網路環境的轉變與網路社群網站的盛行，不但改變網路使用者的使用習慣，亦是發揮學習社群力量的時機。數位圖書館自發展以來，累積優質而豐富的典藏內容，強調多元讀者服務，並精進個人化服務與檢索功能，但針對讀者學習社群的經營則顯得不足且忽略發展可以輔助學習社群經營的機制，致使數位圖書館無法成為讀者長期駐足，甚至留下學習心得、交互分享學習成果及良性互動討論數位圖書館典藏內容的園地。 本研究以「提升使用者駐足於學習社群平台之意願」與「促進數位圖書館資源之利用」為目標，促成一個基於數位圖書館典藏內容為經營基礎之學習社群。發展有效的社群經營機制，營造學習者願意參與、交互分享學習成果及良性互動討論的優質學習環境，並支援數位圖書館資源的有效利用。 利用知識論壇(Knoewledge Forum)作為社群學習的討論平台，本研究透過準實驗研究法，從數位圖書館資源與學習社群之結合所促成的學習活動中，探討學習社群的互動歷程與知識建構情況。透過統計分析歸結出適合於發展有效輔助數位圖書館資源應用之學習社群經營工具與機制，提高學習社群的參與以及數位圖書館資源支援學習的機會與價值。 研究結果顯示：1. 研究活動歷程中，相較各階段互動機制，推薦機制與激勵機制對於學習社群參與具有較明顯的助益；2. 數位圖書館資源融入學習社群，有助主題資源與概念多面向的知識討論與擴張；3. 數位圖書館資源融入學習社群過程中，領域專家引導有助於資源的利用。 / As the rapid changes of on-line environment and prevalence of social networking websites, not only has the on-line users’ behavior changed, but also it implies the perfect time to develop better learning community with the advantages of technology innovation. Taking the Digital library (DL) as example, it has been developed into the perfect portal with accumulation of high quality information with and reader-centered services, including personalized information services and searching functions. However, comparing with other social networking sites, DL has been considered less value on building on readers’ learning communities, or not suitable sites to share information or communicate with other readers. The purpose of the study is to promote people cohesiveness at the web-based learning community platform and to improve the usage of digital library resources. Based on the advantage of web-based learning communities, the study analyzes the possible models and outcomes for learning communities on DL. In addition, the study attempts to survey ways to make better environment for readers actively interacting with others more; moreover, utilizing the digital libraries to construct knowledge. Taking the “Knowledge Forum” as web-based learning community platform, the study adopted the quasi-experimental methodology to investigate the social networks and knowledge construction behavior of the learning community on DL. The statistics analysis scheme was employed to evaluate the specific model of community building for web-based learning, and its effectiveness for promoting DL as learning support. The results of this study are concluded as following. First, compared with other methods for community building, the recommendation and motivation system are more beneficial for participation on web-based learning community. Second, integrating the resources of DL with web-based learning community is helpful for the diversity of subject topics and concepts in on-line discussion. Third, academic field experts for subject matter discussion are helpful for better DL resources utilization during the process of web-based learning.

This is a study of students’ meaning making in web-based higher education courses. Conditions for students meaning-making change when interaction technology is used to support educational practices. Widened Participation policy activities often use web-based programs to attract “new” groups of more experienced students. The study used a communicative approach and focused on how previous experiences influenced actions and meaning making when students encountered challenges related to course objectives. Mediated Discourse Analysis was used to analyse asynchronous communication in 10 groups during 18 weeks of a 4-year part-time distance education program, training childminders for a Bachelor of Education, specialising in early childhood.  Appearances of meaning-making were traced to changes and breaks in student communication and presented as themes of orientations of actions namely:  • participation, the manifestation of presence, engagement in course work and the creation of space for engagement  • positioning, the creation of a student identity, the organisation of work, and the construction of a group culture  • reference, the orientation actions took in a nexus of practices. Where did students go for examples and to challenge theoretical concepts? • changing experience is a collection of moments of reification, when students came to make realisations of relevance to subject and task.  This study tells an alternative story to research on web-based education stating difficulties to achieve in-depth communication. The mediated environment offered strength for meaning-making and knowledge building as time, in the opportunity to develop new perspective through thinking and in encountering concepts again and again. As numbers, in the necessary impact of other’s experiences. And as distance, provided by the shift of actions in asynchronous communication, forcing thoughts into written language and making them accessible for reflection and criticism. If we are serious about widening participation we should regard students not only as numbers but instead as a valuable resource that may contribute to change in education. In this context, the combination of new groups of students and web-based scenarios provides future avenues for an informed pedagogical approach to higher education.

