Showing papers in "Journal of Interactive Online Learning in 2004"

Designing to Motivate: Motivational Techniques to Incorporate in E-Learning Experiences

Abstract: This paper addresses the construct of motivation as it relates to learning. Questions that will be discussed are (a) What is motivation, (b), how can motivation be incorporated in the instructional design process, and finally, (c) what motivational techniques have been used successfully in e-learning settings? Some general background information on motivation will be discussed. Two instructional design models for motivation will be described and examples of best practices for Web-based learning will be supplied.

Leading the Band: The Role of the Instructor in Online Learning for Educators.

Abstract: Drawing from the online experiences of teachers across the United States who participated in online professional development courses, this article focuses on what educators/participants consider to be the roles and responsibilities of the online instructor. They see the online instructor as facilitator, model, planner, coach, and communicator. They describe how these roles are uniquely tuned in the online environment. With the proliferation of distance learning through online courses, many educators find themselves considering the role of online instructors. As such, they may realize that online instruction is similar yet different from face-to-face learning, requiring new or different skills and strategies for effective online direction. This study, based on online adult learners’ experiences and expectations, provides empirical elaboration on what some of these approaches are. Online instruction is often recognized as particularly suitable for practical, multitasking adult learners because it offers anywhere, anytime instruction. Exploration of the role of the online instructor is appropriately grounded in the literature of adult learning and distance education through online learning. This perspective guides our investigation of how the online environment of instruction and delivery develops the role of the instructor and a different “rhythm” or way of teaching and learning than face-toface environments have traditionally promoted. Andragogical principles assume that adults tend to be self-directed, practical, and social, and that they bring varied experiences to their learning. Grow (1996) points out that adult learners may be at different levels of self-direction in different situations. They require different kinds of intervention from their teachers at these different stages. Bandura (1986) describes the importance of social learning and the validity of learning by observation. These principles suggest that learning environment s should build on prior experience, promote active participation, use collaborative learning, and provide transferable, real applications (Lawler & King, 2000). They also underscore the need for the instructor to adopt flexible roles in response to the needs of adult learners. Discussion of the instructor’s role in adult learning is guided by a constructivist perspective where adult learners create their own knowledge and which is learner- rather than instructor-centered (Palloff & Pratt, 2001). The “sage on the stage” is replaced with the “guide on the side” approach wherein the teacher, while an expert, facilitates dialogue so that students learn from each other as much as from her (Collison, Elbaum, Haavnd, &

A maturity model: does it provide a path for online course design?

Abstract: Maturity models are successfully used by organizations attempting to improve their processes, products, and delivery. As more faculty include online course design and teaching, a maturity model of online course design may serve as a tool in planning and assessing their courses for improvement based on best practices. This article presents such a maturity model. Online education has moved to the mainstream of higher education and may surpass all other course delivery methods in quality in the near future. According to a survey of Chief Academic Officers of U.S. degree-granting institutions of higher education (Allen & Seaman, 2003), • 81% of all institutions of higher education offer at least one fully online or blended course. • 34% of the institutions offer complete online degree programs. • 67% say online education is a critical long-term strategy for their institution. This survey also suggests that academic leaders believe online education may be superior to face-to-face (F2F) education. The results show that • 75% expect learning outcomes for online education to be equal to or better than F2F

Web Logs and Online Discussions as Tools to Promote Reflective Practice

Abstract: This article reports on the use of Web logs (“blogs”) and online discussion forums in an instructional technology course in a teacher preparation program. Key goals behind the use of these tools included exposure for students to computer-supported communication and collaboration, encouragement of reflective practice, and a better understanding of the pedagogical and learning benefits derived from integration of these technologies. Management and assessment challenges for instructors derived from the volume of writing, as well as pedagogical considerations, are noted. Some of the issues raised led to a call for improvements in the tools and for additional research in a wider variety of contexts.

Student Traits and Attributes Contributing to Success in Online Courses: Evaluation of University Online Courses

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the roles self-efficacy, specifically technology self-efficacy and distance education self-efficacy, and self-regulation play in students’ learning via distance education. This study examines a system for evaluating distance education courses in a similar manner to those for traditional university courses. Participants in this study were undergraduate and graduate university students enrolled in business distance education courses. Prior to the completion of the semester, students completed an online survey designed to measure technology self-efficacy, distance education self-efficacy, and self-regulation. Using a Likert-type scale, students rated the degree to which they agreed or disagreed with 53 statements that comprised the survey. Additionally, students responded to three short-answer prompts concerning the benefits and drawbacks of distance education. As indicated from this study’s results, students judged that course evaluations used for traditionally taught courses can also be appropriate for distance education courses. Finally, self-efficacy and self-regulation levels were compared across gender, with no statistically significant gender differences resulting.

