The purpose of this study was to identify perceived barriers to faculty participation in distance education courses in a 4-year university. The literature review was divided into four general areas, each of which may act as a barrier to faculty participation; training, administrators, rewards/compensation, and faculty characteristics/demographics. The research population consisted of 570 faculty and 59 administrators from the eight UNT schools/colleges. Dr. Kristin Betts developed the survey instrument in 1998 for similar research conducted at the George Washington University. Analysis of the collected data revealed that there was no statistically significant relationship found between faculty characteristics and faculty participation in distance education. Faculty participants and administrators disagreed on which factors, from a list of 34 items, had motivated faculty to participate in distance education. Nonparticipants and administrators disagreed on which of the factors, if not available, would be barriers to faculty participation in distance education. Participants and nonparticipants disagreed regarding the level to which selected rewards and compensations had motivated faculty to participate, and the lack of which would inhibit faculty participation in distance education. Finally, 71% of the participants had participated or planned to participate in distance education training compared to only 33% of the nonparticipants. It is obvious that administrators and faculty do not place the same level of importance on motivational or inhibiting factors that may affect faculty participation in distance education. These results indicate that additional research should be accomplished to determine the basis for the disagreement among the three groups.

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The research question for this study is “What different design guidelines can be distilledfrom teachers in a distance education organization when they are tasked to imagine theinterface for synchronous video communication with students”. Previous research hasshown that live streaming technologies are a viable option for students but more research isneeded with the teacher perspective. By employing qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews and holding a participatory design workshop with teachers atdistance learning facilitator in Sweden this study argues that an online learning platformshould be designed with social media aspects in mind, the ability to hold teacher-heldlectures on a regular basis, present different modes of participation in order to improveonline distance learning. The author suggests that more studies with the teacherperspective in mind should be conducted to further improve the understanding of teachers’needs in an online distance-learning environment.

The purpose of this study was to improve critical thinking skills in clinical laboratory technologists through the development, implementation, and assessment of a multimodal model targeting critical thinking skills. Clinical laboratory technologists influence patient care through the testing of laboratory samples. Employers of these entry level professionals identified a need for improved critical thinking skills. This quasi-experimental study aimed to design a multimodal critical thinking model, implement the model into the clinical laboratory educational curriculum, and assesses this skill set for students in a pre-test / post-test format. The model was delivered and assessed for 47 clinical laboratory students at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center’s School of Health Professions. Based on numerical results for the Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT), no significant difference in critical thinking skills was observed for clinical laboratory students before and after the integration of the multimodal model targeting this skill set into the curriculum. For the purpose of this study, critical thinking was defined as the ability to effectively evaluate and interpret data, apply existing knowledge to solve problems in new situations, demonstrate creativity and resourcefulness in learning, and problem solving, and effectively and persuasively communicate findings. Further analysis of the results indicated that junior and community college students were more likely to improve their HSRT scores after completion of the multimodal model than 4-year university and bachelor level students. Findings also suggest a positive relationship between GPA and improved HSRT scores. The amount of time as student spent on each assessment was directly related to success, and an inverse relationship was observed for usage of the model reference material. Further studies are needed to ensure model validity and generalizability of findings. Additionally, HSRT categorical results indicate the need for model modifications to better target the areas of deduction and inference. The online, asynchronous format may benefit from the addition of mandated discussion boards, and requiring assessment and evaluation completion may reduce the effects of lack of effort due to cognitive fatigue observed for this study.

M.Ed. (Tertiary Didactics) / The purpose of this investigation was to determine how the practical component in the further professional training of teachers by distance teaching can be improved. The deficiencies which are experienced can be ascribed, inter alia, to the fact that the relationship between the theoretical and the practical components are not clearly discernible to the teacher. On the basis of a study of literature and an empirical investigation of limited scope, it was determined that factors which obscure the forming of relationships can be present in the teacher as a learner, in the lecturer as a planner and presenter of the subject matter and in the curriculum at micro-level...