No description available.

Thesis (M.T.S.C.)--Miami University, Dept. of English, 2004. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 31).

While online students should take charge of their own learning and form collaborative learning communities, constructivist instructors should scaffold online learning without dominating course discussions. This research continues the longitudinal investigation of web-based courses at the Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria. The mixed methodological approach this investigation followed consisted predominantly of qualitative methods, augmented with quantitative approaches. I used two distinct online tools to explore student participation in an eight-week online Masters’-level course delivered via the WebCT™ platform. First, I reviewed the use of metaphors in the literature by a framework of requirements for successful online learning. The use of metaphor supports constructivism, facilitates course interaction, helps to avoid students’ initial inertia in online discussions, and contributes to the development of virtual learning communities. I researched how an explanatory metaphor as tool supported online participation and indicated that metaphors eased students’ communication of important and difficult issues. Secondly, I used the tool of a covert virtual student that also acted as an additional facilitator and course helper. I examined the ethical implications of the carefully concealed real identity of the mythical online helper, methical Jane. As she took part in all course activities and assignments, as well as providing her co-students with cognitive and technical support, the students accepted and integrated her presence in their virtual learning community. I consequently analysed students’ reactions to her identity after disclosure of her origin after the course. Although the exposure precipitated students’ shock, disbelief and dismay as she was a convincing virtual student, they did not object to the presence of a virtual student, but rather felt betrayed due to her hidden real identity. The benefits of this teaching intervention include experts supplying technical expertise, multiple faculty enriching the learning experience, and support and teaching assistants and tutors participating with smaller groups in large online classes. I further examined how frequency of course access, discussion postings, collaborative behaviour and integration into a virtual learning community relate to learning and course completion. Quantitative indices indicated highly significant differences between the stratifications of student performance. Absent and seldom-contributing students risked missing the benefits of the online learning community. Students were discontent with peers who rarely and insufficiently contributed to group assignments. Low participation varied from only reading, skimming, or deliberately harvesting others’ contributions, to high student contributions of little value. Conclusions on the formation of an online learning community indicate that the passport to membership of the community is quality participation, rather than prior peer acquaintance. I indicated that students’ learning benefited from contributing high quality inputs to online learning communities while students with poor participation did not benefit from the online learning community. Online facilitators contribute to students’ learning through the timeliness and quality of tailored scaffolding. Recommendations for future research include uncovering the reasons for students’ stressful experiences of online learning; the effect of online assessment on student course participation; the alignment of learning metaphors in multi-cultural learning environments; and the support of non-participating online students. / Thesis (PHD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

This dissertation reports on an investigation into three web-based technologies to determine their usefulness and the extent to which they support learning. The study comprises three case studies, each examining a separate web-based technology, suitable for diverse groups of learners in terms of age group and background. The main contribution is to determine for whom and how these technologies could be used, with the intention of providing a systematic structure of web-learning possibilities for learners of different ages (children, undergraduates and postgraduates) and types of teaching (contact teaching and distance learning). It was found that web-based technologies could support learning. Their usefulness depends on how the instructional design addresses the different aspects of web-based learning, and whether or not the course and web-based material match the characteristics/needs of the target group. / Thesis (MA (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Information Science / unrestricted

