Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Engaging Online Learners Through A Technological Competencies Training For Student Services Professionals: An Action Research Study On Professional Development, Doungchit Sakoonphong

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand Student Services professionals’ perceptions of their technological competencies as they engage with students online and what an institution in the California community college system could do to develop technological competencies in Student Services classified professionals. Three questions guided this study and they were: (1) what technological competencies do California community college Student Services professionals indicate they have in order to engage with students online, (2) how does an online professional development training course increase technological competencies in California community college Student Services professionals so that they can engage with students online, (3) …

Effective Resources For Online Learning A Study On Elementary Aged Children, Marlene Mora-Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify which resources have been most effective by examining an elementary school site with 22 parent and teacher participants. The increase in online learning in the past 5 years across kindergarten through 6^th grade students required educators and students to know which are the most effective and relevant resources that supplement learning. Online Google surveys were used to gather data which was inputted into SPSS to examine a univariant analysis. The results determined Lexia Core 5 to be the best resource for academic improvement and Google Classroom to be the most effective …

Doctoral Students' Experiences Of Community Of Practice In A Hybrid Cohort-Based Program: A Case Study, Celeste Avery

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Graduate enrollment in the United States is increasing. With the advent of the cohort learning model and online delivery methods, adult learners now have greater access to higher education. The cohort learning model, which is based on elements of Community of Practice, has been shown to provide learners with a sense of community while also having a positive impact on retention. In a hybrid cohort-based learning model, many institutions provide the convenience of both online and face-to-face classes. Doctoral student attrition remains high, ranging from 40-50% across all programs, with rates as high as 70% in Education programs. The purpose …

Faculty-Leader Relationships And Work Engagement: A Mixed-Methods Study, Sonya Davidson Kopp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Nearly three-fourths of faculty at U.S. institutions of higher education (IHEs) are classified as non-tenure track faculty (NTTF), and more the 70% of higher education students had taken online courses following the move to emergency online instruction in 2019. Remote faculty relationships with leaders have been shown to play a vital role in faculty satisfaction and engagement with their work. This convergent parallel mixed-methods study was guided by the following research questions: Primary Research Question 1 (RQ1) - What is the relationship between faculty-leader relationship and work engagement when controlling for faculty classification (lead faculty, full-time faculty, or part-time faculty), …

Perception Of Social Media As Seen By Educational Leadership Online Graduate Students, Todd Emma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand student perceptions of social media as they relate to the programs of study for online graduate students participating in an educational leadership department (hereafter referred to as EDLR) in Tennessee. As institutions of higher education are being affected by declining enrollments, increasing tuition, rising numbers of nontraditional students, global events, and continuing budget cuts, understanding student perception of the educational experience is a fundamental element for understanding ways to address the uncertain future of higher education. Through a series of in-depth interviews, data were collected and analyzed to provide a framework …

A Qualitative Case Study On How The Transition To Remote Learning Affected Elementary Language Arts Instruction During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Matthew B. Bergman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emergency remote learning (or remote learning) altered K-12 instruction and occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020. Mandatory lockdowns and social distancing efforts transformed face-to-face instruction into a new pedagogical model called emergency remote learning or remote learning. In this qualitative case study, I aimed to understand how third-grade language arts instruction was affected during the transition to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of general education teachers, learning support teachers, school administrators, and residential care providers. Additionally, the researcher used Moore’s (1997) transactional distance theory to investigate which strategies (methods, materials, and technologies) …

Instructional Technology Implementation: Barriers Impacting Student Success, Roxanna Zendejas

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this comparative case study is to explore the benefits of effective technology integration in the classroom, as well as the best teaching practices related to instructional technology. It was designed to identify (a) educator beliefs, (b) digital divide, as well as other barriers, and (c) best practices and instructional strategies.

Methodology. This qualitative comparative case study research design explored the best practices of 10 middle school teachers by using a semi-structured interview protocol. A qualitative design was selected to focus on an individual, partnership, small group, and organization. Using comparative case study allowed the researcher to …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Elementary And Secondary Music Education, Colette Stefaniak

Student Theses

This paper will highlight several key effects the COVID-19 pandemic had on elementary and secondary music education. The 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic drastically changed music education for both elementary and secondary institutions. Changes made to music curriculums to adapt to an online teaching environment have had both positive and negative effects on post-pandemic music education. This paper will discuss how the 2020 pandemic has created a different learning environment for elementary music classrooms, music ensembles, and private lessons.

General Chemistry Students’ Perceptions Of Remote/Online V. In-Person Education During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sabeeka Raza, Abigale Ly

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

As a result of the sudden nationwide lockdowns that occurred in March of 2020, many universities rapidly shifted to remote instruction. This complete and rapid transformation of the education system is one that is historically unparalleled. Professors and instructors were forced to adapt their lessons and exams to an online format within a matter of weeks (Rupnow et al., 2020). Students were forced to adjust to a remote learning environment, which was accompanied by the challenges of adopting new learning strategies in an environment isolated from peers and professors (Simon et al., 2020). While many classes have now shifted back …

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. …

Comparing The Experience Of Pre-Service Teachers In The First And Final Semesters In Online Learning Using A Focus Group Study, Suyatno Suyatno, Sibawaihi Sibawaihi, Wantini Wantini, Dzihan Khilmi Ayu Firdausi, Lilis Patimah

