DOCTORAL CAPSTONE: INTRODUCTION TO CLASSROOM NAVIGATION

by

Monica D. Bess

ELLA BENSON, EdD, Faculty Mentor and Chair

FRANCES DOLLEY, EdD, Committee Member

DOUGLAS MIKUTEL, EdD, Committee Member

Amy Smith, PhD, Dean, School of Education

A Doctoral Capstone Project Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Education

Capella University

March 2018
© Monica D. Bess, 2018
 Abstract

Online learning has become increasingly popular over the past decade to the point where

more and more universities are incorporating online learning into their curriculums.

While online learning can be extremely convenient, there is a learning curve connected to

this type of learning for both new and existing adult students. The purpose of this

capstone project was to develop an introductory online navigation course that improved a

student’s initial experience through a web conferencing system such as Adobe Connect or

WebEx. This specific course was related to the specialization of Education Leadership

and Management and focused on assisting students in the most effective way to navigate

through the online classroom. The deliverable for this project was a course with the

objective of helping to improve the student’s initial online experience and increase

student retention.
 Dedication

This work is dedicated to my two daughters Malea, and Rylee who have cheered

me on through this entire process. I want both to know that I love them very much and

that I am doing this so that they will know that they can accomplish anything that they set

out to if they work hard and persevere.

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 Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge my mentor Dr. Ella Benson for her tireless support

throughout this entire dissertation process. I would also like to thank the committee

members (Dr. Frances Dolley and Dr. Douglas Mikutel), instructors, and advisors who

have assisted me in reviewing and satisfying the necessary requirements of this program.

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 Table of Contents

Dedication iii

Acknowledgments iv

SECTION 1. BACKGROUND 1

Overview of Doctoral Capstone Project 1

Alignment to the Specialization 2

Problem Statement and Purpose of the Deliverable 3

Evidence/Data Used to Establish Rationale for Deliverable 3

Historical Background of the Problem 4

Organizational Context 5

Theoretical Framework 6

Literature Review 8

Ethical Considerations 9

SECTION 2. PROCESS 16

Introduction 16

Project Design/Method 16

Project Outcomes 30

Development Process 32

Evaluation Plan 34

SECTION 3. APPLICATION 37

Introduction 37

Relevant Outcomes and Findings 38

Application and Benefits 44

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 Target Audience 45

Institution/Setting 46

Beyond the Local Setting 46

Implications for the Professional Specialization 47

Recommendations 47

Conclusion 48

REFERENCES 51

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 SECTION 1. BACKGROUND

Overview of Doctoral Capstone Project

The topic of this research was related to developing an online classroom

navigation orientation course to improve the new and returning adult student’s initial

experience with the online learning environment. The resource items used within this

course have extensive applications. The deliverable along with this report was written to

ultimately meet the online needs of the students. For example, the chosen course was in

the form of an online orientation course for a large university in New England where the

Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) has been used. Yet, any educational

institution that was in need of a course that was similar can take advantage of the content

that has been provided within this project since the format was conducted through a web

conferencing system like Adobe Connect or WebEx. Because of this, the entire course

project can be transformed to meet any online institutions LMS.

There were four distinct sections related to this course capstone project that were

described in detail within the report:

 Section 1: Background

 Section 2: Process

 Section 3: Application

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All information that was detailed within this capstone served the purpose of informing all

recipients within educational settings of the manner used to develop the course project

deliverable.

Alignment to the Specialization

The research has expanded the knowledge and informed the practice within the

specialization by providing students with an understanding of the change from brick and

mortar classes to online classes and how to navigate through the online classroom

effectively. With most schools implementing online classes, it was not enough to be

given documentation or even a brief training course on how the online classroom works,

it was important that students are given the opportunity to navigate through the online

classroom in the same way that newly hired faculty are given. This takes place by having

each student enroll in and complete an orientation course where the topics and

assignments have to do with how to navigate through each area of the course.

The research has expanded knowledge and informed practice within this

specialization by engaging faculty, leadership, and advisors to collaborate in ensuring

that all students are prepared for their online orientation courses. By creating a required

introductory orientation course, it will hopefully allow students to succeed in their

orientation courses as well as their degree. This in turn will have a positive impact on

retention numbers. When students have opportunities for real time interaction within

their online classrooms, they are encouraged to play an active role in that interaction and

do so because it allows them to work together with their classmates (Song & McNary,

2011).

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 Problem Statement and Purpose of the Deliverable

The problem that was addressed was improving the student’s initial experience in

the online classroom. The purpose of the Doctoral Capstone Project was to develop the

course for an online classroom navigation orientation course that improved the student’s

initial experience through a web conferencing system such as Adobe Connect, WebEx or

another video conferencing system.

Evidence/Data Used to Establish Rationale for Deliverable

The deliverable was a course. This was an online orientation course with the

objective of helping to improve the student’s initial online experience. The rationale for

this course was based on information taken from various statistics, the first was from

Distance Learning Statistics, which states that close to 30% of online learning students

have stated that they need assistance with navigating through the learning management

system as well as study skills (Distance Learning Statistics, 2011). The second was based

on the QEP Management Team Subcommittee Report: Student Readiness, which states

that 28% of students are in need of computer and study skills before they begin their

online orientation courses (Richard, 2009). Based on the previous findings, the course

included information on how to submit an assignment, how to access the gradebook, etc.

and it was interactive and in real-time so that questions can be asked and answered by

faculty. This orientation course was the first course that a student takes when they are

accepted in a program within the university. The only materials for this orientation

course are screen shots with step by step instructions that can be used as a guide after the

orientation course was completed.

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 Historical Background of the Problem

The idea that all online learning was less effective than face-to-face learning was

one that was created by those individuals who have either never taken part in or

examined the online learning environment (Banna, 2014). However, regardless of the

dispute between which option was more effective, one concern that was continuously

thought of from individuals supporting the idea of real-time learning has to do with the

level of interaction within the classroom – between each student and more importantly

between instructor and students. There are examples of information that references the

importance of the relationship between student and instructor in the online classroom.

One discusses the following information:

When it comes to what is most beneficial for the student, the communication with

faculty in an online discussion forum is the most critical interaction that takes

place. Also, it is important that within the online classroom, faculty should be

seen by students as actively participating. While it may be customary for faculty

to keep quiet and observe with the classroom, this is not the case in an online

environment. (Bedi & Lange, 2007, p. 41).

Understandably, actions taken by the instructor offer some relief for the student, while

related support may be offered solely by the quiet professional existence within the face

to face classroom (Bedi & Lange, 2007). This course enabled instructors to act in an

interactive capacity by engaging in the exchange of information, as well as introducing

new information related to navigating effectively through the learning management

system.

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 This process starts with how students are educated. For instance, educational

psychologists discussed that the first year of college was a period of transition within a

students’ life where their power was impacted by whether or not they will have success

or failure, how they measure up to other students, the impact of external elements on the

ability to succeed, past academic disappointments, new responsibilities and new territory

related to social networks and career options. (Perry, 2003). All students go through this

transitional phase, but it was how they adapt to this phase that determines if they are a

successful student, or a student that struggles. Educational support services like

orientation, resident assistants, and campus training, were significantly recognized

interventions within a student’s transition to college (Bolle, Wessell & Mulvihill, 2008).

