Academic literature on the topic 'Information services – User education – Botswana'
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Journal articles on the topic "Information services – User education – Botswana"
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Mwaipopo, Christina. "Challenges in the provision of early childhood care and education services in rural areas of Botswana." African Educational Research Journal 9, no. 3 (September 6, 2021): 753–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.30918/aerj.93.21.097.
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Quality Early Childhood Care and Education programs are beneficial to children in numerous ways. Consequently, from time immemorial, various stakeholders not only in Botswana, but the world over, has embarked on various efforts to try to provide such services. However, several challenges in the provision of Early Childhood Care and Education services prevail in various countries. This paper explores such issues in the context of Botswana. It also maps the way forward in relation to addressing the challenges. Desktop research using existing sources such as newspapers, University archives, and published citations was used to gather relevant information for this paper.
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Fidzani, Babakisi T. "The Impact of User Education at the University of Botswana Library." Information Development 14, no. 3 (September 1998): 123–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0266666984239300.
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Rosmorduc, V. "AVISO user service, at the crossroads between user information, outreach and education." Advances in Geosciences 3 (June 16, 2005): 19–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-3-19-2005.
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Abstract. Initially set up to distribute Topex/Poseidon ocean altimetry satellite data, AVISO user service has been the link between the Topex/Poseidon and Jason-1 projects, users and the general public. The service has continually broadened the scope of its activities, forging close ties with users to achieve efficient dissemination of general, technical, and scientific information. Such a synergy between user services and outreach has many advantages, both for users and for public outreach, including educational ones.
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Ishmatova, Diana, and Yuri V. Fedotov. "M-Government for Education." International Journal of E-Services and Mobile Applications 2, no. 2 (April 2010): 17–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jesma.2010040102.
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The main challenges of studying user preferences are related to user uncertainty related to a lack of previous experience with m-Government services. This paper investigates user preferences for potential mobile campus services. It was conducted as a pilot survey with the goal to develop and test a measurement approach for revealing preferences for services that users haven’t yet experienced. The dataset used in this paper is taken from a contingent ranking survey carried out in February 2008, involving purposive sampling of third year university students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the Graduate School of Management, St. Petersburg State University. Numerical estimations reflecting the importance of services and content features were derived using ASPID-methodology (Analysis and Synthesis of Parameters under Information Deficiency), the main advantage of which lies in its ability to work accurately with different types of uncertain information on weight-coefficients.
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Floyd, Nancy L. "The National Library of Education." Education Libraries 20, no. 1-2 (September 5, 2017): 25. http://dx.doi.org/10.26443/el.v20i1-2.98.
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The National Library of Education is the largest federally funded library in the world devoted entirely to education. In March 1994, Congress created this new national library, bringing together the former U.S. Department of Education Research Library; the 1-800 user service; INet (ED/OERI's Internet site and services); and the Technology Resources Center. These units now operate in partnership with the ERIC to carry out reference and referral services; collection and technical services; resource sharing and cooperation, including Internet Services (INet); and marketing/public relations. NLE is planning a network of national education technology and related resources. The network will promote greater cooperation and resource sharing among education and library professionals, policymakers, the public and other providers and repositories of education information in America. It will also apply information science, computer and telecommunications technologies for the enhancement of education information dissemination.
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Ahenkorah-Marfo, Michael, and Harry Akussah. "Changing the face of reference and user services." Reference Services Review 44, no. 3 (August 8, 2016): 219–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/rsr-01-2016-0001.
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Purpose Social media allows collaboration, participation and sharing in libraries with users. The purpose of this study is to examine the response of academic librarians in Ghana to the use of social media in reference and user services. Design/methodology/approach It is a quantitative study that used the Likert type of questionnaire in soliciting the views of academic librarians from six public and private universities in Ghana on their knowledge and use of social media in providing reference and user services. Findings The findings of the study indicate that majority of academic librarians are knowledgeable and use social media for both personal and work-related purposes. They, however, lack adequate skills to use the array of social media tools to make remarkable difference in service delivery. For this reason, they find the traditional mode of service delivery a comfort zone. Practical implications Higher education policy makers in Ghana and elsewhere would find the results useful in decisions on the types of social media tools to use in universities and colleges. Originality/value The study provides in-depth analysis of the impact of social media on reference and user services in Ghanaian libraries, which is deficient in literature. It also recommends change in policy direction and training to whip up interest in librarians to use social media.
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Mawhinney, Tara. "User preferences related to virtual reference services in an academic library." Journal of Academic Librarianship 46, no. 1 (January 2020): 102094. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2019.102094.
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Rowley, Jennifer, Linda Banwell, Sue Childs, Patricia Gannon‐Leary, Ray Lonsdale, Christine Urquhart, and Chris Armstrong. "User Behaviour in Relation to Electronic Information Services within the UK Higher Education Academic Community." Journal of Educational Media 27, no. 3 (October 2002): 107–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1358165020270303.
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BANWELL, LINDA, RAY LONSDALE, CHRISTINE URQUHART, CHRIS ARMSTRONG, JENNIFER ROWLEY, SUE CHILDS, and PATRICIA GANNON-LEARY. "User Behaviour in Relation to Electronic Information Services within the UK Higher Education Academic Community." Journal of Educational Media 27, no. 3 (October 1, 2002): 107–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1358165022000081378.
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Shachaf, Pnina, and Mary Snyder. "The Relationship Between Cultural Diversity and User Needs in Virtual Reference Services." Journal of Academic Librarianship 33, no. 3 (May 2007): 361–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2007.01.012.
Full textDissertations / Theses on the topic "Information services – User education – Botswana"
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Seamans, Nancy H. "Information Literacy: A Study of Freshman Students' Perceptions, with Recommendations." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/27705.
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The research problem for this study is focused on the need to know how students acquire and use information. Research indicates a lack of understanding of what students know about information and how they use information and this study used the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (Appendix A) as the basis for acquiring a better understanding of what kind of information freshman students at Virginia Tech need and how they acquire it during their first semester at college. Students were asked questions about their information use during fall semester 2000, using both email questioning and in face-to-face interviews. The data collected was used to develop insights into how students acquire and use information and resulted in suggestions that could be used in revising and improving instruction for freshman students that is provided by the University Libraries at Virginia Tech.Ph. D.
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Haberle, Nikky. "Developing an evaluative framework for information literacy interventions." Thesis, Cape Technikon, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/1892.
