Showing papers in "International Journal of Embedded Systems in 2014"

A Study of the Relationship between Motivation, Self-concept and Academic Achievement of Students at a University in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract: The main purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between motivation, self-concept and academic achievement. In addition, gender differences between self-concept, motivation and aca...

Teaching Functions Using a Realistic Mathematics Education Approach: A Theoretical Perspective

Abstract: This paper discusses how the notion of a function can be developed for high school learners through the use of different representations and models; verbal, visual, graphical and symbolic. The realistic mathematics education approach provides the framework that guides the discussion. Using the matchstick problem as an example, multiple-representations of the function concept inherent in it are mathematised. The possible representations of the function are; geometric patterns, independent - dependent variables, ordered pairs, fish diagrams, number sequences (quadratic sequences, arithmetic sequences, geometric sequences), dual bar graphs, graphs on the Cartesian plane and the functional f(x) symbolism. It is argued that multiple representations that start with the informal and every day and then gradually progress to the formal and abstract, help learners to gain insight of the big idea functions in mathematics. The paper provides mathematics educators a platform which facilitates a realistic mathematics education approach to teaching functions which can be extended to other mathematical topics.

Academic Self-concept and Motivation as Predictors of Academic Achievement

Abstract: This paper explores the relationship between university students' academic self-concept, motivation and academic achievement. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether academic self-concept and motivation of students enrolled for the Quantity Surveying course at a university in South Africa could predict their level of academic achievement. By means of a non-probability convenience sampling technique, all residential students in their first to fourth year of study who were registered for the major subject Descriptive Quantification in the Department of Quantity Surveying were included in the sample. A questionnaire was used as the data collection instrument and, on completion, data were statistically analysed using SPSS. Relevant literature indicated inconsistent findings about whether a relationship exists between students' academic self-concepts and motivation, and academic achievement. The results of this empirical investigation, as confirmed by the statistical analysis carried out, revealed that significant correlations between academic self-concept, motivation and academic achievement do exist, but that they depend on study year level.

Integrating ICT into Rural South African Schools: Possible Solutions for Challenges

Abstract: The influence of ICT in schools cannot be overemphasized as its utility is changing the way students learn, teachers teach, and support staff work. ICT adoption in South African schools has therefore gained momentum. Whilst ICT is fully integrated into many if not all schools in urban areas in South Africa, regrettably the same cannot be said about rural schools. This has created a 'digital divide' between rural and urban schools. Theoretically, this paper is informed by social justice theory. Methodologically, the extant literature relied upon to make the case for ICT in South Africa's rural schools. The same approach is used to identify key challenges militating against smooth introduction of ICT into South African schools. Thereafter, suggestions for overcoming identified challenges are provided. The aim is to help bridge the apparent digital divide between rural and urban schools in South Africa.

ICTs in English Learning and Teaching

Abstract: A great number of articles have been written about English language teaching and the use of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) during the last decade, achieving a laudable outcome. Recent literature has shown that the use of ICTs in the language classroom has a lot to offer to both learners and teachers, with learners enhancing their vocabulary, improving their reading and speaking skills, and with teachers having to hold a double role; the role of the educator and that of the facilitator, while having to cope with complex situations which include lack of training or lack of equipment in the language classroom. In this paper we shall review and present some representative studies on this field during the last decade.

On Line and other ICTs Applications for teaching math in Special Education

Abstract: The term “students with special needs”, “disabled” or “impaired students” is used to describe some students who have real, persistent, and substantial individual differences and educational needs that regular education has been unable to accommodate. These individual differences vary, from medical conditions such as cerebral palsy, to dyslexia, to pervasive and chronic maladaptive patterns of behaviour. These same students will and should not be considered disabled or impaired once they leave school. Nonetheless, their specialized learning needs are intense and legitimate because students with learning disabilities have significant difficulty acquiring and retaining math and other skills. ICTS are here to play an important role, offering the educators a valuable set of tools to cope with these difficulties. A number of factors are significant to the poor math performance of these students. In this review article we discuss these factors, the contribution of ICTS and make recommendations for a better math performance.

Sources of Difficulty in Comprehending and Solving Mathematical Word Problems

Abstract: The study reported in this article sought to explore Grade 11 learners’ perceptions of the sources of difficulty in comprehending mathematical word problem solving. Issues of using mathematical lan...

