Title from title page of PDF (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed February 9, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-130).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Nebraska--Lincoln, 2002. / Title from title screen. PDF text: [2] leaves abstract; viii, 181 leaves dissertation : ill. Sites viewed on Aug. 30, 2002. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-163 of dissertation).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Alejandro Gallard, Florida State University, College of Education, Dept. of Middle and Secondary Education. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 16, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.Ed.)--East Carolina University, 2009. / Presented to the faculty of the School of Art and Design. Advisor: Robert Quinn. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed May 24, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2003. / Field problem. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-127).

Not available / text

Growth in distance education programs at public postsecondary institutions has been phenomenal. Nevertheless, not all of these institutions achieved their goals that prompted the creation of a distance education program in the first place. In an effort to understand why some programs succeed in achieving goals while others do not, past research has focused on either the technology used in delivering the program or the pedagogy used in designing course content. These studies may not have uncovered the whole story for though distance education programs may be based on technology and pedagogy they are designed and implemented within a social environment which affects the program's design and ultimate achievements. This would imply a need for a better understanding of how different social groups involved in distance education program design and implementation interact during the developmental process.This study sought to understand the effect of the social environment on the design of distance education program. Using Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) theory, it examined a collaborative distance education program's development from inception to implementation. The goal in investigating the social construction of this distance education program was to determine to what extent the program's final design was shaped by social forces surrounding the technology rather than the technology itself.The study used key social groups' attributes to assess to what extent each group was able to influence the program's design. Without reference to technological or pedagogical systems this study clearly demonstrated the potential of SCOT theory to explain how social groups shaped the program's ultimate outcome.

The purpose of this essay is to show the opportunities and difficulties of teaching within distance education. I will show this from two different parts of the world. One being Sweden and the other Australia, both countries run a distance education program with similar reasons students whom travelling, some living hundreds of miles from any schools and some students with health and or social disadvantages. This study is based on the actual teacher’s accounts and experiences the opportunities and difficulties in teaching in distance. The main method of collecting this data has been through interviews with the teachers, a distance-school administrator and a researcher from Sweden. A survey was mailed to Australia which has been filled in and returned by an administrator/head teacher for distance education. The main research questions asked were: What are teacher’s experiences in distance education? What are the opportunities and difficulties by teaching in distance education? The interview conversations has been structured, generalised and reformulated in order to form a concrete set of teachers overall experiences. The literatures were support for many of the teacher’s thoughts and even things that compliment and add a broader picture of the subject and the results are discussed and weighed up against teacher’s own experiences. The study reaches the conclusion of how the teachers express are of opportunities and difficulties in teaching the students in the best possible way, to stimulate learning by not only focus on teaching content but also on its learning environment.