The purpose of this study was to identify the status and challenges of online distance education programs in post-secondary institutions in Ghana. This study was a replication of a similar study conducted in Kenya in 2009, at the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University. This present study was conducted with an online survey using Google survey assessment. The survey requested responses from six post-secondary institutions in Ghana. Out of a total of 450 projected student responses, 309 responses were received with a 69% participation rate. A total of 14 responses were received for instructors out of a projected 30 resulting in 47% participation rate. And for administrators, 8 responses were received out of a projected 12 resulting in a 67% participation rate. Overall the study revealed that Ghana post-secondary institutions have established and incorporated online distance education into their programs, offering both online and blended courses. Some of these institutions established regional centers across the country and incorporated foreign instructors into their programs. The survey also revealed that students were satisfied with the overall online distance education program in their institutions which included the level of instruction, feedback and evaluation. However, there were still challenges revealed from the study that included the high cost of education, frequent power outages, school stoppages as a result of instructor strikes and the need to restructure courses to include projects.

[pt] A presente pesquisa teve por objetivo discutir como um dado sistema de gerenciamento de EaD baseada na Internet pode revelar aplicabilidade pedagógica a um determinado conteúdo trabalhado a distância. Discutiu-se, também, de que forma este tipo de sistema pode contribuir para uma mediação pedagógica adequada dos conteúdos por ele veiculados, bem como jogar algumas luzes sobre as facilidades e dificuldades vivenciadas pelos seus usuários. Finalmente, tivemos por objetivo discutir a extensão e a direção do hiato de qualidade entre a proposta dos autores e patrocinadores de uma iniciativa específica de EaD baseada na Internet a e a qualidade percebida pelos seus usuários. Logo após a Introdução, esta pesquisa apresenta uma discussão sobre a Cibercultura e seus reflexos sobre a Educação a Distância, confrontando diferentes pontos de vista sobre o assunto. Prossegue-se com uma análise da EaD baseada na Internet no Brasil e com uma apresentação dos principais gerenciadores de EaD baseada na Internet. Por fim, descreve-se brevemente o Curso Pós-Médio em Informática da Fundação Bradesco, realizado em convênio com a Cisco Systems do Brasil, sobre o qual aplicou-se um modelo empírico de avaliação de percepção de qualidade, a saber, o modelo ServQual, proposto em 1985 por Parasuraman et al.. A dissertação finaliza-se com algumas conclusões decorrentes do confronto de visões dos diversos atores do processo, sugerindo direções para pesquisa futura. / [en] The present research intends to discuss how a certain Internet Learning Management System may be pedagogicly applied to a content delivered at distance. It is also discussed how this kind of system may contribute to an adequate pedagogic mediation of the contents that it delivers. The work also spreads some light over the facilities and difficulties that its users face. The final goal is to discuss the extent and the direction of the quality gap between the authors and sponsors propositions of a given iniciative of Distance Learning though the Internet and the quality perceived by its users. Right after the Introduction, this research presents a discussion about the Cyberculture and its reflexions on the Distance Education, comparing different points of view about the subject. Then the Distance Learning through the Internet in Brazil is analysed, presenting the main learning management systems. Finaly, the Fundação Bradesco Computer Science Course is described, on which it was applied an empiric model of quality perception evaluation, the ServQual, created in 1985 by Parasuraman et al.. The research ends with some conclusions derived from the confrontation of points of view of the different actors involved, suggesting directions for future research.

