Browsing by Author "Blewett, Craig Neville."

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Executive information systems : an identification of factors likely to affect user acceptance, usage and adoption of the unilever EIS.
(2005) Ako-Nai, Sonny Anyetei Moses.; Blewett, Craig Neville.
Executive Information Systems (EIS) are information systems designed for the direct use of the Executive to access business relevant information, including information about customers, competitors, key performance indicators, internal operations, stock prices and news. Classified as high-risk projects, just like any other IS projects, organizations have been cautious and critical in ensuring EIS successful implementation and continuous usage by their intended users, the Executives. Unilever South Africa is no exception, and would thus like to ensure a successful implementation and acceptance of its EIS. An EIS system that once implemented will be used, accepted and adopted by executives to drive the achievement of its strategic objectives. This research is intended to investigate and identify potential factors that are likely to affect user acceptance, usage and adoption of an EIS implemented by Unilever South Africa. The research investigation was based on a proposed model derived from Davis (1989) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) that explores the phenomena of 'perceived usefulness' and 'perceived ease of use', as drivers of user acceptance and illustrates the dynamics of the factors that affect the users' acceptance of the system. The research data was obtained via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews of users from the Unilever EIS user group. The feedback obtained was then analysed and tested against three hypotheses. All three hypotheses were accepted leading to the conclusions that: (a) Users' attitudes towards usage of the Unilever EIS are positively influenced by both their 'perceived usefulness' and 'perceived ease of use' of the system. (b) The Unilever EIS users' 'perceived usefulness' of the system positively influences their 'perceived ease of use' of the system. (c) The Unilever EIS users' 'perceived ease of use' of the system has a greater influence on their attitude towards the system usage than their 'perceived usefulness' of the system.
Gamification of e-Learning: an investigation into the influence of gamification on student motivation.
(2017) Adam, Ebrahim.; Blewett, Craig Neville.
Traditional teacher-centred learning is being confronted by an increasing awareness of the value of student-centred learning. E-learning, despite its limitations, is often presented as a solution to learning challenges prevalent in teacher-centred learning since it affords students greater control of the learning process. Combined with this, academics are increasingly competing for students’ attention and struggle to motivate students. However, students, when confronted with the array of games and social media platforms available, willingly dedicate several hours glued to their screens socialising, engaging and gaming. Such willingness to engage these so-called distractions whilst displaying reluctance to engage their academic work may be attributed to a lack of motivation. This is even more prevalent in the domain of e-learning. Adopting an embedded mixed methods case study design, this study explored the influence of gamification of e-learning on motivation. Herein, expectations and factors influencing experiences of gamification of e-learning were explored. Furthermore, through Self-Determination Theory (SDT) & Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) as theoretical lenses, this study explored how gamification of e-learning influences motivation. Gamification is conceptualised as an objective-driven user-centred technique which integrates game mechanics, dynamics and game aesthetics into real-world contexts to motivate behaviour. Gartner envisages that by 2020, gamification will be deeply integrated into the prevalent higher education structures. Whilst many applications of gamification aim towards enhancing classroom-based learning, the exploration of gamification of e-learning in higher education, particularly in a developing country, remains an emerging domain of research. This research found that participants experienced gamification and various game elements differently, based on their BrainHex gamer profiles. In terms of SDT, whilst progression through the gamified course was guided and consistent, with all participants progressing as a single group, they experienced a sense of autonomy. Participants also experienced a greater sense of competence and relatedness in engaging with the gamified course. In the context of IMI, participants’ experiences suggest that gamification was valuable, increased curiosity and was effective for learning. However, they reported experiencing tension and a high degree of effort required by the gamified course. Students expected transparency in terms of scoring and raised queries where required. They generally preferred visual cues whilst engaging with the gamified course, expected almost real-time feedback in terms of scoring and resolution of queries, but had varying views on which game elements motivated them. Essentially, it was found that gamification positively influenced participants’ motivation. However, it must be noted that whilst gamification motivated students, some experienced demotivation. Contributing factors include not understanding the game from the outset, being demotivated by not earning frequent rewards and losing progress in the game due to external factors.
Information technology service management and its application in South African non-profit service organisation.
(2004) Coreejes, Adrian.; Blewett, Craig Neville.
