IRRODL Volume 15, Number 3

Abstract

Editorial -Volume 15, Issue Number 3Nn OnlineCourses Dianne Conrad Co-Editor, IRRODLYour early summer reading is here! Or is it?! Clearly, for an international journal, this seasonal reference represents a Western/Northern-based sentiment. Perhaps that's just one small illustration of the scope and accompanying challenges of making sense of the diverse contributions that IRRODL attracts.In this issue of more than 15 articles, we once again present to you the range of research that you have come to expect from us -research that spans the world and many aspects of the ODL field. What *don't* we have in this issue? There is nothing on OER this time around; however, watch for an upcoming special issue that will feature current research in this quickly developing area.This issue features several pieces that highlight the business of successful teaching, faculty-learner and learner-learner interaction. From Serbia, Raspopovic, Jankulovic, Runic, and Lucic examine, in a case study, success factors in e-learning, from the perspective of a developing country in transition from traditional modes of learning to technology-enhanced modes of learning. Similarly, Mbatha gives us a case study that considers global transition in higher education as the University of South Africa transitions from a traditional model of learning to a new socially mediated model. And in another case study, Sadykova examines mediating knowledge through peer interaction in a multicultural online course offered in the US. Samuels-Peretz considers the nature of learners' interactions with others, also at an American institution, with a special emphasis on gendered knowing, using Belenky, AbstractIn this paper, DeLone and McLean's updated information system model was used to evaluate the success of an e-Learning system and its courses in a transitional country like Serbia. In order to adapt this model to an e-Learning system, suitable success metrics were chosen for each of the evaluation stages. Furthermore, the success metrics for e-Learning evaluation are expanded by providing several systems for quantifying the given success metrics. The results presented in this paper are based on courses that were taught both online and traditionally in three different subject areas: graphic design, information technology, and management. Of particular interest were success metrics which can be determined using quantifiable data from the e-Learning system itself, in order to evaluate and find the relationship between students' academic achievement, usage of learning materials, and students' satisfaction. The results from different courses were used to illustrate the implementation and evaluation of these success metrics for both online and traditional students.