Georgia Piedmont Technical College

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant gaps in teacher preparation for online instruction, highlighting the persistent disconnect between the growth of K-12 digital learning and inadequate teacher education programs. Despite over fifteen years of research indicating this deficiency, few teacher preparation programs offer coursework or field experiences in online teaching. This study presents findings from the seventh cycle of an ongoing action research project examining a graduate instructional technology course to improve the preparation of teachers to teach online. Using constant comparative analysis, researchers analyzed blog posts, discussions, and assignments to explore how in-service teachers view K-12 online education and how these perspectives influence curriculum development. The study examines these findings through the lens of Hybrid-Flexible (HyFlex) instructional design, which allows students to choose their participation mode while maintaining equivalent learning opportunities. While HyFlex may not be directly applicable to K-12 settings due to logistical constraints, its principles of mode neutrality could address time constraints in teacher preparation programs.The research suggests incorporating HyFlex concepts into teacher education through comparative lesson development across multiple modalities, micro field experiences in virtual schools, and preparing educators for emergency remote teaching situations rather than creating separate online-specific coursework.

The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP), a consortium of diverse colleges/universities, provides support for integrating genomics research into undergraduate curricula. To increase research opportunities for underrepresented students, GEP is expanding to more community colleges (CC). Genomics research, requiring only a computer with internet access, may be particularly accessible for 2-year institutions with limited research capacity and significant budget constraints. To understand how GEP supports student research at CCs, we analyzed student knowledge and self-reported outcomes. We found that CC student gains are comparable to non-CC student gains, with improvements in attitudes toward science and thriving in science. Our early findings suggest that the GEP model of centralized support with flexible CURE implementation benefits CC students and may help mitigate barriers to implementing research at CCs.

Traditionally, adult English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, also known as English as an Additional Language (EAL), deliver instruction through in-person classes rather than distance education, as was the case at Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC). However, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, distance education became a tool used at GPTC to engage students in learning while school campuses were closed. This paper gives details about how administrators, instructors, and staff at GPTC quickly built a distance education program for adult English language learners in response to the pandemic, including resulting challenges, insights, and successes. Research on the topic of distance education and its possible benefits for adult English language learners is explored in order to inform the efforts of building this type of program. The information provided can help guide other adult EAL programs seeking to incorporate distance education for adult English language learners. Keywords: adult ESL/EAL programs, language program administration, English language learners, distance education

The Voyages of Discovery opened vast new worlds for European exploration, including the mysterious Dark Continent. The Portuguese left ample written records of their "discovery'' of Africa, which have dominated the historian's approach to the Age of Discovery. However, many African cultures were not literate and, consequently, the African perspective on the European explorations is often largely lost in introductory surveys. 1

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Abstract This study was conducted to determine if there is a relationship between the cognitive style of community college students and their achievement in a broadcast telecourse. The subjects were 134 community college students enrolled in one of six telecourses. Witkin's Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) was used to ascertain whether the students' cognitive style was field dependent or field independent. Achievement was defined by the grade the student earned in the telecourse. Results of chi-square tests indicated that students with a field-independent cognitive style earned higher grades, had a higher telecourse completion rate, and were more satisfied with the experience.