ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
MarylandOnline's Inter-Institutional Project to Train Higher Education Adjunct Faculty to Teach Online
Author: Shattuck, Julie
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Online Courses,Adjunct Faculty,Teaching Methods,Educational Quality,Access to Education,Educational Needs,Teacher Education Programs,Journal Writing,Participant Satisfaction,Teaching Skills,Professional Development,Instructional Development,Program Descriptions

This article reports on an inter-institutional project to design, develop, pilot, and evaluate a state-wide online training course for higher education adjunct faculty who are preparing to teach their first online course. We begin with a brief literature review to contextualize the stated problem the project sought to address: the need for quality, accessible training for online adjunct faculty. We then give background information to describe the environment in which the project was situated before detailing the process of designing and piloting the first iteration of the Certificate for Online Adjunct Teaching (COAT) course. Using a mixed-methods approach (surveys and reflection journals), data were collected from the adjunct faculty who took the COAT course, the COAT instructor, and the COAT design team. The results indicate that the pilot COAT course did meet the perceived needs and expectations of the course participants. We finish by discussing our plans for the next phase of this project. (Contains 5 tables.)
The Isolation of Online Adjunct Faculty and Its Impact on Their Performance
Author: Dolan, Vera
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Adjunct Faculty,Online Courses,Grounded Theory,Qualitative Research,Administrator Attitudes,Faculty College Relationship,Teacher Motivation,Professional Isolation,Skill Development,Faculty Development,Organizational Communication,Professional Recognition,Teacher Persistence

Using a grounded theory qualitative research approach, this article examines the experiences of 28 adjunct faculty members who work at the same university, exploring their views on whether periodically meeting face-to-face with management and peers has the potential to affect their motivation on the job and consequently the quality of education they provide to students. A few management representatives also shared their perspectives on the phenomenon; this enabled the researcher to compare the views of these two populations on whether face-to-face contact among faculty enhances teaching performance. The results of this study suggest a few issues that online schools must address in their efforts to improve adjuncts' sense of affiliation and loyalty to their institution, which in turn will positively affect student retention levels. The main issues of concern to adjunct faculty are (a) inadequate frequency and depth of communication, regardless of the means used, whether online or face-to-face; (b) lack of recognition of instructors' value to the institution; and (c) lack of opportunities for skill development.
A Pedagogical Framework for Mobile Learning: Categorizing Educational Applications of Mobile Technologies into Four Types
Author: Park, Yeonjeong
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Design Requirements,Learning Strategies,Social Environment,Classification,Mobility,Educational Principles,Educational Change,Educational Technology,Computer Mediated Communication,Computer Uses in Education,Handheld Devices,Instructional Design,Distance Education,Laptop Computers,Learning Theories

Instructional designers and educators recognize the potential of mobile technologies as a learning tool for students and have incorporated them into the distance learning environment. However, little research has been done to categorize the numerous examples of mobile learning in the context of distance education, and few instructional design guidelines based on a solid theoretical framework for mobile learning exist. In this paper I compare mobile learning (m-learning) with electronic learning (e-learning) and ubiquitous learning (u-learning) and describe the technological attributes and pedagogical affordances of mobile learning presented in previous studies. I modify transactional distance (TD) theory and adopt it as a relevant theoretical framework for mobile learning in distance education. Furthermore, I attempt to position previous studies into four types of mobile learning: 1) high transactional distance socialized m-learning, 2) high transactional distance individualized m-learning, 3) low transactional distance socialized m-learning, and 4) low transactional distance individualized m-learning. As a result, this paper can be used by instructional designers of open and distance learning to learn about the concepts of mobile learning and how mobile technologies can be incorporated into their teaching and learning more effectively. (Contains 1 table and 3 figures.)
Delimiting the Prospect of Openness: An Examination of Initial Student Approaches to E-Learning
Author: Naughton, Christopher
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Computer Mediated Communication,Summative Evaluation,Online Courses,Foreign Countries,Technology Uses in Education,Social Networks,Discussion (Teaching Technique),Interviews,Student Experience,Aptitude Treatment Interaction,Network Analysis

