4. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - Faculties submissions
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37773
Browse
2767 results
Search Results
Item Investigation of Contamination of Community Groundwater Sources with Antibiotics in Informal Settlements of Kisumu, Kenya(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-09) Karimi, Kellen Joyce; Ahmad, Aijaz; Duse, Adriano; Mwanthi, MutukuAntibiotics have been used to cure diseases, but there are growing concerns about the risk to human health caused by inadvertent exposure to low levels of antibiotics in the environment. Despite extensive reporting from the developed world on antibiotic pollution of groundwater, relatively little study has been conducted on antibiotic contamination of groundwater in the developing countries, particularly informal settlements. Antibiotic usage and misuse have long been seen as clinical events, with little understanding of the role of disposal in the development of environmentally induced resistance. Exposure pathways that contribute to groundwater contamination in informal settlements put residents at odds because they already face inequalities, such as a high disease burden exacerbated by antibiotic resistance; thus, proper antibiotic disposal is critical in protecting human and environmental health. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to establish the prevalence of groundwater contamination with the common antibiotics’ such as sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and metronidazole, and the related antibiotic resistance and the human health risk of exposure. Ethical clearance to conduct research was obtained from three institutions as follows: - the Health Research Ethic Committee of the university of the Witwatersrand (HREC. Protocol Number M190412); the Kenyatta National Hospital and University of Nairobi Ethics and Research Committee (KNH/UoN-ERC. Ref No. P71910/2018); and the National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation (Ref No. NACOSTI/P/19/3232/28732). Each respondent gave informed consent to participate in the study. Anonymity was maintained at all levels of the study to protect the study participants from identification. Antibiotic use, which is connected to antibiotic disposal, was evaluated in a random sample of 447 families. From the 188 mapped groundwater sources, a random sample of 49 groundwater sources was chosen, and water samples were taken for antibiotic concentration analysis utilising a solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to magnetic sector high resolution mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS). The Kirky-Bauber diffusion method was used to test antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli. The community's potential groundwater contamination routes were assessed by determining antibiotic use and disposal among households as well as assessing the environmental risk of exposure. In the households visited, 75% (n=337) were female and 25% (n=110) were male. The prevalence of antibiotic use in informal settlements was 43% (n=193), with 70% (n=137) users reporting that they obtained the antibiotics through a prescription from a health practitioner. A significant relationship was observed between having HIV/AIDS and acquiring antibiotics through a prescription; p=0.001. An association was also observed among the informal settlements, where a lower number of MNY B dwellers did not receive a prescription for the antibiotics acquired. There was no statistically significant difference in antibiotic use between males and females; odds ratio=1.33; whereas there was a difference in HIV/AIDS status; odds ratio=0.313; and among informal settlements where the odds of using antibiotics were reduced in NY B; odds ratio=0.42. Respondents who used antibiotics either kept the unused antibiotics for future use 87.1% (n=27) or disposed them. Among the disposals 51.6% (n=16) disposed in pit latrines, 16.1% (n=5) dispose in compost pits, and 6.5% (n=2) dispose the remaining antibiotics by burning. Females completed their antibiotic doses at a higher rate (36.3%; n=117) than males (32.5%; n=39). Significant difference was observed in completion rate among the HIV/AIDS positive and negative respondents as well as among informal settlements; p<0.000 and p=0.001 respectively. On the other hand, groundwater use in these communities is widespread. Respondents used it for a variety of purposes, including drinking (9%; n=39), though they declined to report. Awareness of the health consequences of drinking antibiotic-contaminated water was also low (35%; n=158), especially among households that reported antibiotic use; p=0.003. Only Sulfamethoxazole was detected in 7 out of 49 groundwater samples at a detection frequency of 14.3%; with concentrations ranging from nd to 258 ng/L. Escherichia coli and Cryptosporidium parvum were isolated from all the 49 water samples and E. coli isolates from 3 (6%) water samples were resistant to sulfamethoxazole with Inhibition Zone Diameters of 0.8 mm, 10.5 mm, and 11.5 mm. The 3 water samples were however not among samples where sulfamethoxazole was detected. The Hazard Quotient was 0 (zero), and therefore no risk of exposure to sulfamethoxazole in the environment, but the level of antibiotics that trigger antibiotic resistance is not known. Because of the rising problem of antibiotic resistance due to overuse and incorrect disposal, teaching on safe antibiotic prescription should be incorporated into medical training for all cadres. In addition to educating patients on proper use and