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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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Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Melanie Clay
University of West Georgia
Managing Editor
Ms. Kendall Dickey
University of West Georgia
Associate Editor
Ms. Julie Stone Ingle
University of West Georgia
Editorial Board
Dr. Mac Adkins
Troy University
Christopher L. A. Ahlstrom
Towson University
David Babb
University of North Georgia
Dr. R.-L. Etienne Barnett
University of Atlanta (US)
Centre National de la Recherche
Scientifique (France)
Mr. R. Thomas Berner
Pennsylvania State University
Dr. Kris Biesinger
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
Dr. Beverly L. Bower
University of North Texas
Ms. Diane M. Burnette
University of Georgia
Erik Burns
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dr. W. Dean Care
Brandon University
Dr. Jason G. Caudill
King University
Yong Chen
Old Dominion University
Mr. Matthew N. Clay
University of West Georgia
Dr. Sherry A. Clouser
University of Georgia
Bradly Corlett
AliveTek
Dr. Ken Corley
Appalachian State University
Dr. Jeanne Catanzaro
Washburn University
Dr. Micheal Crafton
University of West Georgia
Dr. Muhammet Demirbilek
Suleyman Demirel University, Turkey
Dr. Robert N. Diotalevi
Florida Gulf Coast University
Ms. Beth Evans
College Library of the City University of New York
Dr. Catherine L. Finnegan
Advanced Learning Technologies,
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
Jan Flegle
American Public University System
Dr. Larry V. Flegle
American Military University
Dr. Cher C. Hendricks
University of Idaho
Dr. Katy Herbold
Southern Utah University
Mrs. Laurie G. Hillstock
Virginia Tech
Dr. Cathy Hochanadel
Purdue University Global
Dr. Genell Hooper Harris
Centenary College of Louisiana
Dr. Scott L. Howell
Brigham Young University
Dr. Jason B. Huett
University of West Georgia
Dr. Thomas J. Hynes
Clayton State University
Dr. Sallie J. Johnson
USAF Air University, Air Command and Staff College
Dr. Harold J. Kearsley
Norwich University
Dr. John J. Ketterer
Jacksonville State University
Dr. James W. King
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
James Kinneer
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Irene Kokkala
University of North Georgia
Olabisi Kuboni (retired)
The University of West Indies
Dr. Sarah Kuck
Albany State University
Dr. Sally Kuhlenschmidt
Western Kentucky University
Ms. Elizabeth D. Larzelere M.S.
New York Chiropractic College
Melissa Layne
American Public University System
Dr. Andrew Leavitt
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Dr. Lauryl A. Lefebvre
University of Phoenix
Ms. Nancy Lee
University of Nevada
Dr. Elke M. Leeds
Western Governors University
Dr. Amanda E. Major
University of Central Florida
Christopher Mathews-Smith M.A.
Emory University
Dr. Jennifer McLean
Pennsylvania College of Technology
COL Philip A. McNair (USA, ret.)
American Public University System
Dr. Marc D. Miller
Henderson State University
Dr. Nancy Griffin Mims, Ed.D.
University of West Georgia
Dr. Mary Jo Muratore
University of Missouri - Columbia
Anna Obedkova
University of Texas of Arlington
Dr. Abbot L. Packard
University of West Georgia
Dr. Angie Parker
Northcentral University
Dr. Anthony Piña
Sullivan University
Dr. Shawn M. Quilter
Eastern Michigan University
Dr. Ravic P. Ringlaben
University of West Georgia
Dr. Michael Rogers
University of North Georgia
Dr. Beth Rene Roepnack
University of West Georgia, USG eCampus Senior Academic Instructional Support Specialist
Dr. Peter J. Shapiro
Director of Creative Learning Services
Florida State College at Jacksonville
Melanie Shaw
North central University
Angela Solic
Rush University
Dr. LeAnn McKinzie Thomason
Brownsville, Texas
Mitzi P. Trahan, Ph.D.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Dr. Thomas J. Tobin
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dr. Joann Kroll Wheeler
Texas A & M University
Past OJDLA Editors
Dr. Stephen J. Anspacher
The New School
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.
Rayma Harchar, Ed. D.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Dr. Nataliya V. Ivankova
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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. Barbara K. McKenzie
University of West Georgia
Dr. Paul F. Merrill
Brigham Young University
Mr. Bob Reese
Reese Consulting Associates, Inc.
Dr. M. D. Roblyer
University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Mr. Timothy W. Seid
Earlham School of Religion
Dr. Barbara L. Watkins
University of Kansas |
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Organizational Sustainability in Online Higher Education: Reframing through the Viable System Model
 Priscilla Parsons |
 Kaye Shelton |
by Priscilla Parsons
Kaye Shelton
Higher education remains embroiled in transition driven by cost of attendance, technological advances, globalization, hyper-competition, and stakeholder expectations. Concurrently, advances in online education have prompted increased integration within the educational enterprise. Not only are modern institutions faced with the necessity to respond to the changing educational environment, they must establish capabilities to sustain online education into the future. This paper examines the viable system model (VSM) as a mechanism to deal with this complexity and offers a framework through which leadership and management in online education can increase understanding of organizational sustainability and systemic management.
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Academic Advising and Online Doctoral Student Persistence From Coursework to Independent Research
 Todd D. Fiore |
 Keri L. Heitner |
 Melanie Shaw
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by Todd D. Fiore
Keri L. Heitner
Melanie Shaw
Approximately 50% of doctoral students do not complete their degrees. Attrition for online doctoral programs is 10% to 20% higher than traditional programs. This study’s purpose was to understand online doctoral students’ perceptions about the role of academic advisement in transitioning from coursework to independent research. Semi-structured interviews with 18 participants revealed six major themes pertaining to advising’s role on persistence, the efficacy of advising, and potential improvements to advising. The major themes identified within and across three cases are: faculty advising is paramount, lack of process advisement, inconsistent advisement, peer advising is powerful, persistence comes from within, and doctoral research feels lonely. Further research is needed about online doctoral students’ experience, particularly with respect to transitioning from coursework to independent research.
