Assessing an Online Student Orientation: Impacts on Retention,Satisfaction, and Student Learning

To help prepare students for the rigors of an online master’s degree in technical and professional communication, I created a course-embedded online student orientation (OSO) structured by the community of inquiry theory of online learning. The study researched the effect of the OSO on student satisfaction, student perceptions of online learning, and students’ program retention. The OSO was effective in helping students to reflect on their learning and demonstrated students’ interest in peer collaboration.     

Design lessons about participatory self-directed online learning in a graduate-level instructional technology course

This article reports on a case of participatory self-directed online learning within the context of a graduate-level instructional technology course. The course was about online learning environments and relied on both asynchronous and synchronous technologies. In this case, the instructor and students engaged in collaborative course design through one of the assignments where student teams and the instructor led one week’s worth of course activities and discussions. This article begins with a discussion of the literature on participatory self-directed online learning. Then, the article presents an overview of the course design, detailed discussion of the assignment that framed student participatory self-directed learning and two examples of student assignments. The framing question for organising this case was as follows: What lessons can a team of graduate students and the instructor learn about self-directed participatory online learning from a collaborative design project? The article ends with the overall lessons learned from the case and implications to future design of online activities.     

The use of wikis in a science inquiry-based project in a primary school

This study explored the use of wikis in a science inquiry-based project conducted with Primary 6 students (aged 11–12). It used an online wiki-based platform called PBworks and addressed the following research questions: (1) What are students’ attitudes toward learning with wikis? (2) What are students’ interactions in online group collaboration with wikis? (3) What have students learned with wikis in a science inquiry-based project in a primary school context? Analyses of the quantitative and qualitative data showed that with respect to the first research question, the students held positive attitudes toward the platform at the end of the study. With respect to the second research question, the students actively engaged in various forms of learning-related interactions using the platform that extended to more meaningful offline interactions. With respect to the third research question, the students developed Internet search skills, collaborative problem solving competencies, and critical inquiry abilities. It is concluded that a well-planned wiki-based learning experience, framed within an inquiry project-based approach facilitated by students’ online collaborative knowledge construction, is conducive to the learning and teaching of science inquiry-based projects in primary school.     

Investigating the predictive power of TAM: A case study of CEGEP students’ intentions to use online learning technologies

The purpose of this research is to investigate pre-university science Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) students’ behavioral intentions towards using online learning technologies. Heretofore, CEGEP students’ use of technology has received scant attention, yet online learning technologies are found to play an increasingly important role in CEGEP classrooms today. The present study seeks to address this by examining CEGEP students’ use of online learning technologies. Our main research question was: What factors affect CEGEP students’ intentions to use online learning technologies? A total of 213 CEGEP students were surveyed, the resulting data was analyzed using the technology acceptance model (TAM; Davis MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319, 1989). The findings of this research provide guidance for future implementations of online learning technologies in the CEGEP education system.     

Online Discussions Improve Student Perceptions of Instructor Efforts to Relate Faith to Learning in Graduate Occupational Therapy Courses

This article presents the results of a retrospective controlled study conducted in a graduate occupational therapy program. The study examined the effect that an online discussion targeting integration of faith and learning had on student perceptions of instructor effectiveness in relating faith to learning. This study addresses the following question: Does the addition of a single online discussion targeting integration of faith and learning in graduate occupational therapy courses significantly increase student ratings on a course evaluation question addressing faith–learning integration? This study also asked two secondary questions:

1. Do online students and face-to-face students both respond favorably to the addition of an online discussion targeting faith–learning integration?

2. Do students in three different courses all respond favorably to the addition of an online discussion targeting the integration of faith and learning?

Data were collected from three different courses taught by the same professor between Fall 2009 and Fall 2013 (four sections of each course; N = 138). The ordinal data were analyzed using nonparametric tests to determine significant differences and effect sizes. The results indicated that the addition of a single online discussion addressing faith–learning integration can significantly increase student perceptions of instructor effectiveness in such integration within graduate occupational therapy coursework, both in face-to-face and online learning environments. These findings provide support for the use of online discussions to challenge students to integrate Christian faith beliefs with what they are learning in their area of study.     

Current Challenges in Social Work Distance Education: Responses from the Elluminati

One of the first tasks of the Social Work Distance Education Network at the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary was to review the literature and address three research questions to inform policy making and planning relating to distance social work education programming. This paper is intended to disseminate responses to these questions from a small group of dedicated and experienced distance educators who have adopted the moniker Elluminati. (The Elluminati adapted their name from a popular online audio-conferencing program.) These questions include: (1) What is the optimal class size for a distance delivery offering? (2) What supports does an online course require for development and effective delivery? (3) What types of courses are suitable/unsuitable for online learning?     

Web 2.0 Technologies and Back Channel Communication in an Online Learning Community

Communication, collaboration and community development are processes that contribute to student satisfaction and learning in online courses. This paper describes a study that investigated how campus and distance graduate students in a library science program communicated with one another outside the official boundaries of their courses. We conducted a survey to answer two research questions: 1) What Web 2.0 technologies do students use to communicate with one another outside of the formal structure of their online courses? and 2) What do they talk about in such communication? The results showed that, while students used a variety of technologies to communicate with one another, those enrolled at a distance made greater use of technology to communicate with one another. Moreover, clear preferences emerged according to age. Younger students preferred mobile technologies while older students experimented with a wider range of web-based technologies. We interpret these results and offer recommendations for practice based on our interpretation.     

