Education Commons^™

Preparing Undergraduates For The Post-Pandemic Workplace: Teams Of Education And Engineering Students Teach Engineering Virtually, Kristie S. Gutierrez, Jennifer Kidd, Min J. Lee, Krishnanand Kaipa, Orlando Ayala

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

When schools and universities across the world transitioned online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ed+gineering, a National Science Foundation (NSF) project that partners engineering and education undergraduates to design and deliver engineering lessons to elementary students, also had to shift its hands-on lessons to a virtual format. Through the lens of social cognitive theory (SCT), this study investigates engineering and education students’ experiences during the shift to online instruction to understand how they perceived its influence on their learning. As a result of modifying their lessons for online delivery, students reported learning professional skills, including skills for teaching online and …

Exploring Correlates Of Student Preferences For Virtual Or In-Class Learning Among Neurodiverse Adolescents Using A Single-Case Design Methodology, Taryn A. Myers, John D. Ball, Mindy Gumpert, Mary Roberts

Human Movement Sciences Faculty Publications

The purpose of the current study is to explore several correlates of adolescent students’ preferences for at-home virtual or in-class in-person learning in a single case of a school that serves students with learning differences. Correlates of interest were the Big Five personality traits (Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) and the students’ self-reported learning engagement. Participants were recruited from a single independent school for students with neurodiversity and special learning needs, where they had high exposure to computer-/internet-assisted learning. Twenty-seven students responded to questionnaires measuring preferred learning modes, personality traits, and learning engagement. Despite teacher reports …

Teaching In The Times Of Pandemic, Mileta Tomovic, Cynthia Tomovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The changes in academia are typically slow but very purposeful, they are carefully reviewed and strategically implemented, that is, until unpredictable massive tectonic shifts occur in society. Historically, academia has not experienced major distress on a global scale that would require a fundamental change and adaptation to new set of circumstances, until the world faced COVID-19 pandemic of proportions which caused academia to rapidly adjust to new realities and make major changes. The time frame in which the changes needed to be done, weeks and months, were so short that academia was placed under the significant stress to which it …

Edtech And Emergency Remote Learning: A Systematic Review, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke, Katy Jordan, Sam Wilson, Susan Nicolai, Christina Myers

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

An output of the EdTech Hub, https://edtechhub.org

Pedagogical Methods And Advances For Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction Of Laboratories In Engineering Technology Programs, Nestor Escobales, Alok Verma

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Significant research has been done on the subject of distance learning (DL) instruction for many academic disciplines. However, when it comes to engineering technology (ET) programs, particularly, engineering laboratory work, limited studies are available. It is unquestionable that engineering laboratory work is essential for the successful preparation of individuals enrolled in ET programs. The focus of ET programs is on the correct use and application of engineering principles with a direct focus on practical application rather than on theory alone. The difficulties increase significantly when laboratories are offered in DL mode, particularly for ET programs. It is well known that …

Enhancing Instructor Credibility And Immediacy In The Design Of Distance Learning Systems And Virtual Classroom Environments, Miguel Ramlatchan, Ginger S. Watson

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

What are the optimal techniques for applying the latest generation of telepresence, video conferencing, and communication technologies in distance education and virtual classroom designs? If human beings use more than voice to communicate, what implications does the ability to more effectively replicate eye-to-eye contact have in collaborative distance education? This research study explored the effects of perceived faculty credibility and immediacy during virtual classroom presentations. This quantitative experiment created four independent treatments that varied the video resolution and varied the ability of the instructor to maintain virtual eye-contact with students during each presentation. Participants were assigned into one of the …

Organizational Management Of Distance Learning: An Analysis Of Teacher Feedback Throughout Hampton Roads Public High Schools During The Covid-19 Pandemic Response, Cody P. Trudeau

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

Public schools throughout the United States experienced closures and transitions to online curriculum in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many of the policies and strategies implemented to manage teaching faculty were hastily designed and employed out of necessity. This study sought to examine organizational management policies and strategies throughout public high schools in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia through teaching faculty perspectives. This cross-sectional study examined descriptive and correlational statistics of survey responses to determine and evaluate how schools managed communication, responsibilities and delegation, and training for distance learning in order to provide policy …

Welcome To Normalton: Leveraging Effective E-Learning Principles For Adult Learners, Robert L. Moore

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This design case details the critical design decisions used in the development of an e-learning module library for North Carolina local government officials focused on land use regulations. These modules cover topics from an introduction to land use regulations, to evidentiary hearing conduct guidelines, defining vested rights, and explaining how to adopt and amend an ordinance. This project was in response to the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) members’ increased requests for training in this subject area. This organization requested the assistance of the two faculty members at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government …

Higher Education Distance Advising In The 21st Century: Distance Learning Students' And Advisors' Perceptions, Brooke Lambert Brown

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The intent of this study was to focus on distance learning students’ and advisors’ perceptions of distance advising at a large, public university. Specifically, this study addressed four questions: what were the perceived performance gaps between distance learning students and distance learning advisors practice, how distance learning students’ needs were being satisfied, what tools and technology resources were being incorporated, and how advising needs differed based on college. The Winston and Sandor Academic Advising Inventory (AAI) served as the foundation for this quantitative research. The survey was modified accordingly and sent to two populations: distance learning advisors and distance learning …

