Blended learning, a combination of traditional face to face (F2f) instruction and computer-mediated communication (CMC), is a popular trend in many universities and corporate settings today. Most universities provide faculty members course management systems, such as Blackboard, Angel, and others as a way to organize and transmit course materials to students. In order to assess the pedagogical value of blended learning in a university-level first year composition (FYC) environment, it is necessary to view the environment through a critical lens and adequately train faculty in the need for and use of the features of the learning management software (LMS). The setting for this study is the Humanities and Communication Dept. of Florida Institute of Technology, a private university on Florida's east coast, consisting of around 6000 students. As I investigate the various pedagogical and theoretical issues of incorporating blended learning into the FYC environment, I critically examine the issues involved in implementing the program. I employ a blended research method to join the tracks of implementing a blended learning program and developing a culture of support together in the Humanities and Communication Department of Florida Tech. In examining program implementation, I use a combination of institutional critique, as advanced by Porter et al., together with an 'ecological' methodology, as outlined by Nardi and O'Day. In examining the feasibility of creating a culture of support through the design of a faculty workshop, I mainly use Richard Selfe's methodology, although elements of the previous two methods operate as well. The results of my study provide a means by which faculty members can experience and realize the benefits, while avoiding the pitfalls, of implementing CMC into a f2f classroom and provide an action plan for other researchers to utilize in their own educational settings.

Submitted by Josimara Dias Brumatti (bcgtese@ndc.uff.br) on 2017-01-11T14:44:58Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_Sergio_Martins.pdf: 5122055 bytes, checksum: dfb8de5e735e4146052ffe1f11cca2e2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Josimara Dias Brumatti (bcgtese@ndc.uff.br) on 2017-01-11T14:45:53Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_Sergio_Martins.pdf: 5122055 bytes, checksum: dfb8de5e735e4146052ffe1f11cca2e2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-01-11T14:45:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_Sergio_Martins.pdf: 5122055 bytes, checksum: dfb8de5e735e4146052ffe1f11cca2e2 (MD5) / O presente estudo consiste em uma análise comparativa de modelos de Gestão da Informação (GI) sob a perspectiva integrativa dos recursos de informação. As bases teóricas para este estudo são a literatura das áreas de Ciência da Informação e Administração no que se referem à temática da Gestão da Informação e o campo empírico são quatro modelos de GI de autores consagrados nesta temática, a saber, o modelo de McGee e Prusak, o modelo de Davenport, o modelo de Choo e o modelo de Marchand, Kettinger e Rollins. Utilizou com metodologia a Análise de Conteúdo para padronização dos discursos e a Análise Comparativa para o estabelecimento de padrões, similaridades e diferenças entre os modelos. Buscou-se também verificar o atendimento dos modelos aos requisitos estabelecidos como representações de aspectos dos recursos de informação. A análise dos resultados demonstrou que os modelos de Gestão da Informação, baseados em processos do fluxo informacional, atenderam de maneira satisfatória às exigências dos critérios, todos demonstrando capacidade de suporte e tratamento dos recursos informacionais de maneira integrada. Alguns apontamentos são feitos na direção de um modelo de Gestão da Informação que leve em conta as mudanças na atualidade. / This study consists of a comparative analysis of models of Information Management (IM) under the integrative perspective of information resources. The theoretical basis for this study are the literature in the areas of Information Science and Management as they relate to the theme of Information Management. The empirical field are four models of IM from renowned authors on this subject, namely, the model of McGee and Prusak, Davenport’s model, Choo’s model and Marchand, Kettinger and Rollins model. The methodology used was the content analysis of speeches for standardization and comparative analysis for the establishment of standards, similarities and differences between the models. An attempt was also verify compliance to the requirements of the models as representations of aspects of information resources. The results showed that the models of Information Management, based on the information flow processes, satisfactorily met the requirements of the criteria, all demonstrating ability to support and treatment of information resources in an integrated manner. Some notes are made toward a model of Information Management that takes into account today's changes.

This thesis explores the potential of visual information and communication technologies (ICTs) for collaboration in emergency care. The thesis consists of four studies exploring future technology, 3D telepresence technology for medical consultation (3DMC), from several different methodological and analytical perspectives. Together the studies provide a broad view of the potential benefits, risks and implications of using visual technologies for collaboration in emergency care. The results show that paramedic-physician collaboration via 3DMC might have some benefits for patient care, both in the immediate patient care situation and beyond, for example, when coordinating transport and resources; improving understanding between different actors; and in developing paramedic competence and confidence in their skills. However, collaboration is heavily impacted by physicians’ and paramedics’ respective work practices which are situated in very different physical, professional and organizational contexts. Adding a visual dimension to this collaboration presents unique challenges for the overall design, development, implementation, and appropriation process. Thus, the thesis emphasizes the importance of understanding both the individual users as well as the complex overall image which, although often neglected or ignored, is crucial to understand when developing and introducing new technology that is successful and justified in the overall context while also being useful and meaningful for the individual users. / <p>Academic dissertation for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Borås to be publicly defended on Thursday 19 September 2013 at 13:15 in the auditorium at Simonsland, University of Borås, Skaraborgsvägen 3, Borås.</p>

<p>Earth’s ecosystems emerge from interconnected biosphere, geosphere, and atmosphere processes. Changes to any one process ripple through the Earth system, affecting other processes. As global climate change continues, nitrogen deposition is anticipated to increase and precipitation is expected to have varied changes across the globe. These changes to the atmosphere and geosphere will have implications for the biosphere. Namely, vegetation will be impacted by changes to nutrient and precipitation regimes. Vegetation comprises the aggregate strategies of individual plants, which are also influenced by changes in nutrient and water availability. The responses of individual plants to nitrogen, water, and uncertainty are the main focus of this dissertation, as understanding those will be critical to scaling up to the aggregate.</p> <p> First, I describe a mathematical model that predicts grassland root and shoot biomass across carbon, nitrogen, and water gradients. The model simulates competition among plants by dynamically allocating carbon to either root or shoot growth depending on the growth strategy employed by the other plant. I show that the model accurately predicts root net primary productivity (NPP), but performs poorly for shoot and total NPP. At the biome scale, modeled NPP does not vary with water alone but rather water and nitrogen interact to influence NPP. Second, I conduct a greenhouse experiment using <em>Eragrostis capillaris</em> (L.) Nees to examine the predictions of the model mentioned above to answer the question: how do water and nitrogen affect fitness and biomass allocation in a drought-tolerant C4 grass? And ask: what is the nature of the relationship between water and nitrogen as resources? I show that water was important for increasing shoot and total biomass, but that root biomass and root:shoot ratio was influenced interactively by water and nitrogen as predicted by the model. I conclude that the nature of the relationship between water and nitrogen was that of either interacting or hemi-essential resources. That is, additional water was able to partially substitute for limited nitrogen to maintain biomass. Third, I explore how information theory can apply to plants that face uncertainty in resource availability and briefly review the types and sources of information and the mechanisms that plants use to perceive and respond to their environment. Overall, my framework posits that plants interpret information from their surroundings as an emergent property of distributed information processed by a network of cells. I end with a prospectus of directions for future research, including decoding signal from noise, storage of information, strategies to cope with information entropy, additional means of information transmission, and two-way information signaling with biotic partners. Finally, I use the information theory framework discussed above to answer the questions: can plants sense and respond to information entropy? I explore this question using data from an experiment which altered the temporal supply of nutrients and found no support that <em>P. sativum</em> can sense and respond to entropy. Understanding the relationships of water, nitrogen, and uncertainty is critical to predicting plant growth, especially as climate change continues to influence the global system.</p>