|
Online Learning News and Research
|
Saturday, October 23, 2004
A Comparative Analysis of the Academic Performance of Distance and On-campus Learners - C. M. MAGAGULA and A. P. NGWENYA, TOJDE
Despite the critical role of knowledge in economic development and growth in the global village, African universities, like the University of Swaziland, continue to face unprecedented challenges such as high demand for university education; dwindling financial resources to maintain and expand physical infrastructure such as lecture rooms and theatres, offices, auditorium, laboratories, libraries, lecturers’ house, and hostels; recruit and maintain quality personnel; and invest in new information and communication technologies (Makhubu, 1998). Yet, developing countries, like Swaziland, need highly skilled people with tertiary educational background. In Swaziland, for example, the last national survey on human resource needs indicated that 10% of the labour force fitted the definition of educated and trained human resource and the majority of technical professionals (70%) were expatriates (Government of Swaziland, 1986). (0) comments
No room for Irish language in e-learning - Ciaran Buckley, Electric News
Riverdeep's chief executive says that the Irish government needs to plan its e-learning strategy and warned that Irish Gaelic may be left out in the cold. Barry O'Callaghan made his comments while addressing the TIF Telecommunications for Broadband conference in University College Dublin's O'Reilly Hall. The conference was focused on the implications of broadband for Ireland's 4,100 schools. Riverdeep, which was set up in Dublin in 1995 to develop e-learning for schools, is the biggest seller of e-learning software in the United States. However, the company sells very little in the Irish market, where the government has yet to formulate an e-learning policy. When outlining the potential difficulty in rolling out e-learning in the Irish market O'Callaghan said that any requirement to localise e-learning courseware into Irish-Gaelic could be prohibitively expensive. (0) comments
E-learning is paying off, Intel exec says - Ciaran Buckley, Electric News
The Skoool.ie Web portal was set up by Intel, the Irish Times and Allied Irish Bank to provide additional academic resources to Irish schoolchildren. Not only is the Web site busiest outside of school hours, but weekend traffic on the site is comparable to traffic during the week. "The proportion of Web site users accessing rich media content is now 40 percent, up from 20 percent in 2003," said Jim Kelly, strategic programme manager at Intel, who was speaking at TIF's Telecommunications for Education conference in University College Dublin's O'Reilly Hall on Thursday. "We believe that this increase is as a result of the increasing availability of broadband." (0) comments Friday, October 22, 2004
Africans Tasked On Open And Distance Learning - Bayo Adeleke, All Africa
Vice-Chancellor, University of South Africa (UNISA), Professor Nyameko Pityama, has urged Africans to seize opportunities provided by the Open Distance Learning in terms of capacity building. Pityama, who spoke on the topic "Challenges and Opportunities of Distance Learning Institutions in Africa, while on a working visit to the National Open University of Nigeria's (NOUN) Headquarters in Lagos, pointed out that for Africa to meet up with challenges created by globalisation, there was need for human development through sound education, good governance, leadership change, policy reforms and respect for human rights. While stating that Africans should take responsibilities for its development, the president, African Council for Distance Education stressed that "it is time we realised we live in a global world, it is imperative we see ourselves as part of that world and accept the barrier of colonialism and see it as such that would strengthen us for us to transcend." (0) comments
Commentary: Online learning encourages openness - Kevin Simmonds, University of South Carolina Gamecock
I'm taking a class on diversity and the curriculum is utterly fascinating. So far, we've read articles and watched films that deal with touchy topics like racism, sexism, homophobia and hate crimes. We write position papers and have point-counterpoint discussions. There are people from all walks of life in the class and with different majors. The debates are always lively and the professor mixes it up so much that we have to get to know everyone in the class. The class is also racially mixed. It's one of the most exhilarating classes I've taken at USC. The only drawback -- all this takes place online. I won't get to see any of these interesting folks in person until after we've finished working together. That's really sad. But is it? I've been wondering whether the online environment is a more fertile place to deal with such issues, especially here at USC where -- and I've said this before -- all the "ism" issues seem harder to confront. (0) comments
You CAN Complete Your College Degree - Ann Wells, Military.com
You may think that completing your college degree is impossible, given the frequent relocation that comes with being an active-duty Sailor, Soldier or spouse. But -- hang on to your mortarboard -- you can finish your degree. The whole world is moving around nowadays, and both the Department of Defense and educational institutions nationwide have responded by making it possible for shifting students to complete their educational goals. The DoD has long recognized the benefits of higher education to its servicemembers and has created many programs to assist students. (0) comments Thursday, October 21, 2004
Evaluating e-learning courses for continuing professional development using the Conversational Model: A Review of UNIGIS - Charles Buckley, Karl Doner