When converting from a paper-based distance mode to an online mode of teaching, certain expectations arise that students may engage not only in the development of extended research activity but that the quality of discussion and thinking will change. With access to open-ended discussion within the online forum the opportunity is afforded to students to share ideas and in turn develop their shared knowledge, a facility denied to them when in the paper distance mode. However, in a recent study conducted in New Zealand, it was shown that despite having access to online forums students moving to an online platform refrained from participation in this social exchange. A possible explanation for this indifference was thought to be the students realising that the online exchange made no impact on their assessment. Hence, the collaborative rhetoric of Web 2.0 made little impact when the summative evaluation remained unchanged from previous paper-based assessment. This paper reports on the introduction of online learning at a private tertiary college in New Zealand and describes the response of students who found difficulty in reconciling a community of learners and openness within what was perceived as an evaluation that remained individualistic and competitive in nature.
Mobile Learning via SMS at Open University Malaysia: Equitable, Effective, and Sustainable
Author: Lim, Tina
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Blended Learning,Open Universities,Distance Education,Pilot Projects,Foreign Countries,Sustainability,Program Effectiveness,Program Implementation,Computer Mediated Communication,Electronic Mail,Models,College Programs,Program Descriptions,Handheld Devices,Technology Uses in Education

This article describes Open University Malaysia's efforts at enhancing the blended learning approach for undergraduate distance learners with the successful implementation of the Mobile Learning via SMS initiative. The pilot project was implemented in the May 2009 semester, and this coming January 2011 semester will be in its sixth consecutive semester. Aspects such as the conceptual model, the process flow of group messaging, and challenges faced, as well as effectiveness of the initiative, are discussed. (Contains 5 figures and 3 tables.)
Universal Instructional Design Principles for Mobile Learning
Author: Elias, Tanya
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Instructional Design,Distance Education,Educational Technology,Educational Principles,Material Development,Handheld Devices,Educational Opportunities,Barriers,Change Strategies

The report extends a previous analysis of universal instructional design principles in distance education by applying them to the design of mobile learning. Eight principles with particular relevance for distance education are selected, and their recommendations are discussed in relation to the design of educational materials for a range of mobile devices. The problems and opportunities of mobile learning are discussed as is the need for educators to focus on content design issues rather than on searching for the next new technology. (Contains 1 table.)
Online Videoconferencing Products: Update
Author: Burton, Douglas
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Video Technology,Distance Education,Computer Software,Program Effectiveness,Teleconferencing,Computer Software Evaluation,Technology Uses in Education,Courseware,Synchronous Communication,Teaching Methods

Software allowing real-time online video connectivity is rapidly evolving. The ability to connect students, staff, and guest speakers instantaneously carries great benefits for the online distance education classroom. This evaluation report compares four software applications at opposite ends of the cost spectrum: "DimDim", "Elluminate VCS", "TokBox", and "Vyew". Their benefits and shortcomings are contrasted, and efficient educational scenarios for them are suggested. (Contains 3 tables.)
Interconnecting Networks of Practice for Professional Learning
Author: Mackey, Julie
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Communities of Practice,Constructivism (Learning),Social Theories,Teacher Attitudes,Graduate Study,Inservice Teacher Education,Learner Engagement,Learning Theories,Student Role,Social Networks,Electronic Learning,Online Courses,Educational Technology,Computer Mediated Communication,Case Studies,Interviews

The article explores the complementary connections between communities of practice and the ways in which individuals orchestrate their engagement with others to further their professional learning. It does so by reporting on part of a research project conducted in New Zealand on teachers' online professional learning in a university graduate diploma program on ICT education. Evolving from social constructivist pedagogy for online professional development, the research describes how teachers create their own networks of practice as they blend online and offline interactions with fellow learners and workplace colleagues. Teachers' perspectives of their professional learning activities challenge the way universities design formal online learning communities and highlight the potential for networked learning in the zones and intersections between professional practice and study. The article extends the concepts of Lave and Wenger's (1991) communities of practice social theory of learning by considering the role participants play in determining their engagement and connections in and across boundaries between online learning communities and professional practice. It provides insights into the applicability of connectivist concepts for developing online pedagogies to promote socially networked learning and emphasising the role of the learner in defining their learning pathways. (Contains 2 figures.)
The Challenges to Connectivist Learning on Open Online Networks: Learning Experiences during a Massive Open Online Course
Author: Kop, Rita
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Online Courses,Learning Experience,Online Systems,Informal Education,Barriers,Personal Autonomy,Critical Thinking,Learner Controlled Instruction,Computer Mediated Communication,Distance Education,Mass Instruction,Program Descriptions,Integrated Learning Systems,Web Based Instruction,Electronic Publishing,Web Sites,Discourse Analysis,Surveys

