Online Graduate-level Course Research Articles

How Do Students Interact in Online Discussion Forums in a PENS-Based Gamified Course?

This study explored how to effectively apply gamification design principles to improve the quantity and quality of online discussions. Based on a game design framework: Playing Experience of Needs Satisfaction (PENS), two specific gamification design principles, (1) aligning gamification awards with specific performance expectations and (2) weighing gamification awards based on task challenging levels, were applied in online discussion forums of a graduate level online course. Data on student activities in online discussion were collected from the baseline (non-gamified) version of the course and the gamified version. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to examine how students interacted with each other in the gamified environment compared to non-gamified environment. Results suggested that the gamification design features promoted knowledge-building in online discussions, encouraged more decentralized and diverse interactions among students, and motivated a higher level engagement in student facilitators. Implications for further research and practices were also discussed.

Factors associated with students’ attitude change in online peer assessment – a mixed methods study in a graduate-level course

Positive student attitude towards peer assessment can be demonstrated through high-quality peer assessment activities. Research findings on students’ attitudes before and after such activities were mixed. This study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach to investigate the underlying factors influencing students’ attitude change. Participants were students enrolled in an online graduate-level assessment course in the college of education in a university in the southeast United States in the fall of 2017 (N = 31). Surveys and interviews were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data separately, both of which indicated that perceived accurate and specific feedback tended to help students shift to more positive attitudes towards online peer assessment. In addition, final task score improvement after the activity was correlated with positive attitude change. Qualitative results also identified other factors, such as communication with the peers’ work and logistic concerns. The current study offers insights for researchers and instructors to promote positive attitude changes in online peer assessment activities.

Aesthetic Experience and Global Competence: a museum-inspired online course

This article presents Aesthetic Experience and Global Competence, a graduate-level online course for educators in all areas, whose development was rooted in art museum education practices. The article includes details on the course, which was built around a series of group inquiries into works of art and literature related to a broad topic: “movement and displacement.” Following these inquiries, students explored their own experiences of movement and displacement through the creation of a digital photomontage and a piece of creative writing. By the end of the course, students came to understand the significance of art experiences to global competence around six interrelated themes: (a) Feeling others’ experience, sharing humanity, (b) gaining fluency in and valuing different ways of knowing, (c) considering multiple perspectives, (d) nurturing self-awareness about one’s situation, (e) dwelling in ambiguity, and (f) motivation to continue to learn about global issues and different ways of life. The implications of students’ responses to art museum education are discussed.

Design and investigation of cooperative, scaffolded wiki learning activities in an online graduate-level course

Informed by the literature on community of inquiry, wikis in education, and scaffolding in technology-supported learning environments, this study reports the design, implementation, and investigation of wiki-supported cooperative learning activities in an online graduate-level theories class. The investigation of emerging research questions revealed students’ participation patterns in the wiki learning activities, the relationship between their participation and course performance, and the students’ experiences with the scaffolding strategies designed to support their cooperative activities. The study offers implications for designing and scaffolding wiki-based cooperative learning.

ASSESSING TEACHING PRESENCE IN A COMPUTER CONFERENCING CONTEXT

This paper presents a tool developed for the purpose of assessing teaching presence in online courses that make use of computer conferencing, and preliminary results from the use of this tool. The method of analysis is based on Garrison, Anderson, and Archer’s model of critical thinking and practical inquiry in a computer conferencing context. The concept of teaching presence is constitutively defined as having three categories – design and organization, facilitating discourse, and direct instruction. Indicators that we search for in the computer conference transcripts identify each category. Pilot testing of the instrument reveals interesting differences in the extent and type of teaching presence found in different graduate level online courses.

