Relationships among sense of classroom community,perceived cognitive learning and satisfaction of students at an e-learning course

This study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between students' sense of community, perceived cognitive learning, and satisfaction in an e-learning course. Additionally, the relationship of these variables with Internet self-efficacy and final examination scores is investigated. The participants were 88 students enrolled in elementary level English as a Foreign Language course of the distance education program at a higher education institution in Turkey. The results of the study suggest that sense of community and course satisfactions are strongly related to each other. Moreover, students' course satisfaction is highly related to their perceived cognitive learning. Students' perceived cognitive learning was observed to have a very strong relationship with learner-to-content interaction, while learner-to-learner interaction was at medium level and learner-to-instructor interaction was weak.     

The effect of learning style on doctoral course completion in a Web-based learning environment

One hundred and fifty-nine doctoral students, majoring in Computing Technology in Education (CTE), were tracked during the coursework phase in a Web-based learning environment. At the beginning of the coursework, each student completed a demographic data form and Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI). Due to the type of program, it was hypothesized that students would primarily fall into Kolb's Converger and Assimilator categories, and learning style would predict completion of the required courses. Results indicated 84.3% (n=134) of all students finished the required coursework. One hundred and twenty-four of the students (78%) fell into the predicted categories and, of these, 87.1% (n=108) finished the coursework. Students not falling into the predicted categories (n=35) had a 74.3% (n=26) completion rate.An examination of the means scores for both groups indicated that students with a preference for Abstract Conceptualization dropped out of the program at significantly lower rates, t(157)=1.667, p=.045(one-tailed), than students with other preferred learning strategies. The implications are clear. First, students, for the most part, are able to adapt their personal learning styles in order to succeed in a Web-based learning environment. Second, students with a preference for systematic planning and an intellectual understanding of a situation are more likely to succeed than students preferring concrete experience and interaction with other students. Institutions offering programs of this type should be prepared to address learning style issues when developing and offering such programs.     

Understanding distinctions in learning in hybrid,and online environments: an empirical investigation of the community of inquiry framework

This study of 723 college students seeks to assess the adequacy of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework for describing and explaining differences in learning outcomes in hybrid and fully online learning environments. Hypothesizing that the CoI model's theoretical constructs of presence reflect educational effectiveness in a variety of environments, this article seeks evidence of whether students in varying learning environments are likely to rank them differently with regard to teaching, social, and cognitive presence. The study utilizes factor-, hierarchical-regression-, and path analyses to determine the validity of the CoI constructs as well as to characterize the nature of relationships between them. Results suggest that the model is coherent and accounts for the small but significant differences recently reported in the literature regarding the superiority of hybrid environments relative to fully online environments (Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., Bakia, M., & Jones, K. (2009). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. Washington, DC: US Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development). Recommendations for future research and practice are included.     

优化学习环境对"共同体"学习动力和学习能力的影响

运用建构主义教学观，优化学习环境、结果表明：激发了大学生的学习动机，提高了他们的学习能力；教师与学生实现了角色转变，形成师生互动的良好教学情景。     

Homework style,homework environment,and academic achievement

The study examined the preferred and actual homework styles of 272 seventh graders (134 males and 138 females) who were characterized by (1) three levels of selfperceived homework achievement, (2) three levels of academic achievement, and (3) three levels of homework achievement. Consistencies and differences in the distinguishing components were found within and between the different types of achievement. Although different patterns of distinguishing components emerged between preferred and actual homework styles, there were remarkable consistencies between them that distinguished the achievement levels. In general, high achievers were more self, parent, and teachermotivated and persistent, organized their homework in some order, preferred or did homework in a bright home environment and by themselves, and did better with specific instructions, when compared with low achievers. However, neither preferred nor actual perceptual preferences distinguished the levels of achievement. In both preferred and actual situations, students in the high homework achievement group were more parent-motivated than those in the low homework achievement group, demonstrating the importance of parental involvement in the home learning environment.     

在线学习中的多媒体、社会存在和社区(英文)

在在线学习环境中,社区感、社会存在感是影响学生成功和满意度的重要因素。在线学习领域的研究者和实践者越来越关注多媒体工具、富媒体教学方法对在线课堂中社区感、社会存在感的积极影响的有效性。此外,随着在线学习环境越来越多媒体化,计算机媒介学习环境的内在社会障碍可能会越来越少。因此,本文首先调研了相关的理论框架和概念,包括社会存在理论、计算机媒介交流环境中的社区;然后探讨了特定的多媒体方法对于社区建构、社会存在的有效性。     

职教师资能力提升的学习型社区媒介环境建设研究

学习型社区的媒介环境建设在我国是一个朝阳研究领域,而针对职教师资能力提升的学习型社区媒介环境建设的研究论述尚未见诸于报端.本文为职教师资能力提升的学习型社区建立有效的媒介环境模型,通过整合各种媒介建立起的环境为职教师资提供有效的信息传播途径,促进有效的学习,以达到提升师资能力的目的.     

