bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling Intrusion Detection with Self Similar Traffic in Enterprise Networks
Authors: Akujuobi Cajetan M. , Ampah Nana K.
Published: May 2011

Most of the existing networks (e.g., telecommunications, industrial control, enterprise networks etc.) have been globally connected to open computer networks (Internet) in order to decentralize planning, management and controls in business. Most of these networks were originally designed without security considerations, thereby making them vulnerable to cyber attacks. This has given rise to the need for efficient and scalable intrusion detection systems (IDSs) and intrusion prevention systems (IPSs) to secure existing networks. Existing IDSs and IPSs have five major limitations, which prevent them from securing networks absolutely. It has been proven that the right combination of security techniques always protects networks better. This approach used change in Hurst parameter and a signal processing application of wavelets (i.e., multi-resolution technique) to develop an IDS. The novelty of our proposed IDS technique presented in this chapter lies in its efficiency and ability to eliminate most of the limitations of existing IDSs and IPSs, thereby ensuring high level network protection.
Combining Small and Large Scale Roaming Parameters to Optimize the Design of PCS
Authors: Zaki Mohamed , Ramadan Salah
Published: May 2011

The cellular principle is an effective way to guarantee efficient utilization of the offered radio band. Although PCS networks use the cellular principle, the next generation of PCS networks needs more improvements in location management to face the increased number of users. Both an Enhanced Profile- Based Strategy (EPBS) for small-scale roaming and a Caching Two-Level Forwarding Pointer (C2LFP) strategy for large-scale roaming have been proposed. This chapter introduces a model that unites the above two strategies. The idea behind this model is based on applying those two location management strategies and specifying the physical parameters of PCS networks from mobility management’s point of view so that the underlying solutions can be more cost effective for location management. An evolutionary method using a constraint Genetic Algorithm (GA) has been used to achieve network parameters optimization. For convenience, we selected the planning problem with an appropriate set of parameters to be treated both genetically and analytically. Thus one can easily verify accuracy and efficiency of the evolutionary solution that would be obtained from the genetic algorithm. For more realistic environments, GA could be used reliably to solve sophisticated problems that combine the small-scale and large-scale roaming parameters of PCS networks. A case study is presented to provide a deep explanation of the proposed integration approach.
Achievement in Online vs. Traditional Classes
Authors: Witta E. Lea
Published: May 2011

Universities and colleges constantly attempt to address student needs by offering courses in various time frames. Because it is difficult for teachers to enroll and attend classes during the “normal” two- or three-day format for 15 weeks, graduate classes in education are typically offered as a one evening per week class. In summer, when teachers usually are not working, classes may be offered in an alternative format meeting for longer periods of time in each class session but for fewer weeks. There are, however, questions concerning the changes in class scheduling. Although the seat time in an eightweek extended period class is equivalent to a 15-week class, are the learning outcomes equivalent? According to Rayburn and Rayburn (1999), if only responses on multiple choice Accounting exams were considered, there was no effect of class length. If, however, problem solving was also considered, there was a statistically significant effect based on length of the class.
The Changing Role of Faculty
Authors: Shaw Graham
Published: May 2011

The role of faculty within traditional teaching institutions worldwide has always been multidimensional, involving administrative duties, research responsibilities, and a commitment to community service in addition to teaching. In the majority of institutions, this teaching role of faculty has remained unchanged for decades. In fact, most faculty teach the way they themselves were taught using the tried and trusted Socratic transmission paradigm in which sections of academic content are divided into 50 minute lectures and delivered to often large groups of passive recipients. There is simply very little incentive to make alterations to a teaching model that has been in place for hundreds of years (Buckley, 2002). Present day faculty culture often values research, productivity, and quality over high quality teaching and student evaluations tend not to reward faculty prepared to experiment and take risks with models of learning that differ from the students’ previous learning experiences. Things are changing and the use of “chalk and talk” as the primary means of content delivery is being replaced at some institutions by more collaborative, interactive approaches to learning that are supported by course management systems and the numerous recent innovations in e-learning technologies, such as electronic books, text messages, podcasting, wikis and blogs (Kim and Bonk, 2006).
Classroom Critical Incidents
Authors: Carroll John M. , Neale Dennis C. , Isenhour Philip L.
Published: May 2011

