Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Perceptions Of Partnership: How Instructional Designers And Faculty Collaborate To Design Online Courses In Higher Education, Robin Zahrndt

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This ethnographic study examines the collaboration between faculty members and instructional designers during the development of online courses at a large, research-intensive university. As institutions expand their digital learning initiatives, effective partnerships between faculty and instructional designers have become increasingly important; however, they are often constrained by hierarchical norms, disciplinary differences, and time pressures. Using a framework for interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare settings, this study analyzed recorded meetings and post-participation interviews to examine how collaboration unfolded and how participants perceived its influence on course quality. Findings indicate that faculty maintained clear ownership of instructional decisions, often viewing designers as supportive …

Relaciones De Las Competencias Docentes Con El Bienestar En Docentes De Ciencias Empresariales Bajo La Modalidad A Distancia En Una Universidad Privada En Colombia, Camilo Ernesto Aguirre Martínez

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de esta investigación consistió en determinar las relaciones de las competencias docentes con el bienestar en docentes de Ciencias Empresariales bajo la modalidad a distancia en una Universidad privada de Colombia. El estudio buscó identificar las relaciones entre las competencias docentes y el bienestar psicológico, el bienestar subjetivo y el bienestar social, cuáles de esas relaciones predominan, así como la identificación de cuáles elementos de estos tipos de bienestar contribuyen con el desarrollo de las competencias docentes.

El enfoque de la investigación fue el empírico analítico o cuantitativo, el diseño fue no experimental y su alcance fue de …

Setting The Stage For Success: Readiness And Connectedness As Antecedents Of Learning Continuance Intention In Online Learning, Yingqi Tang, Hungwei Tseng, Yu-Chun Kuo, Hsin-Te Yeh, Jianfang Liu

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Through a hierarchical multiple regression analysis, this study investigated how dimensions of online learning readiness and online connectedness influence students’ intentions to continue to take online courses. Data from 369 students who took at least one online course at a four-year public university showed that online learning readiness had a stronger relationship with continuance intention than online student connectedness, while online learning readiness had a significant correlation with online student connectedness. Online learning readiness and connectedness were indicators of online learning persistence. Factors such as age, computer/internet self-efficacy, self-directed learning, learner control, and facilitation influence students' intention to continue with …

Transforming Online Courses: Practical Strategies For Educators, Jacqueline A. Gilbert, Kelly G. Manix, Kristie A. Abston

Journal of Excellence in College Teaching and Learning

In this article, we examine strategies for enhancing student engagement in online higher education courses through targeted course restructuring. Given the increased demand for high-quality online learning, it is essential for institutions to adopt a proactive, student-focused approach to course design and delivery. The paper highlights research underscoring the critical connection between active student participation in online courses and improved academic performance. It emphasizes the fundamental need for strategic organization and consistent course design to foster engagement and optimize student learning. Our research explores the value of soliciting and implementing student feedback through multiple mechanisms, including pre-term and midterm surveys, …

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 8, Issue 2, Fall 2024

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length Spring 2024 issue (Volume 8, Issue 1) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Fall 2024 issue presents practical ideas and prompts for those who teach at colleges and universities in a variety of disciplines. Articles ways to use popular culture (in this case, reality TV) to teach higher-level concepts; strategies for adapting Lesson Study techniques for preservice teachers; and a review of McNair et al.'s 2022 book on creating student ready colleges.

Evidence-Based Pathways For Leveling Digital Access In Higher Education During And Beyond The Covid-19 Pandemic, Christopher Ali, Vikki Katz

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers’ attention focused heavily on K–12 student connectivity. By contrast, college students were largely “presumed connected,” even as they lost access to campus Wi-Fi, computer labs, and other digital resources. This study asks what lessons were learned and not learned by university administrators when it came to digital inequality on their campuses during the pandemic. To address this question, the article’s authors relied on a series of student surveys and policy analyses. This article offers evidence-based policy recommendations to university leaders for effectively addressing digital inequality among their student populations as we look …

The Effect Of Modality On Spirituality Outcomes In Theological Higher Education, Johnnie H. Peyton

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this research study was to examine differences in perceptions of spirituality outcomes between online and in-person students taking theology courses at a Christian liberal arts college in the Midwestern United States. Using a validated instrument, the Religious Education Survey (RES), 71 students were surveyed. A one sample t test was used to evaluate the statistical significance of mean perceptions of spirituality between the online and in-person students. The difference in mean score perceptions of spirituality between online and in-person students was not statistically significant, and the null hypothesis was retained. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used …

