A value framework for information and communication technology governance in South African higher education institutions
- Authors: Johl, Christian Peter
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Information technology -- South Africa -- Management , Universities and colleges -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9821 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020281
- Description: The public higher education sector in South Africa is governed by an act of Parliament which defines the governance organs and mechanisms required within institutions and the sector. This doctoral thesis begins by contextualising ICT governance within the levels of systemic governance in South Africa that have relevance to this study. It then continues by advancing the understanding of the state of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) governance in public higher education institutions in South Africa by investigating the level of pervasiveness, the level of ICT process maturity and the alignment of ICT to the institutional processes within these institutions. Subsequently, this thesis results in the production of a contextually appropriate value framework that contributes towards an understanding of the need for the improvement of ICT governance. A survey of the extant literature on governance, ICT governance, and the frameworks and standards associated with governance indicates that the methodological approach currently favoured in ICT governance research is predominantly interpretive and based on surveys and interviews. This study leans towards a Design Science approach paradigm using surveys for the qualitative data collection process. The empirical research data was gathered from the highest ranking ICT officers at public higher education institutions in South Africa. This study makes contributions on a number of levels – from the first known measurement of ICT pervasiveness within the context of higher education, to the measurement of ICT process maturity and the measurement of the alignment of ICT and institutional processes, to the design of a value framework that breaks down governance into layers indicating which governance organs are appropriate at the relevant layers and which governance mechanisms can be used to address governance at each layer of governance. This study therefore makes a contribution to the ICT domain for development research by demonstrating praxis for the improvement of ICT governance implementation in the public higher education sector in South Africa. This study makes both method design and practical contributions to the ICT body of knowledge at various stages of the research process. These contributions include reflection on and analysis of the data gathering approaches that occur within the public higher education sector and in the complex environment of institutional autonomy and academic freedom; the use of Agency Theory to support the ‗governance intent‘ transfer between the layers of governance in the value framework and the synthesis of the improvement of ICT governance with value creation. The findings of this study further contribute to an understanding of the dynamics and interrelatedness of aspects of governance and management, while making a contribution to theoretical research by extending practical and empirical understanding of the ICT governance environment in the public higher education sector in South Africa.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Accessing learner support services in a distance education context at UNISA Adult Basic Education Department
- Authors: Arko-Achemfuor, Akwasi
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Distance education -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Adult education -- South Africa , Educational innovations -- South Africa , Educational technology -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16199 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1013382 , Distance education -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Adult education -- South Africa , Educational innovations -- South Africa , Educational technology -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- South Africa
- Description: This study investigated the access to learner support services by Unisa‟s ABET students in the Department of Adult Education in one of the rural provinces in South Africa. Specifically, a survey using questionnaire and focus group interview was carried out to determine the access gaps in to the learner support services by Unisa‟s adult students. A literature study preceded the empirical study to fully comprehend the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of the role of learner support in bridging the transactional distance between students on the one hand and the institution on the other hand. In the empirical study phase, a questionnaire was administered to 150 ABET Students in one province in South Africa through the stratified sampling technique and one focus group interview comprising 10 students who access support services at one of the regional offices to assess the importance they attach to the support services that are offered at the regional centres and the extent to which they are able to access them. The focus group interview comprised questions on the students‟ understanding of learner support services and their experiences in accessing them. Moore‟s theory of transactional distance was used as the theoretical base for the study. Out of a total of the 150 questionnaires that were distributed, 117 were the usable representing 78.0% response rate. One of the conclusions drawn from this study is that, although Unisa has most of the learner support services in place but for various reasons, a lot of the students are not able to access the support services as expected as the needs gap for almost all the support services were high. The chi-square tests found significant differences (p is less than 0.05) between the students on the extent to which they are able to access the support services. An integrated learner support framework was suggested for Unisa and other distance providing institutions to address the access gaps adult students‟ encounter in their studies.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Study South Africa
- Authors: International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) , Jooste, Nico
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Education, Higher -- South Africa , Education and globalization -- South Africa Student mobility -- Africa International education -- South Africa Education, Higher -- International cooperation , Universities and colleges -- South Africa , Technical Institutes -- South Africa , Vocational guidance -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64878 , vital:28623
- Description: [Editor's Letter]: Study South Africa has been the global mouthpiece of the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) and South African Higher Education since the publication of its first edition in 1999. It grew from a publication that served as a guide to South African Higher Education to a comprehensive source of information for the international academic community and others interested in South Africa’s tertiary education sector. This annual publication requires knowledgeable contributors as well as skilful editorial and other technical support. For the past number of years the editorial team was ably supported by Loveness Kaunda from the University of Cape Town (UCT). She provided the publication with her time, energy and knowledge. However, as she retired from her UCT position, she will no longer be available to consult with on a regular basis. This edition of Study South Africa is dedicated to her as a token of gratitude for all her time and passion. Another source of knowledge and inspiration is Patrick Fish - a higher education specialist who does research on topics relevant to the South African Higher Education landscape and provides us with up-to-date information. His writing skills turn the first number of pages of this publication into a real source of information. The knowledge about South African universities will be incomplete without the contributions of the universities themselves. A common trend this year is the focus on excellence of teaching and research as well as the relevance of South African Higher Education to local students functioning in an ever globalising world. It is also evident that most of the South African universities are aware of the need to be globally competitive, not only to attract the best international students, but also to be able to compete in a very competitive global knowledge driven environment. Study South Africa is again proudly presented by IEASA. This edition, focussing on Internationalisation of Higher Education, with a specific focus on South Africa in a changing world, again illustrates the interconnectedness of global higher education. It is envisaged that future editions will explore and document the collaboration between IEASA and similar organisations that is promoting the Internationalisation of Higher Education as well as global trends in international higher education affecting internationalisation of higher education in emerging countries. , 13th Edition
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- Date Issued: 2013