Caroline M. Crawford

Motivators and Inhibitors for University Faculty in Distance and e‐learning

This article reports on four United States studies of how rewards systems, extrinsic and intrinsic, could play an important role in providing incentives for university faculty to teach (or remain teaching) electronic and distance education courses. The first three studies conducted prior to 2003 reported faculty were inherently motivated to teach e-learning and distance education. The fourth study in 2003 reported key findings that differed from the earlier studies. Using a principal components analysis, the researchers found nine indicators of motivation to participate or not participate in electronic or distance education. The implications from the fourth study indicated that, while faculty members were inherently committed to helping students, faculty members wanted their basic physiological needs met by university administration through extrinsic motivators, such as salary increases and course releases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐linear instructional design model: eternal, synergistic design and development

Instructional design is at the heart of each educational endeavour. This process revolves around the steps through which the thoughtful productions of superior products are created. The ADDIE generic instructional design model emphasises five basic steps within the instructional design process: analyse, design, develop, implement and evaluate. The simplistic nature of the ADDIE model, including the ease of application and possibilities towards the cyclical features of the process, enable a more holistic overview of the instructional design process. The Eternal, Synergistic Design Model emphasises the non-linear nature of the instructional design process. The continuous design and development focuses upon the core evaluation of the product, wherein the Pareto principle emphasises the feedback related to the 20% of difficulties while maintaining an eye upon the 80% neutral and positive aspects of the product.

Electronic Mapping in Education: The Use of Geographic Information Systems

Abstract Electronic mapping can serve as a powerful educational tool in the instruction of classroom students and in the administration of campuses and school districts. Electronic mapping’s availability in the educational setting is because of the accessibility of geographic information systems (GIS) that provide mapping and cartography functions in a cost-effective manner. The appropriate integration of GIS can strengthen the teaching of essential elements in geography and social studies as well as address school administration issues (e.g., facilities planning, bus routes).

Developing webs of significance through communications: appropriate interactive activities for distributed learning environments

Interactive activities are an important aspect of distributed learning situations, wherein online communities and learner motivational levels evolve and thrive. Through the thoughtful integration of interactive activities into the online learning process, learners and instructors gain considerable exposure to reciprocally favorable occurrences among learners, content, interface, instructor, community, and self. The thoughtful design and development of a distributed learning environment aids the use of interactive activities in moving beyond mere online interactions towards a more theoretically productive level of interactions. Within a theoretically productive level of interaction wherein the learners obtain information, develop conceptual frameworks through which the information is not only derived but becomes useful knowledge, develop higher‐level thinking skills, and continue to be internally motivated to continue with the course, the learners conceptualize a learning community which can be sorely lacking within distributed learning situations that do not integrate appropriate interactive activities.

Combining Quality and Expediency with Action Research in ELearning Instructional Design

Recent research has posited that there may be a relationship between an organization’s level of capability in electronic delivery of training and the barriers set up to detain it. One of the biggest obstacles is the entrenched culture of the organization itself. So often the challenges to the implementation of an innovation, such as electronic instruction, come from the establishment committed to its adoption. Embedded action research in electronic instructional design can provide observation of the innovation’s implementation and what was successful or not, but can also provide crucial feedback on the culture and atmosphere of the organization and participants in the innovation. The Journal of Educators Online, Volume 5, Number 2, July 2008