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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

This study set out to determine the role that video lectures played in engaging participants with different learning styles in UCT's first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Medicine and the Arts: Humanising Healthcare. A framework based on Grundewald's adaptation of Kolb's Learning Model was developed in order to segment students according to their learning styles and analyse the similarities and differences in their preferences for various video production styles (e.g. talking head, location-based videos, office based videos, visually illustrative videos etc.). Since prior research in this field has been largely quantitative to date and descriptive of behaviour but devoid of meaning, this study took a mixed methods, case study approach with the aim of studying the intent behind behaviours in MOOCs rather than the behaviour itself. Eight Skype interviews with students who participated in the course were conducted and analysed. These interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis of this qualitative data was supported by survey data gathered at the beginning of the course (pre-course survey - 2 916 respondents), surveys conducted during each week of the course (411 responses over six weeks) as well as after the completion of the course (postcourse survey - 130 respondents). All surveys were administered via electronic survey collection tools (i.e. Google Forms and Survey Monkey) and included both closed and open-ended questions. The pre- and post-course surveys were administered by FutureLearn and the surveys sent during the course were administered by the researcher. The data from the survey was analysed using mainly simple descriptive and correlation techniques as well as a cluster analysis. One of the key findings was that MOOC participants relate to the presenters in MOOCs through the videos, and the presenter's style and approach had a strong influence on the students' engagement. In addition, while there was no definitive conclusion about the effect of learning styles on engagement, a preference for social engagement was found to be a major differentiator between the natural groupings identified by the cluster analysis conducted. Given that this was a case study, it is recommended that the findings are tested across platforms and types of courses in order to further refine the results of this research and reduce bias.

Includes bibliographical references. / One of the recent technological devices that have been introduced in the educational domain is the interactive whiteboard (IWB). IWBs have become established teaching and learning tools, particularly in primary school classrooms in developed English speaking countries and have more recently been deployed in developing countries such as South Africa. The Western Cape Province in South Africa has rolled out a province-wide IWB programme over the last decade, despite limited local research on the pedagogical value of IWBs in South African schools. This research study aims to investigate how the IWB can be used to encourage collaboration amongst the learners in a Grade 6 Technology Education class at a primary school in the Western Cape and specifically to assist the teacher in understanding how her pedagogy needs to change to optimise learner collaboration in association with an IWB. To understand the ways in which the IWB influences the activities in the classroom, Activity Theory is used as a framework to understand the tensions that arise and how the teacher needs to change her pedagogical strategies to successfully resolve these tensions.

Modeled on the master-apprenticeship relationship, student designers gain access to implicit design knowledge mainly through the conversations with their tutors during studio projects. However, intimate design studio tutelage is being challenged by increasing student to staff ratios. If leveraged effectively, technology offers the potential to maximize tutors' time investment in order to allow them to tend to more students. Scaffolding tools (Reiser, 2004) as supplement to teacher support, can assist learners with complex tasks previously out of their reach. This case study is a critical realist inquiry into the use of a scaffolding tool, Cognician Cogs. It seeks to reveal the ways in which and circumstances under which these Cogs scaffold conceptual design in a second year architecture studio project. The study draws upon Cognitive Apprenticeship as a conceptual framework to shed light on design studio practices involving specially developed Cogs. The mixed methodology approach adopted consisting mainly of qualitative data in the form of the project brief, scaffolding tool content, sample design critique conversations and interviews with three tutors and nine students. Supplementary quantitative data included closed survey question responses and Studio work marks collected from the entire class (39). Thematic analysis of the qualitative data was framed by the Vitruvian guiding principles of architecture: 'Firmness', 'Commodity' and 'Delight'. The study revealed that the intended use of the Cogs to cover aspects of Firmness and Commodity only resulted in the over-scaffolding of Firmness and the under-scaffolding of Delight. The students' resulting designs were practically acceptable, but lacked novelty.

