USAGE OF STUDENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (SAMS); A case study of user perceptions at an Australia university

Student and Administrative Management Systems (SAMS) have been widely implemented in educationalinstitutions and universities worldwide. SAMS is designed to assist and improve performed by administrators,academics, and students. However, with widespread usage of these systems in universities throughout the world,the evaluation of the task-enhancing features of such systems to users becomes critical. The objective of thisstudy is to explore the use of SAMS as perceived by users as; academics, administrative staffs, systemadministrators, and students in Australia university (AU). The examination uncovered the difficulties associatedwith SAMS usage and resultant actions undertaken by users. These users were facing more difficulty to use thesystems due to such the misfits from the implementation and organization setting. In respond, workarounds takeplace when the system can not delivery or support to the usage

The usage of student administrative management systems: a case study of Australian and Thai University

Despite the growing adoption and popularity of Student Administrative Management Systems (SAMS) in universities worldwide; however there has been little examination of how SAMS are used in universities. Thus, the aim of this research is to make a contribution to organisations such as universities and higher educational institutions through increasing their understanding of the outcomes of using SAMS. This research studies the usage of SAMS in the Australian and Thai universities. Accordingly, two representative universities in Australia and Thailand respectively are chosen on the basis that both institutions have implemented SAMS. The study adopts a qualitative approach in order to explore the rich data provided by participants. Focus groups, interviews and field observations have been the principal data collection methods. Specifically, Grounded Theory has been employed to analyse the data by identifying the phenomena and the consequences resulting from the case studies, with the literature survey providing an initial conceptual framework for this research. In this research, the analysis of data revealed the factors that influence on system usage across specified groups of users. The study also discovered that systems are affected by the organisations in which they are located and system constraints. The major conceptualisation from this research is the notion of poor system quality which implies that SAMS is misaligned. Another point to consider is that system usage is significant to the task as well as the users, because systems are mandated for specific and important tasks. In the universities, the users created and implemented a variety of workarounds to manage and execute their tasks. As a result, the implications of the workarounds were identified, reflecting the context of the university setting. In this research, the substantive theory was developed to help organisations better understand the usage of SAMS in the university environment. Understanding the SAMS usage in higher education environments provides an important step for contributing and supporting future studies of system usage

Major aviation accident investigation methodologies used by ITSA members

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13 framework for aviation investigation is longstanding and well developed but does not require or audit use of methodologies for investigation analysis, including research literature safety/accident models (SAMs). Government Safety Investigation Authority (SIA) websites rarely mention methodologies. Limited published research engages directly with SIAs. A research/practice gap has been suggested. To address ICAO, SIA and research gaps, this qualitative multi-case study examines SIA use and documentation of methodologies for accident analysis. Nine of seventeen SIA members of the International Transportation Safety Association (ITSA) that investigate aviation accidents agreed to participate and provided written answers to our research questions, relevant internal documentation, and exemplar investigation reports. Our key findings are that participant SIAs have augmented ICAO requirements internally by their use of methodologies but that this usage was generally not obvious in published investigation reports and other SIA website material. It also varied significantly among the participants. All participant SIAs reported use of multiple methodologies, sometimes in the same investigation. Explicitly reported SIA methodology usage included: six Reason-based, six Rasmussen-based, three ‘recent systemic’, five ‘BowTie’, five ‘bespoke’, and seven using various other methodologies like ‘SHELL’. The industry impact of this qualitative research is hoped to be significant by being shared with participant SIAs unaware of each other\u27s practice, enabling consideration of different options. It can inform additional aviation SIAs, ICAO, air safety investigators, and other high-risk industry regulators and investigators. Safety researchers may be better placed to develop SAMs with greater practical industry relevance

European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN). Conference Proceedings

Erasmus+ Programme of the European UnionThe powerful combination of the information age and the consequent disruption caused by these unstable environments provides the impetus to look afresh and identify new models and approaches for education (e.g. OERs, MOOCs, PLEs, Learning Analytics etc.). For learners this has taken a fantastic leap into aggregating, curating and co-curating and co-producing outside the boundaries of formal learning environments – the networked learner is sharing voluntarily and for free, spontaneously with billions of people.Supported by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Unioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse

Financial accountability and reporting by governing bodies of public schools in South Africa