Customer satisfaction is a critical component of a business's competitive strategy. Autolab Csi, a division of the South African Sugar Association, is operating in a deregulated market environment and thus has to ensure that customers are always satisfied with the quality of service received. Poor service can threaten the viability of a business and Autolab Csi need to establish suitable and effective service delivery mechanisms and minimise the threat of competitors entering the sugar industry laboratory systems services market. Customer satisfaction is dependent on the quality of service that a service provider has to offer its customers. Autolab Csi have embarked on a programme to adopt best practice Information Technology (IT) service process as described in the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) model as a means to improve customer satisfaction. The ITIL model consists of twelve service processes that are grouped into four categories namely, Service Delivery, Service Support, Service Desk and Security Management. ITIL is not recognised by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) as an international standard for IT service delivery. The British Standards Institute standard BS 15000 had been released to address the need for a recognised standard and is shortly due to be adopted by the ISO. The study hypothesises there is adoption of all twelve service processes by Autolab Csi but not all processes have been completely and/or successfully implemented. Compliance of the ITIL Service Delivery process to the BS15000 standard is reviewed concomitantly with the ITIL adoption assessment. As part of the process of implementation of the ITIL framework, Autolab Csi had faced challenges to the process yet had also benefited. The study investigates these benefits and challenges from the perspective of understanding how success can be achieved with the implementation of ITIL processes. The study shows that Autolab Csi has made measurable progress in the implementation of all twelve ITIL service processes. The service process areas of Security Management, Service Desk and some processes of Service Delivery show the highest levels of ITIL compliance. Service Support shows the lowest levels of ITIL compliance in particular, the Change and Release Management processes. The presented data allows for the development of targeted strategies to continuously improve Autolab Csi's service delivery mechanisms.
IT service management : the key to achieving information technology service improvement.
(2007) Majake, Motseki M. M.; Blewett, Craig Neville.
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether, Information Systems Management (ISM), an Information Technology (IT) organisation within Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ CD), adopted the best practices in IT service management. IT Service Management entails ensuring that accurate IT services are delivered to the business at the right price and with the right level of quality, according to Young (2005). The notion of quality IT services is a concern for the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development taking in to consideration that it has set a goal of modernising itself by implementing IT systems. The vision of the department is to make IT services such as email available to all employees. The vision will not be attained if these services are not always available. The literature study shows that IT organisations that implement IT Service Management deliver quality IT services to the users and business. ISM claims to be aligned with Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) service management practices but lacks some of the structural elements that should be in place. The department has raised concern around whether the processes that they have implemented will yield improved IT services. The research evaluated available documents in view of uncovering implemented processes. The results are steps for improving IT services at the DOJ CD. Firstly, it is recommended that ISM should rate each of the IT Service Management process according to its importance to the business, secondly to identify the relevant teams to manage identified processes, thirdly to make the DOJ CD a customer of ISM.
Learning in a Facebook environment : the writing is on the wall.
(2014) Blewett, Craig Neville.; Hugo, Wayne.
This thesis explores how students learn in a Facebook learning environment. While e-learning environments offer many new opportunities to engage in learning, these new spaces are still largely unexplored and the purview of students more than lecturers. This is even more so the case when it comes to the recent emergence of Web 2.0 technologies and specifically Social Network Systems. These spaces, originally conceived for social agendas, are increasingly being applied to a variety of other uses. Recently the application of not designed- for-learning environments to formal learning has begun to be explored. Most notable amongst these emergent spaces is Facebook, the largest single website, with over 1 billion users. Facebook, unlike traditional e-learning environments, represents a departure both technologically and paradigmatically from what is normally used by universities. Technologically Facebook is not institutionally hosted or controlled. Paradigmatically it is built around conversations and not organisation and artefacts. Using an affordance theoretical framing based on the Latourian concept of actants, the actant action opportunities arising from the students’ use of Facebook are explored. This analysis revealed the existence of a dynamic web of interacting affordances that push and pull against each other as students use the environment. This conversation-based approach to learning shifts learning from correct content to correcting content, from artefact to conversation, and from prospective to retrospective sense. The key tenets of learning in a Facebook environment, as identified through the Latourianbased lens, exist in the notion of “between”. In addition to the affordance tensions the students navigate, is the interplay between a learning discourse and a power discourse. The learning discourse itself is also framed by the interplay between vulnerability and validation. Students make themselves vulnerable through posts, and thereby open up opportunities to learn through the validation of subsequent comments. At the same time the learning discourse is interwoven with the power discourse, where decisions and actions are no longer autocratically or democratically enacted, but rather homeocratically through retrospective sanction of small evolving actions. Using Facebook as a learning environment signals the emergence of a new theoretical perspective for learning, one that is founded, not on organised, deterministic, artefactual principles, but rather on networks of retrospective conversation-based learning. These new environments which challenge not only our conceptions of the place of learning, but also our paradigms of learning, operate in a realm of uncertainty, something that in most respects is foreign to university learning environments.
