Education Commons^™

Onboard From The Beginning: A Successful Library Partnership With A Distance Learning Phd Program, Anne Marie Casey

Anne Marie Casey

This presentation described the development of a distance education PhD program that included a librarian in the planning from the start. Beginning its fifth year, the PhD in Aviation Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) considers the library an integral part of its success. The presentation covered funding, ongoing library participation, and tips for involvement in planning.

Onboard From The Beginning: A Successful Library Partnership With A Distance Learning Phd Program, Anne Marie Casey

Staff Works - Hunt Library

This presentation described the development of a distance education PhD program that included a librarian in the planning from the start. Beginning its fifth year, the PhD in Aviation Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) considers the library an integral part of its success. The presentation covered funding, ongoing library participation, and tips for involvement in planning.

The Knowledge Base As An Extension Of Distance Learning Reference Service, Anne Marie Casey

Anne Marie Casey

This study explores knowledge bases as extension of reference services for distance learners. Through a survey and follow-up interviews with distance learning librarians, this paper discusses their interest in creating and maintaining a knowledge base as a resource for reference services to distance learners. It also investigates their perceptions about the feasibility and practicality of a reference knowledge base. Primary findings indicate that the majority of participants view a knowledge base as an extension of distance learning reference services positively but see issues related to workload and quality control, in particular, which might hinder the development and maintenance of this …

The Challenges Of Online Courses For The Instructor, Pearl Jacobs

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Universities across the country are steadily increasing their use of online courses. Society's demand for lifelong learning will encourage the advancement of distance learning. Research tells us that today the average person changes careers every ten years. In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that about 10% of workers change jobs every year. These trends suggest a constant need for continuing education and re-education. The online delivery of education is well suited for this. To be effective, however, there are several required components. This paper will review some of these essential components.

Virtual Learning As An Impetus For Educational Change: Charting A Way Forward For Learning In New Zealand, Michael K. Barbour, Derek Wenmoth

Education Faculty Publications

New Zealand has a long history [of] distance education in the schools sector, beginning with The Correspondence School over 90 years ago. Similar to many jurisdictions, as technology has evolved the schools sector has also evolved in how it has used that technology to provide learning opportunities at a distance. Each technology – from the print-based correspondence model to the current Internet-based virtual learning model – has forced educators to re-think how these educational opportunities are structured and delivered. Over the past two years, there have been significant events within the virtual learning community in New Zealand that place it …

Deep Learning Through Reusable Learning Objects, Rosalyn Rufer, Ruifang Hope Adams

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Being able to leverage an organization’s processes and core competencies to sustain its competitive advantage is important (Ray, Barney, & Muhanna, 2004). One learning objective of an on-line MBA is to teach students how to apply the VRIO (value, rarity, imitate, and operationalize) model, developed by Barney and Hesterly (2006), in order to identify an optimum strategy. However students in the program have had difficulty in understanding this model, partially because of the traditional pedagogy used in online teaching. This case study demonstrates how reusable learning objects (RLO) can facilitate knowledge in an online learningenvironment. The RLO developed and …

Exploring The Use Of Electronic Mobile Technologies Among Distance Learners In Rural Communities For Safe And Disruptive Learning, Gomang Seratwa Ntloedibe-Kuswani

Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation - Dissertations

Several studies indicated the potential of electronic mobile technologies in reaching (safe learning) under-served communities and engaging (disruptive learning) disadvantaged peoples affording them learning experiences. However, the potential benefits of (electronic mobile learning) e-mobile learning have not been well understood from the contexts of the under-served, disadvantaged, and marginalized groups in higher education of developing economies. The purpose of this study was to conduct an exploratory investigative context analysis of how current uses and impressions of electronic mobile technologies among distance learners in rural communities of Botswana can inform instructional design strategies for creating more powerful, safe and disruptive distance …

How Can Technology Make This Work? Preservice Teachers, Off-Campus Learning And Digital Portfolios, Wendy Moran, Les Vozzo, Jo-Anne Reid, Marilyn Pietsch, Caroline Hatton

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Utilising appropriate Information Communication Technologies (ICT) as instructional tools in teacher education can be a challenging yet worthwhile endeavour. This paper reports the difficulties and benefits of a recent inter-university project requiring preservice primary teachers to construct professional digital portfolios using the support of ICT. Challenges with regard to communication and learning were numerous as 34 preservice teachers (PSTs) from three universities in NSW (situated in country towns, and in Sydney) worked together as a collaborative learning community. Meeting regularly face-to-face during the 12-month process was not always possible and so ICT resources were employed to facilitate instruction and communication. …

Interactive Aphra: Skyping Behn Into Your Classroom, Cheryl Wanko

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640-1830

Beginning by asking how teachers manage the presence of the author in their literature classrooms, this article describes the classroom experiment of interviewing Karen Eterovich, an actor who portrays Aphra Behn, using Skype. It describes the planning and scripting processes, explains the particular interests of this group of students, and assesses the final activity. Questions arose about topics for the interview, appropriate ways for Behn to respond, and the need for a script. The pedagogical opportunities for preparing students as interviewers and of expanding their understanding of performance, historical reenactment, and the construct of the author are discussed. Possible extensions …

