A critical factor of e-learning success is the e-learning readiness of the online user. However, there is a scarcity of studies on online instructors' e-learning readiness (E-Readiness) in an online learning environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether there were correlations among online instructor E-Readiness dimensions and factors at the design and delivery stages that affect system outcomes. In this study, the DeLone and McLean model was used as a framework for research to test E-Readiness with the System Design stage (comprising System Quality, Information Quality, and Service Quality), System Delivery stage (comprising System Use, and User Satisfaction) and Net Benefits stage (comprising Net Benefits). A total of 113 online instructors at a Caribbean university system completed a Web-based questionnaire containing previously validated and adapted items. The questions were answered using a five-point Likert scale and the survey results were analyzed using aggregates and linear regression statistical methods. The results revealed that the e-learning systems success score of the university was 4.07 out of 5 or 81.4%, while the E-Readiness score of online instructors was 4.53 out of 5, or 90.6%. Linear regression analysis showed that E-Readiness was a significant and positive predictor of the System Design, System Delivery, and System Outcome stages and their associated dimensions. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the constructs together accounted for 42.2% of the variance in Net Benefits. Of the six predictors in the model, User Satisfaction provided the largest unique contribution when the other predictors in the model were held constant. The other predictors in the model (System Quality, Service Quality, Information Quality, System Use and E-Readiness) were not statistically significant and provided no significant or unique contribution to Net Benefits. Further information is provided regarding factors affecting net benefits among online instructors using online learning environments. This information can be used to address online instructors' barriers to technology use.

The significance of integrating technology use in higher education instruction is undeniable. The benefits include those related to access to instruction by underserved populations, adequately preparing students for future careers, capitalizing on best instructional practices, developing higher order thinking activities, and engaging students whose relationships with technology are increasingly native, among others. The significance of the current study is based on the fact that few prior studies focused on the factors that support, or inhibit, the use of educational technology by faculty in schools of education. The data collection instrument was a survey designed by the principal investigator based on review of the literature and professional experience. Five constructs were addressed by the survey: institutional policies, belief in the learning benefits, efficacy with integrating technology with content, barriers to technology use, and personal uses of technology. The survey was administered online and targeted 379 full and part time faculty in schools of education throughout the U.S. A total of 203 faculty members responded which was a response rate of 53%. Several path analyses were conducted to determine the variables that most related with the dependent variable, rate of technology adoption for professional instructional purposes. The variable that had the strongest relationship with the adoption rate for professional use was the adoption rate for personal use. This held true for all subgroups except part-time and older faculty. Suggestions for future research include the use of additional data sources to measure the variables described here. Study of the role of institutional policies in technology adoption should consider administrator perspectives in addition to those of faculty. Study of learning benefits should consider students' views in addition to those of faculty. Finally, efficacy variables should consider perspectives of college leaders and administrators.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teacher perception of changes in the instructional delivery and learning opportunities via technology during and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 until May 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected educational organizations. School closures in March 2020 forced teachers to change their instructional delivery from an in-person platform to a virtual platform. This disruption to the delivery of instruction with the use of technology changed the way teachers plan for learning, delivery content, present learning activities, and assessment. The urgency required teachers to develop new strategies and experiment with adaptations to their traditional instructional delivery. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of teachers as they adapted their instruction to a new platform. The theoretical framework used was change theory. The research was accomplished by interviewing 11 core-content classroom teachers from different school systems. Participants described their experiences and approach to the challenges faced while teaching during the uncertainty of the pandemic. The participants in the study described factors that influenced changes in their use of technology and how the different platforms changed the way they used technology for instructional delivery. The researcher used the Change Theory Framework to code responses and identify the internal and external factors that influenced the changes.