Defining and Measuring Quality in Online Discussions

Abstract: In support of research examining relationships between learner characteristics and the quality of online discussions, this paper surveys different methods for evaluating discussions. The paper will present coding methods used in our own research as well as methods used by others interested in quality online discussions. Key topics include what constitutes quality in online discussions and how that quality can be measured?

Influence of Personality on Online Discussion.

Abstract: Online collaborative learning has typically been studied within the context of learning communities. Little is known about the potential influence of students’ personalities on online communication, group interaction, and task engagement among members of a learning community. This study used a mixed-method, triangulation design, involving the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data, to investigate the effects of person ality on communication type and pattern, message length, task engagement, and student attitude toward online learning. Seventy students were organized into four personality-profile groups based on their Five Factor Personality Test scores, for the discussion of assigned case studies. Discussion messages were analyzed using Logistical Regressions for communication type and pattern, ANOVAs for message length, and Z-tests for pairwise comparisons for task engagement. The results indicate that personality affects communication type, pattern and task engagement but not message length. Students’ attitudes toward online discussion were generally positive. The results provide guidelines for forming groups and designing activities for online collaborative learning.

Examining Students Performance and Attitudes Towards the Use of Information Technology in a Virtual and Conventional Setting

Abstract: This paper reports findings of a study that examined student performance and attitudes towards the use of information technology in virtual and conventional settings. Students were preservice undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in an educational media and technology course. All were fulltime, on-campus students, but one group completed the course entirely online. A Web-based survey was administered. The two groups completed pre and posttests on student performance, and a Likert-type attitude assessment. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted to determine if there were significant differences in attitude and performances. The findings revealed that there were no significant performance and attitude differences between the two groups. Within the last decade, there was widespread application of the Internet as an instructional tool and medium of communication because of its potential to facilitate and improve learning (Wang & Bagaka’s 2002). The Internet is used to supplement traditional classroom practices while it has become an important instructional medium in long distance learning. However, research findings are mixed about the effectiveness of the Web in learning. For example, some studies (Redding & Rotzien, 2001) reveal that the Web improves learning and that critics (Gifford, 1998; Kincannon, 2002) downplay its effectiveness. In a comparison of two groups of students who completed a course online and in class, Redding and Rotzien found that online instruction was more effective than classroom instruction as course examinations revealed the online group performed better than their classroom counterparts. However, in an investigation of time spent to complete a course, Gifford found online learning requires more time than traditional classroom learning. In a study on faculty transition from classroom to Web-based instruction, Kincannon reported faculty were less satisfied with their teaching in the Web-based environment. In a comparison of Web-based and classroom learning in higher education institutions, Hofman (2002) found that Web-based learning courses enable students to more effectively understand course content. Hofman attributes the significance of Webbased learning to better collaborative learning environment provided by the Web, increased learning resources, and convenience. In the following section, we will provide the unique features of the Internet and online learning in the educational context.

Increasing Students' Interactivity in an Online Course.

Abstract: Efforts were undertaken to increase students’ interactivity in an online course in adult development. The purpose was to increase students’ engagement with the course materials, heighten their online discussions, and deepen their thinking about courserelated concepts, theoretical principles, and research findings. Several strategies were used towards this end. Analyses of students’ discussions showed that they relied frequently upon personal anecdotes to make meaning of the theories and developmental principles covered in the course. The instructional strategies did not, however, bear a direct relationship to students’ participation, learning, or course performance. Rendering the course materials sensible in light of their personal experiences is a critical indicator of students’ understanding and learning. Instructors may want to redirect their attention from assessing students’ knowledge of factual contents in online courses where ability to discuss and analyze concepts and principles is a critical indicator of learning.

