Education Commons^™

Factors Influencing The Perceptions Of Human-Computer Interaction Curriculum Developers In Higher Education Institutions During Curriculum Design And Delivery, Cynthia Augustine, Salah Kabanda

The African Journal of Information Systems

Computer science (CS) and information systems students seeking to work as software developers upon graduating are often required to create software that has a sound user experience (UX) and meets the needs of its users. This includes addressing unique user, context, and infrastructural requirements. This study sought to identify the factors that influence the perceptions of human-computer interaction (HCI) curriculum developers in higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing economies of Africa when it comes to curriculum design and delivery. A qualitative enquiry was conducted and consisted of fourteen interviews with HCI curriculum developers and UX practitioners in four African countries. …

A Framework For Teaching Computational Thinking In Primary Schools: A Namibian Case Study, Maria M. Ausiku, Machdel C. Matthee

The African Journal of Information Systems

Several professional development programs have been designed to train in-service teachers on a computational thinking (CT) curriculum, but few researchers have examined how these affect primary school teachers' self-efficacy and knowledge of CT in emerging economies. This study's objective was to create a framework for the professional development of primary school in-service teachers for the teaching of CT (referred to as professional development for primary computational thinking - PD4PCT) to be integrated into teachers' professional development programs. An initial framework was refined after implementing it at a Namibian school with a group of 14 teachers from five different disciplines (social …

The Acceptance And Use Of Online Learning By Law Students In A South African University: An Application Of The Utaut2 Model, Jameson Goto, Anzanilufuno Munyai

The African Journal of Information Systems

COVID-19 forced many universities to shift from traditional face-to-face or blended learning, to full online learning. The sudden shift was not easy for both students and lecturers, who had to adapt to the new learning mode. This study aimed to evaluate the acceptance and use of online learning of university students in the law faculty at a South African university during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employs the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) model particularised to the online learning context in a country with a developing economy. An online survey was administered to the student …

Factors That Influence The Acceptance And Use Of Formative Feedback In An Online Undergraduate Module, Jameson Goto, Jacqueline Batchelor, Geoffrey Lautenbach

The African Journal of Information Systems

The focus of the study was to determine the factors that influence the acceptance and use of online feedback in an undergraduate module using the modified unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2). The participants were third-year pre-service teachers in the Bachelor of Education degree who were taking a fully online Teaching Studies module, in addition to their specialist subject areas at one of the universities in South Africa. A survey instrument was developed from the original UTAUT2 instrument and modified where appropriate, to fit the formative feedback context. Exploratory factor analysis was used to validate the instrument. …

In-Service Biology Teachers’ Perceptions And Pedagogical Rating Of Two Mobile Learning Applications Recommended For Learning Biology In Nigerian Secondary Schools, Uchenna Udeani Prof, Jeremiah Nosakhare Akhigbe Mr

The African Journal of Information Systems

The study investigated in-service biology teachers’ perceptions of the instructional use of smartphones equipped with Biology Mobile Learning Applications (BMLAs) in the learning of biology concepts in Nigerian senior secondary schools and the pedagogical rating of two commercially available mobile learning applications recommended for learning biology. The study utilized a descriptive survey design. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings gathered revealed that the in-service biology teachers had good perceptions of the instructional use of BMLAs and that these perceptions influence their pedagogical rating and selection of mobile applications. The study also revealed that demographic variables such …

Cyberbullying Among University Students: The Kenyan Experience, Joshua R A Ndiege, Gabriel Okello, Patrick K. Wamuyu

The African Journal of Information Systems

Although considerable literature has grown around cyberbullying, there are still only limited studies on this within developing economies, especially African countries. In particular, studies on cyberbullying in Africa have failed to have a direct focus on the prevalence of this phenomenon among students in universities. Not only does cyberbullying have an emotional-social impact, it has ramifications on the learning process as well. This subject remains of utmost relevance within academia, and a number of institutions continue to grapple with its impact. The study reported here is an exploratory investigation of 396 students from one of the private universities within Nairobi, …

Cloud Computing Architecture For Elearning Systems In Secondary Schools In Tanzania, Kennedy F. Mwakisole, Mussa M. Kissaka Dr, Joel S. Mtebe Phd

