Course Content

As you know, more and more educational institutions are looking to Web-based services to help educate their students. The reasons behind this increase are plenty, not the least of which is the impression that virtual classrooms offer a more economical method for delivering instruction. If one measures cost strictly from a capital expenditures point of view, this may be true. However, it is false and misleading to suggest that teaching online requires less effort on the part of the instructor (and the student for that matter). It is also a misconception that today’s so-called ‘millennials’ automatically know how to maximize the learning experience just because they were brought up in a digital world. In fact, it is becoming such an issue that SACS (the accrediting agency that reviews universities for the southeast) has begun to issue informal ‘feelers’ that it is considering requiring institutions to provide rationale as to why online students who demonstrate inadequate technical/information literacy skills shouldn’t be treated just like other students with ‘exceptionalities’. They also would need to produce evidence of remediation activities to increase these skills on the part of these students.

First, before we get too far into things we should, perhaps, identify some basic terminology associate with online. For some of you, this will be a review, for others brand new materials. The intent here is to ‘level the playing field’ so-to-speak to prevent misunderstandings.

eLearning

From Wikipedia:

E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. The information and communication systems, whether networked learning or not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process. The term will still most likely be utilized to reference out-of-classroom and in-classroom educational experiences via technology, even as advances continue in regard to devices and curriculum.

E-learning is essentially the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. E-learning applications and processes include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual education opportunities and digital collaboration. Content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video tape, satellite TV, and CD-ROM. It can be self-paced or instructor-led and includes media in the form of text, image, animation, streaming video and audio.

Abbreviations like CBT (Computer-Based Training), IBT (Internet-Based Training) or WBT (Web-Based Training) have been used as synonyms to e-learning. Today one can still find these terms being used, along with variations of e-learning such as elearning, Elearning, and eLearning.

This particular article in Wikipedia is pretty good! It covers the history, some alternate terminology, as well as a short discussion on LMS (Learning Management Systems (something we will cover later on)).

Hybrid vs Virtual vs Blended

Here is a great source of information on Blended Learning from Educause

Blended learning refers to the mixing of different learning environments. Normally, it is a combination of traditional face-to-face classroom methods with computer-mediated activities. The strategy creates an integrated approach for both instructors and learners. At one time, technology-based materials played a supporting role to face-to-face instruction. Now, technology plays a larger role.

For example, in a traditional class meeting schedule, a course may normally meet M-W-F, from 1-3 PM. In a blended course, the schedule may be modified so that it meets once per week instead of the usual three-session format. Student contact hours would be made up with online activities. Such activities may be structured around access to online resources, communication via social media or interaction with distance learners in other classrooms or other learning environments.

There are many different approaches to blended learning. It can take on many shapes or forms, depending on the instructors and learners involved. As of now, there is no consensus on a single agreed-upon definition of (or title for) blended learning. The terms “blended,” “hybrid,” and “mixed-mode” are used interchangeably in current research literature.

Flipped Classroom

A flipped classroom is a blended environment where the roles /functions of the online and face to face portions reverse (or are flipped). The lessons are presented online using Podcasts and/or other mediated deliver methods. Then during class time, students actually do their homework in a monitored fashion at the hands of the teacher and/or aides, who ensure that the work is completed accurately and where reflections are asked for to determine whether the materials are synthesized.

It is predicted that, by the middle of this decade, most K-12 and Post Secondary classes will offer several online options. Yet, few teacher preparation programs address online or blended learning

(this is getting serious attention btw, check out the eLearning Certificate at UCF. Also, the Ed Tech Program at FGCU offers several courses on Virtual Learning program.

There is a lack of resources in current teacher training programs dedicated to identifying Best Practices in online learning that address current problems. There remains the need to train teachers and trainers on traditional classroom methods, but also they need to receive enhanced training to develop those skills specifically targeted at online education.

The elements of preparation for online learning fall into two categories:

• First, teachers and trainers need to be trained to use available technology tools.
• Secondly, they need to be trained in online pedagogy; particularly, how to communicate content without the use of visual contextual cues.

According to Watson (2006), many online professional development programs focus on helping teachers “understand how to motivate individual learners, enhance student interaction and understanding without visual cues, tailor instruction to particular learning styles, and develop or modify interactive lessons to meet student needs.”

The additional skills necessary for teachers utilizing online or mobile learning are:

1. Enhanced communication skills: teachers can’t rely on nonverbal or proximal cues with which to address misunderstandings. Teacher preparation programs will need to help teachers develop a clarity in their instructions not required by traditional classrooms.
2. Time management (in asynchronous classes): students can be online at any time, so teachers can’t predict when heavier work loads will occur.
3. Teacher planning (in synchronous classes): lessons need to have a multimedia component which requires more planning than a traditional classroom lesson
4. Differentiation: if students have different learning styles or disabilities, teachers must be able to adapt online content for them. Reaching students with physical or learning disabilities will be much different than in a traditional classroom.

