Evaluating Some Current Online Offerings

ONLINE COURSES1

Evaluating Some Current Online Offerings

Jannet L. White

Strayer University

January 19, 2015

Online Learning

In today’s society, technological advances are growing with a rapidity of pace which makes

available in nearly every quarter educational opportunities unheard of in days past. While the

“digital divide” still does exist to some degree, this ever growing and ever changing concept of

possibility is quickly changing the world in which we live, and making opportunities for nearly

all segments of the world population in every quarter to obtain educational advancement from the business sector to the agrarian communities which now draw heavily upon technological advances as well. Nowhere are these opportunities more available with positive influence than in the field of education. Because of this explosion of available technology, and with it the vast amounts of information and ease of dissemination, online courses abound. Even the most traditional of educational institutions are turning more and more to technology in order to keep up with the demands from the population for both synchronous and asynchronous courses aimed at an endless range of students, from those merely seeking casual educational opportunities to serve personal interest to those seeking professional advancement, to those seeking to complete the highest degrees in all areas. Some institutions of higher learning are now devoted almost if not entirelyto online programs. It appears that today’s students are creating demand for instantaneous access to information. According to many sources, the traditional concept of the residential, full-time student is fading,

(KitsantasDabbagh, 2010).
Because of this, educators and course writers, as well as the consumers are seeking ways to evaluate and appraise courses outside the brick and mortar classrooms which once constituted the only route to educational advances. There still exist questions in the minds of many as to the value and effectiveness of online courses. Standards and benchmarks have been developed to guide this line of inquiry. This body of research, small in scale, will be aimed at applying some of the accepted learning yardsticks to two such courses or programs to compare the offerings in terms of, but not limited to accepted good practice, as well as roles of teachers and learners, accessibility for disabled learners, efficiency of course management systems, and the availability of virtual library resources and virtual library resources as well as technical support.The first item for consideration is an online course, offered free of charge.
Political Science 102: American Government,(Education Portal, 2015).
Course content
Thisis a political science course which can help participants review the history of the U.S.
Constitution and the birth of American government. Users can also examine the structure of
federal, legislative, and judicial systems; the powers imparted to each of these branches of
government; and the processes involved in selecting its members.Content in the course is
organized in such a way as to allow quick and easy access to each lesson's main ideas
and important terminology. Learning objectives are clearly outlined, with direct correlations to
the chapters of content. The courses interface well with most systems, and often teachers use them to supplement instruction in traditional classrooms or to flip the classroom. The course content is comprehensive and does not require or offer access to supplemental course information and virtual library resources.This addition could be an improvement for the course.
Technology and Efficiency

Transition of units and flow of information from one unit/module to the next is well presented.
The brief videos include tags that enable participants to skip ahead or go back to points of

interest. A quick scan of the lesson transcripts can provide the same ease of access. There are
also quizzes which can be used as often as desired to self –evaluate understanding of the

material. Participants may practice before taking end of chapter exams.
Education Portal courses support the following technologies: Windows XP and above,
Mac OS X, the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, IE9 and above and Internet,
Broadband Internet; 1Mbps or higher. One can find answers to questions such as these through
the system’s easy to use question bank prior to taking a course, however some other types of
questions such as accessibility for students with disabilities must be submitted through the

support link and reportedly may take a day or more to receive an answer.
The Education Portal appears to have an efficient course management system. There are
links for the learner to select quickly and easily which function is desired, such as video,
transcripts, quizzes, etc. The images are clear and sharp, the sound quality is extremely
clear. Although Education Portal courses, by themselves, are not accredited, the courses
aredesignedto help study for credit-granting exams, and the site indicates that college
credit may be obtained for coursework. There is a five-day free trial, as well as two levels
of membership available for lowcosts. Both memberships offer lesson transcripts,
unlimited access to the library of instructional videos, and technical support. For a
slightly higher fee, one also gets Practice Quizzes & Tests, Tools for Tracking Progress,
Practice Quizzes & Tests, Tools for Tracking Progress, personalized coaching, access to
instructors, and certificates of completion. There are forums provided for course assessment.
Roles

The role of the instructor is to deliver course content with a teaching style that makes the
material engaging and easy to follow. There are connections and windows in which learners may
view brief career bibliographies of the instructors, as well as ask questions related to course
content. Their function is to facilitate students’ movement through the course content. There are
easy to locate connections for technical support and institutional support.

