Information Studies

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Access and use of clinical informatics among medical doctors in selected teaching hospitals in Nigeria and South Africa
(University of Zululand, 2017) Owolabi, Kehinde Aboyami; Evans, N.; Ocholla, D.N.
This study examined access and use of clinical informatics among medical doctors at University College Hospital, Nigeria and King Edward VIII Hospital, South Africa. The specific objectives of the study were to explain the purposes of using clinical informatics; determine the benefits of using clinical informatics in the selected teaching hospitals; ascertain the availability of clinical informatics infrastructure in the selected teaching hospitals; identify the clinical informatics facilities that are accessible to medical doctors in the selected teaching hospitals; determine the factors that influence the behavioural intention to use clinical informatics by medical doctors in the selected teaching hospitals; determine the policies that guide the effective accessibility and utilisation of clinical informatics among medical doctors in the selected teaching hospitals; and investigate the challenges that faced both the access to and the use of clinical informatics among medical doctors in the selected teaching hospitals. The study adopted the post-positivist paradigm which combines both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The study largely used a survey design. The sample for the study was drawn from medical doctors in two purposively selected teaching hospitals in Nigeria and South Africa. The teaching hospitals were King Edward V111 hospital, Durban, South Africa and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. The two teaching hospitals were selected because they belong to the first generation of teaching hospitals in Nigeria and South Africa, among other reasons. It was believed that they would be well established in terms of funding towards infrastructure and human development in their respective countries. Convenience sampling was used to select the respondents for the study. The questionnaire was administered to 413 medical doctors, 258 (63%) of whom returned the questionnaire. Interviews were also conducted with the heads of the ICT units at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria, and King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban, South Africa. The quantitative data aspect of the study was analysed using descriptive statistics and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), while the qualitative aspect of the data was analysed through the use of qualitative contents analysis. The study was guided by the Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). The essence of using this theory is to identify the factors that influence the use of clinical informatics. The finding of the study reveals that there was an association between the demographic variables and the use of clinical informatics. It was established that there was a significant association between the medical department and the use of electronic medical records. An assessment of the socio-demographic characteristics and the use of the Clinical Decision Support System revealed that there was a significant association between the years of medical practice and the use of Clinical Decision Support System. The finding also revealed that social demographic variables such as age, years of practice and position were all significant related with the use of diagnostic image archiving. Furthermore, the surveyed medical doctors stated that their main purpose of using clinical informatics is for medical diagnosis. It was also discovered that there is association between the teaching hospitals and the use of clinical informatics for knowledge sharing. In addition, clinical informatics was found to influence the spirit of team work amongst the medical doctors through knowledge sharing with their professional colleagues and their medical students. Similarly, there were association between the teaching hospitals treatment of patients and effective healthcare delivery. In addition, the major benefit of using clinical informatics in the two hospitals was to reduce medical errors. The most available clinical informatics tools in the selected teaching hospitals were the Diagnosis Image Archiving and Clinical Decision Support System. Performance expectancy and effort expectancy were identified as the factors from the UTAUT that influenced the medical doctors’ behavioural intention to use clinical informatics resources in the selected teaching hospitals. The non-availability of clinical informatics resources was identified as the main challenge facing the effective access to and use of clinical informatics. In addition, the two hospitals relied on the ICT policies of other institutions and did not have their own ICT policies, which was problematic. The study concluded that the clinical informatics environments in the two teaching hospitals are inadequate and there is poor access to clinical informatics resources among medical doctors in the selected teaching hospitals. Major recommendations of the study include the need to establish ICT policies and increase investment in clinical informatics resources at the surveyed teaching hospitals in order to promote effective and value-based healthcare delivery. In addition, the hospital management should create awareness on the importance and benefits of clinical informatics particularly for the medical doctors through informal and continuing education and training such as workshops and short courses. Moreover, the hospital managements need to partner with relevant stakeholders such as government, corporate bodies, and departments of health. This is for the provision of adequate and suitable environment to support the access and use of clinical informatics. Further studies on the various types of health informatics such as nursing informatics, pharmacy informatics and veterinary informatics are recommended. It is also suggested that the study should be extended to other regions of Africa. The study is significant and makes tangible contributions to technology acceptance and use in clinical medicine from developing country contexts such as Nigeria and South Africa giving the increasing role of information and communication technology in diagnosis, prescription, treatment, monitoring and overall management of patient care in an environment characterized by complex diseases. The study has the potential to inform policy, practises, and also contribute to this research in the general area of social information in Africa.
The access, interaction, use and impact of information And communication technologies among civil servants In the Umhlathuze area: a social informatics study
(University of Zululand, 2010) Ntetha, Mduduzi Aubrey; Mostert, J.; Le Roux, C.J.B.
Social Informatics is the field of study concentrating on the social aspects of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) utilisation with researchers in the field concentrating on aspects such as human interaction with ICTs, the effect of certain hardware and software on utilisation and the impact that the use of ICTs have on the daily lives of people in society. One of the areas where the use of ICTs can have a huge influence is on governmental service delivery, where these tools can be used to speed up processes, beef up security, provide access to, and disseminate information, and be used in virtually all government departments to provide a more effective and efficient service to all its people. The aim of the study was to examine the use, impact and interaction of ICTs for service delivery among Civil Servants in the uMhlatuze area. The study was carried out using both qualitative and quantitative methods through survey research. The objectives of the study were: to determine the nature of the services rendered in the three targeted Departments (Education, Health and Social Development), to establish the types of ICTs currently in use by Civil Servants in uMhlatuze area, to explore how the Civil Servants interact with ICTs in the municipality, to explore the impact of the Civil Servants` interaction with ICTs, to determine the training needs of the Civil Servants, in so far as effective ICT utilisation is concerned, to determine users level of satisfaction with the standard of service delivery, to outline the challenges faced in the service provision. Data was collected via questionnaires that were submitted to the three departments by the researcher. Interviews were also conducted with both civil servants and their clients. The aim of the interviews was to get their personal opinions on problems facing service provision. The number of responses from the distributed questionnaires varied: Education (21), Health (9) and Social Development (5). Managers from the three departments were interviewed with an aim of understanding types of services they offer to clients, clients satisfaction with service offered to them, the use of computers in providing services, the level of computer literacy among staff (Civil Servants), difficulties experienced when providing services to clients, and the effect of the availability of computers in providing service delivery. The study revealed that not all ICT tools are generally available and/or used by civil servants in the uMhlatuze Municipality It was also found that most new technologies were neither used, nor available, or could not be accessed by civil servants in the departments, e.g. the Internet, laptop computers, databases, video cameras, video recorders, sound/tape recorders, overhead projectors, and information systems. The government also does not appear to make much use of radio and television, which are mediums that are often used in this country for communication. The researcher recommended that the government should ensure that each civil servant has a computer linked to the Internet on his or her table. All available ICT tools should also be provided to the different departments because they deal with different social needs everyday that may require different solutions. A lack of skills to operate a number of ICTs, especially the computers was identified as a serious impediment to effective service delivery. Therefore it was recommended that the Departments of Education, Health and Social Development send their staff for training on the efficient utilization of ICT tools, specifically computer related training. It was further recommended that computer literacy courses and refresher courses be offered on a continual basis in order to elevate the level of computer literacy among the civil servants, especially for programmes such as Word processing, Excel and PowerPoint which are used almost daily in the public service.
