Master of Arts (Instructional Design & Technology)

In recent months there has been a lot of activity on the e-learning front. From newspapers and magazines to presentations and conferences, suddenly e-learning seems to be on everyone's lips - or to be more specific, on every businessman's lips. E-learning is poised to become the private enterprise's next Internet enabled stranglehold. But there is nothing wrong with this, in fact, if we compare e-learning with the growth of e-commerce, e-learning too stands to benefit from the involvement of the private enterprise.

But, like the early days of e-commerce, which concentrated more on the technology than on customer services and business strategies, e-learning too might fall prey to the instinctive act of concentrating more on the technology than on learning itself. This book, along with presenting the probable reasons behind this sudden hype surrounding e-learning, cautions the reader on the need to take a blended perspective of the technological and the pedagogical aspects into consideration.

This book is titled "The Social Life of E-learning" because it builds on the social learning fundamentals described in the book "The Social Life of Information" (2000) by John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid. These learning fundamentals are brought into the practical realm by analyzing strategies that are in use in some e-commerce websites. This book concludes by outlining a model through which these strategies can be blended together and implemented. The model uses the notions of demand, community and identity as espoused by Brown and Duguid, and proposes a wrapper that blends and extends into an e-learning solution. Lastly, as e-learning is an emerging field, the need for further research and experimentation is stressed.

Changes in information technology (IT) are making a profound impact on our lives. Especially in the area of training, where computer based training is becoming a popular and useful instructional medium for a number of reasons. Such reasons, can only exist from thoughtful design and use of technology, like those listed below :

● Flexible, independent study;
● Learner-controlled progress as students set their own learning pace;
● Adaptive, learner-controlled organisation of learning activities;
● Direct student involvement in various learning activities;
● Systematic practice through simulations (not just reading text and answering questions)
● Immediate feedback on performance, knowledge and understanding;
● Enhanced enjoyment and motivation provided by engaging learning activities.

This study aims to identify the areas for improvement on a web-enabled computer based training (CBT) package, also known as the object of evaluation, based on the design elements which determine a quality CBT package. The method of evaluation utilises observation and interview techniques during the formative evaluation phase of the instructional design process. To confirm the findings of the qualitative analysis, a quantitative evaluation was also performed using the results obtained from a questionnaire.

Findings from both the qualitative and quantitative perspective showed that the participants ranked the design elements of the object of evaluation, in the following order (from most effective to least effective): multimedia, learning aids and resource materials, screen layout, feedback, instructional strategy, navigation, and interactivity.

In summary, in order to ensure that the above listed benefits for computer based training are evident, quality design elements must be integrated in the development of computer based training products.

The way healthcare operates has changed with the introduction of Information Technology (IT). Similarly, the changes brought by IT into the healthcare, the way nursing is practiced is also affected. So in order to equip the nurses' with the relevant IT skills to meet the new challenges of nursing practice, Nanyang Polytechnic, the only school in Singapore to offer a Diploma in Nursing, needs to review the nursing IT curriculum.

A needs assessment is a necessary step to determine the problems before appropriate solutions can be adopted. This dissertation focused on determining the performance discrepancies between the student nurses' actual IT ability and what the industry expects them to able to do. Knowing the problem areas is the first step to solving the performance gaps.

One particular needs assessment framework by Rossett's (1987) was chosen, as it was most appropriate to my study. However, instead of using all five of Rossett's categories of Optimals, Actuals, Feelings, Causes and Solutions, my study concentrated only on finding the Optimals, Actuals and Feelings. This study did not attempt to determine the causes of the problems but identifying the performance gaps of the industry expectations and student nurses' actual IT skills level. Using Saranto and Leino-Kilpi (1997a) instruments with major modifications were adopted to determine the performance gaps.

The industry experts of different sources represented the sample to provide data on the optimal IT skills nurses should have. This team was made up of six nursing officers from different hospitals in Singapore, two nursing lecturers from Nanyang Polytechnic and a representative from Singapore Nursing Association. To assess the actual levels of IT use by nursing students, the student nurses sample of 372 was made up of 156 advanced diploma students and 216 diploma students.

