Effect of technical university students’ language proficiency on their academic performance measured by their final cumulative grade point average

The importance of language in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) cannot be over-emphasized. Although TVET focuses on skill acquisition, the desired skills cannot be acquired, if students are not proficient in, and cannot fully comprehend, the language of instruction during lectures and examinations. It was for this reason that, the current study looked at the effect of students’ language proficiency on their academic success as measured by their final cumulative grade point average (CGPA) using multilevel modelling techniques. Gender differences in the students’ academic success were also explored. The study was based on a data-set of 17,714 students (5,882 female and 11,832 males) from one Ghanaian Technical University in Ghana. It was observed that communication skills course grades, the proxy measure of their language proficiency, accounted for 15% of the total variance in the students’ CGPA. This confirms the important role language plays in TVET. The study findings are expected to assist TVET stakeholders in systemically re-orienting the minds of TVET students towards proficiency in the language of instruction

Visual and Textual Programming Languages: A Systematic Review of the Literature

It is well documented, and has been the topic of much research, that Computer Science courses tend to have higher than average drop out rates at third level. This is a problem that needs to be addressed with urgency but also caution. The required number of Computer Science graduates is growing every year but the number of graduates is not meeting this demand and one way that this problem can be alleviated is to encourage students at an early age towards studying Computer Science courses. This paper presents a systematic literature review on the role of visual and textual programming languages when learning to program, particularly as a first programming language. The approach is systematic, in that a structured search of electronic resources has been conducted, and the results are presented and quantitatively analysed. This study will give insight into whether or not the current approaches to teaching young learners programming are viable, and examines what we can do to increase the interest and retention of these students as they progress through their education.Comment: 18 pages (including 2 bibliography pages), 3 figure

Re-cognising RPL – A Deleuzian enquiry into policy and practice of Recognition of Prior Learning

This enquiry addresses a gap in the literature in relation to the conceptual development of Recognition of Prior Learning. Generally, research in RPL comprises large inventories and audits of practice as this enquiry shows. Few qualitative studies are available and there is a dearth of theoretical development in the field. This thesis explores perspectives of claimants and university managers/practitioners to explicate the issues at stake and explore the value of RPL in education. Using the practical philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari (DG), the conceptualization of RPL is explored in policy and practice and their concepts are employed to reimagine RPL for learning, and as pedagogy, in adult university education. A hybrid method of grounded and rhizomatic theory informs the research approach. This involves searching the complex and diffuse territory of RPL to seek affirmative options for RPL theory and practice. Three case studies illustrate how different approaches to RPL offer different outcomes and were built on vague conceptualizations. In one setting, fifteen years of RPL claimant records is collated and analysed. Findings show that up to 70% of adult students in the case study had prior learning and gained exemptions. The data further indicates that RPL did not increase a student’s chances of completing a degree. This contradicts findings from international research. The research also challenges fears expressed by university managers that RPL poses a risk to academic standards, as claimants may not have foundational knowledge to succeed in university. The data indicates, however, that on the contrary, claimants have extensive prior learning; much of it accredited at levels 6 and 7 and are thus college ready. A model of learner directed RPL, used in another setting, is explored and theorized. This creative approach seamlessly integrates prior learning with new learning and thereby advances knowledge for the learner. The impact of the approach on the learner and learning is significant and offers new possibilities for RPL in education. It moves it on from the narrow purpose of reducing time in education and enhancing skills for employment. Accounts from participants in this enquiry show that they go to college to learn and they prize RPL most when it extends their knowledge – a dimension of RPL neglected in the literature. The thesis concludes with some affirmative options for re-cognising RPL in adult education

Re-cognising RPL – A Deleuzian enquiry into policy and practice of Recognition of Prior Learning