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Student Retention in Online Courses: University Role
 Marie St. Rose |
 Alicia Moore |
by Marie St. Rose
Alicia Moore
As the growth in technology enables academic institutions to offer online courses to students globally, it is essential for universities to provide quality services to meet the needs and expectations of learners. Student retention in online courses is one of the challenges facing universities today. This is an important concern and should be addressed. The following research question was posed to a convenience sample of 84 students enrolled in online courses at an academic institution: What can the university do to help you to remain enrolled in online courses? The data generated from the research question were entered in Nvivo to identify themes and metathemes. The analysis identified twenty-four themes. As the analysis progressed, six metathemes emerged. The students proposed six areas for universities to address: costs, resources, the number of online courses and degrees offered, support services, faculty accountability, and policies. The metathemes identified in this study have implications for university administrators to focus on the learner when addressing retention in online courses.
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Efficient Online Instruction: Maximum Impact in Minimal Time
by Lori J. Cooper
Amanda Laster-Loftus
B. Jean Mandernach
Higher education faculty have numerous responsibilities that are not limited to instruction of classes. While it is well established in literature that faculty have a diverse set of responsibilities that extend well beyond a 40-hour work week, this information has yet to be cohesively transferred into suggestions for institutions to utilize when promoting instructional efficiency. The present study offers both a conceptual and operational definition of faculty workload in higher education, while addressing faculty workload perceptions and the value of efficiency. In addition, this study offers specific recommendations for instructional efficiency that faculty and institutions of higher education can put into practice. This quantitative study surveyed full-time (n=50) and adjunct faculty (n=368) at a Southwest university. Survey results indicated adjunct faculty rated automatic notification higher than full-time faculty, while both faculty roles agree integration of feedback banks are valuable for increasing teaching efficiency (x?=3.91, SD=1.18); as well as push notifications to students outside the online classroom (x?=3.74, SD=1.23). Overall findings concluded that all faculty believed pedagogical tools had value in increasing the efficiency in online teaching. Therefore, recognition of instructional supplements may foster the efficiency and impact of teaching time. Higher education administrators and curriculum developers can use this evidence to promote decisions supporting improvement of pedagogical tools within online classrooms.
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eCelebrations: Virtual Graduations to Celebrate Online Students
 Leora Waldner |
 Dayna McDaniel |
 Tammy Esteves
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by Leora Waldner
Dayna McDaniel
Tammy Esteves
Online students are often short-changed when they reach their most important milestone — graduation. For many institutions, virtual graduation has proven to be a holy grail of sorts—critically important to student experience, but illusive in form and difficult to achieve. This article explores several existing models of virtual graduations, and proposes a framework to evaluate the quality of synchronous virtual graduation events.
We also present an example of a synchronous virtual graduation celebration in a master's degree program that optimizes social presence and engagement. This robust event features real-time audio and webcam participation by all participants, keynote speakers, interactive prize contests, and personalized announcement of graduates. By illuminating the logistics, we enable other universities to consider adoption of this powerful innovation to enhance the online learning experience and further engage online learners.
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Using the Technology Adoption Model to Assess Faculty Comfort with the Learning Management System
 Lisa Anne Bove
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 Sheri Conklin |
by Lisa Anne Bove
Sheri Conklin
When faculty need to use technology that is not familiar to them, it may take more time to integrate into to their teaching. The purpose of this study was to gather data on the ease of use and usefulness of the Blackboard LMS in anticipation of transitioning to a new LMS. A survey with the Technology Adoption Model (TAM) usability and perceived ease of use questions was sent to faculty in the Fall semester prior to the beginning of training for the transition to a new learning management system. Participation was voluntary and no questions were required.
Most participants completed the full usefulness and ease of use Likert-style questions, but many declined to fill out other questions about years teaching, title, age, or type of employment and comfort level. We obtained a 29 % response rate. Of those who received the survey, 48.5 % were Professors (full, assistant and associate) and 51.5 % were lecturers. Faculty averaged 13 years teaching with an average of 10 years at UNCW and most were between the ages of 44 and 65.
There was no significant association (α> 98%) between years teaching, title, age, or type of employment and usefulness or ease of use. Comfort level, however, demonstrated a negative association with both usefulness and ease of use. Faculty who identified themselves with lower comfort levels also reported that Blackboard was less useful and less easy to use. Based on the information gleaned in this survey, a full implementation plan including communication, opportunities for faculty buy-in for the plan, published timelines, and multiple options for training will be used to implement the new system.
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Hello Readers:
Greetings,
I am very excited to announce the fifth meeting of our Meaningul Living and Learning in a Digital World conference. It will be held at the fabulous Brice Hotel in beautiful Savannah on February 10-12, 2020.
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We are currently accepting presentation proposals on topics related to:
- Reconciling Humanity and Technology in the Classroom
- Humanistic Instructional Design
- Work-Life-Learning Balance
- Health & Wellness in the High-Tech Workplace
- Mindfulness and Health
- Learning Science
- Coaching and Mentoring Distance Learners
- Sustainable Technology Solutions
- Social Equity and Educational Access
- Experiential Learning
This is a unique meeting, and has become one of my favorite weeks of the year. You have about another month to get your proposal in if you'd like to join us. I hope to see you in Savannah!
Melanie
Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.
September 13, 2019
To be notified of future publications contact the UWG Distance & Distributed Education Center
Last modified: September 13, 2019 |
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