Stuart Adams
OMDE 610
February 22, 2010
Assignment 1 Annotated Bibliography
sturadams@comcast.net
In this paper I have provided ten annotated bibliographical entries on the topic: “What is
effective/successful practice in teaching to elementary/secondary students online?” My focus
in this MDE program is on reforming public K-12 education with online learning. As such, I have
tried, with these sources, to begin to build a foundational understanding of what works in
primary/secondary online learning.
Akdemir, O., & Koszalka, T. (2004). Investigating the relationships among instructional
strategies and learning styles in online environments. Annual Proceedings of Selected
Research and Development Papers Presented at the National Convention of the Association
for Educational Communications and Technology, Volume 1 pp 11-18. Retrieved from
http://www.eric.ed.gov.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01
/0000019b/80/3c/b5/ba.pdf
The paper presents findings from an exploratory study on whether matching instructional
strategies to learning styles produced superior outcomes in an online learning course. The
study took a small sample of low and high field dependent post-graduate online learners and
applied instructional approaches that were matched or unmatched to the students' preferred
learning styles. At issue was whether the instructional strategy had any effect on the students'
perception of their learning success, on their level of involvement, or on their level of
interactivity. The study also looked at whether there was a superior instructional strategy for
either low or high field dependent learners. In all cases, no significant differences were found.
In my consideration of the topic, I was looking for any evidence of a relationship between how
one teaches online (instructional strategies) and superior/preferred educational outcomes, in
short, evidence of what works. Matching strategies to learning styles seemed to be a
reasonable approach to gaining superior outcomes. I expected that there would be preferred
approaches to gain better outcomes. This study suggests otherwise. I see this study as limited
but authoritative. The study findings were presented at an annual conference of scholars and
were included in the published proceedings of that conference. The article was a clear and
concise presentation of what appears to be a responsible, scholarly study. From my
perspective the study was well documented, including a thorough discussion of the issues
involved and the methods used. The results and conclusions were presented in an objective
1
Stuart Adams
OMDE 610
February 22, 2010
Assignment 1 Annotated Bibliography
sturadams@comcast.net
way, limitations of the study were discussed, and suggestions for further investigation were
offered.
Cavanaugh, C. & Clark, T. (2007). The landscape of k-12 online learning. In C. Cavanaugh & R.
Blomeyer (Ed.) What works in k-12 online learning. Eugene OR: International Society for
Technology in Education.
This paper gives an overview of some key issues related to K-12 online education. It serves as
the introduction and opening for the volume, a compilation of writings on K-12 online learning.
The article documents the growth of K-12 online learning, its potential impact, and factors that
have contributed to this growth. It then identifies student characteristics, course design,
instructional design, technology, and administrative practices as key issue areas that must be
taken into account in delivering successful online programs. The focus is on efficiency and
effectiveness as the key indicators of success. Cavanaugh and Clark are experts in the field.
Each of the authors holds a PhD in Education, edits a journal related to online learning, and has
written numerous articles and papers on the subject
I found the article to be a useful
overview of the subject that offered suggestions of important topics for further research.
del Valle, R., Oncu, S., Koksal, N. F., Kim, N.,Alford, P., & Duffy, T. (2004). Effects of online
cognitive facilitation on student learning. Annual Proceedings of Selected Research and
Development Papers Presented at the National Convention of the Association for Educational
Communications and Technology, Volume 1 pp 808-817. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed
.gov.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/3c/b
5/ba.pdf
This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study done to determine whether cognitive
facilitation - the process of leading online students through discourse - achieves enhanced
critical thinking and learning outcomes. Using a small study group, the authors tested whether
the application of a high level of cognitive facilitation strategies would improve outcomes. The
authors constructed a model asynchronous online learning environment for the learners. In
that environment the students were subject to either a high or low level of facilitation during
2
Stuart Adams
OMDE 610
February 22, 2010
Assignment 1 Annotated Bibliography
sturadams@comcast.net
the learning process. The level of critical thinking was measured using content analysis
techniques; the level of learning was measured using recall and open-ended testing. While the
facilitation demonstrated a positive impact on critical thinking, no significant improvement in
learning occurred due to the facilitation. I read this paper to see if there was evidence proving
that facilitation produces positive learning outcomes and should be considered best practice in
online learning. While a small, exploratory study is not definitive, there does appear to be
justification for such facilitation if the goal is increased critical thinking; less so for actual
learning. These study findings were presented at an annual conference of scholars, were
included in the published proceedings of that conference, and included a substantive reference.
