Dive tourism is a growing and important industry which is often reliant on a high quality natural environment. As dive tourism’s significance grows due to its economic and ecological impacts on many tropical destinations, it is important to understand how this special-interest tourism may be affected by environmental change. Mass coral bleaching episodes, a phenomenon with potentially severe implications for the health of coral reef ecosystems, have been increasing in intensity and frequency over the last three decades. This has begun to affect the enjoyment of visitors and the prosperity of individuals and dive tourism businesses that depend on reefs. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to explore the perceptions, opinions and adaptation strategies of dive operators in the Caribbean regarding coral bleaching and its effects on their business and dive tourism. This study was guided by an exploratory, sequential, mixed methods design and consisted of two phases: phase 1, a semi-structured interview, followed by phase 2, a web-based survey. The interviews for the initial phase were done with seven Tobago dive operators in January 2011 to gain perspectives and insights from local dive operators before the web-based survey was sent out. The themes that emerged from the interviews include: a lack of government action, locals and reefs, bleaching and business, and moving forward. A larger regional web-based survey was chosen for a second phase of the study to test operator opinions across the Caribbean. In total 318 operators were contacted, with 90 completing the survey. The results were varied, but the overall consensus was that coral bleaching is an important issue, but at the present time a lack of reef protection is more important. Into the future the issues of coastal development and climate change become more prominent. Based on the 2010 coral bleaching event, which was projected by NOAA to rival that of the 2005 mass bleaching, the 2010 paled in comparison. The operators said it was not as severe as previous bleaching events and that it in fact did not have any impact on their business.

While extensive research has been done on technology-mediated learning (TML) in North America, such research is not easily transferable to the Caribbean, as there are notable socio-cultural and economic factors that affect such methods of course delivery. Limited research has been recorded about TML within a Caribbean context. This study employed a qualitative research methodology to gain an understanding of the individual and collective experiences of Jamaican educators who are using technology-mediated learning within the classroom. The methodology employed solicited the participation of one group of educators for this research. The two approaches that were used to collect data were group interviews and one-on-one interviews. The findings revealed that while faculty were keen on leveraging the available technology, there were still faculty, student and institutional challenges that were being encountered, ultimately affecting the effectiveness of the technology used to complement the teaching and learning process. / Adult Education

Graduation date: 1997

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of French, Classics, and Italian, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Apr. 1, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 238-244). Also issued in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Sociology, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-145).

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio University, August, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 84-86).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Robert H. Reeves, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Biological Science. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 23, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (S.T.M.)--Yale University, Divinity School, 1985. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-55).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Pennsylvania State University, 1991. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 259-274).