Students that take advantage of the tools that their university offers are more likely to

experience success than those that choose to tackle their first year on their own (Bedi &

Lange, 2007).

Organizational Context

The organizational setting was an educational institution in New England within

the College of Online and Continuing Education, which was referred to as COCE.

According to the mission of the university, COCE exists to make high-quality education

both reachable and inexpensive for everyone. Through the groundbreaking culture and

solid commitment to student success, they inspire students to change their lives and the

lives of those around them. COCE understands the need to reevaluate what has worked,

what has failed and determine what needs to change. The activities that are the most

beneficial and effective are those that are established over a period of time and are

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centered on organized activities of constant research, evaluation, and policy development

(Gabriel, 2001).

There are multiple approaches involved with the interaction between students and

faculty within an online learning environment. Faculty within an online classroom

should:

a. “create a positive and supportive learning environment

b. outline clear expectations for conduct and activity within the course

c. provide appropriate support from the instructor

d. view students and instructors as co-detectives

e. implement activities which focus on higher order thinking

f. establish multiple opportunities for participation and acknowledgement of

individual students

g. contact students who have disappeared from the discussion

h. pose discussion questions which promote professional reflection and

application to real world situations” (Gosmire, Morrison, & Van Osdel,

2009, p. 610).

Theoretical Framework

This course included one critical idea: the impact of real-time interaction within

an online environment. Within this research, detailed information was reviewed related

to the benefits of real-time interaction within an online environment. According to E-

learning Faculty Modules, Mason discussed in 2015 that learning synchronously adds to

the online learning experience by creating an environment where students can feel

connected and supported, which in turn impacts student retention (Synchronous Course

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Delivery, 2015). When it comes to collaborative learning efforts, students may inspire

each other in a positive way. Creating opportunities for live events has the potential to

allow students to learn in a way that they may not have the chance to in the future

through avenues such as role playing and other various simulations (Synchronous Course

Delivery, 2015).

The theories and practices that have been reviewed to gain a better understanding

of the problem as well as to design this orientation course are the active learning theory,

adult learning theory and conditions of learning. The active learning theory has to do

with the use of multiple collaborative methods to education with the sole purpose of

appealing to students in their learning to obtain and recognize knowledge (Zollar &

Harrison, 2007). The adult learning theory deals with how adults learn and in order to be

effective, a learning session should consist of information that was relevant, engaging,

active and learner-centered. The conditions of learning theory were used to create this

course and deals with the fact that there are multiple layers involved in the learning

process. Based on an analysis of this information, the theory that was used to develop

this course was the conditions of learning theory. This theory includes the following nine

processes (Culotta, 2015):

1. Gaining attention (reception)

2. Informing learners of the objective (expectancy)

3. Stimulating recall of prior learning (retrieval)

4. Presenting the stimulus (selective perception)

5. Providing learning guidance (semantic encoding)

6. Eliciting performance (responding)

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 7. Providing feedback (reinforcement)

8. Assessing performance (retrieval)

9. Enhancing retention and transfer (generalization).

The processes were incorporated into the course as follows:

1. Gain attention - show a variety of screens within the learning management

system

2. Identify objective - learning objectives are identified within each lesson

3. Recall prior learning - review information learned within each lesson

4. Present stimulus - provide new information within each lesson

5. Guide learning - show how to navigate through the classroom step by step

6. Elicit performance - ask students to participate in various questionnaires

and surveys

7. Provide feedback - discuss findings from questionnaires and surveys

8. Assess performance - conduct assessments for each lesson as well as a

final assessment

9. Enhance retention/transfer - provide screenshots and handouts that can be

used later

These processes work to engage the entire learning process and ensure that students have

a strong understanding of the course.

Literature Review

The focus of this Literature Review was on two aspects of student learning: a

student’s initial experience and student retention. It was found that college instructors

from all levels of education confirmed that around 44% of students lack the capacity to
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handle the demands of higher education (Sanoff, 2006). They have also found that

occurrences such as student lack of responsiveness to instruction, declining motivation,

and lack of preparation (e.g., inadequate academic or behavioral abilities related to

college success) only 68.3% of first-year students returned for their second year of

college (Lavender, Nguyen-Rodriiguez, & Spruijt -Metz, 2010). The frequency and

passion of the instructor’s impact on students when there was student to instructor

interaction was much greater than when only one student to content interaction exists

(Moore, 1993).

Detailed information was also reviewed related to student retention within

university online programs. Alonso, the Senior Director of Enrollment and Student

Success at Learning House, discussed how early intervention plays a huge part in online

student retention (Alonso, 2014). Instructors should begin the intervention process as

early as the first week of school when students are the most engaged in their course.

During this time, it was important that students are encouraged to be organized and

knowledgeable about not only the course itself but also how to navigate within that

course. In addition, some form of voice to voice contact with new students was

necessary and allows for students to ask questions but to also begin the process of

forming life-long positive habits (Alonso, 2014). The deliverable will address the initial

experience and student retention issues by allowing for student/instructor interaction in a

real time setting as well as giving students an inside look in the online classroom, before

they begin their course, to gain the necessary knowledge and understanding of each area

and to ask any questions that may arise.

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 Ethical Considerations

If you were to ask most people what they consider ethics to be, they will most

likely discuss the morality of a situation or even treating others the way they would want

to be treated “the Golden Rule” (Golden Rule, n.d.). However, when it comes to

research, ethical standards also serve the objectives of research studies and relate to

individuals that are responsible for guiding research studies. This paper will discuss the

following ethical issues associated with a research study: Human Participant Risk, Site

Permission, Conflict of Interest, Intellectual Property, and Bias.

Human Participant Risk

The first ethical issue was Human Participant Risk. A human research participant

was a living being whom data was being acquired through managing academic research

by means of involvement or collaboration. Risk was the prospect of injury (physical,

psychological, social, legal, or economic) taking place because of the involvement in a

research study (Human Participants, 2016).

When creating a course, it was important to take all risks into consideration so as

to not disrespect the research participants. Human participants are critical to conducting

various types of research and because of this the interactions between researcher and

participants should be centered on respect, honesty and trust (Human Participants, 2016).

Types of Risk

There are 4 types of risk that need to be taken into consideration when conducting

research: minimal risk, physical risk, psychological risk, and social, legal and economic

risks. Within all research events, there was a level of minimal risk that was expected to

take place. There was said to be no more than a minimal level of risk when the

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likelihood and degree of injury or distress expected in the research are no more superior

than what takes place on a normal routine day (Human Participant Studies - Risk

Assessment Guide, 2014.).

There are also some levels of research that offer a certain level of physical risk to

participants. From a general perspective, most physical risk was brief but there are some

(those that involve medical and drug research) that can have adverse effectives on

participants for a long-term basis (Human Participant Studies - Risk Assessment Guide,

2014). Because of this, anytime that research has the likelihood of causing any type of

physical harm to the participants, a list of processes must be created to address the

potential situations that could arise so as to minimize the physical risks from taking place.