The Disconnect Between Student And Educator Perspectives On Effective Technology Usage In Higher Education, Matt Marino

Journal of Research Initiatives

This article explores the disconnect between student and educator perspectives regarding practical technology usage in higher education. As technology continues to play an increasingly prominent role in the educational landscape, understanding the differing viewpoints of students and educators is crucial for designing impactful technology integration strategies. Through a comprehensive literature review, this article examines the factors contributing to the disconnect and its implications for teaching and learning in higher education. Additionally, recommendations are provided to bridge this gap and promote a more aligned understanding of effective technology usage between students and educators.

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Investigating Mixed Effects Random Forest Models In Predicting Satisfaction With Online Learning In Higher Education, Jiaqi (Jackie) Shi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the many impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the increasing prevalence and accessibility of online education. This trend has also introduced challenges for students, instructors, and institutions. This study examines factors affecting online course satisfaction, focusing on individual, instructor, and institutional level characteristics with clustered, separated train and test datasets across two terms. This study compares Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM), Non-clustered and Clustered Random Forest (RF & MERF) models to understand these impacts. This intention is to provide a comprehensive framework comparing traditional HLM with the latest developed MERF models while delving into the effectiveness of RF …

Investigating Community Of Inquiry And Cognitive Load, Emily K. Faulconer, Darryl Chamberlain, Beverly Wood

Publications

This project will design and research a pilot program for infusing best practices into online discussion forums in STEM courses to reduce extraneous load, improve instructional presence, instructor social presence, student social presence, and student cognitive presence.

A Case Study Of Online Discussion Boards For First Year College Students: A Qualitative Case Study, Eric Cummings

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand first-year college students’ perspectives on online discussion boards in the context of learning, via the community of inquiry framework. The theory guiding this study is Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, which identifies how learners create their own learning experiences in the classroom. The theory’s value comes from it being used to understand student thought in discussion boards, which is the study’s focus. A case study was the design, and the goal was to gather empirical data from discussion board experiences from students. The central research question was What are the experiences of …

Revolutionary Applications Of Generative Ai In Higher Education Institutes (Heis) And Its Implications, Arvind Sahu, Atul Sahu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In recent decades, there has been a notable transformation in educational procedures due to technological breakthroughs, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI). In recent times, there has been a noteworthy advancement and acceptance of generative artificial intelligence (AI) models, specifically exemplified by the emergence of Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT). Within the overarching category of Generative AI, various AI tools and technologies facilitate the production of computer-generated text, images, and other forms of digitized media. This paper comprehensively analyzes the concepts and implications of the discourse surrounding Generative AI. By adopting a position that advocates for the acceptance rather than the opposition …

2024 Nsu Graduate Commencement Program, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

2024 Nsu Undergraduate Commencement Program, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Undergraduate College Students, Rebecca C. Madson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic created significant disruption across the world. These two studies provide a mixed methods approach to understanding how undergraduate college students at one university were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The first, a quantitative study, examines changes in mean, median, and standard deviation of GPAs in the semesters leading up to and during the pandemic (Fall 2018 - Spring 2022). The second, a qualitative study, involves interviewing students (n = 13) who began their undergraduate college career in Fall 2019, prior to the pandemic, and graduated in Spring 2023. Findings from these studies suggest that undergraduate students performed …

My Story Is In The Structure: An Autoethnographic Study By An Instructional Designer Working In A Centralized Academic Reporting Line, Pamela Williams

Dissertations

Although not officially named in the shared governance of an institution, instructional designers play an important role as they collaborate with administrators and faculty to create high quality, regulatory-compliant courses for enrolled students. Instructional designers working in centralized, academic reporting units may be well-positioned to advance the work of institutions to maintain good standing with the industry and regulatory bodies. To illustrate the challenges, opportunities, and strategies employed by an instructional designer working in such a position, an autoethnographic study was conducted to elucidate how shared governance influences, empowers, and disempowers an instructional designer’s ability to lead and collaborate on …

Online Learning As A Tool For Accessibility For Autistic Higher Education Students, Keirnan E. Brown

