This dissertation illuminates patterns across disparate university data sets to identify the insights that may be gained through the analysis of large amounts of disconnected student data on first-year engineering (FYE) students and to understand how FYE instructors use data to inform their teaching practices. Grounded by the Academic Plan Model, which highlights student characteristics as an important consideration in curriculum development, the study brings together seemingly distinct pieces of information related to students' learning, engagement with class resources, and motivation so that faculty may better understand the characteristics and activities of students enrolled in their classes. In the dissertation's first manuscript, I analyzed learning management system (LMS) timestamp log-files from 876 students enrolled in the FYE course during Fall 2013. Following a series of quantitative analyses, I discovered that students who use the LMS more frequently are more likely to have higher grades within the course. This finding suggests that LMS usage might be a way to understand how students interact with course materials outside of traditional class time. Additionally, I found differential relationships between LMS usage and course performance across different instructors as well as a relationship between timing of LMS use and students' course performance. For the second manuscript, I connected three distinct data sets: FYE student's LMS data, student record data, and FYE program survey data that captured students' motivation and identity as engineers at two time points. Structural equation modeling results indicate that SAT Math was the largest predictor of success in the FYE course, and that students' beginning of semester engineering expectancy was the only significant survey construct to predict final course grade. Finally, for the third manuscript I conducted interviews with eight FYE instructors on how they use student data to inform their teaching practices. Ten themes emerged which describe the limited explicit use of formal data, but many instructors use data on an informal basis to understand their students. Findings also point to specific, existing data that the university already collects that could be provided to instructors on an aggregate, class-level basis to help them better understand their students. / Ph. D.

Svenska skolan digitaliseras och fler skolor använder digitala lärplattformar för att hantera allt ifrån administrativa sysslor till kommunikation kring specifika uppgifter mellan lärare och elev. Dessa lärplattformar följer inga statliga direktiv eller kravspecifikationer, utan utformning styrs av skolledningens uttryckta behov. Målet med denna studie är dubbelt, dels att skapa en djupare förståelse för hur matematiklärare på gymnasiet arbetar med bedömning i dagsläget och hur de upplever att lärplattformar passar in i detta arbete; dels att förstå om arbetet med bedömning går i linje med Skolverkets direktiv för bedömning. Då kunskapskrav och bedömningskriterier skiljer sig mellan ämnen begränsades studien till endast matematiklärares arbete och åsikter. För att undersöka detta intervjuades gymnasielärare som använder digitala lärplattformar i sitt vardagliga arbete. Utöver intervjuerna har denna studie använt sig av en enkätundersökning i enlighet med blandade metoder för att få en bredare bild av lärares åsikter. Enkäten skapades digitalt och distribuerades via sociala medier till aktiva lärare för att få en generell bild av problematik inom bedömning som uppmärksammades under intervjuerna. En jämförelse mellan lärares bedömningsprocess och Skolverkets allmänna råd och riktlinjer utfördes för att förstå och presentera strukturer inom bedömningsprocessen. Studiens resultat visar att matematiklärarna till viss del är nöjda med bedömningen på lärplattformar. De ser det som fördelaktigt att dokumentera digitalt men anser att det finns förbättringar att göra. Mycket tyder på att upplevda problem inte ligger hos lärplattformar utan hos ledningen som beställare av dessa samt utbildningen kring implementeringen av dem. Studiens resultat visar även att lärare i större utsträckning jobbar med själv- eller kamraträttning om de har tillgång till verktyget Kunskapsmatrisen samt använder egna kalkylark för summativ bedömning och dokumentation. I en stor utsträckning följer lärares bedömningspraktik Skolverkets råd och riktlinjer, detta beror troligen på att råd och riktlinjer är löst formulerade för att täcka in ett stort spektrum av lärarpraktiker. Diskussioner internt på skolor är ett av råden som inte följs enligt 18% av lärarna men ökade samtal och utbildning för lärare