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Thesis (MTech(Education)--Cape Technikon, Cape Town, 2001This study presents a theoretical evaluative framework for information literacy initiatives. The evaluative framework is based on a holistic behavioural taxonomic approach incorporating affective, cognitive, and physical domains. In this study the behavioural taxonomic approach was applied to the evaluation of a historical information literacy initiative, the IFYE (Integrated First Year Experience), developed by the Cape T echnikon in 1997, South Africa. The motivating factor behind the evaluation was to determine whether it would be suitable as an implementable initiative at other institutions in the Western Cape. This coincided with the aims of Infolit, who had invited institutions of Higher Education to submit pilot projects on information literacy in a drive to promote information literacy throughout the Western Cape. Although the IFYE initiative may not have realised its full potential, information literacy has drawn continued interest and other initiatives have since been developed. Application of two eXlsttng taxonomles, demonstrated distinct limitations in their application and a new taxonomy was developed within the South African educational context. The new taxonomy was applied to the theoretical evaluation of an innovative elearning information literacy initiative developed by the Cape Technikon in 2000, which has been accepted by Infolit for wider implementation throughout the Western Cape. The final section of the study presents recommendations based on the evaluation of the elearning initiative, information literacy initiatives in general, and structural changes to the developed taxonomy. Areas for further research are also discussed.
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Evans, Paul. "A multimedia system to instruct novice users of online library catalogues." View thesis, 1996. http://library.nepean.uws.edu.au/about/staff/thesis.html.
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Dube, Sibongakonke. "The role of public libraries in enhancing information literacy skills (ILS) of senior secondary school students in the Central District in Botswana." Diss., 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/24930.
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Modern day society is characterised by the availability of technology and the abundance of information in all formats that require all individuals using it to poses information literacy skills (ILS).ILS enable people the ability to locate, analyse, evaluate access and retrieve the desired information to satisfy a need. Research on IL in academic and school libraries has gained momentum in the field of Information Science where as little has been documented concerning public libraries and IL. This therefore calls for more research on IL in public libraries. Public libraries serve a wide and diverse community of which students are a part. In instances where school libraries are either non-existent or not developed, students seek assistance from the public library within their community. This study sought to investigate the role of public libraries in enhancing the ILS of senior secondary school students in the Central District in Botswana. The fact that school libraries in Botswana are underdeveloped to produce competent and confident students equipped with ILS that could be used in the work environment and continuous lifelong learning, motivated the study. A concern that there exists a gap in research concerning public libraries and IL within the Botswana context necessitated this study.
The study used a survey research design where both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were adopted. This involved the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. The purpose of a mixed methods approach was based on the idea that qualitative results could assist in explaining and interpreting the findings of a quantitative study. Data collection involved three sets of closed ended questionnaires and observations in all schools and public libraries. The population of the study consisted of public librarians, teacher librarians and students. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate statistics.
The findings of the study revealed that the public libraries in the Central District in Botswana are above average in terms of materials and use. It brought to light that senior secondary school students use the public libraries for school purposes and get assistance when they seek for it. Public librarians do not have special classes aimed at enhancing the ILS of students. The public libraries offer IL in the form of computer training, they do this as, and when students register, just like the other members of the community. The library’s contribution to enhancement of the students’ ILS, (study skills, reading skills and use of reference works) is somewhat limited. Limited resources, lack of reading culture, low budgets, and lack of support from government negatively challenge the full potential impact of IL enhancement.Information Science
M. Inf. Sc.
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Dube, Sibongakonke. "The role of public libraries in enhancing information literacy skills (ILS) of senior secondary school students in the Cntral District in Botswana." Diss., 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/25178.
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Modern day society is characterised by the availability of technology and the abundance of information in all formats that require all individuals using it to poses information literacy skills (ILS).ILS enable people the ability to locate, analyse, evaluate access and retrieve the desired information to satisfy a need. Research on IL in academic and school libraries has gained momentum in the field of Information Science where as little has been documented concerning public libraries and IL. This therefore calls for more research on IL in public libraries. Public libraries serve a wide and diverse community of which students are a part. In instances where school libraries are either non-existent or not developed, students seek assistance from the public library within their community. This study sought to investigate the role of public libraries in enhancing the ILS of senior secondary school students in the Central District in Botswana. The fact that school libraries in Botswana are underdeveloped to produce competent and confident students equipped with ILS that could be used in the work environment and continuous lifelong learning, motivated the study. A concern that there exists a gap in research concerning public libraries and IL
within the Botswana context necessitated this study.
The study used a survey research design where both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were adopted. This involved the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. The purpose of a mixed methods approach was based on the idea that qualitative results could assist in explaining and interpreting the findings of a quantitative study. Data collection involved three sets of closed ended questionnaires and observations in all schools and public libraries. The population of the study consisted of public librarians, teacher librarians and students. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate statistics.
The findings of the study revealed that the public libraries in the Central District in Botswana are above average in terms of materials and use. It brought to light that senior secondary schoolstudents use the public libraries for school purposes and get assistance when they seek for it. Public librarians do not have special classes aimed at enhancing the ILS of students. The public libraries offer IL in the form of computer training, they do this as, and when students register, just like the other members of the community. The library’s contribution to enhancement of the students’ ILS, (study skills, reading skills and use of reference works) is somewhat limited. Limited resources, lack of reading culture, low budgets, and lack of support from government negatively challenge the full potential impact of IL enhancement.Information Science
M.A. Information Science
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Tseng, Hsiao-Wen, and 曾筱雯. "User-Need Approach to the Planning of Senior High School Library Public Services﹘﹘Illustrated by the Information Related to Life Education." Thesis, 2005. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/23164520154150626776.