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Online learning is becoming more prevalent (Aylmer, 2020) and institutions are seeing an increase in disabled students (HEFCE, 2017; Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of the University System and Research [ANVUR], & National Conference of University Delegates for Disability [CNUDD], 2021; Rao, Edelen-Smith, & Wailehua, 2015). Meanwhile, this group experiences an achievement gap concerning learning and outcomes (ECU, 2017; Eurostat, 2014; Eurostat, 2019; Pearson et al., 2019). Therefore, exploring potential uses of online learning may be beneficial. One related use for online learning is its potential as a tool for accessibility for autistic students. Moreover, a literature gap exists …

Initial Findings On Student Progress And Satisfaction In A New Model Of Hyperflexible Online Delivery For University Students, Colin Beer, Kate Ames, Noal Atkinson, Damien Clark, Peter Hosie

Journal of Global Education and Research

University degrees are usually delivered in defined sessions —by term, semester, or in week-based blocks— whereby students are required to complete their studies by the due date. Term or session-based schedules that require students to complete the study within set timeframes are, however, potentially restrictive. Temporal challenges associated with work and life can impede progress and add to the specific problem of student attrition in online learning. As universities seek to deliver innovative options for their students, increased attention is being paid to alternate models of delivery. This paper reports on the development of a hyperflexible online Master of Business …

Examining Technology Use And Competence Of Higher Education Academics During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Devrim Akgunduz, Aysegul Kinik Topalsan

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The present study describes the utilization frequency and competencies of educational technologies among academics at a university in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Participants were 391 faculty members and lecturers working in the faculties and vocational schools of a Turkish university during the 2020–2021 academic year. A survey included questions regarding the use of educational technologies and perceived competency in the use of those technologies.

Results: Academics are more familiar with distance education than hybrid or blended learning. Academics reported that blended learning, hybrid learning, and distance education provide more effective education on integrating technology but report that …

Embedded Support In The College Writing Classroom: A Teaching Reflection On Late Pandemic Pedagogy For Trio Students In An Intensive Transitional Summer Course, James P. Austin, John Gavin Iv

Pedagogy and the Human Sciences

In this teaching reflection, the authors discuss their experiences as professor and embedded support for an intensive summer college writing course for incoming undergraduates participating in a TRIO program. The reflection considers the contextual factors making this cohort of students vulnerable, including the relationship between family income level and pandemic-era learning loss. The authors devised a pedagogy to "flip" the classroom, allowing students to write deeply during long class sessions, and delivered intensive, layered support at the point of writing to accelerate progress through challenges in writing development.

Empowering Learners In Higher Education: Redesigning An Online Computer Science Course Through Universal Design For Learning Implementation, Ana E. Redstone, Tian Luo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This article focuses on the practical implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in an online computer science course, articulating the collaborative efforts between the instructional designer (the first author) and the faculty member to redesign the course using UDL principles. Specific instances of redesigned learning modules and artifacts in adherence to UDL principles and results and insights gained from the implementation are reported. The article concludes with recommendations for higher education faculty and instructional designers to consider when applying UDL in their online courses.

Developing A Framework For Personalized Video-Based Quantum Information Science Education, Nikos Chrisochoides, Norou Diawara, Michail Giannakos

Computer Science Faculty Publications

This is a white paper on Workforce Development for Quantum Information Sciences (QIS) led by the Center for Real-Time Computing at Old Dominion University (ODU). We plan to investigate the potential of video lectures in supporting QIS. Specifically, we focus on following four objectives: (a) design a two-course series for both Master-level and PhD students; b) an upgrade of Experimental Lecture System (ELeSy) to test new, innovative, and transformative approaches for inclusive QIS education; c) design and implementation of a mixed-method systematic empirical study on the effects of video learning styles (in-person flipped classroom and voluntary video use) on graduate …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Cheating In Online Classes And Technostress: Perceptions Of Business Faculty, Stacy Boyer-Davis, Kevin Berry, Amy Cooper

International Journal for Business Education

This research study investigated the relationship between technostress creators (techno-complexity, techno-insecurity, techno-invasion, techno-overload, and techno-uncertainty) and faculty perceptions of student cheating in online classes. Data were collected from faculty members of the Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS), a member of the AACSB Business Education Alliance, the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences (ASBBS), an interdisciplinary professional organization comprised of faculty teaching in accounting, finance, management, marketing, organizational behavior, and computer information systems, and other research panels during 2021 (N = 94). Findings from regression analysis indicated that the techno-complexity subconstruct is positively related to a faculty’s perception …

