Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Teaching Interactively Using Web-Conferencing: The Student Perspective, Pilar Pazos, Holly Handley, Shannon Bowling, Charles B. Daniels, Kim Sibson, Patrick Hester

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Department (EMSE) of Old Dominion University (ODU) Batten College of Engineering and Technology (BCET) has employed distance-learning technologies for well over three decades. Although the current technologies provide a valuable service for many geographically dispersed students, the faculty continues to explore additional distance learning tools, technologies and methods to promote more student participation and active learning. The goal of this paper is to describe and evaluate an innovative instructional approach using interactive web conferencing in hybrid courses. This paper will explore the use of web conferencing to teach graduate-level courses and explore the impact …

Using Poll Everywhere To Encourage Active Participation In A University Setting, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Community Of Inquiry Framework And Learning Outcomes, Jennifer Ann Maddrell

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

First described by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000), the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework suggests social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence are essential elements to foster successful educational experiences in computer-mediated higher education distance learning environments. While hundreds of CoI-based articles have been published since 2000, those critical of the framework and related research suggested a lack of empirical evidence to support the framework's central claim that a CoI leads to deep and meaningful learning outcomes (Rourke & Kanuka, 2009). The current study, conducted with 51 graduate students in five distance education courses at the same university, compared the …

From Walls To Steps: Using Online Automatic Homework Checking Tools To Improve Learning In Introductory Programming Courses, Dwayne Towell, Brent Reeves

School of Information Technology and Computing

We describe the motivation, design, and implementation of a web-based automatic homework checker for Programming I and Programming II courses. Motivated by a problem-based-learning approach, we redesigned our first course to have over 70 short programming assignments. The goal was to change conceptual "walls" into "steps", so that students would not feel overwhelmed at any point in time. At each step along the way, it must be clear where the student is and the next step must feel attainable. Over the last 3 years, we have learned much about proper "step-size" and sequencing of problems. We describe how current computer …

Evaluation Of Olpc Programs Global : A Literature Review, Dita Nugroho, Michele Lonsdale

Digital learning research

This literature review was undertaken by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) with the intention of identifying existing approaches to the evaluation of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) programs globally. It was expected that there would be few examples, partly because the OLPC program is a relatively recent initiative, and this has proved to be the case. The knowledge base is expanding, however, with more evaluations of OLPC deployments and one-on-one computing in general being conducted.

Evaluation Of One Laptop Per Child (Olpc) : Trial Project In The Solomon Islands, Acer

Digital learning research

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) was commissioned by the Solomon Islands Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) to undertake an evaluation of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) trial in three schools in Marovo Lagoon, Western Province. The evaluation was to be conducted in a very short timeframe and would consist mainly of interviews with teachers, students, parents and community members, together with a questionnaire distributed to a small number of MEHRD officers and other OLPC personnel. The key purpose of the evaluation was to identify the impact of the OLPC program and its strengths and …

Environmental And Psychological Factors Contributing To Student Achievement In A High School Online Mediated Credit Recovery Program, Sheila B. Huckabee

Education Dissertations and Projects

School districts around the country have sought to mitigate students' reasons for dropping out through a variety of approaches. A repeated theme in the dropout research is student course failure in key academic subjects needed for on-time promotion with grade-level peers. The crux of the problem is that within the traditional classroom environment, a significant number of students do not demonstrate the required level of academic skills and knowledge needed to pass specific state and district mandated courses, which ultimately decreases their ability to advance to the next grade and graduate in 4 years.

The purpose of this dissertation study …

U.S. Virtual School Trial Period And Course Completion Policy Study, Abigail Hawkins, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

Variation in policies virtual schools use to calculate course completion and retention rates impacts the comparability of these quality metrics. This study surveyed 159 U.S. virtual schools examining the variability in trial period and course completion policies--two policies that affect course completion rates. Of the 86 respondents, almost 70% had trial periods that varied from 1 day to 185 days. Course completion definitions varied from remaining in the course irrespective of the final grade to receiving an A- in the course. Such wide variation renders the completion and retention rate metrics useless. We recommend virtual schools adopt consistent measures for …

Scoping Study To Investigate Online Learning Environments To Facilitate Evidence Sharing By Literacy And Numeracy Practitioners (Lnet Project), Michele Lonsdale, Alana Deery, Gerry K. White, Carol Skyring

Digital learning research

The purpose of the scoping study was to identify effective online interfaces or learning environments that provide education stakeholders with opportunities to share examples of good practice, ideas and quality resources. A review of the literature was undertaken and consultations carried out with a wide range of education stakeholders via focus groups, telephone interviews, videoconference and online survey. Those consulted included ICT experts, representatives of professional education associations, teachers, and personnel from state and territory Independent, Catholic and government jurisdictions. The main obstacles to usage continue to be lack of time and lack of confidence among teachers. School leadership that …

E‑Learning Success Model: An Information Systems Perspective, Anita Lee-Post

Marketing & Supply Chain Faculty Publications

This paper reports the observations made and experience gained from developing and delivering an online quantitative methods course for Business undergraduates. Inspired by issues and challenges experienced in developing the online course, a model is advanced to address the question of how to guide the design, development, and delivery of successful e‑learning initiatives based on theories of a user‑centered information systems development paradigm. The benefits of using the proposed model for e‑learning success assessment is demonstrated through four cycles of action research after two action research cycles of pilot study. Findings from our empirical study confirm the value of an …

Case Study Of Connected Knowing In An Online Learning Environment, Jaya Kannan, John Laurence Miller

CTL Publications

This paper reports a single-subject case study designed to investigate the role of group discussion in student learning. The group discussion took the form of contributions to a series of online discussion boards. And our analysis focuses on the contribution of one group member. We argue that this individual came to serve as a catalyst to learning for many group members because of the concomitant roles that she came to occupy.

