This study investigated the influence of computer-generated reminders on the rate in which distance learners submitted assignments and completed courses. The computer-generated reminders, sent via email, served as a time management support strategy. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: control and treatment. Both groups received a list of target due dates for course assignments. The control group did not receive reminders. The treatment group received reminders when they failed to submit an assignment by a target due date. The results indicated no significant difference between the control and treatment groups in terms of assignment submission rates and course completion rates. However, results of this study did reveal that the number of assignments in a distance course influences the timeliness of assignment completion and the likelihood of course completion. / Ph. D.

There is a significant amount of literature on needs assessment group processes and distance learning. There is practically no literature on the affects of using distance learning technologies to facilitate needs assessment processes. This study takes a look at the participation of professionals in a needs assessment using distance learning technologies, the affect it has on their communication anxiety in small group settings using the Communication Anxiety Inventory, and their impressions of the process. Participants used a computer with internet connection and a telephone to take part in the assessment. Three small group needs assessments were conducted. Participants were administered a survey that measured their trait (typical) anxiety score, conducted through the needs assessment, and were administered a survey that measured their state (actual) anxiety score during the assessment and their impressions of the process. Those with low trait anxiety tended to experience an increase in anxiety in this environment while those with high trait anxiety had a decrease in anxiety. It was inconclusive as to whether or not anxiety was a factor in participants contributions to the group process. All participants were willing to participate in this type of needs assessment again. They found the assessment outcomes valuable and the method in which it was conducted convenient. This would seem to indicate that participants felt the impact of using 2-way audio and distance learning tools was minimal but a larger and more diverse study is necessary in order to make any generalizations. / Ph. D.

This case study examined asynchronous online instruction to suggest practices of delivering a traditional lab-based course via the Internet and effective ways of teaching in such an environment. Numerous studies were outlined to compare traditional and distance education student outcomes, commonly referred to as the media comparison approach. This approach, as it pertains to the instructional design process, was outlined in-depth to provide an outline for future online courses in Herbaceous Plants. The instructor's enthusiasm and interests about delivering an online course led to the development and implementation of the first Herbaceous Plants course at The George Washington University. The course was offered in an attempt to address the growing needs and requests of the Landscape Design students for a course on herbaceous plants. Institutions can use this study to gain insight into the technologies used in distance education and how traditional lab-based courses can be taught through asynchronous, online environments. A well developed distance education program can be a time saving, cost-effective solution in higher education. In order to implement similar courses, institutions should complete individualized instructional designs prior to the development of the course. While technologies such as the Internet, email, and videostreaming have effectively facilitated dramatic increases in our abilities to disseminate information, distance education is not the solution to every educational challenge. In time, online instruction will take its place in contemporary education while continuing to expand educational opportunities to new and distant audiences whose quest for knowledge would otherwise be hampered by time or distance. / Master of Science

This paper reviews the status of natural resources distance learning program in the United States and China and discusses the feasibility of educational cooperation between the two countries. By identifying and comparing computer-based learning programs offered at 300 American and 7 Chinese institutions of higher education, I found that only a small number of schools in both countries currently provide natural resources courses via distance learning. Although great opportunities exist for cooperation between the two countries, challenges must be overcome. Some of these challenges include expanding the existing distance learning curriculum to offer more natural resources courses, providing greater flexibility for faculty members who must adjust to a new teaching role, and improving the English proficiency of Chinese students for more effective international distance learning. / Master of Natural Resources

