As interações dos estudantes com os Objetos de Aprendizagem (OAs) disponibilizados por meio dos Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem (AVAs) produzem uma quantidade significativa de dados. Estes dados deixam rastros que podem ser analisados para responder as seguintes questões: Como os estudantes circularam pelos AVAs? Quando o estudante entrou em um AVA? Quais os trajetos percorridos? Quanto tempo levou para executar uma atividade? Qual a ordem de execução das atividades? Qual a Trajetória de Aprendizagem (TA) percorrida pelo estudante? Um grande desafio na atualidade é desenvolver mecanismos de monitoramento e visualização das Trajetórias de Aprendizagem (TAs) comparando com o desempenho avaliado do estudante. Devido à grande quantidade de dados gerados, quanto mais compacta for a visualização das TAs, melhor será, não apenas para os estudantes, mas, também, para os professores envolvidos. Nesse contexto, a presente Tese se concentrou, primeiramente, nos estudos de diversas técnicas de visualização de grande quantidade de dados e, em seguida, propôs uma técnica de visualização de trajetos relacionados com a TA de cada estudante, contendo as atividades inerentes à aprendizagem pretendida. As TAs são compostas por trajetos, que podem ser seguidos conforme a sugestão do professor através de Roteiro Guiado (RG) ou conforme a escolha do estudante através de Roteiro Livre (RL), desde que o estudante possua os pré-requisitos para tal escolha. Certamente, existe, para o estudante seguir, uma ordem mais recomendada para a execução das atividades, que lhe seja mais conveniente para a apropriação ou construção do conhecimento pretendido. Assim, se é possível visualizar todos os dados sobre a realização ou não dos trajetos, tanto pelo professor quanto pelos estudantes, os próximos passos dessas atividades de aprendizagem serão melhores escolhidos Desse modo, a tese propõe um modelo gráfico espaço-temporal para a visualização dos trajetos e das TAs dos estudantes, resultantes das interações necessárias para a realização das atividades inerentes de cada trajeto em AVAs. A ideia básica é utilizar os dados obtidos das interações dos estudantes nos AVAs e gerar gráficos que serão visualizados como meio para se obter uma maior compreensão e apreensão dos Processos de Aprendizagem (PAs), de forma a buscar extrair desses dados, na medida do possível, ideias ou conhecimentos ainda poucos trabalhados nas pesquisas acadêmicas que abordam o tema. Esta pesquisa desenvolveu uma abordagem para a implementação de uma pratica pedagógica usando o sistema de visualização de informação para a representação de padrões de interação dos estudantes dentro de um espaço conceitual, no contexto educacional, tendo como embasamento as teorias da aprendizagem significativa e da autorregulação da aprendizagem Para a materialização da proposta foi desenvolvido dois experimentos sendo um na Universidade Federal Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) no Brasil e outra na Universidade Pedagógica (UP) em Moçambique nos quais foi feita a comparação da forma de interação dos estudantes dentro da TAs seguindo os dois roteiros propostos pelo professor o que permitiu acompanhar melhor os experimentos realizados. As análises dos resultados obtidos pelos referidos experimentos permitiram visualizar e comparar os processos de aprendizagem através das interações/navegações em OAs, da ordem de utilização dos mesmos, das Trajetórias de Aprendizagem (TAs), do tempo para percorrer a TA e também através do pré e pós-teste. Como resultado, observou-se um melhor aproveitamento pedagógico no processo em que os estudantes usaram o RL em relação aos estudantes que interagiram de forma sequencial (RG). O estudo contribui com um sistema de visualização dos trajetos realizados pelos estudantes, que permite realizar o mapeamento das atividades em AVAs, e com uma nova proposta de validação de questões de avaliação (pré-teste e pós-teste) como forma de propor melhorias nos processos educacionais. / Student's interactions with Learning Objects (LO) that are available through Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) produce a significant amount of data. These data leave traces that can be analyzed to answer the following questions: How did students interact through VLE? When did the student enter in the VLE? What are the trajectories? How long did it take to perform an activity? What is the order of execution of the activities? What is the learning trajectory (LT) fulfilled by the student? A major challenge now is to develop monitoring and visualization mechanisms of the Learning Trajectories (LT) compared to the student's assessed performance. Due to the large amount of data generated, as more compact the visualization of the LT can be, the better it will be, not only for students, but also for the teachers involved. In this context, the present thesis focused primarily on the studies of several techniques for visualizing large amounts of data and then proposed a technique for visualizing trajectories related to the LT of each student, containing the activities inherent to the intended learning. The LT are composed of routes, which can be followed according to the teacher's suggestion (Guided Roadmap - GR) or according to the student's choice (Free Roadmap - FR), provided if the student has the prerequisites for such a choice. Certainly, for the student to follow, exists a more recommended order for the execution of the activities, which is more convenient for the appropriation or construction of the knowledge intended. Thus, if it is possible to visualize all data about the accomplishment or not of the routes, by the teacher as well as