Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

From The Editor, Laureen Fregeau

ECTESOL Review

No abstract provided.

Employing Word Study With Spanish-Speaking Els, Timothy Rodriquez

ECTESOL Review

Phonics Instruction has had a controversial history. How to teach phonics to Spanish-speaking ELs is also controversial. Understanding the differences between Spanish and English and how phonics instruction occurs in each language would be insightful. Also, knowing how the nature of the two languages affects instruction would be beneficial. Furthermore, exploiting similarities between English and Spanish and examining differences will bolster instruction. This paper will discuss the reasons for word study and how it may be utilized to teach spelling and decoding to Spanish-speaking ELLs.

Context-Focused Grammar Teaching: A Comparison Between English Present Perfect And Past Tenses And Affects On Korean English Learning, Seungheui (Ellie) Lee

ECTESOL Review

Despite massive amounts of time Korean English Learners (KLL) study English grammar, they continue to have problems becoming proficient in verb tenses, especially the present perfect. This study examines this problem through a linguistic comparative analysis of Korean and English present perfect and past tenses. Two possible reasons for KLL difficulty with verb tenses could be mode of instruction and L1 interference.

Not “One China,” Not “One Culture”: Multicultural Exploration Of Differences And Similarities Between Mainland China And Taiwan, Philip J. Ward, Michelle Loo

ECTESOL Review

This study focuses on the outwardly similar cultures of Taiwan and mainland China and the subtle differences within them. The study was conducted as part of the requirements of doctoral program in Instructional Design and Development at a public university in the southeastern United States. Using a qualitative case study approach, the study demonstrates that there are cultural similarities between mainland China and Taiwan, however instructors should also be aware of the differences when developing relationships with students and developing course content. A mini-workshop was developed for the study to help teach instructors about the two cultures. However, the mini-workshop …

Proposal For Implementing The Flipped Learning Method In Dentistry English, Zumrut Cassidy

MA TESOL Collection

In traditional teaching, the information is given to the students in the class by the lecturer through different sources. The digestion of the information is done by the students at home. Therefore, the time that is allocated for the production and the practice of the taught subject becomes limited. Yes, "flipped learning" changes that totally. The idea behind it is schoolwork at home and homework in class. This study seeks to find out what flipped learning contributes to learning and how it deals with boosting the students' autonomy. In the flipped learning way of teaching, students are supposed to take …

Effective And Interactive Group Assignments In An Online Course, Teresa Focarile, Lana Grover

CTL Teaching Gallery

The current standard paradigm for online learning involves asynchronous learning. We propose to expand that paradigm to include synchronous elements to the general course design, specifically cooperative learning (CL). Cooperative learning in any classroom, traditional or online, must include a synchronous event: all members are present at the same time in the same space. A synchronous form of online CL simulates face-to-face interaction available in a live classroom but conducted through screen-to-screen communication. The inclusion of synchronous components carries the benefit of increased student engagement and community-building, thereby maximizing the potential for student learning and successful completion.

Faculty Development – The Critical Element, Deborah J. Seepersaud

FDLA Journal

Faculty development is a complex idea, often misunderstood, but not at the University of Mississippi where the key to faculty development is clear – instructional design is the critical element of faculty development. Instructional design and instructional designers are considered necessary to quality online education. Instructional designers are involved in all aspects of faculty development from first efforts of professors to ongoing strategies for course enrichment.

An organization’s commitment to quality online education can probably be determined by asking one question – what is the institution’s level of commitment to appropriate and research-based instructional design strategies?

Do Udoit For Webcourses@Ucf: Who Is Using It And Where?, Karen Tinsley-Kim

FDLA Journal

This paper is an expansion on the presentation of the same name given on Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 at the 2017 FLDA/FAMTE Conference in Orlando, FL (originally scheduled for September 2017, rescheduled due to impact from Hurricane Irma). The presentation, “Do UDOIT for Webcourses@UCF: Who Is Using It and Where?” given by Karen Tinsley-Kim was part of the 10:30-11:45am Concurrent Session, “Online Course Design: Privacy, Inclusion, and Accountability.” Graphics and images originate from slides shown in the presentation and other relevant sources.

