https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/2802 Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:47:35 GMT 2026-09-19T00:47:35Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32781 A context-sensitive usability framework for the selection and evaluation of learning management systems in higher education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa Adolph Sedem Yaw Adu Higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ghana have deployed learning management systems (LMSs) as a means of addressing the growing number of student enrolments and the consequential stress on physical facilities. LMS adoption can improve student satisfaction and performance, lower student dropout rates, reduce the cost of providing study materials and facilitate the sharing of learning resources among stakeholders. Unfortunately, LMS adoption rates in HEIs across Ghana are low. This study investigated the factors influencing LMS acceptance among academics in Ghana. Usability has been identified as a factor limiting adoption; however, usability evaluations of these systems are rarely conducted with potential users before implementation. Moreover, the extant literature provides little guidance on the factors influencing LMS adoption in Ghana, suitable methods for evaluating LMS usability in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) contexts or the development of context-specific evaluation frameworks. The study addressed the following research question: How can a context-sensitive evaluation framework for LMSs in HEIs be developed? Based on a pragmatic philosophical viewpoint, this empirical research adopted a Design Science Research (DSR) approach. The framework was developed through a critical review of the literature on usability evaluation methods for LMSs in HEIs and the components of usability evaluation frameworks relevant to SSA contexts. Factors influencing LMS adoption in Ghana, from the perspective of academics, were identified through qualitative thematic analysis of focus group discussions involving academics from four HEIs. The influence of usability on LMS adoption was confirmed using PLS-SEM analysis involving 255 academics from the same institutions. The framework was subsequently validated through structured interviews with 20 usability experts across SSA. The study makes a theoretical contribution by confirming the influence of human, organisational, social, LMS-related, environmental and financial factors on LMS usage in Ghana, and makes a novel contribution by identifying students’ financial status, physical location, classroom infrastructure and the accommodation of religious diversity as context-specific factors influencing LMS use in Ghana. Another theoretical contribution lies in integrating factors from the technology adoption literature (attitude–acceptance) with those from the usability literature (behaviour–acceptance) to confirm the influence of usability on the sustainable adoption of LMSs in Ghana. These contributions are consolidated into a validated, context-sensitive framework for selecting LMSs before adoption and for evaluating LMS usability post-adoption in HEIs across SSA. The practical contribution is that industry and organisations developing LMSs can consult the framework during system design, while HEI managers can use it to evaluate systems before making procurement decisions. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32781 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32766 Digital curation of public archives through free and open-source software in South Africa Shekgola, Moses Mahlatse Free and open-source software (FOSS) offers a viable solution for supporting digital curation, the transfer and long-term preservation of digital archives in South Africa. This is important since many governmental institutions, including archival institutions in South lack of infrastructure including reliable software’s, storage capacity and technical expertise, to ingest digital records as the sharpest thorn in the management and preservation of records. FOSS is lauded for reducing dependence on proprietary technologies, lower software costs, improve interoperability and promote digital sovereignty. Despite these benefits, its implementation across public sector institutions remains limited. Most public archival institutions rely on proprietary and to incur high licensing costs, software vendor lock-in, and limited flexibility. The above-mentioned factors thus threaten sustainability and long-term digital preservation of archives. This qualitative case study utilised constructs from the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) Lifecycle Model, the Records Life Cycle Model, and insights from the literature review to investigate the digital curation of public archives through FOSS in South Africa. Records managers and information technology (IT) specialists were purposively selected from national government departments and the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NARSSA). Only institutions that had implemented electronic content management or digital records management systems were included in the study. Two participants were selected from each organisation, representing records management and information technology functions. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis to enable methodological triangulation. The data were analysed thematically and presented using themes supported by word clouds, figures, tables, and verbatim quotations in accordance with the study objectives. The analysis generated themes relating to the policy, legislative and standards framework governing FOSS and digital curation; existing digital curation solutions; the digital curation competencies of archives and records professionals; organisational and technological factors influencing the adoption of FOSS; interoperability of digital records management systems; security measures supporting digital curation; and strategies for promoting the implementation of FOSS in the digital curation of public archives in South Africa. The findings reveal that proprietary software dominates digital curation practices within South African national government departments. Most participating institutions rely on commercial enterprise content management systems for records management and digital preservation. Although participants demonstrated awareness of FOSS and recognised several of its potential advantages, this knowledge has not translated into practical implementation. Instead, organisations continue to favour proprietary platforms because of existing institutional investments, established vendor relationships and perceptions regarding technical support and reliability. The study further identified several benefits associated with implementing FOSS for digital curation. Moreover, participant acknowledged that open-source software can significantly reduce software licensing costs, increase organisational flexibility, eliminate vendor lock-in, improve interoperability between information systems and allow institutions to customise software according to their operational requirements. FOSS also promotes transparency, encourages collaborative software development and supports the long-term sustainability of digital preservation initiatives. Furthermore, the availability of source code allows institutions greater control over system development and future technological upgrades. Despite these recognised benefits, the study identified numerous barriers hindering FOSS implementation. These