Staff development for innovative teaching and learning at the University of South Africa

The evolution of technologies used for learning in open distance learning (ODL) has compelled academics to upgrade their teaching skills and competencies in order to teach in an ever-changing environment. While the earlier ODL generations were characterised by the use of written, printed texts, radio, television, print media and postal services, the current generations are characterised by the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance teaching and learning. This study explored the experiences of academics who participated in the staff development courses for innovative teaching and learning at the University of South Africa. To explore the experiences, a qualitative research design of a phenomenological genre was adopted. Using interviews, data was collected from six purposively selected academics and analysed following Giorgi’s phenomenological methods. The academics’ experiences and concerns provided some insight into their development needs and how they would have liked to have been developed for innovative teaching. It emerged that staff development provided valuable knowledge, skills and competencies, enabling and promoting innovative forms of e-teaching and learning. These experiences and concerns were synthesised into a staff development framework consisting of four phases: Orientation; Learning; Acquisition of skills and Competencies; and Performance indicating that effective staff development requires that participants are initially orientated to the training programme before exposure to authentic learning activities. Through this exposure they acquire the vital online teaching skills and competencies thereby enhancing their performance as online teachers. The staff development framework indicated further that for effective staff development to take place, the different phases should not only be supported by university management but also by an evaluation mechanism to establish whether the objectives in each phase have been achieved. It also emerged that time played an important role in staff development, as the duration of each phase and the development intervention as a whole affects how well academics are able to acquire and perfect their teaching skills.Curriculum and Instructional StudiesD. Ed. (Curriculum Studies

Exploring Teacher Learning Experiences in one Open University in South Africa: a Training Framework

Abstract: This paper explores how academics in one South African Open University, experience learning in order to hasten the impact of their innovative teaching and student learning. It also aims at the formulation of a training framework to guide teacher learning. A qualitative phenomenological research design as advocated by Giorgi and Giorgi (2009) was adopted for this study. The research questions posed were: How do academics experience academic development and which teacher learning framework could be used to enhance academic development for ODL teachers to teach innovatively? The study found that the university introduced an academic training programme to the participants (orientation).The orientation prepared them for practical training (learning). Through learning, they were empowered with skills and competencies (skills acquisition) that enabled them to work (performance) as online teachers. The participants further noted that for a training programme to be successful, it must be long in duration, evaluated and have the support of University management. All the participants learning experiences and concerns were synthesised into a training framework. It was recommended that academic development programmes run for longer durations and should be supported by institutional leadership. An evaluation mechanism should be introduced and adhered to, to ensure achievement of all objectives in every training phase.Keywords: Academic development, Open University, training frame work, Innovative teachin

Trends in eBusiness and eGovernment

Technology affects all areas. Business and government processes are changing with the use of the internet, mobile devices, internet of things, blockchain, machine learning, artificial intelligence and many other new technologies. In this book, it is aimed to focus the use of technology, new trends in business life and government covering the studies in all sub-areas of Information Systems, Knowledge Management, eBusiness, eCommerce, eMarketing, mCommerce, eGovernment, ePublic Services, eGovernance etc. The book consists of 7 chapters. Book chapter authors are reputable scientists from different countries of the world. The first chapter is a critical review and a case study in e-Business, with special attention to the digital currencies resource and its possibilities. The second chapter attempts to incorporate the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model with perceived risk theory (security risk and privacy risk) to explore its impact towards the intention to use m-government services. The third chapter aims to assess the level of gender inclusivity in the municipal e-procurement processes in the City of Johannesburg as a case study. The fourth chapter examines the impediments that derail the intensive uptake of eLearning programmes in a particular higher education institution. The fifth chapter investigated the role of Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) in enhancing the export performance of firms operating within the manufacturing sector in Zimbabwe. In the sixth chapter, a survey was undertaken on 131 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from Pelagonija region in order to determine the current level of SME digitalization within the region. It is aimed to compare with European Union (EU) average and to make conclusions on the impact of the SME digitalization to region gross domestic product (GDP) growth as well as revenues collection. The last chapter's purpose was to develop a measuring and modelling framework/instrument of Internet banking service quality (IBSQ) for the South African banking sector

Adult educators' espoused and actual orientations to teaching.

Current literature on adult education indicates that educators’ teaching orientations are informed by their beliefs, assumptions and views (also called personal teaching theories) about teaching. Educators normally hold two sets of theories, viz; those that they espouse and those that inform their actual behaviour, daily actions and classroom practices. In this study I make a distinction between espoused personal theories and espoused teaching orientations. In the context of the study, I use the latter to refer to methods or approaches educators believe could be used to achieve the objectives of adult education. On the other hand, espoused personal teaching theories refer to the educators’ personal beliefs and assumptions about teaching that influence their teaching orientations. Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) educators are increasingly espousing learning-centred teaching orientations. These are orientations that emphasize cooperative and participative teaching methods or approaches. Though educators generally espouse learning-centred teaching orientations, they in reality use teacher-centred orientations, these being orientations characterized by a one-way transmission of information from the educator to the learner. The educator dominates the learning experience to the detriment of the learners. Espousing a learning-centred orientation to teaching and implementing a teacher-centred one inevitably creates a discrepancy between the educators’ espoused and actual teaching orientations. This study sought to develop a substantive grounded theory to explain this discrepancy. In doing so I used a qualitative approach grounded in a constructivist paradigm, with semi-structured interviews. I analyzed the data through the constant comparative method. I eventually came up with the “Theory of ABET educators’ espoused and actual teaching orientations: explaining the discrepancy between the two.” It stated thus, ABET educators’ interpretation of teaching and learning inform their espoused teaching orientations. However interplay between a number of factors and conditions that include poorly structured lessons, inability to effect learning-centred curriculums and de-motivated learners negate the implementation of the espoused teaching orientations, and re-enforce the use of traditional teaching orientations that are epitomized by information transfer. This creates a discrepancy between the educators’ espoused and actual teaching orientations.Prof. S.J. Gravet

EXPLORING ACADEMICS’ ESPOUSED AND ACTUAL TEACHINGORIENTATIONS AT A SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY

Academics have aresponsibility of ensuring that teaching achieves its purpose.They areentrusted with the responsibility of ensuring students’ personaldevelopment, acquisition of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It isimportant that by the end of the coursethe students have the capacity to solveindividual and societal problems. This can only be realised if the academics’teaching orientations support learning. However, whilst academics espouseteaching orientations that support learning,in practice they employorientationsthat impede meaningful learning. Thisstudy explores the concepts oflearning andteaching and links them to the espoused and actual teaching orientations ofacademics at a university in South Africa,explaining why academics’ espousedorientations differ from orientations in use.The study adopted an inductiveresearch paradigm that followed a qualitative research approach. Data werecollected through semi-structured interviews from selected academicsat theuniversity and iteratively and reflexively analysed.Inadequate time, lack of skills,demotivated students and academics inability to reflect on their teachingorientations emerged as important factors to explainthediscrepancybetweenacademics’ espoused and actual teaching orientations.It also emerged thatacademics’ interpretation of the concepts ‘teaching’ and ‘learning’ influencedtheir espoused teaching orientations.The studyrecommends among several otherthings professional training of the academics

FACULTY-PERCEIVED CONSTRAINTS TOWARDS EMBRACING TRANSFORMATIVE eLEARNING TECHNOLOGIES AT A SOUTH AFRICAN TERTIARY INSTITUTION

FACULTY-PERCEIVED CONSTRAINTS TOWARDS EMBRACING TRANSFORMATIVE eLEARNING TECHNOLOGIES AT A SOUTH AFRICAN TERTIARY INSTITUTIO