DEVELOPMENT OF A STUDENT E-ORIENTATION MODULE VIA A DESIGN-BASED RESEARCH CYCLE

Absent from the structure of traditional classroom instruction, many students are unaware of navigation, technical, and system requirements necessary to successfully complete formal course-work in an online environment. The purpose of the study is to develop and assess a student e-orientation module (SOM) that can be adopted by faculty to reduce the amount of time spent responding to content management system (CMS) inquires and offered to students to better prepare them for the online environment and expectations. Currently the project is in progress in a large state university in California, USA and we will share the progress in this conference presentation. This project took the processes that entail identifying a problem, investigating and researching, designing possible solutions, developing prototype and implementing it, and evaluating and reiterating based on a design-based research (DBR), or design experiments approach. We identified common themes from the interview and students and created key content structure of the SOM. It includes Online Learning Expectation, Netiquette Guidelines, Assess Your Readiness for Online Learning, Online Student Tips for Success, Time Management Tips, Minimum Technical Knowledge Base, Blackboard System Requirement, Using the Discussion Board, Submitting an Assignment, Taking a Test, Checking Your Grades, Navigation Structure.