Current Search: online learning (x)
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- Title
- Examination of an Online College Mathematics Course: Correlation between Learning Styles and Student Achievement.
- Creator
-
Steele, Bridget, Dixon, Juli, Hynes, Michael, Haciomeroglu, Erhan, Hopp, Carolyn, Dziuban, Charles, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between learning styles and student learning outcomes in an online college mathematics course. Specifically, the study was guided by two research questions focused on (a) the extent to which learning styles had a predictive relationship with student achievement in an online college mathematics course and (b) the extent to which various learning styles among mathematics students in online versus face-to-face...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between learning styles and student learning outcomes in an online college mathematics course. Specifically, the study was guided by two research questions focused on (a) the extent to which learning styles had a predictive relationship with student achievement in an online college mathematics course and (b) the extent to which various learning styles among mathematics students in online versus face-to-face courses predicted mathematics achievement. The population for this study consisted of the 779 college mathematics and algebra (CMA) students who were enrolled in a private multimedia university located in the southeast. A total of 501 students were enrolled in the online class, i.e., the experimental group, and 278 students enrolled in the face-to-face class comprised the control group. All students completed (a) an initial assessment to control for current mathematics knowledge, (b) the online Grasha-Reichmann Student Learning Styles Scales (GRSLSS) Inventory, and (c) 20 questions selected from the NAEP Question Tool database. Hierarchical linear regressions were used to address both research questions. A series of ANCOVA tests were run to examine the presence of any relationships between a given demographic and course modality when describing differences between student test scores while controlling for prior academic performance. The results indicated that predominant learning style had no apparent influence on mathematics achievement. The results also indicated that predominant learning style had no apparent influence on mathematics achievement for online students. When examining demographics alone without respect to modality, there was no significance in course performance between students in various ethnicity, gender, or age groups.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004445, ucf:49320
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004445
- Title
- A STUDY OF BLENDED LEARNING AT A METROPOLITAN RESEARCH UNIVERSITY.
- Creator
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Futch, Linda, Dziuban, Charles, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The goal of this research was to better understand blended learning at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The investigator examined blended learning from the institutional, faculty, and student perspectives in an attempt to capture the complexities of this learning environment. For the institutional perspective, models emerged that were critical to the development of UCF's initiative and ongoing support of both fully online and blended courses. The individual faculty perspective...
Show moreThe goal of this research was to better understand blended learning at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The investigator examined blended learning from the institutional, faculty, and student perspectives in an attempt to capture the complexities of this learning environment. For the institutional perspective, models emerged that were critical to the development of UCF's initiative and ongoing support of both fully online and blended courses. The individual faculty perspective outlined unique characteristics of one blended course, HFT4932 - Exploring Wines of the World. The professor explained his/her choices and reasons for an instructional model as well as why the blended format was selected. The student perspective indexed student attitudes toward blended classes at UCF. Students continued to report high overall satisfaction with blended courses as well as high levels of quality interaction among students and with faculty. However, there continued to be a downward trend in satisfaction levels with younger generations of students. Students still reported convenience and flexibility as their primary reasons for taking blended courses. Many students viewed the blended format as a way to become active participants in their learning thereby developing new learning skills. Infrequently, technology difficulties were reported. Challenges for students were time management and poor course organization. Web-based instructional delivery is still relatively new with a growing need for models that provide guidelines and strategies for instructors. The investigator suggests the possibility that this study serve as a model for a blended learning assessment for other institutions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000843, ucf:46663
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000843
- Title
- EFFECTS OF DEADLINE CONDITIONS ON LEARNERS OF DIFFERENT PROCRASTINATION TENDENCIES IN AN ONLINE COURSE.
- Creator
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Wang, Pin, Gunter, Glenda, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of three deadline conditions (i.e., frequent-instructor-set-deadline condition, flexible-instructor-set-deadline condition, and self-imposed-deadline condition) on students of different academic procrastination levels (high, medium, and low) in terms of their perceived learning, academic performance, and course satisfaction in an online course. A 3 x 3 factorial quasi-experimental design was adopted for this study. One hundred and...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of three deadline conditions (i.e., frequent-instructor-set-deadline condition, flexible-instructor-set-deadline condition, and self-imposed-deadline condition) on students of different academic procrastination levels (high, medium, and low) in terms of their perceived learning, academic performance, and course satisfaction in an online course. A 3 x 3 factorial quasi-experimental design was adopted for this study. One hundred and seventy three students from three classes of different majors voluntarily participated in the study with 50 students majoring in Agriculture, 61 in International Trading, and 62 in Food Manufacturing. The three classes were randomly assigned to three deadline conditions. Data were collected through an online survey and a final exam. This study found that there were significant differences in perceived learning and course satisfaction among high, medium, and low procrastinators, but there was no significant difference in academic performance among students at different procrastination levels. Low and medium procrastinators had significantly higher perceived learning and were significantly more satisfied with the course than high procrastinators. Among the three deadline condition groups, there were no significant differences in perceived learning and course satisfaction, however, the difference in academic performance was significant. The flexible deadline group achieved the best academic performance followed by the frequent and the self-imposed deadline groups. There was no interaction effect between procrastination and deadline conditions on any of the dependent variables. Limitations of the present study, recommendations for future research, and implications for practice are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003872, ucf:48760
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003872
- Title
- WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES WITH DISTANCE EDUCATION.