L’objectif de cette thèse est d’étudier comment l’identification à un groupe peut conduire à de meilleures performances cognitives en s’appuyant sur la théorie de l’identité sociale (Tajfel & Turner, 1986). Cette théorie avance que l’identité sociale d’un individu repose en partie sur la comparaison entre son groupe d’appartenance et un autre groupe. La quête d’une identité sociale positive pousserait l’individu à agir pour le bien de son groupe afin de se placer dans une position avantageuse par rapport à un autre groupe. Le modèle SIDE (Social Identity model of Deindividuation Effects, Reicher, Spears & Postmes, 1995) a étendu cette théorie en considérant que l’anonymat facilite le passage de l’identité personnelle à l’identité sociale et la renforce. Notre recherche a été déclinée en trois axes. Les deux premiers ont examiné l’effet de l’anonymat et de la comparaison entre groupes sur les performances à des exercices d’informatique et de statistiques réalisés en environnements numériques. Le dernier axe a étudié les effets de l’anonymat et de la comparaison entre groupes à une tâche de production d’idées créatives en situation de coprésence. Conformément aux prédictions du modèle SIDE, les résultats ont montré que la comparaison intergroupe en situation d’anonymat active l’identité sociale des membres d’un groupe et les conduits à avoir de meilleures performances à des tâches cognitives. De plus, nous avons mis en évidence que des différences individuelles, comme le niveau de connaissances antérieures, viennent modérer les effets du modèle SIDE. Les implications pratiques et théoriques de ces résultats sont discutées, et des pistes de recherches futures sont proposées. / The aim of this thesis is to study how group identification may lead to better cognitive performance, based on social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1986). This theory states that the social identity of individuals is partly based on comparison of their group with another group. The search for a positive social identity should drive individuals to act on behalf of their own group, putting them in an advantageous position compared to another group. The SIDE Model (Social Identity model of Deindividuation Effects, Reicher, Spears & Postmes, 1995) extends this theory by postulating that anonymity could facilitate the transition from personal to social identity, which is reinforced in the process. Our study was organized along three lines of research. The first two examined how anonymity and intergroup comparison affects performance on computer quizzes and statistics exercises in a web-based learning environment. The third studied the effects of anonymity and intergroup comparison on the generation of creative ideas in the presence of others. Consistent with the SIDE Model, we found that intergroup comparison under anonymity conditions activated group members’ social identity, leading to better performance on cognitive tasks. We also found that individual differences, such as prior knowledge, may moderate the effects of the SIDE model. The practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed, and future research directions are suggested.

La prévention et contrôle des infections (PCI) est un critère majeur pour qualifier la qualité de soins dans les services et contrôler les taux des infections nosocomiales. La formation continue demeure une des principales composantes de la prévention des infections. Malgré un intérêt pour la formation continue en PCI, des besoins à ce sujet ont été récemment exprimés par les professionnels de santé d’un établissement de santé. Cette étude qualitative descriptive a pour but de valider une proposition de modules de formation numérique continue en PCI destinées aux infirmières d’un établissement de santé à Montréal. Pour ce faire, trois entrevues de groupe ont été réalisées auprès de 8 participantes et une analyse thématique a été effectuée à partir de leurs verbatim. Quatre axes thématiques ont été dégagés, soit l’appréciation du plan de formation, les pistes d’amélioration du plan de formation, les retombées de la formation, ainsi que les barrières à la modification de la pratique clinique. Les résultats révèlent une appréciation du format numérique, de l’accessibilité et des stratégies d’enseignement choisies de la part des participantes. Des pistes d’amélioration ont également été formulées afin de bonifier le plan de formation initial. / Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a major criterion for qualifying the quality of care in the departments and controlling the rates of nosocomial infections. Continuing education in IPC remains one of the main components of infection prevention. Despite an interest in continuing education in PCI, needs on this subject have recently been expressed by health professionals in a health establishment. Based on a needs analysis, a continuous digital training plan in IPC was developed by the research team. This descriptive qualitative study aims to describe the perception of nurses regarding the validation of a proposal for continuous digital training modules in IPC intended for nurses in a health care establishment in Montreal. To do this, three virtual focus groups and group interviews were conducted with 8 participants and a thematic analysis was carried out based on their verbatim. Four thematic axes were identified, namely the assessment of the training plan, the strengths, the avenues for improving the training plan, the benefits of the training, as well as the barriers to the modification of clinical practice. The main results analyzed reveal an appreciation Participants appreciate the digital format, accessibility and the teaching strategies chosen by the participants. Areas for improvement have also been formulated to improve the initial training plan.

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No description available.