Determinants of cloud computing: adoption and application by high school learners

The current study investigated the determinants of Internet services’ adoption and use among high school learners in the East London Education District, in the Eastern Cape. Underpinned by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, the research questions included: (1) What is the effect of performance expectancy on the learner’s intention to adopt and use Internet services? (2) What degree of variation exists for effort expectancy on the learner’s intention to adopt and use Internet services? (3) How much of the determinants explain the usage of Internet services? (4) Which is (are) the best predictor(s) of Internet service usage given a set of determinants? (5) What is the effect of confounding variables (if any) on Internet services’ adoption and usage? (6) Which model can be designed based on the best predictor(s) of Internet services’ adoption and usage for secondary school learners? A quantitative approach based on the positivist paradigm was used to quantify the relationships among various factors that contribute to Internet services’ adoption and use. The research design used was a survey. Data were collected through structured questionnaires. Out of 286 questionnaires issued, the response rate was 40.6%. The study sample size was 116 high school learners using simple random sampling. The data was analysed using the multiple regression analysis technique, and Pearson correlations. Out of the four determinants from the UTAUT, performance expectancy was the strongest predictor of intention to adopt Internet services. Large positive correlations ranging from r = 0.638 up to r = 0.989 were found among performance expectancy and effort expectancy variables towards the intention to use Internet services, significant at p < 0.05. To enhance the efficiency of the UTAUT model, this study has designed the Adoption and Application of Technology for Learning (AATL) model, which added the price of Internet, persistent use of Internet, and perceptions about Internet use

An analysis of indigenous knowledge systems: implications for agricultural extension education with particular reference to natural resource management in Zimbabwe

The objective of the study was to develop a theoretical framework for analyzing and utilizing indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) information on natural resources in agricultural extension education. IKS are characterized by an integrated system of cognition, beliefs, values and practices that are pervasive in life. The emerging aspects of cognitive psychology and emic-etic perspectives required to handle IKS corresponded to a confluent curriculum. This curriculum integrates the affective domain with the cognitive and psychomotor domains to add meaning to what is learned. The confluent curriculum approach was modified to highlight the philosophical and psychological (beliefs and values) needs to facilitate the recognition, acceptance and utilization of IKS by institutions, professionals, and farmers in extension programs;Qualitative research methods were used to collect data. The data include oral literature (proverbs) and secondary data. In addition, ethnographic data using unstructured interview format was collected between 1985 and 1988 in rural areas of Zimbabwe;Literary and content analysis and intellectual history technique were used for organizing and analyzing data;Major findings of the study are: (a) IKS are integrated systems of cognition, values, beliefs and practices; (b) knowledge reflecting the behavior of humans vis-a-vis the environment is often encapsulated in proverbs, taboos, myths, rituals and ceremonies that are seen as illogical or superstitious from an emic-etic perspective; (c) extension education and training and practice lack an emic-etic perspective to conduct meaningful dialogue with clientele; (d) a confluent curriculum can promote an emic-etic perspective; and (e) generation of knowledge and values relevant to contemporary environmental demands is a possible joint Research and Development (R & D) venture between professionals and farmers on the basis of IKS

Grade 12 learners' perceptions of their vulnerability to HIV-infections : a study in the Eastern Cape

The purpose of the study was to investigate Grade 12 learners’ perceptions of their vulnerability to HIV infections in order to gain insight of their experiences on HIV and AIDS at schools in the Eastern Cape. This was done by using a mixed method approach where focus-group discussions and questionnaires were used to gather data. This study found that the teaching of HIV and AIDS or Life Skills is not adequate. It is possible that the lack of learner involvement in the design and implementation of the programmes could be one of the reasons why there is low participation by learners in intervention programmes in schools, as noted in this study. There is need for strong advocacy on the use of condoms as a preventive measure against unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) including HIV. More involvement in extra-curricular activities would help learners to develop self-esteem and the ability to resist drugs and other risky sexual behaviours.Social WorkM.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV & AIDS

A proposed sustainable funding framework for the public broadcaster in South Africa

