The aim of the research was to generate a cyclonic model for understanding the influences and processes of continuously improving management education in an environment rich in online learning technologies. The research questions were: 1. What is the nature of the cyclonic interactions observed in the transactions of a team of online management educators? 2. How might an understanding of cyclonic interactions, a. help refine action research, and, b. generate rich insight for online management education? The methodology was an action research project. The research team worked in an online Master of Business Administration (MBA) to continuously develop teaching practice in one unit of the MBA. The methodology matched the objectives of the project, and the appropriate rigour associated with qualitative, interpretive research. The results showed that theories of systems and relational dynamics, adapted to hermeneutics and aligned with other learning theories, can be framed by the metaphor of a cyclone to conduct research into teaching practice and build upon the theory base in the field of online education. Online management education is subject to reinterpretations. The cyclonic framework explains some of the changes. The project showed that a chaotic but organised cyclonic program development process in one particular MBA course was informative for and informed by the chaotic and cyclonic globalized business world. For the education of managers the cyclonic view was relevant. The approach was metaphorical and, therefore, opened new ways of seeing and speaking. Findings pertained to the nature of the cyclonic interactions, how an understanding of cyclonic interactions helped to refine action research, and how an understanding of cyclonic interactions helped generate rich insight for online management education. It was found that it was the asymmetrical impetus of imperfection that created the examples of cyclonic learning spirals formed as double feedback loops for improved understanding. Online education in the action research required cyclical enhancement of connectedness by teachers, stronger emphasis on relational considerations in learning, and heightened expectations of collaboration by educators. It became possible to correlate earlier conceptions of action research with cyclonic categories and analyse the parallels with events in this action research project. Models were developed and presented to explain cyclonic connections with hermeneutics, collaborative teaching, online resource development, and the environment of online management education.

E-learning networks are used by academic institutions such as Regis University to support synchronous and asynchronous delivery of online courses and programs. An e-learning network supports a wide range of applications and services and facilitates access to diverse e-learning implementations including virtual laboratory (V-lab) environments, knowledge repositories, storage area networks (SANs), and content delivery networks (CDNs), as well as metropolitan, regional, and international research and education configurations. As demonstrated in this dissertation, an e-learning network eliminates campus boundaries by providing infrastructure for information flows regionally, nationally, and internationally. A systems development life cycle (SDLC) methodology enables academic institutions to design and develop e-learning networks that meet educational goals and objectives and provide access to current and next-generation research initiatives. The goal of the research was to assess the capabilities of the SDLC in enabling academic institutions to design and develop new e-learning networks and/or upgrade and enhance in-place e-learning networks. In this dissertation, the author applied the SDLC methodology for design and development of an e-learning network based on findings of a chronological case study of the e-learning Academic Research Network (ARN) at Regis University between 2001 and 2005. The outcomes of this investigation demonstrate the role of the SDLC methodology as an enabler of design, development, and deployment of an e-learning network capable of meeting current and projected institutional goals and objectives.

The online course delivery at university settings causes students anxiety and frustration. Students are experiencing apprehension and anxiety in online classes for a variety of reasons. This tension is caused by test taking, miscommunication with instructor, confusion, and a lack of interaction between peers. Students indicated a lack of knowledge of course expectations and not receiving immediate feedback on their activities caused them anxiety in online classes. This study investigated online students' anxiety and frustration in a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. The study examined to what extent the use of a synchronous engagement system (SES) as an eLearning tool assisted graduate students with alleviating frustration and stress when attending online classes. The SES was incorporated into the Management (MGT) 608 course for the quasi-experimental design to examine and compare anxiety of students after using the SES as an intervention. The study findings revealed that SES was favorable in alleviating students' frustration and anxiety. Based on the results, the SES helped students with communication and interaction in online learning. Therefore, the students' level of comfort was increased as they participated with their peers and instructor using the appropriate tools that they learned through participation in the current study. The results of the study conveyed changes in student anxiety from the experimental group who used the SES as an intervention. They believed that the SES helped them significantly decrease their frustration and anxiety. The qualitative results of the study revealed that overall students found the SES was beneficial to their learning. They were pleased with receiving the guidance from the videos in order to maintain their focus on learning the content and not be overwhelmed with technology. The implication of the study involved the importance of the SES whereby students overcame their anxiety while able to communicate more effectively. The result of the study conveyed changes in students' anxiety based on their use of SES. This study filled the gap in the literature by introducing the SES as an intervention to alleviate students' anxiety. It is evident that tools similar to SES should be incorporated into online synchronous chat.