UNIGIS is a distance learning course designed specifically for students working in the area of geographical information and is now represented by a worldwide network of educational institutions. This study aimed to assess the pedagogical orientation of the programme, the usefulness of Laurillard's Conversational Model as an evaluative tool and, student perceptions of the course in relation to their expectations for continuing professional development (CPD). An integrated evaluation strategy was used combining analysis of 23 on-line questionnaires, interviews with 14 students and 5 tutors together with an analysis of e mail messages sent amongst UNIGIS students over a period of twelve months. The course goes some way to encouraging student discourse and interaction yet the scope and organisation of the mail-base does not develop a true feeling of community. The Conversational Model focuses on the individual learner and interaction between tutor and student. It provides a suitable framework to assess how well a system integrates and organises people involved in different roles within the learning environment. It can act as a useful tool for evaluating the process of learning, in particular the potential of course materials for encouraging a reflective and considered approach to learning. (0) comments
Laureate Education Reports Record Student Enrollment
Laureate Education, Inc., the world's leading international provider of higher education, announced record total student enrollment and strong financial performance for the quarter ended September 30, 2004. Total student enrollment at Laureate's campus-based and online universities reached 154,044 students, an increase of 39% over last year. Laureate Online reported a 20% year-over-year increase in total student enrollment excluding the impact of acquisitions, its highest level of growth since March 2003. The Company reported a 20% increase in new online student enrollment. (0) comments
Northern Illinois University Students evaluate professors on Web - Desiree Smith - Northern Star
NIU recently signed up with PickAProf.com, a Web site that allows students to “grade” their professors at any time throughout the semester. Students can now submit written reviews about any teacher on campus. PickAProf.com’s professor reviews are the main site feature and are similar to end-of-semester teacher evaluations. Campuses can register with PickAProf.com through the student government or students contacting the site. Bragg said NIU joined the program based on student request. (0) comments Wednesday, October 20, 2004
UW-MADISON Makes Next Generation Computing Environment Available as Open Source
The Croquet Project, a joint software development effort among the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Division of Information Technology (DoIT), the University of Minnesota and Viewpoints Research Institute, Inc. of Glendale California, has announced the release of the Croquet developers' release code named "Jasmine." Jasmine is a new open-source software technology and peer-to-peer network architecture that supports online learning and resource sharing among large numbers of users. "Through the public release of this software technology, we are seeking to harness the creative power of thousands of software developers and seed the development of transformative technologies for learning and teaching," says Annie Stunden, UW-Madison's chief information officer and director of DoIT. (0) comments
E-Books: Challenges and Opportunities - John Cox, D-Lib
E-books are commonly perceived as offering great potential for learner support but also as struggling to compete with print due to poor on-screen presentation, restrictive licencing and limited range of titles offered. The experience of a group of Irish university libraries shows that, with the right combination of product and subjects, e-books can thrive among students and faculty, while librarians can create more dynamic, relevant and flexible collections than for print. Subscription management is demanding for libraries, however, and licencing issues remain highly problematic, representing a formidable obstacle to full exploitation. (0) comments
Three-Fourths of U.S.News & World Report's Top-Ranked National Universities Use Blackboard Software
Blackboard Inc.announces that more than 150 of the 239 schools included in the 2005 U.S.News & World Report ranking of top tier national universities and liberal arts colleges rely on Blackboard(R) software to create a networked learning environment. In the U.S.News & World Report's America's Best Colleges 2005's Top National Universities, nearly 75% of the 129 universities listed use the Blackboard Academic Suite(TM), the Blackboard Commerce Suite(TM), or both. Top-five ranked national universities, including Princeton University and Duke University, are among the 96 U.S.News & World Report's Top National Universities using Blackboard systems. (0) comments Tuesday, October 19, 2004
HCC's growing online courses educating those who otherwise couldn't enroll - ANDREW WIND, Courier
Michelle Rowell's life is a balancing act. The two children she watches every other week in her home-based day care arrive at 5:45 a.m. While caring for them, the single mother makes sure her son and twin daughters wake up and get ready. A little girl arrives after Rowell has sent off the other five children to school. When the kids return, she still is watching the preschooler. Once parents have picked up the children, she stays busy preparing supper and spending time with her kids. It is not until they are tucked into bed that Rowell can get to her Hawkeye Community College classes. Fortunately, all she has to do is log on to the Internet and click the mouse. She is among a growing number of HCC students taking classes online. The college is offering them for the third year. (0) comments
Penn State World Campus Adds Live E-Learning to Its Online Curriculum - Rick Shearer, THE Journal
Two years ago, the World Campus was challenged to support its asynchronous, Web-based courses with a synchronous tool - one that enabled students to hold real-time small group discussions and also allowed faculty to conduct interactive tutoring sessions and keep virtual office hours. We also wanted a collaborative environment that supported both PC and Mac platforms. In addition, while initial price points for some synchronous tools appeared low, the cost increased when a phone bridge was required. As a result, we focused on evaluating solutions that offered integrated, high-quality VoIP technology so students wouldn’t need two phone lines or a high-speed connection. (0) comments
EDUCATION, E-LEARNING: Life-long learning’s usual suspects - Europa
