Current Status of Research on Online Learning in Postsecondary Education

Lack, Kelly A.

doi:10.18665/sr.22463

Cited by 76 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The positive results for one type of blended learning, using screencasts, does not guarantee that every instructor's foray into blended learning will meet with the same success reported in this exploratory study, particularly since two meta-analyses of the literature comparing online, blended, and in-class courses indicated mixed results (Lack 2013;Wu 2015). The type of blended learning and the degree to which it is woven seamlessly into the course and seen as important will likely affect the extent to which students perceive and are actually benefiting from its inclusion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Blended Learning as a Potentially Winning Combination of Face-to-face and Online Learning

Auster

2015

Teach Sociol

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Blended learning, in the form of screencasts to be viewed online outside of class, was incorporated into three sections of an introductory sociology course in a liberal arts college setting. The screencasts were used to introduce concepts and theories to provide more time for discussion in class and more opportunity for students to review concepts and theories outside of class. Students' use and their perceptions of the impact of the screencasts were assessed with an in-class survey instrument in addition to a webbased college-administered survey. Although it was not possible to measure the impact of blended learning on students' academic performance and learning outcomes in this exploratory study, student responses indicated high use of the screencasts as well as the perception that the screencasts were helpful, contributed positively to performance on exams, and also led to more positive feelings about the course more generally. Overall, this provides an optimistic initial appraisal of the prospects for blended learning.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Blended Learning as a Potentially Winning Combination of Face-to-face and Online Learning

Auster

2015

Teach Sociol

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“…Studies have identified that, while online students do not have an advantage of being face-to-face with peers and instructors, online environments can be just as effective as brick and mortar settings. According to a meta-analysis by Lack (2013), the difference between online education and traditional brick and mortar education is negligible. Scholars differ in their opinions on the effectiveness of online education.…”

Section: Online Doctoral Studentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Preliminary Examination of Doctoral Student Retention Factors in Private Online Workspaces

Ames

Berman

Casteel

2018

IJDS

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Aim/PurposeThe purpose of this quantitative descriptive study is to provide a preliminary examination of students' retention factors of engagement, communication, and isolation that may be affected by the introduction and use of online communities for dissertation development within an online doctoral program. BackgroundThis research is a continuation of the university's 5-year research initiative to address the high national rate of doctoral attrition by investigating whether private online workspaces provide a virtual platform to increase student interaction, enhance student communication, and reduce student perception of isolation.

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“…Lack (2013) observes that inattention to costs is pervasive in postsecondary education, and highlights one of the few exceptions in the field of postsecondary online learning, the National Center for Academic Transformation (NCAT), which, according to its website, helps institutions use "information technology to re-design learning environments to produce better learning outcomes for students at a reduced cost to the institution." Miller (2010) reports cost savings of 13%-77% across fifty instances of NCAT-supported course re-designs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resource requirements and costs of developing and delivering MOOCs

Hollands

Tirthali

2014

IRRODL

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Given the ongoing alarm regarding uncontrollable costs of higher education, it would be reasonable to expect not only concern about the impact of MOOCs on educational outcomes, but also systematic efforts to document the resources expended on their development and delivery. However, there is little publicly available information on MOOC costs that is based on rigorous analysis. In this article, we first address what institutional resources are required for the development and delivery of MOOCs, based on interviews conducted with 83 administrators, faculty members, researchers, and other actors in the MOOCspace. Subsequently, we use the ingredients method to present cost analyses of MOOC production and delivery at four institutions. We find costs ranging from $38,980 to $325,330 per MOOC, and costs per completer of $74-$272, substantially lower than costs per completer of regular online courses, by merit of scalability. Based on this metric, MOOCs appear more cost-effective than online courses, but we recommend judging MOOCs by impact on learning and caution that they may only be cost-effective for the most self-motivated learners. By demonstrating the methods of cost analysis as applied to MOOCs, we hope that future assessments of the value of MOOCs will combine both cost information and effectiveness data to yield cost-effectiveness ratios that can be compared with the cost-effectiveness of alternative modes of education delivery. Such information will help decision-makers in higher education make rational decisions regarding the most productive use of limited educational resources, to the benefit of both learners and taxpayers.

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Current Status of Research on Online Learning in Postsecondary Education

Cited by 76 publications

References 8 publications

Blended Learning as a Potentially Winning Combination of Face-to-face and Online Learning

Blended Learning as a Potentially Winning Combination of Face-to-face and Online Learning

A Preliminary Examination of Doctoral Student Retention Factors in Private Online Workspaces

Resource requirements and costs of developing and delivering MOOCs

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