Education Commons^™

Artificial Intelligence For Sustainable Development: Synthesis Report, Mobile Learning Week 2019, Borhene Chakroun, Fengchun Miao, Valencir Mendes, Anett Domiter, Huhua Fan, Iaroslava Kharkova, Wayne Holmes, Dominic Orr, Mitja Jermol, Kim Issroff, Jongwi Park, Keith Holmes, Helen Crompton, Paz Portales, Davor Orlic, Sandra Rodriguez

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) 2019’s Mobile Learning Week (MLW), UNESCO’s flagship event for information and communication technology (ICT) in education, focused on the theme ‘Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development’. Held over five days in Paris, it comprised a sequence of high-profile events (a global conference, a policy forum and workshops, a symposium and strategy labs), and involved more than 1,500 participants from 140 countries (including Ministers of Education and ICT, other representatives from Member States, the private sector, academia and international organizations).

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 …

Applying A Modified Technology Acceptance Model To Qualitatively Analyse The Factors Affecting Microblogging Integration, Tian Luo, David Richard Moore, Teresa Franklin, Helen Crompton

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The purpose of this research is to examine factors affecting students’ perception and engagement of microblogging integration using a qualitative approach. We employed a qualitative case study design to explore potential factors affecting microblogging integration in a hybrid course. Using the technology acceptance model (TAM) model as an umbrella framework, we examined through in-depth interviews with 18 participants the impact of microblogging integration into instruction that affected students’ reported use and perceptions of their microblogging-supported learning experiences. We found that individual differences, system characteristics, social influence and facilitating conditions all have impact on student participation and engagement in microblogging integration …

Informing Recommended Makerspace Outcomes Through Linguistic Analytics, Kevin M. Oliver, Jennifer K. Houchins, Robert L. Moore

STEMPS Faculty Publications

An after-school maker club collected student reflections on makerspace projects in different formats over two years: private written reflections captured in the 3D GameLab gamification platform and video-recorded reflections posted in the more social FlipGrid platform. Club mentors selected these documentation platforms on the basis of their motivational affordances thought to encourage club members to document their work. Transcribed documentation was analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC) software to generate linguistic profiles for comparison. Differences between written and video-recorded documentation suggest: private, written documentation is more likely to capture evidence of cognitive processing and achievement- or risk-oriented drives, but …

Professional Development Support For The Online Instructor: Perspectives Of U.S. And German Instructors, Florence Martin, Chuang Wang, Kiran Budhrani, Robert L. Moore, Annika Jokiaho

STEMPS Faculty Publications

With the increase in number of courses being offered online, there is an increase in the need for professional development support for instructors to teach online. The purpose of this study is to examine faculty perceptions on professional development needs for online teaching, specifically in the U.S. and in Germany. Based on a qualitative open-ended survey, four themes emerged on the professional development needs of instructors for administrative support, personnel support, pedagogical support and technology support. This study discusses specific areas of support in these themes and provides implications for administrators, faculty, and support staff.

Scaffolding Problem-Solving And Instructional Design Processes: Engaging Students In Reflection-In-Action And External Representations In Three Online Courses, Tian Luo, John Baaki, Marius Boboc (Ed.), Selma Koç (Ed.)

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Instructional design is an applied field of study that involves considerations for complex problem solving and authentic learning. Instructional guidance and scaffolding is particularly critical in facilitating online instructional design students, thus helping them succeed. In this chapter, the authors share how they designed and facilitated three instructional activities in three courses to scaffold a student-centered learning environment online. Using a case study approach, the authors describe their design considerations and how the instructor made decisions to incorporate external representations as a unique instructional technique into the three courses. Through student self-reporting, the instructor's formative and summative evaluation, and the …

Factors Contributing To Student Retention In Online Learning And Recommended Strategies For Improvement: A Systematic Literature Review, Pauline S. Muljana, Tian Luo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Aim/Purpose

This systematic literature review investigates the underlying factors that influence the gap between the popularity of online learning and its completion rate. The review scope within this paper includes an observation of possible causal aspects within the non-ideal completion rates in online learning environments and an identification of recommended strategies to increase retention rates.

Background

While online learning is increasingly popular, and the number of online students is steadily growing, student retention rates are significantly lower than those in the traditional environment. Despite the multitude of studies, many institutions are still searching for solutions for this matter.

