Research indicates that online education is becoming a more prominent platform for higher education. Using a constructivist pedagogical lens, this qualitative phenomenological study was designed to explore students' learning experiences within an online masters program. The study examined the extent to which effective engagement was facilitated by…

In Spring 2020, we began a study focused on the development of inclusive teaching practices in an undergraduate chemistry lecture course for non-STEM students. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing educational disruptions, we changed the design of our study to focus on the learning and teaching experiences of students and instructors.…

Aim/Purpose: This paper investigates the factors contributing to student IT self-leadership in online education using an exploratory study. Specifically, our goal was to understand whether the instructors' transformational IT leadership and the students' personal innovativeness with IT contributed to student IT self-leadership. Background: The…

Given the widespread adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards in the United States, there is a need to study new models of professional development to prepare teachers to enact practice-based visions of science learning and to address problems of access to reach teachers nationwide. While studies of online professional development offer…

The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing online learning given its rapid growth combined with the necessity to reduce attrition in online classes by providing quality instruction. This study was contextualized using the three elements of the community of inquiry (CoI) framework. We surveyed 93 students currently registered in…

California districts were forced to shift to distance learning models in the spring of 2020 and the transition to distance learning for students in the early grades--transitional kindergarten through third grade (TK-3)--has proved difficult for students, parents, and teachers alike. As distance learning persists, administrators and teachers can…

In the Spring of 2020, most educational institutions are rapidly having to convert to online education. Suddenly, instructors are no longer in the same physical space as their students. Separated from their students and colleagues, they are having to adjust their teaching approach rapidly, and are most likely learning as they go. This ubiquitous…

Discussion forums are critically important to the online classroom, as they virtually take the place of a classroom discussion and become a stage on which active learning takes place. Active learning occurs when instructors practice certain techniques in the discussion that are carefully and thoughtfully crafted and guided. The authors propose the…

The main purpose of the present study is to predict the relationship between motivation , anxiety, perceived satisfaction and Second Life within asynchronous learning environment specifically in EFL course. Data of the present study were collected from undergraduate students - Sudan University of Technology and Science (SUST) in Sudan. The…

For learners to actively accept responsibility in a virtual classroom platform, it is necessary to provide special motivation extending across the traditional classroom setting into asynchronous online learning. This article explores specific ways to do this that bridge the gap between ground and online students' learning experiences, and how…

Framed from positioning theory and dynamic systems theory, the paper reports on a naturalistic study involving four Chinese participants and their American peers in an intercultural asynchronous computer-mediated communication (ACMC) activity. Based on the moment-by-moment analysis and triangulation of forum posts, reflective essays, and…

This paper determines which instructional roles and outputs are important in the 21st century from the perspective of students in asynchronous learning environments. This research work uses a literature review, in-depth interviews with experts, and a pilot study with students to define the instructors' outputs. Following this, roles are determined…

Student participation in online discussion forums is associated with positive outcomes for student achievement and satisfaction, but research findings on the impact of class size and instructors' participation on student participation have been mixed. The present study analyzed the frequency of instructor and student posts in asynchronous…

The current study describes the development of a content analysis coding scheme to examine transcripts of online asynchronous discussion groups in higher education. The theoretical framework comprises the theories regarding knowledge construction in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) based on a sociocultural perspective. The coding…

Professional development is a fundamental, if sometimes, overlooked aspect of nurturing high quality adult education. Creating genuine and engaging spaces for such development presents a number of challenges for organisers in any one of Ireland's sixteen Education and Training Board's community education services who work with a tutor body that…