Assessing the impact of library services on teachers in schools using the uKhahlamba Teacher Development Centre in KwaZulu-Natal
(2023) Ntumba, Siyathokoza Princess Sybil
District Teachers' Development Centres serve as hubs for delivering professional teacher development programmes and ICT support for teachers for information, knowledge and skills. As such, the Teacher Development Centres have a role to play in the careers of educators, particularly in this information age led by the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). The study aimed to assess the impact of information services on teachers' teaching practices in schools using the Okhahlamba Teacher Development Centre in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The research objectives of the study were to determine the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of the 21st-century teachers in schools supported by the Okhahlamba Teacher Development Centre, establish the information services and resources available and accessible by teachers at the Okhahlamba Teacher Development Centre, ascertain the competencies of teachers in using information services and resources at the Okhahlamba Teacher Development Centre and find out the challenges teachers face in using information services of the Okhahlamba Teacher Development Centre. The study employed a post-positivism research paradigm. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were used in this study. The research designs used were a survey and a case study research designs. The target population was 306 teachers and one librarian. The sampling methods were purposive sampling method for the librarian and systematic sampling method for the teachers. Semi-structured interview schedules and self-administered questionnaires were used as data collection instruments for the librarian and teachers respectively in this study. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, and quantitative data were analysed using descriptive analysis. The study used the Cognitivism Learning (CL) Theory and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as theoretical support. The findings revealed that the teachers’ needs are information for their schoolwork or teaching, personal reading, study and discussion space, job applications and internet access. The findings also revealed that the teachers search for information in the library and prefer to access information on the internet. The findings on information and knowledge services and facilities available and accessible for teachers revealed that there are computer services, search services, photocopying services, and training services. The findings also revealed the competencies teachers must be able to access the information services and resources; teachers can use computers and are also able to access information on the internet. Regarding the challenges teachers face when accessing information services and resources revealed are the absence of mobile library services that used to serve them in their schools, shortage of books, shortage of relevant information materials relevant to their curriculum as well as their development; they need stable internet access and more computers as they are teaching in the 4th industrial revolution; they need to be notified by the librarian about availability of new resources and all library materials available, accessible and relevant to their work, for their developmental skills, for them to create study rooms for kids in their schools, make internet accessible at the libraries in schools.
Awareness and use of Open Access resources by researchers of the University of Zululand
(University of Zululand, 2018) Munikwa, Chiedza Pamela
This study set out to investigate whether researchers at the University of Zululand were aware of scholarly open access resources available to them. This involved determining the strategies put in place by the University to promote open access databases and resources and the extent to which the researchers had incorporated these resources into their research. The study also aimed to assess the barriers against and factors in favour of adoption and use open access resources at the University of Zululand.Open access resources are key to assisting institutions in strengthening their research and this study sought to investigate how the institution had progressed in doing this while acting as an awareness tool so that previously uninformed researchers could become knowledgeable about resources available to them. This research was underpinned by the pragmatic paradigm, to effectively carry out mixed method research. This study was conducted within the natural setting of the research problem and was guided by case study design using a qualitative approach to collect data that helped to understand the population under study in depth. Data was collected directly from the target population by way of questionnaires and focus groups targeted at the researcher population and semi-structured interviews with the information librarians. The questionnaires were used in a survey to gather both qualitative data from open-ended questions and quantitative data from closed-ended questions and the focus group discussion points were not restrictive. This meant that both qualitative and quantitative data were collected concurrently thus saving time. The data from the information librarians was qualitative and assisted in getting a view from the staff tasked with bringing about awareness and promotion of these resources. The target populations for this study were researchers at the University of Zululand and information librarians. Included as researchers were postgraduate students of all faculties at the University of Zululand and academic staff. This brought the target population to 1515 (one thousand five hundred and fifteen) researchers and all four information librarians were targeted. It must be noted that the researcher number also includes some members of the academic staff who are studying part-time. The target population was stratified with the intention of getting respondents in proportion to their numbers at different academic levels and therefore achieve a measure of representivity in an effort to attain external validity. Stratified random sampling was employed across academic levels to sample respondents for participation in the questionnaire survey and the focus group discussions. This resulted in a total of one hundred and twenty-five (125) questionnaires being handed out. Of these, 96 were returned representing a response rate of 76.8%. The study held three focus group discussions with a total of fifteen (15) researchers participating. The study found that not all researchers are aware of the OA resources at their disposal. Of those who are aware, some are not always willing to make use of them or make their own work openly accessible. Researchers expressing awareness could not all be drawn to provide specific named examples of OA databases they use. This suggests a lack of thorough knowledge as to what OA is, while at the same time showcasing the challenges that come from the pressure to “publish or perish”, particularly in the Department of Higher Education and Training-approved journals. Challenges highlighted to using open access resources by researchers included poor or inadequate university ICT infrastructure and lack of adequate information literacy skills. While the university is not idle, there is need for further awareness and training activities to take place for researchers to realize the maximum potential of the open access movement. This will assist in challenging the negative perceptions attached to OA and at the same time promote them to those who are not familiar with these resources.
Career preferences of library science students
(University of Zululand, 1991) Nsingwane, Greatness Thulisile; Vermeulen, W.M.
The underlying problem in this study is to look into the career preferences of library science students as related to university and public libraries. Career preferences will be judged by various factors which include the students' needs, professional education and social background. Prospective librarians, of course, have career preferences but should be reminded of the profound transformation of the public library in South Africa due to political and social-economic factors.
Challenges in the utilisation and provision of school library services in Katlehong Secondary Schools (Gauteng Province, South Africa).
(University of Zululand, 2014) Shandu, Lindiwe Z.Z.; Mostert, B.J.; Evans, N.D.