The African Journal of Information Systems

In recent years, schools have been investing heavily on information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure to implement eLearning systems to enhance the quality of education in secondary schools in Tanzania. The majority of these systems are implemented using a traditional web-based eLearning approach on school premises which is costly and limits usage due to lack of scalability and flexibility. Consequently, many schools have started adopting cloud computing as a solution. However, this adaption depends on well-defined cloud eLearning architecture. This study proposed cloud architecture for implementing an eLearning system in secondary schools in Tanzania by adopting various layers proposed in …

Understanding Sub-Saharan African Learners Informal Learning Using Mobile Devices: A Case Of Tanzania, Laban Bagui, Samwel Dick Mwapwele

The African Journal of Information Systems

In this era of pervasive computing and the Internet, learners everywhere connect and reconnect to knowledge away from classrooms, via mobile devices and their Mobile Instant Messaging platforms (MIMs). Still, many sub-Saharan African educators continue to confine these platforms to recreational activities. There is lack therefore of knowledge about how learners from sub-Saharan Africa perform such informal and experiential learning. This paper presents a case study of Tanzanian learners learning in informal settings using their mobile devices and MIMs. It deploys the rhizomatic learning theory with the aim of understanding how such learning occurs. Findings suggest that learners use mobile …

Digital Fluency: Necessary Competence For Teaching And Learning In Connected Classrooms, Agnes Chigona

The African Journal of Information Systems

Educators’ digital fluency has been noted as one of the most important skill required for effective curriculum delivery in connected classrooms. Research and anecdotal evidence show that even though many Western Cape classrooms have internet connectivity, many of the educators are unable to take advantage of the connectivity for teaching and learning. Hence, this paper focuses on the educators’ digital fluency as a necessary competence for effective curriculum delivery in connected classrooms. The study was done qualitatively. Randomly selected educators from public schools participated in the one-on-one and focus group interviews. Results show that most educators perceive their digital fluency …

Information Security Awareness Amongst Students Joining Higher Academic Institutions In Developing Countries: Evidence From Kenya, Joshua R A Ndiege, Gabriel O. Okello

The African Journal of Information Systems

Although there is a steady use of information technology in institutions of higher learning, little is known about the level of information security awareness (ISA) amongst students joining universities in developing countries and more specifically Africa. The purpose of this study was to investigate ISA amongst undergraduate students at a higher education institution in Kenya. The study made use of a quantitative survey approach. Overall, the study findings indicate that majority of the students surveyed did not possess adequate understanding of ISA. Consequently, we submit that there is a strong need to cultivate ISA culture amongst students joining universities in …

Acceptance Of Ict: Applicability Of The Unified Theory Of Acceptance And Use Of Technology (Utaut) To South African Students, Janet Liebenberg, Trudie Benade, Suria Ellis

The African Journal of Information Systems

We are told that university students are Digital Natives and the diffusion of digital technologies into education holds prospective advantages. However, will students in Africa be prepared to engage with and accept the technology? This study aimed to determine the applicability of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model within a South African higher education setting and to clarify the factors that are influencing students’ intentions to make use of two digital technologies: an eBook and SLMS. 738 ICT students completed a questionnaire to gauge their responses to Performance expectancy (PEx), Effort expectancy (EfEx), Facilitating conditions …

Tracing Sources Of Design Uncertainty And Controversy In Web 2.0 Facilitated Collaborative Design Process, Lockias Chitanana Dr, Desmond Wesley Govender Dr

The African Journal of Information Systems

The integration of Internet-based collaborative tools such as Web 2.0 technologies to facilitate the design process has rendered collaborative design a chaotic practice filled with controversy and uncertainty, with the inevitable risk of unintended consequences. The purpose of this study was to trace the sources of design controversy in a Web 2.0 facilitated collaborative design process. The study employed an Actor Network Theory (ANT) methodological framework to explore design controversy in five design teams comprising of 4 to 6 undergraduate engineering students. Data was constituted by following the traces left by the actors, both human and nonhumans, their actions and …

The Myths And Realities Of Generational Cohort Theory On Ict Integration In Education: A South African Perspective, Keshnee Padayachee

