bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The University of Wisconsin-Stout Asynchronous Learning Network Case Study Options: Using Technology to Remove Learning Barriers
Authors: Holland Joseph
Published: March 2019

The University of Wisconsin-Stout Asynchronous Learning Network (ALN) project, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, represents an effort to expand the boundaries of the traditional campus. The purpose of this project was to offer learning opportunities to both traditional students and industry professionals either on campus or away from the campus. The asynchronous method of delivery will allow learners to participate from any place at any time. This paper will review how the University of Wisconsin-Stout is using technology to remove learning barriers and provide students with learning options. The focus of this paper is to provide a detailed explanation of the process the University of Wisconsin-Stout used to implement an Asynchronous Learning Network. It will describe the history and background of the project, design and development issues, results and proposed next steps for this campus.
Faculty Satisfaction in ALNs: A Dependent or Independent Variable?
Authors: Hartman Joel , Dziuban Charles , Moskal Patsy
Published: March 2019

The authors describe relationships among infrastructure, student outcomes, and faculty satisfaction at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The model focuses on developmental process that progresses from courses with some Web presence to those that are driven by ALN. Faculty receive support for online teaching in the form of release time for training and development, upgraded hardware, and complete course development services. Students receive assistance in the form of orientation, around-the-clock help services, a Pegasus Connections CD-ROM, and a learning on-line Web site. The results of the impact evaluation at UCF indicate that faculty feel that their teaching is more flexible and that interaction increases in the ALN environment. On the other hand, they are concerned that on-line teaching may not fit into the academy culture. The authors argue that faculty satisfaction and student outcomes are strongly related and that their interaction is the most important outcome. Finally, the authors conclude that faculty satisfaction is both a dependent and independent variable that is nested within colleges, departments,and program areas.
Instructor Satisfaction in University of California Extension's On-line Writing Curriculum
Authors: Almeda Mary Beth , Rose Kathleen
Published: March 2019

This article describes instructor satisfaction in 14 online courses in freshman-level composition and literature, business writing, and English as a Second Language offered in the University of California (UC) Extension’s online program. The courses chosen for this case study reflect UC Extension's entire ALN program, in that they comprise a broad selection of college- and professional-level courses organized in course sequences and certificate programs. The paper reviews UC Extension’s ALN program, describes course and instructor selection criteria, and discusses such issues as course production and costs, instructor support, the transfer of teaching skills, instructor computer literacy, and instructor compensation. The results of an informal instructor survey also are discussed. Obstacles to adoption, effective and problematic practices, and critical programmatic and individual course factors gleaned from this analysis are outlined.
ALN Teaching as Routine Faculty Workload
Authors: Hislop Gregory , Atwood Michael
Published: March 2019

If the current growth in online education continues, teaching online will become part of routine faculty workload at many traditional, research-oriented universities. This is already occurring within some faculties, and this paper focuses on one of those cases. The paper describes faculty issues related to a completely online graduate degree in Information Systems at Drexel University. Following a brief overview, the paper presents results of a survey of the faculty affected by this degree. The survey addresses faculty support for the degree, and for the prospect of online teaching as a significant, permanent part of the work of the college.
Implementing a Large On-Campus ALN: Faculty Perspective
Authors: Kashy Edwin , Thoennessen Michael , Albertelli Guy , Tsai Yihjia
Published: March 2019

This case study describes the implementation and continued operation of a large on-campus ALN for a 500-student course in introductory physics. The ALN was used to modify and complement the original course and thus represents an evolution rather than a revolution. A highly positive impact on student success rates was achieved and continues. Factors that increased faculty satisfaction and instances of dissatisfaction are presented. The potential increase in the latter with technology is of some concern.
Introducing the Penn State World Campus through Certificate Programs in Turfgrass Management and Geographic Information Systems
Authors: Turgeon Alfred , DiBiase David , Miller Gary
Published: March 2019

This paper describes two of the distance educational programs—Turfgrass Management and Geographic Information Systems—offered through the Penn State World Campus during its first year of operation in 1998. Detailed information is provided on how these programs were selected and supported, the nature of the students who enrolled and the faculty who developed and taught the courses, and the technology and infrastructure employed for delivering content and engaging students in collaborative learning. The organization of the World Campus, the evolution of these programs, and the results obtained from them during the first 18 months of operation are presented. Several contemporary issues are addressed from a faculty perspective, including: teaching effectiveness, relationship with students, satisfaction with product, compatibility with other responsibilities, ethical concerns, incentives and rewards, team efforts, support services, perceptions by colleagues, scholarly value, opportunity cost for faculty, intellectual property concerns, and compensation.
STRETCHING THE BOUNDARIES: USING ALN TO REACH ON-CAMPUS STUDENTS DURING AN OFF-CAMPUS SUMMER SESSION
Authors: Wang Christine , Kanfer Alaina , Hinn Michelle , Arvan Lanny
Published: March 2019

