The integration of technology into classrooms, the education of gifted learners, and the challenge this presents to classroom relationships as a result of engaging with computer technology are significant issues for teachers in this decade. The evolving paradigm of technology use, the deep learning of computer skills that students will require for future employment and how this can be incorporated into appropriate pedagogies for gifted learners also poses challenges for teachers. This thesis reports on a unique mentoring program that was developed to utilise desktop videoconferencing (DVC) technology and designed to specifically address these challenges. The study was undertaken in a large independent school (K-12) in New South Wales, Australia and involved six students and six teachers, none of whom had any previous experience of DVC or mentoring. The aim of the study was to investigate learning outcomes for teachers and gifted students. This study employed DVC as a didactic strategy over a 10-week period. The mentoring sessions of the cohorts and their post-mentoring interviews were evaluated using grounded theory methods of data gathering and analysis over a 2-year period. The findings demonstrated that the nature of learning during DVC could be constructed as an emergent theory, based on the teaching philosophies of the teachers and their goals for their students. Technical support, relational mentors and motivational tasks created supportive environments for DVC. Perseverance, enthusiasm and resilience enhanced the uniqueness of mentoring program. Several recommendations are also posited for further research.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 209-216). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

This exploratory study investigated the differences between traditional 12 step meetings and online 12 step videoconferencing meetings in a recovery-based social networking site (SNS). Drawing from a social support framework and the social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE), I conducted an online survey (N = 97) measuring perceptions of effectiveness, small group and relational satisfaction, identification, social support and network quality, anonymity, and access for both traditional and online videoconferencing meetings. In addition, an index was created to assess online community members’ level of engagement within the SNS. Findings reveal that (a) traditional 12 step meetings rank significantly higher on perceptions of social support quality and recovery network quality, as well as overall meeting effectiveness, and small group and relational satisfaction, (b) members’ perceptions of small group and relational satisfaction, social support and network quality are significant predictors of identification within a 12 step group, and lastly (c) members’ level of engagement within the SNS is strongly correlated with a number of positive outcomes suggesting that the more engaged a member is with various features within the SNS, the more social support and recovery benefits a member perceives. In sum, this study advances practical understanding of the role SNS and online videoconferencing meetings have in shaping the experiences of members in recovery. The usefulness of this study for online social support researchers as well as suggestions for future research are discussed. / text

Social (public speaking) anxiety disorder is the most prevalent of all anxiety disorders, and it often impairs social and occupational functioning. Intervention studies indicate that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an efficacious treatment for social anxiety. However, access to therapists skilled in CBT for social anxiety is often difficult. In order to respond to the problem of access, the use of videoconferencing for mental health care has developed. No published study has investigated the efficacy of CBT for social anxiety when provided via videoconferencing. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to determine the efficacy of CBT for social anxiety when provided via videoconferencing. A single-case replication design was employed that included a baseline period of 3 weeks, followed by 12 weeks of . treatment, 1-week post-intervention period, and 3-month follow-up. Five participants completed treatment. It was hypothesized that participants would reduce their social anxiety symptoms (i.e., decrease anxiety during speech task, increase duration of speech task, and decrease public speaking anxiety) assessed on standardized measures of social anxiety. Exploratory analyses of changes in self-monitored social anxiety, negative cognitions (public self-consciousness, fear of negative evaluation, internal attributions), working alliance, client satisfaction with treatment, and client comfort with videoconferencing were also performed. Analyses included visual and statistical significance, as well as clinical significance (i.e., endstate functioning, social phobia diagnostic status). The results indicated that two of three hypotheses were supported (i.e., anxiety during speech task reduced and duration of speech task increased over time). At 3-month follow-up, treatment gains were maintained or improved further; 3 participants no longer met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for social anxiety disorder, and 4 participants met criteria for moderate or high level of endstate functioning (i.e., clinical significance). Exploratory analyses revealed that self-monitored social anxiety decreased for 3 of 5 participants, and that a decrease in negative cognitions was associated with a decrease in social anxiety. Working alliance ratings remained high throughout treatment. Satisfaction with videoconferencing decreased over treatment for the participant who did not improve. Generally, comfort with videoconferencing increased over time. The results offer preliminary support for further research about the efficacy of the intervention.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Canterbury, 2008. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-239). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--North Carolina State University, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Med.Sc.) - University of Queensland, 2004. / Includes bibliography.

Mental illness affects 18% of American adults and 8.0% of American children. Untreated mental illness can increase mortality, influence treatment of other conditions, and impose unnecessary burdens on individuals, families, and communities. Despite the prevalence and burdens of untreated mental illness, there are still numerous financial, social, and organizational barriers to the availability, utilization and quality of mental health services. In the last two decades, many efforts have been made to improve healthcare access through legal and regulatory overhauls, health insurance reform, electronic health system infrastructure expansion, and development of new models of care. These efforts are perhaps most easily observed through the implementation of telehealth and telemedicine. Telehealth is an umbrella term indicating the use of technology for the provision of healthcare, health administration, and health education while telemedicine is a more specific term referring to the use of technology for the delivery of healthcare across distances. While telemedicine is used in almost all subspecialties, implementation and research are more developed in some specialties than in others. Research on telepsychiatry shows that 1) telepsychiatry can be used to effectively diagnose and treat a variety of mental illnesses in a number of populations in many locations; 2) telepsychiatry has the potential to be a cost effective alternative to treatment as usual for patients, providers, and communities; 3) telemental health can function successfully within the legal and regulatory landscape in United States; 4) the technology for telemental health is already available and continually improving; 5) There are resources available to facilitate the use of telemental health by patients, providers and healthcare organizations. Telepsychiatry has the potential to improve access to mental health services by connecting patients with the right providers, reducing the costs of receiving and providing mental healthcare, lowering social barriers that prevent individuals from seeking and providers from offering care, and facilitating organizational practices and goals. This paper summarizes published data concerning the clinical, financial, legal and regulatory, and technological aspects of telepsychiatry and explores how telepsychiatry might be used to improve the availability, utilization, and quality of mental health services in the United States.

