I just returned the latter part of June from Brussels where I presented the research results at the International Association of Online Communicators Conference held at the IBM Headquarters. I have now formatted the research in APA style for submission to a technology journal.
The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test using a z value was used to make comparisons between items on the survey. Cut off was set at 5% using a one tailed test and z value o f 1.64. Twenty nine surveys out of 30 surveys received were usable for analysis, since all items had to be completed to make the comparison work (One survey had missing items).
Several motivational items were picked up as significant including:
Motiv 19: Home demands/responsiblities affected my ability to complete online courses.
Motiv 18: work demands/responsibilities affected my ability to complete the online course.
Motiv 20: Not being able to schedule enough time to take the course affected my ability to complete the online course.
Motiv 23: Before taking an online course i was apprehensive about taking online classes.
Also, one design item was significant:
Design 14: The course failed to encourage my interest in the way that it was designed.
Additionally, the paper has been accepted for presentation at an Online Conference in Brussels, in June.
Sincerely,
Dr. Hoyer
Three weeks ago I was able to complete the survey for this project. There was a week span before I could put the survey up on the dedicated server using dragon because staffers with access were attending a week convention and out of pocket. Two weeks ago I was able to use Dragon and post the survey. The sampling frame used was a list of those online students (about 75) Who had dropped classes during the drop period from January 20 through March 10. To date 31 persons have participated. The lower than expected response may have been because the survey was posted during midterm test time, followed by Spring break. Students will return this week and additional responses may be forth coming. Analysis for one presentation will be done on this participating over the Spring Semester with another paper being done at a later date using the same techniques and combining both Spring and Fall semesters. Analysis should occur within the next week to two weeks
The following methodology is being employed once I’m able to convert the survey using “Dragon.” The sampling frame is complete for the fall semester. I anticipate a population of about 150 students. Depending on how spring registration goes, I might also be able to include the spring students in for analysis if I don’t cut the timeline too short. This would possibly double the “N.”
A census would be taken of those students who file drop forms for New College classes in which they enroll during fall of 2005. The instrument used in the study will be a one-shot survey constructed using Dragon software and delivered via e-mail to the study participants. Follow up mailings will be done to ensure maximum participation in the study. In addition to demographics such as age, sex, level of education, etc. additional questions regarding their experience in online education, environment in which they are taking the courses, course design, technology issues, and learner motivation will be included as part of the study. When possible, attitudinal questions will be asked using Likert scaling. Data from the completed survey will be input into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Data will be double tabulated to ensure reliability. Once all data is entered the data from the Excel file will be downloaded into SPSS for statistical analysis. Multivariate Analyses of Variance (MANOVAS) will be used to look at demographic differences in identified factors. ANOVAs will be used to determine how groups differed within each significant factor.
Have spent the last week and one half (about 10 hours anyway) preparing literature review. Have identified 16 key articles which relate to the project and have printed them off and have begun categorizing them. Some sample of the topics include: Uses of multiple measures in assessing technology use; several on amount of technology training as it relates to integration and use of technology; surveys of access and use of technology; Affect of institutional conditions on integration; Context beliefs as it relates to technology use; cultural relevance and use; Intellectual, motivational, textual and cultural considerations in technology use; content as it relates to efficacy in use; research priorities in assessing use; increasing self-efficacy beliefs for technology use; international studies on technology and classroom practices; Computer anxiety and attitudes toward computers and use; and comparing urban and rural uses. I will also be making contact this week with the University’s ITC to check on availability of Dragon software training to convert the paper survey into an e-mail ready computer survey for the study.
A census has been done to construct the sampling frame for the proposed research. The research has compiled a list of all students including e-mail addresses of all students who have enrolled in New College and dropped Starting Fall Semester 05 through Oct. 21. The n=156. Next planned element will be construction and refinement of a survey instrument.