Education Commons^™

Avatar - Identity With Intent, John O'Connor, James Neville

Conference Papers

We don’t often think of identity as a choice, but rather something we are born into by circumstance of birth and inheritance. This paper addresses identity by assertion. Virtual worlds afford the opportunity for a more fluid concept of self: identity with intent. Understanding this approach can empower our actions and results in the virtual and natural worlds. The authors draw on fifteen years teaching this topic in the virtual world of Second Life as part of a class on collaborative online engagement. The term avatar, representing the concrete embodiment of something abstract, originated in Hinduism in the 6th century …

Online Education In The Age Of Social Media Influencers: Applying Net Promoter Scores To Asynchronous Online Delivery, Scott Sandok

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Online students are mobile and networked and expect quality online classes. Dissatisfied online students’ educational choices are not limited to institutions with their geographical region. The ability of students to disseminate information about dissatisfactory educational experiences to potential student enrollees has increased with the growth of social media. Organizations wishing to use online enrollment as a growth mechanism or offset physical enrollment decreases need tools to understand their perceived market value and quality. A frequently used tool for consumer satisfaction, the Net Promoter Score (NPS), has rarely been applied to academia. This article highlights the application of NPS to online …

Mandated Learning: Administrators' Perceptions Of Unfunded Mandates In Online Education, Ronald Aaron Hennen

Doctoral Dissertations

Online education has become a solution for many states to facilitate the growing requests from state legislatures to lower educational costs while meeting the academic needs of students. Legislation from Florida provided the impetus for this study, after Florida CS/CS/HB 7197 mandated that all students enroll in an online class for 1 credit as a graduation requirement. While the rationale for such legislation may be cost savings, for most school districts, implementation may be viewed as an unfunded state mandate. The purpose of this study was to examine administrator’s perceptions of mandated online teaching as an additional financial burden on …

Online Education: Benefits And Challenges For Refugee Students, Roza Badritdinova

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Currently, only 3% of refugees are pursuing higher education opportunities compared to the 37% higher education participation rate globally. There is an urgent need for quality academic work to leave behind the endless descriptive accounts of refugee life and move toward identifying effective strategies and successful solutions that could facilitate the integration of refugees into higher education. Technology has proffered some hope in providing access to public education for marginalized populations. This study looked specifically at how one online education organization attempts to address refugee education and multiple barriers that prevent the majority of the world’s university-age refugee youth …

Teachers’ Perspectives In Higher Education On Using Educational Technology During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Observations For Ghana, India, And Serbia, Nikola Koruga, Rohit Nainwal, Angela Kyerewaa Ayisi-Addo

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of this research was to understand the significant changes and challenges regarding teaching experiences during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in three universities, one each in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The study provides information on how teachers adapted to online teaching under COVID-19 conditions.

Methods: We employed a descriptive phenomenology approach and used an online survey with open-ended questions to collect the data. Braun and Clarke’s six steps of thematic analysis based on the traditions of descriptive phenomenology were employed to analyze the data.

Results: The teachers’ adaptive mechanisms to the COVID-19 crisis could be described through the …

Advisor-Student Communication In Preparation For Online Education, Jennifer Clare Hoelzeman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The University of Arkansas System eVersity was established in 2014 by the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees. More than 80% of the student population at the institution is non-traditional, with time or location restrictions that prevent participation in on-campus degree programs. eVersity Engage is a required orientation course completed by all students before enrolling at eVersity. Engage is intended to introduce students to institutional policies and resources, set student expectations for online learning at the institution, and provide the foundation for academic success as an online student. After completing Engage, students schedule an appointment with their Academic Success …

Study Of Use Of An Additional Reading Material In Swayam Mooc Platform In India And Need Of Learner Centric Personalized Adaptive Real-Time Reading Material In Moocs, Sangeeta N. Dhamdhere Dr, Vaidehi Dhamnikar Ms, Anand Gaikwad Mr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Technology-based education is the need of time. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 of India is giving freedom to reframe the present structure of higher education like syllabi and examinations and assessment in colleges. Due to the pandemic outbreak, many educational and research institutions are engaged in building the knowledge & skill-based curriculum and designing new credit-based courses, also motivating their students to attend online courses available to cope up with the recommendations of NEP. Any e-learning platform or online course has four basic components – Videos, Activities, Additional reading material, and Discussions. Additional Reading is one of the important components. …

Developing Culturally Proficient Leaders Through Graduate Coursework: Examining Student Perspectives, Jean F. Ruffin, Marsha E. Simon

