Kay L.

Venteicher

OMDE 608
Section: 9040
25 February 2014
Annotated Bibliography

Unit 1: Context and Elements of Student Support

Section 1.1. Introduction and Overview
Brindley, J. E. (1995). Learner services: Theory and practice, In Distansutbildning I itveckling,
Rapport nr. 11. (23-34). Umea, Sweden: University of Umea.
This paper discusses the Open and Distance Leaning (ODL) shift from distance education
taught in the industrial model to the ODL model where there is greater interaction
between the teacher and the learner with the learner being the central focus. The author
endorses the positive effects brought about by this monumental shift in both pedagogical
theory and concept. This shift requires the adoption of a new theoretical framework
encompassing learner services. The paper broadly defines the conceptual model of
services acknowledging the further need for testing, evaluation, and implementation. The
author provides an ODL intervention model identifying the learning support services
necessary for both the institution and the learner. The author does identify seven issues
surrounding the adoption of the model that must be addressed through a sound
framework and identified goals for the ODL intervention framework to be successful.
LaPadula, M. (2003). A comprehensive look at online student support services. American
Journal of Distance Education, 17(2), 119-128.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/S15389286AJDE1702 4
This journal article identifies student support services, their value to students education,
and explores the disparity between on-campus student services and distance education
student services. Ironically the article points out that in many cases on-campus student
services are actually available on-line yet unavailable to distance education students.
One aspect of student services that is troublesome for institutions is providing time and
location agnostic access to student services. Many institutions are still focused on the
time and location of their brick and mortar facilities. The article goes on to summarize
the approach and research findings regarding what they considered to be best practices
from various higher education institutions for providing access to student services for

Kay L. Venteicher

OMDE 608
Section: 9040
25 February 2014
Annotated Bibliography

distance learners. The article concludes with the results of a survey conducted at the New
York Institute of Technology by the researchers concluding that distance education
students are generally satisfied with what services they are provided with. However, they
want to be provided with additional student services that closely resemble those of the
on-campus student.

Section 1.2. Elements of Student Support

Topic 1.2.1: Tutoring and Teaching
Berge, Z. L. (1995). The role of the online instructor/facilitator. E-Moderators.com.
(http://www.box.net/shared/brykz8n5vi) Retrieved from http://emoderators.com/wpcontent/uploads/teach_online.html
The journal article begins by emphasizing that the use of technology is secondary to welldesigned learning goals and objectives. The article goes on to point out that,
interpersonal interaction and interaction with content are critical in promoting higher
order learning and that technology is but an enabler of those interactions. The majority of
the article is composed of recommendations to instructors/facilitators of technologyenabled education in the areas of pedagogical, social, managerial, and technical.
Technology enabled in this article is computer conferencing. The recommendations point
out the nuances of interacting in a computer conferencing enabled educational
environment often illustrating that what works in a person-to-person educational
environment does not work effectively in a computer conference enabled environment.
The article concludes that each computer conference enabled educational environment is
likely to feel different and what worked in one may not work in another so being
flexible is key to success. Additionally, pointed out is that both the teacher and student
will find themselves in new roles that they must adjust to. Emphasis throughout the
article is that student-to-student discussion should be encouraged with a more limited role
for the instructor/facilitator than occurs in a traditional educational setting.

Kay L. Venteicher

OMDE 608
Section: 9040
25 February 2014
Annotated Bibliography

Naidu, S. (2004). Supporting learning with creative instructional designs. In J. E. Brindley, C.

