Volume 18, Issue 1 - April 2014

A National Study of Training Content and Activities for Faculty Development for Online Teaching

Katrina A. Meyer, University of Memphis
Vicki S. Murrell, University of Memphis

This article presents the results of a national study of 39 higher education institutions that collected information about their practices for faculty development for online teaching and particularly the content and training activities used during 2011-2012. This study found that the most frequently offered training content (97% of the institutions)...

A Study of Personal Information Management Strategies for Online Faculty

Lorna R. Kearns, University of Pittsburgh
Barbara A. Frey, University of Pittsburgh
Christinger Tomer, University of Pittsburgh
Susan Alman, San Jose State University

The literature suggests that personal information management is a serious challenge for many computer users. Online faculty are especially challenged because of the large number of electronic files necessitated by teaching online. Those who have experience in this environment may offer valuable insights regarding information management challenges and practices. Faculty...

An Analysis of the Cost and Cost-Effectiveness of Faculty Development for Online Teaching

Katrina A. Meyer, University of Memphis

This article presents the results of a national study of 39 higher education institutions that collected information about the cost measures used to evaluate faculty development for online teaching as well as anticipated future decisions regarding faculty development activities and content in a budget-cutting situation. Generally, institutions are more likely...

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Teaching Presence within Online Professional Development

Melinda G. Miller, United States Air Force Academy
Debbie L. Hahs-Vaughn, University of Central Florida
Vicky Zygouris-Coe, University of Central Florida

The Community of Inquiry model provides a framework for recognizing and evaluating interpersonal behaviors in online educational settings. One of its three components, teaching presence, describes behaviors that are under the auspices of the online instructor. By examining behaviors through the theoretical lens provided by teaching presence, and by measuring...

Thematic Analysis of the “Games” Students Play in Asynchronous Learning Environments

Thalia MacMillan, Empire State College
Michele Forte, SUNY Empire State College
Cynthia Grant, Concordia University Chicago

The dynamics of the student-student relationship within the asynchronous online classroom, as evidenced by conversations in an online discussion board, is a balancing act potentially more complex than those occurring in real-time. In order for learning to truly be considered effective, a collaborative, safe environment needs to exist among students...

Investigating Asynchronous Online Communication: A Connected Stance Revealed

Susan J Wegmann, Baptist College of Florida
Joyce K. McCauley, Sam Houston State University

This research project explores the effects of altering the structure of discussion board formats to increase student engagement and participation. This paper will present the findings of a two-university, two-class research project in which asynchronous discussion board entries were analyzed for substance. By using oral discourse analysis techniques, the postings...

Applying a Model of Communicative Influence in Education in Closed Online and Offline Courses

Caleb T. Carr, Illinois State University

This research explores communicative influences on cognitive learning and educational affect in online and offline courses. A survey was conducted of students (N = 147) enrolled in online and offline courses within a single department during Summer 2013. Respondents were asked about their perceptions of classroom communication. Responses were subjected...

How Much "Group" is there in Online Group Work?

Susan Lowes, Ph.D., Institute for Learning Technologies

The ability to work in groups across time and space has become a frequent requirement for the workplace and is becoming increasingly more common in higher education, but there is a surprising lack of research on how online groups work. This study applies analytical approaches used in studies of face-to-face...

Comparing Student Performance in Online and Face-to-face Delivery Modalities

Jeffrey L. Helms, Kennesaw State University

The purpose of the research was to compare student performance in an online or face-to-face (F2F) required Psychology course on three distinct sets of variables (i.e., pre-course, course, and post-course variables). Analyses revealed mixed significant and nonsignificant results. Students did not differ in terms of such variables as hours transferred...

Round One? Judge Issues Rulings in Long-awaited Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against Georgia State University*

Linda K. Enghagen, University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Long-awaited rulings from the copyright infringement lawsuit provide the most specific guidance available to date regarding fair use of certain types of materials in e-reserves systems and online course management systems. Unless successfully appealed or otherwise overturned, this case represents a significant victory for Georgia State University specifically and higher...