Award Date

1-1-1998

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Committee Member

Carl R. Steinhoff

Number of Pages

273

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to survey the attitudes of the teaching faculty of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas toward technology-based distance education, and to determine if the reported attitudes fell into the six factors of the Attitudinal Differences Model; A survey of the teaching faculty was done in the fall of 1997, and again in the spring of 1998, resulting in a 28.7% response rate. Factor analysis extracted three uncorrelated factors (Vision, Effectiveness, Barriers) which accounted for 56% of the variance in faculty self-reported attitudes. The seven research questions guiding this study were addressed, when appropriate, in reference to these extracted attitude factors; Faculty responding (N = 188) to the survey hold a slightly positive attitude toward distance education (median score = 3.24) without regard to age, gender, number of years teaching or tenure. Membership in a particular college was significant, at .05 alpha, only with the 'Barriers' attitude factor. The College of Education (most positive attitude) was significantly different from the College of Liberal Arts (more negative attitude) and the College of Science (most negative attitude); Support (administrative and technical) and training were found to be important, yet lacKing Incentives focused on reward systems and student needs (especially in rural Nevada), while deterrents focused on lack of knowledge and questions of effectiveness. "Peers" were the greatest and most influential source of distance education information, and experience as a student or as an instructor was significantly related, at .05 alpha, only to the 'Barriers' attitude factor; The Attitudinal Differences Model combines six interrelated elements to explain attitude. This study supports ADM elements exposure, peer influence, incentives and opportunity, finding them to be part of the operating environment that shapes the attitude, rather than an integral aspect of attitude itself. Elements 'Need' and 'Barriers' were found to be the extracted factors 'Vision' and 'Barriers', integral aspects of attitude itself; Overall, there is faculty interest, as evidenced by 66% of respondents willing to teach a distance education class in the future; however, there is a lack of: (1) reliable information, (2) administrative and technical support, (3) faculty development opportunities or programs, and (4) both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards.

Keywords

Distance Education; Faculty; Las Vegas; Nevada; Technology; Technology-based; University Of Nevada, Las Vegas; UNLV; Vegas

Controlled Subject

School management and organization; Education, Higher; Educational technology

File Format

pdf

File Size

6533.12 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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