The relationships of communicator style, personality-based learning style, and classroom community among online graduate students

This study examined the relationships among communicator style, personality-based learning style, and sense of classroom community among 72 graduate students enrolled in online doctoral coursework. Findings suggested that communicator style patterns were related to learning styles and to classroom community. Moreover, the results of a canonical correlation suggested that friendly and open communicator styles were significantly related to feelings of being connected and the precise communicator style was related to both feelings of connectedness and to feelings that membership in the online learning community fostered educational goal attainment. No significant relationships were found between learning styles and classroom community.     

Students' perceptions of the value of the elements of an online learning environment: looking back in moving forward

In 2003, Deakin University implemented a centralised learning management system (LMS) under the banner of Deakin Studies Online (DSO), as well as implementing policies requiring all its units of study to have at least a basic online presence from 2004. Given the scope of the university's commitment to online education, it was considered essential to evaluate the effectiveness of this investment. Based on more than 5400 responses obtained from students in 2004 and 2005 as part of the DSO evaluation survey, the analysis presented here identifies those elements of the online learning environment (OLE) that are most used and valued by students, those elements of the OLE that students most want to see improved, and, those factors that most contribute to students' perceptions that use of the OLE enhanced their learning experience. The most used and valued elements were core LMS functions, including accessing unit information, accessing lecture/tute/lab notes, interacting with unit learning resources, reading online discussions, contacting lecturers/tutors and submitting assignments online. The OLE elements identified as most needing attention were receiving feedback on assignments; viewing my marks; and reviewing unit progress. Students felt that using DSO enhanced their learning experience when they were adequately supported by unit teachers and technical support services; when they were able to find and use unit information; and when they were able to read the online contributions of other unit members. The retrospective analysis of data collected in the period 2004–2005 has been shaped by a forward-looking agenda. The array of elements available within, and in association with, traditional LMSs which has emerged since that time raises the future challenge of how to maximise and evidence educational value through the optimal combination of elements from the portfolio of e-learning technologies increasingly available to educators.     

独立学院辅导员如何加强学风建设的思考

学风建设是维系独立学院生存和发展的关键。辅导员是学风建设的重要力量,本文在分析独立学院学风建设存在的问题后,就辅导员如何开展学风建设提出对策。     

Sense of community, perceived cognitive learning, and persistence in asynchronous learning networks

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between sense of community and cognitive learning in an online educational environment. Study participants consisted of 314 students enrolled in 26 graduate education and leadership courses taught at a distance using the Blackboard.com^SM e-learning system. Study results provided evidence that a significant relationship exists between classroom community and perceived cognitive learning. Online learners who have stronger sense of community and perceive greater cognitive learning should feel less isolated and have greater satisfaction with their academic programs, possibly resulting in fewer dropouts.     

Teachers and students together in a professional learning community

Students represent the majority of the people in a school organisation, but are rarely considered as participants in literature on professional learning communities (PLC). This article explored a PLC with the legitimate participation of students in the classroom. Data was based on interviews with 11 teachers. Community of practice theory provides 3 dimensions that were used as analytical tools: shared repertoire, mutual engagement, and joint enterprise. Shared repertoire refers to how teachers introduce and develop tools for learning; mutual engagement to how to establish relationships and atmosphere with a respect for learning; and joint enterprise to how students’ associations and experiences are used to shape content knowledge in planning for learning. We conclude that the theory of community of practice is useful to describe and understand the formation of a PLC.     

