Records: 322
Adaptive Learning: Context and Complexity
Charles Dziuban Colm Howlin Constance Johnson Patsy Moskal |
APA Citation
Dziuban, C., Howlin, C., Moskal, P., Johnson, C., Eid, M., & Kmetz, B. (2018). Adaptive learning: Context and complexity. e-mentor, 5(77), 13-23. doi: 10.15219/em77.1384
Annotation
Study augmenting the findings of Dziuban’s 2018 study demonstrating that adaptive learning acts as a stabilizer for several outcome metrics across of two institutions using realizeit as an adaptive learning platform, University of Central Florida and Colorado Technical University. To make comparisons of latent patterns, principle component solutions were derived within and across institution, finding a high degree of correspondence for all disciplines in both institutions. A component score . . . for each course and each student was created using the Anderson Rubin derivation. Results indicated four key components, knowledge acquisition, engagement activities, communication, and growth. Knowledge acquisition was the first principle component explaining the largest portion of variance. Each of the CTU courses is higher in the knowledge acquisition than their corresponding course at UCF, with no noteworthy effect size, the same pattern appears for Nursing courses rating most highly followed by introductory algebra, followed by advanced algebra courses. The authors suggest this may be due to nursing students having a higher investment and interest in the content compared to students fulfilling general education requirements in the algebra courses. Engagement activities was the second principle component with college algebra at UCF relating to the component significantly more than the course at CTU; however, in introductory algebra courses the CTU course relates significantly higher than UFC. At CTU almost all of the students related to the component similarly. In the communication component, UCF college algebra students on average related more highly to this component than those in the corresponding CTU course. In the growth component the only noteworthy effect size was Intermediate algebra at UCF compared to CTU. These findings overall show adaptive learning is complex because multiple variables are involved. Overall, this study shows that student behavioral, cognitive, and affective characteristics impact how they interact with and perceive adaptive learning. At CTU, students are older mostly working adults meaning their primary goal is a credential to advance them in their career, mean adaptive learning allows them to control their learning space, accommodate their job progression, and receive and excellent education. At UCF, the math courses can aid or act as a serious hurdle in terms of degree completion. The adaptive math courses may allow them to complete two courses in one semester and remain on track. The level at which students relate to knowledge in adaptive platforms is relatively equal; however there are considerable differences among students in terms of goals, engagement, communication, and growth that must be considered to continue to enhance adaptive learning for student growth.
| View Full Annotation | View Article |
Addressing Information Literacy and the Digital Divide in Higher Education
Nicole Buzzetto-Hollywood Hwei Wang Magdi Elobeid Muna E. Elobaid |
APA Citation
Buzzetto-Hollywood, N. A., Wang, H. C., Elobeid, M., & Elobaid M. E. (2018). Addressing information literacy and the digital divide in higher education. Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Skills and Lifelong Learning, 14, 77-93. doi:10.28945/4029
Annotation
“Study conducted at University of Maryland, a 4-year, public, HBCU. This study examined the technological readiness of students attending a HBCU, the efficacy of computer software courses, and the usefulness of a simulated learning and assessment system. The university implemented the Internet and Computing Core Certification exam to assess incoming freshman’s technological readiness, identify student weaknesses and provide remediation (using the Internet and computing mentor system), setting . . . the passing score at 500 out 1000. 5 years of test scores were analyzed for study. Students not passing on their first attempt use the Internet and computing mentor system. This system enhances their digital learning by using prescriptive/just-in-time learning, if an answer is incorrect the system will graphically guide them through finding the correct answer and provides study guides to enhance weaker skills. Additional computer application courses are offered by the University’s technology center to help students develop technological skills needed for their coursework. Students receiving a passing score on their first attempt take whatever tech general education course is required for their major and those with particularly high scores are invited to take a more advanced tech course. An online student perception and satisfaction survey was administered. Results found Computer applications courses early in a student’s academic experience improved student’s skills across all areas, with the most increase in the computer applications area. Results also suggested that using the simulated learning system enhanced students learning and development of computer skills. Conclusion: This study found students come to college with strong technological skills in social media and exploring the web, but do not have the computer application and information gathering skills needed to be successful in their courses. Computer application courses early in their academic careers improves students skills and confidence, simulated learning systems prepare students for entry level computer courses and further enhance the learning achievements and skill development in these courses.