Gender and Learning Strategy Differences in Nontraditional Adult Students' Design Preferences in Hybrid Distance Courses

Abstract: This study describes instructional design elements most valued by nontraditional adult learners in hybrid learning environments that combine limited face-to-face contact with online learning and collaboration. It identifies the online course features and instructional goals selected as most important by a sample of 67 adults. It then compares this group’s rankings with those of subgroups based on gender and preferred learning strategies as measured by the Assessing the Learning Strategies of Adults (ATLAS) test. The results of the study support the application of principles of adult learning in developing online environments for adults, identify some differences in learning emphasis by gender and preferred learning strategies, and underscore the importance of providing a variety of learning options in adult learning environments with an online component. Higher education is facing dramatic shifts in its demographics and its instructional delivery strategies. The new demographics of higher education identify part-time adult learners as the new majority, with nontraditional working adults now comprising more than 50% of the postsecondary student population and the fastest growing segment of the market (Cappelli, 2003; Levine, 2003; Shea, 2002; Symonds, 2003). One recent prediction estimated a 70% increase in over-35s in postsecondary education between 1985 and 2005 (Cappelli, 2003). According to recent data, over 75% of adults seeking higher education are employed while studying part-time (Cappelli, 2003), many are seeking further education to meet specific career goals (Shea, 2002; Symonds, 2003), and most have other pressing life concerns that make it difficult for them to commit to traditional class schedules (Levine, 2003). Given the busy and complex lifestyles of these adult learners, who are often referred to as nontraditional adult students, it is not surprising that they have shown a high degree of acceptance of, and even preference for, e-learning and at-distance study opportunities. Some educators have feared that surging emphasis on e-learning would disadvantage adults due to their lack of technology experience and reluctance to lose the familiarity and social benefits of classroom-based instruction (Ausburn, 2003). However, the reality is that many adults have clearly indicated the efficacy of e-learning in meeting their needs, and that the largest audience for online education today is nontraditional adults: working adults age 26 or older who study part-time, hold full-time jobs, and are unable to commit to rigid class schedules imposed by traditional classroom-based programs (Cappelli, 2003; Shea, 2002). A recent study by the Internet agency Education for Adults (2003) reinforced the emphasis by adults on the ability of education programs to fit into their busy lifestyles. This national survey found the three most important

Using Web-Based Distance Learning to Reduce Cultural Distance

Abstract: In recent years, Web-based distance learning (WBDL) systems have become a popular learning environment for many western learners. While it has been established as an effective learning alternative, WBDL is not flourishing in Hong Kong as expected. This paper proposes that this is because Hong Kong students are not trained to learn independently and actively, as required in distance learning. Trapped in a Chinese Confucian-heritage culture, a generation of Hong Kong learners’ learning behavior can be summarized as shy, passive, reactive, inarticulate, non-collaborative, and timid—in short, the SPRINT learning behavior. Hong Kong learners with a SPRINT learning behavior contrast drastically with western learners, who are more proactive, articulate, collaborative, and eager to challenge traditions. The cultural distance in learning that is between western learners and traditional Chinese learners is wide and visible in Hong Kong. The objective of this research was to examine whether a WBDL environment that was integrated with advanced information and communication technology (ICT) can reduce this cultural distance and induce a motivation to learn through interaction. Several key ICT components are suggested that can help to remedy the cultural learning deficiencies of Hong Kong learners when using WBDL environments.

Peer Teaching in Web Based Threaded Discussions

Abstract: This study is, as an inquiry into the effectiveness of discussion leadership taxonomy, designed to help online discussion leaders support and facilitate discussions conducted by undergraduates. Participants were approximately two hundred preservice undergraduate students taking an Introduction to Educational Technology course. Each week students had access to online lectures and text materials, and participated in Web-based topical discussions. Data for this study came from open-ended interviews conducted with thirty-seven volunteer participants, and from all discussion posts. Analysis of the data showed that while some students had difficulty assuming the role of discussion leader, many felt that it was a stimulating challenge. The Tips for Online Leaders proved to be useful in promoting learning and provided discussion leaders with a variety of support strategies. While some students were resistant to Web-based learning, all students found that the discussions helped in learning the assigned material. Finally, the students were able to expand their own knowledge by observing the multiple perspectives presented by other students.

Best Practices for Online Information-Literacy Courses.

