The purpose of this study was to examine Alabama community college presidents’ perceptions regarding distance education. Further, this study was intended to determine the adequacy of the training opportunities and support for faculty that teach distance education courses and what services are available for distance education students. This study was designed to investigate distance education in the Alabama Community College System and to provide information in an effort to create a comprehensive plan to maximize access to online learning for students within the system. A survey was given to a total of 26 Alabama 2-year college presidents (22 comprehensive community colleges and four technical colleges). The online survey consisted of 40 closed-ended multiple-choice questions and 2 open-ended questions. The survey asked questions regarding the presidents’ perceptions of distance education, online courses, student support, and virtual community colleges. The results of the statistical analysis were presented in both narrative and table forms to provide answers to the four research questions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The study concludes with a summary, conclusion, and recommendations for further research. The findings of the study showed that Alabama community college presidents’ perceived distance education as important to the growth of their respective institutions. Alabama community colleges provided adequate training opportunities for faculty who taught distance education courses, and provided adequate services for students that enrolled in distance education courses. In addition, the findings indicated the following factors had a major or moderate influence on their institutions’ decisions regarding college-level, credit-granting distance education offerings: seeking to increase student enrollment, making more courses available, making more degree and certificate programs available, meeting student demands for flexible schedules and reducing seat time, providing access to college for students who otherwise would not have access, and maximizing the use of existing college facilities. The findings also determined that institutions provided adequate services for students enrolled in distance education courses.

In recent times Jamaica has experienced an increase in infrastructure and mineral resource (bauxite) developments. As a result, quarrying activities have also increased to supply the needed construction material. Blasting has been the main technique for loosening insitu rock before transporting to construction site. Consequently there is a growing concern of the effects of blasting activities on the environment. These effects are normally nuisances to the neighbouring residence as they come in the form of: dust, toxic gases, noise, fly rocks and ground vibration. Of the set of nuisances the one that is of most concern is ground vibrations which can cause damage to structures. In most cases worldwide, after blasting activities there are the usual complaints about damage to residence, which is also a focus of the thesis. There have been researches on the subject of ground vibrations to help refute some of these complaints. The works of Lewis Oriard and Charles Dowding are the foundation on which standards and regulations are built as guides to assist blasters in the prevention of creating unnecessary nuisances. Most countries have developed their own regulations with respect to blasting and parameters are set according to the geological conditions. This is of importance as the rock structures determine the transmission of the peak particle velocity. However, most countries in the west adopt standards similar to ones put forward by the United States Bureau of Mines or The Office of Surface Mining. It is my opinion that a whole scale adoption should not take place, as the criteria used may not be suitable for other countries’ geological conditions. For this thesis the aim was to identify a vibration level that will not cause damage to structures close to a quarry. Based on the literature review it was revealed that there are a number of parameters that needed to be considered. These ranges: construction material, age of structures, distance from structures, geology of the location, type and quantities of explosives and the blast design. There was also the review of standards to building threshold with respect to the level of ground vibration. The case study with its main focus on vibration levels at structures in close proximity to the Bengal quarry revealed that a tolerable level can be determined which will not result in any form of damage to the structures. However, having established a PPV limit using the USBM and OSM standards that appears reasonable there is the need for criteria similar to those of the USBM and OSM using blasting and geological conditions in Jamaica. Due to the time constraints (20 wks) it is recommended that future research is carried out in this area especially in relation to assessing the performances of the structures. / <p>Validerat; 20101217 (root)</p>

A collection of poems by Michael Medeiros.

