http://hdl.handle.net/10500/488 2013-05-13T04:23:08Z 2013-05-13T04:23:08Z Groenewald, Thomas Le Roux, Mia http://hdl.handle.net/10500/2742 2012-10-22T09:09:21Z 2009-10-01T00:00:00Z

Semantic and metaphoric reflection on the training of decentralized staff responsible for supporting students in terms of work-integrated learning : a distance education university scenario Groenewald, Thomas; Le Roux, Mia This article provides both a current and a historical perspective, as well as describing the journey of a distance education institution. It contains a synopsis of the imperatives pertaining to work-integrated learning within higher education in South Africa. The article gives its readers a glimpse of the role of decentralized learner support staff at a distance education university in soliciting potential host organizations and placing students for their prerequisite work-integrated learning. It also contains an overview of a week-long seminar. The research entailed both a semantic and a metaphoric evaluation of the training. The findings include an analysis of semantic indicators of the reflection by participants and a review of the metaphors participants used to express their feelings about the seminar. The article concludes with the benefits message subsequently developed. Journal article

2009-10-01T00:00:00Z Groenewald, Thomas http://hdl.handle.net/10500/2573 2012-10-23T08:37:25Z 2004-04-01T00:00:00Z

A phenomenological research design illustrated Groenewald, Thomas This article distills the core principles of a phenomenological research design and, by means of a specific study, illustrates the phenomenological methodology. After a brief overview of the developments of phenomenology, the research paradigm of the specific study follows. Thereafter the location of the data, the data-gathering the data-storage methods are explained. Unstructured in-depth phenomenological interviews supplemented by memoing, essays by participants, a focus group discussion and field notes were used. The data explicitation, by means of a simplified version of Hycner’s (1999) process, is further explained. The article finally contains commentary about the validity and truthfulness measures, as well as a synopsis of the findings of the study. http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/IJQM/article/view/4484 Article

2004-04-01T00:00:00Z Groenewald, Thomas Strümpfer, Deo Lessing, Barend C. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/2563 2012-10-23T09:26:18Z 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z

Acceptance of co-operative education practice by the academic staff at Technikon South Africa Groenewald, Thomas; Strümpfer, Deo; Lessing, Barend C. Technikons advocate the practice of co-operative education, which is an educational strategy that integrates learning through productive work with the theoretical curriculum. However, only 35% of theTechnikon SA programmes have a compulsory experiential learning component. Grounded theory research was undertaken to determine some of the basic assumptions of Technikon SA’s academic staff in this regard. Rather than starting out with a specific research problem, grounded theory explores an area of interest and allows what is relevant to emerge. Semi-structured interviews with four open-ended questions, were conducted with a stratified-random sample of 25 teaching staff at Technikon SA. It was found that, although there is some willing compliance and belief in co-operative education, it is not indicative of the organisational culture of Technikon SA. Article

2001-01-01T00:00:00Z Harris, Elaine Stanz, Karel Zaaiman, Jannie Groenewald, Thomas http://hdl.handle.net/10500/504 2012-10-23T09:00:33Z 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z

The stages of users concern when adopting new technology Harris, Elaine; Stanz, Karel; Zaaiman, Jannie; Groenewald, Thomas The aim of this study is to determine whether users move through stages of concern when adopting technology and whether certain demographical characteristics; age, the department the employees operate in and the length of using the innovative technology affects the stage of technology adoption. The sample which were drawn from the oil industry, consisted of 25 Finance employees from Company A and 32 Customer Service Centre and 22 Logistics employees from Company B. In terms of the gathered statistics on the stages of concern, users reached either stages 1/2 (Information/Personal) or 4/5 (Consequences/Collaboration). No statistical significance was found in terms of age, department and length of using the innovative technology. Article

2004-01-01T00:00:00Z