Effect of Selected Factors on Students' Sense of Classroom Community in Distance Learning Courses

Effect of Selected Factors on Students' Sense of Classroom Community in Distance Learning Courses PDF Author: Lujean Baab
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : College students
Languages : en
Pages : 430

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Effect of Selected Factors on Students' Sense of Classroom Community in Distance Learning Courses

Effect of Selected Factors on Students' Sense of Classroom Community in Distance Learning Courses PDF Author: Lujean Baab
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : College students
Languages : en
Pages : 430

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Book Description


Success Factors Among Community College Students in an Online Learning Environment

Success Factors Among Community College Students in an Online Learning Environment PDF Author: Paula B. Doherty
Publisher: Universal-Publishers
ISBN: 1581121067
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 238

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Book Description
Little is known about student success in online learning environments, especially how the predisposing characteristics that the learner brings to the learning environment may differentially affect student outcomes. This study explored the question of whether a student's "readiness" to be a self-directed learner is a predictor of student success in an online community college curriculum. The specific goal of this investigation was to determine whether there was a significant relationship between self-directed learning readiness-as measured by Guglielmino's (1977) Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS)- and student success-as measured by course completion, grade point average (GPA) and student satisfaction, the latter assessed by student responses to an opinion poll. The subjects of this study were community college students in the state of Washington, enrolled in one or more transfer-level online courses delivered via WashingtonONLINE (WAOL) during fall quarter 1999. Students who voluntarily chose to respond to two elective surveys comprised the study sample. A correlational research design was used to test the explanatory power of self-directed learning readiness and to describe the relationships between variables. Since this study was designed to test hypothesized relationships, the resulting correlation coefficients were interpreted in terms of their statistical significance. The expected outcome of this study was to confirm or disconfirm a statistically significant relationship between self-directed learning readiness and student success in an online community college curriculum. The findings of this study failed to achieve this outcome due to (1) the lack of statistical reliability of the SDLRS among the subject population; (2) the resulting lack of validity of the SDLRS among the study sample; (3) a nonresponse effect; and (4) a self-selection effect. The unanticipated outcome of this study was evidence that student perception of student/instructor interactions is a single variable predictor of student success among community college students in an online learning environment. Recommendations for further study include Web-specific research methodologies that address the potentially deleterious effects of nonresponse and self-selection in cyber-research environments and continued exploration of the multiple facets of student success in asynchronous learning domains.

The Relationship Between Sense of Community, Course Performance, and Persistence in Community College Distance Learning Courses

The Relationship Between Sense of Community, Course Performance, and Persistence in Community College Distance Learning Courses PDF Author: Pardess Mitchell
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781339455174
Category : Community colleges
Languages : en
Pages : 203

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Book Description
The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between sense of community, course performance, and college persistence in distance learning courses at a community college. Specifically, does sense of community improve course performance and college persistence? Course performance was measured using student self-reported end of semester grades. Furthermore, this study analyzed students short answer responses to help explain which distance learning classroom activities support sense of community. This correlational study was conducted at a community college in a large Midwestern suburb. Results from this study indicate sense of community has an impact on course performance, but not college persistence. Qualitative analyses show that student-instructor and student-student interactions are contributing factors that foster sense of community in the distance learning classroom. Recommendations for distance learning course development are discussed as well as recommendations for future research.

Investigating the Relationship Between Students' Religiosity and Their Sense of Community in Online Courses

Investigating the Relationship Between Students' Religiosity and Their Sense of Community in Online Courses PDF Author: Stephanie Ziglar Furey
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Internet in higher education
Languages : en
Pages : 112

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Book Description
The introduction of the internet has had a profound effect on the way in which students learn. Students are no longer bound by the four walls of traditional classrooms because they can now receive their education through online courses. However, one of the largest hurdles that universities face with teaching online courses is keeping students enrolled. Many researchers have investigated why there is such a large drop-out rate for online courses, and several have found that a relationship between drop-out rates and sense of community in online course. Researchers have typically found that as sense of community increases the drop-out rate decreases. Therefore, it is imperative to study what causes sense of community to rise. This quantitative correlational study has investigated the relationship between sense of community and another factor, religiosity, to see if they are related. The purpose of this study was to add to the current research base on religiosity and sense of community. This study is important because its findings helped to shed light on why online, undergraduate level students drop out of their online college courses. A convenience sample of 95 online, undergraduate level students from a Southeastern United States University participated in the study. In this study, two separate instruments were used to measure the variables of religiosity and sense of community. Pearson’s r and Spearman’s r were calculated, and it was discovered that a relationship exists between religiosity and sense of community. It was concluded that universities should try to utilize students’ religiosity in the online classroom to help promote a sense of community. Future research should focus on the effect that religiosity has in both secular and religious universities.