“
| View Full Annotation | View Article |
An Adaptive Learning Partnership
Charles Dziuban Colm Howlin Patsy Moskal Connie Johnson Eid Mitchell Brandon Kmetz |
APA Citation
Dziuban, C., Howlin, C., Johnson, C., & Moskal, P. (2018, December 18). An adaptive learning partnership. Educause Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/12/an-adaptive-learning-partnership
Annotation
Article detailing the research partnership between the University of Central Florida and Colorado Technical University. Both institutions partner with realizeit and have successfully adopted the adaptive learning platform into courses across their respective institutions with considerable success, albeit different scales. CTU began developing and delivering adaptive courses in 2012 with 22 courses (54 instances) of adaptive courses, with UCF launching their adaptive courseware in 2014 now . . . reporting 199 courses (2,870 instances). The article describes the most successful integrations occur when there is an open, collaborative relationship between vendor and institution and platform decisions and collected learning data are shared with the institutions. Further, when institutions work together to share learned experiences, implementation success is improved. Realizeit researchers conducted a study examining student behavior as they engaged with the adaptive learning platform. Results identified, across the two institutions, four student behavior prototypes. The hare, beginning immediately and completing the course quickly in a series of quick hops, the tortoise making slow and steady progress completing work almost everyday, the frog logging in once a week and completing a set block of work in a series of small hops, and the kangaroo that leaves everything to last minute and completes the course in a few long hops. Improvements to course materials and structure in a college algebra adaptive course at UCF resulted in significant improvements in content covered and course outcomes. Students at both schools reacted positively to the adaptive platform agreeing it helped them improve their learning, with small variations in each populations reactions to feedback and perceived level of personalization. The article concludes by detailing how adaptive learning can greatly impact the ability for low income students to get a quality education. Adaptive learning addresses student challenges such as a lack of time to devote to coursework due to juggling multiple jobs or family obligations. Further adaptive learning provides a great deal of analytics to better predict, and intervene, in student success.
| View Full Annotation | View Article |
Analyzing productive learning behaviors for students using immediate corrective feedback in a blended learning environment
Xin Chen Lori Breslow Jennifer DeBoer |
APA Citation
Chen, X., Breslow, L., & Deboer, J. (2018). Analyzing productive learning behaviors for students using immediate corrective feedback in a blended learning environment. Computers & Education, 117, 59-74. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2017.09.013
Annotation
“Quantitative study conducted at a 4-year, private, doctoral granting institution focusing on a checkable answer feature in a blended introductory physics course. The course met twice a week for two hours in a class that included a short lecture then focused the rest of the time on some sort of application activity related to that day’s lecture. Students met for an hour on Friday to solve problems with their fellow students with instructors and TAs available but in another room. The authors . . . consider this a blended course as many of the actual educational resources and learning was completed online, including lecture videos, animations and simulations, interactive labs, recordings of an instructor working through problems, PDFs of notes, and a commercially based discussion forum. (tacked on to class time but necessary to build the understanding needed to pass), and the students completed two complex online homework problems a week for the first twelve weeks of the semester (using the checkable answer features). Data was collected from university demographic data, tracking logs of student activity within the course website, and course performance metrics. Descriptive stats, inferential stats, and data mining techniques were used to examine the relationship between student behaviors and their outcomes. Results indicated students checked the answers to their homework an average of five times, with only 3% of them looking at course resources after getting an incorrect answer. During a problem solving session, determined by the time spent between login, the first, and the last answer check within a subsequent period of time, students browsed the e-text, videos, pdf notes of in-class problems, and problem-solving session notes-and an average of 74 minutes on each homework problem. Students with higher performance tended to check answers multiple times (until correct), started assignments and submitted early, had longer more frequent and concentrated study sessions, and used the online resources more often. Students with higher checks with lower fractions of correct checks spent more time engaging with the course platform and worked until they got the correct answer ultimately performed well in the course overall suggesting the students were using the response feedback to learn. Resource checking behaviors did not correlate with performance-authors attribute this to students being in the blended context and being able to use peer discussion, and in-class problem solving sessions to learn the same material whereas a fully online course would not have this option. Interval of time between online study sessions negatively related to performance, potentially from waiting too long to resume a study session and forgetting feedback they got from previous answer checks. Conclusion: students who started early, interacted with the answer checker, worked until the answer was correct with frequent and more concentrated study sessions performed better in the course suggesting effort and engagement correlate with performance. Students who started late did not have as much time/engagement with the course materials and the checker and achieved lower overall grades. Authors suggest this type of interactive feedback paired with student persistence enhances the learning achieved during f2f class sessions for overall grade improvement and instructors should guide their students to these types of resources accordingly.