All Roads Lead To Online Teaching Excellence: An Alternative Route To Faculty Certification For Online Teaching, Nancy Swenson, Shelly Wyatt Phd

FDLA Journal

New faculty who arrive at the University of Central Florida are very likely to be asked to teach at least one online (“W”) or mixed-mode (“M”) course. Realizing that effective teaching in these digital formats requires additional skills and knowledge that go beyond the traditional face-to-face classroom, UCF requires faculty to be certified in online teaching. Faculty at UCF have two avenues to obtain certification to develop and teach online or mixed-mode courses: our online teaching certification course IDL6543 or our alternative track for experienced faculty new to UCF called Online Faculty Readiness Assessment (OFRA). This assessment recognizes a faculty …

Accelerating Students Forward To Excellence With Ucf Online, Bren Bedford, Beth Nettles, Karen Tinsley-Kim

FDLA Journal

The Center for Distributed Learning, in the Division of Digital Learning at the University of Central Florida (UCF), has been instrumental in driving the use of educational technology to expand online teaching and learning opportunities. The advances have occurred while retaining the level of excellence for which its online learning has been nationally recognized and awarded over the last 20 years. As online educational trends have evolved due to a demand for more expansive offerings, the fully-online UCF Online initiative was born. UCF is accelerating students forward to excellence by expanding the reach of an affordable higher education with UCF …

Users Not Watchers: Motivation And The Use Of Discussion Boards In Online Learning, Sarah Ransdell, Jia Borror, Angie Su

FDLA Journal

College students will participate in any learning activity when they feel it helps. Students have an uncanny sense of a tipping point of use. Is it worth my time? Will it help me get a better grade? Discussion boards only work if they help and not hinder online learning. Discussing course content online can be as useful as discussing it among physical classmates. In fact, actively using discussion boards can encourage students to be active users not passive watchers. Users are motivated to engage. Watchers disengage. The present paper provides six examples of how DB motivated online learning. These …

Give To Teachers What Belongs To Teachers, Senta A. Sellers, Joana Fernandez

FDLA Journal

The Nova Southeastern University Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center opened in December 2001 to accommodate both academic and public users (Nova Southeastern University, 2001). The facility, built as part of a 1999 agreement between Nova Southeastern University (NSU) and Broward County Board of County Commissioners, serves the public as well as students, staff, and faculty of Nova Southeastern University. Joint-use facilities such as the Sherman Library have existed since the 1970s (Matthews & Calvert, 2007).

As of the end of 2017, the Sherman Library houses 1,176,148 volumes and has access to over 500 databases. Because the Sherman …

Teaching Qualitative Research Online: Using Technology To Leverage Student Engagement, Elda Veloso, Anymir Orellana, Jennifer L. Reeves

FDLA Journal

Three faculty colleagues collaborated to effectively pilot the concept of an online community to integrate innovative technologies for learning qualitative research concepts and skills in an online research course. The strategies implemented resulted in engaged students with improved research skills. Students also expressed how much they enjoyed learning and implementing concepts of qualitative research. Technologies that were integrated included cutting-edge apps, social media, and Blackboard collaboration tools. The team followed the ASSURE model (Smaldino, Lowther, Russell, & Mims, 2015) to plan and implement for effective integration of technology and media.

Leveraging The Affordances Of Virtual Reality Systems Within K-12 Education: Responding To Future Innovations, Rohan Jowallah, Luke Bennett, Kathleen Bastedo

FDLA Journal

It is estimated that by 2021, revenue from virtual reality systems could reach two hundred and fifteen billion dollars (Reyes, 2017). The leading investors in virtual reality systems include some of the largest technology companies: Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. This increased revenue spending has influenced and continues to influence improvements in virtual reality systems. As these new advances emerge, it is imperative that policymakers, educators and instructional designers consider the fusion of pedagogy and technology when using virtual reality systems.

Increasing Social Presence Online: Five Strategies For Instructors, Charlotte A. Jones-Roberts

FDLA Journal

As one component of the Community of Inquiry Model, social presence comprises how learners effectively project themselves in a learning environment. Effective cultivation of social presence can lead to more motivated students, success in the class, and, of course, effective online instruction. However, increasing social presence in an online course can be easier said than done. Through a review of literature, this paper briefly overviews the benefits of increased social presence and highlights five research-based strategies for improving social presence in online environments.