Evaluating the quality and effectiveness of user interaction in networked collaborative systems is difficult. There is more than one user, and often the users are not physically proximal. The “session” to be evaluated cannot be comprehensively observed or monitored at any single display, keyboard, or processor. It is typical that none of the human participants has an overall view of the interaction (a common source of problems for such interactions). The users are not easily accessible either to evaluators or to one another. In this article we describe an evaluation method that recruits the already-pervasive medium of Web forums to support collection and discussion of user critical incidents. We describe a Web forum tool created to support this discussion, the Collaborative Critical Incident Tool (CCIT). The notion of “critical incident” is adapted from Flanagan (1956), who debriefed test pilots in order to gather and analyze episodes in which something went surprisingly good or bad. Flanagan’s method has become a mainstay of human factors evaluation (Meister, 1985). In our method, users can post a critical incident report to the forum at any time. Subsequently, other users, as well as evaluators and system developers, can post threaded replies. This improves the critical incident method by permitting follow-up questions and other conversational elaboration and refinement of original reports.
Computer-Aided Language Learning
Authors: Laghos Andrew , Zaphiris Panayiotis
Published: May 2011

Gamper and Knapp (2002) define Computer-Aided Language Learning (CALL) as “a research field which explores the use of computational methods and techniques as well as new media for language learning and teaching” (p. 329). In more general terms, CALL can be thought of as the use of computers to help learn languages. As a sub-category of Computer-Aided Learning (CAL), CALL deals exclusively with learning languages. Specific examples of CALL tools and utilities include games, tests, exercises, and word processing, and their use in a CALL session is determined by the syllabus, software, teacher, or learner. The popularity of CALL is constantly increasing as multimedia developments and technology are advancing. In the last few years, CALL systems have become fully integrated with audio and video support, creating interesting and attractive presentations. With the Internet emerging, a new platform for CALL systems has evolved. Thus, there has been a move from CD-ROM-based CALL to online Web-based CALL, enabling more connectivity and interactivity with other students or teachers. Important examples of why CALL has moved to Web-based mediums include the ability to carry out audio and videoconferencing, use chat rooms and e-mail, and communicate with native speakers of the language.
Contextual Design of Online Learning Technologies
Authors: Notess Mark
Published: May 2011

Contextual design is a human-centered methodology for designing information systems from a rich understanding of customer work practice (Beyer & Holtzblatt, 1998). This article explores the application of contextual design to online learning systems development. Beginning with definitions of Instructional Systems Design (ISD) and contextual design, this chapter then offers a detailed description of the latter, and concludes by considering its relevance to the design of online learning technologies. To avoid confusion, it is important to understand the differing backgrounds of ISD and contextual design. ISD models are process models for the development of instruction or instructional systems (ASTD, 1988; Dick & Carey, 1996; Kemp, Morrison & Ross, 1998). In this context, “systems” refer to the interrelatedness of all parts of an instructional program and the attempt of the development process to account for the many parts and their interdependencies. Contextual design grew out of very different soil—a soil in which “systems” means “information systems;” that is, computers, software and related technologies. As a computer system design method, contextual design focuses on how best to design systems—hardware and software—to meet customers’ needs. While these needs may include learning or training, the concern is less with learning how to do something than with actually doing it— quickly, cheaply, effectively. With instructional design, content is nearly always critical. With contextual design, as will be seen, work practice is critical.
Designing and Developing Online and Distance Courses
Authors: Yang Dazhi , Richardson Jennifer C.
Published: May 2011

The fifth annual report on online education in the United States revealed that nearly 3.5 million college students enrolled in at least one online course in Fall 2006 (Allen & Seaman, 2007). The Peak Group estimates 1 million K-12 online course enrollments in 2007 (NACOL, 2007). In addition, online courses are continuing to expand in terms of both numeric enrollment records and institutions’ long-term strategies for meeting the needs of online courses. Because of the common use of computers and information technologies in education, especially the Web, distance courses and online courses have become two interchangeable terms. With the rapid growth of online courses and online programs, how to design and develop effective online or distance courses has attracted increasing attention from all sectors of education, corporate, and industry. Online teaching and learning is different from traditional teaching and learning (Harmon & Jones, 2001). In addition, many online course designers and developers, such as the majority of faculty members in higher education, have little or no formal training in instructional design and learning theories (Perrin, 2004) and many of them will attempt to transfer traditional classroom teaching to online teaching (Johnson & Aragon, 2003a). Therefore, guidelines on how to design and develop online and distance courses are needed.
Designing Effective Computer-Based Learning Materials
Authors: Ally Mohamed
Published: May 2011

