Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Developing Distance Education Content Using The Tappa Process, Robert L. Moore

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The proliferation of distance education has occurred alongside the emerging technologies of the Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 environments, changing the way instructors approach, design, and deliver their instructional materials. In the past, instructional design (ID) practitioners relied on instruction system design (ISD) models that focused primarily on macroinstruction. It is now important for these practitioners to use microinstruction strategies to keep pace with the technology evolution. This case study describes the TAPPA (Target, Accomplishment, Past, Prototype, Artifact) Process which was created using the Generic Model for Design Research (GMDR) proposed by McKenney and Reeves (2012) and uses selected ID …

Faculty Online Questionnaire Protocol, Undergraduate Scholarly Habits Ethnography Project, Maura A. Smale, Mariana Regalado, Jean Amaral

Publications and Research

This research protocol describes a questionnaire used for data collection in the Undergraduate Scholarly Habits Ethnography Project to explore the lived experiences of faculty use of technology in the hybrid and online courses they teach.

Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Effective Online Learning Environments, Kayla L. Westra

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This quantitative and qualitative study was designed to review alignment of student and faculty perceptions of effective online learning environments. The purpose of this study was to review statistical survey data to determine if alignment of perceptions existed. The student research sample included data from three years of archival survey data at Minnesota West Community and Technical College. Over 10,000 survey results were part of this sample. Additionally, Minnesota West Community and Technical College faculty who taught during this timeframe were surveyed. Qualitative data from one year of student responses was analyzed to add depth to the results. The results …

Exploring Quality Teaching In The Online Environment Using An Evidence-Based Approach, Elena Prieto-Rodriguez, Jennifer Gore, Kathryn Holmes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Online learning is increasingly ubiquitous in higher education. However, research regarding online teaching often focuses on the affordances of the online environment rather than on the quality of pedagogy. In this paper we consider how online learning could be enhanced using rich pedagogical models that are consistent with a wealth of existing knowledge on pedagogy for face-to-face settings. To do so, we apply an established framework, the Quality Teaching model, to explore pedagogy in the online environment and illustrate its potential benefits using a case study of 60 students in a tertiary mathematics teacher education program. We conclude that the …

Introduction (Online Learning December 2015 Special Issue), Anissa Lokey-Vega, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

While at an admittedly slower rate than the growth in enrollments, research in K-12 online learning has been picking up pace in the past decade and a foundation in best practice is now being laid.

A special K-12 issue of Online Learning is an ideal avenue for an academic dialogue. The focus of this special issue of Online Learning is to present rigorous research specific to the context of K-12 education including systematic inquiry into promising practices, various schooling models, measures of quality, and parent and teacher experience. All authors have provided explanations of K-12-specific terminology to support readers new …

Interview With Joe Freidhoff: A Bird's Eye View Of K-12 Online Learning, Leslie Pourreau

Faculty Articles

This article showcases an interview conducted with Dr. Joe Freidhoff, Executive Director of the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute, specifically for this special issue of the OLC Online Learning Journal. The perspectives provided by Dr. Freidhoff on the ever-changing field of K-12 online learning served two purposes: to introduce long-time profession-based journal readership to the field of K-12 online learning and to provide K-12 online learning scholars with perspective and direction for meeting the current and future needs of K-12 stakeholders.

Faculty Expectations Toward Their Online Courses: Are They On The Same Screen With Their Students?, John A. Huss, Shannon Eastep

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

This action research study explored attitudes and expectations of faculty at a Midwestern university who taught at least one fully online course during 2014. The study focused on instructor perceptions toward and experiences with web-based instruction, particularly in the critical areas of assessment and feedback; course organization; interaction with students; course flexibility; and overall communication. Findings were then compared to student responses from the authors’ previous study. A mixed-methods electronic survey blended a quantitative component in the form of 21 fixed response items with a qualitative element accomplished through two narrative response questions where content analysis was used to compress …

Promoting Numeracy In An Online College Algebra Course Through Projects And Discussions, Samuel L. Tunstall, Michael J. Bossé