Digital Footprints: Creation, Implication, And Higher Education, Maureen Mcdermot

FDLA Journal

Twenty-first century higher education instructors are continually tasked to review, align, pilot, adopt, infuse, and evaluate new technology tools and resources into curricula rich with standards regardless of course format (online/distance, hybrid, and face-to-face courses). Demands often overwhelm instructors who cannot assume that all students approach technology with the same levels of expertise increases constantly with new multimedia developments. Before courses begin, instructors should pilot these tools and applications to determine accessibility, types of support students may need, as well as determine what types of digital footprints students will leave behind. Digital footprints are unique data trails Internet users leave …

A Critical Divide In Higher Education: Bridging The Gap Between Student Success And Organizational Leadership, Kathyleen G. Wyatt

FDLA Journal

The emergence of the use of technology in the classroom and the demand for on-line classes has created a challenge for organizational leaders in higher education to retain students and foster an atmosphere conducive to student success. The purpose of this article is to assist those leaders in determining if a leadership growth plan could be a valuable component of a comprehensive professional development plan to increase student success. The discussion in this article is based on the triangulated findings of a qualitative case study designed to generate unbiased, rich, and in-depth information from those involved in degree programs at …

University Partnership: A Grant-Funded Program For Minority And Underserved Populations, Jerry Holt

FDLA Journal

Provision of services for minority and underserved populations is often problematic. Often, these students attend schools in districts in which funding is lacking for the delivery of services (Ballantine, 2017; Brint, 2017). Classic texts such as Kozol’s Savage Inequalities (1991) highlighted the disparate nature of the schools that serve these populations, and concomitantly the diminished opportunity for these students in terms of academic progress and workforce possibilities. This disparity of opportunity, often characterized by ethnicity and socioeconomics, persists into the 21^st century (Rothstein, 2014; Weir, 2016).[1]

[1] Kozol also continues to describe the ongoing disparity in American education …

Beyond Chunking: Micro-Learning Secrets For Effective Online Design, Amanda Major, Tina Calandrino

FDLA Journal

This article focuses on micro-learning for its effectiveness in online learning design. Faculty members in many universities incorporate micro-learning in their classes as it engages students with the subject matter and results in deeper learning, by encouraging them to connect to the subject matter with their everyday lives as well as the world around them. By improving knowledge retention, micro-learning supports learning in a more easily accessible bites of information productively designed in an online environment.

Issues Arising From The Use Of University Ilectures: A Case Study Of One Australian Campus, Toni J. Dobinson, Tatiana Bogachenko

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Australian universities have moved towards greater reliance on technology as a learning tool. The use of podcasts or recorded lectures (sometimes called ilectures) is now common practice in both on-campus and online modes. Using a qualitative approach to data collection which included recorded interviews, an online survey of open-ended questions and the researcher’s own reflections on using ilectures, this study investigated 1) the impact of ilectures on the teaching and learning practices of both academics and students 2) student attendance in recorded lectures and 3) the responses of lecturers and students to being recorded. Findings highlighted a mix of reactions …

Getting The Most From Google Classroom: A Pedagogical Framework For Tertiary Educators, Keith R. Heggart, Joanne Yoo

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Many tertiary institutions have embraced digital learning through the use of online learning platforms and social networks. However, the research about the efficacy of such platforms is confused, as is the field itself, in part because of the rapidly evolving technology, and also because of a lack of clarity about what constitutes a learning platform. In this study, two early career academics and instructors examined the effectiveness of using Google Classroom for final year primary teacher education students to encourage student voice and agency, and to consider how the platform might influence future pedagogies at the tertiary level. The data …

Assessing K12 Online Teachers Knowledge Of Online Student Identities And Characteristics, Brianne L. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

As K12 online learning continues to grow across the nation, the population of online students, much like the population of face-to face students, continues to change. As the online student population becomes increasingly diverse, not only in terms of race, but in terms of religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status, research must be undertaken to assess the level of preparation that K12 online teachers have in terms of teaching this population. This dissertation intends to serve as a baseline analysis, providing information on K12 online teachers' knowledge of the types of student characteristics and identities that may be present in …

Virtual Community Of Practice: Connecting Online Adjunct Faculty, Cristina Cottom, Angela Atwell, Lisa Martino, Sara Ombres

Publications

There is an increasing trend in higher education to hire adjunct faculty to teach online courses. While faculty at a traditional campus location can meet to collaborate with their peers, globally dispersed faculty, specifically adjuncts, who are teaching online may not be afforded this opportunity. To respond to this concern, the researchers conducted a grant-funded mixed-method study. The researchers created a Virtual Community of Practice (VCoP) to determine whether participation increased sense of belonging among online adjunct faculty. Findings revealed an increase in connection among peers. The results from this study are noteworthy, and research in this area should continue.