Abstract in English, Xhosa and Southern SothoThis study was about the lack of uniform financial reporting guidelines to be used by South African School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in preparing their financial statements and financial records, which resulted in the inconsistencies and the lack of comparability in the financial statements of section 21 schools. The researcher aimed to develop recommended practice guidelines to be used by SGBs of public schools in South Africa when preparing their financial statements. The research was conducted through a qualitative approach using document analysis, supplemented by individual interviews. Provincial guidelines and selected schools’ financial statements were analysed. Schools’ principals, finance officers, auditors, School Governing Body treasurers, as well as districts officials were interviewed. The participants were selected using a purposive sampling method. Without generalising, the findings revealed that the existing provincial guidelines as well as the financial statements of the selected schools, are not consistent. The inconsistencies affect the comparability of the financial information negatively and that may also have negative impact on the reliability of financial information. The findings from the interviews, supported by the literature review, revealed that there is a need for uniform guidelines in terms of preparation of schools’ financial statements. The findings also revealed that the majority of SGBs opt for the examination of accounting records and financial statements instead of the audit thereof. Recommended practice guidelines were developed using information acquired through the literature review and the data acquired through document analysis and interviews. The study recommended amongst others that a further study be conducted on the effectiveness of financial management training in addressing the financial reporting challenges of South African public schools and whether the examination (instead of audit) of schools’ financial records and financial statements should still be acceptable.Thutopatlisiso eno e batlisisitse go tlhokagala ga kaedi e e tshwanang ya dipegelo tsa ditšhelete e e ka dirisiwang ke Makgotlataolo a Dikolo tsa Aforikaborwa (diSGB) fa a baakanya dikanego tsa ona tsa ditšhelete mmogo le direkoto tsa ditšhelete, e leng se se bakileng gore go se nne le go tsamaelana le tlhaelo mo ntlheng ya tshwantshanyego ya dikanego tsa ditšhelete tsa dikolo tsa Karolo 21. Maikaelelo a mmatlisisi e ne e le go tlhama kaedi e e tlaa atlenegisiwang ya tiriso e e tlaa dirisiwang ke diSGB tsa dikolo tsa setšhaba mo Aforikaborwa fa di baakanya dikanego tsa tsona tsa ditšhelete. Thutopatlisiso e dirilwe ka mokgwatebo o o lebelelang mabaka go dirisiwa tshekatsheko ya dikwalo, e tshegediwa ke dipotsolotso tsa batho bongwe ka bongwe. Go sekasekilwe kaedi ya porofense le dikanego tsa ditšhelete tsa dikolo tse di tlhophilweng. Go botsoloditswe bagokgo ba dikolo, batlhankedi ba ditšhelete, baruni, batshwaratlotlo ba Makgotlataolo a Dikolo, gammogo le batlhankedi ba dikgaolo. Bannileseabe ba tlhophilwe ka go dirisa mokgwa wa go tlhopha sampole ka maikaelelo. Kwa ntle ga go akaretsa, diphitlhelelo di bontshitse gore kaedi ya ga jaana ya porofense gammogo le dikanego tsa ditšhelete tsa dikolo tse di tlhophilweng, ga di tsamaelane. Go tlhoka go tsamaelana go ama go tshwantshanyega ga tshedimosetso ya ditšhelete ka tsela e e bosula mme seo se ka ama go ikanyega ga tshedimosetso ya ditšhelete. Diphitlhelelo go tswa mo dipotsolotsong, di tshegediwa ke tshekatsheko ya dikwalo, di senotse gore go na le tlhokego ya gore go nne le kaedi