Communication Commons^™

Designing Accessible On-Line Environments For The Visually Impaired, Ruchireak Permvattana, Ron Oliver, Frank Bate, Jean Macnish

Research outputs pre 2011

Providing accessible Web pages is becoming a key concern for many providers of electronic information. There are many people who find accessing Web pages difficult and among these, vision impaired users are perhaps the group with the greatest needs. The Web is a strong visual environment and most designers use this aspect of the environment as a critical element in their interface and information design. Such strategies, while providing many opportunities for mainstream Web users, provide limiting and impeding outcomes for visually impaired Web users. There are a number of accessibility standards that now exist to inform and guide the …

Implementing Courseware Management: Off-The-Shelf Purchase Or In-House Development?, Joseph Luca, Arshad Omari

Research outputs pre 2011

In the past decade there has been a proliferation of courseware management systems being developed and promoted as a means of simplifying the creation and management of instructional websites. Implementing these systems can be resource intensive and require large budgets to cover aspects such as infrastructure, integration into legacy databases, training, maintenance and on-going support. With these costs in mind, deciding to implement such a system should be carefully considered. Are there other options? With the proliferation of many freeware applications, and powerful online databases, the ability to develop customised in-house solutions is now becoming more attractive and viable. This …

Overcoming "Process-Blindness" In The Design Of An Online Environment: Balancing Cognitive And Psycho-Social Outcomes, Catherine E. Mcloughlin, Joseph Luca

Research outputs pre 2011

Learning environment research can contribute to our understanding of how psychosocial processes need to be balanced with cognitive outcomes in the design of units of study. The research on Web-based learning supports the assumption that the nature of social interaction affects student outcomes and student perceptions of the quality of the learning experience. The purposeful this study is to examine student perceptions of psychosocial processes in a blended learning environment using a learning environment survey tool. Students assessed the environments as favourable, but found that the quality of dialogue and peer support offered did not meet their needs. Implications for …

Making Teamwork Equitable With Online Technology: A Case Study, Joseph Luca, Catherine E Mcloughlin

Research outputs pre 2011

In many higher education institutions, teamwork is considered an essential part of the syllabus in helping to promote deep and meaningful learning as well as professional skills such as communication, collaboration and leadership skills. However, in many cases students are unhappy with teamwork activities, as they consider the distribution of marks to be unfair. In many cases, team members are all allocated the same mark regardless of the amount of effort or quality of work contributed by each individual. This case study attempts to resolve these issues by presenting a self and peer assessment strategy (supported with online technology) to …

Cognitive Realism In Online Authentic Learning Environments, Janice Herrington, Ron Oliver, Thomas Reeves

Research outputs pre 2011

The development of virtual reality and advanced computer applications have meant that realistic creations of simulated environments are now possible. Such simulations have been used with to great effect in training in the military, air force, and in medical training. But how realistic do problems need to be in education for effective learning to occur? Some authors and researchers argue that problems should be real, or that simulations should have ultra-realistic physical similarity to an actual context. This paper proposes that physical verisimilitude to real situations is of less importance in learning than 'cognitive realism', provided by immersing students in …

Can Reflective And Executive Control Skills Be Fostered Online?, Catherine E. Mcloughlin, Joseph Luca

Research outputs pre 2011

One of the crises facing the professions is the scepticism surrounding the nature of professional knowledge and whether individuals can cope with the increased complexity of society and the changing demands of the workplace. In order to develop these skills students need to be able to reflect on their learning experiences, integrate them with prior knowledge, self-evaluate and develop decision-making and planning processes. The development of reflexivity is presented in the context of an online tertiary unit where students proceed through the cycle of action, reflection, planning and abstract conceptualisation by engaging in a range of collaborative tasks including peer …

Online Learning Designs In The Training Sector, Ron Oliver, Vivienne Blanksby

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper describes current activities within the vocational education training (VET) sector in Australia where traditional views of teaching and learning for training are being challenged. The paper showcases innovative and leading edge applications of technology in the National Flexible Toolbox Project and draws on the history of this project to demonstrate current thinking within the Australian VET sector in relation to student learning. The paper examines the learning designs and resources that have been developed across the past five years in the National Flexible Toolbox Project and uses the outcomes to argue and demonstrate its findings.

