Online Learning Update

by Errin Heyman, OJDLA

Pressure exists to attract and retain students in higher education. Online educational programs have the potential to increase the number of students who can enroll in degree-bearing institutions. Explored in the qualitative study using a modified three-round Delphi technique was the phenomenon of consistently lower student retention rates in fully online programs in higher education, as compared to student retention rates in ground-based programs. Experts suggested that student self-discipline, instructor engagement and response time in courses, and the need for institutions to offer online students an array of support services contribute to student retention in fully online programs. Panelists revealed concerns and practices that may influence student retention. These practices ultimately relate to social and academic integration.

http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/winter134/heyman134.html

by Omiunota Nelly Ukpokodu, JIOL

This study investigated teachers’ reflective perspectives on pedagogies that enhance learning in an online course on “Teaching for equity and social justice” in a teacher education program. Data were collected from survey, alternative anonymous course assessment, interview, and document analysis. Participants identified threaded discussions, partner-shared learning, course 3Rs (rigor, relevance and relationships), pre-post narrative inquiries and writing reading response papers as critical pedagogies that enhanced their learning in the online course. In this paper, I analyze and discuss the teachers’ reflective perspectives and the construction and implementation of these pedagogies.

http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/pdf/9.3.5.pdf

Judy Donovan, Cynthia E. Mader, John Shinsky; JIOL

Substantial efforts have been made recently to compare the effectiveness of traditional course formats to alternative formats (most often, online delivery compared to traditional on-site delivery). This study examines, not the delivery format but rather the evaluation format. It compares traditional paper and pencil methods for course evaluation with electronic methods. Eleven instructors took part in the study. Each instructor taught two sections of the same course; at the end, one course received an online course evaluation, the other a traditional pencil and paper evaluation. Enrollment in these 22 sections was 519 students. Researchers analyzed open-ended comments as well as quantitative rankings for the course evaluations. Researchers found no significant differences in numerical rankings between the two evaluation formats. However, differences were found in number and length of comments, the ratio of positive to negative comments, and the ratio of formative to summative comments. Students completing faculty evaluations online wrote more comments, and the comments were more often formative (defined as a comment that gave specific reasons for judgment so that the instructor knew what the student was suggesting be kept or changed) in nature.

http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/pdf/9.3.3.pdf

by John R. Savery, JIOL

While classroom teaching and management strategies are well documented, the online learning environment presents different challenges and benefits. Teaching in an online environment requires a special set of teaching skills since many of the strategies and tactics associated with best teaching practices are somewhat constrained by the primarily text-based environment. The VOCAL approach summarizes the key characteristics that a master instructor utilizes to be effective in an online environment. VOCAL is an acronym for Visible, Organized, Compassionate, Analytical and Leader-byexample. The ability of the teacher to effectively infuse these characteristics into their instructional practice – to BE VOCAL – will promote a supportive, challenging, constructive, rigorous and effective instructional environment. Instructors who practice a VOCAL approach will have more productive learning environments, fewer management problems and more positive learning experiences with their students.

http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/pdf/9.3.2.pdf

By Tushar Rae, Chronicle of Higher Ed

Omnicademy, a for-profit institution conceived at Louisiana State University, hopes to allow professors to syndicate their courses this fall. The company’s system will let professors upload material from courses they’re already teaching and offer the courses to students at other colleges through the Omnicademy site, said the company’s founder, Stacey Simmons, associate director for economic development at Louisiana’s Center for Computation and Technology.

http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/new-web-venture-offers-syndicated-courses/29042?sid=wc&utm_source=wc&utm_medium=en

by Michael Verhaart, IEEE Learning Technology

Online education today has entered the early maturity stage. In this stage online education can certainly continue to expand, and many more students may pursue online education opportunities, but the competitive market for providers of online education will see substantial change. There are several key facts that indicate this shift in life-cycle stage. One of the key indicators of a mature stage in the life cycle is the establishment of dominant providers in the marketplace. Online education is experiencing this shift today, with 75% of online courses currently being offered by just 1/3 of online providers (Allen & Seaman, 2007). Mayadas, Bourne, and Bosch (2009) further explain that the majority of online enrollments are in traditional institutions and those enrollments are leveling off.

