This case study explored a university faculty development seminar that prepared instructors to design and teach online courses taking place at a mid-sized liberal Arts & Sciences university in the Southeastern United States. The purpose of this study was to examine how faculty development for online teaching may influence changes in thinking…

HyFlex courses offer multi-layered learning spaces that can create complex interpersonal connections among participants. This study examines the classroom climate in these layered spaces as perceived by students through the lens of small group dynamics. To do so, we administered the Connected Classroom Climate Inventory (CCCI) survey to students…

Curriculum mapping can be used to visualize, align, and assess the ability of online degree program graduates to meet stated learning outcomes (Rawle et al., 2017). Though consensus has yet to be established on standardized outcomes for curriculum in some disciplines (e.g., criminal justice), educators remain in charge of preparing current and…

As the focus on optimizing the learning experience within online courses has sharpened, the features of Learning Management Systems (LMS) have evolved to allow for more multimodal instruction. While these features have become more sophisticated, there is still much to learn about how to best integrate them into the teaching and learning process,…

With an increase in distance faculty, it is important to understand how faculty perceptions of undergraduate research mentorship differ between distance and traditional faculty. Perceptions were examined in a medium sized, not-for-profit university with both residential and distance faculty. Residential faculty were more likely to mentor or were…

State-level departments of education vary in their mechanisms for monitoring online courses and programs. This study reviewed various state models for initial and ongoing evaluation of online courses. Five constructs were identified through this review, and examples from Georgia, Maryland, California, Washington, and Colorado were detailed. The…

Over the past decade, scholars have explored factors that motivate or impede faculty decisions to teach online in the broader context of higher education (Mitchell & Geva-May, 2009; Shea, Pickett, & Li, 2005; Tabata & Johnsrud, 2008; Wright, 2014; Zhen, Garthwait, & Pratt, 2008). However, comparable research in specific, academic…

This case study explored the impact a quality assurance course review had on instructors at University of Wisconsin--La Crosse (UWL). This in-house created rubric is used to conduct formal course reviews of online classes developed by instructors at this medium-sized Midwestern public university. Also included in this case study, are results from…

Why are newly admitted students to online programs not registering in courses in the session for which they applied for admission? Two surveys were completed (January 2019 and May 2019) by students who had accepted an offer of admission into an online program at Laurentian University, but had subsequently not registered for courses for the…

While content and pedagogical knowledge are the foundation of quality instruction, there are a number of administrative, policy, and operational factors that influence instructional behaviors. Understanding the influence (positive or negative) of operational functions on teaching and learning can help inform policies, procedures, and support to…

This phenomenological research was designed to learn and understand the transitioning experience of higher education faculty moving from online instruction to traditional face-to-face instruction. One of the most significant phenomenon occurring in higher education today is distance education. Technology and distance education are on the rise in…

Much research on student engagement has recommended a variety of activities and instructor attitudes and behaviors that effectively engage online students such that they are more likely to persist in achieving their educational goals. This study asked online students how often they engaged in research-based effective activities in their courses…

Protection of academic integrity in online environments can be challenging. Understanding how the technology works and concerns about each of the methods for monitoring online interactions can assist in the selection of the best proctoring tools. Depending on the content, the type of assessment and the comfort level with the technology, a…

This study explored priorities for online instructional behavior in post-traditional programs at Private Christian University (PCU). No prior study had been identified that compared the online instructional priorities among fulltime faculty (n = 73) and online adjunct faculty (n = 69). This study would benefit those who oversee online…

The rise of distance education has created a need to understand students' readiness for online learning and to predict their success. Several survey instruments have been developed to assess this construct of online readiness. However, a review of the extant literature shows that these instruments have varying limitations in capturing all of the…