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碩士輔仁大學
圖書資訊學系
93
This research took for its subject the user-need approach to the planning of senior high school library public services, with the frame structure composed of the studies in senior high school library、public service planning、and the user needs.Teaching support as school library''s role function was used not in terms of the partipation in and support of planning and implementing various teaching projects or programs, but in terms of the provision and supply for the users (either those who need the service for teaching or those who need them for leranning). Or we can put it this way: this research took the senior high school library''s role function in teaching support for its standing point to work on the issues in user needs. In the progress, the new course for Life Education, which has been a big point for attention and target for promotion in schools and in society , was taken for the example to illustrate the relevant theoreries and principles. On one hand, taking a practical example is usually of big help to explanations and discussions. On the other, this research also leaned toward course-oriened or subject-oriented approach. The study began with the theories and general principles for planning library public services, then turned to the positioning of goal and management for the senior high school library as a whole, followed by the goal and management for the part of public service. After that, the discussions turned toward the contents and development of Life Education so as to enforce the librarians and the users with the relevant subject knowledge in need. To be for the reference of the librarians in charge of public service planning, this thesis endeavored to find out the ways for libraries to satisfy their users with the information needed for Life Education related courses, and the fundamental principles with essential elements for considerations. In regard to the proper ways for the libraries to utilize their public services for satisfying their users'' needs and demands, examples were taken from three aspects: to satisfy the users'' needs and demands "for the contents of information"、" for the resources of information"、as well as "for the means and ways to get information". In addition, this research endeavored to provide the libraries with refernce materials to be used in preparing for the task of planning their public services, in the following respects: the goals & perspectives & envisions of the senior high school、the role position of school library or instruction resource center、the concepts & objectives of library public services、use study、user study & community study、budget、human resource、architecture & facilities & environmental elements、library cllections & utilities & equipments、trends & tides、related laws & regulations、as well as administration and management issues. The basic professional theories and principles cited、analysed、and discussed here in this research could be categoried in terms of contents: (1) role function of high school libraries and librarians , (2) role function of senior high school library public services, (3) fundamental knowledge and skills for senior high school public service librarians, (4) significance、function、and basic theories & priciples of the user-need approach to the planning of public services, (5) subject knowledge and the planning of public services as illustrated by the case of Life Education. Through its progress, this research was obviously considered as being designated to the study in planning senior high school library public services, yet in fact the spot light also covered the ways for offering Life Education in senior high schools, as well as the functions which senior high school libraries should carry on.
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Behrens, S. J. (Shirley J. ). "Undergraduate library and information skills in a distance learning environment." Thesis, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/18073.
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This twofold study is concerned with the status of library skills within the realm of undergraduate students' information handling skills. The main problem under investigation is whether students require library skills in order to be information literate. In the first phase of the study, a conceptual analysis is done of information literacy and information skills, and a typology of information skills is drawn up. The skills in the typology range from lower level locating skills to higher level cognitive skills such as synthesizing and evaluating. Library skills (as taught in user education programmes) are identified and placed within the information skills typology, resulting in a model of library and information skills. This model indicates that library skills can be subsumed under generic information skills but that they fall only within the lower level of information handling skills. It therefore cannot be concluded that library skills are integral to information literacy. However, it is proposed that library skills represent a prototype of information gathering strategies, and if taught as such they would be more relevant to the lifelong learning aspect of information literacy. The second phase of the project consists of three empirical studies, where the role of library skills at first year level in a distance learning institution is investigated, using the University of South Africa (Unisa) as an illustrative example. The grounded theory style of qualitative research is used to explore the attitudes of lecturers towards the need for library skills in students. Based on the findings, two grounded theories of library skills requirements are proposed: a theory of library skills nescience at Unisa, and a generalized theory of library skills requirements at a distance learning institution. It is suggested that if librarians intend to be involved in information literacy teaching, they need to convince lecturers of the importance of independent information seeking for students, should promote the prototype of information gathering strategies, and form a partnership between themselves and lecturers with the intention of teaching information gathering strategies across the subject curriculum.Information Science
D. Bibl.
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Henning, Judith Christina. "Gedesentraliseerde inligtinggebruikeropleiding." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7512.
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D.Litt. et Phil.In this study the term "information user education" applies to educating students to enable them to retrieve and utilise information sources and the library's services, facilities and sources effectively. In agreement with modern practice this includes learning library and information skills. Literature has shown that information user education must take place in order to render users library and information literate. Various writers have pointed out that distance education students also have a specific need for information user education, but that there is very little information on decentralised information user education. In Library and Information practice it has also been found that information on decentralised information user education is not readily available and that there is a need to educate students. In order to be able to develop decentralised information user education for Technikon SA, it was therefore necessary to undertake research on the design thereof. A literature study was indispensable in investigating information user education in general. Information user education was also explored in the context of distance education (national and international), technikon education, the education model of Technikon SA and the library and information services of Technikon SA. The status of information user education at some distance education institutions was also investigated. Based on the research undertaken by Technikon SA on international distance education trends, it was found that three basic principles form the nucleus of a well-organised distance education institution. These principles are student support of a high standard, learner-centred course material and quality administrative systems. The education model of Technikon SA, that is the Integrated Learner-Centred Distance Education model, is based on these principles. To support this education model, the library and information services of Technikon SA concluded co-operation agreements with public libraries throughout South Africa in order to offer these services to students. Technikon SA purchases duplicate copies of recommended books, processes, issues and dispatch them to the public libraries. At present approximately 270 libraries house these collections. Postal loans and article services are also available for students to supplement these services. For the purposes of this study the library and information services were evaluated according to the guidelines laid down for distance education libraries and for technikon libraries. Based on these guidelines it was found that Technikon SA library generally met the criteria stipulated, but that the library and information services did not offer decentralised information user education. To supplement the literature study, an empirical study was undertaken to determine how essential information user education was for Technikon SA students. In addition it had to be established what aspects had to be offered, at what levels these aspects had to be offered and who had to present the training.
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Phatudi, Tebogo L. J. "The role of an information centre at a distance in-service training institution for teachers." Thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10210/12318.
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"Designing organizational interfaces." Management in the 1990s, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/2121.
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Thomas W. Malone."April 1985." "This paper appeared in the Proceedings of the CHI'85 Conference on Human Factors on Computing Systems, ... San Francisco, CA, April 14-18, 1985."--P. [5]
Includes bibliographical references (p. 11-14).
Books on the topic "Information services – User education – Botswana"
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John, Kirby. Empowering the information user: New ways into user education. London: Library Association Pub., 1998.
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Ardito, Stephanie C. Customer services and user training. Philadelphia, PA: National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services, 1991.
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Chapman, Margaret. User education in further education college libraries. (London): British Library Research and Innovation Centre, 1997.
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Janicke, Hinchliffe Lisa, and Association of Research Libraries. Office of Leadership and Management Services., eds. Instructional improvement programs. Washington, D.C: Association of Research Libraries, Office of Leadership and Management Services, 2005.
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Srikanathaluxmy, Arulanantham. Path to knowledge: A working model for user education programme. Colombo: Kumaran Book House, 2012.
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Caswell, Tom. Scanning services for library users. Washington, D.C: Association of Research Libraries, Office of Leadership and Management Services, 2005.
