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Online Learning News and Research
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Saturday, July 23, 2005
Delivering education at wire speed - Soutiman Das Gupta, Network Magazine India
In quest of better educational content delivery, IIT Kharagpur expanded its converged IP network and deployed video and multimedia-based services. The Indian Institute of Technology at Kharagpur (IIT-K) wanted to deliver educational content to its students in a more flexible and organised manner, and decided to use IT as the enabler. With the assistance of its alumni, the institute set up a campus-wide converged IP network with over 4,000 access points that cover every hostel room. The network offers multi-layered switched QoS, video-on-demand, multi-cast video, and the ability to host IP telephony in the future. The new multimedia-friendly network gives the 5,000 students on the campus unrestricted access to the network from their rooms without the need to be physically present at specific locations. (0) comments
US, India tie up to provide e-learning - India Times
Funding for the US participation in the program is coming from Qualcomm, Microsoft and Cadence Design. "We are delighted to forge this new partnership between Indian institutions and the UC system," said Gretchen Kalonji, director of International Strategy Development for UC's Office of the President. "By expanding opportunities for international academic collaborations in critical fields , this partnership will not only help keep the University of California competitive, but it will help drive global innovation and economic prosperity. " Under the agreement, UC Berkeley and UC San Diego, as well as Carnegie Mellon University, Cornell University, the State University of New York at Buffalo, and the Case Western Reserve University will encourage engineering faculty to spend a semester of their sabbatical at Amrita University in Tamil Nadu. Amrita will extend the use of its e-learning centre, making it possible to be beamed over Edusat, a satellite launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to transmit educational programming to multiple educational institutions throughout India. (0) comments
Distance programs approved: Regents OK two master's degrees and one bachelor's - Icess Fernandez, Caller-Times
Texas A&M University campuses in Corpus Christi and Kingsville will offer three new degree programs through distance education starting in the fall of 2006. Texas A&M University System Regents approved Friday two master's degree programs to be offered at A&M-Kingsville and a bachelor's program at A&M-Corpus Christi. The new distance learning programs at A&M-Kingsville - counseling and guidance, and education administration - are extensions of existing programs. All classes in the programs now can be offered through distance education. Mike Daniel, dean of the A&M-Kingsville College of Education, said the move was meant to address students' requests for more distance education courses. (0) comments Friday, July 22, 2005
Navigating Distance and Traditional Higher Education: Online Faculty Experiences - Alice G. Yick, Pam Patrick, Amanda Costin; IRRODL
The academic culture of higher educational institutions is characterized by specific pedagogical philosophies, assumptions about rewards and incentives, and values about how teaching is delivered. In many academic settings, however, the field of distance education has been viewed as holding marginal status. Consequently, the goal of this qualitative study was to explore faculty members’ experiences in a distance education, online university while simultaneously navigating within a traditional environment of higher education. A total of 28 faculty members participated in a threaded, asynchronous discussion board that resembled a focus group. Participants discussed perceptions about online teaching, working in an institution without a traditional tenure system, and the role of research in distance education. Findings indicated that online teaching is still regarded as less credible; however, participants also noted how this perception is gradually changing. Several benchmarks of legitimacy were identified for online universities to adopt in order to be viewed as credible. The issue of tenure still remains highly debated, although some faculty felt that tenure will be less crucial in the future. Finally, recommendations regarding attitudinal shifts within academic circles are described with particular attention to professional practice, program development, and policy decision-making in academia. (0) comments
Online phys ed courses no mousy proposition - Steve Brandt, Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune
It was well into the evening by the time 15-year-old Chris Ransom slid in front of the computer in an alcove off his family's kitchen. He'd finished six hours of classes at Minneapolis Washburn, two hours of baseball practice, a shower, and the bulk of that day's homework. Now it was time for his online physical education course. Did someone say online phys ed? "It's sort of counterintuitive," concedes Chris' mother, Judy McQuade. "Snicker, snicker - do I just click my mouse?" Initially, Minneapolis physical education teachers had questions, too. "It's kind of an oxymoron to have online PE," said Jan Braaten, the district's lead teacher for physical education and health. "My staff was leery at first." But Braaten and others who developed the class are proud of their creation and say it is drawing interest from around the country. (0) comments
