People with the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS) have few options for educational activities. Although web-based instruction may be a viable option, little is known about how people with MS perceive this form of learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the experiences of people with MS regarding web- based instruction. The 3 learning structures--differentiated instruction, collaborative learning, and assistive technology--provided the conceptual framework for this research. Nine volunteers from the Pacific Northwest area of the United States who have MS were individually interviewed for this basic qualitative study. Transcripts were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. The results indicated that all participants found personal and professional benefits of their experience with web-based instruction and used course management systems to successfully communicate with instructors or peers. Participants also noted that these management systems did not directly aggravate their MS disease symptoms. Findings from the study may be useful information to individuals with MS for effectively managing their educational choices. This study's results could also be used by learning institutions to improve the access to education and allow individuals with MS to more fully participate in training opportunities.

This folio presents three studies (a dissertation and two electives) which use qualitative case study methodologies to investigate technology adoption from three perspectives. Central to all three studies is the study context of Monash University. The Dissertation explores adoption of web-based learning and teaching approaches from the perspective of teaching academics as they incorporate these to facilitate their students’ learning. The study investigates teaching academics’ reasons for adopting these new technologies, the factors that influenced their adoption decisions, and the challenges they were confronted with, including the contributing factors that impacted on their adoption decisions. The study shows that while contextual factors such as power and politics of the school, department, faculty and the institution impact on adoption, supportive organisational infrastructures and policy frameworks are necessary to encourage adoption, including wider adoption. In turn, on going staff development, adoption of new work practices and being adaptive to changing work environments are key demands made on teaching academics as a result of adopting web-based teaching approaches. Elective 1, a smaller study, leads on from the dissertation and examines the impact of technology adoption on the evolving role of educational designers. The study identifies the educational designers’ role change in assisting teaching academics to move from more conventional forms of teaching to more technology based learner-centred collaborative models. An important aspect of the study is the managers’ perspectives of this role in a university that has adopted a strong flexible learning and technology policy. The findings show that educational designers now work as project managers in larger teams consisting of a wider range of professionals, their expanded role in introducing technology into learning designs, providing staff development in the area, and giving technical help including advice on copyright and intellectual property issues. Elective 2 explores student readiness to adopt these technologies for learning. The study is designed to achieve an understanding of three broad categories of learners from a first year design unit: (1) South East Asian and East Asian students, (2) all other international students, and (3) local Australian students are studied to examine their readiness for modes of learning that are flexible; their approaches to study in a creative discipline area; and their openness to using technology. Findings of the study are discussed under the key themes – dependence on the teacher and classroom environment, flexible learning and working alone, structure, communication and work patterns. The study concludes by discussing the possible cultural attributes that have an impact on the learning. The three studies found that the institution, its people, structures and processes must all adapt, evolve and grow in order to provide effective, engaging, student-centred web-based learning environments. Students in turn must be enabled to manage their study, make use of the technologies and maximise their learning experience. The findings revealed the stage of technology use reached at Monash University at the time of the study through the voices of the teaching academics, educational designers and students.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

<p>The aim of this thesis project was to migrate an existing excel-based application, used</p><p>to analyze energy use and carbon dioxide emission of companies, to a web-based application.</p><p>Special development questions were put around which software development process,</p><p>solution stack and user interface to be used according to the company needs. The spiral</p><p>lifecycle model has been chosen because it provides a clear view of the process and has the</p><p>concept of early prototypes. A solution stack based on Linux, Apache, PHP and MySQL has</p><p>been chosen because such approach has met the company requirements in terms of cost,</p><p>security, support, and maintenance. As a result, the developed web-based system overcomes</p><p>the problems normally found in excel-based applications, such as application deployment and</p><p>maintenance, and provides a more usable and richer user interface.</p>

<p>The aim of this thesis project was to migrate an existing excel-based application, used</p><p>to analyze energy use and carbon dioxide emission of companies, to a web-based application.</p><p>Special development questions were put around which software development process,</p><p>solution stack and user interface to be used according to the company needs. The spiral</p><p>lifecycle model has been chosen because it provides a clear view of the process and has the</p><p>concept of early prototypes. A solution stack based on Linux, Apache, PHP and MySQL has</p><p>been chosen because such approach has met the company requirements in terms of cost,</p><p>security, support, and maintenance. As a result, the developed web-based system overcomes</p><p>the problems normally found in excel-based applications, such as application deployment and</p><p>maintenance, and provides a more usable and richer user interface.</p>

