The document summarizes three studies on the use of online audio conferencing, comparing online and in-class engineering courses, and the role of community in online learning success. The studies found that students value online audio conferencing in communication courses, online engineering students had higher knowledge increases than in-class students, and positive correlations between students' sense of community, participation, and perceived learning.

1. By Jennifer Hidy

2. How May I eDirect You?
Articles:
 The Overall Effect of
Online Audio
Conferencing in
Communication Course:
What do Students Really
 Title Screen
Think
 Engineering Cultures:
 Putting it All Together
Online Versus In-class
 The Role of Community
 References
in Online Learning
Success

3. Online Audio Conferencing in
Communication Courses
This study was completed by assistant professor Lynn
M. Disbrow at Wright State University with a goal of
illustrating that a technology used in eLearning
enhances both online and traditional communication
classes is valued by students as well as instructors.
Elluminate Live!, a conferencing web-based system, was
used for the study. Elluminate includes video, audio,
messaging, whiteboard, slide presentation, chat, and other
tools. It was intended to feel similar to a real classroom,
especially with the “raise hand” button. The study
consisted of actual classroom implementation (Disbrow,
2008).

4. Positive Aspects of Elluminate Live! Negative Aspects of Elluminate Live!
Interactivity Technical dificulties
Not having to leave home or office/ Audio problems
Participate from anywhere
Using interface tools (whiteboard, chat, Waiting to talk
emoticons)
Ease of use Missed personal interaction
Group meetings were easier than face to Sessions were a “little long”
face
Helped create understanding of information No complete open forum for participation
Learning how to use technology Accessing PowerPoint and applications for
presentations
Immediate response from professor
Saving travel time to campus
Change of pace from ordinary classroom
Felt like you were in a classroom
Source: Disbrow, 2008, pp. 229-30

5. Reflection of Online Audio
Conferencing
Disbrow (2008) had good point in the article, “Creating
an engaging atmosphere is more challenging in an
online delivery modality” (p.227). From personal
experience of online classes, I know this to be true,
especially since most of my online classes have been
text-based. Personally, however, I do not mind text-based
classes. I do not always need face-to-face or otherwise
interactive communication to stimulate and engage my
learning. Sometimes, I just like to learn on my own at my
own pace, making sure to meet assignment deadlines.

6. Engineering Cultures: Online versus
In-class
This study was authored by a high school teacher and
five college instructors. The study used a class
Engineering Cultures to find evidence of whether
students learn more in the online or in-class rendering
of the class through a multiple choice evaluation
before and after the completion of the class. The
treatment group was the online class and the control
was the physical class. Both classes covered the exact
same material, and material was covered in the same
order in both types of class (Parkhurst et al., 2008).

7. Engineering Cultures: Online versus
In-class cont.
To the author’s surprise, the study results of the
multiple choice assessment indicated that the online
students had a higher knowledge increase than the in
class students (Parkhurst et al., 2008).
Sample Pre-test Post-test Difference
Size
In-class 149 14.32 18.63 4.31
Online 84 13.33 19.00 5.67
Table Source: Parkhurst et al., 2008, p. 441

8. Reflection of Engineering Cultures
While I think this study was mostly well-done, I think
it is very important that the method be repeated in
different classes and across various campuses. Also,
there could be lurking variables to the results of the
assessment. The authors did point out one of my
concerns, “For example, students that are more motivated
and that are confident in their abilities may be more likely
to select to complete online course. These same students
may be more likely than the typical student to acquire
greater learning gains regardless of course structure”
(Parkhurst et al., 2008, p. 442).

9. The Role of Community in Online
Learning Success
This study approached the
following questions (Sadera,
Robertson, Song, & Midon,
2009, p. 279):
 Is perceived learning
affected by participation
in the online community?
 How does the sense of
community affect
perceived learning?
 Does the amount and
type of online interaction
affect the feeling of
membership in the
learning community?

10. The Role of Community in Online
Learning Success cont.
The study found the following positive correlations
(Sadera et al., 2009):
 between students’ knowledge gain and students’ amount
of time and energy spent on the class
 between students’ knowledge gain and students’ active
class contribution
 between students’ knowledge gain and the level of
connectedness to the class
So, the study found that an overall positive relationship is
found between students’ sense of community and learning
achievements (Sadera et al., 2009).

11. Reflection of the Role of the
Community
The role of community is important in all aspects of our
lives. We all want to feel as if we belong somewhere and
be able to effectively relate to others. In eLearning, it can
be hard to achieve this personal level of community,
though it is not impossible. The authors agree, further
research needs to be done in order to find out the best
ways to provide a sense of community to online learners
(Sadera et al., 2009). The major drawback of the study
was that it was performed on adult learners. I think the
study needs to be repeated through all levels of education,
K-12 as well as the traditional college student.

12. Putting it All Together
In conclusion, eLearning is an ever-growing, necessary
component to our education system. It is important
for eLearning to implement convenient user-friendly,
cost effective technologies in classrooms ranging from
elementary to higher education levels. More research
needs to be done to come to more conclusive results as to
what works in eLearning. Students should also be provided
with a sense of community within Internet based learning
experiences, whether implemented as an entire class or
just a classroom component. eLearning is not going away,
so it is important that we adjust to it and try to make it as
effective as possible.

13. References
 Disbrow, L. M. (2008, June). The overall effect of online
audio conferencing in communication courses: what do
students really think? MERLOT Journal of Online
Learning and Teaching, 4(2). Retrieved from
http://jolt.merlot.org/vol4no2/disbrow0608.pdf
 Parkhurst, R., Moskal, B. M., Downey, G. L., Lucena, J., Bigley,
T., & Elberb S. (2008, December). Engineering
cultures: online versus in-class. MERLOT Journal of
Online Learning and Teaching 4(4). Retrieved from
http://jolt.merlot.org/vol4no4/moskal_1208.pdf
 Sadera, W. A., Robertson, J., Song, L., & Midon, M. N. (2009,
June). The role of community in online learning success.
MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching 5(2).
Retrieved from
http://jolt.merlot.org/vol5no2/sadera_0609.pdf