Online informal learning and 21st century skills among secondary school students : the Mauritian context = Ukufunda ngokohleloxhumano okunganqunyelwe mithetho namakhono amakhulunyaka angama-21 kubafundi bamabanga aphakeme: Ingqikithi yaseMauritius.
(2023) Pentiah, Bharatee.; Blewett, Craig Neville.; Govender, Desmond Wesley.; Ramful, Ajay.
Informal learning refers to most human learning that takes place outside of the official educational system. In this technological era, every secondary student is exposed to digital or online tools in either for academic purposes or for their leisure activities or for learning something new on any topic of interest informally. What has not been explored yet is the extent to which secondary school learners can acquire 21st Century Skills through Online Informal Learning in the absence of a formal school setting. 21st Century skills are abilities and competencies that today’s students need to possess to become global citizens in this competing working market. Since technology plays a vital role in the learning process of students outside their school settings, it can also act as an important medium for them to communicate, collaborate, and develop their 21st Century Skills such as creativity, digital literacy, and critical thinking. In response to the underexplored gap in the literature, the researcher embarked on an explorative investigation of the development of 21CS through Online Informal Learning of secondary school students using Web 2.0 tools. To adequately address the phenomenon under study, the first research question aimed to explore the various kinds of OIL that are available to secondary school pupils. The second and third research questions were formulated to investigate how secondary school students grow and acquire 21CS through OIL. To further the objectives of the study, qualitative and quantitative methods were integrated to provide a more complete comprehension of the phenomenon and provide answers to the research questions. By analysing the literature review, the researcher designed a conceptual framework underpinned by the six components of Engeström’s Activity Theory, the P21 (Framework for 21st Century Learning), and the three dimensions of Fenwick and Tennant (2004). In a mixed-method explanatory sequential research process, data were derived from secondary school pupils who utilised internet technologies in informal contexts in semi-structured interviews, surveys, and focus group interviews. In the quantitative phase, 310 questionnaires were collected from secondary school students between 11 to 18 years old. The data were then aligned with the conceptual framework. Further, data analysis and trend and correlation detection were performed using quantitative and qualitative models to understand how and why informal online learning (OIL) affects the abilities of 21st century secondary school learners. The findings revealed that certain online resources are utilised for online informal learning while others are used for both informal and formal learning. Furthermore, it was also discovered that social networking sites and instant messaging technologies contribute to online informal learning. The data gathered from the learners’ replies identified the following types of Online Informal Learning among secondary school students: self-directed learning, collaborative learning, explorative learning, accidental Online Informal Learning, self-discovery learning, and intentional learning. The study contributes valuable insights into the potential of OIL to complement formal education and promote critical thinking for lifelong learning. Moreover, the research identifies the pedagogical approaches that are effective in OIL environments. The findings of this study can help educators understand how OIL assists secondary school learners in similar contexts across the world. Significantly, the model proposed in the study provides a framework for future research in this area regarding the use of online informal tools as a foundation to promote learning. Iqoqa. Ukufunda okunganqunyelwe mthetho kusho lapho ukufunda okuningi kwabantu kwenzeka ngaphandle kohlelo lokufunda olusemthethweni. Kulesi sikhathi sobuchwepheshe, wonke umfundi wamabanga aphakeme uyazingenela kalula kuzinsizakusebenza