Article Notice – Pictures from an Exhibition … of Online Learning: A Creative Representation of Qualitative Data

This is another K-12 online learning article that was published earlier this week (and that I posted the full issue for yesterday).

Pictures from an Exhibition… of Online Learning: A Creative Representation of Qualitative Data

The Qualitative Report 2013
Volume 18, Article 45, 1-15.
http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR18/barbour45.pdf

Michael Barbour, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan USA
Jason Paul Siko, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids,Michigan USA
Kaye Simuel-Everage, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan USA

Abstract: K-12 online learning at the K-12 level has been around for approximately two decades and is continuing to grow. While researchers have researched a variety of issues related to K-12 online learning, there has been little published on the student experience in web-based learning environments. In this article, two doctoral students were tasked with analyzing existing data, then representing and situating their findings in a format other than the traditional “results” and “discussion” sections found in a typical six-section journal manuscript. One student created an image that focused upon the tools used by the K-12 student in her online learning. The other student created a slideshow to illustrate the challenges faced by a second K-12 student in her online learning. While more research into the K-12 student experience in online learning is required, this article represents one creative attempt to address this need.

Keywords: K-12 Online Learning, Virtual Schooling, Alternative Representation

The Morning Watch – Special Issue: Technology-Mediated Learning (TML)

For a post-AERA item…  This is a limited call, as the journal has a specific geographic focus (i.e., Newfoundland and Labrador). So any submissions should be specifically focused on that geographic jurisdiction.

Call for contributions from academics, practitioners, policy-makers, administrators and graduate students for a special FALL issue on TECHNOLOGY-MEDIATED LEARNING (TML) Guest Editors Elizabeth Murphy Memorial University of Newfoundland and Michael Barbour: Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan Examples of questions/themes: TML & the sustainability of remote & rural communities. TML: innnovation or status quo on steroids? TML: the demise of local communities or birth of global communities? TML: where is the return on investment? TML: the role of teachers/ professors. TML: how to promote learning excellence online. TML: learner empowerment or canned lectures? TML: the need for faculty and student support.   Empirical, narrative, biographical, critical or theoretical perspectives are welcome. Submission formats might include, papers, reports or position papers. Maximum 3000 words. Minimum 500. Papers, reports and position papers should follow APA format. Email your submission by August 15,2013 to 2013morningwatch at gmail dot com See the submission guidelines & FAQ.

Article Notice – Narratives from the Online Frontier: A K-12 Student’s Experience in an Online Learning Environment

I forgot to post notice of this article when it was first published.

Narratives from the Online Frontier: A K-12 Student’s Experience in an Online Learning Environment
Michael Barbour, Jason Siko, JaCinda Sumara, and Kaye Simuel-Everage
Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA

The Qualitative Report 2012 Volume 17, Article 20, 1-19
http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR17/barbour.pdf

Abstract: Despite a large increase in the number of students enrolled in online courses, published research on student experiences in these environments is minimal. This article reports the narrative analysis of a series of interviews conducted with a female student at a brick-and-mortar school enrolled in a single virtual school course. Her narratives describe a student who often struggled with the content in her online course and was reluctant to interact with her online teacher. When she interacted with people online, it was using text, because she was shy and the hardware often did not work. Darlene’s experiences, likely typical of many K-12 online students, highlight a system in need of better strategies for the design and delivery of its educational opportunities.

Key Words: Online Learning, Distance Education, Rural Schooling, Virtual Schooling, Narrative Analysis.

Note that for the past three years, half of my teaching responsibilities have been in the area of qualitative research. As such, I have adapted some of my scholarship to focus on methodological issues (such as this narrative analysis piece).

Article Notice: What Are They Doing And How Are They Doing It? Rural Student Experiences In Virtual Schooling

A colleague of mine, back on Saturday, alerted me to the fact that this article had finally been published on Twitter.

What are They Doing and How are They Doing It? Rural Student Experiences in Virtual Schooling

Michael K. Barbour and Janette Hill

The Journal of Distance Education / Revue de l’Éducation à Distance, Vol 25, No 1 (2011)

Abstract This qualitative study examined a Canadian virtual school learning experience for students and the kinds of support and assistance most frequently used and valued by students learning in a virtual environment. Students were interviewed and observed during their virtual school classes. In-school teachers were also interviewed and online teachers were also observed. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Findings indicated that during their scheduled asynchronous class time students were often assigned seatwork or provided time to work on assignments, however, students rarely used this time to complete virtual schoolwork. It was during their synchronous class time that both the students and the online teachers were most productive. Students sought assistance from local classmates before turning to their online teacher or in-school teachers, and did not use the other support systems provided by the virtual school.