This study sought to identify the issues and challenges facing school libraries in secondary schools in Katlehong, Gauteng province, South Africa. It is the responsibility of the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) to make the provision of the resources in the schools for the effective functioning of the libraries. The study revealed little provision from the GDE and as a result school libraries are faced with challenges such as lack of library materials, insufficient staff and funds. These challenges led to under-utilisation of school libraries by both teachers and learners. Very few schools in South Africa have a functional school library, and those that do have one have to maintain it through their own funds and budget. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to conduct this study. Both non-probability (purposive sampling) and probability (simple random sampling) sampling methods were applied. The study clustered specific schools in Katlehong, i.e 14 secondary schools, and purposively selected the teacher-librarians, principals, teachers and learners in these schools, and a Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) official to participate in the study. Purposive sampling was used to sample the 102 teachers who participated in the focus discussion groups, and simple random sampling was used to identify the learners in each school who participated in the study. Four hundred questionnaires were distributed to learners, and three hundred and forty were returned. Interviews were held with the teacher-librarians, principals and the GDE official, while Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were held with the teachers. The results from the study revealed that school libraries in Katlehong’s secondary schools face challenges that include lack of staff, outdated and inadequate collections, mis-catalogued and poorly organized books, lack of funds, insufficient library orientation, and the absence of guidelines and leadership from the Department of Education. Very few schools had qualified teacher-librarians in their employ. The teachers who were employed as teacher-librarians confirmed that they were managing the school libraries without the professional skills required to guide both teachers and learners in the use of library resources. All the teacher-librarians had to teach in addition to managing the library, and in most cases the library was closed when they were in class. It was also mentioned that the school timetable did not always include a compulsory library period for all the classes. The need for a collection development policy and the lack of support from the school management team were also highlighted as challenges. Based on the findings both teachers and learners confirmed that their use of the library is restricted in terms of the time they had to use the libraries. There is no sufficient space, poor library orientation is conducted at schools, insufficient library furniture and the libraries keep old, out-dated and irrelevant books. Users have limited access to the Internet.
Change management in the implementation of electronic health records systems in public and private hospitals in the Ethekwini Municipality, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
(University of Zululand, 2021) Msomi, Mandisa
The study examined change management practice in the implementation of electronic health records systems in public and private hospitals in the eThekwini area, Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, South Africa. The study is responding to the e-Health Strategy of South Africa set to provide road map for accomplishing well-functioning national health information systems to support delivery of health services. The study compared public and private hospitals in the development, execution and operation of electronic health records systems (EHR) systems. The study reviewed in-depth literature on the change management processes in the pre and post implementation of electronic health records systems, including user acceptance in the utilization of the system. The leading change model and technology acceptance model (TAM) model was utilized to evaluate changing behaviour of hospital employees towards tactical processes on their daily duties in the use of EHR systems. The study further assessed changes experienced by public and private hospitals due to EHR system implementation. It also evaluated the way hospitals monitor and measure success or failure of electronic health records systems. The study adopted the pragmatic epistemology and pluralistic ontology to measures users’ attitude towards the operation of the EHR systems and evaluated change management in its execution. The study adopted the mixed methods research approach. The study targeted a sample of 215 participants in both public and private hospitals. Out of which, 187 responded representing a response rate of 87.76%. The questionnaires were used to collect data from nurses, doctors, filing or ward clerks, receptionist and patient administrators. Qualitative data was collected through interviews from the hospital management. Descriptive statistics were used to describe frequencies with data presentation in bar graphs and pie charts; while qualitative data was thematically categorised and presented narratively. The two sets of quantitative and qualitative data from both the public and private hospitals were compared and contrasted in order to produce a single interpretation, and draw appropriate conclusions. The findings of the study established that ill-defined change management approach and unbalanced user acceptance dissuade EHR system effectiveness and set back visibility of execution progress. The study confirmed lack of standard guidelines for both public and private hospitals in the establishment of procedures and policies guiding change management in the implementation process. This study confirmed poor user involvement in the execution of EHR systems. Therefore, this results to imbalance in change management visibility in the implementation of EHR system as hospitals struggle to track effectiveness of the system and user acceptance. The study showed that there is a gap of change management directive in the eHealth Strategy of South Africa as there is no notable guidance in monitoring and evaluating the development and implementation of EHR systems. In order to accomplish EHR system efficiency and meaningful use, the study recommends that official change management framework in the implementation of EHR systems should be developed. Similarly, the study recommends that standardised formal monitoring and evaluation processes need to be developed by the Department of Health in order to measure effectiveness and level of users’ acceptance from pre to post implementation of the EHR system. The study recommends the Department of Health to liaise with the National Archives of South Africa towards developing policy and procedure manuals that may guide hospitals in the implementation of EHR systems in their operations.
Collection security in Natal libraries
(1995) Serfontein, Theodoris Erens; Vermeulen, W.M.
The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a collection security problem in South African libraries, with specific reference to Natal, to determine the extent of the problem, to find out why these problems exist, and to see if the countermeasures applied by the Natal libraries were effective-Data collection was done by means of a literature study, three empirical surveys, and a sample stocktaking exercise at the four libraries included in this project, to determine their loss rate. The results show that theft/loss and mutilation of library materials are problems of considerable magnitude, locally and internationally. (In 1991 it was estimated that in the United Kingdom library materials to the value of ± £100 million were lost) - The stocktake completed at three of the four Natal libraries included in this study , used the 3M electronic security system and the Durban Municipal Library the Checkpoint system. The main reasons for theft varied from, not having enough funds, and being selfish, to the book was not available in the bookshop and the user thought s/he would not get caught. The reasons for mutilation varied from, the user was not aware of the cost of replacing mutilated material, being selfish and to prevent others from getting the same information. It was also found that the photocopy services needed to be upgraded to prevent frustrated users from stealing or mutilating library materials, of the 343 respondents who participated in the survey conducted at the four libraries included in this study were inconvenienced by mutilation. The reasons for theft and mutilation by users in the Natal libraries coincided with those of the international world as found in the literature survey. Security or countermeasures are not effective and must be improved, i.e. the librarians must change their attitude towards library crimes, facilitate user access, implement a regular stocktaking programme, educate the library users, and publicise acts of theft and mutilation.
College libraries in Kangwane and Kwa-Ndebele: a comparative study
(University of Zululand, 1992) Nkosi, Agnes; Vermeulen, W.M.
The purpose of the study is to determine whether Kangwane and Kwa-Ndebele college libraries reach standards set for college libraries. To compare college libraries in Kangwane and Kwa-Ndebele and to identify areas which need to be addressed to improve these libraries, and to alert administrators and managers of college libraries of both National states (Kangwane and Kwa-Ndebele) to the real needs of these libraries and to motivate them to be more involved in their improvement.
Community libraries : the concept and its application - with particular reference to the Pinetown community libraries
(1997) Mostert, Bertha Jantine; Vermeulen, W.M.
