Browsing by Subject "Digital Curation"
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- ItemOpen AccessAn assessment of the eResearch Knowledge Centre's support practices in the Human Sciences Research Council in Pretoria, South Africa(2022) Baudin, Johanna Maria; Mapulanga, PatrickThe purpose of this study was to determine whether the eResearch Knowledge Centre's (eRKC) research support services are in line with the needs of Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) researchers. It was also intended to identify gaps in services that could be filled by additional services. The pragmatic research paradigm was used to guide the conduct of this study. This paradigm refers to a worldview that prioritizes what works in practice over what is absolutely and objectively true or real. The Research Lifecycle Model was chosen as a theoretical framework for this study because of its foundation in this paradigm. To collect data, a multi-methods cross-sectional descriptive design was used, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. The two methods were used concurrently. A questionnaire was distributed to 156 members of the HSRC research staff in order to collect quantitative data. Interviews were conducted with nine eRKC staff members who were part of the sample to collect qualitative data. A Likert scale was used to determine whether a participant agreed or disagreed with the statements. The quantitative data analysis was done using SPSS, while the interview data were analysed using Excel. Both the quantitative and qualitative data were aligned with the six phases of the research life cycle. The findings demonstrated the effective targeting of current eRKC research support services to specific phases of the research life cycle model. The needs of HSRC researchers could be determined in each phase using this model. According to the study findings, the current eRKC research support services are aligned with the needs of HSRC researchers and highlighted services that could be expanded or promoted more effectively to HSRC researchers. It proposes a new service, data analysis, and suggests that the eRKC could play a more prominent role in research impact, research data management, and fostering collaboration with HSRC research divisions.
- ItemOpen AccessBuilding biodiversity data infrastructure for science and decision-making: information needs and information-seeking patterns in South Africa(2020) Daly, Brenda; De Jager, Karin; Higgs, RichardBiodiversity information is critical to inform science-based policy development as well as to support responsible and accountable land-use planning and decision-making practices. The uptake of available information for these uses is, however, not yet quantified or understood. Here, the extent to which the needs of biodiversity information end-users in South Africa are supported via existing information sources was investigated, at the science, practice and policy interface, using the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI's) online conservation mapping service users as a case study. A quantitative investigation of the information needs of end-users of biodiversity information was made, their information-seeking patterns analysed and the various uses of information by different user groups in South Africa investigated. This allowed for the implications of these needs and behaviour on system design and information provision to be formulated to better design the envisaged National Biodiversity Information System at SANBI. Based on a representative sample of end-users from policy, implementation and research backgrounds, a questionnaire was used and the responses were examined to determine which content was most useful, what barriers and enablers they face when trying to access biodiversity information, and what degree of interdisciplinary information is needed in addressing environmental problems. A sample of 778 (13%) respondents from a total of 5977 biodiversity information users was analysed from across the country. The study found that the lack of appropriate or available information remains one of the three highest unmet needs of biodiversity information end-users. The absence of good prior knowledge of sources of biodiversity information and unreliable and inaccurate information are two additional factors that hinder respondents in finding biodiversity information and achieving their goals. The major implication of information deficiency identified by respondents related to uncertain and/or inaccurate outcomes resulting in ill-informed decision-making. A key outcome of the analysis of the survey results are a series of recommendations on how these issues might be addressed, and it is envisioned that these may be used to help guide the development of a National Biodiversity Information System. A broad range of recommendations have been proposed, principally that the interoperability of information from various adjacent and disparate fields of study be combined with biodiversity information as a means of addressing environmental problems.
- ItemOpen AccessCompetency requirements of academic librarians in providing research data management services: the case of two university libraries(2022) Badenhorst, Patricia; Raju, JayaThe objective of this study was to identify, using the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) libraries as case studies, the competency requirements of academic librarians in providing research data management services. The following research questions guided the study: What knowledge, skills and other competencies do librarians at MUT and UKZN currently possess to support research data management services?; What knowledge, skills and other competencies do academic librarians require in order to effectively provide research data management services to their research communities?; and, What strategies are required to ensure that academic librarians are equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and other competencies in order for them to effectively provide research data management services to the library's research communities? The study was situated within in an interpretivist paradigm and a qualitative approach was adopted to obtain the in-depth data required from study participants. A multiple case study design was used and the target population included academic librarians from MUT and UKZN. Non-probability purposive sampling was employed to select participants for the study and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from librarians with different job profiles at the two academic institutions. This data collection was supplemented by document reviews involving content analysis of relevant academic library job advertisements. The study's conclusion presents a blend of knowledge, skills and personal attributes required by academic librarians to support research data management services. It recommends robust training as well as institutional support in various forms in order for academic librarians to upskill for effective provision of data management services (RDM) to their research communities. The study also recommends academic library collaboration and cooperation with relevant institutional departments for effective implementation of RDM services to the university's research communities.