the students, the next steps of these learning activities will be better chosen. Thus, the thesis proposes a space-time graphic model for the visualization of the student's paths and LT, resulting from the necessary interactions from inherent activities of each path in VLE. The basic idea is to use the data obtained from student interactions in VLE and generate graphs that will be visualized as a means to obtain a greater understanding and apprehension of the Learning Processes (LP), in order to seek to extract from this data, as possible, ideas or knowledge still few worked in the academic researches that approach the subject. This research developed an approach for the implementation of a pedagogical practice using the information visualization system to represent patterns of student interaction within a conceptual space in the educational context, based on theories of meaningful learning and self-regulation of learning. For the materialization of the proposal, two experiments were carried out, one at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in Brazil and another at the Pedagogical University (UP) in Mozambique, in which the interaction of the students within the LT was compared in two scripts proposed by the teacher that allowed to follow better the realized experiments. Analysis of the results obtained by these experiments allowed to visualize and compare the learning processes through the interactions/navigations in LO, the order of their use, the Learning Trajectories (LT), the time to go through the LT and through the pre and post-test. As a result, a better pedagogical use was observed in the process, in which the students used the FR in relation to the students who interacted sequentially (GR). This study contributes with a visualization system of the trajectories taken by students, which allows mapping of activities in LT, and with a new proposal validation of evaluation questions (pre-test and post-test) as a way of proposing improvements in educational processes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate faculty and administrator perceptions of online learning compared to traditional face-to-face instruction by exploring the factors that impact online instruction. Strategies that can lead to effective online learning environments were explored. Faculty and administrators working with online education at 6 traditional, regionally accredited, degree granting higher education institutions were included in the study. The number of participants consisted of 169 from the public university, 98 from the private institutions, and 33 from the community college. The survey used a Likert-type scale, and had 4 dimensions (student engagement, student-student interactions, faculty engagement, and academic dishonesty) to measure faculty and administrator perceptions of online education. It contained 17 statements and 9 demographic questions. Statistical analyses of the data revealed: (1) No significant difference in the perceptions of faculty and administrators as measured by mean scores on the 4 dimensions of the survey by type of higher education institution, (2) No significant difference in the perceptions on the 4 dimensions of the survey between administrators and faculty, (3) No significant relationship in participants’ years of service and mean scores on the 4 dimensions of the survey, (4) No significant difference in the perceptions on the student-student interactions dimension between faculty who teach primarily online and those who teach primarily face-to-face, and a significant difference in the perceptions on the other 3 dimensions, (5) A significant difference in the perceptions of faculty towards academic dishonesty dimension depending on the percentage of online classes taught by the faculty (25% or less, about 50%, about 75%, and 100%). Group 1 (25% or less) had significantly lower mean score than the groups 2 (about 50%), 3 (about 75%), and 4 (100%), (6) A significant positive relationship in the perceptions on the academic dishonesty dimension based on the number of years teaching online courses, (7) No significant difference in participants’ mean scores on the 4 dimensions based on faculty members’ and administrators’ age, and (8) The perceptions of male faculty and administrators on student engagement tended to be significantly higher than the perceptions of female faculty and administrators.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between the academic achievement, disciplinary referrals, and attendance of at-risk students in rural Bedford County, TN, prior to and after participation in online coursework. The independent variables were the academic achievement towards successful course completions, disciplinary referrals, and attendance rates of at-risk students. The dependent variable was the participation in online coursework in Bedford County Schools (BCS) Online On-track (OLOT) program. A series of ttests and a chi-square analyses was performed to examine the differences in the mean course completion rates, discipline referrals, attendance rates, and postsecondary plans of graduates. There was a significant difference in disciplinary referral rates and attendance rates prior to and after participation. Based on these findings there was a positive impact on discipline rates and inversely a negative impact on the attendance rate. Additionally, there was a negative impact on academic achievement rates prior to and after participation in online coursework in the BCS OLOT program. Also, the difference in the proportions of graduates continuing their education and other plans was significantly different from the responses given by all graduates in Tennessee.

