ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Sustaining Liberal Arts Colleges through Community Partnerships and the Co-Production of Knowledge
Author: Wiewel, Wim
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Liberal Arts,Colleges,Public Colleges,Educational History,Higher Education,Role of Education,School Community Relationship,Urban Areas,Urban Schools,Innovation,Partnerships in Education

There was a time when universities located in cities set themselves apart from urban life, even, in some cases, building walls that isolated their campuses. As the Cold War and Space Race accelerated the demand for academic expertise, government funding for basic and applied research became a mainstay of higher education. With the end of the Cold War, many institutions turned to a greater concern by addressing domestic societal needs. As state funding began its steady and continuing decline, urban universities developed programs to demonstrate the value they add to cities and metropolitan regions, and public-private partnerships took root. Today, liberal arts colleges are being challenged to demonstrate their relevance and value. Their future is, in part, predicated on their success in building stronger, more strategic, and mutually beneficial relationships beyond their campuses, specifically by collaborating with and adding value to the cities and metropolitan areas in which they are located. A movement that started in public universities should now be adopted more widely by liberal arts colleges.
Exploring LGBTQ Literature in Ecuador: Why It Matters
Author: Freyn, Amy L.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Homosexuality,LGBTQ People,College Students,Literature,Curriculum Development,Advocacy,Outcomes of Education

This study explored what university students in Ecuador learned in a first ever LGBTQ Literature course, as well as if the course helped to build LGBTQ allies. The research explores not only the pedagogical strategies used in the development of and during the course, but also proposes a LBGTQ+ ally development teaching framework that can guide teachers in developing curricula around LGBTQ literature that will not only work against homophobia, heteronormativity, and heterosexism, but also provide teachers with an ultimate goal of developing LGBTQ allies in their schools. The results of the qualitative phenomenological research suggest that students not only learned by reading LGBTQ Literature, they also learned to become active, to use their voices, to embrace themselves and others, and to become stronger LGBTQ allies.
Award-Winning Faculty Online Teaching Practices: Elements of Award-Winning Courses
Author: Kumar, Swapna
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Faculty,Professional Recognition,Teaching Methods,Awards,Online Courses,Beginning Teachers,Experienced Teachers,Professional Associations,Multimedia Materials,Data Use,Evaluation Methods,Teacher Attitudes,Instructional Effectiveness,Authentic Learning,Instructional Materials,Best Practices,Educational Improvement,Excellence in Education,Reflection,Comparative Analysis,Instructional Design

The purpose of this study was to explore award-winning instructors' insights on elements of their course design that were award-winning and the differences between expert and novice online instructors. Interviews were conducted with eight award-winning online faculty members from across the United States who had received online teaching awards from one of three professional associations. The five main areas that emerged from the data analysis were (a) authentic and relevant course materials that connect to practice, (b) the use of multimedia resources, (c) student creation of digital content individually and collaboratively, (d) students' reflection on learning, and (e) the instructor's explanation of the purpose of activities, technologies, and assessments in the online course. Additionally, award-winning faculty emphasized the importance of using data and evaluation practices and reflecting on course offerings in the development of an excellent online course. Award-wining faculty described expert online instructors as being experienced and comfortable in the online environment, using a wide range of strategies, being willing to learn, using data and analytics, and engaging in continuous improvement. The findings add to the literature on best practices and what constitutes excellence in online courses.
Characterizing MOOC Pedagogies: Exploring Tools and Methods for Learning Designers and Researchers
Author: Quintana, Rebecca M.
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Large Group Instruction,Online Courses,Instructional Design,Teaching Methods,Researchers,Research Methodology,Multivariate Analysis,Evaluation Methods,Epistemology,Teacher Role,Learning Activities,Course Content,Feedback (Response),Cooperative Learning,Individual Differences,Student Needs,Student Role

We explore new tools and methods for learning designers and researchers to characterize pedagogical approaches that are applied to the design of MOOCs. This paper makes three main contributions to literature on MOOC design and evaluation: (1) an Expanded Assessing MOOC Pedagogies instrument for use by learning designers and researchers within their own contexts, (2) a demonstration of how nearest neighbor cluster analysis can be used to identify pedagogically similar MOOCs, and (3) a preliminary analysis of the clusters to account for features and factors that contribute to pedagogical similarity of MOOCs within clusters. This work advances research in the development of MOOC typologies, to allow learning designers and researchers to ask nuanced questions about pedagogical aspects of MOOC design.
Instructor Perceptions of Quality Learning in MOOCs They Teach
Author: Askeroth, Jacob H.
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Educational Quality,Online Courses,Web Based Instruction,Constructivism (Learning),Independent Study,Affordances

