scholarly journals Six critical dimensions: A model for widening participation in open, online and blended programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 161-182
Author(s):  
Sarah R Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Qualitative Synthesis ◽  
Critical Dimensions ◽  
Educationally Disadvantaged ◽  
Unexpected Findings

Working from the perspective of open and online learning for widening participation in higher education, this article advances a new conceptual model to guide practitioners and researchers in maximising the enablers and minimising the constraints to foundation level online learning for equity students. The model is adapted from technology for social inclusion research addressing persistent inequalities in Internet use. First, the proposed model is introduced with definitions for the six dimensions (course purpose, technology, social support, autonomy, learning materials and skills) and research propositions for how the dimensions enable and constrain learning. A qualitative synthesis of empirically tested open and online programs (including massive open online courses) is used to clarify how the six critical dimensions interact to enable and constrain diverse learners in distance and blended modes. Results support the model with new definitions for each dimension in light of unexpected findings: courses designed to enable particular groups; breadth of learner supports; technology amplifying other dimensions; and aspects of the model designed to empower disadvantaged learners. This model should assist course design research and practice at higher education institutions where open and online provision for diverse and educationally disadvantaged learners is the current or approaching reality.

Taking a Hard Look at the Soft Skills of Online Course Design and Online Teaching in Higher Education

2017 ◽  
pp. 158-181
Author(s):  
Kevin P. Gosselin ◽  
Maria Northcote ◽  
Kristi D. Wuensche ◽  
Trudy Stoddard
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Online Course Design ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Online Educators

Over the past few decades, substantial growth has occurred in online education in general, and this has been particularly true of the higher education sector. Most universities and post-secondary institutions now offer students the opportunity to enroll in online pre-tertiary, vocational, undergraduate and/or postgraduate courses. While some of these courses are successful for the learners who enroll in them, others have been found somewhat deficient, often criticized for their lack of humanization, interaction, communication and online presence. This chapter examines the role of the so-called soft skills of online course design and online teaching that are seen as vital for online educators who are responsible for the facilitation of high quality online learning. Along with a review of relevant literature about the soft skills of online teaching, the chapter presents three institutional case studies from which a set of practically-focused recommendations for promoting the design of humanized online learning environments has been developed.

scholarly journals Creating blended learning experiences requires more than digital skills

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Bettina Kathrin Schwenger
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Research Review ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Digital Literacies ◽  
Tertiary Institutions

With growing diversity and larger numbers of enrolled students in classes, online learning can open up new possibilities in New Zealand’s tertiary institutions to improve teaching and enhance students’ learning. Tertiary institutions have reacted with changed expectations about pedagogical approaches and practices, by, for example, integrating more online learning technologies, and by reconsidering the course design and learning environment (Conole, 2016; Johnson, Adams Becker, Estrada & Freeman, 2015). Consequently, teachers increasingly teach online as part of a course and need to engage large number of students with a broad range of skills and knowledge, including many who are first in their family to learn formally at tertiary level.   Teachers may work with certain areas of online technologies and digital literacies, for example deposit information online for students to read, but they often do not feel confident to facilitate active learning (Ako & Synapsys, 2018; Boelens, de Wever & Voet, 2017) and to offer tasks that aim to engage students collaboratively online. Kirkwood (2014) points out that teachers question how an online tool can be used but may consider less the rationale for the use of a certain pedagogical strategy for which a tool could be used. Digital literacies are more than gaining isolated technological skills (Johnson et al., 2015) as this presentation will share, based on the findings of a collaboration with two teachers in a first-year undergraduate course in Education. In the presentation, we will discuss recommendations for sustainable teacher development that enable blended learning design with opportunities for students to actively create instead of consuming information and that is likely to enhance their experiences of blended learning. The recommendations include underpinning skills and areas such as supporting learning for Māori and non-Māori students by using online affordances for pedagogical practices to, for example, integrate formative feedback, self-assessment, foster active learning online and independent learning.   References   Ako Aotearoa & Synapsys (2018). Technology in learning: Benchmarking and developing sector capability. Wellington, New Zealand: Ako Aotearoa Boelens, R., De Wever, B., & Voet, M. (2017). Four key challenges to the design of blended learning: A systematic literature review. Educational Research Review, 22, 1–18. doi:10.1016/j.edurev.2017.06.001 Conole, G. (2016). Theoretical underpinnings of learning design. In J. Dalziel (Ed.), Learning design: Conceptualizing a framework for teaching and learning online (pp. 42–62). New York, NY: Routledge. Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., & Freeman, A. (2015). NMC Horizon report: 2015 Higher education edition. Austin, TX: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from https://www.nmc.org/publication/nmc-horizon-report-2015-higher-education-edition/ Kirkwood, A. (2014). Teaching and learning with technology in higher education: Blended and distance education needs ‘joined-up thinking’ rather than technological determinism. Open Learning, 29(3), 206–221.