- Creator
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Moody, Jane Elizabeth, Jones, Daniel, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This thesis examines issues that affect women in online learning, and discusses four women's particular experiences in the University of Central Florida's distance learning program. Online education involves aspects of support and communication that may affect women's learning experiences either positively or negatively. Distance learning may also allow women to pursue their education while still taking care of their families and outside work. In order to get a better idea of how distance...
Show moreThis thesis examines issues that affect women in online learning, and discusses four women's particular experiences in the University of Central Florida's distance learning program. Online education involves aspects of support and communication that may affect women's learning experiences either positively or negatively. Distance learning may also allow women to pursue their education while still taking care of their families and outside work. In order to get a better idea of how distance learning impacts women, I discuss several studies that examine how distance learning affects women in particular. I identify three areas from this literature that seem to be particularly important in order for women to have a successful distance learning experience: social support, technical support, and awareness of differences in discussion style.After reviewing the existing literature, I discuss how this literature applies to four women's experiences here at UCF. I talk with them about how they perceive their online learning experiences, and about how they feel that the issues identified in the literature are reflected in their own lives. I discuss their issues with support, technical support, and online discussions, and relate these to existing literature in order to come up with areas that may need further exploration or improvement.I conclude the study by providing suggestions and recommendations for professors who deal with women in their online classes. I also suggest areas for further exploration in the field of women's distance education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- CFE0000086, ucf:46146
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000086
- Title
- THE ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEARNING STYLES AND THE LEARNERS' KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION AND REACTIONS THROUGH THE ONLINE CASE STUDY.
- Creator
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ZENG, RUI, Blasi, Laura, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between learning styles and student performance on a pre and post test, using an online case study, while also documenting their reactions to the case study. The case studies used in this research contained different storylines that showed multiple perspectives of case scenarios, giving students more choices to see what may happen in real school situations. Working with undergraduate students (N = 138) from the College of Education at...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between learning styles and student performance on a pre and post test, using an online case study, while also documenting their reactions to the case study. The case studies used in this research contained different storylines that showed multiple perspectives of case scenarios, giving students more choices to see what may happen in real school situations. Working with undergraduate students (N = 138) from the College of Education at a southeastern university, the researcher examined how students learned and responded to an online case study relative to their learning styles. Kolb's learning style inventory and a learner feedback survey questionnaire were administered respectively before and after the case study. Scores on Kolb's learning style inventory were used to classify the students' learning style preferences. A paired samples t-test was used to analyze the learners' knowledge test scores before and after the case study. The data revealed that the mean of students' post-test scores was significantly higher than the mean of their pre-test scores. Using descriptive methods, students' responses to the feedback questionnaire were analyzed. There was no difference shown between students with different learning style preferences, their overall reactions to the case study, and their reactions to certain elements (e.g., the content map, the assistants, and the navigation) included in the case study. Overall, most students' reactions to the case study were positive. Open-ended questions in the feedback questionnaire were analyzed and three assertions were generated. Of the optional features included within the case study, eighty two percent of students used the practice quizzes to self-check whether they understood the concepts and content covered in the cases. Students' post-test scores were congruent with their reactions to the online case study (with higher scoring students expressing more positive responses); and students' preferences regarding the use of online cases for study emerged in patterns relative to their career background. The study results showed that case studies can be used effectively in teacher education programs, while many learners (74%) favored using the case study and developed positive reactions through their case study experiences.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001279, ucf:46884
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001279
- Title
- Methods for online feature selection for classification problems.
- Creator
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Razmjoo, Alaleh, Zheng, Qipeng, Rabelo, Luis, Boginski, Vladimir, Xanthopoulos, Petros, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Online learning is a growing branch of machine learning which allows all traditional data miningtechniques to be applied on an online stream of data in real-time. In this dissertation, we presentthree efficient algorithms for feature ranking in online classification problems. Each of the methodsare tailored to work well with different types of classification tasks and have different advantages.The reason for this variety of algorithms is that like other machine learning solutions, there is...
