Katrina A. Meyer

Piloting a Blended Approach to Teaching Statistics in a College of Education: Lessons Learned

This study investigated the performance of graduate students enrolled in introductory statistics courses. The course in Fall 2005 was delivered in a traditional face-to-face manner and the same course in Fall 2006 was blended by using an online commercial tutoring system (ALEKS) and making attendance of several face-to-face classes optional. There was no significant difference in the t-test comparing performance in the courses, which used the students’ combined score on two mid-terms and the final exam to indicate performance. The ANCOVA analyzing influences on performance in the blended class yielded no significant influence for gender, ethnicity, age, or class type (traditional vs. blended), but a significant influence from students’ incoming GREQuantitative score. Seven Likert questions on students’ perception of blended learning were not correlated with student performance. Three focus groups – comprised of low-, medium-, and high-performing students – revealed three themes and several subthemes and differences based on students’ performance level.

Does Feedback Influence Student Postings to Online Discussions

Feedback theory proposes that feedback influences the behavior of a system and its parts and that is governed by rules. This exploratory study attempts to test this theory in a graduate-level class on leadership theory. Twelve students were asked to participate in five online discussions, each lasting one week. The questions for each discussion were selected to be provocative and rich, without having any correct answer. At the end of the discussion, students were asked to indicate which posting and poster they felt was “best” or most valuable and why they felt the posting was “best.” There is mixed evidence that the voting influenced subsequent postings; some individuals did improve while others were consistently good or poor posters. Students selected postings that were (in declining frequency of occurrence): thoughtful or thought-provoking, well written or justified, uplifting, presented new information, same as their own opinions, changed me, or complex. These reasons are similar to those of the instructor, although the students’ difficulty in choosing and rationalizing a choice and the frequency at which students chose posts that captured their own thoughts and opinions are of some concern. This study provides some evidence that these graduate students could evaluate their own discussions without the instructor intruding or dictating an evaluation scheme, although this may not be true for other groups of online students. The Journal of Educators Online, Volume 4, Number 1, January 2007A survey was conducted of Master of Business Administration (MBA) students in an accounting class at a university in the Northern United States to compare students’ assessments of course effectiveness and overall satisfaction with the course. One group of students were enrolled in a traditional in-class section, and another group in a “blended-learning” section in which the primary course delivery method was online, but in which students met in class on a limited number of occasions. Overall perceptions of the course, instructor and learning outcomes were positive for both groups. Students also felt strongly that they would use the material in their careers. The majority of students in the blended learning section indicated that they would take another accounting course using that approach if it were offered. However, some interesting differences were noted. Specifically, students in the traditional setting were more satisfied with the clarity of instruction. On the other hand, students in the blended-learning section felt more strongly that they gained an appreciation of the concepts in the field. Blended-learning students also indicated more strongly that their analytical skills improved as a result of the course. The results suggest that the two delivery methods were similar in terms of final learning outcomes, but that both may be improved by incorporating aspects of the other.

How Community College Faculty Members May Improve Student Learning Productivity in Their Online Courses

Eleven experienced community college faculty members were interviewed to elicit examples of how they improved student learning productivity in their online courses. The 11 faculty members represented eight different states, nine different fields or disciplines, and all were permanent or full-time faculty members at community colleges in the southern or western states. Based on a thematic analysis of the examples given, improvement in student learning occurred by (a) emphasizing seven approaches to increase student engagement, (b) using six different structuring tactics to focus student attention on learning, (c) using assessment techniques to improve learning, and (d) pursuing a personal passion for online teaching. These findings suggest that faculty can and do find ways to use different tools in different ways to improve student learning productivity in community colleges.

How Recent Brain Research Can Inform the Design of Online Learning

Is it possible that recent research into the brain can open the “black box” of student thinking? This review of recent findings from brain researchers can help online educators design better learning experiences for students. The Journal of Educators Online, Volume 1, Number 1, July 2004