Included in the discussions regarding the instructional and learning value of massive open online courses (MOOCs) is the question of whether MOOC learners gain much value, if any at all, and has been a continuing debate since MOOCs began. Skeptics argue that MOOCs lack academic rigor and are superficial, while proponents praise them as addressing important global issues of educational access and affordability, providing pathways to more substantial learning opportunities. An important viewpoint in this conversation that warrants consideration is that of the professors/instructors who teach MOOCs and how they perceive the quality of learning that takes place in their MOOCs. In this case study, we used semistructured qualitative interviews with three MOOC instructors in addition to course and document reviews to identify examples of their perceptions in practice. The findings from this case study suggest that instructors do believe that quality learning can take place within a MOOC and is often accomplished through social constructivism and self-regulated learning approaches. Discussions, dialogues, negotiations, and collaborations as well as learners accomplishing their intended goals in the course were all considered to be manifestations of quality learning in a MOOC. Implications of the findings for additional research and practice are also discussed.
A Professional Learning Program for Novice Online Teachers Using Threshold Concepts
Author: Northcote, Maria
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Faculty Development,Online Courses,Web Based Instruction,Fundamental Concepts,Teaching Methods,Beginning Teachers,Curriculum Design,Self Efficacy

The professional development of online teachers is now commonplace in higher education. Alongside the relatively straightforward decision to provide professional learning support for novice and experienced online educators within universities, decisions about the nature and content of such support are not always as clear cut. The study aimed to gather evidence about the online teaching and learning experiences and views of current students and staff which, in turn, informed a set of pedagogical guidelines that could be used as the basis of professional learning programs for novice online teachers. Using a mixed methods research design, data were gathered using questionnaires, reflective journals, and focus groups to determine the threshold concepts about online teaching and perceptions of ideal online learning environments. As well as identifying threshold concepts about online teaching and perceptions of teachers' and students' ideal views of online learning contexts (reported elsewhere), the study produced curricular guidelines to inform the design of professional development outputs for online teachers in higher education. This article reports on an example of how these professional development guidelines, based on identified threshold concepts of online pedagogy, were implemented at one higher education institution to provide wide-scale implementation of a professional development program for academic staff engaged in online teaching.
Designing MOOCs to Facilitate Participant Self-Monitoring for Self-Directed Learning
Author: Zhu, Meina
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Instructional Design,Online Courses,Self Management,Teacher Attitudes,Feedback (Response),Cognitive Processes,Reflection,Facilitators (Individuals),Technology Integration,Skill Development,Foreign Countries,Blended Learning,Peer Evaluation,Teaching Assistants,Educational Strategies,Adult Students

This study investigated the design and delivery of MOOCs to facilitate student self-monitoring for self-directed learning (SDL) using mixed methods. The data sources of this study included an online survey with 198 complete respondents, semistructured interviews with 22 MOOC instructors, and document analysis of 22 MOOCs. Study results indicated that MOOC instructors considered self-monitoring skills critical for SDL. To foster students' self-monitoring, MOOC instructors reported that they facilitated students' self-monitoring by helping students with internal feedback and providing external feedback. Students' internal feedback included cognitive and metacognitive processes. To facilitate cognitive processes, MOOC instructors provided quizzes, tutorials, learning strategies, learning aids, and progress bars. For metacognition, these instructors provided reflection questions and attempted to create learning communities. In addition, MOOC instructors, teaching assistants, and peers provided external feedback for students' self-monitoring. Across these findings, technology played a central role in supporting students' self-monitoring.
Investigating the Impact of Online Classes on Undergraduate Degree Completion
Author: Wavle, Sharon
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Correlation,Graduation Rate,Academic Achievement,Undergraduate Students,Student Characteristics,Academic Persistence,School Holding Power,Institutional Characteristics,Campuses,Comparative Analysis,Grade Point Average,Conventional Instruction,Student Attitudes,College Entrance Examinations