Show moreOnline learning is a growing branch of machine learning which allows all traditional data miningtechniques to be applied on an online stream of data in real-time. In this dissertation, we presentthree efficient algorithms for feature ranking in online classification problems. Each of the methodsare tailored to work well with different types of classification tasks and have different advantages.The reason for this variety of algorithms is that like other machine learning solutions, there is usuallyno algorithm which works well for all types of tasks. The first method, is an online sensitivitybased feature ranking (SFR) which is updated incrementally, and is designed for classificationtasks with continuous features. We take advantage of the concept of global sensitivity and rankfeatures based on their impact on the outcome of the classification model. In the feature selectionpart, we use a two-stage filtering method in order to first eliminate highly correlated and redundantfeatures and then eliminate irrelevant features in the second stage. One important advantage of ouralgorithm is its generality, which means the method works for correlated feature spaces withoutpreprocessing. It can be implemented along with any single-pass online classification method withseparating hyperplane such as SVMs. In the second method, with help of probability theory wepropose an algorithm which measures the importance of the features by observing the changes inlabel prediction in case of feature substitution. A non-parametric version of the proposed methodis presented to eliminate the distribution type assumptions. These methods are application to alldata types including mixed feature spaces. At last, we present a class-based feature importanceranking method which evaluates the importance of each feature for each class, these sub-rankingsare further exploited to train an ensemble of classifiers. The proposed methods will be thoroughlytested using benchmark datasets and the results will be discussed in the last chapter.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007584, ucf:52567
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007584
- Title
- EXAMINING FACTORS THAT AFFECT KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND STUDENTS' ATTITUDE TOWARD THEIR LEARNING EXPERIENCE WITHIN VIRTUAL TEAMS.
- Creator
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He, Jinxia, Gunter, Glenda, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study examined factors that might impact student knowledge sharing within virtual teams through online discussion boards. These factors included: trust, mutual influence, conflict, leadership, and cohesion. A path model was developed to determine whether relationships exist among knowledge sharing from asynchronous group discussion and the above five factors. In addition, this study examined if there are any relationships between quality and quantity of knowledge sharing and students'...
Show moreThis study examined factors that might impact student knowledge sharing within virtual teams through online discussion boards. These factors included: trust, mutual influence, conflict, leadership, and cohesion. A path model was developed to determine whether relationships exist among knowledge sharing from asynchronous group discussion and the above five factors. In addition, this study examined if there are any relationships between quality and quantity of knowledge sharing and students' grades. A correlation design was conducted to discover if there are any relationships among these five factors and knowledge sharing within virtual teams. Participants in this study were 148 undergraduate students from two classes in the Health Services Administration program in the College of Health and Public Affairs. The two classes were asynchronous online courses and both instructors used virtual teaming in their online courses. Online interaction occurred via online discussion boards, email, and online chat rooms. The results indicate that mutual influence and team cohesion are two major factors that directly affect knowledge sharing within virtual teams. Conflict mediates the relationship between trust and knowledge sharing. Leadership was also found to have a strong relationship with team cohesion, which then had a relationship with knowledge sharing. As far as the relationship between quality and quantity of knowledge sharing and the student's grade, it was found that there is relationship between the quantity of knowledge sharing and students' grades, however, no significant relationship exists between quality of knowledge sharing and students' grades. The implications of this research for use of virtual teams in online distance education are also discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002960, ucf:47980
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002960
- Title
- PEDAGOGICAL RE-MEDIATION IN HYBRID COURSES: A CASE STUDY OF FIVE FIRST-YEAR COMPOSITION INSTRUCTORS.
- Creator
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Middlebrook, Rebecca, Wallace, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As the move to increase availability of composition courses in the online environment continues, it is important to understand the ways in which composition instructors have taken on the challenges associated with moving their teaching online and how they modify, or re-mediate, their pedagogy for the this new teaching and learning environment. This study takes on the task of examining re-mediation as it occurs in the pedagogical practices used by instructors to facilitate peer review...
Show moreAs the move to increase availability of composition courses in the online environment continues, it is important to understand the ways in which composition instructors have taken on the challenges associated with moving their teaching online and how they modify, or re-mediate, their pedagogy for the this new teaching and learning environment. This study takes on the task of examining re-mediation as it occurs in the pedagogical practices used by instructors to facilitate peer review activities in hybrid, first-year composition courses. At the same time, it is important to understand the varying factors that may influence the degree to which instructors re-mediate their pedagogy for this hybrid environment. This study also uncovers four factors that appeared to influence the degree to which the instructors re-mediated their pedagogical practices over the course of the semester in which this study was conducted. Results from this study will contribute to the field by serving as a guide to instructors and administrators who will teach and design hybrid composition courses or curricula in the future.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002881, ucf:48040
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002881
- Title
- COMPARISON OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND OUTCOMES BETWEEN A SERIOUS GAME-BASED AND NON-GAME-BASED ONLINE AMERICAN HISTORY COURSE.
- Creator
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Hess, Taryn, Gunter, Glenda, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The use of online courses continues to increase despite the small amount of research that exists on the effectiveness of online educational environments. The little research that has been conducted has focused on evaluating factors taken into consideration during the adoption of online learning environments. One notable benefit often cited is the ability to incorporate multimedia such as video games. Although game researchers and developers are pushing for the use of video games for...