(Risk to Research Participants, n.d.)

There was additional research that can invoke negative thoughts and feelings

similar to that of depression and hallucinations that result from a feeling of guilt,

increased stress and potential drug use (Risk to Research Participants, n.d.). Just like

with physical risk, psychological risk can be brief, however there was a potential that this

type of harm can take place. In the same sense, specific procedures should be created

that address any potential situations that may arise in order to minimize these risks from

taking place

The last type of risks involves management of specific types of social, legal, and

economic risks where sensitive information could potentially lead to injury due to a

violation in privacy and any financial impacts to the participant based on the research

conducted (Risk to Research Participants, n.d.). In both areas, there should be clear

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procedures documented in relation to both of these risks so as to minimize the potential

for these risks to take place.

The risks to designing a course that addresses online classroom navigation are the

following: stability and effectiveness of the orientation course and approval by the

university to run the orientation course. To address the stability and effectiveness of the

course, a field test was conducted where peers were asked within higher education to

review the orientation course content and materials and provide feedback and

suggestions. Once the orientation course was up and running, an evaluation was provided

to each student in order to allow for feedback as to what was going well and what was

not. For this course, the Capella University Institutional Review Board determined that

human subject research would not be involved, and that review and oversight would not

be needed.

Site Permission

The second ethical issue was Site Permission. In order to conduct a strong ethical

research study, researchers are required to have a level of cooperation from other

individuals and/or organizations before consent was requested from any human subjects

(IRB Corner: Understanding Permissions in Research, n.d). These permissions work to

validate cooperation between the individuals and the organization and ultimately the

researcher. Researchers are required to have site permission for any type of research that

takes place within each organization and institution. This also applies if any type of data

or contact with human participants was retrieved from the site. Once the course was

designed, there was a need for an actual work site to implement and conduct the

orientation course as well as gather all feedback from the students and faculty related to

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the effectiveness of the orientation course. Site permission was requested from an

educational institution in New England.

The first step was to reach to the Dean within the School of Education and from

there was directed to the Associate VP of Research & Planning Institutional Effectiveness

Group. From there, the direction was given to reach to the Associate Vice President of

Undergraduate Advising who sent the request to the Executive VP for the College of

Continuing Education who granted the approval to create the course with the condition

that any findings would be sent to the First Year Experience team, as it could be valuable

in shaping the thinking for orienting students to COCE.

Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest was any condition where individual and/or commercial

considerations include the possibility to encourage or negotiate the skilled judgment in

clinical service, research, consultation, instruction, administration, or other professional

activity (Issues in Ethics: Conflicts of Professional Interest, n.d.). Conflicts can be in two

distinct forms: real and/apparent. A real conflict was one that has to do with an

individual contributing directly and significantly in specific instances that have a direct

and foreseeable result on the monetary concern of that person (Conflict of Interest, n.d).

A situation was said to have the appearance of a conflict when an individual who was

related to a specific position involves other individuals who are considered outside of the

realm to engage in an understanding of particular details that would question the

neutrality of the situation. A conflict of interest was usually based on an individual

occupying dual roles. For example, an individual conducts research within their own

customers or staff.

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Recognizing Conflicts of Interest

Within a research study, there may be circumstances that develop that can blur the

line between professional and personal interests. When this happens, it was important to

identify the conflict of interest and decide right away what should be done about it for the

benefit of the research study (Issues in Ethics: Conflicts of Professional Interest, n.d).

The majority of conflicts of interest have to do with business and/or monetary activities.

Because of this, it was important that the researcher assess all areas of the study to ensure

that there are no potential biases or partialities that could jeopardize the study due to

conflict of interest (American Medical Association Conflict of Interest Principles -

Councils, Committees, and Task Forces, n.d).

Another area where conflicts of interest are prevalent was surrounding family and

personal relationships. This was seen as a gray area because it can be challenging to

distinguish between what does and does not cross the line. When any form of partiality

arises that cannot be defended, this can be seen as a conflict of interest and the following

steps must be taken (Issues in Ethics: Conflicts of Professional Interest, n.d).

A course was designed rather than conducting research where human participants

or data may be used. Because of this, no conflict of interest was foreseen at this time. If

a level of conflict of interest should develop, the necessary steps to minimize, direct,

and/or remove the conflict of interest were made as soon as possible.

Intellectual Property

Intellectual property was defined as any type of idea, invention, or process that

starts from the power of the brain or intelligence (Intellectual Property, n.d). Over the

years, individuals have worked to take ownership of the work that they create. However,

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with the advancement of the internet and social media, it has become more and more

difficult to regulate this information. (The Ethics of Intellectual Property, n.d). When

research was being developed, there was a hope that it will result in a final paper that can

be published, however with a professional product, the condition of publishing the

product was not required. This does not mean that there was no expectation of effort on

part of the doctoral candidate. Overall, they must hold the knowledge related to how to

publish the project if the opportunity presents itself. The goal of this doctoral capstone

was to create and implement the orientation course for the current work site because of

this, the course serves as the Intellectual Property. No issues are foreseen with

Intellectual Property because all of the information that was use was properly cited while

creating this course.

Bias

As researchers, there was a certain level of bias that exists with a study and it was

important that these biases are identified and managed. A bias was defined as partiality in

favor of or in contradiction of one thing, person, or group related to another, frequently in

a way considered to be unjust (Bias, n.d). A level of bias in research was prevalent,

where prejudgment or discrimination presents a level of abnormality that results in an

escalating issue. In effect, the majority of biases are involuntary, however the fact of the

matter was that everyone was imperfect and human and are prone to the frequent

episodes of bias, notwithstanding their best efforts that it will not influence any research

(Bias in research, n.d).

As an online instructor at the undergraduate level, there was an understanding of

the ongoing issue students have with not being able to navigate through the online

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classroom in a way that helps their experience to be a positive one. The course that was

being created was one that will address the real issue of student preparedness in an online

classroom setting and during this entire process. Any implicit and explicit situation that

may arise was addressed promptly.

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 SECTION 2. PROCESS

Introduction

The Professional Product Doctoral Capstone took place due to a need to tackle an

issue with online preparedness within a large university in New England, which was the

designated research site. This university understands the need to reevaluate what has

worked, what has failed and determine what needs to change. Because of this, the

educational institution can reap the benefits from an orientation course that can improve

the students initial experience. Thus, the purpose of this capstone project was to develop

the course of an introductory online classroom navigation orientation course that will

improve student retention.

The focus of this Professional Product Doctoral Capstone was on students who

are new to the online learning environment. These students are at a minimum of 18 years

of age with the bulk of them being returning students. The Executive VP of the

continuing education department within the university provided the necessary site

permission and written approval.