In this article we study an innovative use of asynchronous learning networks (ALN) to stretch the boundaries of the traditional university campus.An ALN was used to allow traditional on-campus students to take a required course, ECON 300: Intermediate Microeconomic Theory, during summer session while they were off campus, working summer jobs at home. Pre- and post surveys consisting of open-ended and rating scale questions were administered to 29 students. The surveys were used to assess the degree of student satisfaction with various aspects of the online learning experience and their learning environments at home as well as to assess additional important characteristics for successful online learning such as motivation, self-discipline and time management.The results indicate that the transfer from the traditional face-to-face classroom during the academic year to the online summer session requires strong motivation, self-discipline, good time management skills, and a comfortable learning environment including a stable Internet connection. The students' learning outcomes were closely related to their satisfaction with online communication, technical support, and the course design. Furthermore, prior online class experience affected learning outcomes. Additionally, prior experience with the technologies and a positive attitude toward technology were found to be important for successful online learning.The importance of online course design and student preparation, particularly when traditional on-campus students attend a summer school course through ALN, is discussed.
EXPLORING COLLABORATIVE ONLINE LEARNING
Authors: Curtis David D. , Lawson Michael J.
Published: March 2019

An investigation was carried out to determine the extent to which evidence of collaborative learning could be identified in students’ textual interactions in an online learning environment. The literature on collaborative learning has identified a range of behaviors that characterize successful collaborative learning in face-to-face situations. Evidence of these behaviors was sought in the messages that were posted by students as they interacted in online work groups. Analysis of students’ contributions reveals that there is substantial evidence of collaboration, but that there are differences between conventional face-to-face instances of collaborative learning and what occurs in an asynchronous, networked environment.
TESTIMONY TO THE KERREY COMMISSION ON WEB-BASED EDUCATION
Authors: Mayadas Frank
Published: March 2019

Online learning today, is of two basic kinds (although there are grades in between): one is a self-study, or “broadcast” model in which materials, maybe quite sophisticated multimedia, but self-study materials nonetheless, are posted on the web, and these are perused and studied by learners at their own pace. This model can also be thought of as a form of online publishing. I remind you that self-study, mainly through books, but more recently augmented by videotapes or broadcast TV, has been available for over a century, and unusually disciplined individuals have been able to learn and earn credentials on their own.The second model, the “interactive” model is one where “classes” begin on a particular day with a cohort group, are taught by a faculty member who interacts with individuals or the cohort through group e-mail tools, generally referred to as group conferencing software. Interaction with the instructor is not occasional or incidental, rather it is regular and continuous, as is interaction among students. The student/faculty ratio is about the same for these online classes as that for equivalent campus classes. The “class” also ends on a particular day, i.e. the “term” is completed. This interactive model is the basis for most of the grants made by Sloan, because we believe it most closely parallels the learning environments associated with quality learning.
INSIDE ONLINE LEARNING: COMPARING CONCEPTUAL AND TECHNIQUE LEARNING PERFORMANCE IN PLACE-BASED AND ALN FORMATS
Authors: Parker Drew , Gemino Andrew
Published: March 2019

Online learning is coming of age. ‘Traditional’ universities are embracing online components to courses, online courses, and even complete online programs. With the advantage of distance and time insensitivity for the learning process, there appears to be a growing sense that this form of teaching and learning has strong pedagogical merit. Research has shown that students do comparatively well in this new format. There is, however, a lack of evidence illustrating particular strengths and weaknesses of online teaching and learning. This paper discusses experiences with a single course taught using two forms: (1) traditional place-based, and (2) a form of asynchronous learning network (ALN) defined as interactive virtual seminars. Differences in learning performance are tested using longitudinal observations. In a course comprised of both conceptual material and the application of techniques, the students performed overall equally well in either place-based or virtual format. Their degree of learning, however, differed significantly between conceptual and technique-based material. Implications are promising, showing that there are relative strengths to be exploited in both place-based and virtual formats.
A PRELIMINARY LOOK AT THE STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES OF HIGHER EDUCATION CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES IN TRADITIONAL AND ALN COURSES
Authors: Rovai Alfred P.
Published: March 2019