CORRELATIONAL ANALYSIS OF STUDENT VISIBILITY AND PERFORMANCE IN ONLINE LEARNING

This study examines the relationship between student visibility and learning outcomes in a graduate-level online course. Visibility in this study refers to students’ cognitive, social, and emotive presence [1, 2] in various communication settings, such as posts on the discussion board, contributions in live chats, email messages, online profiles, and inputs via any other means of communication. A visibility score is determined for each student, and the Spearman r correlational tests are used to detect any significant correlation between visibility and learning outcomes (grades). In addition, two surveys were distributed to the students at the end of the course: (a) Survey on Self-Perception on Learning Experiences provides a context for understanding student performance; and (b) Survey on Useful Aspects of Socializing Online asks students to rank the importance of eight types of online activities, such as sharing information, solving problems, and making friends. Both surveys probe into students’ perceptions and social context, which often have great impact on students’ online presence.

Predictors for students’ self-efficacy in online collaborative groupwork

This study examines factors related to student self-efficacy beliefs in on-line groupwork. Participants in this study were 204 graduate students taking an online graduate-level course from a public university in the Southeast United States of America. Two-level hierarchical linear models were used to examine predictors of the students’ self-efficacy. Three student-level variables were found to be related to groupwork self-efficacy: individual’s willingness to handle groupwork challenge, trust relationship, and leadership influence. At the group level, the group’s willingness to handle groupwork challenge was positively related to individual student’s groupwork self-efficacy. Discussions of the findings suggest that leadership is important for groupwork. Instructors of online courses are recommended to design high-quality group projects that are purposeful, meaningful, challenging, and engaging. Communications between group members are also recommended to build trust. Implications of the findings to online learning and instruction as well as directions for future research are presented.

Scaffolding Argumentation in Asynchronous Online Discussion

Despite its wide usage and pedagogical benefits, asynchronous online discussion in higher education courses does not necessarily lead to students' knowledge-constructing discourse and reflective learning. Integrating argumentation into online discussion can facilitate meaningful learning. In this article, the authors present a framework of Scaffolded Online Dialogic Argumentation (SODA) that they created for designing an asynchronous online discussion. Based on the design framework, the authors developed and implemented an argumentation activity in a graduate-level online course. They then examined participants' perceptions of the pedagogical components of SODA using a qualitative inquiry approach. Findings indicate that students perceive a positive influence of the scaffolded argumentation activity on their learning engagement in online discussion. Implications include suggestions for researchers and practitioners in refining and using SODA for future research and discussion activity design.

Adapting the TPACK Framework for Online Teaching Within Higher Education

There are ongoing obstacles in accurately assessing and effectively applying TPACK within online higher education contexts. In this study, we adapt the original TPACK constructs for application within online higher education, and share the results of a case study using this adapted analytical framework. This qualitative case study investigates and describes one experienced instructor's practice within a graduate-level online course. The instructor enacted a high-level of TPACK proficiency through combining content, pedagogy, and technology as well as masterfully using these knowledges within her online teaching practices. This research demonstrates one way the TPACK framework can be used as an analytical tool by researchers to investigate instructors' online teaching practices. In addition, the modified TPACK descriptions and evaluation criteria can be used to better assess TPACK and further support higher education faculty's online pedagogy development.

Student Actions and Community in Online Courses: The Roles Played By Course Length and Facilitation Method

Fostering a strong sense of community among students within online courses is essential to supporting their learning experience. However, there is little consensus about how different facilitation methods influence students’ sense of community or behaviours. This lack of understanding means instructors do not have the information they need to select an appropriate facilitation method when teaching online. This challenge is further complicated by a poor sense of how community building is influenced by the length of an online course. To better understand the relationship between these factors, we explored students’ sense of community across four graduate-level online courses. Two of these courses employed an instructor-led form of facilitation and two employed a peer-led form of facilitation. For each facilitation method, one course lasted an entire term (12 weeks) and the other lasted half a term (6 weeks). This two-by-two between-subjects design enabled the study of both variables and possible interaction effects. The findings revealed students in instructor-facilitated courses experienced a stronger sense of community. Longer courses were also associated with a stronger sense of community, although the relationship was weaker than that of facilitation. No interaction effects were detected between facilitation method and course length. Follow-up analyses examined the relationship between facilitation style, course length, and a set of twelve student behaviors (e.g., note writing, note reading, and replying). The results revealed that both facilitation style and course length were associated with differences in the length of students’ notes, the grade level of their text, and the frequency of their replies. Collectively, these findings offer evidence that both facilitation style and course length are related to students’ sense of community and the behaviors they exhibit online.