http://www.ieeetclt.org/issues/july2010/IEEE-LT-Jul10.htm#_Toc269551169

By Natasha Wanchek, THE Journal

Williams, director of the Educational Technology Center at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, has more than 25 years experience in private and public sector technology leadership, analysis, management, and training. In his work, he has focused primarily on evolving educational technologies, computer forensics, wireless network security, and Windows operating systems. Williams offered THE Journal a glimpse into what he sees as some of the technologies schools should be looking forward to adopting for their students, with tablet PCs and Apple iPads leading the way in significance and potential positive impact for education. He also explained why he thinks one technology–the PC itself–hasn’t lived up to expectations.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2011/01/12/education-in-the-palm-of-your-hand-5-questions-with-brent-williams.aspx

By Bridget McCrea, THE Journal

At Maryland’s Chelsea School, free and open source software is helping deliver services to the school’s elementary students inside the classroom and out–from audio editing software to learning apps for special needs students to course management. In fact, open source so permeates Chelsea that some students are even working to contribute code back to the open source development community.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2011/01/13/an-education-in-open-source.aspx

by ACTWS

Another reason to think about signing up for a certified online learning program is that web-based university courses tend to be substantially less expensive as compared to what you would pay for taking the same class on campus. This specific affordability is probably the most significant attraction to Internet courses. For many individuals, it amounts to having the capability to attain a university education without having to make an application for grants or school loans. You could continue on doing work while attending school, and could finish in just a few years without going into debt. Then after you have a college degree, you could go forward with your career.

http://actws.com/2011/01/the-benefits-of-good-accredited-online-learning-programs/

by Molalla Pioneer

What is it like to go to school online? Think that it’s only for certain kinds of people? Think it’s easier than going to a traditional school? Think again.“What we are doing here is really a modern take on the traditional one-room school house. Since I am the only English teacher at our school, it makes sense that I when I have my students come in for group workshops or a book clubs that they all meet together — regardless of their grade level or course work,” Gilbert said. “Having a mixed-age group raises the quality of group learning; older students lend their maturity and experience to class discussions, and this inspires our younger students to bring their best thinking to class. The result is a more authentic academic conversation than what one might get in a traditional school setting.”

http://www.molallapioneer.com/news/2011/January/07/Local.News/a.modern.oneroom.schoolhouse/news.aspx

by the Graduate Guide

More academic institutions are offering online education thereby increasing opportunities for working professionals who wish to further their education. Among those who can benefit from an increase in the number of distance learning programs are teachers who want to obtain a graduate degree. For example, Ashford University in Iowa has introduced two new specializations for its Master of Arts in Education program: mathematics instruction and family and community services.

http://www.graduateguide.com/Graduate_School_News/teachers_benefit_from_growth_in_online_graduate_education__800330664.html

by Rob Tauler, Noobpreneur

A 2009 report released by the U.S. Department of Education found that students who studied in online learning environments performed better than students who were receiving face-to-face instruction. This study gathered information from 99 independent studies which took place over a twelve span. The report concluded that on average, students engaged in online learning ranked in the 59th percentile, while those in a classroom setting were in the 50th percentile. According to the New York Times, this information signals that online education will grow in the years to come. The implications of this study are profound, since it seems that no one had previously believed online education was substantively superior to traditional settings. These trends and research findings point towards the growing prominence of online education in the decades to come. Being more affordable, and more effective, they will prove irresistible to educators. They are attractive to entrepreneurs because of low start up costs associated with the online format.

http://www.noobpreneur.com/2011/01/08/the-move-to-online-education-will-create-opportunities-for-entrepreneurs/

by Justin Hill, ENC Today

On Friday morning, Lenoir County Schools had five students attending their first class at East Carolina University but they were locked out of the lecture hall. However, they weren’t stranded out in the cold; they weren’t even in Greenville. The students — who are earning three credit hours in a website design and maintenance course — were sitting comfortably in Kinston High School’s Cyber Campus. Although distance education is nothing new, the Kinston High seniors are taking a new approach to online education, the Early College Second Life Program. The students are attending a virtual college — built to resemble ECU — in the computer simulation Second Life.

http://www.enctoday.com/news/attending-70791-kfpress-students-class.html

By MOLLY A.K. CONNORS, Cape Cod Online

“Virtual learning teams” of teachers, counselors, technology directors and administrators will use the Web to keep at-risk students in six Cape school districts on track. “This is a whole new approach,” said Lory Stewart, director of instructional technology at the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District. “We’re the pioneers.” The following organizations are participating in a $300,000 grant to create online courses for local school districts: School districts involved: Dennis-Yarmouth, Falmouth, Plymouth, Harwich, Barnstable, Chatham and Nauset. The online program is courtesy of a $300,000 federal stimulus grant.

