Invest In The Success Of Online Programs At The University? Mentor Professors

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Buckenmeyer ◽  
Emily Hixon ◽  
Casimir C. Barczyk ◽  
Lori Feldman
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Preliminary Data ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
The University ◽  
Unique Program

The Distance Education Mentoring Program (DEMP) is a unique program designed to assist faculty with developing and teaching quality online courses. This paper describes a survey assessment of the 92 faculty members who completed the program over the last four years and looks at preliminary data determining the programs success.

Interactivity and Immediacy in Online Academic Programs

2016 ◽  
pp. 76-90
Author(s):  
Neal Shambaugh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Instructional Design ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Pedagogical Issues ◽  
Online Programs

Attention to the quality issues of distance education in higher education has focused primarily on courses. Entire academic programs are now delivered online, and faculty members must spend a significant amount of resources in addressing curricular-issues of online programs, as opposed to pedagogical issues for the courses they teach. Priorities for instructor interactivity and immediacy can become explicit goals for all learning experiences in academic programs. This chapter is organized in three parts: (1) the value of using interactivity/immediacy in the design of extended learning academic programs, (2) instructional design best practices for developing interactivity and immediacy in online academic programs, and (3) recommendations for different level of academic programs, including undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and specialized programs, including teacher education, certificates, and professional development.

scholarly journals The University of Texas System TeleCampus: A statewide model for collaboration

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Darcy W. Hardy ◽  
Robert L. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Faculty Development ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Degree Programs ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
University Of Texas ◽  
The University ◽  
Barriers To Collaboration

The University of Texas (UT) System has been meeting educational needs of students for over 150 years. In 1997, the UT System initiated the development of the UT TeleCampus, a centralized facilitation point for distance learning. The TeleCampus opened its virtual doors in May 1998, focused entirely on support services for students. By late 1998, the TeleCampus had begun developing what would become collaborative benchmark online programs for the UT System. As a result of having developed over 12 complete online degree programs since that time, many lessons have been learned about (1) barriers to collaboration and how to overcome them; (2) faculty development and interaction; and (3) the commitment required to build successful online programs. This article describes the UT TeleCampus initiative and how it has grown from a services-only organization to a nationally recognized model for delivering high quality distance education.

scholarly journals Athabasca University: Conversion from Traditional Distance Education to Online Courses, Programs and Services

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Davis
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Online Delivery ◽  
Online Distance Education ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Online Distance ◽  
Undergraduate Programs ◽  
The University

In its 30 years of operation, Athabasca University has witnessed the full impact of the growth of online distance education. Its conversion from mixed media course production and telephone/mail tutoring to a variety of electronic information and communication technologies has been heterogeneous across disciplines and programs. Undergraduate programs in business, computing, and some social science programs have largely led the conversion, and all graduate programs have, since their inception, employed various features of online delivery. The parallel conversion of student services has been equally important to the effectiveness of these processes. The implications of this approach for the quality of offerings, support systems, costing, and the primary mandate of the University (which is to remove barriers, not create them) are discussed.

scholarly journals Webs of activity in online course design and teaching

2004 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Peruski ◽  
Punya Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Activity Theory ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Teaching Online ◽  
Work Activities ◽  
Collaborative Activities ◽  
The University ◽  
First Time

In this study, we followed three faculty members’ experiences with designing and teaching online courses for the first time. In order to complete the activity, the faculty members had to work collaboratively with others across the university. Activity theory provided a framework within which to study faculty members’ collaborative activities with members of different activity systems that had different goals, tools, divisions of labor and accountabilities. In concordance with activity theory, such differences led to contradictions, disturbances, and transformations in thinking and work activities. The results of the study have implications for individuals and systems undertaking technology integration in teaching.DOI: 10.1080/0968776042000211520

Management of Learning Space

2011 ◽  
pp. 210-219
Author(s):  
Susan M. Powers ◽  
Christine Salmon
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Subject Line ◽  
International Data ◽  
The Subject ◽  
E Mail

Dr. Villez looks up from her papers and sighs as her e-mail beeps again for what seems the 100th time this morning with yet another incoming mail message. She checks the subject line and sender—yes, it is from another student in one of her online courses. She sighs again. She has barely started reading the last assignment that came in 20 minutes ago, and here is yet another assignment being turned in that needs to be graded and feedback given to the student as soon as possible. Dr. Villez looks at her watch and then back at her pile of e-mail. She might need to rethink her agreement to participate in her institution’s online programs. The online courses were taking so much of her time; it was beginning to cut into her time for scholarship. There are a multitude of reasons why an institution may elect to engage in distance education (Oblinger, Barone, & Hawkins, 2001). One of those reasons might be to generate greater revenues and to expand its access. With projections that an estimated 15% of all students in higher education will be engaged in distance education (International Data Corporation, 1999), the related pressures on faculty can become enormous. While these reasons may have a basis in institutional survival and transformation, the implications may come at a cost to those who must deliver the instruction through greater teaching loads and class sizes.

