ERIC Number: ED644446
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 166
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-8193-9786-2
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Exploring Community College Designers-By-Assignment Decision Making Strategies for Designing eLearning
Angela Dawson
ProQuest LLC, D.Ed. Dissertation, Capella University
This basic qualitative study explored how community college designers-by-assignment (faculty designers) make design decisions when designing online courses to ensure the course is inclusive to all learners. Although many online course designers are faculty designers, few are trained in instructional design models, inclusive design, instructional strategies, and learning theories. The literature on instructional design decision making has explored the inclusive design decisions of trained expert and novice instructional designers. However, little is known about the inclusive design decisions of designers-by-assignment who design online courses for community colleges. There are two research questions for the current study: How do community college designers-by-assignment (DBA) make decisions regarding designing an inclusive learning environment for diverse learners? How are community college DBA using resources to design an inclusive learning environment for diverse learners? Interviews with 11 participants revealed the experiences of faculty as designers-by-assignment, the processes they used to address diverse learner needs, and how they utilized resources. The participants were faculty course designers (DBA) at community colleges from various regions of the United States who had experience designing and teaching online courses. The participants taught an average of 8 online courses and most were adjunct faculty members. The study participants responded to semistructured interview questions that were aligned with the research questions and Quality Matters Accessibility and Usability Standards. The virtual interviews were recorded and transcribed on Zoom and Otter.ai for coding in the MAXQDA software program. The three themes that emerged from the findings were the importance of learning management system (LMS), training, and constructing video content using YouTube. The findings of this study showed the DBA's skills and knowledge of using resources varied especially their use of the accessibility features of the LMS, which depended upon their training. Training was the cornerstone of their knowledge, skills, and abilities to design inclusive learning. DBAs in the study used YouTube videos to ensure access and because of closed captioning features. The findings of the study demonstrated the need to understand the diverse competencies of DBA in community colleges, which may in turn lead to better support for them through mentoring, professional development, and institutional resources. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Instructional Design, Decision Making, Electronic Learning, Inclusion, Access to Education, Educational Resources, Faculty, Adjunct Faculty, Learning Management Systems, Educational Needs, Video Technology, Visual Aids
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A

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