<p> As online courses become more established, there has been a clear impetus to build interactivity, personalization, and real-time feedback into courses. Faculty and course designers have cast envious eyes at video and online games that engage and enthrall players for hours and some are experimenting with gamification&mdash;a blanket term that covers all manner of attempts to build student intrinsic motivation into online courses. In this study I analyze four cases of gamified online courses at accredited institutions of higher education. I've looked at game elements the course builders are including and whether this might be a means of progress toward educational and societal goals. My conclusion is that there is potential significantly to increase student engagement in the concept of gamifying online courses. I outline areas for future study by suggesting frameworks within which gamification might be further analyzed and assessed.</p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to describe the perceived experiences of faculty who use lecture capture systems in face-to-face class meetings at small and medium-sized, four-year, highly residential, undergraduate colleges and universities with enrollments between 1,000 and 9,999 students. Through audio-recorded semi-structured telephone interviews, 17 faculty shared their perceptions and experiences using lecture capture in their face-to-face classrooms. Analysis of interview transcript data provided answers to one primary research question and three central research questions. The following 10 themes emerged: Pedagogy and instructional content; Presentation style; Innovative uses; Technical support and technology capabilities; Institutional leadership and lecture capture adoption; Dynamics of class discussion; Understanding course content; Attendance; Educational benefit; and Instructional tool. The findings add to the current literature that lecture capture is an emerging technology being used successfully at higher educational institutions in the United States. The prevailing perception among interviewed participants was that lecture capture is easy to use, does not harm the face-to-face classroom experience, and offers significant benefits for many students. Data derived from this research study may be valuable to higher education leaders to determine if installation of lecture capture systems is warranted and advisable based on its effect on the instructional process. Further research regarding lecture capture systems may provide higher education leaders greater understanding of the effects of this new technology.</p>

<p>An online learning phenomenon emanated 2&frac12; years ago from three courses taught at Stanford University, promising an opportunity for high-quality instruction from elite institutions and professors for no cost to the student. This phenomenon, which came to be known as the MOOC, catalyzed sweeping changes in both higher education&rsquo;s relationship with distance education, as well as the discussion of higher education in society, in a remarkably short period of time. </p><p> While people have questioned the effectiveness of MOOC learning and the potential negative consequences of adopting MOOC systems either in support of or to replace existing educational infrastructure, the MOOC movement has continued to grow at a rapid pace. This research study sought to define the characteristics of the MOOC on the terms of learning theory, pedagogy, history, society and policy through the use of an expert-based Delphi study, where participants engaged in a phenomenological dialogue about what constitutes a MOOC in practice, the present state of higher education in the wake of the MOOC movement, the effect the phenomenon has had on education both structurally as well as socially, and visions of the future of the institution of higher education as affected by the MOOC. </p><p> In summary, panelists focused their agreement on cognitive and pragmatic aspects of the MOOC debate, such as a hope for learning analytics to offer solutions to educational problems as well as the opportunity for the MOOC system to offer tier-based education services to consumers. The Delphi discussion showcased the importance of cognitive theory in MOOC design as well as the relationship between MOOCs and economics, and highlighted the difficulty education experts have in agreeing on how to define educational terminology. </p>

<p> Communication is a key component in learning a second language (L2). As important as the <i>ability</i> to communicate in the L2 is the <i> willingness</i> to use the L2 or, what has been identified in the literature as <i>Willingness to Communicate</i> (WTC). Language is best learned when situated in, and based on, real-life experiences. Technological tools such as virtual worlds, mobile devices, and augmented reality (AR) are increasingly used to take language learning outside of the classroom. The affordances (e.g., portability, engagement, context-sensitivity) of these tools may have an impact on the following WTC antecedents: perceived competence, reduced L2 anxiety, security, excitement, and responsibility. The nature of this impact suggests that an AR mobile game may positively affect students' WTC. The purpose of this case study was to examine student perceptions regarding the use and design qualities of an AR mobile game in the language learning process and the effect of these qualities on student perceptions of their WTC. Nine students in a second-year Japanese language class at an institute of higher education in California participated in the study by playing an AR mobile game for three weeks. Data were collected through a demographic survey, game-play observations, game artifacts in the form of images and audio, game log data, and interviews. Findings suggest that AR mobile games can provide a viable means to take language learning outside the classroom and into self-selected spaces to affect positively students' WTC. From this investigation, it is evident that AR mobile language learning games can: (a) extend learning outside the classroom, (b) reduce L2 anxiety, and (c) promote personalized learning.</p>