Show moreThe use of online courses continues to increase despite the small amount of research that exists on the effectiveness of online educational environments. The little research that has been conducted has focused on evaluating factors taken into consideration during the adoption of online learning environments. One notable benefit often cited is the ability to incorporate multimedia such as video games. Although game researchers and developers are pushing for the use of video games for educational purposes, there is a lack of research on the effectiveness of serious video games. When paring the increasing use of online educational environments, the push to use serious video games, and the lack of research on the effectiveness of online learning environments and video games, there is a clear need for further investigation into the use of serious video games in an online format. Based on current literature, no other known study has conducted an analysis comparing a serious game-based and non-game based online course; making this a unique study. The purpose of this study was to compare student learning experiences and outcomes between a serious game-based and non-game based online American History course. The data sources were data provided from Florida Virtual School (FLVS) and student and teacher interviews. Random samples of 92 students were statistically analyzed. A group of 8 students and 4 teachers were interviewed. FLVS data provided were analyzed using an independent t-test and the Mann-Whitney test and the student and teacher interview were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results of an independent t-test revealed that there was a significant (p < .01) difference in the mean number of days necessary to complete the course (MGB = 145.80, SDGB = 50.64, MNGB = 112.63, SDNGB = 49.60). The Mann-Whitney results indicated a significant difference between course performance and the type of American history course (Z = -5.066, p < .01); students in the serious game-based online course had an A average whereas students in the non-game-based online course had a B average. The thematic analysis of the relationship between student performance and motivation in both courses indicated that students and teachers of the game-based online course provided more reasons for student motivation than the students and teachers in the non-game-based online course. The thematic analysis of what aspects do students perceive as helpful and/or hindering to their learning indicated that students and teachers of the game-based online course provided more desirable, more helpful, less undesirable, and less hindering aspects for their course than the students and teachers in the non-game-based online course. As a result of the unique nature of this study, the findings provide new information for the fields of research on online learning, serious video gaming, and instructional design as well as inform instructional-designers, teachers, education stakeholders, serious video game designers, and education researchers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003221, ucf:48566
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003221
- Title
- Meeting Student, Instructor, and Institutional Expectations in Online Writing Courses.
- Creator
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Proulx, Emily, Vie, Stephanie, Rounsaville, Angela, Hall, Mark, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Research in online writing instruction often focuses on student perceptions of learning and best practices of online pedagogy (Boyd, 2008; Dziuban, Moska, Kramer, (&) Thompson, 2013; Hewett (&) Warnock, 2015; Pigg (&) Morrison, 2016; Roby, Ashe, Singh, (&) Clark, 2013; Warnock, 2009). At the University of Central Florida, online learning research is especially important due to the increasing volume of both online and hybrid courses across the university (which is itself in response to...
Show moreResearch in online writing instruction often focuses on student perceptions of learning and best practices of online pedagogy (Boyd, 2008; Dziuban, Moska, Kramer, (&) Thompson, 2013; Hewett (&) Warnock, 2015; Pigg (&) Morrison, 2016; Roby, Ashe, Singh, (&) Clark, 2013; Warnock, 2009). At the University of Central Florida, online learning research is especially important due to the increasing volume of both online and hybrid courses across the university (which is itself in response to increasing numbers of students enrolling but limited classroom space with which to teach). The current push from many university administrators for increased enrollment in online classes focuses on access and convenience; however, there is not as much of a conversation asking if the learning in the class is affected by the online course, or the different avenues for learning that these courses present. In this study, I noted that while scholarship discussed students', teachers', and institutions' roles in online courses, there was a lack of alignment in those areas.To investigate this lack of alignment, I interviewed four students enrolled in online courses and three instructors currently teaching online courses through the Department of Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Central Florida. Through a grounded theory analysis (Charmaz, 2006; Strauss (&) Corbin, 1998), I identified areas of agreement and dissonance in both the creation of and implementation of online courses. Overall, students and instructors seemed to focus both their positive and negative perceptions and expectations around discussions as sites of learning, expectations of time/effort, feedback, and classroom community. These are common sites of benefits and disadvantages of online writing courses, which make this investigation important to the continuing conversation of how we better align our perceptions and expectations to improve student learning in online writing courses.The conclusions from this study address the importance and difficulty of transparency in online courses and the need for consistency across the institution, the instructors, and the students. This research provides suggestions for implementing the findings of this research at the classroom and department levels.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006644, ucf:51255
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006644
- Title
- VIRTUAL VISTAS: HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DESCRIBING THEIR EXPERIENCES IN ONLINE COURSES.
- Creator
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Scheick, Amy, Gunter, Glenda, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Current research indicates that distance education courses can be as effective as traditional courses when the method and technologies used are appropriate to the instructional tasks. The number of states, counties, and school districts that provide online courses for high school students has rapidly expanded during the last ten years. The number of students, who enroll in these courses, has often grown by double digits each year. Understanding K-12 students' experiences in, and...