Concerns for the language skills of South African learners and their teachers

Abstract: The language of instruction and learner achievement is directly linked. In South Africa many English teachers lack the necessary English language skills to teach English effectively. The results of...

Publish or Perish: Impediments to Research Output and Publication

Abstract: Research plays a crucial role in the development and dissemination of knowledge. Scholars as academics should conduct research, publish, and then convey their knowledge to students or apply what they have learned. Research Informed Teaching is not just about pedagogic research or research into higher education; it is about the complex interplay of the core activities of higher education linked by their mutual relationship to learning. There is, therefore, need to reforge the link between teaching-research. The aim of this study was to investigate factors that militate against research output and publication in institutions of higher learning in South Africa as well as suggest solutions with specific reference to one university. Using a desktop and content analysis approaches, the study established that lack of funding, lack of interest, poor research skills and lack of time due to high teacher-student ratios as well as heavy lecturing obligations were some of the impediments to research output and publication. The study, therefore, recommended that academics be given one day out for research per week, writing retreats to be conducted, mentoring of novice researchers, collaborative research, recognising excellence in teaching through research led initiatives and establishment of in- house journals.

Reading Literacy in Primary Schools in South Africa: Educator Perspectives on Factors Affecting Reading Literacy and Strategies for Improvement

Abstract: As a developing country, South Africa is faced with challenges in the sphere of education which have a direct impact on the literacy level of learners. Learners are taught in a language (English) which is not their home language. The socio-economic challenges, particularly of having little or no parental support, as well as the challenges of educators who are not proficient in English as a medium of instruction, and large class sizes, also contribute to the low literacy levels. South Africa's performance in terms of the international reading tests, as well as the national literacy tests, has confirmed the seriousness of the problem and the urgency of finding solutions. This paper seeks to investigate the factors that impact on reading literacy as a preliminary step to finding measures to improve the quality of reading. Through an empirical study using a survey, data has been gathered from the perspective of educators from 40 schools in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The study will be beneficial to educators in the inter-mediate phase of primary schools; curriculum development specialists and national policy makers.

Exploring the Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching Probability in Middle School: A South African Case Study

Abstract: This paper reports on an exploration into in-service teachers' pedagogical content knowledge required for the delivery of lessons in probability. The section on probability is taught in Mathematical Literacy to the middle school learners in South Africa. As a theoretical framework the work initiated in the nineteen eighties was sought. This paper adopted a refined framework into domains of pedagogical knowledge. The four domains are: Common Content Knowledge; Specialised Content Knowledge; Knowledge of Content and Students as well as Knowledge of Content and Teaching which are defined and applied to show their necessity in a teaching situation. Examples of tasks from an open ended questionnaire were discussed and identification of the pedagogical content knowledge on probability was made. Teachers' written responses were collected and analyzed to verify or refute suggested strands of knowledge provided earlier. The written responses were from in-service teachers (n = 86) who were studying towards an Advanced Certificate in Education (an upgrading qualification) at a South African university.

Exploring support strategies for high school mathematics teachers from underachieving schools

Abstract: Algebra, trigonometry and calculus concepts are dealt with in grades 10 to 12 of South African high school topics, as prescribed by the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. This paper reports on a study exploring practicing teachers' subject matter knowledge of certain topics they were expected to teach. The theoretical perspectives for the design and analysis of this study were based on Shulman's conceptual framework. This study was a qualitative case study (n = 28). Practising teachers from the Pinetown district in KwaZulu-Natal participated in this mathematics' teacher intervention. Focused tasks on algebra, trigonometry and calculus were designed and administered to those teachers. The researchers analysed the data from those tests and found that certain areas of their pedagogical content knowledge required attention.

Professionalization of Teaching in Universities: A Compelling Case

Abstract: Discourse in university often revolves around that teaching is common sense business and that anyone can teach. University lecturers as experts in their disciplines often feel they are able to teach and it is up to students to learn. It is against such discourse that calls for the professionalisation of teaching in universities continued to grow. This view is against the argument that despite being discipline specialists, academic staff need special training in teaching and learning to be effective teachers. In this paper the researchers interrogate the issue of professionalisation of teaching in universities. The meaning of professionalization of teaching and what it really entails are examined. The researchers discuss reasons why it is necessary for teaching to be professionalised in universities by centering on the main responsibilities of a university teacher which are curriculum organisation, teaching, assessment and dealing with of adult learners. The researchers further propose a model that could be utilised in the professionalization of teaching by way of deliberate teacher training programmes, short courses as well as research and publication in teaching and learning issues. Such approaches allow the imparting to university academic staff members knowledge, skills and values that ensure better facilitation of learning.