disposal, the ministries of health should ensure the antimicrobial stewardship standards are adhered to both locally and worldwide. Follow-up research of antibiotic resistance discovered in three groundwater sources must be done to eliminate the possible sources and prevent further spread. This study is instrumental in informing the inclusion of antibiotics on the list of frequently monitored contaminants during water treatment, as well as serving as a starting point for antibiotic surveillance in Kenya.Item Exploring Experiences of Sociolinguistic Inclusivity and Exclusivity in Mentorship: Experiences of ESL Pre-Service Teachers in Johannesburg(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Muringani, Plaxedes; Moosa, Moeniera; Mathebula, ThokozaniMentoring is recognized worldwide as an important foundation of teacher education and is central to the professional development of Pre-service teachers (PSTs). Despite this, globally, mentorship does not seem to achieve its goals, and PSTs often face challenges. The study was motivated by a global problem that persists—the exclusion of English second language speakers (ESL) PSTs during mentoring. Yet, in the African continent and the local literature, such problems have been given limited attention. Therefore, sociolinguistic inclusion or exclusion of ESL mentees in South Africa became the subject of my research. This descriptive case study aimed to explore ESL PSTs’ lived experiences of mentorship while on teaching practice at quintiles four and five high schools in Johannesburg by focusing on their social-linguistic inclusion and/or exclusion. The specific questions that this study sought to answer were what ESL PSTs’ perceptions of school-based mentorship are, what ESL PSTs regard as inclusive or exclusive mentoring practices, and how ESL PSTs’ experiences of mentorship made them feel sociolinguistically included and/or excluded during teaching practice (TP). Consequently, the theoretical framework of social inclusion and Hart’s model of participation were used as a lens to understand the experiences of the PSTs in this study. A qualitative research method was used to identify the experiences of the PSTs. Open-ended questionnaires were completed by 22 purposefully selected PSTs from different years of study, and four of the 22 PSTs participated in interviews. The questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were then analysed using an interpretive approach through inductive thematic analysis. The study found that PSTs have diverse understandings of school-based mentorship. They also understood that inclusive mentoring practices mean authentic participation and unconditional mentorship, while exclusionary mentoring practices are a denial of access and opportunity to participate in the community and discrimination against individuals. There is also evidence that some experienced sociolinguistic exclusion, some experienced sociolinguistic inclusion, and some experienced both exclusion and inclusion in the process of mentorship. v Therefore, the study recommends that the office responsible for TP and the English department in the university should take note of the exclusion in schools when ESL teachers teach in certain contexts and take the necessary actions to alleviate the situation. Policymakers should consider revising the separate curricula for English First Additional Language (FAL) and Home Language (HL) in the basic education system as the study confirmed that the FAL curriculum does not equip PSTs with competencies for the HL context, hence the exclusion. It is recommended that further research be conducted to get more in this area of research incorporating different variables.Item Examining the underlying principles that guide the design of E-Assessment in Higher Education(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Abrahams, Yulene Rulene; Bothma, Piet; Makda, FatimaThis qualitative research study explores the values and perspectives of lecturers regarding contemporary e-assessment practices in a South African context. The research addresses a notable gap in the literature concerning the values and principles guiding e-assessment in the specific context of South African higher education. The overarching aim is to deepen and expand existing assessment principles to better align with the demands of contemporary e-assessment. Employing online interviews with five participants, the study utilizes Sadler’s theory of formative assessment as the theoretical framework to analyze the data. The key findings reveal five essential principles guiding e-assessment: Authenticity, Deepening Engagement, Adaptation, Inclusivity, and Credibility. The study's key findings underscore the importance of reevaluating and enhancing existing assessment principles to meet the evolving landscape of digital education, particularly in South Africa.Item The job prospects of ICT graduates in internship programmes – A comparison between public sector and private sector internships(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Masilela, Bongani Frank; Allais, StephanieThe ICT skills paradox is a phenomenon in South Africa where there is industry demand for ICT skills, yet there remain many unemployed ICT graduates. The motivation for this study is to investigate the reason why this demand does not lead to the wholesale absorption of graduates, and how internship programmes remedy this paradox by bridging school and work for ICT graduates. The knowledge gap here lies in why graduates with the requisite skills, do not attain jobs after their graduate internship programmes, despite