scholarly journals Performance, Interaction, and Satisfaction of Graduate EAP Students in a Face-to-Face and an Online Class: A Comparative Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 132-153
Author(s):  
Dmitri Stanchevici ◽  
Megan Siczek
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
American University ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Face To Face

Before arriving in a host country, international students may be motivated to complete some institutional requirements online. Many studies address computer-assisted instruction for second-language students, but few focus on fully online English for Academic Purposes (EAP) writing courses. This comparative case study, grounded in action research, examined the extent to which a fully online version of a graduate-level EAP course offered to international students at a North American university achieved comparable outcomes to a face-to-face version. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of study participants’ performance and course evaluations indicated that the outcomes and student satisfaction of both cohorts were comparable. However, an examination of the participants’ final research papers and online interactions revealed differences and challenges. Based on these findings, it is recommended that future online courses provide more instruction on source integration, library research, and building an interactive learning community. Overall, the findings suggest that when carefully designed, assessed, and refined, fully online courses hold strong promise in EAP academic writing contexts. Les étudiantes et étudiants internationaux tiennent parfois à remplir certaines exigences institutionnelles en ligne avant de se rendre dans leur pays d’accueil. L’enseignement assisté par ordinateur pour les apprenantes et apprenants d’anglais langue seconde fait l’objet de nombreuses études, mais peu d’entre elles portent sur des cours d’écriture d’anglais académique (EAP) complètement dispensés en ligne. Entièrement basée sur la recherche-action, la présente étude de cas comparative fait état du degré de comparabilité des résultats d’un cours d’anglais académique de deuxième cycle complètement présenté en ligne à des étudiantes et étudiants internationaux inscrits à une université nord-américaine et des résultats obtenus lorsque le même cours était dispensé en personne. Une analyse quantitative et qualitative des rendements des participantes et participants et du cours lui-même a indiqué que les résultats et le degré de satisfaction des étudiantes et étudiants des deux cohortes se valaient. L’examen des rapports de recherche finaux des participantes et participants et celui des interactions en ligne ont toutefois révélé des écarts et des défis. Sur la base de ces constatations, il est recommandé que les futurs cours en ligne fournissent davantage d’instructions sur l’intégration des sources, sur les recherches en bibliothèque et sur la construction d’une communauté d’apprentissage interactif. Dans l’ensemble, les constatations de l’étude suggèrent que, s’ils sont soigneusement conçus, évalués et peaufinés, les cours complètement dispensés en ligne sont très prometteurs dans des contextes d’écriture en anglais académique.

An Exploration of Differences Among Community of Inquiry Indicators in Low and High Disenrollment Online Courses

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Ice ◽  
Angela M. Gibson ◽  
Wally Boston ◽  
Dave Becher
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Design ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Community Of Inquiry ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Public University ◽  
Cognitive Presence ◽  
Cognitive Integration ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Rapid Pace

Though online enrollments continue to accelerate at a rapid pace, there is significant concern over student retention. With drop rates significantly higher than in face-to-face classes it is imperative that online providers develop an understanding of factors that lead students to disenroll. This study examines course-level disenrollment through the lens of student satisfaction with the projection of Teaching, Social and Cognitive Presence. In comparing the highest and lowest disenrollment quartiles of all courses at American Public University the value of effective Instructional Design and Organization, and initiation of the Triggering Event phase of Cognitive Presence were found to be significant predictors of student satisfaction in the lowest disenrollment quartile. For the highest disenrollment quartile, the lack of follow-through vis-à-vis Facilitation of Discourse and Cognitive Integration were found to be negative predictors of student satisfaction.

scholarly journals Face-to-face to online: PhD academic writing @Maastricht University

2020 ◽  
pp. 13-19
Author(s):  
Neill Wylie
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Strong Focus ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
The Face ◽  
Language Needs

Maastricht University (UM) has a distinct global perspective and a strong focus on innovation. UM offers an array of PhD courses to distance and campus based students who have access to elective, credit bearing modules and the language needs of these students are catered for by the Language Centre. Many PhD candidates choose to take an academic writing course in their first or second year of their degree. In recent years, demand for a more student focused, flexible academic writing course has grown. In line with UM’s policy of supporting innovative teaching practices, the Language Centre’s face-to-face PhD academic writing course, PhD Writing 1, has been transformed into a fully online course containing eight interactive webinar sessions named Online PhD Writing, which runs in addition to the face-to-face rendition. On the back of the success of this course, coupled with increased demand for a follow up course, this author was tasked with creating an advanced online PhD academic writing course to cater for global students with diverse time zones and schedules. This paper evaluates the challenges posed and the advances made in constructing both online courses and explores the technologies used in implementing them.

