DTheses (Athabasca University)
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Development and evaluation of a pedagogical model for an open university in Nepal based on geographical, regional, and linguistic factors
Get PDFThis thesis researched characteristics and success rates of Nepali participants in a series of online courses in order to develop a pedagogical model designed for an open university in Nepal, based on the geographical, regional and linguistic diversity of Nepali learners. The original contribution to knowledge is the examination of geographic, regional and linguistic backgrounds of Nepali learners and a determination as to whether these factors influence the online learning of Nepali students. It is expected that the resulting model may serve as a construct for open university initiatives in Nepal and in other developing countries. A mixed methods, descriptive, multiple case study approach using surveys, 4 short pilot courses, interviews and observations was used to provide data that would generate a pedagogical model. The results determined the design of the pedagogical model based on the needs of students in developing countries and in particular Nepali open university students. A study of Nepal’s history and diversity, existing open university models worldwide, and educational theory formed the foundation of this study. Combining the aforementioned review, with the information gained through the surveys, short pilot courses, interviews, observations during extensive travel throughout Nepal, and using inductive analysis, the framework for a pedagogical model for an open university in Nepal emerged. Although limited to a small group of volunteers, the original contribution to scholarship was the creation of the first pedagogical model for an open university in Nepal.2013-1
The Hegemonies and Antagonisms of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Discrimination Discourse in a Professional Engineering Association
Get PDFAround the world, females typically represent fifteen per cent or less of registered professional engineers. They also leave the profession at significantly higher rates than their male counterparts. Incidences of sexual harassment and sexual discrimination continue to be reported in interviews with female graduate engineers. Despite many years of study and initiatives to get more females into engineering, girls and women continue to avoid this profession.
Research into the workplace experiences of female engineers tends to neglect organizational and institutional contexts. In particular, there is a lack of attention paid to the ways in which engineering associations, as regulatory bodies in the profession, support their female members.
To that end, Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory and concept of hegemony were used to open new empirical terrain by providing an account of the sexual harassment and sexual discrimination discourse of the Ontario professional engineering association. It was found that the discourse of sexual harassment and sexual discrimination is hegemonized by the discourses of regulation and the practice of engineering. Critical gender equality issues that academic research has reported for female practitioners inside engineering workplaces, such as sexual harassment and sexual discrimination, are considered outside of the practices of regulation and engineering. Gender work within the association is confined to supporting the female members of the profession and is performed by the female members of the association. This contributes to the maintenance of the status quo, the illusion of gender neutrality, and the privileging of one gender over another in this local setting of the profession. It is recommended that engineering associations examine the effects of hegemonized spaces created by their practices of regulation and professional engineering discourse, particularly in the area of the workplace conditions of its members. It is also recommended that the scope and range of gender equity change actions practiced by engineering associations go beyond mainly providing modes of support for females in the profession.2013-0
Workplace (In)Equality: Making Critical Sense of Hong Kong Chinese Immigrant Experiences in the Canadian Workplace
Get PDFThis thesis reports on an exploratory study of how professional immigrants from Hong Kong to Canada make sense of their immigration experiences and what this can tell us about why a substantial number leave in their first year in Canada. In particular, I focus on how Hong Kong Chinese immigrants make sense of workplace opportunities. The study involves in-depth interviews with 19 informants from the Hong Kong Chinese community in Canada. The study was framed by a critical sensemaking approach and Foucauldian discursive analysis in which the local and formative contexts of sensemaking are analyzed.
An analysis of the interviews demonstrates that immigrants’ identities are grounded by contextual sensemaking elements. Data show that informants have accepted unchallenged assumptions: (1) that the government is providing help for them to ‘get in’ the workplace; and (2) that the ethnic service organizations are offering positive guidance to their workplace opportunities. At the organizational level, a master discourse emphasizing integration has mediated immigrants’ struggles. Within these frustrations, many have internalized a hidden discourse of inadequate or deficient selves and adopted a sacrificial position in order to maintain a positive sense of identity. There is no question that racism exists on systemic and personal levels. However, immigrants are unaware of the ways their assumptions may be informed by racism; hence they might accept unequal practices as “normal.” Although contextual elements are powerful, some immigrants have developed strategies at the micro-level to resist.