The African Journal of Information Systems

There is an assumption that the younger cohort of teachers who are considered to be digital natives will be able to integrate technology into their teaching spaces with ease. This study aims to determine if there is a difference between generational cohorts with respect to ICT (Information Communication Technology) integration in classrooms among South African teachers. There is a paucity of research on ICT integration in education with respect to generational cohorts. This study involved a secondary analysis of two primary data sets, which contained qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data revealed that there are few statistical differences between …

An Evaluation Of Educational Values Of Youtube Videos For Academic Writing, Gbolahan Olasina

The African Journal of Information Systems

The aim is to assess the impact of YouTube videos about academic writing and its skills on the writing performance of students. Theoretical perspectives from constructivism and associated learning models are used to inform the purpose of the research. The contextual setting is matriculation students awaiting admission to higher institutions. The population is 40 students belonging to a class aimed at assisting disadvantaged students in their academic writing in Scottsville, Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The students are broken into two groups – control/traditional teaching and the treatment/YouTube facilitated groups. Consequently, a dominant qualitative approach is adopted using focus group …

Perceptions Of Information And Communications Technology (Ict) For Instructional Delivery At A University: From Technophobic To Technologically Savvy, Desmond Wesley Govender Dr, Lockias Chitanana Mr

The African Journal of Information Systems

Changing academics’ perceptions of information and communications technology (ICT) in developing countries has always been a challenge. A university in Zimbawe has witnessed an about-turn in lecturers’ perceptions and beliefs about technology, from being negative (technophobic) to positive (technologically savvy) users of technology. This paper reports on the interplay of factors that resulted in lecturers’ buy-in to the use of e-learning as a mode of instructional delivery. The study employed actor network theory (ANT) as both a methodological and analytical framework to trace the trajectory of the e-learning programme at this university. The conspicuous actors were followed using questionnaires, participant …

The Role Of Educational Technology In Design And Delivery Of Curricula Programmes: A Case Of Steps At A University Of Technology, Patient Rambe Dr

The African Journal of Information Systems

While Universities of Technologies (UoTs) regard the adoption of educational technology for the creation of effective learning environments as one of their defining features, there is limited research on these universities’ innovative use of technologies to transform their curricula design and delivery. This research explores the extent to which educational technology has been integrated into the implementation of new and recurriculated educational programmes under the Strategic Transformation of Educational Programmes and Structures (STEPS) at a UoT. The research employed document analysis and interview data from middle level managers (Deans), curriculum designers and educational technologists. The findings suggest that, except for …

Elearning Cost Analysis Of On-Premise Versus Cloud-Hosted Implementation In Sub-Saharan Countries, Joel Samson Mtebe, Roope Raisamo

The African Journal of Information Systems

The cost of acquiring, managing, and maintaining ICT infrastructure is one of the main factors that hinder educational institutions in Sub-Saharan countries to adopt and implement eLearning. Recently, cloud computing has emerged as a new computing paradigm for delivering cost effective computing services that can be used to harness eLearning. However, the adoption of cloud computing in higher education in Sub-Saharan countries is very low. Although there are many factors that may influence educational institutions to adopt cloud services, cost effectiveness is often a key factor. Far too little is known on how much the use of cloud computing can …

When My Sub-Editor Is A Nit-Picking Bot: Mediating Roles Of A Tv News Scriptwriting Exercise, Andrew Deacon, Catherine Wynsculley

The African Journal of Information Systems

Online learning activities have promised new ways to engage students. This paper describes the design and use of the NewsScripts online learning exercise over a decade. This web-based television news scriptwriting exercise is used with media students at the University of Cape Town to expose them to news scriptwriting practices. Students write a script to match a video, employing a television news writing style. The more important transformational opportunity is deepening students’ own critical media analysis skills. Our focus is how the NewsScripts design evolved and changed over time to remain part of the curriculum. Underlying the curricula of university …

Ict In Education In Africa - Myth Or Reality: A Case Study Of Mozambican Higher Education Institutions, Xavier Muianga, Henrik Hansson, Anders Nilsson, Avelino Mondlane, Inocente Mutimucuio, Alsone Guambe

