Collaborative and Open Education by Interdisciplinary Women's Networks

Author(s):  
Elena Robles Mateo

This chapter describes FemTechNet, a case study that exemplifies the way in which an informal network of professional women can develop alternative dissemination formats for digital educational content. FemTechNet is an interdisciplinary and transnational network formed by women feminist scholars, educators, and artists mainly from North America, also Europe and Asia. Aiming to apply feminist principles to online education content on gender and technology, FemTechNet created in 2013 the DOCC, a feminist approach to collaborative open formats for online education, especially focused on feminism, new media, and liberal arts. While new formats of massive online courses perpetuate old patterns of hierarchical educational structures, this network aims to promote open pedagogic and inclusive content off and online by the collaboration of the different nodes implicated internationally. This chapter explores FemTechNet principles and methods that made from it a unique network that has successfully addressed contemporary problematics on open accessible content online.

2014 ◽  
pp. 829-839
Author(s):  
Andrew A. Tawfik ◽  
Carol Reiseck ◽  
Richard Richter

The case study describes the project management methods used in the implementation of a faculty development course at a small liberal arts university. The faculty development course, which was delivered online through the Learning Management System (Blackboard), not only provided faculty with technical competencies, but also a pedagogical framework for online instruction. As faculty members began to see the potential of using technology to overcome time and distance challenges, they became more interested in online education. To accomplish the project goals, the instructional design team created a detailed spreadsheet that outlined the design and implementation strategy for the initiative. Success criteria included increased demand and enrollment in the course, formal adoption of the professional development course as an institutional requirement, expansion of student enrollments in online courses, and student retention rates. The case study describes the unique project management considerations, documentation, and planning required throughout the project.


Author(s):  
Andrew A. Tawfik ◽  
Carol Reiseck ◽  
Richard Richter

The case study describes the project management methods used in the implementation of a faculty development course at a small liberal arts university. The faculty development course, which was delivered online through the Learning Management System (Blackboard), not only provided faculty with technical competencies, but also a pedagogical framework for online instruction. As faculty members began to see the potential of using technology to overcome time and distance challenges, they became more interested in online education. To accomplish the project goals, the instructional design team created a detailed spreadsheet that outlined the design and implementation strategy for the initiative. Success criteria included increased demand and enrollment in the course, formal adoption of the professional development course as an institutional requirement, expansion of student enrollments in online courses, and student retention rates. The case study describes the unique project management considerations, documentation, and planning required throughout the project.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 230-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Hass ◽  
Mathew Joseph

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine students’ perceptions of online vs traditional (face-to-face) course offerings at the business school of a liberal arts university in southwest USA. The research compares perceptions of students who have been subjected to online education along with those who have not been exposed to online education and examines likelihood to take online courses. Design/methodology/approach Paper and pencil surveys were distributed in different classes in business classes at a university in southwest USA. The target group was undergraduate students. Findings The results indicate that overall, students have neutral perceptions about online courses, while favorable perceptions are strongly associated with likelihood to take online courses. Moreover, prior exposure with online courses is not a significant factor in forming favorable perceptions about online courses. Research limitations/implications The present research is limited in generalizability and the institution surveyed in the southwest region is new to online courses offering in their curriculum and not all the participants had prior experience with online courses. Originality/value Although this paper compares online education with traditional, another option for methods of education include hybrid models incorporating both. A possible third option not discussed through this research is a hybrid or blended learning course, a combination of both online and traditional courses. This opens the options for the student, as hybrid courses can be built with many different options. One includes using technology for “screencasts” or lectures online.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. p30
Author(s):  
Liu Zhixuan

The outbreak of the COVID-19 caused many Chinese universities to initiate online teaching. This paper aimed to develop Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) practices in online courses to enable teachers and students in China to employ TBLT appropriately and effectively. This research made a case study which was conducted as an online English class with a total of 28 undergraduate students at a university in Guangdong, China. The findings show that the transition from the traditional classroom to online education was successful. This innovative teaching mode promotes students to become the initiator of learning. Besides, the switched roles between students and teachers, advantages as well as problems of this approach have been pointed out. This case study could provide pedagogical implicatures for online English teaching and learning practically and theoretically, which helps to develop new forms that could assist teachers and students to adopt TBLT in class.


