This thesis is situated in the context of the emergence of the ‘digital university’ in higher education. It addresses research questions which focus on organizational change, particularly on how a strategic shift to increase the provision of online distance education in a traditional, research-intensive, campus-focused university, affects the existing temporal and spatial practices of the institution. The research undertaken focuses on a UK university, during a period of strategic digital expansion in its postgraduate taught degree programmes, where funding is allocated by the institution to support a number of new courses and programmes, developed and designed to be available to students on a fully online basis. I take a narrative ethnographic research approach, which draws on interviews with university staff and students, alongside higher education policy and think-tank documents, and institutional websites. Particular attention is paid to the temporal aspects of each narrative account, in order to surface temporality over what I consider to be the spatial preoccupations of the literature and practices of online ‘distance’ education. Sustaining a critique of ‘anytime, anywhere’ accounts of online education, with a reminder that education takes place over time and in particular times and spaces, I draw on Sharma’s (2013) work on ‘critical time’, and particularly her notion of temporal ‘recalibration’ (2014), to think about complex temporal relations in the digital university. I go on to explore the idea of the digital university as transtemporal, as an alternative conceptualisation which opens up possibilities for imagining the university beyond its traditional temporal and spatial boundaries. I argue that understanding the dominant times and spaces of the university campus as central, and those accessing the campus in asynchronous or asymmetric ways as peripheral, may not just lead to spatially biased practices of distancing, but to a lack of recognition of emergent inequalities which are digitally reconfigured and potentially invisible. I conclude with some reflections on theoretical and methodological approaches to time and the digital in higher education and propose areas for future research.

M.Ed. (Media Studies) / As man is a dynamic being living in a 'world where "information (including knowledge) is accumulating in many fields at rates far exceeding a worker's capacity to absorb it" (Hawkridge, 1983:5) his initial training will always be insufficient and should be supplemented by means of in-service and further training. It appears that, because of financial and other reasons, further training will increasingly take place by means of tele-tuition. In the past few years, the sound cassette has been used more and more in tele-tuition owing to features such as its convenience, availability, inexpensiveness and effectiveness . Among the problems identified is that very few lecturers are familiar with the special didactic demands of tele-tuition and especially the use of the sound cassette as educational medium in the tele-tuition situation. Structured directions on the use of sound cassettes, to assist the lecturer, could not be found in the literature. This situation can easily lead to a haphazard and ineffective use of the sound cassette. The objective of this study, therefore, is to provide the lecturer with guidelines regarding the planning, production and use of sound cassettes in tele-tuition. In order to accomplish this objective, it was necessary to study existing literature and to talk with people who are authorities in their separate fields. With the information gathered, a frame of reference regarding tele-tuition at tertiary level was structured as basis for further discussion. Thereafter the potential of the cassette and the criteria that should be taken into consideration when planning, producing and using the sound cassette, were discussed. This led to some suggestions regarding the lecturer's preparation, the production, indexing, dispatch and evaluation of sound cassettes, and briefing the student on the use thereof. This study does not see the sound cassette as a panacea, but as an under-exploited educational medium with great potential in the tele-tuition situation

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MIS (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Information Science / unrestricted

