Don't miss these articles from Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education TOJDE, Januar 2008, Volume 9, Number 1. This the first issue of the year 2008.
REDESIGNING A COURSE FOR BLENDED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Assist. Prof. Dr. Feza ORHAN,
Yildiz Technical University,
TURKEY
ABSTRACT
This article describes a collaborative study of the blended learning approach, designed to pave the way for higher education students to integrate online and face-to-face learning environments in an “Instructional Technology and Material Development” course at the University of Yildiz Technic in Turkey.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the students’ perceptions of the blended learning environment and to trace the integration between online and face-to-face learning environments. For this purpose, 30 students were given statements on the redesigned course, which they rated on a 5-point Likert scale. To probe more deeply into their positive and negative responses, a focus group discussion was held to gather the students’ views. The findings are reveal that the majority of the students (90%) enjoyed being in the blended learning environment.
However, improvement in methods of application and online study materials are needed. Additionally, other factors that may be salient in blended learning environment are also discussed.
ATTITUDES OF TURKISH DISTANCE LEARNERS TOWARD INTERNET-BASED LEARNING:An Investigation Depending on Demographical Characteristics
Erkan TEKINARSLAN, Ph.D.
Abant Izzet Baysal University,
TURKEY
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to develop an attitude scale toward Internet-based learning (IBL) and to investigate whether attitude levels of Turkish distance learners in an IBL environment differ according to their demographical characteristics (i.e. age, gender, marital status, parental status, employment status, grade point average (GPA). Research data were gathered from 804 (491 male and 313 female) learners in an IBL environment at Sakarya University, Turkey. Explanatory factor analysis identified three factors with eigenvalues >1. The scale appears to be a reliable and valid instrument to assess the attitude levels of learners toward IBL. The analyses of demographical characteristic differences on the scale indicate that married learners, working learners and learners with children have significantly higher attitude levels toward IBL than those of unemployed and single learners and learners with no children. Male distance learners demonstrate significantly higher attitude levels than females do on the majority of the subscales. In general, learners over age of 26 have statistically higher attitude levels than those of younger learners. Attitude levels of learners with poor GPAs are significantly lower than those of learners with better GPAs. The findings are consistent with the related literature.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS, INCLUDING LEARNING STYLES, AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS AND SATISFACTION IN WEB-BASED COURSES IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Dr. Sami SAHIN,
Gazi University,
ANKARA
ABSTRACT
Distance education and web-based courses are mainstream in the United States higher education and growing (NCES, 2003) involving over 80% of four year public universities in 2002. The National Academy of Science review of “how people learn” suggests that technology-mediated learning can be used to respond to students’ preferences and related characteristics.
This investigation of the relationships between learners’ characteristics and their perception of web-based learning and satisfaction with their course used Kolb’s (1984) Learning Styles Inventory and Walker’s (2003) distance education learning environment instrument plus demographic questions to survey 279 students in five web-based undergraduate courses in a Midwestern university. The study founds that the three dimensions of Moore’s Transactional Distance Theory may be linked with Kolb’s two dimensional views of individual learning styles. For example, introductory biology courses with high structure are perceived as more satisfactory by students who prefer a more “abstract conceptual” learning style for “knowledge grasping.”
The author recommends that courses are designed to accommodate multiple learning styles with variety on all dimensions of transactional distance.
Happy reading to all of you.
Posts