- ItemOpen AccessDematerialisation of a photographic collection at the concrete institute’s information centre(2019) Shipalana, Kizzy; Higgs, RichardThe Concrete Institute’s information centre houses special collections and information about concrete and various aspects of concrete technology, including photographs that need to be managed effectively for retrieval purposes. The photographic collection has to be recorded and preserved according to relevant standards to ensure longevity and long term access. Management of photographic collections comes with its unique problems. The purpose of this study is to improve the state of the photographic collection by organising it for easy retrieval, allocating metadata and preserving it for future use. This study employed the action research method to study problems of the photographic collection at the institute. The action research method aims to find solutions to problems that are experienced by people in their everyday lives. Data was collected from a sample drawn using purposive sampling from the target population of information specialists and professionals. Data collection from information professionals was facilitated through an online questionnaire and three information specialists were interviewed. The study has indicated the importance of dematerialisation and allocating metadata to photographs to help identify and enhance accessibility of information resources. The results show that dematerialising the photographs will ease the retrieval process and assist information professionals to gain a greater insight of the material in their collection. Collections that are easily accessible are usable and fulfil their purpose to information users. In conclusion, a summarised overview of the study is presented in findings and recommendations regarding the management of photographic collections for effective retrieval.
- ItemOpen AccessFrom fable to court: tracing the curation of indigenous knowledge in a biopiracy case(2018) Kapepiso, Fabian S; Higgs, RichardThis dissertation presents a constructivist grounded theory study of curation and biopiracy of medicinal knowledge about Hoodia. Hoodia is a succulent cactus used by the San people for sustenance and medicinal purposes, and a victim of biopiracy as indigenous knowledge of its properties has been patented with the aim of commercialisation. The purpose of this study was to generate a theory or framework that explores and explains the processes involved in curation and application of indigenous medicinal knowledge in the scientific, legal and commercial knowledge domains. The colonial 'discoveries' and records of the Hoodia species by Carl P. Thunberg, Francis Masson, as well as the recorded experience of Rudolf Marloth, in a Renaissance Humanist tradition, led to scientific experiments by the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) and commercial trials in an attempt to develop slimming drugs for commercialisation. A landmark royalty and benefit-sharing agreement in 2002/3 awarded intellectual property compensation to the San community for commercial exploitation of their traditional knowledge. Although there have been several Master's and Doctoral research studies about Hoodia, minimal or no attention have been directed toward the curation of information in a biopiracy case. Science has sought to capitalise undocumented indigenous knowledge by applying for patents and developing pharmaceutical drugs using indigenous medicinal knowledge obtained from local people. Using a grounded theory methodology, data was collected through an unstructured interview, reviews of literature and theoretical sampling to extract relevant concepts and themes. The study then identified key players and knowledge domains that added new layers of information and knowledge to traditional knowledge in relation to Hoodia use. The study traces the movement of indigenous knowledge from the San to the CSIR, from CSIR to the commercial entities Phytopharm, Pfizer and Unilever, through the licencing of a patent on Hoodia. An emergent theory based on the concept of palimpsest suggests that erasures of the existing traditional knowledge occurred as new layers of knowledge were added or applied. These erasures took the form of (1) renaming the Hoodia species with Greek or Latin names instead of adopting the indigenous names (Renaissance Humanism), and (2) adding new meaning and complicated symbols, resulting in codification of existing indigenous knowledge (Post Modernism). The main themes emanating from the application of palimpsest as a framework present pressing issues such as de-contextualisation and re-codification of indigenous knowledge, resulting in the erosion of benefits for its originators.