Multimedia Design, Learning Effectiveness, And Student Perceptions Of Instructor Credibility And Immediacy, Miguel Ramlatchan

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Online learning and the use of multimedia is a quickly growing element of higher education. This experimental research study examines five common audio and video presentation designs to inform evidence-based practices that can be applied by instructional designers as they develop content for online learners. Specifically, this experiment compares instructor-only, slides-only, dual-windows, video-switching, and superimposed-slides multimedia designs in terms of learning effectiveness, perceived instructor credibility, instructor immediacy, and cognitive load created by each design. This study included a diverse sample of adult learners who were randomly assigned to treatment groups. A total of 171 participants completed the study and responded …

Examining The Potential Of Massive Open Online Courses (Moocs) At Historically Black Colleges And Universities (Hbcus), Andrés Castro Samayoa, Thai-Huy Nguyen, Marybeth Gasman, Felicia Commodore, Ufuoma Abiola

Educational Foundations & Leadership Faculty Publications

This article reviews the extant literature on distance learning technologies and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). In the context of increased attention to massive open online courses (MOOCs), this article argues that HBCUs’ challenges with respect to their technological infrastructure suggests that they may be better suited to serve as advocates for bridging the persistent digital divide in the nation rather than adopters of MOOCs as a new instructional platform. The authors offer some suggestions for further research to ensure that HBCUS leaders can address larger systemic issues affecting the quality of education on their campuses.

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.

Academic Predictors Of Online Course Success In The Community College, Christy D. Hawkins

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify academic factors that might predict online course success for community college students. Online course success was a focus of national research and debate as studies consistently indicated lower success rates in online courses as compared to traditional courses; however, research that identified academic predictors to guide the development of policies and services that support student success in online courses was limited.

A random sample of 20 online course sections held at one multi-campus, urban community college resulted in 491 enrollees being examined for seventy-eight factors that might predict online course success. Factors …

Implementing An Enterprise Information System To Reengineer And Streamline Administrative Processes In A Distance Learning Unit, M'Hammed Abdous, Wu He

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

During the past three years, we have developed and implemented an enterprise information system (EIS) to reengineer and facilitate the administrative process for preparing and teaching distance learning courses in a midsized-to-large university (with 23,000 students). The outcome of the implementation has been a streamlined and efficient process which has delivered higher faculty satisfaction at a substantial cost reduction. In this paper, we propose a new conceptual and operational framework for process reengineering (PR) in higher education institutions. We also share our practical experience gained while designing, developing, and integrating three subsystems into an EIS. We hope that our experience, …

A Framework For Process Reengineering In Higher Education: A Case Study Of Distance Learning Exam Scheduling And Distribution, M'Hammed Abdous, Wu He

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

In this paper, we propose a conceptual and operational framework for process reengineering (PR) in higher education (HE) institutions. Using a case study aimed at streamlining exam scheduling and distribution in a distance learning (DL) unit, we outline a sequential and non-linear four-step framework designed to reengineer processes. The first two steps of this framework – initiating and analyzing – are used to initiate, document, and flowchart the process targeted for reengineering, and the last two steps – reengineering/ implementing and evaluating – are intended to prototype, implement, and evaluate the reengineered process. Our early involvement of all stakeholders, and …

A Hybrid Course In Fundamentals Of Building Construction Using Combination Archived Video And Live Session Distance Learning, Vernon W. Lewis Jr., Carol L. Considine, June Ritchie

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A course in the Fundamentals of Building Construction has been a curricular requirement of the Civil Engineering Technology Program (CET) since its inception. This course was taught traditionally as an on-campus class. Over the last ten years, the CET program has expanded to contain an extensive distance learning component, with at least half of the enrollment located off campus. The model for the typical distance-learning class is to meet for three hours, once a week, with a fully interactive (voice) live class. In consideration of the demand of a growing distance learning system, it was decided to restructure this class …

Creating The Online Learning Community For Distributed Education Doctoral Programs, Miguel Ramlatchan

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

Many colleges and universities now readily embrace the Internet as a viable distributed learning delivery model. As such, the Internet is a valuable tool to attract the highest quality students to an institution’s academic programs. However, while this may work well at the undergraduate or master’s level, many institutions maintain a required residential or internship requirement as part of a doctoral program. This interactive learning community is a vital aspect of a quality doctorate program. This paper presents a means to create an online learning community to replicate the residential graduate student experience. This goal is accomplished through the collaborative …

Implementation Theory And Determinants For Success: A Case Study Of Televised Distance Learning Implementation In An Urban University, Deanne Shuman

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

The purpose of this study is to explore the implementation process of a distance learning initiative using televised instruction in an urban university. The scope and complexity of problems faced by colleges and universities today are growing, and public institutions are being asked to do more with less. Despite limited budgets and stretched resources, institutions are expected to be responsive to the challenges of change. Distance learning using televised instruction, which brings the classroom to the learner, is an available technology that can be responsive to students' diverse needs.

This study explores factors that facilitated or served as barriers in …