Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Revolutionary Applications Of Generative Ai In Higher Education Institutes (Heis) And Its Implications, Arvind Sahu, Atul Sahu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In recent decades, there has been a notable transformation in educational procedures due to technological breakthroughs, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI). In recent times, there has been a noteworthy advancement and acceptance of generative artificial intelligence (AI) models, specifically exemplified by the emergence of Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT). Within the overarching category of Generative AI, various AI tools and technologies facilitate the production of computer-generated text, images, and other forms of digitized media. This paper comprehensively analyzes the concepts and implications of the discourse surrounding Generative AI. By adopting a position that advocates for the acceptance rather than the opposition …

Leveraging The Dual Role Of The Oer Practitioner/Administrator: 'Making It Count' At An Individual And Institutional Level, Cailean Cooney

Publications and Research

This case shares activities the author has engaged in through their dual role as faculty member and administrator of the college’s OER initiative. Topics will include how the author has leveraged their OER work to amplify the documents and activities required in their own tenure and promotion process and how they have approached this subject in faculty development programming. Practical models will be offered for faculty, librarians, and OER coordinators to adapt to their own contexts.

Completely Optional: Rethinking Synchronous Graduate Workshops As Asynchronous Youtube Videos, Julie Arendt

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

After the session, attendees will be aware of the “best practices” recommended for academic library videos in general. Attendees will observe a process for prioritizing goals in library workshops and for getting inspiration from sources outside the library.

Whole School Improvement Programme (Wsip): A Female Headteacher, Serving In Public School Perspectives, Sultan Alam

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

The research centered on delving into the experiences of a female headteacher in a public school who participated in a WSIP initiative and effectively implemented its teachings within her educational institution. This initiative stands as a flagship program of AKU-IED, PDCN in the specific context of Gilgit-Baltistan. Its aim is to introduce educational reforms in the region through formal in-person and distance education modes for headteachers.
The results revealed that the WSIP intervention wielded a substantial influence over the female headteacher's professional methodologies. This led to a transformation in her mindset and a noticeable enhancement of her skills. The headteacher …

Navigating Online Information Spaces With Lateral Reading: Lessons Learned From Two Librarians Working With Students And Educators, Andrea Baer, Daniel G. Kipnis

Libraries Scholarship

As online content’s credibility has gotten harder and harder to evaluate, librarians and other educators have been growing their strategies for teaching online source evaluation. One of those strategies is “lateral reading,” the practice of quickly evaluating a web source by seeing what others on the web say about that source. On the surface, lateral reading is quite simple. However, effective lateral reading often requires complex thinking. How will you search for information about a source? Which search results will you click on and how will you evaluate those sources? How will you decide what you trust and to what …

Exploring Academic Librarians' Perception Of Oer Through The Lens Of Technology Acceptance Model, Yingqi Tang, Hungwei Tseng

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Academic librarians' professional skills make them an ideal candidate to work with faculty in the exploration, adoption, promotion, and preservation of open educational resources (OER). This study used the technology acceptance model (TAM) to explain and predict librarians' attitudes towards OER and their intentions towards utilization in instructional design practices and teaching pedagogies. A total of 213 academic librarians participated in the mixed-methods design study. The results reveal that perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), and self-efficacy (SE) as it relates to OER accounted for 51 % of the variance in librarians' attitude (AT) towards OER. Moreover, librarians' …

Evaluating Universities Twitter Web Pages Responding To The Black Lives Matter Movement, Hind Albadi, Thomas Kenny

Faculty Publications: Communication

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in May 2020, many colleges and universities responded by making statements on their website and social media channels condemning racism. Higher education institutions began initiatives for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for faculty, staff, administrators, and students on campus. Three years later, this study investigates whether universities are still offering and promoting workshops, classes, events, and activities related to DEI to campus communities. To do so, the researchers conducted a content analysis on Twitter categorizing tweets over a one-month period, then they classified the Tweets using the top 10 colleges …

Expressing Information Needs And Information Literacy Skills Amongst Final Year Undergraduate Students In Northern Nigeria, Zikrat Abdulsalam, Imoisili Ojeime Odigie