The findings indicated that there are four performance gaps between what the industry expects and what the student nurse were able to do. The four gaps were as followed:

1. Advanced diploma students lacked basic IT skills
2. Advanced diploma students lacked understanding of work-related IT systems
3. Diploma students lacked understanding of work-related IT systems
4. Diploma students lacked understanding of theoretical concepts.

For each of the performance gaps, some suggested solutions were proposed. These suggestions were strictly based on observations. More comprehensive and thorough solutions would require a separate detail study. Finally, the findings here were compared to a developed nation to gauge Singapore nurses' IT status.

The result of this study would enable the educators to review the current curriculum and to further explore the possible solutions. These findings may assist the educators to implement a more relevant syllabus for the training of healthcare providers.

This project aims to document the training process for railway staff that would be working on the track for a new mass rapid transit organization. It proposes to use an Instructional System Design (ISD) approach to the process of training and instructions in the railway track environment, during their start-up phase. The ISD process is known as the Auditable Railway Track Training System. In short, the ART Training System.

Whenever an accident or incident occurs at the railway track, in finding out what the root cause is, a question inevitably arises during the safety enquiry is: "Is the staff trained to do the tasks properly?" The railway operator has to show evidences to the safety enquiry board that a proper system and process of training of their staff have been followed, documented and are open for inspection, audits and evaluations.

Proper qualifications of operating and maintenance personnel are a vital part of a safe railway transit operation. All necessary training must be conducted and documented. Not only should complete and accurate certification records of operating and maintenance personnel be maintained, but the content and presentation of materials and testing, including evaluation processes should have requirements that ensure completeness and validity of course content and testing. While the level of detail presented for training or certification requirements is at the discretion of the railway operator, a training process and system should be in place and referenced to when needed.

The Auditable Railway Track (ART) Training System seeks to document all the key decision points made during the various phases of the railway track training in the organization. In this way, there would exist an audit trail whereby decisions made during the process of training can be evaluated and examined reliably by any relevant bodies.

The ART Training System Model is not unique in the process. It is an adaptation of the generic ISD model, which includes the processes of analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation.

The events of the Model consist of the following eight steps:

1. Identify the Needs for Training
2. Assess Relevant Characteristics of Learners
3. Perform Job, Task and Content Analyses
4. Determine Performance Objectives
5. Develop Performance Measurements
6. Specify Instructional Strategies
7. Design Instructional Materials
8. Develop Evaluation Instruments

The proposal for the ART Training System as an instructional system design for the track training, was reviewed by a Senior Officer of the Railway Division. From the comments of the review, other comparable ISD models were discussed and summarized. The reasons why they were not completely adapted for use were also explained.

The ART Training Model is proposed due to the specific requirements of the railway Track work training. It represents the unique situation of the start-up training phase for the new organization. Some of the ISD models lack a problem analysis phase and start with the assumption that an instructional problem already exists. For non-academic settings like in this railway organization, the problem analysis phase is necessary and important.

The benefits derived from using the proposed Model were also highlighted. It has enabled the team of designers to manage the training process, reach consensus, test theories and set tasks for good training design in an efficient manner.

Lastly, a modified ART Training Model was proposed for training when specific performance deficiencies of employees were identified in the future.

In the implementation of e-learning in an organization, one important factor to consider is the characteristics of the end-users, in particular, their perceptions, preferences and experiences in e-learning. In this paper, adult learning principles and e-learning practices are explored. Specific characteristics of e-learners are recommended by experts to ensure the success of the implementation of e-learning.

This project studies the learner perception in various aspects of e-learning, namely the content, collaborations, evaluation and performance support, technical support and community of practice. Results of the survey showed that the adults in the organization were generally positive about e-learning and were ready for most of the aspects except in the area of online collaboration.

The analysis of the results of this study is followed by implications and recommendations for the implementation of e-learning in this organization. A set of guidelines is drawn at the end of the paper to bring successful implementation closer to reality for this company.

With Singapore's trend towards globalisation and with the organisation's (the institution which I am currently working for) initiative to extend its education and training regionally and internationally for professional lifelong learning, the institution now plays an active role as a member of the international community to provide continuing education and training for adult professionals from overseas. With such new developments in the educational and training scene, there is an impetus to change in the traditional classroom. The training classroom has become a more international learning environment, which comprises adult participants with different cultural background and different individual personalities.