Doeirng, A., Hughes, J., & Scharber, C.. (2007). Teaching and learnig social studies online. In C.
Cavanaugh & R. Blomeyer (Ed.) What works in K-12 online learning. Eugene OR: International
Society for Technology in Education.
The authors of this article highlight the importance of K-12 social studies using web-based
resources and give some practical information on the ways that the internet can be used to
teach social studies. The authors offer a model for the use of online social studies resources as
a continuum from limited use to extensive use of the web. The model includes online lesson
plans, online lesson enhancements, online social studies courses, and comprehensive online
learning environments. The article sums up with comments on the need for additional research
on online social studies education. This work is relevant to my research since it speaks
specifically to how one might use online learning in a classroom. The principle authors are
professors of learning technology at the University of Minnesota who have published in the
field and can reasonably be considered experts in the field.
Johnston, S. (2007). Developing quality virtual courses: Selecting instructional methods. In C.
Cavanaugh & R. Blomeyer (Ed.) What works in k-12 online learning. Eugene OR: International
Society for Technology in Education.
3
Stuart Adams
OMDE 610
February 22, 2010
Assignment 1 Annotated Bibliography
sturadams@comcast.net
The author offers a development model to aid in the creation of "student centered, inquirybased, interactive" online courses. The author brings in the works of Gagne on instruction and
Keller on motivation, as well as Bloom's taxonomy and Wiggins & McTighe's “Understanding by
Design” models to guide an ideal teacher through the challenges of developing an online
course. By creating the persona of the teacher "Susie" the author makes the theories and
models concrete and understandable. Anyone who is developing a course for online learning
belongs in the audience for this article. Johnston holds an Ed.D in curriculum and instruction
and works with both Spokane Virtual Learning and the Florida Virtual School and her article
includes a reference list of scholarly resources from leading experts in the field. In addition,
there is a list of web resources on the subject. The use of the model teacher going through the
process of developing an online course is clear and concrete, if at times, a little contrived.
Clearly the author favors the cited experts as sources for guidance in course development. To
the degree that one accepts these experts, the recommendations that the author provides are
useful.
Kretchmar, J. (2008). Taxonomy of educational objectives-Cognitive domain. Research
Starters -Education, , p1-1, 12p. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.
umuc.edu/ehost /pdf?vid=5&hid =6&sid=58635d91-f37d-4bc4-85bb-efde7f2942f1%40
sessionmgr12
This article provides a summary description of the Taxonomy of Educational ObjectivesCognitive Domain, "Blooms Taxonomy." The Taxonomy is accepted as an important and
influential model of what should be included in high quality learning. The author first gives an
overview of the Taxonomy and sets it in an historical context. Then the individual elements of
the Taxonomy are presented followed by commentary on how the Taxonomy has been used
and critiqued. A list of definition of terms is provided. The work is presented as a primer for
those trying to understand basic information about the field of education and, as such, is
valuable to my studies. Jennifer Kretchmar earned her Doctorate in Educational Psychology
and has written numerous contributions to Research Starters – Education and other
4
Stuart Adams
OMDE 610
February 22, 2010
Assignment 1 Annotated Bibliography
sturadams@comcast.net
publications. The reference list and suggested readings include scholarly sources and the
explanations and definitions are supported by scholarly cites. The article is a useful starting
point for understanding Bloom's Taxonomy, giving me a clear explanation of the concepts.
However, it only presents the cognitive domain, leaving out treatment of the affective domain.
That topic is treated in a subsequent article.