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Information literacy is the ability of an individual to locate, evaluate, and use information. This study expresses the conscious information needs and information literacy skills amongst final year undergraduate students of three Universities in Nigeria; being the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Federal University Lokoja (FUL), and Baze University. A survey research design alongside a questionnaire for the instrument were utilised on a sample size of 307 final year undergraduate students from select faculties within the above-mentioned universities. The findings of the study amongst other show that undergraduate students at the final year level had a conscious knowledge of their information …

Digital Capital And Belonging In Universities: Quantifying Social Inequalities In The Philippines, Wilfred Luis Clamor, Czarina Saloma-Akpedonu

Sociology & Anthropology Department Faculty Publications

This study examines social inequalities in Philippine universities that were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative approach using a national sample of 677 university students was utilized to measure the mediating role of digital capital on social inequalities associated with belonging to academic spaces. For the purpose of determining direct and indirect impacts, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed. Sociodemographic (i.e., gender, age, type of residence, and family income) and educational (i.e., type of university, year in the university, and excellence criterion) characteristics were the direct predictors that were examined as exogenous variables for both digital capital and belonging. …

Shift To Online Learning: Response Of Pakistani Visual Art Teachers During Pandemic And Post-Covid Era, Tauseef Hussain Mr, Nimra Akram Miss, Rabiya Asim Ms, Amina Sarfraz Cheema Ms, Kiran Zohra Ms

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study aims to investigate the response of Visual art teachers to educational lockdown and shift to online learning at art institutions. The study employed qualitative phenomenological research design to investigate visual artists i.e., painters, sculptors, textile designers, graphic designers, and performing artists who were faculty members in five leading art institutions of Lahore. Data were collected by conducting a total of 15 interviews from each mentioned discipline. These interviews were conducted preferably in their studios, at their homes, or at times online through WhatsApp video calls. The data was analyzed thematically by using NVIVO 12 software.

Findings – It …

Zoom Affordances And Identity: A Case Study, Angela Cirucci

College of Communication & Creative Arts Faculty Scholarship

While how to engage students in online settings is a popular topic of study, largely left out are the ways in which virtual learning environments (VLEs) have implications for identity performance (and subsequently learning quality). This case study pairs a walkthrough analysis of Zoom with an open-ended survey (n = 250, M = 21.5) to investigate how VLE affordances impact student identifications. Findings indicate that students prefer Zoom because it is “user-friendly,” forgoing wordy options and instead presenting a more “appified” user interface. Students were concerned about their classmates and professors seeing their physical backgrounds, particularly those who reported family …

Not Just A Hashtag: Using Black Twitter To Engage In Critical Visual Pedagogy, Mia L. Knowles-Davis, Robert L. Moore, Susan Köseoğlu (Ed.), George Veletsianos (Ed.), Chris Rowell (Ed.)

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

[First Paragraph] We live in a global society in which we are constantly exposed to new technologies, people, and situations that transform our perceptions and worldviews. As we are exposed to these new experiences, it is increasingly necessary to maintain a critical eye and question what we are seeing. It is not enough for higher education merely to teach material; instructors should also teach the responsibilities and ethics that coincide with it. Encouraging criticality in higher education helps learners to develop a deeper understanding of social justice, inequality, and oppressive systems, and it teaches learners how to combat those issues …

Treating A Viral Culture: Using Cultural Competency And Social Informatics To Design Contextualized Information Literacy Efforts For Specific Social Information Cultures, Rachel N. Simons, Aaron J. Elkins, Shengnan Yang (Ed.), Xiaohua Zhu (Ed.), Pnina Fichman (Ed.)