To address such new challenges for instructors and instructional designers, this dissertation discusses the role of individual differences and cultural differences and classroom dynamics in the design of instruction for adult learners. Through the design of an observational study on these cross-cultural adult learners in the classroom, revelations were made on whether their cultural differences and/or individual differences had contributed to constructive classroom dynamics that enhances learning and interaction. Such revelations and findings would provide important reflections and knowledge to the instructors and instructional designers to devise more effective training approaches that would enhance the teaching and learning.

In Summary, Chapter One provides an overview of the purpose and rationale for this dissertation. Research on literature reviews on adult learning issues, which are the foundation for further discussion, are presented in Chapter Two. Chapter Three describes the methodology, the design and the implementation of the observational study. Chapter Four reports on the findings and the data collected. Chapter Five provides the data implications and concluded the Paper with further recommendations that would further enhance this study.

We are in time when information 'grows' exponentially, where knowledge workers increasingly find it difficult to manage the information at the workplace. This is true in industry where technology advances rapidly, such that 'lifelong learning' has become a way of life. The advent of the Web has also brought new challenges - organizing information so that it can maximize the value of an organization, helping its people to innovate and adapt in the face of change.

In a knowledge economy if an organization is to stay competitive and learn from the vast ocean of knowledge, there must be a systematic way for its people to manage and use the information.

At the same time, the training philosophy at the workplace is also fast changing. Instead of sending workers to upgrade their skills, the paradigm has shifted to make training available to the workers at the workplace at the time they need it. Many large companies have since embarked on electronic performance support systems (EPSS), some times dubbed 'just-in-time' learning which embed performance aids in a computer system.

Electronic performance support systems are a way to deliver instruction to personnel in a highly computerized work environment. With on-line references, automated decision support , and just -in-time training, employees can access information on-demand to meet their task requirements.

This dissertation studies the implementation of EPSS in a semiconductor industry. Using a method known as rapid prototyping technique, it proposes a framework upon which the EPSS may be built for practitioners of the semiconductor industry. Due to reasons of confidentiality, in particular those that relate to work practices, which may not be divulged for commercial reasons, the company upon which this study was based declined to be named.

The dissertation is organized into five parts.

Part 1 outlines the rationale for choosing the industry of study. It further examines the performance problems that re typical of a semiconductor company. The focus is on identifying performance problems that will lend themselves to EPSS solutions.

Part 2 is a literature review of EPSS that covers definitions, evaluation, design architecture, tools and models.

Part 3 describes the data collection method, the front-end analysis, and examines the workflow of the chosen performance problem.

Part 4 proposes a frame upon which the EPSS may be developed. A case scenario for the semiconductor company highlights the salient features of the framework.

Part 5 concludes by evaluating the framework, and discusses the difficulties encountered in this study. It further suggests future directions from which this study may be continued.

The Justice Bao CD ROM is an educational role-playing game. It aims to motivate students in the learning of the Chinese Language. It is divided into two parts, the court proceedings and the investigation process. The court proceedings section aims to utilise multimedia interaction and provision of a dictionary tool to enhance the comprehension ability of students. The investigation process utilizes the role-playing game to provide a fun filled way to do drill and practice to improve the students' language ability. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the multimedia interaction and dictionary tool in enhancing the comprehension ability of students and make recommendations accordingly.

Many have heard about the World Wide Web and explored this resource. Some are now publishing their own materials for student access. The use of the World Wide Web is growing at an exponential rate and the potential of the Web is immense.

Web pages have the potential to be more than storage of information. When properly structured, pages can guide users through a series of instructional activities which present information, provide opportunities for practice and feedback.

Just browsing through the web is an educational experience in itself. Many people have started browsing through the Web with something specific in mind and end up diverted from their initial goal for a while because they found something on the way. This is what one would call "accidental learning". It happens at an unexpected moment about an unexpected subject.

There is however structured ways in which the World Wide Web can be used for education. One approach will be using technology to access materials available. Another approach will be mostly for distance delivery capabilities.