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Lucy, Liddiard, and Moore Kay, eds. Empowering the information user: New ways into user education : John Kirby, Lucy Liddiard and Kay Moore. London: Library Association Publishing, 1998.
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Persson, Eric. NetPower: Resource guide to online computer services : using online information for business, education & research. Lancaster, PA: Fox Chapel Pub., 1993.
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Lifelong Learning Conference (1st 2000 Yeppoon). Lifelong Learning Conference: Selected papers from the inaugural International Lifelong Learning Conference, Yeppoon, Central Queensland, Australia, 17-19 July 2000. Rockhampton: Central Queensland University, 2000.
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Democratizing information: Online databases and rise of end-user searching. Boston, Mass: G.K. Hall, 1990.
Find full textBook chapters on the topic "Information services – User education – Botswana"
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Moreri, Moses Mmileng, Maubrey Russ Pitso, and Alan Strickley. "A Comparative Study of Access to Web-Enabled Services in Botswana and the UK: Issues, Obstacles and Solutions." In Information Technology and Managing Quality Education, 186–94. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-19715-4_20.
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Ntseme, Onneile Juliet, Osden Jokonya, and Joshua Ebere Chukwuere. "Factors Determining E-Health Readiness by Higher Education Institution Students in an Emerging Country." In Exploring the Role of ICTs in Healthy Aging, 95–118. IGI Global, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-1937-0.ch006.
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Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are important for improving healthcare services worldwide. Using tools related to ICTs such as smartphones (cell phones), video conferencing, computers enhances the delivery of health services as well as electronic health (e-health). Therefore, this study's main objective is to investigate the e-health readiness for higher education institution students in an emerging country (Botswana). The study achieved this by identifying the readiness factors that affect the adoption of e-health using the conceptual framework (technology readiness and acceptance model for e-health). The study established that students' optimism, innovativeness, discomfort, and insecurity influence e-health perceived ease of use. However, only optimism and discomfort influence e-health perceived usefulness whereas innovativeness and insecurity did not influence e-health perceived usefulness. Additionally, the study found out that e-health perceived usefulness and e-health perceived ease of use have an influence on e-health adoption.
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Mgaya, K. V., F. M. E. Uzoka, E. G. Kitindi, A. B. Akinnuwesi, and A. P. Shemi. "An Empirical Study of Career Orientations and Turnover Intentions of Information Systems Personnel in Botswana." In Leveraging Developing Economies with the Use of Information Technology, 120–54. IGI Global, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-1637-0.ch008.
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A number of studies on career orientations of information systems (IS) personnel have focused on developed countries. This study attempts to examine career anchors of IS personnel from the perspective of a developing country, Botswana. The results of the study show that IS personnel in Botswana exhibit career orientations similar to those identified in literature. However, there are some variations, which are attributed to cultural and socio-economic peculiarities. The study indicates that life style does not feature as a significant career anchor in Botswana. The dominant career anchors include organizational stability (security) and sense of service (service). Gender, age, and educational qualifications tend to moderate the career anchors significantly; thus creating a partition of the anchors across demographic groups. The major contributors to the turnover intentions of IS personnel in developing economies are job satisfaction and growth opportunities. Career satisfaction, supervisor support, organization commitment, length of service, and age did not contribute significantly to turnover intention.
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Catherall, Paul. "Training and user support." In Delivering E-Learning for Information Services in Higher Education, 75–85. Elsevier, 2005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b978-1-84334-088-1.50004-5.
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Fulkerson, Diane M. "Distance Education and Library Services." In Advances in Library and Information Science, 1–16. IGI Global, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-0234-2.ch001.
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Remote access technologies for library collections are the result of the growth of distance education programs in higher education. With the increased demand for online education, students needed a way to access library collections without coming to campus. As technology improved, the ability for students to use a library’s database without coming to a physical campus became a reality. Through such technologies as virtual private networks (VPN) and EZProxy, students could use their ID and password to gain access to library collections. Distance education was the driving force behind the need to provide remote access to collections. As a result, students now have the ability to search a library’s catalog or find articles in a database without coming to campus, anytime of the day or night. Librarians also have the opportunity to promote library resources and teach synchronous instruction sessions in online classes. Remote access technologies provide students, faculty, and librarians with the opportunity to meet user needs regardless of whether or not they are on campus. This chapter examines the growth of distance education programs at post-secondary schools, a trend expected to continue for the near future.
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Alwasel, Athary, Ben Clegg, and Andreas Schroeder. "Outsourcing to Cloud-based Computing Services in Higher Education in Saudi Arabia." In Design Solutions for User-Centric Information Systems, 124–36. IGI Global, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-1944-7.ch007.
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In recent years Saudi Arabia has made great strides in higher education. This paper looks at the higher education sector in Saudi Arabia with special emphasis on outsourcing to Software as a Service based email systems as a positive enabler of higher education. Outsourcing can be defined as the process of contracting services to a third party with financial and contractual terms to govern that provision. There are many advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing and many reasons why an organization might decide to outsource specific services. This chapter describes the information systems outsourcing trend towards cloud based solutions (particularly email) in the Saudi Arabian higher education sector over the last few years and discusses the implications of this trend.
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Garegae, K. G., and S. S. Moalosi. "Botswana ICT Policy and Curriculum Concerns." In Handbook of Research on Information Communication Technology Policy, 15–32. IGI Global, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-61520-847-0.ch002.
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This chapter discusses the National ICT Policy (Maitlamo) in Botswana with respect to its ability to facilitate ICT integration in mathematics education. One of the seven components of the policy, the Thuto Net otherwise known as the School Connectivity Programme, facilitates provision of internet services in schools. The chapter therefore attempts to explore potential limitations of the Thuto Net in meeting the needs of ICT integration in the mathematics instruction. The importance of ICT in the teaching and learning of mathematics is outlined. The chapter recommends, among others, training of personnel, formulation of ICT policy in education and research-based subject integration guidelines to facilitate ICT applications in Botswana schools.
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Gangwar, Hemlata, and Hema Date. "Exploring Information Security Governance in Cloud Computing Organisation." In Web Services, 2041–59. IGI Global, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-7501-6.ch104.
