Education Commons^™

Promoting Cross-Border Education – Virtual Mobility, Sarah Richardson, Ali Radloff

Ali Radloff

In this four-part series, Sarah Richardson and Ali Radloff highlight the key considerations for strengthening collaboration around cross-border education. Here they address the use of technology to facilitate international mobility without movement.

Empowering Female English Language Learners To Pursue Computer Science Fields: A Practical 4-Hour Workshop For Beginning Teachers In High School, Osaro Althouse

Master's Projects and Capstones

Female English language learners (FELLs) are not taken under consideration when trying to attract new student populations to computer science fields. Frequently, females are studied cohesively without regard to their individual distinctions and challenges. This unique population has to overcome traditional gender perceptions and linguistic confronts when considering the field of computer science. This paper provides a practical four-hour workshop for novice teachers in high school that are eager to empower female English language learners (FELLs) that demonstrate potential or are interested in entering computer science fields. An overview of research within the last ten years is exhibited, which includes …

Inter-University International Collaboration For An Online Course: A Case Study, John O'Connor, Claudia Igbrude, Dudley Turner

Conference papers

This paper is a practical account of the experience of collaboration between two international partners – one in Europe and the other in the United States. This collaboration experience is a lens through which the authors outline the origin, design and implementation of an inter-university teaching experience. The processes, strengths and difficulties are outlined and the rationale for utilising a virtual world is given, along with the participants’ perspectives of the experience. No institutional changes or formal agreements were needed.

The same course was validated and accredited by each institution and designed to address the requirements of each with the …

Going The Distance: Best Practices In Designing And Sharing Reusable Learning Objects, Philip Russell

Conference Papers

This paper presents an overview of the suite of online interactive tutorials that have been developed at the Institute of Technology Tallaght (ITT Dublin); with a particular emphasis on best practices for pedagogy and instructional design in terms of creating eLearning tools. The author also details how these learning objects have been made available for reuse on a national and international basis as open educational resources via online repositories.

From The Whiteboard To The Web: Equipping Administrators To Recruit, Hire, And Induct Top Quality K-12 Online Teachers, Daniel Keith Huld

Dissertations and Theses

Online learning is taking our nation by storm and changing the face of education forever. By 2014 we are projected to have 10 million students taking at least one online class (Nagel, 2009). The online revolution is one of the greatest changes the field of education has seen in the last 25 years (Greenway & Vanourek, 2006). This major shift in education also represents a major shift in how our teachers are prepared and what great teaching looks like in online settings.

The online classroom is distinctly different than the brick-and-mortar classroom, and success in the classroom does not necessarily …

Media Usage Survey: Overall Comparison Of Faculty And Students, Gerd Gidion, Michael Grosch, Luiz Fernando Capretz, Ken Meadows Dr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications

Recent developments in the use of technologies in education have provided unique opportunities for teaching and learning. This paper describes the results of a survey conducted at Western University (Canada) in 2013, regarding the use of media by students and instructors. The results of this study support the assumption that the media usage of students and instructors include a mixture of traditional and new media. The main traditional media continue to be important, and some new media have emerged as seemingly on equal footing or even more important than the traditional forms of media. Some new media that have recently …

A Study Of Mobile Learning For Higher Education Students In Guangzhou, Chun Hung, Hugo Wong

Practical Social and Industrial Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Australian Students Prepare For Digital Future, Julian Fraillon

Julian Fraillon

The world’s first computer-based international study into computer and information literacy shows that Australian students are developing the skills necessary for successful participation in the digital world. Julian Fraillon reports.