Methodology

A …

Scaffolding Project-Based Learning In An Engineering And Education Partnership Using Open-Access Technology, Pilar Pazos, Stacie I. Ringleb, Jennifer Kidd, Rachel Jones

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper describes the use of a freely-accessible open-source platform based on Google Apps for Education that combines Google Sites, Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Hangouts and script language in a custom-based interface that supports collaborative service-learning projects for teams of Engineering and Education students. The approach discussed in this paper was successful in promoting collaboration among students from two different disciplines working remotely. The analysis suggests that balanced participation in the team, presence of shared goals and clear roles that emphasized individual and collective responsibilities were key to a successful interdisciplinary project experience. While many students still reported struggling …

Autism And The Academic Library: A Study Of Online Communication, Amelia Anderson

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses within the general population is reflected in the growing number of college and university students with ASD. This exploratory study used an unobtrusive qualitative content analysis design to explore the experiences of students with ASD in academic libraries. It seeks to understand their questions and concerns, as well as their experiences in using the library and library resources. Using the social model of disability studies, this study allows for voices of students with ASD to be presented in their own words, not through the perceptions of parents, caregivers, faculty, or staff. ©2018 …

Out-Of-School Reading And Literature Discussion: An Exploration Of Adolescents' Participation In Digital Book Clubs, Jamie Colwell, Lindsay Woodward, Amy Hutchinson

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This research used an inductive qualitative method to examine how adolescents participated in online literature discussion, with limited guidance from adults, through a summer reading program. Using a New Literacies framework, the authors considered that literacy is social and collaborative and that adolescents often engage in such literacy practices on the Internet outside of school. This study considered these literacy practices to examine an eight-week voluntary online summer reading program at a public library and how such a program might inform such activities in school settings to promote more authentic opportunities for literacy engagement. In this program, 12 adolescents (ages …

Can Effective Urban Teachers Be Developed In An Online Environment?, Sueanne Mckinney, Cynthia Tomovic, Elizabeth Langran (Ed.), Jered Borup (Ed.)

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if an online Teacher Education Program course could assist in the development of effective urban teacher characteristics of preservice teachers. The Urban Teacher Selection Interview was used to assess seven midrange functions that determine the dimensions of effective urban teaching. Results communicated that although the preservice teachers gained essential knowledge and skills in regards to urban teaching, a link could not be established between specific urban online course activities and the development of effective urban teacher characteristics.

Towards An Innovative Approach For Teacher Education: Training Teacher To Train (Ttt) Model, Ferial Malaeb-Khaddage, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The world is now connected virtual and mobile, it is currently going through a fundamental transformation in the way we humans work, perform tasks and activities. Automation and ‘thinking machines’ are replacing basic human tasks and jobs, and changing the skills that organizations are looking for in their people. In this paper, the authors discuss current technological innovations and how our world is changing rapidly in all aspects. New set of skills is needed; hence the authors focus on crucial practices and skills that are needed to be taught to harness our children for the future. The authors emphasis on …

Measuring Presence: A Review Of Research Using The Community Of Inquiry Instrument, Ana E. Redstone, Jill E. Stefaniak, Tian Luo

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

This systematic review provides a summary of studies on teaching, social, and cognitive presences in the community of inquiry (CoI) model using the CoI instrument in a higher education setting since its development in 2008 by Arbaugh et al. A total of 24 peer-reviewed studies on the CoI instrument from 2008–2017 were selected and analyzed explore the types of research on the instrument in higher education settings have been published, ways the instrument has been used for learning and teaching, and the implications the instrument poses for online instructors and instructional designers. It is organized into 4 themes: testing the …

First Generation International Students And The 4ds Shaping The Future Of Global Student Mobility: A Comparative Report Analysis, Peggy Gesing, Chris Glass

Educational Foundations & Leadership Faculty Publications

First generation international students are a harbinger for the coming wave of globally mobile students. This article describes trends in the 4 D’s shaping the future of global student mobility: demographics, drivers, directions, and delivery. Authors use analysis of the National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG, 2015) to illustrate these trends in first-generation international students.

Community College Faculty Compensation For Online Course Development And Delivery, Radhika I. Prout

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the most common compensation practices community colleges in the United States provided to faculty for online course development and delivery. Many community colleges provided compensation as an incentive for faculty participation in supporting their online learning initiatives; however, limited research was available on fair compensation for these services. The population consisted of 980 community colleges that were identified using the American Association of Community College’s membership directory.