Project Design/Method

Capstone Topic Selection. This Doctoral Capstone was entitled Introduction to

Online Classroom Navigation. The focus of this topic was related to the Educational

Leadership and Management specialization. For example, this topic expands knowledge

and informs practice within the specialization by providing students with an

understanding of the change from brick and mortar classes to online classes and how to

navigate through the online classroom effectively. In addition, the topic engages faculty,

leadership, and advisors to collaborate in ensuring that all students are prepared for their
17
online courses. Collaboration takes place when instructors take part in the development

of learning modules through contributing their individual expertise in specific areas, such

as collaborative learning, critical thinking, evaluating resources, conferencing, or using

presentation software (Harvey & Dewald, 2011). At COCE, all faculty, leadership and

advisors will benefit from students not only taking this orientation course but more

importantly from being able to effectively navigate through the online classroom.

Capstone Background and Context. There was currently no other online

navigation orientation course offered at the research site and this led to the creation and

development of this Doctoral Capstone project with the ultimate goal of enhancing the

course offerings within the university. By designing this type of online navigation

course, students are impacted in a positive way and are able to navigate through their

online orientation courses effectively. If executed, this type of orientation course can

benefit the research site by increasing student retention and thereby impacting graduation

rates in a positive way.

Various research was considered in order to gain an understanding of the topic

from an academic perspective. Web articles and materials were assessed and examined

in order to establish the impact of real time interaction on students within the online

classroom. For example, whether or not a student effectively integrates into the online

setting was based on the sense of community that the student feels within that classroom

(Croxton, 2014). It was this level of social integration that plays the part of positive

student involvement in various learning communities within a classroom setting

(Melguizo, 2011). Also, Song and McNary (2011) discussed the fact that the number of

online orientation courses continues to grow in higher education (Allen & Seaman,

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2006). With that amount of growth, the area that has been identified as an important

factor affecting students’ learning experiences in online learning environments was

student interaction. Students interaction patterns within online discussion board postings,

online learning journals, and orientation course grades are critical to the success of

students in this type of environment.

This capstone project also utilized research that discussed how both faculty and

university feedback related to how interacting with students in a real time capacity leads

to increased student retention and thereby improving the student’s online experience.

Park and Choi, (2009) conducted research and found that online learners lost their

motivation and felt less satisfied if their programs did include some form of interactive

participation and interaction (Park & Choi, 2009)

Topic Background and Significance. At the time of this capstone project, it was

discovered that the dropout rates in four-year colleges as a whole were a huge problem.

This was because, overall, one in four freshman students do not return for their

sophomore year and only 50% of students enrolled graduate within a six-year timeframe

(Infographic List, 2011). Based on this information, it was evident that both student

retention and student success are the most critical issues that higher education institutions

face currently. Dupin-Bryant (2010) recognized several entry and pre-entry areas related

to both the completion of a course as well as the non-completion of a course in an online

environment. She discovered that the most important factors related to completing a

degree were the prior experience in education each student had along with their computer

knowledge. She identified that students needed to be taught how to find resources,

understand how to use a computer as well as internet-based programs and above all, have

19
a level of ease related to using the university designated Learning Management System.

Arbaugh et al.’s (2010) examined both online learning and blended learning

environments and the necessity of both collective and scholarly integration into a

student’s overall educational experience as influences in student retention rates. The

group emphasized the constructive impact that student connection and relationship

building with faculty can have on students staying enrolled. If social presence and

collaboration was not recognized at the start of the course through the actions of the

faculty member, it can be implied that there would be a loss of freedom of the discussion

that takes place within the classroom (p. 49). These circumstances warranted the need to

move forward with the development and design of this Professional Product Capstone

Project.

The capstone project discussed the fact that a major concern of online students

was the absence of face to face collaboration with classmates and faculty. Because of

this, there can be a divide within the online classroom, however, the best way to improve

this issue was to look for ways to incorporate real-time interaction through the

implementation of video conferencing and group chats (Aspillera, 2010). Lastly, the

capstone project when implemented will hopefully determine that the benefits to adult

learners and returning students related to student interaction and student success involve a

strong level of presence. Relationships are developed when students are motivated, and

instructors can strengthen this motivation by providing opportunities for synchronous

interaction. This allows for students to feel that they are interacting with a person rather

than a computer (Kelly, 2015). The purpose of this research project was to design a

course product that will improve the student’s initial experience. The format was through

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a web conferencing system like Adobe Connect, WebEx or another video conferencing

system.

Topic Criteria for Specialization. The project research topic was focused on

developing the Professional Doctoral Capstone Project. The design of the course has a

concentration in the Educational Leadership and Management specialization.

This capstone project was created with the objective of helping to improve the

student’s initial online experience. Through this objective, the capstone project will

expand the knowledge and inform the practice within the specialization through changes

and innovation and collaboration.

The first criterion, used to direct the topic selection for this course design was

through changes and innovation. Change is defined as the occurrence of being different

(Changes, 2016) and innovation is defined as a new method, idea or product (Innovation,

2016). The specialization was expanded by providing students with an understanding of

the change from a brick and mortar class to online classes and how to navigate through

the online classroom effectively. The second criterion used to direct the topic selection

for this course design was through collaboration. Collaboration is defined as the act of

working together to produce something (Collaboration, 2016). The specialization was

expanded by engaging faculty, leadership, and advisors to collaborate through allowing

for this orientation course to be created and facilitated within the work site. This ensures

that all students are prepared for their online orientation courses ahead of time.

Problem. This capstone project will ultimately address improving the student’s

initial experience in the online classroom. When students have an opportunity for real

time interaction within their online classrooms, they are encouraged to be a part of the

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communication and to contribute to the online interaction because it helps them to work

with their peers online (Song & McNary, 2011). In order to construct an environment

that promotes learning and personal development, repeated instructor-student interaction

was not only critical, its necessity was intensified within the online framework (Simmons

& Grooms, 2013). Issues of student retention have become increasingly central to all

stakeholders in higher education because of low completion rates for students who begin

college. Only 56% of students graduate within six years (Briody, 2013), and the rate was

lower for minorities—43% for Hispanics and 38% for Blacks (Saxon, 2010). A

contributing factor behind these low completion rates was based on the lack of

community within the online classroom. This was due to the fact that the sense of

community was not created at the beginning of the program (Clapper, 2014). Arbaugh et

al.’s (2010) conducted a review of both online and blended learning programs and

determined that there was a distinct need for both social and intellectual incorporation

into the entire college experience and that these key factors would have a positive impact

on college retention rates.

Purpose. The purpose of this research project was to develop the course of an

introductory online classroom navigation orientation course that will improve the

students sense of university community by utilizing a web conferencing system like

Adobe Connect, WebEx or another video conferencing system.

Target Audience. The purpose of this Professional Product Capstone was to

present information related to online classroom navigation to students beginning an

online degree program with the designated work research site. This course design was

for adult students who are at least 18 years of age or older and who are enrolled in an

22
online program. Students were required to complete this orientation course before they

began their designated program. Several students are new to the online environment, in

fact the National Center for Education Statistics determined in 2014 that 71.5% of

students enrolled in a degree granting postsecondary institution have never taken an

online orientation course (The NCES [National Center for Education Statistics], Fast

Facts Tool Provides Quick Answers to Many Education Questions, 2014). Based on this

information, having this real time orientation course will not only allow the instructor to

communicate how to navigate through the classroom in order to be successful, but it will

also allow the students the opportunity to conquer their fears and ask their questions with

real-time responses. This will allow the designated work research site to not only focus

on retaining students but will also provide them with outlets where they can directly

interact with their instructor and their classmates. This all contributes to the learning

process.

