What factors create an effective online LLN programme for adults?

Brinthaupt, Fisher, Gardner, Raffo and Woodward (2011) argue that online teaching is not just an add-on to the traditional face-to-face teaching situation but rather is different. Yes, it can have limitations compared with the traditional classroom but it can also offer greater advantages, a greater flexibility.  Just what factors make a successful online literacy and numeracy course for adults are the subject of this blog.
 

In many respects, online learning has the same basic fundamentals as face-to-face learning. First, the learning objectives are of prime concern. In online learning, the technology exits to facilitate the meeting of these objectives by the learners. The means of achieving these objectives is a pedagogy which ensures students are engaged and stimulated intellectually. Next, an online course is learner centred offering multiple ways in which learners can engage with the content and with peers and staff (Brinthaupt et al., 2011).

So, what do people mean when they talk about online learning? Does it mean that a course is offered only online or does it mean that there is a mix between online learning and face-to-face teaching? Sanders(2006)  argues that there are times when online learning can not totally replace face-to-face interaction. Where this physical presence is not possible, care must be taken with the type of technology chosen in order to meet the required learning outcomes. However,Ladyshewsky (2013) confidently states that online learning “can be as effective as face-to-face learning” (p.2). Although it could also be argued that this depends upon the cohort of students – are they highly motivated, for example are they postgraduate students? Is the course only available online and does the fact that it is offered solely online suit many students?  The factors which affect the success of an online course may also include not so much the course itself but who is taking it. Another variable which may determine the success of the course could be the size of the class. If online learning is viewed as a cost cutting measure by an institution, then large class sizes may affect the success of an online course. Thus, factors which determine the success of an online course are complex but there are some which have been shown to be effective and these will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

The successful implementation of an online course starts with the educators who have to be clear about the learning objectives, which part of the traditional course they want kept (if moving solely online)  and most importantly, competent users of the technology. Brinthaupt et al., (2011) note that successful programmes have sufficient lead in times and then ongoing support for educators to become skilled course facilitators. Meetings can be held to discuss the design of new courses (Brinthaupt et al., 2011) and once underway, further discussions can be held to determine which factors are contributing to or hindering success. Educators who are new to this type of learning can also be paired with a more experienced mentor (Bailey & Card, 2009).These examples indicate that an important factor in the success of a course is not only the initial professional development that many educators may receive but also the subsequent ongoing learning.  All these factors require time for reflection (Bailey, & Card, 2009) so staff must have a time allocation to undertake this. However, in reality, staff often face an increasing teaching load as many educational institutions struggle financially. So are institutions, in reality, committed to the necessary time allowance which staff should have in order to allow time to meet and discuss best practice? The Cloudworks site as described by Conole (2010) can help overcome this but postings and reflection still need time.  A failure to provide this time allocation could lead to a less than satisfactory online course and at its extreme, instructor burnout.  

Finally, in this section on educator needs, given that many educators felt under confident with their use of technology (Damoense, 2003) it is important that technical support is readily available. Thus successful online learning requires not only the support of the educators involved but also the institution concerned.

 

Next, if educators are to focus on student success in the online environment as they should, there are two major factors which need to be taken into account. First, there is the need for students to feel socially and cognitively engaged. In order for students to feel connected with the course, the instructor needs to build a community of learning which can be achieved by “students welcoming and acknowledging one another, sharing information about one another, and providing supportive comments about discussion posts and questions” (Ladyshewsky, 2013, p. 3). Students need to feel connected to the each other and importantly to the instructor (Ladyshewsky, 2013). This development of a community of learning and especially, the connection with the instructor, helps the student feel connected to the course and therefore more motivated, which is particularly important when “more self-discipline” (Brinthaupt et al., 2011, “Fostering student engagement”, para.2) is required. It also gives the educator more understanding of student needs which can in turn allow for more flexibility when it comes to deadlines for example (Brinthaupt et al., 2011). In addition, this rapport allows the instructor to make more informed decisions when striking the balance between encouraging independence and giving academic support when needed (Brinthaupt et al., 2011). 