This preliminary study again provides evidence that it is the method and not the media that matters the most in learning effectiveness. The present work examines classroom community in order to determine how sense of community differs between students enrolled in traditional face-to-face and those enrolled in asynchronous learning network (ALN) courses. Subjects consist of 326 adult learners who were enrolled in a mix of 14 undergraduate and graduate courses at two urban universities. As operationalized by the Sense of Classroom Community Index (SCCI), there appears no significant difference in classroom community between the two groups of subjects. However, a discriminant analysis shows a significant overall difference in community structure between the two groups. Variations between groups on feelings of similarity of needs, recognition, importance of learning, connectedness, friendship, thinking critically, safety, acceptance, group identity, and absence of confusion are the characteristics contributing mostly to this difference in learning effectiveness.
THE IMPACT ON LEARNING OF AN ASYNCHRONOUS ACTIVE LEARNING COURSE FORMAT
Authors: Spiceland David , Hawkins Charlene P.
Published: March 2019

Among the many differences between asynchronous interactions and traditional classroom communication, the most critical differences involve those that may affect a student’s ability to learn. The efficacy of courses in facilitating instruction and learning is a key concern of all educators involved in or contemplating conducting such courses. This paper explores the impact on learning in asynchronous internet courses compared to learning in a traditional classroom setting. Specifically, the study examines student perceptions of the effectiveness of an active-learning, asynchronous internet course relative to that of a traditional classroom-based course. Students were asked to compare effectiveness on a variety of dimensions. The study yields results consistent with previous research related to learning outcomes along several measures, particularly with regard to students’ positive attitudes about their learning in an online computer course. However, the findings here offer new evidence that learning can also be enhanced with an active learning format in an online course.
DETERMINING COSTS AND BENEFITS OF AN ONLINE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN HEALTHCARE EDUCATION: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS
Authors: York Joseph W.
Published: March 2019

The Master of Health Professions Education degree offered by the University of Illinois’ College of Medicine recently added an online track to its traditional in class format. The objective is to make the course available to healthcare professionals who might not be able to attend classes at the University. An analysis of enrollments and costs of the program indicate that interest in the online format is strong, and even with large costs for faculty time to convert and develop the courses in an online format, the program is financially viable. We also discuss future inquiry into learning outcomes and other economic aspects of online instruction.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEVELOPING EVALUATIONS OF ONLINE COURSES
Authors: Achtemeier Sue D. , Morris Libby V. , Finnegan Catherine L.
Published: March 2019

Exploration of how to assure effective teaching and learning online is extremely important and timely as many institutions seek to maximize the educational benefits from this constantly developing technology. This study categorizes principles gathered from an extensive review of the literature focusing on current best practices for effective teaching and learning in online courses. It compares the presence of those principles in items gleaned from a review of assessment instruments currently in use by thirteen Georgia institutions and several national online courses. Results, which were used to inform the revision of the University System of Georgia eCore course evaluation instrument, provide a rubric for assessing and informing other instruments used to evaluate online course instruction.
INFLUENCE OF NON-MODERATED AND MODERATED DISCUSSION SITES ON STUDENT SUCCESS
Authors: Kashy Deborah A. , Albertelli Guy , Bauer W.
Published: March 2019

One of the most successful applications of networked technology in education has been the development of individualized homework assignments. Such assignments provide immediate feedback to students and discourage copying. However, networked technology also allows students to develop sophisticated schemes designed to beat the system. This paper, supported in part by Andrew W. Mellon and Alfred P. Sloan Foundations, reports the educational outcomes for introductory physics students who used two web sites, one designed by the course instructor to provide assistance to students and the other a site designed by a third party to provide students with the solutions to problems. Results indicated that students who used the third-party site more tended to perform more poorly on all measures of success in the course, and that these relationships held even after accounting for students’ academic ability. On the other hand, students who more often used the site designed by the instructor tended to perform better in the course.
A COST-EFFECTIVE MODEL FOR TEACHING ELEMENTARY STATISTICS WITH IMPROVED STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Authors: Harkness William L. , Lane Jill L. , Harwood John T.
Published: March 2019

Dissatisfaction with teaching a high enrollment introductory statistics course led to efforts to restructure the course to remedy the perceived problems, including lack of student participation, an excessive drain on departmental resources, failure to take into account wide differences in student learning styles, an inability of students to apply statistics after the course, and negative attitudes of students. A cost-effective redesign of the course was implemented that incorporates a learning environment that is student-oriented, involves active student participation and hands-on experience with data analysis, uses technology to reduce costs through labor-saving techniques including low-stakes computerized testing, and sharing of resources enabled by a web site for course management and delivery of course materials. Responsibility for learning basic concepts was transferred to students and motivated by readiness assessment quizzes. The redesign led to about $125,000 in cost savings to the department.
THE WIZARDS PROGRAM AT MERCY COLLEGE
Authors: Sax Boria
Published: March 2019

