Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PROGRAM
Ying Wang
Doctor of Philosophy
Indiana University
May, 2009
UMI Number: 3358950
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Copyright ©2009
Ying Wang
Acknowledgements
First, to the chairperson of my dissertation committee, Dr. Thomas Brush, for providing
grateful that you hold high expectations and high standards for me to attain the quality
of this dissertation. As you said, “all the revisions paid back” at the end! And to Dr. Curtis
Bonk on my dissertation committee, for the massive assistance in connecting me with Dr.
Thomas Reynolds for data collection, providing free access to the SurveyShare.com and
incentives for recruitment, and encouraging me to complete the study. I am also very
thankful to Dr. Bob Appelman and Dr. Ginette Delandshere for your great insights and
I would not be able to complete this study without help from Dr. Thomas Reynolds with
recruiting participants for this study. Dr. Reynolds, thank you for providing not only
access to the participants but also the three-blast-method for email recruitment. I look
I would also like to thank brothers and sisters in the Chinese church in Greenwood, IN
and Wilmington, NC. Thank you for remembering me in your prayers. You have been
unreserved love and support. Thank you for believing in me that I would complete this
study and my degree even at the times when I doubted it myself. Thank you for
supporting our family and taking care of the children to let me concentrate on this study.
To my children, Erin and Matthew, for your love and understanding. Thank you for the
time to let me work on this dissertation and not letting me feel guilty for the time spent
away from you. Your bright smiling faces and your kisses and hugs always remind me
there is more to life than this doctorate degree. I am glad I kept my promise and
completed my degree.
Finally, to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for guiding me through the process. It is
wonderful to experience your love and blessings. May you continue to bless me and my
family!
vii
Ying Wang
Blended learning has great potential to improve teacher education in terms of both
accessibility and quality. Research studies are lacking in providing evidences for the
This study addresses this gap in research by examining a blended learning teacher
The methodology of case study with mixed methods data collection analysis was applied
in this study. Recent graduates from the chosen teacher education program, 167 in total,
completed an online survey. Eight of the survey participants were interviewed. Six
analysis, correlation, means, and standard deviation were conducted to analyze the
numerical survey data. Constant comparison methods were used for analyze the
Findings from this study support the viability and benefits of applying blended learning
in teacher education at the program level. The opportunities for students to take classes
and complete their program online increase the convenience, flexibility, and access of
program may maintain or improve the quality of teaching preparation. The increasing
trend of online learning, the need to train quality teachers, and the current budget
constrains due to the economic crisis call for teacher education programs to be more
preparation.
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ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tables
Instruction
Instruction
Media/Tools
et al., 2003);
Manrique, 2005)
Learning
Learning
Design
Evaluation
Evaluation
2006)
2006)
Graham, 2003)
Human resources
Human Resources
(Ausburn, 2004)
2003)
2003)
Administrators Create strategic plans and directions (Bonk et. al., 2006)
(Grahams, 2006)
xvi
Table 5: Institutions that offer online teacher education programs leading to elementary
Teaching
Secondary, Special
Education
3 C University BS | MA | Elementary,
Secondary, Special
Ed
Secondary
Secondary
science), TESL
Bachelor) Secondary
Secondary, Special
Education
Education
Bachelor)
Bachelor)
Male 53 (32%)
Teacher No 68 (41%)
25-34 69 (41%)
35-44 41 (25%)
45+ 30 (18%)
Table 7: An example of the spreadsheet for coding student interview data for the category
of “Differences of the Marin University (MU) teacher education program from traditional
Table 8: An example of the spreadsheet for coding student interview data for the
complete month)
faster-paced E p1
complete online
extensive online F p1
program
responsibility on G p1
students to complete
learning tasks
xxii
schedule
quickly
students
xxiii
Table 10: An example of the spreadsheet for coding faculty interview data
or onsite
courses
online or onsite
courses”
university in CA
their schedule
courses online
Categories N (%)
Other 2 (1%)
xxv
1 4.04 0.34
2 3.00 0.60
3 2.01 0.76
4 1.25 0.87
5 0.92 0.95
6 0.69 1.01
7 0.48 1.05
8 0.40 1.08
9 0.27 1.10
10 0.18 1.12
11 0.13 1.13
12 0.11 1.14
13 0.06 1.14
14 0.03 1.15
15 -0.02 1.15
16 -0.03 1.14
17 -0.05 1.14
18 -0.08 1.13
19 -0.13 1.12
20 -0.17 1.11
21 -0.19 1.09
22 -0.23 1.07
23 -0.24 1.05
xxvi
24 -0.29 1.03
25 -0.30 1.00
student-student interaction
Loading 1 Correlation
(instructor interaction)
interaction)
I learned best when collaborating with other 3.30 1.19 0.67 0.73
1
Factor loading was generated based on orthogonal transformation.
xxvii
Loading Correlation
courses. (practice)
program. (motivated)
I spent 2-3 hours studying for each credit 3.93 1.06 0.26 0.74
Loading Correlation
Self-directedness was the key for students to 3.96 1.16 0.59 0.72
control)
for achievement)
xxix
Loading Correlation
I wish I could have more supervision during 2.37 0.89 0.43 0.41
I wish I could have more online interaction 2.80 1.11 0.61 0.33
I learned best when I had chance to solve 4.04 0.73 0.38 0.50
teacher education
Loading Correlation
(online as effective)
more effective)
online)
Self-paced learning was the best of online 3.73 1.05 0.58 0.79
I believe all teacher education programs will 2.66 1.15 0.56 0.78
Items P- P- P- P- P-
adequate student
adequate instructor
Table 19: Mean, median, and SD for all domains of student perception
alpha
programs
certificate program
requirements
xxxiv
“What do you think were the biggest advantages of Number of Responses (%)
your program?”
*The themes of offering online classes and offering evening classes may be combined
None 19 (11%)
regulated learners
improved?”
Nothing 22 (13%)
and advisors
Table 24: Online courses that would have been better taught onsite
What online courses you took would be better Number of responses (%)
taught on site?
None 62 (37%)
All 18 (11%)
Psychology 3 (2%)
Seminar 1 (<1%)
Assessment 1 (<1%)
Thesis 1 (<1%)
At least ½ 1 (<1%)
Table 25: Reasons why online courses would be better taught onsite
taught on site?
Online classes were too difficult (too much paper, too 2 (1%)
Table 26: Courses that would be better taught in a blended learning format
face meeting?”
None 49 (29%)
All 15 (9%)
Reading 1 (<1%)
Math 1 (<1%)
Few 1 (<1%)
xl
Table 27: Student and faculty reported differences of MU teacher education program
Sources
traditional teacher
online.
MU teacher education
student population.
Table 28: Reported Advantages of MU teacher education program from students and
faculty members.
Sources
Theme 2: High
Theme 3: The
program
xlii
Data
Sources
challenge to
candidate
Overwhelming performance.
workload
Administration and
supervision of the
integrated field
xliii
experiences is
challenging.
Data Interviews
Sources
program through
xliv
a practical curriculum
xlv
Data Sources
Suggestions for Lower cost (10%) (1). To facilitate more real time
performance.
student teaching
Figures
P-interaction
X
P-control P-practice P-supervision
P-online
Introduction
learning in teacher education: (a) Online learning offers an effective solution to the
teacher shortage crisis, (b) online learning provides opportunities for students to
communicate with a wider range of individuals for a more global experience (Steinweg,
Davis, & Thomson, 2005), (c) online discussion promotes students’ professional self-
reflection, and (d) online learning allows teacher educators to model the “best practice”
of teaching with technology and provides a good opportunity for students to experience
learning with technology (Beard & Harper, 2002b). However, the negative aspects of
online learning for teacher education have also been reported, such as the lack of direct
student-instructor and student-student interaction (Beard & Harper, 2002a; Hughes &
Hagie, 2005; Steinweg, Davis, & Thomson, 2005; Stephen & Barford, 2005), possible
access to knowledge and physical human interaction; such an approach has been labeled
learning indicate that it is more effective for teaching both declarative and procedural
knowledge (Sitzmann, Kraiger, Stewart, & Wisher, 2006); results in better outcomes
than online or face-to-face learning alone (Zhao, Lei, Yan, & Tan, 2005); leads to
(Graham, 2006); and may foster more active and deeper learning (Bonk, Kim, & Zeng,
2
2006; King, 2002). Therefore, blended learning has great potential to improve teacher
combination of online and face-to-face learning. This study addresses the contribution of
implements blended learning at the program level and by analyzing students’ and faculty
members’ perceptions of online and blended learning in teacher education. The SLOAN
of the program content is delivered online” (Allen, Seaman, & Garrett, 2007, p. 5). The
teacher education program examined for this study may be taken as an online program.
At the same time, students may choose to complete the program onsite or mixing online
1. How does a teacher education program that applies blended learning at the
education programs?
3. What are the wise practices for applying blended learning in teacher education at
This study applies the methodology of case study with mixed method data
collection and analysis. One teacher education program that offers the option of
completing the program online served as the case for investigation. Recent graduates
3
from the program, 167 in total, completed an online survey. The survey collected
perceptions of online and blended learning. Eight students who completed the survey
program director, one program co-chair, and four key faculty members from the teacher
Relevant documents included syllabi from two courses, one student program of studies,
Online enrollment in higher education in the United States continues to grow and
by the fall of 2005 had reached 3.18 million (Allen et al., 2007). The growth has
increased substantially from previous years: 2.3 million in 2004 (Allen & Seaman, 2006)
and 1.9 million in 2003 (Allen & Seaman, 2004). The number of academic leaders who
report online education as part of their long-term strategies has also continued to grow,
from 48.8% in 2003 to 58.4% in 2006 (Allen & Seaman, 2006). More and more online
teacher education programs have become available, and all of them incorporate some
face-to-face / onsite learning experiences. Such a blended format of online and face-to-
face learning may maintain the advantages and eliminate the disadvantages of both types
of learning, offering great potential to increase both the accessibility and quality of
teacher education. Institutions such as National University have achieved great growth
of student enrollment in their online teacher education program (Reynolds & Greiner,
2005). However, online learning remains an untapped source for many universities, and
it is time for professionals in teacher education to begin promoting the viability of online
supplementing online courses with face-to-face learning activities. Research studies that
examine blended learning in teacher education at the program level are needed to
provide teacher education professionals with evidence of its success and suggestions to
apply it. The findings of this study address this gap in research and provide evidence of
contributions that blended learning can make in teacher education at the program level.
The results of this study present findings of applying blended learning in teacher
and faculty resources. This study examines a case of teacher education programs
applying both online and face-to-face learning at the program level. Findings may not be
Participants in the online survey and interviews were voluntary. Email lists were
generated randomly for recruiting participants. It was possible that the email message
for calling for participation did not reach all of the students on the email list. It was also
possible that only students who had very good or very bad experiences with the teacher
education program responded to the survey. Therefore, the participants in this study
may not fully represent students in the teacher education program that was examined for
this study.
One survey question asked students about their experiences in the program. The
choices of answer included “very satisfied,” “somewhat satisfied,” “not sure,” “not
satisfied,” and “other.” The options weighted more towards reporting satisfaction and
Introduction
application in teacher education and other disciplines. This review of literature will
education
learning in teacher education will be discussed to justify the significance of this study.
Definitions
and (c) combination of online and face-to-face instruction. The first two definitions
reflect the debate on instructional media versus instructional methods on learning and
are too broad to make blended learning a distinct phenomenon since virtually all
learning systems include a variety of methods and media. Defining blended learning as
the combination of online and face-to-face instruction more accurately reflects “the
6
historical emergence of blended learning systems” (p. 5) and, as such, will be the
Blended learning may occur at different levels of instruction: (a) at the activity
elements; (b) at the course level—the most common—where both face-to-face and
computer-mediated activities are included as part of a course; (c) at the program level,
when participants take both online and face-to-face courses in a program; and (d) at the
Blended learning may simply meld face-to-face and distance learning within
residential courses in order to enrich students’ learning experiences and to use faculty
resources more sufficiently. At this level of blending, online learning time substitute time
spent in class for residential students. However, whether and how to provide face-to-face
(Moore, 2005).
Based on the practical question of how to blend, three categories for blended
2006).
7
disciplines. Osguthorpe and Graham (2003) reviewed the enormous potential to adapt
blended learning to different settings, students, and content. They identified six goals
richness, access to knowledge, social interaction, personal agency, cost effectiveness, and
classroom instruction, they generated research design mediators for comparing the
learning effectiveness between the two delivery media. These mediators can furthermore
be used as factors in determining learning effectiveness via any media: (a) learner
population, (b) instructional methods, (c) learner control, (d) human interaction, (e)
Since blended learning involves both online and face-to-face activities, some
research studies focus on the proportion and balance of the two components. Moore
technologies. However, online instruction may be ideal for achieving specific learning
outcomes. Zhao et al. (2005) points out the importance of the best mixture of human
and technology and that distance education may be more appropriate for certain content
and learner populations. They further emphasize that interaction is the key to effective
online learning.
instruction. They concluded that online instruction was more effective than face-to-face
teaching for declarative knowledge and that the two delivery media were equally effective
what elements determine whether a class is suitable for online learning. Their findings
indicate that the quality of online learning depends upon course contents (whether they
are cognitive based), students (who need to be self-disciplined and highly motivated) and
instructors (who need to be organized and skilled facilitators). In addition, time and
training are needed for developing high quality online classes, and course management
issues such as cheating should also be taken into consideration. Carnes et. al. note that
cheating is not a unique problem with online classes, nor is it more of a problem with
success.