skulle kunna vara gynnsamt för deras användning av lärplattformar vid bedömning. Denna studie har bidragit med nya infallsvinklar att undersöka lärplattformar via för att få en bättre uppfattning av deras roll i bedömningen och digitaliseringen av skolan. / The Swedish school is being digitized and many schools use digital learning platforms to manage everything from administrative tasks to communication of specific tasks between teachers and students. However, these platforms do not follow any government directives or requirement specifications. Instead the platforms’ design is governed by the school management's expressed needs. This can lead to less fair and equivalent grades on a national scale since the platform dictates how grading is performed and structured to some extent. The goal of this study is twofold. First, it aims to create a deeper understanding of i) how mathematics teachers at the upper secondary school work with assessment in their current teaching practices and ii) teachers experiences of how digital platforms fit into their work with assessment. This study also aims to investigate whether the teachers’ work with assessment follows Skolverket’s (the National Agency for Education in Sweden) directives for assessment. This study limits itself to only examining the work and experiences of teachers in mathematics. To investigate teacher’s opinions and experiences of grading, six upper secondary teachers in mathematics were interviewed. Based on the interviews, a questionnaire survey was developed to quantify collected qualitative data. The questionnaire was created digitally and distributed online via social media to practicing teachers. 50 teachers answered the questionnaires. A comparison between the teachers' assessment process and Skolverket's directives and guidelines was performed to problematize structures within the assessment process. The study's results show that teachers to a greater extent let students assess their own work if the teachers have access to the tool Kunskapsmatrisen. Most teachers use private spreadsheets for documenting summative assessment. The guidelines set by Skolverket are followed to a wide extent but this can be because the guidelines are designed to cover a broad range of teaching practices. Internal discussions is one of the guidelines that isn’t followed by 18% of teachers while increased discussions and training for teachers could be beneficial for their ability to implement platforms in their work with assessment. The study concludes that teachers for the most part are satisfied with their work regarding grading on learning platforms. They appreciate the ability to document results online but express that several improvements still have to be made. The results indicate that the responsibility for the platforms’ shortcomings is partially caused by the schools’ board whom is responsible for purchasing and implementation of platforms. This study offers new viewpoints worth investigating in order to further better the understanding of learning platforms and their role in assessment.

Flera lärosäten erbjuder distansutbildningar, det betyder att någon typ av webbaserat verktyg används. Verktyget, en så kallad lärplattform, fungerar som ett stöd för lärande, undervisning, administration samt kommunikation genom olika funktioner. En lärplattform är kopplingen mellan lärare och studenten i en distanskurs.  Tidigare forskning visar på att det finns bristande kunskaper i att planera och genomföra en distanskurs med stöd av en lärplattform bland lärare. Forskning kring lärares teknikkunskaper, färdigheter samt användandet av en lärplattform bland högre utbildning är låg och behöver forskas vidare på. Studien undersöker vilka befintliga funktioner i en lärplattform lärarna väljer att använda för att planera och genomföra en distanskurs. Där syftet med studien är att få en förståelse för vilka strategier lärare använder för att planera och genomföra en distanskurs med stöd av en lärplattforms befintliga funktioner. Studien utgick från en kvalitativ interpretativ ansats där datainsamlingsmetoden semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes. Sju lärare på Högskolan i Halmstad intervjuades individuellt. För att analysera empirin skapades en kodbok med litteraturdrivna kodord ur ett teknopedagogiskt perspektiv. Svaret på studiens frågeställning är att lärare använder huvudsakligen tre olika strategier för att planera och genomföra en distanskurs med stöd av en lärplattform. / Several universities offer distance education, which means that they use some type of web-based tool. The tool, known as a Learning Management System (LMS), acts as a support for learning, teaching, administrating and communicating through different features. The LMS is the connection between teacher and student, a platform used to distribute course material and to communicate. Previous research shows that there is a lack of knowledge among teachers on how to plan and implement a distance education with the support of a LMS. The knowledge about LMS usage in practice at higher education are low and needs to be researched further. The study examines the existing features of a LMS that teachers choose to use, to plan and implement a distance education course. