Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Problems And Possibilities: Public Online Learning And How Universal Design For Learning Mitigates Its Unique Challenges, Emma Mclaughlin

University Honors College

While online learning has been around for decades, the COVID-19 pandemic thrust it upon nearly every student enrolled in the public education system in America. For some students, this style of self-regulated learning is perfect for personalizing the curriculum to better pace, instruct, and implement content based on their individual needs. However, as the pandemic showed both students and teachers, children who are not cognitively developed enough to handle independent learning severely struggle to learn without the presence of a physical instructor. Despite these struggles from thousands of teachers and students, online learning is here to stay as administrators and …

Using Multiple Methods To Explore Antiracist Practices In A Cross Institutional Online Community, Mark Diacopoulos, Amanda Burbage, Kristen H. Gregory, Mary F. Rice

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

In this chapter, four white, cis-gender, teacher-educators engaged in a multiple method, cross-institution online collaboration during the dual pandemic of Covid-19 and structural racism. Using a book club reading schedule, arts based responses, problem posing, and memory work, the authors examined their experiences and reactions to the pandemic and concurrent incidences of structural racism. Drawing inspiration from Robinson and Robinson’s (2022) Imagine If, followed by Kendi’s (2019, 2023) How to be Antiracist, the authors describe how their online collaboration influenced their understanding of their past, helped them to unpack considerations of present problems in their practice, and helped them consider …

Inside Out Creativity: Nurturing Teachers As Creative Catalysts To Transform Education, Katie Ravich

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project is a thought piece aimed at re-evaluating and clarifying the potential of activating transformational creative change leadership in teachers. By embracing creativity as a human process, teachers can become catalysts for change within themselves and their students. This approach requires a nurturing and relational co-creative process, fostering a learning environment that values emotional well-being alongside intellectual growth for everyone. For teachers to stimulate others to be creative and innovative, they must challenge their own beliefs about creativity. There needs to be an explicit process that underpins these behaviors, integrated with a high level of emotional intelligence to nurture …

The Good, The Bad, And The In Between: The Effects Of Covid-19 And Remote Learning, Samantha Anastasio

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This Capstone Project delves into the perspectives of Bay High School teachers regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning on students' education. Through a thorough analysis of interviews and relevant research, the study aims to address and mitigate the learning setbacks experienced by students during this challenging period. With a focus on the two-year learning gap caused by remote learning and school closures, the researchers highlight the significance of understanding teachers' firsthand experiences and insights. They argue that the implementation of effective tutoring programs emerges as the most promising approach to bridge the education gap and support …

(De)Composition: Earthen Storytelling For Collective Liberation, Priya Subberwal

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This interdisciplinary portfolio is an investigation into ecological communication through pedagogical design, online collaborative learning spaces, digital and print media, and creative writing. Braiding lenses of queer ecology, decolonial studies, anarchism, and collaborative and creative practice, this work hopes to explore the field of environmental communication through avenues that are reciprocal, community-driven, and oriented towards environmental justice and collective, intersectional liberation. Through the three distinct components of 1) the creation and facilitation of an online learning community, the Spiritual Ecology Study Club at Advaya, 2) the editing and production of two issues of Camas Magazine, an environmental literary magazine based …

Examining The Effects Of Video-Enhanced Syllabi On Learner Motivation And Perception, Donna Holly Park

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Finding ways to motivate learners in online courses can be difficult when the interaction between the instructor and the learner is conducted through written text. The use of syllabi is an important component to help guide learners and provide them with course expectations. A poorly written or misinterpreted syllabus can contribute to a negative experience. When the syllabus is perceived in a way that promotes negative feelings, the learners may have a more difficult time being successful in the course. The purpose of this study was to determine how a video-enhanced syllabus affects motivation in an online course.

