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Theses and dissertations (Accounting and Informatics)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/4

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Has files: YesSubject: search.filters.subject.Internet in higher education--South Africa

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    Evaluating the effectiveness of facilitating inquiry based learning on Facebook to advance domain knowledge and develop enquiry skills
    (2019-05-09) Khomo, Feziwe Lindiwe Yvonne; Heukelman, Delene; Skinner, Jane Phyllida
    This research involved a quest to discover a way, involving technology, which would encourage students to take the lead and take ownership of their own learning and rely less on the lecturer. It sought to investigate a learning approach that would encourage students to be proactive in their learning whilst increasing their domain knowledge. The study was instigated by a concern for what the researcher experienced as students’ negative attitude towards learning. She identified Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) as a learning model that would ignite critical and creative skills and encourage students to take responsibility of their own learning. Thus, the purpose of the study was to investigate a technology-assisted approach to investigate a technology-assisted approach to developing skills for discovering and creating new knowledge. Taking into consideration that most students of the 21st century own technological tools and most have accounts on social network platforms, the study sought to determine whether IBL could be facilitated on the social network platform, Facebook. A case-study, mixed-methods approach was employed. The researcher relied on statistical analysis done by the program SPSS for the analysis of the quantitative data and a qualitative program, NVivo, for analyzing words selected by the students. In addition, observation of the interactions on Facebook assisted materially in drawing conclusions as to whether the objectives were met. In terms of determining an appropriate IBL-oriented model for the study, the findings suggest that the intrinsic attributes of IBL such as collaboration, interaction and engagement can be enhanced on Facebook as students attempted to answer the questions related to an Inquiry Based Scenario question. However, only a limited number of the respondents found the approach and the intervention fully effective. In terms of exploring the usage of Facebook, students expressed a sense of fulfilment and appreciation for the platform with regard to sharing and accessing information. On the other hand, a majority also found the experience challenging; were not fully enthusiastic about this form of learning; and nor did they feel that it would be sufficient if used in isolation from traditional learning methods. In addition, the researcher acknowledged that participation on Facebook was not as she had envisaged it. Further, the study evaluated the facilitation of an IBL “Classroom” environment on Facebook. The interaction on Facebook and the responses to the perception regarding this objective indicated positive results. However, only a limited number of respondents acknowledged that the “classroom” challenged their thinking capabilities, stretched their thinking, or led to deeper thinking. Lastly, the study observed improvements in understanding learning material and the development of a higher order of learning by taking into account (with the assistance of NVivo) the choice of words used in answering the questions related to the IBL scenario posted on Facebook. Further, based on the attempts of the participants to tackle the questions, the researcher concluded that an improvement was attained. In addition, the responses by the students acknowledge that domain knowledge and understanding of the learning unit was improved. It is, however, also important to note that the limited time frame allocated for the study, and the lack of a systematic approach in scaffolding the teaching principles and learning process, had an effect on students’ adoption of the intervention and on the desired outcomes. Based on the findings and challenges encountered, the researcher was able to shed light on certain aspects that need to be considered for an effective inclusion of technological instruments within traditional learning. The study confirmed important aspects revealed in the literature, while the positive effective of the intervention on desired outcomes was encouraging. It could therefore be concluded that the findings were able to address the main objectives of the study.
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    A design framework for e-learning that advances e-skills of students in a South African University of Technology
    (2019-04-09) Soobramoney, Subashnie; Heukelman, Delene
    Nationwide E-inclusion is yet to be realised in many countries, including South Africa, conceivably resulting in the E-skills diversities that exist in the workplace and amongst university students. Literature confirms diversity of E-skills, however does not provide a strategy to develop these E-skills diversities, such that students may cope with the rapid, countrywide adoption of E-learning by South African universities, which has consequently imposed additional demands on students to use unfamiliar technology for learning. Since E-learning technology is supported by universities, identifying a strategy that incorporates elements of E-learning that may develop E-skills will benefit disadvantaged students and prepare students for a technology dependent economy. The relative novelty of using E-learning to develop E-skills is underpinned by a constructivist philosophical view that necessitates a qualitative approach for discovery. A longitudinal case study of undergraduate first year students with diverse E-skills levels was conducted to gather qualitative data needed to gain a thorough understanding of how E-learning tasks might be structured towards firstly helping the student cope with technology enhanced learning, and secondly to develop students’ E-skills over a prolonged period. Focus group interviews and course assessments were used to gather data from participants and Straussian-grounded-theory methods were employed to ensure a rigorous, structured analysis of student experiences with technology and their related E-skills development. Elements of E-learning design that influence E-skills were identified as concepts and categories using Straussian grounded theory coding techniques. Emerging categories show that diversity may be addressed by introducing carefully designed incrementally complex E-learning tasks, stimulating the student to achieve the next level of E-skills competency. This incremental digital development may be achieved through strategic manipulation of elements, such as providing support for development, motivation for technology use, creation of opportunities to use the technology, acknowledging challenges in access to technology and providing optimal time for tasks to encourage E-skills development and minimise competence related anxiety. Complemented by instructor interventions, beginning with instruction, then involvement, thereafter facilitating interaction and finally encouraging independence to stimulate E-skill development from fundamental to strategic levels, builds an effective platform to develop E-skills. Increasingly complex tasks need increasingly complex technologies. It provides a framework that an instructor may use as a strategy to improve the adoption of E-learning and address E-skill diversity in the classroom in a way that can develop student E-skills on multiple levels, so that they will be equipped to meet the demands of the university environment and ultimately the technology driven workforce.
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    Factors affecting computing students’ awareness of the latest ICTs
    (2015) Adegbehingbe, Oluwakemi D.; Eyono Obono, Seraphin Desire
    Education is constantly challenged by rapid technological changes both in terms of curriculum renewal and in terms of students’ awareness of these new technologies. This is the reason why the aim of this study is to analyse factors affecting computing students’ awareness of the latest ICTs. This aim is further divided into four research sub-aims: the selection of the relevant theories for this research; the design of an appropriate conceptual model to support it; the empirical testing of the above mentioned model; and finally, recommendations arising from the research results. The first research sub-aim is accomplished through selection of the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) as the theoretical framework of this study after a review of different theories of technology adoption. The second research sub-aim is accomplished through the design of a conceptual model which is an adaptation of the relationship between the prior conditions construct and the knowledge/awareness construct of IDT. The prior conditions that were studied are students’ perceived exposure to career guidance and students’ perceived curriculum currency. These prior conditions were analysed as possible predictors of computing students’ technology awareness. The third sub-aim is accomplished by means of a survey of 116 computing students from the four universities of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, the results of which validated most of the relationships hypothesized by the above mentioned model. Having knowledge/awareness as the main variable of the current study can be seen as its main contribution in view of the fact that only two studies from the reviewed literature on IDT are examining the awareness/knowledge construct. The fourth sub-aim is accomplished by means of some recommendations, one of which is that gender and ethnicity be considered when curriculating computing courses both at the high school level and at the university level.