These are the slides from my research-focused job talk at Kennesaw State University in March 2013.

1. Assistant Professor
Wayne State University, USA
mkbarbour@gmail.com
http://www.michaelbarbour.com

2. Agenda
1. Personal narrative as a K-12 teacher
2. Research agenda
a) Pre-Ph.D. – Teacher-focused issues related to K-12 online
learning
b) Ph.D. & Dissertation – Understanding K-12 online learning
c) Post-Ph.D. – Effective design, delivery, & support of K-12
online learning
d) Future
1. Philosophy of teaching

3. Newfoundland and Labrador
• area of the island is 43,359 square
miles, while Labrador covers 112,826
square miles
• population of 514,536 in 2011 (down
from 551,795 in 1996)
• 67,933 students in 2011-12 (down
from 118,273 in 1996-97)
• 268 schools in 2011-12 (down from
432 in 1996-97)
• median school size 200 pupils

4. • Graduated from a large, urban high school
• Became a teacher in a regional, rural school
• Started a web-based Advanced Placement social studies
distance education program
• Became interested in:
– how interaction through discussion forums affected student
understanding and performance
– achievement and retention differences between web-based and
classroom students

5. Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation
• created in 2000
• offered first courses in
2001-02
• at present
– 35-40 courses
– ~1,500 student enrolments
– ~1000 students
– ~100 different schools
Images from http://www.cdli.ca/index.php?PID=AnnounceFull&NewsID=6655&PHPSESSID=e510a9218ee89f32fb5283032a839364 and http://www.waet.uga.edu/canada/canada.htm

6. History of K-12 Online Learning
in the North America

7. Year Report Status
1997 Clark 3 States
2001 Clark 8 States / 40,000-50,000 students
Vail 30 States
2004 Watson et al. 11 of 22 States
Huerta & Gonzales 15 States
2005 Watson et al. 21 States
Setzer & Lewis 328,000 students
2006 Watson et al. 24 States
Gray & Tucker 139,000 students
2007 Watson et al. 42 States
Picciano & Seaman 700,000 students
2008 Watson et al. 44 States
2009 Watson et al. 45 States / 320,000 supplement & 175,000 full-time
Picciano & Seaman 1,000,000 students
2010 Watson et al. 48 States / 1,500,000 students
Wicks 2,000,000 students
2011 Watson et al. 50 States
4,000,000 students
2012 Ambient Insights 6,000,000 students

10. Pre-Ph.D. Research
• Effects of individual student
learning style and web-
based design on student
performance
• The use of instant
messaging as a tool for
community building
• The role of school-based or
mediating teachers

11. Pre-Dissertation Research
Web Design
(Teacher)
Web Design
(Student)
Jan-04 Aug-04 Feb-05 Sep-05 Mar-06 Oct-06
Performance
Comparison
Benefits and
Challenges
• Teacher perceptions of effective web-based design for secondary
students
• Student perceptions of benefits and challenges of virtual schooling
• Student perceptions of effective web-based design
• Comparing student performance in traditional and virtual school
courses

12. Dissertation: Case Study - Beaches All Grade
• K-12 school
• student body of 108
• teaching staff of 15
• 12 students taking 8 different virtual school courses
– some taking one, others taking two or three

13. Research Questions
1. What are the students’ experiences during
their synchronous time online?
2. What are the students’ experiences during
their asynchronous time online?
3. When students require content-based
assistance, where do they seek that
assistance and why do they choose those
sources?

14. Trends – Question 1
Synchronous Time
• students tended to stay on task during this time (although not
always)
• students tended to rely upon each other more than the online
teacher for help
• students tended to communicate using text rather than audio
Image from http://www.cdli.ca/index.php?PID=AnnounceFull&NewsID=6352&PHPSESSID=f523be334ba73a54eab5707f738b18be

15. Trends – Question 2
Asynchronous Time
• when the students decided to work,
they worked well
• students decided to work less than
half of the time
• students would complete work in a
collaborative effort, particularly in
the mathematics and sciences
• asynchronous time was easy to give
up for other school related activities
Image from http://www.waet.uga.edu/canada/canada.htm

16. Trends – Question 3
Turning for Help
• students primarily relied upon each other
for help
• local class size played an important role –
the smaller the class the more likely the
students were to turn to their online
teacher as opposed to a school-based
teacher
• student colleagues, teachers (both online
and school-based), and general Internet
searches were primarily the only sources
students used for help, even though they
had access to a textbook, supplemental
material in WebCT, a live tutor available in
the virtual classroom after schools and
during the evenings

17. Establishing a Program of Inquiry

18. Effective Design, Delivery & Support of K-12 Online
Learning
Virtual School Designer: Course
Development
• design instructional materials
• works in team with teachers and a virtual
school to construct the online course, etc.
Virtual School Teacher: Pedagogy and
Class Management
• presents activities, manages pacing, rigor, etc.
• interacts with students and their facilitators
• undertakes assessment, grading, etc.
Virtual School Site Facilitator: Mentoring and Advocating
• local mentor and advocate for student(s)
• proctors & records grades, etc.
Davis (2007)

19. Design of K-12 Online Learning
• teacher, designer and
student perceptions of
effective instruction
• validated standards of
effective design
• administrative and policy
issues related to program
design

20. Delivery of K-12 Online Learning
• teacher interaction best
practices
• student perceptions of
effective instruction
• potential of social networks
as an online space to
replicate co-curricular and
extra-curricular activities

21. Support of K-12 Online Learning
• role and duties of the
school-based facilitator
• time commitment of
school-based facilitators
• effective school-based
facilitator preparation (e.g.,
PD & teacher education)

22. Creating Environments to Allow
Effective K-12 Online Learning
Whether online
learning can
be suitable for
all K-12 students?
(Mulcahy, 2002)

23. Creating Environments to Allow
Effective K-12 Online Learning
How do we create
environments
where all K-12
students can be
successful when
they learn online?

