The purpose of this study is to describe and offer a description of postgraduate students' experiences of computer-mediated communication in an interactive web-based learning environment. This is relevant to the South African context regarding its appropriateness and feasibility as a distance-learning medium. In this research study the collaboration of offline and online learning as a dual medium is briefly looked at. Concepts involved in web interactions, such as computer-mediated communication, are reviewed and some of these experiences are described. A systems qualitative analysis was employed in the research design, and consequently a systemic lens was utilised as the theoretical perspective. This lens allowed for a revealing of interactional and communication patterns involved in web-based learning environments. The findings in this research study are discussed and some recommendations for web learners and course presenters are briefly highlighted. / Dissertation (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted

在網路時代，大學圖書館必須找尋適當的方式以提昇讀者的資訊素養。「網路式指導」(Web-based instruction, 簡稱WBI)是運用全球資訊網超媒體與多媒體的特質，創造有意義的學習環境，用以增進或輔助學習的教學系統，目的在於培養學習者自動學習的習慣。網路式指導是大學圖書館未來的趨勢，越來越多的大學圖書館將網路式指導應用在研究技巧與資訊素養的培育上。 本研究旨在探討網路式指導在我國大學圖書館利用教育的應用，在研究方法上採用文獻分析法、網站內容分析法、問卷調查法及半結構式訪談法等進行研究調查。首先分析相關文獻，其次調查國內143所大學圖書館網站在實施利用教育的現況，第三利用網路問卷的方式探討大學圖書館利用教育網路式指導之使用經驗，第四則是利用半結構式的訪談了解相關人員的管理經驗，最後實作教學網站，以提供大學圖書館規劃網路式指導之參考。 由上述研究結果發現：一、目前大學圖書館所實施的網路式指導，主要為傳統教材上網，缺乏針對網路的特性而設計的網路式教材；二、國內目前缺乏功能健全、設計完善的圖書館利用教育網路式指導；三、圖書館實施利用教育網路式指導最大的困難點不在於技術，而在於需要人力長期經營；四、圖書館利用教育網路式指導的內容實用性重於多媒體技巧。 最後建議：一、圖書館應思考其利用教育的基本面，選擇最有效率的的指導方式以增進讀者的資訊素養；二、大學圖書館應積極與校內技術、教學與行政單位合作，推廣資訊素養教育；三、研究並提升圖書館利用教育網路式指導的設計與規劃技巧；四、採用國外資訊素養能力指標與實施方案，充實圖書館利用教育網路式指導的教學內容；五、圖書館應致力於網路式指導的發展；六、館際合作共同發展圖書館利用教育網路教學課程。 / In the information age, academic libraries have to find the most effective ways to cultivate users’ information literacy. The web-based instruction (WBI) is a hypermedia-based instructional program which utilizes the attributes and resources of the World Wide Web to create a meaningful learning environment where learning is fostered and supported. WBI in the academic libraries has become the trend of future. More and more academic libraries use WBI to teach research skills and information literacy. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the application of WBI in the academic library user education in Taiwan. The research was conducted by literature review, web site content survey, web-based questionnaire and semi-structured interview. First of all, the analyses of the literature were reviewed. Second, the web sites of 143 academic libraries were investigated. Third, web-based questionnaire had been applied to determine the users’ experience of WBI. Fourth, semi-structured interview was conducted to understand the management experience of participants. Finally an experimental platform of WBI was constructed for the demonstration of WBI. The findings of this thesis are as follows: (1) The present use of WBI is limited to text online, digitalized learning materials that fit the Internet characteristics were lacked; (2) There is few well-designed WBI in library user education; (3) The difficulties involved with WBI are more of long term maintenance than technical problem. (4) The content is more important than multimedia. The suggestions include: (1) Rethinking the fundamental issue of library user education, choosing the most effective way to improve users’ information literacy; (2) The academic libraries must corporate with other technical, administrative, and academic departments on campus to promote information literacy education; (3) Research and improve the skills of designing and planning of WBI in library user education; (4) Adopt the international information literacy standards and projects, to strengthen the implementation of WBI in the library user education; (5) Academic libraries must make efforts on the development of WBI, (6) Cooperating with other academic libraries to develop WBI in library user education.