Progress 03/01/03 to 02/29/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Four large scale research projects were completed in this term as part of student dissertation work. (a.) A large scale survey was conducted at four Midwestern post-secondary institutions to determine if a relationship existed between sense of community and class interactivity in online classes. Results have been shared at a national conference of educators, at the Nebraska Distance Learning Conference, and at the Nebraska Educational Technology Conference. (b.)A multi-site qualitative effort examined assessment processes and data use in online programs within two and four years colleges. Project results were circulated to administrators within the participating schools and at one national conference. (c.) A survey was given to faculty to determine training impact of e-portfolio systems. Several parts of this study were reported to the university in the study. (d.) A mixed methods study evaluated student perceptions of an experiential agroecology course. Results have been shared with the course designers, and a paper has been submitted. PARTICIPANTS: 1. James W. King, project director (advisor and mentor, co-author, and co-presenter). 2. Collaborators and professional development (degrees) included: J. Lear, faculty member, University of Nebraska - Kearney, UNL graduate student receiving a Ph.D.; B.Deinert, faculty member, Southeast Community College - Milford, UNL graduate student receiving a Ph.D.; C. Harvel, faculty member, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, UNL graduate student receiving a Ph.D.; and K. Harms, faculty Member, Norris School District, UNL graduate student receiving a Ph.D. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences included university faculty and administrators of online programs; also included were course designers. All the research was delivered into J. King's online classes discussing distance education. Particularly interesting was the material talking about online community. A second area of interest was the agroecology research which resulted in the development of a strong and very practical model of experiential education. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: There were no major problems.
Impacts
Project outcomes from this research included the following: (a.) a publication on interactive class design and sense of community is being prepared; educators at meetings found the research results useful and applicable to their classes including instructional design for interaction and instructor engagement. Students reported that sense of community was important and did impact their learning. (b.) assessment processes that engage and encourage faculty member in both face-to-face and online classes were shared and their use spread to other universities. (c.) e-portfolio training guidelines were shared with faculty and trainers, and implemented in a training effort leading to better verification when participants' work was completed and credit could be given. (d.) a publication has been submitted to the "Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences" and results have been reviewed by the designers to revise the course and to use in funding requests.
Publications
- Harms, K.M, King, J. W, and Francis, C.A. 2008. A mixed methods study of behavioral changes based on a course in agroecology. J. Natural Resources Life Sciences (in review).
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
In the past two years this project has migrated from a study of distance education in Nebraska -K-12 schools to (a) the study of how distance education is being used throughout the Nebraska educational system, focusing on higher education (both 4 year and 2 year schools) and (b) an exploration of the entrepreneurial characteristics distance education learners. A paper on entrepreneurial learners and social capital was published (Reimers-Hild, Fritz, and King, 2007).
Impacts
1. Administrators managing distance education and teachers using distance education have a strong list of best practices for developing successful programs and courses based on an earlier model of distance education key factors: teaching/teachers, learning/students, managing/administrators, and technology. 2. Human resources professionals in Nebraska organizations and faculty in graduate distance education programs now have strong evidence to support using distance education for their professional development activities related to the development of social capital.
Publications
- Reimers-Hild, C.I., Fritz, S.M., and King, J. W. (2007). Entrepreneurial Career Development: Using Human Capital, Social Capital and Distance Education to Achieve Success. Advancing Women in Leadership Online Journal. Volume 24, Spring 2007. (http://www.advancingwomen.com/awl/spring2007/reimers.htm)
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
During the past year, the project changed in focus somewhat. In 2005-2006, we envisioned working with pK-12 schools and the Nebraska Distance Learning Association to measure distance education use, software adoption, and instructional strategies. Because of pending State legislation and upcoming technical changes, we decided that the timing for a survey was inopportune. Instead, we focused on a measurement of multimedia use in existing higher education distance courses. We found that as new distance education technologies (e.g., broadband, course management systems), have emerged, faculty have started to integrate multimedia into their online courses. This is a slow move away from purely text based course presentation (like moving from oral lectures to incorporating slides and overheads in a face to face classroom). A paper was published on these results (Li, et al, 2005). These instructional materials are also packaged and made available as learning objects to other
instructors and classes. A paper was published on these results (Namuth, et al, 2005). The third area of research was the continued study of the entrepreneurial characteristics distance education learners. A refereed proceedings paper was published (Reimers-Hild and King, 2006).
Impacts
1. Teachers in distance education courses should feel comfortable integrating multimedia into the courses as technologies for support, the instructional strategies for teaching, and the learner readiness appear aligned and responsive to expanded multimedia integration into existing online courses. 2. Teachers in graduate distance education classes should feel that most learners are self-motivated, have a need to achieve, and are risk takers. This have implications for teaching, teaching strategies, and evaluation.
Publications
- Li, L., King, J.W., & Kutscher, M. (2005). Multimedia Integration in Online Courses. Academic Exchange Quarterly: AEC. 9(4): 214-219.
- Namuth, D., Fritz, S., King, J. & Boren, A. (2005-12-22). Principles of Sustainable Learning Object Libraries. Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects, 1, 181-196. Informing Science Press, http://ijklo.org/. http://ijklo.org/Volume1/v1p181-196Namuth.pdf.
- Reimers-Hild, C.I. & King, J.W. (2006). The Entrepreneurial Learner, Persistence and Motivation in the Distance Environment. Conference Proceedings of the 2006 Distance Learning Administration Conference in Jekyll Island, GA.