AFRIKAANS: In die lig van 'n nuwe Suid-Afrika met 'n groot diversiteit ten opsigte van kulture, etnisiteit, tale en sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede is die paradigmaskuif, wat tans besig is om plaas te vind in die onderwyssisteem, nie so maklik uitvoerbaar nie. Onderwysbestuurders wat opgevoed en opgelei is in 'n outokratiese onderwyssisteem en gewoond was om skole as geslote entiteit te bestuur, beleef ‘n onvermoë en gebrek aan bestuursvaardighede om die nuwe verandering na 'n demokratiese homogene multikulturele onderwysstelsel te bestuur. Onderwysbestuurders is nie gewoond om skole as selfbesturende oop entiteite te bestuur nie. Daar heers gevolglik ‘n dringende. behoefte by onderwysbestuurders tot verdere studie om sodoende op praktiese wyse hul bestuursvaardighede te ontwikkel om hierdie paradigmaskuif te bestuur. As gevolg van dringende werksverpligtinge en ekonomiese implikasie, kan onderwysbestuurders egter nie hulle instellings vir 'n jaar of twee verlaat vir verdere studies, terwyl die paradigmaskuif momentum kry nie. Onderwysbestuurders is gevolglik geforseer om verdere studie deur middel van afstandsonderrig te doen. 'n Ondersoek word geloods om vas te stel wat die beste afstandsonderrigmetode sal wees om praktiese bestuursvaardighede te ontwikkel. Hierna word ook riglyne verskaf hoe om so 'n kursus te bestuur en te administreer. Die aanname word dan ook gemaak dat die tersiêre instansie wat eerste met hierdie afstandsonderrigmetode voortgaan, toonaangewend sal word en groei in inskrywingsgetalle vir onderwysbestuurders. Hierdie afstandsonderrigmetode is interaktiewe televisie-onderrig wat die antwoord blyk te wees vir die probleem van effektiewe kwaliteit opvoedende onderrig aan onderwys¬bestuurders. Vraelyste is uitgestuur aan respondente wat reeds onderrig deur middel van interaktiewe televisie ontvang om vas te stel in watter mate respondente tevrede is met afstandsonderrig deur middel van interaktiewe televisie-onderrig en of hulle in die toekoms weer van hierdie onderrigmedium gebruik sal maak. Nadat die konsep van interaktiewe televisie-onderrig belig word, poog die navorser om 'n bestuursplan daar te stel om sodanige onderwysbestuurskursus deur middel van interaktiewe televisie op mikrovlak te bestuur. Die navorser sien 'n interaktiewe televisie-uitsending as 'n produksie en program dus om 'n produksiebestuursplan op mikrovlak van sodanige uitsending wat preproduksie, produksie en na-produksie insluit, te ontwikkel. Sodanige produksiebestuursplan sal dan aan die produksiebestuurder (departementshoof of projekbestuurder) aandui hoe om 'n praktiese wyse bestuursfunksie suksesvol in spesifieke bestuursareas uit te oefen ten einde kwaliteit onderrig deur middel van interaktiewe televisie-onderrig te verseker. ENGLISH: In view of the fact of a new South Africa with a great diversity with regard to cultures, ethnicity and socio-economic conditions, it is not easy to implement the paradigm shift which is currently taking place in the educational system. Educational managers who have been educated and trained in an autocratic educational system and who were used to managing schools as closed entities experience an inability and a lack of management skills in order to manage the change to a democratic homogenous multi-cultural society. Educational managers are not used to managing schools as open entities, consequently a serious need exists for further study for educational managers in order to develop their management skills in a practical manner to enable them to manage this paradigm shift. However, as a result of pressing work commitments and economic implications, it is not possible for educational managers to leave their institutions for a year or two to pursue further studies while the paradigm shift gains momentum. Educational managers are therefore forced to pursue further studies by means of distance learning. A project has been launched in order to determine what would be the best distance learning method to develop practical management skills. This is followed by guidelines on how to manage and administer such a course. The assumption is made that the tertiary institution which leads the way in administering this distance learning method will. become pre-eminent and that the enrolment figures for educational managers will increase. This distance learning method is interactive television education which seems to be the answer to the problem of effective quality educational instruction for educational managers. Questionnaires were sent to respondents who are currently receiving training by means of interactive television to determine to which extent the respondents are satisfied with distance learning by means of interactive television and whether they would make use of this educational medium in future. After highlighting the concept of interactive television, the researcher attempts to provide a management plan to manage such an educational management course by means of interactive television on micro level. The researcher sees interactive television broadcasts as a production and a programme, and therefore plans to develop a production plan on micro level of such a broadcast which includes pre¬production, production and post-production. Such a production plan will indicate to the production manager (head of department or project manager) how to implement in a practical manner, management functions in specific management areas in order to ensure quality education by means of interactive television education. / Dissertation (MEd (Educational Management))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

This study set out to investigate a unique case of innovation adaptation and institutionalization in a depressed socio-economic environment. The main aim of the study was to understand and explain interventions and innovative strategies that underpin the survival and growth of the Open and Distance Learning Mode (ODLM) in Zimbabwe. Towards this end, the data to address the research questions was derived from the case study methodology which incorporated, among others, documentary analysis and interviews with persons involved in the initiation and management of the ODLM. The results of the study indicate that three broad categories of strategies, namely protectionism, innovative leadership and educational entrepreneurialism or commodification constitute the foundation of ODLM durability in Masvingo Province. Protectionism in the context of ODLM survival and growth are projected and articulated in the policy instruments such as mandates and legal frameworks which shielded the innovation from the usual hazards of the innovation process. Protectionism enabled the ODLM to gain traction in an elitist and conservative higher education landscape. Correspondingly, innovative leadership is manifested in a highly motivated team of management staff committed to the propagation of the ODLM to every part of Masvingo Province. The leadership at the Masvingo Regional Campus (MRC) utilizes the multiple stakeholder approach as strategy for establishing convergences and equilibrium in respect of the interests and concerns of the four main stakeholders, namely the government or the ruling party which initiated the implementation of the ODLM; the employers of ODL graduates who affirm the relevancy of ODL qualifications, the students who sustain ODLM by generating revenue for the ZOU, and finally, the MRC staff who are the implementers of the ODLM programmes. Likewise, educational entrepreneurialism constitute another key strategy in ODLM survival and growth. This strategy is articulated in the principle of continual adaptation and creation of market – driven programmes. The above results have several implications to various role players and actors involved in the educational reform and innovation. Firstly, the results of the study reveal the imperative for power elites or policy formulators to ensure that they initiate and adopt educational innovations that match the capacities of their implementers and the socio-economic realities of their respective countries or societies. In this regard, the ODLM appears to have been a prudent choice in light of the challenges that were being encountered in post-independence Zimbabwe. Secondly, from a management perspective, the selection of the innovation team to spearhead or steer the implementation was prioritized. Only competent and committed personnel positively disposed towards an innovation should spearhead the implementation. In addition adequate training and staff development should be instituted to keep the implementers abreast of new trends and standards in educational provision. Lastly, the results of this study constitute a clarion call to curriculum developers in African university departments to design and develop programmes which resonate with the needs of key stakeholders who constitute the support base for viable educational institutions.