Second, is the need for the student to feel cognitively engaged.  For this to occur, students need to engage collaboratively, in a meaningful way on authentic tasks (Damoense, 2003). Ladyshewsky (2013) notes that there needs to be a balance between the social and cognitive instruction. For example, too many online postings by the educator can lead to student dissatisfaction as it increases student workload. Also, when providing feedback it is important for the educator to give formative feedback as this has more impact on student learning (Ladyshewsky, 2013). To ensure this, timely and appropriate feedback is required (Bailey & Card, 2009). This can be achieved in a number of ways, for example, through discussion boards for whole class discussion or through individual emails. 

There are a number of tools which the educator can use to ensure students are engaged both socially and cognitively. These include blogs, wikis, discussion forums, and videos. All of which can also help address individual learning needs and foster critical thinking.

Finally, as with educators, students need to be competent with the technology. For those who are not, face to face instruction may be required before they undertake a fully online course. Also, all students need access to technical assistance when required.

To conclude, there are certain factors which can facilitate the effective delivery of an online course. However, these factors are complex depending on the students, educators and institutions involved indicating there is no simple answer to the effective deliver of an online course.

References

Bailey, C.J., & Card, K. (2009).Effective pedagogical practices for online teaching: Perception of experienced instructors. Internet and Higher Education, 12, 152-155.doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.08.002

Brinthaupt, T.M., Fisher, L.S., Gardner, J.G., Raffo, D.M., & Woodard, J.B. (2011). What the best online teachers should do. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 7(4). Retrieved from http://jolt.merlot.org/vol7no4/brinthaupt_1211.htm

Conole, G. (2010). Facilitating new forms of discourse for learning and teaching: Harnessing the power of Web 2.0 practices. The Journal of Open, Distance and e- Learning 25(2), 141-151.

Damoense, M. (2003). Online learning: Implications for effective learning for higher education in South Africa. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 19(1). 25-45. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet19/damoense.html

Ladyshewsky (2013).Instructor presence in online courses and student satisfaction. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 7(1).

Sanders, R. (2003). The Imponderable Bloom: Reconsidering the Role of Technology in Education. Innovate Journal of Online Education, 2(6).

Philosophies

O’Reilly (2005) defines the term Web 2.0 “the emerging tools and services where the emphasis of use had shifted from the web as a source of information to a web that was more participatory characterised by user-generated content and peer critiquing”.  This blog will discuss the philosophies of technology and teaching, followed by three theories of learning and how they relate to online learning, before finally examining a newly developed forum for teachers.

I read with interest the article by Kanuka (2008) about philosophies of technology and teaching and I have to agree that in order to have a coherent policy of adoption of online learning an educator should know their own philosophy. In some ways I am in two minds where I stand with regards to the philosophies of technology. There is no doubt that technology can extend the scope of what the teacher is able to achieve, as educators who adhere to the Uses Determination philosophy suggest  but having said that I am not in the Social Determinism camp for example. I do not envisage that universities will cease to exist physically as Drucker (as cited in Kanuka, 2008) asserted. (I seem to remember some years ago that Cambridge High’s library did cease to exist for some years only to be reinstated some time later). I think I fall more into the Technological Determinist camp on two accounts. I tend to agree with modern scholars such as Nobel (1998) who fear the loss of academic freedom and the commercialization of education (Kanuka, 2008). This can mean that programmes lack “engagement, reflectivity and depth” (Kanuka, 2008, p6). I also have to agree with their argument that the “modern technologies and growing neo-liberalism are creating a rising capitalistic climate that includes political –economic interests such as commodification, commercialization, and corporatization of education” (Kanuka, 2008, p.6).  I see our education institutes as increasingly operating on a business model with managers in charge in some cases rather than educationalists. When institutions are operating in this manner, online learning can be seen as a way to save costs with increased staff/student ratio along with fewer rooms being used.

However, all this sounds very negative and I have to say in many instances it is but I am also an adopter of technology agreeing with Garrison and Anderson (Kanuka, 2008, p.6) that it can impact “in a positive way resulting in increasing the quality of learning experiences”.  So given that I adhere to this type of philosophy, it was interesting to see that I tend to have a Progressive style of teaching in that I follow a problem-solving curriculum aimed at personal enlightenment and social advancement (Kanuka, 2008). The technology that accompanies this is the Uses Determinism which sees technology as neutral rather than Technological Determinism which is interesting given that I see myself as adhering to the latter philosophy. 