the demand for those skills in the industry. This paper argues that human capital theory and its application to graduate internship programmes is non-linear, because the investment of learning and upskilling in these programmes does not necessarily guarantee higher wages, and sometimes not even a job offer following the internship. This challenges the expectation of returns from the investment made into the graduates and thus the base assumptions of human capital theory. Secondarily, the paper also argues that even if the assumptions of human capital theory are true, the investment made into the graduates in the form of learning can be impeded by the structure of the programme and the resources that are made available. The quality of the learning thus challenges social learning theory and its assumptions about the impact of learning in and through the work environment. The research design of this paper is qualitative, and it investigates ten case studies of managers from the public and private sectors. The data was analysed by coding the responses of the managers about how interns learn in the workplace, what resources are available for learning in and through work, and finally whether interns are retained and how managers determine which interns ought to be retained. The codes were then measured against the assumptions of human capital theory – specifically if there is linearity in the investment into human capital (learning) and returns (in this study, the attainment of a job after the programme). The study finds that two factors influence the employment prospects of ICT graduates in the labour market. The first influencing factor is the capacity of their programme host organisation to retain their interns as full-time staff, which is informed by government policy and directives, as well as the organisation’s budget for wages. The second influencing factor, where managers have the capacity to retain interns, is the set of skills that the managers screen for, which, in this study, are unanimously soft skills such as problem-solving and “self-motivation”. This study concludes by contemplating the non- linearity of human capital theory as it applies to the programmes that are studied, as well as the limits to social learning theory as it applies to learning in and through work in graduate internship programmes. Following this is a discussion of the remaining gaps in the knowledge and how they could be studied further.Item An exploration of the integration of ICT in Life Sciences lessons: A case of teachers in Merafong City(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Fenni, Sajini; Kazeni, M.The advancement of technology in the 21st Century has transformed educational delivery in various ways, including the use of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), to enhance the teaching and learning process. In line with this trend, the South African Gauteng Department of Education supplied schools with ICT devices for use in the teaching and learning process, with the aim of improving learner performance in subjects such as Life Sciences. To achieve this aim, teachers are required to integrate educational ICT into their lessons. Despite the provision of ICT devices, the performance of Life Sciences learners has remained poor in Merafong City high schools. The reasons for the continued poor performance of learners, despite the availability of ICT devices has been a matter of speculation. Therefore, this study explored the integration of ICT in Life Sciences lessons, in Merafong City high schools. The study employed a qualitative case study design, and six Life Sciences teachers from both township and city government high schools in Merafong City participated in the study. Data were collected using semi- structured interviews and lesson observations, and were analyzed using a thematic data analysis method. The study findings revealed that the participating teachers have positive perceptions about the integration of ICT into their lessons, and they acknowledged the positive contribution of ICT use in the teaching and learning of Life Sciences. The findings also indicated that not all the participating teachers were competent in the use of educational ICT. In addition, a number of challenges faced by Life Sciences teachers during the integration of ICT in their lessons were highlighted. The implications of the findings are discussed, and recommendations on how to improve the integration of ICT in Life Sciences lessons to mitigate the challenges faced are provided.Item Exercise in Ghanaian, postmenopausal women with an increased body mass index (bmi), above 25 KG/M²(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Bonsu, Isaac Mensah; Myezwa, Hellen; Corlia, Brandt; Ajidahun, Adedayo TundePostmenopausal women frequently experience weight gain in addition to an increased tendency for central fat distribution. The development of metabolic syndrome and systemic inflammation caused by excess body weight (overweight and obesity), particularly in the form of visceral fat deposition in postmenopausal women, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and mortality. The reported high prevalence of excess weight among Ghanaian postmenopausal women generated an inquiry into the experiences of postmenopausal women with excess weight gain. This study aimed to develop and test the effect of a culturally adapted exercise-based programme for weight loss in Ghanaian postmenopausal women. The study used a mixed-method approach with five studies to address the study's aim. A quantitative study was conducted to determine