While all these skills are necessary for traditional teaching, they must also incorporate online components.

Resources for Online Instruction

While the list is pretty short, we were able to find a few places to provide some help:

• Seven eLearning and teaching Resources
• Designs on eLearning
• A new Concept in eLearning Solutions

The Teacher/Instructor Becomes a Facilitator

The most important transformation that takes place in installing a blended or totally virtual environment is the concept that the teacher /instructor now becomes a facilitator of learning.

A facilitator combines multiple instructional methods. A typical example of blended learning methodology would be an integrated combination of technology-based materials and face-to-face sessions to present content. An instructor begins the course with a well-structured introductory lesson in the classroom, and then proceeds with follow-up materials online. Blended learning can also be applied to the integration of e-learning with a Learning Management System using computers in a physical classroom, along with face-to-face instruction. Guidance is needed early in the process, to be used more sparingly as learners gain expertise.

Facilitators must focus on teaching information literacy, using both technology and face-to-face instruction, in order to develop independent learners so they can interact with the texts in meaningful ways. The role of the instructor is critical as this requires a transformation process to that of learning facilitator. Quite often, with the increase of baby boomers going back to school and pursuing higher education the skills required for technology use are limited. Instructors then find themselves more in the role of assisting students with computer skills and applications, helping them access the internet, and encouraging them to be independent learners through both guided and individualized instruction.

The facilitator’s role can be broken down into the following four categories:

• developing online course content and structure
• communicating that content using a LMS
• guiding and individualizing learning
• assessing, grading, and promoting

For some this change in roles could be quite traumatic. For those used to being the ‘sage on the stage’, an online course makes it more difficult to actually find a stage to stand on. For the most part, all you can do is present the topics, outline perhaps some considerations, and then let the students begin to discover for themselves the answers and solutions. (just like I have designed this entire course). In other words, online learning environments make a great case for guided inquiry instructional style (hint, hint for those of you trying to decide right now on how your final project might look)

Social Presence

Two of the most researched topics relating to instruction in online environments are the concepts of Social Presence and Teacher/Instructor Immediacy.

The first is a reaction to overcoming the perceived ‘distance’ and isolation among students who take online courses. The research first identified the problem and then has done a pretty good job laying out strategies on how to take this phenomenon into consideration.

Instructor Immediacy relates to how closely a student can identify with his or her instructors, how timely they reply to inquiries and provide feedback.

In truth all social interactions lead to better learning

It is felt that both these concepts pay a significant role in bringing about successful outcomes for online courses. They are well-documented for both online and f2f classes. The trick is to discover the differences and to learn how to employ unique tactics for the online environment. These considerations are significant enough that they belong a significant part of the design of any instruction, regardless of delivery method.

Interactive Expeditions is a partnership between faculty and staff at the University of Central Florida (I was the first researcher on this project). The goal of the project is to produce live classroom experiences using portable satellite technology from remote areas of the world where there is neither electrical power nor Internet connectivity. The in class, local students are presented classes originating from various remote regions, such as the Moab Desert in Utah (where they traced the steps of the early Western film pioneers (i.e., John Ford, Gunsmoke, etc), an ethno-botany course from India, and more recently, from southern portions of the Africa Continent. Perhaps the most unique class was one that was delivered ‘live’ from underwater caverns off the coast of Bermuda! Local students were able to interview the divers while they were actually exploring the caves. They were ‘tethered’ to a boat up on top of the water where the satellite dish was placed.

The researcher’s role was to explore the theory and rationale behind live broadcasts to discover the benefits of live broadcasts were worth effort and expense over simply recording footage that would be archived and accessed at a later time. In addition, case studies were produced to investigate the pros and cons of specific interfaces. What they found out was interesting. First of all, they investigated the concept of live broadcasts and what made them unique. What they found was that, after the novelty wore off, the ability to ask questions and interact with the instructor was the main attraction. A second study brought out the fact that the sidebar Chat widget (similar to what is available during our Adobe Connect meetings) was even more attractive to the students. In fact, the chat area takes on a life of its own, providing far more opportunities to explore in more detail the topics that the instructor is presenting from the remote region. Coincidentally, in the local student audience were individuals who were quite familiar with the culture and practices in India. The students began to ask questions of these other local ‘experts’. That chat room became as important to the overall experience as the lecture itself. If you have ever watched a sporting event online on ESPN 3, the very same interface is utilized. The chat widget brings considerable added value to the experience, even more so than watching the event on television or even being at the event live for that matter. (This is similar to the folks who attend live events and simultaneously listen to its broadcast on the radio in order to add to the social experience).

Both these studies have been posted here for your review. Spend some time reading them, as they provide some interesting ah-ha! moments:

Cowboys with Cameras Project in the Moab Desert

Interactive India

Here are some additional resources to provide you some insights as to the extent of the design issues surrounding eLearning:

• Examining Social Presence in Online Courses
• Making the Grade
• High School Students Describing Their Experiences in Online Courses

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