The Role of Social Media Platforms in Facilitating COVID-19 Pandemic Protocols

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic led to pain and panic across the globe and social media became the base for information sharing and communication. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of social media platforms in facilitating COVID-19 pandemic protocol in society. Methodology: The study looks at the role of social media facilitating COVID-19 pandemic healthcare protocols. The study deployed desktop research methodology to address the research objective. Findings: Through the study, the research established that social media assist people to understand different protocols to protect themselves, keep social or physical distance, stay at home and many more. Originality/Value: The role of social media in society is no longer new, research on the impact in observing COVID-19 pandemic protocols is missing in the literature. Social media provides a decentralized platform for bidirectional communication, information sharing, and the flow of content from different sources. The platforms allow users (individuals) and organizations to generate content and distribute it among the audience in real-time during a crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis that exposed the world’s weak health systems and brought about national lockdowns in different parts of the world. The lockdown measures saw an increased dependence and application of social media platforms to distribute information, communication and content among users. This article looks at the role of social media platforms in facilitating COVID-19 pandemic protocols across the glob

Exploring the application of self-directed and cooperative learning in information systems education: a critical analysis

Learning is a continuous process of acquiring knowledge. Information systems (IS) is a sub-discipline of computing discipline with a focus on providing theory and practical teaching and learning opportunities and experience for students in the area of managing computing resources in an organization and society at large. The application of self-directed and cooperative learning in information systems (IS) education has been an area of interest for researchers and educators. Self-directed learning emphasizes the learner's autonomy, while cooperative learning emphasizes collaboration and communication among learners. This paper presents a critical analysis involving self-directed and cooperative learning in IS education through a rapid review of the application of these learning approaches in IS teaching and learning. This study used a rapid review in searching, identifying, and analyzing relevant peer-review papers in critically analyzing the application of self-directed and cooperative learning in IS teaching and learning process. The analysis was done through a systematic approach reviewing relevant literature and identifying the benefits, challenges, and implications of self-directed and cooperative learning in IS education. The data analysis followed a rapid review approach to reaching the findings. The study revealed the meaning of SDL and CL and their application in IS teaching and learning process. The study also found different models that encourage the application of SDL and CL in IS teaching and learning process. The paper concludes with recommendations for IS educators and suggestions for future studies

Student’s Perception on Culture-Oriented e-Learning System: An Empirical Study

Electronic learning (e-learning) platform is fast growing in the Africa educational system and many students are busy enrolling and accepting it as a means for educational advancement and career achievement channel. An e-learning platform handles students across different cultural settings with various perceptions, learning needs and expectations. Nonetheless, incorporating cultural differences, expectations and perceptions as well as managing them, is challenging on the side of e-learning developers. The challenging aspect of the cultural management of e-learning can be attributed to the software crisis which has lasted for decades now with little or no solution to it. This study tries to understand and determine the perception of students on the development of a culture-oriented e-learning system that can allow them to be able to customise it to suit desired features in their home language at all times. The study also determines the factors and components that necessitate the implementation of the culture-oriented e-learning system. This study was carried out using quantitative research method among the students of North-West University, South Africa with a total number of 728 questionnaires collected and analysed. The perception of the involved students was mixed in the sense that some of them preferred to use English language as a medium of learning in e-learning while others would like the e-learning system platform to be designed and developed between their home language and English language. Again, their challenges range from lack of engagement to the inflexible e-learning system leading to the discovering of factors that facilitate culture-oriented e-learning system