Self-directed learning on open online networks is now a possibility as communication and resources can be combined to create learning environments. But is it really? There are some challenges that might prevent learners from having a quality learning experience. This paper raises questions on levels of learner autonomy, presence, and critical literacies required in active connectivist learning. (Contains 5 charts and 5 figures.)
Emergent Learning and Learning Ecologies in Web 2.0
Author: Williams, Roy
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Communities of Practice,Educational Technology,Internet,Computer Uses in Education,Social Networks,Learning Strategies,Knowledge Level,Inquiry,Foreign Countries

This paper describes emergent learning and situates it within learning networks and systems and the broader learning ecology of Web 2.0. It describes the nature of emergence and emergent learning and the conditions that enable emergent, self-organised learning to occur and to flourish. Specifically, it explores whether emergent learning can be validated and self-correcting and whether it is possible to link or integrate emergent and prescribed learning. It draws on complexity theory, communities of practice, and the notion of connectivism to develop some of the foundations for an analytic framework, for enabling and managing emergent learning and networks in which agents and systems co-evolve. It then examines specific cases of learning to test and further develop the analytic framework. The paper argues that although social networking media increase the potential range and scope for emergent learning exponentially, considerable effort is required to ensure an effective balance between openness and constraint. It is possible to manage the relationship between prescriptive and emergent learning, both of which need to be part of an integrated learning ecology. (Contains 1 figure.)
EduCamp Colombia: Social Networked Learning for Teacher Training
Author: Fonseca, Diego Ernesto Leal
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Lifelong Learning,Workshops,Information Technology,Learning Experience,Educational Technology,Foreign Countries,Social Networks,Learning Theories,Interaction,Teacher Education

This paper describes a learning experience called EduCamp, which was launched by the Ministry of Education of Colombia in 2007, based on emerging concepts such as e-Learning 2.0, connectivism, and personal learning environments. An EduCamp proposes an unstructured collective learning experience, which intends to make palpable the possibilities of social software tools in learning and interaction processes while demonstrating face-to-face organizational forms that reflect social networked learning ideas. The experience opens new perspectives for the design of technology training workshops and for the development of lifelong learning experiences. (Contains 1 table and 4 figures.)
Three Generations of Distance Education Pedagogy
Author: Anderson, Terry
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Constructivism (Learning),Distance Education,Learning Experience,Educational Theories,Learning Theories,Models,Cognitive Objectives,Social Cognition,Educational Development,Curriculum Design,Educational Practices

This paper defines and examines three generations of distance education pedagogy. Unlike earlier classifications of distance education based on the technology used, this analysis focuses on the pedagogy that defines the learning experiences encapsulated in the learning design. The three generations of cognitive-behaviourist, social constructivist, and connectivist pedagogy are examined, using the familiar community of inquiry model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000) with its focus on social, cognitive, and teaching presences. Although this typology of pedagogies could also be usefully applied to campus-based education, the need for and practice of openness and explicitness in distance education content and process makes the work especially relevant to distance education designers, teachers, and developers. The article concludes that high-quality distance education exploits all three generations as determined by the learning content, context, and learning expectations. (Contains 1 table.)
Connectivism: Its Place in Theory-Informed Research and Innovation in Technology-Enabled Learning
Author: Bell, Frances
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Technology Uses in Education,Electronic Learning,Online Courses,Distance Education,Educational Technology,Internet,Informal Education,Selection,Learning Theories,Criteria,Intervention,Financial Support,Educational Philosophy,Educational Researchers

The sociotechnical context for learning and education is dynamic and makes great demands on those trying to seize the opportunities presented by emerging technologies. The goal of this paper is to explore certain theories for our plans and actions in technology-enabled learning. Although presented as a successor to previous learning theories, connectivism alone is insufficient to inform learning and its support by technology in an internetworked world. However, because of its presence in massive open online courses (MOOCs), connectivism is influential in the practice of those who take these courses and who wish to apply it in teaching and learning. Thus connectivism is perceived as relevant by its practitioners but as lacking in rigour by its critics. Five scenarios of change are presented with frameworks of different theories to explore the variety of approaches educators can take in the contexts for change and their associated research/evaluation. I argue that the choice of which theories to use depends on the scope and purposes of the intervention, the funding available to resource the research/evaluation, and the experience and philosophical stances of the researchers/practitioners. (Contains 2 tables, 4 figures and 4 footnotes.)
Frameworks for Understanding the Nature of Interactions, Networking, and Community in a Social Networking Site for Academic Practice
Author: Conole, Grainne
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Interaction,Social Networks,Teaching Methods,Computer Uses in Education,Reflection,Peer Evaluation,Cooperative Learning,Technology Integration,Educational Technology,Inquiry,Higher Education,Web Sites,Computer Mediated Communication