Proceedings of International Summerworkshop Computer Science

[pt] Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo estudar a interação em um fórum de discussão online de um curso híbrido de formação de professores de inglês, com ensino presencial e a distância, em uma instituição particular de ensino de idiomas. Visando desenvolver uma investigação nas áreas de aprendizagem à distância e interação social, este trabalho busca responder a duas questões: (1) Como as relações interpessoais podem influenciar as práticas discursivas no contexto de aprendizagem online? (2) Tendo em vista os princípios de EAD, como o curso analisado reflete a perspectiva de aprendizagem colaborativa? O trabalho foi desenvolvido seguindo os fundamentos de Ensino a Distância (Burge, 1998; Lévy, 1993; Berge, 1995; Johnson e Johnson, 1994), os pressupostos teóricos da Lingüística Sistêmico-Funcional (Halliday, 1994; Halliday e Hasan, 1989; Thompson, 2004) e da Teoria da Valoração (Martin, 2000; Martin e White, 2005; White, 2005). O corpus utilizado é composto de aproximadamente 90.000 palavras e engloba trocas interpessoais entre tutores e cursistas, todos professores de inglês, em atividades plenárias e em grupos, desenvolvidas no fórum de discussão online. O discurso dos participantes foi analisado com o auxílio de ferramentas computacionais de buscas em contexto, e através da identificação manual de marcas lingüísticas de valoração. Resultados quantitativos e qualitativos da pesquisa apontam para a existência de pouca interação no fórum, além de relações assimétricas entre tutores e cursistas. Ambos os achados demonstram que este fórum de discussão online não se caracterizou como um ambiente propício à aprendizagem colaborativa. A pesquisa aponta para a necessidade de: (1) identificação e formulação de tarefas online com características mais compatíveis com o paradigma de aprendizagem colaborativa; (2) maior integração entre teoria e prática na área de ensino a distância; e (3) aprofundamento e disseminação do conhecimento acerca da prática discursiva de tutores, visando viabilizar um ambiente de maior colaboração entre os participantes. / [en] This research aims at studying the interaction taking place in the online discussion forum of a hybrid English teaching training course, with face-to-face and online components, at a private language teaching institution in Brazil. In order to conduct an investigation into distance learning and social interaction, this study tries to answer two questions: (1) How can interpersonal relationships influence discursive practices in the e-learning context? (2) Bearing in mind distance learning principles, to what extent does the analyzed course reflect the collaborative learning approach? The work was developed following distance learning principles (Burge, 1998; Lévy, 1993; Berge, 1995; Johnson e Johnson, 1994); a theoretical framework based on Systemic-Functional Linguistics (Halliday, 1994; Halliday e Hasan, 1989; Thompson, 2004) and Appraisal Theory (Martin, 2000; Martin e White, 2005; White, 2005). The 90,000-word corpus used for the investigation consists of exchanges between online tutors and course participants (all of them English teachers), working as one whole group or several small groups. Discourse was analyzed with the aid of a concordance software and linguistic appraisal features were identified. Quantitative and qualitative research results point to little interaction in the discussion forum, as well as to the existence of asymmetrical relationships among online tutors and course participants. Both findings demonstrate that this online discussion forum was not an ideal environment for collaborative learning. This research highlights the need for: (1) the identification and creation of online tasks which are more in tune with the collaborative learning concept; (2) a closer relation between theory and practice as far as distance learning is concerned; (3) further investigation and sharing of knowledge on tutors` discourse, so as to create a more inviting environment for collaboration.

A Universidade do Estado do Amazonas UEA, no âmbito de seu crescimento cultural, regional e educacional tem realizado um esforço visando expandir para grande parte dos Municípios do Amazonas, o conhecimento, e a busca pela qualificação profissional, através de projetos relacionados ao ensino presencial mediado por TV. A Educação à Distância - EAD hoje já é uma realidade e encontra-se em uso e destaca-se com êxito no Estado do Amazonas, a idéia então é contextualizar o cenário e estudar recursos e/ou ferramentas que possibilitem desenvolver um protótipo que permita visualizar o conhecimento obtido pelo aluno na disciplina ministrada, permitindo uma interatividade em tempo real do professor com os alunos por meio da televisão. A proposta é o desenvolvimento de um modelo educacional interativo utilizando recursos da tecnologia de TV Digital que possibilite aos professores titulares dos cursos do sistema presencial mediado por tecnologia da UEA obter uma realimentação em tempo real do aprendizado dos alunos. / The University of the State of Amazon - UEA, in the extent of its growth cultural, regional and education has been accomplishing an effort seeking to expand for great part of the Municipal districts of Amazon, the knowledge, and the search for the professional qualification, through projects related to the teaching presence courses mediated by TV. The Education the Distance Learning today is already a reality and it is in use and stands out with success in the State of Amazon, the idea then is contextualize the scenery and to study resources and/or tools that make possible to develop a prototype gone back to an interactive application. Creating like this, an infrastructure using education platforms at the distance and adapting the proposed prototype. The proposal is to develop an educacional model learning using interactive technology features digital TV to professors holders of the courses system presence mediated by technology of UEA to obtain a real time feedback of student learning.