Mentoring relationships in online classes

The current study utilized a three-point lagged design to examine the role of mentors during the beginning, middle, and end of undergraduate and graduate-level online courses. Using self-determination theory as a theoretical framework, findings from 358 students show that peer mentor satisfaction at the beginning of the course predicted relatedness mid-way through the semester. Relatedness predicted two facets of online classroom communities, connectedness and learning, at the end of the semester. Learning, in turn, predicted final course grades. Relatedness mediated the relationship between mentor satisfaction and connectedness. The overall pattern of results indicates that mentoring relationships may help students succeed in online classes by meeting core psychological needs. Strategies for incorporating mentoring relationships into online courses are discussed.

Preliminary Findings From Research Evaluation of an Online Graduate Level Course on Sexual Health and Sexuality Education

Preliminary Findings From Research Evaluation of an Online Graduate Level Course on Sexual Health and Sexuality Education

Using Google Tools for Online Coursework: Student Perceptions

Traditional, institutionally supported learning management systems (LMSs) provide many features and benefits; however, most LMSs do not provide tools and features that are comparable with emerging learning technologies. In addition, since many LMS products require expensive licensing agreements or support teams, these tools are not necessarily the best models for users who may wish to implement their own online learning initiatives. In this paper, an evaluation of the use of Google Sites and Google+ in place of several LMS components for an online graduate-level course will be reported. Data were gathered from students over multiple offerings of a course that utilized Google tools for information presentation and discussion. Participants provided personal perceptions and reactions to using the Google platform, in general, as well as feedback and comparative opinions between the Google platform and previous experiences using the institutionally supported LMS.

Increasing Social Presence in Online Learning through Small Group Discussions

Social presence is a difficult to achieve, but an imperative component of online learning. In this study, we investigated the effect of group size on students' perceptions of social presence in two graduate-level online courses, comparing small group versus whole class discussions. Our results indicated that when in small group discussions, students perceived a higher level of social presence in terms of sociability, t(32) = 3.507, p = .001; social space, t(29) = 3.074, p = .005; and group cohesion, t(32) = 3.550, p = .001. We discuss how placing students in small and permanent discussion groups can augment social presence. Designers and educators of online learning can strategically modify group size to promote social presence in asynchronous online discussions.

UDL in Online College Coursework: Insights of Infusion and Educator Preparedness

Teacher education programs are increasing the use of online courses to train and prepare teachers. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework is one strategy used to effectively train and prepare special education teachers in the online learning environment. The purpose of this study was to examine participants’ perception of UDL in online graduate-level courses and their preparation after completing the online courses using UDL. Mean ratings are reported for course alignment with UDL principles as are teacher preparation ratings. Participants reported that they perceived the online courses to be aligned with the UDL principles and that their learning and preparation was positively impacted. The results contribute to the application of these findings to online coursework and teacher preparation. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Effects of four CSCL strategies for enhancing online discussion forums: Social interdependence, summarizing, scripts, and synchronicity

In computer-supported cooperative learning (CSCL), optimizing outcomes requires specific strategies to structure and support peer interaction. This study examines four CSCL strategies thought to enhance students’ cooperative perceptions in online discussion forums: social interdependence, summarizing, scripts, and synchronicity. Using an experimental-control design, 617 nursing students were randomly assigned to conditions in a semester-length online graduate-level course. As expected, summarizing and scripts had additive effects on motivation (academic efficacy, value), peer relations (epistemic conflict regulation), and academic achievement. Unexpectedly, students working alone had higher achievement scores than students in asynchronous cooperative conditions, at least in the short-term. Results were inconclusive as to whether students’ cooperative perceptions or other unmeasured factors underlied these findings. Results inform theory by demonstrating further evidence that asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) represents a boundary condition for social interdependence. Results also inform practice by showing that summarizing and scripts have additive effects on motivation, peer relations, and achievement.