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110108/NEWS/101080326

by Chelsae Su, Article Base

many students have chosen online courses for numerous reasons, but here are some of the right reasons to pursue your education online. The five C’s, as many people call it. Convenience; Control; Connection; Cost; and, perhaps most important, Commitment. With any class, you will learn to commit to something and follow through with online courses. In order to be outstanding, you must be able to be honest with yourself and commit to your online courses. With this in mind, you can be extremely successful in choosing the online degree option.

http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/online-courses-the-top-5-cs-of-online-learning-3971528.html

by Partha Bhattacharya, 2WebVideo

There is a paradigm shift happening in imparting online education. Up until recently, texts and images used to be the only modes of education. And now audio and video have become part of dissemination of knowledge. In our video production course we have primarily depended on more than 80 video lessons to teach the topic. Since only a video fulfills the 4 modes of expressions, namely text, image, audio and video, therefore its necessity is bound to increase very rapidly. Nearly all the online education facilitators stress on using video to teach the participants. This makes sense not only because the students find it easier to grasp the new concepts being taught, even for the teachers the job becomes easy to explain. After all, what happens in the actual classroom is something similar to that.

http://www.2webvideo.com/video-production/online-learning-with-video

by the Bangor Daily News

The Professional Education Department at Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Metrix Learning to offer non-credit, online courses available to students, the general public, and virtually anyone with access to a computer. SMCC Professional Education Online programs provide a simple and intuitive experience for the user while allowing them to access powerful learning tools to keep their work skills sharp and up to date. An SMCC Professional Education Online license allows a single user to take as many courses as he or she would like from a list of over 5,000 courses with 24-hour access for a period of 90 days for only $99.

http://pressrelease.bangordailynews.com/classes/new-online-learning-at-smcc/

by the Principia Wire

This fall, the College launched its first “online-in” course. Dr. Clint Staley (C’80), a professor at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, taught Introduction to Java Programming from California to students in Elsah. The goal for classes like this one is to supplement (not replace) current course offerings with instruction by highly qualified, Christian Science professors with areas of expertise not represented among the faculty on campus. Dr. Staley met in person with students for the first week of the course, but the rest of the instruction was entirely virtual, with online lectures and “chalk talks.” The latter allow students to watch diagrams being drawn on their computer screen as they listen to a recorded lecture. There’s no talking head—just a voice and diagrams. (Imagine sitting in a traditional classroom with a teacher talking and writing on the blackboard, but the teacher is invisible.)

http://content.principia.edu/wire/2011/01/launching-online-learning/

by Real Online Degrees

There are now many colleges that offer online courses, including some of the biggest Ivy League schools in the nation. Online education is trending upward in a big way. Read about Notre Dame, Harvard, Duke, Purdue, Rutgers, MIT, Stanford and more…

http://www.realonlinedegrees.com/10-traditional-colleges-that-offer-online-courses_2011-01-06/

by Matt Bowman, Venture Beat

Knewton, a company that provides personalized help to boost scores on tests such as the GMAT, is taking online education to the next level: It will now power actual university math programs for Arizona State University (ASU) students. ASU students who score below a certain threshold on the math portions of a preliminary assessment will be required to use the Knewton-powered adaptive-learning program. The web-based program will generate homework assignments based on each student’s individual proficiency levels and learning styles, and adapts as students score better in a certain type of problem. Based on the data from the online program, ASU will also provide virtual and in-person tutoring. Once students demonstrate college readiness in mathematics, they will advance into ASU instructor-led math courses. The university hopes this will boost retention and graduation rates.

http://venturebeat.com/2011/01/06/test-prep-company-knewton-takes-online-courses-to-next-level-university/

by Stephen Downes, Huffington Post

On Jan. 17 George Siemens and I will launch the third offering of our online course called ‘Connectivism and Connective Knowledge’ — or CCK11. We use the term ‘connectivism’ to describe a network-based pedagogy. The course itself uses connectivist principles and is therefore an instantiation of the philosophy of teaching and learning we both espouse. Let me explain why we take this approach and what connectivism is. At its heart, connectivism is the thesis that knowledge is distributed across a network of connections, and therefore that learning consists of the ability to construct and traverse those networks. Knowledge, therefore, is not acquired, as though it were a thing. It is not transmitted, as though it were some type of communication. What we learn, what we know — these are literally the connections we form between neurons as a result of experience. The brain is composed of 100 billion neurons, and these form some 100 trillion connections and it is these connections that constitute everything we know, everything we believe, everything we imagine. And while it is convenient to talk as though knowledge and beliefs are composed of sentences and concepts that we somehow acquire and store, it is more accurate — and pedagogically more useful — to treat learning as the formation of connections.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-downes/connectivism-and-connecti_b_804653.html