Numeracy

This research stems from efforts to infuse quantitative literacy (QL) in an online version of college algebra. College algebra fulfills a QL requirement at many universities, and it is a terminal course for most who take it. In light of the course’s traditional content and teaching methods, students often leave with little gained in QL. An online platform provides a unique means of engaging students in quantitative discussions and research, yet little research exists on online courses in the context of QL. The course studied included weekly news discussions as well as “messy” projects requiring data analysis. Students in online …

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 …

User Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Virtual University, Charles J. Rabeno

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The use of online learning as a medium to deliver education has seen exponential growth over the past decade. Online learning environments have become a major part of education pedagogies; and as technology improves, evidence indicates that this trend will continue. Organizations and institutions have embraced this movement and are leveraging the benefits of using today’s computer and communications technology as a tool to impart learning to students. The federal government is no exception and has used the online model as a material component in its training and education strategy.

The purpose of this study was to explore the online …

Incorporating Asynchronous Video Discussion Prompts To Observe Community Of Inquiry Within Online Undergraduate Courses, Bonnie J. Covelli

All Capstone Projects

Distance education, including online learning and e-learning, continues to increase in higher education. Research indicates that online learning supports a constructivism (or student-centered, collaborative) approach to learning, and the sense of community is important to students in the online setting. The Community of Inquiry (Col) framework further defines a sense of community as satisfaction in the teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence of learning. Using the constructivist approach and the Col framework, online instructors have the ability to use different techniques and tools with asynchronous discussion prompts to foster a sense of community in the online learning setting. Discussion …

Resonating Frequencies Of A Virtual Learning Community: An Ethnographic Case Study Of Online Faculty Development At Columbia College Chicago, David S. Noffs

Dissertations

Despite opportunities for artist educators to locate their practice in online learning environments, many remain reluctant to embrace virtual classrooms. As schools are being forced to create an increasing array of online courses, administrators are reluctant or unable to provide additional resources for equipping faculty with the skills needed to support online course development. Specific guidelines to train faculty how to teach online are often fragmented or local. Programs that demonstrate the ability to grow vibrant and connected online cultures may help guide future faculty development.

The Virtual Learning Community (VLC) Fellowship program at Columbia College Chicago supports informal, faculty …

Joining Forces: Enriching Rn To Bsn Education With Veteran-Centered Learning, Melissa Jones, Henny Breen

Faculty Publications

This article highlights the commitment of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to engage nursing schools to support the Joining Forces initiative by enhancing the education and preparation of the nation’s nurses to care for veterans, service members, and their families. The progress toward meeting the Joining Forces pledge and integrating veteran-centered learning in an online RN to BSN program is described.

Experiential Learning: Using Virtual Simulation In An Online Rn-Bsn Program, Henny Breen, Melissa Jones

Faculty Publications

This article highlights the innovative experiential learning used by an online RN-BSN program through the use of simulation that takes place in an online classroom. Three experiential learning activities using a virtual community are described. These learning activities engage the students in thinking about social justice and health policy as well as teaching concepts that include community, leadership, influence, advocacy, networking, collaboration, and vulnerable populations. These concepts are critical to the learning needs of diploma and associate degree-prepared nurses who wish to continue their education to be better prepared to meet the complex needs of today’s health care environment.

Highjacking The Mooc: Reflections On Creating/Teaching An Art History Mooc, Parme Giuntini, Jean-Marie Venturini

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

This article reflects on the experience of creating and launching a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) at Otis College of Art and Design. The authors will discuss the development process from content, goals and production to curriculum design and pedagogy. Lessons learned and best practices will be shared as well as assessment of the MOOC’s success. Suggestions will be offered for faculty who are interested in adapting and adopting (hijacking) MOOCs in conjunction with credit courses in their own institutions, and addresses the very practical faculty concerns that MOOCs pose.

