ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Political Awareness and Participation of University Students in Post-Apartheid South Africa
Author: Badaru, Kazeem Ajasa
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Political Attitudes,Citizen Participation,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Racial Segregation,Undergraduate Students,Student Government,Voting

Being politically aware and participating in politics are essential determinants of a society's democratic survival. One source of concerns for researchers of political behavior regarding post-apartheid South Africa is the low rates of youth's political participation. There is however a dearth of empirical studies in the extant literature on the university students' political awareness and their political participation in post-apartheid South Africa. This mixed-methods research was conducted to fill in this obvious gap. A study sample of 372 undergraduate students selected from one rural university in the Eastern Cape through the stratified random sampling techniques yielded the quantitative data, and the qualitative data were obtained from five (5) executive members of the Student Representative Council (SRC) who were purposively selected for semi-structured interviews. Both quantitative and qualitative data analyses were performed by employing simple descriptive and Pearson correlation statistics as well as a thematic content analytical approach. Results showed that nearly all the respondents demonstrated a high level of political awareness in terms of rights to vote and be voted for (99.4%), the importance of parliament, and the national constitution (99.1%) while the respondents' levels of political participation appeared to be below average as only (49.2%) voted during the 2017 SRC election, whereas (30.4%) of them voted in the 2014 national elections. Students' political awareness was found to be significantly correlated with their participation in political activities on-campus (r = 0.130) and off-campus (r = 0.185). In conclusion, the bivariate analysis indicated that there was a positive correlation between students' political awareness and their participation in politics (P&lt;0.001).
Together but Not Together: Challenges of Remote Learning for Students Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rural South African Universities
Author: Marongwe, Newlin
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Distance Education,Barriers,College Students,COVID-19,Pandemics,Rural Schools,Foreign Countries,Access to Computers,Technology Uses in Education,Handheld Devices,Laptop Computers

The purpose of the study was to examine the challenges of remote learning that were faced by students in four rural institutions of higher learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is well documented that in South Africa as well as globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the teaching and learning in higher institutions of education. A call was made by the Department of Higher Education and Training that mandated universities to adopt remote learning to save the academic year. That call was a blanket statement that did not consider the context of different universities, given the inequalities that existed prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 between the historically disadvantaged universities and the well-established ones. The study adopted a qualitative approach that made use of a desktop research methodology, as well as the media (Television, radio and newspapers), and social media as sources of data gathering to document the challenges. One of the key findings was that some students studying at rural institutions of higher learning experienced challenges of limited skills as well as the convenience of and access to technology and other tools of trade. The paper concludes that such students were proposing that, 'we are together but not together&quot;. The root of such grievance is that they were grossly affected by the geographical and historical position of the universities they were enrolled at and the situation was deepened and exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper recommends the equal redistribution of resources especially to previously disadvantaged Black universities. The paper further recommends that the Department of Education introduce online learning to students from as early as high school so that there will be continuity and ease in remote learning.
A Comparative Analysis of Smartphone Security Behaviors and Practices
Author: Chin, Amita
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Computer Security,Student Attitudes,Student Surveys,College Students,Undergraduate Students,Business Administration Education,Knowledge Level,Comparative Analysis,Program Development,Information Security

This study on smartphone security behaviors and practices is a continuation of the work in Jones and Chin (2015), where results of a 2011 student survey at a regional comprehensive university were compared to results from a 2014 survey at the same institution. That study found that students continued to be lax in their mobile security practices. In December 2019, we again surveyed undergraduate business students to determine their current level of awareness, attitudes, and security-related practices. In this current study, we compare and contrast the results of our 2019 survey to those from our 2014 administration of the same survey instrument (Jones &amp; Chin, 2015).Our findings help us to clearly identify the specific areas where security behaviors have improved and pinpoint those areas where necessary precautions are still lacking. We believe that our results will prove useful in developing educational programs and in providing training on proper smartphone security protocols.
Effectiveness of Online Training for Rural Entrepreneurs during a Global Pandemic
Author: Sie Hoe, Lau
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Program Effectiveness,Job Training,Electronic Learning,Rural Areas,Entrepreneurship,COVID-19,Pandemics,Technological Literacy,Foreign Countries,Computer Peripherals,Social Media

