Editor’s Introduction
I am pleased to introduce Dr. William C. Diehl as guest editor of this issue of The American Journal of Distance Education. Readers will recognize Dr. Diehl as the journal’s interviews editor and I am grateful to him for his enthusiastic response to my invitation to undertake the further responsibility of preparing a full regular issue.
Michael G. MooreEditor
Over the past six years, I have enjoyed my role as the interviews editor for The American Journal of Distance Education. It is my privilege to serve as guest editor for this first issue of the 31st volume.
This issue covers a variety of topics that should be interesting and of value to our readers. The articles range from a systematic overview of the past two decades of research on synchronous online learning to systemic change in distance education within an organization; to how social connections affect job attainment; to cognitive presence in online class discussions with questions based upon the practical inquiry model; and finally to online assessment and an inquiry of proctored vs. unproctored low-stakes Internet test administration.
In Systematic Review of Two Decades (1995 to 2014) of Research on Synchronous Online Learning, Florence Martin, Lynn Ahlgrim-Delzell, and Kiran Budhrani provide an analysis of over 150 articles from 34 countries. Over the past decade, technologies that enhance synchronous aspects of online learning have improved, and this article provides a foundational overview of research in this area as we move into the next generation of more powerful tools.
Setting up or improving a distance education system is an ongoing challenge, especially as competition grows with more and more organizations considering entering the field. Anthony S. Chow and Rebecca A. Croxton share their insights as they examine the perceptions of staff, faculty, and students and how institutional resources align in the article Designing a Responsive e-Learning Infrastructure: Systemic Change in Higher Education.
In recent years, there has been increased focus by government and educational institutions on student success in obtaining employment after graduation, and Gabel Taggart pursues a unique approach to this topic in The Effect of Online College Attendance on Job Obtainment Through Social Connections. The analysis of a national survey provides insights into social networking and the difference between residential and online student success in postgraduation job placement.
Ayesha Sadaf and Larisa Olesova examine the Practical Inquiry Model and how it can be used as a framework for designing effective questions that will increase cognitive presence in online discussion forums.
Readers interested in K–12 online and blended modalities will gain insights in Jered Borup’s review of Tom Clark and Michael K. Barbour’s edited book Online, Blended, and Distance Education in Schools: Building Successful Programs. This book covers research, policy, and practice, both in the United States and internationally.
As you read this, a new presidential administration in the United States should be completing its first 100 days in the seat of power in Washington, DC, after a turbulent election year. As with all transitions of government, new or evolving policies will change international and national landscapes—and our educational organizations will need to adapt as we move into the next decade.
We are all affected by policy at all levels of government and in our organizations. I encourage readers to be vigilant and to play whatever role they can in policy making. One way to do this is to conduct research related to educational policy and to contribute to the body of literature related to this topic, so that this information might reach and inform our policy makers. This journal would welcome those contributions.
It’s been a pleasure to serve as the guest editor of this issue and I hope that you find value in its contents.