A Holistic e-Competence Framework for a Contemporary Workplace

1. A Holistic e-Competence Framework for a Contemporary Workplace A vertical & horizontal perspective to defining e-competence Nuraan Davids-Latief Dr. Venicia McGhie

2. Outline for this presentation 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, objectives & questions 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations 1. Identified problem/s 3. The research design 6. Recommendations 2. Aims, etc 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings

3. First identified problem • ICT in every sphere of the economy (Dutta, Geiger & Lanvin, 2015) • Global competition increasingly being driven by knowledge and innovation (Babinet et al., 2014) but SA is not leveraging its knowledge and innovative products sufficiently (National Planning Commission, 2011) • SA lags behind other African countries in prioritising the integration of ICT in the country (Schofield, 2014) • SA’s ranks 56th place on the global competitiveness report (Porter, Sachs & Warner, 2014) and dropped from 47th place in 2007 to 75th place in on the WEF’s 2015 global e-readiness ranking • The potential benefits and social impacts of ICT have not been fully explored yet and SA government lags behind in enabling e-participation of its citizens (Dutta et al., 2015)2 6. Recommendations 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

4. Second identified problem • Availability of practitioners of specialised e-competences (e-practitioners) are failing to meet intensifying demand (Hawking & Stein, 2003; Babinet et al., 2014). • The scarcity of e-practitioners is compounded by the global skills gap and mismatch, which is one cause of high unemployment (Daniels, 2007; El Achkar, 2010; Merkofer & Murphy, 2010; National Treasury, 2011; OECD, 2012; Pauw et al., 2008; Tech Partnership, 2015). • While many seek employment, there are also simultaneous vacancies that cannot be filled (Accenture Research, 2008; International Labour Organisation, 2015; Lanvin 2008; Schofield, 2014). • SA’s NDP – Vision 2030 plans to reduce unemployment to 6% in 2030 yet it has been increasing from 24.9% in 2012 to 26.7% in 2016 (StatsSA, 2016). • SA compares unfavourably to the global unemployment index of 5.8% in 2015 (International Labour Organisation, 2016:12). 6. Recommendations 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

5. A third identified problem • Mismatches “between the current outcomes of higher education and [SA’s] need for well-qualified graduates” (Council on Higher Education, 2013:54). • New working environment that requires high-performance and innovation (Overtoom, 2000). • As a primary source of discharging e-competent employees, we must ensure that graduates are equipped with the most relevant and current employability skills, which should include discipline specific as well as generic transferable skills. • Higher education should prepare graduates to better fulfil their role within society, and every academic course should include employability enhancing content (Cranmer, 2006). • the usage of ICT also modifies the scope, borders and content of learning, which is why many European universities changed their pedagogical concepts to efficiently integrate ICT into their curricula (Youssef, Dahmani & Omrani, 2012). 6. Recommendations 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

6. What this means for graduates…

7. What this means for universities…

8. Aims of the study 6. Recommendations 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

9. Objectives of the study Using these aims as guidelines, the study examined 13 e-skills/e-competence/digital literacy frameworks found in the literature in order to arrive at the following two objectives: 6. Recommendations 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

10. Research questions How closely are the e-competencies provided in the IS curriculum at University X aligned with the e-competencies required by potential IS employers in the WC? Three sub-questions were used to guide data collection and analysis: • Which e-competencies are required by potential IS employers in WC? • Which of these e-competencies are included in the IS curriculum at University X? • How could the IS curriculum at University X be designed so that it is aligned to meet the required e-competencies of potential IS employers in the WC? 6. Recommendations 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

11. What is competence? • “…observableperformancedimensions, individual knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours, as well as collective team, process, and organizational capabilities…” (Atheyand Orth, 1999:216) • a state of balance between cognition, feelings (emotions) and behaviour; and poor performance can often be linked to a desynchrony between the three concepts (Leat, 1993) • “the proven ability to use knowledge, skills and personal, social and/or methodological abilities, in work or study situations and in professional and personal development (CEN, 2010:13) Knowledge Observable performance Attitudes Skills 6. Recommendations 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

12. Types of competences

13. What are Electronic/e-Competences? For the purposes of this study, e-competence is defined as:the demonstrated ability to proficiently apply the relevant and adequate combination of knowledge (cognitive domain), skills (psychomotor domain) and attitudes (affective domain), in various changing contexts, through the effective utilisation and appropriation of technology, and the effective management of data and information, whether inwardly or outwardly (interpersonal or intrapersonal), in order to achieve a quality output and observable, desired outcome. 6. Recommendations 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

14. To note about e-competences • Includes not only competences that are essential for ICT sector stakeholders but also for the growing number of sectors that depend on ICT to operate (Fonstad & Lanvin, 2010) • Is seen as a transversalcompetence i.e. required to enable other key competencies e.g. language/communication, mathematical ability, learning to learn, cultural awareness, etc. (Ala-Mutka, 2011; Ferrari et al., 2012) • It focuses on how a skill is applied to a contextual situation, with many other contributing environmental, socio-economic, cognitive, functional, technical, personal, social, emotional and behavioural factors. 6. Recommendations 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

15. Research Methodology 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

16. Conceptual Framework Vertically & Horizontally: Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes Vertically: 6 Core Competence Categories Vertically: 15 Key Focus Areas Vertically: 50 Competencies Handout

17. Findings: Cognitive Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

18. Findings: Functional Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

19. Findings: ICT Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

20. Findings: Personal Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

21. Findings: Global Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

22. Findings: Meta-competences 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

23. Cognitive Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

24. Functional competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

25. ICT Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

26. Emotional Intelligence competence Qualitative data showed that low self-confidence was an weakness/gap identified by supervisors 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

27. Behavioural Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

28. Intercultural Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

29. Social Intelligence Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

30. Meta-Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

31. Ethical Competence 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

32. Recommendations: For the IS Dept 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

33. Recommendations: For the IS Dept 1. The identified problem/s 2. Aims, etc. 3. The research design 4. The conceptual framework 5. Key findings 6. Recommendations

34. Recommendations: For supervisors

35. Suggestions for further studies • Compare and contrast individual organisational demand within different industries. • Analyse which sociological factors, environmental constraints and personality traits could affect interns’ performance in the workplace. • Significance and impact of work-integrated learning on academic success and employment • Explore how the undergraduate IS curriculum could be integrated with other departments in order to enhance the graduate outcomes for optimum employability of IS graduates. • An in-depth analysis of the IS curriculum and measure it against the futuristic perspective of what will be required by the year 2020, to see how the current curriculum measures against future predictions of e-competencies. • PhD study to look at specific pedagogical tools and techniques that could be embedded within T & L strategies of academics – focusing on Personal, Global and Meta-competencies

36. Conclusion • In summary, because e-competencies are considered a pre-requisite for securing professional employment in most of the world (Walton et al., 2009), as HEIs (we) must determine which e-competencies are required and then enable these e-competences in course offerings. • What do you think about the holistic view on e-Competences and employability of graduates for a contemporary workplace? • Could you see ways in which you could embed some of these e-Competences in your courses?

37. Thank you for listening Questions?