Learning Online: A Dialogue Among Doctoral Graduates and Professors for Improving Learning and Teaching
Keywords:
andragogy, doctoral programs, online learning, online instructionAbstract
This study aimed to identify which aspects of online instruction are most and least effective for promoting learning in a cohort-based doctoral program. Four doctoral program alumni and a professor who participated in the inaugural online doctoral program at a medium-sized mid-Atlantic university conducted the study. The researchers used data from a self-reflective focus group to construct a questionnaire for collecting data from members of online cohorts. Respondents identified video lectures, instructor accessibility, independent projects, and case studies as the most effective instructional practices while wiki’s, blogs, tests, personal rapport, and Q&A forums were deemed least beneficial. Based on these findings, suggestions are offered to improve online instruction and learning.
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