School Leadership Review

The racial and ethnic demographic shifts occurring in the United States had increased the need for educational leaders capable of obtaining the cultural proficiency needed to effectively lead diverse schools. Graduate coursework focused on developing cultural competence provides a unique opportunity for school leaders to explore issues related to identity, bias, and diversity in a scholarly setting. Course design, materials, and assignments should work together seamlessly to provide students a rich opportunity to explore diversity issues. The present study examines the perspectives of students enrolled in a doctoral diversity course in Spring 2021 and how the course contributed to the …

Engagement Strategies For Online Students: Use Of Technology To Enhance Learning, Jim Maddox

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Teaching students in an online program requires being intentional with how the course is constructed and how space is created for students to fully engage. Face-to-face courses provide the means of this interaction that creates a challenge for online learning. The following are some innovative and creative ways I am using technology to engage my online students and enhance their learning. I utilize Zoom to hold optional Live Chats via Zoom. These are also recorded for students to watch later as well. I use breakout rooms for small group discussions (pair-and-share, triads, and larger groups), we have Q & A …

Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction, Autonomy Support, And Mindsets As Predictors Of Self-Regulation In University Online Learners, Ting Jin

Dissertations

Problem

In contrast to more traditional learning environments, it can be difficult to "see and hear" both the instructor and, more crucially, the students when engaging in online education. This has been one of the most common criticisms leveled against online education for a long time. The COVID-19 disruption and transformation of online learning in higher education underlines the fact that variance among online learners in terms of academic success and psychological well-being are determined by the level and quality of self-regulation. What is the degree of self-regulation among American university students who study online because of the COVID-19 pandemic's …

The Virtual Education Setting In Grades 9-12: How The Practices For Online Teacher And Learning Impact Student Achievement, Kimberly Acosta

Dissertations

Countless virtual school options are in operation all around the world. A growing number of teachers and students throughout the nation, continent, and world are working and learning online. With virtual learning steadily increasing, it is critical for educators to establish and implement the best online teaching and learning practices. The purpose of my study was to identify and explore the practices of effective teachers in the virtual school setting and how those practices impacted student achievement outcomes. The context of this inquiry was full-time national virtual public high school charter schools operating under the umbrella of the same national …

Academic Libraries Support E-Learning And Lifelong Learning: A Case Study, Sivankalai S

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

E-learning has proven to be the best method for corporations, primarily when MNCs conduct training programmes for their workforce worldwide. In e-learning, a teacher no longer directs students; instead, a step-by-step guide has replaced the teacher. The idea of web 2.0, life-long learning, open education, and social constructivism is often linked with this term. Librarians can benefit from e-learning as well as students and researchers. Staff training through additional online programmes assists employees in learning the latest ideas, handling new challenges, and meeting reader demands. E-learning is becoming more and more popular each year at universities across Canada. E-learning is …

Refugee Higher Education And Participatory Action Research Methods: Lessons Learned From The Field, Hadas Yanay

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Refugee access to higher education is devastatingly low. Recognizing the complex barriers facing refugee learners, global educational initiatives are innovating flexible learning models which promote blended online and in-person learning modalities. This article describes the implementation of a five month, online-based internship pilot offered to 21 refugee participants in qualitative and quantitative research methods, through a participatory action research (PAR) framework in five different countries -- Malawi, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, and Lebanon. The internship is part of the Global Education Movement (GEM), which brings refugees accredited online college degree and career development opportunities. Through direct engagement, observation of the …

The Perceived Effect Of Promoting A Sense Of Community In Online Doctoral Courses Through Intentional Course Design, Lucas Austin Farmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the sense of community experienced in online courses for Doctor of Ministry students at Liberty University. At this stage in the research, sense of community will be generally defined using Rovai’s (2002a) definition. Rovai (2002a) defines classroom community using four dimensions: “spirit, trust, interaction, and commonality of expectation and goals, in this case, learning” (p. 4). Essentially, members of a classroom community, according to Rovai (2002a), experience each of these four dimensions. A number of authors argue that a sense of community can be promoted in online classrooms (Rovai & Baker, …

Shifting Emergency Remote Teaching Into The Future Of Kentucky Education, Amy Argo

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Kentucky educators discovered the difficulties of a rapid transition to emergency remote teaching. This phenomenological, qualitative research study explores middle and high school teachers’ lived experiences of teaching Kentucky public school students during the shutdown of school buildings during the spring and fall 2020 semesters.

