Online Degree Programs Research Articles

Five Expectations Students Should Have of an Online Instructor

In recent years, online degree programs have become a widely accepted modality for many learners who are seeking a college degree. Online learning is a great choice for a student who is a self-motivated, and who are independent learners. This article will share five of the best tips to help your online students succeed.

Grade Validity Of Online Quantitative Courses

Are prospective employers getting “quality” educated degreed applicants and are academic institutions that offer online degree programs ensuring the quality control of the courses/programs offered? The issue specifically addressed in this paper is not with all institutions offering degrees through online programs or even with all online courses. The concern is with those online courses where the means to ensure the validity of course grades is not guaranteed by measures of technology or academic rigor employed. More specifically, the practical measures to reduce or eliminate doubts about a student’s acquired knowledge in quantitative online courses need evaluation and thought to arrive at a more circumspect solution. Is the grade earned truly indicative of a student’s competency and level of acquired knowledge and understanding in an online quantitative course or merely an indication that the student somehow just satisfied proscribed evaluative criteria set by the faculty member without adequate measures of assessment?

Is this what I signed up for? MBA and undergraduate business student perspectives of online courses

Differences between student perspectives of online courses depending on their level of education (graduate vs. undergraduate) and original choice of educational mode (whether students have enrolled in a complete online degree program or in an on-campus program) were investigated. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in surveying students. Results indicated differences in student perspectives on the effectiveness of the education obtained online, the amount of student interaction, and the amount of time required for online vs. on-campus courses. The one constant between all three groups was the high amount of perceived flexibility that online courses provide.

Designing Formative e-Assessments to Prepare Studentsfor the Summative Assessment in Massive Online Courses

 Abstract—Massive Online Courses (MOC) usually contains learners of several thousands and they create new challenges in teaching and learning environments that must be addressed using ICT enabled interactive tools. Such courses represent a learning community rather than a group, with various types of learners with varying knowledge and skill levels. Learners' main objective is to obtain a certification by following learning activities and they could be hardly got individual attention from facilitators. However, the certification depends on the final summative assessment in the course. To obtain effective results, learning and assessment have to be carried out together but it could create unmanageable workload for facilitators. Hence, they need to use automated tools to assess the students and to provide effective feedback to prepare learners for final examination. Facilities available in a virtual learning management system could be used to design such formative assessments which will prepare learners to face the challenges of summative assessment. In this paper, we are presenting our experience of developing formative e-Assessments in Moodle based Virtual Learning Environment for an external online degree programme. The paper presents the challenges and practical issues together with our design of formative e-Assessments. This design approach helps to improve the learners' performance as well as to maintain the sustainability of Massive Online Courses.

Spiritual Formation in Online Higher Education Communities: Nurturing Spirituality in Christian Higher Education Online Degree Programs

Spiritual formation is one of the recognized benchmarks of higher education that is Christian. A communal commitment to spiritual formation is indeed part of the Christian higher education community's DNA, and is in fact reflected in the criteria for accreditation in both the Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) and the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). However, as many Christian institutions of higher education begin to engage in online instruction, even offering entire degree programs online, how can they affirm their campus's commitment to the spiritual formation of students? This article addresses the question of providing intentional Christian nurture toward spiritual formation in online degree programs. The aim of the article is to inform participants of the challenges and opportunities for student spiritual formation in online degree programs so as to better equip participants to develop Christian nurture initiatives for online students from an informed perspective. To do so the article includes two parts: (a) the development of a theoretical matrix for online spiritual formation, based principally on precedent literature and the experience of the two authors; and (b) a survey of actual Christian nurture and spiritual formation models specifically designed for online programs.

A Comprehensive Plan for Library Support of Online and Extended Education

ABSTRACT Acknowledging Arizona State University's (ASU) long-term goal of 100,000 students in online degree programs and recognizing the 8 new 100% online undergraduate programs slated to come online in 2010, ASU Libraries is planning for the continued integration and relevance of the library to online students and programs. During the summer and fall of 2009, the ASU Libraries Task Force for Online and Extended Education met to develop the elements of a Comprehensive Plan for Library Support of Online Programs. The plan includes: (1) guiding principles for library support of online and extended education; (2) a needs assessment and environmental scan; and (3) a sustainable and scalable plan for library support of the online programs. This article discusses the process of developing the comprehensive plan.

