Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Supporting Undergraduate Research For Globally Distributed Students And Mentors, Emily Faulconer, Brent Terwilliger, Robert Deters

Publications

Undergraduate research is widely viewed as a high-impact practice. However, participation in undergraduate research among students completing degree programs exclusively online may be impeded due to barriers such as access limitations, time poverty, and adequate institutional support. Through an NSF I-USE project (#2021221), we formed a framework of support, including a research independent study course and a mentoring program, where we deliberately separated and defined the roles of research supervisor and research mentor. In this session, we will discuss interview data on the experiences of faculty and students in both the credit-bearing active research as well as the non-credit-bearing research …

Virginia Community College System Online Student Success: Best Practices And Sustainable Change, Lucy R. Hudson, Daniel L. Lindstrom, Monal Patel, Rosa Ponton

Doctor of Education Capstones

Online learning has an increasingly greater presence in the higher education landscape. Students are able to earn a degree in fully online programs and take courses in modalities that offer the necessary convenience to balance multiple life priorities. The flexibility that online courses offer is valuable for adult learners with young children, students with disabilities including invisible and non-physical disabilities, or populations who must work to support families while pursuing an education. For these populations, community colleges play an important role in providing access to education as they enroll a greater number of adult students and have a higher percentage …

The Effects Of Embedded Orientation On Online Developmental Mathematics Students' Performance In Community College: A Causal-Comparative Study, William Randal Swenson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students in developmental mathematics courses exhibit poor pass rates. This problem is exaggerated for traditionally aged online community college learners, who frequently demonstrate few self-regulatory skills. Self-regulated learners are intrinsically motivated, plan for success, monitor their progress, and reflect on their learning. These learners are significantly more likely to pass and eventually graduate. Self-regulatory skills can be taught through direct instruction and reflection over a protracted learning experience. This form of instruction was attempted using an embedded orientation in online developmental mathematics courses at a community college. Embedded orientations provide consistent training, opportunities for socialization, and increased instructor-to-learner interaction within …

Engaging Efl Learners Online, Yolanda Ramos

English Language Institute

Online classrooms offer a variety of resources, but they also present some challenges such as students feeling bored and disengaged from learning activities. This research poster seeks to state that we as facilitators can help our students get more engaged in the online classroom by applying four practical tips and three tech tools .

Asynchronous Training For Online Teaching Assistants, Jason Snellings

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

The University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB) eLearning and Instructional Design (eLID) team provides technical support to faculty and teaching assistants (TAs) as they teach online courses. There is currently a lack of support for TAs to properly train them to handle the technical tasks designated to them by faculty. This lack of education results in an increased workload on the eLID team in responding to TAs. Research was conducted to determine what the common duties of TAs are and what roles they should be able to fulfill at UMB. In addition, research was used to determine the best method of …

Making Your Online Life Easier Through Tools To Reduce Student Questions & Master Online Group Work, Melissa Diegnau

Management and Entrepreneurship Department Publications

The purpose of this session is to introduce faculty to three new tools they may not have used to enhance their on-line courses during COVID and beyond. We will explore TechSmith Capture; a great tool to reduce student emails and even receive student praise for your reply, and VoiceThread, a great tool to minimize complaints in on-line group work while protecting student privacy when sharing work. We will close with screencast-o-matic, the free version, for student presentations as an alternative to other platforms where student work can be seen by the public. Out goal today is to introduce you as …

Student Focus Groups: Experiences Learning In Flexsync And Online Synchronous Courses, Brooke N. Burk

Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Department Publications

In Fall 2020, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) recruited students who were enrolled in FlexSync and online (synchronous and asynchronous) courses to participate in focus groups about their experiences. Recruitment messages were shared via emails from departments and also on the MavLife app during October and November.

A total of 26 students indicated interest and completed the focus groups. The focus groups were scheduled and conducted in November 2020. Six focus groups were conducted in total with the size of the groups ranging from two to four participants and took place via Zoom. Focus groups lasted …

“Portability Of The Ube: Where Is It When You Need It And Do You Need It At All?”, Suzanne Darrow- Kleinhaus

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Law School News: Rwu Law Dean Seeking To Build On Culture Of Service, Innovation 12/09/2020, Barry Bridges, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Faculty Focus Groups: Experiences Teaching Flexsync And Online Synchronous During Fall 2020, Brooke N. Burk

Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Department Publications

In Fall 2020, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) recruited faculty and staff who were teaching FlexSync and online (synchronous and asynchronous) courses to participate in focus groups about their experiences. Recruitment emails were shared in the Provost Weekly Announcements twice and the CETL weekly announcements four times between October and November.