This entry begins by discussing the history of computerbased learning (CBL), followed by a description of learning theories and instructional design models that are being used to design CBL materials. The chapter concludes by proposing a model for designing CBL materials. The model proposed is based on current instructional design models but goes beyond these models by suggesting the use of intelligent agents to capitalize on the power of the computer in CBL. Instructors and tutors working in CBL one-to-one environments claim that it takes more time to design, develop, and deliver instruction when compared to face-to-face delivery. The main reason for extra time is the lack of use of the power of the computer in CBL. The author is suggesting the use of intelligent agents in the design, development, and delivery of instructions in CBL. Intelligent agents can be used to conduct learner analysis after interacting with the learner, assemble the content, and prescribe instructional strategies for individual learners after forming a profile of the learner. Intelligent agents can also be used to manage learners’ interaction and participation in the CBL process, freeing the tutor to do other human-related tasks. Wooldridge and Jennings (1995) defined an intelligent agent as a computer system that is capable of flexible autonomous action in order to meet its design objectives.
Designing Online Learning Programs
Authors: Boettcher Judith V.
Published: May 2011

This article describes a design process for online learning programs that builds on a philosophical base grounded in learning theory, instructional design, and the principles of the process of change. This design process is a six-layered design approach that promotes congruency at the six levels of institution, infrastructure, program, course, unit /activity and student assessment. The conceptual framework for the design process is based on the Vygotskian theory of cognition that focuses on the four core elements of any teaching and learning experience — the learner, the faculty/teacher/mentor, the content /knowledge /skill to be acquired/or problem to be solved, and the environment or context within which the experience will occur. A set of principlebased questions for designing effective and efficient online learning programs assists in implementing this design approach.
Distance Learning for Health Professions Education
Authors: Normann Sven A. , Beck Diane E.
Published: May 2011

Although the number of distance learning courses and programs has grown exponentially in higher education, adoption has been slower within health professions education (Hunter et al., 2003; Lahaie, 2007). Health professions education encompasses the preparation of graduates for the professions of dentistry, nursing, medicine, and pharmacy, and the allied health professions that include clinical psychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology. In particular, distance learning has been infrequently used for degree programs that prepare graduates to enter a health profession (Council for Higher Education Accreditation, 2002). Although this has been attributed to curricular requirements such as clinical training and professional socialization, health professions educators have also expressed concerns about quality and the demands on their time (Hunter et al., 2003; Andrews and Demps, 2003; Lahaie, 2007). Health professions educators have more readily adopted distance teaching and learning methods in programs that provide working healthcare professionals with advanced degrees, training, and continuing education (Learn, 1994; Curran, 2006; Long, 2007; Billings, 2007). These methods have also been more willingly implemented within courses that are part of a campus-based curriculum leading to a professional degree (Hunter et al., 2003; Andrews & Demps, 2003; Ruiz, 2006).

For more information regarding the Pharm.D. distance learning curriculum at the University of Florida, please visit: http://pharmd.distancelearning.ufl.edu
Download Delay, Tolerable Wait Time, and Online Learning
Authors: Hantula Donald A. , Spangenberg Donald
Published: May 2011

Download delay, also known as “download time” and “tolerable wait time (TWT),” is the amount of time needed for instructional materials to appear on a Web page on a client computer after the page is accessed from a server. It is a new challenge specific to designing and using Internet-based materials (Davis & Hantula, 2001), but is related to an older mainframe computing difficulty known as system response time (SRT), the time between when a user issues a command and the system responds to the command. Download delay/TWT is primarily a function of the size of the data files being transmitted from the server to the client, the technological limitations of the client and server computers as well as the network infrastructure. A file of equal size may download more slowly or quickly on different client computers, depending on capabilities of the hardware, speed of the network and connections, and relative efficiency in the design of programs and transfer protocols. In an Internet environment with a broadband connection, download delay is usually a matter of seconds, often fractions of a second.
E-Learning Study Skills Training Using Proven Pedagogies
Authors: Bermingham Caitriona , Mahdi Abdulhussain E.
Published: May 2011

Due to lack of effective study and learning skills, most leaving certificate students who enroll in degree courses in Ireland find it difficult to adapt to the vastly different higher education environment. Students find that the study strategies employed in secondary school don’t always work at the university level. For students to be successful in higher education, they need to acquire efficient and effective study, learning and professional skills (Tinto, 1994). In college, students need to become independent learners. They need to examine past experiences and make any amendments to their practices essential to surmount new challenges (Ritzen, 1996). Research has also shown that graduates do not possess the necessary skills required for full time employment (Blair & Robinson, 1995, Connelly & Middleton, 1996). In fact, it is often communication, problem-solving and interpersonal skills that distinguish those who are preferred for employment (Blair & Robinson, 1995). It is the responsibility of all higher education institutions to ensure that their students are equipped with the necessary skills that will not only assist them throughout their higher education but will also be of great benefit to them when they graduate (Marshall & Rowland, 1998).
The Evolution of K-12 Online Learning Policy from a Void to a Patchwork
Authors: Glick David B.
Published: May 2011