2. Inform learners about objectives, facts, and key concepts of the skills they
Different theories and models have been applied in blended learning. For
example, Thomson NETg’s blended learning models draw on David Merrill’s theory of
new knowledge into the learner’s world—to incorporate scenario-based exercises (Boyle,
Kolosh, & L'Allier, 2003). Characteristics of NETg’s blended models include creating
scenarios for learning, aligning learning objectives with realistic possibilities, applying
newly-acquired skills and knowledge as soon as possible, providing access to live online
differences (Boyle et al., 2003). Alonso, Lopez, and Manrique (2005) proposed a
activities to encourage collaborative and reflective learning. Stubbs, Martin, and Endlar
structure and individual action. Stubbs et al. drew two core design principles from
communication, power, and sanction; and to design with a keen sense of audience.
these cases, blended learning was applied at the course level of instruction.
to identify suitable places to include blended learning, rather than changing a single
module or course within a program to include it. They also suggest including a change
agent (in their case, a learning technologist in the School of Geography) as an effective
approach to group change. Other important factors for the successful implementation of
In addition to the guidelines and theories for designing blended learning courses,
Bunderson (2003) proposes four frameworks for analysis: (a) view blended cases as
instructors and students; (c) focus on adaptation to individual needs; and (d) utilize
Although evidence shows that blended learning is more effective than online
learning or face-to-face learning alone, Sitzmann et al.’s (2006) study indicates that
learners react more favorably towards classroom instruction than blended learning;
therefore, perceived learner satisfaction may suffer. One assumption may be that
blended learning courses are more demanding and time consuming than online
(Sitzmann et al., 2006). Moreover, with blended learning becoming more and more
prevalent, it is vital for higher education and corporate training settings to create
The most common reason for applying blended learning reflected in literature is
that it combines the best of both online and face-to-face instruction. It is rarely
acknowledged that a blended learning environment can also mix the least effective
elements of both worlds if it is not designed well. Great challenges exist for
11
instruction (Christensen, 2003), when and why instructors should consider human
experiences, how to support learner maturity and capabilities for self-regulation, what
with technological skills to succeed in both online and face-to-face environments, and
how to change the organizational culture to accept blended approaches (Graham, 2006).
Traditional teacher education programs have been criticized for low quality,
incoherent programs, unbalanced curriculum reflecting the gap between theory and
practice, and poor student field placements (Korthagen & Kessels, 1999; Levine, 2006,
2006; Russell & McPherson, 2001; Whitney, Golez, Nagel, & Nieto, 2002). In response
programs. Russell and McPherson (2001) reviewed literature on the quality of teacher
education programs, and in their results, they emphasize the following components of
interaction of teacher candidates’ histories and experiences within the teacher training
for teachers.
effectiveness of their teacher education programs. They found that preservice teachers
need to be equipped with adequate understanding of education theories and to gain rich
courses, form close collaborative partnerships with schools, incorporate more and earlier
fieldwork experiences, assist preservice teachers with classroom management skills, and
learning in teacher education and the ALACT model of reflection (action, looking back,
awareness of essential aspects, creating alternative methods, and trial). They suggest
that students in teacher education should first gain adequate experiences in order to
achieve understanding of theory. Close collaboration with local schools and between
different subjects in teacher education programs are suggested to achieve the realistic
approach.
Levine (2006) offers a nine-point template for judging the quality of teacher
effective teacher education programs and includes: (a) explicit purpose focusing the
education of teachers, (b) coherent curriculum to teach the skills and knowledge needed
by teachers at different types of schools and at different stages of their careers, (c)
balanced curriculum with study in university classrooms and work in schools to integrate
theory and practice of teaching, (d) qualified faculty with both academic and practical
experience, (e) rigorous admission criteria to recruit students with the capacity and
motivation to become successful teachers, (f) high graduation standards to ensure that
candidates are adequately prepared for the classroom, (g) quality research driven by
practice and useful for practitioners and policy makers, (h) adequate finances to support
the program, and (i) continuous assessment to improve the program’s performance.
experimental studies on online and classroom instruction between 1996 and 2005. Their
findings indicate that blended learning is more effective than face-to-face classroom
instruction for teaching both declarative and procedural knowledge. They concluded that
blended learning optimizes the instructional advantages of both online learning and
learning, and they note that courses applying blended learning result in better learning
outcomes than distance or face-to-face education alone. Boyle and colleagues (2003)
examined Thomson NETg’s Structured Blended Learning software training and found
that the blended models resulted in higher quality performance than either the pure e-
Blended learning has been applied in higher education and workplace learning
settings throughout the world and may lead to improved pedagogy, increased access and
learning may be used to “foster learning communities, extend training events, offer
mentoring or coaching, present online lab or simulation activities, and deliver prework
in terms of learning outcomes or costs to student and institution, particular with the
The instructions that are able to transfer teaching resources from the classroom
to the best quality of distance education and also scientifically integrate online
methods with their other delivery systems are likely to prosper. Blended learning,
14
therefore, is in all our future, not only for faculty and students in residential
The United States is facing a pressing challenge to prepare teachers in both high
greater number of teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary to help all students
succeed (Levine, 2006). Along with the wide spread of online technologies, many studies
have reported positive findings of online learning in teacher education. For example,
performance between online and face-to-face learning in teacher education (Caywood &
Duckett, 2003; Jordan, Smith, Dillon, Algozzine, 2004; Skylar, Giggins, Boone, Jones,
Pierce, & Gelfer, 2005; Steinweg, Davis, & Thomson, 2005). Moreover, applying online
learning increases access to teacher education (Simmons & Mebane, 2005; Roach, 2003;
Stephen & Barford, 2005; Johnson & Briden, 2004). In addition, online learning
range of individuals for a more global experience (Steinweg et al., 2005), promotes
teacher candidates’ collaborative learning and reflective thinking (Beard & Harper,
2002a), and exposes teacher education students to teaching and learning with updated
However, the negative aspects of online learning for teacher education have also
interaction (Beard & Harper, 2002a; Hughes & Hagie, 2005; Steinweg et al., 2005;
Stephen & Barford, 2005), possible content diminishment due to the emphasis on
skills. In addition, there are managerial issues such as determining class size, aligning
course goals with technological components, faculty creativity, sound educational goals
15
versus administrative drive toward technology inclusion, and managing the potential
loss of control over course content (Stephen & Barford, 2005). Through combining
maintain the advantages and eliminate the disadvantages of online learning (King,
Young and Lewis (2008) urge teacher education programs to begin considering
the viability of training teachers at a distance. They recommend that teacher preparation
programs actively recruit non-traditional students (students above the age of 25) into
Compared to the research on the practice and theory of blended learning in other
disciplines, little research has been done on online and blended learning in teacher
education specifically (Young & Lewis, 2008). A few studies have focused on exploring
the benefits of applying blended learning in teacher education. King’s (2002) case study
explored the dynamics and experiences of the instructor and students participating in a
instructor’s role in adapting the direction of successful topics and encouraging students’
conclusion was reached that blended learning may present an opportunity to develop
Khine and Lourdusamy (2003) studied the blended approach of online tutorials,
content delivered on multimedia CD-ROMs, and online discussion in their Teaching and
determined that their learning was enhanced from such a blended approach, for
example, the multimedia CD provided them with examples that were well integrated
with the online tutorials and the online discussion allowed them to learn from peers.
Delfino and Persico (2007) conducted a five-year case study (from 2001-2005) of
an education technology course in teacher education. During the five years, the course in
question transformed from entirely online to a blended approach of online and face-to-
face learning. Delfino and Persico propose online learning in pre-service teacher training
since student teachers participating in online learning were more likely to use similar
methods with their students when they had first-hand experience themselves. Student
teachers’ experiences with online learning also may encourage their future participation
for secondary teacher preparation at the University of North Texas. The researchers
collected and compared online and traditional candidates’ age, gender, ethnicity, field of
Findings of the study indicated that the online program significantly increased the
prepared by the university in the critical areas of science and mathematics. In addition,
they found the performance of online teacher candidates was at least equal to that of
tests, and portfolio ratings. Moreover, the candidates themselves reported satisfied with
distance education programs at seven universities in the United States. They collected
that older students are more likely to take distance courses and the majority of students
involved in distance education in all fields are female. The researchers concluded that
A few research studies have also been conducted to examine different aspects of
ATLAS (Assessing the Learning Strategies of Adults) to identify the instructional goals
and course design features of blended learning valued by adult learners in teacher
education. The findings indicate that adult learners in teacher education value learner
learners in teacher education benefit from frequent announcements and reminders from
the instructor and from effective two-way communication with their classmates and
instructor to establish a learning community. The study also supports the idea that in
characteristics prefer and benefit from a variety of instructional features and goals.
teacher education towards blended learning and provided guidelines for utilizing online
discussion forums in conjunction with face-to-face classes. Findings of the study suggest
that when tasks in a blended learning environment are relevant to learners and set up
well, the tasks will help learners to develop their knowledge and skills.
18
Synthesis of Literature
Based on the above literature review of current practical guidelines and theories
and the research on blended learning in teacher education, the following critical
components are identified by the author for an ideal blended learning environment in
teacher education:
(see Table 1)
(see Table 2)
degree, research, finances, and assessment) provide a frame of reference for judging the
quality of teacher education programs and can be incorporated into the critical
programs.
field-experiences with its online teacher education programs. Even though their report is
not a research study, the authors revealed the fact that blended learning has been
19
applied in not only residential teacher education programs, but also those online. This
learning in teacher education not only at the course level, but also at the program level,
experiences within online teacher education programs. A few studies have emerged to
performance (Harrell & Harris, 2006) and perception (Young & Lewis, 2008). More
studies to examine blended learning systematically at both course and program levels in
teacher education are needed. There is a particular lack of research on blended learning
in teacher education at the program level, leaving unanswered questions such as what
benefits and drawbacks blended learning offers to teacher education programs; how to
balance online and face-to-face learning to maintain the structural and conceptual
educators, administrators, and policy makers need to know to create strategic plans and
directions (Bonk et al., 2006). This study aims to address these questions by examining a
CHAPTER 3 - METHOD
Overview
1. How does a teacher education program that applies blended learning at the
education programs?
3. What are the wise practices for applying blended learning in teacher
Research Design
This study applies a case study method with mixed methods data collection and
analysis. Research questions dictate the selection of methods. The consistency between
research questions and research design is the standard criterion for high quality studies
(Newman, Ridenour, Newman, & DeMarco, 2003). The research questions of this study
focus on “how” and descriptive “what” questions for understanding the contemporary
phenomenon (Yin, 2003). In addition, case study methodology allows the researcher to
2003), allowing for understanding of the phenomenon in its natural context. Both
quantitative and quality data were collected for this study including survey data
21
some methods.
the social sciences and has been recognized for its value in obtaining
and Greene & Caracelli, 1997, as cited in Creswell, Clark, Gutmann, &
Hanson, 2003).
Applying the methodology of case study with mixed methods data collection and analysis
After searching for online teacher education programs, twelve institutes were
The first five of the twelve institutions in Table 5, Marin University, B University,
including not only opportunities to earn teacher certificates but also Bachelor’s and
Master’s degrees. All of the five institutions that offer online teacher certification
programs require at least 20% field-based learning, including field experiences and
student teaching in their programs. All of the five programs were originally selected as
cases for investigation. However, my requests for studying the programs were rejected by
22
gracefully agreed to participate in this study and served as the case for examination.
Students and faculty members from the program were recruited to participate in the
online student survey, student interviews, and faculty interviews. The university and its
Context
Marin University (MU) is a private university in the west of the United States. It
26,000 students are enrolled in Marin University, about half of whom are enrolled in
teacher education. Marin University offers single-subject (mainly for secondary schools)
and multiple-subject (mainly for elementary schools) teaching certificates and Master’s
Even though the university offers undergraduate programs in its teacher education, the
professions including in schools, and are enrolled in the program to obtain teaching
complete 10 courses and 18 weeks of student teaching for teaching licensure. They may
also take 4 more courses to obtain a Master’s degree. Each course at Marin University
23
lasts for four weeks or one month. Marin University has campuses called “learning
centers” throughout California and Nevada. Due to enrollment, not every course is
offered in all learning centers. However, all of the courses are available online. Students
may choose to complete the entire program online with the exception of student
teaching. They may also mix and match online and onsite courses or take all of the
courses on site. Graham (2006) defined blended learning at the program level as when
participants take both online and face-to-face courses in a program. The availability of all
courses online and the choices for students to take all courses online, on site, or in mix
Participants
One hundred and sixty-seven participants (n=167) from the teacher education
program at Marin University (MU) completed the online survey in 2007 and 2008
(n=148 in 2008 and n=19 in 2007). Survey participants included both female (n=111,
68%) and male (n=53, 32%) students. Most participants (n=151, 92%) completed their
teaching credentials program in 2007 or 2008. Over half of the participants (n=97, 59%)
reported current teaching positions. The majority of participants were over 25 years old
(n=140, 85%). About one-third of the participants were working towards their
Elementary Education credentials (37%), and another third towards different subjects in
education, art education, music education, and PE. Some participants (10%) focused on
more than one area of study, for example, Elementary and Secondary English Education,
Secondary Science and PE, or Early Childhood and Secondary Math Education. The
majority of participants (n=135, 82%) were working full- or part-time when they were
enrolled. Over half of the participants (n=101, 61%) took at least half of the courses in
their program online, including 29% of them who took all of their courses online and
24
28% who took most of courses online with a few onsite. On the other hand, 28% of
participants took most of courses on site with a few online (see Table 6). The course
from MU teacher education program, including one program director, one program co-
chair and four key faculty members, also participated in the interviews.
Data Sources
Survey
An online survey was developed for this study. The first part of the survey
improvement. The second half of the survey contained 25 Likert-scale items and focused
learning environment in teacher education (see Table 1 – 4). One hundred and sixty-
seven students (n=167) who recently completed teacher education programs from MU
Interview
Eight students who completed the online survey were also interviewed. The
questions for student interviews focused on students’ experiences in the program and
their perceptions of online learning in teacher education. All student interviews were
conducted on the phone. Each student interview lasted for approximately 30 minutes.