There have been growing concerns regarding the misuse of academic information systems such as misconduct within Web-based assessments. A number of studies have reported significant levels of deception and dishonesty within Web-based activities that are confined by a strict code of conduct. These have been noted to be facilitated through the unmonitored nature of Web-based assessments where users have the opportunity to collaborate or utilize unauthorized resources during the assessment. Studies from criminology that utilize deterrence theory have reported that video surveillance can be useful in deterring misconduct. As such, this study explored the use of Webcam based surveillance during Web-based assessments as a potential countermeasure to deter the misuse of these information systems. The primary goal of this study was to investigate the deterrent effect of Webcam based proctoring on Information Systems (IS) misuse such as misconduct during Web-based assessments. Therefore, this study involved an experiment in which the results from an experimental group and a control group were examined. Both groups took the same set of Web-based assessments, with the only distinction being that one group was monitored by a Web-based proctor while the other was not monitored. The results of this study found no statistical significant difference between the scores of each group. However, there was a statistical significant difference between each group on the time taken to complete the Web-based assessments. A post-experiment survey was also administered to help assess the level that participants admit about the perceived opportunity they had to collaborate and utilize unauthorized resources during the Web-based assessments. This further helped to determine the deterrent effect of Webcam based surveillance. The survey analysis indicated that those who were not monitored perceived to have experienced greater levels of opportunity to engage in misconduct than those who were monitored by a Web-based proctor. This study is unique in its application of deterrence theory as well as its approach to the problem as other potential technology based solutions have focused on authentication and identity verification whereas this study seeks to address the problems of misconduct that occur after authentication. As such, contributions will be made to multiple domains regarding deterrence and surveillance within specific Web-based information systems. The results of this study may also provide practical guidance to academia and relevant industry experts particularly those involved with Web-based assessments.

El objetivo de este proyecto es ofrecer un servicio de enseñanza dirigido a alumnos de primaria y secundaria, a través de una plataforma virtual, el cual debe posicionarse en el mercado y ser reconocido por su calidad, rapidez y por ser un servicio innovador, generando una herramienta diferenciadora para el alumno y para otras empresas del mismo rubro. El negocio es innovador pues el servicio de tutoría docente a escolares de primaria y secundaria, se ofrece de manera presencial en el domicilio del alumno. Asimismo, será un servicio de calidad, puesto que los profesores, deben pasar una serie de pasos y evaluaciones para ser seleccionados para el dictado de clases o tutorías en línea, una vez que logren acceder a la empresa, recibirán capacitación periódica. La motivación para este negocio, surge al ver una porción del mercado insatisfecha, pues muchos alumnos no ven cubierta esa necesidad, que, a la vez, se transfiere como necesidad indirecta y demanda por parte de sus padres, dado que, en la condición de tutores legales de los menores, buscan satisfacer ese requerimiento de la mejor forma, en este caso, les ofrecemos un servicio de calidad, al que se podrá acceder con rapidez a través de una plataforma virtual. En el desarrollo de la metodología, se preparó un Plan de Negocios que estuviese enfocado en las operaciones realizadas para consolidar el servicio, estudiando el proceso de contratación de los profesores particulares a domicilio y comparándolo con el de los profesores que serán parte de TEACHINGLINE. A través de encuestas dirigidas a padres de familia y analizando el rubro, se obtuvo que, un sector importante de la población, sería el mercado objetivo, éste estaría conformado por familias, donde el colegio no tiene el servicio de tutoría o acompañamiento docente para el desarrollo de tareas, donde ambos padres de familia están fuera porque salen a trabajar o donde simplemente la modalidad de enseñanza de los padres no sea satisfactoria ni se obtenga buenos resultados. Asimismo, se pudo constatar que la enseñanza obtenida en forma presencial tiene un nivel medio de satisfacción, siendo el principal inconveniente con este servicio, la dificultad para encontrar congruencia entre horarios de profesores y alumnos que necesitan ese servicio. En el análisis financiero se considera un escenario presente realista, donde el proyecto muestra un valor actual neto de 12.038 y una tasa interna de retorno de 53% la tasa de descuento fue de 35% y periodo de evaluación de 5 años. En relación a la estructura organizacional de la empresa, es lineal-staff y tiene como protagonistas principales a los socios de la empresa, lo que permitirá una rápida implementación del negocio. El servicio ofrecido, además de otorgar el beneficio económico esperado, permite como valor añadido, que los docentes parte del staff de la plataforma, se capaciten constantemente en temas de manejo del aula virtual y herramientas relacionadas para dar un servicio de calidad, impactando positivamente en el ámbito social, ya que la educación es fundamental en la formación y sustento de la sociedad de un país. / Trabajo de investigación

Politeness is a part of student-tutor interactions and research in affective computing has shown that this social convention may also be applicable when a computer plays the role of tutor. This study sought to build on previous work that examined the effect of the politeness of computer feedback through the application of social and cognitive theories. Employing a mixed-factor design, a sample of 150 college students completed a multiple cue probability learning task (MCPL) on a computer that provided feedback phrased in one of three different tonal styles (joint-goal, student-goal and baldon- record). Feedback tone was a within-subjects factor. Subjects received feedback as either text or as audio. Audio feedback was a between-subjects factor and was delivered in one of four different modes male/female human voice or a male/female synthesized voice. The study found gender differences in tone preference as well as a possible impact of the Tone x Mode interaction on learning. Specifically, men were more likely than women to prefer the student-goal style feedback prompts. It is hoped that this research can provide additional insight to designers of learning applications when they are designing the feedback mechanisms that these systems should employ.