Author(s):  
Michael S. Hoffman

In the past decade, enrollments in distance education, and specifically online education, have grown dramatically in the United States. According to the 2009 Sloan Report (), enrollments in online courses increased from 9.6% of total postsecondary enrollments in 2002 to 25.3% in 2009. Unfortunately, a number of barriers exist that may result in an inability of higher education institutions to provide quality online education programming in sufficient scale to meet the expected student demand. The Managing Online Education report () identifies the resistance of faculty towards teaching in an online environment as foremost among ten factors that “impede institutional efforts to expand online education programs” (p. 1). An understanding of the factors that both motivate and discourage faculty member participation in online education programs is critical if institutions are to leverage their existing faculty to meet the current and future demand for online education. This case study first presents a number of motivating and inhibiting factors and then discusses how St. Bonaventure University leveraged these factors in an attempt to boost faculty participation in online education.


Author(s):  
Marie-Line Germain

Over the past 30 years, the internet has evolved from being the web of content to being the web of thoughts and the web of things in business, communication, entertainment, and education. To stay competitive, higher education institutions have had to train students on the wide range of skills and experiences and to move to digital platforms to better meet the needs of students, employees, and organizations. This chapter provides an overview of the development of online education, the 1.0 to 5.0 phases of web development, and how the field of education has adapted to these phases. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of mobile learning such as MOOCs, course collaboration software, and how smartphones can be used in courses to interact with peers and faculty. This chapter then presents a case study illustrating how online courses can successfully integrate Web 4.0 and 5.0 technology. It concludes by discussing the benefits and challenges of adopting some disruptive technologies and on how educational institutions can meet the needs of the next generation of students.


Author(s):  
Jennifer R. Banas ◽  
Angela Velez-Solic

There are many ways to deliver engaging, effective, and efficient online instruction, but most higher education instructors do not know how. So while the demand for online learning has drastically increased, the efficacious training of instructors into how to deliver online courses lags far behind. In this chapter, the authors demonstrate how adult learning and instructional design principles, coupled with known best practices for online teaching, can facilitate the design of effective training and professional development for online instructors. Case study examples are used to illustrate key concepts, and a sample outline for training is offered. Administrators and trainers of online instructors will form the primary audience; other stake holders in online education will benefit as well.


2018 ◽  
pp. 1148-1161
Author(s):  
Michael S. Hoffman

In the past decade, enrollments in distance education, and specifically online education, have grown dramatically in the United States. According to the 2009 Sloan Report (), enrollments in online courses increased from 9.6% of total postsecondary enrollments in 2002 to 25.3% in 2009. Unfortunately, a number of barriers exist that may result in an inability of higher education institutions to provide quality online education programming in sufficient scale to meet the expected student demand. The Managing Online Education report () identifies the resistance of faculty towards teaching in an online environment as foremost among ten factors that “impede institutional efforts to expand online education programs” (p. 1). An understanding of the factors that both motivate and discourage faculty member participation in online education programs is critical if institutions are to leverage their existing faculty to meet the current and future demand for online education. This case study first presents a number of motivating and inhibiting factors and then discusses how St. Bonaventure University leveraged these factors in an attempt to boost faculty participation in online education.


2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne B. Jennings

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness and outcomes of liberal arts in preparing people for adult roles. Design/methodology/approach – Review of research and opinions about the liberal arts. Findings – Liberal-arts outcomes results have fallen short of expectations though this may be a short coming of higher education generally. A new era of the knowledge society will shrink liberal-arts departments in humanities, literature and philosophy. Research limitations/implications – Liberal arts need definition and clarity of expected outcomes. Practical implications – Jobs in liberal arts colleges will decrease given its weak effectiveness. Online education for liberal-arts areas will grow explosively. Originality/value – Liberal-arts critics have been active for decades. What is different today is world wide access to all information 24/7 and massive open online courses (MOOCs).


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Saltz ◽  
Robert Heckman

With the increasing availability of synchronous video-based breakout rooms within online courses, there is a growing need to understand how to best leverage this technology for enhanced online education. To help address this challenge, this paper reports on a case study that explored student activity within online video-based breakout rooms via a Structured Paired Activity (SPA) methodology. SPA, which is adapted from the concept of Paired Programming, defines a general way to structure roles and activities for the participants within the breakout room. Initial qualitative results suggest that the use of SPA in online breakout rooms increases student engagement and process effectiveness. These results are potentially applicable to a broad range of web-based synchronous online courses. 


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