When the shoe doesn’t fit: supporting students who are challenged by online educational technologies

Taking an action research approach, this paper explores the experiences of graduate level students who found a technology enabled classroom challenging. After taking part in an online orientation activity, the students began their studies in a three week face-to-face residency, followed by two distance learning sessions. At the end of the second session, 15% of the students had either taken a leave of absence, or left the program permanently. Current literature focuses on several issues that have a negative influence on students’ ability to achieve their educational goals in an online environment. These issues include isolation, lack of preparedness, and feeling overwhelmed. Building on this, we explored the following question: How can educational technology be used to increase retention for students enrolled in an online course? Aimed at identifying approaches to overcoming some of the problems associated with studying online, we sought to examine the perceptions of MBA students by asking the participants to take part in a focus group discussion. This paper will discuss the challenges found by the graduate level students who worked in a computer-mediated educational environment, as well as highlight some of the solutions aimed at increasing student retention by enhancing the online classroom. Findings revealed that technologies aimed at encouraging student presence in the online classroom, as well as those that allow them to interact socially online could positively increase student retention. In addition, employing tools that support the students’ desire to repeat and reflect on material serves to improve the experience for those studying online. Finally, instructors who display comfort with the use of technology also have a positive impact on student learning. By providing a heightened awareness of the issues faced by graduate students working online, as well as spotlighting some key solutions, this study underscores the importance of targeting appropriate technologies when designing the online classroom. Further studies in this area could explore undergraduate engagement, generational differences, as well as learning preferences in the context of online learning

Knowledge Acquisition Through Case Study Development: A Student Researcher Perspective

Educators are increasingly incorporating the development of research case studies as a course assignment in graduate and executive degree courses. Each student (or student group) develops a research case study that provides theory-based explanation and discussion of how a real organization managed a business issue related to the course. In the process, the student gains a deeper understanding of business theories and their applications as well as current business issues and their interactions with internal and external organizational forces. While a significant amount of literature is written on developing case studies for full-time academic researchers, little is done to provide guidelines to student researchers, who face unique issues and constraints in this research-based learning process. This paper introduces case study research method and offers a roadmap to student researchers

A structural engineering master\u27s program -- The trials and tribulations

This paper is specifically intended for the advertised session in the CE Division on “current issues affecting graduate CE programs such as double dipping, accreditation of masters programs, combined MS/BS degree, research versus practice oriented masters degrees, etc.” California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) is a predominately undergraduate university. Cal Poly has recently expanded master’s level graduate programs to support advanced education and faculty-student professional development opportunities. The Architectural Engineering Department in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) started a structural engineering master’s degree program six years ago and has graduated five separate classes. Since its inception, this master’s program has dealt with a variety of issues to include accreditation, blending the program with the undergraduate degree, offering a non-project option, managing the program through continuing education, collaborating with other departments, partnering with industry, and accommodating students who did not graduate from the Cal Poly ARCE undergraduate program. This paper offers a history of this masters program, describes these various issues, presents the current state of the program and makes recommendations for its future

A veterans transition support program

The purpose of this project was to provide an alternative guideline for creating and establishing an effective veterans affairs program which aides in the transition and success of student veterans. Through this project, the main goal was to offer a program which combines the efforts of individuals from numerous departments at colleges and universities to smooth the transition in and out of active duty and ensure that all the support and resources institutions can provide are given to student veterans. The first stages of this project included a review of related literature on student veterans which included an investigation of the history of student veterans in the higher educational setting, veterans in contemporary higher education, their transitional processes and challenges, mental and physical issues, and the need for support mechanisms. In addition, current veteran affairs programs were researched to discover the services that they provide for student veterans to determine best practices and components needed for the project. These programs were research through their institutional and program websites as well as through personal contact with representatives of the program. This project provides those with interest in this area with specific instructions on how a Veteran’s Transitional Support Program can be created. This project contains a university Task Force designed to discuss and explore possible accommodations for student veterans, a position description for Program Coordinator for Veterans Support Services, a position Description for Graduate Assistant (GA) for Veterans Support Services, and a template of a Vets Helping Vets Organization Constitution.Department of Educational StudiesThesis (M.A.

Applying work motivation theories to articulate the challenges of providing effective doctoral supervision

Universities in the United Kingdom face numerous demands regarding provision of quality research education to increasing numbers of doctoral students. One challenge is the recruitment of suitably qualified, skilled academics to take on their supervision and subsequently provide a high quality student experience. Understanding what motivates supervisors is central to facing this challenge. However, little theory underpins the supervision processes and even less pertain specifically to the issues of supervisor motivation. The paper addresses this short fall by exploring and applying work motivation theories to the higher education postgraduate context. It considers goal setting and social cognitive theory, as used in the wider area of work social-psychology, to lay a new theoretical approach that enables motivation to supervise to be better articulated and assessed. The content of the paper resides within the theme “Theoretical frameworks of learning and teaching in higher education. In taking this novel approach to understanding supervision in higher education, the paper will inform academic developers facing the current challenges in strategic decision making that relate to research education and student supervision. It will interest to those participants involved in academic supervisor training in terms of programme content and it has relevance for post graduate supervisors, at all levels, in terms of their own performance and career objectives. Finally, it has an application for policy makers as the work fits into the new and emerging political landscape surrounding doctoral/research education in the UK and internationally