Six faculty members from the teacher education program at Marin University
(MU) also participated in interviews. The questions for faculty interviews focused on
their teaching experiences in the program, their opinions of the program, and their
25
perceptions towards online and onsite learning in teacher education. Each in-person
Documents
Documents collected for this study include one copy of students’ programs of
studies, two course syllabi, and a student teaching assessment. Information was also
collected from the university’s websites, including degrees offered and requirements for
graduation.
Procedure
assist with recruitment of participants for this study. Three email lists with a total of
1250 recent graduates from MU teacher education program were randomly generated for
recruitment purposes. From August 2007 to August 2008, email messages were sent to
the email lists requesting participation in the study. Out of the 1250 invited, 167 students
completed the online survey (n=19 in 2007, n=148 in 2008; return rate of 13%).
interviews were conducted on the phone. Each interview lasted for approximately 30
minutes. Six faculty members from the program participated in the interviews. Two of
the faculty interviews were conducted in person on the university’s campus, and the
other interviews were conducted on the phone. One of the faculty members was
interviewed twice on the phone. Each faculty interview lasted for approximately 60
minutes. All student and faculty interviews were recorded and transcribed for analysis.
Transcriptions were sent to participants for member check. One faculty member revised
student teaching assessment form were collected during faculty interviews. Information
26
was also collected from the program’s website at the beginning of the study and reported
Data Analysis
deviations were conducted to analyze the numerical survey data. The second half of the
survey contained 25 Likert-scale items. For each item, the participants were asked to
choose their answers from a scale of 1-5 where 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 =
Undecided, 4 = Agree, and 5 = Strongly Agree. The 25 Likert scale items ask for
teacher education based on the synthesis of literature (see Table 1 – 4). Exploratory
factor analysis was used to group items and identify latent constructs in the survey for
analysis, and also to provide exploratory evidences for the theoretical relationships
among the constructs. Factors were extracted based on common variance. The number
of factors was determined using screen plot of Eigenvalues and theoretical judgment.
alpha. Student responses to open-ended questions in the survey were tallied and
Interview data were analyzed to identify common themes of students’ and faculty
blended learning. The constant comparative method (Glaser, 1965) was used to code and
analyze interview data by following four steps: (a) comparing incidents applicable to
each category, (b) integrating categories and their properties, (c) delimiting the theory,
Four primary categories were generated to analyze student interview data based
on the research questions for this study: (a) student perceived advantages of the
program, (b) student perceived disadvantages of the program, (c) differences between
the program and traditional teacher education programs, and (d) wise practices from the
program. When coding the student interviews, one more category emerged: student
A spreadsheet was created to record the incidents for each category in order to
compare them. Columns were created in the spreadsheet for student names, incidents,
and relevant page numbers in the interview transcriptions (see Table 7). The incidents
from each interview were added to the spreadsheet and continuously compared with
those from previous interviews. Themes were generated based on the coding and
comparisons of the incidents. A “Themes” column was added to the spreadsheet (see
Table 8). While coding and comparing the incidents from interviews, the themes were
After coding all student interview data, I asked a professional statistician to code
one of the eight interviews based on the generated categories and themes. An 83% inter-
rater reliability rate was reached. Disagreements were resolved by discussion to reach
final agreement of coding. The coding categories and themes were also revised based on
the discussion between coders. All student interviews were reviewed based on the revised
Four primary general categories were generated based on the research questions
for coding faculty interview data: (a) faculty perceived advantages of the program, (b)
faculty perceived disadvantages and challenges of the program, (c) differences between
the program and traditional teacher education programs, and (d) faculty perceived best
28
practices from the program. A spreadsheet was also created for coding and organizing
faculty names, incidents, and page numbers to find the incidents in the interview
Two additional categories were generated after coding the first faculty interview
and added to the spreadsheet: (a) faculty perception of online learning in teacher
education and (b) information about the program. Incidents from all interviews were
coded for each category and continuously compared with previous incidents. Themes
were generated based on the coding and comparisons of incidents. A Themes column
interviews, the themes were constantly revised and integrated. For example, the category
of “information about the program” was integrated into the categories of “faculty
“accessibility” and “flexibility” under the category of “faculty perceived advantages” were
integrated into one theme, “accessibility and flexibility for students;” and the theme of
“more mature students,” which was originally listed under the category of “faculty
perceived advantages,” was integrated with the same theme under the category
programs”.
After the coding all faculty interview data from the primary case, the professional
statistician who coded the student interviews was asked to code one of the seven
coding was 85%. The places of disagreement were discussed between the coders to reach
agreement. The coding categories and themes were revised based on the discussion
between coders. All faculty interviews were reviewed for the revised coding categories
and themes.
29
Analysis of Documents
Two course syllabi, one student program of studies, and one assessment form of
student teaching performance were collected from faculty during interviews. These
documents were examined to draw information about the courses in the program and to
CHAPTER 4 – RESULTS
Data were collected in this study via three methods, including survey responses,
interviews, and documents. The results of data analysis are reported based on the data
collection methods.
Student Satisfaction
program. Almost all of the participants (95%) indicated that they were very satisfied or
Exploratory factor analysis was used to analyze the second half of the survey
which contained 25 Likert-scale items. For each item, the participants were asked to
choose their answers from a scale of 1-5 where 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 =
Undecided, 4 = Agree, and 5 = Strongly Agree. Principal components were used to exact
variances (Table 12, Figure 2) of the 25 items in the survey asking for participants’
The factor loading value of 0.40 was chosen as the cut-off point. Two items, “study time”
(0.38) in “perceptions of faculty supervision” with the factor loading value lower than
0.40 were kept in their domains since the content of these items fit the domain even
though the loading values were a little lower than the cut-off point (Table 18) .
Mean, median, and standard deviation were calculated for each domain for an
Item-total correlations of survey items ranged from 0.72 to 0.75 in the domain of
interaction, 0.69 to 0.74 in the domain of practices, 0.62 to 0.72 in the domain of
learning control, 0.33 to 0.50 in the domain of faculty supervision, and 0.71 to 0.79 in
Table 16, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.78 for the domain of interaction
of practice (perceptions of practices in teacher education), 0.74 for the domain for
learner control (perceptions of learner control), 0.50 for the domain of supervision
(perceptions of faculty supervision), and 0.79 for the domain of online (perceptions of
the effectiveness of online learning). The item-total corrections of items and Cronbach’s
alphas within domains indicate adequate internal consistency reliability for the online
survey.
Five domains were extracted by using exploratory factor analysis of the survey
are also related to their perceptions of interaction (p<0.001) and perceptions of learner
leaner control (p=0.42). A diagram can be drawn to illustrate the possible relationships
The online student survey included open-ended questions asking for participants
to list reasons for choosing to enroll in the program, the advantages of the program, the
blended format of online and face-to-face learning, and their suggestions for improving
the program. Answers to the open-ended questions were tallied and themes were
For the reasons given why to choose the program for study, participants
commented on the ability to complete the program more quickly than traditional teacher
education programs (n=57, 34%), the flexible scheduling of courses (n=55, 33%), the
availability of online classes (n=44, 26%), and others’ recommendation of the program
(n=31, 19%). Other less frequently mentioned reasons included nearby locations of the
are experienced and currently working in the field, the program helps with paperwork
for credentials, and the program has better understanding of NCLB requirements. See
Table 20.
program, the most frequently mentioned advantages included the convenience and
flexibility of the program to fit working adults’ schedules (n=56, 34%), the quick pace of
the program (n=42, 25%), and the availability of courses online (n=42, 25%). See also
Table 21.
convenience and flexibility, such as the flexibility of classes to fit working adults’
schedules and how students are able to complete the program at their own pace:
some participants (n=42, 25%) specified the availability of online classes as the biggest
advantage of the program. They also articulated the advantages of online classes because
of the eliminated need for driving and because of the focused learning time, rigor of
online classes, and genuine teaching experiences in local schools as opposed to role play
“The ability to take on-line classes and go at my own pace. The fast pace
of the program which allowed me to get my credential sooner. The
convenience of the program.”
“I was able to focus my learning time. When I first enrolled, I had a six-
week old newborn, a 10-year old, and a 12-year old and was a substitute
34
The quality of the program and instructors were also highly identified by some
students (n=33, 21%) as advantages. The praised the well-designed courses, pedagogy
The survey also asked participants about the disadvantages that they perceived in
the program. Compared to the advantages of the program, many fewer disadvantages
were reported. About 10% of the participants (n=19, 11%) responded that they did not
see any disadvantages to the programs. The most frequently reported disadvantages of
the program includ the high cost (n=29, 17%), irresponsive instructors (n=24, 14%),
concerns of quality of classes (n=15, 9%), and the overwhelming workload due to the
Even though some students (n=7, 4%) regarded the comparative inexpensiveness
of the program as the major reason for enrolling in the program, more students (n=29,
“I feel the courses…are way too expensive. But I guess it's the price you
pay for 'finishing' quicker.”
Contrary to how some students (n=17, 10%) appreciated the strong and
experienced instructors, other students (n=24, 14%) criticized instructors that were
“When the teacher was not very strong or organized, the online students
suffered.”
Similarly, while some students (n=19, 11%) praised the quality of classes in the
program, other students (n=15, 9%) were not satisfied with their classes. They
complained about the instructions who taught out of their field, repetitive course
teaching experiences:
“I felt a few of the classes were repetitive. We talked about the same
subjects in more than one class.”
36
Some participants (n=12, 7%) were disappointed at the inadequate help they
“Advisors were not too helpful. Had multiple problems with grades
posting late and trying to get approval for accelerated study on more
than one occasion. The student concierge services were a greater help
than my advisors, who didn't seem to care much or go out of their way
to help. Was frustrated at lack of advice and help for the price of
tuition!”
Some students (n=11, 7%) specified the lack of peer interaction and lack of
“I think I did miss the online conversations with fellow students and
teachers.”
“Not able to make verbal contact and not able to see faces. I would have
liked to have had some background on the instructors-profiles so I felt
like I knew more about who they are.”
The survey also asked for students’ suggestions for improving the program. The
most frequent answer (n=22, 13%) was “Nothing needs to be improved,” indicating that
students were very satisfied with the program. Many suggestions were closely related to
the disadvantages students pointed out, such as lowering the cost (n=17, 10%), better
37
Many students (n=22, 13%) were satisfied with the program and did not think it
“Hard to say. I'm truly grateful and can't think of any necessary
improvements.”
Closely associated with the complaints of the high cost of the program, some
students (n=17, 10%) suggested a lowered cost or loan to help students finally:
“The price to go to school just keeps raising, and, frankly, I don't see
that it is necessary. Think about lowering the price.”
Some students (n=17, 10%) requested the program to improve its support and help for
students from the administrators, staff, and advisors. They suggested better
communication between advisors and the academic offices, and a better counseling /
program, some students (n=17, 10%) suggested recruiting and retaining skilled
instructors for the program. They want instructors who are enthusiastic about teaching
“Hire teachers who WANT to teach. These teachers could emphasize the
subject matter and make the assignments useful to us.”
Other students (n=15, 9%) suggested instructors in the program should communicate
better with students. Students need instructors that can respond timely to students,
provide feedbacks to student works, and organize and supervise online classes.
“Make sure all the instructors are dedicated to timely responses to their
students and [are] organized.”
“Some online teachers began the course but did not provide feedback on
completed work. It is important for instructors to check in with online
classes at least once per week. Some instructors were wonderful!”
The survey also included questions about the participants’ experience with and opinion
of online and blended classes. One of the questions was, “Which online courses you took
would have been better taught face-to-face on site?” The most mentioned answer was
“none” (n=62, 37%). The opposite response, “all should be taught face to face onsite,”
was also heard, though much less frequently (n=18, 11%). The course of technology in
classroom (n=9, 5%) and methods of teaching (n=7, 4%) were the two most frequently
mentioned course subjects that should be taught on site (see Table 24).
39
Many students (n=62, 37%) were very satisfied with their online learning
experiences. They regarded their online classes as excellent and did not think the online
classes could be better taught on site. The online classes provide students with rich
learning experiences. In addition, they believe onsite classes can be taught as effectively
as online.
“All of the classes I took on-line were very well taught by the instructors.
You receive from a class what you expect, so my expectations were high
and I received a very exceptional amount of knowledge from the
instructors.”
“I feel that any of the courses I took could have been taken online or on
site. I did not feel deprived by taking my classes online.”
“Personally I like taking on site classes, however, I think that all of the
courses that I personally took worked fine online.”
Students believe the rigor of online classes can be much greater than classroom
instruction. They specified that online classes work better for learners who are self-
regulated, organized, and highly motivated, whose learning style fits online learning (for
example, able to learn from reading), who have critical thinking skills, and who have had
“In my opinion, the rigor of the online coursework is much greater than
compared to classroom courses. The online courses seem to require a
greater degree of critical thinking skills and thus more fulfilling to me as
a student.”
“I have a long family history of teachers, current and retired, plus I work
at a school and am very familiar with the teaching profession therefore
doing all my classes online was fine. However if I was not working on a
school campus or [did not] have family that could answer questions or
40
let me use their students in lessons, I would probably not have done
very well and would have wanted to take almost all of my classes face to
face.”
education and content reading were appropriate for the online environment, which
courses such as assessment, seminar, teaching methods were more appropriate for face-
to-face classroom instruction due to the need for direct guidance and personal
interaction:
“I enjoy online format. The assessment course was taught online and
this was an appropriate class to attend on the site.”
“The seminar was the only class that would not be easy to do at home
without direct guidance.”
“The two courses, a health education and content reading course, taken
on-line were adequately covered…; however, I purposely did not take
any of my teaching methods classes on-line because I felt that those
needed personal interaction.”