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The paper reveals factors impacting information security governance within the cloud computing technology implementation in organizations. Case study methodology was used and 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with directors and information security professionals from 5 different types of organizations. The main component that were identified as playing a significant role in information security governance were: information security strategy, security policies and procedure, risk management and assessment program, compliance and standard, monitoring and auditing, business continuity and disaster recovery, asset management and access control and identity management. The results show that awareness through education and training of employees needs to be given very particular attention in cloud computing security. The paper does not include any end-user perspective in interviews and this end-user context is missing. Companies need to focus upon awareness through education and training of employees. Moreover, management and employee support is the critical component of the effective information security governance framework implementation. Also, organisations should develop their information security using a very precise and detailed planning process that ensures the right cloud computing acceptance by the users. The proposed information security governance framework offers organisations a holistic perspective for governing information security, and minimizes risk and cultivates an acceptable level of information security culture.
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Yee, George. "Security and Privacy in Distance Education." In Information Security and Ethics, 2516–23. IGI Global, 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-59904-937-3.ch167.
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Many applications and tools have been developed to support the design and delivery of distance learning courses. Unfortunately, many of these applications have only cursory provisions for security and privacy, such as authentication based only on user id and password. Given the increased attacks on networked applications and the increased awareness of personal privacy rights, this situation is unacceptable. Indeed, electronic services of all kinds, including distance learning, will never be fully successful until the users of these services are confident that their information is protected from unauthorized access and their privacy assured.
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Xiao, Long, and Yaqiong Liu. "Development of Innovative User Services." In Digital Multimedia, 1620–37. IGI Global, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-3822-6.ch078.
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Higher education is continuously progressing toward globalization and openness, and models of teaching, scientific research, and learning are rapidly changing. Due to macro-environmental changes, academic libraries must actively adjust their functional positions and explore new methods for user services. To satisfy users' increasingly diversified needs for information, academic libraries are continuously extending user service functions, and gradually evolving from libraries that provide lending services to centers of learning, teaching services, knowledge, and culture on campus. Through functional repositioning, academic libraries are constructing more systematic and diversified user service systems by improving basic services, deepening support services, extending services in teaching assistance, boosting services for cultivating humanistic literacy, developing spatial services, and expanding new technical services. Throughout the above-mentioned development processes, there has been a clear trend of change in terms of the contents, marketing, and cooperation of user services.
Conference papers on the topic "Information services – User education – Botswana"
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Govindarajulu, Chittibabu, and Susan K. Lippert. "The Status of End-User Computing Support: An Exploratory Study." In 2002 Informing Science + IT Education Conference. Informing Science Institute, 2002. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/2490.
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End-User Computing (EUC) influences user productivity, information systems backlogs and user satisfaction. An exploratory study of 192 Midwest end-users was undertaken to investigate support services and end-user types superimposed on support sources. The results of this integrated review offer a richer understanding of end-user dynamics. Data collection occurred through a three-part questionnaire. End-user types were categorized using the Cotterman and Kumar (1989) classification scheme. Support categories were assessed using the Mirani and King (1994) instrument. The Govindarajulu and Reithel (1998) assessment instrument evaluated support services within information centers for local MIS staff and informal assistance. Results are presented from instrument validation procedures and descriptive data analysis that permit conclusions about EUC dynamics. Instrument validation was conducted using standard measures of internal consistency reliability and factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha and a Principle Components Factor Analysis (PCFA), to facilitate factor loading. Descriptive data analysis employed conventional frequency distributions, scatterplots, descriptive data statistics, and other graphical data displays.
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Wijnhoven, Fons, Edwin van den Belt, Eddy Verbruggen, and Paul van der Vet. "Internal Data Market Services: An Ontology-Based Architecture and Its Evaluation." In 2003 Informing Science + IT Education Conference. Informing Science Institute, 2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/2599.
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On information markets, many suppliers and buyers of information goods exchange values. Some of these goods are data, whose value is created in buyer interactions with data sources. These interactions are enabled by data market services (DMS). DMS give access to one or several data sources. The major problems with the creation of information value in these contexts are (1) the quality of information retrievals and related queries, and (2) the complexity of matching information needs and supplies when different semantics are used by source systems and information buyers. This study reports about a prototype DMS (called CIRBA), which employs an ontology-based information retrieval system to solve semantic problems for a DMS. The DMS quality is tested in an experiment to assess its quality from a user perspective against a traditional data warehouse (with SQL) solution. The CIRBA solution gave substantially higher user satisfaction than the data warehouse alternative.
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Emasealu, Helen, and Susan Nnadozie Umeozor. "Training Librarians for 21st Century Repository Services: Emerging Trends." In InSITE 2016: Informing Science + IT Education Conferences: Lithuania. Informing Science Institute, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/3430.
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[The final form of this paper was published in the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology.] The paper reviewed the emerging roles of the 21st century librarians, charged with the responsibility to manage repository services across libraries in present-day information technology environment. Librarians need to be trained and empowered with requisite skills and knowledge needed for successful management of the ICT driven repository initiatives that the 21st century demands. Literature was reviewed on the roles and responsibilities of librarians, training needs and opportunities, career path and recruitment of librarians, and community support necessary for effective and efficient implementation and management of repository initiatives. This entails the ability to comprehend trends and change patterns which are essential for providing research focused and user-friendly models in open repository services that are based on thorough analytical understanding of the challenges of emerging trends. To achieve this requires the training and retraining of librarians to reposition them as information specialists in their career path. The role of the library as an integral part of its social environment is to educate the community about the existence of an open repository by building partnership with community-oriented research centres through seminars, workshops, symposium, training, and awareness programmes. The study recommends that librarians should strategize and collaborate with researchers to make open repository an essential research tool.
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Greenhill, Anita, and Gordon Fletcher. "Utilising Equipment Matrices for Information Technology in Primary Education Policy." In 2003 Informing Science + IT Education Conference. Informing Science Institute, 2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/2663.
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This paper is a reflective discussion on the use of equipment matrices to determine infrastructure requirements in an education context. This position was originally presented within the wider framework of a government-funded research project to initiate national policies for implementing IT within primary schools. Equipment matrices were seen by the policymakers funding this reasearch as an appropriate method for representing the needs of a school. Equipment matrices represent a systematised and regularised understanding of the relationships between social practices and technological tools (Curriculum Materials Information Services, 1997). The users of these tools are enmeshed within the matrix through a complex combination of meanings and interaction. However, the correlation of variables within a two-dimensional matrix produces a ‘simple’ representation of the available information that is heavily abbreviated. Lost among this condensation are the needs and presence of the user, either individually or collectively. The ‘snapshot’ of information that matrices present is, however, refined by the direct inclusion of volatile information such as contemporary equipment and sofware specifications. In this paper we argue that the range of factors beyond technical specifications that influence the use and understanding of information technology are necessary elements within any consideration of IT infrastructure requirements. These, however, can only be simultaneously included in the equipment matrix representation with more expansive incorporation of multiple parameters. Simplification, we advocate, should not be the aim of the methods that determine educational infrastructure requirements but rather, in its place, is the need for sensitivity to the learners and their needs.
