Northern Lambda Nord Communique, Vol.14, No.10 [11] (December 1993)

https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/nln_communique/1046/thumbnail.jp

Where Have All the Students Gone? Strategies for Tackling Falling Enrollments

As most of us are well aware, enrollments in information technology-related academic programs have declined sharply since the late 1990\u27s. This paper addresses possible causes of the enrollment decline, and dispels myths regarding IT-related careers. The authors report on a number of efforts underway at various universities to redesign core curriculum and develop secondary programs. They also describe marketing and promotion approaches undertaken by universities and professional organizations in the field. Finally, the authors call for more cooperative and coordinated efforts to address the underlying problems that have led to the current enrollment declines

Performance in E-Learning Courses --Just What Makes It Happen?

This paper reports the results of a study of college students in the US that examined specific learner characteristics affecting satisfaction with e-learning courses. It finds that satisfaction is largely governed by the degree to which one is confident in one’s ability to regulate the factors that influence course work and one’s goals in taking them. These goals can be both in terms of grades and results or a perception that the course has added value to their education experience. The findings suggest that not all people are suited to e-learning and institutions need to find ways to identify and encourage efficacious characteristics in the students. It also has some implications for those offering IS courses online

The Importance of Compatibility and Pressure on Intentions to Engage in Distance Learning

The study of factors that influence intentions to use information technology enabled innovations enjoys a long tradition in the information systems literature. Recently there have been calls for research that enhances our understanding of interrelationships among beliefs related to technology adoption. In addition, there has been recent interest in more closely examining specific beliefs, including perceived compatibility. In this study we use the context of distance learning to develop and test a model of use intentions. Our main focus is on two under-researched forces that may influence intentions, pressure and fit. Pressure pertains to the normative and institutional influences to engage in distance learning. Specifically, we examine how perceptions of subjective norm and voluntariness influence distance learning intentions. Compatibility concerns how well distance learning matches with the desires and past experiences of potential distance learners. We use Karahanna, Agarwal and Angst’s [2006] multi-dimensional conceptualization of compatibility to represent compatibility beliefs. We examine both the direct and indirect impact of these factors on distance learning intentions in a nomological network that includes other beliefs (relative advantage and ease of use) drawn from diffusion theory. Data from a survey indicate that compatibility with preferred work style and values have an impact on intentions, as do voluntariness beliefs. This study points out the importance of using a multidimensional view of compatibility. In addition, results related to voluntariness indicate that in largely volitional environments institutional pressures to adopt may actually lower use intentions

The After Times: College Students’ Desire to Continue with Distance Learning Post Pandemic

Distance learning, already a topic of interest among higher education administrators and faculty, took on new significance during the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic when face-to-face classes worldwide abruptly shifted online. Many students who had never taken classes online had to either engage in distance learning or withdraw from their classes. An interesting question arises from this situation: will these students continue to take classes online when circumstances no longer require them to do so? In this paper, we investigate factors that may influence college students’ intentions to continue with distance learning once they no longer have to do so. We developed a model based on social cognitive theory and social cognitive career theory and tested it using data from surveying 525 college students who took distance learning classes. Results indicate that personal and environmental factors drive intentions to continue with distance learning through their impact on distance learning perceived performance and satisfaction. We discuss our findings’ implications for practice and future research

COVID-DRIVEN FRUSTRATIONS AND FULFILLMENTS WITH ONLINE LEARNING: DO MALES AND FEMALES DIFFER?

This paper reports the results of a study to determine whether the emotional impact of online education during the pandemic affected male and female students differently. We see these results as an important contribution to the redesign of courses either for online classes generally or for more urgent applications should a similar event occur. In general, we found that females were more likely to be prone to detrimental emotions than males – stress, negative feelings about the online learning experience, and the need to vent their frustrations. Males on the other hand were more positive about the online learning experience and less likely to vent

Online Learning in the Business Environment - Tempting or a Temptress?