Teaching Economics Online

Teaching Economics Online PDF Author: Abdullah Al-Bahrani
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
ISBN: 1803921986
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 263

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Book Description
In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, this book is not only timely but essential reading, providing valuable insight into teaching economics both online and in a blended online/in person format. Diverse in scope, Teaching Economics Online combines past experience with innovative ideas on how to design teaching and improve the overall learning experience whilst remaining inclusive, effective and resilient.

The Influence of Course Community and Personal Community Support on Learner Engagement in Online Courses

The Influence of Course Community and Personal Community Support on Learner Engagement in Online Courses PDF Author: Kristin Kipp
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Distance education students
Languages : en
Pages : 146

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Book Description
"Borup, Graham, West, Archambault, and Spring (2020) theorized that a student’s level of engagement in an online course is influenced by course community support and personal community support, with both factors helping a student to achieve a level of engagement that is not possible independently. In other words, an individual student’s ability to engage in an online course can be explained by the kinds of community a student finds within a course and their social support from friends, family, and community as they take the class. The purpose of this study is to understand to what extent course community support and personal community support influence learner engagement. Students who have recently completed an online course were surveyed on their level of engagement in the course, experience of the course community of inquiry, and their level of personal social support. The survey responses were used in a stepwise multiple regression analysis to create a model that explains to what extent course community and personal community explain variations in learner engagement. The results are significant in that they help course designers, instructors, and university support staff understand the interaction between course community, personal community, and learner engagement. That understanding could be used to design both online course content and intervention strategies to maximize learner engagement."--Boise State University ScholarWorks.

The Effects of Perceived Learning on Open Sourced Classrooms Within the Community Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States

The Effects of Perceived Learning on Open Sourced Classrooms Within the Community Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States PDF Author: Amanda Carpenter-Horning
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Community college students
Languages : en
Pages : 133

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Book Description
This study examined the perceived learning of students using open educational resources in face-to-face and distance education courses at nine community colleges in the southeastern region of the United States. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to determine if students using open educational resources perceive learning differently from those using traditional textbooks as measured by the Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor (CAP) Perceived Learning Scale (Rovai, Wighting, Baker, & Grooms, 2009). Students at nine community colleges in the southeastern region of the United States completed the CAP Perceived Learning Scale following the successful completion of a first-year seminar course. The researcher collected data from the student population that included the learning materials used by the students as part of the course. Students received the CAP Perceived Learning Scale via their official student email accounts issued to them by their respective college. This study sample size was 5,644; the researcher completed a series of t-tests on the data and analyzed the results. The results of this study found a statistically significant difference in the perceived learning scores of students enrolled in courses using open educational resources and students enrolled in classes using traditional textbooks. However, a statistically significant difference was not found in the affective learning scores of students using open educational resources and students enrolled in courses using traditional textbooks. The results of this study will assist educators in making data-informed decisions regarding the implementation of open educational resources in college classrooms. The researcher included future research suggestions in the manuscript.

The Impact of Teaching Presence in Intensive Online Courses on Perceived Learning and Sense of Community

The Impact of Teaching Presence in Intensive Online Courses on Perceived Learning and Sense of Community PDF Author: Elizabeth Laves
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781109713381
Category : Distance education students
Languages : en
Pages : 209