The ability of rural entrepreneurs to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic greatly depends on their knowledge of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to support online business. In this study, online surveys were conducted to assess the readiness and acceptance of rural entrepreneurs in adopting to the pandemic using the available technologies. Data collected were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using ANOVA. Online training modules were designed based on their specific needs. Although participants indicated that their frequency and skills of using the electronic devices or applications had generally increased or improved after the training, the increment was not statistically significant ([alpha]=0.05). This indicated that while the participants, to some extent, benefited from the online training provided, there has not been a significant impact on them.
Appraisal of Agro-Students&apos; Exploitation of Digital Education Apps for Academic Tasks Performance in Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria
Author: Lawal-Adebowale, O. A.
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Agricultural Education,College Students,Technology Integration,Computer Oriented Programs,Outcomes of Education,Electronic Learning,Technology Uses in Education,Notetaking,Task Analysis

The importance of education to individual and national development engendered the need for both quality teaching and learning by teachers and students respectively. To accomplish these objectives, digital education apps have become intensively deployed for teaching and learning in the school system. Based on the potential of integrating the digital apps for self-learning and academic tasks performance, this study examined the commonly exploited digital education apps for executing educational activities by agriculture students in the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria (FUNAAB). Using a stratified sampling technique, a total of 261 students were surveyed, and a validated and reliable questionnaire was used to obtain information on the commonly used digital education apps and its impact on their academic task performance. The study revealed that digital apps such as Wikipedia/Google engine, WPS/Office Pro, Notability, Calculator and Grammarly had significant impacts on the agro-students' academic tasks execution. The need to sustain and strengthen the use of the apps for academic tasks performance among the agro-students was recommended.
University Students&apos; Learning Disruption and Affordance in a Contested Learning Environment
Author: Nur'Aini, Siti
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,COVID-19,Pandemics,Affordances,Educational Environment,Social Environment,Distance Education,Internet,Foreign Countries,Student Adjustment,Electronic Learning,Assignments,Family Life

This study investigates how university students engage with their learning affordances in a contested environment due to the Coronavirus pandemic. This qualitative research employed a case study approach involving 136 participants. Data analysis was conducted using qualitative analysis as a circular process to describe, classify, and perceive the phenomenon and how the learning, affordances, and society were interconnected. The main framework of the research was the theory of affordance and how it was available for university students in their learning environment that changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in the first semester of 2020 through an online survey on Google form. The findings indicate the importance of the social environment to provide affordance for the students to adjust with them. Four kinds of affordances emerged from the study; internet affordance, assignment affordance, domestic affordance, and distance learning affordance. The role of the social environment is definitive in changing how students manage their affordances.
Assessing the Adoption Behavior of E-Learning in a Developing Country in South East Asia: Predicting an Alternative Path to Behavioral Intention to Use
Author: Amin, Md. Khaled
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Intention,Higher Education,College Students,Technological Literacy,Student Attitudes,Influences,Expectation,Student Behavior

To some extent in Bangladesh, all efforts that were put into availing technology-based learning has not paid off well as most of the learners are reluctant to use the evolving technologies. The major impediments to the use of various e-learning platforms include a lack of self-confidence and inadequate technical skills, along with insufficient knowledge. Previous studies have mainly focused on the adoption behavior of information system and information technology among students, educators, and the profession, but little is known about how to enhance learners' skills and capacity prior to the adoption of the emerging e-learning platforms among the HEIs in Bangladesh. This study aims to apply the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to explore the protagonist factors that may expedite learners' experience and the skills needed to embrace e-learning. The study analyzed data from 250 learners (students) collected from three purposively selected leading HEIs - the American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), Daffodil International University (DIU) and the Northern University Bangladesh (NUB) in Bangladesh. The study used a paper-based self-administered questionnaire to conduct a survey comprised of statements (manifest variables), adopted from prior studies on the adoption behavior of Information Technology (IT) and Information System (IS). All responses were initially encoded into SPSS then processed through SMART PLS 2.0, a standard structural equation modeling simulation, for testing the study hypotheses. The findings revealed that the learners' behavioral intention to embrace e-learning is highly infiltrated by the variables: effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), and performance expectancy (PE); likewise, variables such as i) Social influence (SI), ii) Effort Expectancy (EE), and iii) Facilitating Condition (FC) enhancing learners perceived behavioral control (PBC) of using e-learning platform prior to forming BIU. The study could contribute to the existing regional literature on e-learning acceptance; also, it could be quite useful for HEIs in Bangladesh for accelerating the e-learning penetration rate within their institution.
Didactic Strategy Mediated by Games in the Teaching of Mathematics in First-Year Engineering Students
Author: Zabala-Vargas, Sergio Andres
Date: 2022-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Didacticism,Game Based Learning,Mathematics Instruction,College Freshmen,Engineering Education,Foreign Countries,Cooperative Learning,Problem Solving,Student Motivation