Collaboration Or Collusion? The New Era Of Commercial Online Resources For Students In The Digital Age: An Opinion Piece, Cristian Lieneck, Salvador Esparza

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The purpose of this paper is to share online resources available to students at a global level, to include healthcare administration programs and any other course of study. While somewhat daunting in nature, this editorial offers faculty of healthcare administration (and other related programs of study) the opportunity to explore what course materials (of any format) may be posted to commercial external websites by current and/or previous students for ongoing collaboration among academic cohorts. Findings include an opportunity for students in any program, at any level, to post individual and/or copyrighted course materials on public, external websites, often with an …

"I Don't Have The Time!" Analysing Talk Of Time In Lecturers' Use Of The Vle, Claire Mcavinia, Deirdre Ryan, David Moloney

Journal Articles

This paper reports on findings from the recent extension of the VLE survey which examined VLE usage from a staff perspective. 580 staff across seven institutions responded to the survey. The survey explored staff perceptions of the VLE and the opportunities for and barriers to its effective use. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed in order to identify the major factors influencing staff engagement with the VLE. Time (or the lack thereof) emerged as the greatest barrier to effective use of the VLE. When time was in scarce supply, staff evaluated where to spend it and prioritised accordingly. The amount …

Topkit: An Online Faculty Development Resource, Shelly Wyatt Phd, Wendy S. Howard, Ashley Salter, Jessica Tojo

FDLA Journal

Faculty preparation is a critical success factor for any program that involves online teaching and learning (Kane, Shaw, & Pang, 2016; Merillat & Scheibmeir, 2016; Parker, Maor, & Herrington, 2013). Although experts in their respective fields, faculty may not have studied online pedagogy or instructional design before stepping into the onsite or online classroom. While few educators would argue against offering faculty development, institutions grapple with limited funding and campus resources (e.g., limited space, scheduling constraints) for faculty training. To pool resources for this purpose, the State University System of Florida Board of Governors committed to sponsoring a program to …

Expediting And Sustaining Change: Diffusing Innovation In Dynamic Educational Settings, Jeff Dungan

FDLA Journal

Change is critical in most organizations. International schools attempting to redefine 21st century education for their students are constantly innovating pedagogies and school structures. International schools tend to be dynamic, fast paced, nimble learning environments constantly innovating to meet the demands of evolving student populations. Hayden, Rancic, and Thompson (2000) found common characteristics of international schools included open-mindedness, flexibility of thinking, and action with the pragmatic skills of students. International schools in the East Asia region are well resourced and often looking for ways to differentiate themselves in the highly competitive global educational marketplace. The International School Consultancy (2016) reported …

Developing And Implementing An Online Course Framework, Jennifer L. Reeves, Jason Karp, Gabriela Mendez, Elda Veloso, Maureen Mcdermot, Jia Borror, Berta Hayes Capo

FDLA Journal

Integration of technology tools and resources is imperative when working with today’s students as many are expecting to encounter various apps and media-based software in the curriculum. It is important, however, to have a clear purpose for integrating technology into the classroom; technology should not be integrated into the curriculum simply for the sake of doing so! To assist with purposeful integration, faculty members from Nova Southeastern University and St. Thomas University created a Technology Integration Learning Community (TILC); an online professional learning community where members teach each other about the latest and greatest technological tools and share ideas for …

Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Live Synchronous Distance Education For Allied Health Students Following Program Expansion To A Rural Campus, Betsy J. Becker, Kelsey Rutt, Allyson Huntley, Harlan Sayles, Kim Michael

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background & Purpose: Distance education (DE) is a means to meet allied health workforce needs in rural locations where healthcare worker shortages are apparent. Five allied health programs were expanded to a rural campus teaching synchronously using distance education technology. The purpose of this convergent parallel mixed methods study was to explore perceptions of allied health students and faculty at two campus locations.

Methods: Quantitative and qualitative information were collected through a survey of students and faculty (physical therapy, physician assistant, and medical imaging [diagnostic medical sonography, radiography, magnetic resonance imaging] programs). Both campuses served as live and distance sites …

Professional Knowledge Landscapes In Online Pre-Service Teacher Education: An Exploration Through Metaphor, Frances Quinn, Jennifer Charteris, Peter Fletcher, Mitchell Parkes, Vicente Reyes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper explores metaphors as a process of professional learning, and as a research method to interrogate professional knowledge landscapes (PKLs) within the flexible space and time of online pre-service teacher education. The methodology comprised five pre-service teacher educators with different disciplinary areas of responsibility engaging in metaphorical analysis of our teaching work. We found that the metaphors that frame our e-pedagogy are multiple, reflecting a range of theoretical positions and objects of our teaching work, sometimes internally contradictory notions of education and e-learning, and the complexities of our individual and collective PKLs. We argue that it is crucial in …