Lecturers' changing epistemologies and pedagogies during engagement with information and communication technology in an education faculty.
- Lautenbach, Geoffrey Vaughan
- Authors: Lautenbach, Geoffrey Vaughan
- Date: 2008-08-26T06:35:16Z
- Subjects: computer network resources , higher education , college teaching , computer-assisted instruction , internet in education
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:3938 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/929
- Description: A significant event of the last two decades has been the appearance and subsequent explosive growth of the World Wide Web and related technologies that have had a notable effect on higher education and learning in particular (Crossman, 1997:19; Hall & White, 1997:22; Alessi & Trollip, 2001:5: Oliver 2002). Information and communication technology (ICT) or ‘elearning’ as it is known in some countries, has emerged both locally and worldwide as a prominent phenomenon in education (Oliver & Herrington, 2001) and the ensuing scramble by educators to adopt the new technologies (compare Rogers, 1995) can be seen by looking at the number of courses that have recently evolved under the banner of e-learning, web-based education or online education. The rush to implement ICT is particularly evident in Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) where technology has come to be seen as a potentially valuable tool for educational reform in higher education (Poole, 1997:2; Surrey & Land, 2000:145; Bates, 2000:7; Rosenberg, 2001:10). Educational reform at Higher Education Institutions worldwide over the past two decades is often ascribed to trends such as increased competition, decreased enrolments, greater numbers of non-traditional students, changing societal expectations and decreased government funding (Simonson & Thompson, 1997:4; Surrey & Land, 2000:145). The dwindling student base and loss of university students to corporate training programmes in South Africa is in line with these trends and is seen as a major area of concern (McKenna, 1999:[online]). The use of ICT in higher education, which is also progressively taking root in emerging nations such as South Africa, adds another perspective to the issue of educational reform (Hilliard & Kemp, 2000:22). Van Buren-Schele and Odendaal (2001:[online]) put the local situation into perspective by affirming that the introduction of ICT at institutions in developing countries like South Africa can be far more challenging than it is for their counterparts in developed countries. Factors that impact on the implementation of ICT normally include financial, logistic, and technological aspects, but in many areas in South Africa, requirements on a basic level such as access to electricity, computers and the Internet place unique demands on some educational institutions. Local institutions are therefore hard-pressed to improve teaching practice in order, firstly, to live up to consumer expectations, then to show continual improvement and innovations in the changing field of education (Cronjé & Murdoch, 2001:online). , Prof. D. van der Westhuizen
- Full Text:
- Authors: Lautenbach, Geoffrey Vaughan
- Date: 2008-08-26T06:35:16Z
- Subjects: computer network resources , higher education , college teaching , computer-assisted instruction , internet in education
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:3938 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/929
- Description: A significant event of the last two decades has been the appearance and subsequent explosive growth of the World Wide Web and related technologies that have had a notable effect on higher education and learning in particular (Crossman, 1997:19; Hall & White, 1997:22; Alessi & Trollip, 2001:5: Oliver 2002). Information and communication technology (ICT) or ‘elearning’ as it is known in some countries, has emerged both locally and worldwide as a prominent phenomenon in education (Oliver & Herrington, 2001) and the ensuing scramble by educators to adopt the new technologies (compare Rogers, 1995) can be seen by looking at the number of courses that have recently evolved under the banner of e-learning, web-based education or online education. The rush to implement ICT is particularly evident in Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) where technology has come to be seen as a potentially valuable tool for educational reform in higher education (Poole, 1997:2; Surrey & Land, 2000:145; Bates, 2000:7; Rosenberg, 2001:10). Educational reform at Higher Education Institutions worldwide over the past two decades is often ascribed to trends such as increased competition, decreased enrolments, greater numbers of non-traditional students, changing societal expectations and decreased government funding (Simonson & Thompson, 1997:4; Surrey & Land, 2000:145). The dwindling student base and loss of university students to corporate training programmes in South Africa is in line with these trends and is seen as a major area of concern (McKenna, 1999:[online]). The use of ICT in higher education, which is also progressively taking root in emerging nations such as South Africa, adds another perspective to the issue of educational reform (Hilliard & Kemp, 2000:22). Van Buren-Schele and Odendaal (2001:[online]) put the local situation into perspective by affirming that the introduction of ICT at institutions in developing countries like South Africa can be far more challenging than it is for their counterparts in developed countries. Factors that impact on the implementation of ICT normally include financial, logistic, and technological aspects, but in many areas in South Africa, requirements on a basic level such as access to electricity, computers and the Internet place unique demands on some educational institutions. Local institutions are therefore hard-pressed to improve teaching practice in order, firstly, to live up to consumer expectations, then to show continual improvement and innovations in the changing field of education (Cronjé & Murdoch, 2001:online). , Prof. D. van der Westhuizen
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An investigation into the positive and negative perceptions of e-learners in Afrox.