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Economics / Steven P. Cassou / Although geographic proximity is not enough to imply similar social, political and economic outcomes, the Portuguese and Spanish development experiences have been quite alike since the 15th century and in particular during the post-WWII period. Since 1950, both countries went through significant market transformations, ranging from democratization to market liberalization and adhesion to the European Union. However, even today, these economies, and in particular Portugal, do not rival those of the more developed European countries. This dissertation contributes to the growing body of literature on the Iberian economies by presenting three essays that employ modern macroeconomics tools to further our understanding about the growth and development experiences of these countries. The first essay provides a detailed growth accounting exercise and reconciles the results with the political and socioeconomic context of the 1950-2004 period. Since Total Factor Productivity is identified as the main engine of growth, the second essay explores a quantitative measure for the level of barriers that each country faced in the process of adopting new technologies. The numerical experiments suggest that Spain had consistently lower barriers than Portugal and that the gap has been increasing since the establishment of the European Single Market. The last essay investigates the role of fiscal policy and, specifically, if distortionary taxes on capital and labor income may have been a key factor behind the observed volatility for factor inputs. The simulation results derived from several potential scenarios support this conjuncture. Additionally, the last essay contributes by offering a time series for the levels of effective tax rates on labor and capital income in the Iberian economies over the 1975-2004 period.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-02T13:53:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Kellen Cristina Masaro Carvalho-dissertacao.pdf: 1041779 bytes, checksum: 80984a14a959fa109493e4aca6cb7087 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-27 / The techniques for preserving food, can maintain a large number of natural characteristics of the fruit, making storage and marketing viable for a longer period than what could be achieved with the raw product. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of the pulp of red fruits with different concentrations of potassium sorbate. The experiment was conducted at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology in southern Minas Gerais - Campus Machado, using three pulps that were formulated with equal amounts of each fruit (blackberry, raspberry and strawberry) crushed the proportion of sucrose used was 1/6 and water 1/6 with respect to the total mass of crushed red fruits. The heat treatment was 100 ° C for 10 minutes. The concentration of potassium sorbate used was 0%, 0.05% and 0.1%. After cooling, the pulps were packaged in plastic containers containing 150 mL. The packages containing the pulps were sealed, identified and stored at 25 ° C in BOD incubator for 60 days. The microbiological, chemical and physical performed every 30 days, were as follows: yeast and mold, coliforms at 35 º C and 45 º C, analysis of Salmonella sp, vitamin C, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, color analysis (values L *, a *, b *, C * and h °). The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Treatments were arranged by a 3 x 3 factorial, being constituted by factors concentration of potassium sorbate (0%, 0.05% and 0.1%) and storage time (0, 30 and 60 days), respectively. The experimental plot consisted of a plastic satisfaction 150 mL of red fruit pulp. The pulp of red fruits with no added potassium sorbate stored at 25 º C for 30 days showed a count of yeasts and molds above the limit specified by Brazilian law. The red fruit pulps treated with 0.05% and 0.1% potassium sorbate were enough to ensure the stability of physical, chemical and microbiological during the 60 days of storage at 25 ° C. As the red fruit pulps with addition of 0.05% and 0.1% potassium sorbate have substantially similar results it is recommended to use in production of the fruit pulp red adding 0.05% potassium sorbate as preservative Red fruit pulp for economy product. Results were subjected to analysis of variance, after the comparison test of means, with a statistically significant difference of 5%. / As técnicas de conservação de alimentos, mantêm um grande número possível das características naturais das frutas, tornando seu armazenamento e comercialização viáveis por um período de tempo superior ao que se conseguiria com o produto in natura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade da polpa de frutas vermelhas com diferentes concentrações de sorbato de potássio. O experimento foi realizado no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Sul de Minas Gerais - Campus Machado, utilizando três polpas que foram formuladas com quantidades iguais de cada fruta (amora-preta, framboesa e morango) trituradas, a proporção de sacarose usada foi de 1/6 e de água 1/6 em relação à massa total das frutas vermelhas trituradas. O tratamento térmico foi de 100ºC por 10 minutos. A concentração de sorbato de potássio usada foi 0%, 0,05% e 0,1%. Após o resfriamento, as polpas foram envasadas em embalagens plásticas contendo 150 mL. As embalagens contendo as polpas foram seladas, identificadas e armazenadas à temperatura de 25ºC em câmara incubadora BOD, por 60 dias. As análises microbiológicas, químicas e físicas realizadas, a cada 30 dias, foram as seguintes: bolores e leveduras, coliformes a 35ºC e a 45ºC, análise de Salmonella sp, vitamina C, pH, acidez titulável, sólidos solúveis, análise da cor (valores de L*, a*, b*, hº e C*). O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualisado (DIC), com três repetições. Os tratamentos foram dispostos por um fatorial 3 x 3, sendo constituídos pelos fatores concentração de sorbato de potássio (0%, 0,05% e 0,1%) e tempo de armazenamento (0, 30 e 60 dias), respectivamente. A parcela experimental foi constituída por uma embalagem plástica contento 150 mL de polpa de frutas vermelhas. A polpa de frutas vermelhas sem adição de sorbato de potássio armazenada a 25 ºC, por 30 dias, apresentou a contagem de bolores e leveduras acima do limite especificado pelo legislação brasileira. As polpas de frutas vermelhas tratadas com 0,05% e 0,1% de sorbato de potássio foram o suficiente para garantir a estabilidade física, química e microbiologica durante os 60 dias de armazenamento sob temperatura de 25ºC. Como as polpas de frutas vermelhas com adição de 0,05% e 0,1% de sorbato de potássio apresentam resultados praticamente semelhantes, é indicado usar na produção da polpa de frutas vermelhas a adição de 0,05% de sorbato de potássio como conservante de polpa de frutas vermelhas por questão de economia do produto. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância, posteriormente ao teste de comparação de médias, com diferença estatística significativa de 5%.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-02T13:55:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Kellen Cristina Masaro Carvalho-dissertacao.pdf: 1041779 bytes, checksum: 80984a14a959fa109493e4aca6cb7087 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-27 / The techniques for preserving food, can maintain a large number of natural characteristics of the fruit, making storage and marketing viable for a longer period than what could be achieved with the raw product. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of the pulp of red fruits with different concentrations of potassium sorbate. The experiment was conducted at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology in southern Minas Gerais - Campus Machado, using three pulps that were formulated with equal amounts of each fruit (blackberry, raspberry and strawberry) crushed the proportion of sucrose used was 1/6 and water 1/6 with respect to the total mass of crushed red fruits. The heat treatment was 100 ° C for 10 minutes. The concentration of potassium sorbate used was 0%, 0.05% and 0.1%. After cooling, the pulps were packaged in plastic containers containing 150 mL. The packages containing the pulps were sealed, identified and stored at 25 ° C in BOD incubator for 60 days. The microbiological, chemical and physical performed every 30 days, were as follows: yeast and mold, coliforms at 35 º C and 45 º C, analysis of Salmonella sp, vitamin C, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, color analysis (values L *, a *, b *, C * and h °). The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Treatments were arranged by a 3 x 3 factorial, being constituted by factors concentration of potassium sorbate (0%, 0.05% and 0.1%) and storage time (0, 30 and 60 days), respectively. The experimental plot consisted of a plastic satisfaction 150 mL of red fruit pulp. The pulp of red fruits with no added potassium sorbate stored at 25 º C for 30 days showed a count of yeasts and molds above the limit specified by Brazilian law. The red fruit pulps treated with 0.05% and 0.1% potassium sorbate were enough to ensure the stability of physical, chemical and microbiological during the 60 days of storage at 25 ° C. As the red fruit pulps with addition of 0.05% and 0.1% potassium sorbate have substantially similar results it is recommended to use in production of the fruit pulp red adding 0.05% potassium sorbate as preservative Red fruit pulp for economy product. Results were subjected to analysis of variance, after the comparison test of means, with a statistically significant difference of 5%. / As técnicas de conservação de alimentos, mantêm um grande número possível das características naturais das frutas, tornando seu armazenamento e comercialização viáveis por um período de tempo superior ao que se conseguiria com o produto in natura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade da polpa de frutas vermelhas com diferentes concentrações de sorbato de potássio. O experimento foi realizado no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Sul de Minas Gerais - Campus Machado, utilizando três polpas que foram formuladas com quantidades iguais de cada fruta (amora-preta, framboesa e morango) trituradas, a proporção de sacarose usada foi de 1/6 e de água 1/6 em relação à massa total das frutas vermelhas trituradas. O tratamento térmico foi de 100ºC por 10 minutos. A concentração de sorbato de potássio usada foi 0%, 0,05% e 0,1%. Após o resfriamento, as polpas foram envasadas em embalagens plásticas contendo 150 mL. As embalagens contendo as polpas foram seladas, identificadas e armazenadas à temperatura de 25ºC em câmara incubadora BOD, por 60 dias. As análises microbiológicas, químicas e físicas realizadas, a cada 30 dias, foram as seguintes: bolores e leveduras, coliformes a 35ºC e a 45ºC, análise de Salmonella sp, vitamina C, pH, acidez titulável, sólidos solúveis, análise da cor (valores de L*, a*, b*, hº e C*). O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualisado (DIC), com três repetições. Os tratamentos foram dispostos por um fatorial 3 x 3, sendo constituídos pelos fatores concentração de sorbato de potássio (0%, 0,05% e 0,1%) e tempo de armazenamento (0, 30 e 60 dias), respectivamente. A parcela experimental foi constituída por uma embalagem plástica contento 150 mL de polpa de frutas vermelhas. A polpa de frutas vermelhas sem adição de sorbato de potássio armazenada a 25 ºC, por 30 dias, apresentou a contagem de bolores e leveduras acima do limite especificado pelo legislação brasileira. As polpas de frutas vermelhas tratadas com 0,05% e 0,1% de sorbato de potássio foram o suficiente para garantir a estabilidade física, química e microbiologica durante os 60 dias de armazenamento sob temperatura de 25ºC. Como as polpas de frutas vermelhas com adição de 0,05% e 0,1% de sorbato de potássio apresentam resultados praticamente semelhantes, é indicado usar na produção da polpa de frutas vermelhas a adição de 0,05% de sorbato de potássio como conservante de polpa de frutas vermelhas por questão de economia do produto. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância, posteriormente ao teste de comparação de médias, com diferença estatística significativa de 5%.