There is an increasing call to include Artificial Intelligence (AI) competencies in academic disciplines such as Public Administration, which are not obviously related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). However, the literature on the integration of AI in non-STEM curricula in South African higher education institutions…

South African universities' use of digital technologies in learning has increased in recent years. Given that social exposure, the context and pedagogic uses of technology influence learning expectations and learner involvement, it is important to understand students' experiences of the use of different technological tools. This article employs…

Although online distance education provides adult learners with an opportunity for lifelong learning, technology-enabled learner support remains a challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced additional complications. The purpose of the current study was to determine which form of technology-enabled academic learner support students would prefer,…

Notwithstanding the benefits that information and communications technology (ICT) offers to learning processes, the majority of learners in rural and township areas in South Africa either do not have access to computers and the internet, or they lack sufficient skills to exploit the benefits of ICT. This lack of skills and access to computers may…

Considering the importance of digital skills in university education, this article reports on a study which examined access to technology among first year students at a rural South African university. The study focused on the digital readiness of students prior to their admission to the university, since many universities provide access to…

The concept of digital and information communication technology (ICT) literacy is receiving renewed empirical attention. This focus is attributed to the changing nature of society and the move towards the ideals of the knowledge-based economy. Further, universities in South Africa and internationally are encouraging the fusion of technology in how…

Background: IsiXhosa students enrolled for the BEd Foundation Phase qualification at a university in South Africa failed their first year in identified at-risk subjects, namely Mathematics in Education, Language in Education and Computer Literacy. The students stated the reasons for failure as not understanding the concepts and terms of the…

This paper sought to determine the effects of three self-efficacy measures on the academic attainment of students who were enrolled for the first time at the University of South Africa (Unisa) in 2015. The measures of interest were self-regulated learning efficacy, distance learning self-efficacy and computer and online technologies self-efficacy.…

The aim of the study was to investigate the reasons why adult learners took longer than required to complete their Master's and Doctoral degrees. A questionnaire and focus group interviews were used to collect data. Twenty adult learners who registered for the Master's and Doctoral degrees at one township campus of a university were targeted, and…

Frantic attempts of investing in technology to demonstrate willingness to educate for the knowledge society may result in failure to address the real requirements. This paper presents the main features of a framework for integrating Technology Enhanced Learning in Open Distance Learning at North-West University, South Africa. Support towards…

Advances in technology are classified as one of the external factors that trigger organisational change, even for Higher Education Institutions. The transition to e-learning presents new challenges as expectations and roles of employees and students evolve. The primary objective of this study was to investigate employee perceptions of the Open…

This paper describes the habitus and technological practices of a South African rural student in his first year at university. This student is one of five self-declared rural students, from a group of 23 first-years in four South African universities, whose access to, and use of, technologies in their learning and everyday lives was investigated…

The use of mobile technologies in education has had a major impact on the pedagogy as known and understood by many academics in distance education institutions. Teaching using new technologies requires a variety of skills that are different from what most teachers are familiar with. Therefore, teachers need to be trained on how to use these new…

These proceedings contain the papers and posters of the 15th International Conference on Mobile Learning 2019, which was organised by the International Association for Development of the Information Society and co-organised by the University of Applied Sciences, in Utrecht, The Netherlands, April 11-13, 2019. The Mobile Learning 2019 Conference…

Purpose: Acquiring computer skills is more important today than ever before, especially in a developing country. Teaching of computer skills, however, has to adapt to new technology. This paper aims to model factors influencing the success of the learning of computer literacy by means of an e-learning environment. The research question for this…