Three questions guided this research study: a) Is Goal Accomplishment Style, as measured by Atman's Goal Orientation Index (GOI), related to persistence and dropout in an online, computer-conferenced class? b) Is there a relationship between other selected variables (Demographic, Personal, Institutional, and Participative) and student persistence or dropout in the online, computer-conferenced environment? And, c) Can a relationship between goal accomplishment style and the other selected student variables be identified and related to persistence and dropout in an online computer-conferenced class? The data sources for this study were students registered in twenty online, computer-conferenced courses at a mid-sized university specializing in delivering courses, both in the traditional face-to-face mode and at a distance, to working adults. Using logistic regression, this study investigated the relationship among twenty-five selected independent variables in an attempt to better understand the variables and their influence on the dichotomous dependent variable, persistence/dropout in the online classroom. The independent variables were culled from traditional classroom dropout research and adapted for use in the online environment. In addition, variables specific to the online environment were developed. The purpose of the logistic regression was to identify the most parsimonious set of variables predicting student persistence and dropout. At the end of the semester, qualitative interviews were conducted with six dropout students. The interviews were conducted in an attempt to add depth to the depth provided by the quantitative results. During the interviews the students were asked specifically about their perceptions of interactivity and collaboration in the online classroom. Using both qualitative and quantitative analyses, a more complete picture of why students participate in or dropout of online, computer-conferenced classes was developed. Three variables were identified as significant predictors of persistence/dropout, predicting persistence correctly between 98 to 100 percent of the cases. These variables included whether or not a student would recommend another online class, whether or not the student submitted assignments in a timely manner, and Acting, one of the three categories of Atman's Goal Orientation Index. Dropouts, however, proved to be more difficult to predict. (The models predictive strength regarding dropouts ranged from only to 0% to 45%.) The qualitative interviews identified the fact that the dropout students were really hybrid in that they appeared as dropouts on the institution's master list but who were persisters in other classes. Four of the six "dropout" students interviewed were taking two courses during the semester. During the interviews, the students said they found it difficult to balance the requirements of family, home, work and school while taking two classes, especially during the shortened summer semester. Almost all (95 per cent) of the study participants indicated they would be taking online courses in the future. Enrollments in online courses at the institution are increasing dramatically. Institutions must begin to examine the true nature and definition of dropouts, especially with respect to adult working students in the online environment. / Ph. D.

Keller's Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) uses small units of instruction, self-pacing, mastery learning, lectures for motivation, and proctors for immediate feedback. While highly successful in the early 1970's, PSI fell out of favor for a variety of reasons. This developmental dissertation resurrects Keller's system in its purest form and uses PSI for an online Master's program. Using Cold Fusion™ and Dreamweaver™ an online Keller experience was created. Experts of PSI reviewed the product to check for fidelity to Keller's ideas. Formative and summative evaluation showed that this system of instruction is viable for the online environment. Recommendations and implications for future use are discussed. / Ph. D.

This study investigated the influence of computer-generated reminders on the rate in which distance learners submitted assignments and completed courses. The computer-generated reminders, sent via email, served as a time management support strategy. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: control and treatment. Both groups received a list of target due dates for course assignments. The control group did not receive reminders. The treatment group received reminders when they failed to submit an assignment by a target due date. The results indicated no significant difference between the control and treatment groups in terms of assignment submission rates and course completion rates. However, results of this study did reveal that the number of assignments in a distance course influences the timeliness of assignment completion and the likelihood of course completion. / Ph. D.

There is a significant amount of literature on needs assessment group processes and distance learning. There is practically no literature on the affects of using distance learning technologies to facilitate needs assessment processes. This study takes a look at the participation of professionals in a needs assessment using distance learning technologies, the affect it has on their communication anxiety in small group settings using the Communication Anxiety Inventory, and their impressions of the process. Participants used a computer with internet connection and a telephone to take part in the assessment. Three small group needs assessments were conducted. Participants were administered a survey that measured their trait (typical) anxiety score, conducted through the needs assessment, and were administered a survey that measured their state (actual) anxiety score during the assessment and their impressions of the process. Those with low trait anxiety tended to experience an increase in anxiety in this environment while those with high trait anxiety had a decrease in anxiety. It was inconclusive as to whether or not anxiety was a factor in participants contributions to the group process. All participants were willing to participate in this type of needs assessment again. They found the assessment outcomes valuable and the method in which it was conducted convenient. This would seem to indicate that participants felt the impact of using 2-way audio and distance learning tools was minimal but a larger and more diverse study is necessary in order to make any generalizations. / Ph. D.

