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The purpose of this study was to describe and understand the meaning of responses of study participants to interactive computer-mediated communication within a distance learning environment. The theoretical framework for this study was based on collaborative learning theories within a constructivist perspective.The study setting was a distance learning graduate course taught in a studio classroom on Ball State University campus and transmitted via the IHETS Network to five distant sites in Indiana. An interactive Internet site, the Class Page, was an important instructional component of the course. This Class Page was developed to enable and support active, collaborative learning among distance learners.Study participants, all graduate students enrolled in degree programs, included 13 studio students and 24 off site students. One professor and two graduate assistants delivered course and Web site instruction. In this descriptive study, responses of participants were collected through a series of surveys and interviews over the sixteen week semester. Evidence collection focused on learner responses to the computer component of this distance learning setting.Identified in this study were cognitive and affective learning strategies developed and employed by students to effectively learn from the educational environment of computer-mediated communication within this study's setting. Two cognitive learning strategies identified were the `management of the computer environment' and the `management of personal resources.' Two affective learning strategies identified were the `management of self and the `management of others.' The computer medium of this setting played an important role in determining how students responded to, and learned within, this distance learning environment.Learners' responses to this multimedia distance setting were shaped by specific aspects of the learning environment. The development of the cognitive and affective learning strategies was influenced by the instructional design of the distance course and the Class Page, the structure of Class Page interactivity, and the characteristics of individual learners. Conclusions and recommendations of this study focused on these four influences upon student responses. Implications for future distance education design and development included the need for a clear model of distance learner participation and further research requirements in areas such as learner characteristics, applications of interactive media, and course design issues. / Department of Educational Leadership

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 202-223).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2009. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-99).

Thesis (D.Phil.(Curriculum studies, Education))-University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 263-270).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2008. / Title from title screen (viewed January 27, 2009). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the School of Information Technologies, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print form.

M.Ed. (Computer-Based Education) / This research was undertaken at a school for Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN) by a MEd student. The situation with LSEN learners is extremely complex as they have diverse needs as a result of the medical, situational and educational barriers to learning that they experience. It involves the design, development and implementation of a computerised LSEN Learner Information system that will give the educators in-depth knowledge about the LSEN learner to give them the wisdom to design an individualised LSEN curriculum which is in line with the vision of Educational White Paper 6 (EWP6). EWP6 acknowledges that the problems lie within the educational system and not within the learner and that these barriers must be removed so that all learners have access to education regardless of what barriers to learning they have. This research highlights and addresses these systemic barriers in the design of the LSEN Learner Information System. The Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support document (SIAS) forms the basis of this system as it is used to implement EWP6 and has been used in the design of the individual documents. The current South African legislation provided the vision for LSEN education. The current educational situation provided the reality; these two situations are far apart. There is no adapted curriculum to suit the diverse needs of the LSEN learner. No policies, guidelines or documents exist to assist the LSEN educators. They are confused and discouraged as they are expected to implement mainstream systems that cannot be used with LSEN learners. There is limited support for these educators. The research has been undertaken using Grounded Theory methods, an inductive research methodology, which starts with little else than the research question. It commences with the collection of data from the empirical situation and uses this data to create operational documents and systems that could result in theories being developed. Data was collected from the current LSEN educational system, from the diverse needs of the LSEN learner and from the situation at the research school. This data was used to design LSEN documents that resulted in a number of valuable computerised LSEN documents and systems being developed in this research. These include an LSEN Learner Database, an LSEN Learner Profile and supporting documents. The research shows that the LSEN situation is extremely complex and that each LSEN learner requires an individualised curriculum plan. This is not possible to do using a manual system; therefore an ICT (Information and Communications Technology) solution was implemented. This system gives the educator a full knowledge of the learner's needs that can be used to develop the curriculum needed for the individual learner. The research concludes with an LSEN dream of an individualised curriculum that will be designed in the -next stage- of the research using data that has been collected -in this stage of the research. This research does not provide a theory but rather highlights the need for an LSEN specific teaching methodology to be developed.

Despite the growth in the size and acceptance of distance education, there have been persistent criticisms of this form of education because it often fails to provide for interaction among students and between students and instructors. Without this, it is suggested, distance education can only be an inferior imitation of the best face-to-face education because learners are unable to clarify and challenge assumptions and to construct meaning through dialogue. Some critics believe distance education's inability to reproduce a critical dialogue among students and between students and instructor can be addressed through the use of two-way communication technologies such as text-based, asynchronous (i.e., not in real time) computer conferencing. Appropriately-designed computer conferencing, it is argued, will facilitate interaction among students and between the instructor and students thus making distance education more appropriate for the higher-level cognitive goals of college and university education. At the same time, using this' technology will retain the flexibility of time and place-independence that is characteristic of distance education. The literature on educational computer conferencing is replete with references to its potential to create a new paradigm of education characterized by interactive group knowledge-building and critical thinking, but there are few empirical studies that have substantiated this view. Little is known about how and why learners participate and what factors may affect their participation. Similarly there has been little empirical study of the quality of computer conferencing interaction. This case study of a university-level course delivered by computer conferencing was designed to address these issues. It was guided by two purposes: 1) to determine whether the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of participation in this online course were consistent with key aspects of the new paradigm of networked learning as articulated in the literature, that is, if students were actively participating, building on each others contributions and thinking critically about the discussion topics; and 2) to determine what factors affected student participation and critical thinking. The results of this study suggest that some of the claims about the potential of this technology to transform conventional and distance education may be overstated. The emergence of a dynamic and interactive educational process that facilitates critical thinking was shown to be contingent on a variety of factors. The results suggest, however, that with the appropriate course design, instructor interventions, content, and students, computer conferencing can be used for these purposes and should be given serious consideration by distance educators as a way of facilitating interaction and critical thinking in distance education. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

A disabling condition that is common for many senior adults is hearing impairment. Studies have shown that a substantial number of people who could benefit from amplification choose not to use hearing aid. Often the reasons may be because they have unrealistic expectations of what hearing aids can do. These unrealistic expectations are not necessarily from personal use, but the senior adult is often influenced by the media, acquaintances, or advertisements. The purpose of this study was to determine if a computer program developed with information about hearing aids and their use could be used to influence the expectations senior adults have regarding hearing aids. Thirty - five subjects were involved in this study. Thirty - two subjects were volunteers from Portland First Nazarene Church, two were from a local bank and one was a retired health professional. Seventeen of the subjects were selected to come to Portland State University to view a computer program about hearing aids. The other 18 were part of the control group and did not view the computer program. Ten days following the viewing a questionnaire was mailed to all thirty - five participants. The questions on the questionnaire related the expectations senior adults had about hearing aids in the following areas: cosmetic, acoustics, cost and upkeep, communication benefits, attitudes, acoustics, and comfort. The results were tabulated and percentages calculated. The results of this study indicated that, in general, senior adults have unrealistic expectations in many areas. In some areas such as acoustics, comfort, and ease of use senior adults' expectations seemed to be influenced by the information in the computer program. The information obtained in this study would indicate that senior adults' expectations could be influenced by information they received from a computer program. In many areas, such as the cosmetics, communication benefits, cost and attitudes the information provided by the computer program needs to be further developed and expanded in order for it to influence the expectations of senior adults about hearing aids.