This paper reports on preliminary findings from ongoing design-based research being conducted in the fully online Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership (MTL) program at a small, Midwest public university. Researchers are using the Quality Matters (QM) and Community of Inquiry (CoI) frameworks to guide the iterative redesign of core courses in the…

The purpose of the study was to examine pre-service teachers' sense of community, perception of collaborative learning, and perceived learning. Fifty pre-service teachers from two undergraduate ICT courses which incorporated blogs participated in this study. The data were obtained via three online questionnaires (Collaborative Learning scale,…

The purpose of this study was to examine preservice teachers' perceived benefits of instructional blogs, classroom community, course satisfaction, and learning. The data were obtained via surveys administered throughout Fall 2009. Fifty preservice teachers from two undergraduate courses participated in this study. Results indicate that students…

Mixed or hybrid method has become an increasingly popular course delivery model in recent years, but research regarding the effect of mixed learning is limited because of its recent debut in the landscape of educational technology. This one-year exploratory study looked at 78 elementary teacher candidates' view of learning in four mixed courses…

The use of video in distance education courses has a long tradition, with many colleges and universities having been delivering distance education courses with video since the 80's using the Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) and cable television. With the emergence of the Internet and the increased access bandwidths from private homes…

Universities are increasingly involved in international online classes. While such classes provide unique opportunities for students to engage in learning experiences with students of other countries and other cultures, early research on the efficacy of such courses has shown cultural participation differences. In an effort to measure…

This study provides an example of one institution's efforts to design coursework that meets the simultaneous challenges of supporting the aims of increasing access to online courses and simultaneously better preparing teachers to work in diverse classrooms. Based on online pre- and post-surveys and monthly open-ended writing prompts administered…

At a southern metropolitan university, the researchers examined the students' perceived quality of the learning experience of the online courses as compared to classroom-based learning for graduate education courses. The researchers used Chickering and Gamson's (1987) [Chickering, A. W., & Gamson, Z. F. (1987, March). Seven principles for good…

The purpose of this research was to examine student engagement in totally asynchronous online courses through an empirical analysis of student behavior online and its relationship to persistence and achievement. A total of 13 sections of three undergraduate, general education courses provided the setting for the study. Three hundred fifty-four…

Apart from studying students' interaction in Web-based environments in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), it is essential to recognize the importance of the contextual setting in which learning takes place. This study examines the role of face-to-face encounters as contextual support in an international teacher education course…

Traditionally, campus-based courses rely on student evaluations to provide instructors with feedback about their teaching effectiveness. However, current instructor evaluation instruments do not tap the essential teaching practices recommended for effective on-line teaching. This exploratory study used the Seven Principles of Good Practice of…