include inadequate management support, limited technical expertise among information technology personnel, insufficient awareness of available FOSS solutions, organisational resistance to technological change, inadequate financial investment in digital preservation initiatives and the absence of comprehensive implementation frameworks. Concerns regarding technical support, software maintenance, staff training and system integration further discourage organisations from migrating away from proprietary platforms. Additionally, procurement practices and existing ICT governance structures tend to favour commercial software vendors, making the transition to FOSS more difficult. The study further established that while South Africa possesses national policies encouraging FOSS adoption, implementation remains fragmented and inconsistent across government departments. Existing policy directives have not been sufficiently translated into organisational strategies, operational guidelines or implementation plans. As such, institutions lack clear governance structures that promote the evaluation and adoption of open-source technologies for digital curation. This policy-practice gap represents one of the major obstacles preventing widespread FOSS implementation within the archival sector. Another important finding concerns organisational capacity since successful implementation of FOSS requires skilled personnel capable of installing, configuring, maintaining and supporting open-source applications. The study found that many public entities experience shortages of specialised digital preservation and open-source software skills. This skills gap limits organisational confidence in adopting FOSS and reinforces continued dependence on proprietary vendors. Drawing on the findings, the study proposes several strategies for promoting FOSS implementation in digital curation. These include strengthening government commitment to FOSS through enforceable implementation frameworks, developing national guidelines for digital curation using open-source technologies, increasing investment in staff training and capacity building, establishing collaborative communities of practice among archives and government departments, integrating FOSS into archival education programmes and promoting pilot projects that demonstrate successful implementation. The study further recommends partnerships between government, universities, archival institutions and the open-source community to encourage knowledge sharing and technical support. The study concludes that while awareness of FOSS exists within South African public entities, its practical adoption for digital curation remains extremely limited. Proprietary software continues to dominate despite government policy support for open-source technologies and the recognised benefits of FOSS. Unless public institutions address organisational, technical, policy and capacity-related barriers, South Africa is likely to remain dependent on proprietary digital preservation solutions, potentially compromising the long-term sustainability, affordability and independence of its digital archival infrastructure. Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32766 2024-04-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32506 The utilisation of digital records keeping systems: a case of the National Institute for Occupational Health in South Africa Matomane, Lwando Silas This study investigates the utilisation of digital records keeping systems in a form of a case study at the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH) in South Africa benchmarked against the National records keeping guidelines. The flaunting of records-keeping principles in health service institutions often results in a deficiency of transparency among the organisation's various records management departments. It is recommended that people in charge of records should undergo training and be qualified to do diligent records keeping roles. The study focuses on the NIOH employees responsible for the management of digital records. These employees form the target population of the study. The study is based on an interpretivist approach, which is used to investigate the digital records keeping phenomena. Furthermore, the study followed a qualitative research method: using interviews, observations, case studies, and content analysis to collect and analyse data to assess the utilisation of the digital records keeping strategies at the NIOH. Judgmental sampling was used because it allowed for the selection of participants based on specific knowledge and contribution to the study. Ethical clearance was applied for in respect of the participants’ consent regarding the utilisation of the digital records keeping strategies. The preliminary findings of the study outline the digital record-keeping strategies suitable for the NIOH in South Africa. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32506 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32502 Information behaviour of refugees in North Western Uganda Mukungu, Isaac Information behaviour attempts to understand how different categories of users respond to, and utilise information products. This study focussed on exploring the behaviour of refugees in North Western Uganda in relation to their need for information, the means by which they seek information, the ways in which they use information and the problems encountered in the processes of information interaction. Because refugees face different integration and sustenance difficulties in their host communities, this study offers insights that can ameliorate refugees’ situations in host communities through information access and use. The study was qualitative in nature and adopted phenomenological design. Its population included refugees in North Western Uganda including youths above 18 years of age and adult women and men as well as refugee administrators from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) of Uganda at Bidi Bidi refugee settlement. A purposively selected sample of 60 participants was used in the study. Non participatory observation, group and individual interview techniques were espoused to gather data. Data collected were analysed thematically using Atlas.ti 24 version and presented and interpreted into meaningful information that depicted the lived experiences of refugees at Bidi Bidi settlement. Findings from the study revealed that refugees had various information needs including faith and spiritual, legal, economic, sociological, technological and others. Refugees utilised a multitude of information sources including persons, media based as well as community centres in their information seeking. Refugees possessed different information seeking patterns and behaviours. Based on the refugees’ information seeking and use patterns, a model depicting refugees’ information behaviour in pursuit of information needs satisfaction was developed. Refugees faced physiological, sociological, psychological and technological difficulties in their information seeking and use which generated recommendations that ensure information access and use among the refugee community. The study findings offer insights that help comprehend refugees’ information behaviour and offer measures to overcome information seeking and use difficulties at Bidi Bidi settlement by modelling the refugees’ information behaviour. The study was limited by language barrier resulting in more time in the field. Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32502 2025-03-01T00:00:00Z