Usage rates of blogs, social media, and online courses have been exponentially increasing in the last decade, especially among the college student population (Knight-McCord, et al., 2016). While the benefits of these platforms, including connectivity, visibility, social feedback, persistence, and accessibility are attractive to students as an online learning tool, there is a rising concern regarding privacy and confidentiality. This study aimed to investigate how students’ privacy and confidentiality concerns and attitudes influence their participation level and degree of openness within an online learning environment. Communication privacy management (CPM) theory served as the theoretical framework for this study in order to focus on understanding the way people perceive and manage privacy, both personally and with others. A quantitative correlational research design was selected for this study to examine the relationship between privacy concerns among students enrolled in a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate program at a Midwestern university and their participation levels within blogs, social media, and online courses. The quantitative software package SPSS was used to conduct multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to test for the statistical significance of the variables.

Online learning sessions are becoming increasingly common. In this study, we reviewed over 150 studies of online and blended learning, revealing that the factors that affect student preferences for online or in-person learning vary widely and compiled a table of these factors. They can be categorized as either learning preferences or current lifestyle conditions. To better understand these preferences, we implemented an intervention in which college-level engineering students were given the choice to attend either an online or in-person session for a class they normally attended in a different modality. We compared college students' stated preferences with demonstrated attendance for online or in-person instruction. We surveyed approximately 150 undergraduate students from two different courses in engineering who participated in both in-person and online learning experiences. We conducted a pre and post survey, created based on the categories formed from our literature review. Data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test, Phi correlations, and structural equation modeling in order to determine the most salient combination of preferences that affect students' choice to attend either an online or in-person class. Furthermore, this research specifically sought to understand why students' stated preferences may or may not align with their demonstrated attendance for online or in-person learning. Based on survey results, we used targeted interviews to understand student choices from 13 students whose choices did not match their stated preferences. We found that most students in our context of a typical in-person university prefer in-person instruction, but they also want some online class sessions if it is more convenient for them at the time. Through applying The Reasoned Action Approach and Model, we analyzed students' stated preferences and compared these with their demonstrated actions. The analysis revealed that students' self-prediction via a survey about whether or not they would attend an online class session was statistically significant at predicting their actual attendance, whereas stated preference for some online class sessions were not predictive. This finding suggests that preference-based surveys may not reliably predict students' actions in regards to attending online or in-person class sessions. Instead, we recommend using a survey with an appropriate predictive question, which will allow universities and professors to determine if it will be worth investing the time and resources in to creating online class sessions.

Blended finance (“BF”) is a form of structuring finance which involves using foreign aid to leverage commercial funding to a project. The topic is generally under researched, despite its increased importance in development finance and as a tool in attaining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This research set out to investigate if BF was being applied in a justified manner in private sector renewable energy (“RE”) projects in Sub-Saharan Africa (“SSA”). The first two sub-questions looked at the criteria considered when qualifying projects for BF, and the factors influencing terms offered. The final sub-question was to seek operational evidence of appropriate BF usage. Data was collected through a series of semi-structured interviews with Donors, Development Finance Institutions (“DFIs”) and research institutions and analyzed using an inductive thematic approach. A descriptive case study was used to answer the final sub-question, and involved interviews with key individuals involved with the BF approval process in the selected project. The results suggest that BF is being applied in a justified manner. Sub-question one found that there is a difference in the criteria considered by Donors and DFIs when offering BF. Donor principles appear to be broader, due to their limited engagement on individual projects and delegated investment authority to DFIs. Having a development rationale and economic case for the use of BF was a prominent theme with DFIs and Donors. Factors influencing the BF terms offered to projects were difficult to extract due to the sensitive nature of the topic. Four factors did emerge, with minimizing concessionality being an overarching theme. For the final sub-question, the Mocuba Solar project was used as a case study and provided much needed evidence on the detailed processes followed in assessing the projects need for BF and how terms were derived. This research sheds light on the project level use of BF in the SSA RE IPP context and identifies areas where improvements can be made. Having more BF case studies and an agreed definition of BF for reporting purposes were recommendations to ensure BF is applied effectively.

Social enterprises (SEs) are businesses managed by entrepreneurs who seek to improve society, and they represent an important trend in social change work. However, there is little empirical knowledge about which blended value accounting (BVA) methods are used by SE managers, and whether the use of BVA is perceived by SE managers as a critical success factor. Blended value accounting is a conceptual framework for measuring combined social and financial outcomes in SEs, and some believe that the use of BVA may be a critical success factor for SEs. This research was based on Covin and Slevin's conceptualization of entrepreneurial orientation. The main research question was whether the use of BVA methods was correlated with SE success from the perception of the SE managers. Surveys were sent to 3,682 SE managers in North America, the United Kingdom, Asia, and Africa (n = 280). Data were analyzed using multiple regression, with the dependent variable SE success, and the independent variables: the use of BVA method, number of employees, length of time in business, economic sector, and country of registration. Findings indicated no statistically significant correlation between the use of BVA method and SE success, though most SE managers, 73% of 280 respondents, were using BVA methods for other reasons, including complying with state laws. The BVA method B-Impact Rating System was used by 59% of survey respondents who used any method of BVA. These findings suggest that SE managers should select a BVA method that is inexpensive to implement, aligns with industry standards, and provides them with management information. Supporting agencies should create a global registry of SEs, report on the social change impact they create through their businesses, and encourage all businesses to adopt the social-change orientation of SEs.

