This thesis reports the outcomes of an investigation into students’ experience of Problem-based learning (PBL) in virtual space. PBL is increasingly being used in many fields including engineering education. At the same time many engineering education providers are turning to online distance education. Unfortunately there is a dearth of research into what constitutes an effective learning experience for adult learners who undertake PBL instruction through online distance education. Research was therefore focussed on discovering the qualitatively different ways that students experience PBL in virtual space. Data was collected in an electronic environment from a course, which adopted the PBL strategy and was delivered entirely in virtual space. Students in this course were asked to respond to open-ended questions designed to elicit their learning experience in the course. Data was analysed using the phenomenographical approach. This interpretative research method concentrated on mapping the qualitative differences in students’ interpretations of their experience in the course. Five qualitatively different ways of experiencing were discovered: Conception 1: ‘A necessary evil for program progression’; Conception 2: ‘Developing skills to understand, evaluate, and solve technical Engineering and Surveying problems’; Conception 3: ‘Developing skills to work effectively in teams in virtual space’; Conception 4: ‘A unique approach to learning how to learn’; Conception 5: ‘Enhancing personal growth’. Each conception reveals variation in how students attend to learning by PBL in virtual space. Results indicate that the design of students’ online learning experience was responsible for making students aware of deeper ways of experiencing PBL in virtual space. Results also suggest that the quality and quantity of interaction with the team facilitator may have a significant impact on the student experience in virtual PBL courses. The outcomes imply pedagogical strategies can be devised for shifting students’ focus as they engage in the virtual PBL experience to effectively manage the student learning experience and thereby ensure that they gain maximum benefit. The results from this research hold important ramifications for graduates with respect to their ease of transition into professional work as well as their later professional competence in terms of problem solving, ability to transfer basic knowledge to real-life engineering scenarios, ability to adapt to changes and apply knowledge in unusual situations, ability to think critically and creatively, and a commitment to continuous life-long learning and self-improvement.

The perceptions of Southern and East African learners of their experience in a continuing education were examined using select dimensions of Khan’s e-learning evaluation framework as a theoretical one. This framework provided an evaluative frame in which to examine attributes of e-learning in the context of globalization, internationalization, and massification of education. This research provided a baseline of student perception about the utility and suitability of online education to meet the growing international demands for education. Technology has played a role in the delivery of education, such as that of recent emerging technologies, notably social media. Data included learner reflections and survey responses. A qualitative analysis methodology was used to analyze responses to the research questions. The findings from this research provided insight about student perceptions, engagement, and acceptance of social media as complementary tools in the delivery of educational programming for Southern and East African learners taking blended learning courses from Canadian universities with a proficient African facilitator. These findings permitted some understanding of the technological, social, cultural, and motivational challenges (Dimensions of Kahn’s framework) associated with distance education for African adult learners to permit more nuanced course design and delivery.

The perceptions of Southern and East African learners of their experience in a continuing education were examined using select dimensions of Khan’s e-learning evaluation framework as a theoretical one. This framework provided an evaluative frame in which to examine attributes of e-learning in the context of globalization, internationalization, and massification of education. This research provided a baseline of student perception about the utility and suitability of online education to meet the growing international demands for education. Technology has played a role in the delivery of education, such as that of recent emerging technologies, notably social media. Data included learner reflections and survey responses. A qualitative analysis methodology was used to analyze responses to the research questions. The findings from this research provided insight about student perceptions, engagement, and acceptance of social media as complementary tools in the delivery of educational programming for Southern and East African learners taking blended learning courses from Canadian universities with a proficient African facilitator. These findings permitted some understanding of the technological, social, cultural, and motivational challenges (Dimensions of Kahn’s framework) associated with distance education for African adult learners to permit more nuanced course design and delivery.

