The purpose of this study is to investigate a college computer course delivered in both online and face-to-face classes. As more online courses and programs emerge, concerns about the quality and comparability of online instruction with face-to-face instruction have arisen. Questions about the relative effectiveness of each mode of instruction are important both at the stage of course development and at the stage of course delivery. Earlier comparative studies have shown that online courses were equal to face-to-face courses. These studies evaluated student services and technological infrastructure, student satisfaction, and learning outcomes. However, few studies have been conducted on computer applications at the community college level. This study seeks to fill in this gap by providing students’ perceptions of computer education for a business program at the three-year diploma level. This study has examined the learning environment and informed practice by presenting differentiation and diversity mainly due to different mode of delivery in a college computer course. This study aims to provide a detailed understanding of the similarities and differences of college students attending online class versus face-to-face class taught by the same professor. It examines students’ perceptions of course design and delivery, their attitudes and beliefs about acquisition of computer applications, and their academic achievement as measured by the test scores. Mixed methods are employed to investigate the research questions both in depth and in breadth. In the Fall of 2009, 60 out of 89 eligible participants filled out the online questionnaire resulting in the response rate of 67% and six students participated one-on-one in-person interviews. Results from both quantitative and qualitative studies show that there is no significant difference between the face-to-face and online students with respect to their perceptions, attitudes, motivation, and learning outcomes. The findings demonstrate that there was no evidence showing difference between online learning and face-to-face learning. The different learning modes provide students with positive learning experiences. This study provides stakeholders such as students, college administrators, and professors with a detailed and meaningful understanding of the important learning environments for the online and face-to-face classes. The implications from the findings will help to enhance, advance, and expand face-to-face and online education at both the theoretical and practical level.

As a result of the increasing demand for tertiary education in many developing countries, institutions are seeking ways to increase educational access in difficult economic times. This paper describes the development of the University of the West Indies Open Campus as the mechanism for online distance education delivery to students across sixteen islands in the Caribbean region. The shift from the use of print based distance education to online education was examined from the perspectives of the administration, the instructors and the students in order to determine which factors were important for a successful transition. Factors examined included institutional context, vision, curriculum, organizational structure, finances, leadership, stakeholder attitudes towards online courses, staff training, student support and programme quality. The study also examined whether online education could promote a regional cultural identity. The research design used was a qualitative single case study with multiple data sources including archival records, semi-structured interviews and online surveys. Research findings indicate that implementing online education requires a deep understanding of the institutional context, clear vision, effective leadership, understanding attitudes towards online education and the provision of effective student support mechanisms. Context and aspects of culture (specifically communication) emerged as important factors that strongly influenced the transition, both pedagogically and in terms of the organizational culture and structure required to support online education. A lack of communication resulted in staff resistance both internally and externally. Communication was also the major stumbling block in the pedagogical changes required for online teaching and learning. Both students and instructors found teaching and learning online more difficult than in traditional classes as a result of the differences in communication modes between online classes and the wider culture. Students in online classes specifically desired the immediate feedback available in face-to-face classes and indicated a strong preference for blended learning. The study presents some suggestions for successful transitions and provides support for institutions preparing to use online education as a mode of distance education delivery, especially in the Caribbean context.

The purpose of this study is to investigate a college computer course delivered in both online and face-to-face classes. As more online courses and programs emerge, concerns about the quality and comparability of online instruction with face-to-face instruction have arisen. Questions about the relative effectiveness of each mode of instruction are important both at the stage of course development and at the stage of course delivery. Earlier comparative studies have shown that online courses were equal to face-to-face courses. These studies evaluated student services and technological infrastructure, student satisfaction, and learning outcomes. However, few studies have been conducted on computer applications at the community college level. This study seeks to fill in this gap by providing students’ perceptions of computer education for a business program at the three-year diploma level. This study has examined the learning environment and informed practice by presenting differentiation and diversity mainly due to different mode of delivery in a college computer course. This study aims to provide a detailed understanding of the similarities and differences of college students attending online class versus face-to-face class taught by the same professor. It examines students’ perceptions of course design and delivery, their attitudes and beliefs about acquisition of computer applications, and their academic achievement as measured by the test scores. Mixed methods are employed to investigate the research questions both in depth and in breadth. In the Fall of 2009, 60 out of 89 eligible participants filled out the online questionnaire resulting in the response rate of 67% and six students participated one-on-one in-person interviews. Results from both quantitative and qualitative studies show that there is no significant difference between the face-to-face and online students with respect to their perceptions, attitudes, motivation, and learning outcomes. The findings demonstrate that there was no evidence showing difference between online learning and face-to-face learning. The different learning modes provide students with positive learning experiences. This study provides stakeholders such as students, college administrators, and professors with a detailed and meaningful understanding of the important learning environments for the online and face-to-face classes. The implications from the findings will help to enhance, advance, and expand face-to-face and online education at both the theoretical and practical level.