the prevalence of excess weight gain and associated socio-demographic risk factors among postmenopausal women. The results showed a high prevalence of excess weight gain of 73.2%, 91.8%, and 91.0% using body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) respectively among 378 women. Education and ethnicity were the predictors of excess weight gain (WHR) among the participants. Despite the extensive body of research on an exercise program for weight loss, these results suggest gaps in weight management. Physical activity, lifestyle, and sociocultural levels of the women were investigated quantitatively to determine contributing factors associated with the high prevalence of excess weight gain. The results showed that the majority (55.2%) of the participants had 1 to 2 days per week of moderate physical activities for 1 to 20 minutes per day during the last 7 days. This finding showed that participants are not meeting the physical activity recommendation of 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity per week for older adults by World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Housewives and unemployed participants had a higher risk of weight gain, especially when assessed with WHR and WHtR. Most participants (59.7%) had poor eating habits and cultural beliefs regarding body size impacts their decisions regarding weight loss. A qualitative study was conducted with the study group of postmenopausal women with excess weight, twenty-four participants, and four focus group discussions (FGD), to explore their current weight management approaches or practices. From the analysis of FGD, three major themes emerged from the study namely, (i) perception of body weight, (ii) measures to reduce body weight, and (iii) support for adherence to the weight management program. Sub-theme under the perception of body weight revealed that weight gained was viewed as the presence of diseases and admired by society as a culturally accepted body image. Diet-related changes, a combination of diet modification and physical activity, and weight management supplements emerged as measures to reduce excess weight. Support for adherence to the weight program included health education, access, affordable exercise facilities, and social support. Based on literature reviews and findings from the three studies conducted as part of the project, a culturally appropriate exercise programme for weight loss was developed and validated by the Delphi study. A Delphi consists of three rounds among international (twelve) and local (twenty-one) experts with a high participation rate of 33 (80.5%) of the 41 participants was conducted. A consensus was reached on all the thirty-two (32) items related to health assessment, pre-exercise parameters, exercise dosage and physician referral after the third round. The developed culturally informed exercise-based weight loss programme was tested using a single-blind randomized controlled trial. A total of 226 postmenopausal women were randomized into exercise (113) and control (113). Anthropometrics (BMI, WHR, WHtR WC, HC and body weight) and body composition (body fat, visceral fat, muscle mass) were measured pre and post-12-week intervention. Using a repeated-measures linear mixed model, the evidence from the analysis demonstrates that except for waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), there were statistically significant reduction in body weight, BMI, WHtR, visceral fat, and total body fat in the exercise and control groups. Muscle mass increased significantly (+0.21 kg), whereas hip circumference (-2.46 cm) and waist circumference (-1.39 cm) decreased significantly compared with the control group. Within the exercise group when stratified by BMI, there were higher reductions in BMI (1.01kg/m2 vs. 0.46kg/m2), WC (2.18cm vs. 0.22cm), body weight (2.12kg vs. 1.17kg) and body fat (1.84% vs 1.6%) in obese women compared to overweight women. Weight loss programmes should be traditionally induced within the specific setting to encourage full participation and reduce the dropout rate. Implication for health professionals to prescribe physical activity in postmenopausal women’s treatment plan. In conclusion, the findings resulting from this research may improve health providers' cultural awareness and knowledge. This project is expected to help healthcare professionals improve the care given to postmenopausal women with weight excess to decrease the incidence of morbidity and mortality. It is anticipated that this initiative could direct the development of a modified culturally-sensitive weight loss programme for women in different stage in life and use with other ethnic groups.Item Implementation of the learner progression policy provision and intervention in support of progressed learners within the senior phase: a case study of two different Gauteng public schools(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Suleman, Farzaana; De Clercq, FrancineIn South Africa and globally academic learner performance is a huge concern. The National Policy for Assessment (NPA) explains that Grade R – 12 learners are either promoted or progressed from one grade to the next. The National Policy Pertaining to the Programme and Progression Requirements (NPPPR) states that the Department of Education (DBE) defines progression as the advancement of a learner from one grade to the next, excluding Grade R, despite the learner not having complied with all the promotion requirements. The purpose of this study is to investigate the implementation challenges of the learner progression policy in two South African