The main aim of this study is to examine participants&rsquo / satisfaction with online Information Technologies Certificate Program (ITCP) which is based on synchronous and asynchronous communication methods over Internet offered by cooperation of Computer Engineering Department and Continuing Education Center at Middle East Technical University. There are three main purposes under the main aim. These purposes are to describe the strength and direction of relationship between participants&rsquo / perceptions of online technologies self-efficacy, online learning readiness, locus of control, prior knowledge, and participants&rsquo / satisfaction / to analyze contributing factors of participants&rsquo / satisfaction based on semester 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the online ITCP / and to investigate instructors&rsquo / and participants&rsquo / views about satisfaction in online ITCP. The sample includes 62 participants who enrolled and 8 instructors who offered courses in this online program in 2004-2005. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods are used in this study. The results of the study demonstrate that participants&rsquo / initial perception of online learning readiness is only a variable that correlate statistically significant with participants&rsquo / satisfaction. Although participants&rsquo / overall satisfaction is generally positive, it decreases over the semesters of the program. Participants are satisfied with learner-instructor interaction and institutional support in the program. However, participants&rsquo / satisfaction level is low for interaction among participants. Also, participants&rsquo / satisfaction about course structure and flexibility decrease over the semesters in the program. Moreover, the findings of semi-structured interviews with participants and instructors and chat session and discussion list transcripts reveal complementary results to the statistical analyses.

The main aim of this study is to examine participants&rsquo / satisfaction with online Information Technologies Certificate Program (ITCP) which is based on synchronous and asynchronous communication methods over Internet offered by cooperation of Computer Engineering Department and Continuing Education Center at Middle East Technical University. There are three main purposes under the main aim. These purposes are to describe the strength and direction of relationship between participants&rsquo / perceptions of online technologies self-efficacy, online learning readiness, locus of control, prior knowledge, and participants&rsquo / satisfaction / to analyze contributing factors of participants&rsquo / satisfaction based on semester 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the online ITCP / and to investigate instructors&rsquo / and participants&rsquo / views about satisfaction in online ITCP. The sample includes 62 participants who enrolled and 8 instructors who offered courses in this online program in 2004-2005. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods are used in this study. The results of the study demonstrate that participants&rsquo / initial perception of online learning readiness is only a variable that correlate statistically significant with participants&rsquo / satisfaction. Although participants&rsquo / overall satisfaction is generally positive, it decreases over the semesters of the program. Participants are satisfied with learner-instructor interaction and institutional support in the program. However, participants&rsquo / satisfaction level is low for interaction among participants. Also, participants&rsquo / satisfaction about course structure and flexibility decrease over the semesters in the program. Moreover, the findings of semi-structured interviews with participants and instructors and chat session and discussion list transcripts reveal complementary results to the statistical analyses.

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The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that contribute to online collaboration in a web-based course by investigating the impact and the potential of an online learning environment in terms of both the students&#039 / and instructor&rsquo / s perceptions about learner benefits, learner support, motivation, computer mediated communication, and group work. A mixed methods case study design was thought to be appropriate to match the purpose of the study, thus a combination of components normally found in descriptive, case study and qualitative research was used to analyze the data. The study was conducted in the context of &ldquo / CSIT444-Online Web Design&rdquo / , an online course offered by the Institute of Distance Education of East Mediterranean University (EMU) in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This course was designed and developed by the instructor working at the Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology of the Middle East Technical University located in Ankara and carrying out the classes for this course as online for the students at EMU. The participants were the instructor and 209 vocational education last year students, who participated in the course for three successive semesters, at the School of Computing &amp / Technology. In order to explore the perceptions of the students, they were asked to complete a questionnaire at the end of the each semester. Of the 209 participants 175 students ranked their agreement on each twenty eight five-point Likert-type item and 129 of them wrote also their comments about their online learning experience by answering the open-ended item in the questionnaire. Several interviews were conducted with the instructor using the informal conversational interview approach to explore his perceptions through his reflections on his online teaching experience in the web-based course. The perceptual student responses from the questionnaire were analyzed quantitatively. The responses to the open-ended item in the questionnaire and informal interviews were evaluated qualitatively to find out the emerging themes. In addition, the online learning environment offered in the web-based course was examined by using the instructional design framework. This study concluded that both the students and the instructor perceived the online collaborative learning/ experience positively by reporting that it was a beneficial and motivating experience with the availability of group work, CMC, and adequate support structure. Several specific factors that contributed to collaboration via CMC in the web-based course were identified under seven major topics. By considering these factors, it is hoped that the results will yield better solutions in terms of providing meaningful online learning experiences.

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