For my internship I am working at the Center for Teaching Excellence at
the University of South Carolina. My supervisor Dr. Haynes is the Program Manager for the Distributed Learning department. One of the tasks she assigned me was to create a training module based on the Quality Matters Rubric. Additionally I am to research information to include on the Distributed Learning Website. The two assignments intersect at the design of effective online courses. You begin by creating effective courses ensuring that you focus on Engagement, Best Practices, and Accessibility. Quality Matters can be used an effective tool to ensure you have met your goals. This bibliography will focus on creating and evaluating online courses. Best Practices Abel, R. (2005). Implementing Best Practices in Online Learning. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, 28(3), 75-77. http://tinyurl.com/mdqoqud Many institutions are still unclear about how new technology fits with their mission, and have found that achieving widespread adoption by faculty is difficult. They have also found it challenging to achieve faculty use that truly enhances the learning interaction between faculty and students as opposed to simply posting materials online. This paper identified some possible causes of success or failure. The author provides information on 11 ingredients for success Characteristics Executive Leadership and Support Faculty and Academic Leadership Commitment Student Services Technology Infrastructure Course/Instruction Quality Financial Resources Training Adaptive Learn as you go attitude Communication I was not surprised by information presented in this article especially when you review the first two characteristics pertaining to Leadership. If the leadership is all-in instructors feel more motivated about implementation. In this way, faculty can gain support rather than being told to do as I say not as I do.
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Bento, R. F., & White, L. F. (2010). Quality Measures that
Matter. Issues In Informing Science & Information Technology, 761-72. http://tinyurl.com/pgmggqy This article focused on the increasing number of courses offered online by universities and other institutions of higher education and the need for reliable standards to evaluate the quality of the course design. This paper reviewed the Quality Matters (QM) Rubric, which is becoming the national standard for evaluation of the quality of online courses in the United States. The ease of use and difficulties associated with applying the QM rubric are discussed, and potential benefits to faculty and students from the implementation of QM standards are highlighted. Based on this case study, from the faculty viewpoint, the main potential benefit from QM implementation is the alignment of learning objectives with the selection of assessment instruments and instructional materials. From the student viewpoint, the main potential benefit is the increased clarity in the presentation of faculty expectations and the improved access to course components. The article discussed the principles of the QM certification they are Centered Based on Research Collaborative Peer Review Collegial Non-Judgmental Evaluation Continuous Improvement Continually Reviewed and Revised. The article discussed another advantage of the QM review process in that it provides a clear set of guidelines for faculty charged with creating a course. With the help of the QM rubric, faculty can rely on research-based standards to design new online courses. Over the next several weeks I will continue to study the QM rubric as I prepare my learning module on the subject. The rubric is slightly complicated but if it is broken down into the eight dimensions it can be easily chunked which has been shown to improve retention. Koszalka, T., & Ganesan, R. (2004). Designing online courses: A taxonomy to guide strategic use of features available in course management systems (CMS) in distance education. Distance Education, 25(2), 243-256. http://tinyurl.com/nywcnbw Course management systems make it easy to produce slick-looking, interactive online courses that incorporate a variety of informational, instructional, and learning elements. CMS features allow developers to easily incorporate text, graphics, animations, sounds, and other types of information into meaningful and organized procedures and content for learners. The information may be placed inside a course or may be information that is outside the course but integrated into the course through hyperlinks However, integrating such elements does not necessarily enhance the learning process. A taxonomy of basic
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CMS features was constructed to help distance education developers
think about the choices and purposively integrate active and social elements into online courses to enhance the teaching and learning processes.. Using learning goals and an understanding of the value of CMS features can help to inform distance education in ways that are more likely to support learning, rather than impede it. Each feature has unique characteristics that can be used to engage learners with course content in multiple ways. Used appropriately, these features can facilitate, rather than confuse and impede, learning Irlbeck, S. A. (2008). Implementation of best practices for online teaching and learning in an online institution. Performance Improvement, 47(10), 25-29. https://www.scribd.com/doc/246180889/Implement The article documents the creation of and rationale behind best practices to maintain high performance for teaching and learning at an online university. Best Practices help inform teaching-learning processes and performance improvement, while technology helps enhance that relationship. The concept presented in this article is that best practices should be focused on and related to performance improvement as it relates to teaching and learning, rather than the technology being used. The article goes on to discuss the best practices and foundational statements used by Capella University. Faculty-Learner Relationships regular communication with students Learning Process Effective facilitation Professional Expertise Continual professional development Assessing Learning and Teaching Diverse Assessment I really liked the authors explanation of the best practices currently used at Cappella. I am to develop best practices for a variety of components of online learning. These best practices, which focus not on technology but rather effective teaching, are excellent examples. Moore, Michael, (2007) Web 2.0: Does It Really Matter?. American Journal of Distance Education 21:4, pages 177-183. http://tinyurl.com/kdekwx3 This editorial ponders the discussion regarding the use of Web 2.0 In education. He states that unless one is able to relate what a technology can contribute to learning and to what is needed by teachers to facilitate learning, any new device can dazzle, if only because of its noveltya vulnerability that vendors of such devices are expert at exploiting!
