Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Information Literacy In Moocs, Paul Bond

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

Information literacy is a vital yet under-appreciated part of education. Its advocates recognize it as the foundation for lifelong learning, and as a set of skills that must be developed throughout a person's education. Within academia at large, however, it is barely recognized at all. This paper discusses information literacy in the context of MOOCs, particularly of the connectivist variety. Models of information literacy and their accompanying standards are examined to establish connections to lifelong learning. The spectrum of MOOCs is discussed briefly, with an emphasis on connectivist MOOCs (cMOOCs) and their associated learning activities. These learning activities are then …

Students-Enthusiasts In Online Classes: Their Contribution To The Educational Process, Anna Toom

Graduate School of Education Publications and Research

In this work, the phenomenon of student enthusiasm was explored in a population of 47 students of Touro Graduate School of Education who took the author's online psychology course. The purpose of the study was to find how students-enthusiasts differ from classmates in their communication style(s) reflected in group discussions on the Discussion Board (DB). The research methodology included graphical and statistical analysis of students’ discussions. It was found that, although the enthusiasts constituted a small part (6%) of the investigated population, their contribution to the virtual learning environment was the greatest – they were catalyzers of the educational process. …

Dog Bite Reflections—Socratic Questioning Revisited, Cheri A. Toledo

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

In the online environment, the asynchronous discussion is an important tool for creating community, developing critical thinking skills, and checking for understanding. As students learn how to use Socratic questions for effective interactions, the discussion boards can become the most exciting part of the course. This sequel to the article “Does Your Dog Bite? Creating Good Questions for Online Discussions,” applies sound communication principles and the prior question of trust to show online instructors how to phrase probing questions to increase comfort for learners’ use. Based on the questions from the original “Does Your Dog Bite?” article, a variety of …

Distance Education And The Evolution Of Online Learning In The United States, Hope Kentnor

Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship

Online education is no longer a trend, rather it is mainstream. In the Fall of 2012, 69.1% of chief academic leaders indicated online learning was critical to their long-term strategy and of the 20.6 million students enrolled in higher education, 6.7 million were enrolled in an online course (Allen & Seaman, 2013; United States Department of Education, 2013). The advent of online education and its rapid growth has forced academic institutions and faculty to question the current styles and techniques for teaching and learning. As developments in educational technology continue to advance, the ways in which we deliver and receive …

Academic Honesty And The New Technological Frontier, Jennifer Deranek, Ceceilia Parnther

The Hilltop Review

As technological advances increase in higher education, there are increased opportunities to prevent cheating and promote academic integrity. Up to 90% of undergraduate and graduate students have reported cheating, and many students believe that academic dishonesty has become second nature (Stuber-McEwen, Wiseley & Hoggatt, 2009). An intentional effort to promote learning and growth for students and the institution is important for reputation, workplace honesty, and academic freedom. This paper identifies changes in the technological landscape of academic honor.

Keywords: technology, academic dishonesty

Ua68/2 Potter College Of Arts & Letters Interdisciplinary Studies, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Interdisciplinary Studies which include:

• African American Studies
• Asian Studies
• Canadian Studies
• Film Studies
• Latin American Studies

Measuring Engagement Of Online High School Students, Beth A. Robelia Ph.D.

2010-2016 Archived Posters

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore why online learners do not engage with their studies. Online high schools can create social change by creating learning environments that can flex place, pace, path and time. Theoretical constructs of student engagement were based on recent work in brick and mortar schools and adapted for an online context. Over 400 high school students were surveyed for their perceptions of what are the most engaging aspects of online learning. Twenty three teachers were interviewed about how they engaged students. Students who were engaged showed a pattern of having and keeping …

The Role Of Online College Courses In Rehabilitating Offenders, Niares Hunn

2010-2016 Archived Posters

Research and testimonial evidence indicate the importance of postsecondary education in the rehabilitating inmates and in decreasing reoffending. Limited research exists on improving critical thinking skills and cognitive processing among inmates. Results indicated that critical thinking skills improved for all students; there was no significant difference based on incarceration status.

Social Intelligence Of Undergraduates Enrolled In Traditional Vs. Distance Higher Education Learning Programs, Boderick Bennett

2010-2016 Archived Posters

Many academics, policy makers, and laypeople remain concerned that distance education can adversely affect one’s social development. The purpose of this quantitative study was to test that concern by comparing the social intelligence of distance undergraduates with the social intelligence of traditional undergraduates.

Peek Into The Future Of Education Using Glass, Allison Berger, Victoria Brown

FDLA Journal

Glass, an everyday material found in every home and school, now finds new life as part of some of the most cutting-edge technology available. Through their invention of Gorilla Glass®, Corning Glass Works has introduced a new type of glass that is both stronger and thinner. The enhanced glass finds new life in interactive glass walls, collaborative worktables, and even augmented reality glasses. As glass technology moves from the stuff of futuristic fantasy into actuality, the possibilities for its use in the world of education are numerous.

