Higher education administrators around the world are promoting an increased use of educational technologies in the academe based on the assumption that these technologies offer the opportunity to improve students' learning. However, most of the time administrators do not take into consideration the effect that technology might have on faculty members. Through an exploratory case study, this research project seeks to provide a better understanding of the impact of computer-based technology on faculty members' work and on the conditions under which this impact occurs. Structured interviews with administrators and faculty members as well as document analyses from the ITESM's Guadalajara Campus will be used in order to provide a deeper understanding of how faculty members have responded to the required use of specific educational technologies. It is anticipated that this study will show that beliefs and assumptions held by administrators have strong effects on the institution's strategic choices and policies regarding new educational technologies. Furthermore, it is believed that this study will provide examples of the effect of new educational technologies on faculty members' skills. Finally, it is expected that this study will make significant recommendations for higher education administrators to assist in developing technology-related policies that are better suited not only for students but also for faculty members.

This research examined the effectiveness of using existing videoconferencing technology, originally designed to deliver distance learning, to support Video Remote Interpreting (VRI). The purpose of the study was to demonstrate that the technology could facilitate a two-way counseling exchange between a non-signing Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselor and a deaf ASL client, in situations when there are no local interpreters available. The study involved 37 deaf clients who participated in VR interviews in which American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting, by CI/CT certified interpreters, was delivered either locally [control condition] or on video from a remote location [experimental condition]. Comprehension of VR programmatic material and satisfaction with the interview process were measured using a questionnaire developed by the researcher. The data were analyzed using group means, Standard Deviations, and t-tests of Independent Means. Results supported acceptance of the null hypotheses that there were no observed differences in either comprehension or satisfaction among the participant groups, regardless of whether interpreting was delivered in a traditional way or through VRI. Analysis further demonstrated the frame rate speed and bandwidth of the existing videoconferencing network could support real-time signing and fingerspelling. Best practice recommendations are included for consideration by other professionals planning to implement Video Remote Interpreting.

Today, struggles of higher education--technological change and organizational change--are like dragons--somewhat unpredictable, mystical, altering everyone and everything in its path. Managing technology and the restructuring of the organization is like dancing with dragons. Within the science and technology studies literature, scholars have developed sociotechnological perspectives that are useful for addressing the framing of technology during these fiscally-challenging times for universities. A close look at this literature reveals that Weibe Bijker and Robert J. Thomas have deemed technology worthy of sociological inquiry. These scholars believe that technical artifacts are not neutral, but constructed by older technologies, economic choice, politics, and social factors. This study examines social perceptions of technical artifacts during times of resource stress, specifically how it affects academic support technologists. It addresses the forces that drive and shape electrophotography processes and streaming media in an academic setting. I hope to contribute to the body of knowledge by evaluating electrophotography and streaming media as technical artifacts in higher education, identifying their adoption, implementation, and embeddedness in an organization. By exposing the deep relationship between a technical system and a social system, my intent is to create a link between the philosophy of technology as an intellectual construct and the social framing of a technical artifact.

The rapid growth and popularity of computer technology, coupled with the exponential growth of the Internet, have made Internet communication tools an important area for research. Common Internet communication tools are synchronous real-time discussions where subjects log on to a chat room at a specific time, or asynchronous messages where subjects post and respond to questions to an electronic discussion board at their own convenience. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of online communication methods on written musical achievement and student perception of the learning environment. Subjects (N = 49) were undergraduate non-music majors, of mixed socio-economic background, enrolled in five sections of a music class at a large university. Treatment consisted of five weekly study sessions that addressed topics pertinent to the class, facilitated through online communication tools. Dependent measures were written musical achievement scores obtained through a researcher designed multiple choice test and student perception scores determined through the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI). The independent measures were group (synchronous or asynchronous) and situation (pre-post-test). Data were analyzed using a Two-Way MANOVA with repeated measures. No significant differences were found by group. Significant increases were found in written musical achievement scores but decreases on two sub-scales of the CUCEI scores (involvement and task orientation) from pre- to post- test situations. Thus, students enhanced their musical achievement during the five-week treatment period regardless of group. This finding supported those of researchers who have successfully used the Internet as an extension of the classroom learning environment. Further research is needed to examine how differences in the nature of synchronous and asynchronous interactions affect the unique musical learning environment. In music teacher education, the integration of Internet tools may encourage student interaction about a particular topic and provide a forum where students may articulate goals and principles. It may be possible to create a more individualized learning environment, which appeals to students with a variety of personalities and learning styles regardless of student maturity, or cultural background. Online communication tools may facilitate group collaboration, independent work habits and promote self-efficacy.

