learner types

E-LEARNER TYPES

WOLF

Once a week, lots ofactivity, then lost againuntil next week.

ELEPHANT

Short steady visitsevery day.

SQUIRREL

Completes 2 weeks in onesession then disappears forsome time.

MOUSE

Only once a week, reads andcontributes little.

MOLE

Posts are disembodied andat random.

RABBIT

Prolific message writer,always online, respondsrapidly.

STAG

Tendency to dominatediscussions at times.

MAGPIE

Steals ideas withoutacknowledging.

DOLPHIN

Intelligent, goodcommunicator,playful online.

Gilly Salmon’s E-novicesE-moderating: The Key to teaching and Learning Online, 2011,

Routledge

TheSwimmers

• Dive in early• Have relevant experience• Are usually willing to help others• May become disruptive if they think the activities are not

demanding or interactive enough• Are likely to claim they know of better systems than the

one you’ve chosen to use.

The Wavers

• Need help and encouragement to get started• Usually arrive after the main group• May need help in sifting through a mass of messages• Feel there is too little time to do everything• Do very well and become enthusiasts once they’ve logged

on, got going and are given support.

The Drowners

• Have little motivation to succeed• Complain at every opportunity that online work is irrelevant or too

time consuming• Find the relationship building and socializing online difficult,

especially if they are used to taking a leading role in face-facegroups.

• Find it very difficult to log on• Or promise to log on but do not• May be reluctant to ask for or accept

help• May perceive working online with

others to be disruptive to their learning

Lurkers: students who log on butdon’t contribute

• Uncomfortable in Public• Learning about the group• Building an online identity• Concern that postings become too permanent• Communication overload• Someone else already contributed what he/she wanted to post• Group characteristics (fall outs with other students)• Personal characteristics (e.g.. Introvert in a group of extroverts.)