Table of Content

 

 

CHAPTER ONE :  INTRODUCTION…………………………………………….......................

1

 

Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………

Purpose of the Study………………………………………………………...

Research Question.………………………………………………………….

Research Assumption…….…………………………………………………

Rationale for the Research Design…………………….……………………

Participants in the Study………………………………………………….…

Context of the Study………………………………………………………...

Significance of the Study……………………………………………………

Definition of Terms…………………………………………………………

Summary……………………………………………………………………

3

3

4

4

5

7

8

9

9

12

 

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW………………………………………

13

 

Groupware Enhanced Learning……………………………………………..

What Is Intranet?…………………………………………………………….

What Is Intranet Groupware?………………………………………………..

What Can Groupware Do?…………………………………………………..

The Current Application of Groupware……………………………………..

What Is Lotus LearingSpace?……………………………………………….

The Current Application of LearningSpace…………………………………

Learning Theories in the Networked Context………………………………

On Social Dimension of Group Learning…………………………………..

Issues Leading to the Study…………………………………………………

Summary…………………………………………………………………….

14

14

14

15

17

20

20

22

24

25

27

 

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY………………………………………….

28

CHAPTER IV:  ANALYSIS OF THE DATA……………………………………

39


About the Two Themes…………………………………………………….

The Learning Environment of LearningSpace…...………………………

The Start of the Class………………………………………………………

Virtual Learning……………………………………………………………

Knowing about the Learners………..……………………………………

Students’ Concerns…………………………………………………………

Theme I: Technical Accommodation………………………………………

Introduction………………………………………………………………...

The “Threshold” to the New Users………………………………………..

The “Black Box”—The Issue of “User-Friendly”…………………………

The Risk Period………….…………………………………………………

Community Support as a Solution…………………………………………

Teacher’s Scaffolding……………………………………………………..

Students’ Scaffolding………………………………………………………

CIS Support………………………………………………………………..

Positive and Negative Attitudes Toward the Class………………………..

Summary to Theme I………………………………………………………

Theme II: Format Shift Dilemma………………………………….……….

Introduction to Theme II………………………………..…………………

The New Learning Format…………………………………………………

A Powerful Tool……………………………………………………….…..

Issues of the Students’ Discomfort…………………………………………

Resistance in Class…………………………………………………………

The Mis-Connection Between Teacher and Students……………………..

From Supervised Learning to Self-Directed Learning……………………

A Sense of an Online Class……………………………………………….

Learning Style Adjustment..………………………………………………

The “Netiquette Effect”……………………………………………….……

Misunderstandings…………….…………………………………………...

A Force that Connects Learning to Efficiency……………………………..

The Format Challenge to the Teacher……………………………………..

An Episode…………………………………………………………………

Beyond the Rainbow………………………………………………………

Summary to Theme II ………...…………………………………………..

Summary to Chapter IV……………………………………………………

 

40

41

47

50

51

54

57

57

57

65

69

73

75

83

89

91

95

96

96

97

98

102

104

108

110

112

114

115

117

119

124

128

137

138

140

CHAPTER V:  DISCUSSION, IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE,  LIMITATIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTURE RESEARCH……….…

 

143

 

Introduction…………………………………………………………………..

Discussion…………………………………………………………………....

Implication for Practice………………………………………………………

Limitation of the Study………………………………………………………

Suggestions for Future Research……………………………………………..

143

144

150

151

152


REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………….

APPENDICES………………………………………………………………..…...

153

169

 

Appendix A:  Interview Protocol for the Teacher……………………………

Appendix B:  Interview Protocol for Network Administrators………………

Appendix C:  Interview Protocol for Students……………………………….

Appendix D:  Online Survey for Students…………………………………...

Appendix E:  Consent Form………...………………………………………..

Appendix F:  Institutional Review Board Approval…………………………

170

171

172

173

174

175

 

 

 

LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES

 

 

Figure

Page

 

1

 

LearningSpace Homepage Interface…………………………………...

 

42

2

MediaCenter Interface……………………………………….…………

43

3

CourseRoom Interface……………………………………….…………

46

4

Threaded Discussion…………………………………………………...

47

     Table

 

 

1

Statistics of the Participation in HES 3002…………………………….

122

2

Three Levels of Abilities of a Distance Learner……………………….

138