Data for this study were collected using a survey that contained 31 closed and open form response questions requesting demographic information and current practices for …

Distance Education And Technology Infrastructure: Strategies And Opportunities, Robert L. Moore, B. P. Fodrey

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Distance education provides a wealth of opportunities and areas for innovation, but it also presents unique challenges for implementation and eventual success. To mitigate these challenges, this chapter will present four critical components—systems, objectives, evaluation, and personnel—that combine into one to create a technology infrastructure that can support distance delivery. Through this chapter, e-learning leaders will gain the knowledge to not only identify key features of tools used for distance delivery, but also understand and appreciate the correlation between a holistic infrastructure approach and quality distance delivery. The absence of one of these critical components will likely result in an …

Connected Education: Teachers' Attitudes Towards Student Learning In A 1:1: Technology Middle School Environment, Tian Luo, Alexander Murray

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Online and blended forms of learning has been increasingly common in K-12 settings, along with the technological advancement with always-on and connected devices. The study purports to understand teachers’ attitudes towards the middle school’s 1:1 policy and students’ frequent use of always-on and connected technology, as well as their concerns about middle school students’ capabilities of using mobile devices and technologies in 1:1 environments. Using a transcendental phenomenological approach, data was obtained through semi-structured interviews, pre- and post- teacher open-ended surveys, along with classroom and lab observations. The study concluded that teachers typically embraced student use of school issued connected …

E-Advising: Expanding Advising For Distance Lis Students, Sue Kimmel, Elizabeth Burns, Jeffrey Discala, Peiling Wang (Ed.), Ashlea Green (Ed.), Shimelis Assefa (Ed.)

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Online instruction and programming have expanded the universe of LIS education but have also expanded the needs of online students for assistance navigating institutional structures and requirements. With 24-7 access to coursework, accounts, and the university website, students expect prompt answers to questions through electronic or e-advising. From recruitment to alumni relations, LIS programs and their universities are seeking to expand how they reach distance students in online programs. We will share innovative uses of technology and staffing for e-advising along with what online students have told us in a survey about the kinds of advising they need and expect.

Undergraduate Kinesiology Students' Experiences In Online Motor Development Courses, Takahiro Sato, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate kinesiology students' experiences in an undergraduate online life span motor development course. This study was based on a theory of transactional distance (Moore, 1997). Seven undergraduate kinesiology majors (5 females, 2 males) enrolled in an online course at a Midwestern public university in the US participated in this study. Data collection included face-to-face, open-ended interviews, bulletin board discussion logs, and online assessment projects. A constant comparative method was used to interpret the data, which allowed themes to emerge from the data as well as from the theoretical framework. Three interrelated themes emerged …

Designing Authentic Learning Activities To Train Pre-Service Teachers About Teaching Online, Tian Luo, Alexander Murray, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Online learning is increasingly being used in K-12 learning environments. A concomitant trend is found towards learning becoming authentic as students learn with tasks that are connected to real-world occupations. In this study, 48 pre-service teachers use an online environment to engage in authentic practice as they developed online learning experiences for their future students. Using a design-based research methodology, the researchers were involved in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating the higher education class across two macro cycles. An authentic learning framework was utilized in the development of the class. Findings explicate the design of the course and how it …

The Influence Of Cognitive Load On Infotec Students Participating In Online Learning, Joe Price

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The theory of cognitive load has been developed to help educators, instructional designers, and developers of e-learning curriculum and materials, anticipate learning outcomes by fully understanding the cognitive capabilities and limitations of the learner. The theory is broad enough to be used in many educational environments because the focus is on making learning as effective and efficient as possible in regards to the human brain’s ability to process information. By reducing the complexity of the information to be learned and the manipulatives used to produce understanding, the curriculum developer can focus their energies on producing lessons that are streamlined and …

The Effects Of Group-Based Context Personalization On Learning Outcomes And Motivation, Jessica J. Resig

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The rise of online course enrollments in higher education has highlighted the need to establish and validate effective online instructional strategies focused on improving learning outcomes and affective responses towards instruction. One such strategy, group-based context personalization, frames instructional materials within contexts relevant to shared interests among groups of students. This study sought to investigate the effects of group-based context personalization on learning outcomes and motivation towards the instruction when materials were contextualized based on a learner’s academic major.