The Internet and its applications have challenged policy makers in seemingly all areas of public life, and as one of the applications of the Internet, online learning is no exception. Online learning policy has tentacles throughout education policy, from union politics to technology infrastructure. This complexity contributed to the lack of action that led the National Association of State Boards of Education to warn, in 2001, in its now oft-quoted statement: In the absence of firm policy guidance, the nation is rushing pell-mell toward an ad hoc system of education that exacerbates existing disparities and cannot assure a high standard of education across new modes of instruction. By allowing this policy vacuum to continue, educational leaders are failing to meet their obligation to assure that all students are provided a quality education. (National Association of State Boards of Education, 2001 p. 4)
Faculty Support Systems
Authors: Baker Jason D. , Schihl Robert J.
Published: May 2011

One factor that has led institutions to develop online learning programs is the perception that they have lower production costs than campus-based courses, particularly as the numbers of students increase. Hülsmann (2004) noted that this view was a significant tenet in the argument supporting distance learning in developing nations. Specifically, he described the common belief that “distance education is able to deal with large numbers more cost-effectively than traditional education, and has proved to do so also in developing countries” (Introduction section, paragraph 3). To one extent, this is a valid viewpoint. Unlike earlier distance education approaches, such as print-based correspondence courses and full-motion videoconferencing, online learning doesn’t require the purchase of high-cost specialized equipment such as videoconferencing rooms or publishing systems. Although there are numerous examples of institutions spending far more per course than traditional programs—NYUonline was rumored to have spent upwards of $1 million per course (Maeroff, 2003)— a motivated instructor can create and publish components of a Web-based course on a personal computer and then upload the materials to a free Web hosting service and instantly teach online to students anywhere in the world. The relative ease of creating Web-based materials, however, can mask larger challenges that face online education providers. Providing effective online faculty support is one area that can be easily overlooked with such a myopic view of online course development.
Group Leadership in Online Collaborative Learning
Authors: Kukulska-Hulme Agnes
Published: May 2011

Online collaborative learning emphasizes student activity and is associated with changes in perceptions of who is responsible for leading groups of learners. It raises questions about the roles of teachers and students as leaders. A teacher may act as the guide or as a member of the group and a co-learner. An important question is whether the success or failure of online collaborative learning depends on the role and skills of a group leader. There is reason to believe that online groups do need guidance, but there is a need to consider the extent to which instructors make students aware of their roles, and the degree to which they are tangibly present in an online environment. A related issue is the skill set of the online leader, variously known as the online moderator, facilitator, coordinator, and so on, depending on his or her role. In actual fact, there may be different ways in which group participants contribute to leadership and numerous ways in which teams of teachers share responsibility for leading online groups. Group leadership should always be considered in the context of a range of factors that impact group dynamics. It is useful to be aware of the different philosophies that underpin online discussion and group working, the tasks in which learners engage, and the skills that instructors and students have or need to develop. Self-direction is a pivotal concept for the consideration of emergent leadership in online groups. Other important issues are leadership styles, social roles, relationships and norms, as well as the tools and media that may play a role in how collaboration is experienced by learners.
Implementing a Statewide Electronic Portfolio Infrastructure
Authors: Wasko Paul
Published: May 2011

On August 1, 2002, after over a year of discussion, design, and development, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) launched eFolio MinnesotaTM . After 15 months of operations, eFolio Minnesota has over 12,000 registered users and is receiving close to two million hits per month. The effort has experienced double-digit monthly growth since its launch and is well on its way to being adopted throughout the state by the K-20 education community along with the State’s Workforce Center System. This article is intended to provide the reader with a chance to understand the historical factors that helped shaped this one-of-a-kind effort, along with providing an understanding of the design/development process and what the future potentially holds. This article is not intended to go into the history of the electronic portfolio movement; if one is interested in that, one needs go no further than to check out Dr. Helen Barrett’s site at http://www. electronicpor tfolios.com (2004).
Inadequate Infrastructure and the Infusion of Technology into K-12 Education
Authors: Asher Gregg
Published: May 2011