Practically, not only can online learning reach those learners who may not otherwise have the opportunity to join in a community of learning, for example students in remote areas but it also has many benefits within the classroom. In asynchronous learning, students can access the material anytime, anywhere which “facilitates just in time learning, rather than just in case” learning (Klein & Smith, 2009, p. 304).  Materials can then be relevant and up to date (Ally, 2004b). This form of learning can also lead to deep processing if students take care and invest time in their posts. However, I find with some students, at least initially, there is the temptation for a more casual form of communication. This can be overcome with good online design and good communication with the students. In synchronous online learning there can be real time interaction which can help approximate face-to-face learning. I liked the way Ally (2004b) tied in the three theories of Behaviouralism, Cognition and Constructivism in online learning by taking aspects and incorporating these into course design. I also liked the idea of Ausubel’s (1960) advance organisers to help plan online learning. I think for a very good, high quality programme to be implemented, one that is designed for all students’ learning capabilities and learning styles, the educator should be experienced in the field. It also should not be forgotten that online learning can increase teacher workload. Klein and Smith (2009) make the point that in some instances it could become unsustainable. I think teacher workload with online learning can be a very real problem which relates back to the reasons for instituting this form of learning in the first place, that is, to enhance student learning or as an economic measure.

Finally, on a more practical level, the article by Canole (2010) resonated greatly with me. The time required to not only design lessons incorporating online learning but also to master the ever evolving nature of technologies can be daunting.  In addition, with a course which has already been designed, there can be problems navigating the required technologies. 

I had a look at the Cloudworks site designed by the Open University Learning Design Initiative and found not only was it easy to use but was specifically for professional purposes thus avoiding the problem of using social media in the professional environment (Canole,2010).  From what I could gather, there did not seem to be any threads to each cloud but rather each posting was just added to the last one. I did notice also that some postings were made some time ago and had few replies. In fact, one discussion just petered out. I think there are advantages with a face to face discussion and the ability to come to a conclusion could be one whereas on a discussion board it can be avoided if careful planning is not implemented.  However, I can see Cloudworks as being very useful at a conference or at a Professional Development day for example. This community of practice would have a big advantage in overcoming the barriers when implementing new technology.

In conclusion, new technology has exciting possibilities but it can be fraught with problems if not embedded carefully into a course by experienced educators.

References

Ally, M. (2004b). Foundations of educational theory for online learning. In T. A. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds). Theory and Practice of Online Learning (pp. 3-31). Athabasca University.

Ausubel, D.P. (1960). The use of advance organizers in the learning and retention of meaningful verbal material.  Journal of Educational Psychology, 51(5), 267-272.

Conole, G. (2010). Facilitating new forms of discourse for learning and teaching: Harnessing the power of Web 2.0 practices. The Journal of Open, Distance and e- Learning 25(2), 141-151.

Kanuka, H. (2008). Understanding e-learning technologies-in-practice through philosophies-in-practice. In T. Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (pp. 91-118). Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/99Z_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf.

Klein, M. & Smith, K. (2009). In R. Hunter, B. Bicknell, & T. Burgess (Eds.), Crossing Divides: Proceedings of the 32^nd Annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australia (Vol.1). Palmerston North, NZ: MERGA.

O’Reilly, T. (2205). What is Web 2.0: Design patterns and business models for the next generation of software. Retrieved March 20, 2014. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NpEk_WFCMdIC&oi=fnd&pg=PT1&dq=What+is+Web+2.0:+Design+patterns+and+business+models+for+the+next+generation+of+software

Introduction

Hi,

It is great to see some familiar names again and I look forward to interacting with you online and consequently further developing my thoughts about this form of learning. Last semester I completed four papers of the Masters so I am now half way through.

I work at Unitec on a bridging programme. We are very much encouraged to implement technology in our teaching and given that Unitec is spread over three campuses the various forms of technology are also another way of keeping us as lecturers in touch with each other.

I personally believe that that technology can be used to enhance learning but it is important to decide first upon the objective of the task and then decide which tools will enhance this learning because different tools are useful for different purposes. For example, normally a Facebook posting does not have the same rigor as an academic essay for which something like Google Docs could be used.

Further, I believe that where possible, face to face interaction is important. This would be supported particularly by Sanders (2006) who notes the importance of social contact. So for my students, I don’t see online learning as a replacement for classroom learning, but rather as a way to enhance and deepen their learning.

Sanders, R. (2003). The Imponderable Bloom: Reconsidering the Role of Technology in Education. Innovate Journal of Online Education, 2(6).