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of which strategies teachers use when planning and implementing a distance learning course with the support of a LMS existing features. The study used a qualitative interpretive approach in which the data collection method, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Seven teachers at Halmstad interviewed individually. To analyze the empirical data a codebook was created with literature oriented code word from a technological pedagogical perspective. The answer to the study's question is that teachers mainly use three different strategies to plan and implement a distance learning course with the support of a LMS.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2015-06-01T12:42:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Claudini Fabrícia Maurer.pdf: 2369985 bytes, checksum: 8f8377049da7241739cf2d61b993d79a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-01T12:42:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Claudini Fabrícia Maurer.pdf: 2369985 bytes, checksum: 8f8377049da7241739cf2d61b993d79a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-25 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O presente trabalho propõe-se a responder à seguinte questão geral de pesquisa: em que medida o conceito de transmídia pode contribuir para a organização de materiais em Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem? Para tanto, buscamos responder, ao longo do trabalho, às perguntas desmembradas da questão geral: ao considerarmos um AVA um gênero digital, que aspectos devem ser analisados para compreendermos sua macroestrutura? Como se caracteriza a lógica da narrativa transmídia? Como organizar um Plano de Aula para EaD a partir da lógica da narrativa transmídia? A metodologia da pesquisa prevê as seguintes etapas: a) pesquisa bibliográfica sobre a) Cibercultura, tomando como fundamentação teórica os autores Lévy (1999), Santaella (2004); b) Narrativa Transmídia, tendo Jenkins (2009) como autor-base; c) Gênero Digital, fundamentando-se em Marcuschi e Xavier (2004), Marcuschi (2008) e Marcuschi (2005); b) observação estruturada não participante realizada durante catorze aulas para conhecer o AVA Moodle, os participantes e as interações que ali ocorrem; c) pesquisa-ação, ao elaborar e aplicar um plano de ensino durante seis aulas e, posteriormente, ao reelaborar o plano de aula, tendo como fundamento os princípios para a lógica da narrativa transmídia fundados em Jenkins (2009b) e os princípios mais gerais de elaboração de materiais para ambientes digitais de Lopes e Alves (2011), bem como as recomendações de Laurel (2001). / This study aims to answer the following general research question: to what extent the concept of transmedia can contribute to the organization of materials in Virtual Learning Environments? In the end, we seek to answer, throughout the work,questions dismembered the general question: when considering a LMS a digital genre, which aspects should be analyzed to understand its macrostructure? How to characterize the logic of transmedia storytelling? How to organize a Lesson Plan for Distance Learning from the logic oftransmedia storytelling? The research methodology includes the following steps: a) research bibliography on a) Cyberculture, taking as the theoretical reasoning the authors Lévy (1999), Santaella (2004); b) Transmedia Storytelling, Jenkins (2009) as author – based; c) Digital Genre, based on Marcuschi and Xavier (2004), Marcus chi (2008) and Marcuschi (2005); b) structured non-participant observation performed during 14 lessons to meet the LMS Moodle, the participants and the interactions that occur there; c) action research, to develop and implement an educational plan for six classes and, subsequently, to rework the lesson plan, taking as a basis the principles for the logic of transmedia narrative founded in Jenkins (2009b) and the most general principles of preparation of materials for virtual environments of Lopes and Alves (2011), as well as the recommendations of Laurel (2001).