This enquiry addresses a gap in the literature in relation to the conceptual development of Recognition of Prior Learning. Generally, research in RPL comprises large inventories and audits of practice as this enquiry shows. Few qualitative studies are available and there is a dearth of theoretical development in the field. This thesis explores perspectives of claimants and university managers/practitioners to explicate the issues at stake and explore the value of RPL in education. Using the practical philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari (DG), the conceptualization of RPL is explored in policy and practice and their concepts are employed to reimagine RPL for learning, and as pedagogy, in adult university education. A hybrid method of grounded and rhizomatic theory informs the research approach. This involves searching the complex and diffuse territory of RPL to seek affirmative options for RPL theory and practice. Three case studies illustrate how different approaches to RPL offer different outcomes and were built on vague conceptualizations. In one setting, fifteen years of RPL claimant records is collated and analysed. Findings show that up to 70% of adult students in the case study had prior learning and gained exemptions. The data further indicates that RPL did not increase a student’s chances of completing a degree. This contradicts findings from international research. The research also challenges fears expressed by university managers that RPL poses a risk to academic standards, as claimants may not have foundational knowledge to succeed in university. The data indicates, however, that on the contrary, claimants have extensive prior learning; much of it accredited at levels 6 and 7 and are thus college ready. A model of learner directed RPL, used in another setting, is explored and theorized. This creative approach seamlessly integrates prior learning with new learning and thereby advances knowledge for the learner. The impact of the approach on the learner and learning is significant and offers new possibilities for RPL in education. It moves it on from the narrow purpose of reducing time in education and enhancing skills for employment. Accounts from participants in this enquiry show that they go to college to learn and they prize RPL most when it extends their knowledge – a dimension of RPL neglected in the literature. The thesis concludes with some affirmative options for re-cognising RPL in adult education

Reuse and Repurposing of Online Digital Learning Resources within UK Higher Education: 2003-2010

This research set out to examine developments in reuse and repurposing of online digital resources within higher education (HE) in the United Kingdom (UK) over a period (2003-2010), when the emphasis of educational resource reuse and repurposing activity shifted from reusable learning objects (RLO) to open educational resources (OER). It aims to contribute to understanding of this transition, and locates this shift within a broader picture of UK HE activity within the UK, and a wider understanding of reuse of learning resources in digital, online form. The research presents a review and critical examination of the environment in which reuse practice occurred. It does this through macroenvironmental, mesoenvironmental and microenvironmental level reviews. The microenvionmental review is presented through research analysis of five case examples from UK HE and a sixth example from HE in Ireland. The mesoenvironmental review examines the significant changes in resource facilitation and practice during the research period. This thesis is particularly concerned with identifying and understanding how reuse of digital online learning resources was facilitated in practice, and whether reuse occurred, or occurred in the form(s) anticipated. The thesis identifies and examines themes and factors which appeared to have influenced, or had potential to influence, reuse in each case. Cross-case comparison offers a synthesis of the research observations. Finally, a structured approach to classifying factors is suggested based on this research. This leads to generalisable recommendations of how to facilitate digital online resource reuse in the future

Differences in acoustic features of cough by pneumonia severity in patients with COVID-19: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAcute respiratory syndrome due to coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is characterised by heterogeneous levels of disease severity. It is not necessarily apparent whether a patient will develop a severe disease or not. This cross-sectional study explores whether acoustic properties of the cough sound of patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, correlate with their disease and pneumonia severity, with the aim of identifying patients with a severe disease.MethodsVoluntary cough sounds were recorded using a smartphone in 70 COVID-19 patients within the first 24 h of their hospital arrival, between April 2020 and May 2021. Based on gas exchange abnormalities, patients were classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Time- and frequency-based variables were obtained from each cough effort and analysed using a linear mixed-effects modelling approach.ResultsRecords from 62 patients (37% female) were eligible for inclusion in the analysis, with mild, moderate, and severe groups consisting of 31, 14 and 17 patients respectively. 5 of the parameters examined were found to be significantly different in the cough of patients at different disease levels of severity, with a further 2 parameters found to be affected differently by the disease severity in men and women.ConclusionsWe suggest that all these differences reflect the progressive pathophysiological alterations occurring in the respiratory system of COVID-19 patients, and potentially would provide an easy and cost-effective way to initially stratify patients, identifying those with more severe disease, and thereby most effectively allocate healthcare resources

