abstract: The availability and subsequent expansion in the use of online learning environments has provided a new avenue for teacher professional development: blended learning. While blended learning environments may provide attractive benefits to teachers and school administration, the impact of blended teacher professional development has been largely unexamined in the existing research. This mixed-methods study investigated professional development outcomes for 64 teachers participating in district sponsored teaching professional development, 32 in a blended course and 32 in a face-to-face equivalent of the course. Outcomes of the professional development were measured using pre- and post- instructional belief surveys, participant satisfaction surveys, and interviews measuring retention of instructional beliefs and application of new instructional strategies. Additionally, participants who did not complete the course were interviewed to learn about their experience in the course and reasons for non-completion. The results of this study show similar changes in instructional beliefs for both the blended and face-to-face sections and significantly higher satisfaction with course content, materials, and instructor involvement among blended participants. However, blended participants were less likely to be transitioning to, or practicing new strategies as measured by interviews 12 weeks following course completion. A large number of blended participants showed evidence of their knowledge of new instructional strategies, but were reluctant to apply new strategies in their classrooms. Non-completers primarily cited lack of time for their withdrawal, but expressed an interest in future blended learning courses. The recommendations from this study should inform districts, schools, and teachers about blended learning for teacher professional development. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Administration and Supervision 2014

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Background: Practice knowledge exists as a complex relationship between questions and answers in a context of meaning that is often intuitive and hidden from the novice practitioner. Physiotherapy education, which aims to develop patterns of thinking, reflection and reasoning as part of practice knowledge, is often based on didactic teaching methods that emphasise the learning of facts without highlighting the relationships between them. In order to improve health outcomes for patients, clinical educators must consider redesigning the curriculum to take into account the changing and complex nature of physiotherapy education. There is some evidence that a blended approach to teaching and learning may facilitate the development of graduates who are more capable of reflection, reasoning and critical thinking, and who can adapt and respond to the complex clinical environment. The purpose of this study was to develop principles that could be used to guide the design of blended learning environments that aim to develop capability in undergraduate physiotherapy students. Method: The study took place in a university physiotherapy department in the Western Cape in South Africa, among undergraduate students. Design research was used as a framework to guide the study, and included a range of research methods as part of that process. The problem was identified using a systematic review of the literature and a survey of students. The design of the blended intervention that aimed to address the problem was informed by a narrative review of theoretical frameworks, two pilot studies that evaluated different aspects of blended learning, and a Delphi study. This process led to the development of a set of design principles which were used to inform the blended intervention, which was implemented and evaluated during 2012. Results: The final results showed that students had undergone a transformation in how they thought about the process and practice of learning as part of physiotherapy education, demonstrating critical approaches towards knowledge, the profession and authority. These changes were brought about by changing teaching and learning practices that were informed by the design principles in the preliminary phases of the project. These principles emphasised the use of technology to interact, articulate understanding, build relationships, embrace complexity, encourage creativity, stimulate reflection, acknowledge emotion, enhance flexibility and immerse students in the learning space. Discussion: While clinical education is a complex undertaking with many challenges, evidence presented in this study demonstrates that the development of clinical reasoning, critical thinking and reflection can be enhanced through the intentional use of technology as part of a blended approach to teaching and learning. The design principles offer clinical educators a framework upon which to construct learning environments where the affordances of technology can be mapped to the principles, which are based on a sound pedagogical foundation. In this way, the use of technology in the learning environment is constructed around principles that are informed by theory. However, clinical educators who are considering the integration of innovative strategies in the curriculum should be aware that students may initially be reluctant to engage in self-directed learning activities, and that resistance from colleagues may obstruct the process. Conclusion: The development of clinical reasoning, critical thinking and reflection in undergraduate physiotherapy students may be enhanced through the intentional use of appropriate technology that aims to fundamentally change teaching and learning practices. Design research offers a practical approach to conducting research in clinical education, leading to the development of principles of learning that are based on theory. / South Africa

