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The Journal of Online Learning Research and Practice (JOLRAP) seeks to explore a variety of emerging topics and questions related to teaching and learning in online and hybrid contexts across fields and discipline areas. The journal publishes articles that focus on aspects related to virtual instruction, technology integration, data, ethics, privacy, leadership, and more.

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Email: Dr. Kathleen Tate

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Current Issue: Volume 8, Number 2 – 2021/2022

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Editor's Preface

Kathleen J. Tate, American Public University System
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.2.1

Articles

Professional and Personal Factors that Shape Online Faculty Careers

Jennifer Danzy Cramer, ROC USA and Katarzyna Polanska, American Public University System
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.2.2

Tremendous growth in online classrooms and universities has offered flexible and accessible learning and teaching opportunities to both students and faculty. Online classrooms offer more personalized freedom with time and location, making them more attractive to learners managing a range of personal and professional commitments and priorities. The online classroom potentially provides a supportive, inclusive employment opportunity for faculty who are also balancing competing professional responsibilities and personal priorities. In this descriptive study, we examined why faculty seek out and remain in online teaching positions. Using an online survey, we asked faculty what factors played a role in them choosing to start and remain in a part-time or full-time online faculty position. Geographic challenges and caregiver responsibilities were the two major factors that contributed to faculty choosing to work online. Our findings suggest some faculty members choose and prefer online teaching positions because of the flexibility to balance personal and professional commitments.

Challenges and Digital Solutions with STEM Learning

Anne Mangahas, La Verne University, Kathleen J. Tate, American Public University System, and Kevin Harris, Stillman College
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.2.3

Encouraging active interest while building engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields in secondary and higher education is challenging for many educators. Significant barriers that pose difficulties for high school and college students in STEM learning and proposed solutions to better support their achievement are included. A focus on digital solutions is provided that has implications for supporting both K-12 schools and universities that offer increased online and hybrid learning since the emergence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

From the Field

3 Questions for an Online Learning Leader

Featuring Jeremy Dickerson, EdD, Assistant Provost, Office of Distance and eLearning, University of North Carolina (UNC) Wilmington, USA
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.2.4

Dr. Jeremy Dickerson serves as the Assistant Provost for Distance Education and eLearning at UNC Wilmington, where he is also Associate Professor of Instructional Technology in the College of Education. Since 1999, Jeremy has been in faculty and leadership positions at three different universities, where his career has included managing educational technology, infrastructure and integration, designing, developing, and coordinating new online degree programs, and leading campus-wide online teaching efforts. Notably, in his current role at UNC Wilmington, his office has provided support in the “pivot” to remote teaching during multiple hurricanes and the pandemic. Aside from his leadership opportunities, Dickerson also enjoys teaching, writing, and mentoring graduate students seeking work in the field of educational technology and online learning. Jeremy earned an AA at Coastal Carolina Community College, a BA and MEd at UNC Wilmington, and an EdD in Technology Education with a focus in Training and Development at North Carolina State University. He is presently working towards an MA in Educational Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Book Reviews

A Review of Mobile Learning and the Future of L&D

Theresa Melenas, American Public University System
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.2.5

A review of Mobile Learning and the Future of L&D features an examination of mobile learning as an alternative to traditional eLearning as a corporate training tool and as a tool for higher education. Tips on using mobile learning for increased engagement, higher retention, and applications for teacher education are addressed.

A Review of Personalized Deeper Learning: Blueprints for Teaching Complex Cognitive, Social-Emotional, and Digital Skills

Ashley Gleiman, U.S. Naval Community College
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.2.6

Engaging students in 21st century skills is a valuable teaching strategy for educators today. However, many are often confused or misguided in specific techniques that engage their students and help achieve deeper learning in the classroom. Bellanca (2021) offers recommendations and specific blueprints as tools for educators to teach content and promote deeper learning skills simultaneously.

Media Reviews

Removing Barriers with Assistive Technology

Caroline R. Gomez, Auburn, AL
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.2.7

College students in the U.S. who report a sensory, physical, or cognitive disability are eligible to request and receive assistive technology (AT). There are hundreds of AT tools to assist with learning challenges, so determining the best AT tools may be daunting. To assist with AT, most colleges have offices dedicated to supporting students with disabilities (SWD). The offices play a vital role in providing AT and the training needed to use it. AT can promote educational, psychological, and social benefits for SWD. This re- view will highlight a few of the popular high-tech AT resources currently on the market.

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Volume 8, Number 1 – 2020/2021

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Editor's Preface

Kathleen J. Tate, American Public University System
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.1.1

Articles

Historical Review of Distance and Online Education from 1700s to 2021 in the United States: Instructional Design and Pivotal Pedagogy in Higher Education

Kristen Betts, Brian Delaney, Tamara Galoyan, and William Lynch Drexel University, USA
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.1.2

In March 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted education worldwide. In the United States, the pandemic forced colleges and universities across the nation to adopt quickly emergency remote teaching and learning. The ability to pivot instruction seamlessly and effectively across learning formats (e.g., face-to-face, hybrid, online) while supporting student engagement, learning, and completion in an authentic and high-quality manner challenged higher education leaders. This historical review of the literature examines distance and online education from the 1700s to 2021 to identify how external and internal pressures and opportunities have impacted and influenced the evolution of educational formats pre-COVID-19, and how they will continue to evolve post pandemic. This historical review also explores how instructional design and pedagogy have been and continue to be influenced by technological advancements, emerging research from the Learning Sciences and Mind (psychology), Brain (neuroscience), and Education (pedagogy) science.

From the Field

3 Questions for an Online Learning Leader

Featuring Jill Drake, PhD, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of West Georgia, USA
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.1.3

Dr. Jill Drake is both Professor in the College of Education and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of West Georgia. In the latter role, she currently oversees academic programming and assessment, transfer agreements, and internal curriculum approval processes. Jill has experience teaching face-to-face and online courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels in educational foundations, early childhood, and elementary education. Her research focuses on assessment in K-5 mathematics education, problem posing, and teaching mathematics to diverse populations. Internationally recognized for her research on problem posing, Dr. Drake has published two mathematics activity books for high school and middle school students. Prior to her appointment at the University of West Georgia, Jill was an educator at the early childhood, elementary, and middle school levels. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, a Master of Education in K-12 School Counseling, and a Specialist in Health and Rehabilitative Services at Florida State University. She holds a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Supervision from the University of Georgia and completed a postdoctoral program in math education at the University of West Georgia.

Book Reviews

A Review of eLearning Design and the Right Brain

Norman Rose, American Public University System
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.1.4

This article reviews an e-book that outlines ways to improve student engagement online and in-person. Planning instructional elements that elicit positive emotional response is the emphasis.

Media Reviews

An Agile Approach to LMS Migration

Michael E. Cottam, American Public University System
doi: 10.18278/jolrap.8.1.5

Principles of the Agile Manifesto may guide academic and technology teams to lead learning management system (LMS) migration projects with inclusiveness, flexibility, and speed. Agile teams follow an iterative, rapid-cycle path to design, develop, evaluate, revise, and improve the LMS from project inception to completion. An agile approach values individuals and interaction, delivering working courses, collaboration, and responsiveness to changing environments. With attention to each of these values in LMS migration, the project runs with full stakeholder engagement, responsiveness, and speed.

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