Students’ perceptions towards the influences of social media on students’ academic engagement at a tertiary institution: a case study on the use of Facebook and Twitter at Rhodes University
- Authors: Moongela, Harry
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Facebook (Firm) , Twitter (Firm) , Social media in education -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Motivation in education -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Education, Higher -- Effect of technological innovations on -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Rhodes University
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60730 , vital:27823
- Description: The use of social media has become an integral part of student’s academic lives and has had an impact on students’ academic engagement in tertiary institutions. Subsequently, researchers have shown an interest in investigating the impact of social media on students’ academic engagement. Despite the fact that researcher have shown interest, there still remains a limited number of studies that have discussed the effects of social media on students’ academic engagement, particularly within a South African context. Also, studies that have been carried have revealed limited and mixed findings. This study then aims to further investigate whether the exposure of students to social media has an effect on their academic engagement and how tertiary institutions together with students can use social media to improve students’ academic engagement. A qualitative research method using an interpretive (inductive) approach is carried out to find out students’ perceptions towards the use of social media and its influence on students’ academic engagement. The study then reveals recommendations from students’ perceptions on the effective ways of using social media to benefit students’ academic engagement in tertiary institutions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Moongela, Harry
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Facebook (Firm) , Twitter (Firm) , Social media in education -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Motivation in education -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Education, Higher -- Effect of technological innovations on -- South Africa -- Makhanda , Rhodes University
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60730 , vital:27823
- Description: The use of social media has become an integral part of student’s academic lives and has had an impact on students’ academic engagement in tertiary institutions. Subsequently, researchers have shown an interest in investigating the impact of social media on students’ academic engagement. Despite the fact that researcher have shown interest, there still remains a limited number of studies that have discussed the effects of social media on students’ academic engagement, particularly within a South African context. Also, studies that have been carried have revealed limited and mixed findings. This study then aims to further investigate whether the exposure of students to social media has an effect on their academic engagement and how tertiary institutions together with students can use social media to improve students’ academic engagement. A qualitative research method using an interpretive (inductive) approach is carried out to find out students’ perceptions towards the use of social media and its influence on students’ academic engagement. The study then reveals recommendations from students’ perceptions on the effective ways of using social media to benefit students’ academic engagement in tertiary institutions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
A framework for the development and measurement of agile enterprise architecture
- Authors: Mthupha, Bokang
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Management information systems -- Research Industrial management -- Technological innovations -- Research Industrial organization -- Technological innovations -- Research System design
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1147 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002777
- Description: Enterprise architecture is the high-level design of the entire business, facilitated by enterprise architects. "Agile enterprise architecture" is the term used in enterprise architecture to describe an architecture that caters for future unknowns, enabling change to occur rapidly without undue resource utilization, yet in a controlled manner and with minimal adverse impact. Some enterprise architects still use outdated, rigid approaches to enterprise architecture which are incompatible with today‟s business environment. In addition, there is limited research into methods that can be applied to measure the agility of enterprise architecture. The current environment is such that there is a need for a more agile approach to developing and measuring enterprise architecture. This work will lead to the creation of a Framework for The Development and Measurement of Agile Enterprise Architecture. In support of the main goal of the development of the framework, a literature review will be conducted focusing on the necessary sub-goals of the research. The first sub-goal of the literature review is to develop a comprehensive definition for enterprise architecture (referred to as EA), as well as discover how it is currently practiced. Thereafter, the literature review will investigate a comprehensive definition for agility and research why it is emerging as a critical topic. The next chapter of the literature review will research how agility fits within the context of EA, uncovering a comprehensive definition for agile EA and the best practices in agile EA development. The final chapter of the literature review will investigate suitable measurement techniques that can be used to assess the level of agility of EA. On completion of the literature review, a preliminary framework will be created using the most important contributions from the literature. An empirical study will be conducted to explore the definitions for EA, agility, agile EA, the methods to measure the agility of EA and the concepts for the development of agile EA summarised in the preliminary framework. Data analysis follows an interpretive and qualitative approach based on four case studies through interviews with systems experts in four South African organizations in one province. Each interviewee was interviewed once. The initial interview with a Principal Consultant on Enterprise Strategy Consulting at organisation # 1 formed the basis of an exploratory study; the results of which were used to refine the research instrument and preliminary framework. Thereafter, a more rigorous empirical study focused on interviews with the Chief Architect, Senior Manager in Advisory Services and an Enterprise Architect at organizations 2, 3 and 4 respectively was conducted. The research follows an inductive approach to capture the interpretive experiences of participants and develop theoretical propositions from them. Following the exploratory pilot study it became necessary to make changes to the preliminary framework and initial survey instrument created. Thereafter, the empirical study consisting of the remaining three cases was conducted to test the important aspects of the framework and literature definitions. The analysis of the results of the empirical study prompted further changes to the theoretical framework and definitions created. The interviews conducted with each of the organizations confirmed the factors for agile EA development as well as the effectiveness of the definitions created in the literature review. The research uncovered that the need for a more agile approach to developing EA and a way to measure the level of agility of EA has become more and more significant in organizations. This begins with a better understanding of EA, agility, how agility fits within the context of EA, as well as appropriate methods to measure agility.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mthupha, Bokang
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Management information systems -- Research Industrial management -- Technological innovations -- Research Industrial organization -- Technological innovations -- Research System design
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1147 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002777
- Description: Enterprise architecture is the high-level design of the entire business, facilitated by enterprise architects. "Agile enterprise architecture" is the term used in enterprise architecture to describe an architecture that caters for future unknowns, enabling change to occur rapidly without undue resource utilization, yet in a controlled manner and with minimal adverse impact. Some enterprise architects still use outdated, rigid approaches to enterprise architecture which are incompatible with today‟s business environment. In addition, there is limited research into methods that can be applied to measure the agility of enterprise architecture. The current environment is such that there is a need for a more agile approach to developing and measuring enterprise architecture. This work will lead to the creation of a Framework for The Development and Measurement of Agile Enterprise Architecture. In support of the main goal of the development of the framework, a literature review will be conducted focusing on the necessary sub-goals of the research. The first sub-goal of the literature review is to develop a comprehensive definition for enterprise architecture (referred to as EA), as well as discover how it is currently practiced. Thereafter, the literature review will investigate a comprehensive definition for agility and research why it is emerging as a critical topic. The next chapter of the literature review will research how agility fits within the context of EA, uncovering a comprehensive definition for agile EA and the best practices in agile EA development. The final chapter of the literature review will investigate suitable measurement techniques that can be used to assess the level of agility of EA. On completion of the literature review, a preliminary framework will be created using the most important contributions from the literature. An empirical study will be conducted to explore the definitions for EA, agility, agile EA, the methods to measure the agility of EA and the concepts for the development of agile EA summarised in the preliminary framework. Data analysis follows an interpretive and qualitative approach based on four case studies through interviews with systems experts in four South African organizations in one province. Each interviewee was interviewed once. The initial interview with a Principal Consultant on Enterprise Strategy Consulting at organisation # 1 formed the basis of an exploratory study; the results of which were used to refine the research instrument and preliminary framework. Thereafter, a more rigorous empirical study focused on interviews with the Chief Architect, Senior Manager in Advisory Services and an Enterprise Architect at organizations 2, 3 and 4 respectively was conducted. The research follows an inductive approach to capture the interpretive experiences of participants and develop theoretical propositions from them. Following the exploratory pilot study it became necessary to make changes to the preliminary framework and initial survey instrument created. Thereafter, the empirical study consisting of the remaining three cases was conducted to test the important aspects of the framework and literature definitions. The analysis of the results of the empirical study prompted further changes to the theoretical framework and definitions created. The interviews conducted with each of the organizations confirmed the factors for agile EA development as well as the effectiveness of the definitions created in the literature review. The research uncovered that the need for a more agile approach to developing EA and a way to measure the level of agility of EA has become more and more significant in organizations. This begins with a better understanding of EA, agility, how agility fits within the context of EA, as well as appropriate methods to measure agility.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Effective management of an information technology professional's career