ezidijithali noma zohlelokuxhumana ngenhloso yokufunda noma ngezinto zabo zokuzithokozisa noma ukufunda into entsha nanganoma isiphi isihloko abasithandayo benganqunyelwe mthetho. Obekungakacwaningwa ubungako bokuthi abafundi bamabanga aphakeme bangathola amakhono ekhululuminyaka lama-21 ngokufunda nge-inthanethi okunganqunyelwe mthetho ngaphandle kokuba khona kwesizinda sokufunda esisemthethweni. Amakhono ekhuluminyaka lama-21 awulwazi kanye nokuqeqesheka kwabafundi besikhathi samanje abadinga ukuba nawo ukuze babe izakhamizi zomhlaba wonkana kule makethe esebenzayo eqhudelanayo. Njengoba ubuchwepheshe bubamba iqhaza elibalulekile enqubekweni yokufunda yabafundi ngaphandle kwesisinda sokufunda esisemthethweni, bungasebenza futhi njengendlela ebalulekile kubona ukuxhumana, ukusebenzisana, kanye nokuthuthukisa amakhono abo ekhuluminyaka lama-21 afana nokuziqambela, ulwazi lobuchwepheshe, kanye nokucabanga okuhlaziyayo. Ukuphendula mayelana nesikhala sokungacwaningiwe kubucikomazwi, umcwaningi uqalise ngophenyo oluhlolayo lokuthuthukiswa kwamakhono ekhuluminyaka lama-21 ngokufunda ngohlelokuxhumana olunganqunyelwe mthetho kwabafundi bamabanga aphakeme besebenzisa izinsizakusebenza ze-Web 2.0. Ukubhekana kahle nalokho okucwaningwayo, umbuzo wokuqala wocwaningo uhlose ukuphenya izinhlobo ezahlukene ze-OIL ezikhona kubafundi bamabanga aphakeme. Imibuzo yocwaningo yesibili nowesithathu yenzelwe ukuhlola ukuthi abafundi bamabanga aphakeme bakhula kanjani futhi bathola kanjani amakhono ekhuluminyaka lama-21 nge-OIL. Ukuqhuba futhi inhloso yocwaningo, izindlela zocwaningo lobunjalo botho kanye nolwezibalomidanti kwahlanganiswa ukunikeza ukuqonda okuphelele kotho olucwaningwayo kanye nokunikeza izimpendulo emibuzweni yocwaningo. Ngokuhlaziya ukubuyekezwa kwemibhalo eshicilelwe, umcwaningi uqambe uhlaka lwemicabango olwesekelwe izingxenye eziyisithupha zeNjulalwazi Yokusebenza ka-Engeström, i-P21 (Uhlaka Lokufunda Lwekhuluminyaka lama-21), kanye nobukhulu obuthathu bukaFenwick benoTennant (2004). Enqubeni yocwaningo elandelanayo eyindlelangxube echazayo, imininingo yatholakala kubafundi bamabanga aphakeme abasebenzisa ubuchwepheshe be-inthanethi ezizindeni ezinganqunyelwe mthetho ezingxoxweni ezisakuhleleka, amasaveyi, kanye nezingxoxo zamaqoqo acwaningwayo. Esigabeni sezibalomidanti, uhlamibuzo olungama-310 lwaqoqwa kubafundi bamabanga aphakeme abaphakathi kweminyaka eyi-11 kuya kweyi-18 ubudala. Imininingo yabe seyiqondaniswa nohlaka lwemicabango. Okunye futhi, ukuhlaziywa kwemininingo kanye nokusabalala kanye nokutholakala kobudlelwane kwenziwa kusetshenziswa imifanekisomumo yocwaningo lwezibalomdanti kanye nolobunjalo botho ukuqonda ukuthi kukanjani futhi kungani ukufunda nge-inthanethi okunganqunyelwe mthetho (OIL kunomthelela ekukwazini kwabafundi bamabanga aphakeme bekhuluminyaka lama-21. Imiphumela yaveza ukuthi eminye imithombo ye-inthanethi isetshenziswa ukufunda nge-inthanethi enganqunyelwe mthetho ngesikhathi eminye isetshenziselwa kokubili ukufunda okunganqunyelwe mthetho nokunomthetho. Okunye futhi, kwatholakala ukuthi izinkundla zokuxhumana komphakathi kanye nobuchwepheshe bokuthumela imilayezo esheshayo kunomthelela ekufundeni nge-inthanethi okunganqunyelwe mthetho. Imininingo eyaqoqwa ezimpendulweni zabafundi yaveza izinhlobo ezilandelayo zokufunda nge-inthanethi okunganqunyelwe mthetho phakathi kwabafundi bamabanga aphakeme; ukufunda okuqondene ngqo nomuntu, ukufunda ngokubambisana, ukufunda ngokuphenya, ukufunda nge-inthanethi okunganqunyelwe mthetho okungahlelelwe, ukufunda ngokuzithola komuntu nokufunda okunenhloso. Ucwaningo lunomthelela obalulelike ekuqondeni kanzulu ngobumqoka be-OIL ukwesekela imfundo enomthetho kanye nokugqugquzela ukucabanga okuhlaziyayo ekufundeni kwesikhathi eside. Ngaphezu lwalokho, ucwaningo luveza izindlelakwenza zokufunda nokufundisa ezinomthelela ezizindeni ze-OIL. Imiphumela yalo lucwaningo ingasiza abafundi ukuthi baqonde ukuthi i-OIL yelekelela kanjani abafundi bamabanga aphakeme ezimweni ezifanayo emhlabeni wonke jikelele. Kakhulukazi, imifanekisomumo ephakanyiswa kulolu cwaningo inikeza uhlaka locwaningo olulandelayo kulo mkhakha mayelana nokusebenzisa izinsizakusebenza okunganqunyelwe mthetho kwe-inthanethi njengesisekelo sokugquqguzela ukufunda.
Real-time strategy games and task switching.
