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Archive for the ‘Research’ Category

Web application for recording learners’ mouse trajectories and retrieving their study logs for data analysis

Abstract With the accelerated implementation of e-learning systems in educational institutions, it has become possible to record learners’ study logs in recent years. It must be admitted that little research has been conducted upon the analysis of the study logs that are obtained. In addition, there is no software that traces the mouse movements of […]

Underscoring the Social Nature of Classrooms by Examining the Amount of Virtual Talk across Online and Blended College Courses

Abstract Online communication forums allow students to collaborate and construct understandings of course material together, but little is known about students’ discussion participation across online and blended (hybrid) classroom environments. This study begins to address this research gap by examining students’ asynchronous discussions (number and length of “initial” and “subsequent” discussion posts) that took place […]

Distance Education Enrollment is Associated with Greater Academic Progress Among First Generation Low-Income Undergraduate Students in the US in 2008

Abstract First Generation undergraduate students from low-income households (FGLI students) continue to have substantially higher dropout rates than non first generation students or students from more affluent households despite numerous efforts over many decades to improve graduation rates among this group of students. The purpose of this research is to determine whether FGLI students in […]

Implementation of a One-to-One iPod Touch Program in a Middle School

Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate the implementation of a whole school one-to-one iPod Touch project in a middle school in the southeastern United States. While some focused studies have been undertaken in this new field of learning, there has been little research to date that documents activity within a whole school […]

Theory to Practice: Implementation and Initial Impact of an Online Doctoral Program

Abstract This article describes successes and challenges of the first implementation of an online Ed.D. program that impacted students’ professional growth and practice. Based on an analysis of student survey comments, student interviews, and faculty interviews at the end of the first year, program improvements were made for future cohorts. Lessons learned and best practices […]

Moving to their own beat: Exploring how students use web 2.0 technologies to support group work outside of class time

Over the years, researchers have consistently reported that, regardless of the subject matter, students working in small groups tend to learn more of what is taught and retain it longer than when the same content is presented in other instructional formats (Beckman, 1990; Chickering & Gamson, 1991). The majority of these research studies have focused […]

Open access theses in institutional repositories: an exploratory study of the perceptions of doctoral students

Introduction. We examine doctoral students’ awareness of and attitudes to open access forms of publication. Levels of awareness of open access and the concept of institutional repositories, publishing behaviour and perceptions of benefits and risks of open access publishing were explored. Method. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through interviews with eight doctoral students enrolled […]

The iPortfolio: Measuring uptake and effective use of an institutional electronic portfolio in higher education

An institutional electronic portfolio called the iPortfolio had over 17,000 subscribers one year after its introduction at an Australian university. This paper reports on a study to determine how students use these iPortfolio accounts, and factors leading to uptake and effective use. Self-assessed competence with technology skills, factors motivating uptake, and barriers to adoption were […]

Assessment is a Many Splendoured Thing: Fostering Online Community and Lifelong Learning

This paper presents the design and application of a major individual assessment task created in part to develop students’ capacity for lifelong assessment, a key element of lifelong learning. Additionally the task contributes to fostering a sense of community in asynchronous online learning environments. The task is a supra disciplinary report, recently trialled and now […]

Collaborative Writing Among Second Language Learners In Academic Web-Based Projects

Abstract This study investigates Web-based, project oriented, many-to-many collaborative writing for academic purposes. Thirty-eight Fulbright scholars in an orientation program at a large Midwestern university used a Web-based word processing tool to collaboratively plan and report on a research project. The purpose of this study is to explore and understand the changing nature of collaborative […]