O objetivo do trabalho é a implementação de características de adaptabilidade ao VIC, software livre de videoconferência sobre multicast. O VIC é um software para vídeo utilizado pelos principais frameworks de videoconferência em uso no mundo. O trabalho é focado em cima do VIC para o Access Grid, desenvolvido no Argone National Laboratory. Videoconferência é uma aplicação que consome muitos recursos da rede e do processamento da máquina, devido à grande quantidade de informações com que trabalha e à velocidade com que estas informações devem ser processadas e transmitidas. Pelas próprias características intrínsecas de uma transmissão de vídeo, não são admitidos atrasos. O trabalho analisa as principais tecnologias e o estado da arte em videoconferência, tanto na parte de transmissão quanto na parte de codificação e decodificação de sinais. As principais ferramentas em uso são apresentadas com suas características próprias. Os dois principais enfoques de adaptabilidade para transmissão e recepção de vídeo são expostos. O trabalho propõe um modelo misto, baseado nestes dois enfoques. A partir daí é exposto o novo algoritmo criado e os resultados de alguns testes realizados. Até hoje, apenas uma tentativa foi feita de acrescentar características de adaptabilidade à condição da rede ao VIC, porém essa não se encontra em uso. O trabalho propõe um novo algoritmo de adaptabilidade utilizando características das duas principais tendências atualmente em pesquisa. / The goal of the work is to implement adaptability features to VIC, free software to deliver videoconferencing over multicast. VIC is a software to transmit video used by the main videoconferencing frameworks in use worldwide. The focus of the work is on VIC to Access Grid, developed at Argone National Laboratory. Videoconferencing is an application that uses too much resources of the network and processing power of the machine, due to the huge amount of information that it handles and due to the speed needed to process and transmit this information. For its own intrinsic properties, delays are not allowed in videoconferencing. The work analyses the main technologies and the state of the art in videoconferencing, both in transmission and in encoding and decoding of signals. The main tools in use are presented with their own characteristics. The two main approaches of adaptability for video transmission and reception are shown. The work proposes a new model, based on both approaches in a mixed way. The new algorithm created is shown together with the results of some tests made. Until today, only one try was made to add adaptability to the network conditions to VIC, but it is not in use. The work proposes a new adaptability algorithm using features of the two main trends in research today.

O objetivo do trabalho é a implementação de características de adaptabilidade ao VIC, software livre de videoconferência sobre multicast. O VIC é um software para vídeo utilizado pelos principais frameworks de videoconferência em uso no mundo. O trabalho é focado em cima do VIC para o Access Grid, desenvolvido no Argone National Laboratory. Videoconferência é uma aplicação que consome muitos recursos da rede e do processamento da máquina, devido à grande quantidade de informações com que trabalha e à velocidade com que estas informações devem ser processadas e transmitidas. Pelas próprias características intrínsecas de uma transmissão de vídeo, não são admitidos atrasos. O trabalho analisa as principais tecnologias e o estado da arte em videoconferência, tanto na parte de transmissão quanto na parte de codificação e decodificação de sinais. As principais ferramentas em uso são apresentadas com suas características próprias. Os dois principais enfoques de adaptabilidade para transmissão e recepção de vídeo são expostos. O trabalho propõe um modelo misto, baseado nestes dois enfoques. A partir daí é exposto o novo algoritmo criado e os resultados de alguns testes realizados. Até hoje, apenas uma tentativa foi feita de acrescentar características de adaptabilidade à condição da rede ao VIC, porém essa não se encontra em uso. O trabalho propõe um novo algoritmo de adaptabilidade utilizando características das duas principais tendências atualmente em pesquisa. / The goal of the work is to implement adaptability features to VIC, free software to deliver videoconferencing over multicast. VIC is a software to transmit video used by the main videoconferencing frameworks in use worldwide. The focus of the work is on VIC to Access Grid, developed at Argone National Laboratory. Videoconferencing is an application that uses too much resources of the network and processing power of the machine, due to the huge amount of information that it handles and due to the speed needed to process and transmit this information. For its own intrinsic properties, delays are not allowed in videoconferencing. The work analyses the main technologies and the state of the art in videoconferencing, both in transmission and in encoding and decoding of signals. The main tools in use are presented with their own characteristics. The two main approaches of adaptability for video transmission and reception are shown. The work proposes a new model, based on both approaches in a mixed way. The new algorithm created is shown together with the results of some tests made. Until today, only one try was made to add adaptability to the network conditions to VIC, but it is not in use. The work proposes a new adaptability algorithm using features of the two main trends in research today.