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Song, L., Singleton, E. S., Hill, J. R., & Koh, M. H. (2004).
Improving online learning: Student perceptions of useful and challenging characteristics. The internet and higher education, 7(1), 59-70. http://tinyurl.com/kedlyq7 The researchers sought to explore learners perceptions of useful and challenging components in learning on line. The constant growth of the Web influences and changes how online courses are designed and implemented. This, in turn, may also change the students perceptions of their online experience. This study indicated that most learners agreed that course design, learner motivation, time management, and comfortableness with online technologies impact the success of an online learning experience. Participants indicated that technical problems, a perceived lack of sense of community, time constraints, and the difficulty in understanding the objectives of the online courses as challenges. Although most of the participants liked the flexibility of completing tasks at anytime in the asynchronous courses, some participants had experienced synchronous online courses as well. Some participants indicated that meeting at a specific time on line each week also had strengths. By meeting each week at a set time, the participants indicated they were able to form connections with the instructor and other classmates. Participants indicated that the connections formed among the learners and the instructors were important in that they assisted with the formation of a community within the online learning environment. Thomas, D. A., & Li, Q. (2008). From Web 2.0 to Teacher 2.0. Computers in the Schools, 25(3-4), 199-210. http://tinyurl.com/nmwka4n As designers, developers, and instructors of online courses, the authors look forward to the day when Web-based teaching and learning technologies come packaged in seamless, integrated production, publication, and communication suites that guarantee interoperability of all technologies, support the use of a broad spectrum of digital learning objects, and identify their semantic relationships. In Learning 2.0, schools will have the bandwidth, hardware, software, and support they need to make Web-based teaching and learning an integral aspect of the curriculum. And teachers will have the training and experience they need to use these resources to empower, challenge, and recognize the achievements of their students and to continue their own professional development.
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One of my favorite findings in the current reading is, the authors
believe that the challenge and cost of protecting students from adults of questionable character will be justified by the benefits of exposing students to issues, careers, and individuals who might ignite their imaginations, challenge their intellects, and induct them, via mentoring and internships, into communities of thought and practice that will sustain them personally and professionally throughout their lives. Using Web 2.0, Teacher 2.0 will be able to help students identify their true talents and interests and to develop them as they learn the language, tools, and methods of their future careers. Welker, J., & Berardino, L. (2005). Blended learning: Understanding the middle ground between traditional classroom and fully online instruction. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 34(1), 33-55. http://tinyurl.com/mhzmql8 This article is about two researchers trying to comfortably and logically place blended learning somewhere in the middle of two extremes traditional classroom at one end and fully online distance learning at the other end. They asked the question How does the technology improve the learning process for the student? As other articles state, using technology for the sake of technology may not be effective. Engagement Artino, A. R., & Stephens, J. M. (2006). Learning online: Motivated to self-regulate. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 10(4), 176-182. http://tinyurl.com/ojmpdvw The objective of this study was to investigate how different motivational components of social cognitive theory relate to students' use of learning strategies in online courses. This study explores the linkages between students' motivation and self-regulation in online learning courses, seeking to determine if the pattern of relationships are consistent with those that have been found in traditional academic settings. Findings support the view that students' use of learning strategies in an online course can be explained, in part, by their motivational beliefs and attitudes toward the learning task. These findings suggest that faculty of online courses should design their instruction and learning requirements in a manner that helps learners not only appreciate the value or importance of content or skills but also supports and scaffolds their attempts to master them. Artino Jr, A. R. (2010). Online or face-to-face learning? Exploring the personal factors that predict students' choice of
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instructional format. The Internet and Higher Education, 13(4),
