E-learning and social networking handbook : resources for higher education

Fisher Library has acquired a new book on eLearning. The details are below:

E-learning and social networking handbook : resources for higher education / Robin Mason, Frank Rennie.

Student engagement with digital learning resources and online social networking are strong forces in education today. How can these resources best be utilized by educators and course designers in higher education? This book aims to provide the reader with enough background information to appreciate the value of social networking especially for distributed education. Through highlighting the most relevant, interesting and challenging aspects of e-learning the book provides practical advice for using social networking tools in course design.

Contents: Social networking as an educational tool — Design for a distributed environment — Selecting the media palette — The tools in practice — Constraints on course design — Evaluating course design and understanding its implications.

Economics of distance and online learning : theory, practice, and research

Fisher Library has acquired a new book on eLearning. The details are below:

Economics of distance and online learning : theory, practice, and research / William J. Bramble and Santosh Panda, editors

“This book provides a comprehensive overview of the organizational models of distance and online learning from an international perspective and from the point of view of economic planning, costing and management decision-making. The book points to directions for further research and development in this area, and will promote further understanding and critical reflection on the part of administrators, practitioners and researchers of distance education and training. The experiences and perspectives in distance education in the United States are balanced with those in other areas of the world.”–BOOK JACKET.

Why people benefit from e-learning differently: The effects of psychological processes on e-learning outcomes

by: Zeying Wan, Yinglei Wang, Nicole Haggerty. Information & Management. Amsterdam: Dec 2008. Vol. 45, Iss. 8; pg. 513.

Abstract

Using social cognitive theory, the authors opened up the black box of psychological processes in which e-learners engage.  They believed that prior experience with ICT and virtual competence were two influential factors that affected e-learning and had a positive influence on its outcomes.  They tested our hypotheses on a sample of 383  Chinese students participating in online courses.  Their findings confirmed the effect of virtual competence and revealed a nuanced mechanism by which experiences with ICT affected e-learning outcomes.  They discussed the  implications of this in e-learning practice.

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Audio Use in E-Learning: What, Why, When, and How?

by: Brendan Calandra, Ann E Barron, Ingrid Thompson-Sellers. International Journal on ELearning. Norfolk: 2008. Vol. 7, Iss. 4; pg. 58.

Abstract

Decisions related to the implementation of audio in e-learning are perplexing for many instructional designers, and deciphering theory and principles related to audio use can be difficult for practitioners.  Yet, as bandwidth on the Internet increases, digital audio is becoming more common in online courses.  This article provides a review of relevant literature and the results of a survey conducted with instructional
designers to determine what, why, when, and how they implemented audio in their e-learning courseware.

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Vienna E-Lecturing (VEL): Learning How to Learn Self-Regulated in an Internet-Based Blended Learning Setting

by: Barbara Schober, Petra Wagner, Ralph Reimann, Christiane Spiel. International Journal on ELearning. Norfolk: 2008. Vol. 7, Iss. 4; pg. 703, 21 pgs.

Abstract

The article describes the “Vienna E-Lecturing” (VEL), a complex internet-based blended-learning setting developed for students at the University of Vienna (Austria).  As part of the introduction to research methods in psychology, VEL aids in imparting factual knowledge regarding research methods and evaluation, as well as promotes learning skills, collaborative learning, and e-competence.  The program’s conceptualization is based on instructional, as well as motivational findings yielding the program’s main teaching principles.  The course is composed of online learning modules and face-to-face units (including tutorials and self-regulation training). Within a cooperative learning setting, the modules, which are available through a learning platform, systematically instruct students to learn more effectively by completing different tasks.  Following a brief overview of the e-learning boom within higher education the program’s background, its goals, components, and didactic principles will be described, the online modules will be briefly outlined and ultimately, the evaluation of VEL will be addressed.

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Using a Virtual Learning Environment to Manage Group Projects: A Case Study

by: Yvonne Cleary, Ann Marcus-Quinn. International Journal on ELearning. Norfolk: 2008. Vol. 7, Iss. 4; pg. 60.

