Blended Learning: Is There an Optimal Mix of Online and Face-to-Face Instruction?

Ron Owston

E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning Vol. 2017, No. 1 (2017)

Blended Learning: Is There an Optimal Mix of Online and Face-to-Face Instruction?

The World Wide Web Revisited

Ron Owston

Mid-Western Educational Researcher Vol. 20, No. 1 (2007) pp. 4–9

Nearly a decade ago the author wrote in one of the first widely-cited academic articles, Educational Researcher, about the educational role of the web. He argued that educators must be able to demonstrate that the web (1) can increase access to...

Empowering Learners through Blended Learning

Ron Owston

International Journal on E-Learning Vol. 17, No. 1 (January 2018) pp. 65–83

Blended learning appears to facilitate learner empowerment more readily than either face-to-face or fully online courses. This contention is supported by a review of literature on the affordances of blended learning that support Thomas and Velthouse’...

Learnings From Post-Secondary Students on E-Learning Accessibility and Accessibility Evaluation Methods

Kari Kumar; Ron Owston

World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2012 (Oct 09, 2012) pp. 663–669

In this study, post-secondary students were recruited to participate in accessibility evaluation of a sample online course. Students’ on-screen interactions and verbalizations were recorded as they completed course units, and they participated in...

Teacher Professional Development in Mathematics and Science: A Blended Learning Approach

Margaret Sinclair; Ron Owston

Canadian Journal of University Continuing Education Vol. 32, No. 2 (2006) pp. 43–66

Blended learning is a promising model for supporting teacher professional development that combines the advantages of traditional face-to-face interaction with the flexibility of online learning. In this study, we examine the impact of two one-year...

The nagging question when designing blended courses: Does the proportion of time devoted to online activities matter?

Ron Owston; Dennis N. York

Internet and Higher Education Vol. 36, No. 1 (January 2018) pp. 22–32

We investigated the relationship between the proportion of time spent online in a blended course and student perceptions and performance. Students in 20 undergraduate courses offered in four different online blend proportions were surveyed on their...

Language: English

Evaluating E-Learning Accessibility by Automated and Student-Centered Methods

Kari L. Kumar; Ron Owston

Educational Technology Research and Development Vol. 64, No. 2 (2016) pp. 263–283

The use of learning technologies is becoming ubiquitous in higher education. As a result, there is a pressing need to develop methods to evaluate their accessibility to ensure that students do not encounter barriers to accessibility while engaging...

“Voulez-Vous Jouer?” [Do you want to play?]: Game Development Environments for Literacy Skill Enhancement

Natalia Sinitskaya Ronda; Ron Owston; Razika Sanaoui

World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2009 (Jun 22, 2009) pp. 3795–3802

This paper reports the results of a case study that examined the impact on literacy skills of students who developed and played computer games. Two environments were used in this study – a web-based game shell, and an advanced videoconferencing game ...

Web Video Project as an Instructional Strategy in Teacher Education

Denys Lupshenyuk; Martha Hocutt; Ron Owston

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2011 (Mar 07, 2011) pp. 984–991

The advent of Web 2.0 has metamorphosed the landscape of the Internet from a static “depository” of multimedia data into a dynamic and participatory “habitat” of individuals. Web video, epitomized by YouTube, is particularly suited to student...

Student perceptions and achievement in a university blended learning strategic initiative

Ron Owston; Dennis York; Susan Murtha

Internet and Higher Education Vol. 18, No. 1 (July 2013) pp. 38–46

Examined in this study is the relationship between student perceptions in blended learning courses and their in-course achievement. The research was conducted at a large urban university that embarked on a major initiative to scale-up blended...

Language: English

Lecture capture in large undergraduate classes: Student perceptions and academic performance

Ron Owston; Denys Lupshenyuk; Herb Wideman

Internet and Higher Education Vol. 14, No. 4 (September 2011) pp. 262–268

Many higher education institutions are now digitally capturing lectures in courses and making them available on the Web for students to view anytime and in anyplace. This study is an attempt to understand the relationship between student perceptions ...

Language: English

Blended teacher professional development: A synthesis of three program evaluations

Ron Owston; Herb Wideman; Janet Murphy; Denys Lupshenyuk

Internet and Higher Education Vol. 11, No. 3 (2008) pp. 201–210

This study synthesized the findings of three program evaluations of teacher blended professional development programs from the perspective of situated design and implementation, development of community, changes in teacher practice, and impact on...

Language: English

Computer game development as a literacy activity

Ron Owston; Herb Wideman; Natalia Sinitskaya Ronda; Christine Brown

Computers & Education Vol. 53, No. 3 (November 2009) pp. 977–989

This study examined computer game development as a pedagogical activity to motivate and engage students in curriculum-related literacy activities. We hypothesized that as a consequence, students would improve their traditional reading and writing...

Language: English

A Blended Model for Professional Development in Mathematics: Impacts on Teacher Practice and Student Engagement

Ron Owston; Margaret Sinclair; Herb Wideman; Jane Kennedy

World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2005 (Jun 27, 2005) pp. 2501–2507

A blended learning program for professional development was developed to help middle school teachers meet the demands of a challenging new curriculum in mathematics. The program combined face-to-face sessions and online learning components. We...

Topics: Middle School Education, Students, Teachers, Mathematics, Professional Development

Improving the Design of Web-based Games and Simulations through Usability Research

Ron Owston; Andre Kushniruk; Francis Ho; Kevin Pitts; Herb Wideman

World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2005 (Jun 27, 2005) pp. 1162–1167

In this session we describe the design and application of the Virtual Usability Laboratory (VUL), a software tool developed to remotely capture and analyze a wide variety of usage data on Web-based educational games and simulations. The VUL allows...

Topics: Software, Integration, Games

Transforming teacher professional practice through broadband technologies

Ron Owston; Herb Wideman; Mary Leigh Morbey; Janet Murphy

Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2004 (2004) pp. 1818–1821

The Advanced Broadband Enabled Learning (ABEL) project seeks to transform teacher professional practice through the use of broadband technology in schools in Canada. Underlying the project is a model that provides a multi-modal learning platform, a...

Topics: Teachers

Stories, Models, and Examples from the Upcoming Handbook of Blended Learning: Global Perspectives, Local Designs, Part 1

Ron Oliver; Abtar Kaur; John Hedberg; Okhwa Lee; Charles Graham; Thomas Reynolds; Ron Owston; Curtis J. Bonk

World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2005 (Jun 27, 2005) pp. 1595–1600

This symposium session will highlight reasons for the recent emergence of blended as documented in the upcoming "Handbook of Blended Learning (HOBLe): Global Perspectives, Local Designs." The contributors to this symposium will highlight issues and...

Stories, Models, and Examples from the Upcoming Handbook of Blended Learning: Global Perspectives, Local Designs, Part 2

Ron Oliver; Abtar Kaur; John Hedberg; Okhwa Lee; Charles Graham; Thomas Reynolds; Ron Owston; Curtis J. Bonk

World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2005 (Jun 27, 2005) pp. 1601–1605

This symposium session will highlight reasons for the recent emergence of blended as documented in the upcoming "Handbook of Blended Learning (HOBLe): Global Perspectives, Local Designs." The contributors to this symposium will highlight issues and...