Toward the Development of a Revised Technology Acceptance Model

This study develops and proposes an extended technology adoption model based on the vast literature. The proposed revised technology adoption model is a five-layer evaluation model that can be used to determine the variables that influence individuals’ and organizations’ embrace of new technologies. The existing technology acceptance model (TAM) and its modifications (TAM2 and TAM3) have been applied for decades in varied disciplines, including marketing and information systems, to better predict generic human perceptions, behaviors, and attitudes toward new and existing technologies. The revised TAM is less generic and includes variables pertaining to culture-tech (indigenization) that predict user behaviors and intentions to adopt new technology. This proposed TAM offers the potential to engineer destruction in the development of culture-tech or indigenous technology by allowing local customization of technological contents and features to meet the needs of individuals and organizations, especially those in developing and emerging countries. The revised TAM, if supported empirically, will guide researchers and developers to capitalize on technology innovation rooted in users’ indigenous and personal attributes and characteristics

Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Challenges and Mitigation Mechanisms

This study deployed desktop research methodology in seeking to understand the cybersecurity challenges confronting Internet of Things (IoT) and the mitigation mechanisms. Objects are no longer independent from each other; rather, connectivity through the power of the internet has connected them. IoT is no longer a new invention or innovation in the technology industry and human lives. The concept is widely used in different industries such as healthcare, food, finance, manufacturing, government, insurance, oil and gas, transportation, postal services, defence, and many more. These industries are using the ability of IoT to function optimally in facilitating different activities. Users of technology devices use IoT devices in homes, offices, and other places to increase productivity and efficiency daily. This article analyses the cybersecurity challenges of IoT and its mitigation mechanisms. The findings identified different cybersecurity challenges confronting IoT and the ways to mitigate them

The impact of social media on social lifestyle: a case study of University female students

The impact of social media (SM) or new media (NM) in our education institutions and society today are undoubtedly overwhelming. Students in the developed and developing countries are becoming more addicted to social media and its applications for various reasons. These reasons can lead to change in social and personal lifestyle both academically and off-academic. This study aims to assess the impact of social media on female student's social lifestyle. The study deployed a quantitative research methodology involving questionnaire research instrument among 69 female students in the North-West University, South Africa. The findings include the followings; social media refines how female students think, interact, communicate, fall in love, their social lifestyle and many more

From decolonisation to digitalisation of education in South Africa

This article focuses on the literature related to the on-going discussions on decolonisation of education system and other sectors in South Africa and the digitalisation of teaching and learning in the country and continent at large. South Africa is going through the post-colonial experience and a recovering process from the wounds of apartheid, with many calling for immediate decolonisation of the entire education system. This decolonisation process cannot be complete without the recognition of African indigenous knowledge systems (AIKS) and the effective integration of the process into digitalisation both for the education system and the content thereof. The study discover a number of facets on decolonisation, Africanisation and digitalisation. This study provides privileges on the role of technology in making decolonisation effective in the 21st century education system. It recommended that successful decolonisation of teaching and learning process and other sectors should be through the alignment and integration with Africanisation and digitalisation initiatives. Finally, a comprehensive DDPM (see Figure 1) was formulated to facilitate an effective implementation of education decolonisation process

Towards a culture-oriented e-Learning System Development Framework in higher education institutions in South Africa

