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Teaching online: Insights into eLearning

• Virtual classroom
• Cyber Classroom
• Weblearning

Of the terms denoting courses or degrees offered online through the internet, eLearning is gaining in popular usage. An increasing number of universities and colleges have implemented e-learning delivery systems for courses and entire degree programs. As of July 31, 2003, the Florida Distance Learning Consortium reported 1,188 credit courses offered through the internet by state funded colleges and universities. Offerings are varied throughout the state with HCC listing 24 courses, while across the bay St. Pete College boasts 203. Down south, Miami-Dade offers 52, to the north Tallahassee proffers 69, and HCC neighbor Pasco-Hernando Community College lists 9 internet courses. During the 2000 school year the course management system, WebCT accounted for usage by 5,100,000 students in 123,000 courses, developed by 33,000 university and college faculty at 1,100 institutions in 48 countries Keegan, 2002).

The increase in the attractiveness of offering e-learning courses is in part attributed to declining enrollments and rising costs of traditional educational delivery (Small & Lohrasbi, 2003). Colleges and universities are recruiting new target populations, particularly working adults. For adult students, with a need to balance multiple roles and responsibilities, e-learning is a time-saving and flexible mode of receiving instruction. Younger, traditional age students that must be employed to pay for their education, find e-learning beneficial in their quest to efficiently allocate time and resources.

Despite the positive aspects of elearning, there are still major concerns about its appropriateness and effectiveness. Although currently there are many strands of ongoing research, a universal standard for online teaching and learning has not been developed. Additionally, high student dropout rates are a concern. Frankola (2001) reports that dropout rates may be 10 to 20 percent higher for online courses and programs. Finally, there are times and contexts when traditional classroom or face-to-face learning is more appropriate than online delivery of instruction. elearning may not be an effective mode of learning for some students. However, the end goal is not to utilize e-learning for the sake of keeping up with the technology Joneses, but to enhance or widen the educational experience for students.

Research on student perspectives concerning eLearning suggests that

1. The level of interaction between instructor and student has a significant impact on student satisfaction and learning,
2. Students prefer online courses to be structured with expected outcomes explicitly stated, and
3. Students respond to a variety of learning activities appealing to diverse learning styles. Simply putting lecture notes on the web does not constitute effective use of e-learning resources. As Taniguchi (2003) explains, &the internet can be an excellent source of breaking information. Students may be able to find the most current information on new topics, such as road rage or the latest rock band, before books, journals, and television are able to report on them&

Research on faculty perspectives across the nation include the following:

1. frustration that they are being pressured to produce e-learning courses,
2. lack of expertise in managing e-learning courses, and
3. lack of time to transform traditional classroom instruction to an e-learning mode (Watts, 2003). Deciding to implement an e-learning class should be made because an instructor desires to reach students who may not otherwise be reached due to distance, time, or learning constraints. Stimulating a student through their visual attentiveness to a PowerPoint, or engaging a shy and tentative student in an online discussion are examples of the power of e-learning in opening up learning opportunities for students (Palloff & Pratt, 2003). The existing platform for elearning at HCC is the course management system, WebCT. Regardless of the type of system utilized, there are some basic steps in e-learning instructional design. The League of Innovations 1999) offers the following considerations:

Who is the primary student population or group?

Gathering information about students in the class is valuable in designing the course structure and scope. Adult students are usually more self-motivated than younger students, having specific goals and career needs.

Information may be collected in the following ways:

1. a student lounge where students introduce themselves and can post pictures - use student pages in WebCT
2. a structured survey - use the Quiz tool in WebCT
3. a personal conversation - use the WebCT email, or live chat

Use the information garnered to place students in pairs or small groups containing people who have varied backgrounds and experiences. This is a workplace model that students will most likely encounter sometime on the job.

What should the students learn?

Identify clear objectives and learning outcomes. Having specific objectives is not different than in a traditional course, however, the objectives may or may not be the same. For instance, in an e-learning course, an objective may be to enhance the students ability to identify and utilize on-line resources, or to work effectively in groups outside the school environment. Set attainable goals for students, and use benchmarks to measure growth. State minimum participation requirements up front. Reveal what each learning activity is worth in points and the point system for grade attainment.

How will the course be delivered?

1. elearning students often appreciate integrated learning - develop activities that blend disciplines
2. Teamwork and collaborative activities such as research and report projects, role playing, peer assessment of work, and discussion groups  WebCT offers a number of tools such as threaded discussion board, email, white board, student pages where PowerPoint and other multimedia files can be uploaded. Expect learners to be present online and to avoid being passive observers.
3. Communication tools  email and threaded discussion  dialogue is valuable in communicating ideas and insight. Student participation in discussion or email develops their ability to formulate thoughtful and concise commentary. It is important for the instructor to establish a non-judgmental and supportive environment for students to share their ideas and thoughts. Students should be encouraged to reflect interactively with each other and the course content. Creative problem solving and case study  application of learning and presentation of findings can be done through multimedia files, communication tools, and peer review assessment  projects, discussion participation, e-portfolios, e-journal, reflective paper, web site development, pretest/post-test, quizzes and tests

What resources are needed for student success?

1. Be sure that students know up front what equipment (computer hardware and software) is required. If CDs, videos, or textbooks are required, be cognizant of distance barriers some students may face. Provide students with a list of tips or hints for success, and/or use FAQs to help answer student questions and concerns - remember that elearning may be new to some (or many) students - add a page on the WebCT course homepage. Consider posting online office hours. During these hours the instructor is available to answer student questions either through email or live chat.

A major aspect of eLearning is the relative independence of the learning experience. Although communication tools and collaborative projects can alleviate the isolationism of online courses, it is acknowledged that there is a huge difference between the traditional class and online class. A plus exists, however. Expecting students to be self-motivated and self-directed facilitates their ability to continue life-long learning pursuits. One strategy instructors find useful is to ask students to create and share calendars or learning contracts identifying when and how they will plan and schedule course learning activities (Hanna, Glowacki-Dudka, & Conceicao-Runlee, 2000). Developing a schedule for their learning also helps students acquire effective time management skills.

References:

Frankola, V. (2001). Why online learners drop out. Workforce, 80(10), 52-60.

Hanna, D., Glowacki-Dudka, M., & Conceicao-Runlee, S. (2000). 147 Practical Tips For Teaching Online Groups. Atwood, Madison.

League for Innovation in the Community College. (1999). Teaching At A Distance.

Palloff, K. & Pratt, K. (2003). The Virtual Student: A Profile and Guide to Working With Online Learners. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.

Small, M. & Lohrasbi, A. (2003). Student Perspectives on Online Degrees and Courses: An Empirical Analysis. International Journal on E-Learning. 2(2), 15-28.

Taniguchi, M. (2003). Introduction: Technology: Taking the Distance Out of Learning. Internet Metaphors Matter. Wiley, San Francisco.

Watts, M. (2003). Introduction: Technology: Taking the Distance Out of Learning. Technology as Catalyst. Wiley, San Francisco.