Home-Grown Courseware Management System, Arshad Omari, Joseph Luca, Andrew Dunbar

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Designing For Online Learning Communities, Christopher Brook, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper investigates the development of sense of community among learners engaging in online learning where the principles of collaborative learning are considered key instructional strategies. In particular this paper explores the development of learner's sense of community as an outcome of engaging in instructor initiated activities that are intended to promote community development. The paper discusses design principles for the development of sense of community identified in contemporary literature. In addition it reports a case study that sought to identify the forms of engagement and activity that promote community development, the manner in which students responded to these and …

Attempting To Ground Ethnographic Theory And Practice, Lelia Rosalind Green

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper is a response to continued discussion about the necessary and sufficient characteristics of a claim to 'ethnographic method' when made by researchers in the Media and Cultural Studies traditions. Many of the seminal studies informing-particularly-audience studies research have claimed that they were 'ethnographic'. But is this a variety of ethnographic that an anthropologist would recognise? And if not, what kind of ethnography is it, and why might it be more or less appropriate as a research fromework than straightforward 'interview' or 'focus group' research? Further, when might we say that an interview is conducted in the course of …

Using Multimedia To Develop Students' Programming Concepts, Kacha Chansilp, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

The growing use of computers and computer technology is creating a worldwide need for more programmers and computer professionals. The increasing complexity of programming languages and applications is demanding higher skills sets from the programmers who are being trained. Kann et al. (1997) suggest that the graphic representation of algorithms used in most textbooks are too abstract and insufficient for learners to develop the logical thinking required in computer science courses. Many programming students have problems due to a lack of understanding of conceptual and mental models (Soloway et al., 1981). This paper describes the development of an alternative teaching …

Exploring Online Learning Community Development: The Relative Importance Of Influencing Factors, Christopher Brook, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper describes an investigation into the development of learners’ sense of community using a model describing community development through presage, process and product stages. The study sought to explore the relative importance of design factors and to describe the relative influence of factors between the presage and process stages in the model. The study was facilitated through an investigation into the practices of a professional working in the field who was committed to the principles of collaborative learning and the development of a learning community. The findings reveal a strong influence of presage factors many of which had the …

Factors Influencing The Discovery And Reusability Of Digital Resources For Teaching And Learning, Graeme Brownfield, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper describes findings and outcomes from the Toolbox Digital Repository project (http://toolbox.flexiblelearning.net.au/index.htm) undertaken in 2002 that was concerned with the design and development of a digital library to support the discovery, access and reuse of the vast number of digital resources developed for online learning settings as part of the National Flexible Toolbox Project. The importance for processes and strategies supporting resource discovery in development stages has emerged from the work as an area needing attention. Digital resources use metadata to facilitate their discovery and recovery. Our project has identified the provision of metadata as an important component of …

Patterns Of Engagement In Authentic Online Learning Environments, Janice Herrington, Ron Oliver, Thomas Reeves

Research outputs pre 2011

The use of authentic activities within online learning environments has been shown to have many benefits for learners in online units and courses. There has been renewed interest in the role of student activities within course units, as constructivist philosophy and advances in technology impact on educational design and practice. Courses based on these principles have been used successfully across a wide variety of discipline areas. In spite of the growing evidence of the success of authentic learning environments, they are not without their problems. In this paper we discuss patterns of engagement that have emerged from our own research …

Exploring The Reusability Of Web-Based Learning Resources, Ron Oliver, Ralph Wirski, Philip Hingston, Arshad Omari, Graeme Brownfield

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper describes a project in the Australian training sector which sought to design and develop a digital repository of learning resources to facilitate their reuse and application in new learning settings. The paper describes the context in which the original resources were created and the development of a system to store and provide access to these resources. The paper concludes with an examination of the utility and functionality of the system and the limitations inherent in the reuse of digital resources supported by such systems.