A Comparison Of Instructional Delivery Methods Based On Student Evaluation Data, John Hackworth, Carol Considine, Vernon Lewis

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Distance Education is an increasingly common educational delivery method. At Old Dominion University, all junior and senior level engineering technology courses are offered via distance education at least once every two years. A majority of courses in the distance education system at this university have three simultaneous delivery methods: on-campus, televised (receiving the course at an off-campus site via satellite video/audio), and internet-based video-streamed.

This paper explores the results of student course evaluation surveys for trends, in particular those trends which can be a result of the mode of delivery. Results of these surveys for 23 courses over a 4-year …

Digital Learning: An Australian Research Agenda, Gerald K. White

Digital learning research

The purpose of this paper is to provide some suggestions for consideration of directions for Australian educational research about ICT in education, more recently being called digital learning. A number of agencies in Australia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA have already embarked on developing research agendas and undertaking research into the use of digital learning. This report highlights some of the significant areas in which research has been undertaken and isolates those areas where there may be a need for further research or where there are gaps in the research agenda for Australia. This paper is …

A Framework For Process Reengineering In Higher Education: A Case Study Of Distance Learning Exam Scheduling And Distribution, M'Hammed Abdous, Wu He

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

In this paper, we propose a conceptual and operational framework for process reengineering (PR) in higher education (HE) institutions. Using a case study aimed at streamlining exam scheduling and distribution in a distance learning (DL) unit, we outline a sequential and non-linear four-step framework designed to reengineer processes. The first two steps of this framework – initiating and analyzing – are used to initiate, document, and flowchart the process targeted for reengineering, and the last two steps – reengineering/ implementing and evaluating – are intended to prototype, implement, and evaluate the reengineered process. Our early involvement of all stakeholders, and …

A Digital Education Revolution : Realising The Possibilities, Managing The Realities, Linda Rosman, Gerald K. White, Kerry-Anne Hoad

Digital learning research

This report presents the outcomes of the series of Symposia 'A Digital Education Revolution; realising the possibilities, managing the realities'. ACER initiated the Symposia, developed the program, delivered research content and managed the promotions and coordination for each event. ACER proposed the series of Symposia in response to the current interest, conversations and debate within schools and systems. The goals of the Symposia were to illuminate the possibilities and the realities of the DER initiative through informed presentations, discussions, debates and conversations, and to provide feedback to DEEWR on the school based concerns and key issues that emerged. ACER initially …

Ict Trends In Education, Gerald K. White

Digital learning research

The use of information and communications technology (ICT) in education is a relatively new phenomenon. Educators, researchers and thinkers have taken up the challenges of using ICT since the 1980s with varied success. The advent of the internet and the World Wide Web has pressured new productivity and service demands as well as expectations on these endeavours although research to guide best practice remains scant and elusive. This discussion about the trends occurring in ICT in education and research begins with a brief history. The brief history of ICT raises a number of issues that provide options for thinking about …

Predicting Student Performance In Web-Based Distance Education Courses Based On Survey Instruments Measuring Individual Traits And Technical Skills, Michael Clyde Hall

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two common web-based surveys, "Is Online Learning Right for Me?' and "\Vb.at Technical Skills Do l Need~", were combined into a single survey instrument and given to 228 on-campus and 83 distance education students. The students were enrolled in four different classes (business, computer infonnation services, criminal justice, and early childhood development) on three different regional campuses of a mid-western community college. :Multiple regression equations were developed with the survey scores and the type of class to determine the extent to which the survey scores predicted final semester grade percentages. Although distance education students scored significantly higher on the survey …

Is Identical Really Identical? An Investigation Of Equivalency Theory And Online Learning, Ruth Lapsley, Brian Kulik, Rex Moody, J. B. (Ben) Arbaugh

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Business

This study investigates the validity of equivalency theory among 63 students by comparing two introductory upper-division human resource management courses: one taught online, the other in a traditional classroom. Commonalities included same term, same professor, and identical assignments/tests in the same order, thus allowing a direct comparison of course outcomes. MANCOVA results supported equivalency theory, and further suggest that the online learning pedagogy may be superior in its overall effect on student performance.