Although the lack of adequate funding is probably the most significant barrier to the effective infusion of technology (since bundles of money could eliminate almost all other barriers), I will focus on “inadequate infrastructures” as the most impregnable obstacle in rural schools. According to the dictionary, an infrastructure is “an underlying base or foundation” (www. dictionary.com). As I see it, following this definition, a school’s infrastructure would include teachers, the physical requirements needed to support a robust network, and the community of recipients or users.
Internet Access and Software Alternatives for Students on the Wrong Side of the Digital Divide
Authors: Fox Brian F.
Published: May 2011

When considering higher education and distance and online learning, the topic of the digital divide continues to be both important and vexing. While there has certainly been some progress made in bridging the divide, many students, particularly those in lower income brackets, continue to encounter problems in terms of access to both high-speed connections and software. As these students increase in numbers on our campuses, and as higher education continues to move aggressively towards providing more instruction online, educators must assess how these issues have been and are being addressed.
Learner Perceptions of Online Courses
Authors: Robinson Marc R.
Published: May 2011

The debate about learner perceptions of online courses can be divided roughly into two spheres: those that argue that learner perceptions are influenced mainly by instructor quality, and those that argue that learner perceptions are more affected by course design quality (Ortiz-Rodríguez, Telg, Irani, Roberts & Rhoades, 2005). These divergent views may mirror a shift in research literature away from an instructor focus and toward a student focus – labeled as either a learner, learning, or engagement focus (Ennis-Cole & Lawhorn, 2004; Palloff & Pratt, 2007, and Rice, 2006). This also reflects emerging research (e.g., Jackson, 2007, Palloff & Pratt, 2007, and Wilson, 2007) which indicates that the instructor’s role is changing from being the sole expert responsible for designing, developing, and teaching the class – the “sage on the stage” model – toward a team-based approach where the instructor assists in designing a course with a team and acts as a facilitator for the learners – the “guide on the side” model.
Learning Management Systems
Authors: Chapman Diane D.
Published: May 2011

E-learning has become a vibrant trend in technologyenhanced education. But the trend is not only with educational institutions. Business and industry are equally enamored with the prospect of educating workers through technology. A Learning Circuits survey found that 81.7% of organizations use some sort of learning management system (Ellis, 2005). Students or employees can access their learning materials through the Internet using an Internet service provider (ISP). Learning programs and materials are hosted and available online, allowing people to learn, interact, and even earn degrees in the comfort of their own homes, and on their own timeline. However, e-learning is not just for distance education. Just-in-time access (or anytime access) to learning materials for both formal and informal learning is transforming the training and educational fields. Anyone with Web space can now make learning materials available to a global audience.
Life Cycle Challenges of Online Learning Support Systems
Authors: Beazley Debra A. , Aisami Riad , Addison Elise L.
Published: May 2011

For centuries, biologists have described the living world in terms of life cycles (Campbell & Reece, 2005; Quinn & Cameron, 1983; Lester, Parnell, & Carraher, 2003). Similar to the epigenesis of the individual (Erikson, 1980), theorists have asserted that there is a natural rhythm to development in the corporation (Adizes, 1988). Pathology occurs when the characteristics inherent in each developmental stage are thwarted. In the past several decades, organizational consultants began the assimilation of corporate health to that of the individual, citing life cycles in organizations as being epigenetic and predetermined (Adizes, 1988; Lester, Parnell, Carraher, 2003; Masurel & Montfort, 2006; Liao, 2006). The catalyst for change is similar to that of life crisis in the individual where an otherwise steady state is dismantled by environmental events (Beck & Cowan, 1996). Moving from a successful level of endeavor to a deteriorating, chaotic level, the business is forced to change in sometimes quantum ways. Not unlike the individual, the business resisting change is arrested in development and faces stagnation and possible deterioration. There are occurrences where whole industries are stimulated toward change; as a response, individual business in that industry must decide to adapt to the change or fail. In traditional academia, triggers in the millennium environment have directed a change toward internet-based education and digital format. Support systems in academia, like college book stores, are stimulated to adapt to non-traditional delivery platforms.
Online Learning Community
Authors: Kazmer Michelle M.
Published: May 2011

The study and implementation of online learning communities emerges from two approaches related to the idea of “community.” The first approach was how people began to think about learning community, but not restricted to online settings. Learning community incorporates the idea of a cohesive, collaborative culture among members with the purpose of supporting individual learning by facilitating shared knowledge creation. The idea of a learning community, and its importance for improving learning, pre-dated most online learning, and the focus was on building communitiesto support learning regardless of setting. The second approach was that people began to inquire whether it was possible to build community online, but not for purposes restricted to learning. The idea that true community was possible via computer-mediated communication (CMC) was, and still is, contentious. However, as the years have passed since this question first emerged, the idea that community can be formed online has been increasingly accepted.
Organizing Faculty for Distance Learning
Authors: Marcinkiewicz Henryk , McLean Jennifer
Published: May 2011

