Lessons on Implementation and Sustainability of M-Health Solutions in South Africa

The Momconnect project was launched in 2014 by its champion, the minister of health, Hon. Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi. The system is an m-health application targeted at maternal health patients in South Africa. Execution of the project was carried out by a consortium headed by the National Department of Health. Project execution began in 2012, and the launch was two years later in 2014. In this research, a health systems framework for evaluation of implementations of m-health systems in developing countries was used to review the system. The sources of data for the study were face-to-face interviews of the Momconnect Task Team, Ministerial Advisory Committee on e-Health, and a sample of health care providers and consumers from the health facility level in Johannesburg Metro City. These interviews were supplemented by a document review. The findings of the study are reported according to the four headings of the study framework.

First-Year Students' Experience With Virtual Learning Environment

The integration of ICT in the education system has led to the continuous development and adoption of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) platforms such as the virtual learning environment (VLE) to facilitate and activate TEL practices in higher education institutions. The use of VLE such as MOODLE and Blackboard is proliferating; however, the experience of users in determining the relevance of VLE in enhancing teaching and learning has been identified to be an important factor in the successful use of VLEs. This chapter employed a quantitative method to examine students' experience in using VLE at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The chapter also presents the result of the investigation into the influence of students' computer self-efficacy on their perceived ease of use, usefulness, and attitudes towards the use of VLE. The results of this study show that students believe that VLE enhances their learning. Furthermore, the results show that self-efficacy has a weak influence on students' perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and attitudes towards the use of VLE.

A Stakeholder's Analysis of the Effect of Mobile Money in Developing Countries

Understanding the stakeholders of mobile money services and systems in developing countries remain critical issues that need to be addressed. Using the Stakeholder Theory, along with the Diffusion of Innovation Theory and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, this study gathered data from 110 respondents to contribute to the understanding of the mobile money (Orange Money) stakeholders in Mali. The results characterized the stakeholders of the mobile money system and revealed that each stakeholder has its unique drivers and challenges towards the adoption of the mobile money system. These findings suggest that specific attention should be paid to each stakeholder by the mobile money operator in developing countries.

Biometric National Identification

Fifty-five percent of the people living in sub-Saharan Africa lack any official identification documentation and this has created a hug identity gap. African countries are using biometric technology to pilot multimillion-dollar national identification projects aimed at narrowing the identity gaps. However, there has been little evidence published on the extent this technology has led to economic development and to narrowing the identity gap in sub-Saharan Africa. Using a narrative review, this chapter explores the role of the emerging biometric national identification technology in narrowing the identity gap and contributing to economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. This chapter is of significance in that it informs governments in developing and transitional countries especially in Africa on lessons learned from the pilot projects and suggests better ways of narrowing the identity gap using the emerging biometric national identification technology.

Use of ICTs for Women Psychological Empowerment in South Africa

The term ‘empowerment' has been defined in many ways in different professional fields. Empowerment means to develop a person's full potential to achieve a range of human capabilities. For people to be productive, they may need to be empowered to gasp their sense of self-worth and be able to tackle their personal issues. The study investigates the contribution of ICT tools such as telecentres for the empowerment of women in disadvantaged areas of the Western Cape, South Africa. The essence of empowerment entails the alteration of individual lives to attain goals they may have not been able to achieve. Thus, empowerment is an active, multi-dimensional progression that allows people to comprehend their potential and powers in all spheres of life. The study used the Dimensions of Empowerment Theory to explain the outcome of women's use of the telecentre using the dimensions of empowerment output indicator.

Multimodal Communication Practice in Nigeria's Digital Space

For centuries, people have evolved novel ways of making meaning. With the passage of time, the various traditional modes of representation or meaning making have been altered and, in some cases, refined or displaced by technological advancements. In Nigeria, a growing academic interest seeks to explore the practical relevance of integrating semiotic resources, such as speech, writing, video, music, colours, or signs to create multimodal texts across a wide range of communicative acts. This chapter, therefore, examines multimodal communication practice within Nigeria's digital space, its nature, dimension, as well as how digital technologies are appropriated to enhance, not just the people's digital experience, but also create social, economic, and business opportunities for Nigeria's growing population of digital natives.

Learning Analytics in Higher Education

It is known that big data has penetrated several if not all spheres of life. In higher education, the ability to take these large amounts of data and process it into something meaningful for academic decision making is commonly referred to as learning analytics. This chapter provides an overview of learning analytics and its importance, as well as identifying academic data sources, techniques used for learning analytics and prediction, and data visualisation techniques used to present analysis for better understanding and eventual decision making. It also includes a discussion of learning analytics frameworks for research and some identified research challenges.

Influence of Personal Characteristics and Motivation Factors on Internet Use

This study examined the influence of personal characteristics such as age, gender, level of study, years of experience using the internet, internet self-efficacy, as well as motivation factors, which are perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, perceived innovativeness in IT, and perceived usefulness on internet use among 404 purposively selected postgraduate students' in three selected universities in South-Western Nigeria: University of Ibadan, Ibadan; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso; and Bowen University, Iwo. The result showed that some personal characteristics which are age, years of experience using the internet, and internet self-efficacy have significant relationships with internet use among postgraduate students in the selected universities. Furthermore, personal innovativeness in IT of postgraduate students significantly influenced their internet use in the selected universities. The result revealed there was a significant influence of both personal characteristic and motivation factors on Internet use in the selected universities.

Access to Learning Through Mobiles

The common myth that mobile learning cannot propel in a rural setting is null and void. The influx of modern ICTs like mobile technologies can revolutionize information access among the less privileged in many African communities. Using the Actor-Network Theory as a methodological tool, the chapter explores opportunities of increasing knowledge access through mobiles, by understanding the networks involved in farmer's mobile learning practice, with reference to Uganda. The chapter reveals that mobile technologies offer affordable individual and group learning opportunities to smallholder farmers. Learning is a socially constructed activity, where farmers with access to ICTs like mobile phones share knowledge among those with no access. Through a socio-technical discussion, technological initiatives ought to be pro-people where farmers' needs are key considerations in the mLearning actor-network. For sustainable impacts, all actors need to work collaboratively, negotiate different realities, and appreciate the local challenges within which mobile technologies can support learning.

IT Governance Within Corporate Governance

The need for oversight has prompted the incorporation of IT governance into corporate governance codes and practices. However, since its incorporation, the understanding and implementation of IT governance codes have been challenging for the board. Boards find these codes extending beyond their governance oversight responsibilities. Whilst existing literature have divergent approaches and focus, most agree and call for more explicit studies on how corporate governance board are affecting IT governance oversight. This chapter reviews IT governance frameworks, corporate governance codes, and practices to identify key aspects of IT governance relevant and applicable at the board level. The chapter derived a conceptual framework of an effective IT governance implementation that consists of four key components that directly influence IT governance implementation: governance capabilities, key features of implemented IT governance frameworks, and change management. The framework postulates that boards that focus and address these components would improve the IT governance effectiveness.