Research Area: Subjects
Even as much of the academic world becomes convinced of the effectiveness of online education, some still have serious reservations about how one discipline in particular — science — can be taught efficiently outside a “traditional” classroom. The Colorado Community College System (CCCS), however, has been successfully delivering hands-on, laboratory-quality instruction to its distance students for more than a decade. The same can be said of Oregon State University Ecampus and many other providers of online education. And the effectiveness … Continue reading
Few institutions of higher education offer first- and second-year foreign language courses online, and it wasn’t too long ago that Oregon State University’s Susana Rivera-Mills somewhat agreed with that approach. The Spanish professor and associate dean of OSU’s College of Liberal Arts wasn’t sold on the notion that foreign language programs could be effectively taught online. Rivera-Mills has since changed her opinion on the matter thanks to extensive research she conducted in 2010 with funding from OSU Extended Campus (Ecampus) … Continue reading
[Summary from: Science Magazine, 2011] We compared the amounts of learning achieved using two different instructional approaches under controlled conditions. We measured the learning of a specific set of topics and objectives when taught by 3 hours of traditional lecture given by an experienced highly rated instructor and 3 hours of instruction given by a trained but inexperienced instructor using interactive instruction based on research in cognitive psychology and physics education. The comparison was made between two large sections (N … Continue reading
[Summary from: Merlot's Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 2011] The purpose of this study was to examine correlates of both online classroom community and student engagement in online learning, as well as to compare community and engagement across disciplines in higher education. Participants (n=1,410) in online courses across five colleges and in both graduate and undergraduate courses were asked to complete an online survey. The survey consisted of 23 items measuring community and engagement as well as an additional … Continue reading
[Summary from: MERLOT, 2010] All teacher education programs strive to provide ways for their students to make the necessary connection between theory and practice, as this is the foundation of excellence in teaching and learning. As technology tools become more ubiquitous and 21st century definitions of “literate” involve utilizing technologies to learn, the need for pre-service teachers to be knowledgeable and innovative about the efficacy of these tools in classrooms as a means for interacting, engaging, and communicating with students … Continue reading
[Summary from: MERLOT, 2010] This exploratory study examined students’ views of hybrid learning in an undergraduate Ecology course, which incorporated Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (MOODLE) into the online portion of the coursework. Quantitative data were obtained by administering the Constructivist On-Line Learning Environment Survey (COLLES) to an intact class. Additionally, qualitative data were collected by interviewing five randomly selected class members. The interview data was converged with the quantitative survey data to supplement key findings in the study. … Continue reading
[Summary from: MERLOT, 2010] The increased availability of online coursework in higher education has prompted a number of research studies regarding the academic rigor and marketability of those courses. However, the existing literature pays little attention to the opportunities and challenges of the online delivery of skills based courses that require the mastery of a practical component in addition to the theory. This paper is a case study in the teaching of a public speaking course in a fully online … Continue reading
[Summary from: MERLOT, 2010] This study compares two sections of the same Introduction to Music course taught at a public university in winter 2008 across face-to-face and online formats. Data collected from student surveys regarding their own perceptions of success revealed some significant differences, such as in the areas of performing musical scales or simple pieces on a keyboard. The authors found no significant differences in success learning music online vs. face-to-face as measured by final grades. This study contributes … Continue reading
[Summary from: MERLOT, 2009] This research describes the evaluation of video tutorials used in a graduate level online statistics course. The evaluation focused on attitudes toward the tutorials and differences in academic performance between online sections that used the tutorials and those that did not. Attitude results were based on 78 students who completed an online survey and indicated positive perceptions of the tutorials. The quantitative findings were supported by narrative comments that suggested the tutorials were an effective component … Continue reading
[Summary from: MERLOT, 2007] Creativity is a key competency skill sought after by many employers. And yet, one of the major criticisms of business schools relates to its lack of programs that promote creative and/or innovative thinking. This could be compounded by the fact that a large number of business programs are currently offered online. Consequently, the issue of whether online education stifles or enhances students’ creativity is brought to the forefront. Using this question, the authors engaged in an … Continue reading