<p> Stakeholders in a midsized rural high school district were concerned that faculty failure to integrate educational technologies into instruction was adversely affecting student performance as measured by recent state mandated test scores. The purpose of this study was to determine if relationships existed between faculty age, gender, tenure, and overall attitude toward technology, and the implementation of technology into classroom instruction. Dewey's and Knowles' theories of adult learning were used as theoretical frameworks because they emphasize the practical application of knowledge in the transfer of learning. The research design was a one-time cross-sectional survey of teachers within the district. The data were collected using the Levels of Technology Implementation survey extended to include 5 additional questions about attitude towards technology developed using existing literature and consultation with experts. The convenience sample was comprised of 103 volunteer respondents at 3 midsized rural high schools. Analysis of the data utilized Pearson's correlation coefficients, independent samples <i>t</i>-tests, ANOVAs, and ANCOVAs. Findings indicated that technology implementation in classroom instruction for this group is generally deficient. No significant relationships between faculty age, gender, and tenure and technology implementation existed, but attitude toward technology proved to be a significant factor for increased technology implementation into classroom instruction. These findings led to the creation of a professional development program to increase the impact of technology on the transfer of learning. Increasing faculty expertise in implementing instructional technology into classroom instruction will lead to greater innovation in the classroom and improved student outcomes.</p>

<p>This thesis is the story millennial males told about their experiences with media serving as an educator during their adolescence and beyond. By using depth interviews, an oral history was developed and a concept I have called the impurity truth, where media are teaching the millennials that their virginity is a gatekeeper to becoming a man, was crafted from the narratives. Twelve males, ages 18 to 24, from geographically, racially, and sexually diverse backgrounds, were interviewed. A fantasy theme analysis of the interview transcripts revealed a masculine hierarchy where the millennial males decoded a media message that men should cast their virginities aside in order to cement their place in a masculine hierarchy. The analysis of the narratives revealed four character themes: the virgin, the player, the ideal man, and the role model. The character themes provided the context to a hierarchical structure of masculinity that was in turn grounded by theories of adolescent identity development (Blos, 1962; Erikson, 1969) and a challenge to R.W. Connell&rsquo;s (1987) theory of hegemonic masculinity. </p>

<p> Culturally contextualized, technology-based informal learning in settings such as museums, science centers, zoos, and aquariums is a sustainable method that facilitates a community's learning needs. However, the lack of research about where technology-based informal education and culture intersect presents an issue in having sound, evidence based information to use in further developing such opportunities. The purpose of this ethnographic study is to investigate processes in technology-based informal education and explore the cultural dimensions in which it takes place. This ethnographic research can provide better understanding into how and why to create technology-based informal learning opportunities. The cultural contexts that enable those processes are primarily social and relationship-based dimensions that allow for as many participants as possible contribute and be involved in creating unique learning opportunities. In regards to a technological platform, it is shown that social media is the most conducive technology in the informal learning process.</p>