Mercy College has encouraged students to take a more active role in their education through the use of online teaching assistants or “course wizards.” The duties of wizards include tutoring students, facilitating discussion, and locating resources, but their most essential function is to model the role of a successful student. Having successfully confronted the challenges of a college environment, they provide peers with the benefits of their experience. The program takes advantage of the special intimacy that students share with their classmates. This article gives an outline of the wizards program, and examines it with respect to several criteria including student satisfaction, learning effectiveness, faculty satisfaction, and the satisfaction of the wizards themselves.
A THREE-PRONG STRATEGIC APPROACH TO SUCCESSFUL DISTANCE LEARNING DELIVERY
Authors: Scarafiotti Carol
Published: March 2019

Rio Salado College, headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, is nationally recognized as a role model for innovation and excellence in online education and as the “college of choice” for adults who balance their studies with work and family. One of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges, Rio Salado College has had a distance learning program since its inception in 1978. This paper describes a systems approach to the growth of successful online programs, using data for continuous improvement.
BLOGGING ONLINE LEARNING NEWS AND RESEARCH
Authors: Schroeder Ray
Published: March 2019

Those in the field of ALN are confronted with the challenge of keeping up with the rapidly evolving processes, technologies, environments and current findings of the field. As director of technology-enhanced learning at the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS), I am charged with seeking out the latest developments and sharing them with our online faculty members. In this case study, I describe the process of identifying current developments, filtering them to meet faculty interests and the use of web log (blog) technologies to disseminate the information to faculty members at UIS and elsewhere.
TEACHING COURSES ONLINE: HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE?
Authors: Lazarus Belinda Davis
Published: March 2019

Studies show that temporal factors like workload and lack of release time inhibit faculty participation in developing and teaching online courses; however, few studies exist to gauge the time commitment. This longitudinal case study, presented at the Seventh Annual Sloan-C International Conference on ALN, examined the amount of time needed to teach three asynchronous online courses at The University of Michigan-Dearborn from Winter 1999 through Winter 2000. Twenty-five students were enrolled in each course. Self-monitoring was used to measure the amount of time required to complete the following activities: 1) reading and responding to emails; 2) reading, participating in, and grading 10 online discussions; and 3) grading 15 assignments. Using a stopwatch, the investigator timed and recorded the number of minutes needed for each activity. Also, all messages and assignments were archived and frequency counts were recorded. The weekly, mean number of minutes and assignments was entered on line graphs for analysis. The data showed that teaching each online course required 3 to 7 hours per week, with the greatest number of emails and amount of time required during the first and last 2-weeks of the semesters. Participation in and grading of the discussions took the greatest amount of time and remained steady across the semester. However unlike many live courses, the students participated more in thediscussions than the instructor did. The number of assignments that were submitted each week steadily increased over each semester. This case study indicates that the time needed to teach online courses falls within the range of reasonable expectations for teaching either live or online courses and represents the beginning of this area of inquiry. Consequently, additional studies are needed with a variety of instructors across a variety of courses and disciplines to further pinpoint faculty time commitment.
ANYTIME, ANYPLACE AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: TEN EMERGING INSIGHTS
Authors: Milliron Mark David , Prentice Mary
Published: March 2019

In today’s higher education world, asynchronous learning is the power tool. Moreover, the associated techniques for using asynchronous learning to support in-class and online instruction are bringing learning to life in new and exciting ways. This edition of the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks examines the role of these anytime, anyplace tools with a special focus on the characteristics of the community college movement—particularly the access, affordability, and outreach elements. Readers are treated to explorations of demographic trends, technological tools, and change-management strategies from well known researchers and practitioners. The conversation often ranges beyond community college, and that is with purpose. Community colleges are part of the broader family of education as well as a piece of the social and political fabric of the communities that they serve and thus deserve to be explored in this more complete context.
USING ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING IN REDESIGN: REACHING AND RETAINING THE AT-RISK STUDENT
Authors: Twigg Carol A.
Published: March 2019

Successful completion of introductory courses is critical for first-year students, but typical failure rates in these courses contribute heavily to overall institutional drop-out rates between the first and second year. Although success rates vary by institutional type and by subject matter, Research I universities commonly cite a 15 percent drop-failure-withdrawal (DFW) rate in introductory courses. Comprehensive universities’ DFW rates range from 22 percent to 45 percent in these courses. Community colleges frequently experience DFW rates of 40 percent to 50 percent or more.Most of the weaknesses attributed to large introductory courses are generic in nature and have as their source the limitations of the predominant form of instruction in U.S. colleges and universities: the didactic lecture. An overwhelming body of research shows that students do not learn effectively from lectures, and testimony from the field corroborates the literature.
MAINSTREAMING DISTANCE LEARNING INTO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Authors: Thor Linda M. , Scarafiotti Carol
Published: March 2019

