Teaching and learning at a distance is now commonplace, and research, when viewed holistically, clearly demonstrates that learning a distance is generally neither bettor nor worse than learning in other situations. The research also indicates that the application of instructional design procedures is mandatory for effective instruction delivered…

This article reports on findings from a design-based research investigation into the analysis, design, and evaluation of online faculty development in graduate supervision. The design elements determined to be relevant and necessary for the development of this innovative online faculty development experience are described. The process and…

This article provides a systematic literature review about nonprofit and for-profit organizations using "big data" to inform performance improvement initiatives. The review of literature resulted in 4 peer-reviewed articles and an additional 33 studies covering the topic for these contexts. The review found that big data and analytics…

Distance learning is commonplace in higher education, with increasing numbers of students enjoying the flexibility e-learning provides. Keeping students connected with peers and instructors has been a challenge with e-learning, but as technology has advanced, the methods by which educators keep students engaged, synchronously and asynchronously,…

This study examines the general perceptions of Saudi Arabian faculty members and Saudi female students toward e-learning, as well as their perceptions toward potentially replacing the current closed-circuit distance technology in use for female students studying at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with an…

The movement toward greater availability of online education in the university setting creates challenges for design, development, and implementation of online courses, particularly those focused on the educational use of technology as content. This article is structured around a central theme of designing and implementing hybrid online courses…

Focus group interviews with university instructors (tenured, tenure-track, and adjunct) were conducted to explore perceptions of online group work. Results indicated that instructors believe that group work is an essential tool for students' future lives and, therefore, a key component of the online classroom. They believe that professional…

Collaborative learning technologies (tools that are used for facilitating or mediating collaborative learning) have been widely incorporated in distance education as well as broadly adopted in higher education. While a range of collaborative technologies has been incorporated, their implementation has often failed to align with well-established…

For novice and experienced instructors alike, facilitating online discussions can seem like a daunting prospect. Many ask themselves how to do so in an effective and meaningful way that actually adds to the course experience rather than seeming like mere busywork. The MANIC discussion strategy is one that promotes deeper student interaction with…

The purpose of the study was to empirically investigate the institutional approach to distance education, and examine whether the factors of concerns for program cost and faculty participation could statistically predict adoption of technology-mediated distance education (TMDE) among higher-education institutions. It is elusive to base the…

A dual mode institution provides educational courses by both the conventional, on-campus mode and by distance education. This article discusses the challenges encountered during introduction of distance education at the University of Botswana (UB). At the UB, introduction of distance education was piecemeal and left the Distance Education Unit…

The purpose of this study was to determine actions that colleges and universities can take to institutionalize their distance education programs. Thirty factors found to influence the institutionalization of innovations were identified from the literature. These were rated by distance education faculty and leaders as to their importance for…

Managing the design and production of online courses is challenging. Insufficient instructional design and inefficient management often lead to issues such as poor course quality and course delivery delays. In an effort to facilitate, streamline, and improve the overall design and production of online courses, this article discusses how we…

Discusses the rapid growth and expansion of distance education programs and provides a framework for defining, planning for, and achieving useful results from distance education programs today and in the future. Describes the Organizational Elements Model (OEM) that includes planning, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. (Contains…

This article is a descriptive overview of one aspect of the history of Quebec's Tele-universite (TU). This case is used to unveil the inter-organizational and political tensions which may accompany the somewhat difficult development of a distance education model. Teleuniversite was created in 1972 as an experimental project by the Universite du…