This thesis deals with distance education in the setting of high schools. The first part describes the history, then the possibility of e learning and its basic components. Another part is focused on the description of the current offer of educational systems. The practical part focuses on the characterization and comparison of LMS systems. The last chapter deals with ways of graduation at the Faculty of Management and describes the courses with which students have the most problems.

In recent years unconventional aircraft configurations, such as Blended-Wing-Body (BWB) aircraft, are being investigated and researched with the aim to develop more efficient aircraft configurations, in particular for very large transport aircraft that are more efficient and environmentally-friendly. The BWB configuration designates an alternative aircraft configuration where the wing and fuselage are integrated which results essentially in a hybrid flying wing shape. The first example of a BWB design was researched at the Loughead Company in the United States of America in 1917. The Junkers G. 38, the largest land plane in the world at the time, was produced in 1929 for Luft Hansa (present day; Lufthansa). Since 1939 Northrop Aircraft Inc. (USA), currently Northrop Grumman Corporation and the Horten brothers (Germany) investigated and developed BWB aircraft for military purposes. At present, the major aircraft industries and several universities has been researching the BWB concept aircraft for civil and military activities, although the BWB design concept has not been adapted for civil transport yet. The B-2 Spirit, (produced by the Northrop Corporation) has been used in military service since the late 1980s. The BWB design seems to show greater potential for very large passenger transport aircraft. A NASA BWB research team found an 800 passenger BWB concept consumed 27 percent less fuel per passenger per flight operation than an equivalent conventional configuration (Leiebeck 2005). The purpose of this research is to assess the aerodynamic efficiency of a BWB aircraft with respect to a conventional configuration, and to identify design issues that determine the effectiveness of BWB performance as a function of aircraft payload capacity. The approach was undertaken to develop a new conceptual design of a BWB aircraft using Computational Aided Design (CAD) tools and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software. An existing high-capacity aircraft, the Airbus A380 Contents RMIT University, Australia was modelled, and its aerodynamic characteristics assessed using CFD to enable comparison with the BWB design. The BWB design had to be compatible with airports that took conventional aircraft, meaning a wingspan of not more than 80 meters for what the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulation calls class 7 airports (Amano 2001). From the literature review, five contentions were addressed; i. Is a BWB aircraft design more aerodynamically efficient than a conventional aircraft configuration? ii. How does the BWB compare overall with a conventional design configuration? iii. What is the trade-off between conventional designs and a BWB arrangement? iv. What mission requirements, such as payload and endurance, will a BWB design concept become attractive for? v. What are the practical issues associated with the BWB design that need to be addressed? In an aircraft multidisciplinary design environment, there are two major branches of engineering science; CFD analysis and structural analysis; which is required to commence producing an aircraft. In this research, conceptual BWB designs and CFD simulations were iterated to evaluate the aerodynamic performance of an optimal BWB design, and a theoretical calculation of structural analysis was done based on the CFD results. The following hypothesis was prompted; A BWB configuration has superior in flight performance due to a higher Lift-to-Drag (L/D) ratio, and could improve upon existing conventional aircraft, in the areas of noise emission, fuel consumption and Direct Operation Cost (DOC) on service. However, a BWB configuration needs to employ a new structural system for passenger safety procedures, such as passenger ingress/egress. The research confirmed that the BWB configuration achieves higher aerodynamic performance with an achievement of the current airport compatibility issue. The beneficial results of the BWB design were that the parasite drag was decreased and the spanwise body as a whole can generate lift. In a BWB design environment, several advanced computational techniques were required to compute a CFD simulation with the CAD model using pre-processing and CFD software.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2007. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 207 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 172-179).

In recent years, Blended Learning becomes more and more popular in business and educational fields. It is regarded as an important research topic in e-Learning because it¡¦s potential to enhance and improve students¡¦ learning effectiveness. Though the concept of blended learning has been existing in traditional learning for several years; with the development of information technology, it drives a new emerging blended learning model. By combining cyber-asynchronous and cyber-asynchronous becomes the new Emerging Blended Learning (EBL) in contrast to the physical-synchronous and cyber-asynchronous that is considered as the Traditional Blended Learning (TBL). Besides, interaction is a vital factor in blended learning and learning effectiveness is an urge question that all researchers want to study in e-Learning. And the classroom climate, which comes from the interaction among all members and the environment in the class, has a vital influence on students learning outcome in traditional learning. According to our survey, the conclusion of the relationship between classroom climate and learning effectiveness in e-Learning is not yet confirmed from the literature. By analyzing these two different blended learning models (EBL and TBL), the aims of our study are to explore if the learning effects of EBL is the same as that of TBL and to investigate the relationship between classroom climate and learning effectiveness in e-Learning. The methods combine questionnaire, interview and LMS system logs for applying data triangulation validation. The procedure are collecting the questionnaire data at midterm and final examinations and then interviewing some students to get their thoughts and finally analyzing the system logs to help explanation of the quantity results. The results show that the learning effect of EBL is the same as that of TBL and the changes of classroom climate and learning effectiveness in EBL are more significant than in TBL. The results also show that the correlation of classroom climate and learning satisfactory is significant. Finally, we provide some suggestions and future research directions for educators and researchers.