An Online Faculty Training System Proposal For Asbury University, Thomas J. Fee

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Media Usage In Post-Secondary Education And Implications For Teaching And Learning, Gerd Gidion, Luiz Fernando Capretz, Ken Mead Dr., Michael Grosch Dr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications

The Web 2.0 has permeated academic life. The use of online information services in post-secondary education has led to dramatic changes in faculty teaching methods as well as in the learning and study behavior of students. At the same time, traditional information media, such as textbooks and printed handouts, still form the basic pillars of teaching and learning. This paper reports the results of a survey about media usage in teaching and learning conducted with Western University students and instructors, highlighting trends in the usage of new and traditional media in higher education by instructors and students. In addition, the …

Faculty Integration Of Technology In Undergraduate Courses At Private Colleges And Universities, Evelyn G. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to investigate the integration of technology in undergraduate courses by faculty at private colleges and universities. Integration of technology is using technology as an instructional tool to improve teaching and learning (Clayton-Pedersen & O’Neill, 2005; Wilson & Hayes, 2000; Woodbridge, 2004). Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) 7 principles for good practice in undergraduate education provided the theoretical framework for this research. The researcher conducted a survey of full-time faculty at 21 private colleges and universities in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The results of the study indicated that faculty use …

Online Versus Face-To-Face Biology: A Comparison Of Student Transactional Distance, Approach To Learning, And Knowledge Outcomes, Mary Erin Riggins

Dissertations

Community colleges are among many other institutions increasing course offerings online, but there is still some concern about the quality of online learning. Educator concerns, a lack of empirical evidence on biology courses offered online, and the need for an equal opportunity for education support the need for clarification of the quality of distance education in biology, especially in the community college setting. Student attitudes, approaches to learning, and performance should all be studied in order to formulate a better evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of online courses (Svirko & Mellanby, 2008).

The purpose of this study was to …

Relationship Between Grades And Learning Mode, John C. Griffith, Donna Roberts, Marian C. Schultz

John Griffith

Each One, Teach One: A Blackprint For Mentoring Postsecondary “Twice Exceptional” Student Scholars In “Search Of Education, Elevation And Knowledge”, Selena T. Rodgers, Tiffany Cudjoe

Journal of Research Initiatives

Through the prism of a faculty-student mentoring relationship, this article highlights best practices to gain insight into resources for “twice exceptional” student scholars. Practical application stands at a position of intersecting domains—changing the tapestry of scholarly service and undergraduate research mentoring, and as an Each One, Teach One black-print model for mentoring. The article concludes with recommendations for best practices for post secondary mentors, educators, and counselors invested in developing student scholars in Search of Education, Elevation, and Knowledge.

Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers’ Perceptions Of Using Web 2.0 Technology For Instruction And Achievement In A College Euclidean Geometry Course, Md Mokter Hossain, Robert Quinn

Journal of Research Initiatives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of pre-service mathematics teachers’ attitudes toward and perceived effectiveness of a blogging activity included as a regular component of a college Euclidean Geometry course. Descriptive statistics regarding participants’ attitudes toward and perceived effectiveness of the blogging activity were gathered using a researcher developed instrument. Additionally, an inferential statistical test was performed to determine if a relationship exists between pre-service teachers’ attitude toward the blogging activity and their performance in the course as measured by the eight in-class quizzes administered throughout the semester. Similarly, an inferential statistical test was performed to …

Technical Quality And Engagement In A Hybrid Communication Course, Brenda L. Jones

Learning Showcase 2014

Hybrid courses combine face-to-face and online students in an instructor-led synchronous session supported by internet-based video conferencing. Instructional technology selection models theorize that a minimum level of technical quality as well as two-way interaction between instructors and students are needed to achieve engaging and effective learning in the hybrid context (Caladine, 2008; Huddlestone & Pike, 2008).