Hardware-software architecture for priority queue management in real-time and embedded systems

Abstract: The use of hardware-based data structures for accelerating real-time and embedded system applications is limited by the scarceness of hardware resources. Being limited by the silicon area available, hardware data structures cannot scale in size as easily as their software counterparts. We assert a hardware-software co-design approach is required to elegantly overcome these limitations. In this paper, we present a hybrid priority queue architecture that includes a hardware accelerated binary heap that can also be managed in software when the queue size exceeds hardware limits. A memory mapped interface provides software with access to priority-queue structured on-chip memory, which enables quick and low overhead transitions between hardware and software management. As an application of this hybrid architecture, we present a scalable task scheduler for real-time systems that reduces scheduler processing overhead and improves timing determinism of the scheduler.

A ubiquitous communication architecture integrating transparent UPnP and REST APIs

Abstract: This paper proposes a ubiquitous middleware architecture enabling end devices to be easily used through software services. These services are available to end applications in a transparent and extensible manner using UPnP or a REST API. Internal modules are interconnected by ZigBee, which allows a mesh and auto reconfigurable internal network. Arduino is used to interconnect end devices to the middleware, allowing easy integration of devices by reading their state and executing actions on them.

A new certificate-based digital signature scheme in bilinear group

Abstract: Certificate-based signature preserves advantages of implicit certification and no private key escrow as the certificate-based encryption scheme presented at Eurocrypt 2003 by Gentry. In this paper, we present a certificate-based signature scheme derived from bilinear pairings and prove its security in the random oracle model. The scheme is secure based on the traditional difficult problem defined in bilinear pairings. The efficiency is also presented to show the scheme is practical. Compared to earlier signatures with these properties, our scheme is efficient. Many other constructions could be derived by using this certificate-based signature in applications.

Islamization of Human Knowledge in Theory and Practice: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects in the IIUM context

Abstract: The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) aims to become a leading international centre of educational excellence which seeks to restore the dynamic and progressive role of the Muslim Ummah in all branches of knowledge and intellectual discourse.Its mission has been crystallized during the period of Professor Mohd Kamal Hassan, its third Rector, as Islamization, Integration, Internationalization and Comprehensive Excellence or commonly known as Triple ICE. This paper deals with the achievements, challenges and prospects in the IIUM context of one of these four missions, namely, Islamization.

Is Matric Math a Good Predictor of Student's Performance in the First Year of University Degree? A Case Study of Faculty of Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract: Ordinarily speaking the performance of students at the first year commerce degree is related to matric total score and other socio-demographic variables. This study asserts that, since mathematical proficiency is a special skill that is necessary for commerce degree, matric (National Senior Certificate, NSC) math score is the key variable which significantly determines the pass rates in the first year university modules. The study tests this hypothesis with the new set of data for the University of KwaZulu-Natal with the help of an econometric model. Empirical results support the hypothesis and the study suggests some far-reaching policy implications for increasing pass rate and student retention in the commerce degree programs in South Africa.

Internal and External School Supervision: Issues, Challenges and Wayforward

Abstract: It is important in educational administration to ascertain that educational activities are carried out in accordance with the laid down educational goals and objectives. Hence, supervision, whether...

An Assessment of the Readiness of Grade 10 Learners for Geometry in the Context of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) Expectation

