M.Ed. (Media Studies) / Man's need for information is continually increasing and this need, in turn, presupposes continuing education and training (Freysen 1985:1). Further study, however, demands a high degree of motivation and self-discipline, and for that reason it is generally adults that register for such study, to update or broaden their knowledge. Since most students are employed and cannot be traditional students at a residential university, they turn to distance education as a result of the possibilities it offers. As a result of the separation between the student and the lecturer particular use is made of the printed word, as well as broadcasting and telecommunication media. Traditional dialogue takes place in the form of correspondence through the post, and it is also dependent on the above communication media. Among the problems that have been identified is the fact that most study packages have not been designed and compiled with the media in mind, and if various media are selected, this is done in a haphazard way. This study attempts to propose a procedure by which the lecturer can approach the design of multimedia study packages for distance education. For the lecturer, as well as the student, audiovisual media offer better control over learning, and greater interaction with the learning content. The student can revise, study and integrate the learning content at his leisure. In practice this means that audiovisual media should be more effectively used when planning instruction and learning (Bates, 1984:6). The distance education situation is approached as a didactic situation and the mportance of various components of the study package as an instructional is shown. The importance of media selection in the compilation of the study package is indicated, and certain aspects of instructional design are discussed. In this study an attempt has been made to show that instructional design is on the one hand a definite need, but on the other a definite possibility in distance education. Instructional design takes place in a systematic way by means of different procedures. During the design process a multimedia approach is followed in order to put together a multimedia study package which will put the student in a better position to learn.

Drawing upon qualitative methods of semi-structured interviews and observational talk-through interviews, this qualitative dissertation investigates the ways in which graduate students in an online course context experience online instructional videos. A conceptual framework of user experience and multimodality, as well as the framework of sense-making developed by McCarthy and Wright (2004) guided this study and data analysis. The findings of this dissertation have implications for how students are participating in, interacting with, and making sense of online learning environments. Some of the findings of this research include: (a) students do not necessarily experience course videos as discrete elements (or differentiate them with other aspects of the course); (b) the times and contexts in which students view instructional videos shifts (e.g., between home and commuting); (c) student motivations and expectations shape how they approach and orient themselves towards watching online course videos; and (d) multimodal design elements influence students’ meaning-making of online instructional videos. These data findings are all in support of the overarching conclusion of this dissertation, which is that students have significant agency in these online environments, and their meaning-making of online videos may not align with designers’ intentions. This conclusion argues against deterministic views of design. The emerging findings have design implications related to the creation of learning environments in online spaces, such as: (a) fully integrating videos within the broader instructional design of a course; (b) foregrounding the embedded context of instructional videos; and (c) accounting for the shifting times, places, and contexts in which viewers watch instructional videos. This dissertation is situated in the growing field of online education, in particular higher education, where significant money and resources are increasingly dedicated towards the development of online spaces while still much is unknown in relation to the design, experiences, and impact of these online learning environments.

D.Ed. / The aim of this study is to give an exposition of problems experienced by students studying through teletuition and to offer ways in which problems could be minimized or alleviated. From this exposition two sub-aims derive: to determine students' needs (with regard to various aspects of the teletuition experience); to develop a strategy for facilitating students' achievement in teletuition.

This dissertation examines the contribution that media make in quality distance education and seeks explanations for poor media selection processes. Distance education is viewed in policy documents as playing a crucial role in the development of South Africa and the provision of a wide range of education opportunities through distance methods has increased rapidly. There are however grave concerns about the quality of much of this provision. This reflects global disappointment where many technology-based educational operations failing to meet expectations. In Part One, the study scrutinizes the role of media in distance education and concludes that conceptually and in practice technology is indeed viewed as a crucial component of distance provision and consequently decision around the selection and usage of media will be significant in quality distance education. Thereafter the study analyses possible reasons for poor media choices, highlighting aspects such as over-enthusiastic beliefs in technology, a neglect of educational issues and an under theorized approach. Given that there has been considerable research activity into media usage, the study then examines why previous research has not been influential in media decisions, concluding that the research is conceptually flawed and overly crude. Having identified and discussed bad practice, Part Two moves into the positive and identifies basic principles in making better choices (such as examining our own beliefs, conceptualizing the relationship between education and technology and mobilizing team approaches). Developing more sophisticated understandings of education and technology and ways in which can be utilized forms the bulk of this section and includes a focus on current notions of quality education. Rather than concluding with strong recommendations, two specific areas for consideration - convergence and media combinations- are suggested. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

M.Ed. / The subject English is compulsory in the researcher's students' field of study. The researcher offers the subject English for the National Teacher's Diploma Technical and the National Higher Diploma : Post-School Education. The students come from many different cultural backgrounds and for many of them English is a second or third language. The researcher has observed that there are social affects with which students have to contend, and has detected a definite need amongst students for more certainty pertaining to communication in distance education. The researcher has also perceived definite distinguishing features amongst cultural groups in her subject field English. A definite need arose to examine problems experienced by students studying through teletuition, such as trying to interact with a distant institution, problems concerning the study of English as second or third language and social effects experienced by students in distance education. After having done theoretical research, the researcher included an empirical questionnaire survey in which she attempted to gain biographical and other background information. Respondents were asked questions which concentrated on methods by which they had learned English, whether they experience an intrusion of their home language on English language performance and whether culture impinges on the acquisition of English. The research also attempted to determine whether students experience demotivation, fear of failure and situational problems, amongst others. In the light of the literature study, the questionnaire survey and interviews, the findings summarily were that students * have a need for more contact with their lecturers * revealed a need for emotional support from relatives and lecturers * are demotivated by the negative tone of comments on assignments * experience situational problems * experience fear of failure * experience an intrusion of their home language on English language performance * experience a cultural intrusion in the study of English * experience too many cross - cul,tural contrasts which have an effect on the understanding of English. If the educator in a distance education institution is aware of the students' needs and problems, it would result in a greater understanding of this didactic responsibility in helping students realize their full potential.