Walti, & O. Zawacki-Richter (Eds.), Learner support in open, distance and online
learning environments (pp. 109-116). Oldenburg: Bibliotheks-und Informationssystem
der Universitt Oldenburg.
This article begins by presenting the concept of a learning scaffold; a learning structure
enabling the student to develop desirable cognitive skills. The learning scaffold goes
beyond the technologies used to support learning and is likened to those activities
conducted by parents and teachers as they support a childs cognitive development. The
article also points out the challenges of distant learners, particularly in the area of
developing desirable cognitive skills since they work independently with selfinstructional material. The author follows this concept with a presentation of learning
and instructional design concepts (i.e. Story-centered, Problem-based, Critical incidentbased, Design-based, and Role Play-based) and how they can be constructed to support
the learning scaffold concept for distant learners. The article concludes with the idea
that supporting student learning needs seen as a proactive process vice a reactive one
easily achieved through careful creative design of learning environments that are
meaningful, authentic and motivating. Pointed out is that these environments cannot by
themselves provide all the support students but they are a critical attribute of a sound and
supportive educational experience.
Topic 1.2.2: Advising and Counselling
Johnson, M. (2004). Enhancing study skills: Developing self-help materials for distance learners.
In J. E. Brindley, C. Walti, & O. Zawacki-Richter (Eds.), Learner support in open,
distance and online learning environments (pp. 117-124). Oldenburg: Bibliotheks- und
Informationssystem der Universitt Oldenburg.
The article opens with the author conceptualizing study skills as all the generic noncourse specific skills an independent distance learner requires to be an effective learner.

Kay L. Venteicher

OMDE 608
Section: 9040
25 February 2014
Annotated Bibliography

The article continues by presenting who may be distance education students and the
unlikelihood that they are the traditional young undergraduate or postgraduate student.
By presenting who a distance education student is likely to be the author presents why
developing study skills is critical to a distance learners success. The article continues
with a review of the self-help Student Toolkit Project developed by the UK Open
University (OU OK) and the success that it has had. The article presents the concept that
the Student Toolkit could be utilized by any higher educational facility through its
construct of modules tailor able to specific needs and thus creating a new learning
environment with relative ease. The article concludes with the concept that once Student
Toolkit resources are in place the autonomous distant learner could construct a study
skills package specific to their needs benefiting both the student and the higher
educational facility.
Simpson, O. (2004). Retention and course choice in distance learning. In U. Bernath & A. Szcs
(Eds.), Proceedings of the 3rd EDEN Research Workshop Oldenburg, March 4-6, 2004,
(pp. 381-387). Oldenburg: Bibliotheks- und Informationssystem der Universitt
Oldenburg.
This article reviews the course selection processes that are available to students and the
potential positive or negative impact upon retention or dropout rates. Inappropriate
course selection ranked as the second highest reason for student withdrawal. The author
discusses the pros and cons of five different methodologies for course selection: a) the
course titles and descriptions, b) course guidance/advice, c) student course comments, d)
course preview materials, and e) diagnostic materials. For clarity, the author uses
examples for the less common methodologies of student course comments, course
preview materials and diagnostic materials to make his point. The article concludes by
suggesting the best approach to student course selection may be through a combination of
the methodologies though this too has its drawbacks and additional research is need in
this area.
Walti, C. (2004). Implementing web-based portfolios and learning journals as learner support
tools: An illustration. In J. E. Brindley,C. Walti, & O. Zawacki-Richter (Eds.), Learner

Kay L. Venteicher

OMDE 608
Section: 9040
25 February 2014
Annotated Bibliography

support in open, distance and online learning environments (pp. 157-168). Oldenburg:
Bibliotheks- und Informationssystem der Universitt Oldenburg.
This article begins with an overview of learning journals and portfolios as support tools
for the distant learner and how they become an integral part of a successful learning
process. The article continues with an overview of the online Master of Distance
Education program at UMUC and the rationale for adopting learning journals and
portfolios at the beginning of the program, as the program has evolved. The author
makes a strong case for these support tools through illustration of benefits to the student
in the areas of skills development and confidence in the online environment. The article
continues with an in-depth look at portfolios from definition, set-up, support to learning,
issues and difficulties and concluding with technology. A presentation of learning
journals follows with a presentation of why they are necessary as a support tool and the
issues that can surround their implementation particularly in the UMUC distance
education environment. The article concludes with a clear delineation of the benefits of
these support tools to both the student and the learning process.
Topic 1.2.3: Library, Registry, and Other Administrative Support Services
Brown, M. (2012). Learning analytics: Moving from concept to practice. Educause Learning
Initiative Brief. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELIB1203.pdf
This journal article reports on the progress made since Learning Analytics (LA),
presented first in 2011 as a technology, with the potential to improve academic success.
The article presents the different aspects of LA (i.e. predictors and indicators, artifacts,
visualizations, interventions and responses) through summarizations of the research
presented during the EDUCASE Learning Initiative (ELI) 2012 Spring Focus Session
and the Learning Analytics and Knowledge conference (LAK12). Research to date in LA
is clearly in its infancy, and acknowledged by the presenting researchers. That said the
research efforts are currently showing promise. In the predictors and indicators area,
there are powerful indicators of future performance such as current grade point average
(GPA) while other indicators such as gender, military status and ethnicity have little or no
predictive value. Student artifacts, blog postings, are being analyzed to determine the
degree to which students are able to understand and apply the information provided