24. My Own Research Agenda
• Countering the
dominant narrative
presented by the
neo-liberal
supporters of K-12
online learning in
the United States
(and elsewhere)

25. My Own Research Agenda
• Examining the
preparation of teachers
to design, deliver and
support K-12 online
learning
• Exploring ways to better
prepare students to be
successful in K-12 online
learning environments

26. My Own Research Agenda
• Examining the policy and
regulation of K-12
distance education
in Canada & elsewhere
• Working with individual
K-12 online learning
programs to help them
to effectively design,
deliver and support K-12
online learning

27. Looking for better ways to do
this…

28. Philosophy of Teaching
1. Socio-cultural
constructivist learning
epistemology
(Vygotsky, 1978)
2. Constructionism
learning theory
(Papert, 1991)
3. Mastery learning
(Bloom, 1968)

29. Wayne State University
Term Course # Course
Winter 2013 EER8700 Advanced Qualitative Evaluation: Theory and Practice
IT6230 Internet in the Classroom (online)
Fall 2012 EER7870 Fundamentals of Qualitative Research
IT6140 Designing Web Tools for the Classroom (online)
Winter 2012 EER7870 Fundamentals of Qualitative Research
IT6230 Internet in the Classroom (online)
Fall 2011 EER8700 Advanced Qualitative Evaluation: Theory and Practice
IT6140 Designing Web Tools for the Classroom (online)
IT8100 Background, Issues and Trends in Instructional Technology (co-taught)
Fall 2010 EER7870 Fundamentals of Qualitative Research
IT6140 Designing Web Tools for the Classroom (online)
Winter 2010 EER8700 Advanced Qualitative Evaluation: Theory and Practice
IT6230 Internet in the Classroom (online)
IT8180 Readings in Instructional Technology
Fall 2009 EER7900 Fundamentals of Qualitative Research
EER8900 Qualitative Design for School Research
IT6110 Foundations of Instructional Systems Design (online)
Summer 2009 IT6230 Internet in the Classroom (online)
Winter 2009 IT6230 Internet in the Classroom
Fall 2008 IT6140 Designing Web Tools for the Classroom (online)
IT8100 Background, Issues and Trends in Instructional Technology
Summer 2008 ED7999 Terminal Master’s Project (co-teacher – online)
IT6140 Designing Web Tools for the Classroom (online)
Winter 2008 IT6230 Internet in the Classroom
Fall 2007 IT6140 Designing Web Tools for the Classroom (online)

30. University of Georgia
Term Course # Course
Spring 2007 EDIT6180 Instructional Development (co-teacher)
EDIT6600 Multicultural Perspectives on Technology (co-teacher – online)
ESOC4000 Simulations and Gaming in Social Studies (co-teacher)
Fall 2006 EDIT4170 Instructional Design (co-teacher)
EDIT6170 Instructional Design (co-teacher)
ESOC5520 Teaching Politics, Government, and Civics (co-teacher)
Spring 2006 EDIT2000 Introduction to Technology for Teachers
ESOC2450 Initial Field Experience in Social Science Education (co-teacher)
ESOC3420 Early Childhood Social Studies (co-teacher)
ESOC5460 Social Science Education Student Teaching (field instructor)
Fall 2005 EDIT2000 Introduction to Technology for Teachers (two sections)
ESOC2450 Initial Field Experience in Social Science Education (co-teacher)
ESOC5560 Social Science Education Student Teaching Seminar (co-teacher)
ESOC5460 Social Science Education Student Teaching (field instructor)
Summer 2005 EDIT6190 Design and Development Tools (co-teacher)
Spring 2005 EDIT2000 Introduction to Technology for Teachers (two sections)
EDIT9990 Doctoral Topical Seminar (co-teacher)
ESOC5460 Social Science Education Student Teaching (field instructor)
Fall 2004 EDIT2000 Introduction to Technology for Teachers
ESOC5460 Social Science Education Student Teaching (field instructor)
Summer 2004 EDIT2000 Introduction to Technology for Teachers (co-teacher)
Spring 2004 EDIT2010 Basic Instructional Technology (teaching assistant)
Boise State University
• EDTECH597 Blogging in the Classroom (online)

31. Kennesaw State University
• ITEC7400 • ITEC8400
• ITEC7430 • ITEC8410
• ITEC7470 • ITEC8420
• ITEC7480* • ITEC9400
• ITEC7481* • ITEC9430*
• ITEC7482*
31

32. Your
Questions
and
Comments

33. Assistant Professor
Wayne State University, USA
mkbarbour@gmail.com
http://www.michaelbarbour.com