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) education can positively impact the success of an ERP implementation. Incorporating new tools and technologies into the learning process can potentially alleviate the evident problems with ERP education. Blended learning and e-learning environments both offer opportunities for improvement in education. However, there are various factors and components that need to be in place for such an environment to be successful. The aim of this research is to provide an ERP e-Learning Environment (ERPeL) that can assist with ERP education in terms of creating an integrated and comprehensive learning environment for novice ERP users. In order to achieve this aim, this study followed the Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology which is specific to educational technology research and was applied in iterative cycles where various components of the environment were evaluated by different participants. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected by means of field studies (interviews, focus groups and questionnaires). The proposed ERPeL underwent several iterations of feedback and improvement. In order to determine the success of e-learning, various critical success factors and evaluation criteria were investigated. Field studies were conducted in order to validate the theory in a real-world context. An initial field study was conducted with third year Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) students who were enrolled in the 2014 ERP systems’ module in the Department of Computing Sciences. Many of the problems identified in theory were found to be prevalent in the real-world context. One of the DBR process cycles involved the implementation of specific components of the ERPeL at the Developing and Strengthening Industry-driven Knowledge-transfer between developing Countries (DASIK) introduction to ERP systems course. Participants were either NMMU students, academic staff or industry delegates. The components evaluated included videos, learning content, badges, assessment and the SYSPRO Latte m-learning application. Additional components of a leader board, live chats, peer reviewing, expert reviews, user generated content, consultancy with experts and SYSPRO ERP certification were implemented in the subsequent cycle where participants were 2015 third year NMMU ERP systems students. The criteria used to evaluate the success of the ERPeL and its e-learning components were adapted from literature and a new set of evaluation criteria for e-learning was proposed. The ERPeL is made up of Moodle, the SYSPRO ERP System, the SYSPRO e-Learning System, the SYSPRO Latte m-learning application, learning content and components. Overall the ERPeL was positively received by the various sample groups. The research results indicate that the use of an e-learning environment for ERP systems was positively received. The most positive aspects reported were the implementation of e-learning components such as the interactive videos, simulations and m-learning. In support of this Masters dissertation, the following three papers have been published and presented at two local conferences and one international conference: 1. SACLA 2014, Port Elizabeth (South Africa); 2. SAICSIT 2015, Stellenbosch (South Africa); and 3. IDIA 2015, Zanzibar (Tanzania).