The process of organizing faculty for distance learning shares characteristics with planning for classroom instruction. It is necessary to understand faculty and their characteristics as a group. This includes knowing and understanding their expectations, their general work conditions, the type and level of education that is typical, as well as the general professional personality and culture of the faculty body. Consider well the faculty-learners’ characteristics, and based on those select the most fitting assessment techniques, media, and methods. There are also co-requisite conditions that must be satisfied to successfully mobilize faculty to teach via distance. These include the provision of equipment: hardware, software, and any other necessary technology. The faculty must be capable of and inclined to use the technology. There must be an overt expression of the expectation that teaching online is an institutional priority. Faculty, in turn, need to be aware of, understand, accept, and endorse the expectation. There must be incentives for teaching online, and they must be of the sort that will motivate faculty.
Part-Time Faculty Affiliation with the Virtual University
Authors: Snyder Leone E. , Snyder Leonard L.
Published: May 2011

The recent, rapid growth of online higher education is well-documented. For example, Kiernan (August 8, 2003) mentions a U.S. Department of Education finding that there were 754,000 students enrolled in distance education for-credit courses in 1994; by 2000, that number had increased to 2,876,000. The National Center for Education reported that, as of 2002, 57% of U.S. undergraduates had taken an Internet-based course (Palloff and Pratt, 2003). This dramatic increase in enrollment has created a corresponding growth in the demand for faculty members, a demand that is increasingly being met by part-time, adjunct instructors. Grieve (2000) stated at the time of writing that 40% of college instruction was being delivered by part-time faculty, and predicted an increase in that percentage based on the growth in distance learning. As a result, higher education administrators need to know how to hire, train, and retain part-time faculty members. Feldman and Turnley (Fall, 2001) note a lack of research in this area. In response, the purpose of the study that is summarized in this article was to assist administrators by discovering and presenting reasons why prospective faculty members seek parttime, online instruction assignments and why faculty members choose to continue to be affiliated with schools once hired.
Planning and Teaching Online Courses
Authors: Aisami Riad S.
Published: May 2011

Generally, online courses intend to present a non-traditionallearning approach for non-traditional students. Working adults can achieve success in pursuing higher education degrees without compromising their work schedule. Online courses aim to be flexible and convenient while achieving effective instructional results. Online teaching can allow students unlimited access to the course materials and provide them with interactive and engaging instructional activities.
Quality Distance Learning Programs and Processes
Authors: Riffee William H. , Sessums Christopher
Published: May 2011

With today’s advances and capabilities in electronic communications, distance learning is a natural extension to any quality educational program that wishes to maximize its reach to qualified students. Any institution that desires to provide quality distance learning opportunities must commit to a significant investment in developing the infrastructure and leadership (Beaudoin, 2003). The University of Florida’s (UF) Division of Continuing Education (DOCE) has provided that infrastructure to implement and build a quality distance learning effort along with executive education initiatives. After the launch of several successful distance programs, the provost of the university established the position of Associate Provost for Distance, Continuing and Executive Education and provided the budget necessary to begin an organized effort toward building a quality distance learning infrastructure throughout the university (www.aa.ufl.edu/itr/pdf/DistanceEd.pdf). Ten percent of the gross revenue from those programs was distributed to an account for distance education initiatives in the provost’s office. The DOCE was also added to the associate provost’s responsibilities, as was executive education.
Quality Processes in Distance Education
Authors: Inglis Alistair
Published: May 2011

Practitioners and providers in distance education owe a great debt to the founders of the UK Open University (UKOU). The history of distance education can be broken into two eras, each separated by the successful establishment of the UKOU. The UKOU had as strong an incentive as any institution to improve quality — its very survival is dependent on its success. Prior to the establishment of the UKOU, distance education (or correspondence education, or extramural studies or external studies, as it was then known) was characterized by high attrition and high failure rates (White, 1974). The UKOU planners recognized this fact. They realized that, for the University to succeed, the causes of the high attrition and high failure rates had to be addressed. The fact that the University continues to this day is testament to its success. The way in which the UKOU tackled the issue of quality, carries some lessons for distance education providers today. It did so, not by targeting one key area, but by tackling the range of factors that affect the quality of a student’s experience of studying at a distance: by investing heavily in the presentation quality of materials; by making innovative use of media, (particularly the broadcast media); by putting in place a new type of organisational structure to support teaching staff in the work of course design, teaching, and assessment; and by building up a range of other support functions: establishing local study centres, employing local tutors, and instituting a program of residential schools.
Re-Enacted Affiliative Meanings and "Branding" in Open and Distance Education
Authors: Mcl. Boyd Gary , Zhang Dai
Published: May 2011