This paper describes a new social networking site, Cloudworks, which has been developed to enable discussion and sharing of learning and teaching ideas/designs and to promote reflective academic practice. The site aims to foster new forms of social and participatory practices (peer critiquing, sharing, user-generated content, aggregation, and personalisation) within an educational context. One of the key challenges in the development of the site has been to understand the user interactions and the changing patterns of user behaviour as it evolves. The paper explores the extent to which four frameworks that have been used in researching networked learning contexts can provide insights into the patterns of user behaviour that we see in Cloudworks. The paper considers this within the current debate about the new types of interactions, networking, and community being observed as users adapt to and appropriate new technologies. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)
Dialogue and Connectivism: A New Approach to Understanding and Promoting Dialogue-Rich Networked Learning
Author: Ravenscroft, Andrew
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learning Theories,Influence of Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Constructivism (Learning),Educational Experience,Dialogs (Language),Connected Discourse,Networks

Connectivism offers a theory of learning for the digital age that is usually understood as contrasting with traditional behaviourist, cognitivist, and constructivist approaches. This article will provide an original and significant development of this theory through arguing and demonstrating how it can benefit from social constructivist perspectives and a focus on dialogue. Similarly, I argue that we need to ask whether networked social media is, essentially, a "new landscape for dialogue" and therefore should be conceived and investigated based on this premise, through considering dialogue as the primary means to develop and exploit connections for learning. A key lever in this argument is the increasingly important requirement for greater criticality on the Internet in relation to our assessment and development of connections with people and resources. The open, participative, and social web actually requires a greater emphasis on higher order cognitive and social competencies that are realised predominantly through dialogue and discourse. Or, as Siemens (2004) implies, in his call to rethink the fundamental precepts of learning, we need to shift our focus to promoting core evaluative skills for flexible learning that will, for example, allow us to actuate the knowledge we need at the point that we need it. A corollary of this is the need to reorient educational experiences to ensure that we develop in our learners the ability "to think, reason, and analyse." In considering how we can achieve these aims this article will review the principles of connectivism from a dialogue perspective; propose some social constructivist approaches, based on "dialectic" and "dialogic" dimensions of dialogue, which can act as levers in realising connectivist learning dialogue; demonstrate how dialogue games can link the discussed theories to the design and performance of networked dialogue processes; and consider the broader implications of this work for designing and delivering sociotechnical learning. (Contains 1 figure.)
Proposing an Integrated Research Framework for Connectivism: Utilising Theoretical Synergies
Author: Boitshwarelo, Bopelo
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Electronic Learning,Faculty Development,Computer Mediated Communication,Communities of Practice,Educational Technology,Distance Education,Research Methodology,Learning Theories,Systems Approach

Connectivism is receiving acknowledgement as a fresh way of conceptualising learning in the digital age. Thus, as a relatively new instructional framework, it is imperative that research on its applicability and effectiveness in a variety of educational contexts is advanced. In particular, a high premium should be placed on context-specific research that is aimed not only at developing general principles but also at improving practice in local settings. Thus, developmental research approaches become imperative and as such it becomes increasingly necessary to have models that would assist scholars to understand the learning ecologies of connectivism. This paper therefore proposes a research framework for connectivism that integrates approaches commonly used in online learning environments. The paper integrates the theories of online communities of practice, design-based research, and activity theory to construct a research framework that is characterised by a synergistic relationship between them. It demonstrates the viability of the model by using an example of how it was operationalised in one research project. The framework, whose potential strength derives from integrating already established theoretical constructs, is presented as a proposal with the intention that it will be critiqued, tried, and improved upon where necessary and ultimately become part of the menu of other tools that serve connectivism research. (Contains 2 figures.)