The Relationship of Online Communication Modes on Counselor Educator Job Satisfaction

With the increase in pressures related to teaching online, counselor educators are experiencing greater amounts of burnout. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative survey study was to assess for significant differences and correlations between synchronous and asynchronous communication modes on online counselor educators\u27 job satisfaction levels as measured by the Online Instructor Satisfaction Measure, and levels of burnout, as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory Educators Survey. The researcher used Moore\u27s theory of transactional distance as the theoretical framework to answer 2 research questions: (a) Is there a significant difference in faculty satisfaction and burnout levels based on communication modes?; and (b) Is there a relationship between satisfaction and burnout for faculty members depending on their use of synchronous and asynchronous communication modes? The researcher solicited participants for the study through the CESNET listserv and the CACREP graduate program database. A total of 125 participants completed surveys and 2 data analysis techniques were used. Results of the t test indicated that counselor educators had significantly higher levels of satisfaction, higher levels of personal accomplishment and significantly lower levels of emotional exhaustion when using synchronous communications. The Pearson correlation analysis results indicated significant correlations between satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment depending on the type of communications. The study will potentially contribute to social change by providing information useful for the implementation of teaching methods that improve overall faculty satisfaction and decrease burnout

The Experience of A First-time Online Cultural Studies Instructor: A Case Study

With enrollment in online courses continuing to rise, student learning and satisfaction have become the focus of a growing body of research. However, the first-time online instructor experience has not been as widely investigated. This study examines the experience of Pamela, a first-time online Cultural Studies instructor, through a series of interviews conducted throughout the semester in order to track her progression at four points in the semester. It also seeks to determine what factors the first-time online instructor perceives to have the greatest impact on course creation and teaching strategies, namely the nature of the Cultural Studies course as implemented online, Pamela’s digital immigrant mindset and growth throughout the semester, best practices and constraints in distance education, and the results of best practice

Medical Educators Satisfaction with Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Medical educators’ dissatisfaction may cause them to leave the practice of teaching, where it is often hard to replace those who have left. In addition, medical teaching staff dissatisfaction may indicate adverse quality for institution/ university organizations. Objectives: To assess teaching staff satisfaction with online learning during the COVID pandemic at Al-Nahrain University /College of Medicine, Baghdad/Iraq. Methodology: A cross-sectional study included a convenient sample of 50% of the teaching staff participating in the online academic year 2020-2021. The faculty satisfaction questionnaire was taken from the "Bolliger and Halupa" study, based on the validated Online Course Satisfaction Survey (OCSS) questionnaire that contains four major categories: Interaction, instructor planning, institutional support, and affordance. Results: The study included 85 medical college teachers from all departments. The total satisfaction level of participants in this study was 25.6%, which is considered low. The total satisfaction score given by the participants was (0.98), the highest score of (1) was given to the items of affordance questions, and the lowest was given for student–instructor interaction and course design and development (0.79, 0.89), respectively. Conclusion: The satisfaction of teaching staff with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic was generally low, especially regarding student-instructor interaction and course design and development   Received: Jan., 2023 Accepted: July 2023 Published: Oct. 202

Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Turnover Intention of Online Teachers in the K-12 Setting

The purpose of this study was to measure and explore factors influencing K-12 online teacher job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions K-12 online education. Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1954), Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Satisfaction (1959, 1968), Meyer and Allen’s measure of Organizational Commitment (1997), and Fishbein and Ajzen’s Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior (1975), this mixed-methods study was conducted in public, private, charter, for-profit, and not-for-profit K-12 online schools in a single Southeastern state. The researcher used a sequential explanatory design by collecting and analyzing quantitative data and then qualitative data in two consecutive phases. Using a quantitative survey design, the study included responses from 105 participants. The results revealed that K-12 online teachers have a moderate-high level of job satisfaction, which correlates to their affective commitment to their organization and their intent to remain teaching in the online setting in the immediate, intermediate, and long-term future. Participants identified flexibility, meeting student needs, technical support and their professional community as the most satisfying aspects of their job, while compensation, workload, missing face-to-face interaction with students, and inactive students were identified as least satisfying. A logistic regression model indicated schedule flexibility, mentoring, number of students, number of years teaching experience, and affective commitment are predictors of online teacher’s likelihood of turnover. In the second phase of the study, eight qualitative focus group interviews were conducted and analyzed using a constant comparative method; these results confirmed and expounded upon the quantitative findings in phase one. These results inform K-12 online school leaders who seek to retain new hires of statistically significant variables that influence teacher retention

Beyond a Digital Status Quo: Re-conceptualizing Online Learning Opportunities

According to the popular press and many policy pundits, online learning represents the next educational leap forward. Extraordinary claims have been made in the name of e-learning, including the assurance of educational equity, personalized learning for all, and significant cost savings for students — to name just a few. At the same time however, few policymakers are asking substantive questions about the educational nature of online learning environments. How are the classes organized, and what learning theories shape the design of these digital environments? What skills are needed to teach online and how are instructors prepared to teach in these new environments

A Multi-Institutional Study of Factors Influencing Faculty Satisfaction with Online Teaching and Learning

