Leveraging Generational Strengths in Online Graduate Education

The proliferation of online graduate schools has resulted in greater numbers of students with greater diversity than ever before. Generational diversity affects the ability of online faculty to communicate effectively with graduate students. Faculty-student communication is improved by applying generational theory. Four main cohort groups actively participate in online education, each with their own set of preferences and tendencies, including: Veterans (born 1925-1942); Baby Boomers (born 1943-1960); Generation X (born 1961-1980); and Millennials (born 1981-2001). Differentiating online faculty communication methods based on generational tendencies is a potent and efficient method of empowering educators and motivating graduate students. Improved faculty-student communication enhances student engagement, creating greater satisfaction that leads to higher retention and improved academic performance. As faculty understand generational identity, communication is enriched by emphasizing each generation's strengths and avoiding misunderstandings.

Online Doctoral Student Satisfaction

Institutions of higher learning invest a great deal of time and money on retention issues. Research has identified institutional variables significant to student retention. Current researchers suggest each institution conduct studies to determine the specific factors important to the population served. Increasing retention has considerable financial and economic benefits to the institution, as well as benefits to the individual, especially if it leads to program completion. Research of literature has also indicated that quality of faculty and academic advising communications are two important factors perceived by students as contributing to overall the academic experience.

Identifying Online Graduate Learners' Perceived Barriers to Their Academic Success

Online graduate students ages 25 and older have unique challenges toward achieving their academic goals as compared to younger learners, as they often already have families, careers, and other demands on their time. Pursuing advanced degrees is typically related to gaining a competitive edge or to completely changing careers. Learning barriers often include the lack of accommodations for these learners' unique needs and educational preferences. The purpose of this modified Delphi study was to identify these nontraditional online graduate learners' perceived barriers to their learning, along with relevant strategies to decrease those barriers. Sharing this study's results should facilitate these learners' success and increase retention in their respective universities as more non-traditional learners graduate. The study data obtained from the participants included these learners' personal accounts of their own learning needs and preferences, their perceived learning barriers, their anticipated real-world application for their education, and their expectations for program completion.

Faculty's Examination of Virtual Learning Strategies to Communicate With Students

Faculty's examination of virtual learning strategies to communicate with students is essential. Virtual learning is an innovative way to work with student s in higher education. The purpose of this effort is as follows: a) note strategies that can enhance the communication process with students and faculty during the virtual learning process; b) provide a review of contemporary research on virtual learning and activities; c) provide narratives from faculty in higher education that provide virtual learning environments and effective communication strategies to students. Authors from multiple disciplines provide their perceptions of virtual learning and some challenges or experiences in implementing activities to communicate with students in higher education. Their perception of using this type of learning with students is shared and common themes are discussed. In all efforts, there is a discussion of the benefits, purpose, and implications of this type of learning. Recommendations, strategies and future directions are presented.

Out of Isolation

Having a supportive community in graduate school is a key element that increases the probability of a student's success in their program. Online learning can often feel very isolating both for students and faculty. In a 1:1 teaching model that offers more personalized feedback to students, students can spend significant time in their studies without communication with other faculty, students or school administrators. Such isolation can inhibit the development of a supportive community. In this chapter, we will explore how a graduate school initiated a transition in their culture from one of isolation to one of community by increasing faculty and students' ability to engage and communicate to each other beyond their courses. We will review the strategies they implemented, the challenges they faced, the successes they saw, how they reviewed their progress and how they plan to use their initial work as a foundation for growing a more engaged graduate culture out of isolation and into community.

The Rubric of Rubik's Communication Cube in Online Graduate Courses

The Rubik's Communication Cube (RCC) is a learning metaphor for improving understanding of the communications narrative. The authors summarize seven theories: (1) economics networks, (2) social networks, (3) innovation, (4) high-trust leadership, (5) negotiation, (6) goal-setting, and (7) motivation. Besides the authors' 20 best practices list, the authors argue that the best practice of developing a communication management measurement system (CMMS) is critically important. The authors propose a testable, parsimonious communication-online performance learning (COPL) model that includes the constructs of goal-setting, negotiation, trust, communication satisfaction, learning motivation, and learning performance. If teachers and students were to negotiate interactively communication plans based on an ethos of trust coupled with goal-setting for each online graduate student (OGS), then this interdependent Rubik's Communication Cube would enhance and advance each OGS's learning motivation and ultimately learning performance.

The Utilization of a Formalized Complaint Management System as a Communication Tool to Foster Student Success

The field of Higher Education is experiencing a revolution spurred on by the expanding frontier of technology. Leaders of higher education institutions seek to improve student communication processes which will positively impact the student experience. Effective communication strategies are needed which can effectively be used in times of conflict at institutions of higher education. This quantitative study examined a series of predictors, both individually and collectively, as they related to the number of additional classes students completed after the conflict had occurred.

Communication in Online Learning

An online learning environment is a rather lonely, isolated place. Because of this seemingly dismal venue, learners suffer in invisible ways such as attrition and disempowerment. While great educational things can and do happen online, it is vital to remember that because of the reduced visual clues, a number of things that need to be accomplished if learners are to succeed in this environment. In order to understand more clearly what is required in an online environment for learners to be successful, under the umbrella of communication, this author will discuss a number of ways to help course members break down feelings of isolation, increase meaningfulness, and increase empowerment.

Mentoring Dissertation Students in Online Doctoral Programs

Mentoring doctoral students in online programs can be even more challenging than mentoring in the face-to-face educational environment. Factors such as geographic and transactional distance can result in student isolation and attrition during the dissertation process. Students often are not prepared for the intensity of doctoral work and the discipline required to complete a dissertation. Effective mentoring techniques can decrease transactional distance boundaries to enhance the online dissertation process. Dissertation chairs must understand how mentoring can improve student learning. Rather than mentoring students based on personal beliefs or past experience, online dissertation chairs must familiarize themselves with best practices in mentoring throughout the dissertation process to provide a quality educational experience for their students, as well as to decrease attrition.

Constructivist Communications Strategies for 21st Century Faculties and Graduate Students

The purpose of the chapter is to provide effective communications strategies, instructional strategies, media strategies, and cultural dimension that are critical to designers and faculties that create and deliver online courses using a constructivist foundation, as the participants become increasingly diverse in global online course rooms. Disruptive innovation, which is evidenced in Information Communications Technologies (ICT) throughout higher education classrooms, is changing the way the world learns. Through disruptive innovation, global classrooms are emerging requiring designers and faculties to have deep knowledge of theory and practice. This chapter provides a foundation for a set of related theories and practices that describe the strategies needed to be able to effectively deliver online in an increasingly global context to students in higher education course rooms, using constructivist learning theory as a guide as the disruptive technologies are deployed.