- Authors: Tedder, Derek
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Information technology -- Vocational guidance , Information technology -- Management , Knowledge management , Career development , Computer Science -- Vocational guidance , System analysis -- Vocational guidance
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1148 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004543 , Information technology -- Vocational guidance , Information technology -- Management , Knowledge management , Career development , Computer Science -- Vocational guidance , System analysis -- Vocational guidance
- Description: The human resource is constantly cited as an organisation's greatest asset. In a rapidly changing technological environment this is most applicable to the Information Technology (IT) function. Organisations are experiencing IT human resource problems such as low satisfaction, early plateauing, high turnover, burnout, limited advancement potential, nominal corporate commitment, supervisory aversion, poor organisational culture, and exceptional compensation. These problems are directly related to the IT professional's career. There is a lack of information and awareness surrounding IT careers to deal effectively with these problems. The research aims to create increased awareness of IT careers and the inherent problems through the development of a career management model. The research aims to identify the factors that influence IT careers, provide career management with a means to measure compatibility of the factors, and suggest solutions to incompatibility. The solving of this problem will be of mutual benefit to both organisations and individuals as they seek to better manage IT careers. After reviewing research literature relating to career anchors, IT job types, IT skills portfolios, and career dynamics a model for Effective IT Career Management (EITCM) has been constructed. The model represents the dynamic interactions between individual, organisational, and dependent factors. The model examines the compatibility of these interacting factors by measuring the levels of relevant career variables. The model suggests appropriate career management techniques to increase the compatibility of the interacting factors. An empirical study was designed and launched online to provide data that would confirm the seven Critical Success Factors (CSF) relating to the proposed model. The responses from the members of the Computer Society of South Africa (CSSA) allowed the seven hypotheses derived from the CSFs to be tested. The results of the empirical study were positive but required modification to five of the CSFs before they could be confirmed. The EITCM model was modified to reflect the improved CSFs. An awareness of career influencing factors combined with active career management is advantageous to both IT professionals and their organisations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Tedder, Derek
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Information technology -- Vocational guidance , Information technology -- Management , Knowledge management , Career development , Computer Science -- Vocational guidance , System analysis -- Vocational guidance
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1148 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004543 , Information technology -- Vocational guidance , Information technology -- Management , Knowledge management , Career development , Computer Science -- Vocational guidance , System analysis -- Vocational guidance
- Description: The human resource is constantly cited as an organisation's greatest asset. In a rapidly changing technological environment this is most applicable to the Information Technology (IT) function. Organisations are experiencing IT human resource problems such as low satisfaction, early plateauing, high turnover, burnout, limited advancement potential, nominal corporate commitment, supervisory aversion, poor organisational culture, and exceptional compensation. These problems are directly related to the IT professional's career. There is a lack of information and awareness surrounding IT careers to deal effectively with these problems. The research aims to create increased awareness of IT careers and the inherent problems through the development of a career management model. The research aims to identify the factors that influence IT careers, provide career management with a means to measure compatibility of the factors, and suggest solutions to incompatibility. The solving of this problem will be of mutual benefit to both organisations and individuals as they seek to better manage IT careers. After reviewing research literature relating to career anchors, IT job types, IT skills portfolios, and career dynamics a model for Effective IT Career Management (EITCM) has been constructed. The model represents the dynamic interactions between individual, organisational, and dependent factors. The model examines the compatibility of these interacting factors by measuring the levels of relevant career variables. The model suggests appropriate career management techniques to increase the compatibility of the interacting factors. An empirical study was designed and launched online to provide data that would confirm the seven Critical Success Factors (CSF) relating to the proposed model. The responses from the members of the Computer Society of South Africa (CSSA) allowed the seven hypotheses derived from the CSFs to be tested. The results of the empirical study were positive but required modification to five of the CSFs before they could be confirmed. The EITCM model was modified to reflect the improved CSFs. An awareness of career influencing factors combined with active career management is advantageous to both IT professionals and their organisations.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
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