TY - JOUR
T1 - Engaging Graduate-Level Distance Learners in Research
T2 - A Collaborative Investigation of Rural Aging
AU - O’Connor, Melissa L.
AU - Fuller-Iglesias, Heather
AU - Bishop, Alexander J.
AU - Doll, Gayle
AU - Killian, Timothy
AU - Margrett, Jennifer
AU - Pearson-Scott, Jean
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by a grant awarded to North Dakota State University (FAR0020868) from the Great Plains IDEA Human Sciences Board of Directors.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2016/1/2
Y1 - 2016/1/2
N2 - Online educational programs pose challenges to nonresidential graduate students for whom research is a key professional development experience. In this article, the authors share their pedagogical approach to engaging graduate-level online distance learners in research. Five students enrolled in an online master’s degree program participated in a directed research course designed to facilitate a semester-long, collaborative, hands-on research experience in gerontology. As such, students recruited participants and conducted phone interviews for a multisite study examining aging in place in rural areas. Several strategies were used to facilitate student engagement and learning, including: regular meetings with faculty mentors, creation of a research team across institutions, interactive training, and technological tools to aid in communication. The authors discuss the process of implementing the project, challenges that arose, strategies for dealing with these issues, and a pedagogical framework that could be used to guide future endeavors of this type.
AB - Online educational programs pose challenges to nonresidential graduate students for whom research is a key professional development experience. In this article, the authors share their pedagogical approach to engaging graduate-level online distance learners in research. Five students enrolled in an online master’s degree program participated in a directed research course designed to facilitate a semester-long, collaborative, hands-on research experience in gerontology. As such, students recruited participants and conducted phone interviews for a multisite study examining aging in place in rural areas. Several strategies were used to facilitate student engagement and learning, including: regular meetings with faculty mentors, creation of a research team across institutions, interactive training, and technological tools to aid in communication. The authors discuss the process of implementing the project, challenges that arose, strategies for dealing with these issues, and a pedagogical framework that could be used to guide future endeavors of this type.
KW - gerontology education
KW - online learning
KW - pedagological tools
KW - research training
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84960269726&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/02701960.2015.1127808
DO - 10.1080/02701960.2015.1127808
M3 - Article
C2 - 26865026
AN - SCOPUS:84960269726
VL - 37
SP - 29
EP - 42
JO - Gerontology and Geriatrics Education
JF - Gerontology and Geriatrics Education
SN - 0270-1960
IS - 1
ER -