Educational Assessment of the Post-Pandemic Age: Chinese Experiences and Trends Based on Large-Scale Online Learning

Owing to the break-out of the COVID-19 pandemic, students have to take more online learning than offline, and large-scale education assessment programs have to be suspended or postponed. How could education assessment adapt to large-scale online learning? How could the effect and safety of online assessment be improved? What role should formative assessment play in student admissions? How could different assessment results be linked? Reflections on and trends of the Chinese experiences are presented in this article. Based on cross-cultural comparison research, measures to be recommended are as follows: reviewing previous theories, improving existing methods continuously, and developing assessment techniques innovatively according to new application scenarios.     

Transitioning From On-Campus to Online in a Master of Science Nursing Program: a Comparative Study of Academic Success

This comparative study examined the academic success rates of online graduate nursing students by comparing final grades to the on-campus cohort of graduate nursing students prior to the program transitioning online. Analysis was conducted by identifying and comparing final course grades in 4 required Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) courses over a period of 6 years. Five key themes related to online student success are discussed, including the need for graduate nursing MSN programs to transition to an online format, barriers to online learning, comprehensive program evaluation of an online degree program, online student retention approaches, and exploration of whether online students have been shown to be as academically successful as on-campus students. Results reveal that both cohorts of course delivery modes yield academically successful MSN students and both course delivery modes are providing the MSN program with almost equal pass rates by the students taking the required core courses.     

我国网上学习社区研究现状——基于中国期刊网的分析

近年来,人们对网上教学的理解逐渐从借助网络平台传递教学资源,到强调促进师生和生生之间互动与交流,促使学习社区的形成,而使网上学习社区的理论和实践研究日趋成为一个热门课题。然而研究现状如何,如何提高现有研究水平,未来研究的趋势和方向是什么,是我们不得不考虑的几个问题。本文以2000-2007年8月期间中国期刊网数据库中的网上学习社区相关论文为研究对象,采用内容分析法,从论文主题、研究方法和研究类型三个方面进行统计分析,旨在得出我国网上学习社区研究的现状和趋势,并对未来的研究提出了相关建议,以期对网上学习社区的研究者和实践者提供一定的参考。     

Self-Regulation of Learning within Computer-based Learning Environments: A Critical Analysis

Computer-based learning environments (CBLEs) present important opportunities for fostering learning; however, studies have shown that students have difficulty when learning with these environments. Research has identified that students’ self-regulatory learning (SRL) processes may mediate the hypothesized positive relations between CBLEs and academic performance. In this review, we identified 33 empirical studies of SRL and CBLEs. We address three research questions: (1) How do learner and task characteristics relate to students’ SRL with CBLEs? (2) Can various learning supports or conditions enhance the quality of students’ SRL as they learn with CBLEs? (3) What conceptual, theoretical, and methodological issues exist for this growing area of research? We found evidence that specific SRL processes are more often associated with academic success than others and that SRL skills can be supported. We also identified a number of issues that researchers should aim to address in future investigations, including a more comprehensive measurement of facets of SRL and the quality of SRL processes, the seeming disconnect between SRL processes and learning outcomes, and the distinction between self- and other-regulation. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

开放灵活的分布式学习环境

为了帮助设计者创建开放、灵活的分布式E-Learning环境,该文提出了一个E-Learning框架模型,从八个维度列出了E-Learning设计中需要考虑的关键问题:机构,教学,技术,界面设计,评价,管理,资源支持,伦理。     

Distance education: relationship between academic performance and technology-adept adult students

Advances in technology assisted education are revolutionizing the educational process as most know it today. What impact, if any, does technology-assisted education have on the future of higher education? In this study, we examine data from an ongoing evaluation of the distance education program for graduate level business students in a private university. The study addresses the impact of technology-assisted learning on academic performance among distance learners and their on-campus counterparts. The study further explores the relationship between academic performance and students' technological adeptability. The findings indicate, when adjusted for gender (females out-performed males), there were no significant differences in academic performance between distance learners and their on-campus counterparts. Analysis also shows no significant differences in overall academic performance between technology-adept students and those without technological skills. These findings may remove at least some perceived barriers in the decision to initiate distance education programs.     

Preparing teachers for professional learning: is there a future for teacher education in new teacher induction?

Today the quality of teachers is held to be increasingly important yet there continue to be doubts about whether teacher education programs graduate teachers ready to meet the challenges of their initial years of teaching. In some jurisdictions, other agencies (Ministries of Education, school districts, and private providers) are supplementing the work of teacher education through the introduction of new teacher induction programs which have become favoured policy initiatives to enhance new teacher transition, retention and quality. Evidence suggests that induction and mentoring increase teacher retention and ensure more effective socialisation of new teachers into the school culture. In spite of their growing popularity, the degree to which induction programs complement teacher education and/or impact new teacher professional learning remains unclear. In this paper the authors report a secondary analysis of data from an evaluation of the New Teacher Induction Program in Ontario, Canada to consider the implications for the future of teacher education by asking: What are the challenges facing new teachers? In what ways does the induction program support new teacher professional learning? What are the major implications for the future of teacher education?     

