Online and Distance Education Commons^™

The Online Student Experience: An Exploration Of First-Year University Students’ Expectations, Experiences And Outcomes Of Online Education, Melanie Henry

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Online higher education presents a critical opportunity to extend and diversify the student body. The Online Student Experience (OSE), and online student outcomes, however, remain shrouded in ambiguity. The literature presents conflicting reports of online education (OE) quality, confounded by a lack of appreciation for potential differences between online and on-campus education, and a diversity of interpretations for what constitutes OE. The present research conceptualises OE as representing university courses that require students to interact with instructors and course materials via the internet, with no expectation of attending a university campus. A broad student-centred perspective is notably lacking from the …

The Effect Of Blended Learning On Math And Reading Achievement In A Charter School Context, Terry Chaney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In spite of its growing popularity, researchers have focused little attention on the effectiveness of combining traditional classroom instruction and online learning, a practice generally referred to as blended learning. The modest research on blended learning to date has tended to focus on higher education, leaving a significant gap in the research regarding K-12 education. Even less attention has been given to blended learning in charter school K-12 education. Framed within Vygotsky’s theory of social development, the purpose of this causal-comparative research study was to determine if there were any significant differences when comparing charter school students who participated in …

Asynchronous Video And The Development Of Instructor Social Presence And Student Engagement, Kayla E. Collins

Student Dissertations

Enrollment in online learning continues to grow in the higher education sector, along with persistent goals dedicated to achieving better student outcomes and lowering attrition rates. Improved student engagement has been shown to possibly reduce attrition rates through a greater sense of connectedness and decreased feelings of isolation among online learners. Through the development of a classroom community, the online learner may feel supported and engage more often in the learning process.

The instructor plays a major role in the development of the classroom community. Instructor social presence may be the most important factor in building the relationships that foster …

The Impact Of Blended Learning On Social Presence, Cognitive Presence, Teaching Presence, And Perceived Learning, Kyleigh Harrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The quantitative study examined how blended learning influences high school learners’ social presence, cognitive presence, teacher presence, and perceived learning in comparison to online instruction. The study answered the following research questions: (a) Do differences exist among the social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence of high school students enrolled in a blended course as compared to those enrolled in an online course? (b) Does a difference exist between perceived learning of high school students enrolled in a blended course as compared to that of those enrolled in an online course? The researcher used a causal-comparative research design and tested …

Faculty Development And Student-Centered Online Learning: Issues, Perspectives And Lessons Learned From Integrating An Exemplary Course Program, Patrick Guilbaud, Kimarie Whetstone

Winthrop Faculty and Staff Publications

During the spring of 2017, Winthrop University rolled-out a new faculty training and development program, called Winthrop Exemplary Online Course (WEOC), to increase the number and diversity of online course offerings at the school during the summer sessions. Grounded in andragogical principles, the WEOC program also had the aim of providing participating faculty members with the requisite skills to develop more student-centered, engaging, and user-friendly online courses. Preliminary results indicate that the WEOC program achieved its key goals and objectives. Moreover, faculty participants noted that the program stands to build upon existing teaching and learning efforts and approaches at the …

Blended Learning: Perspectives From First Time High School Instructors, Tammy Parlier

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand the transitional experiences of first time instructors, teaching a blended learning course at three separate high school sites. Blended learning is defined as inquiry that combines both face-to-face and online modalities (Halverson, Graham, Spring, & Drysdale, 2012). This unique merger between both traditional face-to-face instruction and innovative online learning creates transition and change experiences for instructors as they adapt their practice to satisfy the requirements of the blended learning environment (Guskey, 1986). Data collected through individual interviews, reflective journals, observations, and a culminating focus group interview examined these experiences in …

Gameful Design In The Development Of Asynchronous Online Discussion Activities: A Case Study, William Michael Trest

Dissertations

This study investigates Gameful Design as a method to improve the development and implementation of Asynchronous Online Discussions in online learning environments. A qualitative methodology, an instrumental case study design, was used to examine the effectiveness of this design method by exploring the experiences of the participants and the meaning they gave to those experiences. Data was collected through observation, discussion transcript analysis, and pre/post-course interviews. Validity was strengthened by triangulation of these sources.