Site Permission. One requirement for Capella University doctoral students was

that they secure permission from their designated work research site. The creator of this

research study has a professional relationship with participants. A request was sent to

Executive VP for the College of Online and Continuing Education and approval of this

request was received shortly after that time.

Project Method Rationale. The capstone project design was established for an

online orientation course that will assist students in the most effective way to navigate

through the online classroom. The time when undergraduate adult students begin an

Associate or bachelor’s degree program within an online university was the most critical

and the most difficult time in their educational career. During this time, it can be hard for

23
some students due to the fact that they are not used to the online environment as well as

the new learning styles within the online environment are different than what they have

experienced (Issues Affecting the Transition of First Year Students into University Life

Education Essay, 2013). During this time a student’s mindset can potentially transform

towards not only how they will learn in the future but also their own stability within their

chosen program. College instructors from all levels of education have found that only

68.3% of freshman return for their sophomore year of college due to reasons such as

student lack of response to teaching, declining motivation, and not being prepared

(Lavender, Nguyen-Rodriiguez, & Spruijt -Metz, 2010).

Design Steps. Prior to creating the course for this Professional Product Capstone,

a detailed plan was created in advance to ensure that all necessary areas were covered.

The first stage in the plan was to create an outline. The following information was

included within the outline:

1. Instruction Planning

a. Course Hours

b. Attendance Requirement

c. Method of Instruction

2. Program Requirements

a. Computer Requirements

b. Materials Requirements

3. Course Design

a. Course Description

b. Learning Objectives

24
 c. Instruction Outline

The second stage in the plan was to design the course. This course was designed based

on the conditions of learning theory. The course design included the following:

1. Designed an outline with goals and a synopsis to support those goals were used to

design the orientation course, entitled Lesson Plan Preview.

2. Lesson One: Adapting to the Online Learning Environment

a. The student will:

i. Determine the advantages of online learning.

ii. State current learning stages.

iii. Discuss how you learn.

iv. Explain the various types of learning styles

1. Advantages of Online Learning

a. Online learning has grown substantially over the

past decade. The number of schools that offer

online learning opportunities have grown

significantly over the years. The focus of these

same higher education institutions was to develop

completely online degree programs.

2. Current Learning Stages Theories

a. All students learn in different ways. These stages

do not change regardless of how a student

learns. The student and instructor can work

25
 together to help the student move from the exposure

stage toward the independent stage.

b. How students learn.

i. statistics

c. Preferred Learning Styles

i. Questionnaire

3. Lesson 1 Knowledge Check

3. Lesson Two: Navigating Through the Online Classroom

a. The student will:

i. Utilize the LMS Classroom

ii. Determine how to submit an assignment and quiz

iii. Discover effective online learning strategies

iv. Discuss the importance of online student ethics

1. The LMS Classroom

a. An LMS stands for learning management system. It

is called learning because it is a software

application that is used to provide various education

or training courses.

2. Submitting an Assignment and Quiz

a. There are two important functions that you must be

able to perform in order to be successful in your

online classroom. The first function is submitting

an assignment within the classroom. The second

26
 function is completing a quiz or test within the

classroom.

3. Online Learning Strategies

a. Online learning is a continually developing method

of education, and the technology used is progressing

regularly. Even though it is now a popular form of

education and allows students to gain their degree in

a convenient and flexible manner, everyone is not a

good fit for it

4. Online Student Ethics

a. As in a traditional brick and mortar university,

students must understand that in order to be a

successful online student, they must have a strong

level of online student ethics.

5. Lesson 2 Knowledge Check

4. Lesson Three: The Importance of Online Discussion

a. The student will:

i. Indicate the steps to execute an on-line discussion

ii. Discover how to create an effective online post

iii. Determine the best way to respond to classmate’s posts

iv. Discuss the importance of communication within the classroom

1. What is an Online Discussion?

27
 a. One of the most important functions that a

student must perform in order to be successful

in the online classroom is posting and

responding within the discussion forum.

5. Creating an Effective Online Discussion Posting

a. Online discussions boards are an important and

useful tool within the online classroom. They

allow students to grasp the material within the

orientation course, use the necessary skills that

lead to effective discussions, develop effective

writing skills, and gain useful insight from other

students within the orientation course.

6. Responding to Classmates Discussion Postings

a. When responding to classmate’s discussion

posts, it is important to be as clear and provide

as much information as possible. It is not

enough to just agree with the classmate’s

postings, instead It helps to choose a portion of

the students initial posting, discuss whether

there is agreement or disagreement and respond

based on opinion and insight.

7. The Importance of Communication

28
 a. The level of communication that exists in an

online orientation course is different than that

of a traditional classroom setting. Because of

this, students must develop an understanding of

using both verbal and nonverbal

communication within the online classroom.

1. Lesson 3 Knowledge Check

8. Lesson Four: Writing and Citing Effectively

a. The student will:

i. Discuss the importance of effective research and writing

ii. Understand the writing process

iii. Determine what plagiarism is

iv. Utilize proper citation and referencing

1. The Importance of Effective Research and Writing

a. Students may have the understanding that in

order to conduct research all that needs to be

done is to locate information on the internet and

quote that information within the assignment

while listing that same information in a

reference list. However, research findings

should be used as a form of support for the

student’s own ideas rather than a way to load a

paper with information.

29
 2. The Writing Process

a. The writing process was created to assist

students with how to write effectively on any

subject. This process inspires imagination and

creativity along with effective writing tools.

3. What is Plagiarism

a. Plagiarism is the act of using another

individual’s work or ideas without recognizing

where the information came from.

4. Proper Citation and Referencing

a. Students are expected to recognize all of the

resources or thoughts that are used that do not

belong to them. In order to do this, they must

use in-text citations and a reference list.

5. Lesson 4 Knowledge Check

9. Lesson Five: Utilizing Online Resources

a. The student will:

i. Demonstrate why it is important to be organized

ii. Discuss the impact of time management to online students

iii. Determine how to stay motivated within the online program

1. The Benefits of Being Organized

a. Within the online classroom, it is important to

stay as organized as possible. However,

30
 organization is truly a skill that must be learned

and developed, or it may result in a great deal of

unproductive time and energy.

2. The Importance of Time Management

a. A popular idea from students who choose to

take online classes is the misconception that

there is not a level of time management needed

to be successful in an online learning

environment.

3. Staying Motivated

a. Students who are enrolled in an online program

do at times find it challenging to stay motivated

within their courses. For the most part, these

students are tasked with studying and fulfilling

the requirements of their courses on their own

time without the benefit of having face-to-face

interaction with an instructor.

10. Appendix - Established activities for each lesson assignment

a. Preferred Learning Styles Online Quiz

b. Lesson Discussion Questions

c. Lesson Videos

d. Lesson Knowledge Checks

e. Final Assessment

31
The process described above was utilized to design the introductory online navigation

course for the Professional Product Capstone.