“
| View Full Annotation | View Article |
Educators’ Preparation to Teach, Perceived Teaching Presence, and Perceived Teaching Presence Behaviors in Blended and Online Learning Environments
Lisa Gurley |
APA Citation
Gurley, L.E. (2018). Educators’ preparation to teach, perceived teaching presence, and perceived teaching presence behaviors in blended and online learning environments. Online Learning, 22(2), 197-220. doi:10.24059/olj.v22i2.1255
Annotation
“Mixed methods convergent parallel research study examining instructor preparation to teach and perceived teaching presence. Conducted via a survey with 86 educators who have taught one or more undergraduate or graduate level blended or online course at two private, 4-year universities. Study was conducted across multiple disciplines. Used an adapted Community of Inquiry instrument with data analyzed via descriptive statistics and analyses of variance, where open ended questions were . . . thematically coded. Half of the instructors had taken some college courses or a professional development program to teach online/blended, 32% had completed a certification course or professional program along with informal on the job training, and 17% had only informal on job training only. There was no statistically significant difference between educators’ overall perceived teaching presence and their preparation to teach online or in blended environments or between perceived teaching presence of design and organization and their preparation to teach. There was a significant difference between instructors perceived teaching presence of facilitation based on preparation to teach (completing a certification course was higher than those with only on job training). Four major themes emerged in describing teaching presence behaviors surrounding course design and organization: providing a course syllabus, using LMS tools, providing a course orientation video, and email/phone/video conferences to go over expectations. Three major themes emerged surrounding facilitation of learning: providing timely feedback, assigning group projects, and course assignment. Themes around direct instruction behaviors included providing constructive feedback, faculty participation in discussion forums, and assigning guided and active learning assignments. Conclusions: Instructors completing certification courses had a significantly higher perceived teaching presence of facilitation score when compared to instructors only receiving on the job training; however teaching presence of design and overall teaching presence had no significant differences based on preparation to teach. Qualitative responses support that the greater educator’s preparation to teach, the higher they perceive their teaching presence. Together the data supports the need for faculty preparation specific to facilitating learning in blended courses.
“
| View Full Annotation | View Article |
Here or There Instruction: Lessons Learned in Implementing Innovative Approaches to Blended Synchronous Learning
Janet Zydney Paul McKimmy Rachel Lindberg Matthew Schmidt |
APA Citation
Zydney, J. M., Mckimmy, P., Lindberg, R., & Schmidt, M. (2018). Here or there instruction: Lessons learned in implementing innovative approaches to blended synchronous learning. TechTrends, 63(2), 123-132. doi:10.1007/s11528-018-0344-z
Annotation
“Data collected by gathering case studies from peers who were implementing blended learning, and coding for themes. Three cases of the here or there approach were implemented at two universities. Virtual flipped classroom approach-asynchronous content (lecture videos), synchronous is set up with students on campus sitting in a U around the instructor and the web conference is projected so that ‘here’ students see the active video and slides and ‘there’ students view class from their own . . . computers with students interacting with one another through a speakerphone. Course was designed to be fully asynchronous with optional bi-weekly synchronous sessions allowing for ‘here or there’ participation. Students unable to participate in these optional sessions live were able to view video of the web conference afterward. These options sessions were used for content review, discussion, assignment clarification and student questions. Student facilitated approach-breakout sessions run by students. Sessions take place in pods (a table with 4-6 students and a computer/tv monitor and speakerphone. Here students sit together in half the pods, there students remote into the other half of the pods via webex. For whole class discussion the instructor hosts a main training session for break out sessions here students do so in person and there students host the sessions in personal virtual meeting rooms. Instructor monitors and clarifies discussion in person for ‘here’ students by walking past pods and ‘there’ students by jumping into each meeting room. Hybrid approach-session begins with whole group instruction facilitated by the instructor then breaks to breakout sessions that are mixed here/there students. Here students can observe lesson content live but are logged into the web conference the entirety of class to be able to interact with there students. Designed for asynchronous delivers, augmented with bi-weekly synchronous web conferences via webex. 