Thesis (Ph. D.)--Southern Illinois University, Dept. of Secondary Education. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: l. 131-133.

Thesis (Ed.D)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Robert Hampel, School of Education. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Southern Illinois University, Dept. of Secondary Education. / Bibliography: l. 131-133. Also issued in print.

Digest of Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Minnesota, 1931. / Vita. Bibliography: p. 55-56.

Digest of Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Minnesota, 1931. / Vita. Bibliography: p. 55-56.

In educational institutions, the use of technology has been used to compliment face to face learning or used alone to deliver the educational needs and learning process for distance education. Where used alone, it is said to be online learning and where it has complimented traditional learning it can be said to be hybrid or blended learning. Before the pandemic, the question of choice or the voluntary use of these technology was there, and the student determined what was best suited for their educational and learning needs. This study looks at the how the students related with technology during the pandemic. It looks at constructs like performance expectancy, fit for use, effort expectancy, fit for task and ends with investigating the student’s perception on intention for future use. Using a mixed approach, the perception of students was sampled. First by using a quantitative method, hinged on the novelty of the disruption to reveal areas that could be of potential interest and then a qualitative method followed. The purpose of using a mixed method approach was for completeness and complimentary reasons. The results of the qualitative data and quantitative data were bridged to form meta-inferences, and these were used to answer the research questions and discuss the findings. The study revealed that technology was easy to use without little or no technical issues, it was fit for the task at hand, it aided the students to achieve their academic goals and needs, but intention to retain the use of technology for future academic activities was not welcomed. This was due to social factors like lack of motivation, feeling of isolation, lack of social interaction been missing but available in traditional classes. these are critical factors that affect the retention of technology for future use. In the presence of choice, they would rather go back to the traditional mode. They integration of technology with traditional mode of learning, i.e., blended mode of learning was highly welcomed.

Research suggests that perceived degree satisfaction and perceived job preparedness are related to positive experiences from undergraduate degree programs. Research also suggests that perceived levels of degree satisfaction and job preparedness may vary based on whether the student was a traditional or nontraditional student. Therefore the purpose of this study was to analyze the level of degree satisfaction and the level of job preparedness of distance learning students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies program at Mississippi State University in relation to that of on-campus students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies program at Mississippi State University. Participants for this study included graduates between the years of 2001 and 2009 from on-campus and from the distance learning campuses of the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies degree program at Mississippi State University. The instrument for collection was the Degree Satisfaction and Job Preparedness Survey which was adapted from the Survey of Occupational Education Program. Data were collected in the areas of degree satisfaction, job preparedness, and demographics. Based on the researcher’s interpretive scale, the study found that the overall level of degree satisfaction among graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies Program at Mississippi State University was relatively high. The study also showed that degree satisfaction was higher among distance learning graduates of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program than it was among on-campus graduates of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program. The study also found that based on the researcher’s interpretive scale that the overall level of job preparedness among graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies Program at Mississippi State University was relatively high. In addition the study also showed that job preparedness was higher among distance learning graduates of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program than it was among on-campus graduates of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program.

Thesis (MA (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die geografiese ligging van enige bepaalde skryflaboratorium maak dit dikwels moeilik vir verafgeleë afstandonderrigstudente om ’n konsultasie te ontvang. ’n Veeleisende klasrooster kan dit vir residensiële studente enersyds problematiseer om ’n nabygeleë skryflaboratorium fisies te besoek vir hulp rakende ’n spesifieke skryfopdrag. Hierdie twee studentegroepe benodig gewoonlik addisionele skryfhulp om die tekskwaliteit van hulle geskrewe tekste te verbeter. In hierdie werkstuk het die navorser gevolglik ondersoek ingestel of ’n elektroniese skryflaboratorium, gegrond op die bestaande World Wide Writing (WWW)-model, ’n statisties beduidende effek gelewer het om studente se skryfvaardighede te verbeter. Die teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie loodsprojek is verskaf deur Bereiter en Scardamalia (1987) se tweeledige skryfprosesmodel. Laasgenoemde model het ’n belangrike komponent van die ondersoek gevorm om die ontwikkeling van die hersieningsfase (waarmee ook herskrywing bedoel word) in die skryfproses te illustreer, nadat die proefpersone blootgestel is aan ’n skryfadvies oor paragrafering. Altesaam 67 tweedejaarproefpersone van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch het die opdrag ontvang om verbeterings aan die paragraafstruktuur van hulle oorspronklike teks aan te bring, ná verwysing van die elektroniese skryflaboratorium wat skryfhulp aangebied het in die vorm van web-advies. Hierna het die proefpersone ook ’n vraelys voltooi om hulle houding ten opsigte van die web-advies bloot te lê. ’n Geselekteerde ekspertpaneel het gevolglik die paragraafstruktuur van die tekste geëvalueer en sodoende aangedui of die tekskwaliteit verbeter het of nie. Hierdie resultate is uiteindelik gebruik om die effek te meet wat ’n elektroniese skryflaboratorium uitgeoefen het om die hersieningsfase van die skryfproses te beheer.