Rio Salado, one of the Maricopa Community Colleges in the Phoenix metropolitan area, has not only carved a market niche as a leading distance learning provider for working adults, but has experienced double-digit growth increases as high as 40 percent annually in its online enrollments. With unduplicated headcount exceeding 21,000 distance learning students last year, the majority of them enrolled in webbased courses, this college without a campus has been recognized as a national model for online teaching and learning. This article details how Rio Salado has mainstreamed distance learning throughout the entire college.
PUTTING A LITTLE TLC INTO LEARNING
Authors: Perez Stella A.
Published: March 2019

The acronym TLC has typically stood for tender loving care. With the influx of technology into the lives of millions, it might appear that TLC is in short supply; however, the League for Innovation in the Community College has taken this notion of TLC and initiated TLC—Transformational Learning Connections—with the objectives of participation, engagement, and collaboration. TLC’s content supports and endorses the promotional reference to Innovation-at-Your-Fingertips through its web-based, anytime-anywhere resource connection between creators of community college innovations and those interested in adopting them. This article presents the seven TLC features—Innovation Express, TLC Forum, Learning Links, Innovation Database, League Connections, Resources on the Web, and the Innovations Online Conference—and the most recent evolution: Innovation Stream or iStream. iStream includes additions such as online conferences, forums, and iStream Radio, which will host a range of programs, interviews, lectures, and seminars with community college leaders.
THE WEARINESS OF THE FLESH: REFLECTIONS ON THE LIFE OF THE MIND IN AN ERA OF ABUNDANCE
Authors: Gandel Paul B. , Katz Richard N.
Published: March 2019

The invention of the printing press reduced higher education’s learning-resource scarcity. Access to learning increased, and this democratization of education indirectly contributed to the idea of political democracy in the western world. As part of these political changes, equilibrium was sought between the supply of expertise needed to promote prosperity and the demand for such expertise. This equilibrium has been elusive as the world economy shifts to a reliance on intellectual capital. To complicate matters, we now live in a world of staggering information abundance. How do we mange such boundless information? One answer may lie in viewing the social character of information (how information is used) as fundamental in setting information management agendas. This article presents a holistic approach to information management as one strategy to create effective management of information that starts with the individual and ends with collective knowledge and wisdom.
THE ROAD TO DOTCALM IN EDUCATION
Authors: Milliron Mark David
Published: March 2019

The DotCom era has educators running faster and faster to keep up with technology that feels more and more elusive. This paper recognizes this chase for what it is—educationally hazardous—and suggests that if we continue racing ahead, we are at risk for personal and professional crashes. Based on the work of the League for Innovation in the Community College with hundreds of colleges through conferences and consultations, this paper shares individual, organizational, and societal road hazards that have proven challenging on this road. The paper concludes with a vision of a journey toward DotCalm, with a focus on learning and inclusiveness in our technology and education adventures.
A CONSTRUCTIVIST METHOD FOR THE ANALYSIS OF NETWORKED COGNITIVE COMMUNICATION AND THE ASSESSMENT OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE-BUILDING
Authors: Campos Milton
Published: March 2019

This article presents a discourse analysis method designed to study networked cognitive communication processes in knowledge communities, such as conceptual change, higher order learning and knowledge building. The method is grounded on genetic epistemology and integrates constructivist and socioconstructivist theoretical concepts. The sentence (understood as judgment) is chosen as the unit of analysis, and the application of the method is further explained. In addition, a study of transcripts in an asynchronous networked community of nurses illustrates the method and demonstrates how conceptual change, collaborative learning and knowledge building can be identified. Advantages and limitations of the method are also discussed.
STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: WEBCAMPUS
Authors: Ubell Robert N.
Published: March 2019

WebCampus.Stevens, recent winner of the Sloan-C Award for Excellence in Institute-Wide Online Teaching and Learning Programming, delivers some 160 courses in six online graduate degrees and 23 graduate certificates. Taught by more than 60 mostly full-time faculty, courses have now enrolled more than 4,000 students in 37 US states and in 28 countries abroad since it was launched in 2000. Paralleling those on campus, online courses are taught by the same faculty who teach face-to-face, using the same content. Online and on campus, students meet the same high standard, pay the same tuition, and receive the same degrees. Resolution of online intellectual property rights by Stevens has become a model for other online schools with faculty retaining rights for all other uses but online. Arrangements have been made with prominent engineering societies and industry associations to offer courses to nearly 800,000 members worldwide.WebCampus delivers Chinese graduate students at Beijing Institute of Technology a hybrid Master's program. The school is developing remote laboratories for online learners.
THE VALUE OF ONLINE LEARNING: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT SPRINGFIELD
Authors: Oakley Burks
Published: March 2019