Evaluation Of An Adult Education Technology Program, Iwasan D. Kejawa

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the adult education technology program at a chartered alternative adult education center in Florida. The adult education center had a low rate of students passing the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). This study examined the impact of the use of computer technology in an effort to improve student learning in mathematics, reading, and science. Computers at the institution were used by all students for tutorials to prepare them for the FCAT and to obtain a high school diploma. The research questions for this study were as follows: 1. Is the education technology …

Portrait Of Rural Virtual Schooling, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

Over the past two decades, distance education has become a reality of rural schooling in Newfoundland and Labrador. In this article, I provide historical background into the challenges facing rural schools in the province and how distance education was introduced to address that challenge. I also describe how that system of distance education evolved from a system that used the telephone lines and bridging technology to one that uses a combination synchronous and asynchronous system delivered over the Internet. Finally, I examine recent literature concerning the nature of today’s secondary students that would need to avail of this system and …

Student Use Of, And Engagement With, Information Technology, John Ainley, Laura Engers

Digital learning research

The emergence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has changed the nature of the learning environments experienced by school students. ... The connection between the learner and the learning environment is central to understanding how virtual learning environments motivate or engage students... The research literature on engagement in general has distinguished between three forms of engagement; behavioural, emotional and cognitive. These distinctions provide a means by which students? engagement with information technology can be described. Behavioural engagement refers to participation (both how much and in what forms) in technology-related activities. In this context behavioural engagement pre-supposes opportunities to engage with …

Who’S Researching Virtual Schools?: A Case For Instructional Technologists, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

Over the past 11 years, virtual schooling has gone from isolated experiments to a reliable alternative to a brick and mortar education. However, during this time, little research has been conducted into how these learning opportunities are and should be provided to their adolescent audiences. Even more troubling is that very few of these researchers are from the field of instructional technology. In this article, I discuss those who have been involved in this early research and then make a case for the value that instructional technologists can bring to this emerging field.

National Assessment Program : Ict Literacy Years 6 & 10 Report 2005, John Ainley, Julian Fraillon, Chris Freeman, Ministerial Council On Education, Employment, Training And Youth Affairs (Mceetya)

ICT - Digital Literacy

Australia's national goals for schooling assert that when students leave school they should be: confident, creative and productive users of new technologies, particularly information and communication technologies, and understand the impact of those technologies on society. The Australian National Assessment Program includes the systematic assessment of the extent to which this goal is being achieved through triennial sample surveys of students in Years 6 and 10. This report is based on the assessment of ICT literacy conducted in October 2005. It describes the development of a computer-based tool for assessing ICT literacy among school students and the application of that …

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Ranks And Factors Contributing To K-12 Website Accessibility And Usability For People With Visual And Auditory Disabilities, Frank A. Cappelle

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Technological Literacy – Not Just You And Your Computer, Joseph Scarcella, Susan Daniels

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

One might argue that the word technology is one of the most misunderstood and misused terms in common usage today. Many believe technology to be synonymous with computers, the internet and other high-tech media. This is limited and short sighted view indeed! Technology encompasses both simple and complex artifacts used daily. Pencils, toothbrushes, zippers and toothpicks – not to mention Velcro (!) – for instance, are all examples of what might be considered relatively modern examples of technology. Often, the wonder of “everyday” invention is lost in our current notions of technology. Yet, it is an investigative inquiry into the …

Assessing Students’ Online Learning: Strategies And Resources, Patricia Comeaux

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

Explore key strategies used by experienced online instructors, and learn about the wealth of resources for designing assessment instruments integral to online learning.

Determining Which Delivery Styles Are Best Suited For Instructing In The Distance Learning Environment, James T. Schultz, Marian C. Schultz, Thomas G. Henkel

Publications

The purpose of this study was to ascertain if there is a specific style of teaching which is better suited for the distance learning (virtual) environment, as opposed to the traditional classroom environment. Numerous studies have shown that individuals have different delivery styles in the classroom. The study utilized instructor delivery styles and faculty perceptions of distance learning programs to develop an instrument which identifies the style that would be more successful in the distance learning environment. The study employed an author developed instrument, which included a derivative of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI) instrument, to determine the teaching …

Indicators Of Quality In Internet-Based Distance Education: An Empirical Investigation Of Faculty Perceptions At Two-Year Colleges, Deborah A. Halik

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

may exist between the presence and importance perceptions of faculty. Lastly, the study tested for differences between full and part-time faculty perceptions on the importance of quality indicators. Data was collected using a survey instrument developed by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP). The population of interest for this study was full-time and part-time Internet-based distance education faculty from two-year community colleges in the Midwest. Descriptive results were presented as well as t-test analyses investigating the differences of interest described above. The study found that when comparing Internet-based distance education faculty perceptions of quality indicators in Internet-based distance education, …

Learning Styles: A Focus Upon E-Learning Practices And Pedagogy And Their Implications For Designing E-Learning For Secondary School Students In Newfoundland And Labrador, Morris Cooze, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

With the increase of online learning in the K-12 environment, research must turn to specific studies focused upon this level. One area of investigation surrounds the development of online course content and individualised student learning styles. This review found that although there is a vast body of research concerning online learning in the post-secondary environment, this is not true for K-12 education. Recent studies have begun the discussion for secondary school students as online learning becomes more prevalent and accepted as a means of learning. The lessons that these studies bring forward may be of particular interest to instructional designers …