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MacDougall, Robert. "Information, Interactivity and the Prospects of a Global Citizenry: An Inquiry into the Nature and Function of Online News." In 2003 Informing Science + IT Education Conference. Informing Science Institute, 2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/2689.
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The United States has one of the most technically advanced, most expansive, most evenly distributed, and most freely accessed communication system on the planet. Yet Americans are simultaneously one of the most poorly informed populations (in terms of diversity of opinions/sources, depth and breadth of knowledge, etc.). The proliferation of personalized information services, photo news galleries, computer simulations, and a host of interactive media links on commercial Internet news sites have been hailed recently as one remedy for this troubling statistic. By 2005 the nations comprising Western Europe will represent the largest concentration of netizens in the world with more than 300,000,000 people connected to the Net, many seeking the same conveniences enjoyed by their American counterparts. This paper examines the relationship between technical features and usage patterns on several of the leading Internet news sites. I argue that as the Internet becomes more technically sophisticated, a proportionate, though inverse trend in the epistemological sophistication of its user base will be inevitable. Finally, I discuss the implications this trend holds for the future of a “global citizenry.”
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Weinberger, Maor, and Dan Bouhnik. "The Emergence of Music Streaming Applications and Its Effect on Changes in Personal Information Management and Privacy Related Issues [Abstract]." In InSITE 2020: Informing Science + IT Education Conferences: Online. Informing Science Institute, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/4523.
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Aim/Purpose: In this exploratory study we examine personal information management within music streaming applications. Also, we investigate the sense of ownership over songs being played on music streaming applications and whether the use of these services may be considered a social activity. In addition, we explore the extent of user privacy concern in using music streaming applications. Background: This paper represents the second phase of the article titled Usage Habits in Music Streaming Applications and their Influence on Privacy Related Issues [Research in Progress] (Weinberger & Bouhnik, 2019). Methodology: The research is conducted using a mixed methodology and consists of two phases: qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative stage is a pilot which includes semi-structured interviews with three music streaming application users in order to explore the possible change in personal information management, following the emergence of these applications (e.g., changes in classification and song retrieval methods). The quantitative phase includes the distribution of closed ended questionnaires among 192 users of music streaming applications (Male – 72.9%, Female – 27.1%; Age: 18-58), aiming to explore personal information management issues and privacy related issues that emerge while using these applications. Contribution: As far as we know, this is the first academic research to investigate the issue of personal information management among music streaming applications and the also the first to use a mixed methods approach to examine digital music consumption. In addition, it is the first study that takes into account privacy related issues among the users of music streaming applications. Findings: We found major changes between personal musical information management in the past and in the present. As most of the participants (85.4%) prefer nowadays to sort musical items in playlists or not to sort them at all. Out of the participants who chose to sort in folders in the past, only 42.7% still do it at present and out of the participants who chose to sort by alphabetical order in the past, only 15.7% do it at present. Also, we found that the participants have medium sense of ownership over the songs being stored on their streaming applications (M=2.78, SD=1.46) and medium sense that those applications may be used as social activity (M=2.75, SD=1.25). Interestingly, the choice of "sophisticated" genres (e.g. Blues, Jazz or Classical) as favorite music genre predicts the perception of using music streaming applications as part of social activity (R2=0.044, p<0.05). As for privacy concern, it was found that although the participants are moderately concerned about privacy within music streaming applications (M=2.67, SD=1.15), they are willing to pay for higher privacy protection services if they will be offered to them (r=0.49, p<0.001). In general, participants were found to be moderately willing to pay for premium services (M=2.44, SD=1.01), with ad-free service (M=3.07, SD=1.54) being the highest ranked premium service. Impact on Society: The research may drive music streaming applications operators to offer premium services that provide various benefits, such as: ad-free usage, higher privacy protection or better social features, as participants are willing to pay for those features. They may also personalize their users by preferred music genres, to adapt the specific service being offered to them.
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Hosseini, Zahra, and Jani Kinnunen. "INTEGRATION OF PEDAGOGY INTO TECHNOLOGY: A PRACTICAL PARADIGM." In International Conference on Education and New Developments. inScience Press, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.36315/2021end086.
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Technology, with its rapid growth and vast impacts on all areas of human life, has increased well-being and facilitated daily tasks in our private life as well as in business and marketing, medical and healthcare services, and education. The global Covid-19 pandemic has shown the importance of Internet and technology to keep businesses running and reduce the problems emerging from social distancing and even saving lives through healthcare systems; likewise, educational systems speeded their technological facilities to run and develop normal educational activities. Although many studies had already acknowledged the necessity of using technology in education, the lack of facilities and knowledge of using technology in educational systems was reported in the beginning of the pandemic. The pandemic pushed educational systems to integrate technology into pedagogy by facilitating information transfer and communication. However, the challenge of enhancing the quality of information is still prevalent. This paper focuses on a bilateral necessity of integration of pedagogy and technology: while the potential of technology in educational systems is widely acknowledged, the practical usage of learning theories and pedagogical principles in designing digital services is far from a completed mission. Many user-experience (UX) studies determine technological, behavioral, social, and motivational factors to promote user-centric design to enhance the quality of content, while limited attention is given to pedagogical factors. We introduce integration of pedagogy into technology as a new paradigm in user-centric design, not only in the educational system but also in a general context. Mishra and Koehler (2006) introduced integration of technology into pedagogy (TP) through the Technological Pedagogical Content (TPACK) framework as required knowledge for teachers. This paper employs the TP concept in a broader context of Technological Pedagogical Content Design (TPCD), which utilizes the pedagogical element in the user-experience based practice to develop a user-centric design approach.
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Barreto Fernandes, Francisco António, and Bernabé Hernandis Ortuño. "Usability and User-Centered Design - User Evaluation Experience in Self-Checkout Technologies." In Systems & Design 2017. Valencia: Universitat Politècnica València, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/sd2017.2017.6634.