Online courses clicking as hot trend for students - Peter Bailey, Miami Herald
A growing number of Miami-Dade middle and high school students are picking up credits online, mirroring a national trend as educators debate the effectiveness of cyberlearning. The road to Tel Aviv borders on desolation, bleak desert terrain traversed by ungodly reptiles in the Holy Land. But Elon Richman, a 16-year-old junior at Miami Beach Senior High, didn't have time for exploring. He was hurrying to get to a relative's house in the city -- because his Spanish homework was due in Coral Gables in a few hours. ''If someone at the house has Internet access, I can do my assignment for my instructor to grade in the morning,'' he said. Elon is one of about 200 high school students in the district who are taking online courses this summer through the Miami-Dade Virtual School, a franchise of the state-funded program. Virtual school allows students to take more than 80 classes -- including advanced placement courses -- while on summer vacation or during the regular school year. (0) comments Thursday, July 21, 2005
A Matched Study between a Face-to-face Section and a Real-Time Online Section of a Course - Mia Lobel, Michael Neubauer, Randy Swedburg; IRRODL
Two sections of an interpersonal skills building university course were observed for the purposes of this matched study. The face-to-face (F2F) section was in a classroom on the Concordia University campus in Montreal, Canada, while the non-turn-taking real-time online section used a Web application, LBD eClassroom© designed specifically for highly interactive large size classes and meetings. Two sections used the same instructor, facilitators, pedagogy, and course content. This study revealed a unique pattern of non-turn-taking synchronous interaction in the online section. Online students were found to be more likely to participate and express themselves. Interaction of online participants led to the creation of a group entity – a polis – a cornerstone for collaborative group learning. In contrast, in the F2F section, interaction followed the traditional classroom pattern – centered on the teacher or expert, resulting in fewer students interacting, and hence, lower interaction overall. In sum, during these three hour sessions, it was found that the nature of online non-turn-taking environment afforded online students more time to express themselves compared to students learning the same material F2F. (0) comments
Korean Soldiers to Be Allowed College Credit From 2006 - Jung Sung-ki, Korea Times
The Defense Ministry seeks to allow soldiers out of college due to military service to take regular courses for up to six credits a year from the second half of next year, ministry officials said on Tuesday. Under its five-year program to ``develop military human resources,’’ the ministry will focus on building an information-technology (IT) infrastructure in the nation’s military camps in order to provide service members with online education programs, including foreign language-learning programs, the officials said. ``The government will implement a pan-governmental program to upgrade conditions of military service and create a military environment to help new-generation soldiers develop themselves during their two years’ service,’’ Choi Woon, director of the ministry’s education division, said in a briefing. (0) comments
Kaplan University to add 660 jobs at online support center - Kathy Bushouse, Sun-Sentinel
Kaplan University has chosen to expand its online student support center in Fort Lauderdale, bringing 660 new jobs to Broward County, school officials announced Monday. The online university chose Fort Lauderdale over Atlanta and Chicago for the expansion. Kaplan University already has nearly 1,000 employees in South Florida. That existing presence made it easier to choose South Florida for the expansion, said Andrew Rosen, president and chief executive of Kaplan University. "Our preference ... was to keep on growing in South Florida," Rosen said.The school will look to hire for a range of jobs, including professors, admissions and academic counselors, administrators and office staff, Rosen said. (0) comments Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Understanding the role of latent content in the analysis of online asynchronous discussions - Elizabeth Murphy and Maria A. Rodriguez Manzanares, ITDL
