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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University of West Georgia Melly's DLA Blog
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University of West Georgia
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University of West Georgia
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Dr. Mac Adkins
Troy University
David Babb
Georgia Perimeter College Online
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University of Atlanta (US)
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The College of St. Scholastica
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University of Manitoba
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Carson-Newman College
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University of West Georgia
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Advanced Learning Technologies,
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Dr. Sallie J. Johnson
USAF Air University, Air Command and Staff College
Dr. Harold J. Kearsley
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Dr. John J. Ketterer
Jacksonville State University
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Dr. Sally Kuhlenschmidt
Western Kentucky University
Ms. Elizabeth D. Larzelere M.S.
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Dr. Andrew Leavitt
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Ms. Nancy Lee
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Dr. Elke M. Leeds
Kennesaw State University
Christopher Mathews-Smith M.A.
Georgia Perimeter College Online
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University of West Georgia
Dr. Jennifer McLean
Pennsylvania College of Technology
COL Philip A. McNair (USA, ret.)
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Dr. Marc D. Miller
Augusta State University
Dr. Nancy Griffin Mims, Ed.D.
University of West Georgia
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Anna Obedkova
University of West Georgia
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Advanced Learning Technologies,
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Director of Creative Learning Services
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Mitzi P. Trahan, Ph.D.
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Past OJDLA Editors
Dr. Stephen J. Anspacher
The New School
Ms. Diane M. Burnette
University of Georgia
Dr. Michael Beaudoin
University of New England
Dr. Elizabeth Bennett
University of West Georgia
Janet Gubbins
University of West Georgia
Ms. Tammy Hamm-Ronsisvalle
Synergy Plus Inc.
Dr. Cher C. Hendricks
University of West Georgia
Rayma Harchar, Ed. D.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Dr. Kathleen A. Kraus
State University of New York at New Paltz
Dr. Dwight Laws
Brigham Young University
Dr. George E. Marsh II
The University of Alabama
Dr. Paul F. Merrill
Brigham Young University
Mr. Bob Reese
Reese Consulting Associates, Inc.
Mr. Timothy W. Seid
Earlham School of Religion
Dr. Barbara L. Watkins
University of Kansas
Current Issue
Infrastructure and Administrative Support for Online Programs
John Meyer
Amanda Barefield
by John Meyer Amanda Barefield
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the availability and effectiveness of administrative support elements for online teaching faculty, and introduce a faculty validated Matrix for use as a guide in development of administrative support for online programs. When administrators make decisions about the infrastructure support needs of a current or planned online teaching program, these decisions are often based on external expert advice rather than on the advice of experienced ground level faculty. Online teaching faculty are the best source of advice and information on what works and what does not. With this premise in mind faculty at a premier medical university were surveyed to find out what elements are important to the development of an effective online teaching program. Faculty feedback was used to validate an Online Teaching Infrastructure Matrix designed to help campus administration evaluate the current administrative support they provide to online teaching programs.
Assessment Design and Cheating Risk in Online Instruction
Oskar R. Harmon, James Lambrinos and Judy Buffolino
by Oskar R. Harmon James Lambrinos
Judy Buffolino
Many consider online courses to be an inferior alternative to traditional face-to-face (f2f) courses because exam cheating is thought to occur more often in online courses. This study examines how the assessment design in online courses contributes to this perception. Following a literature review, the assessment design in a sample of online courses is analyzed, and then the results of a survey of student's opinions on assessment design issues are reported. We report the finding, that in our sample, the online courses show a heavy reliance on unproctored multiple choice exams and likely have greater cheating risks than comparable f2f courses. For online courses with multiple choice exams, we recommend instructors modify their assessment design to proctor some of the multiple choice exams, and aggressively use strategic question shuffling tactics.
High Performance Work Systems for Online Education
Jonna Contacos-Sawyer
by Jonna Contacos-Sawyer
Mark Revels Mark Ciampa
The purpose of this paper is to identify the key elements of a High Performance Work System (HPWS) and explore the possibility of implementation in an online institution of higher learning. With the projected rapid growth of the demand for online education and its importance in post-secondary education, providing high quality curriculum, excellent instructors, quality customer service with user-friendly technology, and competitive prices distinguishes one online institution from another. The implementation of High Performance Work Systems (HPWSs) should be considered by online institutions as research results reveal positive outcomes in areas such as revenue, innovation, quality, productivity, and customer service. Organizations of all sizes and across all industries can implement HPWSs if there is a compelling need to change and organizational support for implementation.