272-276. http://tinyurl.com/op5j59f Recent trends in higher education suggest that online learning will continue to be an important part of lifelong learning in the modern age. Despite the central role of online learning, few empirical studies have examined the personal factors that predict students' preference for online formats. This investigation addressed this gap in the literature, and its findings provide researchers and practitioners with a better understanding of how several personal factors relate to students' instructional choices. From a practical standpoint, this information may be valuable for organizations as they work to encourage their employees' participation in lifelong learning activities via the web. Bennett, S., Agostinho, S., Lockyer, L,. (2015)Technology tools to support learning design: Implications derived from an investigation of university teachers' design practices, Computers & Education, Volume 81, 211-220. http://tinyurl.com/ntcofmt The abstract of this article provides an excellent overview of the study. The need to improve the quality of higher education has fostered an interest in technology tools to support effective design for teaching and learning. Over the past decade this interest has led to the development of tools to support the creation of online learning experiences, specifications to underpin design systems, and repositories to share examples. Despite this significant activity, there remain unanswered questions about what shapes university teachers' design decisions and how tools can best support their design processes. This paper presents findings from a study of university teachers' design practices that identified teachers' perceptions of student characteristics, their own beliefs and experiences, and contextual factors as key influences on design decisions. The findings extend our understanding of activities fundamental to higher education teaching and inform thinking about design support tools. The author goes on to discuss how learning design has been particularly concerned with how best to support university teachers to design effective online learning experiences for their students. The author conducted interviews of teaching professionals. His random sample was slightly skewed in that many of teachers had more than 10 years of experience and most had experience teaching online. The author drew a handful of conclusions from the data gathered however stated that there is a need for further study related to the understanding of learning design. Prior to reading this article I was unaware of the learning design model and I was provided a good overview of the
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topic. I intend to study further as I develop my module for best
practices of online learning. Landry, B. L., & Hartman, S. J. (2006). Engaging students with online assignments: a replacement for digital dropboxes and paper assignments. British Journal Of Educational Technology, 37(5), 803-805. http://tinyurl.com/nshuo3t I wish I had read the abstract before deciding on this title for my review. The title of the article leads the reader to believe that the article will be about digital dropboxes and online assignments. However, the article focuses on those two options within the blackboard interface. The author prefers the use of the assignment feature as it is easier to grade and easier for students to submit work. I found the material presented interesting as I continue to prepare a course within blackboard. I have wondered a few times about ease of grading for the course I am preparing as its enrollment may exceed 100 students. Bennett, S., Agostinho, S., Lokyer, L,. (2015)Technology tools to support learning design: Implications derived from an investigation of university teachers' design practices, Computers & Education, Volume 81, 211-220. http://tinyurl.com/ntcofmt The abstract of this article provides an excellent overview of the study. The need to improve the quality of higher education has fostered an interest in technology tools to support effective design for teaching and learning. Over the past decade this interest has led to the development of tools to support the creation of online learning experiences, specifications to underpin design systems, and repositories to share examples. Despite this significant activity, there remain unanswered questions about what shapes university teachers' design decisions and how tools can best support their design processes. This paper presents findings from a study of university teachers' design practices that identified teachers' perceptions of student characteristics, their own beliefs and experiences, and contextual factors as key influences on design decisions. The findings extend our understanding of activities fundamental to higher education teaching and inform thinking about design support tools. The author goes on to discuss how learning design has been particularly concerned with how best to support university teachers to design effective online learning experiences for their students. The author conducted interviews of teaching professionals. His random sample was slightly skewed in that many of teachers had more than 10 years of experience and most had experience teaching online. The author
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drew a handful of conclusions from the data gathered however stated
that there is a need for further study related to the understanding of learning design. Prior to reading this article I was unaware of the learning design model and I was provided a good overview of the topic. I intend to study further as I develop my module for best practices of online learning. Dixson, M. D. (2010). Creating Effective Student Engagement in Online Courses: What Do Students Find Engaging?. Journal Of The Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning, 10(2), 1-13. http://tinyurl.com/kdoa2e7 The author of this article intended to measure student engagement in an online setting. They reviewed many already established tools, which measure engagement in a traditional classroom but had some difficulty applying them to the virtual world. The author mentions one of the primary components of effective online teaching is student engagement. Therefore it is important that we learn what engages students in order to offer effective online learning environments. The author modified one of the original surveys to study engagement. The research he conducted showed there was no significant difference in performance based upon engagement. However the study emphasizes the importance of developing real connections in an online course wherein students can apply what they are learning. Journell, W. (2010). Perceptions of E-Learning in Secondary Education: A Viable Alternative to Classroom Instruction or a Way to Bypass Engaged Learning? Educational Media International, 47(1), 69-81. http://tinyurl.com/ohwrm5r This article focused on the perceptions of E-Learning in Secondary Education. The author conducted several interviews with the teacher, Mr. Harding, who was an exceptional teacher and teaching his first online course. Enrolled in his course where 13 students during a summer session, 11 of them had gained permission to speak with the researcher about their perceptions. Students in the class were interviewed about their general perceptions of e-learning and the ability to effectively learn content online. The findings of the study show that nearly all participants maintained a belief that e-learning was best used for information transmission and rote memorization rather than active or social learning. Further, Mr. Harding seemed to characterize e-learning students as uninterested in engaging in social interaction online, a perception that was refuted, at least partially, by his students. The manuscript concludes with a discussion of the
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findings and implications for secondary e-learning programs. Mr.
Harding had an exceptional anecdote that I found interesting. But the magic of the classroom, where you respond to the moment, when a kid's facial expression, the nonverbal expression is the key to the next step. Interestingly enough students survey almost unanimously viewed the teacher as unimportant to their learning. Many of the students seemed to believe that online courses were less rigorous than traditional classes, which may affect their perception to coursework. With the increase in online schooling options, we must strive to change this perception among educators and students. I find this article particularly interesting as I interview for employment in a brick and mortar high school and notice the nonverbal reactions from the interview committee when I mention that I have worked in an online environment for over ten years. I often go into an explanation regarding our focus on standards and accountability. Universal Design
Brunvand, S., & Abadeh, H. (2010). Making Online Learning
Accessible. Intervention In School & Clinic, 45(5), 304-311. http://tinyurl.com/m28pm47 The complete title of this article is listed as Making Online Learning Accessible: Using Technology to Declutter the Web, and was indicated as being published in 2010. During my review of the article and associated references I began to realize that the information contained was rather dated. The opening paragraph states that one of the primary barriers to student use of technology is the lack of access to computers in the classroom, the author cited research from 2003 to support this claim. I had difficulty focusing on other information presented as it too was significantly dated, especially in the technology field. The article goes on to discuss a series of Web 2.0 tools that can be used to make web content more accessible. Information was presented regarding highlighters, sticky notes, and programs to remove access data on websites. I was most interested in a series of tools it mentioned like Google Custom Search Engine, which I would have found helpful in some of the classes I have been substituting in recently. With Google Custom Search an instructor can set up a list of websites, which they wish their students to use to conduct research, rather than having students get lost in the World Wide Web.