<p> The growth in online education has led to the need for specific strategies that online instructors can use to assist students with the unique challenges of the modality. While many teaching theories can work online, adaptations need to be made to address issues with retention, persistence, and the immediacy that can arise in computer-mediated communication. Social presence is a strategy that faculty and students can employ to effectively interact in an asynchronous online discussion environment. Students that experience high social presence in a classroom do not feel that the computer-mediated communication is a barrier to their interaction with others, particularly their faculty members. The driving research question for this study was: Is there a difference in final grade, satisfaction, persistence, and retention based on whether faculty demonstrate high levels of social presence cues versus those that demonstrate low levels of social presence cues in online classrooms. This study added to the research on the impact that social presence has on student satisfaction with online faculty, student retention in the online course, student final grade in the online course, and student persistence through to the next online course by examining online classes at a for-profit postsecondary institution that serves primarily non-traditional adult students. Faculty who demonstrated high social presence scores had significantly higher student satisfaction ratings than faculty who had low social presence scores. In addition, faculty who demonstrated a moderate to high amount of social presence had significantly higher student persistence than faculty who had low social presence scores.</p>

<p> Much research has been done in regards to student programming errors, online education and studio-based learning (SBL) in computer science education. This study furthers this area by bringing together this knowledge and applying it to proactively help students overcome impasses caused by common student programming errors.</p><p> This project proposes a pedagogy for proactive online teaching. Studio-Based Learning Online (SBL-Online) consists of three components, the SBL pedagogy, the strategic timing and content of the SBL sessions and the online nature of the implementation environment. The implementation of SBL-Online aims to provide a better quality of online computer programming courses promoting student-student interaction focused on the discussion of problematic curriculum issues.</p><p> Data collected prior to the application of SBL-Online provided counts of common student programming errors. This information was used to create the assignments that were later used during the SBL-Online sessions. In regards to its implementation, this project is two-fold; on the one hand it compares online vs. SBL incarnations of the same course. On the other hand it observes and analyzes what goes on during the SBL-Online sessions.</p><p> The data collection includes an end-of-semester questionnaire, a modified version of the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MSLQ), as well as thick data collection extracted from the course management system, student emails and SBL-Online session video recordings. Recordings&rsquo; analyses of student interaction during SBL sessions play a very important role within this study.</p><p> The SBL-Online just as its face-to-face counterpart SBL, has shown the potential to help novice programmers overcome the limitations unique to introduction to programming courses. In most cases there is evidence on students&rsquo; optimistic state of mind before, during and after SBL sessions highlighting the effects of this treatment. On the other hand there is evidence of renouncing and defeatist thoughts from the control group.</p><p> This research provides a unique insight into the inner workings and effects of SBL, including the identification of &ldquo;learning moments,&rdquo; student-student interaction and the building of camaraderie. SBL-Online impacted student&rsquo;s behavior, in different areas of the course, such as, attitude towards peers and attitude towards the course.</p>

<p> Despite advancements in the search of equity, females still struggle to find acceptance in the field of information and communication technology. Research indicates that differences in perception of ability of ICT use begin to manifest in the middle school level. This mixed methods study explored the experiences and perceptions of 46 middle school females and males to expose possible influential factors about the use of ICT by females. The dissertation study occurred in two phases. The first phase involved a survey that was given to the entire middle school. Data from the survey provided participants for the second phase, which involved a focus group discussion with six female students in grades 7 and 8 to examine influential factors in the use of ICT. Findings indicated statistically significant differences between males and females exist at the study site. Females were more likely to (a) access ICT at the after school program and at a relative's house; (b) identify a relative as an important influence in ICT; (c) share created media; (d) declare higher experience with Photoshop; (e) seek medicine as potential career and less likely to (f) report building a robot or invention using technology; (d) use ICT to play multi-user online games; (f) express interest in action, competition, and graphics in games (h) know terms such as firewall and torrent; (i) pursue careers as computer programmers, engineers, or computer game designers than their male counterparts. The findings support the need for school leadership establishing or enhancing a technology integration program to consider the difference between males and females as foundational cornerstone in the technology integration program.</p>