Many educators and the public are interested in online distance education, in particular Internet-based schooling. The underlying assumption is that this is a new and untested fad in education. This is due in part to a lack of documentation within academia of the early development of online distance education, and, in part, to a shortage of experienced, practicing online schools. On the Internet, one may become confused by the flurry of activity and by the various claims from organizations that they are providing a revolutionary method of instruction--online teaching. Furthermore, many people are unaware of the long and distinguished history of distance education itself that is the root of current day Internet-based schooling. Despite the uncertainty, the public is clearly demanding online distance education. This dissertation helps to resolve these problems. This study fills various needs for the purpose of showing the effective application of online distance education. Educational administrators, teachers, and the public must be assured that online distance teaching is a valid and proven instructional method. Furthermore, administrators and teachers need to know what to expect when planning, operating, and teaching in an online school. Through historical analysis and the presentation of a practicing Internet-based school, this study fills these needs. This dissertation results from fifteen years of independent study and research by the author, combined with professional experience in the field of online distance education, including Internet-based school design and operation. Conclusions result from published studies in distance education; from research conducted in the 1980s concerning publicly available online distance education; and from experience in developing, administrating, and teaching in an international, Internet-based school that has been in continual operation online since 1986. The author concludes that: (1) online distance education has a proven track record; (2) there is continual demand from the global community for Internet-based instruction, as well as a public demand for traditional institutions to accept this nontraditional method of study; and (3) administrators and teachers can economically create and operate an effective Internet-based school that is accessible to and affordable for individual learners using low-cost personal computers.

This book is for every teacher or trainer-- whose computer skills may be limited-- who wants to understand the Internet educationally, and use it in his or her courses. As institutional pressures mount to integrate the Internet into teaching, this book provides a framework and a hands-on introduction to what's involved, whether it's adapting materials and teaching styles for the Web, or designing a virtual course. This book provides: + an introduction to the key educational concepts needed to adapt teaching methods and materials to the medium of the Internet + an introduction to both basic and advanced Internet skills-from using e-mail to collaborative conferencing + a framework for harnessing the Internet to achieve educational goals, and successfully exploiting its resources, features and applications to promote effective learning The framework starts from the premise that teachers should progressively apply Internet technology as their skills and confidence develop. It develops the concept of "augmented" teaching styles-supplementing traditional teaching with Intenet based options; demonstrates how to use modules as the building blocks for Web-based learning; and shows how to use the Internet to deliver individualized learning, by enhancing personal communication between teacher and student, and addressing the diversity of learning styles. The book abounds with inspiring and thought-provoking examples of Internet course materials developed by a wide variety of teachers and trainers, including modules and forms created by the authors who have extensive experience in delivering Internet-based courses. A glossary of terms and directory of Internet sites and resources complete the book, which is also supported by a related Web site.

As face-to-face interaction between student and instructor is not present in online learning environments, it is increasingly important to understand how to establish and maintain social presence in online learning. Student-Teacher Interaction in Online Learning Environments provides successful strategies and procedures for developing policies to bring about an awareness of the practices that enhance online learning. This reference book provides building blocks to help improve the outcome of online coursework and discusses social presence to help improve performance, interaction, and a sense of community for all participants in an online arena. This book is of essential use to online educators, administrators, researchers, and students.

Teaching and Learning History Online: A Guide for College Instructors offers everything a new online history instructor needs in one package, including how to structure courses, integrate multimedia, and manage and grade discussions, as well as advice for department chairs on curriculum management, student advising, and more. In today’s technological society, online courses are quickly becoming the new normal in terms of collegiate instruction, providing the ideal environment to "flip the classroom" and encourage students to hone critical thinking skills by engaging deeply with historical sources. While much of the attention in online teaching focuses on STEM, business, and education courses, online history courses have also proven consistently popular. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, new history instructors are rushed into online teaching with little or no training or experience, creating a need for a guide to ease the transition from classroom to online course development and teaching. A timely text, this book aims to provide both new and experienced college history teachers the information they need to develop dynamic online courses.

Assessment has provided educational institutions with information about student learning outcomes and the quality of education for many decades. But has it informed practice and been fully incorporated into the learning cycle? Conrad and Openo argue that the potential inherent in many of the new learning environments being explored by educators and students has not been fully realized. In this investigation of a variety of assessment methods and learning approaches, the authors aim to discover the tools that engage learners and authentically evaluate education. They insist that moving to new learning environments, specifically those online and at a distance, afford opportunities for educators to adopt only the best practices of traditional face-to-face assessment while exploring evaluation tools made available by a digital learning environment in the hopes of arriving at methods that capture the widest set of learner skills and attributes.

Learning Theory and Online Technologies offers a powerful overview of the current state of elearning, a foundation of its historical roots and growth, and a framework for distinguishing among the major approaches to elearning. It effectively addresses pedagogy (how to design an effective online environment for learning), evaluation (how to know that students are learning), and history (how past research can guide successful online teaching and learning outcomes). An ideal textbook for undergraduate education and communication programs, and Educational Technology Masters, PhD, and Certificate programs, readers will find Learning Theory and Online Technologies provides a synthesis of the key advances in elearning theory, the key frameworks of research, and clearly links theory and research to successful learning practice.

Since the first MOOC was launched at the University of Manitoba in 2008, this new form of the massification of higher education has been a rollercoaster ride for the university sector. The New York Times famously declared 2012 to be the year of the MOOC. However, by 2014, the number of academic leaders who believed the model was unsustainable doubled to more than 50%. While the MOOC hype has somewhat subsided, the attitudes and anxieties of this peak time can still be seen influencing universities and their administrations. This is the first volume that addresses Massive Open Online Courses from a post-MOOC perspective. We move beyond the initial hype and revolutionary promises of the peak-MOOC period and take a sober look at what endures in an area that is still rapidly growing, albeit without the headlines. This book explores the future of the MOOC in higher education by examining what went right, what went wrong and where to next for the massification of higher education and online learning and teaching. The chapters in this collection address these questions from a wide variety of different backgrounds, methodologies and regional perspectives. They explore learner experiences, the move towards course for credit, innovative design, transformations and implications of the MOOC in turn. This book is valuable reading for students and academics interested in education, eLearning, globalisation and information services.

The Handbook of Research on Innovative Frameworks and Inclusive Models for Online Learning is edited by Jared Keengwe, an experienced professor in Curriculum Design and Instruction. This comprehensive reference guide offers academic scholars a collection of diverse frameworks from empirical studies, literature reviews, and case studies related to inclusive models for online learning. Covering a wide range of topics, including pedagogical adaptations to online learning, innovative pedagogical theories, inclusive teaching and learning, and best practices in online course design, the handbook provides practical insights to achieve effective pedagogical outcomes grounded on sound theoretical frameworks. Whether you are an online educator, instructional designer, teacher educator, librarian, student, online learning researcher, or educational manager, this handbook can serve as a valuable resource to guide your research, design, and practice in online learning. The Handbook of Research on Innovative Frameworks and Inclusive Models for Online Learning is a must-read for academic scholars who want to stay updated on the latest research, theories, and models for effective online education.

An exploration of the teaching and learning material available on the Internet. It provides information on the appropriate way to handle and use the Internet as a delivery tool in education, and considers the implications this will have on the role and relationship of the teacher and learner.