Community colleges provide educational, social and professional lifelines for students. Community college students are often characterized by their need to balance school amidst conflicting life needs, such as employment and family. As a result, many community college students struggle to find time to commit to on campus classes. Asynchronous…

Asynchronous online discussions have the potential to facilitate meaningful learning activities, such as ill-structured problem-solving, due to their asynchronicity and connectivity. However, the literature identifies two significant challenges in effectively supporting students' ill-structured problem-solving in these environments --…

Despite years of progress, there remains an academic achievement gap among minority and non-minority students in all levels of education. A possible reason for the persistent achievement gap is stereotype threat, which is a situational predicament that prompts individuals to perform in ways that mirror the stereotypes associated with their social…

This study was used to investigate the differences in asynchronous, bisynchronous, and hybrid learning environments in student achievement in online schools. Utilizing quantitative data analysis, the research examines student growth data, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, and ACT scores across these modalities. The research holds significant…

The purpose of this quantitative action research study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an organization-wide book study in the K-12 environment. A growing charter school network was working towards an improved organizational culture to meet its mission. This study examined whether an organization-wide book study can make a difference in…

This dissertation aimed to answer whether motor skills can be taught online and if the learning outcomes are similar to in-person learning. Considering the popularity of online learning, increasing our understanding of its outcomes is well warranted. Furthermore, evidence of the effectiveness of online instruction is very much in discussion.…

This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to compare student experience and academic performance in an asynchronous online community college course delivered in three formats: accelerated (5-week) cohort, accelerated (5-week) non-cohort, and non-accelerated (16-week) non-cohort. Quantitative results showed no significant…

Online learning readiness is a field of study that has emerged and become increasingly relevant over the past two decades. Several instruments have been developed and used to measure readiness for online learning in college students. The Online Learner Readiness Questionnaire, or OLRQ, sought to measure student readiness for online asynchronous…

The shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 crisis left some students with inequitable access to at-home internet putting students at risk of falling behind in skills needed not only for school but later in life. A month into remote learning, 197 high school students in an urban school district in New York state were identified as not having…

Community college students with disabilities (SWD) find disability-related challenges in online learning. Online learning is plagued with high withdrawal rates that impede educational goal completion. Prior to this study, the reasons for asynchronous online course withdrawal of community college SWD were not known. The purpose of this qualitative…

As online programs grow, so should attempts to create a better virtual asynchronous learning experience. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of video-based online learning activities in increasing components of social, teaching, and cognitive presence, among interprofessional healthcare students of various age groups. Studying this…

Online education in the United States continues to experience significant growth. As research suggests, online instruction is as effective as traditional, face-to-face instruction. As the number of students studying in online doctoral programs continues to grow, research has primarily focused on undergraduate- and master's-level online programs,…

Accreditation standards require education preparation programs to foster knowledge, skills, and dispositions (attitudes, values, and beliefs that can influence behaviors, actions, and discourse). Several studies have established a link between educator dispositions and effective educator practice as well as student outcomes (Combs & Snygg,…

The community of inquiry (COI) framework is a theoretical and practical model for creating deep, meaningful online learning experiences through three essential and interconnected elements: teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence. Asynchronous online discussions (AODs) are the typical communication medium in a COI; therein, a…

Online education and virtual learning spaces have become increasingly incorporated into the educational landscape. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic closed most institutions in 2020 for in-person learning, online education was growing rapidly. As the world emerged from the pandemic, online education and virtual learning environments of all types…