Inclusive Peer Learning Pedagogy with Augemented Reality– iPEAR

The paper aims to show a pedagogical design focusing on peer learning and augmented reality to improve students\u27 engagement, motivation, and empowerment. During the pandemic, strong research evidence suggested that collaborative and inclusive approaches such as peer learning simultaneously enhance mental health, student satisfaction and learning outcomes. Augmented reality unveils the positive effects of visual learning, which could be used creatively to stimulate interest, creativity, and participation. Thus, the pedagogy is philosophically framed within social learning and self-efficacy theories. Inclusion is defined as the social value of sharing information, devices and ideas and as instructional design that respects the learners\u27 needs and preferences. The research findings led to the four pillars of the theoretical model. The pillars are AR tools, Peer-to-Peer task design, visuals, and peer feedback culture. The generic pedagogical framework was examined from 2021 to 2022 as part of the intellectual outputs of a European Erasmus project in a higher education project called i-pear.eu, creating a compendium of good praxis

Tele-proximity: The Experienced Educator Perspective on Human to Human Connection in Distance Education.

Distance education is an integral part of many universities worldwide, aiming to offer students opportunities for life-long learning and equitable access. Distant learners face many barriers and as a result, they drop out more frequently than on-campus students. Educators seem to be equally affected by the 'transactional distance' and the new digital skills needed for teaching online. The purpose of this study is to explore the educators' perspective on how synchronous video communication (SVC) could offer alternative educational forms for distance learning. Specifically the study aims to fill gaps in the existing research literature: to describe synchronous teaching approaches that are used worldwide to support e-learners, to investigate the role of the educator, to discover how learning and subject content are affected by SVC, to see if it enhances the sense of togetherness (immediacy and intimacy) to specify the contextual factors influencing teaching and learning synchronously, and to formulate a theory. The Informed Grounded Theory (Thornberg, 2012) and the Community of Inquiry model (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 2000) provided a scaffolding framework for designing interview questions and analysing findings. The findings of the study illustrate the empirical evidence of the value of SVC, its potential forms (teaching approaches), possibilities (linking educational purposes to the medium) and contextual factors (University policy, time zones, technologies, learning objectives, educator and student identities). Specifically, audiovisual cues have an impact on educators, the learning process and immediacy. The theory of Tele-proximity formulated to explain how educators and students are connected in synchronous networked environment via tele-operations. The study aims at helping educators/instructional designers, and administrators to face the difficulties of transactional distance and make informed decisions about synchronous video enhanced communication. Researchers may use Tele-proximity as a heuristic tool to continue the scientific dialogue on the potential of synchronous video-enhanced technologies in distance education

A cost-benefit analysis of electricity supply in a developing country, with reference to Venda

This study concentrates specificaUy on assessing those elements of private and external costs and benefits which need to be accounted for in analyzing the role of electricity supply in a developing region. To facilitate this aim, three interrelated questions are addressed. The first question examines the reasons why a critical need for electrification in developing areas exists. In this regard, a selective review of the literature on development economics is offered, illuminating the previous neglect of the rural dimension in development and the associated problems of poverty and inequality, a lack of infrastructure and the general inability to fulfill basic needs. The second question is devoted exclusively to an economic analysis of the supply of electricity in developing areas. A broad theoretical review on whether an unregulated or regulated (private or public) sector should be responsible for the provision of electrification is presented. This evaluation highlights the various welfare implications and efficiency considerations that appear to be relevant in the present context. The final question, which constitutes the central proposition of the thesis, establishes how electrification should be supplied in developing areas. To this end, the conditions specific to a region in Venda are discussed. An attempt is made to identify the private and external costs and benefits relating to electricity supply and the corresponding costs and benefits pertaining to alternative sources of energy. Since the incidence and nature of these costs and benefits could only be ascertained from individual households, it was deemed necessary to undertake a questionnaire study of residents in Makwarela township and its periurban settlement of Lufule-Tshisele. A number of basic trends were evident from the research results. As far as the various benefits are concerned, respondents tended to place a much higher value on both the private and external benefits associated with electricity than its alternatives. At the same time, the survey found that although the private (or monetary) cost of electricity far exceeded the corresponding cost of alternative energy sources, the external costs were significant in the case of alternative energy sources, but virtually non-existent in the case of electricity. On the whole, the Venda survey seems to suggest that an economic case can be made for involving the broader community in subsidising the supply of electricity in Makwarela, Lufule-Tshisele and other areas. While such a subsidy can perhaps be justified on distribution grounds alone, and more specifically in terms of the rapid and pronounced effect it is likely to have on the quality of life in the region, its real worth lies in the fact that it may confer certain external benefits on the community

The Great Race of Courts : Civil Justice System Competition in the European Union

The research aims to answer this question: How do civil justice systems compete in the European Union

Exploring the value of computer forensics in the investigation of procurement fraud

The research problem for this study was that forensic investigators in the Forensic Services (FS) of the City of Tshwane (CoT) are unable to successfully deal with procurement fraud as a result of the lack of knowledge, skills and resources required to conduct computer forensics during the investigation of procurement fraud. This research was conducted to ascertain the value of computer forensics in the investigation of procurement fraud. Further, the study sought to determine how to improve the CoT forensic investigators’ knowledge and competence regarding the application of computer forensics in the investigation of procurement fraud. The purpose of this study was to explore the procedures that should be followed by CoT forensic investigators when conducting computer forensics during the investigation of procurement fraud. The research also aimed to discover new information, not previously known to the researcher, related to computer forensics during the investigation of procurement fraud by exploring national and international literature. In addition, the study explored existing practices so as to use this information to improve the current CoT procedure, within the confines of the legislative requirements. The overall purpose of this study is to provide practical recommendations for best practices, based on the results of the data analysis, which address the problem and enhance the investigative skills of CoT forensic investigators. The study established that it is imperative and compulsory to apply computer forensics in any procurement fraud investigation in order to efficiently track down cyber criminals and solve complicated and complex computer crimes. It was also established that forensic investigators within the FS in the CoT lack the necessary computer skills to optimally investigate procurement fraud. It is therefore recommended that CoT forensic investigators acquire the necessary skills and essential training in computer forensics in order to improve their knowledge and competence regarding the application and understanding of the value of computer forensics in the investigation of procurement fraud.School of Criminal JusticeM.Tech. (Forensic Investigation