The use of online learning, or e-learning, as a training and development tool in organisations has been growing at a rapid rate during the past five years, with predictions that this growth will continue until the global corporate e-learning market reaches an estimated worth of $50 billion in 2010 (E-marketer, 2003). “Vendor push” is encouraging HR departments to turn to elearning service providers for hosted training/learning solutions as they promote benefits for going this route including anytime, anywhere employee access to training, employee development tracking (including succession readiness tracking for potential executives), and reduced training costs. However, the current research into the effectiveness of e-learning lags far behind these developments in practice. Many factors influence the potential success of the adoption of these programmes in business – these include the national and workplace cultures involved, the perceived reasons behind the adoption of online learning, the characteristics and demographic make-up of staff, the fit among teachers, learners, content and technology, support from senior management and the involvement of professional organisations including universities in the learning programmes. The objectives of this panel are to provide an opportunity to explore these issues, to seek the input of practitioners and to provide an opportunity to them to raise concerns and perceived successes of this form of learning

Measuring the Effectiveness of NBA Marketing Techniques: A Comparison between Small and Large Market Teams

“NBA teams use a variety of marketing techniques to try to increase game attendance.” (Dick and Turner 2007) Past studies have been done on comparisons of marketing techniques in different seasons (Dick and Sack, 2003), and the comparison of value between fans and marketing directors (Dick and Turner, 2007). Thus, this study is focused on comparing the difference in the value of marketing strategies between “small” market and “large” market teams in the NBA. This study will give us a better understanding on the difference in marketing techniques for “small” market teams compared to the “large” market teams

ONLINE CLASSES – WHO WILL WANT THEM

The objective of this study is to understand the factors that might encourage students to continue their studies online once such classes are no longer a requirement after the current pandemic. Based on our results, we aim to provide guidance to faculty and administrators so that they can create the best strategies moving forward

Methylation of the heparan sulphate D-glycosaminyl-3-O-sulphotransferase gene family in a cohort of breast carcinomas

Background. Aberrant methylation of CpG islands is associated with down- regulation or silencing of the associated gene, and it is therefore an alternative mechanism to DNA mutation for silencing tumour suppressor genes in cancer. Methods. Using 'ICEAMP', a technique that utilises a methyl-binding-domain column to isolate methylated DNA, DNA pooled from 36 ductal invasive carcinomas was screened for aberrant CpG island methylation. This screen did not identify any novel CpG island methylation, however, previous screens of pooled DNA from 128 breast carcinomas had identified methylation at the CpG islands of the genes for heparan sulphate 3-0-sulphotransferase 3B (HS3ST3B) and heparan sulphate 3-0-sulphotransferase 1 (HS3ST1). Literature and database interrogation identified four other HS3ST genes, one of which does not have a CpG island (HS3ST5) and another (HS3ST2) that published data indicated was methylated in a high proportion of breast, pancreatic, and colonic cancers. Using MS-PCR a cohort of 80 breast tumours was analysed for methylation at six different CpG islands associated with HS3ST genes, HS3ST3B has two separate CpG islands, one associated with exon 1 (HS3ST3BE1) and one lying 3kb upstream from the promoter (HS3ST3B). Results. HS3ST1 and HS3ST3A showed no CpG island methylation. HS3ST2 was methylated in 45/80 cases, HS3ST4 in 34/80 cases, HS3ST3B in 30/80 cases and HS3ST3BE1 in 15/80 cases. MSPCR sequencing confirmed dense methylation of both HS3ST2 and HS3ST4 CpG islands in 10/10 cases. Using a cell culture system and RTPCR, transcriptional silence of HS3ST2 and HS3ST4 was found to correlate with methylation of the respective gene. Demethylation of the CpG island using 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine lead to reexpression of the associated gene. Statistical analysis showed there were significant correlations between HS3ST2 methylation status and grade (p=0.015), HS3ST3B methylation and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.028), and number of loci methylated and grade (p=0.04). Conclusions. Diverse patterns of promoter methylation involving the HS3ST genes are observed in breast cancer. Some genes in this family are frequently methylated and downregulated while two of the family, HS3ST1 and HS3ST3A, are never methylated. Individual HS3ST enzymes show substrate specificity for oligomeric sequences in heparan sulphate glycosaminoglycan chains, and 3-0-sulphation of heparan sulphate constitutes <5% of the sulfuryl groups in a heparan sulphate molecule, this means it may be suited to act as a modulator of cell surface biological processes. 3-0-sulphation is essential for antithrombin Ilia functioning, endocytosis of HSV-1, and potentiates bFGF signal transduction. The data presented suggest that 3-0- sulphation of heparan sulphate could play a role in human breast cancer. Further work is required to determine the biological significance of the dissimilarity in methylation of the different family members