The purpose of this study was to determine if differences exist in academic performance (grade point average) in online education programs based on cultural group membership at the undergraduate and graduate levels of post-secondary education. Participants consisted of 1,800 online college students recruited from a large midwestern university with…

This research explored online graduate students' preferences using the Constructivist Internet-Based Learning Environment Survey (CILES) and how everyday learner attributes affected their preferences. The purpose of this study was to identify graduate students' preferences for various types of learning in order to aid designers with aligning…

This study compared graduate student attitudes toward different instructional approaches within online, blended, and face-to-face courses in a public institution of higher learning. The participants completed an online survey questionnaire that was designed by the researcher using 4 learning theories in education: behavioral, cognitive,…

Innovative training approaches in work domains such as professional athletics, aviation, and the military have shown that specific types of practice can reliably lead to higher levels of performance for the average professional. This study describes the development of an initial effort toward creating a similar practice method for psychotherapy…

Asynchronous discussion boards are an important element of online courses in higher education settings. Currently, questions persist about the quality of online interaction and discussions in which students are engaged. In addition, online instructors may not be utilizing instructional strategies that are appropriate for web-based learning…

This qualitative study was designed to investigate the challenges encountered and support systems needed by digital immigrants enrolled in an online master's degree program. Participants were digital immigrants who were born before 1980 and enrolled or recently graduated from an online master's degree program. Survey data and demographic data were…

Developing and maintaining a "completion mindset" is a necessary mental condition for online educational doctorate (EdD) and educational specialist (EdS) students to obtain their advanced degrees. The purpose of this research study was to examine the effect of a neuroeducational intervention on a volunteer convenience sample of EdD and…

This study investigated the effects of social presence on students' perceived learning and satisfaction in online courses. The participants for this study were 81 graduate students enrolled in four special education online courses offered at a major higher education institution located in a Mid-Atlantic state. Two research questions were used to…

Online learning is an important and rapidly growing area, and asynchronous discussions are a vital component of online courses. This doctoral study examined the influence of discussion moderator messages, specifically messages with direct instruction content, had on those discussions. This study obtained data from content analysis of course…

This qualitative study was designed to investigate the stressors and support systems of women enrolled in an online master's degree program in education. Participants were women with multiple personal, career, and family responsibilities. Survey data and demographic data were used to identify women with the highest level of stress who were…

As Walker, Golde, Jones, Bueschel, and Hutchings (2008) state, research is "the sine qua non of the doctorate" (p. 4). Therefore, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to conduct research is a key priority in doctoral education. Blended instruction is a promising, yet so far seldom used model for supporting doctoral students' learning…

This study examined the perceptions of online education held by internal stakeholders (students, faculty and administration) of an online MBA program at a major urban university. Specifically, factors that affect the students' decision to enroll in an online program as well as the variables that affect the faculty decision to teach online courses…

Many people regard the doctorate as the pinnacle of success. Despite the challenges of completing the terminal degree, the dream of earning the doctoral degree remains a goal for many every year. Understanding the phenomenon of African American student enrollment at for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs) is necessary because many African…

The self-directed learning (SDL) in all of its characteristics measured in students and in various learning contexts continues to have a very important role in educational research and requires new explorations. Contemporary research indicates that there is a direct positive relationship between the level of student self-directed learning…