This paper attempts to describe instructional design principles, which can be used to transform the Web material from the informational perspective to a powerful instructional medium. The purpose of this paper is to consider design aspects that can help to improve instructional effectiveness of teaching and learning through the World Wide Web and to provide designers and educators with the ideas to increase the usability and appeal of web sites. For the purposes of this paper, appeal refers to whether people enjoy and become engaged in an experience.

This study was to evaluate the usability of an instructional game CD-ROM known as Justice Bao, designed to motivate students in doing drill and practice that is essential for the Chinese language mastery at the primary school level. The game is divided into two inter-related parts : the Courtroom and the Town. In the Courtroom, the user plays the role of Justice Bao and studies statements by various suspects. This is to enhance students' ability in using those vocabulary items learned from the school in the context as presented by Justice Bao. In the Town, user assumes the role of the detective and answers drill-and-practice questions. This is to motivate students to actively engage in practising the vocabulary.

This study focused on three main evaluation questions. The first question was the usability of the Courtroom interface. It was assessed mainly through the Scenario-based Prediction and the Constructive Interaction methods. The second evaluation question was the usability of the Town interface. It was assessed through Constructive Interaction. The third question was the motivational value of Justice Bao and it was evaluated through User Retrospection.

Results of the evaluation revealed that the usability of Justice Bao is satisfactory. Users were satisfied with the experience of using Justice Bao and it achieved its aim of motivating students to do more drill and practice questions. However, the usability is not as high as desired. Some problems were identified. For example, text labels of some clickable objects in the Courtroom do not inform the user about their functions as expected. Users were not adequately informed of the various functions in the Town interface. Two errors were found. The conclusion and recommendation suggest that some of the text labels have to be changed and a separate section for informing the users about the functions has to be incorporated in the introductory sections of the software.

The IT training needs assessment (TNA) aims to identify the skills, knowledge and attitude that the teachers in ABC Kindergarten should possess (optimals) and what they already have (actuals), when IT is introduced in the classroom. During the process, performance problems or gaps between the optimals and actuals are identified. Suggestions are given to bridge these gaps.

Survey, visitation, questionnaires, individual interviews, focus group interviews and lesson observation are used to collect data. The gaps identified are: Teachers in ABC Kindergarten lack IT skills, knowledge and motivation. There is no incentive, proper working environment and tools (IT hardware and software) for teachers to conduct IT-based lessons in the classroom.

Recommendations to bridge the gaps include training for teacher, provision for professional development opportunities, formulating incentives, recognition and reward and allocation of resources (e.g. time, money) for IT usage. Appended are the sample instruments, a proposed list of IT training outcomes for pre-school teachers, a list of recommended software for the school and descriptions for the detailed TNA process such as the proposal for ABC Kindergarten and data collection plans at different stages.

The dissertation is an evaluation of the eduPAD, a wireless network device piloted in Dunman Secondary School from years 1999-2000. A total of 205 students and 12 teachers took part in the eduPAD project. These students and teachers were from classes 1A to 1E. The research aims to evaluate the device from the students' point of view. More specially, it attempts to answer three research questions, namely: (1) how the eduPAD was used in the classroom (2) what were the students' favourite features of the eduPAD and (3) what were the students' perceived benefits of using the eduPAD.

The data was collected from a questionnaire designed by the eduPAD research team at National Institute of Education, and two separate focus group discussions. The data analysis reveals that 15% of the students made use of the eduPAD in the classroom once a week or more. Students also made use of the Notepad feature, the Internet, the Email feature, the To Do List and the Dictionary in the classroom.

As for the most oftenly useful features of the eduPAD, the findings have shown that the three most oftenly used features were the Internet, EduBOOK and Scribble, while the least oftenly used feature was the Address Book, To Do List and Notepad. The three features which the students found most useful were the Internet, EduBOOK and Notepad while the three least useful features were the Address Book, Email and Timetable.

Students perceived certain benefits of using the eduPAD. These included the increased motivation to learn, more interesting classroom lessons, increased level of interest in seeking for knowledge when reading the eduBOOK, reduction of the weight of school bag, increase communication through the use of email and increased level of interest in subjects through receiving more immediate feedback from the teachers.