Utilizing Distance Learning as a Strategy for Academic Success for Undergraduate Students on Academic Probation: Atypical Candidates for Online Learning
Holly Seirup
Rose Tirotta
by Holly Seirup Rose Tirotta This study explores the implementation, student satisfaction, and the effectiveness of an online academic support course required for students on academic probation at a mid-sized private institution in the Northeast. Although it is often considered that students on academic probation may not exhibit the typical characteristics associated with success in distance education, the results of this study found that the majority of the students were satisfied with the course content, and found the online teaching pedagogy to be effective. On average, the students enrolled in the course increased their GPA by .16 bringing the GPA of more than half of the students above a 2.0 and off of academic probation.
The Way of the Wiki: Using a Wiki as a Management Tool for Online Programs
Jason B. Huett
by Jason B. Huett
Kimberly C. Huett
Elizabeth Bennett
Many universities are struggling to meet student demand for quality online course offerings. As an online program grows, it can become more difficult to manage information, resources, and people. Adopting useful knowledge management tools, such as wikis, could help better position an online program in a competitive marketplace. Wikis promote collaborative knowledge convergence that helps accumulate, organize, and store essential programmatic assets in an easy-to-access format. This paper details the adoption and evolution of a wiki as an administrative tool in an online graduate program and explains how, after a slow start, the departmental wiki has morphed into a highly functional knowledge management space that is rapidly spreading throughout the college and beyond. The authors conclude by offering lessons learned and considerations for future wiki adoption.
Self Paced Learners Meet Social Software: An Exploration of Learners’ Attitudes, Expectations and Experience
Terry Anderson
Bruno Poellhuber
by Terry Anderson Bruno Poellhuber Ross McKerlich
Social networking and communications tools have become widely used in entertainment and social applications and there is growing interest in their use in formal education applications. Distance education and especially those types that are based on self-paced programming models may be the biggest beneficiaries of the use of these new tools to provide previously unavailable capacity for student-student and student-teacher interaction. However, little is known about students’ interest, expectation and expertise using these tools. In this study the results of an online questionnaire (n=967) completed by undergraduate students enrolled in self-paced distance education programming are presented. The paper concludes that these students have very diverse views and experiences - however a majority are interested in using these tools to enhance their learning experiences. We also describe the relationship between expertise and expectation - the greater use and experience of learners, the more they expect and desire to have educational social software used in their formal education programming.
Student Satisfaction of Online Courses for Educational Leadership
Pauline Sampson
Julia Ballenger
by Pauline Sampson
John Leonard
Julia Ballenger
J. Craig Coleman
This survey research was completed at a regional university to determine students’ satisfaction of online courses in a principal and superintendent certification program in one educational leadership department. This study explored the students’ satisfaction of course components: instruction, communication, assessment, leadership, teamwork, professionalism, and respect/diversity. The findings on the first cohort survey with a hybrid format of course delivery, the 2005 baseline, showed a positive satisfaction with overall means between 3.79 and 4.48 on a five point Likert-scale with a 5 meaning strong agreement with satisfaction. The lowest area of satisfaction was the category of cohort teamwork (M = 3.79) and the highest area of satisfaction was the category of assessment (M = 4.48). The most recent group of students (2009) with a totally online delivery format completed the survey and showed an overall positive satisfaction with overall means between 3.77 and 4.30 on a five point Likert-scale with a 5 meaning strong agreement with satisfaction. The lowest area of satisfaction was the category of teamwork (M = 3.77) and the highest are of satisfaction was the category of instruction (M = 4.30).
From the Editor
Hello Readers:
This edition of the OJDLA includes seven outstanding articles of interest to all DL administrators. Harmon, Lambrinos, and Buffolino report their findings regarding cheating of online students and strategies for deterring cheating. While their findings support other studies which indicate that cheating in online courses is not greater than it is in face-to-face courses, their data also supports the contention that proctoring reduces the incidence of cheating on exams. These findings are very useful in helping us to design and assess online courses. At the same time, I am personally convinced that cheating is less of a function of opportunity than of personal integrity. I would love to see more studies that explore personality characteristics and values in relationship to cheating, and solid ways that we can capture a culture of integrity in the online environment.
On another note, the Call for Proposals for DLA2011 will be on October 15. Next year’s conference will be in Savannah, one of my favorite cities in the world. I hope you will consider presenting.
Hello Readers: