This book is about changes in learning and instruction and implications for learners, teachers, designers and policy makers. Many of the relevant changes are related to new technologies and developing views of how, when, where and why people manage to learn different kinds of things more or less effectively. This chapter focuses on distance learning technologies and questions pertaining to the evaluation of a particular kind of distance learning—online instruction. Criteria that appear relevant to assessing effectiveness are presented and discussed. Arguments for and against online instruction being held to different quality standards are presented. The chapter concludes with remarks about the personalities of online learning groups and how these might affect learning outcomes.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Abrami, R. C., Apollonia, S., & Cohen, P. A. (1990). Validity of student ratings of instruction: What we know and what we do not. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(2), 219–231.
Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Lou, Y., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Wozney, L., Wallet, P. A., Fiset, M., & Huang, B. (2004). How does distance education compare with classroom instruction? A meta-analysis of empirical literature. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 379–439.
Boekarts, M., Pintrich, P. R., & Zeidner, M. (Eds.) (2000). Handbook of self-regulation: Theory, research and applications. San Diego, CA: Academic.
Boone, W., & Butler Kahle, J. (1998). Student perceptions of instruction, peer interest, and adult support for middle school science: Differences by race and gender. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 4, 333–340.
Bouwsma, O. K. (1975). Unpublished seminar notes. Austin, TX: University of Texas.
Chen, Y., & Hoshower, L. B. (2003). Student evaluation of teaching effectiveness: An assessment of student perception and motivation. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 28(1), 71–88.
Eliot, T. S. (1934). The rock. London: Faber & Faber.
Ericsson, K. A. (2004). Deliberate practice and the acquisition and maintenance of expert performance in medicine and related domains. Academic Medicine, 10, S1–S12.
Filak, V. F., & Sheldon, K. N. (2003). Student psychological need satisfaction and college teachercourse evaluations. Educational Psychology, 23(3), 235–247.
Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59–109.
Ganesan, R. (2004, July). Perceptions and practices of expert teachers in Technology-based distance and distributed learning environments. Unpublished dissertation. Syracuse, NY: School of Education, Syracuse University.
Gould, S. J. (1989). Wonderful life: The Burgess Shale and the nature of history. New York: W. W. Norton.
Hadfield, J. (1992). Classroom dynamics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1991). Learning together and alone: Cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Klein, J. D., Spector, J. M., Grabowski, B., & de la Teja, I. (2004). Instructor competencies: Standards for face-to-face, online and blended settings. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
Learning Development Institute (2005). Presidential workshop and panel session on learners in a changing learning landscape: Questions formulated by participating members. Retrieved September 7, 2007, from http://www.learndev.org/ibstpi-AECT2005. html#anchor1672398.
Lowman, J. (1995). Mastering the techniques of teaching (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Marsh, H. W. (1987). Student evaluations of university teaching: Research findings, methodological issues, and directions for future research. International Journal of Educational Research, 11, 253–388.
Richey, R. C., Fields, D. C., & Foxon, M. with Roberts, R. C., Spannaus, T., & Spector, J. M. (2001). Instructional design competencies: The standards (3rd ed.). Syracuse, NY: ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology.
Sagan, C. (1980). Cosmos. New York: Random House.
Schank, R. C., & Fano, A. E. (1995). Memory and expectations in learning, language and visual understanding. Artificial Intelligence Review, 9(4–5), 261–271.
Scriven, M. (1995). Student ratings offer useful input to teacher evaluations. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 4(7). Retrieved March 6, 2006, from http://PAREonline.net/getvn.asp?v = 4&n = 7.
Slavin, R. E. (1998). Effects of student teams and peer tutoring on academic achievement and time on task. Journal of experimental education, 48, 253–257.
Spector, J. M. (2000). Trends and issues in educational technology: How far we have not come. Update Semiannual Bulletin, 21(2). Published by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information &Technology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. Retrieved on April 4, 2006, from http://suedweb.syr.edu/faculty/spector/publications/trends-tech-educ-eric.pdf.
Spector, J. M. (2001). An overview of progress and problems in educational technology. Interactive Educational Multimedia, 3, 27–37.
Spector, J. M. (2005). Time demands in online instruction. Distance Education, 26(1), 3–25.
Spector, J. M., & De la Teja, I. (2001, December). Competencies for online teaching. ERIC Digest EDO-IR-2001–09. Syracuse, NY: ERIC Information Technology Clearinghouse. Retrieved March 5, 2006, from http://www.eric.ed.gov /.
Spector, J. M., & Koszalka, T. A. (2004). The DEEP methodology for assessing learning in complex domains (Final report to the National Science Foundation Evaluative Research and Evaluation Capacity Building). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University.
Spector, J. M., Doughty, P. L., & Yonai, B. A. (2003). Cost and learning effects of alternative e-collaboration methods in online settings (Final report for the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Cost Effective Use of Technology in Teaching Initiative). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University.
Storrings, D. A. (2005). Attrition in distance education: A meta-analysis. Unpublished dissertation. Syracuse, NY: School of Education, Syracuse University.
Wilson, R. (1998, January). New research casts doubt on value of student evaluations of professors. Chronicle of Higher Education, Jan. 16, 1998, A12.
Yager, R., & Yager, S. (1985). Changes in perceptions of science for third, seventh, and eleventh grade students. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 22(4), 347–358.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer Science + Business Media B.V
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Spector, J.M. (2008). What Makes Good Online Instruction Good?: New Opportunities and Old Barriers. In: Visser, J., Visser-Valfrey, M. (eds) Learners in a Changing Learning Landscape. Lifelong Learning Book Series, vol 12. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8299-3_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8299-3_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-8298-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-8299-3
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)