Research on Mobile Cloud Computing in Teaching and Learning: A Conceptual Model

Advances in cloud computing technology coupled with increasing volumes of data has driven the growth and differentiation of cloud-based solutions in teaching and learning. The cloud computing industry has matured over the past decade and the number of publications steadily rose, to build on the maturity of the field researchers investigating cloud computing research in the mobile teaching and learning domain need to be cognisant of the state of the art. The objective of this paper is to analyse the available literature in the field of cloud computing for mobile teaching and learning to identify the main categories of research, the prevalent methodologies and research gaps, and then integrate the findings in a conceptual framework representing the current state of the field in terms of research opportunities. A systematic mapping study on relevant publications in journals and conferences was conducted. Mapping studies are a suitable method for structuring a research field concerning research questions about contents, methods and trends in the available publications. A systematic literature review and mapping was used to select 107 articles from a total of 21 822 publications in five prominent databases, namely ACM, ERIC, IEEE, Google Scholar and Springer. The analysis was done in October 2017 on papers published between 2013 and 2017. The contribution is to classify existing work and suggest future opportunities based on a systematic mapping of mobile cloud computing (MCC) for teaching and learning research. The analysis provides an overview of the field in terms of what is researched, how that is researched and where the future research contributions may lie. The findings are integrated to present a non-prescriptive, conceptual framework on mobile cloud computing research for teaching and learning. Researchers can use the proposed framework as a point of reference in starting or aligning their own projects and establishing where future research opportunities exist.School of Computin

Citizen Science: The Ring to Rule Them All?

There are many uncertainties about the future of e-Learning, but one thing is certain: e-Learning will be more data-driven in the future. The automation of data capturing, analysis and presentation, together with economic constraints that require evidence-based proof of impact, compels this data focus. On the other hand, the importance of community involvement in learning analytics and educational data mining is an accepted fact. Citizen science, at the nexus of community engagement, and data science can bridge the divide between data-driven and community-driven approaches to policy and content development. The rationale for this paper is the investigation of citizen science as an approach to collecting data for learning analytics in the field of e-Learning. Capturing data for policy and content development for learning analytics through citizen science projects is novel in the e-Learning field. Like any other new area, citizen science needs to be mapped in terms of the existing parent fields of data science and education so that differences and potential overlaps can be made explicit. This is important when considering conceptual or functional definitions, research tools and methodologies. A preliminary review of the literature has not provided any conceptual positioning of citizen science in relation to the research topics of learning analytics, data science, big data and visualisation in the e-Learning environment. The intent of this paper is firstly to present an overview of citizen science and the related research topics in the academic and practitioner literature based on a systematic literature review. Secondly, we propose a model that represents the relationship between citizen science and other salient concepts and shows how citizen science projects can be positioned in the e-Learning environment. Finally, we suggest research opportunities involving citizen science projects in the field of e-Learning.School of Computin

Exploring the role of Information and Communication Technology and Open Government Data in creating awareness of employment opportunities: a case study involving South African youth

The lack of youth employment opportunities in South Africa is exacerbated by inadequacies in governmental institutions, policies and access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). These inadequacies can result in information deficiencies such as, unawareness of employment opportunities and employment requirements. Open government data (OGD) and ICT’s are potential enablers in meeting some of the information needs related to finding employment opportunities but there is little theorization on the application of OGD. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how the role of ICT and OGD in creating awareness of youth employment opportunities can be understood better by the application of the Choice Framework. The Choice Framework (CF) is Kleine’s analytical tool for investigating ICTs for development towards a contextualised understanding of the relationships among the framework’s elements namely structure, agency, the dimension of choice and development outcomes. The research design is a single, exploratory case study; the data capturing was conducted in the Alexandra Township of the Gauteng Province in South Africa using semi-structured interviews. Data was collected from 34 participants (between the ages of 18 and 35) who are currently looking for employment. The data was analysed thematically using Atlas.ti V8 and then unpacked in terms of the constructors of the CF. The findings show most participants had access to ICT but limited awareness on OGD and several challenges in using OGD for finding employment related information were identified. The findings provide a theory based contextual understanding of the research problem including the challenges and recommendations towards overcoming said challenges of finding information on employment opportunities