Finally, the study suggests improvements on the eduPAD by improvements on the eduPAD by improving the infrastructure by which information can be easily transmitted to the device. It also suggests speeding up the activation of enhancements in the eduBOOKS and the need to improve on the screen of the eduPAD so that images can be presented clearly to the students at all angles.

The purpose of the study was to determine significant factors that may account for variations in the degree to which teachers use various instructional technologies in a particular educational setting. A Mager and Pipe Performance Analysis Model was used to explain the variations in the use of instructional technology among teachers in the setting.

The participants in this study consisted of ninety-one SHS teachers in different area of expertise. A total of 69 participants' responses were valid and used in the final analysis.

Data were gathered using a three-part survey in this study. The first part of the survey measured respondent's perception of the eight considerations, which inhibit his performance in constructing E-Learning environment. The second part of the survey gathered respondents' personal information. Focused interview was also used to encourage respondents to talk freely about a list of questions asked by this researcher.

The teachers who participated in this survey perceived that instructional technology was beneficial to students and have seen its benefits in enhancing student learning in a classroom. A large proportion of them used different instructional technologies to perform their teaching duties. The finding revealed that the frequently use hardware and software technologies are the computer and software applications such as Microsoft Office. Teacher Training and Skills and Knowledge scales were found to be negatively correlated with the use of instructional technology, however, the other scales have no correlation. There were differences in opinions between the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced computer users with respect to the variables of interest contribution and inhibition use of instructional technology in the teaching-learning process.

The results of the study indicated that if higher use of instructional technology was to be desired, leadership and support should be present to achieve the objective.

A major Hospital in Singapore embarked on a service quality improvement program. As part of the on-going efforts, a customer survey was conducted and the result of the customer survey identified a delivery gap i.e. the actual service performance does not match the expectations of its customers. Management asked "What is going on here? why aren't the nurses doing what they are supposed to be doing? After all , we have taught them how to, why don't we see results?" Management felt that there is clearly some performance discrepancy in the midst of on going efforts in situations when employees ought to know how to demonstrate customer service skills.

The discrepancy was deemed important to rectify because management felt this would lead to lost business and poor organisational image and can cost the Hospital the Service Quality Award (SQA), a government-initiated certification for organization fulfilling a world-class status, which the hospital is working towards acquiring.

Not surprisingly, the hospital management immediate reaction to the "bad news" was to conduct further training for frontline service providers and their supervisors. Service Quality (SQ) Centre Pte Ltd, a training and consulting firm, where I am currently working as a senior instructional designer, was roped in for this very reason.

METHODOLOGY & FINDINGS

Clearly, some form of needs assessment is called for to understand the presenting problem prior to conducting training or taking actions of any sort.

The presenting problem for this study is "A perceived performance discrepancy between what existed in the way of service and what Hospital management wanted done about service delivery".

A TNA was called for to seek and assimilate information on the five research question :

● Optima's - What is the optimal performance? How do managers/ customers want people to behave and perform?
● Actuals - What and how are employees currently performing?
● Feelings - How do stakeholders feel about the situation?
● Cause(s) - What is causing the problem?
● Solution(s) - What solution(s) is preferred?

We first proceed by reviewing related literature on work done in this area, looking at what subject matter experts had to say about delivery service quality in a hospital context, and scrutinizing models on performance improvement and literature on how to conduct a systematic approach to training needs assessment.

Then, we went about collecting data on the optimals, actuals, feelings, causes and solutions through subject matter analysis, extant data analysis, survey, interview and facilitating small group meeting.

By analyzing the findings, the TNA effort was concluded with recommendations to deal with the performance gap. The results clearly revealed that in addressing performance gap, taking care of non-training issues such as reward and recognition and a sound performance tracking & reinforcement system are as critical, if not more critical than training solutions.

This study serves as a case study of a local hospital on-going journey towards performance improvement in the area of service excellence. And how the organization adopts a holistic, congruency alignment approach to integrate its vision/mission, strategic processes and cultural processes. More importantly this study focuses on one topic; training needs assessment (TNA) - a systematic study of a problem incorporating data and opinions from varied sources, in order to make effective decisions or recommendations about what should happen next.