- Authors: Graham, Francis Gradwel
- Date: 2008-04-22T06:17:04Z
- Subjects: competency based education , training of employees , computer-assisted instruction , internet in education
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/368427 , uj:8491 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/264
- Description: Globalisation has taken root at all economic levels and has forced organisations to skill their employees in order for them to compete on unprecedented levels. Companies can no longer afford to see themselves in operation outside of the global village. Those that have not yet been absorbed into the global economy are moving faster than ever before towards the information age, focusing on people as the greatest competitive edge. Survival in a global economy is not only dependent on how quickly an organisation is able to respond to the changing economic environment but also on the ability of the business to learn. The concepts of a network organisation and a learning organisation have redefined how suppliers, employees and customers interact and how learning in organisations takes place. Traditional learning processes are no longer adequate for meeting the demand for faster just-intime learning. The benefits of anytime, anywhere access to learning and information offered by the Internet and the World Wide Web are fundamentally changing the way many companies operate and interact. In the field of mass education the Internet is changing instruction, research, and administration. The prospects of e-learning have far-reaching implications for business organisations by virtue of the enabling technologies that are removing distance and fostering collaborative on-demand learning. The business case for investing in e-learning is evident in the myriad new products, services, and providers that are entering the e-learning domain. Curriculum and content development through software learning environments, teleconferencing, and integrated learning delivery systems have a fundamental impact on the growth of the e-learning industry. Companies are not the only entities affected by the new economy. Governments across the world have become increasingly involved at a macro-economic level in fostering skills development as a means of competing in the global arena. South Africa has approximately 5 million economically active citizens, compared to the UK with 15 million and the USA with 25 ii million. In response to the skills shortage, South Africa has proposed a Human Resources Development (HRD) strategy, entrenched in an outcomes-based learning methodology and enacted through various pieces of legislation, including the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act 61 of 1995. The national HRD strategy, by virtue of this legislative element, has been cascaded to organisational level to ensure the requisite skills development across all sectors of the economy. Organisational training and development strategies are influenced by the national outcomesbased- learning methodology. The development of skilled individuals through interventions such as workplace skills programme and learnerships must conform to SAQA requirements in terms of unit standards, assessment, quality assurance, the National Qualification Framework, and registration as a training provider. African Oxygen Limited (Afrox) is one such South African Company that must conform to such legislation in developing its employees. Afrox is in the business of gases, welding products and healthcare. The Company was established in 1927 and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (now referred to as JSE Securities Exchange) in 1964. It has a market capitalisation of over R5,5 billion and 343 million shares in issue. The group comprises of two focused listed companies: gases and welding, and healthcare. Afrox is South Africa’s 17th largest employer with over 16 000 employees in both lines of business. The company is part of the BOC group plc affording it the status of a global company. The BOC Group has operations in 50 countries on five continents and owns 55% of the shares of Afrox. Afrox can rely on its parent company to provide the latest in technology, research and development and other leading global business practices. A historical feature in Afrox (and the BOC Group) has been the regional basis on which the company was organised and structured, with some employees operating in fairly remotes sites. The geographical composition and proximity of the customers and markets, as well as transportation constraints has influenced the establishment of three regional centres from which to distribute product and service customers. The challenge in Afrox is to refine how learning systems that involve the use of technology take place. All employees in Afrox have a competency profile on the e-learning systems of the organisation. However, in recent focus group sessions perceptions of e-learning have been found to vary among e-learners. The study is therefore concerned with investigating the iii perceptions of e-learners in order to position the company to capitalise on the advantages that elearning offers the business world. A literature review of key aspects of e-learning systems will be presented relative to the learning systems within Afrox. An empirical exercise involving a telephonic survey is offered, based on a stratified sample of respondents in Afrox to determine their perceptions of key aspects of elearning. , Ms. H. Jacobs
- Full Text:
- Authors: Graham, Francis Gradwel