Promoting Online Students’ Engagement And Learning In Science And Sustainability Preservice Teacher Education, Louisa Tomas, Michelle Lasen, Ellen Field, Keith Skamp

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

At James Cook University, a core first-year subject within the Bachelor of Education, Foundations of Sustainability in Education (FSE), sees students investigate the underlying science and complexity of socioecological challenges through inquiry, place-based learning, experimentation and consideration of classroom practice. Given that this subject is delivered across modes, a blended learning approach that encompasses an innovative use of learning technologies and careful consideration of pedagogy provides opportunity for both on-campus and online students to engage in active, learner-centred, collaborative, experiential and praxis-oriented learning experiences (Wals & Jickling, 2002). In this paper, we draw upon Pittaway’s (2012) engagement framework and Herrington, …

Supportive Technologies For Group Discussion In Moocs, Carolyn P. Rosé, Pam Goldman, Jennifer Zoltners Sherer, Lauren Resnick

Current Issues in Emerging eLearning

A key hurdle that prevents MOOCs from reaching their transformative potential in terms of making valuable learning experiences available to the masses is providing support for students to make use of the resources they can provide for each other. This paper lays the foundation for meeting this challenge by beginning with a case study and computational modeling of social interaction data. The analysis yields new knowledge that informs design and development of novel, real-time support for building healthy learning communities that foster a high level of engagement and learning. We conclude by suggesting specific areas for potential impact of new …

The Tools That Matter: Assessing Online Resources, Valeriana Colon

Graduate Research Posters

In the age of technology, educators are encouraged to incorporate online resources into their teaching, but the impact of these resources on learning is rarely considered. To create a foundation for assessment, this poster reviews theories and research on how students learn across oral, written, and online modes of communication. It then reviews methods of assessing various elements of online resources. Lastly, this poster suggests an implementation approach to enhance the use of resources.

Student Online Questionnaire Protocol, Undergraduate Scholarly Habits Ethnography Project, Maura A. Smale, Mariana Regalado, Jean Amaral

Publications and Research

This research protocol describes a questionnaire used for data collection in the Undergraduate Scholarly Habits Ethnography Project to explore the lived experiences of student use of technology in the hybrid and online courses they take.

Review Of Virtual Schooling And Student Learning, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

A new report compares the performance of Florida Virtual School (FLVS) students with students in traditional brick-and-mortar schools and concludes the FLVS students perform about the same or somewhat better on state tests and at a lower cost. The report claims to be the first empirical study of K-12 student performance in virtual education. This is not correct, and the report in fact confirms the findings and repeats the methodological flaws and limitations of previous research. The report’s findings fail to account for the potential bias of student selectivity in the FLVS sample, the potential impact of regression effects, differential …

“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 …

An Investigation Of The Soar Study Strategy For Learning From Multiple Online Resources, Tareq Daher

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

This dissertation investigated the effects of the SOAR study strategy for learning from multiple online resources. SOAR includes the components of Selection, Organization, Association, and Regulation. In past research, the effects of SOAR training were investigated with one online resource and with students studying provided or partially provided materials following training. This dissertation examines the effects of SOAR when learning from multiple online resources and when students create their own study materials following training and thus addresses this research gap. One hundred thirty-four (134) college students were assigned randomly to the control or experimental groups. All students participated in online …

The Use Of On-Line Computer Adaptive Testing To Raise Standardized Test Scores, Edward L. King, Kathleen Ronca, Nieves Aguilera

Bronx EdTech Showcase 2014

Nursing school graduates are under pressure to pass the RN-NCLEX Exam on the first attempt since New York State monitors the results and uses them to evaluate the school’s nursing programs. Since the RN-NCLEX Exam is a standardized test, we sought a method to make our students better test takers. The use of on-line computer adaptive testing has raised our student’s standardized test scores at the end of the nursing course.