The development of mathematical skills for future engineers is essential. Game-based learning (GBL) and gamification have been widely used in elementary education, but less applied in higher education. The objective of this article was to evaluate the effect of didactic strategies mediated by games in the teaching of mathematics in first-year engineering students. A qualitative study was carried out. Five (5) teaching units were designed. Seven (7) focus groups were developed with 81 participants from the differential calculus course. The keyword in context-KWIC technique was used for the focus group analysis. The categories attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (Keller's motivational model) were evaluated. An important contribution of the pedagogical strategy to student motivation, teamwork, commitment, and argumentation was verified. In conclusion, game-based learning makes it possible to strengthen the motivation of students in the educational processes of mathematics in engineering.
Accounting Teachers&apos; Voices on Factors Affecting Online Teaching during the 4th Industrial Revolution in the Face of COVID-19 in Selected High Schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
Author: Skhephe, Melikhaya
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,COVID-19,Pandemics,Online Courses,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Accounting,Teacher Attitudes,Technological Literacy,Barriers,Access to Computers,Faculty Development,Technical Assistance,Beliefs,Program Effectiveness,Educational Policy,Participative Decision Making,Teacher Participation,High School Teachers

The most prominent debate in South Africa is how teachers will provide instruction online. The purposes of this article was to explore Accounting teachers' voices on factors affecting online teaching. To this end, the researchers employed a qualitative approach and a case study research design. Interviews were used as a method to collect data from 10 Accounting teachers who were purposively selected. Thematic data analysis was used. The results revealed that, Accounting teachers are lacking required knowledge and skills needed to facilitate technology learning in their classrooms. Results further reveal that, online teaching arrived at an awkward moment when teachers were faced with COVID-19 pandemic. The study concludes that teachers' voices play an important role in any proposed changes in the classroom. The Eastern Cape Province where the study was conducted should quickly roll out infrastructure at all schools aiming to support online classrooms. It is recommended in this paper that teachers need to be workshopped in online teaching in order for them to perform effectively.
Plans and Interventions of South African Grade 1 Educators during the 2020 Lockdown Period
Author: Grobler, Annemie
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Grade 1,Elementary School Teachers,COVID-19,Pandemics,School Closing,Teaching Methods,Coping,Barriers,Teacher Attitudes,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Constructivism (Learning),Interpersonal Communication

The extended lockdown in 2020 found South African educators employing innovative strategies to teach and assess Foundation Phase learners. Educators had to make do with reduced hours in the classroom and experienced new challenges in delivering curriculum content to learners that had barely grown accustomed to the formal classroom setup. Empirical research attempted to identify the plans and approaches used by grade 1 educators. The findings may indicate best practices as experienced in this time and help to inform the approach taken during future repetitions of extraordinary circumstances. A theoretical and conceptual framework based on the current constructivist approach adopted by the Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement (CAPS) guided the empirical research and informed the construction of the questionnaire. The key findings were themed into strategies for presenting teaching and learning, communication, and the impact on schooling. Findings were compared to the premises of the theoretical framework and conclusions drawn. It was noted that educators were hesitant to move their schooling entirely to the virtual learning platform and eager to return to the school environment. Various obstacles posed by the digital divide were flagged as threats to future situations and the involvement of parents was emphasized. The resilience of educators to continue to ply their trade, and their belief in the indomitable spirit of children, may offer conducive circumstances for future innovations in education.
Enhancing Performance in Mathematics through Motivation, Peer Assisted Learning, and Teaching Quality: The Mediating Role of Student Interest
Author: Arthur, Yarhands Dissou
Date: 2022-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Achievement,Student Motivation,Peer Teaching,Instructional Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,College Freshmen,Factor Analysis