Contextualizing Social Presence and Learner Identity Through the Lens of Moore's Theory of Transactional Distance

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Michael Marmon
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Course Delivery ◽  
Transactional Distance ◽  
Delivery Methods ◽  
Learner Identity ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Course Delivery Methods

Online education has become a ubiquitous and convenient method by which to complete courses at institutions of higher education across the globe. To achieve this level of parity between course delivery methods (online or face-to-face), the instructor or course designer must understand the complex relationship between the technology and instructional design theories being leveraged in these contexts. Within the context of this chapter, these barriers manifest themselves within Moore's Theory of Transactional Distance, a theory which states that the transactional distance between stakeholders (whether it is instructor-learner or learner-learner communication) has the potential to obstruct the path for comprehending the information being presented as well as influencing the level of rapport between students. This chapter examines the obstacles that are present because of Moore's Theory of Transactional Distance and the influence that social presence has on learners in online courses from the perspective of student satisfaction and positive learning outcomes.

Fostering Collaboration in CSCL

2009 ◽  
pp. 335-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donatella Persico ◽  
Francesca Pozzi ◽  
Luigi Sarti
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Computer Supported Collaborative Learning ◽  
Online Learning Communities ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Social

Some collaborative learning strategies widely used in face-to-face settings can also be adapted to online contexts. They allow us to master the complex relations between members of large, heterogeneous online learning communities. The authors build on their experience in the application of some of the most well-known strategies and techniques used in online courses, such as jigsaw, peer review, role-play, case study, and brainstorming. The use of these strategies in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments and the related models describing the social structure of the learning community is discussed in the attempt to highlight their strengths and weaknesses and investigate the conditions for their applicability. The aim is to inform the design and the management of online learning communities.

scholarly journals “Because of the Christian Fellowship, I Decided to Stay”: How Participating in a Christian Community Shapes the Social Experiences of Chinese International Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 234
Author(s):  
Anke Li ◽  
Chi Nguyen ◽  
Jinhee Choi
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Social Experiences ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Christian Community ◽  
American University ◽  
The Social ◽  
Christian Fellowship ◽  
The University

This ethnographic study examines how participation in a Christian church community shapes Chinese international undergraduate students’ social experiences in an American university. Our findings reveal that Chinese international undergraduate students identify the church and its fellowship as (1) a social support community and (2) an informal learning community, one which fills in the gap in counseling services and interpersonal activities that the university fails to offer. Recommendations are made for higher education institutions to provide stronger support for international students, regardless of their nationalities and religions.

Learning for citizenship online: How can students develop intercultural awareness and construct knowledge together?

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 31-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugh Starkey ◽  
Nicola Savvides
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Intercultural Awareness ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Higher Order Learning ◽  
International Learning ◽  
Constructing Knowledge

This article evaluates ways in which students on an online Master's programme are learning about citizenship and developing intercultural awareness in spite of the lack of face-to-face interaction. There is still debate about the effectiveness of online courses and whether they provide an adequate substitute for, or even an improvement on, classroom-based learning. We employ qualitative research methods and deploy instruments for analysing constructivist learning to evaluate the extent to which students are constructing knowledge through online discussions as well as learning from research-led teaching materials. We also analyse online discussions for evidence of social presence, including the interventions of the course tutor. We conclude that students do feel themselves to be members of an international learning community and that their interactions can promote higher-order learning. We draw attention to some advantages of online courses such as the possibility of crafting a contribution and the availability of discussions as a resource.