No description available.

This report describes the development process of the Deutsche Bank Intro to Controls instructional training tool. This course utilizes a multi-faceted, blended approach, including web-based training, simulation, and instructor-led training components to teach complex banking operations. The report includes a literature review describing instructional theories, and strategies concerning the use of a blended approach in the training of complex systems and operations. The report also includes a description of the formative evaluation process and results. These results demonstrated a positive response to the content and instructional strategies employed in the training, as well as the need for future research to evaluate long-term effects of the training. Finally, the report contains a critique of the project, discussing its strengths, its weaknesses, and opportunities for future training projects.

This report describes the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of a web-based unit that was designed to enable blended learning in a course for pre-service teachers learning about technology integration. The unit aims to teach students about the TPCK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework and how to incorporate it in their teaching designs to make their instruction more effective. The report describes the process of design and development using the rapid prototyping technique. The evaluation section describes the results of the implementation of the design. Finally, the conclusion provides a critique of the project's strengths and weaknesses.

This design-based research study explored whether Sense of Community was maintained while flexibility in the course was increased through an adoption of a unique blended learning model. Data collected in this study show a significant drop in the sense of connectedness score from a mean of 50.8 out of 66 to a mean of 39.68 in the first iteration. The score then began to gradually increase, reaching 50.65 in the third iteration. Results indicate that transitioning to a blended learning environment may be a suitable option to increase flexibility while maintaining a Sense of Community in a project-based course. Future research into specific aspects of course design such as maturity of design, age-level of participants, and context would further develop understanding in this area.

Utbildning på högskole- och universitetsnivå har under åren 2020-2022 präglats av enorma påfrestningar, förändringar och restriktioner i spåren av den pandemi som drog över världen. Under våren 2020 behövde många lärare inom högre utbildning, över en natt, ställa om sin undervisning från campusbaserad undervisning till onlinebaserad distansundervisning och många studenter fick därmed också helt andra förutsättningar inom sina utbildningar. Men denna nya situation var emellertid inte endast till ondo. Den väckte nämligen också i många fall nya progressiva pedagogiska och didaktiska idéer som gjorde det möjligt att fortsätta bedriva undervisning även om ett stort antal studenter inte var på plats i lärosalen. En av dessa idéer är den synkrona formen av hybridundervisning där studenter erbjuds att ta del av en och samma läraktivitet antingen genom att delta fysiskt på campus eller digitalt på distans. Denna studie utgör både ett didaktiskt och vetenskapligt kunskapsbidrag till den här formen av undervisning genom att, med kursdeltagares uppfattningar och erfarenheter som grund, sätta fingret på möjliga vinster och utmaningar i en högskolepedagogisk kontext och därmed vägleda lärare som vill prova på att undervisa på detta sätt i framtiden.

Devry University, a private for-profit higher education institution, generates its revenue exclusively by students* tuition. In addition, DeVry University offers courses via two modalities: blended and online. Unfortunately, Devry University has seen its student enrollments decline over the last few years. Because of lower student enrollment levels, DeVry University has had to limit its course offerings. The problem of practice addressed in this dissertation is an insufficient number of blended course offerings for current DeVry students. To remedy this problem, an initiative was started at DeVry University to address the insufficient number of blended course offerings and to pilot a new course modality, cross-listed (C-L) courses, in the March 2014 session at four campus locations. More specifically, this initiative involved offering several sections of CIS115 (Logic and Design with Lab) in its C-L modality. C-L courses combine students registered in more than one modality: in this case, blended and online modalities. Upon completion of the pilot offering of C-L courses, an evaluation was conducted to determine if the new C-L modality had a positive impact on addressing the stated problem of practice. This evaluation used an outcome-oriented post-test only design with non-equivalent groups (quasi-experiment) coupled with qualitative components. The quasi-experiment compares outcomes of students enrolled in C-L courses (the treatment group) with students enrolled in blended and online courses (comparison groups) using post-achievement data. The results of the evaluation revealed that students who completed the C-L CIS115 courses performed as well as students who completed blended or online CIS115 courses, considering their course satisfaction levels and course outcomes. Professors* perceptions of the C-L modality were also analyzed; results indicate that professors are willing to endorse the new modality but not without suggesting some improvements. The evaluation also revealed that there was an increase in the number of blended courses offered at DeVry University campuses, suggesting that the problem of practice may be addressed by this initiative. Recommendations for further studies include repeating the pilot offering in the C-L modality, with the inclusion of professors* suggestions for improvement identified in this study. These improvements include providing campus-based professors with an ability to broadcast and record their classroom lectures for the benefit of all students enrolled in C-L courses.