The value of online learning is analyzed from the perspective of the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS). The first type of value (merit, worth) of online learning is discussed, with the conclusion that online learning is of significant value to various constituencies, including students, faculty, the institution, and society. A second type of value (cost-benefit) of online learning is analyzed and seen to be outstanding at UIS, compared to other online alternatives. Finally, the two types of value of online learning are related to the Sloan-C quality pillars.
EXPLORING THE INTERACTION EQUATION: VALIDATING A RUBRIC TO ASSESS AND ENCOURAGE INTERACTION IN DISTANCE COURSES
Authors: Roblyer Margaret D. , Wiencke William R.
Published: March 2019

The degree of interaction among participants in distance courses is widely acknowledged to be an indicator of successful learning experiences; interaction has been found to contribute to both achievement and student satisfaction. As an increasing number of distance courses move to a completely asynchronous, online format, providing for better interaction is an important means of assuring course quality. To allow measurement and study of interaction in online courses, five elements were identified that contribute to interaction, and a rubric was designed to assess the degree of each in distance courses [1]. A previous use of the rubric in one online class [1] indicated the instrument had good convergent and divergent validity and reliability in terms of consistency of results across students. The current study focused on establishing the rubric’s concurrent validity and consistency of results across four distance courses. Recommendations are made to increase the usefulness and reliability of the rubric in practice.
ROLES OF FACULTY IN TEACHING ASYNCHRONOUS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
Authors: Morris Libby V. , Xu Haixia , Finnegan Catherine L.
Published: March 2019

Although the availability of web-based education and the number of totally asynchronous courses have grown exponentially in the last decade, the literature on online instruction offers limited empirical guidance to faculty teaching in this environment. Much of the literature is anecdotal and prescriptive, and much more research needs to be done to situate research in practice settings. This study examines faculty roles in the online environment through the perceptions of faculty teaching online and through the archival analysis of their courses. Data were collected through document analysis of ten online courses and from interviews with thirteen instructors in the humanities and social sciences. Using Berge’s typology of online facilitator roles, this study examined the relationship between roles as perceived and enacted by faculty, identified wide variations in faculty roles and participation between experienced and novice instructors, and explored the relationship between faculty workload and perception of facilitation in the online environment. Directions for future research are suggested.
CREATING AUTHENTIC LEARNING ACTIVITIES IN PHARMACEUTICAL INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS: USING THE INTEGRATED LABORATORY NETWORK FOR REMOTE ACCESS TO SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTATION
Authors: Cancilla Devon A. , Albon Simon P.
Published: March 2019

The Western Washington University Integrated Laboratory Network (ILN) is an initiative to provide anytime/anyplace access to scientific instrumentation for use in the classroom, laboratory, and research environments. The ILN provides students with greater opportunities to design and conduct real experiments remotely using advanced analytical instrumentation. This paper describes the use of the ILN to provide pharmaceutical sciences students at the University of British Columbia with remote access to instrumentation located at Western Washington University for the purpose of measuring metals in traditional herbal medicines. Prior to the introduction of the ILN, this type of activity would have been difficult, if not impossible, to conduct. Student feedback related to the use of the ILN was positive and supports the further development of curricular materials related to the use of remote instrumentation.
CREATING AND SUSTAINING EFFECTIVE ALNS
Authors: Hiltz Starr Roxanne
Published: March 2019

Pedagogy, software, and student motivation form an interactive system that either supports the emergence and growth of a vibrant online learning community, or does not. This article briefly reviews some of the research that has been carried out at NJIT and elsewhere over the last 25 years that supports this view. It starts with collaborative learning pedagogy, since this is the foundation of a successful learning network.
ROGUE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: DISCIPLINE- SPECIFIC ONLINE WRITING LAB WITH 24/7 ACCESS AND ASYNCHRONOUS PEER TUTORING
Authors: Rogue Rogue
Published: March 2019

Rogue OWL is a unique, multi-discipline, online writing assistance resource, designed to equalize access for all students, across all digital boundaries. Its design and content is flexible and transferable, and it provides a cost-effective vehicle for addressing a variety of needs at multiple institutions.
DO ONLINE STUDENTS DREAM OF ELECTRIC TEACHERS?
Authors: Scorza Jason A.
Published: March 2019

This paper represents a rough and ready attempt to describe an approach to online teaching that favors empathy over efficiency in the hope of achieving both.
ARE ONLINE COURSES CANNIBALIZING STUDENTS FROM EXISTING COURSES?
Authors: Cavanaugh Joseph K.
Published: March 2019