The study reported in this paper was conducted in two sections of a hybrid communication course and focused on technical quality and student engagement with the instructor and classmates. A theoretical model of a “learning threshold” was advanced, suggesting that richer media might support …

Value Risk Perceptions Of Elearning, Andy Igonor, Bill Mcmullen

Learning Showcase 2014

The influence of information technology on learning and higher education would seem a no-brainer for a lot, especially institutions that have already embraced the notion of eLearning as the new mode of education delivery. To others, notably traditional educational institutions, the perception of the risks of eLearning may sometimes be seen to outweigh its potential value, making it an unattractive way to deliver learning. Several research has been conducted to measure the impact of eLearning specifically on higher education faculty. Others have focused specifically on the perception of eLearning amongst students, and in some instances institutional administrators.

It is the …

Interactive, Holistic, And Experiential Criminal Justice Online Learning Environment, Karen Miner-Romanoff, Lewis Chongwony, Jonathan Mccombs

Learning Showcase 2014

The study is designed to test the effectiveness of specific experiential e-learning strategies for criminal justice students, this study seeks to determine how a comprehensive series of videos that includes a criminal trial and interviews of the judge, defense counsel, prosecution, investigators and court director discussing their roles enhanced course and learning outcomes. The second study purpose is to test the effectiveness of a comprehensive and interactive criminal justice computer model that allows the students to work within the multifaceted and complex system and explore descriptions, concepts, theories, relationships, and sequences in order to enhance learning outcomes regarding the system(s) …

Learner Interest, Reading Comprehension And Achievement In Web-Based Learning, Maryellen Tancred

Learning Showcase 2014

The web-based learning environment provides access to education for those who are unable to be physically present in a classroom. In situations where comprehensive learner analysis is cost prohibitive, fiscally prudent guidelines for learner analysis that include learner interest and the cultural attribute of language may be feasible alternatives to omitting learner analysis altogether as an online instructional design consideration. Community colleges routinely collect student data during the college admission process, such as the COMPASS reading score, which may be useful in predicting student success in web-based courses.

Therefore, learner characteristics such as the COMPASS reading score, learner interest in …

Student-Directed Blended Learning With Facebook Groups And Streaming Media: Media In Asia At Furman University, Tami Blumenfield

Tami Blumenfield

Furman University prizes itself on being an engaged learning, liberal arts institution with extensive faculty-student interaction. 96% of students live on campus, leading some to question whether reducing face-to-face instructional time makes any sense pedagogically. Coming from a different institution that encouraged faculty to create hybrid courses, and seeing the creativity and freedom that offered, I wanted to experiment with the format in this new institutional environment. Would it still be effective? What adaptations would be necessary, and how would students react to this different course format? In Fall 2013, I taught a carefully designed blended learning course that met …

Redesigning Instruction To Create Systematic Change: A Designer’S Perspective, Debra D. Runshe

Teaching and Learning Technologies Presentations

Instruction Matters Purdue Academic Course Transformation (IMPACT) is not only a successful course redesign program but it also fosters institutional change through collaboration between faculty and support units campus-wide. Faculty participate in a structured faculty development program and are further supported in their redesign process by a team of staff members from multiple units across campus, including the Libraries, the Center for Instructional Excellence (CIE), Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP), and Purdue Distance Education (PEC).

The Reeal Model: A Framework For Faculty Training In Online Discussion Facilitation, Laurie Bedford

Center for Faculty Excellence Publications

Discussion forums are a primary tool for interactions in the online classroom. Discussions are a critical part of the learning process for students, and instructor facilitation should reflect this importance. Effective instructor discussion facilitation encourages students, provides evidence and analysis and links the discussion to subsequent discourse. However, instructors receive little guidance in strategies to meet these expectations. To fill this gap, the REEAL Model is presented to support faculty in developing appropriate discussion responses. In addition, a transcript analysis technique is described which can be used as part of a faculty development program to ensure faculty have appropriate skills …

Can The Use Of Online Learning And Reflective Journals Improve Students’ Performance And Engage Them In Independent Learning For A Practically Taught “Timber Jointing Module, Jennifer Byrne

Articles

The Technological University Dublin is one of the largest multi-level higher education providers in Ireland. The Institute’s traditional mission has always been focused on teaching and learning in the field of advanced technical vocational education and training (TVET), and one of its agendas is to foster and encourage changes in teaching practice and methodology in order to enhance the student learning experience.