IT governance structures and their effectiveness in Australian universities

This thesis advances the understanding of information technology (IT) governance research by considering the question “How do user stakeholders influence the planning and implementation of IT governance?” IT has become pervasive with organisations increasingly dependent on their information systems to support day to day operations and the achievement of strategic objectives (Bart & Turel, 2010; Parent & Reich, 2009; De Haes & Van Grembergen, 2009). As a result, organisations commit considerable resources into IT assets to meet the needs of their employees and other stakeholders (Nolan & McFarlan, 2005). Although the importance of IT governance to business has increased there has been little research into the influences that help determine the planning and implementation of the mechanisms that shape the IT governance process. In addition, there is a need to develop a better insight into stakeholder relationships to analyse strategic change in organisations (Myllykangas, Kujala, & Lehtimäki, 2010).This thesis addresses these gaps in the IT governance literature by providing a deeper understanding of the relationship between the planning and implementation of IT governance, the mechanisms of IT governance, and user stakeholders, from a stakeholder theory perspective. A mixed methods approach using a quantitative survey and a qualitative case study is employed. The research proposes a conceptual model developed from the literature to represent the influence user stakeholders have on the IT governance planning and implementation process. A positivist paradigm is used to explore the research topic and to confirm and subsequently validate the research model. Stakeholder theory is used to help explain the process represented in the model and to answer the research questions developed from the gaps identified in the literature.The key findings of this research are: (i) users have the potential to add value to the IT governance planning and implementation process; (ii) user support and acceptance is an important contributor to IT governance; and (iii) the influence of user stakeholders should be taken into consideration in IT governance planning and implementation. Universities participating in the study were found to share a common IT related history that evolved over time and was unplanned on a university level. Issues of lack of alignment of IT with business strategies, unmanaged IT related risk, and inefficient use of IT resources had led to comprehensive reviews of the IT function and the subsequent implementation of IT governance. It was found that user stakeholders at the faculty level did influence the planning and implementation of IT governance and the benefits of their involvement are recognized and valued by the IT governance decision makers. In contrast the research found at the individual level user stakeholders wanted to be involved in the IT decision making but felt they had no influence and would have little impact on the decisions that affected them.The application of stakeholder theory to help explain the findings provides a valuable insight into the influence of user stakeholders on the planning and implementation of IT governance. A paradox was found in that although user stakeholders were accepted as legitimate, they were not always involved in decisions that impacted on them. The normative and descriptive contradiction, as described by Sonpar, Pazzaglia, & Kornijenko (2010), was also identified in the IT governance planning and implementation process. The normative and descriptive contradiction was found in that those user stakeholders who received the most attention where not always the ones identified by the IT governance decision makers as those who should have the most influence.The research found the research orientation of the university and the resources available had a direct impact on the degree of centralisation of IT decision making. Centralisation in turn affected the degree of user influence on IT governance planning and implementation and the level at which the influence was exercised. The research highlights to universities that they need to ensure stakeholders, including users, are involved in the design of the IT governance process and its ongoing operation. Failure to fulfil the needs of stakeholders can lead to abhorrent behaviour and adversely affect the IT governance operations. This study provides practical guidance to IT management and university executive on the importance of recognising the key influences on the design and ongoing operations of IT governance. The research model detailed in this study gives an informative guide to the critical user influences and their effect on the IT governance process. The research has demonstrated that IT governance is a complex process and to ensure its success, institutions should consider both the social and economic influences and impacts.This research makes an important contribution to IT governance research and theory by identifying the influence user stakeholders have on the IT governance planning and implementation process. The application of stakeholder theory in the research addresses the gap in the literature relating to understanding the influences on the planning and implementation of IT governance in the context of stakeholder theory. The benefits and issues that arise from user stakeholder influence are also explored and provide a deeper insight into the IT governance planning and implementation process for the guidance of organisations undertaking this process. The research conducted should encourage further research into IT governance and the involvement of user stakeholders in the planning and implementation stage

Education for development policy and management: impacts on individual and organizational capacity-building

This research investigates the impact of postgraduate programmes in Development Policy and Management (DPAM) on individual students and on the organizations in which they work. Such programmes have the potential to enhance the capacities of individuals working in a range of organizations directed to poverty reduction, development and wealth creation, from development NGOs to commercial enterprises. The study focused on four programmes in DPAM, three in Southern Africa and one in the UK with a global reach. Three were distance learning programmes and one was block release. All the programmes were informed by an interactive approach and a reflective practitioner philosophy in which course content informs practice and students’ experience is brought to bear on their understandings and use of course content. The study used a survey of students and their line managers (or colleagues who knew their work well), and case studies of students and organizations known to have built capacity and/or brought about changes as a result of students being on a programme. The purpose of the case studies was not simply to corroborate or deepen the survey evidence, but to investigate how capacity-building and change comes about