This study was conducted to investigate the student-to-student interactions that take place in an online community college course, and how the interactions impact an online learning community. The literature review revealed three related themes: (a) the impact of the teaching/learning environment on student interaction, (b) barriers in the online environment, and (c) peer collaboration in the online environment. The case was selected using four selection criteria: (a) the class was offered completely online (b) the instructor was experienced teaching online classes, (c) computer technology was not the primary content of the course, and (d) the level of interaction was sufficient to investigate student interaction. Data were collected from public transcripts including bulletin board forum postings, email, group papers, and interviews. Six of the 16 students enrolled in the class and the instructor were interviewed. In this case, the environment impacted the way students interacted, collaborated, and socialized with peers. It changed the way participants existed within the learning community and impacted how students interpreted meaning and perceived time. The study generated findings with implications for community college instructors and participants of online learning communities. The online environment may impact: (1) how conflict is handled, (2) the quality of discussion among peers, (3) student involvement with peers, (4) the formation of cohesive groups, (5) a student's ability to interpret the meaning of comments made by others, (6) a student's expectations of the time needed to complete tasks and respond to others, and (7) the ability to design a flexible structure that encourages students to explore outside their comfort zone. Additional research is warranted. It is recommended that future studies be conducted to investigate how conflict, time, and collaboration impact an online learning community. / Graduation date: 2002

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on April 27, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Rodney P. Riegle (chair), Dianne C. Gardner, W. Paul Vogt, Galen B. Crow. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-175) and abstract. Also available in print.

While the development of online education has been progressing rapidly, further evaluation research is needed (Atack and Rankin, 2002; Halter et al., 2006). There is a need for further research on nursing students' experiences and satisfaction with online education, and correlating factors to promote the quality of online learning. Social presence is one factor that has been shown to affect outcomes such as satisfaction and perceived learning in online courses (Gunawardena and Zittle, 1997). <br>The purpose of this study was to assess social presence in online nursing courses and its relationship to student satisfaction and perceived learning. The theoretical framework for the study was the Framework for Assessing Outcomes in Web-based Nursing Courses (Billings, 2000). A descriptive, correlational study design was used. The study instrument was a 34-item questionnaire administered via the Internet and consisting of the Social Presence Scale and the Satisfaction Scale (Gunawardena and Zittle, 1997), and demographic questions. Subjects in the study were 128 students in an online RN-to-BSN program at one college in the northeastern United States who were taking an online nursing course during the study term. Results indicated that there was a strong relationship between overall satisfaction and overall social presence (rs = .63, p < .001)) and instructor performance (rs = .46, p < .001). Four sub-domains of social presence were identified: overall comfort with online and computer-mediated (CMC) communication, communication with CMC and the online environment, comfort and community of CMC/online environment, and attitudes toward CMC/online communication. Four sub-domains of satisfaction were identified: general satisfaction, usefulness of course, learning from course, and stimulation and ongoing learning. All sub-domains of social presence correlated highly (rs = .61 - .72, p < .001) with the satisfaction sub-domains except the communication factor which correlated to a lesser degree (rs = .39 - .45, p < .001). There was a strong relationship between perceived learning and social presence (rs = .61, p < .001) and with comfort with the online course (rs = .66, p < .001). Overall social presence, instructor performance, and the sub-domains of social presence predicted a significant amount (p < .001) of total variance in overall satisfaction and perceived learning. No significant relationships were found between the demographic factors and overall social presence or perceived learning. Females had significantly higher scores on the communication factor (p = .02) and subjects with more online course experience found the courses more useful (p = .04). / School of Nursing / Nursing / PhD / Dissertation

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2005. / Bibliography: leaves 119-129.

Computer-aided Design (CAD) and Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAM) play an important role during the design and production phase of a product. CAD allows for generation of two and three-dimensional models of the product with the help of solid modelers and CAM allows for production planning of the product using tools such as a CAM package. Both CAD and CAM tools are highly specialized in nature and at the same time expensive to own. Large industries can afford to own such systems and experts to operate them but small and custom product industries cannot afford these benefits due to high design and manufacturing costs involved and complexity involved in using these systems. This has led to less popularity of CAD and CAM systems in custom product industries. A web based design tool can offer the functionality of a CAD system to custom product industries by allowing them to create and design three-dimensional models over the web. This method helps in simplifying the complexity involved in solid modeling by automating the commonly performed design operations using design algorithms. At the same time a web based manufacturing tool can allow for automatic generation of tool-paths for machining using a CNC machine. Although a web based design tool offers the required benefits to custom product industries, offering just the functionality of a CAD system may not be useful to the users of the web-based system who are usually carvers and artisans with minimal or no knowledge of CAD. An alternative method and its implementation are presented in this thesis. The method allows for creating user-defined parametric features using simple tools that can be offered in a web based application. The system takes advantage of the built-in API tools in a solid modeler and advanced web-based technologies to integrate them into a simple and easy to use web based design system. Identification of key elements in designing user-defined features and a framework for implementing them are discussed. Also different types of user-defined features that can be offered in a web application with examples of their implementation in a real world application for designing custom wooden signs are presented.