies van bruikbaarheid bereik was. In die geval van NetMeeting het sekere
tegnologiese beperkinge van die sisteem, soos beperkte bandwyte, egter die effektiwiteit
van die sisteem beduidend beinvloed. Tegnologiese beperkinge in die geval van Yahoo
Messenger was hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die onstabiele omgewing waarbinne die
bediener funksioneer. Verdere navorsing is dus nodig om suksesvolle implementering
en aanwending van NetMeeting en Yahoo Messenger te laat realiseer, gegewe die
tegnologiese parameters van die US.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53275 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Ekermans, Gina |
| Contributors | Cilliers-Hartslief, M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 301 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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