The findings showed that gameful design was an effective method to encourage the development of a connected and engaged learning community within an online class and …

Connected In Isolation: A Correlational Study Of Students' Sense Of Connectedness In An Online Course And Their Learning Outcomes, Ben Morrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, bivariate correlational study is to understand the relationship between online high school students’ sense of connectedness in the course, as measured by the Online Student Connectedness Survey (OSCS) and the students’ standardized End of Course (EOC) Milestone scores. A review of literature revealed a lack of research on high school students and their perception of connection in their online course as it relates to their academic success. The independent variable for the study is the students’ sense of connectedness score as derived from the Online Student Connectedness Score (OSCS). The dependent variable for the study …

From Stopout To Scholar : Pathways To Graduation Through Adult Degree Completion Programs., Matt Bergman

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Although colleges and universities are facing increased scrutiny to demonstrate a return on investment for their students, the demand for college-educated workers continues to grow. As of 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that more than one-fifth of Americans age 25 and older—around 43.5 million people—have some postsecondary education but no degree (Lumina, 2012). This article presents an integrative review of relevant, rigorous, and research based programs that create a fast path to degree completion for working adults. While national data still shows that postsecondary credentials remain a good investment for individuals and the overall economy (Carnavale & Rose, 2015), …

Inclusive Strategies For The Global Virtual Classroom, Angela Atwell

Publications

In today’s digital age of global enterprise, higher education is focused on delivering high quality experiences in virtual learning environments. Instructors must be armed with the knowledge and skills to use online learning tools effectively in order to deliver an engaging learning experience for all students.It is crucial to create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment, possibly even more so in a virtual classroom. Students who feel welcomed and respected are more likely to engage, contribute to the course and add richness to the content. Instructors must facilitate student learning by encouraging cooperation, collaboration and professional networking. Students and instructors …

Qualitative Case Study On The Perspective Of Pennsylvania Superintendents On Distance Education In K-12 Public School Districts, Stephanie Pennucci

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Distance education is rapidly changing the way K-12 students learn. School districts use it for course recovery, to supplement the curriculum with additional courses, and to offer alternative educational opportunities. Pennsylvania’s 500 public school superintendents face a unique challenge in an economic recession, severe cuts in state funding, and competition from cyber charter schools. The purpose of this qualitative intrinsic case study is to understand the impact of distance education on the experiences of Pennsylvania public school superintendents as they deal with the influence of distance education in their programs, particularly the implementation of cyber charter schools. As the educational …

Effects Of Traditional And Online Instructional Models On Student Achievement Outcomes, Vanessa Wrenn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although virtual education options have rapidly expanded in recent years, little academic research has examined the effectiveness of these courses. Furthermore, little research has been conducted at the secondary school level for public school students. Policymakers and school leaders need reliable research in order to make informed decisions about online learning and to implement programs, which add value to the quality of instruction and provide students with the support they need to be successful. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of instructional model on student achievement for public high school English II students. The high school …

Transitioning An On-Campus Graduate Nursing Program To A Distance Learning Environment: Do Online Students Perform As Well?, Brandi Stocker

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the academic success rates of online graduate nursing students by comparing them to the on-campus cohort of students prior to the program transitioning online. Analysis was conducted by identifying and comparing final course grades in four required MSN courses. Data was extracted from the university’s BANNER system. Results reveal that both cohorts of course delivery modes yield academically successful MSN students. The study also shows that online students are performing almost nearly as well as the on-campus students in the program once did. Each course is different and yielded different results, but it can be concluded that …

Developing A Massive Open Online Course (Mooc) At A College Of Education: Narrative Of Disruptive Innovation?, Dalit Levy, Sarah Schrire