Journal Club Revisited: Teaching Evidence-Based Research and Practice to Graduate Students in a Professional Degree Program

A Journal Club can be a learning exercise that allows for the critique and pursuant analytic discussion of empirical studies, and encourages the public health, health administration, or health policy student to better understand how evidence-based research contributes to evidence-based practice. The purpose of this paper is to describe a learning exercise that implements the Journal Club to evaluate strengths and limitations of relevant research studies and their potential influence on evidence-based practice. This learning exercise was developed to increase discipline-specific knowledge and improve analytical thinking to form and communicate a well-researched and reasoned critique about current peer-reviewed research. Specifically, the exercise was designed to: (1) identify the peer-review process and its influence on evidence-based practice; (2) curate primary resources for selected health issues; (3) evaluate a published, peer-reviewed research article for its rigor and limitations with respect to reported methods, findings, and applicability to professional practice; and (4) facilitate a discussion about discipline-specific research in a concise, professional manner. At the conclusion of the exercise, graduate students, who are also working professionals, reflected on the utility of examining how evidence-based research impacts evidence-based practice. The benefits of this applied learning approach for students and the faculty instructor are discussed

Impacts of graduate student content specialists serving in middle school classrooms on teachers and graduate students

Improving student achievement is a major concern across the United States. One strategy being implemented to help students achieve in math and science is the partnering of teachers with professionals in math and science careers. One such program is the Fellows Integrate Math/Science in Rural Middle Schools program, from which this research stems. The intent of the program was to match middle school teachers with graduate students preparing for careers in science, technology, mathematics, or engineering fields. The graduate students spent ten hours a week in classrooms, interacting with teachers and students. Improved student performance in math and science, improved teacher content knowledge, and improved graduate student communication skills were expected program outcomes. This research assessed the impact of program participation on the teachers and graduate students involved. Data were collected from 33 middle school teachers and 33 graduate students over the course of two years of program participation. Questionnaires included a pre post measurement of knowledge, experience, and comfort level with education related groups and issues and summative program evaluations. Major findings of the research included: 1. Teacher knowledge, experience, and comfort levels with education related groups and issues did not change significantly because of participation in the program. 2. Graduate students experienced a decrease in knowledge, experience, and comfort level with several education related groups and issues from the beginning of the school year to the end. Knowledge decreases were noted with the following groups and issues: a. High school students b. Teaching college students c. Theories of learning d. Planning a project e. Following through on project tasks Experience level decreases were noted with the following groups and issues: a. Science education reform b. Current issues in K-12 education c. Teaching college students d. Theories of learning e. Assessing student learning Comfort level decreases were noted with the following groups and issues: a. Elementary school students b. University faculty engaged in K-12 education c. Science education reform d. Teaching college students e. Theories of learning f. Evaluating educational activities 3. Graduate student gender, race, and age were not found to be predictors of success in this partnership program

Blogs, Reflective Practice and Autonomous Learning in Graphic Design Communication

Abstract Since their inception in 2004 Blogs have become a major contributor to the development of the social networking phenomenon. This paper reports on a small qualitative research project utilising case studies of the use of blogs by Level2 BA Graphic Design Communication students. In the project particular emphasis is given to the capacity of the Blog to assist in the development of reflective behaviour. Reflection is consistently emphasised as a desirable graduate capability, and is an expectation in programmes in the general field of Art and Design. Whilst students in Graphic Design are used to handling sophisticated hardware and software in the fulfilment of design briefs, it is less common for them to draw on the power of ICT to support metacognitive activity such as reflection. The report discusses the tool in comparison to sketchbooks and reflective journals in terms of collating and organising information and reflecting on action and questions how this implementation can further foster an autonomous approach to learning. The increasingly fragmented and often remote nature of current university education experience means there is a necessity for a re-introduction of community through a blended learning approach. To what extent can Blogs not only satisfy this need to engender community and promote peer learning but also offer new paradigms for the pedagogic practice of the teacher? The present study has particular value in that it bridges a number of aspects of level 2 student learning such as placements, student exchanges and electives. The presentation will exemplify student practices and will demonstrate the flexibility of the tool in a range of learning and teaching activities. It will seek to situate this research project in the wider application of blended learning technology and discuss issues surrounding the use of third party software applications within learning and teaching practices at this level

Genesis of an Academic Research Program

As students progress towards their PhD degrees, they will become more independent and practitioner-like; for those moving into academia, it is often assumed the programs of their PhD mentors will serve as prototypes for their own successful research programs. However, the author's research program as an Assistant Professor led him in directions never considered as a graduate student. The author had to make significant decisions in choosing a primary audience, finding an overarching theme, defining the individual problems, and developing these problems into researchable projects. Infrastructure-related issues associated with the author's research program were also considered. The details of his journey from the end of his doctoral degree to his current position as an Assistant Professor are described in this article