e e tshwanang malebana le go baakanngwa ga dikanego tsa ditšhelete tsa dikolo. Gape bontsi jwa diSGB bo itlhophela gore go tlhatlhobiwe direkoto tsa palotlotlo le dikanego tsa ditšhelete go na le gore di runiwe. Go tlhamilwe kaedi ya tiro e e atlenegisiwang go dirisiwa tshedimosetso e e bonweng ka tshekatsheko ya dikwalo le data e e bonweng mo tshekatshekong ya dikwalo le dipotsolotso. Thutopatlisiso e atlenegisitse, gareng ga tse dingwe, gore go nne le thutopatlisiso e nngwe ya nonofo ya katiso ya botsamaisi jwa ditšhelete malebana le go samagana le dikgwetlho tsa dipegelo tsa ditšhelete mo dikolong tsa setšhaba tsa Aforikaborwa gammogo le go bona gore a tlhatlhobo (go na le boruni) ya direkoto tsa ditšhelete le dikanego tsa ditšhelete tsa sekolo e sa ntse e tshwanetse go amogelesegaNdzavisiso lowu wu lavisise hi makombandlela ya ndlela yo fanana yo endla xiviko xa swa timali leswi swi faneleke ku tirhisiwa hi va Tihuvo ta Vufambisi bya Swikolo eAfrika Dzonga ku nga South African School Governing Bodies (SGBs) ku lulamisela switatimende swa timali na tirhekhodo ta timali, leswi nga vangela leswaku ku va na mafambiselo yo ka ya nga fanani na ku va swilo swi nga pimanyiseki kahle eka switatimende swa timali eka swikolo swa Xiyenge 21. Muendli wa ndzavisiso u ve na xikongomelo xa ku endla xibumabumelo hi maendlelo na makombandlela lama ya faneleke ku tirhisiwa hi ti-SGB ta swikolo swa mfumo eAfrika Dzonga, loko swi lulamisa switatimende swa timali. Ndzavisiso wu endliwe hi ku landza fambiselo ra qualitative hi ku xopaxopa tidokumente, ku tlhela ku endliwa na mimburisano ya ti-interview na vanhu hi wun'we-wun'we. Makombandlela ya xifundzhankulu na switatimende swa timali swa swikolo swi xopaxopiwile. Ku endliwe mimburisano ya ti-interview na tinhloko ta swikolo (vaprinsipala), vaofisara va swa timali, vakamberi va swa timali (ti-odithara), vatameri va minkwama ya Tihuvo ta Vufambisi bya Swikolo (School Governing Body treasurers) xikan'we na vaofisara va tidistriki na vona ku endliwe mimburisano ya ti-interview na vona. Vokhoma-xiave va hlawuriwe hi ku tirhisa fambiselo ra sampuli ya xikongomelo ku nga purposive sampling method. Handle ko navisa vuyelo eka hinkwavo, vuyelo byi kume leswo makombandlela ya xifundzhankulu na switatimende swa timali eka swikolo swo karhi, a swi fanani. Ku hambana swi endla leswo ku nga vi na ku fambelana na ku pimanyiseka ka vutivi bya swa timali, na swona swi na vuyelo byo ka byi nga ri kahle na ku tshembeka eka vutivi bya swa timali. Vuyelo eka mimburisano ya ti-interview, hi ku seketeriwa hi ku hlayiwa ka matsalwa, swi kombise leswo ku na xilaveko xa makombandlela ya ku fanana hi ku landza ku lulamisiwa ka switatimende swa ta timali lomu swikoleni. Vunyingi bya ti-SGB byi endla na nkambelo kunene wa tirhekhodi ta timali na switatimende swa timali ku tlula ku lava leswo ku endliwa nxopanxopo lowu fambisanaka na ku xopaxopa vumbhoni bya swa matirhiselo ya timali ku nga auditing ya tibuku ta timali. Makombandlela lama ya bumabumeriwaka ya endliwe hi ku tirhisa vutivi lebyi nga kumeka eka ku hlayiwa ka matsalwa na data leyi nga kumeka hi ku xopaxopa tidokumente na mimburisano ya ti-interview. Ndzavisiso wu bumabumela, exikarhi ka swin'wana leswo ku endliwa ndzavisiso wun'wana hi ku tirheka ka vuleteri bya mafambiselo ya swa timali eka ku langutana na mintlhontlho leyi nga kona hi ku vika hi swa timali eswikolweni swa mfumo eAfrika Dzonga, no kumisisa leswo xana nkambelo kunene (ku nga ri nxopanxopo lowu xopaxopaku na vumbhoni ku nga auditing) ya tirhekhodo ta timali na switatimende swa timali swa ha fanela ku amukeriwa xanaCollege of Accounting SciencesD. Phil. (Accounting Sciences