My thesis is focused on problems of the e-learning in the world (especially with the situation in USA and Europe) and with the situation in Czech republic. The thesis is devided into several parts. The first part is the theoretical introduction. On this place I focus on positive and negative aspects of e-learning, the content and the advantages and disadvangetes of e-learning in constrast with the classic teaching. Technological aspect is very important too, because there is a progress in this area both the technological and organizational view. By studying the theoretical information a reader can get a solid base on the e-learning problems. In the second part of the text, I describe the present situation in this area. Especially the situation in Europe and in North America (Canada and USA). The third part of the text is devoted to the situation on the education systém in Czech republic. I am interested in the situation on primary, secondary and tertiary education. The importance is concentrated also on the legal regulations. In the last two paragraphs, I am interested in the analysis of the Faculty of informatics and statistics, the University of Economics, Prague faculty. I am trying to answer the question if it is possible to establish e-learning on this faculty.

M.Cur. (Professional Nursing) / Nursing as a humanistic profession has a responsibility to train expert practitioners with a responsibility towards the community. A variety of factors necessitate the cooperation between distance education an~ contact education. Some residential universities are planning, or are involved in, the presentation of courses through distance education. For the purpose of this study, a descriptive contextual investigation was undertaken of the profile of distance learning nursing students; and with a view to provide guidelines to residential universities for .the preparation and presentation of distance education courses. Relevant literature pertaining to distance education and contact education was studied and the Nursing for the Whole Person Theory as 'Nell as Holmberg's theory on guided didactic discussion formed the basis for compiling a conceptual framework for this study. A questionnaire was handed out to distance learning respondents at an Institute for Nursing and findings were obtained from them. It appears that the older, more adult person who has job and household responsibilities, is involved in distance education. It also appears that guidance by the tutor, especially by indirect means through the use of stUdy guides and assignments, is important. Supporting services, such as student counselling and accessible libraries, are needed. A variety of support groups can either have a positive or negative influence on the student's motivation level as well as success in her studies. Closer contact between educational institution and employer is recommended. All the facilities which are conducive to the studenfs learning should be functional and supportive guidance by the tutor, especially through indirect contact, is important for the student's success and motivation level. In the recommendations and guidelines possible solutions to problems are suggested. This accommodates the conceptual framework for interaction between the tutor, system and student to facilitate positive patterns of interaction between student's internal and external environment. A responsible, expert and independent practitioner can thus develop.

During 2002, the Extended Campus Services Librarian and the Instruction Librarian at East Tennessee State University created tutorials that were compiled on a CD to be distributed to online students. This workshop presents a simple process using PowerPoint to create interactive HTML-based tutorials, as well as menu and auto-run programming specific to use on a CD. Discussion of the other technologies used for the CD (Dreamweaver for Web editing and customizing open source tutorials from TILT) is included. An overview of the pedagogical theory underlying tutorial design is provided, and the rationale and distribution method for the CD-ROM format is discussed.

There has been a phenomenal growth in distance education since it's early days as correspondence study. Computers and the tools that go along with them, help to bridge the gap between physically separated people. Computers allow for resource sharing, decentralization, and limitless opportunities for instantaneous communication and transfer of information around the world. A variation of the traditional distance learner is the on-line learner. The on-line learner is a student on or near campus who chooses to take a class on-line versus the traditional classroom method. Questions are generating regarding why these students choose to take these on-line courses when they have they have access to the physical classroom. Since these students are familiar with an on-line setting, questions are also generating regarding the availability of on-line services. The participants included in this study were on-line learners enrolled in 13 totally on-line classes offered at a large, public, research university located in a mid-Atlantic state. The purpose of this study was to examine what motivates students to take on-line courses and to assess their interest in receiving other academic and student services on-line. Data were collected through a survey designed specifically for this study. / Master of Arts

This dissertation describes the observations of the interaction of adult learners at remote distance education sites. The researcher audited 11 complete courses at four receive sites during two academic terms. The observations were done in the Com-Net, audio-graphic system provided by Utah State University. The courses were provided for university credit to adults around the state. The research was designed to answer three research questions: 1.What interactions do learners at a distance exhibit in their educational setting? 2.What observable events appear to prompt the beginning and ending of the learners' interactions? 3.What observable outcomes result from the learners' interactions? A field study was conducted, using qualitative methodologies. In addition to answering the three research questions, the researcher observed four types of interaction already described in the literature of the field of distance education and identified a fifth type of interaction based on the field observations. The researcher also expanded on Burnham's definition of parallel learning in distance education. Finally, in this document, the researcher offers a definition of adult learner interaction at remote sites. The definition is provided to spark further discussion and research