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This chapter proposes a novel theoretical framework, Social Information Cultural Competency (SICC), that may be used for designing contextualized information literacy efforts. The SICC approach leverages the frameworks of social informatics, cultural competency, and psychosocial understandings of information behavior to encourage information professionals to develop more nuanced understandings of specific social information cultures. After defining this approach, the chapter then applies the SICC framework to a case study considering information literacy interventions addressing a social information culture engaged in sharing COVID-19 misinformation through social media. As part of this case study, the chapter discusses three current information literacy approaches to …

Flexible Pedagogies For Inclusive Learning: Balancing Pliancy And Structure And Cultivating Cultures Of Care, Andrea Baer

Libraries Scholarship

In this essay, I reflect on flexibility as a concept and as a practice that has informed my teaching, in particular since adapting to online library instruction in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how flexible pedagogy principles and practices can be catalysts for reflective and inclusive teaching and a culture of care in all teaching contexts.

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 & Special Education 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 …

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. …

Being Present, Supporting Presence: Ideas For Online Teaching And Facilitation, Rebecca B. French, Jody Condit Fagan

Libraries

Although many campuses are returning to in-person classes and meetings, plenty of libraries are still holding events online. How can you as a facilitator or teacher be more fully present when leading or teaching online? How can you support attendees’ ability to be present themselves, and for all to find human-to-human connection in virtual spaces? This webinar will cover:

• planning and preparation work to support your presence as a facilitator and the needs of the group, considering the learning objectives or meeting goals
• activities for opening and closing online events in a way that invites presence and connection
• practices for …

Trials And Tribulations Of Tutorials, Belinda Bolivar, Loren Mixon, Elizabeth Nelson, Sarah Thorngate

Library Faculty Presentations

Online tutorials have become a regular and important part of library instruction. During the pandemic there was an increase in the number of online tutorials created by libraries, as librarians shifted their approach to working with students. Having to adapt to the increasing changes in digital pedagogy left some librarians at a disadvantage. While some institutions had the resources to adapt quickly, other institutions did not. In order to understand the limitations of tutorial creation, one must understand the “pain points” or the difficulties some institutions and individuals go through in creating tutorials.

Homer Rosenberger: Learning Beyond The Classroom, Theodore J. Szpakowski

Student Publications

Homer Rosenberger, a Pennsylvania historian, cared deeply about sharing information. He collected books and articles on the history of PA, as well as meeting minutes for the many societies he participated in. All of this material is now stored in boxes available at Musselman Library in Gettysburg, PA. This paper is a combination of research and reflection on the experience of working with the Rosenberger collection, specifically a box that deals primarily with correspondence learning and public history.

The Existence And Innovation Of Library In Supporting Online Learning At New Normal Covid-19, Lolytasari Lolytasari, Fadhilatul Hamdani

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This research discusses the existence and innovation of libraries in online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Online learning is carried out by utilizing technology as a means of connecting educators and students. Libraries as a place to provide sources of information to support the learning process must always improve themselves to show the best and be prepared to keep up with the times. The transformation of library management to digital must be given priority, so that libraries can exist in the midst of a pandemic. Library support in teaching and learning activities is very important, especially in fulfilling the information …

The Impact Of Information-Seeking Self-Efficacy And Online Learning Self-Efficacy On Students’ Performance Proficiency, Yingqi Tang, Hungwei Tseng, Xingyi Tang

Research, Publications & Creative Work

This study surveyed 359 online undergraduate and graduate students regarding their information-seeking self-efficacy, online learning self-efficacy, and performance proficiency. A mediation model was conducted to examine the direct effect of students' online learning self-efficacy on their performance proficiency and the mediation effect of information-seeking self-efficacy. Multivariate correlational analysis showed that all three variables significantly correlated. Of the three variables, online learning self-efficacy has the strongest correlation to performance proficiency, while the variable with the least amount of correlation is between online-learning and information-seeking efficacies. Moreover, a significant regression equation showed that students' average performance proficiency increased by 0.359 for each …

A Case Study Of Community Of Inquiry Presences And Cognitive Load In Asynchronous Online Stem Courses, Emily K. Faulconer, Darryl J. Chamberlain Jr.

