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Received Mar 10, 2017; Revised May 31, 2017; Accepted Jun 12, 2017
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1. Introduction
Teachers across the country are encountering a new generation of learners who have never known life without modern conveniences and technologies such as personal computers, mobile devices, streaming media, and the World Wide Web. Learners born into this generation have been termed “digital natives” and are said to have been “immersed in technology all their lives, imbuing them with sophisticated technical skills and learning preferences” [1, p. 775]. They are considered to be proficient multitaskers and active learners and to be dependent on technologies for information access and communication [2]. Considering this, some have raised questions about whether current educational approaches and traditionally trained educators are equipped to meet the needs of these learners. While instructional methods and effective pedagogical strategies have remained largely unchanged, modern technologies have influenced the modes in which educators can connect, interact, and communicate with learners.
Web-based learning management systems (LMS) have transformed the potential for teachers to present subject-specific content to learners in synchronous and asynchronous formats. Reaching the new generation of learners in online and distance formats, educators have greater access to tools and technologies that facilitate content organization, delivery, and interactive modalities. Considering this platform, educators are also confronted with the new and dynamic nature of establishing not only meaning interactions between student and content, but also student-to-student and student-to-instructor interactions [3]. Within online learning, programs are defined by the proportion of course time delivered face-to-face versus online. As a result, Allen and Seaman [4] have defined four types of courses: traditional (0% online), web-facilitated (1–29% online), blended/hybrid (30–79% online), and online (>80% online). Research in the area of online and distance education has provided insights into the dynamic qualities of teaching and learning in the online environment [5]. Specifically, scholars have advocated for pedagogical practices in online settings that focus on student-centered constructivist approaches [3] that promote...