This article describes a design-based research in an undergraduate measurement and evaluation course. The study employed web-based multistoryline case studies grounded on Spiro's cognitive flexibility theory to improve students' comprehension of concepts and knowledge. The findings of this research reveal that students demonstrated positive…

Suggests research issues of motivation in Web-based instruction (WBI). Discusses motivational issues of WBI. Proposes a definition of motivation in WBI (based on Keller's ARCS Model). Conceptualizes three types of motivation (motivation to initiate, motivation to persist, motivation to continue), with motivational problems related to each.…

Adventure learning (AL) is a hybrid distance education approach that provides students with opportunities to explore real-world issues through authentic learning experiences within collaborative learning environments. Within hybrid environments, designers habitually attempt to replicate traditional classroom pedagogy resulting in experiences that…

Discusses the software review process recently completed at the University of Kansas that resulted in the adoption of an integrated Web course development package. Highlights include stakeholders represented on the evaluation team; establishing review criteria; identifying and evaluating software; demonstrations; and recommendations. (Author/LRW)

Despite the continued growth of Web-based courses, and the great promise of anytime, any place learning, it appears that Web-based instruction fails to produce the sense of "social connectedness" often highly valued in face-to-face instruction. The purpose of this study was to identify problems instructors face that impede social connectedness…

Discusses virtual universities and the design of Web courses. Topics include current traditional college courses; computer assisted instruction; reconsidering education; why professors teach; what they teach; what students expect; how employers view graduates; certification; why knowledge is overrated; goal-based course design; and conceptual…

Discussion of distance education versus traditional instruction focuses on courses being converted at the Naval War College to Web-based courses. Explains equivalency theory, which aligns the learning experiences of online learners with those of on-site learners so that either scenario should yield the same outcomes. (LRW)

This purpose of this study was to assist an instructor in facilitating an online course while the class was being offered, and to provide timely interventions for improving the course during the semester. Instructional interventions were suggested and an overall evaluation was conducted. The approach, findings, and recommendations have…

This study was designed to identify the factors that influence students to print online course information, to ascertain whether these printing activities are related to a reduction in various barriers, and to determine if these activities influence students' satisfaction with learning. Implications for the design and development of Web-based…

This action research case study examines evidence of deeper learning principles as purposefully designed and evidenced in an online course and corroborated by the Distance Education Learning Environments Survey instrument. Findings indicate that even when deeper learning principles are used to design learning activities, other factors interact…

Discusses benefits of online distance learning and considers some of the barriers that need to be addressed for successful implementation. Topics include quality compared to traditional face-to-face methods; academic workloads; self-pacing issues; the lecturer's role; lack of standards; security concerns; and the need for strategic planning. (LRW)

Presents results of a systematic effort to collect student feedback on a Web-based distance education course offered by a major university. Findings show some students experienced what Hara and Kling (2000) call distance education student "distress" and, while they found the course to be a satisfactory educational experience overall, students were…

Six research questions were posed regarding the process of developing a Web-based lesson to examine efficiency (time and effort), effectiveness (inclusion of specific instructional components and functionality of specific technical components), and appeal (anxiety, confidence, liking, usefulness and intended future use) of two Web-based lesson…

High demands on learners in Web-based learning environments and constraints of the human cognitive system cause disorientation and cognitive overload. These problems could be inhibited if appropriate cognitive tools are provided to support learners' cognitive processes. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors influencing the use of…

Distance education has been at the forefront of forging unique partnerships to facilitate learning. The purpose of this case study was to describe a business-education collaboration between General Nutrition Corporation, Inc. and the University of Florida, involving a series of online courses in introductory nutrition. Utilizing a competency-based…