This conference paper is a literature review about the use of humor in online learning. It reviews the theories of humor in education and lists best practices for using humor in an online class. / Paper submitted for ETCV 623. / Abstract: There will always be instructors who use humor in their classes. While these practitioners have never numbered in the majority and often have been scorned by their peers, there has been a resilient insistence that humor has a place in education. As education moves more and more into online modalities, we find ourselves at a crossroad of opportunities. It has never been easier to find humorous content about any topic using technology. Simply searching Google for “humor in instruction” lists page after page of ideas, research and content designed for the classroom. At the same time, many of us are teaching in classes where we never see the people we teach. This can rob instructors of important feedback about whether their content (whether humorous or not) is connecting with the students. This literature review explores these crossroads, looking at the effectiveness of humor in teaching, theories that can guide humor in the classroom, types of humor to use in education, how to add humor to your online class and resources for implementing humor in your online class.

Recent advances in communications technologies enable access to the Internet from anywhere in the world. This has generated interest, demand and research into methods of using and enhancing this technology to deliver Continuing Professional Development (CPD). This research examines issues relevant to the electronic delivery of professional updating to marine engineers in a pro-active manner locating the learner at the centre of the CPD process. Educational theories including experiential learning, andragogy, constructivism and Laurillard's conversational framework are investigated and the importance of learning styles in the design of material based on user needs is examined. A needs analysis of 1117 marine engineers revealed which subjects were in most demand for CPD and showed that individuals have different learning requirements. An accompanying survey of learning styles showed the respondents to be strong reflector/theorists but indicated that learning designed to be effective for all styles would be most appropriate. The conclusions drawn from the review of CPD, Internet and educational theory were combined with the results of the survey to derive the principles necessary for the creation of an innovative approach to online learning. The outcome was the synthesis, development and construction of the Marine Engineers' Managed Environment for Learning (MEMEL); an Internet based learning environment for the delivery of CPD to marine engineers. MEMEL has the ability to deliver online learning to a variety of learners on a range of subjects. As the evaluation of managed environments for learning is a comparatively new undertaking it was necessary to develop a novel framework specifically for the purpose. The evaluation indicated that MEMEL is a valid vehicle for the delivery of online learning. Two areas that have been specifically identified for further research are the use of electronic media to facilitate the process of reflection and enhancing access for users with a disability.

Institutions of higher education are harnessing the communication ability of the Internet to offer classes and academic degree programs. This study investigated adult students during their first semester in a distance delivered doctoral program. The purpose of the study was to examine the use of web-based communication tools and their ability to establish a community of practice enabling the new students to share solutions related to distance doctoral study. This case study included the entire cohort of a distance delivered Ed.D. in Agricultural Education administered jointly by Texas Tech and Texas A&M Universities. Data collection methods included a semi-structured telephone interview, containing an adapted Sense of Community Index and postings on a Wiki (editable web page). Data analysis produced a participants’ profile and their use of web-based communication tools. This study found that (a) a variety of web-based tools enabled the students to connect with their cohort on a routine basis, (b) it is possible to establish a community of practice using a variety of web-based communication tools, (c) after one semester the cohort is an embryonic community of practice (d) the students were able to assist each other with concerns that helped them acclimate to learning online and their doctoral program, (e) students appreciate the flexibility that distance education offers but some prefer a traditional education, (f) students were frustrated with the technology during the first few weeks of their program, (g) new doctoral students desire instruction in the use of the course management system, the online library, and scholarly writing, (h) the students feel a strong sense of community, (i) use of web-based communication tools are vital as they assist in the student’s learning, (j) students felt isolated from their cohort until they participated in a group project even though they had the use of web-based communication tools at their disposal. The results of this study suggest that opportunities for students to engage socially with their peers should be built into the design of online classes and degree programs. Future research is recommended to examine the sustainability and desirability of virtual communities of practice.

Institutions of higher education are harnessing the communication ability of the Internet to offer classes and academic degree programs. This study investigated adult students during their first semester in a distance delivered doctoral program. The purpose of the study was to examine the use of web-based communication tools and their ability to establish a community of practice enabling the new students to share solutions related to distance doctoral study. This case study included the entire cohort of a distance delivered Ed.D. in Agricultural Education administered jointly by Texas Tech and Texas A&M Universities. Data collection methods included a semi-structured telephone interview, containing an adapted Sense of Community Index and postings on a Wiki (editable web page). Data analysis produced a participants’ profile and their use of web-based communication tools. This study found that (a) a variety of web-based tools enabled the students to connect with their cohort on a routine basis, (b) it is possible to establish a community of practice using a variety of web-based communication tools, (c) after one semester the cohort is an embryonic community of practice (d) the students were able to assist each other with concerns that helped them acclimate to learning online and their doctoral program, (e) students appreciate the flexibility that distance education offers but some prefer a traditional education, (f) students were frustrated with the technology during the first few weeks of their program, (g) new doctoral students desire instruction in the use of the course management system, the online library, and scholarly writing, (h) the students feel a strong sense of community, (i) use of web-based communication tools are vital as they assist in the student’s learning, (j) students felt isolated from their cohort until they participated in a group project even though they had the use of web-based communication tools at their disposal. The results of this study suggest that opportunities for students to engage socially with their peers should be built into the design of online classes and degree programs. Future research is recommended to examine the sustainability and desirability of virtual communities of practice.