Orientador: Marcus Vinicius Maltempi / Banca: José Carrillo Yañez / Banca: Suely Scherer / Banca: Miguel Ribeiro / Banca: Rúbia Barcelos do Amaral Schio / Resumo: O objetivo da presente pesquisa é caracterizar o Conhecimento Especializado revelado por um formador de professores de Matemática, em início de carreira, ao ensinar 'Derivada' a distância. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa no formato de estudo de caso, cujos dados produzidos por meio de entrevistas e de interações nos espaços de fórum do Ambiente Virtual de Aprendizagem (AVA) permitiram apresentar características do conhecimento especializado do participante que, pela primeira vez ofertou a disciplina de Cálculo I em um curso de Licenciatura em Matemática a distância, por isso é considerado como formador. A análise dos dados ocorreu sob o olhar da perspectiva teórica do Modelo denominado Mathematics Teacher's Specialized Knowledge (MTSK). Entre as principais características do conhecimento especializado deste formador está o fato de que, mesmo em início de carreira, revelou conhecimentos que puderam ser relacionados a todos os subdomínios do MTSK. Como formador de professores, revelou ter se dedicado mais no desenvolvimento do conhecimento matemático de seus alunos do que no conhecimento didático da Derivada. Sua atuação como formador foi influenciada pela formação que teve durante a graduação e o mestrado, pelas conversas que teve com um professor mais experiente que ele, e por pesquisas que ele estudou ao se preparar para as aulas / Abstract: The goal of this research is to characterize the Specialized Knowledge revealed by a teacher educator of Mathematics, in initial career, when he /she is teaching Distance Derivative. It is a qualitative research in the form of a case study, w hose data produced through interviews and interactions in the forums of the Virtual Learning Environment (AVA) allowed to present characteristics of the participant's specialized knowledge, which, for the first time offered the discipline of Calculus I in a course of undergraduate Degree in Mathematics at a distance, so it is considered as a teacher educator. The data analysis took place under the perspective of the theoretical perspective of the Model called Mathematics Teacher's Specialized Knowledge (MTS K). Among the main characteristics of the expert knowledge of this teacher educator is the fact that, even at the beginning of his career, he revealed knowledge that could be related to all subdomains of MTSK. As teacher educator, he revealed that he had d edicated himself more to the development of mathematical knowledge of his students, than to the didactic knowledge of the Derivative. His work as a teacher educator was influenced by the training he had during his undergraduate and masters degree, by the c onversations he had with more experienced teachers, and by research he studied while preparing for classes / Resumen: El objetivo de la presente investigación es caracterizar el Conocimiento Especializado revelado por un formador de profesores de Matemáticas, al inicio de su carrera, al enseñar Derivada a distancia. Se trata de una investigación cualitativa en el formato de estudio de caso, cuyos datos producidos por medio de entrevistas y de interacciones en los espacios de foro del Ambiente Virtual de Aprendizaje (AVA) permitieron presentar características del conocimiento especializado del participante que, por primera vez impartió clases de Cálculo I en un curso de Licenciatura en Matemáticas a distancia, por lo que es considerado como formador. El análisis de los datos ocurrió bajo la mirada de la perspectiva teórica del Modelo denominado el Mathematics Teacher's Specialized Knowledge (MTSK). Entre las principales características del conocimiento especializado de este formador está el hecho de que, incluso al inicio de su carrera, reveló conocimientos que pudieron ser relacionados con todos los subdominios del MTSK. Como formador de profesores, reveló haber dedicado más en el desarrollo del conocimiento matemático de sus alumnos, que en el conocimiento didáctico de la Derivada. Su actuación como formador fue influenciada por la formación que tuvo durante la graduación y el máster, por las conversaciones que tuvo con un profesores expertos, y por investigaciones que él estudió al prepararse para las clases / Doutor

