Date of Award
Fall 9-10-2017
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctorate of Education, Ed.D.
College
College of Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Chris Jenkins, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Alecia C. Eubanks, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
John H. Yoder, Ph.D.
Abstract
The perceptions students and parents have of Compass Learning Odyssey online curriculum is the focus of this research. This study uses an intrinsic research method to discover the perceptions of students and parents on a specific online learning curriculum with a qualitative focus. This study was focused on the perceptions of students within a digital learning center using an online curriculum as their main source of study and revealed a unique situation and diverse opinions. It includes student and parent participants, which, participated in observations, questionnaires, and interviews. The findings allowed for a well-rounded view of the perceptions of Compass Learning. The students’ perceptions were the key findings in this study and revealed the understanding that students believe that Compass Learning Odyssey online curriculum is a useful tool for learning because it is flexible and rigorous enough to match student’s needs. This is despite the fact that they also found the program to be gimmicky in some of its teaching strategies. The benefit to using this system was also revealed by parents perceptions to be ideal for specific students in that it prepared them for their future educational or career choices and was modifiable for students based on their learning styles. This study demonstrated a need for greater understanding of student and parent perceptions of online curriculum use as a student’s main source of education.