The purpose of this quantitative correlation study was to determine whether a significantly statistical relationship exists between student participation and final grade performance within an online environment at Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCAT) Regents Online Degree Program (RODP). The study used data retrieved from the Desire2Learn (D2L) course management system and the Student Information System (SIS) for the 2013-2014 academic year. The stratified sample consisted of 360 individual students enrolled in either one or more of the 43 TCAT RODP course sections randomly selected from a total of 217 course sections offered during 3 semesters. The courses were offered in an online setting and are representative of the following academic programs: academic areas of Business Systems Technology (BST), Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), and Computer Information Systems (CIS). The sample included 261 students from the BST program, 42 students from the CAD program, and 57 students from the CIS program. The gender demographics sample includes 273 females and 87 male students. The hypotheses in this study were tested through data analysis using the Spearman’s rho correlations test. The findings of the study revealed that no statistically significant relationships exist between discussion activity, course login activity, and course content interaction and final grade. The findings of the study indicated statistically significant relationships among course content interaction and final grade for students enrolled in the BST program, course login activity and final grade for students enrolled in the CAD program, and course login activity and final grade for female students.

As more high school student take advantage of online instruction leading to a high school diploma, teacher training programs are not keeping pace with pedagogical instruction for those high school teachers that want to teach online. We often think of online instructions for home school students, students with long-term illnesses, or students that have been suspended or expelled. However, because many school districts have cut “nonacademic” offerings from the curriculum online instruction in the arts often is the only source of instruction in the arts for these traditional high school students. If teacher education departments are to address this issue the perceptions of classroom teachers (traditional and online) toward online teaching of the arts needs to be studied. Perceptions of faculty members from high schools with traditional instructional delivery models as well as public online schools concerning online education as it relates to the arts in 4 different areas was the focus of this research; delivery method, satisfaction, student learning, and curriculum. Examining the perceptions of teachers gives a blueprint for future learning regarding course design to meet the unique online delivery method. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the perceptions of high school faculty members of online instruction of visual arts compared to traditional face-to-face instruction regarding visual arts delivery method, satisfaction, student learning, and curriculum. Data collection techniques included the use of a survey with a 6-point Likert-type scale and collection of demographic information. Data were analyzed through a nonexperimental quantitative methodology further explained through 4 dimensions (delivery method, satisfaction, student learning, and curriculum). In faculty members age differences, gender, years of teaching, and subject area taught were investigated to see if there were any significant differences. The population included faculty members of online and traditional high schools in the southeastern United States. The following states were chosen for the study; Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. There were 490 participants in the online survey. This study revealed that there is statistical significance difference in several age groups and years worked in the delivery dimension. There is also statistical significance difference in the satisfaction and curriculum dimensions in the academic discipline grouping for fine arts. Curriculum dimension was also found to be significant in the online delivery method. The dimension of student learning was statistically significant in age groups. No significant difference found in gender with any of the dimensions.

Abstract is available to download.