Experience in Initiating a Local Language Course for Online Learning - Bachelor of Business Management (BBM) Degree Programme, (Tamil Medium) University of Jaffna.

The purpose of this study is to reflect on my personal experiences and challenges in the initiation of the local language online degree programme in Jaffna University. These are discussed under the headings of Infrastructure facilities, Development of Courses, communication with students, Tamil fonts in Unicode, Political factors, and Administrative problems. The problems and challenges expected by the Coordinator, SMEs, Reviewers, Administrative staff and Students are analysed to find out the conclusion. Primary and secondary data are used to survey the research and the results are presented as suggestions from the challenges and problems in the local language course. It is concluded that the experiences and challenges lead to pre-planned activities which can solve the problems expected in future.

Profiles in self-regulated learning in the online learning environment

Individuals who are self-regulated in their learning appear to achieve more positive academic outcomes than individuals who do not exhibit self-regulated learning behaviors. We suggest that distinct profiles of self-regulated learning behaviors exist across learners. In turn, these profiles appear to be associated with significantly different academic outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether profiles for self-regulated learning skills and strategies exist among learners. To achieve this purpose, we conducted two studies using two different samples. We administered the Online Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire (OLSQ), a 24-item scale with a 5-point Likert-type response format, to students enrolled in online degree programs at a large, public university located in the Southwestern United States. The OSLQ consists of six subscale constructs, including environment structuring, goal setting, time management, help seeking, task strategies, and self-evaluation. Latent class analyses were performed with participant subscale scores from the OSLQ.
 
 Our results indicate the presence of five, distinct profiles of self-regulated learning replicated across both study samples: super self-regulators, competent self-regulators, forethought-endorsing self-regulators, performance/reflection self-regulators, and non- or minimal self-regulators. Results also indicate that individuals differ significantly in their academic achievement according to their profile membership; for example, minimal and disorganized profiles of self-regulated learning are both associated with similar, poorer academic outcomes (e.g., lower GPAs). These profiles in self-regulated learning may be viewed as contributing to the development of theory by elucidating how exactly individuals are and are not self-regulated in their learning. The authors suggest future research directions.

An Interview With Anthony J. Cernera, President of Sacred Heart University

Dr. Anthony J. Cernera has been the president of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, since 1988. Beginning in 1997, the university started to add online degree programs and coursesmore than a dozen in all, including a doctorate in physical therapy and one in nursing practice, set to launch this fall. Enrollment has more than doubled. eLearn Magazine interviewed Cernera, who is also president of the International Federation of Catholic Universities, about how and why SHU has committed to online students.

