The use of ICT in preschool music education

AbstractThis study has been carried out in order to evaluate the music perception and creativity of preschoolers by using two different means of ICTs. Children were tested on computer based music activities with a most efficient method for a common educational goal. An interactive music environment was used for children aged four to six years old (N=28) in order to stimulate their inherent musical skills through interaction with the computer and other additional audiovisual mediums. Specifically, there were two cases:Case I: Use of computer mouse by the preschoolers.Case II: Use of automatic movement recognition technology.The second case appeared to be more effective in preschoolers as they provided better results in concentration and interest. Such results have further implications concerning the use of alternative technological equipment in preschool music education

SQL Tools and Optimization

Query optimization gives the good performance of the system and manages heavy workload on the database when transmission on data occurs and the effective usage of database engine and lesser memory consumed. For better performance we need to use best, faster and well-ordered queries. Since we need SQL query tuning based on the customer requirements. Firstly the data in database is optimized and then query. In this paper we propose database watermarking technique which is an effective method for database security. To improve query response time is to reduce the number of disk Inputs/Outputs by partitioning the database vertically and/or horizontally which we achieve using clustering. We present a technique for structured database decomposition based on the relational data

Self regulated learning strategies in groups of learners

The technological revolution gives the opportunity to upgrade the quality in education, through new ways of learning. Self-regulated learning is an active and constructive process where self regulated learning proposes learning strategies in monitoring regulations. The aim of this study was to investigate the process and the benefits of the application of self-regulated learning to groups of learners. Findings of this study, demonstrated that self regulated learning in groups of students effectively regulated the learning process of all participants in the study.KEYWORDS: self regulated learning, nearest neighbour learning, learning model, collaborative learning, ICT.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/tbb.v66i1.78

Building on strategic elearning initiatives of hybrid graduate education a case study approach: MHEI-ME Erasmus+ Project

Online courses are gaining popularity because they provide extensive and varied course material, information, knowledge, and skills, whilst also creating an effective educational online community. This research adopts a case study approach to focus on the teaching method and the manner in which a strategic commitment to eLearning provides scope for the development and implementation of top quality educational online fully accredited programs. Entrepreneurship focuses on developing businesses that add value and create wealth and prosperity in our societies. Therefore, entrepreneurship is a key area of learning for graduate students seeking to set up and operate their own SME organizations. It can serve as a benchmark for the teaching of other graduate subjects that require a sound correlation for the correlation of concepts and theories to the challenging complexities of the real world. The program was developed on the basis of the implementation of a state-of-the-art eLearning platform that allowed for a combination of varied self-learning and collaborative learning elements and activities within a single platform. This enabled students to access the online content material efficiently and effectively. It allows for the development of a program based on the flipped classroom teaching methodology. The underlying concept of the flipped classroom methodology is that effective eLearning should comprise both synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. This combination of self-learning and collaborative learning calls for careful planning by the tutor to ensure that the learning objectives are clearly defined for each activity and that the relevant deliverables are monitored. The content material for each subject course module was designed, developed, produced, and presented by the different project partners in a holistic manner structured to motivate participants to learn. The results of our analysis have shown that students were able to learn, discuss their projects, and cooperate during an online course in an effective and participant-focused manner with their tutors. The feedback given highlights the importance of ongoing communications between students and the tutors who often need to act as mentors to retain student engagement. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Can small-scale poultry production contribute to household food security in the Maphephetheni lowlands, KwaZulu-Natal?

Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.This study investigated the feasibility of small-scale poultry production to contribute to household food security in the Maphephetheni lowlands in KwaZulu-Natal. Forty households, selected by stratified random sampling (eight households per sub-ward) participated in a trial to assess the feasibility of egg and broiler production, from commercial lines, and the potential for generating income to improve household food security. The study established that participating households acquired the necessary skills through a training module offered, actively engaged in poultry production and marketing of the produce, and managed their funds well. Market demand for poultry products in the Maphephetheni lowlands was high from both local consumers and traders. Egg production profit was constrained as eggs were not sorted into sizes according to South African standards and local selling prices, but, contrary to commercial market practice, the eggs are graded ‘standard’ regardless of size. Both egg and broiler production are technically feasible in Maphephetheni lowlands, but broiler production is more economically viable than eggs and more highly desired by households. Households reported that poultry production could provide much needed income and reduce poverty and hunger in their community. Although household dietary diversity did not improve, income increased and was put into a savings account. Households borrowed and used this money for various needs, but not necessarily to supplement their diets. Commercial point-of-lay pullets and three-week old vaccinated broilers could be used in the Maphephetheni lowlands, but broilers were more commercially viable than point-of-lay pullets. It is recommended that broiler houses be established with the capacity for brooding each 500 day-old chicks which are sold (live) at six weeks. However, technical and financial support is required to maximise the benefits, increase household income, improve diets and reduce vulnerability to food insecurity.This study investigated the feasibility of small-scale poultry production to contribute t