Since the establishment of the first libraries paradigm shifts occured, especially during times of political, social and cultural upheavals and change. It was the public library, more than any other library system, which had to continually adapt its services as its clientele changed from the privileged few who could read and write, to the masses who looked upon the library as an instrument for mass education. Although the Western public library service did not fulfil a formal educational role, it aimed to support informal and life¬long education . On the African continent public libraries were perceived as tools for mass education for a population thirsting for knowledge. Whereas in developed countries public libraries could still function by providing a relatively passive, buildings-based service, this was not possible in developing countries. What was needed to be relevant to the needs of the public, was a pro-active service, based on each specific community's needs. The ills of the public library system transplanted to Africa prevented such pro¬active and innovative services, thus leaving in its wake a disillusioned public as well as governments. Alternative approaches to rendering the services needed have been attempted, but with little sustained effort and success. At face value the South African public library system has seemed to be a well-organised and well-developed service. Unfortunately the country's political past hampered the provision of equal services to all race groups. This resulted in a service based on the needs of just one race group, excluding the majority of the population from gaining equal access to information. This situation is currently under revision, and serious efforts are being made to rectify the situation. As is the case with the rest of Africa, it would seem that far reaching adaptations to the existing service structure need to be made to enable the whole society to benefit from the services provided by libraries. Some pro-active and innovative library professionals have already started implementing alternative services to communities previously excluded from using library services provided for developed communities. These vanguard services, known as community libraries and resource centres have found innovative ways and means of serving their respective communities. The characteristics of community libraries were analysed in order to determine the functioning of this innovative system. The Pinetown community libraries aim to bring an information service to their disadvantaged communities. The research has shown that these community libraries are providing a service which has moved a considerable distance along the road of becoming a pro-active community service. Although there are still many shortcomings, the process of transformation is well under way.
A comparative analysis of the web information seeking behaviour of students and staff at the University of Zululand and the Durban University of Technology
(2009) Nkomo, Ntando; Ocholla, D.N.; Jacobs, D.
Today’s online experience has literally added a new dimension to our information seeking activities, presenting users with a vast array of options. A considerable amount of information has migrated from the print world and is now available electronically. Thus a lot of people immediately associate the World Wide Web (WWW) with information and its related activities. This association partly prompted this study on the web information seeking behaviour of students and staff at the University of Zululand and the Durban University of Technology. Web information seeking generally raises new challenges within academic dispensations in different settings and in different ways. The selected institutions were assumed to be at different levels of development because of the country’s (apartheid) history; the former institution is rural-based and the latter, urban based, and it was thought that this would affect the uptake of ICTs. The objectives of the study were: i) To identify the web information needs of students and staff; ii) To determine how, when and where web information is sought; iii) To establish the channels used when searching the web for information; iv) To identify the challenges faced when searching for information online; and v) To recommend the best ways to improve web information seeking and use within the two institutions. Both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were employed in a survey. The main research instrument was a questionnaire, supported by limited interviews. The results show that the web is a platform that people in academia have come to rely on, although only a few of its numerous channels are used significantly. A wholesale swing in the pattern of use from reliance on traditional information providers to this new medium was not evident; however, the old and the new appear to coexist. Many claimed that although the web is now their first choice as an information source, they have not discarded the ‘old ways’ - they still visit the library and feel it plays a vital role in meeting their information needs. A number of challenges were identified, chief among them being connectivity problems. Bandwidth was particularly problematic and made worse by the two institutions’ large student populations. Relevant infrastructure (computer laboratories, computers, etc.) seemed available, although inadequate. The results shed light on the general retrieval difficulties students’ face. Most of these appeared to stem from poor training or lack of skills. Many users, students in particular, appeared to be familiar with how web technology works but not with how to use the technology to achieve results. The study recommends comprehensive training programs that address the skills’ deficiencies noted. It is also necessary to institute mechanisms that improve both physical and intellectual access to web resources.
Comparative assessment of information and knowledge sharing among academics in selected universities in Nigeria and South Africa
(University of Zululand, 2015) Fari, Sani Abdu; Ocholla, D.N.
This study sets out to investigate information and knowledge sharing among academics in selected universities in Nigeria and South Africa. The areas focused upon were universities in the two countries and three each were sampled. The data was gathered through literature review, field survey, and the Bibliometric analysis of publications in Scopus, an online database. The combined techniques of purposive and probability random sampling were applied to determine the required sample frames of universities and respondents respectively. The respondents were drawn from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Federal University of Technology Minna (FUT) and Umaru Musa Yar’adua University (UMYU) in Nigeria, and University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban University of Technology (DUT) and University of Zululand (UZ) in South Africa. A Questionnaire was administered to obtain the necessary data from sampled academics in the selected universities. The questionnaire was administered to a total of 382 respondents comprising academic staff in both countries and a response rate of 311 representing 81.41% was achieved. Data was analysed using both quantitative statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21 and UCINET version 6.0 to represent data obtained from the SCOPUS database. Four null hypotheses were tested at α = 0.05 using Correlation and the T-test. The demographic data revealed that majorities of the surveyed academics in Nigeria (74%) and South Africa (70.7%) were male, and had Master’s Degrees (52.5% Nigeria; 51.1% South Africa). Majority of the respondents were also in the Humanities (57.1% Nigeria; 41.3% South Africa), and had between 11 to 20 years of (42.0% Nigeria; 53.3% South Africa). The overall results revealed that the academic respondents from Nigeria (100%) and South Africa (100%) understand and participated in information and knowledge sharing through various means, such as seminars, conferences and workshops. The academics in the Nigerian universities indicated that they share and preferred information on additional jobs and scholarship availability, while the South African academics showed more interest in new technologies and collaborative initiatives. There was evidence that the surveyed academics in both countries shared information: through personal discussions; on research progress with others, both within and outside their universities and disciplines; and before undertaking research. The study determined that information and communication technologies (ICTs) are being used by the academics in the selected universities for information and knowledge sharing. All the surveyed academics indicated that they used the most common ICTs such as computers (100% Nigeria; 100% South Africa), mobile phones (100% Nigeria; 100% South Africa), internet facilities (100% Nigeria; 100% South Africa), and USBs (100% Nigeria; 100% South Africa). However, the overall utilization of ICTs was higher in the surveyed South African universities. The top collaborating authors were found to be from South Africa, while the top two collaborating universities were from Nigeria. However, it was established that there were far more collaborative ties both within and outside the selected universities and countries in South Africa than in Nigeria. The study found that knowledge sharing positively affects academics in their teaching, research, self-development and community service, with varying magnitudes with respect to selected universities in each country and the type of effect. And the number of collaborative ties both within and outside their universities and countries are more in South Africa than in Nigeria. Many problems were found to be affecting effective information and knowledge sharing, such as poor research management; poor communication of conferences, seminars and workshops among academics; poor support services; and negative attitude to sharing on the part of some academics. The study recommended that the prevailing problems of knowledge sharing could be decreased by the provision of some basic services, in particular: effective research management and support, adequate information resources and services, and strict policies to persuade academics to undertake and publish joint research results. It is also necessary to improve awareness among academics on the importance of information and knowledge sharing. Other recommendations include: 1. Further research should be embarked upon to compare African universities with European, American universities to ascertain the real problems behind the poor research performance of academics and universities on the continent and between Europe and America. 2. Multinational initiative to encourage and support African scholars participation to international academic gatherings which are usually hindered by travel/diplomatic issues 3. African universities must ensure further training and retraining of academics especially on information literacy skills and lifelong learning to emphasize the relevance of collaborative research via social interactions such as the Web 2.0 etc.