Project Outcomes

Based on thorough planning, the purpose of this introductory online orientation

course was to define a tactical plan that assisted students in the most effective way to

navigate through the online classroom. This research study was created as a proposal

directed to the university work research site aimed to increase student success in online

courses.

The administration within the College of Continuing Education department was

responsible for overseeing the entire course development process. Particularly, this

university research site works to increase access to education by creating high quality,

affordable and original routes to meet the distinctive necessities of each student. If this

university work research site decides that there was a need for this online navigation

course, there was a detailed examination of the project design and this information will

conclude that the online navigation course was in alignment with the College of

Continuing Education mission statement.

An additional segment of the Professional Product Capstone incorporates the

design of the course that applied information gathered from various research studies

which assisted in the orientation course structure. Because of this, the online navigation

course recognized five areas within the orientation course that will assist students in

navigation effectively through the online classroom and will ultimately provide the tools

they need to have a successful student experience. These areas include:

1. Adapting to the Online Learning Environment

32
 2. Navigating Through the Online Classroom

3. The Importance of Online Discussion

4. Writing and Citing Effectively

5. Utilizing Online Resources

Within the Adapting to the Online Learning Environment lesson, students will

gain an understanding of the advantages of online learning, current learning stages and

theories, and how students learn. They will review the specific types of learning styles

and complete an assessment that will determine their own personal learning style and

how their particular style can benefit their student learning experience. Within the

Navigating Through the Online Classroom lesson, students will preview the online

classroom and will learn the process involved used to submit assignments and complete

quizzes. They will also review online learning strategies as well as the importance of

online student ethics. Within the Importance of the Online Discussion lesson, students

will learn the background of the online discussion, how to create an effective online post,

how to respond to classmate’s posts effectively, and the importance of communication

within the online classroom. Within the Writing and Citing Effectively lesson, students

gain an understanding of the importance of effective research and writing, the writing

process, successful approaches to research and proper citation and referencing. Lastly,

within the Utilizing Online Resources lesson, students will learn the benefits of being

organized, the importance of time management, and how to stay motivated. These focus

on these areas allows students to apply the information and knowledge they have

acquired through each of the lessons to their online environment as a means to enhance

their overall student experience.

33
 Development Process

In order to allow for an effective orientation course design, the Professional

Capstone Product utilized principles created by Gordon Cawelt of The Association for

Supervision and Course Development (General Concepts and Design Principles, 2017).

The principles along with the application related to the created course are as follows:

1. “Offer a balanced core of learning in each course” (General Concepts and Design

Principles, 2017, p.1).

a. This course was focused on a specific subject which is Online Course

Navigation.

2. “Adopt the belief that in-depth study of a limited number of important topics will

have a more lasting effect than a course that tries to cover too many disconnected

bits and pieces of information” (General Concepts and Design Principles, 2017, p.

1).

a. The topics/lessons for this course consist of the following

1. Adapting to the Online Learning Environment

2. Navigating Through the Online Classroom

3. The Importance of Online Discussion

4. Writing and Citing Effectively

5. Utilizing Online Resources

3. “Design course outcomes to focus on results, with multiple indicators

(assessments) of performance” (General Concepts and Design Principles, 2017, p.

1).

1. Course Pre-test
34
 2. Course Post-test

3. Knowledge Checks for each Lesson

4. “Design authentic assessments that will encourage originality, insightfulness, and

problem-solving, along with master of important information” (General Concepts

and Design Principles, 2017, p. 1).

1. Final Assessment over entire course

5. “Design courses to encourage active involvement” (General Concepts and Design

Principles, 2017, p. 1).

1. The orientation course was conducted in real time over a video

conferencing system and each lesson will include several questions

for discussion.

6. “Get students ‘doing’ early in the course rather than studying all the principles

and basics prior to performing” (General Concepts and Design Principles, 2017,

p. 1).

1. The first activity within the orientation course will consist of each

student introducing themselves to the instructor and their

classmates.

2. Students were able to work along within the classroom to practice

navigating through the online classroom.

Evaluation Plan

The Professional Product Capstone includes an evaluation plan that will gauge the

effectiveness of the orientation course from both an administration and student

35
perspective. For this Doctoral Capstone, a pilot was conducted, and a two-part field test

was conducted after course implementation. The pilot was sent to five peer faculty

members and consisted of the following 10 questions:

True/False

 The learning objectives of the course were clearly defined?

 Does the content match the learning objectives?

 The content was organized and easy to follow?

 Is the content up-to-date

 Do the learning materials match with the learning objectives?

 Are the materials presented in a logical sequence?

Multiple Choice

 How would you rate the quality of the course?

 How would you rate the quality of the objectives?

 How would you rate the quality of the test items?

 How would you rate the quality of the degree of freedom from bias with

respect to sex, race national origin, age, religion, etc.?

The respondents each felt that the learning objectives were clearly defined,

matched the content, were organized and easy to follow and were up to date. They also

felt that overall the course and learning objectives were of high quality. One respondent

rated the test items and degree of freedom from bias as neither high or low quality, while

the remaining respondents felt that both areas were of high quality. From the comments

received, the respondents felt that the course had clearly outlined the objectives and that

it looked like an effective "orientation" to online learning.

36
 The first field test was directed toward the university administration and faculty

where they had the opportunity to review the orientation course content within a “test”

orientation course and provided their feedback. The researcher conducted the orientation

course from beginning to end as if it were a live orientation course and faculty had the

opportunity to participate as if they were students. Once the orientation course was

completed, faculty were permitted to ask questions related to the structure and content of

the orientation course. Once each orientation course was complete, the researcher

provided an evaluation form to each faculty member and asked for detailed feedback.

Once the feedback was received, the information was gathered and compiled into positive

and negative feedback and any applicable changes were considered and implemented as

needed. The goal of this evaluation process was to ensure that the orientation course was

as useful and effective as possible for the students.

The second field test was directed to a group of students enrolled in the university

who were chosen for a pilot orientation course and received an evaluation once the

orientation course was completed. The evaluation included questions related to the

effectiveness of the orientation course and also allowed for students to describe specific

things that they would change about the orientation course as well as things they felt went

well and not well within the orientation course. Each student was encouraged to provide

honest and open feedback related to the orientation course and that the responses were

totally anonymous. The data gathered within this pilot orientation course evaluation was

used to ensure that the orientation course was as useful and effective as possible.

37
 SECTION 3. APPLICATION

Introduction

The Professional Product Doctoral Capstone took place due to a need to tackle an

issue related to students being able to effectively navigate through their online courses

within a large university in New England, which was the designated work research site.

This university understands the need to reevaluate what has worked, what has failed and

determine what needs to change. The focus was to increase student retention by

improving the students initial experience by using Adobe Connect (or another video

38
conferencing system) to conduct the orientation course while navigating through the

Blackboard learning management system.

The online course has the potential to help other universities who struggle with

student retention. For instance, because Adobe Connect was a universal tool, this

orientation course can be adapted to include any learning management system and areas

can be deleted or added based on need. Because this orientation course was focused on

online navigation, it can be adapted to new students as well as a refresher to students who

have been enrolled for a year or longer.

