Research Annotations

Records: 322

The History and State of Blended Learning

Oleksandra Skrypnyk     Srećko Joksimović     Vitomir Kovanović     Shane Dawson     Dragan Gašević     George Siemens

APA Citation

Skrypnyk, O., Joksimović, S., Kovanović, V., Dawson, S., Gašević, D., & Siemens, G. (2015). The history and state of blended learning. In G. Siemens, D. Gašević, & S. Dawson (Eds.), Preparing for the digital university: A review of the history and current state of distance, blended, and online learning (pp. 55-91). Boston, MA: Online Learning Consortium. https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/read/preparing-for-digital-university/

Annotation

This report is the second review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews included in a document produced by the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), focusing on digital learning. This report focused on blended learning, and was guided by two research questions: (1) “What are the main themes of BL meta-analyses and systematic literature reviews?”, and (2) “What is the state of BL as reflected through these meta-analyses and systematic literature reviews?” For this report, 20 meta-analyses or . . . systematic reviews addressing blended learning in higher education were included in the review. The three primary themes identified and described in the report had to do with effectiveness (where blended learning generally appeared better than exclusively online or fully face-to-face), blended teaching and technology practices (which appear heavily influenced by online and face-to-face practices), and reviews of prior blended learning research (of which it is noted that many studies are case studies by a teacher teaching a blended course). Only one systematic review, and no meta-analysis, addressed institutional adoption of blended learning, and that review did not address the cost of adoption as a topic. The report also mentions difficulties in examining blended learning research.These difficulties include the ways blended learning is defined differently in different studies, the lack of a distinct approach for blended teaching, and how student outcomes are operationalized differently in different studies.

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The History and State of Distance Education

Vitomir Kovanovic     Srecko Joksimovic     Olekandra Skrypnyk     Dragan Gasevic     Shane Dawson     George Siemens

APA Citation

Kovanović, V., Joksimović, S., Skrypnyk, O., Gašević, D., Dawson, S., & Siemens, G. (2015). The history and state of distance education. In G. Siemens, D. Gašević, & S. Dawson (Eds.), Preparing for the digital university: A review of the history and current state of distance, blended, and online learning (pp. 9-54). Boston, MA: Online Learning Consortium. https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/read/preparing-for-digital-university/

Annotation

“This report represents the first of three reports in a curated Online Learning Consortium document assessing the landscape of distance, blended, and online learning. This report is based on an analysis of 12 meta-analyses and 25 systematic reviews published between 1998 and 2014 that focus on distance education in higher education. The research was guided by three research questions: (1) “What is the current state of distance education research, as reflected through meta-analyses and systematic . . . reviews?”; (2) “What are the key themes in the domain of distance education research?”; and (3) “Based on available meta-analyses and systematic literature reviews, what is currently known in the field of distance education?” Based on review of the meta-analyses and systematic reviews, the report offers a “conceptual model of distance education.” The model features distance education as the core, and the areas identified through the research review (i.e., content, course design, learners, instructors, academic support, and institutional adoption) appearing as factors relating to the distance education experience. The report also identified several areas relating to institutional adoption of distance education that include support and training for faculty and academic staff, as well as allowing time to develop the courses.
“

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The Route to Success – Personal-Academic Coaching Program.

Margalit Ben-Yehda

APA Citation

Ben-Yehda, M. (2015). The route to success – personal – academic coaching program. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 209, pp. 323-328

Annotation

A personal-academic coaching program was started to assist Engineering students improve their self-efficacy, enhance their confidence, and develop the capacity to problem-solve in professional and academic settings. In particular, the target audience for the coaching program was students who are unable to successfully complete their first-year of engineering courses. Using a program developed by Coaches College, lecturers were trained as professional-academic coaches for the students. According . . . to the author, “The coaching program focuses on self-management, learning management, time and tasks management, coping with stressful situations and overload, coping with exams, and academic learning.” The overall idea is that the coaching program can assist struggling students to recognize their capacity to succeed personally and professionally.
The coaching program is based on a humanistic psychology philosophy in which humans are believed to be “good” and primarily concerned with achieving self-fulfillment. Ben-Yehda argues, “Many studies over the past decade have indicated that the coaching process is a model for effective learning by being goal oriented, controlled and reflective. Hence according to researchers, it is important to include the coaching rationale in an education system as a model for effective learning (Griffiths, 2005).”
While the article does not specifically discuss academic success coaching in regards to competency-based education, it does offer an interesting account of the theoretical framework that might inform some coaching programs and practices.

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Thinking Systemically: A study of course communication and social processes in face-to-face and online courses

Tanya Joosten

APA Citation

Joosten, T. (2015). Thinking systemically: A study of course communication and social processes in face-to-face and online courses (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee).

Annotation

Examines how online communication affects student outcomes.
The instrument used in this study focused heavily on academic challenge and
scarcely on the social. This study indicates there was no difference in students’
perceptions of engagement between course mode, F2F or online.
The first part of the descriptive model explored in this study was the relationship
between antecedent variables or input variables of instructional characteristics and social variables. The results indicate that . . . social variables can be predicted based on the instructional characteristics of course design.
Engagement in this study focuses largely on academic challenge
and little on the social construct
The final portion of this study examined the ability of social variables, process, or
throughput variables to predict output or student outcomes. In examining the impact of the throughput variables on student outcomes, results indicated that these variables predict learning, performance, and satisfaction
Students in online courses report that they are learning and performing at the same levels as students in F2F courses. Furthermore, students in online courses are just as satisfied as those in F2F courses potentially indicating that they will be staying in these types of courses and programs at the same rate as F2F programs.

