EDD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the higher education undergraduate student body and the structure of course offerings have drastically changed. As we continue to transition from emergency remote courses to quality online learning experiences, we must respond thoughtfully as well as empirically. The purpose of this study was to examine quality learning experiences as perceived by students in online courses and use the new knowledge generated to add to current research and enhance practice. Through qualitative data collection, I intended to answer the following research questions: (a) What do students perceive as quality learning experiences in their online courses? and (b) How can understanding the student experience and perception of quality in their online learning environments improve course development procedures in online courses? Eight participants were interviewed regarding their experiences of quality in online courses. Results of the study determined Barriers, Interaction, Structure, and Community are the themes that students identify when defining quality online learning experiences. It was also indicated that students were more satisfied with their high quality online learning experiences. Implications and recommendations for improved practice and action steps are also provided. The researcher contends that these findings demonstrate the need to systematically build quality into online courses, which will offer students better learning experiences.

Committee: Elizabeth Kenyon (Committee Chair); Enrico Gandolfi (Committee Member); Christina Collins (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership; Educational Technology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, ED Policy and Leadership

Higher education in the U.S. is experiencing a wave of distance education activity, with nearly twenty percent of all U.S. higher education students taking at least one online course in the fall of 2007 (Allen & Seaman, 2008). Accompanying this activity is a renewed concern on the part of distance learning administrators, faculty, and professional associations about the overall quality of these efforts. Governments and institutions use a variety of approaches to measuring quality—internal and external committee reviews, formal assessments using standards and benchmarks created by government or professional bodies, and reviews of inputs and outputs akin to the quality assurance approaches of business and industry. This interpretive study explored the interaction between quality standards, faculty, staff, and managers by conducting an instrumental case study of one institution's efforts to implement quality at the level of course creation and design. Big Town Community College's Department of Distance Education and Instructional Support currently uses a widely available set of course design standards to assess and improve quality in its offerings of online courses. The course design standards, in the form of a rubric, are made available by an organization called Quality Matters (MarylandOnline, 2006). The study uses activity theory to analyze data and theorize about the case (Engestrom, 2008). The primary finding of this study is that the Quality Matters rubric supported the design work of faculty and staff in significant ways—especially by helping to create a shared object for their course design activity. However, it also led to contradictions in the activity—both between staff and faculty and the design standards themselves, and also between staff and faculty and the division of labor used at the college for designing a Web-supported course. Other findings revolved around the question of how the project management model in use at Big Town supports and hinders t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Richard Voithofer PhD (Committee Chair); Anika Ball Anthony PhD (Committee Member); David Stein PhD (Committee Member); Zhenchao Qian PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Theory; Higher Education

Doctor of Professional Studies (D.P.S.) in Instructional Design Leadership, Franklin University, 2022, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

Online course persistence at community colleges is a serious issue, with students being between 3 and 15 percentage points more likely to withdraw than those taking the on-campus equivalent (Xu et al., 2019). Despite the continued growth in distance education, quality online course design is a concern throughout the literature. This quantitative, causal-comparative study aimed to investigate the existence of a statistically significant relationship between online course templates, using Quality Matters Specific Review Standards, and online course completion rates at one Midwestern Community College. An ex post facto causal-comparative method was chosen for this study because the Midwestern Community College progressively implemented Quality Matters Specific Review Standards over three Fall academic terms providing an opportunity to investigate increasing quality standards through online templates, retrospectively, in a naturally occurring environment. Descriptive Statistics, Linear Regression, and a One-Way ANOVA were employed in the data analysis. The study results revealed a statistically significant relationship between online course completion rates and online course templates using QM Specific Review Standards.

Committee: Niccole Hyatt (Committee Chair); Joel Gardner (Committee Member); Matthew Barclay (Committee Member) Subjects: Community College Education; Community Colleges; Education; Higher Education; Instructional Design