Show moreCurrent research indicates that distance education courses can be as effective as traditional courses when the method and technologies used are appropriate to the instructional tasks. The number of states, counties, and school districts that provide online courses for high school students has rapidly expanded during the last ten years. The number of students, who enroll in these courses, has often grown by double digits each year. Understanding K-12 students' experiences in, and expectations of, online learning is important for many reasons. Online learning is certainly growing and may become a graduation requirement in more states. Currently Michigan requires every student must participate in some form of online learning as a high school graduation requirement. High school students enrolling in online courses may have a measurable influence on higher education courses in the future, as students become more experienced with online learning. A great deal has been written about the development of virtual high schools, some of the issues surrounding them and basic student demographics. There are only a few studies that have interviewed students in detail as to why they have chosen to participate in a virtual school and examined how this choice has impacted them. The purpose of this study was to describe from the student's perspective, why they had enrolled in online courses and allowed them to characterize their experiences. Further, this study sought to identify the personality types and traits of the students enrolled in online high school courses and reported on one measure of the student's cognitive style or cognitive tempo. Forty-three students who were enrolled in a state sponsored virtual high school participated in this study. The study used three online instruments to collect data. The Matching Familiar Figures Test-20 was used to measure the impulsive or reflective responses of the students. The Long-Dziuban Reactive Behavioral Survey was used to determine the students' personality types. The third instrument was an online questionnaire of open-ended questions asking the students about their online experiences. In addition, twelve students participated in follow-up interviews. The study found that the students enrolled in online courses for a variety of reasons; students were concerned about and wanted control over the timing and pacing of their learning. Students' comments suggested that there may be a relationship between cognitive tempo as classified by the MFFT-20, and the students' preference for pacing through the online course materials. In addition, the distribution of personality types and cognitive styles represented in this sample were different from the general school population suggesting that perhaps some students are more interested in online learning than others are. After reviewing the results of the students responses to the MFFT-20, it may be that students may are becoming faster at processing visual information with fewer errors. More research is needed in this area. There does seem to be a trend in this direction and this could have implications for students enrolled in virtual high school courses. Finally, the students in this study characterized their online learning experiences as positive but did not feel that online learning should be a high school graduation requirement for all students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001674, ucf:47213
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001674
- Title
- Kindergarten through twelfth grade student perception of online courses and qualities that lead to course completion.
- Creator
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Peterson, Jennifer, Gunter, Glenda, Swan, Bonnie, Vitale, Thomas, Taylor, Rosemarye, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was two-fold, to understand student perception of the supplemental online courses and improve the online learning program at ABC Online Learning School. The study focused on students in Grades 6 -12 who belonged to the ABC School District and enrolled ABC Online Learning School high school credit courses to supplement their education. Student participants were asked to complete the Student Survey of Online Course Design. The data retrieved from the survey was...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was two-fold, to understand student perception of the supplemental online courses and improve the online learning program at ABC Online Learning School. The study focused on students in Grades 6 -12 who belonged to the ABC School District and enrolled ABC Online Learning School high school credit courses to supplement their education. Student participants were asked to complete the Student Survey of Online Course Design. The data retrieved from the survey was analyzed using the Spearman correlation to establish the strength of the relationship between student perception of quality online course design and the importance of specific components of the online course. The results indicated that as student perception of quality increased, their perception of the importance of the component increased as well. Additionally, a logistic regression formula was used to test the ability to predict successful online course completions based on the developer of the online course (instructor-developed or vendor-developed) and the type of credit the student would earn based on completion (original credit or credit retrieval/recovery). The results of the analysis of the logistic regression showed that developer of the online course and type of credit earned did not have a significant influence on successful course completions. The study is significant because, in Florida, K-12 online courses are funded based on successful course completion and students are required to successful complete an online course to earn a high school diploma.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007356, ucf:52099
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007356
- Title
- SOCIAL COMPETENCE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ONLINE PHYSICAL EDUCATION COURSES.
- Creator
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Ware, Deborah, Higginbotham, Patricia, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to assess the social competence of high school students enrolled in online Physical Education courses. Additionally, the demographic information regarding students who enroll in online Physical Education courses was examined. The subjects for this study included sixty students taking one of two Physical Education courses at the Florida Virtual School during the spring 2005 term. The entire curriculum of the Florida Virtual School is presented online and students...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to assess the social competence of high school students enrolled in online Physical Education courses. Additionally, the demographic information regarding students who enroll in online Physical Education courses was examined. The subjects for this study included sixty students taking one of two Physical Education courses at the Florida Virtual School during the spring 2005 term. The entire curriculum of the Florida Virtual School is presented online and students live throughout the entire state of Florida. Therefore, the entire study was administered online. The assessment instrument used was the Teenage Inventory of Social Skills created by Heidi Inderbitzen. The Teenage Inventory of Social Skills is a 40-item self-report questionnaire consisting of statements rated on a 6-point continuum. The instrument was divided into two sub-scales; a positive scale and a negative scale. A One-Sample T-Test was used to compare the mean sample scores with the standard means. Frequencies were run to review demographic information. Results indicated that there was no significant mean difference found between the students enrolled in online Physical Education courses and the mean of students established by the TISS. The majority of respondents were female, Caucasian, and were attending public or private schools for most of their classes.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000624, ucf:46532
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000624
- Title
- A Study of Elementary Student Course Completion and Achievement in Virtual and Traditional Format Courses within the Volusia County School District.