Students were asked to explain why they think the courses would be better taught
onsite (see Table 25). The most frequently stated reason (n=40, 24%) is the need for
“These courses are better taught online because they are the foundation
of education. The depth of what is being taught in these courses are
better suited to the traditional classroom. It requires human interaction
and feedback.”
“It would have been helpful to see teachers model the teaching
strategies being presented. Would also have benefitted from in-class
dialog among students”
In addition, some students (n=10, 6%) specifically pointed out immediate feedback in
online classes as a reason why the courses should be taught on site. They expressed the
“I also like to get feedback right away and to hear verbally others
opinions and thoughts.”
Participants were also asked what courses they thought would be better taught in
a blended format of online and face-to-face learning and why they thought so (see Table
26).
The most frequent answer (n=49, 29%) was that none of the courses should be
taught in a blended format. Students were satisfied with taking the course either online
experiences:
“I can't think of any of my online courses that would have been better in
that format.”
“As I said, I think the online courses I took were excellent, and I did not
and do not think online meetings would have improved them.”
The totally opposite answer that all of the courses should be taught in a blended
format, was also given (n=15, 9%). These students believed they would benefit from
The most frequently given reasons why students thought courses should be
taught in a blended format were the combined benefits of the convenience of online
42
learning and personal interaction in on site classes (n=16, 10%). Such a blended format
would be particularly effective for students who are visual and auditory learners.
“I think you get the best of both worlds. The convenience of online work
to do with more convenience and the face-to-face interaction with other
students and the professor.”
Eight students who completed the online survey participated in interviews. Five
of them were female, and three were male. Three of them took all their classes online,
one took most of the classes online with a few onsite, three took most of the classes on
site with a few online, and one took only one class online. Seven of them are currently in
areas cover multiple subjects, such as Math, English, Social Studies, and Economics in
education programs
improvement
43
Different themes were drawn from coding and comparing all students’ responses in the
interviews.
Theme 1: The teacher education program at Marin University (MU) takes less time to
education program are on a monthly basis instead of a semester or quarter. The entire
program takes approximately one year or one year and a half to finish.
“The facts that the courses are offered month to month, basically you
take one class a time. It only takes a month go to through a course.”
and self-pace of online classes. The program also requires students to take more
“The first [difference] is the accessibility; since there are internet classes
I can learn at my own pace.”
told… if you are talking about math and science, such areas that are
hard to find [teachers], an online degree works just fine. My experience
[with the online program] was different than what people would expect.
My experience was actually very rigorous, probably more rigorous than
a lot of in-class experiences for what I heard from other students [in the
program] that had predominantly in-class experiences.”
Theme 1: Convenience and flexibility of the program. The program gives students
the option to take all classes online. Online classes allow students access to
courses at their chosen time and places and to study at their own pace:
“It was nice, it was more self-paced. I’m pretty self-disciplined, so I was
able to get a lot in my living room. It was nice… being at home and
studying, so it worked really well for me… I can work during the day and
at night to take classes. I had a lot of late nights for classes. There’re
quite a few nights I stayed up late, till 1 or 2 o’clock to finish the
assignment. It’s a lot of work, but I enjoyed it.”
“So there are benefits [for online classes], especially people who are
around the world. You know, I have students who were based overseas,
across the US. For them, there’s definitely advantage, they benefit from
that.”
Theme 2: Quality of the program due to its practical curriculum and experienced
profession.
“I still like the curriculum, and the assignments are very valuable. It’s
not just stealing class time, because a lot other classes are spreading out
the semester, you have classes where you meet together, you just
wasting time because there is too much time to address. Maybe one of
the them [topics] will not take you two hours but yet you have to stay in
a class for two hours just because of the time requirement. But in [this
program], it has been concentrated. It really forces you to focus and
concentrate on the assignments and the activities and then you move
on.”
“One of the advantages is that you do get some great instructors who
were not only from that field but still currently in that field, who can
always update you about jobs, about what’s going on. That’s one of the
main benefits.”
Theme 3: The quick pace of the program. Students also mentioned the pace of the
year or one year and a half to finish, which is quicker than the two-year
traditional teacher education programs. This theme overlaps with theme one
“Like I said, I like that the program is quick, a lot quicker pace. It
worked good for me.”
“I know personally about myself that I don’t like taking expo classes. I
learn better in a shorter time frame.”
taking the program online. Two themes were generated from analyzing the student
interviews:
46
Theme 1: Some online classes lack personal interaction with the instructor and other
students. Students complained about the lack of direct interaction with instructors and
peers, lack of responses in online discussion board, and lack of immediate feedback in
some of their online classes, especially when they had irresponsive instructors. Students
expressed concerns that online students suffered more when they had irresponsive
instructors than onsite students due to no face-to-face meeting with instructors and
peers.
“My biggest complaint about taking the courses online was the lack of
face-to-face interaction with other students, if you want an opportunity
to discuss problems and issues.”
“For the most part that went really well. The other students were very
respectful. Even if you disagree, people were very respectful and very
kind. There were some occasions when I was posting something to the
discussion board that I might not get any response at all. So that was
frustrating just because you want that interaction even though you’re
online. Or you know the instructor would simply say nice job or thanks
for sharing, so there wasn’t really a conversation going on online. For it
to be termed as discussion board and no discussion to happen, that
would be frustrating.”
“You have no one to talk to. No one to bounce ideas. I just think you’re
isolated.”
“The only disadvantages that I found were that I had a few instructors
that didn’t respond in a timely manner, or I would like to receive more
feedback from them, in an online format, I think they get away with
more as far as they don’t give you as much information, and you don’t
have the benefit of having a classroom debate if you disagree with
something as the instructor says. So for that part, I think can be a
disadvantage, if you dread about that kind of learning environment. I
really didn’t feel I needed that.”
Even though there were complaints about irresponsive instructors, there were also
online classes:
“I got really good feedback from the courses I took online. So I really
didn’t have any complaints about the interaction with the instructors.
The instructors were prompt and they answered all the questions I had
in a timely manner.”
47
Because of the lack of direct interaction in online classes, taking the program
online may give students less social networking opportunities and affect students’ later
job searching experiences. Some online students felt it was difficult for them to net work
“The one thing I noticed because I had my last class, the seminar for
student teaching and they force you to do it in person. But I was able to
pick up a couple of things because I felt the difference. The teachers,
when we went to the class, a lot of them knew the students because of
the networking opportunities they had [in classes on site]. That would
be helpful for finding a job.”
Theme 2: The online program could be disadvantageous for some learners. Online
computer skills. Not all learners are well prepared for online learning. They might
encounter great difficulty with the required time commitment, time management, and
“People who are not used to a computer would definitely have a hard
time. They would need to take at least 3 or 4 classes to get used to doing
online class.”
very very frustrating. I had a final I had to take in one class, it was a
timed final and I had 1 hour to take it, then my internet connection
timed out with 10 minutes left on the timer, and it did not save any of
my information, so I had to take the whole final in 10 minutes. So I got a
B in that class. That’s the only class I got a B in.”
“A lot of… confusion from online students. They didn’t know what was
going on, the server was down so they couldn’t get through.”
Students in the interviews were also asked for suggestions to improve the
program. Many of their suggestions are related to the complaints they had. The
suggested:
(1). to facilitate more real time interaction with the instructors and peers in
online classes. Students reported the lack of personal contact and real-time
interaction in some online classes and suggested the program to make efforts to
online technologies such as chat rooms and video conferencing tools can facilitate
“I have noticed that there are more opportunities now in talking to other
people who are taking them, for interaction in various chat rooms, and
requiring conversations with other students online. And I think going
more towards that trend where any way you can facilitate that
interaction with other students can only help them improve their
learning.”
“Probably the main thing is making sure that [there is] communication
between instructor and students. For example, we monitor how many
times we post and respond to our discussion board, the instructor would
go on and make sure we have done that.”
49
“The more they [the instructors] could make you feel that connection,
the more helpful it is.”
perceive instructors with vital importance for their successful online learning
instructors’ performance.
“It’s really not about the classes, but the teachers. For some teachers,
literally you can tell they were reading your materials. They would give
specific comments that would prove that they have read it because they
would refer to what I said or wrote. They would read every post, for
example, for the discussion thread. Other teachers would write what I
call generic, ‘Very well done.’ it’s like, ‘Did you really read it, really?”
They were not so smart as they thought. Some teachers would say, ‘I will
read your posts but you wouldn’t see me there, I would just read it and
give you a grade,’ and I would wonder, ‘Are they really?’ ”
“I think maybe if this isn’t already in place, just there should be some
kind a system that checks on the instructors to make sure that they are
adequately performing their duties. When I had issues with instructors,
I filled out the surveys at the end of every single course I took, and I
would say if I was frustrated with the instructor, or how I felt about it.
And I never heard back from the university. So that was frustrating to
me because if I took the time to tell you that there was a problem, I
would expect some sort a response. Because we were paying so much for
our education and taking it so seriously, I think the instructor should be
monitored to be sure that they are also taking it seriously.”
“You know, to be honest with you, the classes are pretty much
determined on the teacher. Some classes were perfect for me. And other
classes I would have said, ‘Oh, to improve this class, I would have
wanted this aspect of the class to be different.’ ”
(3). to provide better administrative help for students in the program. Students
reported frustration when contacting the university’s service offices. They recommended
the offices to provide more timely response to online students’ request for help and lower
staff turnover rate. They also requested more communication between students and
“And there were some frustrations that I would try to contact somebody
in diversity and not getting phone calls back. And classes start three
50
days later, I’m calling school in panic trying to find out if I can postpone
that class without having to pay for it right then. You know those kinds
of things were frustrating.”
education program. They appreciated the thorough curriculum, fast pace, and flexibility
of the program. They felt that the program prepared them well for their teaching career:
“I think it did a very good job of preparing me. It was thorough going
over each subject matter, the requirements of the law, the requirements
of different school districts, the examples of what the curriculum
actually looks like, and developing lesson plans, and having your peers
and advisors critique your lesson plans.”
“I think the program prepared me personally very well because I had get
what I invested in the program. I was very serious about the program. It
was something I really wanted to take seriously and take advantage of…
I would do it all over again. I wouldn’t go to another other education
program. I thought it was fantastic. It really fit what I was looking for in
a teacher education program. I was still able to spend time with my
family. I just thought it was exactly what I needed in order to obtain my
goal.”
Two themes were drawn from students’ comments on the best practices of MU
Theme 1: The convenience and flexibility of the program allow increased access to
teacher education. MU teacher education program offers the convenience of both online
and on site classes. The scheduling of courses in the program is flexible. Onsite classes
are schedule on evenings and weekends to fit working adults’ schedule. Multiple
campuses of the program are also convenient for students to take onsite classes. Offering
online classes saves students’ driving time and allows each and quick access to course
materials.
“The central location of the office… the fact that they did have other
campuses so if you move you can continue your education, the online
course when you were traveling.”
“Rather than trying to rush to class which would take them about 45
minutes’ drive during rush hour, sit during the class and trying to learn,
and then come back home, I just didn’t thing that would be something I
could do.”
“For the online format itself, it’s very easy to follow, it’s very easy to
access, it’s very quick. There’s not a lot of picture and graphics that take
up the space. It’s very concise.”
The one-month course format gives students flexibility to take a break between
classes and opportunities to concentrate their time and efforts on one course at a time.
Students appreciate the compact learning experiences. This one-month course format
also allows student to complete the program faster than traditional teacher education
programs.
“I couldn’t have done a traditional day program in which the work load
would spread out over a period of time. So that wouldn’t work for me
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either. This worked for me. The classes were flexible. I could take a
month off if I wanted to, because it was a one month 4-week course…
the flexibility of online and on site.”
“I like the fact that you could get through the program one class a
month, which makes it more concentrated.”
Theme 2: Maintaining high quality of the program through recruiting experienced and
responsive instructors and having a practical curriculum (also see Theme 2 “Quality of
the program due to its practical curriculum and experienced instructors” under “Student
education program depended largely on the instructors they had in classes. Students
benefit from instructors who have extensive experiences in K-12 classrooms and are
“I got really good feedback from the courses I took online. So I really
didn’t have any complaints about the interaction with the instructors.
The instructors were prompt and they answered all the questions I had
in a timely manner.”
“Every single one of the teachers that I [had] in class were extremely
experienced, they were very attached to teaching, they really were
enthusiastic about it, they review their stuff back and forth. If I didn’t
have them there to emphasize certain points, I would be ill-prepared.”
would sustain and increase, and online learning would increase accessibility to teacher
education programs:
was just not possible for me to go to a school site and be gone for 3 or 4
hours a couple of nights a week to take classes. So I think it would open
the door for a lot more people to be able to become teachers.”
Students recognized the benefit of online learning in providing opportunities for teacher
“We were learning technology as well because a lot of the parts integrate
technology. So I think that’s a big advantage, being able to use that
technology on a regular basis because the classes are online, so you
would be learning technology.”
Three themes were drawn from students’ perceptions of online learning. Two of
the themes, “the effectiveness of online learning depends on the learners’ learning style
teacher education program. More of the students’ statements regarding these two
than face-to-face learning. Students believe that taking online classes is more challenging
than onsite classes due to the accountability on students for reading class materials and
thinking through response for online discussion. Online students cannot easily get by
with reading class materials from relying on instructor’s lectures and in-class
discussions. In addition, students think through the topics more when they have to
in writing also urge students to research more on the topics for discussion.
the readings anyway, but after going to college for so many years, I’ve
seen how many students would get by because they would show up for
lectures. I think that you have even more responsibility in an online
class because you are solely responsible for how much you get out of a
class.”