University Reporter - Vol. 07, No. 05 - January 2003, University Of Massachusetts Boston

1996-2009, University Reporter

No abstract provided.

Breaking The Stereotypes: Influences And Characteristics Of Academically Talented Women, Joy Leigh Daggs

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

I was in fifth grade when I heard the word "gifted" for the first time. I had little idea what it meant, but once I was identified that way, my life as a student began to change. I was suddenly expected to perform at my highest level with very little room for error. I learned about the expectations of my performance from my peers, teachers, and parents. They sent me very clear messages about how I was to perform as an academically talented woman. My experience has shaped my research interest for this thesis. In this thesis, I will explore …

Deterrence Rhetoric In A Post-Cold War Security Environment, Michael D. Griffin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis examines changes in United States deterrence policy from a communications perspective. The shift in policy was first made public in national strategy documents released in the fall of 2002. Using Kenneth Burke's dramatism, both the Cold War and the current security environment are examined. The pentadic analysis provides a better understanding of how the Bush administration views the world, unmasking motives for the shift in deterrence policy. The new policy of deterrence is examined to determine if it functions effectively as a persuasive argument. This analysis will then look at the implication of the new policy in addressing …

Rogerian Rhetoric As Negotiation: Does Its Dependence On Game Theory Pose Ethical Problems?, Stacy Fussell Thorne

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

In the war game Diplomacy, players win by gaining control of Europe. In order to win, however, players must successfully negotiate with other players, make alliances with them, and sometimes gain the support of their ally's military resources, their armies or fleets. In the rules of the game, Diplomacy is described as

a game of negotiations, alliances, promises kept, and promises broken. In order to survive, a player needs help from others. In order to win the game, a player must eventually stand alone. Knowing whom to trust, when to trust them, what to promise, and when …

How Should Sports Organizations Handle A Crisis?: A Focus On Collegiate Institutions, Jamie Mabile Delatte

LSU Master's Theses

The sports industry is big business just like any other big business. Sports organizations face various crises just as corporate America does. A survey of 345 professional and college level sports organizations revealed that 70% of them experienced a crisis in 1997, while the Los Angeles Times reported that 220 college athletes were the focus of criminal charges in 1995. "Sports crises are clearly more frequent today than ever before," said Kathleen Hessert. Mike Paul agrees with that trend based on his research, attributing the trend to poor life choices away from the sport. What is a crisis? A crisis …

A Convergence Of Modes: Present Status Of Online News Sites A Content Analysis Of 100 Online Newspaper Web Sites, Renee Chantal Duplessis

LSU Master's Theses

This study examines the current status of online news sites in terms of their level of convergence, and how they are affected by different organizational factors such as organizational influence, cross media partnerships and circulation size. A content analysis of the top 100 circulated newspaper dailies in the United States was conducted to provide understanding as to the current status of these online newspaper sites. A number of categories were examined including newspaper circulation size, updatedness, cross media partnership/ ownership, and level of convergence. Results showed that the majority of the Internet newspaper sites examined shared a media partnership on …

Ethics In Public Relations: Gauging Ethical Decision-Making Patterns Of Public Relations Practitioners, Paul Stuart Lieber

LSU Master's Theses

This study employed the Defining Issues Test (DIT) and a quantitative version of the five-factor TARES Test to gather data on the ethical decision-making patterns of public relations practitioners. The former is an instrument based on Kohlberg’s (1969) moral development theory, the latter self-enforced, ethical consideration statements derived from the research of Baker and Martinson (2001). Results show that levels of moral development in public relations differ based on job segment, and that age, education, gender and rank significantly affect levels of ethical consideration. The TARES test, it was discovered, is better suited for a three-factor configuration based on Day’s …

"You Stupid, Lazy Kid": Perceptions Of Verbal Aggressiveness In Older Adults, Jon M. Croghan