The courses …

College And Career Readiness Effects On Minority Male College Retention, Naquiyah Hodges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The continuously low college retention and low degree attainment of African American and Hispanic men is a generational and decades-long hindrance to the elevation of these marginalized communities in the United States and the state of Texas. In Texas, the last 3 years’ worth of data has proven college-readiness rates of African American and Hispanic college students were significantly lower by large margins than White students in English language arts, math, and both subjects by large margins. Consistent low college retention rates of minority men produce a need to conduct further research of how this phenomenon affects minority men …

Integrating Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Into Adult Education: Opportunities, Challenges, And Future Directions, Valerie A. Storey, Amiee Wagner

All Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This conceptual article provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration and its influence on adult education. It discusses generative AI technologies and their potential applications in adult education settings, examines the opportunities and ethical challenges associated with integrating AI, and provides insights into emerging trends. The article consists of five sections. The introduction provides a rationale as to why AI should be integrated into adult education. Second, it describes evolving AI technologies such as Large Language Models (LLM) for personalized learning, Machine Learning Algorithms for adaptive learning systems, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality …

Parity In Higher Education In Prison Programs: Does It Exist?, Michael Lee Griggs, Vianey Luna

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The expansion of college-in-prison (CIP) programs, especially in California, where incarcerated college enrollment increased from 11,472 students to over 15,000 in two years, has spotlighted higher education for incarcerated individuals. This increase, supported by legislation that expands funding for CIP programs and allows time off sentences for successful course/degree completion, is further bolstered by the restoration of Federal Pell funding for incarcerated students after a 28-year ban. Despite the acknowledged benefits of CIP programs in reducing recidivism and enhancing post-release outcomes, existing research highlights the need for additional exploration into the quality of CIP programs. Senate Bill 416 further emphasizes …

Burnout And Work Fatigue In Contingent Faculty During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gina Dimartino

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic and immediate shift to remote learning had a major impact on faculty and students in higher education institutions (HEIs). As a result of the pandemic, many stakeholders in HEIs have experienced burnout and work fatigue, specifically, contingent/adjunct faculty. Contingent/adjunct faculty comprise a majority of faculty who serve students in colleges and universities across the country.

As the needs of students increased during the pandemic, contingent/adjunct faculty experienced increased workloads due to the additional support needed by diverse and challenged students. This further intensified the unique challenges faced by contingent faculty that existed prior to the pandemic in …

Digital Literacy, Attitudes Toward E-Learning, And Task Value Roles In College Students’ Distance Learning Self-Regulation, Husnul Muasyaroh, Lucia R.M. Royanto

Psychological Research on Urban Society

The increased adoption of distance learning in higher education, which was especially evident in urban areas during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores the crucial role of self-regulated learning (SRL) skills. Although previous research demonstrated positive correlations between learner factors and SRL in distance education, a research gap exists in understanding the mediating and moderating roles of specific factors. This study addresses this concern by examining the relationship between digital literacy and SRL as mediated by attitude toward e-learning with task value as a moderator. The study recruited 538 college students (aged 17–25 years) from 10 public universities. Digital literacy was measured …

Responding To Chatgpt’S Impact On Higher Education Landscapes: Using Digital Initiatives To Support Undergraduate Information Literacy And Research Skills, Jayati Chaudhuri, Lettycia Terrones

Digital Initiatives Symposium

ChatGPT and AI technologies present novel and unforeseen challenges to the academic community, ushering in an intriguing era where the distinction between plagiarism and academic integrity can become less clear for many students. In response, the Cal State LA University Library created three new digital initiatives published on traditional and social media teaching platforms to help students understand how to avoid plagiarism and their use of ChatGPT in higher education. In the fall of 2023, librarians developed a new module focused on ChatGPT in higher education. The module enhanced the existing “Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism” self-paced Canvas student tutorial, which …

Quality Measurement Of Blended Learning Model In Higher Education: Scale Development And Validation, Rajeshwari Panigrahi, Khaliq Lubza Nihar, Neha Singh

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a scale for measuring the quality of blended learning models in higher education.

Methods: This research adopts a sequential mixed-method approach to construct a new measurement scale. The first phase consisted of the inductive approach to identify the items, followed by exploratory factor analysis. The identified dimensions were tested for reliability and validity in the second phase.