Abstract: Remote access to resources has become increasingly important in academic libraries, spurred largely by the growth of online education. Through bibliographic instruction (BI) courses, librarians must prepare both on-site and remote patrons in information literacy. Challenges exist for remote-user BI: among them are perceived characteristics of the typical “virtual patron” and limitations of current software and infrastructure. However, recent remote-patron BI models—stand-alone Web pages, video-based programs, and class-integrated electronic modules—offer librarians templates for future best practices. A large part of the challenge of the rise of electronic media in and as our classrooms has to do with our students’ skills in locating, evaluating, and using information. Often, online learning is hampered by students’ unfamiliarity with the “sea of text” that confronts them; they sometimes have difficulty in knowing how to find and utilize important information while screening out irrelevant data. At the same time, educators find themselves in the midst of a cultural shift toward a 24/7 information culture. Increasingly, one of the key questions for higher education is one of how to ensure that our students are successfully “information literate.” Since the early 1990s, when electronic databases and catalogs at major U.S. academic libraries became widely accessible via the Internet, remote access to resources has developed as an important issue in academic libraries, primarily because of the growth of online education and the increasing expectations of students to gain access to information without physically visiting the library. In 1992, Lizabeth Wilson foresaw a new role for librarians at the advent of electronic access: With [the] availability of telecommunication networks, an expanded computer hardware base, and an ever increasing number of online catalogs and databases available through remote access, an increasing number of users will become invisible users: . . . [who are] older than the typical on-site user . . . [and] occasional users with high expectations for service. (pp. 38-39)

Establishing a Community of Learners: A Case Study of a University Graduate Orientation Program for Online Learners.

Abstract: Following the theory that a community of practice must be comprised of three elements: domain, community, and practice (Wenger, 2001), this case study examines the extent to which a university was successful in establishing a community of learners in their orientation program for online graduate students. Specifically, it explores the objectives of the orientation, identifies critical questions involved in the design decisions that are made, explicitly or implicitly, analyzes the success to which goals are met, and provides recommendations for future planning based on this research.

Using an Electronic Bulletin Board in Science Teacher Education: Issues and Trade-Offs.

Abstract: University professors increasingly are expected to infuse computer technology in teaching. Many universities are aggressively promoting the delivery of entire courses and programs using computers and the Internet as vehicles for instruction. There is also a movement to align university teaching with the national standards for K-12 teaching. National and state standards call for K-12 teachers to integrate computer technology in teaching. One way to encourage prospective or experienced teachers to do that is to provide opportunities to experience success using computer technology during preservice and in-service courses. Computer-mediated communication (CMC), or any form of communication that takes place with the use of a personal computer, can be an effective tool for not only infusing technology in an education course, but also for fostering the creation of a community of learners within which the social interaction supporting meaningful learning occurs (Fussell & Benimoff, 1995; Herring, 1996; Nonis, Bronack, & Haton, 1998). As a result of integrating Web-based structures into multiple sections of graduate and undergraduate teacher education courses, we are convinced the best education for all students is a combination of weekly face-to-face class meetings and the use of the Web for CMC and delivery of a resource collection tailored to a specific course. However, the time commitments for this configuration can be outrageous. It often requires not only the usual time invested in a face-to face course, but also time invested to design and execute the Web-based course structures. The time invested in CMC can be an ongoing burden beyond the instructor’s comprehension or the university’s compensation. We propose choices in CMC design format that can mitigate the time requirements for the instructor while providing productive learning opportunities for students. The expression “bulletin board” (BB) describes an asynchronous electronic space where “text or graphics-based communication takes place over time with participants posting messages that receive responses later in time” (Burkett, 2002). All members of the group are able to post messages made public to all others in the group. In courseware packages such as WebCT and Blackboard, messages and responses can be displayed in threads of related messages facilitating the flow of the conversations.

Webquests in Social Studies Education.

Abstract: WebQuests provide the opportunity to combine technology with educational concepts and to incorporate inquiry-based learning. WebQuests also have the ability to integrate on-line resources with student-centered, activity-based learning. Three courses in the College of Education at The University of Alabama and at West Virginia University incorporate WebQuests projects, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students develop an online WebQuest and submit a paper copy and/or a URL to their instructor upon completion of the course. During an academic year, three professors in social studies graduate education received over 50 submissions of WebQuests projects from pre-service and in-service teachers enrolled in three courses. The grading rubric was developed by Bernie Dodge, the creator of WebQuests, but modified at The University of Alabama yielding a high rate of reliability (93.3%). This project assessed scores of WebQuests using this grading rubric in three separate classrooms. Comparisons between elementary and secondary level students, Filamentality users, and certified and non-certified teachers were analyzed for significance. The students had already received a grade for their projects through the academic class, but a separate grading system was developed to evaluate these projects and to provide insight into future research using WebQuests.