Faculty satisfaction is an essential component in an online teaching and learning environment. The researchers of the current quantitative study identified factors that influence online instructors’ satisfaction at 10 different four-year public and private higher education institutions in the state of Ohio. The researchers also validated the modified OFSS-R survey (Blundell, 2015) within the study. The participants (N = 382), were faculty members who taught fully online at the 10 institutions. Results of the study revealed that instructor satisfaction was influenced by three main factors: (1) the instructor-student interaction; (2) the role of technology; and (3) the institutional support. Study results also revealed that the OFSS-R survey is valid and reliable measurement of perceived faculty satisfaction in a fully online environment

E-learning satisfaction: investigating gender differences

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of learner-content interaction, learner-learner interaction, learner-instructor interaction, self-regulated learning, and Internet self-efficacy is present on e-learning satisfaction. The gender effect is also included in the investigation of the impact. Many studies have been conducted to reveal learners' satisfaction with e-learning, however, limited research has emphasized the gender effect in explaining learner satisfaction. A review of the existing literature was used to develop a conceptual model which was further tested using data collected from undergraduate students. The data collection used a self-administered questionnaire and 742 valid responses were acquired. Partial least square-structural equation modeling was used to analyze the model while multigroup analysis was used to assess the gender differences for the predictors. The results showed that learner-instructor interaction, learner-learner interaction, self-regulated learning, and Internet self-efficacy were predictors for learning satisfaction based on the overall sample. The university may use these factors as a reference to achieve learning satisfaction among students. Gender was found significantly different in the relationship between Internet self-efficacy and satisfaction. The finding suggests that the university administrators need to undertake strategic change to assist female learners in overcoming the barrier of Internet self-efficacy skills

Transitioning to online teaching: A phenomenological analysis of social work educator perspectives

Online education in social work has been proliferating and is now ubiquitous due to COVID-19. To optimize instructor pedagogical wisdom and ensure student benefit, critical reflection is needed on the transition to online education. Prior to the pandemic, 17 social work educators were interviewed about their perspectives on the transition from teaching on-the-ground classes to online. This interpretative phenomenological study identified three themes that influenced the educator’s experience: personal qualities, pedagogical beliefs, and macro and institutional factors. It is this unique mix of each participants’ pedagogical beliefs, personal qualities, and macro or institutional factors which influenced the individual educator’s experience of satisfaction. Each educator’s perspective of online teaching is arrived at through calculations of costs and benefits as they balance their own and their students’ needs within the demands and supports of their respective institutions. These perspectives can be characterized by one of four standpoints: mutual benefit, compromised learning, instructor reservations, and incompatibility. Implications include enhancing social work educators’ critical reflexivity while navigating the evolving technological context and providing administrators with points of intervention to support instructors and develop online delivery modes

An Evaluation of Low Versus High-Collaboration in Online Learning

Abstract Researchers in a recent study found that online students’ ability to self-regulate led to more focused attention and time on task, and in turn, these skills could lead to better learning. Given the need for more theoretical work in this area, as well as the potential practical benefits from the use of these pedagogical strategies, we sought to compare differences between high- versus low-collaboration teams in an online assignment to determine if higher levels of student-to-student collaboration led to higher levels of self-regulation or learning presence (forethought and planning, monitoring, strategy use, and reflection). Specifically, we explored how the use of high-collaboration technologies, such as Google Docs and Google Hangouts, impacted the level of learning presence students demonstrated while participating in a small group project. The low-collaboration group made minimal use of an asynchronous discussion forum for collaboration. Differences in collaboration were measured using student grades, peer evaluations, pre- and posttests, and community of inquiry surveys. In addition, quantitative content analysis and social network analysis were used to assess collaboration by examining learning presence in the two groups

Exploring Learning Analytics In E-Learning: A Comprehensive Analysis of Student Characteristics and Behavior

This article aims to explore learning analytics in e-learning through a comprehensive analysis of student characteristics and behavior. E-learning has become increasingly significant in education, particularly due to the social situation influenced by the pandemic. The Learning Management System (LMS) has become a crucial tool for educators to track and record student learning in e-learning environments. Learning analytics can aid in understanding the context of students, ensuring that they receive a personalized learning experience aligned with learning objectives. However, educators often face challenges in conducting learning analytics for e-learning students, primarily due to the large number of students to analyze and limited data availability. This study seeks to provide a detailed description of e-learning students within the Open and Distance Education (ODE) system. ODE students exhibit high diversity in demographic profiles, learning behaviors, and competency backgrounds. To support this research, we utilize datasets containing student demographic profiles and learning activity data during e-learning sessions. The datasets are obtained from the academic system and LMS log data of Universitas Terbuka. The article employs Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) and data science approaches as the foundation for predictive and prescriptive analytics of student learning outcomes. Relevant features are extracted from the dataset to build a robust predictive model. The analysis results present patterns and relationships between student characteristics, learning behaviors, and academic achievements. This research aims to provide valuable insights for the development of more effective and personalized e-learning strategies to enhance student learning outcomes in the context of distance education. Moreover, the analysis findings can serve as a basis for informed academic decision-making to improve the quality of e-learning environments