A comparison of research and publication patterns and output among academic Librarians in Eastern and Southern Africa between 1990 to 2006
(2009) Sitenei, Grace C.; Ocholla, D.N.
Different categories of people who may be scholars, lectures, students, retirees, housewives, politicians, administrators etc. use the library to access the information they require to pass exams, make decisions or read for leisure. Academic libraries are most important to all scholars and students who pass through a university. For these libraries to continue striving and provide effective services, research is required to improve on areas that are not viable to users. The professional academic librarian is mandated to provide guidance on how these services can be improved in order to make the library useful to all. This cannot be possible if the academic librarians only concentrate on shelving, acquisition, classification, cataloguing, charging and discharging and processing of information materials. The role of academic librarians has continued and will continue to change as time goes on. Many academic librarians provide research assistance to their users and other vital services to facilitate the completion of their client's research. However, it is significant to note that academic librarians must engage in research and publish, in order to improve services and attract more users to the library. Payne and Payne (2004: 9) highlights that there are two main reasons why people carry out research. One among others is because there is an intellectual challenge and the urge to fill a gap in our knowledge, or believe that current accepted theories should be tested. A second reason is that we want to change the world. Academic librarians need to be provided with incentives such as funding, promotions, and time out in order to entice them to carry out research. This study was carried out with an idea that academic librarians should carry out research and publish, for development and for the improvement of library services. Academic librarians holding a bachelors degree and above,, who were working in public universities in Eastern and Southern Africa were targeted for the study. The purpose of this research was to compare the research and publication patterns of academic librarians working in Eastern and Southern Africa from 1990 to 2006. Six objectives were formulated in order to achieve this purpose. The research was purely carried out online, 866 academic librarians names were retrieved from a total of 47 Public university libraries WebPages, via the universities websites. These names were used as access points to retrieve data from the two online databases (i.e. LISTA and WORLDCAT). Bibliometrics was used as research method, Microsoft Excel software was also employed for the purpose of data analysis and presentation of the collected data. Findings indicated that Southern Africa was the most prolific region with 194 (74.00%) of the publications emanating from there. South Africa was the most productive country in Southern Africa with 111(42.21%) publications. Tanzania was the most productive country in Eastern Africa with 31 (11.41%). Muswazi and Pienaar were the most prolific academic librarians with 11(3.97%) publications each. Most productive academic library was from Southern Africa, which was Botswana with 31 (11.41%) publications. Majority of the academic librarians from both regions contributed to one publication. The study was concluded with the following observation being made: Overall South Africa emerged the most prolific country in both regions; majority of the countries from both regions were not consistent in their publication production; there was a continuous rises and drops in research publication from 1990 to 2006; and academic librarians preferred publishing articles than any other publications, many academic librarians did not engage in research and academic librarians, from the two regions prefer publishing individually. The study further recommended several studies that needed to be carried out in Africa and other parts of the world in order to fill and clarify gaps that emanated from the study.
Customer care services and strategies in academic libraries in tertiary institutions in KwaZulu-Natal
(2004) Dlamini, Petros; Ocholla, D.N.
The study defined customer care as an activity that allows customers to make direct contact with an organization to pass comments on products and their use. It also observed customer care as a customer service that seeks to acquire new customers, provide superior customer satisfaction, and build customer loyalty. The aim of the study was to investigate customer care strategies and services in academic libraries in tertiary institutions in KwaZulu-Natal. Two research assumptions were made. Firstly, it is assumed that academic libraries in South Africa do not have operational customer care strategies and services in place. Secondly, there is a relationship between poor information use and customer service and lack of customer care strategies and services in academic libraries in tertiary institutions. The study targeted 401 respondents, 307 students and 79 academic staff as well as 15 library staff. The study applied both quantitative and qualitative approaches and the population targeted was sampled by the use of stratified random sampling techniques. Three hundred and eighty six (386) questionnaires were distributed to both academics and students while interviews were conducted with the library management or unit and committee responsible for customer care. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data from academic staff and students. This software was selected because it is a user friendly data management and analysis package that can perform a variety of data analysis tests and presentation functions. Additionally, Microsoft Excel was used to analyze data collected from the library staff respondents. The study focused mainly on the problem areas, which depicts customer care policy and structures, customer care products and services, conducting of customer care, satisfaction of customers and strategies of customer care. It was discovered that some academic libraries do not have a formal policy on customer care in place. However, respondents were aware of and familiar with customer care policies in their libraries. Additionally, awareness and familiarity with information products and services was found to be known among library users. Furthermore, it was found that academic libraries do not have proper methods and strategies of customer care. Even those strategies that exist, are unknown among library users. It was further drawn out that library users are satisfied with information resources offered by their libraries. The study therefore, recommends that academic libraries should have a unit/person and committee responsible for customer care in place. In addition to that, library staff should attend workshops on customer care, to get formal training on how to deal with customers. It was observed that proper strategies and methods of conducting customer care must be implemented.
Cyberethical behaviour of high school students in selected schools in Umhlathuze municipality
(University of Zululand, 2022) Buthelezi, Noxolo Nqobile
Cyber technology has become a basic aspect of schools and universities, with students' habitual use of these tools to communicate, learn, and play. However, schools and universities have faced numerous issues as a result of cyber ethics activities in various settings. This study has examined the cyber ethical behaviour of high school students in selected schools in uMhlathuze Municipality. The objectives of this study were to: explore the level of awareness of cyber ethical behaviour prevalent at the selected high schools in uMhlathuze Municipality; identify the forms of cyber ethics behaviour shown by the selected high school students; demonstrate the application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) on cyber ethical behaviour intentions of high school students and establish the challenges faced by high school students to act ethically when using the Internet and cyber technologies. The study adopted a quantitative approach through survey research design. Probability sampling was used to sample students through the simple random technique. A sample for the study was drawn from Grade 11 students from three conveniently selected high schools in uMhlathuze Municipality. 214 questionnaires were distributed among Grade 11 students. Data was collected through questionnaires. The data analyses were carried out largely using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28.0. The findings of the study show that 68.2% of the respondents were aware of their cyber ethical behaviour. Less than half (68;31,8%) of the respondents showed less awareness. A high percentage of the respondents (82,7%) said that their teachers hardly teach them about cyber ethics. The respondents submitted that cyberbullying (57%), using another user’s password (16,4%) and dissemination of fake news (8.4%) are the common types of cyber ethical transgressions. The study discovered a substantial number of challenges related to effective cyber ethical behaviour. The findings indicated a need for awareness of cyber ethical technology and how to mitigate its misuse. This study's originality stems from its scope, subject matter, and application. The study is significant because it provides a theoretical basis for future studies in the following areas: high schools in the uMhlathuze municipality, the levels of awareness of teachers and principals pertaining to cyber ethics. The study has implications for cyber ethical technologies and cyber ethical behaviour in high schools’ research and responses by stakeholders.
