ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Learner Analysis Framework for Globalized E-Learning: A Case Study
Author: Saxena, Mamta
Date: 2011-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Instructional Design,Cultural Influences,Case Studies,Cultural Awareness,Instructional Improvement,Global Approach,Teaching Methods,Cultural Differences,Barriers,Educational Research,Information Needs,Research Methodology

The shift to technology-mediated modes of instructional delivery and increased global connectivity has led to the rise in globalized e-learning programs. Educational institutions face multiple challenges as they seek to design effective, engaging, and culturally competent instruction for an increasingly diverse learner population. The purpose of this study was to explore strategies for expanding learner analysis within the instructional design process to better address cultural influences on learning. A case study approach leveraged the experience of practicing instructional designers to build a framework for culturally competent learner analysis. The study discussed the related challenges and recommended strategies to improve the effectiveness of cross-cultural learner analysis. Based on the findings, a framework for conducting cross-cultural learner analysis to guide the cultural analysis of diverse learners was proposed. The study identified the most critical factors in improving cross-cultural learner analysis as the judicious use of existing research on cross-cultural theories and joint deliberation on the part of all the participants from the management to the learners. Several strategies for guiding and improving the cultural inquiry process were summarized. Barriers and solutions for the requirements are also discussed. (Contains 2 figures.)
Shifting the Emphasis from Teaching to Learning: Process-Based Assessment in Nurse Education
Author: Bergstrom, Peter
Date: 2011-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Nursing Education,Student Evaluation,Distance Education,Nurses,Holistic Approach,Learning Experience,Teaching Methods,Prior Learning,Qualitative Research,Teacher Student Relationship,Student Role,Information Technology,Creativity,Specialists,Learning Processes,Interviews,Teacher Attitudes

Shifting from an emphasis on teaching to learning is a complex task for both teachers and students. This paper reports on a qualitative study of teachers in a nurse specialist education programme meeting this shift in a distance education course. The study aimed to gain a better understanding of the teacher-student relationship by addressing research questions in relation to the students' role, the learning process, and the assessment process. A didactical design comprising three phases focusing on distinct learning outcomes for the course was adopted. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with teachers and were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The results indicate a shift towards a problematising and holistic approach to teaching, learning, and assessment. This shift highlighted a teacher-student relationship with a shared responsibility in the orchestration of the learning experience. The overall picture outlines a distance education experience of process-based assessment characterised by the imposition of teachers' rules and a lack of creativity due to the limited role of ICT merely as a container of content. (Contains 1 figure.)
Quality of Learners' Time and Learning Performance beyond Quantitative Time-on-Task
Author: Romero, Margarida
Date: 2011-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Learning Activities,Distance Education,Online Courses,Adult Learning,Adult Students,Time on Task,Academic Achievement,Family Work Relationship,Time Factors (Learning),Learner Engagement,Cooperative Learning

Along with the amount of time spent learning (or time-on-task), the quality of learning time has a real influence on learning performance. Quality of time in online learning depends on students' time availability and their willingness to devote quality cognitive time to learning activities. However, the quantity and quality of the time spent by adult e-learners on learning activities can be reduced by professional, family, and social commitments. Considering that the main time pattern followed by most adult e-learners is a professional one, it may be beneficial for online education programs to offer a certain degree of flexibility in instructional time that might allow adult learners to adjust their learning times to their professional constraints. However, using the time left over once professional and family requirements have been fulfilled could lead to a reduction in quality time for learning. This paper starts by introducing the concept of quality of learning time from an online student-centred perspective. The impact of students' time-related variables (working hours, time-on-task engagement, time flexibility, time of day, day of week) is then analyzed according to individual and collaborative grades achieved during an online master's degree program. The data show that both students' time flexibility (r = 0.98) and especially their availability to learn in the morning are related to better grades in individual (r = 0.93) and collaborative activities (r = 0.46). (Contains 1 figure.)
Beginning Course Surveys: Bridges for Knowing and Bridges for Being
Author: Starr-Glass, David
Date: 2011-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Strategies,Classroom Techniques,Instructional Effectiveness,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Online Courses,Distance Education,Business Administration Education,Teacher Student Relationship,Student Characteristics,Learner Engagement,Cultural Differences,Foreign Students,Military Personnel,Computer Mediated Communication,Web Based Instruction,Instructional Design,Information Utilization