Abstract

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are increasingly used by Higher Education Institutions to manage and enhance teaching and learning, and research.  Discussion, chat, scheduling, and other collaboration tools  make VLEs especially useful systems for designing and managing complex group projects.  In the spring  semester of 2006, students at the University of Limerick used a pilot version of the Sakai VLE to collaborate on a group project, which required them to design a piece of e-learning courseware.  They uploaded their e-learning course onto Sakai, and evaluated the Sakai system as part of a module on Information Management and Content Production.  Their evaluation reports demonstrated high expectations of the VLE, intolerance of technical glitches, but a positive overall response to the system.

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The Practitioner’s Model: Designing a Professional Development Program for Online Teaching

by: Debbi Weaver, Diane Robbie, Rosemary Borland. International Journal on ELearning. Norfolk: 2008. Vol. 7, Iss. 4; pg. 759.

Abstract

This article describes the experiences of staff responsible for developing and delivering professional development (PD) in online teaching in three universities in the same Australian state.   Each university draws on a similar pool of staff and students, and operates under the same government regulations, but has used different models of policy and resourcing to implement their PD program.   The implications of this are
discussed, and a model for an “ideal” implementation presented.

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E-Learning Incorporation: An Exploratory Study of Three South African Higher Education Institutions

by: Wanjira Kinuthia, Rabelani Dagada. International Journal on ELearning. Norfolk: 2008. Vol. 7, Iss. 4; pg. 623.

Abstract

This article reports on the findings of a research study that was conducted to explore the types of  Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in use in higher education in South Africa.  Specifically, the goal of the study was to explore how e-learning is being used for teaching and learning purposes.  Data were collected from interviews with educators and instructional designers at three universities in Johannesburg and Pretoria. Data also came from observation of physical and virtual classrooms, and Learning Management Systems (LMS), as well as institutional (print and electronic) documents related to the use of ICT in instructional environments. Data analysis indicated that resident universities and distance learning universities differ in their missions and approaches to e-learning. A variety of tools including  various software, LMS, and print resources are being incorporated into instruction.  However, there are barriers to e-learning including large class sizes, limited bandwidth, time, and financial limitations. Despite the barriers, e-learning integration continues, and learners are enthusiastic in engaging in activities, subsequently fostering ICT integration in instruction.

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Belonging Online: Students’ Perceptions of the Value and Efficacy of an Online Learning Community

By: Loralee LaPointe, Marcy Reisetter. International Journal on ELearning. Norfolk: 2008. Vol. 7, Iss. 4; pg.

Abstract

The proliferation of online course designs has changed the learning environments for many students and professors.  Recommendations for best practice in online course design frequently include maximizing students’ online peer connections, with the intention of building a viable, if virtual, online learning community.  However, students’ responses to and value for these virtual communities have been mixed.
Graduate students taking online courses through a state university system were surveyed to determine their value for, and commitment to, this online learning community.  Results, both quantitative and narrative, indicated that although some students found the virtual community helpful to their learning, others  perceived the online peer connections as superfluous and inconvenient, and not supportive of their online learning processes.  We suggest that the new reality created by online learning demands a reassessment of our understanding of the most productive student engagement.

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Learning objects, learning objectives and learning design

by Fernando Alonso, Genoveva López, Daniel Manrique, José María Viñes. Innovations in Education and Teaching International. London: Nov 2008. Vol. 45, Iss. 4; pg. 38.

Abstract

Educational research and development into e-learning mainly focuses on the inclusion of new technological features without taking into account psycho-pedagogical concerns that are likely to improve a learner’s cognitive process in this new educational category.  This paper presents an instructional model that combines  objectivist and constructivist learning theories.   The model is based on the concept of a learning objective which is composed of a set of learning objects.  A software tool, called the Instruction Aid System (IAS), has been developed to guide instructors through the development of learning objectives and the execution of the analysis and design phases of the proposed instructional model. Additionally, a blended approach to the learning process in Web-based distance education is also presented.  This approach combines various event-based activities: self-paced learning, live e-learning and the use of face-to-face contact in  classrooms.

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