The motivation and importance of this study was influenced by my own experience of transitioning from traditional face-to-face to online instruction. For this study, I conducted telephone interviews with 12 instructors meeting the specified qualifications. I also conducted email interviews with participants for 5 weeks. Transcripts of all interviews are located in the appendices. I used a combination of first person, hermeneutic and existential phenomenological approaches to investigate the lived experiences of college and university instructors who have transitioned from traditional face-to-face to online instruction. Several minor themes were revealed. The overall theme is that the online classroom system is an emerging culture with some unique advantages. The paper ends with a major question to be further examined: Would the results be different if less experienced instructors were interviewed? / Ph. D.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to better understand how the diffusion (spread) and adoption (acceptance) of SkillSoft® (an e-learning product) occurred among employees of one military organization and to distill individual perceptions regarding influences that affected the process. This case study focused on the process and its challenges. Relating personal perceptions of the process and how various categories of influences (personal, organizational, technological, mandated policy, change) may have affected the process in a military organization provides a unique account that has been lacking in the literature. The results of this case study resonate with earlier research by Rogers (1983), Weinstein (1981), Sherry (1997), and Schein (1985), which found that influences (personal, organizational and technological) can have a dynamic effect on the diffusion and adoption of an innovation such as SkillSoft®. The study findings revealed that interviewees preferred job related e-learning experiences which support prior research by Bonk and Wisher (2000), and research by Thomerson and Smith (1996) who found that change in the way training is delivered can have an effect on the individual’s willingness to adopt an e-learning program like SkillSoft®. The study augments previous findings by Berge, (1997) indicating that culture can be a barrier to the implementation of on-line learning. The findings illuminated that awareness of the organization’ s environment (culture, mission, organization structure, decision-making process, communications channels, skills of employees), users’ requirements, as well as the product’s (SkillSoft®) fit with individual learning styles, are key elements to be considered when implementing an e-learning product in a military setting. Post Script: With the acquisition of SMARTFORCE®, SkillSoft® Corporation was able to diversify its e-learning training opportunities (course library) to better meet the learning requirements of military personnel since the initiation of this case study. Currently the 2003 SkillSoft® SMARTFORCE® library of courses is available free of charge on-line and is enhancing the knowledge and skills of active duty, reserve military personnel and Department of Defense government civilians. / Ph. D.

This study examined the relationship between adult attachment style and pursuer-distancer patterns in couples. Both uni- and bi-directional pursuer-distancer patterns were studied. Participants were 67 individuals (including 32 couples) in therapy. Each partner, independent of the other, completed an anonymous questionnaire containing the Multi-item Measure of Adult Romantic Attachment (Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998) and a four-item measure of pursuer-distancer pattern designed for this study. The relationship between male dismissing attachment style and the presence of a pursuer-distancer pattern in the couple approached significance. Analyses of attachment style and the specific direction of the pursuer-distancer pattern as a couple-level variable were non-significant. However, when self-report of pursuer-distancer pattern was analyzed as an individual-level variable, a significant relationship was found between pursuing and a preoccupied attachment style and between distancing and a dismissing attachment style. Fearful attachment style was related to bi-directional pursuer-distancer pattern when measured by partner's report but not when measured by self-report. Dismissing and fearful attachment styles in males were related to lower relationship satisfaction in males and females. Pursuer-distancer patterns (particularly female-pursue and bi-directional patterns) were significantly related to lower relationship satisfaction in males and females. No relationship was found between attachment style or pursuer-distancer pattern report and the gender of the participant. Implications for treating pursuer-distancer patterns couples are discussed. / Master of Science