Designing Effective Online Courses: Exploring The Relationships Amongst Online Teaching Self-Efficacy, Professional Development, Online Teaching Experience, And Reported Implementation Of Effective Higher Education Online Course Design Practices, Elizabeth Mcmahon

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning Infographics

How best to prepare and support higher education faculty to design and teach effective online courses is a topic of great significance to higher education institutional leaders and faculty developers. This study explored how hours of professional development along with online teaching and learning experiences were related to online teaching self-efficacy and the extent to which participants reported implementation of effective online course design practices. Using a non-experimental quantitative correlational explanatory research study design, data were collected using a questionnaire. Participants included 104 online faculty from a large public higher education system located in the upper Midwest that includes both …

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 7, Issue 2, Fall 2023

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length Fall 2023 issue (Volume 7, Issue 2) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Fall 2023 issue presents research and guidance on topics related to educational adaptation. The first article by C. Farrell describes an adaptation of the interteaching method to the hybrid delivery method. The second article by C. C. Loose and R. Jagielo-Manion describes a study of modules on personalized learning to preservice teachers and its impact on their comfort level and preparation to implement personalized learning in their classrooms. The third article by B. …

Alumni Giving From Online Learners: A Logistic Regression Study, Jaqlyne S. Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alumni giving is increasingly important to the vitality of institutions of higher education. With governmental financial support of public institutions steadily declining, understanding philanthropic giving is more important than ever. Advancement offices that serve alumni populations benefit from analyzing predictors of the behavioral phenomenon of charitable giving. It is also known that enrollment in distance education programs is on the rise in the United States. For university administrators and advancement professionals to be proactive in cultivating relationships with alumni that attended through an online modality, more research was needed to understand what motivates philanthropic giving from this alumni constituency. Using …

Evaluating Universities Twitter Web Pages Responding To The Black Lives Matter Movement, Hind Albadi, Thomas Kenny

Communications: Faculty Publications

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in May 2020, many colleges and universities responded by making statements on their website and social media channels condemning racism. Higher education institutions began initiatives for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for faculty, staff, administrators, and students on campus. Three years later, this study investigates whether universities are still offering and promoting workshops, classes, events, and activities related to DEI to campus communities. To do so, the researchers conducted a content analysis on Twitter categorizing tweets over a one-month period, then they classified the Tweets using the top 10 colleges …

Small Historically Black Colleges And Universities Bridging Social Capital: The Use Of Language, Tone And Content To Share Information On Instagram, Pamela Peters

Journal of Research Initiatives

The COVID-19 pandemic has strained higher education institutions, especially small Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). As campuses closed and reopened, Black communities' digital divide grew, adding to the need to stay connected. This study uses social capital to examine how institutions use language, tone, content, and information to bridge social capital. An analysis of 35 small liberal arts HBCUs’ Instagram posts was undertaken to compare post frequency, types of information, engagement, tone, language, and content in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the pandemic, 2020 and 2021. This study indicates that post-oversaturation in 2020 and 2021 and information …

Fostering An Inclusive Learning Environment Through Course Development: A Program Evaluation, Rachel K. Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This evaluation was chosen to address the desire of students to see themselves and their lived experiences in their coursework at University College, the location of this study. The purpose was to complete a utilization-focused evaluation that assessed first, the formal and informal practices involved in the course development process within an academic department at University College, University of Denver, and second to determine the extent to which the course development process contributes to an inclusive learning environment. Data were collected using qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews of key stakeholders in the course development process, observations of weekly course development …

The Effect Of Technostress On The Motivation To Teach Online In Higher Education Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Perceptions Of Business Faculty, Stacy Boyer-Davis, Kevin Berry, Amy Cooper

International Journal for Business Education

This study investigated the relationships among technostress creators (techno-complexity, techno-insecurity, techno-invasion, techno-overload, and techno-uncertainty) on the motivation to teach online using the Motivation to Teach Online – Faculty Version scale. Data were collected from faculty members of the Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS), a member of the AACSB Business Education Alliance, and the American Society of Business and Behavioral Sciences (ASBBS), an interdisciplinary professional organization comprised of faculty teaching in accounting, finance, management, marketing, organizational behavior, and computer information systems early 2020 (N = 307). The findings indicated that techno-stressed faculty are less motivated to teach online. Techno-insecurity …