I contend that a critical sensemaking approach allows greater insights into immigration processes than realist surveys and interviews, which tend to impose a pre-packaged sense of the immigrant experience. Through critical sensemaking, immigrants’ own sense (understanding) of process is given voice; this encourages them to rethink the current role of ethnic service organizations in the immigration system. This thesis ends with a conclusion emphasizing my contributions and the value of a critical sensemaking framework in studying complex issues among broader societal discourses.2013-Ap
An Exploratory Study of the Jungian Personality Types of Second Life Residents
Get PDFIn virtual worlds such as Second Life, participants can engage in a variety of activities with other online residents. The personality type of the resident inherently guides the activities in which he or she chooses to participate. Choices, such as communication method (i.e., group communication versus one-to-one) and in-world community participation (i.e., exploring new worlds versus building their own), can be directly linked to the personality preferences of the virtual world user. Carl Jung’s work entitled “Personality Types” (1921) is regarded as one of the foundational works in understanding the personality preferences of oneself and others. Jung’s work is the foundation for extrapolated personality theories and the basis for personality assessments on personality type. Understanding the personality types of virtual world users may help educators when designing online experiential learning activities. This understanding may also help educators understand why some students thrive with online experiential learning activities while others struggle. Utilizing a demographic survey and the Majors Personality Type Inventory, a quantitative analysis of Second Life users was conducted. An examination of a resident sample size (n=91) in relation to population norms will be outlined. Statistically significant differences between the Second LifeTM population and population norms will be discussed. The implications of this study for educators who choose to employ Second LifeTM as an experiential learning tool will also be examined.2013-0
Analysis of institutional level identity control strategies in distance education environment
Get PDFPhysical separation of students and instructors creates the gap of anonymity. The ability of academic institutions to authenticate students and their academic work at various points during a course is necessary for preserving not only the perceived credibility but also for public safety. This study examines the question of what measures universities with large distance education programs employ to align identity of learners with the academic work they do, as well as examines effectiveness, challenges and barriers to their implementation. The research is undertaken using a multiple case approach and analyzes survey data collected from academic administrators at five officially accredited post secondary institutions in three countries. They are: Athabasca University, Open University UK, Penn State University World Campus, University of Maryland University College and eConcordia– Concordia University's distance learning facility. This study is not an exhaustive attempt to examine all aspect of academic integrity, but rather to create awareness about various learner authentication strategies and also outline challenges and advantages that these measure entail. This study confirms that secure learner authentication in distance education environment is possible. A combination of technology and administrative procedures may facilitate a secure testing environment. Furthermore, with greater pressure to enhance security of learner authentication, the openness of open learning is challenged and may change as we know it.2013-0
Networked Teacher Professional Development: Assessing K-12 Teacher Professional Development within a social networking framework
Get PDFThis study evaluated the third design iteration of a networked teacher professional development (nTPD) implementation. In particular, the study explored the kinds of teacher technology professional learning that resulted as a consequence of nTPD participation. As part of an ongoing design-based research program, the goal of this study was to evaluate the teacher learning resulting from participation in online-delivered TPD activities. In addition the results inform an evolving model of nTPD articulating the components and elements of the online learning activities that have value in supporting and/or advancing teacher practices. The results of this study indicate that teachers who participate in nTPD find the experiential learning activities and the sharing of resources and lesson plans to be valuable for their professional practice. NTPD, delivered in a social networking site environment, results in new kinds of teacher learning opportunities. Some of these new learning opportunities include shared digital curation activities and unique cognitive-apprenticeship type activities described further as “learning over the shoulders of giants.” In theory, nTPD provides teachers with opportunities to connect with others who are teaching in similar curricular areas to identify, develop, and share resources that can support their teaching practice. In practice, the articulation of a revised nTPD model and design principles provides developers of online-networked TPD with guidelines for the development of valued learning activities, particularly for technology TPD topics.2013-0
Understanding customer engagement: What makes customers more likely to provide feedback to an organization in the services sector
