AB+-+Donavant+(2009)


 * **Reference: ** || Donavant, B. W. (2009) The new, modern practice of adult education: Online instruction in a continuing professional education setting. //Adult Education Quarterly, 59//(3), 227‐245. doi: 10.1177/0741713609331546 ||
 * **Author's: ** || Donavant, B. W. ||
 * **Title:** || The new, modern practice of adult education: Online instruction in a continuing professional education setting. ||
 * **Year:** || 2009 ||
 * **Journal: ** || //Adult Education Quarterly // ||
 * **Retrieval Information**: || http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0741713609331546 ||
 * **Bibliography**: ||  ||
 * In a three phase quasi-experimental quantitative study of American police officers, Donavant (2009) attempted to determine the “ efficacy of online education for professional development ” and found that learning took place with respect to both online education and traditional instruction and that there was no “ statistically significant difference in the effectiveness of the two delivery methods <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">” ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">p. 239 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">). This study also showed no significant difference between these modes with respect to gender, race, age, number of years on the force, or previous exposure to online education, but did show a significant association between level of formal education and potential success with online learning. Phase one consisted of an analysis of historical data of performance from various traditional and online professional development courses. Phase two attempted to correlate effectiveness of online learning with assorted demographic variables using the Test of Online Learning Success (TOOLS). In phase three, open-ended questions were asked of 150 participants to indicate their willingness to participate in and the factors they believe are most important regarding online learning. Participants indicated the four attractive features of online education were; (a) general convenience, (b) flexibility in scheduling, (c) remote access, and (d) self pacing of learning. The least attractive feature was “ <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">the lack of personal interaction or face-to-face contact with the facilitator or other learners <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">” ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">p. 239 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">). Donavant noted one problem in the field is that “ <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">little research has been conducted within the professional development environment, that arena involving training relative to the current occupation of the adult learner <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">” ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">p. 227 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">). Donavant’s conclusions may not be valid for other professions, and the findings of the third phase could be biased since participants were not required to have taken an online course previous to the study. In cases where participants had not taken online training they were asked to give their opinion of what they perceive could be benefits or problems with online learning. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Additional References: ** ||  ||
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 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Retrieval Information**: || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0741713609331546 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Bibliography**: ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">In a three phase quasi-experimental quantitative study of American police officers, Donavant (2009) attempted to determine the “ <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">efficacy of online education for professional development <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">” and found that learning took place with respect to both online education and traditional instruction and that there was no “ <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">statistically significant difference in the effectiveness of the two delivery methods <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">” ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">p. 239 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">). This study also showed no significant difference between these modes with respect to gender, race, age, number of years on the force, or previous exposure to online education, but did show a significant association between level of formal education and potential success with online learning. Phase one consisted of an analysis of historical data of performance from various traditional and online professional development courses. Phase two attempted to correlate effectiveness of online learning with assorted demographic variables using the Test of Online Learning Success (TOOLS). In phase three, open-ended questions were asked of 150 participants to indicate their willingness to participate in and the factors they believe are most important regarding online learning. Participants indicated the four attractive features of online education were; (a) general convenience, (b) flexibility in scheduling, (c) remote access, and (d) self pacing of learning. The least attractive feature was “ <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">the lack of personal interaction or face-to-face contact with the facilitator or other learners <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">” ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">p. 239 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">). Donavant noted one problem in the field is that “ <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">little research has been conducted within the professional development environment, that arena involving training relative to the current occupation of the adult learner <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">” ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">p. 227 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">). Donavant’s conclusions may not be valid for other professions, and the findings of the third phase could be biased since participants were not required to have taken an online course previous to the study. In cases where participants had not taken online training they were asked to give their opinion of what they perceive could be benefits or problems with online learning. ||
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Additional References: ** ||  ||
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 * **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Additional References: ** ||  ||
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