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The increasing advance of the new technologies applied in the retail market, make it common to sell products without the personal contact between seller and buyer, being the registration and payment of the products made in electronic equipment of self-checkout. The large-scale use of these devices forces the consumer to participate in the service process, which was previously done through interaction with the company's employees. The user of the self-checkout system thus performs all the steps of the purchase, from weighing the products, registering them and making the payment. This is seen as a partial employee, whose participation or performance in providing services can be used by the company to improve the quality of its operations (KELLEY, et al 1993). However this participation does not always satisfy the user, and may cause negative experiences related to usability failures. This article presents the results of the evaluation by the users of the self-checkout system. The data were collected in Portugal through a questionnaire to 400 users. The study analyzes the degree of satisfaction regarding the quality and usability of the system, the degree of motivation for its adoption, as well as the profile of the users. Analysis of the sample data reveals that users have basic or higher education and use new technologies very often. They also have a high domain of the system and an easy learning of its use. The reason for using self-checkout instead of the traditional checkout is mainly due to "queues at checkout with operator" and "at the small volume of products". In general, the sample reveals a high degree of satisfaction with the service and with quality, however, in comparative terms, self-checkout is not considered better than operator checkout. The evaluation of the interaction with the self-checkout was classified according to twenty-six attributes of the system. The analysis identifies five groups with similar characteristics, of which two have low scores. "Cancellation of registered articles", "search for articles without a bar code", "manual registration", "bagging area", "error messages", "weight sensor" and “invoice request "are seven critical attributes of the system. The results indicate that the usability analysis oriented to the self-checkout service can be determinant for the user-system interaction. The implications of empirical findings are discussed together with guidelines for future research.Keywords: Interaction Design, Self service, Self-checkout, User evaluation, UsabilityReferencias ABRAHÃO, J., et al (2013). Ergonomia e Usabilidade. 1ª Edição. São Paulo: Blucher. ALEXANDRE, J. W. C., et al (2013). Análise do número de categorias da escala de Likert aplicada à gestão pela qualidade total através da teoria da resposta ao item. In: XXIII Encontro Nacional de Engenharia de Produção, Ouro Preto. BOOTH, P. (2014). An Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction (Psychology Revivals). London Taylor and Francis. CASTRO, D., ATKINSON, R., EZELL, J., (2010). Embracing the Self-Service Economy, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. Available at SSRN: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1590982 CHANG, L.A. (1994). A psychometric evaluation of 4-point and 6-point Likert-type scale in relation to reliability and validity. Applied Psychological Measurement. v. 18, n. 2, p. 05-15. DABHOLKAR, P. A. (1996). Consumer Evaluations of New Technology-based Self-service Options: An Investigation of Alternative Models of Service Quality. International Journal of Research in Marketing, Vol. 13, pp. 29-51. DABHOLKAR, P. A., BAGOZZI, R. P. (2002). An Attitudinal Model of Technology-based Selfservice: Moderating Effects of Consumer Traits and Situational Factors. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 30 (3), pp. 184-201. DABHOLKAR, P. A., BOBBITT, L. M. & LEE, E. (2003). Understanding Consumer Motivation and Behavior related to Self-scanning in Retailing. International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 14 (1), pp. 59-95. DIX, A. et al (2004). Human-Computer Interaction. Third edition. Pearson/Prentice-Hall. New York. FERNANDES, F. et al, (2015). Do Ensaio à Investigação – Textos Breves Sobre a Investigação, Bernabé Hernandis, Carmen Lloret e Francisco Sanmartín (Editores), Oficina de Acción Internacional - Universidade Politécnica de Valência Edições ESAD.cr/IPL, Leiria. HELANDER, M., LANDAUER, T., PRABHU, P. (1997). Handbook of Human – Computer Interaction. North–Holland: Elsevier. KALLWEIT, K., SPREER, P. & TOPOROWSKI, W. (2014). Why do Customers use Self-service Information Technologies in Retail? The Mediating Effect of Perceived Service Quality. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 21, pp. 268-276. KELLEY SW, HOFFMAN KD, DAVIS MA. (1993). A typology of retail failures and recoveries. J Retailing. 69(4):429 – 52.
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Ourusoff, Nicholas. "Using Jackson Structured Programming (JSP) and Jackson Workbench to Teach Program Design." In 2003 Informing Science + IT Education Conference. Informing Science Institute, 2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/2658.
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Teaching how to program independently of teaching a programming language has been recognized as a worthwhile goal in computer science pedagogy, but many have abandoned the goal as being impossible to achieve in practice. Jackson Structured Programming (JSP) is a well-documented and proven program design method that is independent of any programming language. CASE tools have generally been used in designing information systems rather than programs. Jackson Workbench (Keyword Computer Services Limited, 2002) is a CASE tool for designing programs (as well as information systems) that generates executable program code in several contemporary programming languages (Visual BASIC, Java, C++). Jackson Workbench contains a unique Structure Editor that uses “hotspots” to draw and syntactically validate program tree structure diagrams. As a result, the user can focus entirely on the design process, and leave the details of drawing to the CASE tool.
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Nissen, Hans-Erik, Peter Bednar, and Christine Welch. "A Double Helix Relationship of Use and Redesign in IS." In InSITE 2006: Informing Science + IT Education Conference. Informing Science Institute, 2006. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/2981.
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In the past, Information Systems Research (ISR) mainly has focused on developing, designing, and implementing computerized parts of informing systems. Even studies from a "user" perspective relate to information and communication technology (ICT), often on an abstract level. Since the advent of the ICT industry there has been a tendency to describe professionals in their practice, or people in their daily lives as ‘users’ of ICT. It is not obvious why this label should be applied. The ICT industry offers products and services to professionals and to people in their daily lives. These products and services require critical assessment to see what helps whom in particular situations. There is also a need to appraise them with respect to unintended consequences. Such critical assessment furnishes challenges to the ICT industry. More ISR seems to be needed with the intention of learning both from earlier ICT projects and from research carried out in other fields. This could comprise studying uses of earlier ICT artifacts and studies of how to redesign them to make people better informed and more knowledgeable. Becoming better informed and more knowledgeable calls for a lot of learning and unlearning. These processes always have to start from the situations in which the learners live. Designers of new ICT artifacts have not always been fully aware of this fundamental prerequisite for learning. We believe one way of supporting this kind of ISR is to reflect on the question: ‘In which ways could studies of the use-side particularly benefit from a relationship to philosophical frameworks such as hermeneutics and phenomenology?’
Reports on the topic "Information services – User education – Botswana"
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African Open Science Platform Part 1: Landscape Study. Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2019/0047.