Gauteng Schools through the perceptions of the teaching staff, school management teams, and principals. Further to this, the reasons behind learner progression are explored with a focus on intervention strategies to assist teachers in developing these progressed learners. For this study, a qualitative interpretive paradigm is adopted. The data is generated through semi-structured in-contact open-ended interview questions to explore participant's diverse opinions, interpretations, and meaning-making of the progression policy and its implementation over a broad spectrum. In addition to this, data was generated through the collection of documents. These documents include reports about learner performance, school improvement plans, individual learner support or intervention plans, and SNA (Support Needs Assessment Form) documents in school B. These documents collected were analysed to enrich the data of the relevant categories under themes and sub-themes identified. The outcome of this study reveals that educational policies are often adapted, and mediated by policy implementers as they make meaning of the policy in their diverse contexts. The study revealed that the learner progression policy and its implementation are challenging and complex for all stakeholders of the selected schools. These stakeholders include teachers and SMT members (Principals and Heads of Departments or HODs). Progression is problematic because learners have constant learning difficulties in the grades that they are promoted to as they continue to suffer serious knowledge gaps. Intervention strategies to assist progressed learners are not sufficient and need to start with better teacher training led by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) 719173 6 and the districts. The training must also target the reinforcement of learner language skills to eliminate their language barriers, parental support, and support programmes that are learner-specific and not generalised. It is noted that the progression of learners has a detrimental impact on teachers’ daily teaching which must ‘make up’ for learner knowledge gaps, poor work ethic, and bad behaviour which makes it highly impossible to keep up.Item Thinking with images: Exploring representations of masculinity in a male dominant educational environment(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Chinhangane, Eunice Nkhensani; Kearney, AlisonIn the twenty-first century, learners are confronted with visual stimuli at every turn. The ability to interpret and think critically about this stimuli is essential for learners’ academic success. This paper reports on the study conducted at a Johannesburg high school which focused on the scaffolded use of images as thinking tools during a series of critical discussions about masculinity with nine participants. The aim was use images in a process that enabled the learners to recognise and articulate their thoughts on masculinity and then to ascertain whether the inclusion of images helped to develop more critical thinking about masculinity. The central research question was ‘in what ways can images of masculinity be used to facilitate critical thinking and meaningful discussions of masculinities amongst Grade 11 school boys in a male dominant educational environment?’ The research design included the use of multimodal approaches such as group discussions, writing down thoughts and the creation of artefacts. It was found that the use of images can help develop learners’ critical skills and also serve as a gateway for learners to have conversations about difficult topics when the images were used in a guided manner in conjunction with Thinking Routines.Item Exploring the Nature of Grade-8 Classroom Environments Created by Mathematics Teachers when Teaching Mensuration: A Case of Curriculum Implementation in Lesotho(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Raphoka, Sikeme; Mofolo-Mbokane, BatsebaThis study explores the types of classroom environments created by mathematics teachers as they implement the integrated curriculum in Grade 8 classrooms in Lesotho, thus calling for Learner-Autonomous Environments (LAE) with particular focus on Mensuration. This is a qualitative study and data was collected from four Grade 8 mathematics teachers from four high schools in Maseru district. The teachers were purposively selected from the four schools to participate in the study based on characteristics such as their teaching experience, qualifications and whether they were teaching mathematics at Grade 8. Groups of four learners were selected in each teacher’s class through the help and preference of each teacher, making a total of sixteen learners targeted for group discussions data. Data was collected through classroom observations (whole class and focus groups observations) and teachers’ interviews. Before the data collection commenced for the main study, two mathematics teachers were purposely selected from two other schools for the Pilot study. Using a LAMLE conceptual framework, formulated from the theories, Commognitive theory (Sfard, 2008) and Pedagogical link-making (Mortimer & Scott, 2003) and Communicative approach (Scott et al., 2011), literature and curricular expectations, the study analysed both the Pilot and main study data to come up with the findings. Presented in three main themes, the findings indicate that though all the teachers were operating differently at the deeper performance level, they all dominantly used direct instructional approach, performed ritual teaching routines and dominated the link-making discussions through the