Back to College: Online and On-Campus Degree Programs for Adults

Back to College: Online and On-Campus Degree Programs for Adults

E-Mentoring Possibilities for Online Doctoral Students: A Literature Review

A growing number of adult learners invest time, energy, and financial resources in completing online doctoral degrees. Several factors, other than the program itself, influence a person's decision to pursue a degree online. Many also choose online learning because they are faced with challenges often typical for adult learners that prohibit them from attending a land-based college campus regularly. A few of these challenges include full-time work (the need to work, and, perhaps, to work shifts or multiple jobs), socioeconomic status, family obligations, physical challenges, and residence in remote geographic locations (Lorenzetti, 2005; Allen & Seaman, 2006; Truluck, 2007). Some research suggests that students may also select online learning after feeling they have experienced racially discriminatory treatment in the land-based classroom (Nance, 2004). The choice to complete an online degree, perhaps for some of the reasons stated, may be evident in rising enrollment and graduation figures for women and people of color in online doctoral education. Recognizing the need for advanced credentials, many private institutions offering online degrees have positioned themselves to meet the educational demands of this growing and diverse population. For example, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education lists Walden Virtual University, which boasts a 30% persons of color population (Nance, 2004), as seventh in the nation for awarding business doctorates to African Americans and in the top 20 for awarding doctorates in psychology to Hispanics (Tosto, 2006). Forty-five percent of Capella students are enrolled in doctoral programs with approximately 66% of that portion comprised of women and 39% people of color (Capella.edu, 2007). Castro (2007) writes, Clearly an online university degree program is a great way to improve your chances of success in your career, but for many minorities, an online degree program is a stepping stone to a better life (para. 5). Among this rising population, several of these online doctoral students expect a sound return on educational investment in the form of a career in higher education. However, studies by Adams and DeFleur (2005), Flowers and Baltzer (2006), Guendoo (2007), and Columbaro (2008) have found that many college and university search committees harbor significant concerns when considering online doctoral degree recipients for academic employment. Throughout these studies, academic employers attributed much of their skepticism to a perceived lack of sufficient faculty-student mentoring in online doctoral programs (Adams & DeFleur, 2005; Columbaro, 2008; Flowers & Baltzer, 2006; Guendoo, 2007). These concerns are reflected in participant comments. One study participant stated, believe mentoring is critical to developing research skills and I am skeptical that adequate mentoring can occur at a 'virtual university' (Adams & DeFleur, 2005, p. 81). This reticence was echoed in a later study: am aware there is potential for several people to pursue an online doctoral program. How will this on-line program prepare the graduates for the professorship without mentorship? (Flowers & Baltzer, 2006, p. 52). As research suggests, academic employers value a candidate's mentoring experiences, while many online doctoral degree students value the convenience of completing their programs from a distance. This article explores the possibilities of e-mentoring for doctoral students completing online programs. Problem Statement and Purpose Research suggests that public perception regarding lack of mentoring opportunities in online doctoral degree programs may create barriers for their graduates' ability to obtain academic employment (Adams & DeFleur, 2005; Columbaro, 2008; Flowers & Baltzer, 2006; Guendoo, 2007). However, there is little research regarding how effective any pre-existing e-mentoring programs are and how well they prepare online doctoral students (particularly women and people of color) for faculty employment. …

Ethics in eLearning

We tend to think of net business in terms of commercial companies—the production and exchange of goods, but education is also a growing net enterprise. In the United States, for instance, online education or distance learning is the fastest growing sector of the higher education industry. All of the ethical dilemmas that net businesses must face are also faced by online educational programs with one major addition—the quality of the learning outcomes. There is currently a dearth of research on the quality of learning outcomes in web-based education and this represents a significant challenge for educational institutions. Introduction We tend to think of net business in terms of commercial companies—the production and exchange of goods over the Internet, but education is also a growing net enterprise. In the United States, for instance, online education or eLearning is the fastest growing sector of the higher education industry. All of the ethical dilemmas that net businesses must face are also faced by online educational programs with at least two major additions: First, the eLearning provider is faced with a host of moral challenges related to the quality of the learning outcomes; and second, the eLearning consumer faces a variety of moral challenges related to engaging in the learning process. Two examples will help to frame these two constellations of ethical issues that are relatively unique to the eLearning enterprise: The first example comes from an e-mail message received some months ago from one of the larger for-profit organizations offering on-line degree programs. The e- mail was dynamic, colorful and carried this banner headline: You may already have a degree and not know it. Without belaboring the point, the obvious question that arises from this message is, How much genuine learning takes place in the process of earning a degree that you did not know you have? This example highlights a broad variety of moral issues related to the quality of eLearning offerings and the effectiveness of eLearning outcomes. Another example focuses on moral issues for the eLearning consumer: The most recent National Survey of Student Engagement indicates that as high as 59% of U.S. students involved in eLearning programs admit to some sort of academic fraud either very (27%) or often (32%) (NSSE, 2007). This is the primary concern of faculty teaching at a distance—that the eLearning student doing the work is indeed the student enrolled and that the student is not misrepresenting his or her work. Admittedly, today's college students have been raised in an era of decline in public

Undergraduate Student Socialization and Learning in an Online Professional Curriculum

Using data collected from a qualitative case study of an online baccalaureate nursing program, we examined the influence of online degree programs on undergraduate student socialization and learning. We considered how components of socialization—knowledge acquisition, investment, and involvement—are influenced by the online context. The findings suggest the importance of considering non-academic influences in regards to nontraditional student experiences. The theoretical intersection of online learning and undergraduate student development offers new and significant areas of research, specifically related to the pedagogical role of faculty and the impact of social engagement. Implications for future research and practice are offered.

The Genesis and Evolution of Online Degree Programs: Who Are They For and What Have We Lost Along The Way?