“In normal classes, meaning face-to-face with a teacher, you don’t have
to read just because, you know, the discussions [will make it up]. You
really can get through the class without having to read as much. But in
an online class, it forces you to read, because of the discussion that you
have, and all of the citations that you need to have. It’s very important
that you have your reading done, otherwise, you fall behind the class… it
keeps me accountable for reading and for thinking to do my responses. I
find that sometimes when you have to write out your responses, you get
to think through things a little bit better. And when you have a written
response, it’s reflective over a period of the time writing so what you
were seeing is more thought through than if you were just having a
discussion and to respond out aloud in a class where you were just
thinking out on the fly, you really can’t process the information before
you really have an answer.”
Theme 2: The effectiveness of online learning depends on students’ learning styles and
computer skills. Some students felt they would learn well regardless of the course
delivery format. Some commented that online learning worked better for them since they
self-directed learners who can learn from reading find online learning to be more
effective. On the other hand, less self-motivated and self-directed students may not be
able to succeed in an online learning environment or may need more time and efforts to
“I think the difference varies from person to person, but for me, I’m a
self-learner, so I’ll learn no matter what. If you give me a book, I’ll
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dedicate the time and learn it. For me, I think online learning takes
place better.”
“I think it really depends on the type of learner that you are. I’m one
that I can read information, I can go out and apply it right away. For
people who need to see that face-to-face example, how you might use
the tools, or just have a hard time getting information, I see where that
might be a problem. But for me, I’m the type of learner that I am, I just
thought it was wonderful.”
“[P]eople who are not used to a computer would definitely have a hard
time, they would need to take at least 3 or 4 classes to get used to doing
online class”
courses. Some course content seems to be more suitable for online learning than others.
Contents that are based on facts and student self learning were regarded to be more
suitable for online learning than courses that required a lot of interaction, problem-
“Some of the courses were simply content matter, not really a lot of
problem-solving, not really a lot of applications, were practically
adequate online. The health education class was perfectly adequate
online. But I don’t know if I could take the assessment class online. You
needed that interaction.”
other classes, I can’t see how it could be the same. It really would
depend on the class I guess.”
students needs to be emphasized in online learning (see Theme 1, “Online classes lack of
direct interaction with the instructor and other students” under “Student Perceived
Disadvantages,” and Theme 1 “To facilitate more real time student-instructor, student-
for the program, regardless of online or on site. Students are also required to complete
an 18-week long student teaching in local schools. Students in the interviews commented
(1). Integrated field experiences are necessary and effective. Students confirmed the
programs. The integrated field experiences provide students with adequate opportunities
to have first-hand onsite learning experiences within K-12 classrooms and to bridge
theories and practices. Such experiences are especially helpful for online students and
students who do not have opportunities to spend a lot of time in classrooms. Students
“I think they [the integrated field experiences] are truly effective. You
were inside a classroom. I’d never had an instructor that I visited that
were not willing to talk whenever they had a chance, to explain what
they were doing, what type of methodology were using… They were very
very effective in a place that they have students of learning, basically
what it is that you need to focus on. I feel being in that environment was
very strong and was a very good idea to have students do that.”
“I think it’s especially helpful for people who have not spent a lot of time
in the classroom … if you weren’t in a classroom, it gave you the
opportunities to force you into the classroom to make sure that’s where
you wanted to be… maybe even more so for an online courses because
you don’t have the interaction with other students.”
with professors, working with groups, and presenting at the end. Some
big type of semantic unit, so you really have to grasp it before teaching
different groups of children. That was very useful … they were extremely
beneficial. There was no way around it. You need to be in a classroom,
to put so many hours, to be in a classroom volunteering, that’s an
absolute.”
“Every course forces you to go into some forms of classrooms, and then
write an essay or video tape your experiences. And it was more
beneficial with more time in a classroom in front of real students.”
(2). The integrated field experiences need to be supported by student teaching. Student
teaching gives students opportunities to fully apply what they have learned from all
courses. The field experience assignments integrated in the courses are fragmented and
classroom from student teaching allows teacher candidates to establish rapport with
their students, carry out lesson plans, and exercise classroom management strategies.
“The assignments [the program] gave you to respond to while you were
observing in a class, those were good. It really depends on the teacher.
Sometimes the teacher wants you to participate very little on a class and
you don’t learn as much, don’t get much experience. Another teacher
you get more experience. I think the assignments were fair but it really
comes down to the teacher, to determine how much experience you get.”
(3). Many challenges for integrating field experiences exist, such as the short time frame
due to the one-month course format, difficulty in finding mentor teachers, lack of
mentoring support.
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“It was challenging. A lot of teachers … you get shut down a lot. It’s a
month course. You don’t know what you need to do until the course starts.
Sometimes in two weeks, the teachers don’t respond. Sometimes they
don’t want to let you in their classroom. It’s very difficult sometimes to
find a place.”
“There were hard for me to accomplish because I was working full time,
had 3 kids, and had a really hard time getting time off work to go
accomplish those…when you were not in that industry and you had to
start making phone calls to see where can you go to get this kind of
thing done… You found out what’s required of you the first night of class
and you got 4 weeks to get that done. And it was specific to what you
were supposed to observe or teach. Sometimes there’s not a good
amount of time where you feel like you’ve done a good job with it.”
organize and facilitate field experiences and student teaching. Better orientation of the
requirements for field experiences, better facilitation with placements, and more
supervision were suggested. Students would like to have more information of the
requirements in advance, more time to plan and prepare for field activities, and more
help from the program to locate appropriate classrooms and teachers. More dialogue
between the mentor classroom teachers and course instructors was needed for
“Field activities, it was a little bit [hard to find classrooms] just because
when you were not in that industry and you had to start making phone
calls to see where can you go to get this kind of thing done. You found
out what’s required of you the first night of class and you got 4 weeks to
get that done. And it was specific to what you were supposed to observe
or teach. Sometimes there’s not a good amount of time where you feel
like you’ve done a good job with it. It would be better to have the field
experiences be like a separate class that you are told at about the
beginning of your program and you have a certain amount of time in
which to get those activities done, so you can plan better around while
other teachers are teaching. Because what if it didn’t coincide or like …I
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think one time I had to do a field activity while the kids were on summer
vacation. So planning those courses so that… that time I had to teach to
some of the kids in my neighborhood, because I couldn’t go and do it in
a school site, because schools weren’t in session at that time”
“I think maybe there could be more dialogues between the teacher that
you are observing and your instructor. I think that’s something, that
maybe the teacher may be encouraged to discuss the student progress
with the professor themselves. I think that would be valuable because
then the professor can get feedback on [how] the student is performing
and the experience that they are having, and get a different point of view
than just the point of view of the student, kinda reflecting on their own
experience.”
“If there were some way for [the program] to facilitate getting into the
classrooms for those experiences, or give you a, you know, they know
about it, I don’t know what classrooms would work, they could have told
me in advance that you need to go into the classrooms and working with
learning disabled children, interviewing teachers for certain projects, so
I could start dealing with it two or three months ahead, then I would
always search for ways to be able to do that.”
such as informing students of the student teaching requirements early in the program
“I think they need to tell the students as they go through classes and
they go in to do observation, they should be thinking, ‘Is this somebody
I want to work with, is there potential for student teaching with?’ …It’s
important for me as a music teacher to see a solid program. And they
didn’t work into it to find you a good program, a good placement, they
just put me anywhere. I wanted a good example. They called me up a
week before school started then yelled at me because I wanted music,
and they said, ‘I don’t know anything about it, dahadahdah,’ then I said
I’ll put it up. I’m older, remember, [laughing] so I have some
connections. If you don’t connections, you can’t do what I did. You know
in the undergraduate program I worked with, they arrange student
teaching positions in the spring before for fall. They were interviewed,
they were discussed and connected. The student teacher, they met with
advisor, and that would all done before September… they knew what
they were doing.”
“When I was going into student teaching orientation where they would
give you the assignments, three of the four people were new to their
assignments in the last month, and they were very chaotic, they could
help me much and I had to find my own. So I thought, I paid a lot of
money and you said don’t do it, wait till the end of August then there
will be a school available… I thought it was very disorganized, because
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for whatever reason, the people at the office turned a lot… and made it
difficult for students.”
Six faculty members from the teacher education program at Marin University
(MU), including one program director, one co-chair, and four key faculty members, were
interviewed. The faculty members teach courses in different areas, including foundation
student teaching. All of them are responsible for not only teaching courses but also
Using the constant comparative method (Glaser, 1965), faculty interviews were
residential programs
program. Students in the program have already obtained their baccalaureate degree in a
The program has an open enrollment policy. Students can enter the program at any time
and enroll in courses at the beginning of any month during the year. Faculty members
“This university is very proud of the fact that we have unlimited, open
enrollment, and you can have access to the courses any beginning
month of the year… You can enter the program at any point any month.
Every month we offer the courses. They can be online or on ground.
They can student teach or they can do an alternative route.” (Dr. D., Co-
Chair)
MU teacher education program has 18-week long student teaching without cohorts. The
university collaborates with students’ local schools and allows students to do student
“The only other difference would be … The cohort is the situation that
one faculty member would be with the same group of students for a
year. That would include their two methods courses and student
teaching experience. Where at National, a) the students aren’t in
cohorts, and b) I teach two methods courses and then I usually find
students … I try to teach methods courses on ground rather than online.
In that way I work with students that are in the north county who I
taught in the methods courses. And then I’ll identify someone that I’ll go
on as a student teacher … I got to work with two [student teachers] as
opposed to 8 [in a T-TEP].” (Dr. C., Faculty)
(1). The program is quicker to complete than traditional teacher education programs.
Faculty members regard the quick turnaround of MU teacher education program as the
biggest difference.
(2). Students have the option to complete the program online, on site, or mixing online
and onsite classes. Faculty members considered this option as the uniqueness of MU
teacher education program. The entire program except student teaching is available
online. The program gives students choices to select the format for them to complete the
program. Currently more students choose to take the program online than on site.
“We have an online program that you can get your teaching credential
completely online, which exclude of course your student teaching and
your field experiences. Or you can get it completely on site where you
take the course on ground. Or you can mix and match, on ground or
online.” (Dr. D., Co-Chair)
“Now 52% [of students] are doing their program online. And 48%
percent are doing on ground … [online is] becoming the most popular to
go.” (Dr. D., Co-Chair)
(3). The program has a more mature student population than traditional teacher
working adults in their 30s who seek for a career change. They are more mature, more
focused on their learning goals, and more concerned about the quality of the program
“In fact if you ask about the profile of our candidates, the people that got
their undergraduate degree, they got out and worked, got married and
have a couple of kids, and then they said, you know, maybe this job,
whatever they’re doing, isn’t that fulfilling and what I really like to do,
and I’m 25, 30, 35 years old, maybe what I like is to go back get a
credential and be a teacher for the rest of my career. That’s our profile of
[our candidates]. The other part of our candidates was, like I said, got
their degree, got out, maybe they worked, maybe they traveled, then
they came back and got a temporary permit to teach. They are like in
their late 20s and early 30s and they’re teaching anyway. Now the state,
under NCLB, say you go to have your credential, so they come back and
get their credential.” (Dr. R., Director)
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“Our students are older. They are really concerned about the quality of
the instruction and the quality of the work that they turn in. It’s a very
very pleasant experience. Except that sometimes they are so intense
upon getting the best grade that they forget that really the whole
purpose of courses is to learn. Grades are very important for our
students.” (Dr. D., Co-Chair)
“They are more mature. Most of them have been successful in other
careers. They know how to study. They know what they want. And [this
program allows them to move through quickly]. They don’t have to go to
classes during the day. They are not 18 year old college kids.” (Dr. C.,
Faculty)
(4) Field experiences are integrated in all courses for the program. Each course in the
program has four anchor activities that are tied to the state standards for teaching
profession. All anchor activities have embedded field experiences. Therefore, students
have approximately four field experiences activities in every course. The integrated field
teaching mini lessons and interacting with students. Traditional teacher education
programs usually have students doing field experiences all at once during a course of a
semester or a quarter.
“Each of our courses has 4 anchor activities. They are tied to the CA
Standards for the teaching profession. All those anchor activities have
embedded in them some sorts of field experiences. So whether they’re
taking a course that’s foundation course, history or educational
psychology whatever, or methods courses they don’t’ have field
experiences built into the course. For example, I teach a middle and
secondary curriculum right now, the course focuses on the CA
curriculum standard. I’ve helped them to develop unit plan ideas and
lesson plans so forth. One of the things they have to do is they have to go
in and observe the kids, determine how they would differentiate the
instruction, based upon the top third, the middle third and the bottom
third, and two special needs people, one could be ELD, English
Language Development student, and they have to teach a lesson to those
people. That’s just one example of the field experiences.” (Dr. D., Co-
Chair)
“And instead of having student actually doing that [field experiences] all
at once say during a course of a semester, because of the nature of our
courses that are designed for working adults, we have more or less
divided those hours among different courses. So students have
approximately 4 hours of field experiences per course within their
credential program. And those field experiences involve going to local
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Theme 1: Convenience and accessibility of online courses for students, where students
have access to the courses, libraries, and all resources online. Students in MU teacher
education program are able to access courses and library resources online. Due to
enrolment numbers, not all classes are offered on all campuses of MU every month. The
availability of online courses gives students more choices of courses. Students do not
have to wait for a certain course to be offered on campus. Thus student access to the
program is greatly increased. Online classes have become more popular with students
than onsite classes. 60% of all university courses are now taught online.