use of interactive/authoritative communicative approach. Learners were also found to be lacking in terms of conceptual understanding, problem solving, and computational accuracy. They were also observed to be performing ritual routines mostly in their learning process. It is concluded that teachers seem to know what is expected of them but fail to implement it as expected in terms of the Lesotho curriculum. It is further concluded that learners have been denied the opportunity to be autonomous in their mathematics learning. The study proposes a LAMLE+ Plus model, formulated based on findings on the teachers and in terms of the established themes, for studying the promotion and presence of LAE in mathematics teaching. The model also advances as a tool to direct the practices and focus of teachers and education administration when implementing the reformed curriculum which focuses on learners’ active conceptual development and progressive autonomy as highlighted by Lesotho’s CAP iv It is recommended that teachers take time to understand the expectations of the curriculum and execute their classroom practice accordingly, especially the proposed instructional approaches and learner engagement. It is also recommended that the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) provide teachers with capacitation workshops towards the implementation of the curriculum and closely monitor their progress as facilitation of change from traditionally- oriented practices to reform-oriented practices.Item Exploring the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Open and Distance Learning (ODL): The Case study of Botswana Open University (BOU)(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Moreetsi-Magetse, Tebogo Angela; Naiker, V.S.; Khoza, S.D.Open and distance education has become popular worldwide in the last century. It extends beyond normal school or university boundaries because it is flexible and instils lifelong learning. This method of learning is mostly used by students who are studying part-time. Access to education is made easier by the increased usage of technology (smartphones, computers, internet connectivity) in teaching and learning. Botswana, like many countries around the world, has not been left behind. Its first and only Open Distance institution, Botswana Open University (BOU), like other institutions of higher learning, embraced the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching and learning and integrated ICT to be an integral part of the teaching and learning delivery process in 2014. Programmes were created to use technology online using a learning management system (LMS) and Moodle platform. Since many academics have written on the factors to consider when implementing ICT in teaching and learning and others have discussed the challenges faced by users of online learning platforms, the author of this study decided to investigate the application of ICT in ODL by focusing on the students enrolled in the Master of Educational Management and Leadership (MEdEL) course at BOU. The study followed a qualitative approach using semi- structured interviews, an open-ended questionnaire and a policy document review. The first phase of the research determined the current perceptions of students on the use of e-learning in an ODL programme. The next phase established the practices of e-learning in the online programmes at BOU to determine the degree of technical knowledge and skills, especially in the use of e-learning in ODL and further investigated the strategies that are used by BOU to motivate students enrolled in their online learning programmes. Purposive sampling was used to select 14 participants including a lecturer at BOU, the online managers, the tutors, as well as the students, some of whom were registered at BOU at the time of the study. Data collected through interviews and questionnaires were thematically analysed while data from the documents reviewed were descriptively analysed. The study provided significant evidence of challenges faced by users and custodians of the LMS. The challenges in the implementation of the online programmes included the absence or shortage of resources, including human resources, and the calibre of students enrolled. It further revealed that lack of skills and limited skills also impacted the use of technology in ODL. Despite these challenges, the university has implemented policies intended to support students during their studies. The findings of the XI study revealed that although there are measures in place to support and assist students during their studies, they do not work for all students. It is necessary to support students, especially those in remote areas of the country where resources are limited. Furthermore, students enrolled in online ODL programmes need assistance when it comes to computer skills. The university needs to consider implementing a bridging course that will allow students to enhance their ICT skills and learn to navigate the learning space before the commencement of their main programme. Training on the use of the learning space needs to be enhanced, not only for students but also for tutors and lecturers born before computers arrived, as this will assist in ensuring that students receive the required support. There is also a need for the university to engage in an evaluation of the use of the LMS to identify areas in need of improvement. The implementation of a fully online learning programme entails having the necessary skills, resources, and most of all the support that will ensure the effective use and satisfaction of the user.