Repository logo
 

Faculty of Accounting and Informatics

Permanent URI for this communityhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/1

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.Education, Higher

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The impact of online delivery on the Financial Accounting III curriculum : a student perspective at Durban University of Technology (DUT)
    (2022-10-01) Joshua, Kim Mary; Bhana, Anrusha
    The study aimed to determine whether the current online technological platforms support teaching, learning and assessment of the Financial Accounting III (FA3) module at the Durban University of Technology. The study explored the effectiveness of the emergency change of the Financial Accounting III module curriculum delivery on students’ ability to learn and be assessed. This study also examined the impact of online accounting curriculum delivery on the Financial Accounting III students at Durban University of Technology, Durban. The following questions premised the research. Is the online curriculum effective in supporting all Financial Accounting III students’ learning? What are the challenges experienced by Financial Accounting III students in terms of the change to online curriculum delivery? What must be done to enhance online curriculum delivery to promote students’ learning and performance? The researcher adopted a quantitative method for the study. A census approach allowed the entire population of 800 students completing the Financial Accounting III modules an equal opportunity to participate in this study. The study revealed that 34% of the target population gave feedback on their experience. The target population of Financial Accounting III students were selected due to their experience with both traditional and online pedagogies in their diploma qualifications. This study’s findings revealed that students have adjusted to how they experience teaching, learning and assessments. The study revealed an urgent need to train students and facilitators. Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, the transition from traditional to online pedagogy took place with very little student and academic training. Interestingly, Financial Accounting III students embraced the pedagogical change. Even though the two technological platforms used during this transition phase of curriculum delivery did not cater for discipline-specific needs, these online platforms were user-friendly and easy to connect with academic staff, tutors, and peers.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Is student-centred teaching and learning being successfully implemented at a leading University of Technology? : a case study of two departments
    (2022-09-13) Ntuli, Khanyisile Nelisiwe; Ngibe, Musawenkosi; Skinner, Jane Phyllida
    Student-centered learning (SCL) has become a popular topic in higher education. Although the term "student-centered learning" is commonly used at universities, it is surprisingly underdeveloped as an academic construct. Given the foregoing context, the purpose of this research is to look at the experiences of students and staff, as well as the implementation of student-centered learning and the challenges to its success. The study was guided using both Starkey’s 2019 model of student-centered teaching and learning and a service quality dimension model. A mixed sequential exploratory research design - consisting of qualitative and quantitative phases was used to ascertain students’ experiences and the degree of successful implementation of student-centered teaching and learning. The qualitative phase of data was first collected and analysed. This was done by conducting focused group sessions with 20 students, and semi-structured interviews with two staff (Heads of department) before administering the questionnaire. A non-probability snowball sampling method was used for the selection of the participants for the focus group discussion (with students) while purposive sampling was used in the selection of the academic staff (heads of department). The findings were used to drive the development of a quantitative instrument (questionnaire). Strands of data were collected and analysed separately and integrated sequentially to address the research objectives. The quantitative phase, by contrast, uses a probability sampling method in which stratified sampling was applied in the selection of the two departments and students’ levels. A questionnaire was administered to four hundred and eighty-six (486) students. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Faculty Research Ethics Committee (FREC) while written consent was obtained from each participant, who was assured of anonymity and confidentiality. The research identified that while student-centered teaching and learning are embedded in the university’s Envision 2030, it is, however, not clearly communicated nor defined among the university stakeholders. More so, the study identified that the implementation of student-centred teaching and learning at the selected university is occurring piecemeal and in isolated pockets within the university. While the SCL approach recognizes students' strengths and capabilities, allowing them to make decisions about their education and future, the data suggests that several obstacles such as resource constraints, and large student enrolment may be impeding the full application of this learning strategy, limiting the benefits to students that it is intended to provide. Furthermore, the focus group sessions uncovered that students, particularly 1st year, were dissatisfied with the teaching skills of the lecturers, overcrowding of the classrooms, excessive workload, and state of the infrastructure such as bathrooms and lecture venues. The study proposes a student-centered teaching and learning framework that may be implemented in the selected university to fully adopt SCL education. The proposed framework may allow the implementation process to concentrate the efforts on general good administration, allowing students to experience "well-being," autonomy, and empowerment throughout their educational journey.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Impact of the digital divide on information literacy training in a higher education context
    (Liasa, 2012) Naidoo, Segarani; Raju, Jayarani
    This paper reports on a master’s study undertaken to investigate the impact of the digital divide on information literacy (IL) training of Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) students at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). Since 1994 the demographics of higher education institutions in South Africa have changed. Today these institutions comprise heterogeneous groups of students, by race, economic background, digital background, etc. and consequently with different levels of literacy, information and otherwise. The problem that this study addressed was the impact of having both digitally advantaged and digitally disadvantaged students in the same information literacy classroom, expecting them to reach learning outcomes without frustrating students from either group. The objective of the study was to investigate the impact of the digital divide on IL training of ECP students at the DUT and to recommend guidelines for teaching and learning of IL that would accommodate both digitally advantaged and digitally disadvantaged students. The study employed a mixed method approach in its research design. Data was collected from ECP students (of 2010) by means of a questionnaire; an interview schedule was used to collect data from Subject Librarians involved in teaching the IL module to ECP students; a separate interview schedule was used to collect data from the ECP Coordinator. Qualitative and quantitative data collected were prepared for analysis by means of content analysis and numerical coding, respectively and then subjected to statistical analysis via SPSS, which produced percentage and frequency distributions to ascertain findings. The findings of the study revealed that the digital divide does impact on IL training in ways such as: slowing down the progress of IL lessons; basic computer skills need to be taught in the IL classroom; and that digitally disadvantaged students find it difficult to follow online lessons while advantaged students already have the expertise to access online information. Based on these findings the study recommended computer literacy training should precede IL training and that various creative teaching and learning methods such as group work, online tutorials, games and interactive websites should be incorporated into IL education to accommodate both digitally advantaged and digitally disadvantaged students in the IL classroom.