No abstract

Drawing on current literature and a survey of online students and instructors from online institutions, the researchers explored the different types of assignments and assessments required for completion of online courses, the Learning Management Systems utilized, and differences between undergraduate and graduate tasks assigned, according to field of study. While there is a significant amount of available research on instructional efficacy in online classes, there are few studies that account for the types of course activities students must complete in distance learning courses. This study details the variety of online assessments and activities assigned to students attending institutions of higher education that are either fully online or utilizing a blended learning format. Recommendations are made for diverse instructional tasks, which can be assigned based on available technology and curricular flexibility. Key terms used in the study are defined at the end of this chapter.

No abstract

Drawing on current literature and a survey of online students and instructors from online institutions, the researchers explored the different types of assignments and assessments required for completion of online courses, the Learning Management Systems utilized, and differences between undergraduate and graduate tasks assigned, according to field of study. While there is a significant amount of available research on instructional efficacy in online classes, there are few studies that account for the types of course activities students must complete in distance learning courses. This study details the variety of online assessments and activities assigned to students attending institutions of higher education that are either fully online or utilizing a blended learning format. Recommendations are made for diverse instructional tasks, which can be assigned based on available technology and curricular flexibility. Key terms used in the study are defined at the end of this chapter.

In this case study, the researchers detail the transformation of a traditional, face-to-face, graduate-level seminary course into an online offering. The course, Biblical Studies 1: Torah and Former Prophets, part of the core curriculum at a Midwestern seminary, was adapted into a distance learning course. The first group of students enrolled in the online course for the spring 2009 term. Previously, the course was offered to first-year seminarians enrolled in traditional, face-to-face, degree and non-degree programs. This was the first course offered online at the graduate institution. This study provides a description of the process of adaption of the course to a distance learning option, and contains an analysis of student assessment outcomes for assignments required in both course formats. From the analysis of student outcomes, recommendations for future instructional practice are made.