Despite the benefits online education provides, some faculty still consider online teaching less effective than traditional teaching and are not convinced they want to be involved in distance education (Blin & Munro, 2008; Bolliger & Wasilik, 2009; Chen & Chen, 2006). In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the movement toward online…

This mixed-methods case study examined the predictors of student satisfaction in an online learning environment. With the growth of online education in recent years, there is a desire to have quality programs with high student satisfaction. Through the use of surveys and interviews, the researcher analyzed whether learning styles, age, computer…

This exploratory study examines emotional affordance of a massive open online course (MOOC). Postings in a discussion forum of a MOOC in computer science are analysed following a research design informed by virtual ethnography. Emotional affordance is investigated, focusing on non-achievement emotions which are not directly linked to achievement…

Purpose: Teachers have access to a growing range of online tools to support course delivery, but which ones are valued by students? Expectations and satisfaction are important constructs in the delivery of a service product, and how these constructs operate in a service environment, such as education where the student can also take on the role of…

The 2011 National Online Learners Priorities Report presents the responses to the Noel-Levitz Priorities Survey for Online Learners[TM] (PSOL) of 99,040 students from 108 institutions. The results include online learner responses over a three-year time period, from the fall of 2008 through the spring of 2011. Students enrolled primarily online…

Self-directed e-learning (SDEL) refers to electronic learning environments where there are often no peer learners or instructors regularly available. Past studies suggest that lack of time and lack of motivation are primary causes of learner attrition "in online settings." However, little is known about what influences motivational change during…

While online learning is nothing new, research regarding student perceptions of online courses is limited and has generally focused on those who have taken online courses. Data were collected from 180 students taking criminal justice courses on campus at a large 4-year university in the Southwest and 100 students taking criminal justice courses in…

As education continues to integrate technological advancements into learning and instruction, a resource dedicated to the latest findings and implications becomes necessary. This handbook provides academicians, researchers, and practitioners with a comprehensive view of the historical, conceptual, theoretical, and practical perspectives of…

This study applies a randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of supplemental instruction using two online mathematics curricula--DreamBox and Reasoning Mind. It is an independent evaluation intended to generate unbiased results that will help inform the ongoing development of a charter school network's hybrid instructional model, which…

Online learning provides learners with more convenient and flexible ways of learning than does a traditional learning environment. Many Thai universities have implemented online learning for their students despite a lack of knowledge and understanding about students' attitudes toward and behavioral intention to using the system. The purpose of…

This report investigates enrollment patterns and academic outcomes in online, hybrid, and face-to-face courses among students who enrolled in Washington State community and technical colleges in the fall of 2004. Students were tracked for nearly five years, until the spring of 2009. Results were similar to those found in a parallel study in…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the use of a course management system in relation to faculty characteristics and instructional environments at a rural community college in California. The use of the course management system, Blackboard, was the technology studied. This study used a nonexperimental quantitative ex post facto research…

Now that the readiness of students in Nigeria higher institutions regarding e-learning have been established in a previous work (Awoleye & Siyanbola, 2007) there is also a need for evaluation of teachers' skills vis-a-vis their preparedness towards online teaching. This work therefore measured both technical and attitudinal capacity (Pillay,…

Stress and burnout have emerged as a serious concern for today's higher education instructors. As the growth in distance education continues, the demands on online academics will increase, potentially leading to the burnout. This study examined the correlation between years of online work experience, gender, educational level, academic training,…

Learner analysis and needs assessments are basic elements of all instructional design models and are of concern to those designing distance education courses. This investigation surveyed 249 geographically dispersed online students' computer skills and attitudes toward Internet-delivered instruction. Results were assessed by demographics. Results…