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This report maps the African landscape of Open Science – with a focus on Open Data as a sub-set of Open Science. Data to inform the landscape study were collected through a variety of methods, including surveys, desk research, engagement with a community of practice, networking with stakeholders, participation in conferences, case study presentations, and workshops hosted. Although the majority of African countries (35 of 54) demonstrates commitment to science through its investment in research and development (R&D), academies of science, ministries of science and technology, policies, recognition of research, and participation in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), the following countries demonstrate the highest commitment and political willingness to invest in science: Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. In addition to existing policies in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), the following countries have made progress towards Open Data policies: Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda. Only two African countries (Kenya and South Africa) at this stage contribute 0.8% of its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to R&D (Research and Development), which is the closest to the AU’s (African Union’s) suggested 1%. Countries such as Lesotho and Madagascar ranked as 0%, while the R&D expenditure for 24 African countries is unknown. In addition to this, science globally has become fully dependent on stable ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) infrastructure, which includes connectivity/bandwidth, high performance computing facilities and data services. This is especially applicable since countries globally are finding themselves in the midst of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), which is not only “about” data, but which “is” data. According to an article1 by Alan Marcus (2015) (Senior Director, Head of Information Technology and Telecommunications Industries, World Economic Forum), “At its core, data represents a post-industrial opportunity. Its uses have unprecedented complexity, velocity and global reach. As digital communications become ubiquitous, data will rule in a world where nearly everyone and everything is connected in real time. That will require a highly reliable, secure and available infrastructure at its core, and innovation at the edge.” Every industry is affected as part of this revolution – also science. An important component of the digital transformation is “trust” – people must be able to trust that governments and all other industries (including the science sector), adequately handle and protect their data. This requires accountability on a global level, and digital industries must embrace the change and go for a higher standard of protection. “This will reassure consumers and citizens, benefitting the whole digital economy”, says Marcus. A stable and secure information and communication technologies (ICT) infrastructure – currently provided by the National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) – is key to advance collaboration in science. The AfricaConnect2 project (AfricaConnect (2012–2014) and AfricaConnect2 (2016–2018)) through establishing connectivity between National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), is planning to roll out AfricaConnect3 by the end of 2019. The concern however is that selected African governments (with the exception of a few countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia and others) have low awareness of the impact the Internet has today on all societal levels, how much ICT (and the 4th Industrial Revolution) have affected research, and the added value an NREN can bring to higher education and research in addressing the respective needs, which is far more complex than simply providing connectivity. Apart from more commitment and investment in R&D, African governments – to become and remain part of the 4th Industrial Revolution – have no option other than to acknowledge and commit to the role NRENs play in advancing science towards addressing the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals). For successful collaboration and direction, it is fundamental that policies within one country are aligned with one another. Alignment on continental level is crucial for the future Pan-African African Open Science Platform to be successful. Both the HIPSSA ((Harmonization of ICT Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa)3 project and WATRA (the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly)4, have made progress towards the regulation of the telecom sector, and in particular of bottlenecks which curb the development of competition among ISPs. A study under HIPSSA identified potential bottlenecks in access at an affordable price to the international capacity of submarine cables and suggested means and tools used by regulators to remedy them. Work on the recommended measures and making them operational continues in collaboration with WATRA. In addition to sufficient bandwidth and connectivity, high-performance computing facilities and services in support of data sharing are also required. The South African National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System5 (NICIS) has made great progress in planning and setting up a cyberinfrastructure ecosystem in support of collaborative science and data sharing. The regional Southern African Development Community6 (SADC) Cyber-infrastructure Framework provides a valuable roadmap towards high-speed Internet, developing human capacity and skills in ICT technologies, high- performance computing and more. The following countries have been identified as having high-performance computing facilities, some as a result of the Square Kilometre Array7 (SKA) partnership: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zambia. More and more NRENs – especially the Level 6 NRENs 8 (Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, and recently Zambia) – are exploring offering additional services; also in support of data sharing and transfer. The following NRENs already allow for running data-intensive applications and sharing of high-end computing assets, bio-modelling and computation on high-performance/ supercomputers: KENET (Kenya), TENET (South Africa), RENU (Uganda), ZAMREN (Zambia), EUN (Egypt) and ARN (Algeria). Fifteen higher education training institutions from eight African countries (Botswana, Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, and Tanzania) have been identified as offering formal courses on data science. In addition to formal degrees, a number of international short courses have been developed and free international online courses are also available as an option to build capacity and integrate as part of curricula. The small number of higher education or research intensive institutions offering data science is however insufficient, and there is a desperate need for more training in data science. The CODATA-RDA Schools of Research Data Science aim at addressing the continental need for foundational data skills across all disciplines, along with training conducted by The Carpentries 9 programme (specifically Data Carpentry 10 ). Thus far, CODATA-RDA schools in collaboration with AOSP, integrating content from Data Carpentry, were presented in Rwanda (in 2018), and during17-29 June 2019, in Ethiopia. Awareness regarding Open Science (including Open Data) is evident through the 12 Open Science-related Open Access/Open Data/Open Science declarations and agreements endorsed or signed by African governments; 200 Open Access journals from Africa registered on the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ); 174 Open Access institutional research repositories registered on openDOAR (Directory of Open Access Repositories); 33 Open Access/Open Science policies registered on ROARMAP (Registry of Open Access Repository Mandates and Policies); 24 data repositories registered with the Registry of Data Repositories (re3data.org) (although the pilot project identified 66 research data repositories); and one data repository assigned the CoreTrustSeal. Although this is a start, far more needs to be done to align African data curation and research practices with global standards. Funding to conduct research remains a challenge. African researchers mostly fund their own research, and there are little incentives for them to make their research and accompanying data sets openly accessible. Funding and peer recognition, along with an enabling research environment conducive for research, are regarded as major incentives. The landscape report concludes with a number of concerns towards sharing research data openly, as well as challenges in terms of Open Data policy, ICT infrastructure supportive of data sharing, capacity building, lack of skills, and the need for incentives. Although great progress has been made in terms of Open Science and Open Data practices, more awareness needs to be created and further advocacy efforts are required for buy-in from African governments. A federated African Open Science Platform (AOSP) will not only encourage more collaboration among researchers in addressing the SDGs, but it will also benefit the many stakeholders identified as part of the pilot phase. The time is now, for governments in Africa, to acknowledge the important role of science in general, but specifically Open Science and Open Data, through developing and aligning the relevant policies, investing in an ICT infrastructure conducive for data sharing through committing funding to making NRENs financially sustainable, incentivising open research practices by scientists, and creating opportunities for more scientists and stakeholders across all disciplines to be trained in data management.