In order for other universities to use this orientation course effectively, they need

to have an understanding of the techniques used to design the course. Having a high-

level understanding of the principles of the online course will enable potential users the

ability to effectively tailor the program to meet their needs. This online course was

developed to meet the needs of a large university, however, it can be adjusted to

accommodate smaller universities as well as other entities that utilize online/virtual

learning.

Relevant Outcomes and Findings

This Doctoral Capstone was a course deliverable focused on the online orientation

course that will instruct students; within a large university work site in New England;

how to navigate through an online orientation course effectively. This online course was

entitled: Introduction to Online Classroom Navigation.

The development of the course for this online orientation course has the sole

purpose of aiding the work research site administration and faculty within all programs of

the university along with the students who are at least 18 years of age or older and who

39
are enrolled in an online program. More importantly, the organization of the online

orientation course layout and content meets the needs of the students within the online

program by instructing them how to effectively navigate through the Blackboard online

classroom thereby improving their initial experience.

The basis for designing the online navigation course deliverable was to increase

student retention by improving the students overall online experience. Currently, the

students are provided with tutorials that show students how to log into the classroom and

navigate around each section. For example, Dakota County Technical College provides

several links to presentations on how to complete discussion boards to how to submit

assignments where it was up to the student to review and understand the material. Also,

Carnegie Mellon provides students with a Getting Started for Students page that provides

walks through the process of how to initially log into the LMS as well as submitting

assignments and checking grades. However, students do not have the opportunity to see

first-hand how to navigate through all areas of the classroom before they begin their first

course so in most cases, they may not be adequately prepared for the journey ahead of

them. This online orientation course proposal will address this gap and will allow

students the opportunity to see the online classroom in a real-time format while providing

an open forum where questions can be answered.

Within the Educational Leadership and Management specialization, the rationale

for this orientation course was in an online environment (Adobe Connect, WebEx or

another video conferencing system). This rationale was different because it addressed the

students actual online experience in the classroom. It will include how to submit an

assignment, how to access the gradebook, etc. and it was interactive and in real-time so

40
that questions could be asked by students and answered by faculty. This orientation

course was the first course that a student takes when they are accepted in a program

within the university. The only materials for this orientation course were screen shots

with step by step instructions that can be used as a guide after the orientation course was

completed.

The design of this orientation course was comprised of one 2.5-hour orientation

course session and was created to include a plan that allowed for effective inclusion of

the course deliverable. For this online orientation course, the design incorporates a

syllabus that provides a detailed overview of the orientation course content based upon

hours. This online orientation course design was divided into five lessons that cover all

elements of the course of study:

f. Lesson One: Adapting to the Online Learning Environment

g. Lesson Two: Navigating Through the Online Classroom

h. Lesson Three: The Importance of Online Discussion

i. Lesson Four: Writing and Citing Effectively

j. Lesson Five: Utilizing Online Resources

The development process of this orientation course incorporates both Microsoft

Word and Microsoft PowerPoint and the learning management system was focused on

Blackboard. However, this orientation course can be adapted to any university setting

and if there was a need to incorporate another learning management system into the

course, that can be done as well. This Professional Capstone was based on the need for

faculty and students to have a set of resources readily available. For example, in order to

41
be successful in facilitating the online orientation course, faculty must have the following

resources available:

1. Computer with functioning Internet access

2. University Blackboard access

3. Course syllabus for Introduction to Online Classroom Navigation

4. Course Evaluation form

5. Lesson Plans for Units 1-5

6. Lesson Plan Preview

In order to be successful in completing the online orientation course, students must have

access to the following resources:

1. Computer with functioning Internet access

2. University Blackboard access

3. Course syllabus for Introduction to Online Classroom Navigation

4. Course Evaluation form

5. Activities for Lessons 1-5 uploaded to Blackboard

Within the designated work research site, all interaction and communication was

between the Associate Dean of Programs and the Product Manager before the course

design process would be approved to begin. Those who wish to design a new course

must have a strong understanding of the course vision that was created by both of these

individuals. Once a need was identified and the request has been approved, the

Instructional Designer and SME (subject matter expert) will work together to begin the

five states of course development.

42
 After the completion of each course within the College of Online and Continuing

Education program, students are sent a course evaluation where they can provide their

feedback related to the course itself as well as their instructor’s effectiveness. This

orientation course was no different, so each student will receive a course evaluation form

in their University email account at the end of the course. Students were encouraged to

provide as much feedback as possible so that the effectiveness of this orientation course

can be analyzed and used to improve future orientation courses.

The work research site takes on the responsibility of compiling the information

from the course evaluations and uses that information to determine effectiveness of both

the instructor as well as the orientation course. Within this action research study, it was

suggested that the university use the same orientation course evaluation criteria in order

to stay consistent. The ratings and range that the students would use to provide feedback

to the instructor about course effectiveness goes from a rating of highly effective to

highly ineffective with levels in between.

The feedback questions will examine several areas and will require the student to

enter specific comments related to orientation course’s effectiveness:

1. Description of course objectives

2. Accomplishment of each course objective

3. Effectiveness of course materials

4. Usefulness of planned class time

5. Means by which the Instructor connected with students

6. Management of questions and comments from students

7. Presentation of specific concepts

43
 8. Allowance of hands on practice time

9. Overall quality of the course

Students will have the chance to answer the following questions in their own words:

1. Describe specific things about this orientation course you would change.

2. Describe specific things this instructor did well or did not do well.

Evaluations are gathered by the College of Online and Continuing Education and

are made available during the last week of the orientation course. Instructors are able to

view not only the ratings they receive but also the comments that students provide (which

are required in order for the student to complete the evaluation). If the orientation

course/instructor receives poor ratings, the Team Leader faculty member will work with

the orientation course instructor to review the evaluations and work together to make

adjustments to the orientation course and facilitation process as needed.

It was very important that the online orientation course was designed with the

utmost quality. This orientation course design utilizes principles created by Gordon

Cawelt of The Association for Supervision and Course Development (General Concepts

and Design Principles, 2017, p. 1). The principles consist of the following:

1. Offer a balanced core of learning in each orientation course.

2. Adopt the belief that an in-depth study of a limited number of important topics

will have a more lasting effect than an orientation course that tries to cover too

many disconnected bits and pieces of information.

3. Design orientation course outcomes to focus on results, with multiple indicators

(assessments) of performance.

4. Design authentic assessments that will encourage originality, insightfulness, and

44
 problem-solving, along with master of important information.

5. Design orientation courses to encourage active involvement.

6. Get students "doing" early in the orientation course rather than studying all the

principles and basics prior to performing.

Starting with Principle one, the orientation course design offered a balanced core

of learning in each orientation course. Based on this principle, this orientation course

was focused on a specific subject which was Online Course Navigation. Principle two has

to do with adopting the belief that in-depth study of a limited number of important topics

will have a more lasting effect than an orientation course that tries to cover too many

disconnected bits and pieces of information. Based on this principle, the topics/lessons

for this online orientation course consist of the following

1. Adapting to the Online Learning Environment

2. Navigating Through the Online Classroom

3. The Importance of Online Discussion

4. Writing and Citing Effectively

5. Utilizing Online Resources

Principle three ensures that the design course outcomes to focus on results, with

multiple indicators (assessments) of performance. Based on this principle, within each

lesson of the orientation course there were a corresponding Knowledge Check. Principle

four works to design authentic assessments that will encourage originality, insightfulness,

and problem-solving, along with master of important information. Based on this

principle, a final assessment was delivered over the entire orientation course.

