Thoughts to share? The Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration is a peer-reviewed electronic journal offered free each quarter over the World Wide Web. The journal welcomes manuscripts based on original work of practitioners and researchers with specific focus or implications for the management of distance education programs. Click here to access our readership stats.
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Spring 2007 - Volume 10 Issue 1
E-mentoring in Three Voices
Lynn Akin
Janet Hilbun
by Lynn Akin
Janet Hilbun This research shares the experiences of two colleagues who engaged in an e-mentoring relationship for a period of one academic term. Their
candid and reflective comments are interspersed among the voices of the best practices literature.
Upgrading or Replacing Your Learning Management System:
Implications for Student Support
Donna Petherbridge
Diane
Chapman
by Donna Petherbridge
Diane Chapman
Changing your Learning Management System (LMS) presents challenges not only to
instructional faculty, but also to the students who depend on these systems to completely deliver
or support their courses. In assessing the transition for students experiencing an upgrade in the
campus LMS, a number of findings have real implications for developing a strategy to support
the needs of students undergoing the transition. This paper discusses selected student assessment
components of an LMS implementation, and the implications of the findings for student support.
Leadership Influence on Corporate Change Involving Distance Training
Zane L. Berge
by Olga Wasyluk
Zane L. Berge
Corporate learning leaders require a unique set of skills to sustain learning programs within their organizations. Leaders must have well-planned strategies and clear direction for learning initiatives. They must understand their organization as well as their learners, and be able to skillfully deploy appropriate learning technologies. A network of relationships must be built and nurtured by corporate learning leaders to promote and sustain their programs. Leaders must adhere to well-defined procedural standards related to programs, budgets and change management. They must understand changing trends in leadership paradigms across organizational cultures. Effective corporate learning leaders must skillfully combine relationships, process, and support while continually transforming their organizations and expanding learning initiatives. initiatives.
Open Access Learning Environments
by Kenneth Mentor
Educational institutions are increasingly adopting “closed” learning environments that hide
learning materials in password-protected areas. While this may be a logical solution to a range of
problems, much is lost in this mode of course delivery. Although there are logical reasons for
moving toward closed environments, we may be erring too far on the side of caution. Educators
and administrators are encouraged to consider the advantages of alternative models that respect
the need for privacy while opening learning opportunities to a wider population.
Establishing a Mentoring Plan for Improving Retention in
Online Graduate Degree Programs
by Janet Truluck
As online distance education courses continue to increase in popularity for graduate programs it is becoming evident that retention issues are much greater in this format than in traditional face to face classes. Maintaining contact with students and overcoming feelings of isolation can be a major challenge for instructors and program coordinators. This paper describes an e-mentoring plan established for students in a Master's of Adult Education degree program with the purpose of maintaining enrollment while supporting students throughout their experience. The steps of the plan are described along with the rationale for each.
Institutional Factors Affecting Students' Intentions to Withdraw From Distance Learning Programs in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the Case of the Arab Open
University (AOU)
Manal Ibrahim
Kami S.P.
Rwegasira
by Manal Ibrahim
Kami S.P. Rwegasira
Ahmed Taher
This paper focuses on the relationship between institutional factors and the intention of undergraduate students to withdraw from or complete their distance education courses in the Arab Open University (AOU). The model was examine on a pilot sample of 127 students and then re-examined on the field study of 587 students. Mixed paradigms were selected, the quantitative approach was, the dominant technique, using factor analysis followed by discriminant analysis. The qualitative approach used content analysis for the in-depth interviews and open ended questions to explore the problem details. This study seems to suggest that, the intention to stay in the Arab Open University (AOU) distance learning (DL) programs depends critically on the quality of instructors and the variety of technology used to support and deliver these (DL) programs
Master Online Teacher Competencies
by Virgil E. Varvel Jr.
Online education continues to flourish across the globe. As we pass from the early adopter phase into acceptance by the masses, the
number of instructors taking part in online education grows. Although qualified in their field, many instructors have no education in
the methods of instruction or facilitation. Those that have such training often do not have any additional training or experience
specifically in the field of distance or online education. But what should such training consist of, and what additional faculties of an
individual help one to be a proficient online educator? Furthermore, once a listing of such skills or competencies has been developed,
how can or should they be assessed and when should such an assessment occur? This paper discusses the process of constructing a
competency document for online instructors.
From the Editor
When I began working as a distance learning administrator 11 years ago, I had virtually no experience in this area. At the time, there wasn't a certificate program or a graduate course available that addressed the issues that I would face (yes, times have certainly changed). Much of what I learned in those early days came from conversations, both planned and unplanned, that I had with others in the field at other institutions, as well as distance teaching faculty at our university. This type of learning is really mentoring, and it's far, far more common (especially informally) than we often realize. In this issue Lynn Akin and Janet Hilbun share their experiences with a formal mentoring program among instructors teaching online courses. Janet Truluck presents another face of mentoring in her article about how a student mentoring program can help online retention. Of course, both of the articles address planned efforts. But think about how many times a day we casually share information in the hallway, by phone, or email that adds slowly but surely adds to our knowledge bank. As I write this, I can see the blooming of the Bradford Pear trees outside heralding the beginning of spring here in Georgia. For us, this means that the next few weeks will be spent busily scurrying to make last minute preparations for our DLA Conference in June. Join us there if you can – I'd love to have some informal learning conversations with you!
