This research examines on the importance of considering context as design criteria for technology integration and technology design, and in particular, what that means for teacher education. While others (Fishman, Marx, Blumenfeld, Krajcik, & Soloway, 2004) have broadly considered context as a factor in supporting technology integration, this current research uses a Human-Tech framework (Vicente, 2003) to identify and examine the implications of individual contextual constraints for the design of technology-enhanced learning; therefore, the researcher begins to answer the important - and arguably unexplored - question of how the complexities of varying contexts ought to be used to inform design. Broadly, this design research study explores the impact of using a Human-Tech framework for understanding technology integration in education and specifically, to inform the design of technology-enhanced learning practices in the context of teacher education. Further, the research reports on the impact of an open online research support forum - designed using a Human-Tech framework - on the experiences of teacher candidates while carrying out classroom-based research as part of their initial teacher education program. Overall, results of the research study suggest that using a Human-Tech framework for understanding technology integration was helpful in supporting a broader and more systematic approach to designing for more effective use of technology in the context of teacher education. In terms of the design of the open online research support forum, findings suggest that there were key Organizational constraints that likely continued to have a limiting impact on the innovations across the two-year design study. Therefore, this research also points to future technology-specific and non technology-specific design strategies which may have implications for technology integration, and fulfilling the functional purposes of the program more broadly.

The impact of Internet technology on critical thinking is of growing interest among researchers. However, there still remains much to explore in terms of how critical thinking can be fostered through online environments for higher education. Ten years ago, Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) published an article describing the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework which provided an outline of three core elements that were able to describe and measure a collaborative and positive educational experience in an online learning environment, namely teaching presence (design, facilitation, and direct instruction), social presence (the ability of learners to project themselves socially and emotionally), and cognitive presence (the extent to which learners are able to construct and confirm meaning through sustained reflection and discourse). This dissertation extends the body of research surrounding the CoI framework and also the literature on developing critical thinking in online environments by examining and exploring the extent to which teaching and social presence contribute to cognitive presence. The researcher was able to do this by offering 189 learners enrolled in 10 research methods courses and educational research courses an opportunity to use an innovative online resource (Research Design Learning Resource – RDLR) to assist them in learning about educational research and developing research proposals. By exploring how participants used this resource the researcher was able to gain insight into what factors contributed to a successful online learning experience and fostered cognitive presence. Quantitative and qualitative research approaches (mixed methods) were used in this study. The quantitative results indicated that both social and teaching presence had a strong positive relationship with cognitive presence and that learners generally perceived to have a positive learning experience using the RDLR. The qualitative findings helped elaborate the significant quantitative results and were organised into the following themes: making connections, multiple perspectives, resource design, being a self-directed learner, learning strategies, learning preferences, and barriers to cognitive presence. Future directions for critical thinking in online environments are discussed.

This bounded case study describes the readiness of a Southeastern State University System to support the growth of online learning. Structured as a case study, the view provided of the Southeastern State University System in this moment in time provides a contextually rich view of the phenomenon of change within a university system. The study answers the following questions regarding the change towards online course delivery: Does the Southeastern State University System have a primarily transformational or transactional orientation? What are the key change facilitating factors within the Southeastern State University System? What are the key change restraining factors within the Southeastern State University System? The key change facilitating factors identified as part of the first phase of the study included: motivation to change, job/task requirements and organizational culture supportive of change. The perspectives of the administrators regarding facilitating factors differed, as did views on if the organizational culture was supportive of change. The CIO interviewed described a variation in perspectives regarding online learning based on institutional categories and missions, which was reflected in the interviews. The key change restraining factors were identified during the survey phase of the study as: change related systems, emotional impact of change and change mission and strategy. Financial incentives, both for the institutions and the individuals involved in online or blended activities was identified in the interviews. However, the CIO interviewed outlined a perspective that the funding model for collaborative programs in the university system was flawed. A perceived lack of change mission strategy was common through the interviews, with signs pointing towards improvement within the system, with a new focus on online learning as part of an initiative to have more college graduates within the state. This study provides a snapshot of the state of a university system as it adapts to the changing environment of higher education. The study describes the application of an established organizational change and development model to the study of online learning, which provides future researchers with a framework to investigate online learning at a university system level.

