Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 1, Issue 1

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

For our inaugural issue, we reviewed the feedback from our 2016 ETE faculty conference—an event for USU faculty hosted every August on the USU main campus. We identified several of the presenters who received high marks in post-session surveys and invited them to submit a proceedings paper for their presentation. Many responded, and their papers now comprise the majority of this issue. Because most of the articles began as stand-up presentations for a conference, several adopt a first-person narrative style in which the authors share examples of things they have tried in their teaching that have worked. In the process …

Site Joint Sig Symposia: A Collaboration Between The K-12 Online Learning Sig And Distance Learning Sig: How Higher Education And K-12 Online Learning Research Can Impact Each Other, Rick Ferdig, Leanna Archambault, Kerry Rice, Margaret Niess, Trisha Litz, Amy Garrett-Dikkers, Aimee Whiteside, Michael Barbour, David Marcovitz, Antoinette Davis

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Facilitated by Rick Ferdig of Kent State University and editor of JTATE, this Symposia brings together the work of the K-12 Online Learning SIG and the Distance Learning SIG communities and focuses on presentations from scholars in the field whose work has implications for both higher education and K-12 online learning. This Symposia will have nine panelists who will each present their work and then talk specifically about how their work can inform both K-12 and HE. Included in the list of Higher Education-focused panelists are Trisha Litz of Regis University, Maggie Niess of Oregon State University, Antoinette Davis of …

English Language Competence: Why English Matters In Higher Education In Kenya, Ukaiko A. Bitrus-Ojiambo, Iddah Wayumba Mwaura, Annette Lutivini Majanja

ECTESOL Review

English is an international language, used in many countries for business, tourism, and education (Roy-Campbell, 2014; Crystal, 2003). In Kenya, it is the official language and language of instruction. The country boasts high youth literacy rates 93% (UNESCO, 2012). As university instructors, we have observed that although students have been in the formal educational system for a minimum of 9 years, their output does not match university expectations (KICD, 2016, p. 44; Jayasundara & Premarathna, 2011; Njoroge, 2008). This study assesses English language use in a Kenyan institution of higher education, identifies emergent linguistic patterns, and suggests some solutions to …

Site Joint Sig Symposia: A Collaboration Between The K-12 Online Learning Sig And Distance Learning Sig: How Higher Education And K-12 Online Learning Research Can Impact Each Other, Rick Ferdig, Leanna Archambault, Kerry Rice, Margaret Niess, Trisha Litz, Amy Garrett-Dikkers, Michael K. Barbour

Facilitated by Rick Ferdig of Kent State University and editor of JTATE, this Symposia brings together the work of the K-12 Online Learning SIG and the Distance Learning SIG communities and focuses on presentations from scholars in the field whose work has implications for both higher education and K-12 online learning. This Symposia will have nine panelists who will each present their work and then talk specifically about how their work can inform both K-12 and HE. Included in the list of Higher Education-focused panelists are Trisha Litz of Regis University, Maggie Niess of Oregon State University, Antoinette Davis of …

Fostering Student Engagement: Creating A Culture Of Learning Online, Robin G. Isserles

Occasional Paper Series

The author addresses the ways in which distance learning offers possibilities for mitigating inequitable access to higher education — supporting community college students’ ability to take ownership of their learning, and encouraging them to think critically about what they are learning.

Comparison Of Online And Onsite Students’ Learning Outcomes And Experiences In A Massively Open Online Course In China, Weichao Chen, Jiyou Jia

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

This paper compares the achievements and learning experiences of onsite and online students participating in a Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) in China. Altogether 192 Chinese students learned face-to-face, and another 311 Chinese learners participated online. In regard to learning performance, onsite learners had a lower attrition rate than the online students. However, for learners who had completed all their learning assignments, no significant difference was detected between the onsite and online participants’ average assignment scores, and they were equally likely to win two of the learning awards. As to their learning experiences, there was also no significant difference between …

Community College Student Success In Online Versus Equivalent Face-To-Face Courses, Cheri B. Gregory

