Tamara Van Wyhe's List: EDET 636 Annotated Bibliography

Published in 2011, the article refers to "virtual schooling" at the K-12 levels as a growing phenomena. A critical factor influence student success in online learning is "teacher-student interaction," the focus of this study. The study looks specifically at K-12 online learning in an asynchronous, self-paced, supplemental virtual program, focused on the research question: "How do teachers perceive their interactions with students?" Instructional/Intellectual Interactions, Procedural/Organizational Interactions, and Social/Supportive Interactions are discussed as the various types of interactions in virtual schools. The promptness of interaction, initiated by the teacher, was found to be especially important in the absence of face-to-face feedback. Availability of time for online teachers to go into detail in responding to students' work was found to be a limitation in offering feedback.




Interestingly, teacher interviews revealed that some online learning platforms do not include any opportunities for students to provide information about themselves, making it impossible for teachers to get to know the students if they do not intentionally seek out opportunities to get to know the learners. Teachers interviewed revealed feeling a different sort of connection to their "online kids" than to students in face-to-face classrooms.  The study notes that online teachers felt removed from "faceless" online students and that interactions were exclusively instructional in nature. When the only interaction initiated by the teacher is instructional in nature, I wonder if it limits the depth and meaning of learning that is occurring for the student. 




Methodology: Case Study involving eight semi-structured telephone interviews with selected teachers;  Constant Comparative Method for content coding




Themes:
*

What is missing from online learning compared to face-to-face classroom environments? This is the question grounding the qualitative, constructivist study, resulting in the emergence of five themes: 1) Robustness of online dialogue; 2) spontaneity and improvisation; 3) perceiving and being perceived by the other; 4) getting to know others; and 5) learning to be an online learner. The concept of "presence" in online learning is discussed in detail, providing strong foundation for understanding the research findings. Research findings address communication in both synchronous and asynchronous online settings. Cognitive, social, and teaching are discussed as having an impact on the learners' comfort level and engagement in an online course.

The "implications for practice" section of this study is interesting in its practical nature. The authors provide concrete examples of ways to improve online experiences for learners, based on their research findings. Implication #2 recommends to "coach learners how to learn online" (p. 18). While online learning continues to grow in popularity, it is especially important that online middle/high school teachers, especially, pay heed to this recommendation, as students who understand how to be successful learners in an online environment will gain more from both the content and the learning experience itself if they are comfortable and confident in an online environment.

Methodology: Qualitative / Interviews; data analysis using constant comparative method

Themes:
* Communication and relationship building in online learning environments
* Learner perceptions of what is missing in online learning
* Best practice recommendations
* Synchronous v. Asynchronous

"Quality of Experience" (QoE) as it relates to students experiences with synchronous and asynchronous online learning activities is the focus of this study. The authors developed "QoE prediction model" to "adequately forecast high school students' experience as a step towards increased learning outcomes" (p. 93). The authors conclude that students are engaged in both synchronous and asynchronous online activities, though greater engagement and QoE was in synchronous learning environments. Students' own motivation, especially during asynchronous activities, was a determining factor in the reported QoE.

While the research itself in this particular study far exceeded my personal understanding and brought back stress-laden memories of statistics classes from graduate study years ago, the gist of the message is one that hits home: Students can and do learn from and are engaged by both synchronous and asynchronous online activities. However, the power of synchronous activities is greater, to some extent, than exclusively asynchronous activities. Thus, a powerful online learning experience for a high school learner must include some synchronous opportunities for a different kind of engagement with peers, the teacher, the content, and the learning.

Methodology: Quantitative / Likert Scale Questionnaire

Themes:
* Motivational factors
* Best practice recommendations
* Synchronous v. Asynchronous

The primary research question addressed in this study is, "What are the conditions for college-bound Native American high school students that result in a successful adaptation to an online learning environment?" The author interviewed eight Native American students who had successfully completed (and passed) at least one online class during the data collection for the study. In students' local high schools, there were limited course offerings, resulting in few opportunities for challenge and academic boredom. Online courses taken by students resulted in greater positive expectations for their futures as a result of online learning. Three factors influencing the positive expectations included feelings of independence in their online learning, confidence resulting from successfully completing work on their own, and personal control gained from taking charge of their own learning. Tables detailing concepts identified during the open coding phase of the study providing a telling snapshot of students' perceptions, wants, needs, and insights related to online learning.

