Education Commons^™

Microblogging As A Facilitator Of Online Community In Graduate Education, Vincent Anthony Rhodes

English Theses & Dissertations

Part-time and distance-learning students can experience a sense of isolation from their peers and the university. Concern about this isolation and resulting student attrition has increased in the midst of explosive growth in online course enrollments. One possible solution: building a stronger sense of community within the online graduate classroom using microblogging technology such as Twitter. Unfortunately, scholars across disciplines define community in different ways with some rejecting the concept altogether in favor of other theoretical constructs. And, few scholars have examined the notion of online classroom community from an English Studies perspective exploring the rhetorical exigencies that underpin this …

Improving Argumentation Through Goal Instructions In Asynchronous Online Discussions, Yekaterina Prudchenko

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Argumentation incorporated into class discussions can improve students' problem solving skills and enhance their epistemic and conceptual understanding. Research indicates students sometimes need scaffolding such as goal instructions to improve their argumentation skills. This study examined the effectiveness of different types of goal instructions on participants' argumentation achievement. In particular, the study compared the effects of minimal, moderate, substantial, and no goal instructions in asynchronous online discussions on participants' argumentation achievement, as measured by development, balance, and explanatory discourse scores. The study also tried to understand participants' experiences of the goal instructions by comparing the differences in emergent themes across …

Connecting With The Caribbean, Sueanne Mckinney, Linda Irwin-Devitis, Brenda Scanelli, Sharon Thomas, Andrew Casiello, Heather Huling

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

Teaching and learning mathematics can be a universal language. Our session will focus on the collaborative efforts of Old Dominion University and the Caribbean schools on the islands of St. Kitts, Dominica, Nevis and Anguilla in order to provide professional development learning opportunities in the area of mathematics. Specifically, the learning opportunity sessions concentrate on the use of manipulatives to teach conceptual understandings of mathematical ideals for the participating Caribbean schools and teachers. Preliminary data will be presented and discussed that includes the technical process, teacher understanding and participation, and mathematics self-efficacy.

A Diachronic Overview Of Mobile Learning: A Shift Toward Student-Centered Pedagogies, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This chapter provides a brief historical overview of the technology contributing to mobile learning (mLearning) and the concomitant progression towards student-centred pedagogies. To begin, mLearning is defined. The theoretical, pedagogical and conceptual underpinnings of it are then explained, with a focus on the technologies and the pedagogies of each decade, from the 1970s and Kay’s futuristic vision of a mobile learning device, to today’s mobile learning technologies that have surpassed Kay’s vision.

Mobile Cloud Learning For Higher Education: A Case Study Of Moodle In The Cloud, Minjuan Wang, Yong Chen, Muhammad Jahanzaib Khan

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Mobile cloud learning, a combination of mobile learning and cloud computing, is a relatively new concept that holds considerable promise for future development and delivery in the education sectors. Cloud computing helps mobile learning overcome obstacles related to mobile computing. The main focus of this paper is to explore how cloud computing changes traditional mobile learning. A case study of the usage of Moodle in the cloud via mobile learning in Khalifa University was conducted.

Teaching Laboratory Courses Using Distance Learning Technologies, Steve C. Hsiung, John Ritz

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Conducting laboratory activities is essential for teaching and learning in engineering and technology subjects. This article discusses explorations made by a research team to find solutions to enable the distance-learning delivery of laboratory courses on embedded microcontroller technology topics. In addition, this article includes a review of videoconferencing and course management tools, uniquely designed laboratory equipment and supporting curriculum materials, and statistical evidence showing students can learn technical laboratory content in distance-learning environments.

Educators’ Self-Identified Mobile Learning Training Needs: A Qualitative Study Involving Educators From 12 Diverse North American States, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Mobile learning (mlearning) is changing the pedagogical landscape of traditional teaching. The myriad of constantly evolving mobile devices are providing new affordances which are attracting the attention of educators around the globe. Many educators may be excited at these new affordances to learning, others are more apprehensive of this technological intrusion on traditional practices. In this paper, the researchers share the results of a self-report survey that provides evidence of what educators reported they would like to receive training on for mlearning initiatives. These data suggest current trends in mlearning and the technological abilities of educators implementing mlearning in their …

Illuminating Change: Technology, Feedback, And Revision In Writing, Sarah Hunt-Barron, Jaime Colwell