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Progress 10/01/05 to 12/15/05
Outputs
a. The Nebraska Distance Learning Association was contacted to help organize a survey of school districts; b. Current legislation in Nebraska raises some questions about the future of funding for distance education for pK-12 schools; c. New course management software has been selected and is being used in a number of schools; it is expected that online distance education will expand, depending on school or district costs for Internet access.
Impacts
a. The researcher is working with the Nebraska Distance Learning Association (NDLA) to monitor the proposed legislation; b. the NDLA has agreed to help organize a survey, possibly at their annual meeting in Grand Island (2006); c. Angel software systems are being widely implemented in the pK-12 schools; an accurate count has not been made.
Publications
- Vukovljak, L, and King, J.W. (2004, 11/08). Tools for Lifelong Learning. Journal of AHIMA (American health Information Management Association, 75 :6 , 40 -43.
- Reimers-Hild, C., King, J.W., Foster, J.E., Fritz,S.M., Waller, S.S., and Wheeler, D.W. (2005, 07/01). A Framework for the "Entrepreneurial Learner" of the 21st Century. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Summer, 8: 2, 1 -9. http://www.westga.edu/
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
In 2003-2004, we worked with several pK-12 school districts and the Nebraska Department of Education is to measure the effectiveness of using course management software, their specific features and function. We also looked at both urban and rural school districts and at their teachers and students. In spring of 2003, Nebraska pK-12 teachers were invited to participate in an e-learning project (Funded by the Nebraska Department of Education). The objective of the project was to study the effectiveness of using course management software (CMS) for pK-12 distance and hybrid courses. The software was either BlackBoard or WebCT. Teachers and by students were given pre- and post surveys. Twenty-five pK-12 teachers at all levels completed the teacher survey and over 600 students completed the student survey. Some interviews were also conducted with teachers, providing a qualitative glimpse at the CMS. The two CMS were not compared nor evaluated. The focus was on using CMS in
the classroom. Currently, the data are being analyzed. Preliminary results are (1) participating teachers are generally satisfied with CMS; (2) Digital curriculum is being developed; (3) There seem to be no differences between satisfaction levels of teachers in rural schools and teachers in urban settings; (4) Student pre-post gains in computer literacy appear to be minimal; (5) Participating students are generally satisfied with CMS. We are still examining the instructional strategies and subject matter/lessons developed.
Impacts
The teachers who use the CMS will now have digital content ready for their own classrooms; students will have experienced distance education or blended learning . We know that CMS is a realistic tool for pK-12 application. Based on this research, in part, the State of Nebraska is help school districts acquire CMS (Angel) for their own use for the 2005-2006 school year.
Publications
- There 2004 have been no publications on this project from 11/01/03- 10/30/04.
- There 2004 have been several conference presentations of the preliminary work.
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Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03
Outputs
SURVEYING AND CHARACTERIZING DISTANCE EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS IN NEBRASKA RURAL COMMUNITIES has four main objectives: (1) Identify and characterize the current distance education setting including video, online, and hybrid applications systems, among pK-12 institutions, Education Service Units, and pK-12 Distance Education Consortia in Nebraska. (2) Identify and measure the relative importance of barriers and facilitators in distance education implementation, including the areas of cooperation and collaboration among various pK-12 institutions, Education Service Units (ESU), pK-12 Distance Education Consortia, and their educational public sector partners in Nebraska. (3) Assess problems pK-12 faculty encounter related to distance education teaching, management, and training and explore changes needed to resolve these problems. (4) Formulate recommendations that will help implement sound distance education activities, programs, and policies focused on rural Nebraska
communities. Current we are working with Objective 3. The primary objective of the Objective 3 research initiative is to measure the effectiveness of the use of various course management features and functionality for a variety of student populations and faculty. The project is working with Nebraska ESU 10 to study the distance education needs and concerns of faculty as well as the student concerns. The research matrix is presented below: For student outcomes: - Pre-assessment:Design assessment instruments. - Identification of pre-project communication methods through questionnaire or interview. - A pre-project questionnaire will be administered that assesses level of technology use before project activities. For teacher outcomes: - Pre-assessment:Design assessment instruments. - A pre-project survey will be administered that assesses level of technology skills before project activities. - A pre-project inventory will be taken to document instructional strategies used before project
activities. - Identification of pre-project communication methods through questionnaire or interview. - Documentation practices will be defined that assist project instructors in recording when/how absent students use online materials to make up missed work. - Plans for curriculum documentation will be made This data is being collected in the Fall of 2003. For Spring of 2004, the following activities will occur: For student outcomes: - Checklist will document project teachers traditional communication activities and those that use course management software. - Implement activities and support. For teacher outcomes: - Project instructors will record relevant data. - Curricular changes will be recorded by project instructors.
Impacts
Impact of realizing Objective 3 will be lists of specific information on the problems and successes faculty describe having with distance education. The content of the lists is expected to be focused on teaching strategies with online course management tools and student outcomes of studying with online course management tools. Recommendations based on these findings will help indicate and define training and policy areas that rural and urban Nebraska schools should develop. These results will also help Nebraska communities anticipate importance financial expenditures in the educational system and help them explore ways to better use and manage existing Nebraska distance educational systems. For teachers working in this Objective, they will realize many benefits. The primary benefit will be the opportunity to design and implement digital support for their classes. Being on the leading edge, these teachers will be developing a digital curriculum base which will be
essential as students accessibility to technology increases. Additional benefits will include, access to expanded course communication tools, mentoring/collaborating with higher education faculty who actively utilize course management software, access to course management and instructional design training and support, integrate technology into course development, expanded access to other eLearning resources, flexibility to enhance classroom instruction by creating on-line components! (assessment, lesson planning, or rubric development).
Publications
- There have been no publications on this project from March-November 2003.
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