One of the reasons most often cited for the increasing number and popularity of online courses is the format’s ability to provide access to students who cannot attend conventionally delivered face-to-face courses. Are these underserved students in fact the ones enrolling in online courses? Or are online course enrollees the same students who would otherwise be taking face-to-face courses? This analysis uses student registration information from six different online courses at two campuses of a Midwestern university to investigate how students taking online courses compare to the entire student population. In particular, this study addresses whether or not students take online courses to eliminate significant commuting time when they are located long distances from campus.
A REVIEW OF RECENT PAPERS ON ONLINE DISCUSSION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Authors: Hammond Michael
Published: March 2019

This paper presents a review of a sample of recent case studies on the use of asynchronous online discussion in higher education. These studies are analyzed in terms of curriculum design, assumptions about teaching and learning, and claims and reported conditions for using online discussion. The claims made for asynchronous online discussion—in particular the opportunities for interaction between learners, and permanent access to these interactions—are found to be frequently based on social constructivist principles. Asynchronous online discussion is seen as offering additional value by providing learners with experience of computer communication tools and opportunities for taking part in group work. Several constraints on participation within online forums are described. These are discussed in relation to the nature of curriculum design, software design, tutor support, and learners’ attitudes and previous experience. The conditions under which asynchronous online discussion may best support learning are set out, and avenues for future research are suggested.
ESTIMATING FACULTY AND STUDENT WORKLOAD FOR INTERACTION IN ONLINE GRADUATE MUSIC COURSES
Authors: McLain Barbara Payne
Published: March 2019

Research suggests that faculty perceive greater workload for online teaching. These perceptions have little quantitative support. This study utilized seven online graduate courses, over a three year period to estimate faculty and student workload for interaction via online discussions and electronic mail using average reading and typing speeds. Weekly faculty workload estimates for interaction did not exceed normal expectations for faculty “office hours” for six of the seven courses. Perceptions of excessive workload for communication may be better explained by the dynamics of online interaction found in this study. Online students attempted to contact their instructors, twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, at least every fourteen hours. Further research is needed to establish the time needed for FTF teaching interaction and to validate actual typing and reading speeds for more accurate estimates of the time needed for online course interaction.
A SYNTHESIS OF SLOAN-C EFFECTIVE PRACTICES, AUGUST 2005
Authors: Moore Janet C.
Published: March 2019

To support continuous improvement in the quality, scale and breadth of online education, the Sloan Consortium invites practitioners to share effective practices. This report synthesizes effective practices submitted by Sloan-C members that have been reviewed and are currently listed in Sloan-C Effective Practices online collection at http://www.sloan-c.org/effective.
AN EXAMINATION OF SENSE OF CLASSROOM COMMUNITY AND LEARNING AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN AND CAUCASIAN GRADUATE STUDENTS
Authors: Rovai Alfred P. , Ponton Michael K.
Published: March 2019

Higher education administrators and faculty members seek ways in which to advance student learning in online courses, and student affairs professionals seek ways to promote a sense of belonging and connectedness of students to their schools. The present study examined how a set of three classroom community variables were related to a set of two student learning variables in a predominantly White sample of 108 online African American and Caucasian graduate students. Using canonical correlation, the two subscales of the Classroom Community Scale and the mean number of messages posted each week to the online course’s group discussion boards were found to be related significantly to perceived learning and total points earned in the course along a single dimension. Moreover, African American students scored significantly lower across all five variables than their Caucasian peers, suggesting that the achievement gap that exists in many traditional educational programs also exists in graduate ALN programs and that this gap extends to sense of community.
PARTICIPATORY EXAMINATIONS IN ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING NETWORKS: LONGITUDINAL EVALUATION RESULTS
Authors: Shen Jia , Bieber Michael
Published: March 2019

This paper presents longitudinal evaluation results for an online participatory examination process in an information systems course over three semesters. The exam process includes students making up questions, answering other students’ questions, grading answers to questions they author, and appealing the grades. The surveys following each exam elicited students’ feedback, and an experiment compared the participatory exam with the traditional exam in the third semester. Survey results reveal that the majority of students have favorable attitudes towards the participatory exam, and would recommend the participatory examination for future courses. Students in the participatory exam enjoyed the process significantly more than students in the traditional exam, and have higher overall preference for the exam mode, although their perceived learning and perceived fairness in grading are lower than with thetraditional exam. Discussion and future research on this topic are also presented.
EXPLORING FOUR DIMENSIONS OF ONLINE INSTRUCTOR ROLES: A PROGRAM LEVEL CASE STUDY
Authors: Liu Xiaojing , Bonk Curt J. , Magjuka Richard J. , Lee Seung-hee , Su Bude
Published: March 2019