The ubiquity of Web 2.0 technologies has led to a seismic shift in the way educational services are delivered. It comes as no surprise then that e-tutoring—otherwise known as electronic or online tutoring—is quickly supplanting face-to-face tuition for reasons of both cost and convenience. While e-tutoring is an effective form of academic support for many students, its efficacy remains tenuous for those confronted with a digital divide that figures predominantly around geographic barriers, socio-economic status, and educational levels. Premised on diffusion research, this master's dissertation explores the implementation of an e-tutoring service known as Homework Help that has effected relatively low adoption rates. It uses a concurrent mixed-methods approach—including surveys, interviews, and focus groups—to examine the factors that have led to this low adoption rate. The results are presented via two journal articles situated within a larger meta-talk: The first article contrasts the adoption patterns apparent between rural and urban students, while the second article looks at the utility of diffusion research in examining educational technologies, as it explores the use of e-tutoring for applied stream students. The findings of this study suggest that rural and urban, as well as applied and academic student subgroups, differ in terms of their perception and adoption of e-tutoring. Implications for educational policy, especially in regards to rural education, are discussed.

In early 2003, in a major shift in policy, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) announced that its learning materials would progressively move from a predominantly print-based mode of delivery to a new 'hybrid' mode of delivery across all discipline areas. Central to this delivery would be a resource-rich CDROM containing all study materials, supported with a range of multimedia based enhancements, online support and selective print materials. As this represented a fundamentally new approach to the delivery of materials at USQ, it was essential to ascertain a clear understanding of about the implications of this change for student learning. In implementing this policy it was necessary to establish a range of pedagogically sound, cost effective delivery guidelines, for the development of the course materials and the multimedia based enhancements. In response to this need, this study has developed a set of 10 multimodal design heuristics used to guide the development of these materials. In establishing these guidelines, this thesis contextualises important issues associated with hybrid delivery and considers how catering for a multiliterate clientele by using a combination of multimedia based enhancements in an electronic environment may improve the learning opportunities for students. Two Faculty of Business courses delivered in 2004, ECO2000 'Macroeconomics for Business and Government' and MGT2004 'People Development', were chosen to pilot the new hybrid mode of delivery. The combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was used to investigate how students have utilised this new environment. This approach rendered a clear indication of student views about the CD based delivery and, more particularly, an appreciation of how they utilised the multimedia based enhancements to augment their studies. Analysis of the research data indicated a strong acceptance of the CD based learning environment. This was particularly true for off-campus and international students. On the whole, students reported a preference for a CD based resource, though this acceptance was moderated by a desire to still receive some print-based materials. Importantly, from this analysis it was possible to add a further four multimodal design heuristics to the original set of ten which informed the design of the multimedia based enhancements for each course. This study demonstrates that higher levels of student engagement are possible when integrating a range of multimedia based enhancements to cater for a range of student learning modalities, whilst also maintaining a balanced environment for more traditional learners1.

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.

Thesis (M Distance Ed) -- University of South Australia

Thesis (MEd (Distance Education))--Deakin University/University of South Australia, 1993

Thesis (MSocSc(Couns))--University of South Australia, 1998

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Feb. 29, 2008). Directed by David F. Ayers, Sam Miller; submitted to the School of Education. Includes bibliographical references (p. 229-256).