“I think that to be able to access the courses, the library, all the
resources of the library is a big plus. Like for this class and all the
classes I teach, I have a reserved list at the library. They don’t have to go
to the library to get my… You and I have experienced… It’s there for
them. They just have to click on my class, the titles are the journal
articles that you’re supposed to read, they can click on it and there’s the
article. So the library is another big plus for our online students. Of
course, onsite students can do the same.” (Dr. M., Faculty)
“[The course] can’t be taught every month on site because there’s not
that many students [on site]. If you’re a candidate, rather than wait till
it’s taught onsite. You may just say that course is taught, if there’s 6
sections, there’s 5 sections that course is taught every month online. So
you end up taking it online. Just out of convenience. Again that’s the
advantage of online because we can offer, in this case, the entire
program online every month, and as well as, the specializations, if a
candidate wants to go on to the Master’s degree and get a specialization,
the specializations could never be offered in every center, but we can
offer them online… It’s all about access. Why should you because you
lived in wherever not having the access to the entire idea of that
catalogue, now you can. All you have to do is to log in online.” (Dr. R.,
Director)
“More and more people enjoy technology. We’re offering this and in
fact, 60% of all university courses are taught online. Only 40% are on
site. So I think that’s an indication that students do like those. So I think
that this is a big advantage. Although our students have a lot of perks, I
think that the online access to the library, and how they have ebooks,
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electronic books online, I think that’s a big plus. They have access to all
of this [reading list]… we give more Master’s degrees to students of
minorities than any other university in CA. I think that’s true as a
credential program, too, we saw this. We’re very aware there’re different
cultures that are living in CA, so we address their differences.” (Dr. M.,
Faculty)
Theme 2: Quick pace and concentrated learning experiences of the program. Teaching
and learning are very focused due to the quick courses and program. The one-month
courses meet students’ needs for efficiency. In addition, since both instructors and
students do not take multiple classes at the same time, they are able to focus and fully
engage in the teaching and learning experiences. Students’ and instructors’ full
“A lot of the students who chose to take the accelerated program and on
line, a lot of them are in the situation to get the work done and to get it
done efficiently because they are older adults, they are extremely
motivated and they know what they want out of it.” (Dr. H., Faculty).
“The other thing is that they only focus on 1 course, 1 course for 1
month. Instead of taking 4 courses [spread out for a semester], they take
1 course for that 1 whole month. That month we get their full attention.
You can really get a lot done. I am amazed at the end of each month I
can accomplish more in 1 class than I could… Online or on ground they
have to have 9 hours a week. That’s a lot of time. There’s a lot of
involvement going on rather than seeing them for 1 hour and a half on
Tuesday and an hour and a half on Thursday.” (Dr. M., Faculty)
“You end up with the students for one month. You’re totally focused on
curriculum development. As a result, it’s an intensive experience and
you really get closer emotionally, and also closer intellectually to the
students. In terms of learning, they are not thinking about OK I’m also
taking a course on the history of Kenya, if I’m a history teacher, or
taking a higher level biology course and taking a language class and
taking an art class and I got this how to design curriculum course. They
have to design curriculum. So they are focused on you and you’re
focused on them.” (Dr. C., Faculty)
Theme 3: Flexibility for faculty schedule. Both online and onsite classes are flexible for
education is 8 courses for 12 months. During the months that faculty members do not
66
teach, they may focus on research and/or other academic and personal activities. In
addition, faculty members are able to arrange their own time when teaching online.
Teaching online has become popular with faculty members in MU teacher education
program, where it is difficult for new faculty and adjunct faculty to get opportunities to
teach online.
“Teaching online is so popular that it’s very difficult for a new faculty,
adjunct faculty person to get into the rotation. Everybody wants to teach
online because they can teach the class in their pajamas.” (Dr. D, co-
chair)
pace of courses and the program. Onsite classes in MU teacher education program
usually last for 4.5 hours on evenings or weekends. Online courses require faculty
members to be available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Students in the courses
demand high-quality courses for their investment. Faculty teaching duties are usually
“Staying till 10 o’clock at night and having all these other administrative
duties during the day, there’s no time for grading. It’s really tough.
There’s the torn side of online. You’re 24-7.” (Dr. M., Faculty)
“When you have to teach that long [4.5 hours for the onsite course], you
have to be trained here on how to divide that up so you keep the
students involved. A lot of group activities. We use technology, we use
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video. There is lecture but it’s just a very small portion for the evening.”
(Dr. M., Faculty)
Faculty members reported that teaching online was challenging; for example, it is
time consuming to prepare and have all materials ready for online classes in advance,
instructors cannot have personal interaction and eye contacts with students, some
contents are difficult to teach online, and the instructor needed to be available to
students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Online teaching can be more self-paced but the
up-front preparation is stressful. The nature of teacher education presents challenges for
dispositions and to demonstrate some course contents such as love for reading. In
addition, faculty members mentioned that it was challenging to satisfy students’ different
environment. They also reported their frustration when students did not read the
announcements and syllabus or did not read them carefully then later had problems with
assignments.
“If you teach online, you have to ensure that students need to have
access to you 24x7. If you get up at 6am in the morning, there might be
students that have questions for you. If you teach online you have to be
online a lot. It’s very stressing.” (Dr. C., Faculty)
“Another thing that’s very difficult although you can do it in some way is
to demonstrate your love for reading when you’re teaching online.
Because you hope that’s rubbing off on your students.” (Dr. M., Faculty)
instructors have started using more interactive online technologies such as the chat room
to enhance synchronous interaction with students. Instructors believe that with the
advance of online technologies, their interaction with online students can become more
personal.
“I did do the online chat. I like chat. Last month, it’s the first time I’ve
ever done that, add chat to online, which made me closer to the
students. And I do an information sheet so I know where they’re living
because they are all over. So there’s a lot of things that we do to make it
more personable. Phone calls. I just got a call. There’s a girl whose
house got fire and all that. All of her family lived in Vermont. We have
these personal contacts with our online students, but it’s not like being
there and have the eye contacts … You don’t meet with the students
online one-on-one. You don’t have that personal contact.” (Dr. M.,
Faculty)
“You can’t really get away from the fact that online learning is still very
text-based, and requires a lot of reading and writing.” (Dr. H., Faculty)
challenges for the program to implement new state standards on evaluating teacher
education program.
for the program to administrate and supervise field experiences for online
field experiences in online classes. With the amount of students in the program
(- over 1000 students for teacher credentials each year) and the amount of field
activities required for all courses (- 4 for each course), it is very challenging for
performance.
“The big things that threaten our program is that you don’t know that
the candidates [students] are going out doing these [field experiences]
activities, entering the classrooms that they should be encountering, so
and so experiences they should have to fulfill their field experience
requirements while they are in the program… we have nominally a field
experience coordinator. That field experience coordinator devotes
99.9% of their time in terms of student teaching placements … It’s a
challenge. You have to remember all the other classes that precede
student teaching: the foundations classes, the methods classes, the field
experience coordinator has overset over the field experiences of
students, in reality, there’s no administration. There’s no oversight …
out candidate population will eventually be the case that almost
exclusively with people with no classroom experiences. Then, sending
out those people with no classroom experiences and ask them to go find
a school and observe classroom practices, it’s going to be a mess. … How
do you ensure? What insurance do you have? Because just talk about
some of the numbers in CA, we probably have agreements with 700
school districts, so we probably credential 2000-3000 teachers a year.
Maybe 1500, between 1500 to 2000… you even have 20 students in a
class, 7 classes, each class contains at least two field experiences, so you
start doing the multiplication, it’s thousands and thousands and
thousands students going into classrooms that may or may not answer
to the interests.” (Dr. R, director)
Offering all courses online year round and providing online services were
regarded as one of the advantages as well as the best practices of the program:
“I think that for the students that we serve, how the courses and
programs are structured is highly beneficial and allows to serve the
students who might not otherwise be able to complete a degree program
because of their economic situation, work, child care issues, and things
like that.” (Dr. H., Faculty)
Integrating field experience in each course was also considered as the program’s
best practice. It provides students with adequate hands-on learning experiences and
opportunities to practice what they learned in the courses. The requirements for field
“If field experiences are concerned, every student completes the same,
whether they take the class on site or online… It’s going to be exactly the
same, because if a student is taking the class on site, it doesn’t mean she
or he is going to have more experiences in the classroom than some of
them taking online.” (Dr. H., Faculty)
experiences in the teaching profession as another best practice of the program. Faculty
members in the program are certified teachers and principals with successful
their efforts on teaching and dedicated to students’ learning. They collaborate with each
other and coordinate syllabi to provide students with a synchronous and developmental
“I also think one of our best practices is involving people we’re actually
in the field teaching, teaching our courses.” (Dr. D., Co-Chair)
MU teacher education program also designs sound and consistent online courses.
The online courses in MU teacher education program are designed using different media
to motivate student learning. Online courses are also designed to stay consistent with
onsite courses. In addition, online courses are constantly revised to stay current and
engaging.
“All online courses have to be designed with learning activities that are
audio, learning activities that are visual, and learning activities that are
kinesthetic. So we now have a lot more original tape that’s used in
courses. We work in groups and do analysis of what’s coming on to a
classroom in video tapes, and work in groups, I think that is breaking
down that kind of traditional correspondence to much more a learning
environment. I also think a lot of our courses are moving towards
hybrid, in which we meet with the students a percentage of time online
and a percentage of time online. The online can take a couple of
different avenues. Online could be obviously our on ground students,
we’re physically in the same room. Or the online experience could be in
video conferencing, or synchronous learning. So you have a camera and
you have audio. Half of the course I’m teaching is through Internet
video conferencing.” (Dr. C., Faculty)
Faculty members stated the lack of personal contact as a disadvantage for online
classes. On the hand had, they also reported that the program constantly took
“We’re right now in the progress improving our online courses, redoing
them to make them more current. There’s constantly ongoing process
that’s taking place.” (Dr. D., Co-Chair)
suggested distance teacher candidates to have onsite meetings at some time during the
73
“I also think a lot of our courses are moving towards hybrid, in which
we meet with the students a percentage of time online, and a percentage
of time online. The online can take a couple of different avenues. Online
could be obviously our on ground students, we’re physically in the same
room. Or the online experience could be in video conferencing, or
synchronous learning. So you have a camera and you have audio. Half of
the course I’m teaching is through Internet video conferencing… When
you learn classroom management skills, you have to be online. So that
would be a kind of hybrid situation.” (Dr. C., Faculty)
Research studies have showed no significant differences in results between online and
face-to-face learning. Online classes call for different teaching methods. Instructors can
do good modeling of different teaching strategies and hold high expectations in online
have high-level thinking skills. Students may like or dislike online classes based on their
opportunities for students to choose the best course delivery format that works for their
learning styles.
“Another thing in terms of the field experiences, in the roles that they
play is that, the research that has been done around here, is showing no
differences in terms of candidate preparedness, candidate performance,
as far as those prepared online and those prepared on site.” (Dr. R.,
Director)
“There’re people that love it and there’re people that hate it. It’s kind of
like learning through different modalities. Some people like learning
74
“I strongly believe that you can also do a lot of really good modeling in
online environment as well. They will not be the exactly same kind of
modeling, but you can still model cooperative learning, you can still
model peer type of interaction, you can still model responsiveness,
professionalism, and many things are extremely important for students.
And we have very high expectations for their written work and their
discussions. And you expect them to demonstrate high level of insights
into what they are seeing in the school, what they are writing about in
the discussion online in a way that you can get very high quality of
education to the majority of teacher candidates… maybe if you’re taking
a class online as a student, you need to be much more self-disciplined
and self-motivated in order to be able to complete the course work well.
So have someone that you don’t have to be online necessarily, so you
slack a little bit, in an online class, the consequence maybe
embarrassing… Sometimes students thought online classes are easier
than onsite classes, but really it is not the case.” (Dr. H., Faculty)
More over, faculty members emphasized that a good instructor is critical for effective
online learning experiences. In online classes, students do not have the advantage of
having a good in-class discussion with classmates and other face-to-face activities to
make up for a weak instructor. Regardless of the convenience and flexibility of online
courses, students will not be able to take full advantages of online learning if they do not
studies, two course syllabi of Reading and Language Arts Methodology for Elementary
Schools and Educational Psychology, and one student teaching final assessment form.
The student program of studies for the preliminary multiple subject teaching credential
Foundation of Education
The Diverse Classroom
Educational Psychology
Language Development Methods for the Elementary School
Reading and Language Arts Methods for the Elementary School
Curriculum and Instruction I: History, Social Science, Physical Education, Visual
and Performing
Curriculum and Instruction II: Mathematics, Science
The course syllabi provide examples of required and suggested field-based activities, for
example:
“Required Activity
1 a-i) Gather student data and assessment results, write a case study that
accounts for instructional strategies. Include student learning needs,
instructional strategies, and classroom management that support needs
identified in the assessment result. Suggest further assessments to monitor
student progress. Align with the local and state-adopted English Language
Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools and the
Reading/Language Arts Framework for California Pubic Schools.
Suggested Activity
1 a-ii) Candidate write a report or letter to be used at a meeting with a
student’s family that communicate their child’s assessment results and
includes suggested strategies for helping their child at home.”
“Major Content Area 4: From your field activity classroom observations and
using information provided in Slavin, create a 1000 word Annotated Table of
Contents that describe the components of a yearend assessment portfolio for
a variety of California students (including exceptional needs and ELL
students). The table would include standardized tests and assessments,
among them the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) as
well as strategies used to monitor and evaluate student learning during
instruction. The portfolio is to be used to assess student content knowledge as
well as account for student progress compared to that of his or her peers.”
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Requirements and contents of the courses stay the same for online and onsite versions of
the same course to ensure consistency of the course. Individual instructors are not
CHAPTER 5 – DISCUSSION
This study aims to provide evidence for teacher educators and administrators to
chapter will discuss the results from data analysis, answer the research questions, and
Research Question 1
How does a teacher education program that applies blended learning differ from
Analysis of data from different sources triangulates and supplements the results
to answer this research question (see Table 27). Looking across different data sources,
both the students and faculty members in MU teacher education regarded the
accelerated pace of the programs and the option to complete the programs online, onsite,
or mix and match as the primary difference between MU teacher education program and
courses, and completing an 18-week long student teaching in students’ local schools
without cohorts.
