In this multivariate correlational study, the researcher examined the course culture of an online graduate course whose environment exhibited characteristics of a Community of practice (CoP). An online survey captured data used to explore the relationships among variables shown to describe a CoP in field environments and among student perceptions of their experience in the course culture. A canonical correlation analysis (CCA) and commonality analysis (CA) were conducted using five predictor variables and three criterion variables to evaluate the degree and direction of the relationships. The CCA revealed that the full model was significant, explaining approximately 74% of the variance among the two synthetic variates. Impact, faculty leadership, and connection were the largest contributors to the predictor variate. The criterion variate was primarily explained by value and perceived CoP, with exposure to the profession providing a smaller contribution. The CA confirmed these findings. Results from this study indicate that a CoP could be fostered in an online graduate course. The overall significance of the model indicates teachers can nurture an environment wherein graduate students will take the initiative to work with others to create and acquire knowledge that creates a sense of professional connection with each other and with the profession overall. The results of this study suggest further empirical research in implementing and assessing CoPs in online graduate courses is warranted.

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The COVID-19 Pandemic forced educators to move course delivery to online learning with little or no training or preparation. Teachers' virtual instruction preparedness, pre-service teachers, and school districts are still lacking, despite technology goals instituted by the Board of Education. One of the immediate concerns of the online course delivery was school districts' capabilities for virtual instruction regarding infrastructure and resources. Funding, lack of equipment, and resources to maintain hardware and training prove to be common obstacles schools and staff face. Another concern was SBAE teachers’ readiness to use the online learning tools available to school districts. Teacher pedagogy, knowledge, skills, and confidence prevent teachers and pre-service teachers from exploring and utilizing technology in their classrooms. Additionally, moving all students to online learning environments presented a challenge for those teachers who knew little about educational technology tools or other online resources. This study aims to assess if SBAEs in Illinois are adequately prepared to use technology as the sole source of instruction for virtual learning and whether Illinois schools are capable of virtual instruction. To meet both the educational needs of the current generation of learners and are meeting educational standards set by the Illinois State Board of Education requirements, even in a virtual learning environment. As well as determine what gaps may be present in SBAE teacher education programs concerning the preparation of student teachers to utilize classroom technology to teach virtually. Some skill gaps identified include utilizing the flipped classroom approach, incorporating mobile applications into lessons, and utilizing virtual instruction for student collaboration and assessment. Most teachers indicated they felt somewhat prepared for virtual instruction and moderately prepared to incorporate technology into their lessons through teacher education programs, school districts, and professional organizations. Recommendations included future in-service training for SBAE teachers regarding using educational technologies and virtual learning platforms. Also, training for SBAE teachers on synchronous online learning platforms and the use of 1:1 technology is warranted. Pre-service programs are recommended to include coursework on educational technologies and virtual instruction. Faculty in preparation programs for SBAE teachers are encouraged to adapt curricula to support these skills and promote pre-service teachers practicing the utilization of virtual instruction in authentic classroom settings.

Many Chinese students seek an international education and they are often a target for international universities. These universities utilize online platforms for advertising to reach students. Various domestic and international intermediaries join to facilitate this online informing as well. On the market combined of the universities and the intermediaries, the online education search service is one of the most popular witnesses. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the gap between Chinese students and the existing market, and to express how international online education search services should best approach the market. Key value propositions will also be formulated to detail these international services. The research method in this thesis is qualitative, and based on a case study of an international company in Sweden. This company is active in the online education search service and interested in the Chinese market. The case study comprises a pilot launch in China, as well as qualitative semi-structured interviews with employees within the company and with sample students in China. Two additional expert interviews have been conducted external to the case company, in order to increase the reliability of the study. The analysis of this empirical material in conjunction with the literature leads to my conclusion that Chinese students favor complete resources and integrated information, as well as a combination of online and offline practices. Furthermore, the Business Model Canvas is utilized as a theoretical foundation for investigating relevant elements of the value propositions. Finally, I propose a model of approach in both theoretical and practical formats to guide how international online education search services should approach the Chinese market.

This study investigated the relationship between the proportion of coursework students complete in an online format absent traditional classroom interaction and their expected score on a standardized, content-driven achievement test, holding constant other factors expected to influence test scores, including demographic variables, major, and prior academic performance. The study's sample involved 817 undergraduate business majors at a small, specialized, private, not-for-profit U.S. institution of higher education and their performance on Educational Testing Service's Major Field Test in Business (MFT-B). Students in the sample chose course-by-course to take either a hybrid format that involved regular classroom meetings supplemented by online learning or an entirely asynchronous online course involving no face-to-face interaction. Learning outcomes, syllabi, assessments, duration and the pool of instructors were the same in both formats. This investigation was motivated by the changing role of distance education in higher education and the increasing fungibility of credits earned at a distance and those earned in a traditional, classroom-based context. The use of the MFT-B was motivated by the growing emphasis on student learning outcomes assessment and mounting demands for "accountability" in higher education. An ordinary least squares regression modeling MFT-B score as a function of proportion of credits completed at a distance, GPA, major, transfer credits, completion time, age, gender and ethnicity found proportion of study at a distance to have a strongly significant (p<.001), positive impact on expected MFT-B score. A logistic regression of likelihood of graduation as a function of those same variables found a strongly significant (p<.001) negative impact of study at a distance on retention to graduation. / Educational Administration