Cyberethical behaviour of undergraduate students of the University of Zululand, South Africa, and the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
(University of Zululand, 2019) Adeniyi, Aderibigbe Nurudeen
This study examined the cyberethical behaviour of undergraduate students of the University of Zululand, South Africa, and the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria. Cyberethical behaviour is the study and understanding of users’ attitudes towards the use of cybertechnology and their interaction with other aspects of the Internet and its environment. The specific objectives of the study were to: explore the relationships between students’ demographic characteristics and their cyberethical behaviour; determine their level of awareness of cyberethical behaviour; explore the types of cyberethical behaviour exhibited by undergraduate students; determine the influence of the Theory of Planned Behaviour on cyberethical behaviour; find out the challenges faced by students in order to act ethically in cyberspace; and establish the impact of cyberethics policy in strengthening or promoting cyberethics in the two universities. The study adopted the pragmatic research paradigm that combines both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The sample for the study was drawn from undergraduate students in two purposively selected universities in South Africa and Nigeria. The respondents were drawn from all faculties and colleges in the two universities. A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches was used in the data analysis. Data collected using the quantitative instrument were coded and the analyses were carried out using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. Data from the interview schedule were analysed using thematic analysis. Overall, 450 undergraduate students were invited to participate in the survey, but 380 respondents completed and returned the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 84.4%. From the expected 16 members of staff of both Information Technology Section (ITS) and Information & Communication Technology Resources Centre (ICTREC), 14 were interviewed, giving a response rate of 88%. The findings of the study indicated a demographic dominance of female respondents from South Africa and male respondents from Nigeria. The majority of the undergraduate students in the studied universities are in the 21-25 age brackets, which is not unique. The study also showed moderate influences of demographic characteristics on cyberethical behaviour. Most of the respondents from the sampled universities reported that they were aware of cyberethical behaviour. A high percentage of participants, 98 (52.1%), revealed that they had never received ethical orientation in the university. vi Top on the list of types of cyberethical violations is cyber piracy, with the highest mean scores of ( ̅ = 3.6 and SD = 1.5) and ( ̅ = 3.6, SD = 1.3) among students in Nigeria and South Africa respectively. The three variables - attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) - were individually statistically significant in influencing students’ cyberethical behaviour. Furthermore, the study revealed a significant number of challenges that were associated with appropriate cyberethical behaviour. Despite the importance of cyber technology to the university community, the universities provided access, but with some restrictions. While UNIZULU provides round the clock internet access, FUNAAB has limited and regulated access for users on their network. The study recommends that universities should sustain orientation programmes on cyberethics and cyber security awareness at the start of each academic year, especially for fresh students, so that they can act responsibly when in the university cyberspace. It is also suggested that universities establish strong policies and corresponding penalties for cyberethical violations or misuse behaviour. Universities should revisit or review existing computer laboratory ethical conduct and policies to attune to the demands of present reality. The findings of this study may spark further investigation into the impact of cyber technology on the ethical conduct of undergraduate and graduate students in academic institutions in the studied countries, and perhaps elsewhere. The study also contributes to extant literature on the application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). The originality and value of this study can be viewed from the application of a socio- psychology theory to determine cyberethical behaviour, which provides further evidence that the TPB can be applied to cyberethics research. The study also contributes to literature by conceptualising the phenomenon of cyberethics in the context of South Africa and Nigeria, which can generate debates for further discussions on cyberethics among African scholars. In addition, the findings will help university executives to consider developing policy and standards that will encourage ethical behaviour by all the cyber technology users in their cyberspaces. The empirical findings from this study can help to create awareness about cyberethics and motivate academics and institutions in these African countries to accept the challenge of establishing, monitoring, evaluating and strengthening their environments so that academic integrity will be valued and carefully protected. The principal theoretical implication of this study is that, while it is not enough to declare that unethical cyber behaviour is against an institution’s code of conduct and acceptable use, university managements need to initiate forums to bridge the gap between students’ knowledge and their actual behaviour.
Diffusion of information and communication technologies in communication of Agricultural information among agricultural researchers and extension workers in Kenya
(2004) Kiplang'at, Joseph; Ocholla, D.N.; Adigun, M.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the ditTusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the communication of agricultural information among agricultural researchers and extension workers in Kenya. In particular. the study focused on the public agricultural sector and covered the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD). A survey research method. comprising a self-completed questionnaire and a structured interview schedule was utilized to gather data from the respondents. This was supplemented by observation and document review. The questionnaire was used to solicit information from agricultural researchers and extension workers. while the face to lilCe interview was used to obtain information from the key informants of the study. The agricultural researchers were drawn from the 21 KARI research centres distributed in all the eight provinces of Kenya and strategically spread to cater for different agroecological zones and socio-economic systems. The extension workers, on the other hand. were drawn from the Uasin Gishu and Baringo Districts, while the Key informants of the study were drawn from all the institutions surveyed. A total of 356 respondents compnsmg 159 agricultural researchers, 138 extension workers and 59 key informants participated in this study. The completed questionnaires were reviewed to determine their usability. Two questionnaires were discarded because they were incomplete. A total 01'295 questionnaires (159 agricultural researchers and 136 extension workers) and 59 recorded interviews were usable. This brought the lotal number ofrespondents to 354. It was observed that KARI and MoARD had adopted a wide variety of ICT tools and services in an effort to facilitate information sharing and exchange among agricultural researchers. extension workers, farmers and other actors involved in research and extension. These ranged from modern ICT based on digital information that included computers, the Internet and emaiL electronic sources. scanners. digital cameras among others. Traditional ICTs based largely on analogue information wa\'Cs included radio VI cassettes, tape recorders, television. video cameras, VCR. telephone. fax (analogue and digital) among others. lt was further established that the Agricultural Information Centre (AIC) had a modern radio studio equipped with professional sound recording equipment and editing suites amongst a variety of other video production facilities. The wide range of leT models adopted addressed the ditTerent kinds of intormation needs and commtmication problems encountered by agricultural researchers. extension workers and fanners. The agricultural researchers and extension workers had a critical need for information that was specific to the nature of their work. In addition. they needed information on agricultural policies and