<p> While much has been written about student engagement and its linkage to positive student outcomes&mdash;such as higher-order thinking, improved grades, and increased retention and graduation rates in traditional settings&mdash;little, if any, research has been done to connect student engagement and online student success. Learning Management Systems (LMSs) have the ability to measure student engagement by tracking frequency of logins, frequency of page visits, and frequency of discussion forum views, posts, and replies. Equally important, students who are aware of their levels of engagement compared to those levels measured by an LMS can self-monitor their progress and prevent the likelihood of failing a course. This initial exploratory study sought to determine whether relationships exist between students&rsquo; perceived level of engagement and students&rsquo; actual level of engagement as measured by an LMS, students&rsquo; perceived level of engagement and student success, and students&rsquo; actual level of engagement as measured by an LMS and student success. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to determine type and strength of relationships. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to recruit 38 respondents. Data showed that meaningful findings, which yielded statistically significant, modest or moderate positive partial relationships, occurred in the discussion forums. There were moderate positive relationships between students&rsquo; perceived level of engagement and frequency of discussion forum posts and replies, students&rsquo; perceived level of total engagement and student success, and students&rsquo; frequency of discussion forum views, posts, and replies, and student success. This initial exploratory study is useful in helping to refine future studies and learning more about student engagement levels in an online course and its relationship to positive student outcomes. Results can potentially help administrators and educators in making data-based decisions, and help students self-monitor engagement levels to improve student learning. </p>

<p> In the biological sciences, higher student success levels are achieved in traditionally formatted, face-to-face coursework than in hybrid courses. The methodologies used to combine hybrid and in-person elements to the course need to be applied to the biological sciences to emulate the success seen in the traditional courses since the number of hybrid course offerings at community colleges are rapidly increasing. </p><p> Research has delineated that creating online collaborative communities and increasing student engagement all function to increase student successful outcomes. This causal-comparative study was conducted using student data from four sections of hybrid, introductory anatomy and physiology courses over the 2011 and 2012 calendar years. The study included two sources of data: unit exam scores and student surveys. Analysis of the unit exam scores determined that there were statistically significant differences in student success and achievement by the implementation of the following web-enhanced technologies: a) discussion boards, b) Breeze, and c) Wiki tools. In the scope of this study, student success and achievement was defined as a student earning a C (70%) or higher at the completion of the course. </p><p> There were a total of 29 surveys conducted per each unit during the 2012 semesters that related to the web-enhanced technologies implemented into the course: Discussion boards, Breeze^&reg;, and Wiki tools. Demographic data was also compiled on all of the students enrolled in the classes during this study to demonstrate that there is no specified niche or trend seen in the students enrolling for this particular course. Unit 1 was used as a baseline to compare the students from the two years. It was determined that the students were not significantly different in aptitude levels at the beginning of the courses based on their Unit 1 exam scores. </p><p> Inferential statistical analysis was done to examine student success and achievement using the following tools: t-test of independent means of the variables, mean, standard deviation, and magnitude of effect. The findings of this study indicate that the web-enhanced technology Wiki tools provided the largest increase in student success and achievement in the hybrid, introductory anatomy and physiology course. Descriptive analysis of the surveys revealed that more than a third of each class felt that the implemented web-enhanced technology functioned to increase collaboration amongst the students and helped to emulate a traditional, face-to-face formatted course. </p><p> The study included four recommendations for practice and nine recommendations for further research. A couple of recommendations for practice included using a single web-enhanced technology for the duration of the semester and having instructors and students complete tutorial sessions for the chosen technology being implemented. Examples of recommendations for research include replicating this study at other institutions and comparing face-to-face, traditional classes to hybrid courses within the same STEM discipline. </p>

Despite large investment by higher education institutions in technology for faculty and student use, instructional technology is not being integrated into instructions in the higher education institutions including medical education institutions. While diffusion of instructional technologies has been reached a saturation pint with early adopters of technology, it has remained limited among mainstream faculty. This investigation explored instructional technology patterns and characteristics of medical school faculty as well as contributing factors to IT adoption. The primary focus was to explore differences between early adopting faculty and mainstream faculty based on Rogers&amp / #8217 / diffusion of innovations and adopter categories theories. A mix-method research design, a quantitative methodology(survey) in conjunction with qualitative methodology(in-dept interviews) was employed for the purpose of gathering data about characteristics and adoption patterns of medical school faculty who are early adopting and mainstream. A hundred and fifty-five teaching faculty from basic science and clinical science disciplines at a Faculty of Medicine in a state university completed the survey. In-dept interviews were conducted with faculty who are early adopting and mainstream. The findings provided an evidence for similarities between adoption patterns of medical school faculty and other higher education faculty / relatively new tools associated with instruction were not adopted by majority of the faculty. As expected, some differences were found between early adopters and mainstream faculty in terms of individual characteristics, adoption patterns, perceived barriers and incentives to adoption and preferred methods of learning about technology and support. Implications of the findings for instructional technology policy and plans were reported.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Instructional Systems Technology, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on May 13, 2009). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-08, Section: A, page: 3117. Adviser: James A. Pershing.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2005. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-104).

Thesis Ph.D.). / Written for the Dept. of Educational and Counselling Psychology. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2009/09/02). Includes bibliographical references.