Design Principles for Special Purpose, Embodied, Conversational Intelligence with Environmental Sensors (SPECIES) Agents

As information systems increase their ability to gather and analyze data from the natural environment and as computational power increases, the next generation of human-computer interfaces will be able to facilitate more lifelike and natural interactions with humans. This can be accomplished by using sensors to non-invasively gather information from the user, using artificial intelligence to interpret this information to perceive users’ emotional and cognitive states, and using customized interfaces and responses based on embodied-conversational-agent (avatar) technology to respond to the user. We refer to this novel and unique class of intelligent agents as Special Purpose Embodied Conversational Intelligence with Environmental Sensors (SPECIES) agents. In this paper, we build on interpersonal communication theory to specify four essential design principles of all SPECIES agents. We also share findings of initial research that demonstrates how SPECIES agents can be deployed to augment human tasks. Results of this paper organize future research efforts in collectively studying and creating more robust, influential, and intelligent SPECIES agents

Investigating academics' voluntary usage of a learning management system

This research investigates the voluntary usage of learning management system (LMS) in a blended learning environment used by academics. The problem this research seeks to answer is: how do academics use the LMS in a voluntary context? This investigation was conducted in Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU – IIT), a university based in Southern Philippines. Thirty-three academics from different disciplines and professional levels participated in this study. Two major processes were carried out in this investigation: one-on-one in-depth interview; and analysis of computer logs of each of these participants. The mixed data were analysed using a grounded theory approach. The overarching findings in this study suggest that academics have different levels of acceptance of using the LMS. The benefits they get from using the LMS are associated with their motivation and their own disposition to use the system. More importantly, the study has provided support that academic disciplines have crucial influences to the voluntary usage of the LMS. This research found that there are varied approaches for each course, and more specifically, on subject content that can best fit a blended delivery of instruction. This thesis is significant in two aspects: Firstly, a model has emerged that has incorporated the four concepts: the drivers’ concept and three environmental constraints concepts, which are: training, learning environment, and institutional level constraints. Secondly, this study has provided a solid groundwork for the proposed model of voluntary LMS usage presented in this study. A framework that highlights necessary measures to increase or improve the voluntary use of the LMS was proposed. It is important to consider that academics’ use of the LMS largely rely on the conditions they are in. Academics’ voluntary use of the system can be influenced by the socio-technological landscape of the learning environment. Thus, this thesis proposed a measure of voluntary LMS usage as an ‘extra rich’ measure described as: the extent and way to which the user employs the system to carry out tasks given the environmental conditions that the user is situated

Inside the Flip: A Look at Teacher Motivations and Activities in Flipped Classrooms

In the educational setting of the 21st Century and with requirements imposed on schools through state and federal mandates such as the Every Student Succeeds Act, teachers are looking for ways bring additional higher level activities and collaboration into their classrooms. These requirements along with increased educational technologies in schools have many teachers exploring the flipped classroom model of instruction. In a flipped classroom, educators flip direct classroom instruction and traditional homework or practice. Students might watch a lecture video at home covering a concept at home and then apply the concept to problems in class with the aid of the teacher or engage in collaborative application with their classmates. After almost two decades of teachers implementing this model and research, little of that research exists at grade levels 6-12, the grade range in which the majority of flipped classroom instructors report that they teach. Additionally, much of the research conducted at those levels involves either student perceptions of the model or the impact course grades. This study looked inside the flipped classrooms of seven middle and high school teachers from a variety of subject areas including mathematics, science, Spanish, and social studies. Data for the study were collected through interviews, lesson plans and materials, as well as through a classroom observation of each teacher in order to gain a rounded picture of what educational activities were taking place inside of flipped classrooms. Furthermore, this study sought to look at the teachers’ motivations for using the model and to see if more activities were taking place in their classrooms

Increasing the impact of ICT in language learning: Investigating the effect of teachers’ ownership of microblending CALL in the classroom within the WST model of ICT use.

This thesis aims to address why the adoption of CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) within the language classroom is so varied, and its success so unclear, despite fifty years of investment and research. The huge promise of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) driven results has created an imbalance in language teaching, where initiatives are brought about from outside the classroom, with teachers held accountable for their adoption. My reading of the literature is that lack of consideration of the teacher’s role in implementation of classroom technology has led to mismatched expectations and performance. If the nature of the teacher’s contribution is recognized, I believe that this can lead to more effective use of ICT, which I have set out to show. My study, based on a survey of 319 EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers across the international group of 31 schools in which I work, seeks to put the teacher back into the picture by examining where their enacted beliefs in social constructivist pedagogy best align with classroom use of digital technology. I coin this emerging praxis ‘microblending’, a pedagogy rooted in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theory and contemporary methodology, and I seek to demonstrate its relevance in this study I test the viability of measuring teacher’s microblending readiness through application of Technology Acceptance Modelling (TAM) in an EFL setting to produce a model that explains the variation in classroom use of ICT. My model is based on a critical replication of the WST (‘Will, Skill, Tool’) model, a TAM model which has so far only been used in mainstream classroom teaching. I have updated, created and piloted new instruments within the scope of the study, which are now already in use within the institution where I carried out my investigations. Using both linear regression and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) techniques I explored how these measurements of the learning environment can explain a teacher’s application of technology. This first attempt appears to explain over 89% of the variation in classroom use of technology, which already exceeds the predictive power of several contemporary models in use in parallel fields of education. Given further work to refine and apply the model, a valuable improvement could be made in how teachers work with ICT in the language classroom for improved learning outcomes