Modeling Spiritual Formation From A Distance - Paul's Formation Transactions With The Roman Christians, Benjamin Forrest

Benjamin Forrest

International Collaboration Of Distance Learning Universities For Online Learning In Indonesia, Diki Diki

LUX: A Journal of Transdisciplinary Writing and Research from Claremont Graduate University

Indonesian higher education must improve its enrollment as well as its quality. One possibility for improving the quality of distance learning universities is collaboration with foreign universities. This paper discusses models for international collaboration among distance learning universities. However, there are also several problems that may result from collaboration. As a consequence, the model of collaboration should include joint development of curriculum, quality assurance, and appropriate technology.

Primary And Secondary Distance Education: Expanding The Knowledge Base In The Schools Sector, Michael Barbour

Michael Barbour

Editorial introduction to Journal of Open, Flexible, and Distance Learning. Special Issue - Primary and Secondary Education 17.1 (2013):i-ii.

Pictures From An Exhibition… Of Online Learning: A Creative Representation Of Qualitative Data, Michael K. Barbour, Jason Paul Siko, Kaye Simuel-Everage

Education Faculty Publications

K-12 online learning at the K-12 level has been around for approximately two decades and is continuing to grow. While researchers have researched a variety of issues related to K-12 online learning, there has been little published on the student experience in web-based learning environments. In this article, two doctoral students were tasked with analyzing existing data, then representing and situating their findings in a format other than the traditional "results" and "discussion" sections found in a typical six-section journal manuscript. One student created an image that focused upon the tools used by the K-12 student in her online learning. …

Primary And Secondary Distance Education: Expanding The Knowledge Base In The Schools Sector, Michael Barbour, Keryn Pratt

Education Faculty Publications

The use of distance education at the primary and secondary levels began in New Zealand around 1922 with the introduction of The Correspondence School (Barbour, 2011a). The roots of web-based or online distance education in the schools sector trace back to 1993, and have been firmly entrenched in the nation’s schools sector since 2002 (Davis, 2010). With the implementation of the Rural Broadband Initiative and Ultra Fast Broadband in Schools programmes, there is an opportunity to develop research-based initiatives to leverage the learning potential provided by this increased connectivity. However, to date there has been little published research on the …

Academic Performance, Course Completion Rates, And Student Perception Of The Quality And Frequency Of Interaction In A Virtual High School, Abigail Hawkins, Charles R. Graham, Richard R. Sudweeks, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

This study examined the relationship between students’ perceptions of teacher–student interaction and academic performance at an asynchronous, self-paced, statewide virtual high school. Academic performance was measured by grade awarded and course completion. There were 2269 students who responded to an 18-item survey designed to measure student perceptions on the quality and frequency of teacher–student interaction. Quality of interaction was subdivided into three constructs representing feedback, procedural, and social interaction. A confirmatory factor analysis helped to establish the fit of the statistical model for teacher–student interaction. Hierarchical logistical regression indicates that an increase in the quality and frequency of interaction resulted …

Exploring Theatre Of The Oppressed And Media Synchronicity To Supplement Virtual Learning Environments: Experiences With Mados, Pedro Silva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explored the application of Media Synchronicity Theory and its potential for translating Critical Pedagogy (specifically Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed) into a computersupported collaborative work (CSCW) environment. It introduces the Maquina dos Oprimidos (Mados) prototype, a CSCW supplement to traditional asynchronous learning networks. Mados operates as a role-playing debate game, in which students debate a pre-selected prompt while performing assigned character roles. The study explores the prototype's potential to affect student's identification with their assigned character and personal attitude toward the prompt, as well as examining the effect of presence on students' performances. The study was performed with …

The Impact Of Student Retention Strategies: An Empirical Study, Elke Meyo Leeds, Stacy M. Campbell, Hope Baker, Radwan Ali, Dorothy Brawley, John Crisp

Faculty and Research Publications

A major concern for institutions and instructors is the high dropout rate of students in online courses. This study investigated the impact of student retention strategies on retention rates in an online information systems course. A treatment group exposed to retention strategies related to student engagement, learning communities, student services and learner centred environments was compared with a control group. Results suggested that retention strategies may not impact retention rates. This is important as faculty are routinely encouraged to implement similar strategies in online course design and delivery.

In Situ Vision: The Student Experience Of Collaborative Learning In A Virtual Drawing Class, Annette Cohen

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the construct of collaboration and the co-construction of knowledge in a distance learning drawing class. Distance learning drawing classes are rare, due to resistance by fine arts departments holding onto traditions that date back to Renaissance times. As a result, there is a paucity of literature on the subject. This multiple method study seeks an understanding of how students collaborate in critiques, form virtual communities and socially construct knowledge about learning how to draw. The study commences with the following three research questions: what social processes facilitate learning to draw from the …