Abstract: In 2012 January, as part of the ongoing process of curriculum revision which began in 1994, the South African Depart of Education (DoE) introduced the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The CAPS brought Euclidean geometry with its formal proof back into the compulsory mathematics curriculum. It also implied that all learners needed to perform at level 4 (Deduction: with formal proof) of the van Hiele levels in Euclidean geometry in all grades in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase-Grades 10-12. The main aspect of the van Hiele theory is that of children's understanding of geometric concepts can be characterised as being at certain specific levels within a hierarchy of levels from 0 to 4 with level 0 being the lowest. This paper reports on the assessment based on the van Hiele model of geometrical thinking levels of a sample of South African Grade 10 learners in Euclidean Geometry. It is a follow up of an earlier published study with 191 grade 10 learners by the same authors. Data for this study were generated from 359 Grade 10 learners in five senior secondary schools in one Education District. These schools were selected through purposive sampling. The study made use of both quantitative and qualitative research techniques for data collection. In the former, multiple choice questions and in the latter, structured interviews were made use of. The quantitative and qualitative data were anlysed using Microsoft Excel 2007 and thematic analysis, respectively. The results from the study revealed that the majority of the learners were at level 0 despite the CAPS expectation that learners are to perform at level 3 in order to be ready for level 4 thinking in Grade 10. The findings from the study assisted the authors to suggest recommendations that could be made use of by curriculum developers and implementers to improve the instructional strategies of geometry learning and teaching.

Assessing Students' Academic Writing Using Systemic Functional Linguistics at a University in South Africa

Abstract: The main focus in this paper is to assess academic writing of first year students at tertiary level which essentially determines students' success in their studies. For the purposes of this paper 20 students from a university of Technology in South Africa were given an essay to write on 'Challenges Facing Education in South Africa'. hese students were divided into 2 groups: those who were competent and those who were not so competent in academic writing. Their essays were analysed using systemic functional linguistics (SFL) as an analytical tool, looking at how they develop themes when writing texts in the second language. The focus is on identifying the strategies that are critical in academic writing of Black students in a South African multilingual context. The findings showed that the not so competent students in academic writing could not write coherent texts. They failed to contextualize the topic; their paragraphs and sentences were not linked. One of the reasons for this is because they were from poor backgrounds where they did not have reading materials and also their schools were poorly resourced. This paper also serves as a starting point for remedial action that can be taken at school level.

Development of a Remote Laboratory Management System and Integration with Social Networks

Abstract: The focus of this contribution is to propose a novel centralized authentication and authorization system, which can be used to share laboratories This system optionally relies on existing mechanisms, such as those used by universities -eg, Shibboleth, OpenID- or by social networks -eg, Facebook Connect or Google with OAuth- However, it still supports schools or universities not counting with an existing system, by providing its own system The authentication and authorization system will be registered in other RLMSs This way, users registered in the central system can consume laboratories from other institutions This development is part of a project that includes the integration of the FCEIA-UNR lab with social networks Based upon a previous development of a Remote Laboratory Management System at Universidad de Deusto, the authors also explain the advantages and drawbacks of the centralized approach

Interrogating the Role of Academic Developers in the Promotion of Scholarly Teaching and the Scholarship of Learning and Teaching

Abstract: In this paper the researchers sought to examine the role of academic developers in universities in the promotion of scholarly teaching (ST) and scholarship of learning and teaching (SOLT). The concepts scholarly teaching and scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education are explained and their differences outlined. The researchers further discuss the significance of SOL T in the enhancement of teaching and learning in higher education. In the paper the researchers also examine the role academic developers should play in ensuring the nurturing and development of SOL T among academics by suggesting practical activities academic developers should engage in ensuring the promotion of SOL T. Possible hindrances and challenges in academic developers' role in promoting SOLT are also evaluated and solutions suggested.

Actual and Ideal Assessment Practices in South African Natural Sciences Classrooms

Abstract: Assessment practices form an integral part of science teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate actual assessment practices and compare them to ideal assessment practices according to the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) policy documents. A purposive sample comprising five Grade 9 educators was selected: three from high performing schools and two from low performing schools. Data were collected through lesson observations, reviewing portfolios of the educators and learners, and also through semi-structured interviews. The results show that educators' understanding of the various ideal roles of assessment ranged from 0% to 60% with the majority of items scored at 40%. This suggests a huge difference between actual and ideal assessment practices. These differences were identified from the purpose of assessment, integrating assessment and learning processes, outputs of assessment, the role of assessment, educators' and learners' portfolios, performance- based assessment tasks, the use of rubrics, and from the assessment of learning outcomes. The findings of this study may have far reaching implications in light of compliance to the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) introduced in the country.

Exploring Effective Teaching Practices for Inclusion: A Case of a South African Secondary School

Abstract: The South African education system has undergone several changes at different levels since the advent of democracy in 1994, yet it still bears the hallmarks of the fragmented education system that was based on the policy of apartheid. Although Inclusive education has been adopted as a way of promoting access to education for learners experiencing barriers to learning and development, challenges persist. In this paper the researcher explored classroom teaching practices that are effective in promoting inclusion in South African secondary school, based on a case study in which a collaborative action research method was adopted. The research was qualitative and non-positivistic, and assumed a critical emancipatory approach. Data were collected from 15 teachers and a focus group composed of 12 learners. Various data-collection methods were employed, namely participant observation, interviews, focus group interviews with learners and research diaries. The researcher employed the principle of group interpretative analysis together with the teachers to analyse data and arrive at conclusions. Furthermore, findings indicate that knowledge about practices of inclusion is influenced by context of each school and the teachers' need to collaborate and reflect on practice in order to develop practices that enhance inclusion.

A new construction of identity-based group signature

Abstract: Identity-based (simply ID-based) public key cryptosystem allows the user to use his identity as the public key, which can be a good alternative for certificate-based public key setting. Group signature allows any member of a group to sign on behalf of the group without revealing his identity. A complete ID-based group signature scheme was proposed in ACISP’06. However, it was very impractical. In this paper, we give a construction of identity-based group signatures. Then, we construct an efficient ID-based group signature scheme. We also show that the group signature scheme is provably secure in the random oracle model.

Analysis of Students’ Attitudes on Mathematics Achievement-Factor Structure Approach

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify the number of factors (mathematics self-concept, parents’ level of education, home background, teaching, school climate and attitude) that represent relati...

Scheduling imprecise task graphs for real-time applications

Abstract: Many of the real-time tasks within embedded real-time control applications fall into the imprecise category. Such tasks are iterative in nature, with output precision improving as execution time increases (up to a point). These tasks can be terminated early at the cost of poorer quality output. Many imprecise tasks in CPS are dependent, with one task feeding other tasks in a task precedence graph (TPG). A task output quality depends on the quality of its input data as well as on the execution time that is allotted to it. In this paper, we study the allocation/scheduling of imprecise TPGs on multiprocessors to maximise output quality where resources (time and energy) are limited. Our heuristic algorithms can effectively reclaim resources when tasks finish earlier than their estimated worst-case execution time. Dynamic voltage scaling is used to manage energy consumption and keep it under a specified bound.

Deconstructing the Narratives of Educational Developers on the Enabling and Constraining Conditions in Their Growth, Development and Roles as Educational Staff Development Facilitators at a South African University

Abstract: This study was inspired by the author's participation in a National Research Foundation (NRF) project involving eight South African universities, investigating the enabling and constraining conditions with regard to the professional development of academics in their role as teachers in higher education. Deviating from the NRF project which focused on academics, this study deconstructs the narratives of academic development practitioners on the cultural, structural and agential conditions which enable and/or constrain their own professional development, growth and roles as educational staff development facilitators at a South African University. Designed within the qualitative research approach, a case study design was used. Ten educational developers constituted the sample for the study. Individual interviews were held with the educational developers using a semi-structured interview schedule. Using the Archerian social realist theoretical framework qualitative data was analysed by first transcribing interview tapes and coding the transcribed data. Content analysis was then used to analyse data thematically. The study found that lack of laid down appointment criteria and huge workloads were the major constraining conditions; senior management support and seasoned expertise in the Centre were major enablers for the growth and development of educational developers. Based on the findings, the study concludes that educational developers are overworked and have loosely defined roles and recommends the crafting of a code of conduct for educational development and the development of an academy for educational developers.

Efficient fault-tolerant scheduling on multiprocessor systems via replication and deallocation

Abstract: Multiprocessor architectures have been extensively studied in the past decades. With the increasing demands on system reliability, fault-tolerant scheduling is even more important when multiprocessor system is used to run real-time applications since failure of any processor might produce disastrous results. To address this problem, we propose two fault-tolerant scheduling methods on multiprocessor systems via both active and passive backup copies. The first one uses the integer linear programming method to obtain the optimal results. The second one is a heuristic algorithm which can achieve close to optimal results within polynomial running time. In the experiments, this paper evaluates the proposed methods in terms of scheduling length for a set of DAG benchmarks. The experimental results show the effectiveness of our technique.