Results from the survey show that MU teacher education program has more
students taking all of their courses online (29%) than those taking all of the courses on
site (7%). Students in the program were working adults 25 or older with more female
program, the teacher education program at Marin University takes one year to one year
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and a half to finish, which is quicker than a two-year traditional teacher education
The findings of Young and Lewis’s (2008) study indicate that distance teacher
preparation programs are more likely to have non-traditional (students above the age of
25) and female students. The findings from analyzing survey data for this study support
Young and Lewis’s findings regarding the student population for distance teacher
education programs. Results from interview data further explain that students in such a
program have normally already obtained a baccalaureate degree. They are older adults
with jobs, families, and other responsibilities and are usually not able to attend a
traditional teacher education program for teacher certification. However, they are
generally highly motivated to enter the teaching profession and are reported to be more
January. Levin (2006) included admission as one of the components for effective teacher
increases flexibility and access of the program. What should also be brought to
discussion is the criterion for admissions in order to ensure the quality of teacher
candidates.
Courses in MU teacher education program last for a shorter period of time of four
degree to enter the teaching profession. The availability of online courses increases the
program’s accessibility. Researchers and teacher educators have been emphasizing the
2001; Whitney et. al., 2002; Korthagen & Kessels, 1999; Levine, 2006). MU teacher
education program provides a new model for teacher candidates to obtain adequate field
experiences through integrated field activities in all courses for the program.
Research Question 2
What are the perceived advantages and disadvantages of applying a blended format
Perceived Advantages
the survey and interviews of students and faculty members to answer this research
question. Students who participated in the survey perceived the convenience and
flexibility of the program to fit working adults’ schedule (including offering online and
evening and weekend classes) as the predominant advantage of the program (65%).
Other top rated advantages of the program includ the quick pace to complete the
program (25%), the high quality of classes (11%), the experienced instructors in the
During the interviews, students and faculty members specified the advantages of
the teacher education program at Marin University (MU). Both students and faculty
program as its advantages. Courses in the program are delivered both online and on site.
The availability of online courses increases access to the program. Arrangement of onsite
courses on evenings and weekends fits students’ schedule. One of the advantages of
blended learning is that it optimizes the advantages of both online and classroom
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also reported the practical curriculum for the program and experienced and dedicated
The results from analyzing different data sources triangulate and also
supplement findings for the perceived advantages of blended learning. It is clear that
convenience, flexibility and accessibility of the blended learning program are the most
commonly perceived advantages. Other advantages include the quick pace to finish, the
concentrated learning experiences, the high quality of the curriculum, and the
instructors who have extensive experiences in the field. Graham (2006) stated the
flexibility, and increased cost-effectiveness. Results from this study support the claimed
Coherent and balanced curriculum and quality faculty are the core components of
Levine’s (2006) nine-point template for judging the quality of teacher education
teacher education program consider the program of high quality in addition to its
Perceived Disadvantages
completed the survey include: The program is too expensive (17%); Some instructors
were irresponsive (14%); Some courses lack quality (9%); Administrators and support
staff were not helpful (7%); Online classes lack personal interaction (7%); The workload
for studying may be overwhelming due to the speed of program (5%). Students further
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illustrated the disadvantages during the interviews. Some online classes lack personal
interaction with the instructor and other students. The online program could be
From summarizing results of analyzing data from different sources, two major
directed students.
Other perceived disadvantages of the program may include the expensive cost for
student enrollment, lack of quality in some courses, challenges for arranging and
supervising the integrated field experiences, and the pressure to meet changing state
regulations.
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claims that great challenges exist for implementing blended learning (Christensen, 2003;
Graham, 2006), especially the challenges to balance online and face-to-face instruction,
support learner maturity and capacity for self-regulation, provide guidance for learners,
and provide learners with technological skills to succeed in both online and face-to-face
environments.
tasks, and difficulties caused by students’ lack of technological skills (Beard & Harper,
2002a; Hughes & Hagie, 2005; Steinweg et al., 2005; Stephen & Barford, 2005).
Findings from this study indicated that many of the disadvantages of online learning still
exist in teacher education programs that apply blended learning at the program level.
student participants in the survey, 11% perceived the quality of classes as an advantage,
and 9% as a disadvantage. For the instructors, 14% of students reported they experienced
approximately 100 full-time and over 900 part-time faculty members. It is very possible
for students to experience different instructors during the program. However, students’
emphasis of their experiences with instructors indicates the important role of instructors
in ensuring effective online learning (Carnes et. al., 2003; Chrisstensen, 2003; Levine,
2006).
83
Research Question 3
What are the wise practices for applying blended learning in teacher education at the
program level?
Students and faculty reported the best practices they experienced from MU
In the survey, students reported the reasons that they chose to study in MU
teacher education program. The top five reasons are the program’s quick pace (34%), the
flexibility of class schedules (33%), the convenience of online classes (26%), others’
recommendation of the program (19%), and the close-by locations of the program (6%).
These five reasons coincide with the reported best practices of the program from student
and faculty interviews. In summary, the wise practices of MU teacher education program
include: (a) the program is highly convenient and flexible with the availability of online
classes, satellite campuses throughout the state, and convenient scheduling of classes;
(b) field experiences are integrated in all courses for the program; (c) the one-month
course format promotes concentrated learning and efficiency; (d) the program maintains
its quality through recruiting experienced and dedicated faculty, offering a practical
indicators for an effective teacher education program (Korthagen & Kessels, 1999;
Levine, 2006). Students in teacher education should gain adequate experiences in order
to understand theories (Korthagen & Kessels, 1999). Russell & McPherson (2001) called
for collaboration of all involved parties for teacher preparation and connection of theory
and practice of an induction model to focus on learning from experiences. Whitney et. al.
(2002) stated that an effective teacher education program needs to form close
collaborative partnership with schools and incorporate more and earlier fieldwork
courses, whether online or on site. This approach allows teacher candidates to start their
field experiences earlier and obtain sufficient practice from the program.
Levine (2006) listed nine categories to judge the quality of a teacher education
program: (a) purpose, (b) curricular coherence, (c) curricular balances, (d) faculty
composition, (e) admissions, (f) degree, (g) research, (h) finances, and (i) assessment.
students reported high levels of satisfaction with the online classes and the program.
This finding should encourage teacher education professionals to apply blended learning
in teacher preparation.
On the other hand, faculty members who participated in this study agreed that
the nature of teacher education presents challenges for learning in the online
environment; for example, it is difficult to teach teacher disposition, arrange role playing
or demonstrate one’s love for reading in online classes. These challenges call for more
Research Question 4
How do students and teachers in a blended teacher education program perceive online
Young and Lewis (2008) discovered that teacher candidates have generally
Findings of Harrell and Harris’s (2006) comparative study of online and traditional
teacher education. They are satisfied with their experiences in MU teacher education
program (Table 11). Students perceive the assignments for field experiences in all course
85
as necessary and helpful for preparing them to become successful teachers (Mean=3.89
on the scale of 5, see Table 13). They also believe that the integrated field experiences
must be supported by student teaching. At the same time, challenges for integrating field
experiences in the program are identified, such as the repetitiveness of some field
activities, difficulty with placement, and the need for more facilitation and supervision.
Students in MU teacher education program feel the program serves their needs
better than a traditional teacher preparation program (Mean=4.01 on the scale of 5, see
Table 13). They believed that MU teacher education program adequately prepared them
Table 13). Students in MU teacher education program believe that online courses in a
(Mean=3.18, see Table 16). They believe more teacher education programs should have
The survey questions asked for participants’ perceptions of online and blended
learning. The results of factor analysis of the survey data yielded five domains of
practices in teacher education curriculum, (c) learner control, (d) faculty supervision,
and (e) perceived effectiveness of online learning in teacher education. The results from
calculating the mean, median, and standard deviation of each domain indicated positive
teacher education curriculum, learner control, and faculty supervision in online learning.
The survey was developed based on synthesizing literature on online and blended
aspects of student perceptions. These aspects have their own emphasis but are
theoretically interrelated to each other (see Table 1 – 4). The results of correlations of the
five domains support the interrelationship among most domains, except the relationship
86
between student perceptions of practices and faculty supervision, and between students
perceptions of learning control and faculty supervision (see Figure 1). Students and
faculty in the interviews reported that students need to be self-directed and monitor
their own learning in the program. Minimum supervision over student field experiences
activities was also reported by faculty members. The lack of supervision may be the
reason why students do not perceive faculty supervision as closely related to practices in
Data of student perceptions were also collected from answers to the open-ended
questions in the survey and from interviews. Survey participants were asked to specify
what online courses they took would be better taught on site or in a blended format of
online and face-to-face learning. The most frequent answers to the questions were
“None” to both options (37% and 29%, respectively) and “All” to both options (11% and
9%, respectively). Clearly, more students favor online classes over onsite classes.
Generally speaking, students were satisfied with the courses they took online. They
support the application of blended learning in teacher education at the program level to
Among the reasons that survey participants gave for courses to be better taught
on site than online, the most frequently reported were the need for personal interaction
with the instructor and other students and the need for immediate feedback. The
onsite classes were recognized as the most important reason why some courses would be
In the survey, students reported how they perceived the influences of course
delivery format (online or onsite) on learning. Results show that the influences vary from
computer skills as well as course contents. Some students felt they would learn well no
matter what the delivery format is (online or on site). Self-motivated and self-directed
learners who can learn from reading may achieve more with online learning. In addition,
personal interaction between student and instructor and among students needs to be
emphasized in online learning. Others commented that online learning work better for
their learning style. The influences were also determined by the content of courses. Some
course contents seem to be more suitable for online learning than others.
Students believe that online learning in teacher education will sustain and
increase, online learning increases access to teacher education programs, online learning
effective than face-to-face learning, and the effectiveness of online learning depends on
students’ learning styles and computer skills and also is determined by course contents.
instructor in online learning. These findings are in accordance with and support
students’ general positive perceptions of online learning that are identified from
Similar to the findings from King’s (2002) study, both faculty members and
effective online learning experiences. Furthermore, faculty also emphasize that the
Carnes et al. (2003) found that the quality of online learning mainly depends
upon course contents, students and instructors. Results from this study further support
their findings and explain the characteristics of course contents, students, and
was mentioned more than any other courses to be better taught face-to-face onsite (5%)
or in a blended format (4%) in the survey responses for this study. Based on the most
popular reason for preferred online teaching or blended learning, it may be assumed that
personal interaction is more critical for some courses than others. Fact-based contents
are regarded to be more suitable for online environments due to current text-based
online instruction. Contents that require more interaction between students and the
for online teaching. Learning styles and personal preferences are emphasized as factors
that determine how effectively students can learn online. Responsive instructors are vital
applying a blended format of online learning and face-to-face interaction. They believe
online courses can be taught as effectively as onsite courses. They also acknowledge the
pluses and minuses for teaching online and realize that a good instructor is critical for
effective online learning experiences. The recognized benefits for teaching online include
the convenience, flexibility and self-pace of teaching. On the other hand, online
instructors encounter challenges such intensive upfront preparation and the demand for
instructor’s availability of 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Despite the challenges, it is
reported that teaching online is more popular with MU faculty members than teaching
onsite.
Findings from this study indicate that students and faculty members are satisfied
with their learning and teaching experiences in the blended learning teacher education
89
program at Marin University (MU). The fact that more students completed the program
online than on site and the high student satisfaction level with the online courses at MU
reflect the success of the online components of the program. In addition, students and
faculty members reported that they saw online learning as a trend in teacher education
that would sustain and increase. Faculty believe that online learning in teacher education
online teacher education provides teacher candidates with opportunities to learn and
learning in teacher education at the program level instead of course level, but in favor of
members identified that a blended learning format benefits students’ learning both at
course and program level. It is suggested that distance teacher candidates should
physically visit sites or conduct online synchronous meetings with faculty members
during the program. Technologies such as video conferencing and mobile devices (Shen,
Wang, & Pan, 2008) have provided opportunities for real-time synchronous interaction
with the instructor and peers for distance students. A conclusion can be drawn that it is
From the survey and interviews, students and faculty suggested ways to further
improve the program: to lower the cost, to facilitate more real time student-instructor
instructor’s teaching performances, to better organize and facilitate field experiences and
student teaching, to provide better administrative help for students, to standardize the
online courses, and to assist students’ career development (see Table 31)
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Based on the wise practices of MU teacher education program and insights from
faculty and students for improving the program, six suggestions for applying blended
(1) Scope of program: To determine the scope of a blended learning program based
capacity and resources, and analyze the needs of their students to determine the
scope, such as the number of online students the program may serve, the number
of classes to be available online and on site, and the opportunities for state-level
blended learning should also be taken into consideration. This is an effort that
involves reexamining all identified aspects that determine the quality of a teacher
(2) Modification of online courses: To modify online courses for different learning
styles instead of copying onsite courses to the online environment. Offering all or
some of the courses online does not simply equal copying the syllabus and
the online environment and students’ different learning styles. At the same time,
online courses need to keep consistent with onsite classes to ensure the quality of
the courses. Bunderson (2003) proposes to view blended cases as design studies
frameworks help guide the design and redesign of courses and programs when
teacher education (Korthagen & Kessels, 1999; Levine, 2006; Russell &
Marin University provides a new model and a good example for integrating field
hands-on learning experiences for both online and onsite students. In addition,
the 18-week-long student learning allows students to enhance and expand their
learning from field experiences activities and practice what they learned from all
supervise student performance and communicate with mentor teachers for field
courses when applying blended learning in their programs. Courses may utilize
various formats to better meet current and potential students’ needs and still
program shows that one-month courses may lead to greater efficiency and
concentrated in-depth learning though the teaching and learning work load is
highly intensive.
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(5) Responsive instructors: Results of this study indicate the great importance of
2007) are also needed for instructors to improve their strategies for teaching
(6) Online services: To provide extended online services for students. Online services
extended online services for students to enroll in classes, seek advice, and solve
technical problems.