Theory and Application in the Design and Delivery of Engaging Online Courses

2020 ◽  
pp. 246-258
Author(s):  
Dixie F. Abernathy ◽  
Amy Wooten Thornburg
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Educational Change ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Financial Benefit ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Engaging Instruction ◽  
Student Demand ◽  
Instruction And Learning

For the last quarter of a century, online learning has emerged as a viable and, in many cases, preferable instructional option for higher education students. As this wave of educational change became more prevalent and sought after by students and faculty, at times the implementation, driven by financial benefit as well as student demand, may have advanced beyond the preparation. Research and experience have now exposed numerous issues that may hinder the effectiveness of online learning for all involved stakeholders. Designing effective online courses is the first step, but too often the preparation for and focus on engaging instruction and learning ends as the course design is concluding. Recognizing the key principles behind effective student and instructor engagement may add to the overall stakeholder experience in the online learning environment.

Social inclusion of refugees into higher education in Norway: A critical analysis of Norwegian higher education and integration policies

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 628-647
Author(s):  
Juhar Yasin Abamosa ◽  
Line Torbjørnsen Hilt ◽  
Kariane Westrheim
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Human Potential ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
The Social ◽  
Integration Policies

In numerous countries, the widening participation of underrepresented groups in higher education has become an official part of education policies. However, inequalities continue in some areas, including refugees’ participation. Norway hosts many refugees, but little is known about the social inclusion of refugees into higher education in the country. In this paper, three documents representing Norwegian higher education and integration policies are analysed using an integrated analytical framework constructed from social inclusion and its three main dimensions (access, participation and empowerment) and from a critical discourse analysis. The analysis is conducted to address how social inclusion into higher education is conceptualized, which major discourses underpin the conceptualization and what implications these have for the social inclusion of refugees into higher education in Norway. The article argues that social inclusion is conceptualized from an access dimension signifying the dominance of neoliberal principles in the policy documents. On the contrary, social justice discourses are marginalized and human potential principles are absent from the documents signalling the disempowerment of refugees in relation to higher education. Future policies should incorporate conscious and clear strategies informed by social justice and empowerment principles to ensure the social inclusion of refugees into higher education.

scholarly journals Rethinking online learning design to enhance the experiences of Indigenous higher education students

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 132-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Kay Reedy
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Indigenous People ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Critical Element ◽  
Preliminary Design ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Educational Design

The educational inequity that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have experienced in higher education in Australia is replicated in virtual learning spaces, with generic models of online learning design taking little account of cultural factors that impact on learning. To counter this, new approaches to online learning design are needed that consider the experiences of Indigenous people. This article explores culture as a critical element of online learning design that enhances the learning experiences and outcomes of Indigenous people. The study reported in this article was conducted at a regional Australian university and was methodologically situated within an educational design research framework. Data were collected through the narrative method of yarning with 19 Indigenous students enrolled in a range of disciplines. From the data, 10 themes were developed, which guided the design of a learning design model and six preliminary design principles. The study contributes to the gap in the literature on learning design for Indigenous online higher education students. As the model and preliminary design principles are culturally situated at the site of the study, they need testing by educational designers and academics to ascertain their usefulness in other contexts.

Online Learning

2010 ◽  
pp. 275-292
Author(s):  
Chris Thomas ◽  
Wendy Green ◽  
Doug Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Course Delivery ◽  
The Internet ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Relationship

The internet and telecommunications technologies have redefined distance learning, while at the same time led to increased access to students and an expanded breadth of subject offerings. For these and other reasons, online learning has been embraced by a large number of corporate, higher education, and K-12 institutions across the nation and globally, reaching billions of students. In order to understand the relationship between technologies, course design and course delivery, we conducted a survey of content designers and facilitators in higher education and corporate sectors. Additionally, we interviewed seven learning leaders who represent organizations involved in online learning in these sectors, as well as in K-12 education contexts. Results indicate that increased access is a primary strategic advantage of online learning. Additionally, corporate and educational sectors tend to approach course design and the choice of technologies in different ways.

scholarly journals Developing Online Engineering Courses: A Resource Kit for Collaboration Between Faculty and Instructional Designers

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-58
Author(s):  
Hui-Ching Kayla Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Instructional Design ◽  
Cognitive Load ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Instructional Design Principles