A total of 19 faculty, staff, and graduate students indicated an interest in completing the focus groups, and 18 of those participated in focus groups that were scheduled in November and December. Five focus groups were conducted in total with the size of the groups …

Teaching With Digital 3d Models Of Minerals And Rocks, Graham Dm Andrews, Gabrielle Labishak, Sarah Brown, Shelby L. Isom, Holly Danielle Pettus, Trevor Byers

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The disruption to geoscience curricula due to the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the difficulty of making mineral and rock samples accessible to students online rather than through traditional lab classes. In spring 2020, our community had to adapt rapidly to remote instruction; this transition amplified existing disparities in access to geoscience education but can be a catalyst to increase accessibility and flexibility in instruction permanently. Fortunately, a rich collection of 3D mineral and rock samples is being generated by a community of digital modelers (e.g., Perkins et al., 2019).

Comparison Study Between Math Test Scores For Brick And Mortar And Online Classrooms, Marisa May

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With the emergence of online education, opportunities have risen for students who seek alternatives to attending a traditional school. However, the rise of virtual education has highlighted the challenges educators and students face in this environment such as academic integrity and quality control. In both learning environments, students often struggle to grasp mathematical concepts despite resources that are intended to aid learners in understanding abstract concepts. With an emphasis on state testing, educators are faced with the challenge to improve both math learning and performance on math standardized tests given at the state level. This study aimed to answer whether …

Making Your Online Life Easier Through Tools To Reduce Student Questions & Master Online Group Work, Melissa Diegnau

Management and Entrepreneurship Department Publications

No abstract provided.

A Case Study Of Teaching Mba Quantitative Analysis Online, Daniel R. Ball

Faculty Works: Business (1973-2022)

Advancements in video capture and learning management systems (LMS) provide faculty with more tools than ever before to effectively teach quantitative business subjects to graduate students enrolled in blended and online courses. Students pursuing an MBA often come from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, with some continuing directly from undergraduate programs while others may be returning to school after spending years in the workforce. These students require instructional design that is both comprehensive and flexible to meet their various needs, accommodating the increasing preference for visual content delivery. Early in an MBA program, a course in quantitative analysis often serves …

Insurance Claims Adjuster Remote Training Initiative, Pamela Wieboldt

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

This paper contains a full training plan initiative to correct a knowledge gap among remote marine insurance adjusters. The problem originated from a longer claims handling process among remote adjusters dealing with Maritime Law claims. In an assessment in the analyze phase this knowledge gap was confirmed. Through analysis there were three major areas of maritime law that adjusters on staff did not test well on. The modules developed will follow the theory of micro learning due to the staff members having limited time to commit to learning each day. As the employees are remote, all of the learning events …

A Grounded Theory Study Of The Ideal Components Of An Orientation For A Distance Education Doctor Of Education Program, Kristy Ann Motte

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a model for a distance education (DE) Doctor of Education (EdD) program orientation based on the perspectives of students, non-persisters, alumni, faculty, and administrators. As students pursue a DE EdD, they must navigate a variety of stages and may require different levels of support at each stage. To develop a model that bridges the different stages of the EdD, this study sought to answer the following research questions: (a) How do DE EdD students persist in each stage of the doctoral journey? (b) How do DE EdD students integrate (socially, …

Problem-Based Learning And Information Literacy: Revising A Technical Writing Class, Kelly Diamond

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This chapter discusses the collaboration between a librarian and faculty member to revise an online technical writing course using the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy, problem-based learning, and instructional design principles. The chapter outlines three components of course revision: 1) re-design online course to be more engaging to students as well as easier to navigate; 2) create assignments and activities to mirror actual workplace writing tasks; 3) develop research assignments focused on information literacy skills used in the workplace. Using elements from ADDIE (Analyze; Design; Develop; Implement; Evaluate) and Backward Design, the course …

Evaluating The Way Forward In Online Student Engagement., Patricia Schmaltz, Julia Carpenter, Dan J. Petersen

Publications

Several factors make up the successful instructional experience in online higher education classes. With the advanced offerings in online learning, educational institutions are compelled to innovate all aspects of their online classes (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). The innovation can lead to a higher caliber learning environment. This paper advances a simple model for Instructors to follow, an Instructional Online Model (IOM), with the intent of improving student engagement, knowledge retention, leading to increased business profit. Instructors who model the discussed techniques may find increased student’s satisfaction with their courses, leading to the students pursuing further online education. Technological advancement …

A Review To Weigh The Pros And Cons Of Online, Remote, And Distance Science Laboratory Experiences, Emily Faulconer, Amy B. Gruss

Publications

The effectiveness of traditional face to face labs versus non-traditional online, remote, or distance labs is difficult to assess due to the lack of continuity in the literature between terminology, standard evaluation metrics, and the use of a wide variety non-traditional laboratory experience for online courses. This narrative review presents a representative view of the existing literature in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of non-traditional laboratories and to highlight the areas of opportunity for research. Non-traditional labs are increasingly utilized in higher education. The research indicates that these non-traditional approaches to a science laboratory experience are as effective …

Working Out The Bugs: Piloting Library Instruction In An Online Entomology Graduate Program, Andrew Cano

UNL Libraries: Faculty Publications

Like most of its peer institutions, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries faced the challenge of meeting the needs of a growing number of students taking online courses. The author, hired as the new Virtual Learning Librarian in January 2016, was charged with creating a new Virtual Learning Program. This tutorials-based program was first fully implemented in a fully online Entomology graduate program. This paper summarizes the development of the Virtual Learning Program, how it was adapted to the Entomology program, and the initial results from the first semester of implementation.