The increasing demand for online and hybrid courses necessitates a corresponding increase in the number of higher education faculty members who offer instruction in these alternative delivery environments. Faculty members may resist course redesign due to concerns about increased workload and technology and require extrinsic motivation in the form of financial compensation and pedagogical and technological support as well as intrinsic motivation in the form of informal peer recognition, and intellectual satisfaction. Online courses offer temporal flexibility and multiple transactional axes but may superficially appear to devalue interaction. The apparent deindividuation of computer-mediated communication may be overcome by group socialization in collaborative communities which are focused on authentic problems. This report proposes a design-based research approach to determine the impact from an online collaborative community on the number of online course offerings and whether or not a professional development workshop that models interaction for participants will have a corresponding impact on the degree of interactivity incorporated in the respective courses of those faculty members. The proposal outlines the creation of a workshop offered in a hybrid delivery mode which through iterative instructional design interventions may lead to the development of a community of passionate instructors who collaborate to solve the technical and pedagogical challenges of their respective content disciplines and thereby meet the demand for online course offerings. / text

Selected Philippine high schools have decided to implement a blended learning program as part of its solution to address the problem of classroom shortage. This study investigated the differences between how teachers teach online and in face to face environments. It also looked into the policies needed to be in place if pedagogical change is expected in schools. This study employed a mixed methods research, where the qualitative data set was used to deepen survey results. A survey was designed to find out the learning activities implemented in F2F and online environments, teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and perception of pedagogical change. The survey was conducted to all eleven blended learning teachers of one school. Survey results showed that F2F activities were more student-centered than activities in the online environment. Furthermore, majority of the teachers believed that shifting to blended learning changed the way they teach. The second phase of the study involved observations of classes of four teachers in three learning environments: online, F2F and regular classes. The four teachers, the ICT coordinator and the school principal were also interviewed about their beliefs on teaching and learning, the role of technology in schools and their experience of blended learning from both the pedagogical and policy perspectives. Findings indicate that teachers leaning towards instructivist-behavioral orientations will most likely implement the same strategies in blended learning environments. They tend to view pedagogical change as being influenced by the national curriculum and student characteristics. Teachers with constructivist-cognitive perspectives implement more student-centered strategies online and viewed pedagogical change as a change in teacher roles. The availability of technology infrastructure, frequency and duration of blended learning classes were also found to be external drivers of pedagogy. From the perspective of policy, a shared vision, the national curriculum, the roles of program implementers and teacher support all influence the implementation of the blended learning program. The study recommended a review of the scheduling scheme, the practice of team teaching and training on collaborative technologies for both teachers and students. From the policy perspective, a program framework, a blended learning curriculum and evaluation standards for blended learning teachers were identified as critical support mechanisms for successful program implementation. This study argued that the introduction of technology and blended learning programs in schools should go beyond addressing the problem of classroom shortage and achievement test results. It questioned the government’s vision of educational reform and recommended a change in its perception of the role of technology in education. A change in vision, curriculum, assessments and work practices were found to be essential elements that enable lasting educational reform. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

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This qualitative research study seeks to answer the question: Which instructional design approaches for blended learning encourage deep learning? This grounded theory research captures the lived experiences of instructional designers and faculty members in converting courses at the post-secondary level from traditional, face-to-face delivery to blended delivery using educational technology. Study results provide insight into the complexities involved in the design and development of blended delivery courses and shed light on the complications that can arise with course conversion. The study also opens a window into design approaches to foster deep learning, clarifying the importance of targeting high levels of learning in the course syllabus / outline, and then aligning every part of the course to the specific learning outcomes identified. Study results culminate in a set of recommended instructional design approaches that foster deep learning in a blended learning environment. / 2013-08