The objective of this dissertation is to look at how a needs analysis was carried out for an overseas telecommunications organisation, XYZ Telecommunications Ltd., to address its performance gap.

In the case of XYZ, it was the need to solve a performance problem that initiated the conduct of this needs analysis. According to industry best practice, not more than 3% of all incoming calls get transferred past the first answering point. From XYZ's extant data analysis, about 10% of all calls coming to a Customer Service Operator (CSO) are transferred. Therefore, XYZ needs to cross-train all the CSOs to enable them to handle all incoming enquiries regardless of product line. The ultimate objective is to improve the level of customer service rendered so that it will be the differentiator from competition.

Relevant research questions were drawn up to guide me in data collection and analysis :

● What is the current job performance level of the CSOs?
● What is the desired job performance level of the CSOs?
● What kind of product training is being provided?
● What areas in existing training programmes/new training programmes they would find useful in improving their job performance?
● Do the CSOs receive feedback about how they are performing?
● Are there any consequences for performance or non-performance?
● What are the possible ways to solve the performance probelm?

A performance problem analysis was then carried out to find out the extent the problem arose due to insufficient abilities among the performers, or because of other systemic causes. In the process, I examined the following problem solving models :

● Mager and Pipe performance analysis flow diagram (1997);
● Gilbert's performance engineering model (PEM, 1978); and
● Clardy's model (1985), an integration of the above 2 approaches.

From the analysis of data collected, recommendations were made to satisfy the needs relating to each of the research questions. Some of the needs could be satisfied by my organization's e-learning programme while the remaining needs could not be satisfied by the proposed training, I have categorised them according to the factors that were mentioned in Clardy's model (1985). I also highlighted the relevance of Gilbert's performance engineering model (PEM) and Mager and Pipe situation-specific performance analysis flow diagram, whenever applicable.

From the needs analysis conducted, we concluded that it is important that relevant environmental factors need to be identified and dealt with appropriately as they have an impact on the success of an instructional solution, that is to be implemented to solve a performance problem. Some of the factors discussed include the overall learning architecture, management support and the organization's feedback and reward systems.

One of the major aims of the mathematics curriculum is to enable pupils to develop their ability in problem solving. This study is premised on situated cognition that advocates acquisition of knowledge in an authentic context as well as on constructivist learning where learning occurs through social interaction, collaboration and dialogue among learners to negotiate meaning. The study was conducted with 45 primary six pupils in a neighbourhood school. The pupils accessed a web-stream video "Planning a Class Outing" and they were assigned the task of planning the budget for the outing. One of the tasks involved coming-up with a transportation proposal. The video was produced based on Anchored Instruction principles (Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt, 1990). The pupils used Knowledge Forum, a computer-supported collaborative learning program, for problem solving. One group of pupils were provided with scaffold (cognitive prompts) to assist them in the problem solving but the other group of pupils conducted the discussion without scaffolding.

The dependent measures were the pupils' problem solving performance and their attitudes towards Mathematics. The results show that the pupils' attitude towards mathematics was generally favourable and pupils who solved the problem in scaffolded communication environment tend to perform better than those using un-scaffolded environment.

In the last decade, while many research studies have shown how computer-mediated communications (CMC) facilitate the learning process (Harasim 1990, Fulk 1993, Nickerson 1995, Angeli & Cunningham 1998, Irvine 2000, Lapadat 2000), the study on Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) in the learning environment has been scarce.

The main purpose of this study is to explore how WAP technology is used to enhance online discussions towards the building of a learning community. This study is conducted under the research project "Supporting E-discussion with new technologies (WAP, GPRS, 3G) in learning" by the Instructional Science Academic Group at the National Institute of Education (Singapore).

This is an exploratory study that has adopted both quantitative and qualitative methods. The main research question is "Does WAP technology enhance or limit online discussion?" There are three sub-research questions that examine different areas of the study. The first question looks into the kind of online discussion topic that is best mediated by using WAP-enabled mobile phones. This is done by examining and comparing the brainstorming discussions and the discussions on case studies. The second question investigates whether a combination of WAP-based and WEB-based tools enhance online discussions and address the limitations. To conduct this investigation, comparisons are made before and after the introduction of WEB-based tools. The third question is to consider the implications of WAP technology on online discussions. It is considered through the close examination on the qualitative results gathered from the interviews.

