Technology has become a fundamental yet dynamic component of modern society, affecting almost every structure within it. However, education has been slow to change relative to the acceptance and use of technology in teaching and learning contexts. This research seeks to begin to bridge this technological chasm by examining what considerations a teacher instructional designer needs to be mindful of when designing a substantial Web-based learning resource. The researcher employs a qualitative methodology through the compilation of field notes and narratives describing the experiences and observations of a classroom teacher employing the ADDIE instructional design model to develop a Web-based learning resource for two high-school level Marketing courses. The researcher has maintained a unique triad of professional roles throughout this project, including teacher, instructional designer, and researcher. The findings of this research emphasize the interrelationships between the three key conceptual areas: reflective practice, instructional design, and Web design.

Simulation and Web-based Learning (WBL) are both educational approaches that are increasingly applied in medical education. However, little is known about how these two instructional approaches may be integrated to improve learning outcomes. A prospective three-arm experimental study of different WBL preparation materials was conducted. Thirty undergraduate medical students with no prior experience in central venous catheterization (CVC) were randomly assigned to one of three preparatory interventions: tradition reading materials (TM), observational practice (OP), or OP and educational networking (OPEN). Participants then completed a simulation-based training workshop in CVC and a delayed retention test. Performance was assessed by a task-specific checklist, global rating scale (GRS) and by measuring time to competency. Main findings reveal a significant linear trend across the TM, OP and OPEN groups in time to competency. This exploratory study demonstrates the potential utility of Web-based observational practice and collaborative learning for improving the efficiency of simulation-based training.

Simulation and Web-based Learning (WBL) are both educational approaches that are increasingly applied in medical education. However, little is known about how these two instructional approaches may be integrated to improve learning outcomes. A prospective three-arm experimental study of different WBL preparation materials was conducted. Thirty undergraduate medical students with no prior experience in central venous catheterization (CVC) were randomly assigned to one of three preparatory interventions: tradition reading materials (TM), observational practice (OP), or OP and educational networking (OPEN). Participants then completed a simulation-based training workshop in CVC and a delayed retention test. Performance was assessed by a task-specific checklist, global rating scale (GRS) and by measuring time to competency. Main findings reveal a significant linear trend across the TM, OP and OPEN groups in time to competency. This exploratory study demonstrates the potential utility of Web-based observational practice and collaborative learning for improving the efficiency of simulation-based training.

Technology has become a fundamental yet dynamic component of modern society, affecting almost every structure within it. However, education has been slow to change relative to the acceptance and use of technology in teaching and learning contexts. This research seeks to begin to bridge this technological chasm by examining what considerations a teacher instructional designer needs to be mindful of when designing a substantial Web-based learning resource. The researcher employs a qualitative methodology through the compilation of field notes and narratives describing the experiences and observations of a classroom teacher employing the ADDIE instructional design model to develop a Web-based learning resource for two high-school level Marketing courses. The researcher has maintained a unique triad of professional roles throughout this project, including teacher, instructional designer, and researcher. The findings of this research emphasize the interrelationships between the three key conceptual areas: reflective practice, instructional design, and Web design.

Technology has become a fundamental yet dynamic component of modern society, affecting almost every structure within it. However, education has been slow to change relative to the acceptance and use of technology in teaching and learning contexts. This research seeks to begin to bridge this technological chasm by examining what considerations a teacher instructional designer needs to be mindful of when designing a substantial Web-based learning resource. The researcher employs a qualitative methodology through the compilation of field notes and narratives describing the experiences and observations of a classroom teacher employing the ADDIE instructional design model to develop a Web-based learning resource for two high-school level Marketing courses. The researcher has maintained a unique triad of professional roles throughout this project, including teacher, instructional designer, and researcher. The findings of this research emphasize the interrelationships between the three key conceptual areas: reflective practice, instructional design, and Web design. / Education, Faculty of (Okanagan) / Graduate

This document is a report on an experiment in which mathematical skills were taught to first year university students using the Web as a method of instructional delivery. Special attention was paid to the ability of students from disadvantaged backgrounds to cope with this method of delivery. Overall, the results obtained by students using this method were slightly better than that of students on the equivalent paper-based course. However, students from disadvantaged backgrounds fared marginally worse than those on the paper-based course. The results of these students allow extrapolation to a broader context where Web-based teaching of disadvantaged communities may be used. Definitions for knowledge, information, learning and teaching were developed. These definitions were then used as the foundation for creating the Web pages used in the experiment. / Dissertation (DPhil (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Information Science / unrestricted

The purpose of the study is to explore students’ experiences of WebCT at the University of Pretoria. In order to find out about these experiences, the Department of Telematic Learning and Education Innovation administered a web-based survey to students at the University of Pretoria. At the end of each semester students are requested to complete WebCT Experience Survey voluntarily. The WebCT Experience Survey includes both qualitative and quantitative data for research (TLEI Annual Report, 2003). The focus of this research is more on qualitative data which includes the open-ended questions. The researcher used conceptual analysis to evaluate the open-ended questions in the survey (Busch et al., 2005). The challenges and benefits were coded for their frequency and relevance. The researcher then identified codes to identify the benefits and challenges of students using WebCT. The findings of the research were grouped in terms of technical, facilitation and content issues. The study indicates that students benefited from using WebCT. / Dissertation (Magister Educationis (Computer-Integrated Education))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