Results: The Blended Learning Quality Assessment (BLQA) contains 4 dimensions: Technology Integration, Pedagogy and Curriculum, Physical Infrastructure, and Educator Proficiency. The scale is comprised of 26 items assessing the quality of blended learning programs in …

The Effects Of Course Modality On Student Satisfaction And Academic Outcomes At A Liberal Arts College During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Suhua Dong

Institutional Research Staff Publications

Using student self-reports on a survey and objective records of academic achievement, I examined the effects of course modality on student satisfaction and academic outcomes at a selective liberal arts college in spring 2021. I compared three groups of undergraduates (N = 729) based on their predominant course modality: Online-Class Group, Residential Blended Learning Group, and Residential In-Person-Class Group. After controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, class level, and socioeconomic status, course modality demonstrated significant main effects on all three satisfaction variables and sense of connection a student felt to the institution. The Online-Class Group reported the lowest satisfaction with level of …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Media Literacy Competence During An Online Professional Development, Matthew Korona

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Although scholars and practitioners have suggested teachers integrate media literacy into content instruction to equip students with the skills needed to participate online, media literacy may be a new or underutilized concept for teachers. As teachers must acquire the necessary skills to educate students about media literacy, online professional development is an efficient method for teacher learning focusing on concepts often overlooked by school divisions such as media literacy. This case study examined the change in six high school teachers’ perceptions of their competence related to the instructional integration of media literacy while participating in an online professional development course. …

Understanding The Use Of Mobile E-Books Among Mathematics Postgraduates, Malathi Letchumanan

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The main objective of this study is to understand the factors that encourage the use of mobile ebooks among mathematics postgraduate students.

Method: This study employed a qualitative case study approach. Eight mathematics postgraduate students from the algebra research group participated in the study. Data were collected via interview and analyzed by using constant comparative analysis.

Results: Utilitarian, cognitive, affective, social norm, and content qualities were the main factors influencing the use of mobile ebooks among the participants.

Conclusions: Mobile ebooks are easy to use and provide a meaningful platform to find information. In addition, the mobile ebook …

Exploring Entrepreneurial Intention And Subjective Beliefs: A Comparative Analysis Of General Education Schools And Commercial Schools, Julia Riess, Bettina Fuhrmann, Gerhard Geissler

International Journal for Business Education

This study examines the entrepreneurial intentions of Austrian secondary school students, specifically comparing students from commercial schools with those from general education schools. We analyzed 2,329 data sets and found that subjective beliefs, primarily behavioral and control beliefs, significantly influence entrepreneurial intentions. In addition, demographic factors such as gender, language, acquaintance with entrepreneurs, and school type play a significant role in explaining the variance in entrepreneurial intentions.

Our detailed analysis shows that students from commercial schools have stronger entrepreneurial intentions and subjective beliefs. Particularly notable are the differences in behavioral beliefs, where students from commercial schools find all aspects of …

2024 Conference Program, Georgia Southern University

South East Coastal Conference on Languages & Literatures (SECCLL)

2024 Conference Program

Tools For Capturing Outcomes In Virtual Educational Programs, Leyla Marandi, Eleanor Haworth, Vikram Koundinya, Katherine Webb-Martinez, Kit Alviz

Journal of Extension

During the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations increased virtual programming and adoption of online technologies. This article outlines the [University redacted] assessment of tools for gathering data on participant learning outcomes from virtual educational programs. After assessing colleagues’ experiences and searching for new web applications, a central repository was created. [University redacted] team will use this information to assist extension professionals in collecting program planning and evaluation data. We believe that these tools can help other extension programs nationally and globally with similar efforts, as more virtual programming is likely to increase in the future.

Returning To School After A Pandemic: K-6 Education Teachers Perspectives On Low- Income Students Returning To School With Regard To Academic Achievement, Behavior, Mindset, And Social Connections, Sarah Orendorff

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine K-6 educators’ perceptions of the impact on low-income students returning to school after the trauma of a pandemic for 2 years with regard to behavior, academic achievement, mindset, and social connections.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed 12 K6 teachers who taught before, during, and after the pandemic in Orange County, CA. Semi-structured open ended interview questions was the main source of data collection with other sources including observations, and artifacts. Data was coded and the researcher analyzed the data for themes and patterns.

Findings: After analyzing data, codes, and themes …