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Begin the submission process by selecting your track below.
| Track: (click to enter proposal) |
Description |
| Learning Effectiveness |
Online learning is reaching a more mature stage in development and evaluation in which comparative research is being replaced by research explaining learning effectiveness and theory development. Papers submitted to this track should reflect this with a focus on theory and/or research-based approaches to the design and delivery of online or blended learning.
Papers submitted to this track might consider, for example: applications of learning theory to the design of online learning environments; quantitative and qualitative research on the effects of particular aspects of course design on student learning; the changing nature of learning online; innovative design of online courses or course activities to support collaboration and community; ways of assessing student learning in online courses; creating affective outcomes toward development of the whole person; diversity perspective and cross-cultural issues; and faculty approaches to promoting learning online.
Track Chairs: Chuck Dziuban, dziuban@mail.ucf.edu | Patsy Moskal, pdmoskal@mail.ucf.edu | Brendan Gunther, brendan@msu.edu |
| Technology and Emerging Learning Environments |
Online learning is evolving to include multiple blended approaches, new media for online learning, and new kinds of learning environments. The existence of new learning environments have a multitude of consequences - curricular, administrative, and pedagogic -- as well as impacts on cognition -- both individual and cultural "habits of mind". Additionally, changes in learning environments have individual and cultural consequences for what it means to be literate. This track invites papers that investigate each of these areas.
Papers submitted to this track might consider: the design, development, and assessment of innovative environments for learning (e.g. the role and impact of gaming, mobile learning, simulations, e-portfolios, etc); the use and impact of new kinds of computer-mediated communications; designs for and the impact of incorporating multimedia in online courses; real-world, case-based learning designs and their outcomes; the changing nature of literacy in the age of “YouTube” and other visual media; effective blended learning strategies; environments to promote diversity of students, content, and learning approaches; and other quantitative and qualitative research on such new learning environments.
Track Chairs: Shari McCurdy, smccu1@uis.edu | Phil Ice, PIce@APUS.EDU |
| Student Services and Learner Support |
Student services are critical to the support of learning at any institution of higher education. When programs move online, student services need to be reconceived in ways that are not always obvious. Papers submitted to this track should focus on issues surrounding the provision of student services to online and/or blended learners.
Papers submitted to this track might consider, for example: library services for students learning at a distance; emerging technologies used in recruitment and retention initiatives; the development of community in online programs; orientation to online programs; advisement and counseling for online learners; services for diverse students; outsourcing of student services; perspectives on the global environment; how student services data (student survey findings, summaries of support desk calls, etc.) can inform faculty and course development services; and how student services can promote student success.
Track Chairs: Mary Tipton, mtipton@kent.edu | Michael Starenko, mssetc@rit.edu |
| Faculty Development & Support |
Research continues to show the important role online faculty play in student learning. It still seems to be the case, however, that many faculty are reluctant to teach online. Papers submitted to this track should address issues of both faculty training and faculty support in the context of faculty satisfaction or instructional effectiveness.
Papers submitted to this track might consider, for example: innovative faculty development programs; quantitative and qualitative research on faculty satisfaction with online and/or blended teaching; studies of the relationship between faculty development and faculty and student satisfaction; studies of the relationship between faculty effectiveness and student retention and achievement; administering faculty development efforts in online and blended environments; and unique approaches to faculty support.
Track Chairs: Alexandra Pickett, alexandra.pickett@sln.suny.edu | Richard Schumaker, RSchumaker@umuc.edu |
| Professional Development and Workforce Training |
An important and increasing segment of online learning involves corporate training, military training and education, workforce initiatives and professional certification programs. Often the pedagogical approaches applied in such initiatives are quite different from those typically found in standard academic offerings. Moreover, institutional issues affecting workforce training and professional development are clearly different than those in an academic setting. Both military and workforce development are often far more challenging because of connectivity, lack of access to individual computers, unexpected dropouts and stopouts, student readiness and proctoring issues. This track is designed to explore such differences and the pedagogical models, technology challenges, case studies and institutional strategies that inform them.
Papers submitted to this track might include, for example: research on training strategies, instructional design issues in workforce training, reports on innovative corporate training models, working with the military, political considerations (e.g. the new GI Bill) impacting military education, online approaches to workforce development, blended approaches to workforce training and professional development, or creative partnerships between academic institutions and corporations, unions, and government agencies.
Chairs: David Sachs, dsachs@pace.edu | Robert Zotti, Robert.Zotti@stevens.edu |
| Leadership, Values and Society |
Online learning is one way that higher education institutions are responding to social change and the changing expectations society has for higher education. Online learning is transforming all aspects of higher education including teaching, student services, finance, and administration, impacting and challenging the underling values of the academy. Institutions and institutional leaders are designing new structures to deal with the opportunities and challenges online learning affords.
Proposals submitted to this track should directly address the relationships that online learning, values, and society share and the role of leadership at the institutional level. Papers in this track might consider societal factors such as: changing technologies; diversity and student and faculty demographics; economic, social, and civic capacity development; engagement and partnership, globalization and internationalization of education; open education including open source educational software and open educational resources; access to education; and outcomes based education. Proposals may focus on leadership in terms of governance, policy, or programs, and should be supported by examples of practice.
Track Chairs: Ken Udas, ken.udas@gmail.com | Greg Hislop, hislop@drexel.edu |
| K-12 Online Education |
Online learning in Kindergarten through High School has seen remarkable growth and change in recent years. It is estimated that more than one million K-12 students have participated in complete online courses. In 2008, Christensen, Horn, and Johnson presented a compelling rationale in Disrupting Class: How Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns, for transforming education that makes far greater use of online technology to provide more student-centered and individualized instruction. Among the most provocative aspects of this book are the predictions that about one-quarter of all high school courses will be online by the year 2016 and that about one-half of all high school courses will be online by the year 2019. Online learning represents a solution to a number of issues confronting pre-college learners including sharing resources, providing access to new curricula, opportunities for advanced placement programs, innovative pedagogical approaches and much more. But clearly a range of issues exists in the implementation of online education in the K-12 environment that higher education does not confront. Concerns about younger learners, developmental issues, and incompatibilities between the custodial nature of schools and the anytime, anywhere nature of online education make for interesting challenges.
Papers submitted to this track will examine successes and barriers associated with the application of online learning to the k-12 sector.
Track Chairs:
Tony Picciano, antho13926@aol.com
Myk Garn, myk.garn@sreb.org
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