Since the emergence of the 2020 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Saudi Arabia (SA) has preserved the safety of its citizens by mandating crisis distance education (CDE). Appreciating that most learners struggle with such an abrupt shift in delivery mode, especially one that depends on self-directed learning (SDL), this exploratory, qualitative…

The purpose of this study was to explore students and instructor perceptions of the concept of renewable assignments in the open educational resources (OER) movement. Mixed methods were used, with a combination of a survey and semi-structured interview, administered at George Mason University in the United States. Eleven graduate students enrolled…

This study describes the socio-cognitive dynamics of collaborative online knowledge-building discourse among Dutch Master of Education students from the perspective of openness. A socio-cognitive openness framework consisting of four social and four cognitive components was used to analyze contributions to online collective knowledge building…

Aimed at Ph.D. programs in German, this article offers a broad framework to discuss the urgent issues facing our programs to stem the tide of (possible or even likely) disinvestment in German in times of fiscal hardship. Many conversations on suitable reforms tend to be held separately by different stakeholders -- teaching-focused faculty or…

Mobile learning initiatives (e.g., Bring-Your-Own-Device) have generated increasing attention to the physical design of Active Learning Spaces (ALS). Yet, the role of physical space in shaping pedagogical practice remains under-theorized. Sociomaterial perspectives such as Actor-Network theory offer promising potential for examining this area as…

Research has focused on the significance of social presence in online learning. However, peer interaction does not always result in positive emotions and feelings; it can trigger tension, distress, and anger within a learning community. Therefore, conflictual presence, as a carrier of negative valence within presence, is also a critical element…

Online education has definitely moved into higher education with new programs being added continuously. How can institutions ensure that they are offering quality programs? A vital source of information should come from the students who participated in this study. The purpose of this study was to gain insights into graduate students' perceptions…

Numerous studies have recognized collaboration as an effective way of learning. When collaboration involves students from different cultural backgrounds, a question arises: "Will cultural differences influence the manner in which roles are adopted within collaborative learning?" In this study, a correlation analysis was used to explore…

This application brief describes a "Module Discussant" activity assigned in an online graduate-level leadership theory course. The assignment was designed to stimulate higher-level thinking, apply leadership theory to practice, and foster extensive communication among students in the online learning environment using a common learning…

The abundance of technology in recent years has contributed to development in the societies, industries, and education. It is proven from the current trend of technology such as the emergence and rise of smart phones, tablets, laptops and wireless internet connection that the present and future world will be heralded by technology. The integration…

Going beyond the recent surge of papers on the flipped classroom, this article calls for an active "constructionist" approach to flipping classrooms. Not only are homework and lecture sessions flipped, students create, or "construct" knowledge outside of class and present to others through group learning activities. The…

Like many universities worldwide, the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa has joined the open educational resources (OER) movement, making a selection of teaching and learning materials available through its OER directory, UCT OpenContent. However, persuading and then supporting busy academics to share their teaching materials as OER…

This study examined the role of games in graduate-level instructional technology courses, where the curriculum includes complex abstract theory and hands-on, practical skills. A qualitative approach was used in the study, relying on classroom observations of student behavior (recorded by digital photographs), informal student verbal comments,…

In recent years, different professional and academic settings have been increasingly utilizing ePortfolios to serve multiple purposes from recruitment to evaluation. This paper analyzes ePortfolios created by graduate students at a Canadian university. Demonstrated is how students' constructions can, and should, be more than a simple compilation…

This study explored what factors influenced learner participation in two sections of a graduate online course at a Midwestern university. Findings indicated that online learner participation and patterns of participation are influenced by the following factors: technology and interface characteristics, content area experience, student roles and…