In the Sub-Saran Africa, mathematics is a key subject in the school curriculum and most countries consider it as must-pass subject to gain admission into tertiary institutions. This notwithstanding, students' performance in mathematics in a cause for concern. For example, the mathematics performance of Ghanaian students in 2021 West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE), was lower than that of 2020. This indicates that the percentage of students to gain admission into the tertiary has reduced. This study therefore explored the role of motivation, peer assisted learning, quality of teaching and student interest on student performance in mathematics. The study design was a survey, with structured questionnaire being used for data collection. The population comprised of students pursuing their undergraduate degree at a public university in Ghana. Purposive and convenient sampling techniques were used in selecting 373 first year undergraduate students of Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), who studied on Kumasi campus. Data was gathered during lecture hours, after permissions were sought from the lecturers handling the classes at the time of data collection. The path analysis was by Structural Equation Modelling, by using Amos (v.23) software. It was concluded that students learning interest in mathematics partially mediated the relationships between mathematics learning motivation and performance in mathematics; as well as between mathematics teaching quality and performance in mathematics. The effect of peer assisted mathematics learning on performance in mathematics was however fully mediated by students learning interest in mathematics.
Benefits, Challenges and Prospects of Integrating E-Learning into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions: A Mini Review
Author: Bubou, Gordon
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Technology,Electronic Learning,Higher Education,Educational History,Distance Education,Program Effectiveness,Barriers

This article presents a preliminary review of prior studies for an ongoing master's dissertation. It is aimed at enabling stakeholders to properly comprehend the construct of electronic learning (e-learning). E-learning is actually one of the most dynamic and enriching systems of education that exists these days. It is seen as a significant educational innovation, particularly within learning ecosystems of tertiary institutions that is found to be aiding the process of teaching and learning with technology. E-learning has further transformed educational technology, providing easy access to education for many, who hitherto were unable to go to school before the transformation. It is facilitating meaningful learning activities leading to knowledge retention and maximizing academic achievement, as learning is transferred into the real world of work and life. In this paper, the historical perspective of e-learning, operational definitions of the e-learning concept, some of the tools and platforms that support e-learning and its delivery modes are presented. Most importantly, the paper assesses the e-learning ecosystem in Nigeria's higher education sub-sector, articulates the benefits, challenges, and prospects of integrating e-learning into the educational arena, and then offers some recommendations to address the challenges.
Assessment of Teachers&apos; Perception on Modern Technology (ICT) and Communication Efficiency: A Case Study
Author: Olorunsola, Stephen
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Program Effectiveness,Secondary School Teachers,Internet,Computer Mediated Communication,Foreign Countries,Information Security,Usability,Costs,Feedback (Response),Parent Teacher Cooperation

Modern technology has brought about a revolution in the communication process. The revolution started with the emergence of desktop computers in the 1980's. Today, the Internet and social media have brought about a 360-degree change in the communication process. The purpose of this study is to examine the perception of secondary school teachers in Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria on the impact of ICT deployment for communication efficiency in the teaching and learning process. The population for the study was teachers in five secondary schools in the state. Simple random sampling was used, and 120 teachers were chosen for the sample. Three-way cross tabulation (crosstabs) and means were used to show association between variables and analysis of the research questions. The results from this study show that ICT media such as the computer and the Internet, have a significant impact on communication efficiency in the teaching and learning process by facilitating clarity, ease, speed, security and prompt feedback in the communication process.
Empowering Students&apos; Cognitive Learning of Creative Colours through Computer-Based Concept Maps
Author: Odewumi, Olubunmi Michael
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Visual Aids,Concept Mapping,Educational Technology,Secondary School Students,Instructional Effectiveness,Gender Differences,Foreign Countries,Computer Assisted Instruction,Color,Art Activities,Creativity,Art Education

Diagrams have been used for instructional purposes for many years and recent advancements permit the design of an idea by a wider range of diagrams for easy understanding. The study employed an experimental design to examine the effectiveness of computer-based concept maps (CBCM) on students' cognitive learning of colours. A quasi-experimental design using pre and post-tests was employed. Treatment lasted for six weeks of intensive lessons of eighty minutes per week using computer-based concept map visuals. Sixty (60) students at two secondary schools in Nigeria, were divided into conventional and experimental groups. Two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance and the data obtained were analyzed with ANCOVA and t-test respectively. The study findings revealed that students taught using the Computer Based Concept Map strategy performed better than the other group and there was no significant difference based on gender. It was recommended that CBCM should be used for teaching of the arts and other subjects in the school system.