This study expands on current research that examines the impact of online courses on retention, degree completion, and student success. The researchers investigated the impact of online courses on degree completion by using existing graduation rate data, course enrollment data, and student grades for undergraduate students at a multicampus 4-year institution. The researchers aimed to provide advisors, faculty, and administrators with a better understanding of how online classes fit into an undergraduate student's program of study while completing their degrees within the desired time frame. The researchers additionally sought to understand the impact of taking online classes on degree completion while controlling for student demographic and academic factors (e.g., age, first-generation student status, socioeconomic status, SAT/ACT scores, and first semester GPA) and campus type (traditional flagship, urban research, and regional). Results indicated that, regardless of campus type, taking one or more online classes during their program of study increased undergraduate students' likelihood of successful degree completion. Lastly, to provide further insight, this study compared student performance in online and on-campus classes. Results for this comparison were mixed; slightly higher or slightly lower online course grades were obtained by students compared to face-to-face course grades, depending on type of campus.
Enabling Collaborative Work in Higher Education: An Exploration of Enhancing Research Collaborations within an Institution
Author: Huang, Jun Song
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Colleges,Institutional Cooperation,Cooperation,Foreign Countries,Social Networks,Network Analysis,Researchers,Departments,Research,Environmental Influences

Higher education institutions are facing an increasing demand to collaborate with each other in the knowledge economy. Yet, research on how higher education management enhances collaborative work is rare. This paper takes research collaboration as an example and presents a provisional exploration initiated by a higher education institution in Singapore to enhance collaborations among researchers within the institution. The paper first explores three key challenges (i.e., harnessing differences, avoiding counterproductive coercing of collaborations, and optimizing team size) and introduces a social network perspective as a means to understand research collaboration. It uses analytic tools from Social Network Analysis to provide insight into the patterns and dynamics of collaborations among researchers within the institution. The insights are used to inform the institution's formulation of strategies to enhance research collaboration, including strategies for research development, research community engagement and talent retention. Critical considerations are given to the ways in which management might adopt and adapt a social network perspective to facilitate collaborative work in higher education. Exploring the utility of social theories and tools for enhancing collaborative work in higher education contributes to 'importing' theories to higher education research, particularly the institutional management and the knowledge and research themes of higher education research.
Effects of Online Course Load on Degree Completion, Transfer, and Dropout among Community College Students of the State University of New York
Author: Shea, Peter
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Educational Attainment,Community Colleges,Two Year College Students,Transfer Students,School Holding Power,Dropouts,Minority Groups,Dropout Rate,Outcomes of Education

Past research suggests that some students are at risk of lower levels of academic performance when studying online compared to students who take coursework only in the classroom. Community college students appear to be among those that struggle in online settings. In this paper, we hypothesize that online course load may influence outcomes for such students, especially those at risk for lower levels of degree attainment. To examine this, we conducted a statewide study using data from the 30 community colleges (n = 45,557) of the State University of New York (SUNY) to understand online course-load effects on degree completion, transfer, and dropout. We conclude that when controlling for covariates known to impact degree completion, on average, community college students who successfully complete online courses nearly double their chances (odds ratio = 1.72) of earning a degree or transferring to a 4-year college. However, racial minority students had reduced outcomes, and additional research is warranted.
Operational and Fiscal Management of Core Facilities: A Survey of Chief Research Officers
Author: Carter, Jason R.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Research Universities,Shared Resources and Services,Educational Facilities,Facilities Management,Financial Support,Research Administration,Research Directors,Administrator Attitudes,Administrative Organization,Budgets,Administrator Effectiveness,Contracts