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As part of a nationwide effort to increase the postsecondary educational attainment levels of citizens, colleges and universities have expanded offerings of courses and programs to more effectively meet the needs of students. Online courses offer convenience and flexibility that traditional face-to-face classes do not. These features appeal to students with family and work responsibilities that typically make attending classes on campus difficult. However, many of the students who tend to take courses in this instructional format have characteristics that place them at high-risk for academic failure. Because of the traditional mission of community colleges, they generally serve more students …

Quality Assurance In Online Graduate Education: Program Review Processes And Assessment Techniques Used In Higher Education, Lindsay N. Turner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose for conducting the study was to form an understanding of the online program assessment and assessment processes in higher education, and how program review processes were adopted and implemented through institutional policies in regard to industry quality assurance standards. The study looked at institutions classified as very high, high, or research universities by the Carnegie Classifications, and which offered online masters programs focused on preparing students for positions in educational administration or leadership roles. The study used an electronic survey and content analysis through institutional policy and quality assurance documents to develop a recommendation for institutional level quality …

How To Double Or Triple Student Participation/Engagement In Threaded Class Discussions Without Being Coercive Or Punitive, Robert W. Hill

Faculty Presentations

In this highly-interactive session, industry best practices will be shared along with an exclusive look at the instructor’s own current semester class discussion boards to demonstrate specific strategies/techniques he employs to maximize students’ engagement and to foster a safe online learning community. Audience members will immediately be able to apply some of these pedagogical methods to their own current classes that very day.

Community In The Telepresence Classroom, Jason A. Kaufman, G. David Mcnay

Educational Leadership Department Publications

We have been conducting surveys of our telepresence students at MSU since the spring of 2014. Initially (with our colleague Candace Raskin), we focused on students in our Educational Leadership Department; we subsequently extended our study to students in telepresence courses across campus. Our goal throughout has been to better understand how students experience telepresence courses and how we might improve the way in which we teach them. Here, we describe our findings thus far and offer a few recommendations for improving the student experience in telepresence courses.

Looking Through The Webcam Lens: Reflections On Moving Assessment Courses From Face-To-Face To Online, Jessica Rueter, Frank Dykes

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article presents one university’s transition from a traditional face-to-face graduate program of special education with certification as an educational diagnostician to an online format. More specifically, the authors describe the development of assessment courses when teaching norm-referenced instruments in online environments. Strengths and weaknesses are presented and recommendations for other faculty members are discussed.

Nontraditional Student Risk Factors And Gender As Predictors For Enrollment In College Distance Education, Tammy Crews Pao

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine whether nontraditional student age, female gender, and the possession of nontraditional student risk factors predict enrollment in distance education college courses. This dissertation used data from the most recent National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:12), which consisted of approximately 95,000 undergraduate students who were enrolled in higher education in 2011-2012. The results of a logistic regression analysis indicated that both nontraditional student age and female gender were strong predictors of enrollment in distance education, whereas the number of nontraditional student risk indicators was a partial predictor. As leaders in higher education are …

Effective Teaching Practices In Online Higher Education, Kim Mcmurtry

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

In the context of continuing growth in online higher education in the United States, students are struggling to succeed, as evidenced by lower course outcomes and lower retention rates in online courses in comparison with face-to-face courses. The problem identified for investigation is how university instructors can ensure that effective teaching and learning is happening in their online courses. The research questions were:

1. What are the best practices of effective online teaching in higher education according to current research?
2. How do exemplary online instructors enact teaching presence in higher education?
3. What are the best practices of effective online teaching in …

Nsu Certificate Of Advance Graduate Studies Curriculum 2016, Nova Southeastern University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

Retention Of Community College Students In Online Courses, Sarah Krajewski

Dissertations

The issue of attrition in online courses at higher learning institutions remains a high priority in the United States. A recent rapid growth of online courses at community colleges has been instigated by student demand, as they meet the time constraints many nontraditional community college students have as a result of the need to work and care for dependents. Failure in an online course can cause students to become frustrated with the college experience, financially burdened, or to even give up and leave college. Attrition could be avoided by proper guidance of who is best suited for online courses. This …