More than any other study encountered, this research seems especially relevant as I consider rural Alaskan students and the role of online learning. The students described in this study are tremendously similar to learners in rural Alaska in terms of the size of their schools, course offerings available, and reasons for turning to online learning. Questions posed in the study could be used in interviews with Alaskan students to compare local students' perceptions with those identified in interviews with students in Montana.

Methodology: Grounded Theory / Case Study

Themes: 
* Motivational factors
* Best practice recommendations
* Communication and relationship building in online learning environments

Published in 2011, the article refers to "virtual schooling" at the K-12 levels as a growing phenomena. A critical factor influence student success in online learning is "teacher-student interaction," the focus of this study. The study looks specifically at K-12 online learning in an asynchronous, self-paced, supplemental virtual program, focused on the research question: "How do teachers perceive their interactions with students?" Instructional/Intellectual Interactions, Procedural/Organizational Interactions, and Social/Supportive Interactions are discussed as the various types of interactions in virtual schools. The promptness of interaction, initiated by the teacher, was found to be especially important in the absence of face-to-face feedback. Availability of time for online teachers to go into detail in responding to students' work was found to be a limitation in offering feedback.

Interestingly, teacher interviews revealed that some online learning platforms do not include any opportunities for students to provide information about themselves, making it impossible for teachers to get to know the students if they do not intentionally seek out opportunities to get to know the learners. Teachers interviewed revealed feeling a different sort of connection to their "online kids" than to students in face-to-face classrooms. The study notes that online teachers felt removed from "faceless" online students and that interactions were exclusively instructional in nature. When the only interaction initiated by the teacher is instructional in nature, I wonder if it limits the depth and meaning of learning that is occurring for the student.

Methodology: Case Study involving eight semi-structured telephone interviews with selected teachers; Constant Comparative Method for content coding

Themes:
* Best practice recommendations
* Communication and relationship building in online learning environments

Online questionnaires were distributed to students enrolled in virtual schools, with questions related to a number of topics, including interactions with teachers and online peers, overall opinions about online learning, special education services, bullying in online classes, and participation in extracurricular activities. This study explores interactions and reactions to online learning amongst middle and high school students enrolled in online classes. Overall, the study found that most of the 140 students who completed the questionnaire liked the flexibility, ability to self-pace learning, and ability to stay at home to learn. A little more than 25% of the respondents said they missed time to socialize with friends when engaged in full-time online learning. Most participants in the survey were satisfied with interactions with their online teachers.

A pattern I am finding between and among various studies of student satisfaction and experiences with online learning reveals differing attitudes toward the quality of interactions with online teachers. This study notes that students surveyed expressed satisfaction with the amount of interaction with online teachers. It makes me wonder if students expect less in terms of interaction with online teachers than they want/expect from face-to-face teachers in a traditional setting. This particular study noted that students interacted with online teachers 2-3 times per week, which students found to be adequate. The authors note that participant recruitment was via convenience sampling, which may have resulted in sampling bias.

Methodology: Quantitative / Online Questionnaire (Convenience Sampling)

Themes:
* Motivational factors

Rural high school teachers and students from a southwestern state were interviewed regarding "most effective motivating strategies." The purpose of the research presented was to identify the most effective motivational strategies indicated by BOTH teachers and students. The four strategies highlighted by the research include: 1) Supporting learning and future goals; 2) Establishing relevance of the content, connecting it to students' interests; 3) Treating students as uniquely valued individuals; 4) Fostering student valuing and perceived ability to foster both learning and future goals. A table noting each motivational strategy and sample perceptions from both teacher and student perspective is especially interesting and relevant for anyone involved in traditional face-to-face or online classroom instruction.