A Comparison Of Online, Video Synchronous, And Traditional Learning Modes For An Introductory Undergraduate Physics Course, Emily K. Faulconer, John C. Griffith, Beverly Wood, Donna Roberts

Publications

While the equivalence between online and traditional classrooms has been well-researched, very little of this includes college-level introductory Physics. Only one study explored Physics at the whole-class level rather than specific course components such as a single lab or a homework platform. In this work, we compared the failure rate, grade distribution, and withdrawal rates in an introductory undergraduate Physics course across several learning modes including traditional face-to-face instruction, synchronous video instruction, and online classes. Statistically significant differences were found for student failure rates,grade distribution, and withdrawal rates but yielded small effect sizes. Post-hoc pair-wise test was run to determine …

Comparing The Self-Efficacy Of Dual Enrollment Students Taking Classes At The High School, At The College, And Online, Tyler Wallace

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal comparative study investigated how the modality of course content delivery impacts the self-efficacy of dual enrollment students. The problem was that it is unclear how the benefits of dual enrollment impact different student groups based on the location of the course. The purpose was to verify existing research linking higher college self-efficacy with participation in dual enrollment programs and to provide an initial understanding of how the benefit of higher levels of self-efficacy regarding college performance is distributed between students who take their dual enrollment courses in various modalities. Using the College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES), data …

Supporting English Learners In Your Online Courses, Cristina Cottom

Publications

Research shows that approximately a quarter of post-secondary students are enrolled in online courses (Smith, 2016). As online education continues to grow, so does the need for differentiated instruction in the online environment. Differentiating content, product, and/or processes can enable teachers to meet the language needs of English Learners (ELs) in their online course. ELs can vary from international study students to immigrant refugees students. In addition, the educational backgrounds and English proficiency can differ. Due to this variation of English skills, ELs often have increased needs in an online course because they are navigating two languages as well as …

Relationship Between Sense Of Coherence And School Connectedness Among Online Public High School Students, Brad Hilliard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between sense of coherence and school connectedness among online public high school students. The connection students make with their school can affect their well-being based on the stress they perceive from the school and its environment. The variables of interest were the sense of coherence score and the school connectedness score. A bivariate correlational research study was performed to determine if there was a significant relationship between the two variables. The sample was 83 high school students enrolled in an online public school. Each completed the Sense of Coherence – …

Student Perceptions Of Online Courses, Irma S. Jones, Dianna Blankenship

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Presently, at the post-secondary level, digital or online education is offered in addition to traditional face-to-face courses and the number of online course offerings is rapidly growing. The Occupational Outlook Handbook reveals that employment in” computer and information technology” occupations is projected to grow 12 percent between the years 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all other occupations. This is directly related to an emphasis on cloud computing, the collection, storage and connectivity of data to the Internet and the continued demand for mobile computing (Online Learning Consortium, 2015). This survey will describe online student perceptions and their …

Newsroom: A 'Rising Tide' Of Educational Opportunity 9/8/2016, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Online Classroom Culture Best Practices, Lisa Martino

Publications

Overcome challenges - create an online classroom culture.

In 2013, over five million post-secondary students enrolled in online courses in America (National Center for Education Statistics, 2016). Many universities strive to meet student demands for this online course modality. Challenges for online students continue to exist with (1) social isolation; (2) coursework confusion; and (3) lack of teacher presence (Milheim, 2012). Studies show that by creating an online classroom culture, faculty can overcome these challenges to foster and motivate online student engagement (Ladyshewsky, 2013; Milheim, 2014; Vesely, Bloom, Sherlock, 2007). In this conference presentation, the participants surveyed online classroom culture …

Sharing Your Student’S Research With Voicethread, Curtis Izen

Publications and Research

One of the ways of sharing your student's individual research with the entire class is using VoiceThread. This provides all students the ability to learn about everyone's work. This eliminates the barrier between the student and instructor.

Use Of An Lms In Undergraduate Business Communications Courses, Arlene J. Nicholas

Faculty and Staff - Articles & Papers

Does the current college population embrace the use of technology for classwork? They may be devoted users of text messaging, Facebook and even Google, but do they take advantage of the learning tools created for their specific coursework? Does it advance their knowledge or understanding of course objectives? The cost for the university licensing, faculty and staff effort to create, upload, troubleshoot and maintain is considerable. A small case study of Business Communication students who used a learning management system (LMS) was conducted. Analysis of this study and other recent research in this pedagogical method will be reported.

Transformation From Text To Voicethreads And Not Looking Back, Curtis Izen

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.