This research study delves into the multifaceted realm of social presence in online education, encompassing the existence and manifestation of social presence indicators in students' engagement with discussion boards within asynchronous online courses. Social presence manifests when individuals perceive themselves to be simultaneously present with others through a communication medium, thereby cultivating a shared sense of togetherness. The dissertation addresses the impact of course disciplines, exploring the significant influence of both STEM and non-STEM courses on the manifestation of social presence indicators. Furthermore, the study delves into the influence of course duration on the social presence level, unveiling critical insights into the challenges posed by prolonged courses on sustaining student engagement and interaction.This study, randomly selecting sample from Coursera, employed a methodology, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative analysis, to assess social presence within online courses. The approach consisted of five key stages, involving Python-based web crawling, manual keyword identification, data processing, statistical analysis using R, and qualitative exploration. The insights obtained offer valuable suggestions for enhancing social presence in future online educational settings. While acknowledging certain limitations regarding sample size and keyword identification, the study provides valuable contributions to the evolving landscape of online education research, offering practical implications for course design and facilitation in promoting an enriched and engaging online learning environment. / Communication Sciences

The purpose of this dissertation study was to explore the professional preparation of students in online classes at a Christian theological seminary. Concerns of theological education involve the capacity or incapacity of community development and somatic or embodied learning in online education. Using a theoretical framework drawn from communities of practice (Wenger, 1998), professional clergical preparation (Foster, Dahill, Golemon, & Tolentino, 2005), and Gee’s (2000-2001) dimensions of identity development, the researcher focused the analyses on students’ written texts located in the discussion board fora of the online courses. These records were examined for indications of formation of the professional identity of the developing clergy, interpretation skills necessary for the clergy, performance development for activities entailed in the profession, and contextualization proficiencies for the situated enactment of the local church ministry essential in the practice of the professional clergy. The study concludes that students’ discussions evince dimensions of the development of professional identity and pastoral imagination as described in Foster, Dahill, Golemon, & Tolentino (2005). In addition, stories shared on the discussion fora, told both by the instructors and the classmates who had a range of experience in first careers or in pastoral ministry, built a shared repertoire of professional practice as inherent in a Community of Practice (Wenger,1998). The dissertation study confirms if and then identifies how graduate students in online ministerial preparation use discursive and interactive participation to identify with the professional Community of Practice of the clergy The structures of the discussion board fora, the roles of the instructor, and implications for instructional designs that may support the development of pastoral professional identity are also included. Findings demonstrated that less structured discussion prompts as well as more frequent postings stimulated more student-student interaction that built relationships. Courses that focused more on student-content interactions had less relationship building. A non-evaluative facilitation tone of the discussion fora generated a more collaborative environment. In classes that utilized a learn-by-doing approach, collaborative student discursive activity in the discussion fora supported and enhanced learning. Creative discursive activities such as case studies and role plays provided simulated experiences and spurred narrative development of shared repertoire.

Online learning is increasingly common (Allen & Seaman, 2016). The number of online language teacher education programs also continues to rise to address the growing need for qualified language teachers worldwide (England, 2012b; Hall & Knox, 2009; Murray, 2013). Although technology offers a plethora of possibilities, course design and implementation significantly influence students' online learning experience, likelihood of success, and satisfaction. Using a socio-constructivist, student-centered learning approach can engage students through interaction and collaboration (Garrison, 2013; Murray, 2013). Murray (2013) reported details on what language teacher education programs are offered online, their challenges and how institutions have dealt with them, and highlighted the need for further research to explore the experiences and attitudes of instructors and students. The goal of this three-article dissertation is to gain insights into one online program that prepares teachers of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), which was recently revised to make it more student-centered by implementing a group project. The first article examines benefits and challenges of the group project according to students, teachers, and the teacher training coordinator to determine its value and to provide suggestions. The second article explores instructors' perspectives of their role in the online class and group project and offers suggestions for good practice. Recognizing that online students have diverse needs, the last article analyzes profiles of students enrolled in one class in this program and their perceptions of the Community of Inquiry presences, which have been shown to support intellectual development in online courses. Mixed methods were used including an individual semi-structured interview with students, teachers, and the teacher training coordinator, observations of archived online course documents and posts, an entrance survey, the Community of Inquiry survey as well as anonymous instructor and program evaluations completed by students at the end of the course. Findings provide detailed insights into participants' perceptions of these areas addressed in each article, which shine light on strengths of the student-centered curricular innovation and areas that may need more attention.