This paper reports on an exploratory case study related to analysis of an OAD (online asynchronous discussion) that focuses both on manifest content and latent content. The purpose of the study was to explore the role of latent content, or individuals' intentions and motives, in providing insight into the behaviors of participants in an OAD. Participants were ten graduate students who used an online discussion designed for engagement in Problem Formulation and Resolution (PFR). The transcripts of the discussion were analyzed using an instrument with two categories, five processes and nineteen indicators. In addition, interviews with all participants were conducted at the end of discussion. Analysis of latent content provided additional insight into participants' behaviors in the discussion. In some cases, it confirmed results from analysis of manifest content, such as participants' emphasis on solutions. The focus on latent content also uncovered why they engaged in certain behaviors more than others, for example why they did not engage in critiquing other participants' solutions. Analysis of latent content also offered insight into participants' different ways of conceptualizing the solution process, and their emphasis on use of experience. In other cases, analysis of latent content did not further explain participants' behaviors. Limitations of the approach used to analyzing latent content are presented. (0) comments
Educators and students click with online learning - Rachel Aicher, The Lebanon Daily Star
Educators and students from around the world gathered in Beirut this week to share their insights on how to use online project-based collaboration to empower youth. This diverse group of over 100 delegates from 15 countries met for the opening day of the third International Education and Resource Network (iEARN) Regional BRIDGE Conference, hosted by the American Community School (ACS). Noting that many participants had come from abroad, despite this year's political upheaval, Eliane Metni, iEARN-Lebanon Coordinator, described their presence as a "vote of confidence in the spirit of iEARN and of Lebanon." (0) comments
Online colleges come into their own - PAUL TOSTO, Pioneer Press
Bernadette Harrell had two college degrees already when she set her sites on a career in psychology. That next step, though, required a doctorate, and the working 28-year-old from Roseville couldn't put her life on hold for a full-time return to campus. Harrell, though, found a way online, signing up with Walden University, a for-profit Internet college, after one of her old professors, a Walden graduate, suggested it. Ticking off her heavy course demands, Harrell says she's not concerned about how her online degree will stack up against a doctorate from a traditional institution. "So far," she said, "my experience has been awesome." (0) comments Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Ease History
The educational environment of the web continues to be transformed by compelling and exciting projects, and EASE History is one fine example of such an endeavor. Started by a team of scholars and researchers at Michigan State University, the EASE History website is an open learning environment that "supports flexibly adaptive thinking, the learning of difficult material, and open-mindedness. The site's primary focus is on assisting people to learn about various aspects of United States history through the creative use of video clips and photographs. To accomplish this, the site uses the prism of US presidential campaign ads and other related historical events. Users may want to start by taking in the "Tour" section of the site, which provides a brief overview of how the site's materials will be best utilized. Overall, this site provides a rich and interactive learning environment that may serve as the template for other such efforts. Copyright 2005 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu (0) comments
ICT education strategy on track, minister claims - John Kennedy, Silicon Republic
The Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin has told siliconrepublic.com that future priorities and strategies for the use of ICT in education are currently being developed. In response to a question regarding concerns such as those raised by Hewlett-Packard Ireland general manager Martin Murphy over the lack of a cohesive strategy for Republic of Ireland schools to rival the Classroom 2000 initiative in Northern Ireland, Hanafin said that a strategy is being worked on. Education authorities in the North are proceeding with a 10-year plan to give all students from primary to university level access to their own PC, email address and broadband access. (0) comments
Matching students to work vacancies - Jennifer Foreshew, the Australian
TAFE Queensland is testing an online system that will match students with job vacancies and prepare them for employment. The three-month trial, which began last week, will run at Logan TAFE and the Open Learning Institute of TAFE. Developed by Graduate Programs Australia, the e2e.NET trial involves more than 26,000 TAFE students, who have been issued with user names and passwords to the system. The e2e.NET tool helps students preparing to enter the workforce, registers job vacancies and allows electronic matching of graduates to roles. (0) comments Monday, July 18, 2005
Creation of the Learning Space: Catalysts for Envisioning and Navigating the Design Process - Carole C. Wedge and Thomas D. Kearns, Educause Review