Résumé Cette étude qualitative a porté sur une expérience canadienne d’apprentissage pour les élèves en école virtuelle ainsi que les types de soutien et d’aide les plus couramment utilisés et prisés par les étudiants qui font des apprentissages dans un environnement virtuel. Les étudiants ont été interviewés et observés pendant leur cours virtuels. Des enseignants travaillant à l’école ont également été interviewés et des enseignants travaillant en ligne ont aussi été observés. Les données recueillies ont été analysées à l’aide de la méthode comparative constante. Les résultats démontrent que pendant leur temps de class asynchrone déterminé, les étudiants se faisaient souvent donner du travail individuel ou donner du temps pour travailler à leurs devoirs. Toutefois, les étudiants utilisaient rarement ce temps pour effectuer des travaux scolaires virtuels. C’était durant leur temps de classe synchrone qu’à la fois les étudiants et les enseignants en ligne étaient les plus productifs. Les étudiants faisaient appel à l’aide de leurs pairs locaux avant de recourir à leur enseignant en ligne ou aux enseignants travaillant à l’école et ils n’utilisaient pas les autres systèmes de soutien fournis par l’école virtuelle.

Available online at: http://www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/725/1248

This is the long awaited overview article from my dissertation.  This is actually the second article from my dissertation, as I added a context chapter that was published prior to the submission of my dissertation.  In addition, I hope to craft a specific manuscript from each of the three research questions over the next few months.  I also have one article in press, one manuscript under review, and one manuscript under revising from data taken from the four participants that I had to exclude from my dissertation study due to incomplete data sets.  So I am hoping that in the end my dissertation will result in eight different articles.

It has actually been a good thirty days for me, as since 11 June – including this article – I have had four that have made it into print:

• Asynchronous And Synchronous Online Teaching: Perspectives Of Canadian High School Distance Education Teachers
• An Examination Of Government Policies For E-Learning In New Zealand’s Secondary Schools
• The Promise And The Reality: Exploring Virtual Schooling In Rural Jurisdictions

Thanks to my co-authors on this one and the first two on that list.

Aboriginal Focused Programs in Canada

More than a week ago, I got the following mention in Twitter:

This is actually a topic that I’ve discussed in the past on this blog, but never in a specific manner (i.e., various entries on the topic, but nothing that brings it all together).  So I promised Angela that I would post an entry last week about this, but the week just got away from me.

To the best of my knowledge there are four aboriginal focused K-12 online learning programs in Canada:

1. Keewaytinook Internet High School (Ontario)
2. Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate (Manitoba)
3. Credenda Virtual School (Saskatchewan)
4. Sunchild E-Learning Community (Alberta)

In the past I have posted entries about reports that have been published focused on these programs:

• Report: Optimizing The Effectiveness Of E-Learning For First Nations
• Canadian Virtual School Focused On Aboriginal Students Received $2 Million Donation
• Follow-Up: Advancing Aboriginal Inclusion Through The Use Of E-Learning Technology In The Aboriginal Community
• Advancing Aboriginal Inclusion Through The Use Of E-Learning Technology In The Aboriginal Community
• Conference: Canada’s Aboriginal Virtual Schools and E-Learning

In addition, the last two editions of the State of the Nation: K-12 Online Learning in Canada reports have included content related to these aboriginal programs.

• 2010 edition
  • Brief Issue Paper – Keewaytinook Internet High School: Moving first Nation Students ahead with Technology in Ontario’s Remote North (pp. 14-17)
  • Vignette – Wapaskwa Virtual Collegiate (p. 46)
  • Vignette – Credenda Virtual High School (p. 48)
• 2009 edition
  • Vignette – Keewaytinook Internet High School (p. 30)

Beyond these four programs, there have been several publications and presentations focused upon the provision of K-12 distance education primarily to an aboriginal population in Canada:

• HICE 2011 – Motivation In High School Student Success: The Case Of Aboriginal E-Learners In Rural And Remote Canada
• HICE 2011 – Together@Distance: Online Learning In The Pan Arctic
• EDGE 2010 – The Conne River Project: Muinji’j Becomes A Man
• EDGE 2010 – Where Do We Go From Here? A Canadian Perspective On Aboriginal E‐Learning
• Article Notice – The Effectiveness Of Web-Delivered Learning With Aboriginal Students: Findings From A Study In Coastal Labrador
• SITE 2010: The Challenges of Improving Synchronous Web-based High School Course Delivery In Isolated Aboriginal Community Settings
• CSSE 2009: Web-based Learning In Aboriginal Schools: The Experience In Coastal Labrador

These are all of the K-12 online learning resources focused on Canada’s aboriginal population that I am aware of.  For those who have a more direct involvement in this community, am I missed any?

Also, for my readers south of the 49th parallel, are there any K-12 online learning programs or resources in the United States specifically focused on Native Americans?  I am aware of the Fort Washakie High School (FWHS)/Wyoming e-academy of Virtual Education (WeAVE), but that is really the only one that immediately comes to mind.