Assessing Quality Dimensions and Elements of Online Learning

Learner-Content Elements of Design.....................................................................64
Dimension 4: Learner-Interface Interactions .........................................................67
Learner-Interface Elements of Design ...................................................................68
Dimension 5: Instructional Strategies ....................................................................69
Instructional Strategies Elements of Design ..........................................................69
Dimension 6: Social Presence ................................................................................75
Social Presence Elements of Design ......................................................................78
Online Learning and the Disciplines ..........................................................................80
Use of Student Perspectives .......................................................................................83
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................85
3. Methodology ...............................................................................................................90
Research Questions ....................................................................................................90
Case Study ..................................................................................................................93
Rationale ..................................................................................................................93
The Case ..................................................................................................................95
Studying the Case .......................................................................................................98
Survey rationale .....................................................................................................98
Unit of analysis ......................................................................................................99
Description of Faculty............................................................................................99
Description of Courses .........................................................................................101
Description of Students ........................................................................................102
Instrumentation .........................................................................................................104
Online Learning Quality Inventory Survey Instrument ......................................104
Validity ................................................................................................................108
Participant Selection .................................................................................................108
Data Collection .........................................................................................................119
Data Analysis ...........................................................................................................121
Limitations ................................................................................................................123
Conclusion ................................................................................................................124
4 Results ......................................................................................................................126
Participant Demographics ....................................................................................127
RQ 1 ................................................................................................................129
RQ 2 ................................................................................................................133
RQ 3 ................................................................................................................146
RQ 4 ................................................................................................................148
RQ 5 ................................................................................................................153
RQ 6 ................................................................................................................154
Summary ..................................................................................................................167
5. Discussion and Recommendations ...........................................................................170
Conclusions ..............................................................................................................172
Delivery Mode .....................................................................................................173
Enrollment in Online Courses ..............................................................................174
Overall Course Quality and Dimension Quality ..................................................174
vi