Curriculum development for mobile digital literacy skills acquisition using a Design Science Approach

Mobile digital literacy skills development as part of digital inclusion is compellingly relevant but exactly what the curriculum should contain is less evident. In this paper, we report on the development of a mobile digital literacy skills development curriculum for teachers using a Design Science Research (DSR) methodology. The use of design science research for curriculum development is not common but appropriate where the relevance cycle ensured engagement with the needs of the community while the rigor cycle guided the evaluations by other stakeholders. The main contribution of this paper is the mobile digital literacy skills development curriculum as artifact. Furthermore, the paper provides insights gained on using the DSR methodology for community informatics researchCollege of Engineering, Science and Technolog

Open Government Data Support for the Awareness of Employment Opportunities Among the Youth in Alexandra Township in Gauteng Province in South Africa

In South Africa, one of the major reasons for the lack of employment opportunities among youth is a skills deficiency and in some cases a mismatch with the skills required. The challenge of finding employment opportunities is exacerbated by a lack of access to relevant information. Open government data (OGD) could potentially be useful in meeting the information needs. However, that possibility has not been investigated and described in this context. Therefore, the focus of this study is to investigate how access to OGD can support the awareness of employment opportunities among youth in a township in the Gauteng province. The Choice Framework is used as the theoretical framework to analyse the individual's choice with a focus on social structure, individual agency, the degree of empowerment, and the development outcomes. The research design involves a case study with semi-structured interviews being conducted in the Alexandra Township of Johannesburg. We collected data from 34 participants between the ages of 18 and 35 who are currently looking for work. Thematic data analysis was undertaken using Atlas.ti 8. Our findings show there was limited awareness of OGD and several challenges in optimally using OGD were identified. The study’s contribution is to foster an improved understanding of youth’s awareness of OGD including the challenges affecting youth in accessing OGD and recommendations towards overcoming those challenges.School of Computin

Trends, drivers and barriers influencing Cloud Computing Services for mobile interactions in teaching and learning

The potential of cloud computing services (CCS) for supporting teaching and learning has been widely recognized, especially for mobile interactions. However, the multifaceted nature and rapid development of computing technology has complicated adoption and optimal application. This study investigated the trends, drivers and barriers influencing CCS for teaching and learning with mobile interactions both from a literature perspective and an educator’s perspective. We structured the research in terms of three goals: The first goal was that of providing an overview of current literature on the topic of CCS for mobile interactions. To that end, a systematic literature review was conducted (literature from 2010 to 2016) to present an overview of the topics researched, as well as the determinants (including drivers and barriers) and opportunity areas in the field. The second goal was to get the perspective of educators on the determinants and enablers of CCS for teaching and learning with mobile interactions in the South African school context. Facilitators and teachers at South African schools in the Gauteng Province were interviewed towards obtaining that perspective. The third goal was to draw on the findings from literature and the insights gained from educators in South African schools towards identifying the barriers and enablers relevant to informing future research and practice.School of Computin

Die insluiting van besigheidsverwagtingsdata in ekonometriese modelle : die Suid-Afrika geval

M.Com. (Economics)Please refer to full text to view abstrac

Curriculum development for mobile digital literacy skills acquisition using a Design Science Approach

Mobile digital literacy skills development as part of digital inclusion is compellingly relevant but exactly what the curriculum should contain is less evident. In this paper, we report on the development of a mobile digital literacy skills development curriculum for teachers using a Design Science Research (DSR) methodology. The use of design science research for curriculum development is not common but appropriate where the relevance cycle ensured engagement with the needs of the community while the rigor cycle guided the evaluations by other stakeholders.  The main contribution of this paper is the mobile digital literacy skills development curriculum as artifact. Furthermore, the paper provides insights gained on using the DSR methodology for community informatics researc