Current literature relating to information and communication technologies (ICT) in K-12 teaching and learning offers positive and cautionary perspectives. Overall, there exists great optimism about the benefits of ICT-mediated learning for students. Below, we review literature on ICTs in K-12 education, with emphasis on technology-supported constructivist learning, the challenges and pedagogical implications of educational technologies, changing roles for teachers, and technology in the classroom. In Part II, we will review literature on K-12 learner issues that can affect successful learning using ICTs. We will report on learner satisfaction with online learning, current thinking on skills of successful online students, and existing theoretical discussions of technology and learning styles. We will review student diversity and ICT-mediated learning, student differences, which challenge online learning, and the opportunities offered by ICTs for particular subgroups of learners. Overall, we offer a snapshot of current literature on effectiveness of ICT-mediated learning from the perspective of the K-12 learner.

Current literature relating to information and communication technologies (ICT) in K-12 teaching and learning offers positive and cautionary perspectives. Overall, there exists great optimism about the benefits of ICT-mediated learning for students. Previously, we reviewed literature on ICTs in K-12 education, with emphasis on technology-supported constructivist learning, the challenges and pedagogical implications of educational technologies, changing roles for teachers, and technology in the classroom. Below, we review K-12 literature on learner issues that can affect successful learning using ICTs. We report on learner satisfaction with online learning, current thinking on skills of successful online students, and existing theoretical discussions of technology and learning styles. We review student diversity and ICT-mediated learning, student differences which challenge online learning, and the opportunities offered by ICTs for particular subgroups of learners. Overall, we offer a snapshot of current literature on effectiveness of ICT-mediated learning from the perspective of the K-12 learner.

In this paper we report findings of a multidisciplinary study of online participation by culturally diverse participants in a distance adult education course offered in Canada and examine in detail three of the study's findings. First, we explore both the historical and cultural origins of "cyberculture values" as manifested in our findings, using the notions of explicit and implicit enforcement of those values and challenging the assumption that cyberspace is a culture free zone. Second, we examine the notion of cultural gaps between participants in the course and the potential consequences for online communication successes and difficulties. Third, the analysis describes variations in participation frequency as a function of broad cultural groupings in our data. We identify the need for additional research, primarily in the form of larger scale comparisons across cultural groups of patterns of participation and interaction, but also in the form of case studies that can be submitted to microanalyses of the form as well as the content of communicator's participation and interaction online.

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The flipped or inverted classroom model is one in which the time and place for traditional lecture and homework are reversed. Traditional lecture is replaced by online videos assigned as homework. This frees up time in class to be spent with more student centered activities such as discussion based concept questions and group problem solving. While growing in popularity, research on the effectiveness of this format is sparse. In this quasi-experimental study, two sections of an introductory algebra-based college physics course were examined over a five week period. Each section was taught with either the traditional or flipped model and physics knowledge achieved was compared using independent samples t-tests on both the instructor’s unit exam and the Mechanics Baseline Test pre/posttest normalized gain. Results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the flipped model and the traditional lecture format. Avenues for further research are discussed.

Colleges and universities have a modern-day platform to convey their curricula and courses. The advent of online learning ignited a boom of eager learners who were enthusiastic to obtain degrees from their homes. This provided them the opportunity to seek self-betterment and study their interests while assuming other major roles. College administrators began to view distance education as an avenue to educate broader populations and extend the college mission, which, as a result, increased tuition dollars captured by the school. But, just as the distance student differs in how she or he accesses campus, the distance student needs different support and information. Many distance learning programs offer an orientation to online learning for their newlymitted students as a way to introduce them to campus, campus resources, and campus policies. The purpose of this study, which was guided by the theory of social constructivism, was to examine the impact of participation in an orientation to online learning on grade point average (GPA), the number of courses withdrawn from, and the number of courses completed with a C or higher. The study consists of a review of relevant literature on the topics of online learning and student support. This qualitative study utilized data gathered from the university’s Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (OIRE) for all students who were enrolled in the online master or doctoral level education degree programs from 2013-2015. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to determine if the mean differences in GPA, course withdrawal, and courses completed with a C or higher were significant between the control group (i.e., students who did not complete an orientation program) and the experimental group (i.e., students who completed an orientation program). The findings of this study did not indicate that having participated in an orientation to online learning program yielded a significant impact on GPA, course withdrawal, or course completed. However, because research on distance education (with an emphasis on support for distance students) is in its infancy, the researcher concludes that a change in orientation material and topics based upon best practices in online orientation may produce differing outcomes.