This inquiry explored the effect of policy on faculty practice and pedagogy in e-learning in higher education. This study was framed by descriptive policy analysis which would lead to a better understanding of the way policies work - or do not work. It sought to identify the effect of educational/administrative policy by triangulating policy directives and their effect on faculty practice. The descriptive case study method was used to tell the story of the faculty who teach using e-learning. Qualitative data were gathered through on-site interviews, document analysis and a survey questionnaire. There was a blend of forced-choice and open-ended questions which were later thematically analyzed. The findings indicated that policy is viewed by teaching faculty as being important to move e-learning/blended learning toward an institutional strategic plan or vision and those policies affect e-learning teaching practice. As well, the findings in this study suggested overall low diffusion of policy for e-learning/blended learning within this case study. The findings also suggested that policy, or lack thereof, had an affect on teaching practice in e-learning/blended learning. The study concludes with recommendations for future research.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This research is about university teachers’ experiences of teaching in blended learning environments. In recent years, this type of environments has become increasingly common. Universities have realised the value of the incorporation of eLearning, making teaching more professional and offering higher quality learning experiences. At the same time, pressures from students, who use online resources for many of their everyday activities, and employers, who want future professionals to be skilled information technology users, have also promoted the up-take of eLearning. In this context, the present research took a relational approach to investigate what university teachers think eLearning is good for in their teaching, how they approach teaching when eLearning is involved, and how their perception of the teaching situation affects the use of eLearning. Associations between these elements were also explored. The research had a qualitative and a quantitative stage. In the qualitative stage, 18 university teachers, coming from two research-intensive Australian universities were interviewed. This stage focused on conceptions, approaches and perceptions of the teaching situation; both considering teaching in face-to-face settings and using eLearning. In the quantitative stage, 86 university teachers answered a web-based survey. Three questionnaires were used to explore associations between approaches and perceptions: the ‘approaches to teaching’ inventory, the ‘perception of the teaching situation’ questionnaire, and the ‘approaches to teaching using eLearning’ questionnaire. The last one was developed from the results of the qualitative stage of this research. Results showed that conceptions of teaching ranged from being focused on content and information to being focused on learning and the student. Conceptions of teaching using eLearning showed variation from being focused on information to being focused on communication and collaboration. Conceptions of blended teaching were proposed to emerge from associations between conceptions of teaching and conceptions of teaching using eLearning. In relation to approaches, results showed that approaches to teaching ranged from being focused on content and the teacher to being focused on learning and the student. Approaches to teaching using eLearning varied from being focused on transmission of information to being focused on communication and collaboration. As in the case of conceptions, approaches to blended teaching were also claimed to emerge from associations between approaches to teaching and approaches to teaching using eLearning. Regarding elements influencing teaching, seven factors emerged in relation to approaches to teaching using eLearning: ‘control of teaching’, ‘institutional strategy’, ‘technical support’, ‘pedagogical support’, ‘amount of time needed’, ‘teacher’s skills for eLearning’ and ‘students’ ability and willingness to using eLearning’. Factors influencing teachers’ general perception of their teaching situation were ‘control of teaching’, ‘institutional support’ and ‘students’ characteristics’. Associations between conceptions, approaches and perceptions were explored through ‘teaching profiles’ and ‘orchestrations’ Teaching profiles referred to systematic associations between conceptions and approaches to teaching in face-to-face and online teaching. Three blended teaching profiles emerged: ‘systematically information focused’, ‘dissonant’ (with 5 variations) and ‘systematically learning focused’. Blended teaching profiles associated with perceptions of the teaching situation and teachers’ characteristics led to ‘teaching orchestrations’. Three orchestrations emerged: ‘consonant (information focused) and coherent’, ‘dissonant and coherent’ and ‘consonant (learning focused) and coherent’. Results of the quantitative stage tended to support prior qualitative findings, and also identified ‘incoherent’ associations between approaches to teaching and perceptions of the teaching situation, which had not emerged in the qualitative study. Results of this research were claimed to have practical implications in terms of academic development, the management of teaching and eLearning, and the practice of teaching. In relation to academic development, it was proposed that programs focused on expanding university teachers’ awareness about ways of incorporating eLearning into on-campus education rather than only providing ‘technical’ skills are generated. In relation to management of teaching and eLearning, it was proposed that favourable conditions should be set up for the teachers to perceive they are supported for the incorporation of eLearning into their teaching. Finally, in relation to the practice of teaching, it was proposed that teachers incorporate learning tasks aligned with the communication-collaboration focused approaches to teaching using eLearning, such as blended discussions or knowledge building tasks.