Acknowledgments
There is always the risk in showing one’s appreciation for others that someone will be forgotten. So many individuals helped in direct and indirect ways with the completion of this thesis that I doubt I could ever remember to thank them all.
Beginning with my appreciation for the financial support I received in the course of my studies, I would like to thank the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association which provided assistance for the printing and distribution of 130 questionnaires throughout the province. L’Université Laval also provided me with a grant for one semester. The Department of Education (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) provided me with educational leave for my last semester of study. I owe a great deal of gratitude to Stem~Net in Newfoundland, not for their financial assistance, but for the invaluable technical support from Dale Fraser of Stem~Net. Dale set up the discussion lists on Stem~Net’s servers, provided me with assistance in managing them and was always available to answer questions or provide me with the necessary technical services.
Obviously, this study would never have been possible without the participation of the many participants. I would first like to thank French Program Specialists in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador who took the time to provide me with the names of teachers who might participate in the study. Thank you to the teachers who took the time out of their hectic schedules to complete the questionnaires. To those individuals who participated in the online discussion lists CREDO and CREO, I would like to say that I enjoyed "getting to know you". I learned a great deal about the teachers’ world in our discussions and appreciate your contributions as well as the support and encouragement you offered me.
Many individuals provided me with direct help through their reading of various drafts of the document or through assistance with the methodology. Dr. P. Duchastel, who was at the time Professor at Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, U.S.A. completed a reading of a preliminary thesis proposal which I subsequently abandoned because of his pertinent comments. A number of professors from Memorial University in Newfoundland provided me with advice and suggestions, editorial comments and/or recommendations for the section on methodology. Dr. Henry Shulz assisted in the design of the questionnaire by providing advice and answering questions. Drs. Gary Jefferies Rosanna Tite and Roberta Hammond read a first draft of the first four chapters and provided valuable suggestions, comments and advice. My good friend Dr. Elizabeth Yeoman also read various sections, provided me with moral support and shared with me her own ideas about technology and second-language education. My sister Anne read through the findings and provided editorial comments as well as her own valuable insights on the findings.
I must also thank those individuals who provided support and encouragement during the four years I worked on my Ph.D. Thanks to friends Serena, Dianne and Marie for meals cooked for me, for driving my son and for all the care and concern you showed. I would especially like to thank the members of my family: my mother who always encouraged me to keep studying, to my sisters and brother as well. Most of all, I would like to say thanks to my son Adrian for his patience during some of the more intense periods of my research and for believing me when I told him: "Yes Adrian, there is an end. I won’t be doing my Ph.D. forever!"
Je suis fière de figurer parmi les diplômés de la première université de langue française en Amérique du Nord et remercie alors ceux et celles à l’Université Laval qui m’ont aidée à distance. Lors des séminaires et par l’intermédiaire du courrier électronique, Dr. Thérèse Laferrière a partagé avec moi son expertise dans le domaine de l’intégration des NTIC et a servi sur mon comité. Drs. Jacques Lapointe et Gilles Larin ont aussi servi sur le comité et m’ont aidée pendant les séminaires. Finalement, je dois remercier mon directeur de recherche Dr. Jacques Rhéaume sans qui je n’aurais jamais pu ni commencer ni finir mon doctorat. C’est parce qu’il est ouvert aux nouvelles façons d’apprendre, et aux nouvelles façons de faire, de collaborer et de travailler que j’ai pu entreprendre mes études de doctorat à Laval. C’est un directeur de recherche qui a toujours été prêt à fournir l’aide qu’il me fallait pendant tout moment de l’année ou de la journée. Je le remercie infiniment!