“Like Having a Tiger by the Tail”: A Qualitative Analysis of the Provision of Online Education in Higher Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Justin C. Ortagus ◽  
R. Tyler Derreth
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Student Centered Learning ◽  
Faculty Role

Background/Context Online education has become an increasingly prevalent medium of instruction and the primary source of enrollment growth for colleges and universities. The well-documented growth of online education is often regarded as a response to rising costs in higher education, but the same cost-saving strategies that would allow institutions to increase their net revenue through online education may also serve to endanger the quality of student learning. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study This study explores how leading universities reconcile financial and quality considerations when offering online education. Research Design Drawing from interviews with 22 administrators, faculty members, and instructional designers, we conduct a qualitative analysis of how to navigate financial and quality considerations pertaining to the development and delivery of online courses and exclusively online degree programs. Findings/Results The central finding of this study focuses on the importance and pursuit of quality as an actionable goal when offering online education. We also find emergent themes related to the business model of online education, the influence of online education on the changing faculty role, and the shift toward student-centered learning in online education. Conclusions/Recommendations We offer a novel conceptual model, the Model of Quality-Driven Decision-Making in Online Education, to show how universities can navigate financial and quality considerations when offering online education in higher education.

DELES Analysis of E-Learning Environments

2017 ◽  
pp. 128-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hunter Keeney ◽  
Kaye Shelton ◽  
Diane Mason ◽  
J. Kenneth Young
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Personal Relevance ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Student Centered Learning ◽  
Instructor Support

As online education expands, more data is needed on how to optimize its effectiveness in higher education settings. This chapter highlights a quantitative study that utilized the Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (DELES), to test the effects of student-centered learning constructs on student satisfaction in online courses. The sample population consisted of 306 students taking masters-level online courses in education or nursing at a university in Southeast Texas. Descriptive statistics and data were analyzed by correlation analysis and stepwise regression. Results of analyses showed personal relevance and authentic learning had the strongest correlations with student satisfaction, whereas the strongest predictors of student satisfaction were personal relevance and instructor support. The findings of the study described herein can provide beneficial insight regarding the design of effective online learning environments in higher education and improving the quality of the student experience.

Decoding and designing massive open online courses (MOOCs)

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Archana Shrivastava ◽  
Ashish Shrivastava
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Purchase Decision ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This study aims to investigate the attributes of the online programme that are considered and compute their relative importance in the purchase decision. This study aims to identify the most lucrative bundling of these attributes and their levels that can be used by online education companies to craft their product design strategy to attract customers with the most attractive offering. Design/methodology/approach This research paper endeavours to identify the attributes of online education, which customers consider for making a purchase decision. Exploratory factor analysis followed by confirmatory factor analysis was used to identify the key attributes of online education programmes. This paper uses the conjoint analysis technique to identify the most preferred bundling of attributes, which online education companies can package to attract customers. Findings Based on various attributes and their respective levels, it is evident the most lucrative design for attracting customers to buy online education programmes is to provide certification from a reputed international university, which requires an investment to the tune of 3,000–5,000. The duration of four weeks with asynchronous pedagogy and access to course material vial uniform resource locator (URL) is a preferred feature. Access via a mobile application is more preferred over Web access. A phone application is known to be optimised, and most people are using mobile phones to access the internet. Online certification or degrees that are considered as valid employment qualifications were most preferred over other reasons. Originality/value There is a dearth of studies on massive open online courses (MOOCs) from a product design perspective. There is a gap in the context of the features to be included in the MOOCs package so that the customer can find more value in it, and the companies can benefit by expanding their customer base. The research question which this study endeavours to explore is what attributes consumers of MOOCs consider when making a purchase decision. This study will also find the relative importance of these attributes.

scholarly journals Evaluation Instruments and Good Practices in Online Education

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Baldwin ◽  
Jesus H. Trespalacios
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Undergraduate Education ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Seven Principles ◽  
Evaluation Instruments ◽  
Type Of Institution ◽  
Principles Of Good Practice

Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education offers extensively researched and validated tenets for best practices in higher education. After a review of the literature, twenty-eight evaluation instruments currently used to design and review online courses in higher education institutions were collected and divided into categories, based on geographical reach and the type of institution for which they were developed. This study investigates how evaluation instruments used in higher education assess the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education, and what other items are addressed in the evaluation of courses. Findings show that national and statewide evaluation instruments were less institute specific and more closely aligned to the principles of good practice, and that evaluation instruments often measure extraneous items (e.g., student services, navigation, resources, or institutional support). Additional findings and conclusions based on the analysis of the instruments are discussed.