As a type of virtual learning community, multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) are not only sources of entertainment but are also places where learning opportunities and community development can be created and fostered. Some multi-user virtual environments that have emerged have been designed to serve students and teachers in the K-12 sector. Although learning is a goal in these contexts, this study focused on some of the community building and social networking components. The purpose of this study was to examine whether, to what degree and how nine elementary aged students projected themselves socially through this medium. The results could provide insight into the integration of such environments into K-12 educational contexts and could serve as a launching point for further research into the learning and community aspects of MUVEs. A case study approach was used in this research study. The researcher chose a class of nine students who were enrolled in an educational MUVE as part of their regular studies. Although these students completed assignments in the MUVE, only their social interactions were analyzed. The data was collected from student communication logs in the educational MUVE Quest Atlantis and from interviews with participants. Document analysis was used to analyze transcripts of student communications in Quest Atlantis as well as transcripts from text-based interviews. The results obtained demonstrate the types of communication and tool selection patterns of elementary aged students when using text to communicate in a MUVE and provide insight that can be used by teachers to inform the integration of MUVEs in their unique learning contexts. Findings indicated that frequency of communication varied substantially between participants but message content was similar and content volume varied depending on the communication tool. Gender differences were pronounced. Results also revealed that all participants were comfortable and enjoyed their involvement in the MUVE.

Primary and secondary school students (Setzer, Lewis, and Greene, 2005), college students (I. E. Allen and Seaman, 2003, 2004), and corporate employees (Galvin, 2002) are all engaging more and more in some form of online or blended online/face-to-face education. Given the large number of pedagogical and design choices that we must make, however, where do we begin when designing new environments? I argue that its important for us to consider how technological design choices interact with pedagogical choices and cognitive states to affect learning behaviors. To illustrate this, I examine the impact of synchronous chat media on educational discussions. Specifically, I ask two questions: (1) Since research has often reported that chat environments promote conversational equity (e.g., Warschauer, 1997), which features of synchronous text-based chat seem to help create conversational equity? and (2) how does this change impact the content of small group discussions? Using ethnographic-style observations and quasi-experimental studies, I show how changing conversational media influences (or doesnt) the resulting discussion among students. I present three results: * Certain properties of the chat medium seem to discourage conversational dominance by any one individual through (a) denying that individual mechanisms to control the conversational floor and (b) reducing the inhibition felt by shy or otherwise disempowered students. * The choice of medium does not seem to affect the quality of discussion content nearly as much as other variables. * Efficiency is diminished in chatrooms; achieving quality discussions online requires significantly more time because (a) typing is slower than speaking and (b) students are able to do other, parallel activities while engaging in a chat discussion. In the conclusion, I examine the broader implications of these findings for the design of conversational environments, whether for educational or business use.

Internet enables construction of flexible online learning environments without time and distance barriers. However, learners typically experience isolation and alienation in online learning environments. These negative experiences can be reduced by enhancing perceived social presence of learners. With the development of learning technologies, learners can communicate asynchronously and synchronously with other participants. If social cues could be delivered adequately in online classrooms, it may become a real possibility for learners to experience the benefits that are typically only available in the social environment of a traditional classroom. However, the perceived social presence among learners is not the same for everyone. In order to better facilitate the social presence in an online classroom, this study attempted to build a model for measuring social presence and its relationships with other factors in online learning based on the social cognitive theory. An instrument with sufficient reliability and validity was developed to measure these factors. A formal study was carried out with a paper-based questionnaire for those learners who had previous learning experiences in online learning. A total of 535 valid samples were collected and analyzed from three schools in Taiwan. The method of structural equation modeling was applied to examine the proposed model and test the hypotheses. The results of measurement model testing show that five second-order constructs, user interface, mediated communication, social presence, interaction performance, and learning performance, can be synthesized from eleven first-order constructs. The results of structural model testing show that user interface and mediated communication have significant influences on social presence. User interface also has positive impact on mediated communication. Moreover, this study provided evidence that social presence has significant effects on interaction performance, and then interaction performance has significant effects on learning performance. Finally, the implications of research findings were discussed for further research directions and practical applications.

According to research by Tennessen, PonTell, Romine and Motheral (1997), the Extension System has been educating the nation for over 96 years, and the idea of using technology as a medium for education has been in the minds of Extension educators for over 40 years. The National E-Extension (eXtension) Initiative is being adopted at a rapid pace, and the history of this impact requires documentation in order to assist others in similar adoption and diffusion processes. The purpose of this historical study was to describe how and why eXtension was established and the implementation of Moodle as a Course Management System (CMS) within eXtension. The researcher was able to determine that the eXtension system is becoming an accepted form of education for Extension. However, barriers to adoption do exist. The study revealed that online education is becoming part of Extension through eXtension, but as awareness grows and develops the eXtension system must do the same. Technology is offering new ways to reach clientele, and as such, Extension continues to strive to take advantage of these technologies. This study consisted of two parts. The first part sought to document the history of eXtension and the implementation of Moodle as a Course Management System (CMS) in Extension. The second part sought to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) related to the use of Moodle as a Course Management System within eXtension. Interviews were conducted with five individuals knowledgeable of the history of eXtension and the implementation of Moodle concerning their experience. For the second part, interviews were conducted with nine individuals currently serving as instructors within one or both eXtension Moodle websites. The researcher was able to document the history of eXtension and Moodle and determine 11 emerging themes within the predetermined areas of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Findings revealed that those involved in using Moodle within Extension have knowledge of the innovation, have formed an attitude toward the innovation, and have decided to adopt or reject the innovation based on the stages of Rogers' innovation-decision process. Completion of the implementation of the innovation and confirmation of the decision stage of the process will be most effectively completed through the work of eXtension at the national level.