Although significant progress has been made to increase the throughput rate of students with disabilities in tertiary education, there is still much to be done as many disabled students face discrimination and difficulty in acquiring and receiving support. Moreover, disability policy often does not lead to practice at tertiary level. Many students with disabilities still need an ally for basic accommodations. The focus of this research study was on the perceptions and experiences of the students with disabilities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal: Howard College Campus regarding the University’s Disability Unit. This is in terms of the facilities and services offered by the Disability Unit as well as how effective it is in its functioning and meeting its students’ needs. This study was designed to explore the Disability Unit from the perspectives of students’, their experiences and responses to it. This research study was conducted with students with disabilities from the University of KwaZulu-Natal: Howard College Campus. The sample population included six participants from the major categories of disability at the University: visual and physical impairments. Of the six participants selected, two were without sight, two were partially sighted, and two were physically disabled. Furthermore, participants comprised both males and females and were studying at different levels at the University (i.e. first year, second year, fourth year and fifth year students). This research study aimed to explore the effectiveness of the Disability Unit at the University of KwaZulu-Natal: Howard College Campus in meeting the academic needs of its students with disabilities, from the perspective of the students with disabilities. Results from the current research study revealed that inadequate staff, resources and funding, poor coordination and communication between significant role players, substandard relationships, and insufficient awareness (around disabled students’ academic and social needs) among the entire University population represent major barriers to success for students with disabilities. Moreover, although student support services play a crucial role in supporting students with disabilities, the entire institution and university population, staff and students alike, is responsible for creating an inclusive environment where students with disabilities can experience a sense of community and attitudes of embracing diversity and accommodating differences. Responsibility, thus, lies with all relevant role players of the University of KwaZulu-Natal: Howard College Campus who must work together to overcome institutional as well as social barriers; accommodate for the students with disabilities, endeavour to meet their academic, emotional and social needs, and help them develop academically. In the future, progress can be made through the increased coordination of disability support services and programmes to educate faculties and peers about support, accommodations and rights of individuals with disabilities. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

This study explores the use of electronic information services (EIS) by students at the Howard College (HC) campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in the faculties of Engineering and the Humanities, Development and Social Sciences (HDSS). The objectives were to establish usage among students; identify determinants of usage and to make recommendations. To achieve these objectives, the study concentrated on answering these research questions: • Do UKZN students use library e-resources? • Which e-resources are UKZN students using? • Where do UKZN students access library e-resources? • Why do UKZN students use library e-resources? • What characterises non-users of library e-resources? • What barriers exist to the use of electronic information services (EIS)? A review of the literature identified a mix of quantitative, qualitative and combined methods used to investigate EIS usage. In various research studies, the variables considered to be determinants of use included age, status, discipline of study, subject content, computer proficiency, ease of use, availability and print formats in academic environments. The barriers experienced when using EIS formats, the adoption of technology and the usability characteristics of EIS were also important aspects evident in the literature. The methodology adopted was based on a pragmatic philosophical approach and sought to establish baseline data. A quantitative research design was used which set out to achieve the research objectives through data collection on two fronts. Firstly, the overall usage environment at UKZN was established by reviewing vendor usage statistics. The COUNTER compliant statistics for selected databases and e-journals were collected and analysed. As COUNTER statistics were not available for e-books, the statistics available from the vendors were used. Secondly, a stratified, random sample of students on the HC campus was surveyed by means of an online questionnaire. A response rate of 22.5% was achieved. Data collected established the characteristics of users; whether they made use of e-books, e-journals and databases; where they used them and how often; why they made use of them; and what barriers and problems they experienced when using them. Data from non-users was also solicited. Data is presented in graphs and frequency tables. The Chi-square test was applied to establish significant associations between variables and these results are produced in contingency tables. The findings established that EIS are used by students and usage fluctuates during the course of the academic year with peaks occurring in each semester and low points during the vacation periods. e-Journals and databases are used more than ebooks, while postgraduate students use EIS most. Non-users made up almost a third iv of the sample; while habitual, frequent and infrequent users were reflected in almost equal numbers among those who use EIS. Age, gender or discipline of study were not in evidence as determinants of use. Students undertake searches mainly from computers in the LANs but off-campus computers are also used, which highlights the importance of remote access. The library website is most often the starting point for navigation, although search engines are also popular as a virtual starting point. Locating information was the prime motivation to use EIS, and students largely rated the EIS they used as good or excellent. Barriers were experienced by as many as 37% of users who reported that the non-availability of EIS was the main problem, although they experienced other difficulties. In concluding, issues of library service delivery and recommendations regarding usage are made. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.