Sloan-C report on online learning in US higher ed. Among the findings:

• 12% growth in the last year
• 20% of students took at least one online course in fall 2007
• Current economic problems (rising unemployment and fuel costs) are predicted to increase demand for online learning

JALN article on 10 strategies to help students improve their critical thinking skills. Registration required to read the full PDF article.

"The following ten strategies are proposed: (1) ask questions that can be answered through information seeking, (2) expect students to describe the meanings of their required readings in their own words, (3) motivate students to use effort through grading criteria, (4) stimulate students to give examples of concepts or theories being studied, (5) provide case studies or other examples for application of class content, (6) prompt students to ask questions of each other and the instructor; (7) phrase questions so that additional independent research or reading is required, (8) promote student debates on controversial subjects within the discipline, (9) require students to use journaling, and (10) reinforce students’ use of critical thinking"

According to a meta-analysis by the US Department of Education, face-to-face courses are less effective than online and blended learning. They caution against viewing this as simply a matter of the medium though. It's the changes in what online and blended learning allow (like opportunities for collaboration) that are likely making the difference.

Direct link to PDF: http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf

Horror stories from online education. The article is from 2001, but the information on volatile students and online conflict is still very relevant. Some of the characteristics of problem students discussed in this higher ed context would be just as applicable in corporate training.

"We have noticed that volatile students manifest clear symptoms: (a) a low frustration threshold, (b) a sense that they are victims of technology or other peoples' lack of understanding and (c) a tendency to overstate problems, overreact to them, and lash out."

UNC report on their pilot of Sakai as a replacement for Blackboard. Quote from a faculty member in the report: "Have heard many complaints about Blackboard being kludgy. Sakai is graceful."

The minimal support needed is a good sign of Sakai's overall usability: "First, of the more than 1,000 people using a completely new collaborative learning environment for almost a full year period, we had a total of 264 tickets—the vast majority of which (74%) were for requests to use the system (new sites and new user accounts)...In summary, from a support perspective, 54 substantive help requests on behalf of more than 1,000 pilot participants over a nearly one-year period was a very positive finding."