The Qualitative Report

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, online learning has become the innovation and an alternative virtual education adopted by universities, due to campus closures. The sudden adoption of the innovation without prior preparation and training causes the ineffective implementation of online learning in most institutions. Based on this description, insufficient information is available regarding the experiences of the student population, which are the most affected by online learning in higher education. Therefore, this study aims to explore the experiences of pre-service teachers regarding their numerous abilities to provide a good online learning program. Using a qualitative focus group study design, data …

Faculty Perceptions Of Health Professional Students’ Hybrid-Online Learning Strategies: A Multi-Center Qualitative Study, Evan M. Pucillo, Gabriela Perez, Leiselle Pilgrim

Health Professions Education

Purpose. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the utilization of hybrid-online and fully-online instruction in health professional education. Physical (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) programs have become increasingly reliant upon this mode of instruction. Therefore, it is important to understand advising strategies for this educational environment. Faculty advisors may endorse specific learning strategies over others. However, advising strategies of faculty are not well represented in the scientific literature. Methods. A qualitative phenomenological design used a six-item, open-ended questionnaire to purposefully survey faculty members teaching and advising students in hybrid-online PT and OT graduate programs during COVID-19. Dedoose® v.9.4 qualitative software (Los Angeles, …

Simulating Function Generators And Oscilloscopes In A Virtual Laboratory Environment, Yiyang Li, Yuzhong Shen, Charles I. Sukenik

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

This paper discusses the development of a virtual laboratory for simulating electronic instruments commonly used in science and engineering courses, such as function generators and digital storage oscilloscopes. Mathematical equations are used to represent continuous signals and ensure signal integrity, while C# delegates are adopted to enable communication between simulated devices. The approach allows for loose coupling between software components and high cohesion of individual components, and can be applied to other virtual laboratory developments. The virtual laboratory provides a means for students to gain hands-on experience with electronic instruments and improve their understanding of theoretical concepts.

Exploring Critical Media Health Literacy (Cmhl) In The Online Classroom., Laura Squires, Adrienne Peters, Linda Rohr

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Critical media health literacy (CMHL) is concerned with identifying healthrelated messages in the media, acknowledging the potential effects on health behaviours, critically analyzing the content of the message, and the subsequent application of the message to one’s health behaviours (Levin-Zamir & Bertschi, 2018). This exploratory research examined the CMHL skills of students (n = 120) in an entry-level, online asynchronous health and wellness course, by examining their ability to think critically about health-related themes presented in news media articles online and apply course-based knowledge during a Twitter event. Employing a content analysis of tweets from the event, students were found …

“It’S Not Always Poor Decisions”: Shifts In Business Student’S Attitudes Toward Poverty After Completing Spent, Jessica M. Parks

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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This Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) study examined whether undergraduate business students reported having different attitudes towards poverty after completing SPENT. SPENT is an open-access, digital poverty simulation offered through Urban Ministries of Durham. The author used the Reflexive Thematic Analysis approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to analyze 17 student reflection papers. The students were enrolled in an introductory finance course at a small teaching institution in the Southwest. The student reflection paper prompts were based on the four-phase Experiential Learning Model (Kolb, 1984). The author constructed four themes about …

Promoting Student Reflection Through Reflective Writing Tasks, Elena Taylor

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Reflection is a necessary component of learning. Through reflective assignments and tasks, students are given opportunities to evaluate their learning and analyze strategies they use while acquiring and applying course material. Reflections also help students assess and think deeply about the information presented in class and thus better retain it. Through reflecting on their learning, students are also given the opportunity to formulate goals for future improvement. Reflective tasks can be implemented in any classroom, and writing is a powerful tool to do that. This article describes several writing tasks that …

Crisis Meets Opportunity: Empowering Faculty When Returning To The Higher Education Classroom​, Nicole Luongo, Michael Finetti, Kimberly Case, Jay Garrels, Renee Evans

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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This article presents information surrounding how the COVID-19 crisis can lead to opportunities for empowering growth in faculty course development and delivery. The authors show how higher education instructors have implemented remote teaching experiences they used during the pandemic to create engaging learning opportunities for students as they are returning to the higher education classroom. The article explores innovative ideas for communication and instruction, equity issues, and inclusive practices. The authors address the overall changing higher education climate and share their personal experiences transitioning from teaching in a face-to-face setting to …

On Becoming Online Educators: Developing Hybrid Learning-Centered Pedagogy, Rachel Toncelli Edd, Leila Rosa Phd

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Recent global events pushed in-person learning to online formats. As K-12 teachers struggled with shifting from in-person to online teaching while adapting and adjusting instruction, and higher education prepared to do the same, two faculty members in a TESOL teacher preparation program joined forces to question assumptions about online teaching, reflect on praxis, and revisit pedagogy and practices through a critical autoethnographic study. Building from adult constructivist learning theory and collegial inquiry, the researchers utilized the pandemic as a stage for innovation and an opportunity to study their own ability, as …

A Participatory Exercise In Developing Syllabi With Adult Learners, Laneshia Conner, V. Nikki Jones, Jason P. Johnston

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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Transformative participatory approaches in education are positioned to challenge traditional models where instructors bear all responsibility for knowledge creation and learners are passive recipients of knowledge. The promotion of participatory learning and critical pedagogy is essential to helping professionals seeking to understand oppressive structural barriers and employing strategies to dismantle these structures. This article describes a participatory approach undertaken to guide learners through an exercise to co-create syllabus content in a graduate social work course. Learners identified three themes, concerns, fears, and problems, related to the course material. Learners were also …

Introduction For Spring 2023 Issue, Nichelle Frank

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

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An introduction to the Spring 2023 issue of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence.