A framework for the integration of mobile technology into adventure sport for the purpose of increasing participant safety
- Authors: Mills, Craig John
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Mobile communication systems , Health promotion -- Technological innovations Sports -- Technological innovations Cell phones -- Health aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MIT
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32099 , vital:31958
- Description: The sporting industry has seen incredible advancements with the use of information technology. Technology is used in the sporting industry for training, coaching and even as a deciding factor of a game result. There are certain sports which require individuals to venture into isolated environments, these sports have been termed adventure or extreme sports. Due to the extreme environmental factors that can occur with adventure sport, it is possible for an individual to experience an emergency situation. Emergency situations can occur at any time, and this is especially true in adventure sport. Adventure sport such as ocean and river kayaking require individuals to venture into isolated environments, where if an emergency situation occurs could result in an individual left stranded waiting for emergency rescue. Adventure sport participants and Event Organizers are aware of the dangers associated with this type of adventure sport, but there is currently no requirement to have a mobile technology device present during kayaking events. The main purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the current use of mobile technology in adventure sport in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. To accomplish this two literature reviews were conducted which identi_ed information on the two main themes which are adventure sport and mobile technology. To produce information from the ocean and river kayaking community an online questionnaire was distributed to several kayaking clubs in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. This dissertation also presents a framework that proposes the use of mobile technology hardware and software by participants and event organisers in an attempt to increase the safety of events in this form of adventure sport. It is hoped that the framework for using mobile technology to increase the safety of adventure sport proposed in this research, may provide clear guidance for the achievement of a safer sporting experience for the participants of ocean and river kayaking.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Factors that influence a performance culture in a selected school in Johannesburg East district
- Authors: Gumbo, Edwell
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Educational change -- South Africa -- Johannesburg , Academic achievement -- South Africa -- Johannesburg , School improvement programs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4900 , vital:20748
- Description: A country’s competitive advantage is linked to its educational outcomes. South Africa, as a developing country wants to shift from being a resource based economy to being a knowledge based economy. To enable such a shift, schools must be able to graduate learners who are adequately prepared for the demands of institutions of higher learning. Schools, therefore, must become centres of excellence and a culture of performance must be prevalent in schools. The National Development Plan as outlined by the National Planning Commission (2011) identified education as one of the pillars from which South Africa’s economy will be driven. However, recent studies have rated South Africa’s education system as one of the worst among middle income economies and sometimes even worse than many low-income African economies. To bridge that gap, there is a need to drive schools to be centres of excellence. This study sought to identify factors that influence a performance culture in schools. In order to achieve this objective, literature was scanned and five factors that influence a performance culture were identified (organisational school climate, teacher attitude, school managerial processes, organisational school value and organisational school structure). These factors were initially identified and used by Marcoulides and Heck (1993) in a corporate organisation and later adopted for testing in a school setting by Gomez, Marcoulides and Heck (2012). A school in Johannesburg East district was sampled through convenience sampling and data was collected through a questionnaire which was administered to the principal, teachers and staff, school governing board members, parents and alumni of the school. The total sample was 120 and a total of 94 questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 78 percent. Descriptive statistical techniques were performed to establish the mean and standard deviation of perceptions among the respondents. Inferential statistical techniques were used to measure and ascertain reliability through Cronbach’s alpha, comparisons of responses through t-testing and ANOVA, association through correlation and hypotheses were tested through multiple regression analysis. All the variables were found to be valid and reliable. Furthermore, statistical results revealed that in the sampled school, even though all the five factors had an association among each other, only organisational school culture and organisational school value had an association to the dependent variable, performance culture. Organisational school value, however, was found to be the only variable of great influence to performance culture at the sampled school. The ideologies and activities that represent the values, therefore, influence the performance culture of a school.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Factors that influence a performance culture in a selected school in Johannesburg East district
- Authors: Gumbo, Edwell
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Educational change -- South Africa -- Johannesburg , Academic achievement -- South Africa -- Johannesburg
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8251 , vital:26316
- Description: A country’s competitive advantage is linked to its educational outcomes. South Africa, as a developing country wants to shift from being a resource based economy to being a knowledge based economy. To enable such a shift, schools must be able to graduate learners who are adequately prepared for the demands of institutions of higher learning. Schools, therefore, must become centres of excellence and a culture of performance must be prevalent in schools. The National Development Plan as outlined by the National Planning Commission (2011) identified education as one of the pillars from which South Africa’s economy will be driven. However, recent studies have rated South Africa’s education system as one of the worst among middle income economies and sometimes even worse than many low-income African economies. To bridge that gap, there is a need to drive schools to be centres of excellence. This study sought to identify factors that influence a performance culture in schools. In order to achieve this objective, literature was scanned and five factors that influence a performance culture were identified (organisational school climate, teacher attitude, school managerial processes, organisational school value and organisational school structure). These factors were initially identified and used by Marcoulides and Heck (1993) in a corporate organisation and later adopted for testing in a school setting by Gomez, Marcoulides and Heck (2012). A school in Johannesburg East district was sampled through convenience sampling and data was collected through a questionnaire which was administered to the principal, teachers and staff, school governing board members, parents and alumni of the school. The total sample was 120 and a total of 94 questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 78%. Descriptive statistical techniques were performed to establish the mean and standard deviation of perceptions among the respondents. Inferential statistical techniques were used to measure and ascertain reliability through Cronbach’s alpha, comparisons of responses through t-testing and ANOVA, association through correlation and hypotheses were tested through multiple regression analysis. All the variables were found to be valid and reliable. Furthermore, statistical results revealed that in the sampled school, even though all the five factors had an association among each other, only organisational school culture and organisational school value had an association to the dependent variable, performance culture. Organisational school value, however, was found to be the only variable of great influence to performance culture at the sampled school. The ideologies and activities that represent the values, therefore, influence the performance culture of a school.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016