The results of this study provide evidences for teacher education professionals to
understand how blended learning may contribute to teacher education. The findings
support the viability and benefits for applying blended learning in teacher education at
the program level. By combining online classes and field-based face-to-face learning
access, and efficiency while maintaining the quality of the program. These benefits allow
With the fast development of online interactive technologies and younger generation
becoming more and more accustomed to online communication and interaction, online
teacher education programs may become more and more attractive. Despite the
93
perceived disadvantages and challenges, students in this study reported significant levels
they were well prepared to become teachers. They have generally positive perceptions of
effectiveness of online learning in teacher education. Young & Lewis (2008) state,
conversations regarding the viability of training teachers at a distance” (p. 608). Results
from this study urge education professionals not only to start that conversation but also
The findings of how instructors, students, and course contents may determine
readiness, and the design and re-design of online course for blended learning teacher
education programs.
online learning as well as the importance of providing adequate personal interaction and
examined in this study provides a good example by integrating field experiences in all
courses and organizing student teaching in students’ local schools. The suggestions for
implementing blended learning in teacher education are based on literature and findings
from this study. These suggestions will be able to provide a practical guideline for
Limitations
This study was initially planned to investigate all five online teacher education
programs in the universities listed in Table 5 regarding the experiences and perceptions
94
of their student and faculty members. However, due to the lack of access, only one
program was examined. Fortunately, the teacher education program at Marin University
allowed for in-depth examination of student and faculty experiences in the program and
their perceptions of online and blended learning, answering the research questions for
this study. Teacher education programs in the nation vary widely in size, purpose,
resources. This study is exploratory and examined one case of teacher education
program that applies blended learning at the program level. Findings may not be
Participants in the online survey and interviews were voluntary. Email lists were
generated randomly for recruiting participants. It was possible that the email message
for calling for participation did not reach all of the students on the email list. It was also
possible that only students who had very good or very bad experiences with the teacher
education program responded to the survey. Therefore, the participants in this study
may not fully represent students in the teacher education program that was examined for
this study.
When students were asked in the survey about their experiences in the program,
the options for answer included “very satisfied,” “somewhat satisfied,” “not sure,” “not
satisfied,” and “other.” The options weighted more towards reporting satisfaction and
An online survey for faculty members was developed for this study but was not
administered. Faculty members from online or onsite teacher education programs may
teacher education.
95
from traditional programs, wise practices, and perceptions of students and faculty from
such a program towards online learning. Sizmann and colleagues (2006) identified five
learner population, (b) instructional methods, (c) learner control, (d) human interaction,
(e) practice and feedback, and (f) length of training. Further studies are needed to
determine the learning effectiveness and quality of candidates prepared from blended
from this study, most of which are interrelated (see Figure 1) to reflect the literature on
supervision were identified. Based on the data from the survey and interviews for this
program. Further research studies are needed to confirm the hypothesized relationship
This study found that less collaborative learning occurs in predominantly online
program are mostly designed as individual work, and there is no cohort for field
experiences and student teaching. At the same time students in the program regarded
collaboration with others as important for their learning. King (2002) advocated that
effective ways to integrate field-based experiences and other onsite learning experiences
in online teacher education are needed to guide practices of both online and traditional
This study supports the application of blended learning at the “enabling blends”
level according to Graham’s (2006) classifications based on the practical question of how
to blend. Further studies may be conducted to examine how to bring the application of
technologies.
Conclusion
Findings from this study support the viability and benefits of applying blended
learning in teacher education at the program level. The opportunities for students to take
classes and complete their program online increase the convenience, flexibility, and
education program may maintain or improve the quality of teaching preparation. These
enhancements open the door to the teaching profession for eligible candidates who are
not able to attend the traditional teacher education programs due to jobs, family, or
other constraints. The nature of teacher education calls for the implementation of field-
teacher preparation programs. In this study, great satisfaction was reported by students
who experienced blended learning in their teacher education program. Students and
faculty are generally positive about their learning and teaching experiences in the
97
program. Their perceptions of online learning are also generally positive. In addition,
they hold positive attitudes towards the future of online learning in teacher education
The 2007 Sloan-C® report on online learning indicates that at least 3.5 million
students were taking at least one online course during fall 2006, an increase 9.7% over
the previous year. The number of online students has doubled since 2002, growing from
1.6 million students taking at least one online class to at least 3.5 million of them. The
9.7% growth rate for online enrollment far exceeds the 1.5% growth rate of the overall
higher education student population. In addition, the report testifies that overall demand
for online instruction is growing. To increase student access and attract students from
outside traditional service areas are the top reasons why institutions offer online courses
and programs (Allen & Seaman, 2007). Teacher education programs such as those listed
in the study (Table 5) have been pioneers in implementing blended learning. The
increasing trend of online learning, the need to train quality teachers, and the current
budget constrains due to the economic crisis (Economy in Crisis, 2008) call for teacher
rapid development of online technologies to improve the access, efficiency and quality of
teacher preparation.
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101
2) Are you a:
Female
Male
4) Why did you chose to study in the teacher education program at National University?
6) What was/were your focused area(s) of study: (please check all that apply)
Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Secondary Math Education
Secondary Science Education
Secondary English Education
Secondary Social Studies Education
Special Education
Art Education
Music Education
Physical Education
Other
8) How old were you when you enrolled in the teacher education program?
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
102
35-39
40-44
45-49
50 or older
Other
9) What was your working status when you were in the teacher education program?
Working full-time
Working part-time
Not working
Other
10) Which state of the U.S. were you living in during your teacher education program?
11) If you were living outside of the U.S. when you enrolled in the program, which
country or region did you live? If not, please skip this question.
12) How many courses did you take to complete your program of studies?
13) How did you take the courses in your teacher education program?
All of them online
Mostly online with a few on site
Half online and half onsite
Mostly on site with a few online
All on site
Other
14) What field-based experiences were required in the program (Please check all that
apply)
Observation of classroom teaching
Interview of teachers
Interaction with pupils
Participating in teacher meetings
Student teaching
Other
15) What courses or components of your program, if any, required you to go on site of
the campus of your university
16) What courses or components of the program, if any, required you to go to local
schools?
17) What courses or components of the program, if any, required you to go to other
onsite places?
18) What online courses that you took would be better taught face-to-face on site?
19) Why those online courses would be better taught face-to-face on site?
103
20) What courses, if any, would be better taught when combining online learning and
face-to-face meeting?
21) Why would those courses be better taught combining online learning and face-to-face
meetings if you listed any in the above question?
22) Who do you think would benefit the most from the program you were enrolled in?
Anyone who wishes to become a teacher
Working adults who wish to become teachers
Those who can self-regulate their learning
Those who are comfortable with using computers
Other
23) Are you satisfied with the teacher education program at National University?
Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Not satisfied at all
Not sure
Other
24) What do you think were the biggest advantages of your program?
25) What do you think were the disadvantages, if any, of the teacher education program
you were in?
26) What were the biggest challenges for you to complete the teacher education program
at National University?
Please answer the following questions by choosing from "strongly disagree" to "strongly
agree" based on how well they apply to you. 28) Self-directedness was the key for
students to succeed in my teacher education program.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
30) Students in teacher education need to have control of their learning in order to
achieve high learning outcomes.
104
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
32) Students in teacher education need opportunities to practice what they have learned
in class in order to master the skills and knowledge.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
33) My teacher education program gave me chances to practice what I learned from my
courses.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
34) The field experience assignments in all courses helped to prepare me to become a
successful teacher.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
36) Interaction with instructors was vitally important for me to learn any subject in my
teacher education program.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
105
Strongly Agree
37) Interacting with other students in my teacher education program helped me to learn.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
38) I needed immediate feedback from my instructor(s) when taking an online course.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
39) I believe I had adequate interaction with my instructors in the program to help my
learning.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
40) I had adequate interaction with my fellow students in the program to help my
learning.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
43) The program I went through serves my needs better than a traditional teacher
preparation program.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
106
Agree
Strongly Agree
46) I spent 2-3 hours on studying for each credit hour I enrolled in, that is, I spent about
6-9 hours each week on studying for a 3-credit-hour course when I was in the program.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
48) I wish we could have more supervision over the field-based experiences in the
program.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
49) I believe more teacher education programs should have online options.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
51) I believe online courses in a teacher education program can be taught as effectively as
those face-to-face on site.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
52) I believe all content in a teacher education program can be taught even more
effectively online than face-to-face on site.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly Agree
108
2) MU offers teacher education programs online. What do you think are the
5) Did you take your courses mainly online or on site? And why?
face in a classroom, etc.) of a course influence your learning? Why and why
not?
8) Do you think online courses give you more flexibility and control for learning?
9) How did you like the field activities in the courses? Do you feel the field
10) What are the most useful field activities that you were required to do?
11) Were field activities required in your online courses? How did you like the
field activities in online courses? Were they helpful? How can the activities be
improved?
12) How do you think the online course(s) you took can be improved?
13) Based on your experiences, what do you like the most of the TED program at
National?
15) Who do you think benefit the most from your program?
16) What courses do you feel that you learn the most and why?
17) What courses do you feel that you didn’t learn much and why?
18) What are the challenges for you to succeed in the program?
19) Did you feel studying for the one-month course was intensive? How did you
20) How does the program prepare you to teach the content of your subject(s)?
21) How does the program prepare you regarding methodology of teaching?
5) Why are these course (refer to the answer to the above question) offered to
students online?
6) What media and tools do you use for teaching courses online?
8) [If teaching courses online] What are the major differences from teaching
9) What do you think are the challenges for teaching your course(s) online?
10) What are the challenges for students to succeed in your course(s)?
11) How your teaching and/or mentoring responsibilities fit in the teacher
12) What do you see as the biggest difference between your online teacher
13) What do you see as the advantages of an online teacher education program
like yours?
program, if any?
15) How do you think your teacher education program can be improved?
16) Do you think with the development of online technologies all teacher
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Instructional System Technology, 9/2003 – 5/2009, GPA: 3.95
Indiana University – Bloomington, IN
Minor: Educational Inquiry Methodology
Dissertation title: A Case Study of an Accelerated Blended Teacher Education Program
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Instructional Designer, 1/2009 – present
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC
Supporting faculty members with instructional design and innovative technologies to assist
teaching and learning
Facilitating campus wide assessment of courses, programs aligned with institution accreditation
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Indiana University – Bloomington, IN
Courses currently teaching:
• R503 (online) - Applications of Instructional Media and Technology
• R505 (online) – Computer Based Teaching Methods
CONFERENCE PAPERS
Wang, Y. (2008, November) A Framework for Analyzing Blended Learning in Teacher
Education. Paper presented at the 2008 Association for Educational Communications and
Technology International Convention, Orlando, FL.
Wang, Y. & Leftwich, A. (2008, November) Implementing Inquiry Learning in Technology
Preparation for Pre-service Teachers - A Preliminary Case Study. Paper presented at the
2008 Association for Educational Communications and Technology International
Convention, Orlando, FL.
Wang, Y. & Reynolds, T. (2008, November) Candidate Perspectives of Integrated Field-Based
Experience in Online Teacher Education – An Extended Study. In G. Richards (Ed.),
Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare,
and Higher Education 2008 (pp. 3291-3300). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
Wang, Y. & Brush, T. (2008, March) Learning online or on campus - A case study. Paper
presented at the 2008 American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, New
York, NY.
Brush, T., Wang, Y., Waston, S. L., Saye, J., Kohlmeier, J., & Maddox, L. (2008, March) How
do pre-service social studies teachers implement problem-based historical inquiry
strategies – A scenario-based survey study. Paper presented at 2008 America Educational
Research Association Annual Meeting, New York, NY.
Exter, M., Daminco, J., Wang, Y., Exter M. (2008, March) Designing a tool to support critical
Web reading. Paper presented at 2008 American Educational Research Association
Annual Meeting, New York, NY.
Wang, Y., Bonk, C., Delandshere, J. & Brush, T. (2008, March) Mixed Methods for Research on
Blended Learning in Teacher Education. Paper presented at 2008 Society for Information
Technology and Teacher Education International Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Wang, Y., Leftwich, A. (2008, March) Problem-based Learning: A Promising Instructional
Approach for Technology Preparation for Pre-service Teachers. Paper presented at 2008
Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference,
Las Vegas, NV.
Frick, T., Chadha, R., Watson, C., Wang, Y. & Green, P. (2007, October) Does Your Instruction
Rate 9 Stars? First Principles of Instruction and Student Learning Outcomes in Higher
Education. Paper presented at 2007 Association for Educational Communications and
Technology International Convention, Anaheim, CA.
Wang, Y. (2007, April). Online instruction for pre-service teachers. Paper presented at 2007
American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
Wang, Y., Wong, S., & Watson, S. (2007, March). K-12 teachers’ use of computer technology
for instructional purposes. Paper presented at the 2007 Society for Information
Technology and Teacher Education International Conference, San Antonio, TX.
Wang, Y. (2006, March). Technology training in teacher preparation - A review on how to
prepare pre-service teachers to use technology in their future classroom. Paper presented
at the 2006 Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International
Conference, Orlando, FL.
Frick, T., Elder, M., Hebb, C., Wang, Y., & Yoon, S. (2005, October). Adaptive Usability
Evaluation of Complex Web Sites: How Many Tasks? Paper presented at the 2006
Association for Educational Communications and Technology Annual Meeting, Orlando,
FL.
SERVICES ACTIVITIES
Graduate Student Campus Liaison for American Educational Research Association (AERA)
(2007-present)
Reviewer for Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) Annual
Conference (2008)
Reviewer for AERA Annual Conference (2007)
Reviewer for TechTrends (2007)
Review Committee for IST Conference (2007)
Member of AECT (2004 – present)
Member of AERA (2006 – present)
Member of The Society of International Chinese in Educational Technology (2006 – present)
Member of Graduates in Instructional Systems Technology (2003 – present)