Records: 322
Susan A. Dumais Tracey E. Rizzuto Joe Cleary
|
Annotation
Dumais et al. (2013) focus on adult first-gen students and adult online learners. The authors relied on 308 telephone and web-based surveys, in which nearly half (n=152) are first-gen students. They then conducted 30 open-ended telephone interviews, in which 12 were of first-gen students. The authors find that among both groups, the primary motivation for returing to school was personal fulfillment. But in the phone interviews, the authors note that continuing-gen students were most likely to . . . cite professional and financial reasons to do so. Additionally, the authors found no support for a lack of confidence in pursing a degree for both groups. They did find however, that first-gen students relied more heavily on institutional resources of guidance (e.g. curriculum guidance) than did continuing-gen students. Among both groups, advisers were cited as playing a crucial role in their success. Overall, nearly 80 percent of both groups were employed full-time and the authors call for future research to assess these constraints. Lastly, the authors provide some evidence that first-gen students have more difficulty understanding and communicating with instructors. In sum, the authors find differences and similarities among these two groups of online learners, but call for future research to improve the methodological abilities to assess adult online learners.
Eric Bettinger Angela Boatman Bridget Long Terry
|
APA Citation
Bettinger, E. P., Boatman, A., & Long, B. T. (2013). Student supports: Developmental education and other academic programs. The Future of Children, 23(1), 93-115.
Annotation
This (community) can be a shared location, language, purpose, value system, identity, or behavior. What is essential for the development of a sense of community is communication itself. Computer-mediated communication has become an important factor within that. Dawson has used two domains to characterize community: locality and sharing of common interests, both of which refer to the idea that people come together and develop social relationships through closeness or shared interest.
APA Citation
Schroeder, H. M. (2013). The changing landscape of course content: Electronic textbooks and electronic coursepacks. In Charleston Library Conference.
Annotation
This article looks at faculty and student experiences in pilot courses that use eTexts from two large publishing companies. In total six courses separated into 15 sections were observed in the study.
The study found that the library was an obvious choice for both students and faculty to seek on-campus help with questions about eTexts. However, the university ultimately withdrew their support of the pilot program due to legal issues surrounding accessibility brought to light by the National . . . Federation of the Blind. The authors state it is unlikely the university will participate in future eText pilots until the platforms and interphase are deemed accessible for all of their students.
Barbara Means Yukie Toyama Robert Murphy Marianne Baki
|
APA Citation
Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., & Baki, M. (2013). The effectiveness of online and blended learning: A meta-analysis of the empirical literature. Teachers College Record, 115(3), 1-47.
Annotation
Some previous research concerning effect of online education have suggested non-statistically significant effect of online education compared to face-to-face education. However, this study employs meta-analysis to distinguish benefits of blended learning from fully online-based education. The meta-analysis was conducted on 50 effect sizes from 45 literatures that observed both blended model and fully-online courses. The result reveals that the students in online learning conditions generally . . . perform better than students in face-to-face learning settings. Also, blended learning have a significant effect compared to face-to-face traditional instruction, but fully-online course did not have significant difference. Future research should distinguish types of blended method, as well as different learners.
Merry Rendahl Lee-Ann Kastman Breuch
|
APA Citation
Rendahl, M., & Breuch, L. A. K. (2013). Toward a Complexity of Online Learning: Learners in Online First-Year Writing. Computers and Composition, 30(4), 297-314. DOI: 10.1016/j.compcom.2013.10.002
Annotation
Not Available
C. Antón C. Camerero J. Rodríguez
|
APA Citation
Antón, C., Camarero, C., & Rodríguez, J. (2013). Usefulness, enjoyment, and self‐image congruence: the adoption of e‐book readers. Psychology & Marketing, 30(4), 372-384.
Annotation
This research looks at the reasons behind people adopting e-Books. This question is useful due to the slower than expected nature of the acceptance of e-Books by the mass market and is founded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Self-Congruity Theory (SCT).
The primary factors in e-Book adoption are the perceptions of usefulness, enjoyment, and self-image congruence. Further, early-technology adopters are more likely to utilize e-Books. In stark contrast, people who enjoy reading for . . . leisure are less likely to see e-Books as useful.
From a technological design standpoint, the authors recommend e-Book creators increase products’ enjoyment and increase the intuitive nature of e-Books. Likewise, products should be linked to consumers’ values as to create an identifiable connection between the product and the consumer.
APA Citation
Fetzner, M. (2013). What Do Unsuccessful Online Students Want Us to Know?. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 17(1), 13-27.