Moving Your College Toward Online Programs Including a Quality Matters Implementation Plan

2018 ◽  
pp. 1930-1938
Author(s):  
Deborah A. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Faculty Work ◽  
Implementation Plan ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Quality Matters ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Faculty Knowledge ◽  
Daunting Task

Moving faculty in a direction toward having online programs/courses at their college can be a daunting task, but another college's example may assist in preparing for online programs with quality online courses that include a Quality Matters Implementation Plan that will help define how the college will expand faculty knowledge of online education instructional design. In a college's transition to online education, it is particularly important to “sell” this idea to faculty members. Faculty members at many institutions may be fearful that they will not meet QM standards when going through a course review. Further, faculty members may be fearful of losing the “boundaries” that they currently have teaching in a face-to face setting. Other concerns revolve around budget constraints, preparing the college for online education, keeping consistency in faculty work duties, training faculty, faculty staying current with technology, keeping the same rigor in the online course as a face-to-face course, including an appropriate level of contact with students, and accreditation needs in order to have online education offered at the college. Management and organizational needs include having an administration team that supports faculty in making the change from a face-to-face class to an online class.

Moving Your College toward Online Programs Including a Quality Matters Implementation Plan

2014 ◽  
pp. 308-319
Author(s):  
Deborah A. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Faculty Work ◽  
Implementation Plan ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Quality Matters ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Faculty Knowledge ◽  
Daunting Task

Moving faculty in a direction toward having online programs/courses at their college can be a daunting task, but another college’s example may assist in preparing for online programs with quality online courses that include a Quality Matters Implementation Plan that will help define how the college will expand faculty knowledge of online education instructional design. In a college’s transition to online education, it is particularly important to “sell” this idea to faculty members. Faculty members at many institutions may be fearful that they will not meet QM standards when going through a course review. Further, faculty members may be fearful of losing the “boundaries” that they currently have teaching in a face-to face setting. Other concerns revolve around budget constraints, preparing the college for online education, keeping consistency in faculty work duties, training faculty, faculty staying current with technology, keeping the same rigor in the online course as a face-to-face course, including an appropriate level of contact with students, and accreditation needs in order to have online education offered at the college. Management and organizational needs include having an administration team that supports faculty in making the change from a face-to-face class to an online class.

scholarly journals An examination of factors that impact the retention of online students at a for-profit university

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Sorensen ◽  
Judy Donovan
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Survey Interviews ◽  
The University

Online learning has continued to grow in recent years. However, retaining students in online courses and programs has posed a challenge. Whether the university is public, private, offers both face-to-face and online programs, or is 100% online, retaining students in online programs can be an issue. This study reflects the widespread desire at a large online for-profit university to improve student retention rates. The goal of the research was to provide further insight into why students may decide to drop out of online programs. Participants consisted of former undergraduate students at the university in the College of Education who dropped out without providing a specific reason for doing so. The study used a non-experimental mixed methods approach collecting data from university databases, an online survey, interviews, and classroom walk-throughs. Data analysis employed techniques such as frequency calculations, a MANOVA, and qualitative content analysis. Results from the MANOVA revealed statistically significant results when examining student GPA and last course grade. Furthermore, data collected from the online survey, interviews, and classroom walk-throughs revealed common reasons for why students may drop out of online programs.

scholarly journals Learning in an online distance education course: Experiences of three international students

2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuochen Zhang ◽  
Richard Kenny
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Master's Program ◽  
Verbal Cues ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Online Distance Education ◽  
Online Distance

This case study explores the learning experiences of three international students who were enrolled in an online master’s program offered by a large university in Canada. The aim of the study was to understand the international students’ experiences with, and perspectives on, the online learning environment. Findings indicate that previous education and especially language proficiency strongly impacted the learning of these students in this environment. Non-native English speakers required considerably more time to process readings and postings and to make postings themselves. Their lack of familiarity with the details of North American culture and colloquial language made it difficult to follow much of the course discussion. They also tended to avoid socializing in the course, which left them at the periphery of course activities. Based on these findings, the authors make the following recommendations for designers and instructors of online courses: 1) Raise the English language proficiency requirement for graduate admissions into online programs because the text-based communication in a CMC space requires interpreting messages without non-verbal cues; 2) Ensure that online distance education course designers are aware of the needs and expectations of international students; and 3) Combine the design principles from both traditional and constructivism theories.

New Creative Writing “Classroom”

2015 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Tamara Girardi
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Creative Writing ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Writing Studies ◽  
University Environment ◽  
Creative Writing Studies ◽  
Creative Writers ◽  
History Of ◽  
Publishing Community ◽  
The University

The field of creative writing studies includes commonly regarded forms of distance education such as online courses, but there is an impressive diversity regarding the opportunities available to creative writers. To illustrate this, the chapter discusses the two tracks available to writers. The first features the university environment, where students enroll in undergraduate and graduate creative writing degree programs. These programs could be full-residency, low-residency, or online. However, not all writers are able or willing to enroll in such programs. For these writers, there are non-academic options that are driven not by colleges and universities but by the publishing community. Non-degree writers might enroll in online workshops or communities. Finally, non-degree seeking writers might work independently through MOOCs, extension classes, iTunesU courses, and how-to texts. This chapter discusses the history of distance education as it is evolving and the potentially overwhelming number of options available to aspiring writers.

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