meteorology. The intormation needs of the two categories of respondents were met through the use of print and electronic sources. Agricultural researchers obtained useful infornlation from the Internet and CD-ROM databases with TEEAL database having the most useful information, while the Kenya Agricultural Research Database (KARD) provided useful information on local content. In contrast. the extension workers were disadvantaged as the majority lacked skills and physical access to ICTs. Their information needs were, therefore, met through the use of printed sources of information, and by attendance of meetings, workshops and seminars, Most of the respondents used ICTs to communicate among themselves and also with actors involved in research and extension. The Internet and email was used for consultation purposes, for communicating agricultural information, for research purposes and for collaborative projects with other colleagues. Radio, television and video were used in disseminating agricultural information to the farming community. Mobile phones were found to be a convenient means of communicating short messages. It was observed that use ofICTs had increased the respondents' work productivity and creativity. Information literacy programmes were taking place in the institutions surveyed although at different levels of intensity and continuity. Through the programme most of the respondents had improved their skills on the use of computers. Internet, emaiI and VII electronic sources. The programmes were better coordinated and managed at KARI than the Ministry of agriculture. Although ICTs had facilitated communication of agricultural information among actors involved in research and extension. it was yet to improve the linkage between agricultural researchers and extension workers. For ICTs to be levera~ed in the agricultural sector. it ~ ~ was observed tbat the agricultural researchers and extension workers should work more closely as tbeir activities are interrelated. Each group should play their roles in the multifaceted process of transmitting new knowledge of farm technology to farmers and getting their leedback. An attempt had been made to formulate institutional ICT policies to guide the dilTusion of ICTs at KARl and the Ministry of Agriculture. Implementation of these policies had been hampered by the lack of adequate funds. poor infrastructure and lack of commitment by some of the policy makers. The policies had also failed to address the over-reliance of donor funded projects, capacity building and skill development and to bring institutional changes. It was observed that the Kenya Government had formulated policies to guide liberalization. privatization and tariff reform. These policies had been implemented to a greater extent and had paved the way for the involvement of the private sector in the development of the various sectors of economy in the country. The government was also in the process of formUlating a comprehensive national ICT policy to provide guidelines in the ICT sector. Despite the efforts to expand and modernize lCTs in the agricultural sector, its gro\\1h had been hampered by a number of constraints and challenges. Among them includc inadequate funding; poor infrastructure: inadequate skill development; lack of comprehensive national and institutional ICT policies: lack of monitoring and evaluation system; inadequate provision of ICTs tools and services; poor maintenance, and overreliance of donor funded projects leading to a low level of sustainability. To address these problems requires the intervention and interaction of all the stakeholders in the agricultura~ and ICT sector and also involvement of the government. The study viii recommends the following: improvement of telecommunication inti'astructure and rural electritication: tormulation of comprehensive institutional and national lCT policies: alternative sources of tinance: employment of more IT personnel: comprehensive strategies on lCT skills development: reduction of taxes on lCT tools and services: development of responsive content: development of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms tor lCT projects: improvement of communication between agricultural researchers and extension workers: and adoption of FAO Virtual Extension. Research and Communication Network (VERCON) system to improve the linkage among and between actors involved in research and extension. It is concluded that despite the constraints and challenges encountered in the application and use of lCTs in the agricultural sector. a wide variety of ICTs had been adopted to tacilitate information sharing and exchange among agricultural researchers and extension workers. The application and use of these lCTs have a greater role to play in the context of the changing paradigms in agricultural research and extension. where linear information flows are being replaced by pluralistic information flows.
The diffusion of information and communication technologies in the informal sector in Kenya
(University of Zululand, 2012) Gikenye, Wakari; Ocholla, D.N.; Le Roux, C.J.B.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the informal sector in Kenya. The study specifically focused on micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in two provinces in Kenya, namely Nairobi Province and Central Province. Information for the study was gathered through a literature review, a field survey, and personal observation. Questionnaires were used to solicit information from micro and small enterprise participants drawn from the two provinces. A combination of purposive and probability random sampling was used to generate the sample frames of MSE clusters and respondents respectively. The sample of respondents was drawn from the central business district in the city of Nairobi, two markets (Gikomba market and Kenyatta market) and a horticultural products’ depot next to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi Province. Two urban centers and two market centers were selected from Central Province, namely Kiambu and Thika towns and Kabati and Makutano market centers in Muranga District. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 390 MSE participants comprising of owner/managers and selected employees. The overall results revealed that the majority of MSEs are small and are started with little preparation and scarce capital. Only 5.6% of the enterprises had more than five employees, while less than one percent had over ten employees. The majority of the MSEs (over 90%) therefore fell in the micro-enterprises category. The use of ICTs by the micro enterprises’ participants, with the exception of the mobile phone and mobile money services, was found to be quite low. The use of the mobile phone and mobile phone services was over 90%. . Access to formal business information sources was also poor, and the majority of the MSE participants relied mainly on their knowledge and experiences, customer reactions, telephone contacts, and friends and relatives. Information was rarely sourced from government agencies and other formal sources like the internet and mass media. MSEs face many challenges in the use of ICTs because of the nature and small scale of their businesses, which do not allow them to focus on much else beyond survival. The MSEs lacked institutional capacity and support in the form of affordable telecommunications facilities and ICTs as formal sources of information. The mobile phone has been embraced by MSE workers, as an affordable and quick way to communicate and perform business transactions. The mobile phone technology has been quickly adopted and is heavily relied on in MSE operations. The study recommends accelerated government involvement in order to address the various challenges of providing the necessary infrastructure, developing and implementing effective policies, improving the distribution of economic resources, improving business premises and infrastructure that can reach the MSEs, improving skills and training to enable the use of ICTs, raising awareness, facilitating access to credit and finance, as well as improving information structures for formal information sources and dissemination. The study recommends more research to gain a deeper understanding of the context and information needs of small business enterprises in order to be able to offer a strategic framework for appropriate intervention in providing information for MSEs. Further research is also recommended in the area of mobile telephony, given its rapid adoption and use in a short span of ten years, to bring out its full potential and benefits.
The diffusion of social informatics in the civil service work environment in KwaZulu-Natal
(University of Zululand, 2011) Mbatha, Blessing Thuthuka; Ocholla, D.N.; Adigun, M.O.
