Online education has emerged as an effective and increasingly common alternative to face-to-face instruction in postsecondary education. This article is a summary of effective practices in online instructional methods, including course design, interaction among course participants, and instructor preparation and support.

As online learning continues to grow, it is important to investigate students' overall experiences in online learning environments. Understanding students' perspectives on their online classes or programs moves beyond the sole question of student satisfaction to more nuanced questions about how factors inside and outside of the classroom impact…

This study explores 465 postsecondary students' experiences in online classes through the lens of connectivism. Downes' 4 properties of connectivism (diversity, autonomy, interactivity, and openness) were used as the study design. An exploratory factor analysis was performed. This study found a 4-factor solution. Subjects indicated that autonomy…

This article describes a design-based research in an undergraduate measurement and evaluation course. The study employed web-based multistoryline case studies grounded on Spiro's cognitive flexibility theory to improve students' comprehension of concepts and knowledge. The findings of this research reveal that students demonstrated positive…

Online education opportunities continue to expand across the United States, as is evidenced at a regional institution in northeast Texas. Research literature supports that both administrators and faculty have concerns regarding online education. The authors conducted a study at this institution to investigate the concerns of university…

This study examined online group discussion from students' perspectives to determine what characteristics students identify as meaningful to their online learning. Participants were 142 graduate students in the Southeast. The multiple regression results revealed that quality of online discussion was positively associated with communication media,…

This study used an extensive online course evaluation inventory to analyze the subjects' perceptions of course effectiveness in the following subscales: flexibility, user interface, navigation, getting started, technical assistance, course management, universal design, communications, instructional design, and content. Survey results compared…

The digital revolution has ushered in a generation shaped by the integration of emerging communication technology into everyday life, including today's traditional-aged college students. While research on how this generation utilizes technology is prevalent, research and reflection on the effective integration of technology into the learning…

Despite technological and pedagogical improvements, obstacles continue in certain areas of distance education, including a lack of interaction among students and instructors and associated feelings of disconnectedness from the campus community. This article explores the study results of a blended learning, distance education graduate program…

In this article we describe the MentorBlog project, which facilitated the mentoring of trainee teachers in the postcompulsory education sector through the use of blogs. In an experimental design, the study compared their experiences with students who received traditional mentoring. Blogs were used by the trainees to communicate with their mentors…

The purpose of the study was to empirically investigate the institutional approach to distance education, and examine whether the factors of concerns for program cost and faculty participation could statistically predict adoption of technology-mediated distance education (TMDE) among higher-education institutions. It is elusive to base the…

This article presents the results of a factor analysis on the distance education surveys "Is Online Learning Right for Me?" and "What Technical Skills Do I Need?" Both surveys are 15-question, forced response, self-scoring guides that have face validity for individual traits and skills believed to contribute to potential success in an…

Based on the learner's needs and current technology status, this study provides a review on the feasibility of online education for modern students in a developed nation. This research provides an analysis of the survey responses of 203 undergraduate students by focusing on views, needs, and wants for offering online courses and programs.

There are many factors that affect the e-learning process. Instructor, assessment and evaluation, communication, and technical support are among the leading factors. It is obvious that these factors influence the effectiveness of e-learning and may be related to different expectations of e-learners. Therefore, this study focuses on examining the…

Standards for academic and student support services (SSS) in distance education as identified by the University of Wisconsin System Administration Board of Regents were applied to the SSS provided by the Wawasan Open University (WOU). A student feedback survey conducted over 4 semesters confirmed that WOU's SSS had been positively received and…