O desenvolvimento tecnológico e a ampliação da infra-estrutura das telecomunicações propiciou um aumendo do número de usuários na Internet. Dentre as imensas possibilidades de utilização, a aprendizagem constitui-se num dos temas mais atrativos. A aprendizagem à distância – EAD consolida-se como uma opção atrativa ao considerar-se principalmente as variáveis custo e comodidade. O trabalho visa avaliar alguns modelos para educação a distância e desenvolver um modelo para instituições de ensino.. Inicialmente, busca-se ampliar o conhecimento teórico acerca do tema com pesquisas bibliográficas que envolvem temas como a Internet, a tecnologia, modelos internacionais e nacionais e o processo de aprendizagem. A etapa seguinte, promove o desenvolvimento de modelos, utilizando a técnica da prototipação de modelos de ensino à distância, nesta etapa são consideradas como vertentes: tecnologia, mercado, cliente e metodologia utilizada. Os modelos são apresentados e analisados qualitativamente e seqüencialmente, sob o prisma dos seus pontos fortes e pontos fracos, os resultados são considerados e tornam-se subsídios para o desenvolvimento dos modelos posteriores. Para coleta de dados são utilizados métodos de questionários, entrevistas e observação direta durante o transcorrer dos cursos. / The technological development provided the increasing access of the number of users in the InterNet. Amongst the immense possibilities of use, the learning consists in one of the subjects most attractive. The distance learning is consolidated as a attractive option when considering mainly the variables: cost and comfort. The work aims at to develop and to evaluate models for distance learning. Initially, one search to extend the theoretical knowledge concerning the subject with bibliographical research that involves subjects as the Internet, technology, international and national models and the learning process. The following stage, promotes the development of models, using the technique of the prototipation of models of distance learning, in this stage is considered as flowing: technology, market, customer and used methodology. The models are presented and analyzed qualitatively and sequentially, under the prism of its strong points and weak points, the results are considered and become subsidies for the development of the posterior models. For collection of data are used methods of questionnaires, interviews and direct observation during the courses.

A Universidade do Estado do Amazonas UEA, no âmbito de seu crescimento cultural, regional e educacional tem realizado um esforço visando expandir para grande parte dos Municípios do Amazonas, o conhecimento, e a busca pela qualificação profissional, através de projetos relacionados ao ensino presencial mediado por TV. A Educação à Distância - EAD hoje já é uma realidade e encontra-se em uso e destaca-se com êxito no Estado do Amazonas, a idéia então é contextualizar o cenário e estudar recursos e/ou ferramentas que possibilitem desenvolver um protótipo que permita visualizar o conhecimento obtido pelo aluno na disciplina ministrada, permitindo uma interatividade em tempo real do professor com os alunos por meio da televisão. A proposta é o desenvolvimento de um modelo educacional interativo utilizando recursos da tecnologia de TV Digital que possibilite aos professores titulares dos cursos do sistema presencial mediado por tecnologia da UEA obter uma realimentação em tempo real do aprendizado dos alunos. / The University of the State of Amazon - UEA, in the extent of its growth cultural, regional and education has been accomplishing an effort seeking to expand for great part of the Municipal districts of Amazon, the knowledge, and the search for the professional qualification, through projects related to the teaching presence courses mediated by TV. The Education the Distance Learning today is already a reality and it is in use and stands out with success in the State of Amazon, the idea then is contextualize the scenery and to study resources and/or tools that make possible to develop a prototype gone back to an interactive application. Creating like this, an infrastructure using education platforms at the distance and adapting the proposed prototype. The proposal is to develop an educacional model learning using interactive technology features digital TV to professors holders of the courses system presence mediated by technology of UEA to obtain a real time feedback of student learning.

O desenvolvimento tecnológico e a ampliação da infra-estrutura das telecomunicações propiciou um aumendo do número de usuários na Internet. Dentre as imensas possibilidades de utilização, a aprendizagem constitui-se num dos temas mais atrativos. A aprendizagem à distância – EAD consolida-se como uma opção atrativa ao considerar-se principalmente as variáveis custo e comodidade. O trabalho visa avaliar alguns modelos para educação a distância e desenvolver um modelo para instituições de ensino.. Inicialmente, busca-se ampliar o conhecimento teórico acerca do tema com pesquisas bibliográficas que envolvem temas como a Internet, a tecnologia, modelos internacionais e nacionais e o processo de aprendizagem. A etapa seguinte, promove o desenvolvimento de modelos, utilizando a técnica da prototipação de modelos de ensino à distância, nesta etapa são consideradas como vertentes: tecnologia, mercado, cliente e metodologia utilizada. Os modelos são apresentados e analisados qualitativamente e seqüencialmente, sob o prisma dos seus pontos fortes e pontos fracos, os resultados são considerados e tornam-se subsídios para o desenvolvimento dos modelos posteriores. Para coleta de dados são utilizados métodos de questionários, entrevistas e observação direta durante o transcorrer dos cursos. / The technological development provided the increasing access of the number of users in the InterNet. Amongst the immense possibilities of use, the learning consists in one of the subjects most attractive. The distance learning is consolidated as a attractive option when considering mainly the variables: cost and comfort. The work aims at to develop and to evaluate models for distance learning. Initially, one search to extend the theoretical knowledge concerning the subject with bibliographical research that involves subjects as the Internet, technology, international and national models and the learning process. The following stage, promotes the development of models, using the technique of the prototipation of models of distance learning, in this stage is considered as flowing: technology, market, customer and used methodology. The models are presented and analyzed qualitatively and sequentially, under the prism of its strong points and weak points, the results are considered and become subsidies for the development of the posterior models. For collection of data are used methods of questionnaires, interviews and direct observation during the courses.