Efforts to lure people to new educational technologies and to promote a culture of life-long learning resemble a case of preaching to the converted, according to a new UK study. The technology has improved. The level of accessibility is unprecedented. European governments and the EU are doing their best to promote e-learning and construct an equitable and inclusive ‘learning society’ of ‘life-long learners’. However, a new study suggests that education in the digital age largely attracts the ‘usual suspects’ – in the UK, at least. (0) comments Monday, October 18, 2004
MSU gets $2 million grant to help soldiers become teachers - Gail Schontzler, Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Montana State University received a $2.1 million federal grant Wednesday to expand training programs for soldiers who want new careers as school teachers. The money from the U.S. Department of Education will help 10 or more Western states create a network to make existing Troops-to-Teachers programs more successful. Last year, Troops-to-Teachers placed 945 former members of the armed forces in teaching jobs in the Western states. But within a few years, organizers said, they hope to expand that to as many as 3,000 soldiers a year.... Northern Plains participants take a year of condensed teacher-training classes over the Internet. The program then places them in classroom teaching jobs for a year, with provisional teaching certificates, but they continue to take Internet classes during that year. They also work with a mentor, to help get through the difficulties of the first year. (0) comments
Ball State Study finds socialization is key to online learning - Muncie Star Press
Since online learners may feel isolated by distance, increased personal interaction with their classmates and instructors is important for the education to succeed, according to a Ball State University study. Nursing faculty members Nagia Ali, Kay Hodson-Carlton and Marilyn Ryan interviewed nursing graduate students confidentially to understand their experiences with online learning. The interviews revealed interaction and socialization are important for effective online learning. (0) comments
EMU students push for online prof evaluations - JANET MILLER, Ann Arbor News
When Eastern Michigan University student Edward Davis II went looking for a class to fill his science requirement, he decided on astronomy. The idea of learning about the stars and constellations was appealing. What he didn't know was that it was a difficult class with a professor who was a tough grader. Davis said he struggled in the class and wants others to learn from his experience. "Had I known, I would have steered clear of that professor, or at least gone into it with a different mind-set," he said. He is among a group of student leaders at EMU lobbying the university to post student evaluations of courses and professors online. While the evaluations have for years been published in a booklet, the information is outdated and hard to access, said Davis, student body president. (0) comments Sunday, October 17, 2004
Faculty & Technology: Rewarding TET - David Starrett, Campus-Technology
It is the end of November, and Joe Faculty has just filed his Record of Service for tenure at Middle USA State University. Joe is pretty confident he will be tenured; after all, Middle USA State is a teaching-oriented campus, and Joe has done a lot to enhance his teaching with innovative techniques. He has a lot of service to his credit and a comfortable amount of scholarship and professional development in the record. Now it is early May the following semester, and Joe’s chair calls him into the office. He is sympathetic, but he informs Joe that his application for tenure has been denied. While Joe had a substantial record, he explains, much of his teaching innovation was via technology use: PowerPoint to enhance lectures, course Web sites to enhance classroom activity and provide supplemental information, innovative assignments designed to take advantage of the vast amount of information instantly accessible on the Internet. Joe even taught a class completely online. His service and scholarship involved technology components, as well. And he published a couple of papers on innovations in technology-enabled teaching (TET). (0) comments
Asynchronous Web Discussions in Teacher Training Courses: Promoting Collaborative Learning—or Not? - Sigrun Biesenbach-Lucas, AACEJ
Over the past few years, asynchronous web-based technologies have been examined for their usefulness in promoting collaborative learning among university students. Variations in implementation of this technology will determine to what extent students’ learning is actually collaborative. This article discusses curricular adaptations made in the integration of an asynchronous discussion board assignment in graduate level teacher training courses over a five-semester period. It examines how several parameters (assignment preparation, student groupings, number, topic, type of posting, prompt, instructor’s role, evaluation, and carry-over into class meetings) were modified in each semester and discusses which parameters did and did not contribute effectively to collaborative learning as identified through five key elements: positive interdependence, promotive interaction, individual accountability, social skills, and self-evaluation. Based on the formats that were found to promote collaborative learning most successfully, conclusions about a recommended asynchronous web discussion assignment are presented. (0) comments
Interaction in Turkish Distance Education System - SALIH USUN, AACE
The aim of this article is to review the interaction in the Turkish distance education system, Open Education Faculty (OEF) of Anadolu University. The article examines the Turkish distance education system, according to the following four types of interactions; (a) learner content interaction, (b) learner-instructor interaction, (c) learner-learner interaction, and (d) learner-technology interaction. The major problem areas concerned in the interaction of Turkish distance education system, OEF are discussed. Consequently (0) comments Online Learning News Blog Archives OTEL - Ray's Home Page - Notebook - UIS Online - U of I Online - UIS Home Fair Use |
Online Learning Update 