Along with the development of Internet and information technology, there has been a huge revolution on the style of learning, since we¡¦ve entered a new century of elearning. At the present time, the learning resources accumulating in the Internet has been richer gradually. However, it also shows the problem about the difficulties of the management and integration of learning resources. Plenty of problems should be resolved, such as the difficulty on seeking resources and tests, low reusability, incapability of the transformation on different learning platforms, etc. On purpose to resolve these problems, various kinds of standards have been presented by many organizations. Although these standards are still under development, however, undoubtedly, they will play a very important role on the progress of the elearning. Because of the shortage of understandings and researches of this respect, we will have some discussions about the present problems resolved by the standards of elearning and the methods used upon them. Bereday¡¦s Comparative Method is adapted in this research. Four specific phases described as follows: Description Phase: Thoroughly and objectively describing each elearning standard. Interpretation Phase: Interpreting the meaning contained in the elearning standard according to the perspective of modularity, management, and continuity. Juxtaposition Phase: Defining the items on the comparison of each dimension based on content, quiz, leaner, and platform, and then concluding the key points of each standard in each item. Comparison Phase: Comparing each elearning standard item by item that is listed in the Juxtaposition Phase.

<p>Nowadays many universities in the world apply technology enhanced learning in order to help students. Due to potentials that technology enhanced learning offers, nowadays education in all contexts is using it and universities in particular are trying to apply it. One such case is the University of Prishtina in Kosova that is subject of this thesis.</p><p>University of Prishtina as the only public university in Kosova faces challenges when it comes to introduction of technology enhanced learning. Such a case is an initiative of one of the teachers that is called eMesimi. eMesimi is an e-learning system based on Moodle software that is used for offering courses for students in University of Prishtina since 2005. The idea of this research is to investigate students’ experiences using this system, combined with teachers’ opinion regarding the implementation of full scale e-learning system.</p><p>For this purpose the research was led using the octagonal theoretical model for e-learning. The eight factors in this model have then been grouped in three major domains: educational, technological and organizational.</p><p>This theoretical model was followed with empirical study using a questionnaire and mail interviews as data collection techniques. The questionnaire data have been collected from 60 students and have targeted issues regarding the educational and technology domain. The mail interviews where conducted with two teachers and addressed all domains, but the technological domain was addressed more from an attitude and requirements perspective. This approach was needed because none of the interviewed teachers have had previous experience with an e-learning system.</p><p>The analysis of the data shows generally positive attitude among students for an e-learning system, while teachers’ answers raise some important issues that should be taken into consideration while implementing e-learning system.</p>

Nowadays many universities in the world apply technology enhanced learning in order to help students. Due to potentials that technology enhanced learning offers, nowadays education in all contexts is using it and universities in particular are trying to apply it. One such case is the University of Prishtina in Kosova that is subject of this thesis. University of Prishtina as the only public university in Kosova faces challenges when it comes to introduction of technology enhanced learning. Such a case is an initiative of one of the teachers that is called eMesimi. eMesimi is an e-learning system based on Moodle software that is used for offering courses for students in University of Prishtina since 2005. The idea of this research is to investigate students’ experiences using this system, combined with teachers’ opinion regarding the implementation of full scale e-learning system. For this purpose the research was led using the octagonal theoretical model for e-learning. The eight factors in this model have then been grouped in three major domains: educational, technological and organizational. This theoretical model was followed with empirical study using a questionnaire and mail interviews as data collection techniques. The questionnaire data have been collected from 60 students and have targeted issues regarding the educational and technology domain. The mail interviews where conducted with two teachers and addressed all domains, but the technological domain was addressed more from an attitude and requirements perspective. This approach was needed because none of the interviewed teachers have had previous experience with an e-learning system. The analysis of the data shows generally positive attitude among students for an e-learning system, while teachers’ answers raise some important issues that should be taken into consideration while implementing e-learning system.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Educational Leadership / Sarah Jane Fishback / Today, educators try to maximize eLearning effectiveness by using various methodologies to engage the learner and increase learning and recall. If educators want to be able to continue this process, new eLearning methodologies must be investigated. The aim of this study was to determine if the method in which lesson content is present can affect learning. To this end, the research question was as follows: What difference, if any, does the random placement of small paragraphs, chunks, of text make in recall and learning in eLearning lessons? The research question was answered through an experiment that entails assigning an eLearning lesson to participants. The participants were randomly divided into two groups (control and experimental). Based on their assignment, they were either presented information in static paragraphs of text centered on the eLearning screen (control), or presented with randomly placed chunks of text on each new eLearning lesson screen. Although the data analysis showed no significant difference in assessment scores for either group, there are suggestions for continued research on this topic. The importance and value of this educational medium requires the use of the best and most impactful methodologies to maximize attention, clarity, learning, and recall. More research needs to be conducted with varying forms of chunking with different populations using eye-tracking to ensure optimized educational endeavors.