Submitted by Rafael Santana (rafael.silvasantana@ufpe.br) on 2017-08-03T19:05:41Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) DissertaçãoFelipeDeBritoLima[Psicologia-Cognitiva2015].pdf: 3661452 bytes, checksum: 92b4b594975779c5840e9f76802cf341 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-03T19:05:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) DissertaçãoFelipeDeBritoLima[Psicologia-Cognitiva2015].pdf: 3661452 bytes, checksum: 92b4b594975779c5840e9f76802cf341 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-25 / CAPES / Esta pesquisa visa avaliar níveis de engajamento estudantil na execução de uma sequência de atividades de aprendizagem mediadas pelo uso de aplicativos educacionais inseridos numa prática de ensino multimodal. O experimento foi conduzido em uma escola estadual do Recife e teve como participantes 1 professor de matemática e 92 estudantes de 4 turmas de 1º ano do Ensino Médio. Os estudantes foram sistematicamente expostos a sequências de atividades envolvendo o uso de aplicativos educacionais, implementadas a partir de duas concepções distintas: a primeira associada a aulas tradicionais, expositivas e lineares, e a segunda tendo como fundamento (a) a literatura acerca do engajamento estudantil e das práticas de ensino multimodais e (b) a aplicação de um instrumento de aferição de familiaridade com ferramentas tecnológicas, utilizado para traçar um perfil dos respondentes. A ação dos estudantes sobre os aplicativos utilizados foi registrada em todas as aulas por meio de dispositivos de captura de telas e o material resultante foi analisado de acordo com categorias de comportamentos quantificáveis, desenvolvidas com base na metodologia da pesquisa em ciências do comportamento. Os resultados indicam que os níveis de engajamento variaram entre 84,78 e 82,61% na abordagem multimodal enquanto os índices obtidos através da prática tradicional foram de 26,09 a 19,57%. O H de Kruskal-Wallis (sig. ≥ 0,829) indica que as 4 turmas responderam de modo similar à cada tipo de sequência de atividades e o Wilcoxon pareado indica diferenças significativas intragrupo em todos as turmas (sig.≦0,014) quando contrastadas as performances associadas a cada abordagem. Características do ensino multimodal, como suporte a autonomia e interação via diferentes mídias, foram associadas à promoção do engajamento estudantil, e a partir das sequências de atividades conduzidas para o experimento, delineou-se um exemplo detalhado de implementação destas práticas que poderá ser usado pra fins de formação docente. / This study aims at assessing levels of student engagement in a sequence of learning activities mediated by the use of educational applets in a Blended Learning scenario. The experiment was carried out at a state public school in Recife and had as its participants a math teacher and 92 freshmen High School students from 4 different classes. Students were systematically exposed to sequences of learning activities featuring the use of educational applets and implemented based on two distinct approaches: the first, associated with traditional, linear and lecture-based lessons, and the second being informed by (a) current literature on student engagement and blended learning systems and approaches as well as (b) data collected through a measure of digital literacy intended to provide a profile of the learners. Students’ actions using the applets were recorded by screen capture devices and the resulting output was analyzed according to categories of quantifiable behavior developed within the scope of scientific methodology in behavioral research. Results shows that levels of student engagement range from 84,78 to 82,61% in blended learning scenarios and from 26,09 to 19,57% when under the traditional approach. Kruskal-Wallis’ H (sig. ≥ 0,829) indicates the four groups responded similarly to each type of sequence of activities and the Wilcoxon signed rank test points to significant intra-group differences (sig.≦0,014) in all four groups when contrasting the performances associated with each approach. Features of Blended Learning, such as autonomy support and interaction via different media were associated with the promotion of student engagement and based on the activities conducted for the experiment, a detailed sample of implementation, which may be used for teacher development purposed, was effective designed.

Self-regulation is necessary for success in any learning context, but for adult immigrants to the United States who are trying to learn English, it is critical. This qualitative research investigated 46 such learners enrolled in a blended English language course. Using Zimmerman’s 6 dimensions of self-regulation as a framework and data from observations, interviews, and reflexive journals, we attempted to understand and describe how these learners experienced self-regulation. We found that although these learners had strong desires to learn English, they lacked the self-regulation abilities that could bring their desires to fruition. They had difficulty transferring their desires to learn English into persistent motivation, effective goals, and management of time and physical environment so they could prepare for class and complete the online modules. They were more proficient in proactively using language learning strategies and creating a social network to which they could turn for help. However, in both of those areas, they did not evaluate their activities to see where they could improve. The results suggest that embedding self-regulation instruction into a language course could increase learner retention and academic success. When designing such instruction for these adult learners, designers should adapt their instruction to the type of access the students have, their culture and values, and the context of their lives.

Students who are raised in poverty and are not adapted to technology use have less positive learning experiences with technology usage than other students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore students' perceptions of blended learning among gifted students who are enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program in a public high school district in the southeastern United States. Davis's version of the technology acceptance model was used as the conceptual framework. The research questions explored the perceptions of these gifted students when they are taught using blended learning in terms of their attitudes, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and behavioral intentions. For this exploratory case study, interviews were conducted with 10 gifted high school students. After manual and digital coding, the emergent themes were an overall positive perception of blended learning. The participants had a positive attitude toward educational technology and also an overwhelmingly positive outlook on behavioral intentions of using education technology. The participants also felt that the perceived usefulness and the perceived ease of use of blended learning platforms were attainable for them. This research may encourage positive social change by providing a needed resource for teachers, parents, and technology coordinators who work in low socioeconomic areas because there is very little research on gifted students in poverty and their use of blended learning. The results of this study indicate that students in poverty could use blended learning for gifted programs and advanced courses that might not be available at their local school in a low-income area.