The African Journal of Information Systems

In the last decade, there has been a growth in Information Communication and Technology for Education (ICT4E) in sub-Saharan Africa. Through support from local and international development agencies, several Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have engaged in introducing, implementing and supporting ICT4E. This study aims at providing a description and analysis of the current state of ICT4E implementation in HEIs in Mozambique. An exploratory study of 19 HEIs was conducted using open ended questionnaires and interviews. The results show that the country has advanced greatly in terms of design and implementation of ICT policies, as well as telecommunication. Additionally, MoReNet the …

Towards A Shared Understanding Of Emerging Technologies: Experiences In A Collaborative Research Project In South Africa, Daniela Gachago, Eunice Ivala, Judy Backhouse, Jan Petrus Bosman, Vivienne Bozalek, Dick Ng’Ambi

The African Journal of Information Systems

While the practice of using educational technologies in Higher Education is increasingly common among educators, there is a paucity of research on innovative uses of emerging technologies to transform teaching and learning. This paper draws on data collected as part of a larger study aimed at investigating emerging technologies and their use in South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to improve teaching and learning. The research employed a mixed method research design, using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods—quantitative data from a survey of 262 respondents from 22 public HEIs in South Africa and qualitative data gathered from 16 …

Considering Two Audiences When Recording Lectures As Lecturecasts, Brandon I. Collier-Reed

The African Journal of Information Systems

This article presents the outcome of an investigation into the provision of lecturecasts to students. The objective was to ensure that both those who attended live lectures of a second-year engineering course and/or watched recorded versions of the lectures had an experience that supported their learning. A range of data was drawn on including the personal reflection of the lecturer of the course, questionnaires, and student interviews. The qualitative data were analysed through an inductive process that drew on the principles of grounded theory and the findings that emerged included the role of the “talking head” in recordings, balancing the …

E/Merging Across Africa: Five Papers On The Use Of Educational Technology In African Higher Education, Tony Carr

The African Journal of Information Systems

This guest editorial comments on the rapidly changing environment for the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in African Higher Education Institutions (HEI), introduces the e/merge online conferences and gives a brief introduction to the papers in the special issue.

Technology Capacity Development Through Oss Implementation: The Case Of Public Higher Education Institutions In Ethiopia, Nigussie Tadesse Mengesha

The African Journal of Information Systems

The Open Source Software (OSS) literature gives little attention to the study and practice of domain specific end-user OSS implementation in general and in the public sector of developing countries (DCs) in particular. This paper, however, investigates the trajectories of two OSS-based information systems (IS) implementation projects in a developing country (DC) context with the aim to uncover the practice-based learning and resource sharing evident among locally situated and globally dispersed developers and users. The result of the interpretative case study research shows that the OSS philosophy and practice of software development, implementation and ownership, facilitates for the emergence of …

The Global Text Project, Richard T. Watson, Donald J. Mccubbrey

The African Journal of Information Systems

The Global Text Project is intended to create global free textbooks for students in the developing countries. We argue that two key technological and social developments offer an opportunity to create a new model for textbook publishing. First, the Internet is a low cost channel for distributing information products in digital form. Second, global digital communities have created the platform for collaborative creation of content. Through this model a free and open content library will be developed for students covering all major subjects for an undergraduate education. This project is a contributory measure to the global efforts to address the …

Initiating A New Information Systems Course: A Case Study In Educational Innovation, Michael Eccles, June Pym, Kevin Johnston

The African Journal of Information Systems

If South Africa is to transform its educational landscape, access to higher education is crucial. However, if equity of access is not coupled with equity of success, participation, and relevance, access can become problematic.

The Information Systems Department at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, has been concerned for a number of years about both the relevance and coherence of its first year Information Systems course. In 2007, the Department re-conceptualized this course. This case study looks at the background to the problems and motivation for the change and the proposed changes and course redesign, as well as the …

An African Phd Program In Information Systems: The Case Of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, Solomon Negash, Richard T. Watson, Detmar W. Straub

The African Journal of Information Systems

This case study is about the first Information Systems PhD program in Ethiopia and the region, a collaborative effort of thirteen universities around the globe. Fifteen faculty members traveled to Ethiopia to launch the program for classes, which will start in 2009. This paper depicts the program design and program development and an outline of the overall program. The authors share their personal experience in the development of this unique IS PhD program.