Kay L. Venteicher

OMDE 608
Section: 9040
25 February 2014
Annotated Bibliography

demonstrating their level of competency, original thought, in the subject area.

Visualization presented as the element of LA that turns the information derived from
analytics actionable. As with any dashboard visualization concept the approaches seem
tailored to the user vice the data. The point of LA as stated earlier is to improve student
success and as such, the area of intervention and response has received attention in
determining when a student requires assistance and what type of assistance has the
greatest chance of success. Currently, LA researchers are investigating both automated
and semi-automated processes when intervention is indicated The article concludes by
pointing out that LA is an approach to find methods of group instruction as effective as
one-to-one tutoring. and that EDUCASE will maintain its focus on analytics which will
likely deal with LA.
George, L., & Frank, I. (2004). Beyond books - Library services to distance education students.
In J. E. Brindley, C. Walti,& O. Zawacki-Richter (Eds.), Learner support in open,
distance and online learning environments (pp. 135-143). Oldenburg: Bibliotheks- und
Informationssystem der Universitt Oldenburg.
This article presents the importance of library services to the educational process and the
transformation that libraries have gone through with the deluge of information created on
a continuing basis. The article points out distant learners have also had an impact on the
methods used by libraries to make information accessible. Libraries can no longer utilize
the traditional method of face-to-face to educate students about library services or to
assist them. The article continues with a presentation of those non-traditional methods
utilized by the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) to foster the learning
of distance education students. The article acknowledges that students are not likely to
utilize a libraries services and develop information literacy unless required by their
instructor, thus marketing to instructors is an important aspect of a librarians
responsibilities in the information age. The article concludes with the acknowledgement
that distant learners are a challenge to libraries and librarians but these institutions are
transforming with distance education and providing comprehensive services to traditional
and distance students alike enhancing their information literacy and learning experience.

Kay L. Venteicher

OMDE 608
Section: 9040
25 February 2014
Annotated Bibliography

Jocoy, C. & DiBiase, D. (2006). Plagiarism by adult learners online: A case study in detection
and remediation. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning,
7(1).
This article presents the findings of a study on internet plagiarism by adult learners
conducted between July 2003 and June 2004. The authors present plagiarism in the
context of the study beginning with background information on its prevalence, detection
methods and detection rates, prevention. The researchers postulate that adult students
would be less likely to plagiarize if they had academic integrity training, though this
turned out not to be true. There was however additional pressure on post baccalaureate
adult learners to plagiarize due to the additional requirement to receive a B or better for
financial support from their employers. For the purposes of this study plagiarism of two
specific types was analyzed, cut-and-paste, and poor paraphrasing. Manual detection and
automated detection methods were used; automated detection finding approximately 10
percent more plagiarisms. The automated finding of approximately 13 percent aligned
with other studies. The article did point out that the automated plagiarism detection
software used was inconsistent in its findings should the same paper be submitted
multiple times. However, the authors did conclude that current automated software was
superior to manual methods and that suspect papers should be subjected to an automated
process. The study concluded that combatting plagiarism must be a multifaceted
integrated approach that included continued interest by the institution, academic integrity
guidelines, quizzes, expectation management, manual and automated review of
assignment submissions.