The purpose of this comparative, quantitative study was to explore the relationship of interim test scores among remote and in-person learners, low-income students, and students with disabilities. In March 2020, a portion of students enrolled in a K-12 school in Northeast Tennessee was moved into remote learning until the end of the school year in May 2020. In July 2020, parents were given the option for their child to attend remote or in-person learning. While some chose in-person learning, giving reasons such as child-care, work obligations, or personal preference, others chose for their children to continue to receive online learning due to health concerns brought on by the pandemic. Since these decisions were made, some parents that originally opted for online learning chose to send their child back to school due to perceived obstacles faced within the online environment. This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of online learning in comparison to in-person learning for students grades three – six separated into the following categories: general population, students with disabilities, and low-income students. Comparison of both mathematics and literacy interim third quarter checkpoint data were analyzed using SPSS software to conduct a series of independent t-tests. Data were analyzed at the 0.05 level of significance. Twelve research questions were addressed testing corresponding null hypotheses. Results included third grade online literacy scores significantly exceeding the scores of in-person. Mean literacy and math scores were approximately equal for online and in-person learners. Overall, scores for students with disabilities and low socio-economic students were approximately equal whether the learners were online or in-person.

This graduation project deals with the analysis of the actual state of the eLearning, teaching aids available and the proposal of the proper teaching aid for subject The Operations and System Analysis. The whole project is divided into the five parts. The first one is the introduction, the second part defines and concretises the main goal and used methods of this thesis. Further chapter contains theoretical explications of the given topic from the point of view of several authors and other resources. The fourth part pursues the comparison and analysis of the existing software. The results of this analysis, their presentation and evaluation you can find, together with the proper teaching aid prototype, in the last chapter.

Blended learning technology integration by teachers can be influenced by a number of factors and is not simply a matter of following the dictate of an administrator or supervisor. A lack of knowledge exists as to what extent a high school teacher’s perception of blended learning influences his or her implementation decision. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of high school teachers regarding their decision to implement blended learning pedagogy in their classroom. Social cognitive theory and the technology acceptance model were used as the conceptual framework for this study. The key research questions were used to examine the perceived ease of use and the perceived usefulness of technology and their effect on the decision to implement blended learning pedagogy. Participants were 11 teachers with access to blended learning pedagogy from 4 different school sites. Data sources were semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using a multistage, open coding approach, identifying themes of positive and negative influencers of perceptions of blended learning pedagogy. Results indicated that teachers have a high regard for classroom technology use and recognize the potential value of blended learning with the ability to individualize instruction as the strongest positive aspect. The results also indicated that the key negative influences on perception were lack of professional development and technology resource support, i.e., Internet availability and computer access. This study creates positive social change by providing all high school education stakeholders knowledge of the influencers of teacher perceptions of blended learning to address potentially negative influences, increase the likelihood of classroom adoption, and reduce wasted resources.

The purpose of this study was to conduct an evaluation on a workplace training program using the Community of Inquiry (COI) model as a guide for course construction. Given that online and blended learning programs have gained popularity in the past two decades, companies have struggled with how to prepare trainers in the areas of online teaching methods and instructional technology usage to create an effective and engaging learning environment. In this study, I utilized the COI model, created for use in higher ed settings, in a workplace setting as a curriculum framework to revamp an unsuccessful online learning program. The new curriculum and course logistics framed three presences contained in the COI model—cognitive, social, and teaching. The researcher conducted evaluations by surveying the learners, the training team, and by direct observations of the instructional designers. Results suggested that the COI model was a good foundation for building an online learning course in a workplace setting with slight variations. A recommendation for future use in this new setting was to divide the teaching presence into two presences and create a new design presence, which makes a clear delineation between instructional design and content delivery functions.