Principle five allows the design courses to encourage active involvement. Based
45
on this principle, the orientation course was conducted in real time over a video

conferencing system and each lesson will include several questions for discussion.

Lastly, principle six advises to get students "doing" early in the orientation course rather

than studying all the principles and basics prior to performing. Based on this principle,

the first activity within the orientation course will consist of each student introducing

themselves to the instructor and their classmates. In addition to the introduction, students

were able to work along within the classroom to practice navigating through the online

classroom.

Application and Benefits

By designing this course, students were able to learn firsthand how to effectively

navigate through the Blackboard classroom. The work research site offers both online

and face-to-face introduction courses for students. However, the course does not go into

the level of detail related to online navigation and does not allow students the opportunity

to have hands on practice within the classroom. Executing this online orientation course

has the ability to assist in increasing student retention within the university. This was due

to the fact that when students are prepared and feel comfortable with what they are doing,

they are able to work through the program regularly and are more likely to stay engaged

and continue towards completing their degree. In fact, being prepared has ties to being

successful within the online classroom. According to a study that was conducted in 2013

by Faculty Focus, one of the biggest challenges that faculty face within only classrooms

was working with students who are not prepared for class but not prepared for college as

a whole (Alford & Griffin, 2013). Students have several things to do in their lives and it

was important that they are prepared so that they can prioritize their work. This

46
orientation course will give students the tools they need to be prepared for class and give

them the opportunity to be more successful overall.

The design of this course creates several benefits for the specialization of

Educational Leadership and Management. First, this course has the potential to improve

the student experience by ensuring they are prepared for the opportunities ahead of them.

When a student was new to higher learning it can be challenging to begin and move

through a program. But when they are also new to an online learning environment, it can

be intimidating to grasp the most effective way to navigate through the online classroom.

Finally, students who are confident usually express themselves more and are able to

effectively get their point across. Students who lack confidence, may struggle with

grasping new material in their courses (Cox, n.d.). This course was able to assist students

with developing a strong level of confidence in themselves because they are building the

tools they need to be successful in the program.

Target Audience

The target audience for this Professional Product Doctoral Capstone project are

the College of Online and Continuing Education (COCE) administration within the work

research site that design and facilitate the online orientation courses. Site permission was

obtained during the action study process so that this project could be established. The

basis for this course was for students who are at a minimum 18 years of age.

Institution/Setting

This online navigation orientation course was created for the administration of a

large university work site in New England who are part of designing the online

orientation courses as well as facilitating them. According to the mission of the

47
university, the College of Online and Continuing Education exists to make high-quality

education both reachable and inexpensive for everyone. Through the groundbreaking

culture and solid commitment to student success, they inspire students to change their

lives and the lives of those around them. COCE understands the need to reevaluate what

has worked, what has failed and determine what needs to change. This work research site

was a large university in New England and provides both face-to-face and online courses

through a variety of programs.

Beyond the Local Setting

This program was developed to meet the needs of a large university; however, it

can be adjusted to accommodate smaller universities as well as other entities that utilize

online/virtual learning. Furthermore, the design of this course may assist administrators

in reorganizing the subject matter in order to meet the needs of the designated educational

setting. This program has the ability to assist students in learning how to effectively

navigate through any online classroom within both small and large colleges and

universities that offer online courses.

Implications for Professional Specialization

The professional specialization was expanded by providing students with an

understanding of the change from a brick and mortar class to online classes and how to

navigate through the online classroom effectively. Additionally, this takes place by

engaging faculty, leadership, and advisors to collaborate in ensuring that all students are

prepared for their online courses. This program can be used as a model to educate new

students or as a refresher for existing and returning students. Also, based on the needs of

48
the college or university, this program can be modified and updated to include material

that was specific to the entire student body.

Recommendations

The recommendation was for the online navigation course design to be utilized

within the designated work research site whose goal was to decrease student retention

while increasing student satisfaction. This course was created based on data obtained

through various online publications related to student retention in an online environment.

This research has determined that administrators who choose to design this form of

orientation course would benefit from analyzing these online publications in order to gain

a strong understanding of why students choose to withdraw from a particular university.

In addition to the online publications related to student retention, this research

utilized detailed online periodicals related to the impact of real-time interaction in an

online classroom setting and how that relates to student success. This information was

gathered and documented within the literature review that was conducted during the

research study. Through the examination of this information it was determined that

administrators who choose to design this form of orientation course would benefit from

examining these periodicals in order to gain an understanding of how students that take

advantage of the real-time tools and opportunities that their university offers are more

likely to experience success than those that choose to tackle their first year on their own.

Additionally, this research provides a clear recommendation that when

administrators choose to engage in the design or application of this course that they also

make an effort to gain the necessary understanding of the orientation course design

principles. This will ensure that each learning setting will experience the similar result.

49
Administrators should also have a good understanding of how this online navigation

course design was applied in the specific online learning setting. This will determine

which sections are applicable to the work research site.

Conclusion

The purpose of the capstone project was to develop the course of an introductory

online classroom navigation orientation course that will improve the student’s initial

experience through a web conferencing system like Adobe Connect or WebEx. Action

research has been used as a means of research over the years. The goal of research was

to look at an issue by researching and gathering information, think by analyzing the

information, and act by using the information to solve the issue or problem. This specific

research was related to the specialization of the Education Leadership and Management

and will focus on assisting students in the most effective way to navigate through the

online classroom. The deliverable for this project was a course with the objective of

helping to improve the student’s initial online experience.

The design of the course has a concentration in the Educational Leadership and

Management specialization. The research will expand knowledge and inform practice

within this specialization by engaging faculty, leadership, and advisors to collaborate in

ensuring that all students are prepared for their online courses. By creating a required

introductory orientation course that allows students the same level of understanding that

newly hired faculty receive which will put them in a better place to succeed in their

orientation courses as well as their degree. This in turn will have a positive impact on

retention numbers.

50
 The design of this professional product began with creating a detailed plan in

advance to ensure that all necessary areas were covered. The first stage in the plan was to

create a syllabus which was entitled: Introduction to Online Classroom Navigation. The

second stage in the plan was to create the course. This course was modified based on the

principles from Gordon Cawelt of the ASCD (The Association for Supervision and

Course Development). An additional segment of the Professional Product Capstone

incorporates the design of the course that applied information gathered from various

research studies which assisted in the orientation course structure. Because of this, the

online navigation course recognized five areas within the orientation course that will

assist students in navigation effectively through the online classroom and will ultimately

provide the tools they need to have a successful student experience.

51
52
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 PUBLISHING AGREEMENT

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I have read, understand and agree to this Capella Publishing Agreement, including all
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(Print Name) Monica Bess

REQUIRED Author's signature Monica D Bess Date 2/11/18

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