http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ A search of MERLOT materials Copyright 1997-2013 MERLOT. All rights reserved. Tue, 21 May 2013 09:16:11 PDT Tue, 21 May 2013 09:16:11 PDT http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/images/merlot.gif http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ 44 34 http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=348538 MERLOT is a free and open resource designed primarily for faculty and students of higher education. The MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching (JOLT) is a peer-reviewed, online publication addressing the scholarly use of multimedia resources in education. JOLT is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December. The objectives of JOLT are to:Enable faculty to use technology effectively in teaching and learning by learning from a community of researchers and scholars;Enable academic programs to design and deploy academic technology to optimize teaching and learning;Build a community around the research and scholarly use of multimedia educational resources. JOLT welcomes papers on all aspects of the use of online multimedia educational resources for learning and teaching. Topics may include, but are not limited to: learning theory and the use of multimedia to improve student learning; instructional design theory and application; online learning and teaching initiatives; use of technology in online education; innovative online learning and teaching practices. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=353910 A product of the New Media Consortiums Horizon Project, an ongoing research project that seeks to identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, or creative expression within higher education around the globe. This volume is the first in a new series of regional reports, and examines emerging technologies as they appear in and affect higher education in Australia and New Zealand in particular. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=761941 Abstract: Online courses continue to become increasingly prevalent in higher education. The relationship between computers and writing is natural, as computers are now the primary tool for producing writing. The purpose of this case-study paper is to report on the design, development, and delivery of an online course that was created in response to the identification of a need for effective and efficient delivery of writing instruction to large numbers of university students. The paper describes an online academic writing course that evolved from an elective course enrolling 150 students to a required course enrolling over 2,000 arts and social sciences and engineering students at a mid-sized Canadian university. An account of the history of the course is included, along with discussion regarding institutional and student resistance to the course, technological challenges, use of peer review, cheating, course problems, and course successes. Course effectiveness data are also presented. Suggestions are offered for instructors wishing to create similar online writing courses.Keywords: online writing instruction, academic writing skills, teaching with technology, student peer review, peer assessment http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=761509 Abstract: At institutions of higher learning, there is an increased demand and need for online courses. However, the number of faculty developing and teaching these courses does not match the growth in online education. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived barriers to online teaching experienced by various faculty groups at a public institution located in the southeastern United States using a new survey instrument, which was developed from recent research findings. This study sought to identify the most prevalent barriers to online instruction for the faculty group surveyed. In addition, these findings may identify prevalent barriers for faculty groups in an effort to inform administrative decisions concerning policy, training, and compensation as well as to facilitate involvement for specific types of online instruction for faculty development. A number of novel and important differences were found in the perceived barriers that exist between faculty groups on four constructs identified through an exploratory factor analysis. The factors found were: (1) interpersonal barriers; (2) institutional barriers; (3) training and technology barriers; and (4) cost/benefit analysis barriers. The results of this study may be of use to other institutions as they develop online instruction training programs.Keywords: online education, instructional technology, perceived barriers, survey research, online faculty http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=654101 נקודת המוצא למרבית פרקי הספר היא ראיית פעולת המורה ברשתות החברתיות וקהילות העמיתים כחלק מהתפתחותו המקצועית והשבחת ההוראה שלו.הספר עוסק במקורות התמיכה לעבודתו של המורה במרחב של ביה״ס ומעבר לו , והמרכיב החשוב הם עמיתיו למקצוע בקהילת ביה״ס אבל גם בקהילת המורים הרחבה יותר.הפרק הרביעי מעמיק את התובנה שלנו ע״י הצגת מהות הפעולה של קהילת עמיתים בית ספרית הנקראת Intentional Professional Network. בפרק השישי מתוארים המאפיינים של השתלבות המורים בקהילה שיתופית מגוונת יותר הנקראת Diverse Professional Allies (DPA), . פרק הפתיחה נכתב ע״י פרופסור Ann Liberman המדגישה את חשיבות תמיכת העמיתים בשלבי התגבשותם של המורים החדשים בביה״ס.