The purpose of this study was two-fold, to understand student perception of the supplemental online courses and improve the online learning program at ABC Online Learning School. The study focused on students in Grades 6 -12 who belonged to the ABC School District and enrolled ABC Online Learning School high school credit courses to supplement their education. Student participants were asked to complete the Student Survey of Online Course Design. The data retrieved from the survey was analyzed using the Spearman correlation to establish the strength of the relationship between student perception of quality online course design and the importance of specific components of the online course. The results indicated that as student perception of quality increased, their perception of the importance of the component increased as well. Additionally, a logistic regression formula was used to test the ability to predict successful online course completions based on the developer of the online course (instructor-developed or vendor-developed) and the type of credit the student would earn based on completion (original credit or credit retrieval/recovery). The results of the analysis of the logistic regression showed that developer of the online course and type of credit earned did not have a significant influence on successful course completions. The study is significant because, in Florida, K-12 online courses are funded based on successful course completion and students are required to successful complete an online course to earn a high school diploma.

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Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / Teresa N. Miller / The purpose of this study was to identify current student preferences in order to improve distance education curriculum delivery of the distance education program of the United States Army Command and General Staff College (USACGSC). In this age of rapidly changing contemporary operating environments facing the United States Army, soldiers need up-to-date curriculum in a timely and flexible package with access from remote locations worldwide. This study offered analysis and results from the students’ viewpoints of distance education at the USACGSC. The main research question was: What are student preferences for the delivery of the USACGSC distance education curriculum? To answer this research question, sub-questions needed to be answered. These sub-questions were: (1) What are student preferences for course material delivery? (2) What are student preferences for instructional methods? (3) What are student preferences for collaboration with other students? And (4) What are student preferences for research? The survey data were used to answer the research question and the sub-questions. The data were analyzed using the USACGSC Quality Assurance Office (QAO) standard approved by the USACGSC Deputy Commandant. Based on this study, the researcher recommended making a portion of the USACGSC advanced distributed learning courses face-to-face; making all course material downloadable or issuing course material in print and CD; making coursework self-paced; and making faculty available to all online students.

This exploratory study was designed to examine counseling skill acquisition for Rehabilitation Counseling education students enrolled in a distance education Practicum I course. The course utilized interactive television (ITV), Desire 2 Learn (D2L), a course management system, and some formalized group meetings for curriculum delivery. Students were asked to provide two audio recordings that served as pre-test and post-test measures of counseling skills. Recordings were analyzed by two evaluators. In addition to the recordings, students completed two survey instruments, an initial demographic questionnaire and a survey of attitudes towards the use of technology in the course that was completed along with the post-test recording. A comparison of pre-test and post-test means on the audio recordings revealed no significant change in counseling skills for students enrolled in this course. There was an increase in the number of empathetic responses, clarifying statements, paraphrasing, questions and closing statements on the post-test recordings but a decrease in attending responses and opening statements. Survey findings indicated that students perceived distance education to be an effective use of their time and improved the quality of course interactions. Students also reported that technology made interacting with their peers difficult and somewhat impersonal. Approximately half of the students agreed that they were comfortable with the course technology. A majority to students indicated they would have preferred a traditional approach to learning counseling skills. These findings have implications for counseling programs currently utilizing ITV or webconferencing to deliver clinical skills courses. It may have broader implications for other clinical skills training programs delivering training via other distance education modalities.

Video teleconferencing is a successful tool in the education and business industry because of its ability to reach a large audience at numerous remote locations. New computer and communications technology allows for advances in teleconferencing capabilities. In this thesis, an analysis of educational teleconferencing requirements is performed to develop viable educational teleconferencing design approaches. These design approaches must consider various transmission means and typical methods of instruction. One design approach is selected and a functional design is performed. The design is evaluated using performance models and the Simscript II.5 simulation language. Curve fitting techniques are applied to observed data to create probability distribution functions used in creating an accurate model. The performance evaluation is used to optimize the transmission protocol and validate the design. The simulation results show that with a 9600 baud transmission rate, the effects of degraded transmission lines, short display times or abnormally large file sizes, have no significant effects on the proper performance of the system.

