Hofeditz_Edtec 650_Research Paper

                                                                                                     By Chris Hofeditz

                                                             Working Title:  Giving the Virtual Classroom a Familiar Face

 

Objective

 

     The purpose of this proposed research paper is to provide a list of virtual classroom enhancements that may help define what has been referred to as instant traditions.  This term has been coined by Wilson et al, (2004) and is intended to characterize ways of quickly establishing more effective online, web-based classrooms.  Instant traditions can further be described as a way of presenting familiar or recognizable elements within the virtual environment to students who attend online classes.  The intent is to creatively incorporate experiences that will put students at ease and extend their interest in learning.  This paper will group together various methods that give the virtual classroom continuity and comfort by consolidating the approaches that have been developed by online instructors, discuss them, and make some new suggestions on how to create instant traditions.

 

Literature Search Strategy

 

I have begun to search the journals that relate to distance education that are available online through the SDSU Library and  those that can be discovered on the web, such as, the Sloan-C Consortium.  I am looking for journal articles that deal with online learning environments, social presence of instructors guiding online courses and actual accounts of methods used during online instruction.

 

Sources

 

Wilson,  B.G. , Ludwig-Hardman, S., Thornam, C.L., & Dunlap, J.C. (2004).  Bounded Community:                                

     Designing and facilitating learning communities in formal courses.  International  Review  of

     Research in Open and Distance Education,  5(3), 1-22.

 

Ouzts, K (2006).  Sense of community in online courses.  The Quarterly Review of Distance Education,

    7(3), pp. 285-296.

 

Rovai, A. (2002).  Building sense of community at a distance.   International Review of Research in

     Open and Distance Learning, 3(1), pp. 1-16.

 

Tu, C, & McIsaac, M (2002).  The relationship of social presence and interaction in online classes.  The

      American Journal of Distance Education, 16(3), pp. 131-150.

 

Chan, M.S., & Waugh, R.F. (2007).  Factors affecting student participation in the online learning

     environment at the open university of Hong Kong.   Journal of Distance Education, 21(3), pp. 23-38.

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