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Using the method of a formative experiment, this investigation examines how the use of peer revision and collaboration in an online environment, specifically a social network, could be implemented in a middle school classroom to increase revision over multiple drafts and improve the quality of student expository writing. Thirty-six students in two sections of a seventh-grade English language arts class participated in the study. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected prior to, during, and after the intervention to establish baseline data, as well as determine progress toward the pedagogical goal. Analyses reveal improvement in the amount of student revision and …

Using Mobile Learning To Support Students’ Understanding In Geometry: A Design-Based Research Curriculum Study, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Mobile learning offers new affordances to teaching and learning, such as learning that is contextualized, personalized, and unrestricted by temporal and spatial constraints (Crompton, 2013a). In this study, the affordances of mobile learning were utilized as students learned about angles. Using a design-based research methodology a local instruction theory was developed on how students can learn about angle concepts through mobile learning activities. The local instruction theory is comprised of two components: (a) an exemplary mobile learning curriculum for 4th grade students to study angle concepts, and (b) additions to the scholarly theories in how students learning about angle using …

Strategies For Effective Online Course Development, Carol L. Considine, Michael W. Seek, Jon Lester

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Old Dominion University's Civil Engineering Technology (CET) program has a successful history of distance education, with more than half of the student population comprised of distance learners. Distance learning delivery has traditionally been via satellite and videostreaming with students having the choice of asynchronous or synchronous options. The university is in the process of updating their distance learning technologies and has encouraged programs to migrate to an online modality of distance learning. Developing and delivering online courses requires different competencies and facilitation skills than video streamed synchronous delivery or face to face instruction. A course delivered online changes the teaching …

Delivery Of Hands-On Technical Courses Through Real-Time Distance Learning, Steve C. Hsiung, John M. Ritz, Ece Yaprak, Feng Jao

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

It is generally believed that it is too challenging to deliver technical laboratory courses using distance learning technologies. The focus of this research was to develop strategies that may be used to address these challenges. A research team composed of faculty from several universities and community colleges explored what might be needed to make these types of technical laboratory course instruction possible using distance learning technologies. The team explored delivering a microcontroller embedded systems design course through audio-visual distance learning technologies. The team's research and development activities are discussed. These include focuses on the technical training equipment that had to …

Formative And Summative Assessment In Online Education, Dilani M. Perera-Diltz, Jeffry L. Moe

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Assessment is an integral part of both traditional and online education, especially when determining student learning outcomes. In the online learning environment, both formative and summative assessment practices require an understanding of the features and tools inherent to the electronic medium. Creating assessments for online education, either formative or summative, also requires application of constructivist learning principles to our collective understanding of the educational process and related goals. In this paper, we offer an overview of formative and summative assessment approaches suited to the online education environment.

Career And Technical Education: A Best Kept Secret In Modern Education, Michael Kosloski

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The educational community continuously searches for the most proven and effective methods that enhance learning. One of the most successful and proven methods for academic success for all students is career and technical education. This article provides a description and explanation of why CTE is effective, as well as presents empirical finding to support CTE as a sound educational tool for the modern learner.

Importance Of Developing Community In Distance Education Courses, Robert L. Moore

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The separation of student and instructor is the core characteristic of distance education (Simonson et al., 2012, p. 28), contributing to one of the biggest challenges to distance education—attrition (Dueber & Misanchuk, 2001, p. 2). By the very nature of distance education, students are different locations from one another and their instructor. The instructor’s challenge is figuring out how to make students feel connected and able to succeed in this new learning environment. The development of a sense of community is an effective and efficient way to help ensure the success of the distance education program and can directly address …

Analysis Of Student Perceptions Of The Psychosocial Learning Environment In Online And Face-To-Face Career And Technical Education Courses, Diane L. Carver

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Career and technical education (CTE) courses offered online are becoming more common in secondary schools. Recognizing the adaptability of CTE courses and designing curricula to offer online learners the same experience as face-to-face learners is challenging for education professionals and requires analyses of both environments. A lack of empirical studies makes it important to conduct research on online learning environments from the perspectives of high school students.

This study analyzes student perceptions of the psychosocial learning environment in online and face-to-face career and technical education courses. The research explores and compares how high school students perceive their learning environment and …