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.
3 comments:
"A responsible online learnng community in which each student is responsible for his or her learning."
The responsibilities of a student participating in an distance learning programme, is to show that they are capable of managing their time as efficiently as possible and are given the opportunity to prove that they can be self motivated to successfully complete the programme which will also show their high level of responsibility and ability to complete a task without having to be pressured by constant supervision. Successful learners can be considered as those persons who voluntarily seek further education, have higher expectations, be more self-disciplined, older, enjoy learning for its own sake, demonstrate good thinking skills, able to work independently with limited structure, and recognize the value of interacting with other online peers (Palloff and Pratt, 2001).
”. Further to this, Dabbagh (2007) listed the following cognitive learning strategies a successful online learner should acquire:
1. Skills in the use of online learning technologies, particularly communication and collaborative technologies.
2. An academic self-concept and good interpersonal and communication skills.
3. A basic understanding and appreciation of collaborative learning and develops competencies in related skills.
4. Self-directed learning skills through the deployment of time management and cognitive learning strategies.
The following internet resources are provided to assist the online student in determining the possible success of their distance learning experience:
• http://www.cccti.edu/DistanceLearning/DLOrientation/dlOrientation_p1.htm
• http://oregonone.org/DEquiz.htm
• http://www.calhoun.edu/Distancelearning/assessmentform.htm
• http://www.marshall.edu/muonline/selfassessment.asp
• http://depthome.sunysuffolk.edu/VirtualCampus/primary/self-test.htm
References
Dabbagh, N. (2007). The online learner: Characteristics and pedagogical implications. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education [Online serial], 7(3).
Dabbagh, N., & Bannan-Ritland, B. (2005). Online learning: Concepts, strategies, and application. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2001). Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
The most important thing to consider as the face of distance learning changes is what different learning and teaching strategies should be used if the students are to be engaged (Simonson et al., 2009). As distance learning evolves we may see traditional class room subject being taught online and this will mean that greater consideration will have to be given for the pedagogies for content delivery; for example, in terms of laboratory and practicum experience, how can these be structured and/or modified for delivery through a distance learning program? Student performance evaluation will be another consideration in terms of what evaluation methods and procedures are most appropriate in each distance learning setting.
We need to have questions the following – questions answered before we can even consider writing the course... What is the problem we are asked to solve? What do they need to learn? Who is the audience? What are their learning styles? What are the delivery options? What constraints exist? What evidence will show that students successfully learned what the lesson was intended to teach? Will there be a culminating activity or performance, a test, or quiz? Will you analyze student work or use observations of their participation? How can you be sure that your means of assessment will enable you to truly assess each of your learning targets? Will there be opportunities for student self-assessment? In designing distance courses the we must realize that this cannot be done effectively, irrespective of which ID model is used, unless a detailed analysis phase is conducted.
Moller, Foshay and Huett (2008) indicated that not only should we be careful in what students are allowed to take in distance education classes, but there must be commitment from the faculty to insure that the quality and training provided in distance education classes is based on sound instructional design. In addition, they stated that instructional designers should advocate for better web-based instructional models for online learners. Dr. Simonson (2008) pointed out that online learning provides an array of activities which can address and support the different learning styles of students. However, Simonson (2008) indicated that instructional designers should make sure that these programs do not try to mimic a traditional classroom with face to face instruction, but that online learning should provide an equivalent learning experience for students.
References
Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008a, May/June). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the Web (Part 1: Training and Development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75.
Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008b). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education
Post a Comment