Twenty-nine educator participants freely discussed their greatest successes and barriers concerning parental support, teacher mental health, communication, digital divides, student motivation, and teacher preparedness. This project gives voice to the teachers of Kentucky with a practical significance: effective online instruction can only occur if educators are properly prepared to teach …

The Future Of Education As A Wicked Possibility, Eric Busser

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Over the past few decades, technology has become more and more integral in education. The online education response to the COVID-19 pandemic shows how capable technology in distance learning has become in recent years. Education still has a lot more room for implementing technology, and this paper explores the advantages and disadvantages of the inevitable implementation of distance learning in education.

Developing A Common Language Of Ethical Engagement In Teaching: Lessons For And From A Time Of Crisis, Richard D. Sawyer

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article explores how educators may develop and contribute to a common language of ethical engagement, a language that rises above specific actions but is grounded in ethical practice and scholarship. Questions are raised about how online education may further the patterns educational inequities in the United States. An ethics framework is explored through a comparison. The author explores the educational principles--not standards—that educators can surface in their teaching practice. A discussion is included of recent dilemmas and problems with online teaching environments, underscoring the need for ethical principles helping to frame practice.

Teaching Qualitative Research Methods Online: A Scoping Review Of The Literature, Chareen Snelson

The Qualitative Report

Online education has become well established as an avenue for flexible access to educational opportunities. Those who teach qualitative research methods online may find it difficult to locate research or best practice literature to inform practice. A scoping review was conducted to identify and synthesize the literature about teaching qualitative research methods courses online. Eleven peer-reviewed journal articles were identified through a scoping review of the literature. The TPACK framework, which defines teacher knowledge in terms of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge, was used as a conceptual framework. Results from this scoping review indicate that online qualitative research methods educators …

Improving The Rigor Of Online Education: Exploring Characteristics Of Faculty And Syllabi Within An Online Program Assessment Process, Brad J. Hamel

All NMU Master's Theses

As online course enrollments grow, overall perception of rigor still lags compared to that of traditional face-to-face education. The purpose of this research was to tie faculty and syllabi characteristics to the rigor of online courses. This study explored the relationship between faculty and syllabi characteristics and performance on an online entry-level course design quality assurance assessment (pass, pass with concern, or fail). A decision tree analysis was used to predict the relationship of the independent (faculty and syllabi characteristics) and the dependent (entry-level course design assessment) variables. Findings suggest that faculty rank and writing intensive are key characteristics predictive …

Online Language Acquisition And Leadership In Higher Education-Governed Intensive English Programs: A Rasch-Based Diffusion Of Innovation Study, James Brandon Decker

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Research has indicated accredited, U.S. higher education-governed intensive English programs (IEPs) often struggle financially due to a scarcity of resources (namely students) because of political and global economic factors and increased competition (ICEF Monitor, 2017; IIE, 2017; Ladika, 2018; Soppelsa, 2015). However, few IEPs advertise online language acquisition (OLA) courses despite the increase in online study methods at the higher education institutes governing the programs and its use by competitors. The purpose of this study was to determine the status and extent of OLA diffusion in U.S. IEPs, how IEP directors and faculty perceived OLA, and whether they perceived themselves …

Course Design…Online: Helping Students Perform In The Digital Age, Joseph W. Harris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The current study sought to test the relationship between course design, as described by the rubric produced by Quality Matters, and online university student performance. Due to the link between student motivation and active learning behaviors, and thus performance, it was predicted that the better-designed courses would facilitate student motivation. It was also predicted that goal orientation would moderate this relationship. While a significant relationship was observed between student motivation and course performance, no relationship was observed between course quality, as measured by the QM Rubric, and motivation, or performance. Only slight evidence was found for a moderating effect of …

A New Framework For Online Business Teaching, Cristina Nistor, Prashanth Nyer

Business Faculty Articles and Research

Recently, business education has experienced an expansion of online education programs. In this paper, we propose a framework to improve the effectiveness of student learning in an online lecture format. In particular, we focus on business courses, which tend to be hard to replicate online as they rely on team work and applied logical thinking in addition to the learning of facts and theory. We identify two main areas that are vital to online business education: competition and community building among students. We argue these are an additional task for the instructor to deliberately perform in an online setting, compared …

Determining And Implementing Social Presence In College Level Online Course Using Student Input: Theoretical Underpinnings Supporting Student Participation In Online Course Design, Brad Van Alstyne

Communication & Media Studies | Faculty Dissertations and Theses

As online education continues to grow as a method to deliver education at the college and university level, research on online education has shifted from studying the technology and its ability to deliver course content to trying to better understand what encourages a positive online experience for instructors and students.