BakgrundMånga gymnasieskolor i Sverige har infört eller är på väg att införa en lärplattform. Det finns dock sällan några riktlinjer till vad man ska använda lärplattformen. Läraren får friheten att använda plattformen till de ändamål som passar denna. Hur läraren ser på sitt uppdrag blir alltså väsentligt för hur lärplattformen används. Vi har därför valt att undersöka hur lärare ser på de nya möjligheter som lärplattformen ger.SyfteUndersökningen har haft som syfte att åskådliggöra hur lärarens yrkesidentitet utmanas av lärplattformen.• Hur ställer sig lärarna till lärplattformens obundenhet i tid och rum?• Hur ställer sig lärarna till att de inte längre är dominerande kunskapsförmedlare iskolan?MetodVi har genomfört kvalitativa intervjuer på två gymnasieskolor i Västra Sverige. Totalt har vi pratat med sex lärare i ca 45 minuter vardera. Det insamlade resultatet har vi analyserat utifrån Gunnar Bergs teori om skolans uppdrag och skolors uppgifter.ResultatVi har funnit att lärarna ser att vissa av deras yrkesuppdrag skulle påverkas av ett ökat användande av en lärplattform. Dessa tre uppdrag benämner vi som det ämnesförmedlande uppdraget, det socialiserande uppdraget och det kvalitetssäkrande och bedömande uppdraget.Vidare har vi funnit att lärarna inte vill använda lärplattformen för att ändra deras verksamhet utan enbart för att stödja de uppgifter de redan har.

Cloud based E-Learning is one of the booming technologies in IT field which brings powerful e-learning products with the help of cloud power. Cloud technology has numerous advantages over the existing traditional E-Learning systems but at the same time, security is a major concern in cloud based e-learning. So security measures are unavoidable to prevent the loss of users’ valuable data from the security vulnerabilities. Cloud based e-learning products also need to satisfy the security needs of customers and overcome various security threats which attack valuable data stored in cloud servers.So the study investigates various security issues involved in cloud based e-learning technology with an aim to suggest solutions in the form of security measures and security management standards. These will help to overcome the security threats in cloud based e-learning technology. To achieve our thesis aim, we used theoretical and empirical studies. Empirical study is made through the information gathered through various cloud based e-learning solution vendors websites. And the theoretical study is made through the text analysis on various research articles related to our subject areas. And finally the constant comparative method is used to compare the empirical findings with the facts discovered from our theoretical findings. These analysis and research studies are leads to find various security issues in cloud based e-learning technology. / Program: Magisterutbildning i informatik

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:23:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Leticia Mahlmeister.pdf: 1592585 bytes, checksum: 4b83e6437d237e0b780bfeb64d1e8427 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This dissertation discusses the use of the social network site Facebook as a virtual environment for interaction and learning in Distance Education (DE). Its main objective is to contribute to the educational process of DE. As a conceptual reference, this work builds on the three main types of interaction in DE proposed by Michael Moore (Moore; Kearsley, 2001): student-instructor, student-student, and student-content. As methodology, it performs a bibliographic review of national and international surveys comparing the use of Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as Blackboard and Moodle, with the use of Facebook in DE. It also analyzes the results of the literature and brings together the data systematically, thereby facilitating future research on the topic. In addition, it synthesizes and describes the results of the review in order to ascertain whether the use of Facebook may or may not enhance education as an interaction and learning environment. It concludes that the use of Facebook as an interaction environment is significantly well accepted by students, particularly on the forms of student-instructor and student-student interaction, while LMS still contribute adequately to the individualized study, or student-content interaction. So, social networking sites can significantly contribute to the teaching of DE / Esta dissertação discute o uso do site de rede social Facebook como ambiente virtual de interação e aprendizagem em Educação a Distância (EaD). Seu objetivo principal é contribuir com o processo pedagógico da EaD. Como referência conceitual, este trabalho utiliza os três tipos principais de interação em EaD propostos por Michael Moore (MOORE; KEARSLEY, 2001): aluno-professor, aluno-aluno e aluno-conteúdo. Como metodologia, realiza uma revisão bibliográfica de pesquisas nacionais e internacionais que comparam o uso de Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem (AVAs), como Blackboard e Moodle, com o uso do Facebook em EaD. Analisa ainda os resultados da literatura e aglutina os dados de forma sistemática, facilitando, assim, futuras pesquisas sobre o tema. Além disso, sintetiza e descreve os resultados obtidos na revisão, visando averiguar se o uso do Facebook pode ou não favorecer a educação como um ambiente de interação e aprendizagem. Conclui que a utilização do Facebook como ambiente de interação é significativamente bem aceita pelos discentes, especialmente para as formas de interação aluno-professor e aluno-aluno, enquanto os AVAs seguem atendendo suficientemente o estudo individualizado, ou a interação aluno-conteúdo. Assim, sites de rede social podem contribuir significativamente com a pedagogia da EaD