scholarly journals Mobile Technologies for Student Centered Learning in a Distance Higher Education Program

2016 ◽  
pp. 184-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisbeth Amhag
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Computer Supported Collaborative Learning ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Student Centered Learning ◽  
Theoretical Concepts ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Flipped Classrooms ◽  
Mobile Interactions

The aim of this study is to analyze mobile technologies for student centered learning in a distance higher education program with a focus on mobile online webinars (web-based seminars or conferencing) using mobile applications such as laptops, smart phones, or tablets. As wearable technologies continue to grow it could very well extend to smart glasses, smart watches etc. These tools can provide face-to-face interactions, recording flipped classrooms and parallel chat communications. The data collection consists of observations of ten online face-to-face webinars with 22 students, six interviews, and two surveys. Theoretically, the study joins the research tradition of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning with emphasis on collaboration, and Computer Self-Efficacy concerned with individuals' media and information literacy. Important conclusions from the study demonstrated mobile interactions increased student centered learning on theoretical concepts, assisted in the ability to review information critically, and provided experiences bridging professional teaching practices.

scholarly journals Online Graduate Student Perceptions of Program Community

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Shepherd ◽  
Doris Bolliger
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Student Centered Learning ◽  
Course Content ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Directed Learning

Facilitating an online course in today’s student population requires an educator to be innovative and creative and to have an impactful online presence. In the current online learning environment (also known as e-learning), keeping students’ thoughtfully engaged and motivated while dispensing the required course content necessitates faculty enabling a safe, nonjudgmental environment whereby views, perspectives, and personal and professional experiences are encouraged. The educator must exhibit an educator-facilitated active, student-centered learning process, whereby students are held accountable for their active participation and self-directed learning while balancing a facilitator role to further enhance the learning process. This article explores one educator’s reflective practice process that has been developed over numerous years as a very early adopter of online education. It will explore the organizational aspect of teaching-facilitating a dynamic robust online course.

Peer Feedback Activities in Smart Education

2020 ◽  
pp. 105-135
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Peer Feedback ◽  
Higher Order Thinking ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Main Process ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Student Centered Learning ◽  
Feedback Model ◽  
Smart Education

New ways of communication and peer feedback activities provide several opportunities for student-centered collaborative learning in smart higher education. This chapter increases the knowledge about how collaborative peer feedback processes can support student-centered learning toward higher-order thinking and critical ability in smart higher education. Methodically, various types of feedback are illustrated based on review of selected articles from previous research. The qualitative empirical data of feedback processes (N=155) among 22 students was grounded on criteria and guidance on feedback for collaborative learning. Theoretically, the analysis of excerpts is based on a feedback model and an assessment cycle to identify the gap between the main process, self-regulated and self-directed actions, and the self as a person (i.e., what is understood and what is aimed to be understood). The results demonstrate that peer feedback provides one of the most critical and self-directed impacts on student-centered collaborative learning and higher-order thinking.

Applying the Polysynchronous Learning to Foster the Student-Centered Learning in the Higher Education Context

2016 ◽  
pp. 385-403
Author(s):  
Fan Ouyang
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Communication Model ◽  
Environment Design ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Student Centered Learning ◽  
App Design ◽  
Activity Design

Teaching and learning computer programming has posed great challenges for both instructors and students. An emerging blended learning mode - polysynchronous learning has potentials to motivate and engage students in the programming learning process, to optimize students' programming learning experiences, and to transform the computer programming teaching and learning. This paper aims to integrate the polysynchronous learning, as a communication model, with the student-centered learning, as a pedagogical approach, to design a graduate-level course - App Design and Development. The authors primarily focuses on describing my decision-making process of the physical environment design, the technologies and tools selection, and the polysynchronous learning activity design, as well as specific details regarding these three aspects. Moreover, potentials, challenges, and implications of applying the polysynchronous learning to foster the student-centered learning in the higher education context are discussed.

Instructional Challenges in Higher Education Online Courses Delivered through a Learning Management System by Subject Matter Experts

2011 ◽  
pp. 330-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
George L. Joeckel III ◽  
Tae Jeon ◽  
Joel Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Subject Matter ◽  
Management System ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Management System ◽  
Instructional System ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Subject Matter Experts ◽  
Learning Management ◽  
Instructional Challenges

The authors are Instructional Designers developing online courses in higher education. These courses are facilitated by Subject Matter Experts and delivered through a Learning Management System. They propose that instructional alignment with pedagogic beliefs is the best instructional foundation for original course designs in this instructional context, and examine three factors unique to this context. They propose new instructional design models and a new instructional system of design to address the instructional challenges specific to their learning system context.

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