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Visual Design for Online Learning

Torria Davis

APA Citation

Davis, T. (2015). Visual design for online learning. John Wiley & Sons.

Annotation

Not Available

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A Look at Academic Success Coaching: Impact on the adult student

Dezi Waterhouse

APA Citation

Evolllution.com (2014, November 13). A look at academic success coaching: Impact on the adult student. Retrieved from: https://evolllution.com/opinions/academic-success-coaching-impact-adult-student/

Annotation

The article is focused on the idea of academic success coaching as a replacement for traditional advising, particularly in regards to adult students. The author lists the external factors that can hinder an adult student from successfully completing college. Research indicates that adult students might feel and act underprepared for higher education, thus, their decision-making regarding academics is largely based on convenience (e.g., online or weeknight classes). Adult students need . . . concentrated attention to assist them in circumventing the external forces that might impede their success. As a result, academic success coaching can provide an effective strategy for assisting adult students in strengthening their confidence to academically succeed.
In the article, academic success coaching is seen as a helpful strategy for adult students because it builds an ongoing relationship between student and coach. The author also argues that academic success coaching is more effective than advising because it is a proactive approach rather than a reactive one. The author explains, “Whether ensuring students understand how to use the electronic services through detailed hands-on review or helping them develop goals and action plans with regard to degree completion and career planning, the coach helps the student evaluate how the decisions they make now affect their future goals…In order to guide the student through the obstacle the coach needs to identify the full scope of the issue through motivational interviewing and proactive advising.” The author further explains that academic success coaching “is the cumulative processes of proactive communication, meaningful dialogue, problem solving, strategic planning, follow-up, and continual real-time revision of a student’s plans and goals.”

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A Snapshot of Reading in America in 2013

Kathryn Zickuhr     Lee Rainie

APA Citation

Zickuhr, K., & Rainie, L. (2014). A snapshot of reading in America in 2013. Washington, DC: Pew Internet. Retrieved, 9(3), 2016.

Annotation

The percentage of adults (18 < age) in the United States has risen from 23% in 2012 to 28% in 2014. However, e-reading have not replaced print books, as only 4% of online readers reported they read only e-books. Also, this survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International found that as tablet ownership grows, the number of E-book readers increases. E-reader devices owners tend to be more white than racial minorities, between the ages of 30 and 64 who have at least some . . . college experiences. Younger e-book readers accessed to online-reading sources through cell phones or computers, whereas older adults were more dedicated to e-readers, such as Kindles or Nooks.

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Examining the Effects of Online Distance Education on African American Students’ Perceived Learning

Lamont A. Flowers     Lawrence O. Flowers     Tiffany A. Flowers     James L. Moore III

APA Citation

Flowers, L. A., Flowers, L. O., Flowers, T. A., & Moore III, J. L. (2014). Examining the effects of online distance education on African American students’ perceived learning. Black History Bulletin, 77(1), 21-26.

Annotation

Not Available

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Faculty Views on eTextbooks: A narrative study

J. Bossaller     J. Kammer

APA Citation

Bossaller, J., & Kammer, J. (2014). Faculty views on eTextbooks: A narrative study. College Teaching, 62(2), 68-75.

Annotation

This study takes a qualitative approach to find instructors’ use and opinions on etexts. Instructors have a number of pros and cons they find in etexts including: affordability, access, privacy, and outsourcing of educational material. Instructors were cognizant of students’ worries of class material and texts costs and how students’ post-class desires and need might fit into their likelihood of purchasing physical books or etexts. Instructors were thankful for etext publishers’ ability to . . . quickly fix and resolve problems regarding errors or mistakes in material that is not available in physical books.
A number of instructors voiced concern over the university’s relationship with publishers and if contracts between publishers and the school were in the best interest of students. This weariness was primarily expressed in educational value and whether partnership became about making a profit or educating and serving students with quality products.
The researchers offer a number of suggestions for instructors considering incorporating etexts into their classes for best use including: planning, developing, implementing, and delivering.

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Grade Change: Tracking online learning education in the United States

Elaine Allen     Jeff Seaman

APA Citation

Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2014). Grade Change: Tracking Online Learning Education in the United States. Needham, MA: Babson Survey Research Group. http://www. onlinelearningsurvey. com/reports/gradechange. pdf.

Annotation

This is the 11th annual report, by Babson Survey Research Group, regarding state of online learning in higher education in the United States. The sample includes 2,831 respondents from 4,726 College Board partnership institutions. This report includes the five main subsections.
(1) Is Online Learning Strategic?: There is an increase in the number of institutions that consider online education as a critical component of their long-term strategy (about 20% increase between 2002 and 2014).
(2)Are . . . Learning Outcomes in Online Comparable to Face-to-Face?: The annual reports have revealed chief academic officers positive attitude toward online education (it is “as good as” face to face education, or even “better”). However, this percentage dropped slightly in 2013 survey (77 percent in the previous year 74 in 2013). Officers in the institutions with online course available remain positive whereas those without online course had become more negative about online courses.
(3) How Many Students are Learning Online?: Online enrollment have consistently increased, but growth rate have been decreasing. Growth rate of this report ( 6.1 percent) was the lowest in a decade.
(4) What is the Future of Online Learning?: 90% of the academic officers believe that online education will continue to grow. Two-thirds of academic officers recognizes self-paced components in future online courses.
(5) Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): the percentage of higher education institution that offer MOOC have increased from 2.6 percent to 5 percent between 2012-2013. However, about half of the institutions reported they were still undecided about MOOC. Behind this hesitancy, there was academic leaders’ growing concern about credentials of traditional higher education degrees.

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