Despite recommendations by the Association of American Medical Colleges regarding the adoption of technology in medical universities, faculty are still reluctant to adopt new learning technologies. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to determine the factors existing in the adoption of learning management technology among late adopters within the faculty of colleges labeled as comprehensive academic medical centers. Using the Everett Rogers diffusion of innovations theory as its framework, this study sought to ascertain the factors late adopters identify as preventing them from adopting technology and to determine what measures they suggest to increase technology adoption among their peers. This qualitative study used interviews of participants identified as "late adopters" and subsequent document analysis to provide evidence for the factors identified. Using in vivo coding, data were organized into 5 themes: factors, learning management systems, demographics, general technology, and solutions. Results showed that late adopters avoided adopting learning management technology for several reasons including training, time, ease of use, system changes, lack of technical support, disinterest, and the sense that the technology does not meet their needs. Recommended solutions offered by faculty included varied times for trainings, peer mentoring, and modeling learning management system use among faculty. Understanding these factors may contribute to social change by leading to more rapid adoption and thus introducing efficiencies such that faculty can dedicate more time to medical instruction. It also may aid other universities when considering the adoption of a learning management system.

Through the rapid expansion of information technologies, Learning Management Systems have become one of the most important innovations for delivery of education. Successful implementation and management of these systems are primarily based on the instructors&#039 / adoption. However, too few researches have been conducted to evaluate instructors&rsquo / adoption towards e-learning system as taking higher education as base. This study aims to understand behavioral intentions of higher education instructors towards Learning Management Systems and further to identify the influencing factors. A research model has been proposed based on the belief variables of the Technology Acceptance Model. Additionally, Application Characteristics, Individual, Social and Technological dimensions were considered to identify the effects of key variables on behavioral intention of users. A survey instrument has been developed and conducted with 224 academicians after a pilot study through its reliability and validity has been assured. Although the items of the survey instrument were based on the literature, an explanatory factor analysis was performed to strictly determine which items belong to which factors. Then, in order to assess the measurement model Convergent validity and Discriminant validity were conducted via confirmatory factor analyses. After the required prior analyses, Component based Structural Equation Modeling (Partial Least Square - PLS) was used to validate the predictive power of the proposed research model. Consequently, relationships between the influencing factors were detected and the results showed that the factors related with Belief dimension directly influenced behavioral intention of instructors. Also, the factors under the Individual, Social and Technological dimensions indirectly affected behavioral intention of users towards learning management system use. Additionally, structured and informal interviews were performed with ten instructors and the findings of the research model were explained with the opinions of system users. The indications of this research will be valuable for implementation, management and continuous improvement of learning management systems.

In this thesis an overarching analysis is made of four articles published in refereed international journals. The articles are describing the development and implementation of learning support systems/learning support applications. The text which summarizes and retrospectively analyzes the projects described in the articles has been condensed into yet another article, which has been placed at the end of the thesis. This makes a total of five articles. In the analysis that is made of learning support applications the following questions are in focus: What results have the projects achieved and how have the experiences gained been utilized? What factors in the described projects have facilitated or hindered the idea, vision, design and implementation of the learning support systems? How have university intentions of supporting entrepreneurship and the commercialization of ideas and products benefited the projects? The results show that there are a great many similarities in the ideas and visions that have initiated and affected the learning support work. Improved communication and availability are expected from all the applications, as well as coordination, creating order and an overarching view. In spite of a large number of positive users, it has been difficult for the applications described to become integrated into the organizations. One possible reason for this is the bad anchoring of the projects in the management organization. Further, there was a lack of funding in the final phases of the projects, which considerably reduced the chances of establishing and continuing operating them. In the gap arising between the end of the implementation phase and the possible application for and granting of new funding, the project dies out of itself. One way of reversing this trend is to grant means for continued work and to get the organization and administration to upgrade the value of a learning application that has become established in the organization.