The rise of online courses has created an ongoing demand for instructional designers in higher education. Collaboration between faculty and instructional designers in developing online engineering courses has therefore increased. Potential challenges during the collaboration can be addressed when faculty and instructional designers have a mutual understanding of instructional design principles. This article provides a resource kit that contains a synthesis of online learning theories and examples collected from online engineering courses. These examples can help create a course design that recognizes students’ cognitive load and provides meaningful interactions.

scholarly journals Retaining students in Australian higher education: cultural capital, field distinction

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor Gale ◽  
Stephen Parker
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
University Students ◽  
Cultural Capital ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Economic Capital ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Distinctive Character ◽  
The Social

In the global phenomenon of widening participation policy in higher education, lower retention rates for students from less advantaged socio-economic circumstances have potential to undermine the social inclusion agenda of HE. This might be an issue in Europe but is not necessarily the case elsewhere. In this paper we consider statistical data on Australian university students from under-represented groups, retained at similar rates to those of their more advantaged peers. Our data also include print and online media commentary on student retention. In our analysis we draw on Bourdieu’s social theory, particularly his conceptual tools of ‘cultural capital’ and field ‘distinction’. We argue that less-advantaged Australian university students appear to have greater access to the cultural capital privileged in higher education institutions. This tends to undermine claims of retention problems, and of ‘setting up students to fail’, which dominate quasi-policy media forums and have more to do with mitigating a perceived threat to the distinctive character of higher education. Following Wilkinson and Pickett’s observations on the distribution of economic capital within societies, we suggest that the more even the distribution of cultural capital across systems, institutions and groups, the less students’ socio-economic status has to do with their retention in higher education.

scholarly journals Factors affecting Students’ Satisfaction with Online Learning in Higher Education in Qatar

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alaa Abuhzaimah ◽  
Emad Ahmed Abushanab
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Quantitative Research Methods ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Students Satisfaction

This effort seeks to explore the major factors that play an essential part in enhancing students ‘satisfaction with online learning experience in higher education in Qatar, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model was expanded by integrating three new components to study student’s satisfaction with online learning such as course design, student engagement and assessment method. Quantitative research methods were adopted, and data were collected from 750 students at four Universities in Qatar through an online survey questionnaire. The SPSS statistical software was applied to test the research model and to examine the reliability and validity of the data obtained from the questionnaire. Based on the findings, student engagement, assessment method, course design and continuance in the use of online learning were shown to have a substantial influence on students’ satisfaction. Performance expectancy and social influence were exhibited to have a considerable impact on continuance in the use of online learning. Nevertheless, the influence of effort expectancy and facilitating conditions on continued use of online learning was found to be statistically insignificant. Moreover, the effects of age, gender, educational level, and nationality were also explored. It was found that there was a considerable discrepancy among the two genders, the different ages, educational level and nationalities on the different constructs of the model. The results of this study offer many academic institutions the opportunity to understand the factors affecting students’ satisfaction with online learning in Qatar. The findings definitely, provide insight into how colleges and universities in Qatar can effectively improve online students’ experience with online learning. Moreover, this research presented a conceptual model to shed the light on the shortness and provide a better explanation and understating of the factors affecting students’ overall satisfaction and the relationships between them.

scholarly journals Higher Education during the Pandemic: The Predictive Factors of Learning Effectiveness in COVID-19 Online Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 446
Author(s):  
Jenny T. Y. Tsang ◽  
Mike K. P. So ◽  
Andy C. Y. Chong ◽  
Benson S. Y. Lam ◽  
Amanda M. Y. Chu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Predictive Factors ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Learning Effectiveness ◽  
Perceived Learning ◽  
Learning Platform ◽  
Student Dialogue ◽  
University Support

The global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak forced a shift from face-to-face education to online learning in higher education settings around the world. From the outset, COVID-19 online learning (CoOL) has differed from conventional online learning due to the limited time that students, instructors, and institutions had to adapt to the online learning platform. Such a rapid transition of learning modes may have affected learning effectiveness, which is yet to be investigated. Thus, identifying the predictive factors of learning effectiveness is crucial for the improvement of CoOL. In this study, we assess the significance of university support, student–student dialogue, instructor–student dialogue, and course design for learning effectiveness, measured by perceived learning outcomes, student initiative, and satisfaction. A total of 409 university students completed our survey. Our findings indicated that student–student dialogue and course design were predictive factors of perceived learning outcomes whereas instructor–student dialogue was a determinant of student initiative. University support had no significant relationship with either perceived learning outcomes or student initiative. In terms of learning effectiveness, both perceived learning outcomes and student initiative determined student satisfaction. The results identified that student–student dialogue, course design, and instructor–student dialogue were the key predictive factors of CoOL learning effectiveness, which may determine the ultimate success of CoOL.

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