A educação a distância é uma realidade bem vista por muitas instituições de ensino e pelo Ministério da Educação, sendo, portanto, fortemente incentivada. Essa modalidade vai muito além da alternativa de oferecer cursos de maneira confortável para alunos que não têm disponibilidade de tempo em horário comercial. Em alguns casos, esse é o único meio de atingir uma parcela da população que, apesar de encontrar-se isolada geograficamente, tem direito à educação básica de qualidade e gratuita como forma de garantir os seus direitos de cidadão. Este trabalho teve como objetivo investigar alternativas de software que visam oferecer apoio para a oferta de cursos na modalidade a distância. Como estudo de caso, foi delimitado um cenário real: o do estado do Amazonas, que conta com diversos esforços bem sucedidos no uso de educação a distância como alternativas para reduzir o isolamento geográfico. Para auxiliar os alunos e professores foi escolhido o ambiente Tidia-Ae, sendo que o maior enfoque foi dado à ferramenta DigaE e suas extensões, por possibilitarem a autoria de documentos multimídia interativos / Distance education is a education model that was recommend by many educational institutions and by the Education Ministry. This model goes beyond of offering courses in a comfortable way for students who do not have time available during business hours. In some cases, this is the only way to offer for a population that, although is geographically isolated, has the right to quality basic education and free as a way to guarantee their rights as citizens. This study aimed to investigate alternatives to the use of software tools aimed at providing support for the provision of courses in the distance. As a particular case, was delimited a real scenario: the Amazon state, which has several successful efforts in using distance education as alternatives to reduce the geographic isolation. To assist students and teachers were chosen environment Tidia-Ae, with the main focus was given to the DigaE tool and its extensions, for making possible the interactive multimedia document authoring

Resumo: Este trabalho é fruto de uma investigação em um curso de extensão em astronomia, destinado a professores, e realizado no formato à distância. As ferramentas do curso foram analisadas em sua função para o aprendizado, e em sua coerência com a proposta pedagógica declarada pelos coordenadores do curso como construtivista. Concomitante a isso, foram analisadas as movimentações de três cursistas pelo Ambiente Virtual de Aprendizagem (AVA), quantitativamente ao longo de todo o curso e mais pormenorizadamente ao longo de 4 das 30 semanas-aulas. Para complementar os dados quantitativos, foi feita uma entrevista semi-estruturada com os cursistas ou coletados dados a partir de uma apreciação do curso, que eles redigiram. Como resultados, foram apontadas principalmente duas ferramentas que, da forma como foram utilizadas pelos elaboradores do curso, promoveram problematização, conexão com as ideias iniciais do aprendiz, incentivo à interação e à autonomia no aprendizado: o roteiro de estudos e o quiz. Com respeito à movimentação dos cursistas, foi possível verificar que tanto em seu discurso como em seus dados de movimentação pelo AVA, eles valorizaram bastante as duas ferramentas destacadas e se movimentaram pelo AVA de modo a acessar a grande maioria das ferramentas disponibilizadas na semana-aula, e que a movimentação dos cursistas era consistente e frequente ao longo das semanas. Não houve correlação entre picos de acesso e vésperas de provas ou semanas mais difíceis, tampouco houve relação entre maior intensidade de acessos e melhor desempenho (em se tratando de cursistas aprovados no curso). Comparando a quantidade de cliques com a quantidade de acessos de cada cursista e toda a movimentação realizada dentro do AVA, podemos afirmar que o cursista acessa as ferramentas de uma forma compatível com as orientações do curso, ou seja, de um modo como os elaboradores do curso planejaram tais ferramentas. / This work is a product of an investigation within a distance education course on Astronomy designed for school teachers. The course tools were analysed in their function to learning and coherence with the declared pedagogical proposal of the course, declared by the course coordinators as construtivist. In addition to that, we have analysed the movements of 3 students within the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) of the course. This was done quantitatively through the whole course and more detailed for 4 of the 30 weekly classes. To complement the quantitative data, we have also interviewed those students or taken data from a course appreciation they wrote and that was available in the online environment. As results, we point out two main tools that, in the way they were used by the course elaborators, promoted problematization, connection with the initial ideas of the learners, interaction and growing autonomy: the study guide and the quiz. Analysing the learners movement in the VLE, we could verify that they valued those tools and accessed all tools made available for each class, some more than once. The learners access was consistent and frequent, and no correlation was observed between intensity of access and proximity to final exams, nor marks (emphasizing that all 3 learners succeeded in the course). Comparing the quantity of clicks and quantity of accesses of each student and all movement inside the VLE, we can state that the learner accesses the tools in a way that is consistent with the way the course elaborators planned the tools to be used.