E-LEARNING INSTRUCTOR VIEWS ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: AN INVESTIGATION OF CURRENT PRACTICE by STEPHANIE N. HENRY ANGELA D. BENSON, COMMITTEE CHAIR CHRIS INMAN ROXANNE MITCHELL MARGARET RICE MARILYN STAFFO A DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology Studies in the Graduate School of The University of Alabama TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA 2014 Copyright Stephanie N. Henry 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine and explore the phenomenon of professional development specifically directed toward teaching and learning online. To facilitate this descriptive analysis, a web-based survey was constructed using six features of Garet, Porter, Desimone, Birman, and Yoon’s (2001) model of effective professional development which include type, topic, duration, collective participation, active learning, and coherence. A link to the survey was sent via e-mail to 435 full-time, part-time, and adjunct instructors employed at three different community colleges within the state of Alabama. A 16% response rate (n = 73) fell within the norms of similar web-based surveys (Jin, 2011; Medway & Fulton, 2012). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine if there was a relationship between faculty’s perceived gain in knowledge and skill, related to teaching and learning online, and the six features of Garet et al.’s (2001) model of effective professional development. The results demonstrate that three of the six features (i.e., type, duration by number of days, and active learning) have a statistically significant impact (p < .05) on faculty’s perceived gain in knowledge and skill. Therefore, it is recommended that college administrators and e-learning faculty implement and pursue professional development training workshops that incorporate active learning and span several days, weeks, or months. For further study, this researcher suggests that a meta-analysis of teacher education programs be conducted to identify the presence or absence of training for teaching and learning online. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation would not have been possible without the help of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Him, with Him, and through Him, I am able to accomplish all things. He is the source and strength of my life and to Him I am eternally grateful. I am also immensely thankful to and for each and every person He placed in my life to help me with the completion of this dissertation. Mom and Dad, your relentless encouragement and support helps me to keep moving forward and to continually strive for more. Maurice and Chenay, you have helped me in more ways than you know. Sharing your home, resources, and comic relief blessed my soul during those long hours of writing. Mentor, Dr. Perry W. Ward, your wisdom, sound advice, and help has been invaluable to me throughout this process and throughout the years. Thanks always!!! Committee Chair, Dr. Angela D. Benson, your shrewd insight and keen eye for detail helped me to craft my research into the academic offering it is today. Your assistance and guidance will not be forgotten. Committee, Dr. Rice, Dr. Staffo, Dr. Mitchell, and Dr. Inman, your thoughts, comments, and suggestions helped to enrich, elevate, and refine my research. Research assistance lab personnel, Lauren Holmes and Heather Moore, you helped make the analysis phase less daunting. I’ll always remember your supportive attitude. To all, again, I offer my sincerest gratitude! iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS df Degrees of freedom; number of items free to vary after certain restrictions F The ratio of two mean square values N Number of participants n Number in sample p Calculated probability Sig. Significance where alpha = .05 Z The standard score; statistical measurement of a score’s relationship to the mean in a group of scores iv CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS OR SYMBOLS ............................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................3 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................5 Statement of Purpose ...........................................................................................................7 Significance of the Problem .................................................................................................7 Research Questions ..............................................................................................................8 Methods................................................................................................................................9 Assumptions .........................................................................................................................9 Limitations ...........................................................................................................................9 Definition of Terms............................................................................................................10 Summary ............................................................................................................................11 CHAPTER II: THE LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................12 Introduction ........................................................................................................................12 The Online Revolution .......................................................................................................12 Today’s New Learner ........................................................................................................14 E-Learning and Its Impact .................................................................................................19 Role Clarity for Instructors and Students...........................................................................25 v E-Learning Instructors Need Professional Development ..................................................29 Professional Development for Teaching and Learning Online ..........................................36 Effective Professional Development..................................................................................39 Garet et al.’s (2001) Framework for Effective Professional Development .......................42 Summary ............................................................................................................................47 CHAPTER III: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ................................................48 Introduction ........................................................................................................................48 Setting ................................................................................................................................49 Participants .........................................................................................................................50 Instrumentation ..................................................................................................................51 Data Collection ..................................................................................................................53 Data Analysis .....................................................................................................................55 Summary ............................................................................................................................58 CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND DATA ANALYSIS .................................................................59 Introduction ........................................................................................................................59 Demographics ....................................................................................................................59 Gender ....................................................................................................................60 Employment Status ................................................................................................60 Educational Program ..............................................................................................61 Teaching Experience ..............................................................................................62 Years of Experience Teaching Online ...................................................................64 Number of Online Courses Taught ........................................................................65 Target Audience .....................................................................................................66 vi Research Questions ............................................................................................................67 Research Question 1 ..............................................................................................68 Research Question 2 ..............................................................................................70 Research Question 3 ..............................................................................................72 Preliminary Data ........................................................................................72 Analysis......................................................................................................78 Greatest impact vs. type of professional development ..................82 Greatest impact vs. topic of professional development .................83 Greatest impact vs. duration (hours and days) of the professional development ..............................................................84 Greatest impact vs. collective participation ...................................86 Greatest impact vs. active learning ................................................87 Greatest impact vs. coherence ........................................................88 Research Question 4 ..............................................................................................89 Preliminary Data ........................................................................................90 Analysis....................................................................................................101 Summary ..........................................................................................................................103 CHAPTER V: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................105 Introduction ......................................................................................................................105 Overview of the Study .....................................................................................................105 Interpretation of the Findings...........................................................................................106 Research Question 1 ............................................................................................106 Research Question 2 ............................................................................................107 Research Question 3 ............................................................................................108 vii Research Question 4 ............................................................................................109 Limitations .......................................................................................................................110 Conclusions ......................................................................................................................110 Recommendations for Practice ........................................................................................111 Recommendations for Future Research ...........................................................................113 Summary ..........................................................................................................................114 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................116 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................126 viii LIST OF TABLES 1. Distance and Traditional Education Course Delivery Modalities ........................................21 2. The Alignment of Garet et al.’s (2001) Model of Effective Professional Development to Professional, State, and National Policy ....................................................46 3. Garet et al.’s (2001) Six Characteristics by Survey Item......................................................51 4. Screen-Capture Video Script ................................................................................................54 5. Data Analysis Plan ................................................................................................................57 6. Gender ...................................................................................................................................60 7. Employment Status ...............................................................................................................61 8. Educational Program .............................................................................................................62 9. Frequencies for Years of Teaching Experience ....................................................................63 10. Descriptive Statistics for Years of Teaching Experience .....................................................63 11. Frequencies for Years of Experience Teaching Online ........................................................64 12. Descriptive Statistics for Years of Experience Teaching Online ..........................................65 13. Frequencies for Number of Courses Taught Online .............................................................65 14. Descriptive Statistics for Number of Online Courses Taught ..............................................66 15. Taught an Online Class with No Face-to-Face Interaction ...................................................66 16. Participated in Professional Development for Teaching and Learning Online ....................67 17. Frequencies for Type of Professional Development .............................................................69 18. Frequencies for Topic of Professional Development ............................................................71 19. Extent of the Greatest Impact Professional Development ....................................................73 ix