Technology and Culturally Competent Strategies for the Online Classroom

2020 ◽  
pp. 207-239
Author(s):  
Justina Elise Kwapy
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Online Faculty ◽  
Culturally Competent ◽  
Online Classroom ◽  
Learning Programs

The last decade has brought an increase in online courses in the educational setting. One-quarter of American college students are in an online degree program, and 32% have taken at least one online course. While students, higher universities, and faculty are enjoying the convenience and flexibility of online learning environments, there is an increasing concern over the support in distance education, teaching methods, and a social disconnectedness of students from the course. This chapter explores how technology can support a successful online learning experience and impede the dissatisfaction and higher dropout rates among students in distance learning programs. Higher institution's online faculty are now faced with the task of creating a virtual community of learners, meeting both the academic and social needs of students.

Making Sense of Building Online Learning Communities

2014 ◽  
pp. 91-116
Author(s):  
Justina Kwapy
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Dropout Rates ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Traditional Programs ◽  
Learning Programs

The last decade has brought an increase in online courses in the educational setting. Online enrollment has increased from 1.98 million in 2003 to 2.35 million in 2004 (Allen & Seaman, 2005). While students, higher universities, and faculty are enjoying the convenience and flexibility of online learning environments, there is an increasing concern over the support in distance education, teaching methods, and a social disconnectedness of students from the course. This chapter explores how these factors can impede a successful online learning experience and can cause dissatisfaction and higher dropout rates among students in distance learning programs. Carr (2000) found higher dropout rates for distance education (10-20%) over traditional programs. Higher institution’s online faculty are now faced with the task of creating a virtual community of learners, meeting both academic and social needs of students.

Making Sense of Building Online Learning Communities

2018 ◽  
pp. 857-885
Author(s):  
Justina Kwapy
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Dropout Rates ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Traditional Programs ◽  
Learning Programs

The last decade has brought an increase in online courses in the educational setting. Online enrollment has increased from 1.98 million in 2003 to 2.35 million in 2004 (Allen & Seaman, 2005). While students, higher universities, and faculty are enjoying the convenience and flexibility of online learning environments, there is an increasing concern over the support in distance education, teaching methods, and a social disconnectedness of students from the course. This chapter explores how these factors can impede a successful online learning experience and can cause dissatisfaction and higher dropout rates among students in distance learning programs. Carr (2000) found higher dropout rates for distance education (10-20%) over traditional programs. Higher institution's online faculty are now faced with the task of creating a virtual community of learners, meeting both academic and social needs of students.

Encouraging and Increasing Student Engagement and Participation in an Online Classroom

2016 ◽  
pp. 426-447
Author(s):  
Kathryn Woods
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Online Classroom ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
The Impact

Advances in technology have increased opportunities for students to participate in online courses. While some instructors are beginning their careers teaching only online courses, others are discovering a need to teach sections of courses online after they have enjoyed a long career teaching in a traditional classroom. In either situation, it is important for instructors to recognize that students in online learning environments require the use of different strategies for encouraging engagement and participation in class. In this chapter, the author describes the challenges that students and instructors face specifically in the online learning environment as well as strategies for success, including how to maximize the impact of students' experiences and prior knowledge, using multiple platforms to deliver information, discouraging procrastination, setting clear expectations, encouraging individuality, capitalizing on diversity, and providing and utilizing helpful resources.

scholarly journals Maintaining Quality in Online Learning Environments

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 361-367
Author(s):  
Melissa Aldredge ◽  
Sarah DuBois ◽  
Diane Mobley ◽  
Elizabeth Prejean ◽  
Margaret Vienne
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Academic Quality ◽  
Online Classroom ◽  
Careful Planning ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Security Issues ◽  
Secure Learning

The online classroom continues to play an ever increasing role in higher education. There are proven, research-based pedagogical techniques available to instructors who want to create online courses that are both dynamic and engaging. With careful planning, online learning can provide students with a positive learning experience without sacrificing the academic quality of learning. Addressing security issues and challenges is vital to maintaining the desired academic rigor and quality. This paper discusses these important security issues and offers a variety of solutions for facilitating a secure learning environment.