Entwistle (1981) found it was possible and useful to categorize students in three categories: surface learners who want to acquire and use specific knowledge and skills, deep learners who seek a deeper coherent understanding of a field, and credential seekers who want a good diploma and will do whatever may be necessary to get it. The surface learners do not need formal distance education degree studies; they can more and more readily find just-in-time just-on-topic e-learning for a modest price. So the main clientele for distance education institutions are and will continue to be both those wanting a really deep meaningful education, and those who need really respectable credentials who also lack convenient affordable access to traditional universities. More and more it is becoming incumbent upon us to cater to the credential seekers and help to socialize them into their chosen fields, if possible converting them into people proud to be deep learners. Such socialization is not possible if all one provides is a cafeteria of online courses.
Shifting Perceptions within Online Problem-Based Learning
Authors: Donnelly Roisin , Portimojärvi Timo
Published: May 2011

This article is aimed at supporting academic staff in universities and colleges who have begun or are considering introducing online problem-based learning (OPBL) for students’ learning. OPBL is a promising combination of pedagogical innovations and technological solutions that support and enhance each other. In this article, we will examine the perceptions present in higher education today that are connected with the development within the research fields of e-learning and problem-based learning. This article is based on the recent and extensive emergence of literature on online learning, and the success of problem-based learning (PBL). Traditionally, PBL has usually been conducted in a face-to-face setting. Whilst there is a growing research- base in the area (Donnelly, 2005; Koschmann, 2002; Portimojärvi, 2006; Uden, 2005; Valaitis, Sword, Jones, & Hodges, 2005), it is fair to say that less is still known about the use of PBL in the electronic-based distance-education “virtual classroom.”
Strengthening the Internal Quality Assurance Mechanisms in Open and Distance Learning Systems
Authors: Olakulehin Felix Kayode
Published: May 2011

The term quality is a difficult concept to define. The concept is easily misconstrued because of its rather nebulous characteristics. While many people have a fair idea as to what they construe the quality of a phenomenon or an object to be, they find it difficult to define the term. Dictionaries define quality as degree of excellence. This suggests that quality is not some kind of fixed, immutable target or destination that may be attained merely by striving sufficiently hard, but a dynamic or moving target whose attainment at each point in time is facilitated by a set of strategies that are themselves also dynamic(Ekhaguere, 2006). In industrial organizations, where the assembly line production format is popular, control measures are used by managers to ascertain and sustain the credibility and standard of the product being released into the market. According to Duncan (1978) there are two types of control measures for goal attainment –feedback control and preventive control. While the feedback control is based on the information from the end-users of a product regarding the performance of the product, after they must have obtained and made use of it; preventive control relies on preventive planning to minimize variance or deviation in the production process. Quality assurance is a component of the preventive control mechanisms which involves ensuring that all intermediate products in production process conform as much as possible to specifications. It is believed that the lack of variance in intermediate products guarantees final product quality, all things being equal.
Success Predictors in Graduate Online Learning
Authors: Gomez Doris , Bocarnea Mihai C.
Published: May 2011

Student attrition, although some to be expected, comes at a high cost. Failure to complete studies is recognized as a personal loss for the individual, an economic loss for the universities, and an intellectual loss for society. As educational institutions increasingly develop and support online education programs to serve the instructional needs of adult population in a growing and ever changing global economy, student attrition becomes an even more significant issue. While national statistics for completion rates of distance education students are not easily available, dropout rates are believed to be 10-20% higher than for in-person learning (Carr 2000; Frankola 2001). Some scholars have indicated that, depending on the program, dropout rates for distance education are much higher, in the 30-50% range (Moore & Kearsley, 1996; Lorenzetti 2002). Whatever the attrition rate is, the reality is that too many students do not persist in their endeavor to achieve a degree in higher education although they made a conscious decision to enroll in higher education and took the steps needed to attend graduate school. While extensive research efforts have been used to develop and improve theoretical models of student retention or persistence, a concern of many administrators remains the ability to predict as early as possible the likelihood of a student dropping out of school. In light of research findings that the strongest predictor of graduation is a student’s conformity with the characteristics of those who have graduated from the same institution or program previously (Ash, 2004; Mansour, 1994), the purpose of this chapter is to determine the profile of students who are being retained and those who drop-out, by employing data obtained as early as possible in the application and matriculation process.
Use of Cognitive Apprenticeship Framework in Online Learning
Authors: Parscal Tina
Published: May 2011