The use of a participant survey, administered at the outset of an online course, can provide information useful in the management of the learning environment and in its subsequent redesign. Such information can clarify participants' prior experience, expectations, and demographics. But the very act of enquiring about the learner also signals the instructor's social presence, relational interest, and desire to enter into an authentic dialogue. This study examines the use of participant surveys in online management courses. The first section discusses the informational bridges that this instrument provides. The second section considers survey responses to open-ended questions dealing with student sentiments. This analysis suggests that the survey plays a valuable part in accentuating social presence and in initiating relational bridges with participants. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)
The Importance of Interaction for Academic Success in Online Courses with Hearing, Deaf, and Hard-of-Hearing Students
Author: Long, Gary L.
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Deafness,Academic Achievement,Online Courses,Interaction,Teaching Methods,Computer Mediated Communication,Hearing Impairments,Hearing (Physiology),Comparative Analysis,Surveys,Internet,Student Attitudes,Regression (Statistics),Learning Processes,Grades (Scholastic)

This paper reports the findings of three studies within a program of research designed to better understand the factors contributing to the academic achievement of students in online courses and the contributions of interaction to online learning. The first study compared the academic achievement of students in the online and face-to-face (F2F) sections of multiple courses. In the second study, an online survey was used to obtain student perceptions of course satisfaction, learning, and communication. These factors were then related, using binary logistic regression analysis, to the amount of interaction that occurred in the students' respective online courses; information from the myCourses course management system was used to quantify the amount of interaction that occurred in online courses. In the final study, both datasets were used to examine the academic achievement of students in online courses based upon the amount of interaction that had actually occurred. Whenever possible, a subgroup of deaf and hard-of-hearing students was included in the study to increase our understanding of the role that communication plays in the teaching-learning process. Our findings indicate that students enrolled in online courses, especially those designed with high levels of online interaction, receive higher grades and report greater learning than students in comparable F2F courses. In addition, online courses appear to provide deaf and hard-of-hearing students with special benefits in terms of academic achievement through online discussion. Overall, the studies illuminate how the quantity of interaction in online discussions relates to important success factors. Students in online courses with more interaction outperformed students in online courses with less interaction. (Contains 8 tables and 6 figures.)
Examining Motivation in Online Distance Learning Environments: Complex, Multifaceted, and Situation-Dependent
Author: Hartnett, Maggie
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Electronic Learning,Distance Education,Online Courses,Preservice Teachers,Elementary Education,Preservice Teacher Education,Learning Motivation,Student Characteristics,Educational Environment,Context Effect,Theories,Self Determination,Case Studies

Existing research into motivation in online environments has tended to use one of two approaches. The first adopts a trait-like model that views motivation as a relatively stable, personal characteristic of the learner. Research from this perspective has contributed to the notion that online learners are, on the whole, intrinsically motivated. The alternative view concentrates on the design of online learning environments to encourage optimal learner motivation. Neither approach acknowledges a contemporary view of motivation that emphasises the situated, mutually constitutive relationship of the learner and the learning environment. Using self-determination theory (SDT) as a framework, this paper explores the motivation to learn of preservice teachers in two online distance-learning contexts. In this study, learners were found to be not primarily intrinsically motivated. Instead, student motivation was found to be complex, multifaceted, and sensitive to situational conditions. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)
Factors that Impact Student Usage of the Learning Management System in Qatari Schools
Author: Nasser, Ramzi
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Measures (Individuals),Program Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,Performance Factors,Database Management Systems,Management Information Systems,Private Schools,Questionnaires,Semi Structured Interviews,Use Studies,Barriers,Knowledge Level,Mail Surveys,Predictor Variables,Technology Uses in Education,Student Attitudes