A Case Study Exploring Quality Standards for Quality E-Learning

2011 ◽  
pp. 232-240
Author(s):  
Colla J. MacDonald ◽  
Terrie Lynn Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
E Learning

In order to satisfy the needs of growing numbers of adult learners, the availability of well-designed, effectively implemented, and efficiently delivered online courses is essential (MacDonald, Stodel & Casimiro, 2006; Palloff & Pratt, 2001). Despite the demand and prevalence of e-learning, there are still concerns regarding the quality and effectiveness of education offered online (Carstens & Worsfold, 2000; Noble, 2002). Too often, in an “effort to simply get something up and running” (Dick, 1996, p. 59), educators have been forced to compromise quality and design. Intensive competition among educational institutions has resulted in quality assurance becoming a critical issue for promoting learning and learning programs. Within this economically motivated environment, online learning has not escaped the scrutiny of quality standards. Quality in online programs is generally defined in terms of the design of the learning experience, the contextualized experience of learners, and evidence of learning outcomes (Jung, 2000; Salmon, 2000). However, the plethora of online learning courses and programs with few standards to ensure the quality of content, delivery, and/or service creates a challenge. The resulting variance in quality makes it difficult for an organization or learner to choose a program that meets their needs and is also of high quality.

Encouraging and Increasing Student Engagement and Participation in an Online Classroom

2016 ◽  
pp. 1335-1357
Author(s):  
Kathryn Woods
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Online Classroom ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
The Impact

Advances in technology have increased opportunities for students to participate in online courses. While some instructors are beginning their careers teaching only online courses, others are discovering a need to teach sections of courses online after they have enjoyed a long career teaching in a traditional classroom. In either situation, it is important for instructors to recognize that students in online learning environments require the use of different strategies for encouraging engagement and participation in class. In this chapter, the author describes the challenges that students and instructors face specifically in the online learning environment as well as strategies for success, including how to maximize the impact of students' experiences and prior knowledge, using multiple platforms to deliver information, discouraging procrastination, setting clear expectations, encouraging individuality, capitalizing on diversity, and providing and utilizing helpful resources.

scholarly journals Beyond Content: The Value of Instructor-Student Connections in the Online Classroom

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Jean Mandernach ◽  
Sarah Nicole Robertson ◽  
John Paul Steele
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Online Classroom ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Qualitative Feedback ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
Course Material

Research clearly establishes the value of online education to foster students’ cognitive understanding of course material. However, engagement in the learning experience requires more than mere acquisition of new knowledge; to be fully engaged in the learning process, students must also connect with their peers and instructor in a meaningful way. The purpose of this study is to examine the value of instructor-personalized audio lectures as means of fostering students’ engagement with course content and the online learning experience. Qualitative data on the student experience found that instructor-personalized audio lectures enhanced students’ perceptions of value and engagement; quantitative data using a standardized engagement measure revealed no significant differences. Students’ qualitative feedback about their online learning experience indicated that instructor-personalized audio lectures fostered greater student-instructor connections and significantly impacted the likelihood of students’ engaging with course material. Recognizing the value of student engagement for ongoing satisfaction and retention in online learning programs, findings suggest that the creation of personalized audio lectures provides an efficient and effective means for faculty to positively impact students’ online learning experience.  

Learners’ perceptions of instructor feedback in e-learning courses – findings from HBMSU, United Arab Emirates

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niyi Awofeso ◽  
Moyosola Bamidele
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Test Reliability ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Limited Participation ◽  
Instructor Feedback ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
Real Person