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

Dagens tekniska utveckling innebär snabba förändringar för många yrken. För att medborgare ska fortsätta att vara anställningsbara krävs kontinuerlig vidareutbildning och kompetensutveckling. Att utbilda vuxna är emellertid inte helt bekymmersfritt eftersom de begränsar sig till det innehåll som de tycker är meningsfullt och har ett inneboende motstånd till att bryta invanda mönster. Ett tänkbart stöd för kompetensutveckling i arbetslivet är webbaserat lärande. Ännu bättre kan det bli när webbaserat lärande tar hänsyn till forskning om vuxnas lärande. Detta examensarbete syftade därför till att finna en teoretisk brygga mellan forskning på lärande hos vuxna och forskning på framgångsrika, webbaserade kurser. Med avstamp i den teoretiska modellen kunde sedan ett specifikt, webbaserat kompetensutvecklingsmaterial för ett företag analyseras. Studien använde sig av informanttriangulering i form av litteraturstudie, intervju med företagets kursstrateg och frågeformulär till kursens deltagare. All insamlade data analyserades med avseende på sitt innehåll och fördelades över ett flertal kategorier avbetydelse för vuxnas lärande i webbaserade kurser: möjligheter och hinder för lärande, förkunskapernas betydelse, problemorienterat lärande, instruktörens entusiasm och tillgänglighet, interaktion mellan deltagare, aktivt lärande samt användning av hjälpmedel. Då den teoretiska modellen applicerades på företagskursen framkom att kursen både innehöll och saknade flera av kategorierna för framgångsrikt lärande på webben. Med stöd i analysen kunde studien sedan lista elva riktlinjer för förbättringar av det kompetensutvecklande materialet. / The technological development of today affects several professions. To make people remain employable, continuous education and competence enhancement programs are crucial. However, educating adults is not a trouble-free activity since they limit themselvesto the content they find meaningful and have an internal resistance of breaking habitual patterns. A possible solution to implement competence enhancement in working-life is throughweb-based learning. This may get even better when it also takes research on adult learning into consideration. This master thesis therefore aimed at finding a theoretical bridge between research on adult learning and research on successful, web-based courses. Using the theoretical model, a specific, web-based material for competence enhancement in acompany could be analyzed. This study used triangulation through three informants: studying literature, interview with the company course strategist and a survey given to the course participants. All data was analyzed in regard to its content and was divided into several distinguished categories that are important for adult learning in web-based courses: possibilities and obstacles for learning, the importance of prior knowledge, problem-centric learning, instructor accessibility and passion, active learning, peer interaction and using helpful course resources. As the theoretical model was applied to the company course it became clear that the course included most of the categories, but was lacking some, for successful web-based learning. Using the results of the analysis, eleven guidelines for improvements in the competency enhancing material was listed.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-22T17:26:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_Ana_Claudia.pdf: 3389645 bytes, checksum: b02563ac351d04f389cd162f0ee866f9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-02-27 / The use of digital learning objects in a virtual classroom can be seen as a good strategy for the teaching of the Portuguese language, considering that if tools and students are no longer the same, there is no reason to keep the same methods. Thus, in an online writing course, some learning objects were prepared later used as data in this investigation and based on students needs analysis. The idea to choose a Learning Management System (LMS) to conduct the investigation is in part justified because online communication occurs solely through the written medium, which forces participants to show themselves and their needs in terms of formal language. The assumption is that these subjects, in a digital context, tend to put meaning over form, providing a genuine environment for the grammar topics to be treated. The main objective in this study is to investigate the use of digital learning objects in the development of writing skills for university students. Specific objectives include not only a description of learning objects as mediational means, in Vygotsky s tradition, but also an evaluation of their integration with other activities in an LMS environment, by analyzing students reaction to all these activities and examining their postings and comments. The results suggest that by starting from students needs, motivation is assured, the resources of online environment are more successfully used and the selected grammar topics become relevant for the students / O uso de objetos digitais de aprendizagem (ODAs) em uma sala de aula virtual pode ser uma boa estratégia para ensino de Língua Portuguesa afinal, se os meios e os estudantes já não são mais os mesmos, não faz sentido manter velhas fórmulas. Assim, em um curso de português redacional básico a distância foram propostos objetos digitais de aprendizagem instrumentos de coleta dos dados desta pesquisa , com conteúdo determinado pelas necessidades mostradas pelos participantes. A idéia de se escolher o ambiente virtual (AVA) para proceder à investigação justifica-se por a comunicação nesse espaço acontecer apenas por meio de textos escritos, o que "obriga" os participantes a mostrarem-se e às suas necessidades em relação à norma culta da Língua Portuguesa e pela atitude lingüística dos sujeitos pesquisados em ambiente virtual, onde costumam priorizar o conteúdo e preterir a forma, postura que demonstra de maneira mais genuína os tópicos gramaticais a ser discutidos. Em outras palavras, este trabalho de pesquisa tem como objetivo principal investigar o uso de objetos digitais de aprendizagem no incremento da produção textual de estudantes universitários. Ainda, apresenta como objetivos específicos não apenas caracterizar objetos digitais de aprendizagem na perspectiva vygotskyana de mediação, mas também avaliar a integração dos ODAs com as outras atividades desenvolvidas num Ambiente Virtual de Aprendizagem (AVA) e verificar a reação dos alunos no uso dos ODAs, analisando suas postagens e comentários no AVA. Entre os resultados obtidos está o fato de que, ao reconhecer as necessidades dos estudantes, cria-se demanda; reinaugurando-se as formas de ensinar tal qual os recursos dos ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem permitem , torna-se possível ensinar mais efetivamente os conteúdos da gramática