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Burgstahler, S., & Washington Univ., S. (2001). Real
Connections: Making Distance Learning Accessible to Everyone. http://tinyurl.com/o2n68lz The article discusses design considerations for ensuring that a course is accessible to potential instructors and students with disabilities. Thousands of specialized hardware and software products available today allow individuals with disabilities to productively use computing and networking technologies. The author provides examples of challenges in distance learning courses faced by students and instructors who have access to assistive technology. Planning for access as the course is being developed is much easier than creating accommodation strategies once a person with a disability enrolls in the course or applies to teach it. When universal design principles are applied, products meet the needs of potential users with a variety of characteristics. Just as modern sidewalks and buildings are designed to be used by everyone, designers should create learning environments that allow all potential students and instructors to fully participate. Burgstahler, S. (2002). Equal Access Universal Design of Instruction. AACE Journal, 10(1), 32-61. http://tinyurl.com/lcvwlc5 The author of this article provides an exceptional checklist of things to consider when designing a course. Rather than designing for the average student, you design instruction for students who potentially have broad ranges with respect to ability, disability, age, reading level, learning style, native language, race, ethnicity, and other characteristics. UDI can be applied to all aspects of instruction, including class climate, interaction, physical environments and products, delivery methods, information resources and technology, feedback, and assessment. Specifically, the instructor needs to Identify the course. Describe the course, its learning objectives, and its overall content. Define the universe. Describe the overall population of students eligible to enroll in the course and then consider their potential diverse characteristics (e.g., with respect to gender; age; ethnicity and race; native language; learning style; and abilities to see, hear, manipulate objects, read, and communicate) Involve students. Consider perspectives of students with diverse characteristics, as identified in Step 2, in the development of the course. If they are not available directly from
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students, gain student perspectives through diversity programs
such as the campus disability services office. Adopt instructional strategies. Adopt overall learning and teaching philosophies and methods. Integrate these practices with universal design guidelines or strategies for learning or instruction. Apply instructional strategies. Apply universal design strategies in concert with good instructional practices (both identified in Step 4) to the overall choice of course teaching methods, curricula, and assessments. Then apply universal design to all lectures, classroom discussions, group work, handouts, web-based content, labs, fieldwork, assessment instruments, and other academic activities and materials to maximize the learning of students with the wide variety of characteristics identified in Step 2. Plan for accommodations. Learn campus procedures for addressing accommodation requests (e.g., arrangement of sign language interpreters) from specific students for whom the course design does not automatically provide full access. Evaluate. Monitor the effectiveness of instruction through observation and feedback from students with the diverse set of characteristics identified in Step 2, assess learning, and modify the course as appropriate. Pearson, A. F. (2010). Real Problems, Virtual Solutions: Engaging Students Online. Teaching Sociology, 38(3), 207-214. http://tinyurl.com/logru4w In this article, the author explains how she used online blogs over a period of four semesters in an introductory social problems course. She describes how she uses blogs to enhance student participation, engagement, and skill building. Finally, she provides an overview of students' qualitative assessments of the blog assignments, highlighting the drawbacks and limitations of integrating technology and, in particular, blogs as a course-writing requirement. The students in the course appreciated the opportunity to work on blogs to participate in class discussions. This form of engagement allowed them to share their feelings regarding some sensitive topics in the privacy of their own home. The author stated that by using the blogs the discussions seemed to have increased participation. For the course I am currently writing, I have created several assignments that students must complete using a Weebly. I am interested in feedback from that course as that approach may be too complex and additional considerations for things like blogs may need to be discussed.
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Pittman, C. N., & Heiselt, A. K. (2014). Increasing Accessibility:
Using Universal Design Principles to Address Disability Impairments in the Online Learning Environment. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 17(3). http://tinyurl.com/qco29op With the increasing number of students enrolling in distance education, there is a need to consider the accessibility of course materials in online learning environments. Four major groups of disabilities: mobility, auditory, visual, and cognitive are explored as they relate to their implementation into instructional design and their impact on students in online learning, specifically for students with disabilities. This article highlights the ways in which universal design can assist in providing increased accessibility, not only for students with disabilities, but for all students in the online learning environment. The author goes on to discuss each of disabilities and the challenges that students may encounter. The meat of the paper focuses on the seven principles of UDL with an additional explanation on each of the principles and how the principles can be used in the development of online coursework. The author theorizes that if UDL is used in course creation, student success may increase with all students including not only those with disabilities, but those who are second language learners, but all students as these principles may help with retention. Additionally the author states that advanced training may be needed to explain UDL concepts to instructors. I smiled when I read that paragraph as that is precisely what I am working on while I am preparing this learning module for my internship.