Building An Online Learning Community For Technology Integration In Education, Jennifer Lyn Reeves, Jason Karp, Gabriela A. Mendez, Julie Alemany, Maureen Mcdermott, Jia Borror, Berta Hayes Capo, Charles Andrew Schlosser

FDLA Journal

Our professional learning community (PLC), or the Technology Integration Learning Community (TILC), consists of nine professors from the Fischler College of Education at Nova Southeastern University who embody a wide range of knowledge and skills related to instruction, research, and technology. Our TILC provides a supportive, collaborative, safe, and non-judgmental environment for sharing that knowledge (and questions) about technology tools and ideas that can be used to enhance both instruction and learning. Through a self-study, the TILC developed a framework for members to improve their own effectiveness when working with students enrolled in their courses at both the graduate and …

Joining Forces: Enriching Rn To Bsn Education With Veteran-Centered Learning, Melissa Jones, Henny Breen

Faculty Publications

This article highlights the commitment of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to engage nursing schools to support the Joining Forces initiative by enhancing the education and preparation of the nation’s nurses to care for veterans, service members, and their families. The progress toward meeting the Joining Forces pledge and integrating veteran-centered learning in an online RN to BSN program is described.

Experiential Learning: Using Virtual Simulation In An Online Rn-Bsn Program, Henny Breen, Melissa Jones

Faculty Publications

This article highlights the innovative experiential learning used by an online RN-BSN program through the use of simulation that takes place in an online classroom. Three experiential learning activities using a virtual community are described. These learning activities engage the students in thinking about social justice and health policy as well as teaching concepts that include community, leadership, influence, advocacy, networking, collaboration, and vulnerable populations. These concepts are critical to the learning needs of diploma and associate degree-prepared nurses who wish to continue their education to be better prepared to meet the complex needs of today’s health care environment.

Assessing Online Collaborative Discourse, Henny Breen

Faculty Publications

This qualitative study using transcript analysis was undertaken to clarify the value of Harasim’s Online Collaborative Learning Theory as a way to assess the collaborative process within nursing education. The theory incorporated three phases: (1) idea generating; (2) idea organizing; and (3) intellectual convergence. The transcripts of asynchronous discussions from a two-week module about disaster nursing using a virtual community were analyzed and formed the data for this study.

This study supports the use of Online Collaborative Learning Theory as a framework for assessing online collaborative discourse. Individual or group outcomes were required for the students to move through all …

Using Grounded Action To Address Student Needs In The Cia/Rll Ed.D Doctoral Programs At Walden University, Debra Chester, Michelle Olsen, Karen Wiggins

2010-2016 Archived Posters

The success of any university is its ability to retain and promote its students from student admission to graduation. A grounded theory (GT) study was conducted investigating the experiences of new doctoral students at Walden University in 2013. The purpose of this study was to understand the new student experience which resulted in a (GT) that accounted for the main concerns of the doctoral student participants. The emergent core variable for the study was weighing in, a process that includes orienting, equipping, considering, and jumping in. Grounded action (GA) was applied using the explanatory theory of weighing in for mitigating …

Point-Of-Need Resources In The Lms: Providing Performance Support To Thousands Of Online Graduate Students, Kim Read, Maureen Morasch

CUP Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Study Of Competency-Based Courses Demonstrating A Potential Measure Of Course Quality And Student Success, Jackie Krause, Laura Portolese, Christopher Schedler

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

While competency-based education is growing, standardized tools for evaluating the unique characteristics of course design in this domain are still under development. This preliminary research study evaluated the effectiveness of a rubric developed for assessing course design of competency-based courses in an undergraduate Information Technology and Administrative Management program. The rubric, which consisted of twenty-six individual measures, was used to evaluate twelve new courses. Additionally, the final assessment scores of nine students who completed nine courses in the program were evaluated to determine if a correlation exists between student success and specific indicators of quality in the course design. The …

A Model Modality: Assessing The Educational Integrity Of The Blended Basic Course, Michael G. Strawser

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

The creation of a hybrid/blended basic course aligns with university goals and may increase viable curricular options for student success. If universities offer hybrid courses, they ought to do so based on data-driven evidence confirming that face-to-face (F2F) and hybrid courses are comparable. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the learning outcome achievement of students enrolled in a blended (hybrid) version of the basic course. More specifically, a comparative analysis of student affective, cognitive, and behavioral learning outcome achievement in face-to-face sections and hybrid sections was conducted. This study also examined affect for course delivery format for …

The Relationship Between Mobile Learning, Instructional Delivery, And Student Motivation In A Large Undergraduate Science Class, Kristen H. Gregory, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Science learning at the early undergraduate level provides a challenging context with large classes and many complex topics to unpack with the students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore: how students use mobile devices for learning in a large, undergraduate classroom; what types of instructional delivery could be used with the devices in this context; and if students were motivated to learn. Classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with the professor were reported and five patterns emerged from these data: connected, personal, multimodal, engaged, and class management. From the overall findings of these data, it would appear that …

The Dyslexic Issue: Resources For Parents, Teachers, And Related Professionals, Shawn D. Murphy

All Graduate Projects

This handbook and website project gives a thorough explanation of dyslexia, the history of dyslexia, and the latest resources available for parents, teachers, and related professionals who support students with dyslexia. The handbook and webpage will provide parents, teachers, and related professionals information which they may access in order to support students with dyslexia throughout their academic career. These resources will offer much-needed support for parents, teachers, and related professionals in learning how to properly identify the characteristics which are most often associated with dyslexia. Furthermore, they will provide an important myriad of resources for intervention for students with dyslexia …