Hacking Assessment, Phillip Dawson

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

Hackers exploit weaknesses in a system to achieve their own goals. In this paper I argue that hacking presents a significant threat to the growing world of online assessment. This threat needs to be addressed through a variety of means; technological anti-hacking approaches will not be sufficient. The most effective ways to prevent hacking may be changes to the assessment tasks themselves to make hacking less tempting; these approaches also have a range of positive side effects in terms of authenticity, transparency of criteria, and ensuring tasks involve work beyond the exam. I conclude with a brief exploration of the …

Understanding Copyright & Transformative Fair Use, Andrée Rathemacher, Angel Ferria, Julia Lovett

Technical Services Faculty Presentations

Slides and workshop examples from a session, "Understanding Copyright & Transformative Fair Use," given at the Rhode Island Library Association Annual Conference, "RILA 2015," on May 28, 2015 in Newport, Rhode Island.

"This interactive workshop will outline the basics of copyright and fair use, emphasizing the notion of transformative fair use as highlighted in recent court decisions. The majority of the session will be devoted to real-life scenarios, and audience members will be able to analyze texts, images, video, and sound recordings to determine whether the proposed use is fair. You’ll also learn about handy alternatives for situations when fair …

Structuring Online & Hybrid College Courses, Janet Michello

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Telepresence: Democratizing The Higher Education Classroom, Jason A. Kaufman, Candace Raskin

iSALT Outcomes: Publications, Presentations, and Other Scholarly Works

This session will present current research on how a dynamic university is using telepresence to effectively educate undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. Participants will explore the potential of this cutting-edge technology to facilitate face-to-face distributed learning. Special attention will be afforded to the finding that sense of community continues to be a challenge to telepresence in the classroom and how departments are seeking to address it. Recommendations will be offered to guide departments regarding potential opportunities and roadblocks toward incorporating telepresence into the classroom.

An Empirical Study Of Critical Success Factors Of Mobile Learning Platform From The Perspective Of Instructors, Muasaad Alrasheedi, Luiz Fernando Capretz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications

Mobile learning is newest learning platform and based on the rapid rate of proliferation of mobile technology throughout the world is expected to grow at a rapid rate. However, the adoption of m-Learning is proceeding at a cautious rate. This mismatch in the rate of growth of the technology itself and the use of the technology in learning is a subject of extensive interest to researchers. However, research in the area has been mostly focused on understanding the success factors of the platform from learners’ perspective. In this research, we have conducted an extensive analysis of the extent to which …

Synchronous Social Presence Experiences: Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Courses Delivered Via Telepresence, Qijie (Vicky) Cai

iSALT Outcomes: Publications, Presentations, and Other Scholarly Works

In order to determine the efficacy of TelePresence in supporting teaching and learning, a survey study was conducted to assess the experience and perceptions of the faculty and students in courses delivered through TelePresence. The survey questions were designed around four components: perceived connection, stability, ease of use, and support for teaching and learning. 18 faculty members and 46 students from a medium-sized public comprehensive university completed the survey. The results of the study are largely positive across the four components, with both faculty and students indicating a low incidence of problems with the functionality of TelePresence and a demonstrated …

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 …

Task Design Challenges: The Meta Task Of Building Plns For Foreign Language Acquisition, Pilar Munday, Jaya Kannan

Languages Faculty Publications

Our latest collaborative research has primarily focused on studying challenges for digital pedagogy in promoting active learning and learner autonomy. These action research projects have been anchored in foreign language contexts in higher education settings. Here is a summary of two projects from 2014-2015: 1) With the goal of enhancing teaching practices in foreign language classrooms, the research project analyzed the use of student created videos to promote active learning. Using a case study of concrete tasks integrating student created videos in strengthening Spanish Language Acquisition (SLA), we were able to a)identify key characteristics of active learning, b)present the challenges …