This study employed a true experimental design to explore the effects of group-based context personalization on learning outcomes and motivation for …

An Analysis Of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies, Academic Performance, And Satisfaction Among Recent Online High School Graduates, Jenifer Lee Price

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Recent studies indicate a positive correlation between academic performance and metacognitive self-regulation (MSR) and effort regulation (ER). This relationship was explored across performance (e.g., higher and lower) and satisfaction (e.g., satisfied and dissatisfied) levels to help identify which self-regulated learning (SRL) skills were most critical for 102 recent graduates of online high schools. A mixed-methods design was employed to determine use of SRL strategies and to better understand participant experiences while learning online. Responses to surveys, open-ended questions, and ten follow-up interviews were compared and contrasted to assess the level of corroboration between quantitative and qualitative data in this study. …

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 …

Facilitating Higher Levels Of Thinking And Deeper Cognitive Processing Of Course Texts Using Reciprocal Teaching Strategies In Asynchronous Discussion Forums, Jenifer R. Marquis

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Reciprocal teaching is an interactive instructional procedure that improves students’ text comprehension skills through instruction that utilizes scaffolds of four comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring strategies: predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing (Palincsar & Brown, 1984, 1986; Palincsar, Brown, & Martin, 1987). Reciprocal teaching involves student-led instruction, modeling, practice, and feedback in metacognitive self-monitoring and evaluating strategies (Brown, Campione, & Day, 1981). The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of reciprocal teaching to facilitate deeper cognitive processing and higher levels of thinking related to course texts in an online, asynchronous community college course. The strategies and peer teaching were incorporated …

The Effect Of Device When Using Smartphones And Computers To Answer Multiple-Choice And Open-Response Questions In Distance Education, Thomas Royce Wilson

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Traditionally in higher education, online courses have been designed for computer users. However, the advent of mobile learning (m-learning) and the proliferation of smartphones have created two challenges for online students and instructional designers. First, instruction designed for a larger computer screen often loses its effectiveness when displayed on a smaller smartphone screen. Second, requiring students to write remains a hallmark of higher education, but miniature keyboards might restrict how thoroughly smartphone users respond to open- response test questions. The present study addressed both challenges by featuring m-learning’s greatest strength (multimedia) and by investigating its greatest weakness (text input).

The …

Immersive Telepresence And Student Perceptions Of Instructor Credibility And Immediacy, Miguel Ramlatchan

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

Immersive telepresence systems offer a new standard of high definition video, high resolution audio, life size displays, camera and microphone arrays that together create a new level of seamless video conferencing experiences. The result is a communication and learning environment that virtually recreates the immediacy of face-to-face group conversations. However, few quantitative research studies have been conducted to test the return on investment compared to the impact on students. This presentation presents the early findings of an experimental study that investigated the learning effectiveness and student perceptions of instructor credibility and immediacy. These results were compared to other online multimedia …

The Role Of Mobile Learning In Promoting Literacy And Human Rights For Women And Girls, Judith Dunkerly-Bean, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

In this chapter the authors review the fairly recent advances in combating illiteracy around the globe through the use of e-readers and mobile phones most recently in the Worldreader program and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) mobile phone reading initiatives. Situated in human rights and utilizing the lens of transnational feminist discourse which addresses globalization and the hegemonic, monolithic portrayals of “third world” women as passive and in need of the global North’s intervention, the authors explore the ways in which the use of digital media provides increased access to books, and other texts and applications …

Establishing A Virtual Makerspace For An Online Graduate Course: A Design Case, Kevin M. Oliver, Robert L. Moore, Michael A. Evans

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This design case discusses key steps taken to establish a virtual makerspace for students enrolled in an online graduate course on informal learning. Two key design decisions are elaborated around (a) the selection of appropriate projects and packaged materials that distance education students can receive by mail to participate in making, and (b) the choice of an online platform for distance education students to document their design processes for assessment purposes and peer interaction and learning. This design case is relevant to a variety of online communities who may wish to engage in maker activities as well as isolated face-to-face …

Educational Technology And Distance Supervision In Counselor Education, Robert Milton Carlisle, Danica G. Hays, Shana L. Pribesh, Chris T. Wood

Educational Foundations & Leadership Faculty Publications

The authors used a nonexperimental descriptive design to examine the prevalence of distance supervision in counselor education programs, educational technology used in supervision, training on technology in supervision, and participants' (N = 673) perceptions of legal and ethical compliance. Program policies are recommended to guide the training and use of technology in supervision.