scholarly journals A formative evaluation of a web-based tutorial

Curationis ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
SM Meyer

Lecturers of the Department of Nursing Science of the University of Pretoria (UP) were requested to participate in an informal evaluation of a software program. The software evaluated were developed as a tutorial by the author of this article. The content of the tutorial concerns the current issues of the new education and training dispensation in South Africa, and specifically how to compile unit standards to meet the requirements of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the quality of the software. Participants were provided with a questionnaire, as well as criteria for the evaluation of software as presented in literature and information on the Web. The feedback has been useful and suggestions made by the participants have been used to improve and add to the product.

Author(s):  
Jill W Fresen ◽  
Johan Hendrikz

This paper reports on the re-design of the Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) programme, which is offered by the University of Pretoria through distance education (DE) to teachers in rural South Africa. In 2007, a team re-designed the programme with the goal of promoting access, quality, and student support. The team included an independent body, the South African Institute of Distance Education (SAIDE), and various education specialists. Training workshops for academics and a comprehensive internal and external review process contributed to the quality of the re-designed programme. Interactive web-based technologies were not included because of poor Internet connectivity; however, the authors note the use and potential of cell phone technology for DE programmes. Student support was enhanced by an additional short contact session, a capping assignment, a CD-ROM, and decentralised tutoring at contact venues. The programme was re-evaluated and approved in 2008, and the re-design methodology now guides similar projects.


2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (7) ◽  
pp. 373-376
Author(s):  
Thomas C Postma ◽  
Leanne M Sykes ◽  
André Uys ◽  
Paul Brandt ◽  
Elmine Crafford

This study sought to investigate the digital divide, from an access perspective, of dental students at the University of Pretoria. Second to final year students (n= 218 (87.2% response rate) completed a custom-designed survey at the end of 2017. The investigation enquired about the digital devices and infra-structure they owned and used for study purposes. They were also asked to reveal the networks and resources they used to access online platforms and to comment on any other related access issues such as the quality of the Internet, speed and reliability, as well as cost and personal implications related to usage. A clear divide could be detected for a minority of students (±1/7). Individually targeted interventions will be required to ensure an equitable and fair online learning experience.


2002 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 642-657
Author(s):  
G. A. Duncan ◽  
J. W. Hofmeyr

The quality of visionary leadership requires serious attention in current South Africa, both because of its importance but also sometimes because of the lack of leadership in church and theological contexts. In the first section of this article, focus is placed on leadership in the Faculty of Theology (NG Kerk) at the University of Pretoria, and in the second section, on the leadership at the Lovedale Missionary Institution in the Eastern Cape. Finally, some comparisons and conditions are drawn.


Computers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Maliha Rashida ◽  
Kawsarul Islam ◽  
A. S. M. Kayes ◽  
Mohammad Hammoudeh ◽  
Mohammad Shamsul Arefin ◽  
...  

The website of a university is considered to be a virtual gateway to provide primary resources to its stakeholders. It can play an indispensable role in disseminating information about a university to a variety of audience at a time. Thus, the quality of an academic website requires special attention to fulfil the users’ need. This paper presents a multi-method approach of quality assessment of the academic websites, in the context of universities of Bangladesh. We developed an automated web-based tool that can evaluate any academic website based on three criteria, which are as follows: content of information, loading time and overall performance. Content of information contains many sub criteria, such as university vision and mission, faculty information, notice board and so on. This tool can also perform comparative analysis among several academic websites and generate a ranked list of these. To the best of our knowledge, this is the very first initiative to develop an automated tool for accessing academic website quality in context of Bangladesh. Beside this, we have conducted a questionnaire-based statistical evaluation among several universities to obtain the respective users’ feedback about their academic websites. Then, a ranked list is generated based on the survey result that is almost similar to the ranked list got from the University ranking systems. This validates the effectiveness of our developed tool in accessing academic website.


1990 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
H. A. Labuschagne ◽  
M. L. Watkins

Identification of criteria for academic research performance. At South African universities, the achievement of objectives is usually measured in terms of so-called "process criteria" (e.g. pass rates), instead of performance criteria which reflect the quality of academic personnel. Stimulated by the need to identify valid indices of research performance, as a component of academic performance, this study investigated the dimensionality of several criteria, identified from empirical and literature studies. It was found that various valid criteria could be represented by six constructs, viz.: the stature of the researcher as scientist; scientific contributions; enhancement of own profession; community development; participation in research projects; and giving advice to persons or institutions outside the university. Opsomming By Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite word doelwitbereiking gewoonlik aan die hand van sogenaamde "prosesmaat-stawwe" (bv. slaagsyfers) in plaas van prestasiemaatstawwe wat die gehalte van akademiese personeel weerspieel, gemeet. Na aanleiding van 'n behoefte aan die identifisering van geldige rigtingwysers vir navorsingsprestasie as 'n komponent van akademiese prestasie, is daar ondersoek ingestel na die dimensionaliteit van verskillende maatstawwe wat vooraf deur middel van empiriese- en literatuurstudies geidentifiseer is. Daar is gevind dat verskeie geldige maatstawwe deur ses konstrukte verteenwoordig word, te wete: die statuur van die navorser as wetenskaplike, wetenskaplike bydraes, uitbouing van eie professie, gemeenskapsontwikkeling, deelname aan navorsingsprojekte en advieslewering aan persone of instellings buite die Universiteit.