This research concerned the performance levels of first year students of the Timber Product Technology (TPT) programme. I wanted to investigate whether the use of independent online learning and reflective journals would encourage these students to continue their …

Review Of Virtual Schooling And Student Learning, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

A new report compares the performance of Florida Virtual School (FLVS) students with students in traditional brick-and-mortar schools and concludes the FLVS students perform about the same or somewhat better on state tests and at a lower cost. The report claims to be the first empirical study of K-12 student performance in virtual education. This is not correct, and the report in fact confirms the findings and repeats the methodological flaws and limitations of previous research. The report’s findings fail to account for the potential bias of student selectivity in the FLVS sample, the potential impact of regression effects, differential …

“If You Build It, They Will Use: Creating And Sharing Open Educational Resources To Advance Information Literacy”, Philip Russell

Conference Papers

Since 2010, the library at the Institute of Technology Tallaght (ITT Dublin) in South County Dublin, Republic of Ireland, has been developing a suite of interactive online information literacy tutorials covering research, referencing, plagiarism and core academic skills. These open educational resources (OERs) provide users with a vibrant, challenging learning environment and facilitate flexible, 24/7, independent learning. The learning objects are accessible via multiple delivery platforms and are available for reuse under Creative Commons licence via national and international teaching and learning repositories.

This paper outlines the development of these OERs and how the creation of these learning tools has …

Report On The Survey Of Governance And Adaptation To Innovative Modes Of Higher Education Provision (Gaihe), Andrew Gibson, Ellen Hazelkorn, Barry Colfer

Reports

Higher education around the world is undergoing significant change. Globalisation and competition from new modes of provision have sparked a strong debate about how to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of higher education. These developments challenge the “traditional” model of university education and its future. How does the management of European universities adapt to these innovations? What are the new modes of education provision across Europe? What is the role of university governance and government policy in establishing and regulating innovative modes of education provision? What are the motivations, barriers and drivers for innovative education provision?

The definition of innovation …

How Much Is Too Much? Avoiding The Course And Half Syndrome, Katie Sabourin

Educational Technology Publications

Understanding how much content and how many activities to put into the design of an online or hybrid course can be difficult. How do faculty know if there is too much or too little and how it compares to what is going on in other courses in their department? At St. John Fisher College, we use a time on task analysis to lay out the overall design of the course from the perspective of how much time students will need to spend to complete all course activities. This presentation will provide the justification for this model of training, examples of …

Is There Anybody Out There? Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Distance Learning, Cheria Jackson, Jessica Stoler, Charles Jacob Phd, Gregory Roth Phd

Explorer Café

No abstract provided.

Engaging Students In Online Courses, Pearl Jacobs

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Online education is gradually being incorporated into college and university programs. It is proving to be an effective educational tool for our rapidly changing global marketplace. The fact that online courses operate differently than on ground courses cannot be ignored. Thus, they require teaching techniques and assessment techniques specifically geared for this educational experience. Group projects are quite familiar to students taking courses in the classroom. They are less familiar and perhaps feared by students taking courses online. The fact that participants in online courses do not physically interact with each other leads some to believe that this approach is …

Tutorials: Resource Instruction For Distance Learners, Pam Greenlee

Faculty Scholarship – Library Science

Academic librarians, devoted to providing resources and services for learners, find both opportunity and challenge in the continuing growth of online programs in higher education. The technology tools available for online courses are also available to librarians seeking to support those courses with research and information literacy skills instruction. Researchers have delineated factors necessary for achieving defined learning outcomes with online tutorials. These factors include assignment relevance, faculty collaboration, and student interaction. A fourth issue emerges as equally critical; there must be a single iteration of the tutorial, posted in an unique online location, and subject to dynamic revision. There …