Powell, K. & Kalina, C. (2009). Cognitive and social constructivism: Developing tools for an
effective classroom. Education, 130(2) 241-250 Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.
com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=9&hid=4&sid=577da9e6-a5a5-4664-9ad0bf3d01148ae3%40sessionmgr4
In this article, the authors’ give an overview of both cognitive and social constructivist theories
and then offer directions as to how these theories might best be applied in the classroom. The
article begins with a descriptive overview of each of the two forms of constructivist theory,
cognitive constructivism and social constructivism. A brief comparison of the two theories is
followed by a discussion as a guide for practicing teachers. The primary author is a credible
source on the subject who has written other scholarly works in the field of education and holds
an Ed.D at the Florida Atlantic University. Education is a respected, peer reviewed scholarly
journal. I choose this article to provide me with a basic understanding of these key theories in
education. However, three problems with the article hampered my inquiry. First, the article is
very poorly written with grammatical errors throughout. Second, the explanations of the
theories were vague, jargon-laden and unspecific (I found explanations of the theory on the
web that were vastly more clear). Finally, the authors were not objective in their presentation,
with an implicit boosterism throughout. Though the authors supported their findings with 20
references, they offered few concrete examples and scant empirical data to support their
assertions.
Rose, R. & Smith, A. (2007). Online discussions. In C. Cavanaugh & R. Blomeyer (Ed.) What
works in k-12 online learning. Eugene OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
5
Stuart Adams
OMDE 610
February 22, 2010
Assignment 1 Annotated Bibliography
sturadams@comcast.net
This article is intended to give the beginning online teacher some key points to consider in
preparing to hold online discussions. The authors note the distinction between conversation
and discussion and present other high level definitions relevant to online discussions. The
basics of online discussions are described, including organizing the discussion in discrete
managed discussion threads, setting a schedule for the discussions, and establishing behavioral
norms for the class. Also, the authors recommend structures such as pre-class social
icebreakers, and a class cafe' to build a sense of community. These concepts are familiar to me
after 5 UMUC online classes. Less familiar recommendations include model questions for the
teacher's self evaluation and lists of regular daily and weekly tasks for the teacher to perform in
managing an online discussion class. Since online discussions are a key component in online
learning, supporting constructivist knowledge building, a practical guide to the basics of online
discussion facilitation contributes to my understanding of online best practice. The authors are
consultants in the field of online learning, and are pioneers in the practice of implementing
online secondary schools. While the article is not presented in a scholarly journal, it is
accompanied by a list of scholarly references.
Smith, R. (2007). K-12 online learning: Sustainability, success, and sensibility. In C. Cavanaugh
& R. Blomeyer (Ed.) What works in k-12 online learning. Eugene OR: International Society for
Technology in Education.
This article is a forward-looking consideration of what K-12 public online education needs to
meet its potential. The author identifies critical areas in the current practice of online learning
that need serious consideration. Among these critical areas: how quality content is developed
and who should be responsible for its effectiveness; how online teachers should receive
professional development; what technology will be required and how it will be financed; and
what research is needed to advance the discipline. The author ends the article with a list of 10
recommendations as to directions that K-12 online learning should go. The article is written for
anyone considering how to advance online learning in a public school context. While this work
6
Stuart Adams
OMDE 610
February 22, 2010
Assignment 1 Annotated Bibliography
sturadams@comcast.net
did not specifically discuss any pedagogical issues in detail, it did summarize some important
high-level considerations that are needed to advance K-12 online learning. The article is
published in a volume of works focused on best practices in K-12 online learning; the
accompanying reference list is composed of scholarly works from known authors.
Wineburg, S. & Schneider, J. (2009). Was Bloom's taxonomy pointed in the wrong direction?.
Phi Delta Kappan, 91(4), 56-61. Retrieved from http://www.accessmylibrary.com/archive/
5191-phi-delta-kappan/december-2009.html
The article challenges the conventional wisdom on Bloom's Taxonomy, a seminal work on
learning. The authors' study looks at how some competent students might read and
understand an historical excerpt, and how those students would engage in critical thinking, as
they move up Bloom's hierarchy to evaluate the piece. It then compares their responses to the
responses of students of history. The students of history all end their consideration with a
request for more knowledge. The implication is that the end of all of the Bloom's hierarchy's
critical thinking is the quest for more knowledge, that none of the elements of the hierarchy are
ends in themselves. Wineburg, the principle author is a professor of education and history at
Stanford; Schneider is his student. While the Phi Beta Kappan is a respected scholarly journal
focused on education research and policy, this article contains no references or citations. The
article is an interesting and challenging 'thought piece' but does not conform to strict standards
of scholarly work. Still, I agree with the authors’ assertion that the goal of learning and of
critical thinking is more knowledge.
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