Influence of group configuration on online discourse reading

Online discourse reading plays a very important role in collaborative discussions. However, not many studies have examined the influence of group configuration on online discourse note reading. The current study examined note reading workloads and participants' perceptions of the three group configurations (large whole class, small whole class, large with subgroups) in online graduate-level courses from one institute. In this mixed-methods study, we analyzed tracking logs from 25 graduate-level online courses (25 instructors and 341 students) and interviews from 10 instructors and 12 graduate students with diverse backgrounds. Findings suggest that all three configurations had their own advantages and disadvantages in fostering online discourse reading. However, our analysis suggests that the advantages of subgroup discussions in supporting note reading outweigh those of the Small and Large configurations. The overload effects in information reading due to large class sizes can be minimized by dividing students into small groups for discussion purposes. Group configuration into proper-size groups may reduce students' reading loads. Interviewees felt that the waving of small groups into large classes benefited their collaborative discussions. We conclude this paper with a list of pedagogical recommendations and new software features that may help group configuration and enhance learning in online courses. This study may have implications for both practitioners and researchers to seek optimal group configurations to achieve more fruitful online discussions through note reading.

Dialogic understanding of teachers' online transformative learning: A qualitative case study of teacher discussions in a graduate-level online course

Teachers are expected to implement new educational technologies and adapt to new teaching environments. However, it involves a complex learning process that can lead to their perspective transformation. We have developed and taught a discussion-based online course to facilitate teachers' transformative learning. This qualitative case study examines teachers' perspective transformation in our course to understand the nature of effective online teacher-to-teacher discussions. Based on a theoretical framework that integrates Mezirow's transformative learning model and Bakhtin's dialogism, this paper builds on previous literature on teacher-to-teacher discussions as well as providing a fresh perspective to inform the current globalized teacher education context.

Blending online asynchronous and synchronous learning

<p>In this article I will share a qualitative self-study about a 15-week blended 100% online graduate level course facilitated through synchronous meetings on Blackboard Collaborate and asynchronous discussions on Blackboard. I taught the course at the University of Tennessee (UT) during the spring 2012 semester and the course topic was online learning environments. The primary research question of this study was: How can the designer/instructor optimize learning experiences for students who are studying about online learning environments in a blended online course relying on both synchronous and asynchronous technologies? I relied on student reflections of course activities during the beginning, middle, and the end of the semester as the primary data source to obtain their insights regarding course experiences. Through the experiences involved in designing and teaching the course and engaging in this study I found that there is room in the instructional technology research community to address strategies for facilitating online synchronous learning that complement asynchronous learning. Synchronous online whole class meetings and well-structured small group meetings can help students feel a stronger sense of connection to their peers and instructor and stay engaged with course activities. In order to provide meaningful learning spaces in synchronous learning environments, the instructor/designer needs to balance the tension between embracing the flexibility that the online space affords to users and designing deliberate structures that will help them take advantage of the flexible space.</p>

An Analysis of Online Courses in Research Ethics in the Fogarty-Sponsored Bioethics Training Programs

Several training programs sponsored by the NIH/Fogarty International Center's International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development Program offer online graduate-level courses in research ethics to participants in lowand middle-income countries. This paper describes the evaluation of four of these online courses and recommendations for improvements to achieve the highest-quality design and delivery. We used an evaluation matrix consisting of 95 criteria based on recommended best practices in eLearning. Our results showed that these courses are developing or meeting nearly 73% of the criteria, while they are not meeting approximately 21% of the criteria. Together, one or more of the courses are developing or meeting 89 of the 95 criteria. These results suggest that the necessary skills and expertise exist in these programs to bring all of the eLearning courses close to 100% proficiency by sharing a common set of best practices. This paper is part of a collection of articles analyzing the Fogarty International Center's International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development Program.