- Creator
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Garzia, Janet, Murray, Kenneth, Doherty, Walter, Baldwin, Gordon, Murray, Barbara, Kennedy, Mary, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The focus of this research study was to determine how elementary students enrolled in virtual education classes performed on state assessments and final report card grades in Reading and Mathematics as compared with students enrolled in traditional classes, and to examine whether there was a difference in the successful course completion rates between the two groups. Five research questions guided this study concerning the relationship of successful course completion, final grades, and FCAT 2...
Show moreThe focus of this research study was to determine how elementary students enrolled in virtual education classes performed on state assessments and final report card grades in Reading and Mathematics as compared with students enrolled in traditional classes, and to examine whether there was a difference in the successful course completion rates between the two groups. Five research questions guided this study concerning the relationship of successful course completion, final grades, and FCAT 2.0 achievement level scores and the variables of virtual and traditional education in the School District of Volusia County. This study is significant, as the movement of virtual learning is driven by economic factors and learning outcomes need to be considered in making instructional delivery decisions.Chi-square analysis suggested no statistical significant difference existed in either Reading or Mathematics successful course completion of students in virtual and traditional settings. Chi-square analyses and a one-sample t-test suggested there was no statistical significant difference in performance of virtual and traditional students on FCAT 2.0 Reading and Mathematics achievement levels. Although the Chi-square analyses showed no statistical significance in performance of virtual and traditional students on final report card grades in Reading and Mathematics, the one-sample t-tests suggested there was a statistically significant difference. When interpreting these results, caution should be taken as the virtual student population was extremely disproportionate to the traditional student population. Implications for practice and recommendations for future study are suggested in this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004848, ucf:49713
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004848
- Title
- INTEGRATING KEY ELEMENTS IN AN E-LEARNING CURRICULUM FOR AN OPTIMUM EDUCATIONAL AND INTERACTIVE USER EXPERIENCE.
- Creator
-
Stearns, Heather, Jones, Dan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study determines the particular components that are considered the best practices to use when implementing an e-Learning curriculum. Technical communicators and instructional designers have numerous development options to choose from. However, practices that work in academe do not always integrate well in a corporate setting, and what works for one corporation may not work for another. There is no singular methodology for developers to apply that enables e-Learning to fit every...
Show moreThis study determines the particular components that are considered the best practices to use when implementing an e-Learning curriculum. Technical communicators and instructional designers have numerous development options to choose from. However, practices that work in academe do not always integrate well in a corporate setting, and what works for one corporation may not work for another. There is no singular methodology for developers to apply that enables e-Learning to fit every organization's needs. Research shows that to ensure a successful online learning implementation, a sound project management team must be in place at the beginning of the project planning. This team must be prepared to collaborate with managers and users across an organization and carefully incorporate their suggestions into the curriculum design. Additionally, this team must be experienced not only in making sure that the project is launched on time and within the defined budget, but also in asking pertinent questions about the users, content structure, and design. Implementing an e-Learning site involves more than putting a Web page online for users to view. Developers must know about adult learning styles, must know how to incorporate interactive activities (like games and simulations), and must know how to write content so that it is engaging yet understandable.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002099, ucf:47547
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002099
- Title
- CONSTRUCTING EDUCATIONAL CRITICISM OF ONLINE COURSES: A MODEL FOR IMPLEMENTATION BY PRACTITIONERS.
- Creator
-
Thompson, Kelvin, Dziuban, Charles, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Online courses are complex, human-driven contexts for formal learning. Little has been said about the environment emerging from the interaction of instructor(s), learners, and other resources in such courses. Theories that focus on instructional settings and methods that are designed to accommodate inquiry into complex phenomena are essential to the systematic study of online courses. Such a line of research is necessary as the basis for a common language with which we can begin to speak...
Show moreOnline courses are complex, human-driven contexts for formal learning. Little has been said about the environment emerging from the interaction of instructor(s), learners, and other resources in such courses. Theories that focus on instructional settings and methods that are designed to accommodate inquiry into complex phenomena are essential to the systematic study of online courses. Such a line of research is necessary as the basis for a common language with which we can begin to speak holistically about online courses. In this dissertation, I attempt to generate better questions about the nature of online instructional environments. By combining prior works related to educational criticism and qualitative research case study with original innovations, I develop a model for studying the instructional experiences of online courses. I then apply this approach in the study of one specific online course at the University of Central Florida (UCF).