Building on Strategic eLearning Initiatives of Hybrid Graduate Education a Case Study Approach: MHEI-ME Erasmus+ Project

Online courses are gaining popularity because they provide extensive and varied course material, information, knowledge, and skills, whilst also creating an effective educational online community. This research adopts a case study approach to focus on the teaching method and the manner in which a strategic commitment to eLearning provides scope for the development and implementation of top quality educational online fully accredited programs. Entrepreneurship focuses on developing businesses that add value and create wealth and prosperity in our societies. Therefore, entrepreneurship is a key area of learning for graduate students seeking to set up and operate their own SME organizations. It can serve as a benchmark for the teaching of other graduate subjects that require a sound correlation for the correlation of concepts and theories to the challenging complexities of the real world. The program was developed on the basis of the implementation of a state-of-the-art eLearning platform that allowed for a combination of varied self-learning and collaborative learning elements and activities within a single platform. This enabled students to access the online content material efficiently and effectively. It allows for the development of a program based on the flipped classroom teaching methodology. The underlying concept of the flipped classroom methodology is that effective eLearning should comprise both synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. This combination of self-learning and collaborative learning calls for careful planning by the tutor to ensure that the learning objectives are clearly defined for each activity and that the relevant deliverables are monitored. The content material for each subject course module was designed, developed, produced, and presented by the different project partners in a holistic manner structured to motivate participants to learn. The results of our analysis have shown that students were able to learn, discuss their projects, and cooperate during an online course in an effective and participant-focused manner with their tutors. The feedback given highlights the importance of ongoing communications between students and the tutors who often need to act as mentors to retain student engagement

The main aspects of the application of educational technologies in the study process

Rapidly changing economic, social and political conditions, the penetration of new technologies also requires a completely different type of the university lecturers who are innovation-friendly. They must have relevant knowledge and combine didactic technologies and information and communication technologies in order that they would be able to give students an opportunity to study in an innovative and effective way. Taking into consideration that the study process is always based on a certain technology and paying attention to the shift of education paradigms, it can be established that, in the modern study process, it is extremely important to realise precisely today's educational objectives and principles which assist in implementing up-to-date educational technologies. The study is aimed at establishing what most important factors of the application of educational technologies in the process of modern studies are. The study is based on a quantitative research methodology the choice of which was determined by the newness of the analyzed problem. The study shows that the objectives of a subject of studies are always discussed with students, the latter also have an opportunity to set their own individual study objectives, they are continuously kept informed why they study concrete knowledge and what it will be needed for in the future. The creation of an environment favourable to studies is also proved by the fact that the opportunity is given to students to combine the content of their studies of a subject with their own personal experience, interests. The study process is dominated by the study process of the active creation and construction of knowledge

Chiefdom development plan : implications for food security in Swaziland.

