Learning with Technology

When I began to take classes online I was not sure how effective it would be for me. I realized rather quickly that this time around in college I was in charge of my own learning. I have had to learn not only the content of my classes but also to use technology resources and multimedia options. In doing so, I have experienced firsthand the fact that technology and multimedia allows us to be effective learners.

The impact technology has on online learning is remarkable. In a video presentation from Salman Kahn he could not have said it better when he stated that with the use of videos for learning, we can humanize technology. Using technologies for online learning, does not replace human interaction; instead it has the potential to increase it without having limitations such as differences in levels of knowledge or geographical location.

The use of technology is allowing us to acquire knowledge without having to be face-to-face with an instructor. Amin, A, & Roberts, J. (2008) share that: “As it becomes easier to communicate with distant others in real time and in increasingly rich ways due to the availability of sophisticated software and visual technologies, interest is growing in how the new environments support knowledge generation.” (p.11).

Peer collaboration is a key element which contributes to learning and technologies are developed with this in mind: wikis, chats, discussion boards, blogs, are but a few of the technologies which are useful for this purpose (Ferriter, B., 2009). As such, these are my favorites in moving forward to developing online learning. Not only for their usefulness in promoting collaboration, but especially so because learning to use them is rather easy and would not be a distraction from content. It is important to point out that using technologies without a specific purpose would not be effective in developing learning experiences. These should be used to enhance and further the learning experience, otherwise there is no point in using them (Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R., 2010).

Technology tools are changing the way we learn in online environments. We can collaborate with peer and instructors easily which is an effective way of learning. But also we receive new information in a variety of ways. We can read text, watch videos and see images. We end up interacting with our content in a variety of ways and this allows us to learn this content in a more effective way. However, as Beldarrain, Y. (2006) shares, these are tools and not all technology tools are appropriate for every situation and one has to consider first and foremost the learning objectives in the instructional design in order for these to be used effectively.

Resources

Amin, A, & Roberts, J. (2008). Knowing in action: Beyond communities of practice. Research Policy, 37(2), 353-369. doi:10.1016/j.respol.2007.11.003

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance Education Trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139-153. doi:10.1080/01587910600789498

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Ferriter, B. (2009). Learning with Blogs and Wikis. Adult Learning, (February).

Kahn, S. (2011). http://www.khanacademy.org/

Considerations

In learning through an online environment, where the communication might not be synchronous with the instructor, the importance of stating clear expectations grows immensely (Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A., 2004). The success of online learning pretty much depends on clear expectations because they might make the difference between a student truly engaging in the learning experience or not. Expectations in an online course could be categorized as follows:

General Expectations	Referring to the student’s objectives which are intended to be reached by taking an online course in the first place.
Technology Expectations	These refer to the level of knowledge the student has at the moment of initiating an online course. Usually it is information gathered by an initial survey prior to the beginning of the class Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R., 2010). It is also the level of technology knowledge the instructor is familiar with and uses during an online course.
Student-Instructor Interaction Expectations	These expectations refer to clearly establishing how often and through which means are students to communicate with their instructors (Swan, K., 2003).
Course Expectations	Meeting the learning objectives effectively.

When I enrolled in the Instructional Design and Technology certification program, I did so under the clear expectation that this certification will provide me with the information I need to teach online courses effectively. This is one of the attributes to adult learning theories as stated by Cercone, K. (2008). At the beginning of every class I have taken so far, these expectations become even more specific than I had anticipated.

The use of technology in online courses is inevitable. It begins with knowing how to use a computer, having access to the internet, learn to use course management system and having knowledge of educational technology. Students might enroll in online courses with the first two requisites but not being familiar with the last two. And just as well, they might enroll having knowledge of all four and beyond.

Having knowledge of educational technology is very handy for teaching online and hence knowing how to use technology is commonsense. However, as stated by Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010), one should only use the technology which will facilitate reaching the learning objectives set out for a course. There seems to be infinite possibilities in educational technology options but one can run the risk of over saturating the course with technology which would have little value in the learning of the content.

Furthermore, the organization of a course which begins with a clearly presented syllabus should include what students may expect in terms of communication with their instructor. As Swan, K. (2003) stated in reporting research findings, students learning is linked to the “quantity and quality of instructor interactions with students”.

I have learned there are many things to consider for setting up an online learning experience. One of the most important considerations in setting up an online experience is to organize the course prior to the start date. Within this organization, providing students with the means to communicate with the instructor should be one of the priorities. Ideally, this communication may happen on a daily basis, but if not possible, then letting the students know the days and times is highly advisable (Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A., 2004).

Furthermore, establishing a location for student-to-student interaction in reference to the course’s content and another for more informal communication is also important. Sharing resources and collaborating with peers is one of the foundations of a learning community and this in turn is conducive for students to learn the content presented to them (Dawson, S., 2010). These provide with the means for establishing a learning community which begins to exist with the guidance of the instructor while modeling the types of communication that is expected within the course.

Resources

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Cercone, K. (2008). Characteristics of Adult Learners with Implications for Online Learning Design. Education, 16, 137-159.

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2004). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Dawson, S. (2010). “Seeing” the learning community: An exploration of the development of a resource for monitoring online student networking. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(5), 736-752. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.00970.x.
Swan, K. (2003). Learning Effectiveness Online: What The Research Tells Us. Most, 13-45.

Online Learning Communities

Facilitators and learners are co-participants within an online learning community. However, facilitators set the stage, the pace, and expectations. They are the ones who model the creation of a community within the learning environment (Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (n.d.).

Short, Williams, and Christie (1976) as stated by Beldarrain, Y. (2006) refer to social presence as "the degree to which individuals perceive their role in a relationship". Online learning communities are shaped depending on the level of presence of the students as well as facilitators within that community. Beldarrain, Y. (2006) also adds that the "quality and quantity of interaction" is shaped by that social presence of the online students.

Online learning communities within online courses are given great importance because it has been one of the factors for having a successful online learning experience. Research has shown the correlation between belonging to an effective online community and learning (Young, S. & Bruce, M. A. (2011), Swan, K. (2003).

Encouraging and providing opportunities for an increased social presence is crucial to build that sense of community in an online learning environment (Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (n.d.). According to Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010) and Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (n.d.), some ways through which a learning community can be created are to:

• Providing clear expectations
• Sharing how often to expect facilitators participation in discussion forums
• Establish a discussion forum with prompts which encourage discussions
• Provide a lounge-like space for informal conversations among peers and facilitator
• Create smaller groups within the class with specific projects

To become an effective online instructor myself, I would also consider the suggestions of Swan, K. (2003) in relation to personalization of instruction:

• Gathering information from each student as a pre-course assessment of previous knowledge.
• Provide constant feedback.
• Make available a few choices through which students could use their background knowledge or future goals to achieve learning objectives.

Resources
Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance Education Trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139-153.

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (n.d.) Online Learning Communities.

Young, S. & Bruce, M. A. (2011). Classroom Community and Student Engagement in Online Courses. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, vol. 7, (2).

Swan, K. (2003). Learning effectiveness: what the research tells us. In J. Bourne & J. C. Moore (Eds) Elements of Quality Online Education, Practice and Direction. Needham, MA: Sloan Center for Online Education, 13-45.