Cognitive apprenticeship (Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1989) is an instructional framework that uses the underlying principles of traditional apprenticeship learning. The cognitive apprenticeship framework consists of the dimension of content, methods, sequence, and sociology. It focuses specifically on instructional modeling, coaching, and scaffolding. Through modeling, learners see expert facilitation techniques in a realistic setting. According to Schulte, Magenheim, Niere, and Schafer (2003), “the key issue is to make the problem solving process and the expert’s thinking visible to the learner” (p. 271). During coaching, learners receive guidance while they attempt to execute tasks and demonstrate skills. Scaffolding, the process of supporting learners while they acquire new skills, is provided and faded as learners begin to demonstrate mastery of these new skills. These techniques are employed in situated learning environments. Further, cognitive apprenticeship sets out to (a) identify an expert’s problem solving and critical thinking processes and make them visible to learners, (b) situate abstract task in authentic contexts, and (c) vary the diversity of situations in which problem solving may occur and articulate the common aspects in order to increase the potential for learning transfer (Collins, Brown and Newman, 1989).
The Theoretical Approach to the Improvement of the Interpolation Error
Authors: Ciulla Carlo
Published: May 2011

In the sections of this chapter the reader will be introduced to the sequence of mathematical processes which, starting from a model interpolation function yield to the corresponding SRE-based paradigm. Particularly, this chapter addresses the development of the SRE-based bivariate interpolation function. The mathematical procedure is consistently iterated in the rest of the book for all the other model functions that the unifying theory embraces. The first step of the procedure is that of the calculation of the intensity-curvature terms and through their ratio the Intensity-Curvature Functional is calculated for the model function. The second step is that of calculating the first order partial derivatives of the Intensity-Curvature Functional. Thirdly, the polynomial consisting of the first order partial derivatives is solved to obtain the Sub-pixel Efficacy Region. At this point, the formula of the unifying theory (equation [21]) sets the stage to obtain the novel re-sampling locations. Worth noting that this formula can be adapted to cover cases of one, two, and three dimensional interpolation functions and it is also consistently employed for linear quadratic cubic and trigonometric (Sinc) models. This shall be manifest throughout the remainder of the book. The remainder of this chapter discusses on the nature of the SRE, also makes a connection with Chapter XX of the book within the context of the relationship existing between resolution and interpolation error, and in the last section, the concept of resilient interpolation is introduced and the relevant math is illustrated for the case of the bivariate linear function.
The Results of the Sub-Pixel Efficacy Region Based Trivariate Linear Interpolation Function
Authors: Ciulla Carlo
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents results relevant to the evaluation of the performance of classic and SRE-based trivariate interpolation functions. The forthcoming text reports on the validation procedure employed to quantify the interpolation error of the two model functions along with the information on the resolution of the MRI database that was processed. The presentation of the results is both quantitative through the plots of the RSME Ratio and quantitative through the presentation of the spectral power evolutions of functional MRI data. As anticipated in Chapter I the spectral power evolutions were obtained processing the fMRI volume with the misplacement X = 0.49, Y = 0.49, Z = 0.49 employing the two interpolation paradigms (classic and SRE-based). Particularly, the RSME Ratio quantified the relativity of performance between the two types of trivariate linear interpolation functions while processing T1-weigthed, T2-weighted and functional MRI. The spectral power evolutions quantified for the functional MRI the differences in frequency spectral content between the two classes of interpolators. Interesting to note that the spectral power evolutions clearly show in this chapter their capability to reveal differences, between the images obtained through the two different interpolators, which otherwise would not be observed in the image space. Such differences are somehow hidden in the k-space (Fourier domain).
Security of Alternative Delivery Channels in Banking
Authors: Gupta Manish , Rao H. Raghav , Upadhyaya Shambhu
Published: May 2011

To sustain competitive advantages, financial institutions continuously strive to innovate and offer new banking channels to their customers as technology creates new dimensions to their banking systems. One of the most popular such diversification of channel is electronic banking (e-banking). Information assurance is a key component in e-banking services. This chapter investigates the information assurance issues and tenets of e-banking security that would be needed for design, development and assessment of an adequate electronic security infrastructure. The technology terminology and frameworks presented in the chapter are with the view to equip the reader with a glimpse of the state-of-art technologies that may help towards learned and better decisions regarding electronic security.