Lecturers' use of Web 2.0 in the faculty of Information Science and communications at MZUZU University, Malawi
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Date
2015
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UNISA Press
Abstract
The study reported on in this article investigated the use of Web 2.0 technologies
by lecturers in the Faculty of Information Science and Communications at
Mzuzu University (MZUNI), Mzuzu, Malawi. By distributing a questionnaire to 19
lecturers, conducting follow-up interviews with seven lecturers and analysing the
curricula, the study showed that between 10 (58.8%) and 13 (76.5%) lecturers
use Wikipedia, YouTube, blogs, Google Apps and Twitter to accomplish various academic activities, such as handing out assignments to students; receiving
feedback from students; uploading lecture notes; searching for content; storing
lecture notes; and carrying out collaborative educational activities. The study
adopted the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (Taylor and Todd 1995)
and the theory's elements that strongly affected lecturers' use of the technologies
according to the results included attitude and perceived behaviour control. The
study also found that poor Internet access remains the key stumbling block
towards a successful adoption of Web 2.0 technologies by lecturers at MZUNI.
To this end, the study recommends that the newly established Department of
ICT Directorate with support from MZUNI management should install campuswide
Wi-Fi and improve Internet bandwidth so that lecturers' access to the
Internet is not limited to their offices but rather is available in the teaching rooms
across the campus.
Description
Keywords
Web 2.0, Information science, University, Lecture
Citation
Chawinga, W. D. & Zinn, S. (2015) Lecturers' use of Web 2.0 in the faculty of Information Science and communications at MZUZU University, Malawi. Mousaion, 23(4): 62-85