Effective E-learning Course Cases on College Practices

SEQUENCE　4
ABSTRACT　6
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS　8
TABLE OF CONTENTS　10
LIST OF TABLES　14
LIST OF FIGURES　17

CHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTION   19
Characteristics of E-learning　22
Need for the Study　25
Purpose of the Study　25
Research Questions　26
Conceptual Framework　27
Research Design　28
Delimitations　29
Assumptions and Limitations　31
Definition of Terms　31
E-learning　31
Synchronous Activities 　31
Asynchronous Activities　31
Traditional Learning Environment　32
Online Learning　32
Internet　32
Significance　33
Summary　33

CHAPTER TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW    35
E-learning in Higher Education　37
What E-learning Is　42
Advantages and Disadvantages of E-learning　44
The Place of E-learning in the Pedagogical Context　47
The Place of E-learning in Instructional Design and Theory　49
Design and Implementation of E-learning　51
Assessment and Evaluation of E-learning　56
Issue: Accreditation of E-learning　64
Challenges and Opportunities 　69
Summary　72

CHAPTER THREE:DESIGN OF THE STUDY   75
Research Questions　76
Procedures　77
Data Analysis　78
Experimental Setting and Sample　79
Instrumentation　81
Summary　82

CHAPTER FOUR :ANALYSIS AND RESULTS   83
Organization and Analyses for this Study　84
Student Characteristics and Course Enrollments　84
The Questionnaire　86
Factor Analysis of Items in the Scale　88
Correlation Analysis　95
Reliability After the factor Analysis　95
Results for Research Question One　96
Effect Size Analysis Using Rotated Factors　98
Results for Research Question Two　114
Summary　120

CHAPTER FIVE:FINDINGS, DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS    123
Introduction　123
Data Summary for Research Questions　123
Research Question One　123
Research Question Two　127
Summary of Findings, Discussion and Recommendations　129
Student Achievement　129
Student Perceptions　130
Discussion　137
Implications of Findings　137
Online Instruction in Traditional Courses　137
Training for Students in Use of Online Resources　138
Establish Collaboration for Instruction　139
Increased Human Interactions in Online Assignments　139
The Need for Blended Learning in Instruction　140
Recommendations for Future Study　141
Experimental Design　141
Metrics in E-Learning Research　141
Pedagogy and E-learning　142
Summary　143

REFERENCESR   145
APPENDIXES   157
Appendix A:Questionnaire (English Version)　158
Appendix B:Chinese Survey (Initial Translation)　165
Appendix C:Approval of Human Assurance Committee　169
Appendix D:Questionnaire Items with High Student Ratings　170

ABSTRACT

　　E-learning has risen to prominence in higher education because of advances in information technologies. There has been a pervasive increase in the use of e-learning in higher education.  The purpose of this research was to study students’ perceptions of integrating online components into an undergraduate business course and to study those perceptions in relation to academic achievement. The two research questions were: What are the dominant factors that affect students’ academic performance in online learning environments that are coupled with traditional learning? and, What are students’ perceptions of online learning components within a traditional, classroom-delivered course?  Factors related to students’ perceptions and to academic achievement were also identified and examined.

　　Research was conducted in two courses, Fundamentals of Credit Analysis and Risk Management, and Corporate Estate Management at Feng Chia University (FCU) of Taiwan.  The questionnaire used to study perceptions consisted of 31 items within five sections: (a) Experience with Technologies, (b) Use of E-learning Environment, (c) Self-paced Learning, (d) Benefits of E-learning, and, (e) Satisfaction with E-learning. 

　　With respect to achievement, students served as their own controls, and a pre-assessment and post assessment was conducted on achievement.  With respect to student perceptions, the questionnaire itself was used.  Data collected in this study was also used to conduct a factor analysis that was used to identify potential factors for future study.

　　There was only slight evidence of student achievement gains resulting from the e-learning components. Following the factor analysis, the new factors were analyzed and were positively correlated with student achievement.  Analysis of student perceptions indicated that students were mostly satisfied with many of the elements of e-learning, and found it useful for their study.  However, there were areas of technology that the students rated more poorly, suggesting that instructors and universities need to be careful in the features of the system they are using, in the quality of the materials that they provide to students, in training provided to students, and in collaboration of instructors with support services such as libraries. The findings also showed that instructor and peer interactions are very important in an e-learning environment. Future studies are encouraged that explore measurement instruments and technological and pedagogical aspects of e-learning in higher education.