Instructor feedback is constructive and specific information provided by an instructor to a learner on his or her course work and/or class contributions in relation to the course objectives and expectations. Effective instructor feedback is particularly important in online learning as learners are more likely to withdraw from online learning environments due to delayed, or inadequate feedback, compared with students enrolled in physical classes. Not all learners are equally active, and there are indeed learners who hardly take an active part in online course activities -the so-called lurkers. Courteous instructor feedback to such learners on their limited participation has been shown to improve learners’ participation in online courses. Diligent learners engaged in online learning programs expect feedback to be contextual, supportive, constructive, timely, substantive, summative and formative.  This study examined the perceptions of 66 undergraduate and postgraduate learners on feedback provided in eight online courses facilitated by the same instructor at the School of Health and Environmental Studies, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Dubai, UAE between August 2014 and December 2015. Data collection from learners was anonymized and participation was voluntary. The survey sought to elicit learners’ perceptions on the extent to which feedback provided in specified courses were motivational, timely, frequent, supportive, and individualized. A polytomous Rasch model was utilized to analyze the data with Winsteps and STATA. Analysis of the 20 survey questions revealed a real person reliability of 0.82 and a Cronbach Alpha test reliability of 0.96, suggesting that the scale discriminates well between the persons. The real item separation reliability of 0.77 suggests that the questions are reliable in measuring the specified items.  Descriptive analyses revealed general agreement among the majority of learners on the effectiveness of feedback provided by the instructor, although Infit and Outfit Z-standard deviation statistics revealed two questions with unexpected rare (i.e. “mostly disagree” or “completely disagree”) extremes in several learners’ responses.  Unlike single questions related to learner feedback in most Student Perception of Teaching Surveys, this survey instrument comprehensively explores the dimensions of instructor feedback, aspects of which may not be previously known to learners or instructors. Our results indicate that systematic collection and analysis of learners’ feedback comments have a strong potential to enhance feedback competencies of course facilitators, as well as provide a common platform for both learners and course facilitators vis-à-vis the diverse objectives of instructor feedback.  

scholarly journals Computer Literacy and Online Learning Attitude toward GSOE Students in Distance Education Programs

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lung-Yu Li ◽  
Long-Yuan Lee
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Computer Literacy ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
The Body ◽  
Education Management ◽  
Learning Attitude ◽  
Learning Attitudes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
Managerial Implications

<p>The purpose of this study was to explore graduate students’ competencies in computer use and their attitudes toward online learning in asynchronous online courses of distance learning programs in a Graduate School of Education (GSOE) in Taiwan. The research examined the relationship between computer literacy and the online learning attitudes of these students. Data were collected via a survey through 252 GSOE students in Taiwan. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between computer literacy and online learning attitude among the students. Higher computer literacy was correlated with higher online learning attitude. However, no statistically significant difference was found in online learning attitude by gender or by age group. Suggestions and managerial implications were discussed in the study, and would provide contribution both to the body of knowledge in the filed of education management.</p>

scholarly journals A guide for evaluation of online learning in medical education: a qualitative reflective analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nourhan F. Wasfy ◽  
Enjy Abouzeid ◽  
Asmaa Abdel Nasser ◽  
Samar A. Ahmed ◽  
Ilham Youssry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Organizational Capacity ◽  
Expert Consensus ◽  
Educational Effectiveness ◽  
Education Community ◽  
Rapid Shift

Abstract Background With the strike of Covid-19, an unprecedented rapid shift to remote learning happened worldwide with a paradigm shift to online learning from an institutional adjuvant luxury package and learner choice into a forced solo choice. This raises the question of quality assurance. While some groups have already established standards for online courses, teaching and programs yet very little information is included on methodology of their development and very little emphasis is placed on the online learning experience. Nevertheless, no work has been done specifically for medical education institutions. Aim To develop a set of descriptors for best practice in online learning in medical education utilizing existing expertise and needs. Methods This work utilizes a qualitative multistage approach to identify the descriptors of best practice in online learning starting with a question guided focus group, thematic analysis, Delphi technique and an expert consensus session done simultaneously for triangulation. This was done involving 32 institution in 19 countries. Results This materialized into the development of a set of standards, indicators, and development of a checklist for each standard area. The standard areas identified were organizational capacity, educational effectiveness, and human resources each of which listed a number of standards. Expert consensus sessions identified the need for qualification of data and thus the development of indicators for best practice. Conclusion Standards are needed for online learning experience and their development and redesign is situational and needs to be enhanced methodologically in axes that are pertaining to the needs of the education community. Taking such axes into consideration by educators and institutions will lead to planning and implementing successful online learning activities, while taking them into consideration by the evaluators will help them conduct comprehensive audits and provide stakeholders with highly informative evaluation reports.

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