Blended Perspectives: A Global Vision for High-Quality Early Childhood Education

What are the attributes of a high-quality early childhood education program worldwide? An group of experienced early childhood educators that represent diverse international backgrounds attempts to respond to this question by examining six dimensions of quality set forth by the Association for Childhood Education International: (1) philosophies and goals, (2) high-quality physical environments, (3) developmentally appropriate and effective pedagogy and curriculum, (4) attention to basic and special needs, (5) respect for families and communities, (6) professionally prepared teachers and staff, and (7) rigorous program evaluation. The article concludes with an annotated list of references, both in professional publications and online, that examine early childhood education from an international perspective.     

Instructional Strategies to Help Online Students Learn: Feedback from Online Students

Increased enrollment in online programs and courses has prompted a plethora of research on instructional strategies that impact online students’ learning. Most of these strategies came from instructors, and others were solicited from students. While the literature notes that students who have more university experience tend to provide more substantive responses when solicited, there seems to be limited representation of online master’s students’ preferences on what instructional strategies work for them. There is paucity in the literature on how these preferred instructional strategies inform existing theoretical and practical frameworks that could impact online learning performance. This article discusses the Top Ten Instructional Strategies preferred by master’s students who responded to a dissertation survey question - What specific things would you like your online instructors do to help you learn successfully? - and relates these strategies to the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education and the Quality Matters Rubric.     

Motivation and ability: which students use online learning and what influence does it have on their achievement?

There has been much recent research examining online learning in universities, but two questions seem to have been largely overlooked in this context: (1) Which students voluntarily utilise web‐based learning; and (2) Does this use influence their academic achievement? The current study aimed to determine whether the approaches to studying, ability, age, and gender of 110 undergraduates in the second year of a psychology degree predicted the extent to which they utilised online learning using Web Course Tools (WebCT) in support of a core Biological Psychology unit. Data were obtained from WebCT's student tracking system, Entwistle and Ramsden's 18‐item Approaches to Studying Inventory (1983) and academic records. Multiple linear regressions and discriminant function analysis were used to examine whether individual differences predicted WebCT use, while analysis of covariance determined whether web use influenced academic achievement. The number of hits, length of access, and use of the bulletin board was predicted by age, with older students using WebCT more. These factors were also influenced by ability and achievement orientation. The degree of participation in self‐assessment was not predicted by student variables, but, of those that repeated an online quiz, improvement was more likely in those with lower achievement orientation. Only bulletin board use influenced achievement, with those posting messages outperforming those not using, or passively using bulletin boards. However, because individual differences will determine the extent to which students utilise this facility, it is suggested that future research should focus on developing online learning environments that incorporate activities with both a beneficial influence on learning and appeal to a wide student population.     

Making history relevant to students by connecting past,present and future: a framework for research

History teaching usually focuses on understanding the past as an aim in itself. Research shows that many students don’t see the point of this and perceive history as not very useful. Yet history plays a major role in the orientation on present and future. If students fail to see this, the question arises whether this is due to a lack of explicit attention in history classes on the application of knowledge about the past to the present and the future. This article explores two questions: (1) If history is to be more relevant to students, what kind of objectives should play a central role in history teaching? (2) What kinds of teaching strategies align with these objectives in history teaching? The first question is answered by means of historical and educational theory. The second is answered by exploring a number of teaching strategies that have been described in the literature, as well as a small-scale experiment conducted by the authors. This article aims at providing a basis for developing meaningful history curricula as well as for research into educational strategies which can be deployed to teach students how to make connections between past, present and future.     

Promoting scientific understanding through electronic discourse

This paper illustrates the on-going efforts of an innovative science program called “Kids as Global Scientists” to take full advantage of Internet technology for better learning and teaching. We analyzed electronic communication between students and scientists on the Message Board and the development of students’ scientific understanding through electronic communications. Our research shows that the Internet has great potential to foster the development of students’ scientific understanding, which is difficult to achieve through traditional instruction alone. Despite increasing interest in the use of the Internet in the classroom, research on the educational benefits of the Internet on learning and teaching are still limited. This study will serve in this continuing research base in order to help expand our understanding by opening a discussion around the following questions: What are the characteristics of new learning opportunities and interaction patterns that students experienced? What new classroom dynamics and challenges are introduced as a result of the use of our technological innovations?     

论学生学习动机的功利化倾向

20世纪90年代以来，我国学生的内部学习动机有一种逐渐减弱而功利化学生动机又有逐步增强的倾向。虽然功利性的学习动机能在特定的情景中促进学生的学习，但它很难成为持久的学习动力，也难以使学生形成积极的学习态度。形成这种状况的原因是什么？它对学生的未来发展有什么影响？我们对学生的学习动机应该有什么样的态度？这是我们在教育改革过程中必须面对的一个重要问题。