Matching Items (3)
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- All Subjects: Online Education
- Creators: Archambault, Leanna
Description
This study examined the experiences of first-generation college students who were enrolled in online degree programs at a traditional brick-and-mortar university located in the western United States. These students were viewed as "double first-generation" because they were not only the first in their family to pursue a bachelor's degree, but were also among the first generation in the history of American higher education to pursue public, postsecondary education in an entirely online format. The research was designed as a multiple methods case study that emphasized qualitative methods. Being exploratory in nature, the study focused on participant characteristics and the ways that they responded to and persisted in online degree programs. Data was collected through research that was conducted entirely online; it included an e-survey, two asynchronous focus groups, and individual interviews that were conducted via Skype. Grounded theory served as the primary method for data analysis, while quantitative descriptive statistics contextualized the case. The results of this study provide a window into the micro- and macro-level tensions at play in public, online postsecondary education. The findings indicate that these pioneering and traditionally underserved students drew from their diverse backgrounds to persist toward degree completion, overcoming challenges associated with time and finances, in hopes that their efforts would bring career and social mobility. As one of the first studies to critically examine the case of double first-generation college students, this study extends the literature in meaningful ways to provide valuable insights for policymakers, administrators, faculty, and staff who are involved with this population.
ContributorsShea, Jennifer Dawn (Author) / Fischman, Gustavo E. (Thesis advisor) / De Los Santos Jr, Alfredo G. (Committee member) / Ewing, Kris (Committee member) / Archambault, Leanna (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Customized online education is a means of educating a large amount of users in a way that will change their behavior at a low incremental cost to the one providing the information. This thesis will examine several aspects of online education, but primarily focus on the presentation of the materials. It will examine how this is done through a consulting project I worked on in conjunction with the New Venture Group for Parenting Arizona. Parenting Arizona is a non-profit organization based in Arizona that offers classes for parents who are seeking better ways to manage their family responsibilities. The purpose of the consulting project was to take the instructional materials used in in-person group classes and modify it to be effectively used for instruction in an online environment. Parenting Arizona foresaw a number of benefits from this modification and migration of instructional materials for the web; first among these was the ability of people in remote areas or in situations that did not allow them to attend an on-ground class to gain access to instructional material. In addition, the broader availability of the material that would come from its presence on the web would expand the influence of good parenting instructions to a greater audience both inside and outside the State of Arizona, aiding even more families.
ContributorsAnderson, Kyle (Author) / Brooks, Dan (Thesis director) / Forss, Brennan (Committee member) / Rosen, Julie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2012-05
Description
Online education is unique in part for the relatively high degrees of autonomy afforded learners. Self-direction and self-regulation, along with support, are essential for students to succeed. The site of this action research project was a new, small online public charter school for middle and high school students, Foothills Academy Connected (FAC). The purpose of this action research project was to develop an online learner support system that was built around mentorship and based on the four areas identified by the Educational Success Prediction Instrument (ESPRI) (Roblyer & Davis, 2008); thoroughly document the process; and examine its influence on students and the researcher. This study was focused on: (a) identifying students’ main challenges with online learning, (b) identifying students’ perceptions about additional supports that would improve their schooling experience, and (c) examining the process of engaging in mentorship by the emerging mentor, herself.
The study employed a mixed methods research design. Research instruments included a questionnaire adapted from the ESPRI that marked the start of the study period, visual autoethnographies, interviews, extensive research journaling to document interactions with students and parents/guardians, and a second questionnaire. The research results showed that the “emerging mentorship approach” was a worthwhile innovation for augmenting the FAC online learner student support system. In particular, developing individual student profiles based on this varied data and responding to those students’ needs were accompanied by detailed documentation to develop a mentoring approach that could be used subsequently. A finding of the research was that the ESPRI would not have been effective alone in determining a student profile and responding only on that basis. The ESPRI areas of inquiry were helpful when used in conjunction with the other data to frame students’ needs and formulate personalized plans to support struggling online learners. Online learner support literature provided scant detail on the personal experience of the individual adopting the mentor role. In this study, it was determined that the process of becoming a mentor was uncomfortable and nonlinear, and it challenged the self-directedness and boldness of the action researcher as she worked in this new role as mentor.
The study employed a mixed methods research design. Research instruments included a questionnaire adapted from the ESPRI that marked the start of the study period, visual autoethnographies, interviews, extensive research journaling to document interactions with students and parents/guardians, and a second questionnaire. The research results showed that the “emerging mentorship approach” was a worthwhile innovation for augmenting the FAC online learner student support system. In particular, developing individual student profiles based on this varied data and responding to those students’ needs were accompanied by detailed documentation to develop a mentoring approach that could be used subsequently. A finding of the research was that the ESPRI would not have been effective alone in determining a student profile and responding only on that basis. The ESPRI areas of inquiry were helpful when used in conjunction with the other data to frame students’ needs and formulate personalized plans to support struggling online learners. Online learner support literature provided scant detail on the personal experience of the individual adopting the mentor role. In this study, it was determined that the process of becoming a mentor was uncomfortable and nonlinear, and it challenged the self-directedness and boldness of the action researcher as she worked in this new role as mentor.
ContributorsEdwards, Clea (Author) / Buss, Ray R (Thesis advisor) / Archambault, Leanna (Committee member) / Kennedy, Kathryn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017