Volume 9, Issue 4 - December 2005

Reciprocity Analysis of Online Learning Networks

Reuven Aviv, Ph.D, Learning International Network Consortium (LINC), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA, and Department of Computer Science, Open University of Israel
Zippy Erlich, Department of Computer Science, Open University of Israel
Gilad Ravid, Center for Information Technology in Distance Education, Open University of Israel

Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALNs) make the process of collaboration more transparent, because a transcript of conference messages can be used to assess individual roles and contributions and the collaborative process itself. This study considers three aspects of ALNs: the design; the quality of the resulting knowledge construction process; and cohesion,...

Pedagogy and Quality in Developing Online Learning for Teachers and Trainers

Terry Cowham, The Open University in the North West
Julia Duggleby, The Sheffield College, UK

The last six years have seen an increasing interest in the use of online technologies for delivering training in the UK, as employers recognize that these technologies can offer a more economic and flexible training package that can be tailored to the priorities of a company and its employees. This...

Exploring Four Dimensions of Online Instructor Roles: A Program Level Case Study

Xiaojing Liu, Kelley Direct Online Programs, Indiana University
Curt J. Bonk, Department of Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University
Richard J. Magjuka, Chair of Kelley Direct Online Programs, Indiana University
Seung-hee Lee, Kelley Direct Online Programs, Indiana University
Bude Su, Department of Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University

The purpose of this study was to understand the practice of online facilitation in a Midwestern university which has a highly successful traditional MBA program. This study explored the instructors' perceptions regarding four dimensions of instructor roles using Berge's [1] classifications: pedagogical, managerial, social, and technical. This study also examined...

Improving Training Outcomes through Blended Learning

Michelle Reece, Certified Medical Representatives Institute
Barbara Lockee, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blended learning is a prominent trend in corporate training that has implications for distributed learning across a range of venues and constituents. Typically defined as an instructional program offered through a combination of two or more delivery modes, blended learning utilizes a variety of approaches, including print-based materials, instructor-led training,...

Developing Learning Community in Online Asynchronous College Courses: The Role of Teaching Presence

Peter Shea, Department of Educational Theory and Practice and College of Computing and Information, University at Albany, State University of New York
Chun Sau Li, School of Education University at Albany, State University of New York
Karen Swan, Research Center for Educational Technology, Kent State University
Alexandra Pickett, SUNY Learning Network, State University of New York

This paper builds on the model we have developed for creating quality online learning environments for higher education. In that model we argue that college-level online learning needs to reflect what we know about learning in general, what we understand about learning in higher-education contexts, and our emerging knowledge of...

Successful Online Bioterrorism Courses Meet Needs of Learners

Karen Vignare, Director, MSU Global Ventures
John Sener, President, Sener Learning Services

The Monroe County (NY) Health Alert Network (MCHAN) and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) recently completed their second year of a Centers for Disease Control grant-funded project that offers a series of instructor-led asynchronous online learning courses. The courses are designed to enhance the workforce competencies of local and...