In an attempt to enhance teacher and student performance in school, a learning management system (LMS) known as Knowledge-Net (K-Net) was introduced in Qatari independent schools. (All public schools in Qatar have transformed to independent schools; the independent schools model is similar to the charter school system in North America.) An LMS is a tool that organizes and regulates classroom administrative tasks, supports teachers and students in the teaching and learning process, and informs parents of their children's progress and school activities. Despite the benefits of the LMS, research studies indicate that its use by students has been limited because of a number of &quot;manipulative&quot; and &quot;non-manipulative factors&quot; that can influence behavior. This study explores the factors that impact student use of the LMS K-Net in Qatari independent schools. Quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire that was administered to students in 37 schools. A total of 1,376 students responded to the questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data that helped to confirm the results of the quantitative data and to provide additional insight on students' perspectives regarding the use of the LMS. The results point to a strong relation between ICT knowledge and LMS usage. They suggest that the more ICT knowledge students have, the less prone they are to using the LMS. Attitudinal barriers were not predictive of usage. Student usage was strongly correlated to teacher and parent usage. This study is informative in evaluating LMS usage in Qatari schools. (Contains 5 tables.)
Quality Assurance in Asian Distance Education: Diverse Approaches and Common Culture
Author: Jung, Insung
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Distance Education,Prior Learning,Quality Control,Foreign Countries,Educational Quality,Accountability,Guidelines,Evaluation Methods,Educational Policy,Accreditation (Institutions)

With the phenomenal expansion of distance education in Asia during the past three decades, there has been growing public demand for quality and accountability in distance education. This study investigates the national quality assurance systems for distance education at the higher education level in Asia with the aim of contributing to a better understanding of the current level of development of quality assurance in Asian distance education and to offer potential directions for policy makers when developing and elaborating quality assurance systems for distance education. The analysis of the existing quality assurance frameworks in the 11 countries/territories selected reveals that the level of quality assurance policy integration in the overall national quality assurance in higher education policy framework varies considerably. The purpose of quality assurance, policy frameworks, methods, and instruments in place are generally tailored to each country's particular circumstances. There are, however, obvious commonalities that underpin these different quality assurance efforts. (Contains 2 tables.)
Literacy at a Distance in Multilingual Contexts: Issues and Challenges
Author: Ofulue, Christine I.
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Literacy,Language Planning,Distance Education,Multilingualism,Foreign Countries,Information Technology,Case Studies,Language Usage,Teacher Education,Role,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Access to Education,Language of Instruction,Native Language,African Languages,Official Languages,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,French,Semitic Languages

Literacy is perhaps the most fundamental skill required for effective participation in education (formal and non-formal) for national development. At the same time, the choice of language for literacy is a complex issue in multilingual societies like Nigeria. This paper examines the issues involved, namely language policy, language and teacher development, and the role of distance education and information and communication technologies (ICTs), in making literacy accessible in as many languages as possible. Two distance learning literacy projects are presented as case studies and the lessons learned are discussed. The findings of this study suggest that although there is evidence of growing accessibility to ICTs like mobile phones, their use and success to increase access to literacy in the users' languages are yet to be attained and maximised. The implication of the lessons learned should be relevant to other multilingual nations that seek the goal of increasing access to learning and promoting development so as to harvest economic benefits. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure, and 1 note.)
Distance Students' Readiness for Social Media and Collaboration
Author: Poellhuber, Bruno
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Expertise,Social Integration,Distance Education,Questionnaires,Educational Technology,Gender Differences,Mass Media Role,Mass Media Use,Social Networks,Network Analysis,Web 2.0 Technologies,Foreign Countries,Individual Differences,Age Differences,Readiness,College Students,Student Attitudes,Student Characteristics,Social Attitudes,Technology Uses in Education,Interest Inventories