Sharing research equipment and personnel across investigators and laboratories has a long-standing history within research universities. However, the coordinated management of centralized, shared resources (i.e., core facilities) that provide access to instruments, technologies, services, expert consultation, and/or other scientific and clinical capabilities by Chief Research Officers (CROs) represents a more recent shift within the academy. While a number of recent surveys and studies have focused on the experiences of core facility directors and users, there has not yet been a targeted survey of CROs. Partnering with the Association for Public and Land Grant Universities Council on Research, fifty-eight CROs (or their designee) from research universities completed an electronic survey on core facilities (response rate = 35%). Core facilities formally reported to a range of entities within the university (and many to multiple entities), including the CRO office (83%), colleges/schools (67%), institutes/centers (42%), and departments (42%). Forty percent of respondents indicated that their university does not have a formal process to become and/or retain status as a recognized core facility. CROs also perceived that different types of core facilities directors differed in their general effectiveness (F(3,179)=6.88, p&lt;0.001); professional staff and administrators were rated as significantly more effective at directing/supervising core facilities than were tenure/tenure-track faculty (Tukey's post-hoc; p&lt;0.005). Core facilities were funded through a variety of mechanisms, with the most common being use fees (96%), central and/or decentralized funding of directors or staff (77%), annual general fund allocation (62%), a designated portion of Facilities &amp; Administration (F&amp;A) reimbursements (46%), and internal grant programs (31%). Funds for purchasing new equipment within core facilities came from a number of sources, with the most common being external grants (87%), central institutional funds (83%), college/school/department funds (73%), use fees (50%), F&amp;A resources (50%), and donations (27%). There are significant challenges to managing and funding core facilities; the present study provides new insights into the various strategies and tactics being taken by CROs to address these real and perceived challenges.
Evaluating Online Learning Orientation Design with a Readiness Scale
Author: Liu, Juhong Christie
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Readiness,Orientation,Program Effectiveness,Asynchronous Communication,Technological Literacy,Teacher Student Relationship,Peer Relationship,Interpersonal Communication,Interpersonal Competence,Learning Modules,Student Characteristics,Time Management,Integrated Learning Systems,Videoconferencing,College Students

Student online learning readiness (SOLR) has been identified as being closely associated with the success of learning in online environments. Online learning orientations have also been used as a key intervention to support students. However, the evaluation practice and research of online learning orientation design are limited. This research studied the effects of an orientation course on SOLR, using a multiyear design-based research with a one-group pretest and posttest method as the evaluation measurement. The design and implementation of a self-paced orientation course in Canvas learning management system was detailed as the intervention. A 20-item SOLR questionnaire was selected as the pretest and posttest instrument. After the initial cycles, a sample of 2,590 college students were invited to participate in the 2017 orientation and respond to the pretest and posttest. Because separate consent forms were distributed and collected at the pretest and posttest stages, the researcher was able to use 445 pretest and 624 posttest datasets. The independent samples t-test results indicated statistically significant improvement of SOLR competencies. The exploratory factor analysis results also indicated changes of items associated with the SOLR constructs. The reliability coefficients of all subscales were &gt; 0.90, with an increase in the reliability of the SOLR instrument as a whole from pretest ([alpha] = 0.92) to posttest ([alpha] = 0.95). Implications for the design and evaluation of online learning orientations and preparing student online learning readiness are discussed toward future design and implementation.
Faculty Perspectives on Online Learning: The Instructor&apos;s Role in Creating Community
Author: Berry, Sharla
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Role,College Faculty,Sense of Community,Synchronous Communication,Virtual Classrooms,Videoconferencing,Orientation,Teacher Student Relationship,Online Courses,Peer Relationship,Doctoral Students

In this qualitative case study, the researcher followed up on a previous study on community in an online program. Focusing on faculty perspectives, findings suggest that while online students' sense of community was influenced by their interactions in class, in study groups, and at in-person social events, online faculty saw their role in cultivating community as limited to the classroom. Professional and personal obligations as well as the academic reward structure limited faculty engagement in the online community. Findings have implications for developing distance programs that support both student and faculty needs.
How College Students&apos; Achievement Goal Orientations Predict Their Expected Online Learning Outcome: The Mediation Roles of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies and Supportive Online Learning Behaviors
Author: Yeh, Yu-Chen
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Goal Orientation,Predictor Variables,Electronic Learning,Outcomes of Education,Independent Study,Learning Strategies,Achievement,Online Courses

The purpose of this study was to examine the underlying mechanism between goal orientations and academic expectation for online learners. We simultaneously studied the structural relationships among 2×2 achievement goal orientations, self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies, supportive online learning behaviors, and expected academic outcome in various online courses with 93 respondents (70 undergraduate and 23 graduate students). Specifically, we tested the mediation effects of both SRL strategies and supportive online learning behaviors on the relationship between achievement goal orientations and students' academic expectations. The results showed that two of the achievement goal orientations--mastery-approach (MAP) goals and mastery-avoidance (MAV) goals--predicted the adoption of SRL strategies and supportive online learning behaviors, which, in turn, predicted students' expected academic outcome for their online course. Specifically, students with higher MAP goals were more likely to adopt different types of SRL strategies and supportive online learning behaviors to facilitate their learning experience, which further enhanced their expectation for their academic outcome. By contrast, students with higher MAV goals were less likely to adopt SRL strategies and supportive online learning behaviors, which, in turn, led to lower grade expectations.