Being Nontraditional And Learning Online: Assessing The Psychosocial Learning Environments, Self-Efficacy, And Affective Outcomes Among College Student Groups, Roslyn La'toya Ashford

Dissertations

The study compared traditional and nontraditional students’ attitudes about the psychosocial learning environment and their influence on self-efficacy, enjoyment of online learning, and student satisfaction by using Moos’ (1979) Model of Environmental and Personal Variables and the three dimensions of social climate as its theoretical framework. Traditional and nontraditional students were selected based on known differences between their personal characteristics/traits. A total of 151 undergraduate students taking online classes at a university in the southeastern United States participated in the online quantitative pretest/posttest. The findings revealed that nontraditional students preferred less student interaction and collaboration and more asynchronicity than traditional …

Improving Argumentation Through Goal Instructions In Asynchronous Online Discussions, Yekaterina Prudchenko

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Argumentation incorporated into class discussions can improve students' problem solving skills and enhance their epistemic and conceptual understanding. Research indicates students sometimes need scaffolding such as goal instructions to improve their argumentation skills. This study examined the effectiveness of different types of goal instructions on participants' argumentation achievement. In particular, the study compared the effects of minimal, moderate, substantial, and no goal instructions in asynchronous online discussions on participants' argumentation achievement, as measured by development, balance, and explanatory discourse scores. The study also tried to understand participants' experiences of the goal instructions by comparing the differences in emergent themes across …

Female Administrators Perceptions Of Distance Learning, Marydee A. Spillett, Mary Ann Mundy, Lori Kupczynski, Rebecca Davis

Center for Research Quality Publications

Gender disparity is evident in tenure track and tenured faculty positions at universities. However, distance education may provide more supportive environments for female academicians to grow and develop. The term distance learning is used to encompass any type of instruction delivered off campus. Distance learning has increased dramatically and has gained strategic importance possibly presenting women with a new realm for advancement. Leaders in distance learning must have qualities such as good listening skills, be understanding, engage in collaboration, be cooperative, demonstrate openness, have interpersonal sensitivity and empathy; attributes traditionally associated with females. This qualitative study utilizing a survey design, …

Analysis Of Student Perceptions Of The Psychosocial Learning Environment In Online And Face-To-Face Career And Technical Education Courses, Diane L. Carver

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Career and technical education (CTE) courses offered online are becoming more common in secondary schools. Recognizing the adaptability of CTE courses and designing curricula to offer online learners the same experience as face-to-face learners is challenging for education professionals and requires analyses of both environments. A lack of empirical studies makes it important to conduct research on online learning environments from the perspectives of high school students.

This study analyzes student perceptions of the psychosocial learning environment in online and face-to-face career and technical education courses. The research explores and compares how high school students perceive their learning environment and …

Articulation Agreements: Academic Success, Persistence And Graduation From Online And Face-To-Face Degree Completion Programs, Darnette Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study is to examine whether differences exist in the retention and persistence of articulation participants based on face-to-face or online degree completion. The study will determine the rate of completion of articulation participants who transfer from a North Carolina Community College to a state university in North Carolina and enroll in traditional face-to-face classes versus articulation participants who enroll in online degree completion. There is considerable literature on articulation from the perspective of student satisfaction and an administrator's perception. Substantial research on policies and procedures as well as comparison to native and transfer students. There …

Working Together: The Public Records Webinar Series, Robert L. Moore

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Key Takeways:

* Faculty and instructional designers working together can create more effective online courses that leverage technology efficiently to reach the target audience.

* The instructional support team was part of the initial conversations planning the webinar series at the UNC School of Government, which led to the formulation of a webinar theme that reflected the content as opposed to imposing a design theme afterwards.

* Advanced planning and coordination among faculty and staff, and the thematic marketing plan provided at the outset, enabled the production of a uniform package of information in a high-quality format.

Security Risks And Protection In Online Learning: A Survey, Yong Chen, Wu He

Distance Learning Faculty & Staff Publications

This paper describes a survey of online learning which attempts to determine online learning providers' awareness of potential security risks and the protection measures that will diminish them. The authors use a combination of two methods: blog mining and a traditional literature search. The findings indicate that, while scholars have identified diverse security risks and have proposed solutions to mitigate the security threats in online learning, bloggers have not discussed security in online learning with great frequency. The differences shown in the survey results generated by the two different methods confirm that online learning providers and practitioners have not considered …