The marked difference between a virtual classroom as opposed to a physical one has shifted technology-focused research to research that inquires about the vitality of the social environment in virtual venues. It is conceived that social presence is what makes the virtual experience feel real and sustains student’s attention and …

Exploring School Counselors’ Narratives Of Cacrep Accredited Online Education Programs, Rebecca Van Der Hagen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Online education is a growing part of academia. The number of online school-counseling programs is also increasing and beginning to include face-to-face and online programs. Little research describes online education and even less discusses online school-counseling programs. The purpose of this study was to examine and interpret participants’ experiences of being trained and graduating from a CACREP online school-counseling master’s program, as well as how their training prepared them for their current role as a school counselor. A qualitative inquiry was conducted to understand online school-counseling programs and reported how six professional school counselors perceived their online program with a …

The Online Student Experience: An Exploration Of First-Year University Students’ Expectations, Experiences And Outcomes Of Online Education, Melanie Henry

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Online higher education presents a critical opportunity to extend and diversify the student body. The Online Student Experience (OSE), and online student outcomes, however, remain shrouded in ambiguity. The literature presents conflicting reports of online education (OE) quality, confounded by a lack of appreciation for potential differences between online and on-campus education, and a diversity of interpretations for what constitutes OE. The present research conceptualises OE as representing university courses that require students to interact with instructors and course materials via the internet, with no expectation of attending a university campus. A broad student-centred perspective is notably lacking from the …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Online Education Experiences Of College Students With Learning Disabilities, Michael Murders

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The body of research concerning college students with learning disabilities is sparse relative to the percentage of college students with learning disabilities who attend college. Further, the majority of existing research fails to capture the student voice and the lived experiences of the students themselves. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of college students with learning disabilities who utilized online education at a public university centrally located in the United States, resembling numerous comprehensive regional universities. Using a qualitative, phenomenological research framework, this study uses in-depth individual interviews to collect data from eight participants. Interviews were …

The Relationship Between A Community Of Inquiry And Transformative Learning, Patrick Dempsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

To prepare learners for success in the 21st century, institutes of higher education must provide students with meaningful learning opportunities, including participation in discourse and critical reflection. The community of inquiry framework describes the elements necessary to create collaborative, online learning environments, while transformative learning describes the content and outcomes of meaningful learning. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study of 242 online, graduate MBA students from a business school in Maryland, was to measure the relationship between a community of inquiry and transformative learning in online, graduate business courses. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to analyze scores from …

Udl And What It Means For Online Instructors, Angela Atwell

Publications

While designing an inclusive online learning experience is critical for student success, so too is effective implementation. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) goes beyond the initial course design to focus on best practice for delivering content to ensure understanding, providing multiple means of student expression and encouraging active engagement. These are all components of the online classroom determined and enhanced by the instructor. In this informational session, we will explore strategies you can begin using in your online class to best meet the needs of all students.

The Role Of Pedagogical Beliefs In Emerging Technology Integration: An Exploratory Case Study Of Faculty Perspectives, Marianne Justus

The Qualitative Report

The integration of social media, mobile/wireless and Web 2.0 technologies in higher education supports student engagement locally and globally to create new knowledge using innovative strategies. However, there remains a disconnect between the positive perceptions of faculty regarding the value of integrating technology and its adoption in online contexts. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to investigate the factors that influence faculty to integrate innovative and emerging technologies, and to consider whether pedagogical beliefs influence choice and adoption of technology. Participants included graduate and undergraduate faculty members who had experience teaching online; were representative of diverse disciplines …

A Professional Development Certification Program For Instructors Teaching In The Online Environment And Student Completion And Success Rates At A Midwestern Community College: An Ex Post Facto Study, Marie L. Gardner

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The increased demand for online courses in higher education, particularly at community colleges, highlights two concerns: 1) online courses have high drop-out rates and 2) the prevalence of part-time instructors teaching online courses. As demand for online increases, administrators are challenged to hire faculty who are knowledgeable about their content and also qualified to teach in the online environment. Since the quality of online programs depends upon the performance of faculty, community colleges that offer online programs should provide training and on-going support for their instructors. The literature indicates that a best practice in online education to facilitate student learning …