The choice of appropriate collaborative partners has consistently been reported as a key issue for contemporary managers. This study reports findings from a study which explored the process and criteria of partner selection - how and why partners are chosen. The results show multiple cycles of deal-making, partnership roles and organizational approval. Partner choice criteria focused on partnership requirements, but was influenced by additional factors. These results suggest that partner selection may be much more complex than previously recognized and could be better described as partner negotiation. <br /><br /> The researcher reviewed recent literature on partnerships, decision-making, and partner selection. Concepts from this previous work were updated with data from three initial interviewees experienced in university-industry partnerships. A conceptual Partner Negotiation Model was developed including three cycles of Deal-Making, Organizational Approval, and Partner Role/Selection. Our hypothesized Partner Choice Criteria centred on requirements, but were influenced by resource availability, social network, reputation, politics, and ambiguity. Two Canada-wide distance education consortia were identified as large-scale case studies for investigation of the research theory. A total of 34 informants were contacted. Written business plans, contracts, documents, partner network diagrams and 231 archival e-mails from 36 correspondents were collected and analysed for the two consortia. <br /><br /> The results showed strong support for partner selection included in negotiation cycles of deal-making and organizational approval. Partner choice criteria supported the need to meet documented requirements, but was also strongly influenced by resource availability, social network, and reputation. Additional issues of interest to the interviewees were motivation, operations, unit of partner, self-sustaining income, and integration to one consortium. As well, the Case Study Narratives offered deep, interesting insight into two specific cases of Canadian consortia. <br /><br /> The findings suggest that the formation of partnerships and the process of partner selection are both very complex. This research has provided new insights linking business negotiation concepts with partner selection. A model has been developed for viewing partner selection as negotiation. Three negotiation cycles of deal-making, organizational approval, and partner role/selection have been proposed. The research has identified four criteria that influence why specific partners are chosen ? requirements, resource availability, social network, and reputation. Finally, based on the complexities and issues from this work, a number of ideas for future research have been summarized.

Social work education is increasingly changing, and instructors are experimenting with new methods to deliver social work curricula to reach a larger population of social work students. Students previously excluded from university education based on their geographic location, financial limitations, family or work demands now have an opportunity to access social work programs in Canada using distance education, and distance education has become an emerging field of research. The current study identified instructor and student characteristics and university supports that were assessed as critical in creating an effective learning environment for delivering an entire undergraduate program of social work via distance education. The exploratory-descriptive study utilized a mixed-methods design to examine the perceptions of social work distance educators from four universities that offer a complete BSW degree accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE-ACFTS) through distance education: the University of Calgary, the University of Manitoba, the University of Victoria and Dalhousie University. Thirty-four social work distance educators completed a survey questionnaire, and 24 of these participated in qualitative interviews to identify the critical characteristics and university supports. Study findings suggest that effective performance of five distinct roles by both instructors and students are essential to creating an effective learning environment in social work distance education. The required university supports to maintain those roles are also identified. Based on these results a conceptual model for achieving effectiveness in social work distance education is identified. The study suggests what is needed to establish an effective learning environment in social work distance education and confirms the benefits of distance education in social work undergraduate programs. Suggestions for future research are included along with recommendations for building an effective distance learning environment in social work education. / May 2016

The concern of this study is the slow uptake of online learning at the Institute of Distance Education (IDE) in Swaziland. The Institute of Distance Education in Swaziland was set up in 1996 (Sukati, 2010) to offer distance learning to students. To date, most courses have used traditional print based materials, with some face to face contact in regional centres. IDE Policy makes clear that increasingly courses should be available online, using the institute’s learning management system (Moodle). However, uptake by lecturing staff of online learning has been very slow, and only a few courses are available on-line. The study identifies the factors that are perceived to support or inhibit the adoption and implementation of online learning at the IDE, and strategies that are seen as effective in facilitating its adoption and implementation. The research is located in the qualitative paradigm, and uses interviews as the main data gathering tool. Five different but coherent interview guides were used to collect data from staff offering online learning; staff not offering online learning; IDE programme coordinators; and two members of senior management. Some documentary analysis was also undertaken. The findings show that there were institutional factors, personal factors and external factors that both supported and acted as barriers to the adoption and implementation of online learning at the IDE. The study proposed strategies that might strengthen the supportive factors and overcome the barriers to adoption and implementation of online learning at the IDE. The conclusion drawn from the study was that there were more barriers than supporting factors and that this explains the slow adoption and implementation to online learning at the Institute. It also shows that while similar factors operate on the adoption and implementation of online learning at IDE as those identified in the literature, there are some factors which are particular to the IDE itself, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, et al., 1989) is thus modified to show the factors operating in this context.