ERIC Number: EJ844275
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 24
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1539-1523
EISSN: N/A
Comparing Self-Paced and Cohort-Based Online Courses for Teachers
Russell, Michael; Kleiman, Glenn; Carey, Rebecca; Douglas, Joanne
Journal of Research on Technology in Education, v41 n4 p443-466 Sum 2009
The study investigated whether online professional development courses with different levels of support have different impacts on teacher outcomes. Variations of an online course for middle school algebra teachers were created for four experimental conditions. One was a highly supported condition, with a math education instructor, an online facilitator, and asynchronous peer interactions among participants available as participants worked through the course together. Another was a self-paced condition, in which none of the supports were available. The other two conditions provided intermediate levels of support. All conditions showed significant impact on teachers' mathematical understanding, pedagogical beliefs, and instructional practices. Surprisingly, the positive outcomes were comparable across all four conditions. Further research is needed to determine whether this fending is limited to self-selected teachers, the specifics of this online course, or other factors that limit generalizability. (Contains 8 tables.)
Descriptors: Online Courses, Algebra, Teaching Methods, Mathematics Teachers, Middle School Teachers, Teacher Attitudes, Faculty Development, Mathematics Skills, Asynchronous Communication, Individualized Instruction
International Society for Technology in Education. 180 West *th Avenue, Suite 300, Eugene, OR 97401-2916. Tel: 800-336-5191; Tel: 541-302-3777; Fax: 541-302-3778; e-mail: iste@iste.org; Web site: http://www.iste.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 7; Grade 8; Higher Education; Junior High Schools; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A