- ItemOpen AccessResearch Data Management and Sharing Practices in the Digital Humanities with a Focus on Publisher Support: A Case Study in the Field of Web Archive Studies(2021) Truter, Victoria Zea; Kahn, MichelleThe research problem at the centre of this study is twofold. First, not enough Research Data Management studies have been conducted in either the humanities or the Digital Humanities that present a well-developed understanding of the nature of data in these fields, or the appropriate management thereof. Second, there is a critical lack of Research Data Management and data sharing support provided to researchers in these fields. While multiple stakeholders play roles in providing such support, this study focuses on the support provided to researchers by publishers. While the overarching study investigates data management and sharing in the Digital Humanities and how publishers support these practices, the specific case concerns the field of Web Archive Studies. The case study also gathers broader insights into Digital Humanities researchers, under which WAS is classified as a specialised field. The purpose of the study was to explore the nature of data, and current RDM and data sharing practices of Web Archive Studies researchers, with a focus on publishers' engagement with researchers and support for said practices. The aim was to uncover ways in which publishers might better support Web Archive Studies researchers in managing and sharing their data. The case study answered the following research questions: (1) ‘What kinds of data do Web Archive Studies researchers generate and work with?'; (2) ‘What RDM and data sharing practices do these researchers tend to use?'; (3) ‘What challenges and limitations do they encounter when collecting, managing, and sharing data?'; (4) ‘How can publishers better support Web Archive Studies researchers in managing and sharing their data?'. The study is exploratory in nature and uses a convergent mixed-methods approach based within an interpretive paradigm. Three semi-structured interviews (using predominantly open-ended questions) and a questionnaire (including predominantly multiple-choice questions) were conducted. A content analysis approach was used to analyse qualitative data, while quantitative data were interpreted using inferential statistics. The populations sampled included publishers and Web Archive Studies researchers. The study found that Web Archive Studies researchers tend to manage their data proficiently. The biggest gaps in their current practices concern data sharing in formal repositories due to challenges like legal restrictions. Additional findings reveal a lack of funding for Research Data Management and data sharing in this field, as well as a lack of guidance and training from publishers for Web Archive Studies researchers. Information Classification: General Key recommendations include the following: (1) publishers should develop guidance specific to Web Archive Studies researchers' RDM and data sharing needs; (2) publishers should focus on sharing methodological processes, audit trails, and research instruments, rather than sharing data for Web Archive Studies and other humanities subjects. These actions would promote transparency in subject areas for which data sharing is often not possible due to legal restrictions, among other challenges.
- ItemOpen AccessThe digital classification of “unknown maker(s)” of cultural objects: A case study of Iziko South African National Gallery(2020) Moruthane, Sepadi; Higgs, RichardThroughout history, cultural institutions like the Iziko Museums of South Africa have preserved, catalogued, researched and displayed a diverse collection of cultural objects. The renewed interest in digital media has revived the move to reclaim cultural identities, bringing with it the associated challenges regarding the veracity of historical accounts. With the transition to digitisation, and the adoption of digital curatorship for knowledge production in museum environments, it has become necessary to examine the historical accuracy, reliability and trustworthiness of the digital information being provided. Digitisation is an important priority for most cultural institutions. This study contributes to the colonial debate about museum classification and the challenges that these institutions face regarding what is referred to as the “unknown maker”. The use of the term “unknown maker(s)” to denote creators of cultural objects housed in the Iziko South African National Art Gallery collections was crucial to this investigation into the digital cataloguing of objects whose creators could not be determined. The findings show that a national museum is a space where identities are contested, and that museum professionals are repeatedly faced with difficult curatorial and ethical decisions when it comes to classifying cultural objects. As a result, the problems encountered with the digitsation and cataloguing of cultural objects are extensive. Inaccurate classification processes, including the use of the term “unknown maker(s)”, affects how digital heritage objects are recorded, the servicesthat museums offer, how exhibitions are presented, the research that is undertaken, and the skills required to manage cultural objects.
- ItemOpen AccessThe archival records on Chinese slaves, convicts, exiles and ‘free blacks' at the Cape of Good Hope (1654 -1838): Conceptualising a digital curation project(2021) Chen, Vanessa; Kahn, Michelle; Bam-Hutchison, JuneDespite the growth of digital archives, there is no dedicated repository that systematically compiles the history of Chinese migration to South Africa. This qualitative study used 62 archival records housed at the Western Cape Archives and Records Service, to explore how the application of digital curation (particularly digitisation of materials) can be used in presenting, preserving and sharing the history on the first wave of Chinese slaves, convicts, exiles and ‘free blacks' at the Cape of Good Hope (1654 -1838). The study method consisted of three parts. First, a thorough literature search and understanding on the theoretical, practical and technical components of the subject. Second, the systematic collection and analyses of archival records (through a customised document analysis form) and third, an exploration on what digital curation can offer in terms of facilitating the access to and the preservation of these records. The study exists under a relativist paradigm which believes that reality is a product of power relations. It was found that the records provide valuable insight into the Cape's political development (from Dutch to British rule) and social hierarchies between Chinese individuals at the time. The archival content, being of historical significance, is in fact at a risk of physical and epistemological loss. This loss can be addressed through the application of digital curation which this study explores conceptually from the conception of a digital project to the use, reuse and dissemination of digital surrogates. It is hoped that this study can be used as a foundation or framework for refiguring the colonial archive and bringing other neglected South African histories to the forefront.