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000657, ucf:46553
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000657
- Title
- THE EFFECT OF APPLYING WIKIS IN AN ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFL) CLASS IN TAIWAN.
- Creator
-
Chen, Yu-ching, Witta, Lea, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Incorporating technology into learning has brought major benefits to learners and has greatly changed higher education. Since there is limited number of experimental research investigating the effectiveness of applying wikis, this study collected experimental data to investigate its effectiveness. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of applying wikis in terms of students' learning outcomes, to investigate the changes regarding students' attitude towards language...
Show moreIncorporating technology into learning has brought major benefits to learners and has greatly changed higher education. Since there is limited number of experimental research investigating the effectiveness of applying wikis, this study collected experimental data to investigate its effectiveness. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of applying wikis in terms of students' learning outcomes, to investigate the changes regarding students' attitude towards language learning, to explore the communication channels in wikis that facilitate students' interaction in the e-learning environment as well as students' experience of using wikis. Results showed that there existed statistically significant difference between the group with and without wikis, which means the group applying wikis performed better in listening and reading abilities. When compared with the non-wiki group, the wiki group had a more favorable attitude towards the class, their English ability improvement, and cooperative learning. Moreover, the students agreed that wikis helped them complete their assignment, they felt comfortable in the wiki environment, and it was easy for them to use wikis. From the experiences of using wikis shared by the students, they provided recommendations about the interface and the edit functions in the wiki environment. Their interaction with other team members and the course material increased but they expressed that the main interaction was through face-to-face and instant message software. Finally, the wiki environment allowed students to fulfill their role duties, cooperate, negotiate, manage their contribution, and modeling from each other.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002227, ucf:47919
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002227
- Title
- "THE IMPACT OF POLICY ON STUDENT SUCCESS IN SECONDARY ONLINE EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL".
- Creator
-
McPherson, Rhonda, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Florida Virtual School (FLVS) was established in 1997 as an online education alternative for the residents of Florida. The purpose of this study was to identify policy changes at the organizational, state, and federal levels that had the propensity to impact student success (as measured by student's final letter grade) at FLVS. In addition, this study identified which type of institutional isomporphic policy (coercive, mimetic, or normative) best classified major policy changes in the...
Show moreFlorida Virtual School (FLVS) was established in 1997 as an online education alternative for the residents of Florida. The purpose of this study was to identify policy changes at the organizational, state, and federal levels that had the propensity to impact student success (as measured by student's final letter grade) at FLVS. In addition, this study identified which type of institutional isomporphic policy (coercive, mimetic, or normative) best classified major policy changes in the organization from 1997-2007. The use of institutional theory as the guiding framework for this study proved to be beneficial and enabled the researcher to conclude which types of policy are the most effective in increasing student success in the secondary online education environment. This study utilized ANOVA and regression analysis to detect whether or not changes in policy at the organizational and federal level have a statistically significant impact on student success in the secondary online education environment. This study reveals that student success at FLVS is consistently decreasing and that the change is statistically significant. Regression analysis found that the policy changes at FLVS in this study explain some of the variance detected in the change in the mean, or GPA, of the school. This study found that both coercive and mimetic policies have a statistically significant impact on student success in the secondary online education environment as identified in the isomorphic mechanisms outlined in institutional theory. This study is important to the field of literature regarding secondary online education in that it opens the discussion regarding types of policy and the potential impact that policy changes have on student success in the secondary online education environment. In addition, this study serves as a framework upon which future studies can be conducted and are recommended in this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002423, ucf:47741
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002423
- Title
- The Effects of Synchronous Online Cognitive Strategy Instruction in Writing for Students with Learning Disabilities.
- Creator
-
Straub, Carrie, Vasquez, Eleazar, Wienke, Wilfred, Dieker, Lisa, Kaplan, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study investigates the effects of self-regulated strategy development (Harris, Graham, (&) Mason, 2009) for cognitive strategy instruction in persuasive writing (POW+TREE) using a synchronous online learning environment for special education students. Participants are four adolescent students with learning disabilities (LD) with low achievement in writing. One undergraduate research assistant delivered instruction using a synchronous online platform (e.g., Adobe Connect) in conjunction...
Show moreThis study investigates the effects of self-regulated strategy development (Harris, Graham, (&) Mason, 2009) for cognitive strategy instruction in persuasive writing (POW+TREE) using a synchronous online learning environment for special education students. Participants are four adolescent students with learning disabilities (LD) with low achievement in writing. One undergraduate research assistant delivered instruction using a synchronous online platform (e.g., Adobe Connect) in conjunction with collaborative writing software (e.g., Google Docs word processing). A multiple probe across participants design was used to demonstrate a functional relationship between instruction and number of essay elements (EE). Number of correct minus incorrect word sequences (CIWS) was used as a secondary dependent measure. A non-experimental pre-post design was used to compare the mean performance of holistic writing quality scores and standard scores from the TOWL-3. All four participants gained EE and CIWS from baseline to treatment and demonstrated standard score changes from pre to post-test on the TOWL-3. Implications for writing instruction for students with LD using online learning environments are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004606, ucf:49937
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004606
- Title
- A comparison of final grade outcomes of veterans enrolled in English I through online and face-to-face instructional modalities at a public four-year college.