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

A case study involving the establishment of a connectivist massive open online course (cMOOC) at a college of education is presented. cMOOCs are seen to represent an approach to learning that should be of interest to educators preparing their learners (the teachers of tomorrow) for life and work in a knowledge society. In other words, the cMOOC becomes an example of innovation and change, and an object of inquiry into organizational change and leadership. The chapter examines the case of establishing a cMOOC at the college using a methodology for analyzing organizational transformation triggered by the adoption of computing technologies. …

Out-Of-The-Box Teaching Helps Students Excel

DePaul Magazine

As the education sector evolves, new strategies and teaching tools are making their way into classroom. At DePaul University, faculty are incorporating mobile technology, online lectures with comment threads, and service learning that creates a community approach to curriculum called culturally responsive teaching.

Can The Use Of Online Learning And Reflective Journals Improve Students’ Performance And Engage Them In Independent Learning For A Practically Taught “Timber Jointing Module, Jennifer Byrne

Articles

The Technological University Dublin is one of the largest multi-level higher education providers in Ireland. The Institute’s traditional mission has always been focused on teaching and learning in the field of advanced technical vocational education and training (TVET), and one of its agendas is to foster and encourage changes in teaching practice and methodology in order to enhance the student learning experience.

This research concerned the performance levels of first year students of the Timber Product Technology (TPT) programme. I wanted to investigate whether the use of independent online learning and reflective journals would encourage these students to continue their …

The Spiritual Therapeutic Preferences Of Online Learners And On-Campus Learners At A Christian College, Debra Masterson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to see if there was a difference in the spiritual therapeutic preferences of students at a Christian college who stay on-campus or students who take classes online. This study also investigated for differences in preferences between males and females as well as graduate students compared to undergraduate students. This study tested to see if there was a relationship between stress and spiritual therapeutic preferences among on-campus students and online students. Relative spiritual therapeutic preferences were assessed by the Nurse Spiritual Therapeutic Scale, and relative levels of stress were assessed by the Perceived Stress …

Narratives From The Online Frontier: A K-12 Student’S Experience In An Online Learning Environment, Michael K. Barbour, Jason Paul Siko, Jacinda Sumara, Kaye Simuel-Everage

Education Faculty Publications

Despite a large increase in the number of students enrolled in online courses, published research on student experiences in these environments is minimal. This article reports the narrative analysis of a series of interviews conducted with a female student at a brick-and-mortar school enrolled in a single virtual school course. Her narratives describe a student who often struggled with the content in her online course and was reluctant to interact with her online teacher. When she interacted with people online, it was using text, because she was shy and the hardware often did not work. Darlene’s experiences, likely typical of …

Ubiquitous Research: Integrating Library Resources Into Online Courses., Kate Lyons, Elisabeth Tappeiner

Publications and Research

Online learning is transforming the way colleges and universities offer credit bearing courses. Now students are able to finish some or all of a degree online, with courses and programs from the hard sciences to the humanities. Nevertheless, a college education is comprised of a variety of educational and social activities that extend beyond a discrete class. Classroom learning is enriched and supported by services across campus, from the writing center to tutoring services, to the library.

This article discusses the experience of librarians working in a small, urban community college in integrating library collections, reference services, and information literacy …

The Effect Of Locus Of Control, Motivation And Learning Style On Retention In Online Community College Courses, Vondra O. Armstrong

Theses and Dissertations

Literature is replete with the uniqueness of the community college student as it relates to remediation, persistence, and academic success; yet very little literature exists on the community college and retention in online courses. The purpose o f the study was to examine the effect of student characteristics, locus of control, motivation, and learning style on retention in online community college courses. The descriptive discriminant function analysis revealed one function that was primarily defined by age and ethnicity, locus of control was not supported, while motivation and learning style preference were predictors of retention to a lesser degree. Completers tended …