LSU Master's Theses

Young adults' stereotypes of older adults has been well-documented in communication literature, however, there has been a lack of research on the impact of message strategy on intergenerational interactions. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among three factors that previous research suggests should influence the activation of stereotypes toward a target: age, relational level, and message strategy. This study examines the role that message strategy, in this case, verbal aggressiveness, plays in activating young adults' (n = 186) negative stereotypes of older adults. The young adults' self-reported levels of trait verbal aggressiveness was positively correlated with …

Stereotyping Of Women In Television Advertisement, Vaishali Shrikhande

LSU Master's Theses

This study examined the portrayal of women in television commercials and documented the stereotypes associated with women in today’s television commercials. Content analysis was chosen as a method of inquiry for this study. Two hundred and twenty six advertisements were recorded from the three chosen networks, ABC, CBS and NBC. No local advertisements or public service announcements were included in the sample. Each advertisement was initially coded for the central figure, whether the central figure was a male or a female. In addition, each central figure in the advertisement was coded for the following categories: 1) age; 2) product use; …

Behind The Scenes: Uncovering The Structures And Manipulations Of Tabloid Talk Show Workers, Guests And Audiences, Kelly Thompson Losch Deshotel

LSU Master's Theses

How talk show workers, guests and audiences behave behind-the-scenes is largely a mystery to the public. This research focuses on the behind-the-scenes workings of a daytime syndicated talk show to better understand the motivations of talk show guests and how talk show workers manipulate guests and audiences. While researchers have conducted studies of talk show guests using formal interviews and questionnaires, no researchers have posed as covert observers to study talk shows. The researcher conducted participant observation to study the behaviors of those involved with the on and offstage talk show structure. The researcher interned for the show without revealing …

U.S. Regional Newspapers' Coverage On China's Entry Into The Wto--A Regional Economy Approach, Ying Kong

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine whether a region's economy has an impact on regional coverage of China's WTO entry. It is predicted that regional newspapers vary in reporting this issue because of variation in the regional economic structure. The findings of the study support this prediction. A content analysis of 282 news articles in the U.S. regional newspapers finds that the regional economy can be a predictor of regional newspaper's coverage. For North Carolina, Illinois and California, significant differences exist in the regional coverage of China's WTO accession in terms of reference to key economic issue, reference …

Media Ownership And Objectivity, Xinkun Wang

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the different type of ownership will affect the degree of objectivity of newspaper coverage of 2000 presidential election. It is predicted by Shoemaker’s news content theory that publicly-owned newspaper is more objective than privately-owned newspaper. The findings of this study support this theory. A content analysis of 238 news stories and eight editorials from publicly-owned the Boston Globe and privately-owned the Boston Herald showed that not only does the ownership affect the objectivity of the coverage of these two newspapers on 2000 presidential election, the endorsements also affect the degree of …

Harper & Brothers’ Family And School District Libraries, 1830-1846., Robert S. Freeman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

In the 1830s, at the dawn of mass-market publishing, J. & J. Harper of New York began publishing several libraries, including Harper’s Family Library and Harper’s School District Library. A “library” in this sense is a series or set of uniformly bound and uniformly priced books issued by the same publisher. A leading publisher and a major force in the broad religious and social reform movements of the period, the Harper brothers helped to shape education in American homes and schools. As Methodists they were advocates of reading for moral improvement. As innovative publishers, they made full use of the …

United States Diplomacy In The Age Of The Internet, Allison S. Greene

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The dynamics of international relations are constantly changing, and the origin of an extraordinary amount of that change can be traced to what has been coined the ‘Information Revolution.’ It is a revolution as profound and as significant as Gutenberg's invention of moveable metal type, and may result in social and political consequences of comparable magnitude. One of the most significant and far-reaching implications of this phenomenon is the emergence of the Internet. Since its inception, there have been many claims and assertions about existing and potential repercussions of the Internet within the diplomatic realm.

The purpose of this work …

Capturing The Essential Dynamics Of The Emergent Hispanic Health Care Market, Kathleen R. Castore

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

No abstract provided.