关于高校学风建设的探讨

高校学风的好坏在很大程度上依赖于学校教育教学制度和相关规则措施的设计及落实是否合理规范,教师的教学态度和方法是否能够促进学生学习的积极性和自觉性。针对当前高校学风存在的问题,本文从思想政治教育、教学方法、校园文化建设等方面提出了相关措施和建议。     

关于班级团支部在学风建设中作用的几点思考

在进一步发挥团支部在班级学风建设中的引导作用的过程中,必须加强支部核心建设、夯实队伍干部基础,加强支部责任意识、明确支部工作范畴,加强支部内涵建设、充实支部活动内容,有效发挥出它的战斗力、凝聚力、向心力,体现出团组织的先锋模范带头作用。     

Feedback mechanisms in learning virtual community settings

This paper introduces a set of services for the creation of on-line surveys, questionnaires, exams and self-assessment tests within a virtual community system used in e-learning settings. The system, called ＂Online Communities＂, is a dynamic web application used as platform for blended learning activities by the Faculty of Economics of the University of Trento. The functionalities added to the platform are contextualized into virtual communities, where activities take place. This allows us to create, submit and analyze questionnaires within and/or outside the boundaries of a community. Furthermore, the system allows to manage libraries of queries organized by the teacher/administrator of the community according to topics and levels of difficulty, in order to produce tests and generate self-assessment sessions on behalf of students. The addition of a questionnaire/ poll/self-assessment tool to a virtual community system can add a lot of interesting features, mainly using the inheritance mechanism implemented among different hierarchically-connected communities. This paper will present these functionalities and highlight one of these services, precisely the one dedicated to self-assessment. In the system, self-assessment tests have indeed a double nature： （1） They are useful to students for checking their own level of preparation; and （2） They are useful to lecturers as an indicator of the level of preparation reached by the students. In order to encourage the use of the system within the whole educational process, and not to limit the real use of the service to the period of the final exams only, the possibility has been foreseen for each participant to share his/her own test results, comparing them with the other members of the community, and even offering real ＂challenges＂, thus transforming passive and ＂solitary＂ learning into something much more stimulating and ＂social＂.     

Creating a framework of a resource-based e-learning environment for science learning in primary classrooms

Advancements in information and communications technology and the rapid expansion of the Internet have changed the nature and the mode of the presentation and delivery of teaching and learning resources. This paper discusses the results of a study aimed at investigating how five teachers planned to integrate online resources in their teaching of science topics in the primary curriculum. Based on the findings obtained from the content analysis of the teaching designs created by the participating teachers, and insights gained from the pre- and post-lesson implementation interviews with them, a resource-based e-learning environments (RBeLEs) framework is proposed as an outcome which could be of reference as a planning tool for teachers who wish to integrate the Internet into their classroom teaching.     

Predicting grade point average from the hybrid model of learning in personality: consistent findings from Ugandan and Australian students

Jackson developed a hybrid model of learning in personality, known as the Learning Styles Profiler (LSP), which seeks to explain personality in terms of biological, socio‐cognitive and experiential processes. The hybrid model argues that functional learning outcomes can be understood in terms of how cognitions and experiences re‐express sensation seeking as functional learning. In two studies from Uganda and Australia (n = 136 and n = 290 respectively), grade point average (GPA) of students was successfully predicted from the hybrid model. Results show evidence of three indirect pathways from sensation seeking through cognitions to GPA and provide a new understanding of the way in which personality can predict performance.     

The impact of the university context on European students' learning approaches and learning environment preferences

This article describesexperiences of 610 Dutch students and 241students from other European countries whostudied at least three months abroad within theframework of an international exchange program.The Dutch students went to a university inanother European country and the foreignstudents went to a Dutch university. By meansof a questionnaire students' perceptions ofthree main characteristics of the universitylearning environment were measured concerningthe home university, the host university andthe ideal learning environment. The studentswere also asked about their way of learning atthe home university and at the host university,in particular about the extent of constructivelearning and reproductive learning. Evidencewas found for the influence of aspects of thelearning environment on the two learningapproaches; e.g., a learning environmentcharacterized as student-oriented discouragesreproductive learning and promotes constructivelearning, especially when conceptual andepistemological relations within the learningdomain are stressed. The learning environmentpreferences of the students were partly relatedto their learning orientations at the homeuniversity, but they were strikingly similarfor students from different countries. Therewas a strong preference for those learningenvironment aspects that promote constructivelearning.     

Understanding and defining cognitive style and learning style: a Delphi study in the context of educational psychology

This report outlines the findings from a Delphi study designed to establish consensus on the definitions of cognitive style and learning style amongst an international style researcher community. The study yields long-needed definitions for each construct that reflect high levels of agreement. In a field that has been criticised for a bewildering array of definitions and a proliferation of terms and concepts, this study represents an important step to address confusion in the meaning of the two terms. New researchers interested in styles are encouraged to draw on these definitions when developing new research agendas aimed at deepening our understanding of style as a core construct in educational psychology.