Online Education: Best Practices to Promote Learning

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to discuss best practices and the evidence literature related to online education. High quality educational experiences in human factors and ergonomics (HFE) are of interest to the global ergonomics community in order to promote the development of the profession, enhance the skill set of HFE practitioners, and facilitate the translation of knowledge into practice (Dul et al., 2012). Online education provides a potentially powerful tool to connect HFE practitioners and students at a global level and is an effective educational method that produces equal or superior learning outcomes as compared to more traditional face-to-face learning environments (Allen & Seaman, 2010). In addition, new technology makes online education attractive to both learners and instructors as multiple methods of delivery and design are available to enhance communication (Rovai, Ponton & Baker, 2008) and meet the educational goals and the needs of the learner (Trujillo, 2007;Shearer, 2007). However, the quality of the education experience and careful attention to course design and delivery is necessary to achieve the desired learning outcomes and meet needs of adult learners in the online learning environment.

Sociodemographic Diversity and Distance Education: Who Drops Out from Academic Programs and Why?

“…The literature suggests some reasons for why this might be the case. Specifically, one could speculate that children provide a source of support for effectively dealing with the variety of technologies employed in distance education environments (e.g., Poellhuber and Anderson 2011;Finch and Jacobs 2012). Unfortunately, however, our study did not include additional data that would allow us to delineate more precisely why parent students face a lower risk to drop out.…”

“…In addition to regular academic demands and workloads, distance students have to self-organize and self-regulate in autonomous learning environments (e.g., Bothma and Monteith 2004), to overcome potential social isolation in virtual teaching environments (e.g., Kim et al 2011;Slagter van Tryon and Bishop 2009), and have to deal effectively with a variety of technologies needed for teaching and learning as well as for social integration (e.g., Poellhuber and Anderson 2011;Finch and Jacobs 2012) in order to succeed at university. Nontraditional students, on the other hand, have to deal with a variety of additional challenges above and beyond academic demands such as professional or family obligations (e.g., Fairchild 2003;Kohler Giancola et al 2009), and relatedly, with the need for adequate resources or support systems for succeeding at university (e.g., Quimby and O'Brien 2004;Chartrand 1992).…”

Students’ Utilization of Distance Learning through an Interventional Online Module Based on Moore Transactional Distance Theory

“…Some previous studies have stated that distance education has several advantages, such as reducing travel costs and time, collaboration with and access to expert professionals expanding opportunities at a worldwide range, and a flexible approach that enables students to access courses and their contents at their convenience (Finch & Jacobs, 2012). Which is more needed in the Gaza strip, where there is a massive siege that restricts all aspects of daily life, including education and travel, this method would be greatly beneficial for students who do not have the ability to travel for education, especially in educational specialties that are not available in the Gaza Strip but are available on the other side of the same country (West Bank).…”

Reflections on the Supervision of Postgraduate Research: The Students’ Voices in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) Context

“…In this regard, agronomics is used in this study as the theoretical lens that guides the exploration of postgraduate students' research and supervisory experiences in ODL. Although usually used in business and health research, ergonomics has gained prominence as a theoretical foundation in exploring distance education learning and service delivery (Dzakiria and Mohamad 2014;Finch and Jacobs 2012;Smith 2007). According to Sanders and McCormick (1993, 451), ergonomics is "discovering and applying information about human behaviour, abilities, limitations, and other characteristics to the design of tools, machines, systems, tasks, jobs, and environments for productive, safe, comfortable, and effective human use".…”