(2014) Ismail, Yusuf.; Blewett, Craig Neville.
Numerous authors have examined the effects of video games on executive functions. This research focuses on the effects of video games on task switching, one aspect of executive functions. Switching between different tasks is a regular occurrence today and is an important skill to possess as people juggle between performing different tasks simultaneously in everyday life. The effects of video game training on task switching has been continuously discussed and examined over time. This study aims to contribute to this debate by utilizing a Real-time Strategy (RTS) video game called StarCraft and measure its effect on the task switching performance of a population of video game players who do not play RTS video games, an area that the literature has not addressed. The results of this study depicted that training in the RTS video game StarCraft had no effect on participants’ task switching performance. Possible factors and particular aspects of the sample population were explored to explain this finding. The factors that were identified included the configuration of StarCraft, the duration of the training schedule that participants undertook and possible interference from other video gaming activity. The problem of task-specific learning was also confirmed when using identical task switching test measures before and after video game training. One aspect of the sample population identified was that the majority of participants may have reached their task switching performance potential through the numerous years of video game exposure. It was also hypothesized that RTS video game training has no impact on subjects’ task switching performance who self-report being Indian. Three video game genres were identified that could explain the superior task switching performance of subjects who self-reported being Coloured that participated in this study. Finally, the analysis revealed that the improvement in task switching performance exhibited by female StarCraft players were superior to the improvement demonstrated by male StarCraft players which suggests that RTS video games are better suited for improving females’ task switching performance than males.
Smartphone usage of employees at an I.T. firm.
(2015) Essack, Tehseena.; Blewett, Craig Neville.
Smartphone applications have the potential to revolutionise the way tasks are performed including: communication and messaging, information retrieval and analysis, file management, scheduling and planning, social networking, navigation, media, eBooks/eMagazines, online shopping and finance management. Productivity may be improved with the use of smartphones but may be hindered by task switching, unnecessary features and distraction. The purpose of this study was to explore the smartphone usage of employees with the purpose of identifying: how do employees use smartphone applications in different environments, what factors drive employee smartphone usage, and how do employees perceive smartphone usage to affect their productivity. The employees at an IT firm were sampled as this study intended to assess usage in both working and personal contexts. Secondly, it is generally expected that the adoption of a new technology will stem from technologically inclined individuals. An adapted UTAUT framework was applied and data was collected using an online questionnaire. Key findings indicate that with the exception of file management, media and scheduling/planning, the applications were mostly used when away from home and work, then at home, and then at work. The applications used most were social networking, followed by communication and messaging, and then information retrieval and analysis. Usage was low for online shopping, eBooks/eMagazines and file management. There was agreement that technological determinism, effort expectancy, social influence, performance expectancy and facilitating conditions are factors that drive smartphone usage. Overall, smartphone usage appears to have improved perceived productivity. Furthermore, the main applications that lead to improved productivity are email, instant messaging and the web. There was agreement that personal organisation, multitasking, instant feedback, the ability to work at any time and place, and the ability to complete tasks in less time, influence smartphone usage for productivity. Surprisingly, there was significant disagreement that task switching and distraction due to games or social media reduces productivity. Overall, there were significant positive correlations between smartphone usage and the factors that drive smartphone usage, as well as smartphone usage and perceived productivity.
What is the impact of the Cyber Crime Act on the business community in Mauritius.
(2004) Jamalkhan, Nasserkhan.; Blewett, Craig Neville.
At this early age of the internet, the e-business environment is almost like a lawless territory. Fast movers are making fortunes whereas rebels can act with impunity and move on before the legal process can catch up. The fast expansion of cyber crimes in the world has been the motivation to perform this research on its impact on the business community in Mauritius after the devastating effects in developing countries. Organisations that are not keeping pace with these realities are becoming vulnerable to cyber criminals or hackers. An analysis of the situation in the world from the literature review has provided a better understanding of the most common crimes that are causing trouble to the businesses and obstacles to the advancement of e-commerce. Compared to earlier technological changes, the internet has shown a rapid proliferation. Organisations have to be ready to face this challenge or they may face the dangers of being attacked or even prosecuted for not having secured their system properly. While securing the internet remains a major challenge for every country, businesses have to cope with limited protection until an international law become in force to control this wild territory. The reports available on the Crime trend show that there has been a steady increase in Computer related crimes in the world. The research is conducted on a sample of IT literate participants. Interviews and focus group discussion have also contributed in the accuracy of the findings. The results and findings demonstrate that there is room for improvement but there is a lack of awareness on the Cyber crime act. Hopefully, this research will help to shed light on the major concerns of the business community. VI