2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaco Beyers

In 2017, the Faculty of Theology celebrates its centenary at the University of Pretoria. Celebrating a centennial is as much as looking back as looking forward. In a changing world with changing paradigms how does one remain relevant? Different challenges and expectations presented to tertiary institutions of education in a new dispensation puts all concerned with higher education in South Africa under pressure. The question addressed in this article is how will a Faculty of Theology (in this case at the University of Pretoria) remain relevant to such an extent that it is continued to be viewed as desirable to have such a faculty present at a university, participating in the academic process and simultaneously continues to contribute to the well-being of the South African society. The author suggests the following guidelines for consideration. In order to remain relevant for the next couple of hundred years the Faculty of Theology should engage contextually with society, practise interdisciplinary Theology, engage in interreligious dialogue while still remaining connected to faith communities. A paradigm of post-foundationalism enables Theology to exercise Theology in a relevant and meaningful manner.


Author(s):  
Zheng Dai ◽  
Kasper Paasch

Questionnaire is a fundamental method for investigation and research, but participants get tired about it, because of the impression of being long and boring, which causes low quality of research. The authors developed an interactive questionnaire as an effective method to involve responder actively. The development of this tool is dynamic process, which goes with a research project called Sunrise-PV. The project is led by the University of Southern Denmark and is collaboration between local organizations to popularize PV system in both residential and the industrial buildings. For such an innovative research, the authors adopt participatory design as research method to develop the research tool in several iterations. Moreover, the authors get a balanced perspective between user needs, market viability, and technical feasibility, which guide their research focus on the artistic and usability aspects, and also raise product concepts and the concern of technical issues.


Author(s):  
T. Chernyak

The article discusses the current problems of assessing the quality of professional training of HR managers from the perspective of graduates of the HR direction working in this area.For ten years the author of the article has been assessing the quality of training university graduates as deputy vice rector for organizing practice, employment and promoting employment of graduates. The results of annual studies of satisfaction with the quality of education of all participants in the educational process: students; employers and graduates of the university were an indispensable indicator in the preparation and conduct of accreditation of the university, it has repeatedly reported at conferences and published. The accumulated experience allowed us to conduct annual monitoring studies on the problem of satisfaction with the quality of professional training of graduates of the Department of Personnel Management of the Siberian Institute of Management, a branch of the RANEPA. The article provides only some generalized results of the author's studies in 2017 - 2019 on assessing the quality of professional training and career of specialists from the position of graduates of the department. The author conducts a brief analysis of theoretical foreign and domestic sources to study the problems of assessing the quality of education and training of specialists; considers the problems of development of criteria for assessing the quality of training, external and internal assessment, and the inclusion of certain assessment objects in the assessment, relevant to universities. The practical focus of the article allows us to see both the positive aspects in the training of future specialists in the field of personnel management, and some omissions, which will improve the quality and applied nature of training, taking into account the identified needs of graduates oriented to the demands of the labor market.


2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Huber

Violent religious extremism is seen as one of the mega-problems of the 21st century. This article � based on a key lecture at the conference on �Violence in a democratic South Africa� at the University of Pretoria and the David de Villiers memorial lecture at the University of Stellenbosch, both held during August 2010 � critically discussed the interaction between religion and violence in our present-day, globalised world. Three different propositions on the relationship between religion and violence were scrutinised. In countering the proposition that religion, or more specifically monotheism, necessarily leads to violence, it was argued that violence is not an inherent, but rather an acquired or even an ascribed quality of religion. The second proposition that religion leads to non-violence was affirmed to the extent that religions do provide a strong impulse to overcome violence. However, they also tend to accept violence as an inevitable part of reality and even justify the use of violence on religious grounds. The third proposition was regarded as the most convincing, for it argues that the link between religion and violence is contingent. Some situations do seem to make the use of violence inevitable; however, religions should refrain from justifying the use of violence and maintain a preferential option for nonviolence.


2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-65
Author(s):  
Liesel Ebersöhn ◽  
Jacobus G. Maree

The aim of this study was to determine selection criteria for prospective dentistry students at the University of Pretoria. A study of the relevant literature was undertaken, and experts at universities in South Africa and Britain were interviewed. A job analysis questionnaire was used to identify the relevant job requirements that could serve as selection criteria. Potential selection criteria that were identified include physical potential (e.g. visual-spatial and mechanical ability), cognitive potential (e.g. above-average intellectual potential, aptitude in the mathematical, science and technical fields), personality (e.g. patience with routine activities and repetition) and interpersonal potential (e.g. communication and leadership skills). These criteria were used as the point of departure for designing a draft selection programme.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document