Accessibility for Students With Disabilities
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with disabilities are guaranteed access to all postsecondary programs and services.However, studies have been conducted which
indicate that many university websites are still not in compliance, (Solovieva & Bock, 2014).
Still other studies indicate that most students who request accommodations receive them to a
satisfactory degree, (Roberts, Crittenden & Crittenden, 2011). These things are mentioned here
order to indicate the importance of consideration for students with disabilities, and that online
courses are responsible for adhering to standards in this area. The free, online course outlined
does not indicate compliance but does have a visible means of consumer discovery through a link provided for inquires of all natures. There is also a link for requesting that support personnel
call the consumer to talk about questions.

Grand Canyon University
Next, an overview of a university which offers online, as well as blended learning formats is
presented.In contrast with the previous example which evaluated self-contained, single course offerings only, a full degree program will be examined. According to the school’s website, Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 as Arizona's private university. It is a Christian university which is regionally accredited and is recognized as offering some of the best online education programs in the nation by noteworthy sources including Fortune Small Business, Technology & Learning Magazine, Fox.com, Online Education Database (OEDb), and more. Grand Canyon University offers online and campus-based bachelor's and master's degree programs through the Ken Blanchard College of Business, College of Education, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and College of Arts and Sciences. GCU emphasizes individual attention for both traditional undergraduate students as well as the working professional, (Gcu.edu, 2015).

Course Content and Technology

Course content and learning outcomes are clearly stated in course guides. Course evaluations and learning assessments are incorporated into courses through a variety of means. There is a Leaning Management System in place (LoudCloud), which includes topics such how to navigate through the virtual classroom, how to submit assignments, an overview on how to use the forums, a calendar view of assignment due dates with reminders, and a home page with a quick overview of course activities which is easy to negotiate with smooth transitions between course materials, supplemental resources, offices, and student services. Also important to note is the presence of the university’sDisability Office whose goal is to provide equal access to all GCU systems, programs and facilities to students with disabilities. The school website has a detailed Student Disability Services Policy in place which is easily accessible. Seamless access to institutional supports are evident. Supplemental course information and library resources are available through the online student portal, as well as technical support. Guidance and counseling is readily available.

Text materials are easily accessible either through the school bookstore, embedded in the courses, or accessed through the student portal. Students are given instructions and guides as to where to locate materials and/or how to access any needed items to be used in a particular course. Student support is readily available for this aspect of the courses.
The roles of instructors are described as that of facilitating learning for online students, and offering personalized attention as needed. Courses online are offered in an asynchronous format, so students can interact with faculty and other course members through discussion boards, chat, or email. Instructors also receive and respond to assignments prepared and submitted by students through the drop box feature. Instructors offer consistency among course formats. They also serve all students, whether they are enrolled full-time towards a degree or are taking a single course. In the case of the later, students have full access to all campus services, and are enrolled in classes with students of all categories and as such, have the instructor’s support.
It seems that there is high quality programming now available for most any needs. The free courses as well as the top universities offering online educational programming are easily accessible and meet and often exceed criteria established for evaluation.

References

Education Portal,. (2015). Political Science 102: American Government Course - Online Video Lessons | Education Portal. Retrieved 18 January 2015, from

Education Portal,. (2015). Universities with the Best Free Online Courses. Retrieved 18 January 2015, from

Gcu.edu,. (2015). Grand Canyon University is a private Christian University in Phoenix, AZ. Retrieved 19 January 2015, from

Kitsantas, A., & Dabbagh, N. (2010). Learning to learn with integrative learning technologies (ILT). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Pub.

Roberts, J., Crittenden, L., & Crittenden, J. (2011). Students with disabilities and online learning: A cross-institutional study of perceived satisfaction with accessibility compliance and services. The Internet And Higher Education, 14(4), 242-250. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.05.004

Solovieva, T., & Bock, J. (2014). Monitoring for Accessibility and University Websites: Meeting the Needs of People with Disabilities. Journal Of Postsecondary Education And Disability, v27(n2).

Grader Feedback 1/29/15 3:30 PM

Jannet,

I think you have done a very nice job analyzing two learning management courses. The components of both were analyzed very well and you did a fine job pointing out improvements that could be implemented. I especially enjoyed reading about the course evaluation. I hope you found this exercise to be useful. The rubric is attached.