Publications

The design and facilitation of asynchronous online courses can have notable impacts on students related to persistence, performance, and perspectives. This case study presents current conditions for cognitive load and Community of Inquiry (CoI) presences in an asynchronous online introductory undergraduate STEM course. Researchers present the novel use of Python script to clean and organize data and a simplification of the instructional efficiency calculation for use of anonymous data. Key relationships between cognitive load and CoI presences are found through validated use of NASA-TLX instrument and transcript analysis of discussion posts. The data show that student presences are not consistent …

Chat Services And Covid-19: Trends In Ask A Librarian, Judith L. Kuhns, Sarah Dockray

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Our nation has been reeling since March 2020 when the stay-at-home orders were put into effect due to the spread of Covid-19. As a result, both public and academic libraries were closed to the public. There was a need for libraries to respond to their communities' calls for access to the internet, e-books, laptops, e-readers, e-textbooks, and more. The libraries' responses were remarkable. Wi-fi hotspots were set up, technology lending was put in place, mail to home and curbside services were expanded, craft kits were mailed, Zoom sessions of story hours and information literacy sessions were presented. In order to …

Librarians’ Perceptions, Information Technology Competencies And Use Of Cloud-Based Storage Systems In Academic Libraries In South-West Nigeria, Victoria Adeola Olukayode, Olayinka Babayemi Makinde Dr, Ibidapo Oketunji

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study investigated how perceptions and IT competencies of academic librarians influenced their use of Cloud-Based Storage (CBS) systems in libraries in South-West Nigeria. Primary data were collected from 127 academic librarians working in 11 university libraries across six Southwestern states of Nigeria. The answers from these valid copies of the questionnaire were descriptively (frequency count and percentage) and inferentially (regression statistics) analyzed using SPSS version 23. The findings revealed that the librarians had high perceptions for the use of CBS systems and also their IT competencies were on the high side. The perceptions and IT competencies of librarians significantly …

Promoting Equity And Assuring Teaching And Learning Quality: Magisterial Lectures In A Philippine University During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo, Estelle Marie Macuja Ladrido

Department of Communication Faculty Publications

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced universities to shift to online learning, one of the challenges to faculty and administrators was to provide students with high-quality, curriculum-based learning materials that could be accessed despite students’ variable levels of Internet access. Part of the Ateneo de Manila University’s response to this challenge is the production of the Magisterial Lectures, an Open Educational Resource (OER) series of video lectures by some of the University’s most respected faculty members. The goals of this paper are to describe how the production of the lectures was guided by the principles of quality and equity; to discuss …

Survey Says--How To Engage Law Students In The Online Learning Environment, Andrele Brutus St. Val

Articles

The pandemic experience has made it clear that not everyone loves teaching or learning remotely. Many professors and students alike are eager to return to the classroom. However, our experiences over the last year and a half have also demonstrated the potentials and possibilities of learning online and have caused many professors to recalibrate their approaches to digital learning. While the tools for online learning were available well before March of 2020, many instructors are only now beginning to capitalize on their potential. The author of this article worked in online legal education before the pandemic, utilizing these tools and …

Define “Learning Engineering” With The Trap Framework, Ke Zhang, Meina Zhu

Administrative and Organizational Studies

While the term “learning engineering” was first coined by Herbert [1]; it is becoming more salient recently. But there is not a commonly shared understanding of learning engineering as a professional or an academic field. Thus, we explored a range of resources, including scholarly publications and discussions, websites and initiatives of selected professional organizations, resources from related USA government and agencies, recent job posts and learning engineering degree programs to find relevant rhetoric, descriptions, curricula, task forces and other resources on learning engineering. Based on a critical synthesis of the above-mentioned materials, we argue that learning engineering is an emerging …

Data Files: Simulations In Pre-Service Child Welfare Training: Effects Of Moving From In-Person To Virtual Practice, Katie Street, Kirstin O’Dell, Kate Normand, Cassandra Anderson

Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services Datasets

No abstract provided.

Place-Based Podcasting: From Orality To Electracy In Norfolk, Virginia, Daniel P. Richards, Michael J. Faris (Ed.), Courtney S. Danforth (Ed.), Kyle D. Stedman (Ed.)

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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 …