While this research was not specific to online learning, it was interesting from the perspective of an educator investigating similarities and differences between traditional classroom settings and virtual classrooms. This research combined with other current literature highlight the fact that, while online classrooms definitely have unique attributes, there are important lessons to be learned from classroom-based research about motivating students and creating learning environments where students feel motivated and encouraged to succeed.

Methodology: Mixed Method

Themes:
* Best practice recommendations
* Communication and relationship building in online learning environments

This article provides a context for the family in the scheme of learning for an online student. The authors argue that "if teachers wish to maximize the potential of the fully online or online class experience...family engagement is critical" (p. 117). The article defines "family involvement" in online K-12 learning and provides examples of ways various vendors and online teachers provide support for parents and learning mentors. Because the parent, in the case of this article, is the adult providing face-to-face support for the online student, a relationship between the online teacher and the parent is essential for the student's success. Just as a brick-and-mortar classroom teacher works to build a relationship with a student's parents, the online teacher must make the same efforts. The article provides a number of examples and samples that may be used to guide online teachers' efforts to improve family involvement. While the focus of the article is on online learning for exceptional children, strong implications exist for all online teachers.

Most of the research and writing I have encountered related to supporting online learners has focused on developing independent learning skills within students and developing instructional skills within online teachers. This is the first article I have read focusing on the role of the parent or adult learning mentor for an online student. The implications are huge as I consider ways to improve learning experiences for students in my school district and as I look ahead to a future that may include teaching online. Building relationships with parents of students in an online classroom is just as important as getting to know them and providing them with communication and support in an online environment.

Themes:
* Communication and relationship building (with families)
* Best practice recommendations

The authors provide a conceptual research framework including nine components (based on current research) to help guide inquiry related to distance education, with the components including: learners, teachers, materials, delivery, methodology, evaluation, administration, international, and history. The growing popularity of online education and the lack of research related to K-12 experiences have necessitated the gathering of additional information on the topic. The framework presented helps to categorize existing research and provides focus and shape to future inquiry. A detailed explanation of each component is provided, along with key factors and concepts related to the component, and a brief review of current research related to each component.

While this particular article does not include research in and of itself, I find it to be tremendously valuable as I begin to think about my own research and attempt to frame a question. Corry and Stella provide a concise and practical set of components that I am able to use to categorize other research I have read, as well as a set of "key factors and concepts" that take the shape of research questions.

Themes:
* Best practice recommendations
* Communication and relationship building
* Motivational factors

NOTES:
Much of the research in the field of
online distance education focuses on adult
learners, and adults learn fundamentally
differently from K-12 students (Barbour &
Reeves, 2009). p. 135

This qualitative study investigated learning experiences of rural high school students in a Canadian virtual school. The primary difference between this study and others (according to the authors) is that they were primarily interested in students' experiences in virtual schools. Three primary research questions guided the study: 1. What are the students' experiences during their synchronous time online?  2. What are the students' experiences during their asynchronous time online?  3. When students require content-based assistance, where do they seek that assistance and why do they choose those sources? Data collection included focus groups, interviews, video-recorded observation, and surveys. The research found similarities in both teacher behavior and student behavior between virtual classrooms and traditional face-to-face classrooms. Students were found to be on-task and more productive during synchronous class time when they were directly engaged. One particularly interesting finding was that students opted to use direct messaging rather than voice chat to ask questions during synchronous sessions because they felt "shy" about using the microphone. This was despite the teachers' efforts to create supportive classroom environments. In addition, the authors found that most students chose not to use the support resources provided by the virtual teacher/school and instead relied on classmates for assistance.

Conclusions and implications of this study are thoroughly discussed and are particularly relevant to my own research interests. A primary implication cited here is the need for online teachers to "devise strategies that allow students to get to know their online classmates better in an attempt to develop a sense of community online" (p. 10). The research was conducted during the 2005-06 school year, and much has changed in online learning since that time. However, the implications of this research are still highly relevant.

Method: Qualitative / Constant Comparative

Themes:
* Best practice recommendations
* Communication and relationship building
* Synchronous v. Asynchronous Learning