Blended learning, involves the combination of two fields of concern: technology and education; or two groups of people: technologists and educationists. However, current literature shows less consideration on the potential disciplinary gap in the blended learning experience, as a result there is a paucity of evidence from cross-country/institutional/disciplinary investigations. This study aimed to explore, analyse and compare the blended learning experience in higher education. The research is reflected in 3 questions: (1) What are the current blended learning experiences in the selected higher educational institutions? (2) How such experience varies in different disciplines? (3) What are the reflections on the comparative experiences in (1) and (2)? The qualitative case study with comparative methods was used to obtain in-depth findings for these research questions. I visited 4 universities in two countries and sampled 51 research participants’ voices from contrasting disciplines. With these voices, I thoroughly discussed individual case studies, followed by a cross-case and cross-discipline comparison. These findings enabled insights to be drawn on a major argument: blended learning did enable and enhance learning experiences in all case studies but disciplinary differences remain a major challenge. The analysis shows that academics from science-based disciplines have an advantage at the instrumental level of technological usage without transforming learning experience; social science-based academics, due to their disciplinary nature, have embedded technology in wider trans-technical aspects that would enhance and transform learning and teaching. In the context of blended learning, I would argue that learning has not been enhanced (1) if the technology is the sole focus; (2) if the research effort of “technology enhanced learning” does not gain ground in educational theories and (3) does not recognise the disciplinary differences. Arising out of these findings, I proposed a blended learning model that indicates the boundary of the current literature and research findings, and a blended learning definition - an educational-focused process to enhance and transform f2f learning with the blend of technology in a symbiotic relationship. It is necessary for educationists and technologists to establish such a symbiotic relationship and the inter-disciplinary integration and discourse, that may impact on the individuals’ practice beyond their own disciplinary territory.

Knowledge management is a response to the growing realization of knowledge as the deliverer of organizational success. Because much attention has been given to the private sector, knowledge management initiatives in educational settings seem to be lacking. Considering that knowledge activities – capturing, creating, sharing, applying and storing – are important activities in education, particularly schools, the failure to fully appreciate the potential of managing knowledge within education is surprising. A review of the literature suggests that factors such as management, technology and culture contribute differently to managing knowledge in many organizations. The management factor, for example, was a catalyst in providing a conducive work environment, whereas technology provides the mechanism as an enabler for knowledge management initiatives. Culture was important for the knowledge context and could play a significant role in the uptake of managing knowledge. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between these contextual factors – management, technology and culture – and the knowledge activities. The study took place in Malaysian secondary schools and highlighted the Smart School Project as one of the seven flagships of Malaysia Multimedia Super Corridor. A mixed method approach was used as a strategy of inquiry in order to explore the knowledge management contextual factors in relation to knowledge activities. The quantitative method focused on collecting data based on a survey instrument. There were 1313 respondents and Smart Schools and non Smart Schools participated in responding to the questionnaire. As for the interview method, the study focused on 21 individuals who were purposely selected based on their special implementation roles in the schools – school principals, information technology coordinators and teachers. The survey data were analysed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. There were three types of statistical application used, namely the descriptive statistics, the t-test and regression, whereas the interview data were analysed manually by looking and searching for noticeable patterns to be connected to the research framework. The findings suggest that although there is no explicit knowledge management system used in managing knowledge in the educational sector, there are a lot of elements and positive practices of knowledge management already in place that could help schools to develop and encourage activities such as knowledge sharing. As far as the contribution of the contextual factors to knowledge activities, technology was an important instrument in all of the knowledge activities, but it was certainly not the only or the most prominent one. The culture factor played a more significant role in all knowledge activities particularly when knowledge sharing was considered as a social and spiritual obligation in the communities of practice. Despite this, there were also barriers in the uptake of knowledge management initiatives in schools which seemed to limit knowledge activities due to time constraints and teacher workload.

Attitudes are commonly investigated in management research as they have predictive value to achievement and a positive attitude helps to produce desirable outcome. This thesis explores organisational commitment among academic staff in a Malaysian institution of higher learning. A thorough review of the literature revealed that there have been a number or previous studies of organisational commitment but none within this context. As the term organisational commitment is abstract it is operationally defined by simplifying it into observable characteristics. Organisational commitment is manifested in a) a strong belief in and acceptance of organisational goals and values; b) a willingness to exert considerable energy on behalf of the organisation; and c) a strong desire to maintain membership in the organisation. These elements can be measured using a questionnaire developed by Porter and Smith (1970). Factor Analysis is used to group responses into categories as dependent variables. Multiple Regression Analysis is then used to explore statistical relationships between organisational commitment factors derived from Factor Analysis and attitudes towards pay and promotion and to socio-demographic characteristics. The sample size of 818 respondents was derived from 2000 accessible academics from all schools and branches (except Sarawak) of the MARA Institute of Technology (ITM). A self administered questionnaire was selected as the mode of data collection. Overall organisational commitment among the academics towards their Institution was found to be high. Differences in levels of individuals' measured indicated organisational commitment could be statistically determined by demographic factors. However attitudes towards pay and promotion were found to be much more important as determinants of organisational commitment when they were included in the analysis and relationships tested with the use of Multiple Regression Analysis.

No description available.

No description available.

#DEFAULT

This thesis is a case study that investigates the attitudes and behaviours of learners of a Preparatory English distance learning course (BEL 100 e-PJJ) offered at the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia, and whether those attitudes and behaviours are influenced by their prior educational experiences and whether cultural factors may also have influence in the attitudes and behaviours of these learners. The research adopts a mixed-method case study design combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to the data collection and analysis. Thematic analysis has been adopted as a tool to analyse the interview data qualitatively. The thematic analyses constructed thematic networks which Attride-Stirling (2001) stressed served as an organizing principle and an illustrative tool in interpreting the analysed interview data. Another major source of data collected for this study was the asynchronous forum discussion transcripts. To match the needs of this study, several categories and examples of Henri’s (1992) framework combined with elements from Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2000) CoI model and Hofstede’s (1991) cultural values tool were adapted in analysing the asynchronous forum discussion transcripts. This was to identify the factors which contributed to the attitude and behaviour of the BEL 100 e-PJJ learners. This study has highlighted that the process of learning and teaching of the UiTM Malay/Bumiputera learners depend on the support and training given to the distance learners and facilitators. Learners’ attitudes, behaviours, facilitators’ intervention and purposeful tasks were found to be important in supporting active participation and effective interaction within the course.