7 conferences were offered 4 were here or there format and 3 were fully online, students were required to attend at least four sessions, two of which had to be during the here or there format (option as to here or there). After breakout sessions a final group discussion was used to tie conversations to main lesson points. Group size and technology available determined what style of blended learning a university used. Students in the virtual classroom approach felt the synchronous sessions most added to their success whereas the student facilitated appreciated the opportunity to interact with other students but felt the technology was more complicated than it needed to be, the hybrid class had no comments concerning the here or there approach. Instructors commented on the amount of work it takes to lead a web conference while also leading a classroom discussion and voiced strong multi-tasking and troubleshooting skills are needed to attend to all students content/question needs both in the classroom and online, while also attending to student’s needs as far as technical difficulties, tech questions, and mechanics of running a web conference. Lessons learned to implement successful here or there blended learning technology must be simplified, distribute the workload (e.g. have a person available each session as a tech troubleshooter, and a moderator to monitor chat/online hand raising and feed those questions to the instructor), make participation flexible (e.g. assigning asynchronous tasks for those students opting out of synchronous sessions), integrate into course design (clearly tie the discussions or activities completed during synchronous sessions to course material to demonstrate the purpose of these sessions to students) and plan for tech support.
“
| View Full Annotation | View Article |
Leaving Late: Understanding the extent and predictors of college late departure
Z. Mabel T. A. Britton |
APA Citation
Mabel, Z., & Britton, T. A. (2018). Leaving late: Understanding the extent and predictors of college late departure. Social science research, 69, 34-51.
Annotation
The authors of this paper seek to study the extent of non-first year college students (sophomores, juniors, or seniors) dropping out. They find that a large portion of dropouts actually occur in later years of college, with one-third of dropouts earning three-fourths of the needed credits to graduate. This trend is especially prevalent at two-year community colleges and open enrollment college and among students who were not academically prepared for the challenges of college. The authors . . . suggest that four-year colleges that have introduced associate degrees have increased degree attainment and that targeted intervention programs could help retain more students.
| View Full Annotation | View Article |
Linkages between course status, perceived course value, and students’ preference for traditional versus non-traditional learning environments
Karen Clayton Fran Blumberg Jared Anthony |
APA Citation
Clayton, K. E., Blumberg, F. C., & Anthony, J. A. (2018). Linkages between course status, perceived course value, and students’ preference for traditional versus non-traditional learning environments. Computers & Education, 125, 175-181. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2018.06.002
Annotation
“Conducted via student survey at a 4-year urban university, 44% of participants were undergraduates and 56% were graduates. 67% of the students reported never taking an online or hybrid class. 44% were unfamiliar with the demands of online and hybrid courses. Students preferred a traditional course to a online or hybrid course when the course was designated as a core course; undergrads significantly preferred traditional courses over all course types and graduate students only significantly . . . preferred traditional courses when it was a core or elective course (but not prerequisites). Regardless of prior experience with online/hybrid courses, students preferred traditional courses, but 60% of those who had experience with online/hybrid courses preferred online or hybrid courses for prerequisites. 90% of students unfamiliar with online/hybrid course demands chose traditional courses for a core class, 60% of those familiar chose online or hybrid only for prerequisites, and 40% of those unfamiliar with online/hybrid demands chose online or hybrid for prerequisites. Across all three course types students justified preference for the traditional environment as an opportunity for engaged learning, online classes were chosen for convenience, and hybrid classes were chosen because of learning style fit and convenience. When online or hybrid classes were selected for pre-requisite and elective courses student reasons were course characteristics and personal control. Conclusion: Undergrads preferred traditional courses for all three course types, grad students preferred traditional courses for only core and elective courses and online/hybrid for pre-requisites. Students preferred the engagement in traditional classes, those preferring online did so because it better meshed with their lifestyle and students choosing hybrid did so because it offered the flexibility of an online course while still providing the opportunity to maintain f2f interaction with peers and instructors. Students with familiarity of the demands of an online or hybrid course were significantly more likely to choose this courses type for pre-requisites.