PhD (Information Systems), North-West University, Mafikeng CampusOver four decades ago, software design and development was marked with crisis as a result of a number of reasons and the development has led to a chain of transformation mainly in the area of methodologies and approaches used during the development procedures. The crisis is still on-going not minding the huge efforts applied by researchers to preclude the issue. Nonetheless, the crisis affects the implementation of e-learning system in the area of integration of learner’s culture in the development process and designing culture-oriented e-Learning system. Culture-oriented e-Learning system has not been addressed nor given attention in the on-going development crisis. Although some researches claim to have reduced the effect of software crisis with the evolution of new approaches, frameworks, paradigms and methodologies. In an effort to understand culture in an organisation, Hofstede researched extensively in 1980’s on the impact upon national and organisational culture in an organisation and many other researchers followed suit to attain concord with his research findings. But the truth of the matter is that these researchers’ efforts and the findings failed to recognise or present individual cultures and cultural factors in the development of any e-Learning systems. Furthermore, South Africa is a country with eleven (11) official languages and different cultural practices spreading across nine (9) provinces. The choice of learning tools is influenced by these languages and cultures. South African societal values can be influential in e-Learning set-up and environment. Human learning capacity is influenced by many factors like culture. Organisations and educational institutions are trying hard in making teaching and learning widely available to learners at all times, but cultural influence can be regarded as crisis during the development and implementation process. In making e-Learning user-friendly, teachers (instructors) and researchers have researched implementable programmes on e-Learning. Some studies show that e-Learning has the potential of making communication between instructors (lecturers) and learners (students) more effective and efficient. In spite of all these, students do drop out from courses on e-Learning. Nonetheless a lesson can be derive from Chinese culture because a released report shows that Chinese culture is teaching and learning (teacher-oriented) friendly, Chinese students do not favour constructive learning environment compared to blended-teaching and learning environment. In the SA education context, students are coming from different backgrounds, societies, cultures and with different characteristics, specifications and learning styles. The fact that learners come from different cultural-backgrounds posed a challenge to capture culture and in the development of the e-Learning system. The inability to capture learners’ cultural differences has led to participants suggesting the user(s) involvement and consultation in the design process and inclusion of the following components: cultural, community, administrative, content, learning style, Activity/Exercise Factor (AEF) and others will led to culture-oriented e-Learning system design and implementation. The constructive research approach (CRA) was truly suitable for this study in developing a culture-oriented framework. A data was collected via mixed research approach by means of structured interviews and closed-ended questionnaires from North-West University (NWU); University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and University of Cape Town (UCT). The interview aimed at e-Learning developers and administrators while the closed-ended questionnaires derived data from learners (students) that use e-Learning platform on daily basis. Lastly, findings were drawn based on data collected by which “Seven cycle culture-oriented e-Learning system framework” (SCCOe-LSF) was developed. The new framework will assist to accommodate learners’ culture differences in the development and implementation of culture-oriented e-Learning system. Also, this e-Learning framework will help in achieving a desired teaching and learning purpose and addressing the long standing software crisis and development needs. At the end, a conclusion was drawn and recommendations made on future improvement and studies.Doctora

The impact of social media on social lifestyle: a case study of university female students

The impact of social media (SM) or new media (NM) in our education institutions and society today are undoubtedly overwhelming. Students in the developed and developing countries are becoming more addicted to social media and its applications for various reasons. These reasons can lead to change in social and personal lifestyle both academically and off-academic. This study aims to assess the impact of social media on female student’s social lifestyle. The study deployed a quantitative research methodology involving questionnaire research instrument among 69 female students in the North-West University, South Africa. The findings include the followings; social media refines how female students think, interact, communicate, fall in love, their social lifestyle and many more

The use of ChatGPT in higher education: The advantages and disadvantages

Higher education scholars are interested in an artificial intelligence (AI) technology called ChatGPT, which was developed by OpenAI. Whether ChatGPT can improve learning is still a topic of debate among experts. This concise overview of the literature examines the application of ChatGPT in higher education to comprehend and produce high-level instruction. By examining the essential literature, this study seeks to provide a thorough assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing ChatGPT in higher education settings. But it's crucial to consider both the positive and negative elements. For this rapid review, the researcher searched Google Scholar, Scopus, and others between January 2023 and July 2023 for prior research from various publications. These studies were examined. The study found that employing ChatGPT in higher education is beneficial for a number of reasons. It can provide individualized instruction, and prompt feedback, facilitate access to learning, and promote student interaction. These benefits could improve the learning environment and make it more fun for academics and students. The cons of ChatGPT are equally present. These problems include the inability to comprehend emotions, the lack of social interaction chances, technological limitations, and the dangers of depending too much on ChatGPT for higher education. Higher education should combine ChatGPT with other teaching techniques to provide students and lecturers with a comprehensive education. However, it is crucial to consider the positives, negatives, and moral issues before adopting ChatGPT in the classroom