Although a fundamental focus on learners should always inform campus planning for academic spaces, a thoughtful, analytical design process can help to ensure that these learning environments imaginatively and effectively respond to the needs of students today and in the future. Specifically, a strategic design process identifies and summarizes space needs; analyzes possible solutions, functionality, and costs; and synthesizes the most promising elements into recommendations for colleges and universities. Although the needs on campuses are almost always greater than the capital funds available, a planning group or committee comprised of interdisciplinary stakeholders collaborating across traditional boundaries can take a fresh and creative look at utilization, collaboration, flexibility, and adaptability to cost-effectively achieve many of the institution’s most important goals. (0) comments
Structure, Content, Delivery, Service, and Outcomes: Quality e-Learning in higher education - Colla J. MacDonald and Terrie Lynn Thompson, IRRODL
http://www.irrodl.org/content/v6.2/macdonald-thompson.html This paper addresses the need for quality e-Learning experiences. We used the Demand-Driven Learning Model (MacDonald, Stodel, Farres, Breithaupt, and Gabriel, 2001) to evaluate an online Masters in Education course. Multiple data collection methods were used to understand the experiences of stakeholders in this case study: the learners, design team, and facilitators. We found that all five dimensions of the model (structure, content, delivery, service, and outcomes) must work in concert to implement a quality e-Learning course. Key themes include evolving learner needs, the search for connection, becoming an able e-participant, valued interactions, social construction of content, integration of delivery partners, and mindful weighing of benefits and trade-offs. By sharing insights into what is needed to design and deliver an e-Learning experience, our findings add to the growing knowledge of online learning. Using this model to evaluate perceptions of quality by key stakeholders has led to insights and recommendations on the Demand Driven Learning Model itself which may be useful for researchers in this area and strengthen the model. (0) comments
Salem-Keizer online school fits students - RON SOBLE, Oregon Live
The Web classes help teens struggling with subjects, and others like the flexibility that gives them time for other things. When Graham Petersen was having trouble passing algebra and his laser physicist dad couldn't break down the mathematical theory in a way his son could understand, they turned to summer school. But this one was online and in another state. Petersen, who lives in Palo Alto, Calif., enrolled in SK Online, the Salem-Keizer School District's cyber program that's gaining a reputation as a good place for students in Oregon and elsewhere to complete high school credits at their own pace with one-on-one attention. It began as an experiment in the summer of 1999 with 90 students and two courses: health and algebra. (0) comments Sunday, July 17, 2005
Exploration of the Role of e-learning in Training Higher Education Lecturers - Tony CHURCHIILL, Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education
This paper forms part of a wider research project into the potential role of e-learning in the transformation of learning and teaching in Higher Education (HE). In particular, it examines the extent to which engagement in e-learning by teachers in the sector can influence practice – whatever their mode of teaching delivery. This paper provides an initial evaluation of data gathered by running a version of a five-week online programme called ‘e-Reflections’ specifically for academics from or working in the Gulf and the wider Middle East Region starting in May 2005. (0) comments
How to click as a writer... - Sue Elkin, Telegraph
As any professional writer will tell you, as soon as you mention what you do to pay the bills, someone will say, in a dismissive or envious way: "Oh, I've always thought I could do that. I just don't have the time/discipline/motivation to get started." So that's you put in your place. The truth, of course, is that writing isn't easy and doesn't come naturally to everyone. But it does attract people and, to a large extent, it is teachable.That is why, two years ago, the Open University launched three "Start Writing" distance learning courses, and added three more options last year. These are mini courses presented via computer. Each lasts 12 weeks and costs £125. So far, nearly 9,000 people have successfully completed one of these courses, which start on three different dates each year. (0) comments
Online school lets busy students balance tasks - Christine Mahr, the Dester Sun
High-achievers can take Internet classes anytime, anywhere but work is more difficult, intensive. Gina Orlando hopes to graduate from high school early so she can start pursuing her career goals. An equestrian who rides, trains and shows horses, Rebecca Saam doesn't have much time to fit a regular school day into her schedule. Max Weiner planned to go to summer school, but also wanted to attend a summer youth leadership conference in Sacramento. The three high school students this summer all are able to pursue their interests and still attend summer school - without sitting in a classroom every day. (0) comments Online Learning News Blog Archives OTEL - Ray's Home Page - Notebook - UIS Online - U of I Online - UIS Home Fair Use |
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