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Book Description
This mixed methods concurrent triangulation design study was predicated upon two models that advocated a connection between teaching presence and perceived learning: the Community of Inquiry Model of Online Learning developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000); and the Online Interaction Learning Model by Benbunan-Fich, Hiltz, and Harasim (2005). The objective was to learn how teaching presence impacted students' perceptions of learning and sense of community in intensive online distance education courses developed and taught by instructors at a regional comprehensive university. In the quantitative phase online surveys collected relevant data from participating students (n = 397) and selected instructional faculty (n = 32) during the second week of a three-week Winter Term. Student information included: demographics such as age, gender, employment status, and distance from campus; perceptions of teaching presence; sense of community; perceived learning; course length; and course type. The students claimed having positive relationships between teaching presence, perceived learning, and sense of community. The instructors showed similar positive relationships with no significant differences when the student and instructor data were compared. The qualitative phase consisted of interviews with 12 instructors who had completed the online survey and replied to all of the open-response questions. The two phases were integrated using a matrix generation, and the analysis allowed for conclusions regarding teaching presence, perceived learning, and sense of community. The findings were equivocal with regard to satisfaction with course length and the relative importance of the teaching presence components. A model was provided depicting relationships between and among teaching presence components, perceived learning, and sense of community in intensive online courses. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest llc. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.].

Bridging the Distance

Bridging the Distance PDF Author: Brian K. Walker
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Distance education
Languages : en
Pages : 273

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Book Description
"Online instruction has become part of the core of higher education and a voluminous literature has developed establishing that online instruction is just as effective as face-to-face learning. Simultaneously, however, pervasive reports of isolation and attrition among online learners, attributed to the presumed inability of online classes to support the substantive social interaction and sense of community among learners, have led some to conclude that online learning is not suitable for students who highly value interaction and who cannot function well independently. This study, however, explores how innovations in online instructional media and design may heighten interaction and community building among online learners. This study examines how the use of an online virtual environment impacts on student learning experiences in terms of four constructs: Presence, social presence, social interaction, and sense of community. During this ethnography, the online class proceedings of four hybrid classes were observed over the course of three academic terms. The transcripts of the proceedings, some conducted in the virtual environment and some in an asynchronous discussion forum, were subjected to content analysis to examine how the constructs manifested themselves in the virtual environment, how the environment impacted on their manifestation, how they mutually influenced one another, and how they mutually impacted upon student learning experiences. In addition, the researcher conducted interview and focus group sessions with key informants. The results indicated that the MOO demonstrated stronger manifestations of the constructs than did Blackboard, primarily due to the fast-paced, synchronous exchanges and the ability to display slides which the MOO supported but Blackboard could not. The results suggested that the presence and social presence supported by the MOO promoted the growth of social interaction in both forums which, in turn, promoted the development of sense of community among learners which minimized students' sense of isolation and combated attrition. However, the results also established that the use of the virtual environment was not a panacea, and that the manifestation of the constructs was also dependent upon the pedagogy and degree of involvement and investment in the online forum of both the instructor and the students."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.

The Influence of Virtual Community Participation on Transactional Distance in an Online Computer Science Course

The Influence of Virtual Community Participation on Transactional Distance in an Online Computer Science Course PDF Author: Lynne Anderson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Distance education
Languages : en
Pages : 79

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Book Description
The purpose of this action research study was to measure the transactional distance of computer science students who participated in an online virtual community after completing a college preparation program. Using data and results generated from previous cycles of research I developed and moderated an online virtual community designed to lessen transactional distance using a sequential exploratory mixed-methods research design. This study addressed the following research questions: 1. How and to what extent will participation in a virtual community influence the transactional distance between students and course content? 2. How and to what extent will participation in a virtual community influence the transactional distance between students and their instructors/teaching assistants? 3. How and to what extent will participation in a virtual community influence the transactional distance between students and other students in the same courses? The participants for this action research study included approximately 200 students enrolled in six online sections of an entry level computer programming course from various locations around the world. Also participating in the community were the online instructors who taught the course, teaching assistants, advisors, and the action researcher. Using the sociocultural, transactional distance, self-determination, and adult learning theories as a framework, the virtual community provided occasions for students and instructional team members to share experiences and support each other academically and socially. The community was designed to enable students to give and receive frequent feedback, increase autonomy and their sense of belonging, and provide additional opportunities for them to learn from each other. Through a descriptive analysis of the transactional distance survey results, I was able to determine that transactional distance between students and their teachers, and students the course content slightly increased, while the transactional distance between students and their classmates somewhat decreased. There was also an increase in average final grade and pass rate and a decrease in student withdrawal rate.