Annotation
Study takes place over twelve years at Monroe Community College in Rochester New York.
Over that period three surveys were administered to non-successful online students to learn about their perceptions and perceived barriers to online learning. Response from the survey indicate the number one reason why students felt that they were not successful in their online course was because they got behind and couldn’t catch up. Online enrollment is 17% of the total enrollment of the college. 48% of . . . those students are first time online students.
Annotations:
● Retention rates of online students are 10-20% less than in person students.
● In 2003, Monroe found that the success (defined as a grade of C or better) of full-time students was almost 14 percentage point lower in online courses than in traditional courses, and the difference between part-time and full-time students in online course success was almost 18 percentage points.p 14
● First time,, full time students were the least likely to successfully complete online courses.
● Survey consists of a 45 question survey conducted over the telephone
● Survey instrument was developed using the framework from M. Garland’s work, Student perceptions of the Situational, Institutional. Dispositional and Epistemological barriers to persistence.
● Total of 438 students responded with a response rate of 14%
● When competed to MCC’s total online student population, the sample population was overpopulated by males and by 20-24 year olds, and it was underrepresented by blacks and “other” ethnicities, and by first time online students.
● Results: in 2003 almost ⅓ of first time online MCC students were not successful.
● Students reported that they did not know what to expect from an online course.
● Number one reason for not being successful was: “I got behind and it was too hard to catch up”
● 31.3% of the unsuccessful students said there was no chance, or that it was not likely, that they would take another online course.
● Advice to future online students:
1. Stay up with the course activities- don’t get behind
2. Use Good time management skills
3. Use good organizational skills
4. Set aside specific times during each week for your online class
5. Know how to get technical help
● Other study findings:
● The age and time of registration are each significant contributors to grade performance of MCC’s online students (>25 years of age or above increases performance)
● The best chance of an online student getting a grade of C or better occurs when they register five or more weeks before the start of the semester
● The greater the number of prior higher education credit hours earned increases the chances of getting a C or better in the students’ online course.
APA Citation
Lane, A. (2012). A review of the role of national policy and institutional mission in European Distance Teaching Universities with respect to widening participation in higher education study through open educational resources. Distance Education, 33(2), 135-150.
Annotation
This article describes why higher education institutions (HEIs) should be interested in increasing the number or widening the type of people participating in the HE system and also, what role open educational resources (OER) play in supporting this. OER are teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use or Distance Education re-purposing by others. OER’s include full courses, . . . course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge. They believe that widening participation in Higher education is an important social aim to the improvement of society in Europe. The article states that there are some discrepancies in the widening of participation of Higher Education. Some of these include, the lack of certain societal groups or communities, geographical remoteness, social norms, digital divide, household income, physical circumstances and institutional attitudes and behaviors.
D. Shapiro A. Dundar J. Chen M. Ziskin E. Park V. Torres Y. Chiang
|
APA Citation
Shapiro, D., Dundar, A., Chen, J., Ziskin, M., Park, E., Torres, V., & Chiang, Y.C. (2012). Completing college: A national view of attainment rates. National Student Clearinghouse.
Annotation
This study which uses nationally reprehensive data from the National Student Clearinghouse looks at six-year college outcomes. The data is a broken into several categories including college or university type, two-year and four-year institutions, private and public schools, nonprofit and for-profit institutions, as well as individual-level student demographic data. After the statistical models are run, the authors compare completion rates of transfer students, adult learners, and out-of-state . . . students. They end with a brief discussion on policy implications.
T. Nodine L. Jaeger A. Venezia K. R. Bracco
|
Annotation
This study utilizes 15 focus groups (n = 161) conducted at community colleges in four (mostly southern) states. The groups consisted of current, completed, and non-completed students. While the authors are quick to note the limited size of the study does not allow for broad generalizations, students were fairly consistent with their criticism and praises of curriculum, classes, and colleges.
Generally, students encourage colleges to provide more one-on-one interacts. These interactions should . . . include college, class, and career specific information such as what degree or education is needed to have a successful career in a given area or how to successfully navigate difficult and confusing parts of class registration. Personal interaction with knowledgeable career and academic advisors would also help students enroll in classes that would help streamline classes taken and graduation requirements.
Students had mixed reactions to remedial classes, noting these classes do not always count toward graduation credits or students had already learned presented material in high school. Students who participated in accelerated remedial classes had a higher satisfaction rating and many students also were excited by the idea of enrolling in college-credit earning classes in high school.