The prevalence of adolescent school absenteeism due to severe bullying in the UK exceeds 16 000 young people, and the occurrence of anxious school refusers (including self-exclusion due to bullying) is a well-documented issue that transcends geographical borders. The research context for this study is a virtual school (Red Balloon of the Air) that provides educational, therapeutic and social support for some of these young people who are missing out on an education, many of whom have had difficult experiences with peers in previous educational settings. The aim of this case study was to investigate factors that aid or inhibit peer-to-peer interaction and collaboration during a Project Based Learning (PBL) activity in a virtual high school for anxious school refusers. A conceptual framework drawing on the works of Moore (1989), Curtis and Lawson (2001) and Murphy (2004) was developed to analyse the subsidiary research questions. The findings show that notable levels of peer-to-peer interaction were recorded in the chat transcripts from the PBL activity (31.9%), however this interaction did not constitute any notable form of collaboration in the small group activities where the highest concentration of peer-to-peer interactions were recorded. The factors that appear to aid peer-to-peer interaction include incorporating small group work, pairing newer students with more experienced students, and introducing blended learning opportunities whereby students interact face-to-face. In addition to this, on average an increased length of time at the virtual school seems to increase peerto- peer interaction, with the exception of students experiencing emotional difficulty during activities, and level of student choice resulting in students sometimes choosing to working alone. The role of the teacher in peer-to-peer interactions and supporting collaboration is a prominent theme, in particular how the use of technology increases the teacher's access to student conversations which could make the teachers more likely to intervene with solutions. Peer-to-peer interaction and social presence are a pre-requisite for collaboration, however as evidenced in this study the presence of both does not automatically mean collaboration will occur. The limitations of this study include that the findings are based on one PBL activity, which took place in the final weeks of the academic year with no links to the national curriculum. The findings of the study serve as a foundation for further research in the field.

The objects of this research are large, medium and small export/ import firms. This investigation represents an attempt to understand information-seeking behaviour in the IT export/import business in Britain and Saudi Arabia. Quantitative and qualitative research methods have been used in analysing the structure of the various IT export/import information provisions. The strengths and weaknesses of various forms of information provision are examined in terms of their effectiveness and efficiency. A structured analysis of various information sources (such as magazines and IT trade fairs) has also been made.

Includes bibliographical references. / 'Unknown to most of us, we are living inside and alongside a revolution of stupendous power and energy. It is not a communist, socialist, capitalist or even a religious revolution. It is the ICT revolution, the revolution of information communication technologies that is changing the nature and patterns of our social, commercial and political interactions. Like most revolutions, its true scope cannot yet be grasped nor can all the issues it raises be clearly understood even by those at its cutting edges". The Internet and other new technologies play an important role in today's global information society, are now essential in every sector of human life and can be used for the preparation and commission of serious and transnational crimes.

Information Communication Technology (ICT) can provide innovative learning experiences, but in all cases a great deal depends upon the teacher to provide the context to make this possible. This study focuses on the role of teachers and their needs in embedding Information Communication Technologies into the curriculum in a Tasmanian Government Senior Secondary College.The purpose of the study was to explore what support and encouragement teachers need to successfully incorporate ICTs into the curriculum. In particular, it looks at what motivates teachers to change their practice, in what ways their practice changes and what support is essential for that change to be lasting and worthwhile.Three learning areas were selected for the study, LOTE, English, and Mathematics. There were a total of eleven teachers plus the researcher and eight classes of students. The majority of data collected was qualitative in the form of documents, interview and observations. Quantitative data was collected mainly through surveys.The study focused on the following key elements required for teachers to embed ICTs into the curriculum:1) The role of management;2) The role of teachers (pedagogical, technical);3) Requirements for technical assistance;4) Time allocation; and5) Professional development.Resulting from the study are a series of recommendations for education departments, Principals, ICT managers and teachers to assist them in implement the embedding of ICTs into the curriculum.

Thesis (M.S.) in Spatial Information Science and Engineering--University of Maine, 2001. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-166).