The purpose of this study was to understand the practice of online facilitation in a Midwestern university which has a highly successful traditional MBA program. This study explored the instructors’ perceptions regarding four dimensions of instructor roles using Berge’s [1] classifications: pedagogical, managerial, social, and technical. This study also examined the challenges and issues confronting online instructors when fulfilling these roles. The results suggest that instructors carried out several important roles to varying degrees. The findings reveal a stronger emphasis on the pedagogical roles (course designer, profession-inspirer, feedback-giver, and interaction-facilitator). Emphasizing those roles, the instructors promote three types of interactions: student-content, student-student, and student-teacher. A lesseremphasis on social roles represented mixed feelings regarding its importance to the instructors. While students rated the instructors very positively, the results also indicate that instructors still need to have their roles transformed pedagogically, socially, and technologically if they are to establish a more engaging and fruitful environment for online learning.
IMPROVING TRAINING OUTCOMES THROUGH BLENDED LEARNING
Authors: Reece Michelle , Lockee Barbara
Published: March 2019

Blended learning is a prominent trend in corporate training that has implications for distributed learning across a range of venues and constituents. Typically defined as an instructional program offered through a combination of two or more delivery modes, blended learning utilizes a variety of approaches, including print-based materials, instructor-led training, and web-based training, to name a few. This article describes training strategies and techniques available through blended learning designs, such as pre-work, assessment strategies, and transfer activities. The authors outline the advantages and limitations of blended learning options and present a case study on how one organization, Certified Medical Representatives Institute (CMRI), made the shift to a blended approach in its course product line, highlighting both successes and challenges faced in the transition.
Öğretmenlerin Anlam, Meslek Sürdürme, Stres ve Tükenmişlik Durumlarının Ruhsal Yaşamları Yönünden Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: Göçen Ahmet
Published: March 2019

Ruhsallık, yönetim çalışmalarında giderek artan bir ilgi ile
karşılanmış ve son yıllarda işyeri ruhsallığı kapsamında yeniden incelenmeye
başlanmıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı öğretmenlerin hayat anlamını, mesleği
sürdürme isteklerini, stres ve tükenmişlik durumlarını ruhsal yaşam ve
inançları bağlamında incelemektir. İşyeri ruhsallığı çerçevesinde yapılan bu
çalışma nitel araştırma yöntemi temelli olup olgubilim desenindedir. Çalışma
grubunun seçiminde uygun örneklem kullanılırken verilerin analizinde içerik ve betimsel
analiz tekniklerine yer verilmiştir. 10 öğretmen ile gerçekleştirilen yarı
yapılandırılmış görüşmeler sonucunda öğretmenlerin ruhsal yaşamının “insani
değerler, insan hakları ve görevsel değerler” temalarında okul hayatlarına
etkilerinin olduğu görülmüştür. İş stresine ve tükenmişliğe karşı öğretmenlerin
ruhsal ve alternatif çözümler geliştirdiği ifade edilmiştir. Öğretmenlerin hayatlarını
anlamlandırmada çocuk sahibi olmadan mutluluk duygusuna kadar farklı olguların
rol oynadığı anlaşılmıştır. Katılımcılar genel olarak mesleklerini sürdürmeye
istekli olsalar da hayatlarında en az bir kez meslekten ayrılmayı düşündüklerini
ifade etmiştir. Bu bulgular
genel olarak ele alındığında öğretmenlerin iç yaşamlarının okul hayatlarına
önemli etkilerinin olduğunu göstermektedir.
An Insight of Linear Regression Analysis
Authors: Ng Set Foong , Chew Yee Ming , Chng Pei Eng , Ng Kok Shien
Published: March 2019

Regression models are developed in various field of applications to help researchers to predict certain variables based on other predictor variables. The dependent variables in the regression model are estimated by a number of independent variables. Model utility test is a hypothesis testing procedure in regression to verify if there is a useful relationship between the dependent variable and the independent variable. The hypothesis testing procedure that involves p-value is commonly used in model utility test. A new technique that involves coefficient of determination R2 in model utility test is developed in this paper. The effectiveness of the model utility test in testing the significance of regression model is evaluated using simple linear regression model with the significance level α = 0.01, 0.025 and 0.05. The study in this paper shows that a regression model that is declared to be a significant model by using model utility test, however it fails to guarantee a strong linear relationship between the independent variable and dependent variable. Based on the evaluation presented in this paper, it is shown that the p-value approach in model utility test is not a good technique in evaluating the significance of a regression model. The results of this study could serve as a reference for other researchers applying regression analysis in their studies.