Get PDFGiven that companies such as Proctor & Gamble are saying that they expect to get more than half of their ideas from outside the organization, there is a surprising lack of published research on how to encourage more of those ideas to reach organizations. Within the service climate, a focus on customer orientation and customer engagement has been linked to helping organizations remain competitive. Encompassing all of the non-transactional customer behaviours that can affect an organization, discussions of customer engagement often include things such as word of mouth, advocacy, and co-creation, yet they often do not mention customer feedback. Word of mouth can only extend an organization’s promotional budget, whereas customer feedback, another piece of the customer engagement puzzle, has the power to impact innovation and improvements within an organization. As such, this study contributes to the understanding of the antecedents of customer feedback. A model is put forth combining the technology acceptance model, knowledge management, customer complaint behaviour, and the theory of planned behaviour, showing that the intention to provide feedback is affected by customer characteristics (attitude towards feedback, subjective norms), perceptions of the feedback process (perceived ease of feedback process, perceived usefulness of feedback), and organization perceptions (customer orientation and affective commitment). Altruism, gender, and perceived rewards associated with the feedback process did not affect the intention to provide feedback.2013-0
Informal Learning of Registered Nurses using Mobile Devices in the Healthcare Workplace
Get PDFThis dissertation research study explored how registered nurses (RNs) use mobile devices as tools to support and enhance informal learning in their work settings. The mixed methods inquiry involved select Canadian practicing and regulated RNs who used mobile devices in their workplaces. A sequential explanatory research design collected quantitative and qualitative data using an online survey and semi-structured interviews. Quota sampling for the quantitative component yielded 170 usable online surveys. From the survey respondents, interview volunteers were purposively selected and ten (10) interviews were conducted. Descriptive, inferential, inductive, and integrated data analyses were conducted in order to explore strategies, processes, purposes, modes of use (individual [non-collaborative] or collaborative), and age-generational differences associated with RNs’ use of mobile devices for informal learning in the workplace. Findings indicated that the study participants primarily used their handheld devices for self-directed informal learning with non-collaborative strategies or processes in their work settings for accessing online resources for a range of reasons including: evidence-based support, new procedures/treatments, professional development, patient/client teaching, and maintaining competency. Age differences related to the use of mobile devices for informal learning were minimal. However, workplace-related influences including deficiencies in formal educational resources, Internet access, and/or employer support were relevant to the informal learning experiences. Positive perceptions of efficiencies, self-confidence, patient/client safety, patients/clients’ reactions, and the need for sanctioned resources for using mobile technologies in the healthcare workplace were articulated. The findings pointed to the significance of mobile devices as learning tools for RNs’ informal learning for construction of knowledge and meaning-making to inform professional development and continuing competence.2013-0
The Hollow Bone Hunter's Search for Sacred Space in Cyberspace: A Two World Story
Get PDFThe goal of this study was to examine Indigenous Teaching Circles and their applicability in an online Distance Education setting. The objectives were twofold (1) to define Aboriginal Teaching Circles as a formal method of instruction for cultural teaching in a post-secondary environment, and (2) to identify what elements of Indigenous Teaching Circles would be possible to translate into an online environment. In order to gain a better understanding of the aforementioned I interviewed seven Indigenous Knowledge Keepers who worked in post-secondary institutions and were keepers of the traditional Indigenous values and beliefs.
Drawing on the stories from the participant Knowledge Keepers I define the various Indigenous Circle pedagogies and their subsequent compositions. This thesis confirms that Indigenous Teaching Circles can be conducted in a computer mediated environment with specific instructional design strategies. The most compelling finding in this thesis was the exploration of the inclusion of spiritual entities as participants in the Circles. These presences are referred to as unseen “helpers” and each of the participants interviewed commented on their existence in various ways. This concept is particularly important as these helpers were identified as residing in a virtual world therefore making teaching and learning that much more significant if one believes in this phenomenon. There is no doubt from the data collected that cultural teaching requires a shift in planning and implementation and this thesis offers some suggestions for planning and designing culturally accurate teaching and learning activities.June- 201
Factors that Influence Accountants’ Selection of Delivery Modalities for Professional Development
Get PDFThe obligation to maintain and develop professional competence throughout an individual’s career is a fundamental requirement of a maintaining a professional accounting designation. Accountants can select their continuing professional development (CPD) from a number of modalities. The study was a cross sectional sample created by self selection from a researchers' email invitation to accountants in Canada to determine which modalities accountants preferred, and the selection factors they used in making those selections. A total of 428 accountants from across Canada completed the online survey. The results found that the accountants had taken courses in all modalities presented with live seminar and live webinar being the most popular modalities. Accountants preferred synchronous over asynchronous courses. The factors most important to accountants are content, cost and CPD hour requirements. Generally, the differences found in selection factors for distance versus face-to-face modalities related to the flexibility of the distance course to reduce time away from work. The ranking of selection factors for synchronous courses in general did not differ from those for asynchronous courses with the exception of self-paced courses where the pace and time away from work were ranked higher than for other courses. Further research is suggested to determine the value of both live and recorded seminars and webinars, as well as potential opportunities for mobile modality use for CPD courses. Additional research should be conducted to determine why differences were found in ranking in demographics in order to ensure that future CPD courses are offered in modalities that provide benefits for all respondents.2012-0