In recent years, there has been a rapid growth in the use of social networking tools (e.g., Facebook) and social media in general, mainly for social purposes (Smith, Salaway &amp; Caruso 2009). Many educators, including ourselves, believe that these tools offer new educational affordances and avenues for students to interact with each other and with their teachers or tutors. Considering the traditional drop-out rate problem documented in distance courses (Rovai, 2003; Woodley, 2004), these tools may be of special interest for distance education institutions as they have potential to assist in the critical &quot;social integration&quot; associated with persistence (Sweet, 1986; Tinto, 1975). However, as distance students are typically older than regular on-campus students, (Bean &amp; Metzner, 1985; Rovai, 2003), little is known about their expertise with social media or their interest in harnessing these tools for informal learning or collaborating with peers. To investigate these issues, an online questionnaire was distributed to students from four large Canadian distance education institutions. A systematic sampling procedure lead to 3,462 completed questionnaires. The results show that students have diverse views and experiences, but they also show strong and significant age and gender differences in a variety of measures, as well as an important institution effect on the student's interest in collaboration. Males and younger students scored higher on almost all indicators (past teamwork experience, cooperative preferences, attitudes toward technology, experience with social software, etc.). These age and gender differences should be interpreted cautiously, however, as they are based on self-reported measures. The limits of the study, as well as future developments and research questions, are outlined. (Contains 9 tables and 2 figures.)
Applying the Community of Inquiry Framework to an Online Professional Practice Doctoral Program
Author: Kumar, Swapna
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Doctoral Programs,Schools of Education,Higher Education,Online Courses,Praxis,Theory Practice Relationship,Communities of Practice,Inquiry,Educational Technology,Blended Learning,Electronic Learning

The community of inquiry (CoI) framework has commonly been used to study teaching and learning in online courses (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer 2000). This paper describes the implementation of the CoI framework in a cohort-based online EdD program, where teaching presence and cognitive presence were easier to foster than social presence. Based on the results of an initial evaluation, suggestions are made to expand the components of the CoI framework when using it at a program level. Lessons learned from the implementation are also shared to assist others wishing to apply the CoI framework to online graduate programs. (Contains 3 tables.)
Applying Constructionist Principles to Online Teacher Professional Development
Author: Ostashewski, Nathaniel
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Social Networks,Computer Mediated Communication,Web Based Instruction,Web Sites,Instructional Design,Web 2.0 Technologies,Video Technology,Guidelines,Teacher Attitudes,Programming,Programming Languages,Computer Science Education,Robotics,Teaching Methods,Class Activities,Program Descriptions,Active Learning,Constructivism (Learning),Inservice Teacher Education,Learning Modules,Research and Development,Minicourses,Education Courses

This report explores the first iteration of a teacher professional development courselet grounded in constructionist theory and activities. This online teacher professional development (oTPD) courselet provided opportunities for teachers to engage in just-in-time, ongoing TPD within a social networking site for educators. The topic of the oTPD was Robotics and Hands-on Activities in the Classroom. The courselet was designed for teachers who are interested in integrating constructionist pedagogies into their practice. Key findings of the first delivery of the oTPD courselet point to a need for flexible access, sharing of resources, and support for constructionist pedagogical activities as a PD value for participants. Findings further support the potential for an ongoing online community of practice around robotics in the classroom. The approach taken in this oTPD courselet of study continues to inform a model of oTPD delivery within a social-networking-enabled environment.
ODL and the Impact of Digital Divide on Information Access in Botswana
Author: Oladokun, Olugbade
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Information Needs,Distance Education,Economically Disadvantaged,Foreign Countries,Internet,Access to Education,Information Technology,Questionnaires,Virtual Classrooms,Teaching Methods,Educational Change,Student Needs,College Students

Open and distance learning (ODL) has created room for the emergence of virtual education. Not only are students found everywhere and anywhere undertaking their studies and earning their degrees, but geographical boundaries between nations no longer appear to have much relevance. As the new education paradigm irretrievably alters the way teaching and learning is conducted, the application of modern educational ICTs has a major role to play. With students of transnational or cross-border education dispersed into various nooks and crannies of Botswana, many others enlist for the &quot;home-baked&quot; distance learning programmes from their diverse locations. Like the face-to-face conventional students, distance learners also have information needs which have to be met. But blocking the distance learners' realization of their information needs is the digital divide, which further marginalizes the underclass of &quot;info-poor.&quot; The survey method was used, and a questionnaire administered to 519 students of four tertiary level distance teaching institutions that met the criteria set for the study yielded a 70.1% response rate. The results showed that while the Government of Botswana has made considerable effort to ensure country-wide access to ICT, which now constitutes an effective instrument for meeting information needs, a number of problems still exist. The factors impeding easy access are unearthed. The findings of an empirical study portraying some learners as information-rich and others, information-poor, and the consequence of distance learners studying on both sides of the digital divide, are discussed. Suggestions on bridging the digital divide are offered. (Contains 5 tables and 6 figures.)