Across the nation, colleges and universities are adopting the Internet as the new medium for instruction at an increasing rate. As a result of this growing trend, more and more students are getting their education away from the traditional classroom setting. This shift in instruction has called into question whether students who take online courses and programs are getting the same caliber of education as their face-to-face counterparts, or if they are missing out on important variables that will help them succeed. This article begins with a definition of online education and traces its origins in distance education. Next, the institutions who offer online education and students who take these courses are identified. The paper concludes with a discussion of why administrators, educators, and students should be cautioned when using online technologies to replace traditional classroom instruction.

Adult Learner Participation in an Online Degree Program: A program‐level study of voluntary computer‐mediated communication

Several studies examining computer‐mediated communications (CMC) in online courses have found low levels of participation under both voluntary (ungraded) and mandatory (graded) conditions. This is troubling since student participation is widely considered to have a positive impact on performance. Program‐level data were analyzed to explore the relationship between three factors—(1) experience with previous online courses, (2) the course itself, and (3) the instructor—and subsequent participation. All three factors separately impacted participation levels in this voluntary CMC setting. Based on the findings, the authors recommend that researchers using CMC participation level as a study variable consider controlling for three global factors: previous online course experience, course, and instructor. Finally, the relationship between participation level and subsequent performance is tested, and the potential benefits of conducting future CMC research in voluntary discussion settings and with program‐level data are discussed.

When it comes to E-learning

E-learning is fast becoming a major learning and skills delivery method within larger companies as a staff development tool. Survey shows that among American colleges and universities in 2002, 11% of students took an online course, 97 % of public institutions offered at least one online or blended course, 49% offered an online degree program, and 67% considering e-learning a critical long-term strategy for their institution. The questions about e-learning have become "how", "why" and "with what outcomes.

Marketing Online Degree Programs: How Do Traditional-Residential Programs Compete?

ABSTRACT A total of 150 university Web sites were segregated into one of three groups: accredited residential, regionally accredited online, and nonaccredited online institutions. The promotional imagery, marketing messages and marketing themes found on the landing pages of each university program Web sites were analyzed for similarities and differences. A check sheet containing keywords was developed and as each Web page was analyzed, the results were recorded individually by two researchers. Intercoder reliability was confirmed with a Holsti correlation coefficient of 88%. At-test was used to assess variations of keywords across each category and a Chi-square was used to assess within group differences. The results show that accredited residential institutions are not leveraging clear advantages in order to differentiate themselves from online accredited and nonaccredited institutions. Benefits and themes featured on Web sites were remarkably similar, focusing on easily copied claims rather than building competitive advantages with emphasis on accreditation, faculty, resources, and quality of education.

Comparing Web-based to Traditional Instruction for Teaching Special Education Content

Web-based instruction (WBI), including both online courses and online degree programs, offer flexibility to students and instructors and are now typical in higher education programs. Researchers compared WBI to traditional instruction for teaching undergraduate students about students with disabilities. Forty-four students participated in this study. Half were enrolled in the Web-based section of the course; half were enrolled in the traditional section. Researchers measured students' achievement and opinions. For pretest and posttest scores, significant differences were found within groups; no significant differences were found between groups. Results indicated that the two groups of students began the course with similar knowledge and completed the course with similar knowledge gains. No significant differences in opinions were found between the two groups. Findings indicated that WBI is effective for disseminating special education course content to preservice teachers.

An Exploration into Facilitating Higher Levels of Learning in a Text-Based Internet Learning Environment Using Diverse Instructional Strategies

The purpose of this action-research study was to explore how well various instructional strategies translate to a text-based Internet learning environment and facilitate higher levels of learning. The participants were 19 adult learners enrolled in an online degree program at a Western Canadian research university. The results of the study provide support for the position that text-based Internet communication technologies can facilitate effective learning environments through the use of certain instructional strategies, resulting in the ability to facilitate higher levels of learning. The outcomes may be useful to those involved in the design and/or instruction of online learning in postsecondary settings.

College on the Internet

Online degree programs are very popular. They offer health care professionals the opportunity to attend class at times convenient to their busy schedules. Online courses are different from traditional classroom courses, so health care professionals need to know what to expect. Managers can be a key resource to staff regarding returning to school and the options available.