“
| View Full Annotation | View Article |
Perceptions of the Persistent: Engagement and Learning Community in Underrepresented Populations
Wendy Athens |
APA Citation
Athens, W. (2018). Perceptions of the persistent: Engagement and learning community in underrepresented populations. Online Learning, 22(2), 27-58. doi:10.24059/olj.v22i2.1368
Annotation
“Conducted at a public four-year institution with a headcount of 15,076 students in Spring 2016. The institution was founded as a community college and now offers four-year degrees. This study used two measures in a student survey, An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to half of the collected survey results, then a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to the other half. Hierarchical regressions were conducted and MANOVAs were generated and inductive analysis was performed . . . on free response items. Student perceptions of engagement and learning communities were positively correlated to final grades. Hispanic and Black students were more engaged than whites but earned lower grades. Students attributed multiple types of course materials as being important to their success and valued interactive learning activities. Conclusion: Strong positive relationships were observed between student engagement and learning outcomes with Hispanic and Black students being more engaged than White students but earning lower grades and younger students and students with disabilities being less engaged but earning equivalent grades. This corresponded with withdrawal rates which revealed a high percentage of young minority males withdrawing from online courses.
“
| View Full Annotation | View Article |
Technology Problems and Student Achievement Gaps: A Validation and Extension of the Technology Maintenance Construct
Amy Gonzales Jessica McCrory-Calarco Teresa Lynch |
APA Citation
Gonzales, A. L., Calarco, J. M., & Lynch, T. (2018). Technology Problems and Student Achievement Gaps: A Validation and Extension of the Technology Maintenance Construct. Communication Research, 47(5), 750-770. doi:10.1177/0093650218796366
Annotation
“Communication and sociology students (n=748) were recruited from an introductory communication course on social media and one sociology course a large, public, 4-year, doctoral granting university. Sample overrepresented higher SES (over half parent’s paid their tution) and higher parent education achieved (3/4 parents received some college education). Study measured SES variables, tech maintenance variables (achieving tech-who bought it/how did they get access and sustaining . . . tech-quality/how well it works), and school work/grades. Conducted focus groups to explore SES’s impact on student’s experience with tech maintenance on campus. A majority of students owned a laptop (97.8%) or a smartphone (94%), students also reported owned a flip-phone (36%), tablet (36%), and/or printer (40%). 60% owned laptops purchased by someone else, whereas 19% had purchased the laptop themselves; similarly 58% owned smartphones purchased by someone else where 20% purchased themselves with 72% not paying for monthly cell services and 11% paying the entire monthly bill. Most students were happy with how their laptop functioned; however 21% reported laptop problems disturbed their work once a month or more and 16% once a year. Half of the students borrowed tech from a friend or family member when theirs did not work and 39% used the campus computers. SES had no relationship to technology access; however high SES were less responsible for the cost of their tech or monthly bills with students of color more likely to bear the financial responsibility than whites. SES was clearly associated with sustaining access; students with less educated parents were more likely to experience weekly breakdowns and students of color had more problems with functionality and breakdowns than white students. High SES students were more likely to borrow technology or ask for money for a replacement whereas students of color were more likely to need to use the limited campus computers and were less able to get a loan to cover the cost of new tech. Students who paid fees themselves had higher GPAs, students who had more poorly functioning laptops or laptops that often broke down had lower GPAs and gave examples of missing important notifications or missing assignment deadlines due to laptop malfunctions, suggesting technology maintenance struggles may negatively impact achievement. Students commented on how stressful it is when their phones or laptops don’t work when they cannot afford a new one. Conclusion: Students from high SES backgrounds experience less disturbances and can more easily adapt to technology challenges in the form of borrowing or replacing technology whereas students from lower SES while often still owning a laptop or phone, tend to have lower quality or older technology that frequently breaks limiting the access needed to be successful in their courses, with less option when facing challenges (can only use campus computers less able to replace tech). Students with poorly functioning technology tended to have lower GPAs and vocalized the stress of trying to navigate these challenges.
“
| View Full Annotation | View Article |