ICT is a compound term that is used to refer to the convergence of a wide array of new technologies presently being developed and used in the creation, processing and transmission of information. Broadly speaking, these technologies encompass all aspects of data / information recording, handling and transmission, and include computers, telecommunications, satellites, fibre optics, video-based multimedia applications, automated speech outputs, and electronic broadcast technologies. The public services referred to in this study are government departments, and they are responsible for servicing society, devising policies, and ensuring that they are implemented. The civil servants referred to in this study are government employees. The focus of this study was to examine the use, types, interaction, and availability of ICTs in four government departments in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, in the context of work productivity and creativity. In order to achieve the stated aim, the following research had to be answered: What types of ICTs are available in government departments? What problems are experienced by the civil servants in their utilization of ICTs? How can the education and training needs of the civil servants be addressed? To what extent are ICTs used by the civil servants in their work activities? What strategies and solutions can address the problems faced by the civil servants? This study adopted mixed methods where aspects of both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed. The quantitative method was used to solicit information from the civil servants, while the qualitative approach was used in the review of different social informatics studies. The literature review was undertaken across a broad spectrum of sources including conference papers, journals, government policy documents and several Internet sources. The study used multistage probability sampling to select the elements for the survey and to achieve the desired representation from the population. Probability samples helped the researcher acquire a demonstrable degree of reliability and validity. The sampling techniques used were simple random, systematic, and stratified sampling. Simple random sampling was first used to identify government departments in the province that have considerable reach and are service intensive, namely the Departments of Arts and Culture, Home Affairs, Education, and Health. Secondly, systematic sampling was used to select suitable district municipalities. This sampling technique was used in order to increase the chances of obtaining a representative sample and to prevent bias in the selection process. The initial starting municipality in this technique was selected randomly and every second district municipality from a list was selected thereafter. The departments were selected from the following district municipalities: uMgungundlovu, uMzinyathi, Zululand, uThungulu and Sisonke. The first stage of stratified sampling consisted of the division of the service area into rural and urban based areas. In the second stage, stratification of personnel in the selected departments into top, medium and lower level management was done. This was to ensure that all the levels of management were represented in the study. In the last stage, a simple random sample was used to select the sample elements from the different levels of management. Government departments in South Africa have a well defined organogram such that the number of managers is almost equal across all departments. A sample size of 20 % of the population elements was used and this resulted in 65 personnel being selected from each ministry and a target sample of 260 managers. A questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data. The data collected was analyzed using thematic categorization and tabulation, and the findings were presented descriptively. The findings show that a variety of ICTs have been adopted in the sector. All the civil servants surveyed indicated that they used ICTs to communicate with fellow colleagues, for spreadsheet purposes, word processing, printing, and to disseminate departmental information. The respondents’ level of interaction with some of the ICTs, such as e-mail, personal computers, Internet, printers and telephones, was very high, while the use of ICTs such as video conferencing, television and radio was very poor. The most common obstacles to the effective use of ICTs in government departments were found to be lack of skills / competence, the lack of a comprehensive ICT policy, and the lack of proper planning for the adoption and diffusion of ICTs in the sector. The civil servants particularly voiced the need for training on database searching and information retrieval. The contextual conditions that need to be adapted in order to improve the use of ICTs in government departments include the need for adequate and well structured planning; an introductory a comprehensive ICT policy that would provide sufficient frameworks for ICT development and/or use in the public sector; provision of proper and sufficient ICT infrastructure; funding for the purchase of all necessary facilities and resources for ICTs; and the training of staff on how to use ICTs. The issue of planning revealed here is very important as embarking on any new innovation requires adequate planning. Other recommendations include training sessions for civil servants so that they can use the acquired ICT knowledge and skills in their daily work and activities. Where necessary, the government should continually review the ICT training it offers to civil servants, especially considering the rate of developments in the ICT industry. A good policy would also provide sufficient frameworks for ICT development and/or use in government departments, for instance in areas of strategizing implementation, staff development and communication. Policies to foster the uptake of ICTs are insufficient. Moreover, policies specific to ICT diffusion and use will not, on their own, lead to stronger performance; they should be part of a comprehensive set of actions to create the right conditions for growth and innovation. The diffusion and adoption of ICTs in government departments require expertise at various levels. The South African government is still working on putting together a comprehensive national ICT policy that would guide ICT use in the country.
Digital literacies in high schools within uMhlathuze Local Municipalities
(University of Zululand, 2023) Mbalo, Athini; Jiyane, G.V. and Evans, N.D.
The concept of digital competence is central to this study and can be broadly defined as skills, knowledge, creativity, and attitudes that everybody needs to use digital media for learning and functioning in the knowledge society. It is undeniable that we live in an information age in which everyone is dependent on electronic tools to access data. Digital incompetence affects people of all ages and that is why it is important for children, young adults, and adults to have digital skills. The foundation for the growth of digital competences should start in the foundation phases of early education to prepare learners for the digitised world they will experience in different stages of their lives. Most studies on similar topics did not cover grade level education and that is why this study focused on grade 11 learners. Educators are also imperative role players in the development of learners’ digital skills, as they are the ones responsible for facilitating the lessons to the learners. The study found that it was important that the educators’ digital competences also be investigated. The study primarily sought to establish the digital literacy programmes offered at high schools in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality, assess the digital literacy competences of learners and educators from high schools in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality and establish challenges faced by high schools in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality with regard to digital literacy education. Two frameworks were adopted in this study. Baharuddin’s digital literacy framework (2016), which was used to understand the learners’ digital competences and digital tools used by the selected high schools. The second framework was the TPACK (Technological pedagogical content knowledge) framework by Mishra and Koehler (2006). This framework was used to understand how educators apply the three constructs of the framework when they teach learners. The study adopted a post-positivism research paradigm in line for the type of data the study sought to collect. Both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were adopted in this study, as well as a survey and case study research designs. The target population for this study was grade 11 learners and grade 11 educators from three selected high schools located in different geographic areas in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality. Simple random sampling was used to administer 234 questionnaires to grade 11 high school learners and two educators were interviewed through the purposive sampling technique. Quantitative data from the questionnaires were analysed using descriptive analysis and the qualitative data from interviews were analysed with the use of the thematic analysis method. The findings of the study revealed that two of the three selected high schools offered digital literacy programmes at their schools, even though one of those two schools indicated a shortage of infrastructure. The findings of the study discovered that the majority (33%) of the learners had good digital literacy skills, 27% had average digital skills, a few (13%) had poor digital skills and a minority (11%) had excellent digital skills. The findings also revealed that the educators were highly qualified to teach digital-based subjects and had good and excellent digital skills. Furthermore, the study established different challenges faced by the high schools during digital literacy classes, such as power outages, which disturb examinations, no internet connection, slow computers and a shortage in resources. The study therefore concluded that a digital divide exists between schools located in different geographic areas. Learners that attend schools in rural areas are still digitally excluded compared to their counterparts who attend schools in urban and peri-urban areas. Furthermore, the study concluded that learners who attend schools in urban areas are more digitally competent than learners who attend peri-urban and rural schools. Additionally, the study concluded that the biggest challenge facing schools with regard to digital literacy is a shortage in infrastructure. The study recommended that the Department of Basic Education should bridge this digital divide by introducing compulsory digital-based subject in all high schools in South Africa. The study also recommended that the Department of Basic Education should provide funds for these schools to purchase all the necessary resources for the implementation of digital literacy education.

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