This study explores six English as a foreign language students in an English content-based course of critical thinking delivered via distance at the Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) in Iran. Framed within cultural-historical activity theory, the study seeks to shed light on the complex nature of students' course-related activities with a particular focus on contradictions that underlie any human activity. The construct of contradictions provides a theoretical lens to understand the complex web of relationships among a number of elements in the course taking activity situated in a cultural-historical setting beset with political controversies, technological challenges, and demands of the bilingual curriculum of the university. To capture the complex nature of contradictions, the study employed a naturalistic methodology and relied primarily on in-depth interviews with the participants, observations of their online behaviors, and the artifacts that student participants produced by the end of the semester. The findings indicate that most participants had multiple activity systems within the course environment, some of which were oriented towards academic and others non-academic objects. According to the data and theoretical interpretations, most participants had primary, secondary, and quaternary contradictions. Most primary contradictions had the nature of use and exchange value, which in practical terms indicates the orientation towards genuine learning or earning a grade. Primary and quaternary contradictions led to many secondary contradictions. Furthermore, it transpired that content-based instruction pushed the participants to engage actively in actions oriented towards improving English even for the participants who did not have the object of improving English. Among many other findings are detrimental consequences of contradictions that are traced back to the persecutions of BIHE students, faculty, and staff.

A growing trend in counselor education in the United States is to accommodate current technological change by including more online academic opportunities. Slow to emerge in the counselor education literature is information that highlights how instructors have negotiated the move from land-based teaching to online teaching. A lack of knowledge about this transitional experience is concerning because counselor education programs might overlook important opportunities to support indeed, facilitate the transitional process. The purpose of this research study was to illuminate the experiences of counselor educators who have transitioned from land-based to online teaching. A transcendental phenomenological approach provided the framework and guided the methodology. This study highlighted the experiences of 6 counselor educators from small universities across the United States who transitioned from teaching counseling courses in the classroom to teaching them online. Semistructured interviews provided the data for this study; analysis used Giorgi's systematic process of data reduction. Four major themes of common experience emerged from the data: (a) high expectations and low support from university leaders, (b) limits to transitional enthusiasm among counseling faculty, (c) solutions for transitional success for counseling faculty, and (d) support essential for the counselor educator's transition. Results of this study confirm a need for greater attention to the transitional process. Counselor educators requested more opportunities for experience and support. When considering social change, understanding the needs of counselor educators in this transition can help inform much needed training strategies and supportive services in counselor education programs.

To satisfy demand for online learning opportunities at the high school level, 3 school districts in the northeast United States established a consortium to share resources to develop and deliver online courses. High school teachers who volunteered to develop courses for the consortium attempted the task without previous training in online course design and facilitation. High school students enrolled in the courses often did not successfully complete them, which obstructed the mission of the consortium. The purpose of this qualitative single critical case study was to explore teachers' experiences with and perceptions of designing and developing online courses without accompanying professional development. The iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses (v2) and technological, pedagogical, content knowledge (TPACK) served as the conceptual frameworks for the study. Five teachers who developed and facilitated an online course for the consortium, without companion professional development, volunteered to be interviewed. Data were reduced using NVivo software and analyzed using a priori codes based on NACOL standards then open-coded for emerging themes. Results indicated that other than content expertise, teachers did not believe they had sufficient competencies in any of the areas identified in the iNACOL standards. Based on these results, an online professional development course for teachers was designed to provide introductory training and to model elements of quality online course design using the Moodle learning management system. Positive social change may be achieved if teachers have the knowledge and skills required to develop high-caliber, innovative, and convenient education opportunities that encourage students' course completion which leads to learning and academic success.

Many researchers have found that differences exist in counselors' professional identity (PI) associated with gender, learning opportunities, and specialty area. However, researchers have not focused on the impact of counselors' type of education program (online vs traditional) to PI. The purpose of this study was to address this gap and determine if differences exist in PI across program types for novice counselors. The framework for this study was built around the concept of PI, defined as including knowledge, expertise, professional roles, attitudes, behaviors, and interactions. The research question was designed to examine the differences in PIs across traditional and online education settings. A convenience sample of 140 new graduate participants was obtained for this cross-sectional survey study-113 from traditional programs and 27 from online programs. PI of participants was measured using the Professional Identity Scale in Counseling (PISC) and data were analyzed using an analysis of covariance with the covariates of gender and specialty area. The results did not show a significant difference in PI between program types, however, the means of the PISC showed that the group of online graduates scored slightly higher. While not statistically significant, the findings of the study contribute to positive social change by showing that no differences exist across the PI development of novice counselors based on program type. Therefore, counselor educators can continue to practice in ways that foster the development of students based on their education program type. Counselor education that fosters the development of student PI contributes to the community as a whole by producing individuals who are competent and knowledgeable for professional practice.