Doctor of Philosophy in Food Security. University of KwaZulu-Natal. Peitermaritzburg, 2015.The Lower Usuthu Smallholder Irrigation Project (LUSIP) aims to reduce poverty and improve food security among rural households in Swaziland. Beneficiaries organise themselves into "agricultural cooperatives", each of which develops a unique Chiefdom Development Plan (CDP). The CDP process enables households to organise themselves into groups to access LUSIP and develop other focus areas for implementation. In addition to projects such as LUSIP, Swaziland has developed the National Food Security Policy to guide food security programmes in the country. This study set out to evaluate the CDP process to understand its successes and failures. The study evaluated the CDP against the four food security pillars that include food availability; food access; stability in equitable food provision; and food utilisation and nutritional requirements. The study explored four sub-objectives, namely: The way in which the CDP has been implemented; The extent to which the CDP met the process and outcomes criteria of land use planning; Whether the CDP has the probability of sustainability and whether it can be aligned with development planning models used by the government of Swaziland; Whether the CDP has been effective in achieving (i) the goals that have been set, including (ii) an improvement in food security. The study included a mixed method approach containing quantitative and qualitative data analyses, such as content, document, descriptive, and comparative analyses. In addition, the study included the analysis of the effectiveness of the CDP using the National Food Security Policy for Swaziland as framework for analysis for a comprehensive food security definition. Stratified random sampling was used to cover all the areas within the participating four Chiefdoms in the Lubombo Province. Accidental sampling was used to include a maximum of 260 households that had been involved in the CDP process. The study established that the CDP is a seven-stage process which is currently unique to Swaziland. The CDP is centered on the aspirations of the beneficiaries and it aims to identify resources, opportunities and challenges within the Chiefdom and transform them into a local strategy for sustainable management of land and water, to improve agriculture production and food security. The CDP had met all the process criteria. All the outcome criteria were met except that the households were not all positive (46.1%) on whether as a result of the planning land-use conflict had been reduced. Only few (23.8%) households understood that CDP is a framework but not a programme with a funding. The planning approach has been effective in fulfilling its primary goal of enabling household’s access to irrigated land and other water-related resources. Albeit some challenges in the planning process, this approach has a high probability of sustainability. The study concluded that even though effective, CDPs do not provide balanced support towards achieving all four food security pillars as some pillars are supported more than others. While food production may contribute towards availability and access of certain types of food, under-nutrition and risks such as drought continue to pose threats to productivity and stability of local agriculture and food systems. Therefore, the CDPs do not comprehensively meet food security objectives as per the National Food Security Policy for Swaziland. The study recommends that a review of the CDP process needs to be undertaken to ensure that all four food security pillars are included and that they reinforce one another. The CDP process needs to be cyclic rather than linear and include three explicit phases: objective setting, focus areas implementation; and monitoring and evaluation of the CDP outcomes and impacts. Beyond the need for better information sharing among policy makers and planners, government should adopt a national legislation requiring that community plans and implementation actions integrate key pillars of the National Food Security Policy for Swaziland to ensure the much needed comprehensive approach to improve food security in Swaziland

The main aspects of the application of educational technologies in the study process

Rapidly changing economic, social and political conditions, the penetration of new technologies also requires a completely different type of the university lecturers who are innovation-friendly. They must have relevant knowledge and combine didactic technologies and information and communication technologies in order that they would be able to give students an opportunity to study in an innovative and effective way. Taking into consideration that the study process is always based on a certain technology and paying attention to the shift of education paradigms, it can be established that, in the modern study process, it is extremely important to realise precisely today's educational objectives and principles which assist in implementing up-to-date educational technologies. The study is aimed at establishing what most important factors of the application of educational technologies in the process of modern studies are. The study is based on a quantitative research methodology the choice of which was determined by the newness of the analyzed problem. The study shows that the objectives of a subject of studies are always discussed with students, the latter also have an opportunity to set their own individual study objectives, they are continuously kept informed why they study concrete knowledge and what it will be needed for in the future. The creation of an environment favourable to studies is also proved by the fact that the opportunity is given to students to combine the content of their studies of a subject with their own personal experience, interests. The study process is dominated by the study process of the active creation and construction of knowledge

ICT USE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: STORYTELLING

The aim of this study is to investigate the ICT use by pre-service preschool teachers and pre-service speech and language therapists in developing their digital case of a storytelling. Students were stimulated to use various multimedia editing and authoring tools. The research questions concern the students’ accomplishments on integrating technology in digital storytelling and the effectiveness of that learning environment they created. The results revealed a difference by implying that not only the learning theory and the teaching practices but also the content, the structure and the nature of the course together with the social interactions play an important role on how people learn and develop their skills.The results revealed that students of both departments overall accomplished very good project outcomes in digital storytelling meeting technical and pedagogical criteria. Finally similarities and differences of the students’ approaches in the digital storytelling development are discussed and concluded in the demands of modern information society.KEYWORDS: ICT, digital storytelling, childhood, preschool.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/tbb.v66i1.78