Public service broadcasting in South Africa is the responsibility of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), which is the only national public service broadcaster mandated through the South African Broadcasting Act. Consequently, the SABC is meant to be a tool for information, entertainment and education that is accessible by all citizens, regardless of their social and economic status in the community. However, like all enterprises, the SABC requires a sustainable source of revenue to function effectively. It is of the utmost importance that the SABC has the necessary resources and stable source of revenue to fulfil its public service responsibilities, as a lack of proper resources and insufficient funds can hinder the provision of these services. The global economic crisis has put all public and private sector companies under financial pressure. The effect of this financial pressure was felt by the SABC and led to financial loss, subsequently posing a serious threat to the financial sustainability of the SABC. Given this situation, this study sought to develop a sustainable funding framework by identifying factors that influence the financial sustainability of the public broadcaster in South Africa and to provide alternative strategies for improving the financial sustainability of the public broadcaster in South Africa, which has thus far proved unsustainable and insecure. Past research has focused mainly on defining a public service broadcaster or a public mandate, or considered the future of public service broadcasters. In these past studies, researchers mostly debated the SABC funding challenges without attempting to develop a funding framework for the SABC. To achieve the objectives of this study a quantitative approach using a web-based distribution survey method was adopted to test the hypotheses. The participants were randomly selected in each provincial SABC office from the database of managers, unionised and non-unionised employees, as well as the database list of freelancers. A total of 432 participants, selected through a stratification sampling technique, were considered and 175 respondents completed the survey. However, after data clean-up only 168 respondents’ data was usable. Based on the analysis of various secondary sources, a theoretical framework regarding sustainable funding of the public broadcaster in South Africa was constructed. The proposed theoretical framework indicated that the intervening variable, which is sustainable funding, is possibly influenced by three independent variables namely, internal stakeholders, a competitive environment and the management of resources. The perceived outcomes (dependent variables) of a sustainably funded public broadcaster were identified as customer benefits and organisational performance. The computer programme STATISTICA was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics was used to summarise the data of the respondents and allow easy interpretation by the researcher. Inferential statistical analysis was used to test for relationships between identified variables using a validity test, reliability test and correlation and regression analysis. The empirical results revealed that sustainable funding formed two separate intervening variables. These variables were renamed sustainable funding enabler and sustainable funding as part of management control. The dependent variable customer benefits and organisational performance also loaded onto a single factor and was renamed organisational outcomes. Given the results, it was determined that internal stakeholders, competitive environment and management of resources have a significant positive influence on the sustainable funding enabler for the public broadcaster. In turn, sustainable funding enabler had a significant positive influence on the organisational outcomes (customer benefits and performance). On the other hand, only the management of resources had a positive influence on sustainable funding as part of management control of the public broadcaster. Furthermore, sustainable funding as part of management control still had a significant positive influence on the organisational outcomes. The majority of the respondents agreed in their responses in relation to the variable items measuring sustainable funding as a part of management control and its influence to the organisational outcomes of the public broadcaster. In conclusion, sustainable funding of the public broadcaster is influenced by the identified variables, namely internal stakeholders, competitive environment and management of resources. In turn, sustainable funding has a positive influence on the organisational outcomes (customer benefits and performance). It is envisaged that the empirical evidence provided in this study will assist the SABC in understanding the factors influencing financial sustainability and thereby assist the organisation during strategy development and decision making. This study provides relevant and practical recommendations that will make the SABC financially sustainable. Finally, the objectives of this study were achieved and the research questions were answered. This study can also act as a foundation for other studies, thereby contributing to the body of knowledge

Impact of Botanical Extracts on Weight Gain and Abdominal Fat Content in Broiler Chickens

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of four levels of a botanical extract, PhytExponen

An assessment of government early childhood development policy to expand access and improve quality: a case study of Brown's farm, Western Cape.

Magister Administrationis - MAdminIn assessing government ECD policy, this thesis focuses on three areas; access, quality, and costs. The study draws on interviews with key stakeholders working within the ECD sector generally, and uses survey data from a case study of Brown's Farm area in Cape Town. The research found that, some ten years down the line, ECD provision is still mostly privately provided by the informal sector through community-based facilities. Both formal and informal ECD facilities are unevenly spatially distributed such that they do not yet reach the most vulnerable poor children, especially in rural areas and informal settlements

Development of a performance management system for the SABC (Port Elizabeth)

This study focused on exploring and finding the ideal performance management system suitable for the South African Broadcasting Corporation by establishing an understanding of employees’ experiences and perceptions of the previous and a proposed performance management systems and their value to SABC employees. This was done by eliciting how employees see, make sense of and interpret their everyday experiences of performance management systems, in order to develop a more suitable inclusive performance management system. A qualitative study was used to seek answers to the research questions. A focus group interview was selected for data collection. The data was analysed according to guidelines indicated and proposed by Creswell (1998:147-148). The researcher made use of convenience sampling to select 45 participants in 5 groups for the focus groups. One group consisted of managers/supervisors, and the other four groups were employees from four different business units. Participants were guaranteed confidentiality. Credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability were used as the main components in the model, to determine the truth-value of the study. Findings indicated that there was a fair understanding of the previous performance management system but there had been poor implementation of the system. The participants concurred that the previous performance iv management systems in the organisations were not adding any value to their lives. They pointed out that there was no reward in place for high performers and no action taken for non-performers, and this impacted negatively on how implementation was perceived and experienced. The recommendations are that the revised performance management system should have a stronger emphasis on effective management, monitoring, feedback and reward. Furthermore, the system should close the current gaps of reward for high performance and correction of low performance. It was further concluded that for a performance management system to be effective, it should incorporate updated job descriptions, performance measures and standards, as well as evaluator training and guidelines for improvement, employee input, compensation and/or rewards