Five key findings have been identified in this study :

1. WAP technology complement WEB technology to mediate online discussions so as to build a learning community.
2. Subtle roles adopted by students facilitate online discussions.
3. The pivotal role taken by the class instructor facilitates online discussions.
4. There are technical and physical constraints of WAP technology that may be addressed by its complementary use with WEB technology and the roles adopted by the participants.
5. The language used in WAP-based discussions is unique.

We are living in an unprecedented breakthrough in technology and change, and never before have educators been challenged so much to equip graduates with problem-solving skills that enable them to adapt to fast-changing environments and knowledge-based economies such as Singapore. The traditional approach to curriculum, teaching and learning promotes rote or surface learning with the result that students face difficulties in applying knowledge learned in school to the working world. This practicum examines how the Diploma in Business Information Technology sought to improve the teaching and learning experience of its students in the study of E-Business Management, using a different strategy through Problem-Based Learning (PBL) by providing students with authentic, real-life problems to solve, with an emphasis of the use of Information Technology (IT) in applying the knowledge learned through creation of a virtual storefront using a software. It traces the journey the teaching team took in its preparation of the curriculum, and investigates the methods of evaluation carried out in ensuring that the desired objectives and outcomes were met. It examines how the teaching team used both quantitative and qualitative methods of evaluation, to collect the data. The analysis of results showed that the learning experience was on the whole positive, with students happy with the PBL mode of instruction, and benefiting from group work as they worked together to solve problems. Students also were positive about the use of IT in their project work of creating a visual storefront. They also felt that they had acquired other skills such as researching and communication skills. It concludes by recommending further strategies for improvement to equip students with independent and collaborative learning in order to have the ability to innovate and create new knowledge and solutions.

The objective of this dissertation is to look at how a Coaching Manual might be developed so as to equip eCoaches (online facilitators) with the knowledge and skills needed to help elearners address some of the key problems which they face in corporate elearning.

In the case of corporate elearning courses, many learners face difficulty in completing the courses and obtaining a rich learning experience. In order to help address these issues, data was gathered through surveys to find out about the main problems faced by learners undertaking elearning courses.

On this basis, a Coaching Manual containing the redesigned model of elearning with eCoaching was developed. This Coaching Manual is designed to assist eCoaches in their task.

This research study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an e-learning project implemented by a secondary school mathematics department and to identify the benefits of using e-learning in teaching the topic on Quadrilaterals. The specific research questions for this study were (1) Are students able to master the basic concepts for the topic on 'Quadrilaterals' through the use of e-learning? and (2) What are the benefits of using e-learning in the learning of 'Quadrilaterals'?

The participants in this study were 205 secondary one express students and 6 teachers who taught secondary one and two express mathematics classes. The entire project, stretching over a period of one year, involved the implementation of IT-based lessons using Internet facilities. For this project, the form of e-learning used was web asynchronous on-line learning. Teachers decided on the content, and prepared lessons and practice in advance of pupils' access. The web-based materials included a series of lecture notes, tutorials and worksheets to teach related mathematics concepts.

An action research approach was adopted for the research study of the e-learning project. To support the qualitative and quantitative inquiry of the project, data was collected through pupils' written assessment results, evaluation surveys, interviews with pupils and teachers, and the researcher's reflective journal. The adoption of such a multi-method approach aimed to achieve the objective of a holistic in-depth understanding into the effectiveness and benefits of e-learning in the learning of 'Quadrilaterals'.

Results from the written assessment conducted showed that students were able to master the basic concepts of 'Quadrilaterals'. Findings from evaluation surveys and interviews with pupils and teachers indicated that self-perceived benefits included (a) e-learning is an innovative and interesting mode of learning, (b) e-learning activities are effective, (c) e-learning promotes independent learning and (d) e-learning provides meaningful way to incorporate technology into curriculum.