Adapting To A Virtual Learning Environment, Winston H. Maddox

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This participatory action research (PAR) dissertation examines the experiences of five experienced faculty transitioning from teaching in a traditional classroom to a virtual learning environment. The research participants used technology to deliver course material and reflected on the changes in their pedagogical practice. Data were collected using four phased sessions, including the completion of interview questions, individual interview video sessions, and group video sessions and the review of participant video validation postings. Research participants used journaling to reflect on their values, beliefs, assumptions, and experiences associated with teaching and learning. Research participants teaching in virtual learning environments were provided an …

Stress: The Insidious Leveler Of Good, Unsuspecting, Online Instructors Of Higher Education, Gina S. Smith, Henry M. Brashen, Maria A. Minor, Peter J. Anthony

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of stress on faculty in higher education teaching online classes. Few studies have been conducted to examine the impact of stress on faculty in online higher education. An anonymous survey of faculty was conducted at an online institution of higher learning to determine how prevalent stress was in their jobs, how stress impacted performance and morale, and what the symptoms were. The findings showed 67.6% of the 100 participants who completed the survey identified either a very high or high level of stress. The biggest stressors included time constraints, technical issues, and …

Perceptions Of Using Smart Mobile Devices In Higher Education Teaching: A Case Study From Palestine, Khitam Shraim, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Smart mobile devices (SMDs), especially smartphones and tablets, are becoming increasingly ubiquitous among educators and students in Palestine. While their use is on the rise, many academics are not effectively incorporating this technology into their teaching, which may be attributable to their negative perceptions of these devices. This study therefore examined academics’ perceptions of the value of integrating SMDs into their teaching activities. A questionnaire survey collected data from 56 academic staff of the Palestine Technical University - Kadoorie, eliciting perceptions of the physical attributes of SMDs, participants’ self-efficacy, the pedagogical affordance of mobile devices and challenges to their use …

“If You Build It, They Will Use: Creating And Sharing Open Educational Resources To Advance Information Literacy”, Philip Russell

Support services (Former ITT) - Conference Papers

Since 2010, the library at the Institute of Technology Tallaght (ITT Dublin) in South County Dublin, Republic of Ireland, has been developing a suite of interactive online information literacy tutorials covering research, referencing, plagiarism and core academic skills. These open educational resources (OERs) provide users with a vibrant, challenging learning environment and facilitate flexible, 24/7, independent learning. The learning objects are accessible via multiple delivery platforms and are available for reuse under Creative Commons licence via national and international teaching and learning repositories.

This paper outlines the development of these OERs and how the creation of these learning tools has …

Report On The Survey Of Governance And Adaptation To Innovative Modes Of Higher Education Provision (Gaihe), Andrew Gibson, Ellen Hazelkorn, Barry Colfer

Reports

Higher education around the world is undergoing significant change. Globalisation and competition from new modes of provision have sparked a strong debate about how to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of higher education. These developments challenge the “traditional” model of university education and its future. How does the management of European universities adapt to these innovations? What are the new modes of education provision across Europe? What is the role of university governance and government policy in establishing and regulating innovative modes of education provision? What are the motivations, barriers and drivers for innovative education provision?

The definition of innovation …

The Relationship Between Online College Students' Learning Style And Response To Literature, Katie Robinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students entering the "Composition and Literature" classroom find themselves presented with a number of challenges as they learn to analyze literature beyond reader comprehension. The online learner experiences even more obstacles while approaching an often-difficult curriculum without the guidance of a residential instructor. For this reason, the online learner must adapt and develop autonomy in learning. Reader Response literary critics place great emphasis on the reader while determining meaning in a text, and Louise Rosenblatt explored the connection between the reader and the text in her Transactional Theory. To assist online learners in their endeavor, this study aimed to determine …

Exceptional Senior Student Affairs Administrators’ Leadership: Strategies And Competencies For Success, Joshua W. Bass

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

No abstract provided.