The Interplay Between a Course Management System and Preservice Teachers ' Knowledge, Beliefs, and Instructional Practices

Abstract: The multiyear study discussed in this paper focuses on the use of a course management system (CMS) to deliver video clips and interactive mathematics investigations and to support shared reflections in a field-based elementary mathematics methods course. The findings reveal that virtual observations of mathematics teaching episodes in diverse classrooms and participation in interactive mathematics activities and shared reflections via the CMS online discussion board challenged the preservice teachers to reconstruct their beliefs about mathematics teaching and diverse students. Classroom observations and excerpts from the discussion board illustrate how the CMS promoted changes in the preservice teachers’ mathematics knowledge and instructional practices. This study gives rise to important findings on the relationships between shared online reflections on virtual observations of mathematics lessons and mathematics teaching in diverse classrooms that are being utilized to inform decisions about teacher preparation programs and the mathematical education of diverse student populations. The research reported here examines a preservice teacher initiative whose overarching goal is to respond to the disparities that exist in the mathematics education of diverse student s and their dominant culture peers (Strutchens & Silver, 2000) by preparing preservice teachers to teach mathematics for understanding in diverse classrooms. The multiyear study discussed in this paper focuses on a field-based elementary mathematics methods course in which an online course management system (CMS), Blackboard (Blackboard, Inc., 2004), was used to deliver video clips and interactive mathematics investigations and to support shared reflections via an online discussion board. The researcher- instructor designed this study to examine the influences of the CMS on preservice elementary teachers’ beliefs and instructional practices. Consistent with the purposes of this study, qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized to address the following research questions: (a) Does participating in a CMS online discussion board promote reflection on mathematics teaching in diverse classrooms? and (b) How do preservice elementary school teachers conceptualize mathematics teaching in diverse classrooms in response to video clips, interactive mathematics investigations, and shared online reflections of mathematics teaching episodes in diverse classrooms delivered through a CMS?

The Design and Development of an Online, Case-Based Course in a Teacher Preparation Program.

Abstract: The goals of this study were to: 1) design a web-based course using WebCT for future secondary school teachers at the University of Texas Pan American, 2) evaluate the effectiveness of the course, and 3) provide a set of guidelines for designing web-based courses for other teacher educators. The participants in this study consisted of juniorand senior-level students enrolled in a secondary, teacher education program at the University of Texas Pan American. There were 17 participants, 71% were female and 29% were male. All of the participants fit at least one of the characteristics of a “nontraditional” student. All of them were married, employed full-time, over the age of 30 and 63% had one or more children. Participants completed a pretest prior to instruction and a posttest following instruction to measure achievement gains. The study was divided into two phases; participants completed a pretest and a posttest for phase I and phase II. A t-test for dependent samples was used to determine if the mean scores on the posttest were significantly higher than the mean score on the pretest for phases I and II. The results of the t-test for phase I indicated that students scored significantly higher on the posttest (M = 74.63) than on the pretest (M = 57.72; t=5.56, p = .05). In phase II, students scored higher on the posttest (M = 80.21) than on the pretest (M = 76.84); however this difference was not statistically significant. Overall, the results indicated that the course was effective. The study concludes with a set of recommendations for designing/teaching an online course for teacher educators.

Taking it online - the effects of delivery medium and facilitator on student achievement in problem-based learning

Abstract: This study compares the effects of delivery medium (online vs. face-to-face) and facilitator content expertise on academic outcomes in a problem-based learning (PBL) course in anatomy for pre-health/medical majors. The content of online PBL sessions was examined to gain insight into the problem-solving process taking place in these situations. Neither the delivery medium nor the facilitator’s content expertise had any statistically significant impact on students’ quiz performance. Although students initiated most of the questions during online PBL sessions, the majority of these questions were at the lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and focused primarily on gathering information about the cases.

Transforming the Topography of Teaching With Technology: A PT3 Holmes Partnership Project

Abstract: The University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Education, as lead institution, initiated a collaborative PT3 project to infuse technology into the teaching/learning experience for prospective teachers in the Greater Birmingham Holmes Partnership. It featured the following projects: (a) assistive technology, (b) mentoring between K–12 and higher education faculty modeling technology infusion during prospective teachers’ field experience, and (c) preparation and mentoring for higher education faculty to infuse cutting-edge technology into content/pedagogical courses. The project reached prospective teachers in five teacher education institutions and enabled participants to realize effective uses of technology and assistive technology for teaching, instructional management, reflection, and lifelong learning. This practical piece serves to disseminate the ideas from successful on- and off-line technology interaction.