The Pedagogy of Social Development in Online Learning

2011 ◽  
pp. 1620-1627
Author(s):  
Robert H. Woods ◽  
Jason D. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Affective Learning ◽  
Optimal Learning ◽  
Pedagogical Strategies ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Educational Environments ◽  
The Face

Optimal learning outcomes, whether in face-to-face or online settings, are inextricably intertwined with the establishment of social networks among participants engaged in a collaborative enterprise. Students who feel socially connected to other students and faculty are more likely to persist in coursework and report higher levels of learning than those who report being less connected (McDonald, 2002; Rovai, 2002; Tinto, 1987; Wegerif, 1998). But in the online setting, creating and maintaining a learning community is somewhat more challenging than in the face-to-face-setting. For despite advances in audio and video streaming technologies, online learning remains primarily a largely textual and asynchronous environment. The challenge in this setting might be stated as follows: “How do we adapt a series of threaded texts to make them build a socially interactive, diverse network of learners who experience a positive sense of community?” There are numerous pedagogical strategies that may be used to build highly interactive and socially rich educational environments. In this article, the researchers propose a model of “communal scaffolding,” which serves as a framework for a variety of online and off-line activities that can positively enhance the social dynamics on online courses toward the goal of increased cognitive and affective learning.

Dimensions of Student Satisfaction on Online Programs

2011 ◽  
pp. 640-645
Author(s):  
Petek Askar ◽  
Oktay Dönmez ◽  
Gonca Kizilkaya ◽  
Volkan Çevik ◽  
Kerem Gültekin
Keyword(s):  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Immediate Feedback ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Complex Phenomena ◽  
E Mail

This research studies on the evaluation of online courses are usually conducted for investigating the differences between face-to-face and Web-based environments with respect to achievement. Most of the findings indicated “no significant difference” (Russell, 1999). However, only looking at achievement as a quality measure is reducing the complex phenomena into a single variable. Therefore, an analysis of the system with its components is needed. A study on students’ frustrations with a Web-based distance education course (Hara & Kling, 1999) showed that there were two foci of frustration among students in the course. The first focus was technological problems; students without access to technical support were especially frustrated. The second focus involved the course content and the instructor’s practices in managing communications with students. Students were frustrated because of a lack of immediate feedback from the instructor and ambiguous instructions on the Web and via e-mail.

scholarly journals A blended learning model supported by MOOC/SPOC, Zoom, and Canvas in a project-based academic writing course

2021 ◽  
pp. 179-197
Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Yunjie Chen
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Management Platform ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
Blended Online Learning

Blended learning has played an important role in teaching English as a second or foreign language around the world. However, little research has been conducted on blended learning that is entirely online owing to the coronavirus pandemic. We aim at exploring the model of blending Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) and Small Private Online Courses (SPOC), Zoom conferencing, and the Canvas course management platform. The new approach of blended online learning incorporates the pre-class autonomous learning of knowledge in MOOC/SPOC, in-class internalization of knowledge through case studies and discussions on Zoom, and after-class application of knowledge to the completion of a research project. A questionnaire and interviews were conducted to explore learners’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the model. Learners have a positive attitude about the new approach of blended online learning, but still hope that the in-class activities can be implemented face-to-face offline. The model will contribute to teaching and learning with the blended approach against the current coronavirus pandemic.

A Synchronous Pedagogy to Improve Online Student Success

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 61-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert P. Hogan ◽  
Mohini Devi
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Cost Effective Alternative ◽  
Face To Face Learning

Despite continuous advances in the Internet and educational technology, the primary online pedagogy remains asynchronous chat, posted learning materials, and video clips. Blended learning was one approach universities have added to improve student success in online courses. The purpose of this 3-year pilot study was to evaluate the benefit of fusing weekly video classes within an online doctoral program as an alternative to on-campus classes. The sessions incorporated an interactive, student-centered pedagogy formulated to strengthen research and writing skills, increase student motivation, and reduce isolation. The level of student-student and student-teacher interaction was equivalent to face-to-face learning. Findings indicated that student satisfaction, motivation, skills, and scholarship increased. As personal bonds developed among students and faculty, student isolation decreased. The results of this preliminary study suggest that online video classes may be a cost-effective alternative to blended learning.

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