- Creator
-
Hoke, Thomas, Taylor, Rosemarye, Cox, Dr. Thomas, Baldwin, Lee, Marshall, Nancy, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Since the passing of the first GI Bill in 1945, the community college, now two-and-four-year college, has provided access to veterans in pursuit of postsecondary education. As the college system has grown and expanded during the second half of the 20th Century, online learning has become increasingly important to the development of four-year colleges. Research into online learning has yet to reach an agreement on its effectiveness compared to traditional face-to-face instruction. Additionally...
Show moreSince the passing of the first GI Bill in 1945, the community college, now two-and-four-year college, has provided access to veterans in pursuit of postsecondary education. As the college system has grown and expanded during the second half of the 20th Century, online learning has become increasingly important to the development of four-year colleges. Research into online learning has yet to reach an agreement on its effectiveness compared to traditional face-to-face instruction. Additionally, little research into the academic outcomes of veterans taking courses through use of the online instructional modality has been conducted. To address this gap, the current study used the Theory of Student Integration (Tinto, 1975) and three research questions to explore these gaps. A quasi-experimental design was applied to investigate three research questions: (a) how do the academic outcomes of veterans, as measured by final grades, of veterans enrolled in an online version of English I (ENC 1101), compare with veterans enrolled in a face-to-face version of the same course with and without consideration of gender? (b) How do the academic outcomes, as measured by final grades, of veterans compare to nonveterans in both online and face-to-face versions of the course English I (ENC 1101) with and without consideration of gender? (c) What ability, if any, do instructional modality, veteran status, and age have in predicting final grade outcomes in the course English I (ENC 1101)? Archival data were gathered from a public, four-year state college in Florida of final grade outcomes and student demographics for course ENC 1101 for academic years 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015. Demographic data included: (a) age, (b) veteran status, (c) gender, and (d) instructional modality. Participants examined for this study were veteran and nonveterans enrolled in the course English I (ENC 1101) in two instructional modalities: online (n = 2,080) and face-to-face (n = 17,415). Additionally, participants were examined as groups of veterans (n = 544) and nonveterans (n = 18,951). Quantitative analysis utilizing independent samples t-tests of the archival data revealed that veterans earned statistically significant different final grade outcomes between the two instructional modalities t(55.65) = 2.18, p = .03. Veterans enrolled in the face-to-face version of ENC 1101 performed significantly better (M = 2.44, SD = 1.48) compared to veterans in the online version (M = 1.90, SD = 1.67). No significant differences were found when comparing final grade outcomes within gender across instructional modalities. Independent samples t-tests of the data revealed no statistically significant differences between the final grade outcomes of veterans and nonveterans within the face-to-face, t(17,413) = 0.25, p = .80, or online instructional modality, t(2.078) = 0.94, p = 0.35. Statistically significant differences were found between male veterans and nonveterans within the face-to-face modality, t(8,086) = -2.56, p = .01. Male veterans in the face-to-face instructional modality had statistically significant higher final grade outcomes (M = 2.48, SD = 1.47) compared to male nonveterans (M = 2.28, SD = 1.48). Additionally, statistically significant differences between female veterans and nonveterans within the face-to-face instructional modality were found, t(9,138) = 2.16, p = .03. The final grade outcomes of female nonveterans were significantly higher (M = 2.60, SD = 1.46) than those of female veterans (M = 2.30, SD = 1.50) in the face-to-face modality. No statistically significant differences were comparing the final grade outcomes from the online modality of veterans and nonveterans by gender.Multiple linear regressions were used to determine what relationship age, veteran status, and instructional modality had on final grade outcome. Analysis revealed that age and instructional modality were statistically significant in predicting final grade outcome, while veteran status was not, F(3, 19,491) = 85.07, p (<) .001. The model predicts that older students will earn higher final grade outcomes than younger student in the face-to-face instructional modality regardless of veteran status.Throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries, the four-year college has continued to grow in both number and program offerings. This growth has helped the four-year college to remain a leading source of postsecondary educational opportunities for veterans. With the development of online learning technology in the late 20th Century, four-year colleges have utilized this new technology to provide opportunities to larger groups of students than they had previously been able to reach. However, the effectiveness of this instructional modality has yet to be fully ascertained when compared to face-to-face instruction, especially for veterans, a population that has demonstrated at-risk characteristics (Kasworm, 2005). The findings of this study provide implications for four-year college administrators, instructors, and educational researchers to continue working to support veterans as they enter higher education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006602, ucf:51280
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006602