- Date: 2008-04-22T06:17:04Z
- Subjects: competency based education , training of employees , computer-assisted instruction , internet in education
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/368427 , uj:8491 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/264
- Description: Globalisation has taken root at all economic levels and has forced organisations to skill their employees in order for them to compete on unprecedented levels. Companies can no longer afford to see themselves in operation outside of the global village. Those that have not yet been absorbed into the global economy are moving faster than ever before towards the information age, focusing on people as the greatest competitive edge. Survival in a global economy is not only dependent on how quickly an organisation is able to respond to the changing economic environment but also on the ability of the business to learn. The concepts of a network organisation and a learning organisation have redefined how suppliers, employees and customers interact and how learning in organisations takes place. Traditional learning processes are no longer adequate for meeting the demand for faster just-intime learning. The benefits of anytime, anywhere access to learning and information offered by the Internet and the World Wide Web are fundamentally changing the way many companies operate and interact. In the field of mass education the Internet is changing instruction, research, and administration. The prospects of e-learning have far-reaching implications for business organisations by virtue of the enabling technologies that are removing distance and fostering collaborative on-demand learning. The business case for investing in e-learning is evident in the myriad new products, services, and providers that are entering the e-learning domain. Curriculum and content development through software learning environments, teleconferencing, and integrated learning delivery systems have a fundamental impact on the growth of the e-learning industry. Companies are not the only entities affected by the new economy. Governments across the world have become increasingly involved at a macro-economic level in fostering skills development as a means of competing in the global arena. South Africa has approximately 5 million economically active citizens, compared to the UK with 15 million and the USA with 25 ii million. In response to the skills shortage, South Africa has proposed a Human Resources Development (HRD) strategy, entrenched in an outcomes-based learning methodology and enacted through various pieces of legislation, including the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act 61 of 1995. The national HRD strategy, by virtue of this legislative element, has been cascaded to organisational level to ensure the requisite skills development across all sectors of the economy. Organisational training and development strategies are influenced by the national outcomesbased- learning methodology. The development of skilled individuals through interventions such as workplace skills programme and learnerships must conform to SAQA requirements in terms of unit standards, assessment, quality assurance, the National Qualification Framework, and registration as a training provider. African Oxygen Limited (Afrox) is one such South African Company that must conform to such legislation in developing its employees. Afrox is in the business of gases, welding products and healthcare. The Company was established in 1927 and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (now referred to as JSE Securities Exchange) in 1964. It has a market capitalisation of over R5,5 billion and 343 million shares in issue. The group comprises of two focused listed companies: gases and welding, and healthcare. Afrox is South Africa’s 17th largest employer with over 16 000 employees in both lines of business. The company is part of the BOC group plc affording it the status of a global company. The BOC Group has operations in 50 countries on five continents and owns 55% of the shares of Afrox. Afrox can rely on its parent company to provide the latest in technology, research and development and other leading global business practices. A historical feature in Afrox (and the BOC Group) has been the regional basis on which the company was organised and structured, with some employees operating in fairly remotes sites. The geographical composition and proximity of the customers and markets, as well as transportation constraints has influenced the establishment of three regional centres from which to distribute product and service customers. The challenge in Afrox is to refine how learning systems that involve the use of technology take place. All employees in Afrox have a competency profile on the e-learning systems of the organisation. However, in recent focus group sessions perceptions of e-learning have been found to vary among e-learners. The study is therefore concerned with investigating the iii perceptions of e-learners in order to position the company to capitalise on the advantages that elearning offers the business world. A literature review of key aspects of e-learning systems will be presented relative to the learning systems within Afrox. An empirical exercise involving a telephonic survey is offered, based on a stratified sample of respondents in Afrox to determine their perceptions of key aspects of elearning. , Ms. H. Jacobs
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