A comparative analysis of the impact of public agricultural spending on food production: Empirical evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Commerce at Lincoln University

Public spending on agriculture has manifold benefits. It not only enables agricultural innovation and diffusion of technology, but also increases productivity and reduces poverty rates. Through the Maputo (2003) and Malabo (2014) declarations, African countries agreed to dedicate 10% of public funds to agriculture. Even though most of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have not honoured this commitment, public spending on agriculture has increased significantly over the years in most low-income and lower-middle-income countries. Like SSA, South and South East Asian countries have increased their spending on agricultre via input subsidies for crop production, greater mechanisation, and research and development funds. However, despite sharing similar economic attributes, Asia has made greater progress in improving food production. As a result, this region has better food security than Sub-Saharan Africa where productivity has lagged and, in some countries, stagnated over the sampled period. This research evaluates the impact of public agricultural spending on food production in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. More specifically, we analyse the role played by institutional quality in the effectiveness of public agricultural spending in improving food production. This research uses country-level panel data for 25 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia to examine a 22-year period. Using a Fixed Effects (FE) model, we establish a positive relationship between public agricultural spending and food production. The results also show that public agricultural spending influences food production in countries with highly effective governments, and has no effect in countries with less effective governments. This finding indicates that while public spending in agriculture is a reliable measure for improving food production, the quality of the institutions determines the impact it ultimately has on food production

Role of religious beliefs on antiretroviral treatment adherence among Pentecostal Christians in sub Saharan Africa: a scoping review protocol

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. As such, several countries in sub-Saharan Africa are implementing the UNAIDS’ recommendation to test and treat people living with HIV (PLHIV) irrespective of their CD4 count. However, most of the antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes, in this region, continue to struggle with poor adherence to treatment stemming from patient-related factors including their religious beliefs. Unfortunately, the role of religious beliefs on ART adherence has been underexplored in the literature. In this study protocol, we propose the steps of a scoping review to explore, identify and map the literature on the impact of religious beliefs on adherence to ART among Pentecostals living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods and analysis We will use Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology guidelines to conduct this scoping review. The following databases will be searched for relevant literature: Web of Science, PubMed/Medline, Psych-ARTICLES, Academic Search Complete, Cumulative Index of Nursing, Allied Health, Google Scholar and published articles from conference proceedings. Studies published between January 2010 and February 2022 will be eligible. The identified literature will be independently screened for eligibility by two reviewers based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. An Excel form will be designed to electronically capture data from studies that meet the inclusion criteria. Finally, we will use a narrative synthesis to summarise the data extracted to report on the nature of existing evidence and the impact of religious beliefs on ART adherence. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval will not be required for the scoping review since it will entail synthesising information from already published articles and conference proceedings. The study findings will be disseminated through publication in a scientific journal and presented at conferences and workshops aimed at improving adherence to ART in PLHIV

Examining factors that shape Technical Vocational Education and Training engineering students’ understanding of their career choices

Background: This article seeks to examine factors that shape Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) engineering students’ understanding of their future career choices. Moreover, given the promising and ambitious vision for growth in both TVET and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), as envisaged by the policy framework, White Paper on Post School Education and Training (PSET) aimed at addressing the challenges, amongst others, of youth unemployment.   Objectives: The objective of this article is to ascertain factors that inform students’ understanding of their future career prospects.   Methods: In this research, qualitative self-administered, open-ended questionnaires were employed as a data collection tool to gather facts about students’ beliefs, feelings and experiences regarding certain engineering programmes and services offered at TVET colleges. Consequently, purposive sampling was utilised to sample 113 engineering participants who voluntarily completed the questionnaires, which were organised to gather the required data.   Results: The findings of the study point to divergent views, where some students felt very strongly that TVET engineering qualification leads to full employment because of the demand for this skill, while other students argued that the high rate of unemployment in South Africa is so deep such that even graduates irrespective of qualification are not guaranteed employment in South Africa.   Conclusion: Consequently, the researchers believe that the TVET’s learning programmes should be repositioned to articulate as a poor response to poor schooling in relation to labour market, amongst others, to ease school leavers into jobs or self-employment under conditions of widespread youth unemployment