This dissertation is comprised of three articles that build on and support each other. The first article is an extensive literature review, and the other two are empirical studies. In this literature review, the author discussed major theories about human learning processes to guide instructional designers about effective integration of multiple modes in interactive learning environments and explored the knowledge base on representations and manipulatives in mathematics education. The first empirical study?s purpose was to investigate effects of affordances provided with virtual learning environments at different treatment durations. Students from multiple sixth-grade classes were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups differed by allocated session time (10-, 20-, and 30-minute). The online manipulative tool (OMT), which was designed to scaffold learning in operations with rational numbers, allowed students to use the following three components in any order: (a) audio, (b) audio-visual, and (c) manipulatives. Analyses showed that students who used manipulatives most achieved highest; whereas, students who used audio-visual most achieved the second highest. Additionally, the 30-minute group used each component of OMT the least. A meaningful increase in standard algorithm use over manipulatives suggested a transition from concrete to abstract thinking. The second empirical study's purpose was to compare OMT's different representational aspects and to estimate OMT's effects on achievement and technology acceptance when compared to those of traditional classroom activities. Elementary- and middle-grade students were randomly assigned to the control group or one of three treatment groups: (a) audio-visual, (b) virtual-kinesthetic, and (c) dual-mode (virtual-kinesthetic and audio-visual combined). When the control group was compared with experimental groups, pre- and post-test results suggested that OMT was more effective than traditional classroom activities in improving students' understanding of operations with rational numbers. When the students' achievement on pre- and post-tests among experimental groups was compared, no substantial difference was found. However, students in the dual-mode group scored the highest on the technology acceptance survey. Students' technology acceptances also differed among different SES levels but not genders. The results suggested that virtual manipulatives provided additional affordances for conceptual understanding. However, students' acceptances of technology should be considered when implementing new technologies.

This phenomenological study explored the experiences of public health faculty, who developed and taught online courses, at one particular school of public health from 2006 to 2009. The goal was to explore and document the experiences of faculty involved with this phenomenon. A criterion sample was used to identify and select participants. Five public health faculty participated in the study. Data were analyzed in two ways. Written narratives, observational field notes, and artifact data were analyzed using the inducted grounded analysis technique. Interview data were analyzed using the phenomenological data analysis method, Stevic-Colazzi Keen Method. Findings revealed that the experiences of public health faculty, who develop and teach online courses were similar to those in other subjects and were described as difficult, daunting, painful, and time consuming, leaving the public health faculty feeling frustrated and exhausted. While negative feelings described the experience pertaining to the development of online courses, the experience in the teaching phase was seen as positive, enjoyable, joyful, refreshing, and fun. These experiences were found to be contingent upon instructional and organizational support, availability and quality of resources and faculty development and training. Three overarching themes emerged from the study in relation to the experience. These themes included the rhetoric of fear, transformation, and support. The rhetoric of fear described the participants’ sense of being afraid or apprehensive toward developing and teaching online courses. Transformation described the transition participants made as they emerged as online instructors. Support described the structures needed to engage in the activities of developing and teaching online courses. The study also revealed five types of barriers to developing and teaching online courses at this particular school of public health. These barriers included psychological, organizational, technical, instructional, and time barriers. Benefits for developing and teaching online courses were identified. They included availability for students, access and penetration into global markets, instructional innovation, design innovation, and new methods of instructional delivery. This study provides data that can be used by institutions and faculty as they design and implement social, political, and technical infrastructures to support the activities of online teaching.

This study investigated the students&rsquo / perceptions about a web based course. Their perceptions about course materials, level of communication, online course support, and satisfaction were discussed in this study. In this case study, Information Technology in Education II (CEIT 112), an undergraduate course at the department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology (CEIT), Middle East Technical University (METU) at 2004/2005 spring semester was taken into investigation. Totally 34 1st year CEIT students attended the course in the term and participated to the study. The course was delivered via web based instruction. The data were collected by using a survey instrument at the end of the term and analyzed using descriptive statistical analyzing methods. Frequency distributions for demographic data about the students and the statements evaluating different aspects of the course were obtained. Results showed that students&rsquo / feelings about course materials, online course support, level of communication and satisfaction were neutral. The study results may be used in evaluation of web-based instruction environment for the instructor and the department. They may give clues in order to create an effective learning environment in the future design of the course.