The Status and Challenges of Access by students and staff of Wireless Technologies at the one of the University in South Africa

1
The Status and Challenges of Access by students
and staff of Wireless Technologies at the one of
the University in South Africa

• By
• Siphamandla Mncube
• lncube_at_pan.uzulu.ac.za

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Introduction

• This presentation explores the status, challenges
  of access and use of Wireless Technologies at the
  one of the University in South Africa.
• Wireless technology is one the newest form of
  internet access in higher education.
• They have proven popular because one can connect
  without wired connectivity.

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Objectives of the Study

• To briefly examine the status of wireless
  technology
• To determine which types if any wireless
  technology are in use at the one of the
  University in South Africa
• To determine the level of implementation and
  usage of wireless technology.
• To find out if students and staff make use of
  wireless technology at the one of the University
  in South Africa
• To find out about the benefits to student and
  staff about wireless technology.

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Conceptual framework

• Wireless communication is the transfer of
  information over a distance without the use of
  enhanced electrical conductors or "wires".
• Wireless communication is generally considered to
  be a branch of telecommunications, (GTSLearning,
  2005).

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Types of Wireless used

• WI-FI
• Wi-Fi, which stands for wireless fidelity, in a
  play on the older term Hi-Fi, is a wireless
  networking technology used across the globe.
• Wi-Fi refers to any system that uses the 802.11
  standard, which was developed by the Institute of
  Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and
  released in 1997
• Wi-Fi works with no physical wired connection
  between sender and receiver by using radio
  frequency (RF) technology, a frequency within the
  electromagnetic spectrum associated with radio
  wave propagation.

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Types cont.

• WIMAX
• WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave
  Access) is a telecommunications protocol that
  provides fixed and fully mobile internet access.
• The current WiMAX revision provides up to
  40 Mbit/s with the IEEE 802.16m update expected
  offer up to 1 Gbit/s fixed speeds.

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Methodology

• The study targeted all registered students and
  staff members in the University.
• Twenty five students and twenty five staff
  members were selected randomly from four
  different faculties.
• A survey to gather data in a real-life setting
  was used in the study.
• Both qualitative and quantitative methods were
  used.
• The study used questionnaires, 50 questionnaires
  were distributed, 25(2.1 of 2010 enrolment) and
  handed to students and other 25 (6.6 staff in
  2010) were handed to staff members of the
  University in order to collect information.
• This quantitative methodology was chosen in the
  light of the purpose of the study, the kind of
  information that was required and the available
  resources.

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Data processing

• After all the questionnaires had been received,
  the important task was then to reduce the mass of
  data obtained to a format suitable for analysis.
• The respondents responses were coded.
• Frequency distribution was used.

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The awareness of wireless technology at the
University.

•  
• The study reviled that students are most aware
  than staff.
• Statistics shows that 40 both students and staff
  are not aware about wireless technologies.

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Access points of wireless

• Library
• Computer laboratories
• Main Campus hall
• In some students residence

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The advantages of using wireless technologies

• Both student and staff responded by the following
  answers
• Wireless Internet provides super fast broadband
  speed.
• Wireless Internet is more affordable and more
  reliable than satellite broadband , since
  satellite signals typically have to travel tens
  of thousands of miles,
• Wireless Internet is also incredibly responsive,
  when you call up web pages, download emails, and
  engage in teleconferencing or video conferencing
  over the net, your wireless Internet system will
  yield ultra fast transmission, Weather, radio
  frequencies, and traffic congestion can all
  impede wireless Internet flow,
• The wireless Internet broadband service offers
  rural Web surfers a way to tap into high speed
  telecommunications without laying down fiber,

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Cont...

• wireless Internet is a wonderful way to optimize
  your surfing time,
• mobility,
• no cable require to connect in order to connect
  to the internet,
• you do not have to be in the computer labs all
  the time,
• You can access lectures online.

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Wireless technologies knowledge
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For what purposes do students and staff
communicate with wireless technology

• to connect to the internet for accessing
  information from online databases,
• to search for information on the internet for
  study purposes such as completing assignments,
• for research and socialization in websites such
  as facebook, twitter, badoo and skpe.
• freedom of accessing internet where ever you are
  within the University
• for searching and retrieval of information,
• for teaching and learning (e-learning) purposes,
  for personal research.

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Support concerning wireless technology.

• The 5 of students responded by yes about getting
  support base on wireless technology, here are
  their following responses
• Request the ICT department for any help base on
  connecting
• Free access of internet
• The 65 of students responded by no, most of
  them emphasized that the University do not give
  any support about wireless technology. What they
  know they find in their way out. No printed
  documentation provided by the University
  concerning wireless technology.
• The 1.3 of staff responded by yes the
  responded staff member are working for ICT
  department, their provided with the following
  answers benefit from using internet at no cost
  but university expenses. The 98.7 staff members
  responded by no.

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Conclusions and Recommendations

• The University should provide with information
  literacy to all students so that they do not
  find any difficulties in using wireless
  technologies (internet).
• By doing the pass rate will increase because they
  will be having most skill of searching and find
  information where ever they are.
• Also staff members must be provided with enough
  skills in computer literacy so that will be more
  efficiency and productive.

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Cont..

• The availability of information sources should
  accessible to all students and staff.
• The wireless performance should be increase.
• ICT department should provide support in both
  students and staff about wireless technology.

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Input please