eddl 5111 assignment 2b

7/31/2019 EDDL 5111 Assignment 2B

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Encouraging Learner Participation in an Online Environment 1

Encouraging Learner Participation in an Online Environment

Bonnie Sibley

EDDL 5111

Assignment 2B

October 7, 2012


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Motivation and participation can move a students online experience from

isolation to a sense of community. Motivation refers to the incentive or energy that

drives an individual to take an action (Reeve, 2005) Research on motivation

suggests that students motivation for any given task can range from intrinsic or

extrinsic (Deci & Ryan, 1985). Intrinsic motivation involves doing a task for the joy

of it rather than the reward of a mark, prize or payment. Intrinsic motivation can be

a powerful motivator of learning. If we want to enhance online learning, we need to

enhance online learner participation (Hrastinski, 2009).

In a face-to-face classroom situation the teacher can watch for an eyebrow

raise, a slower response, or a shifting body as a signal of decreased motivation or

interest. The online teacher needs to look at different indicators. Online courses

create unique environments that require thoughtful care for instructors to help

students become engaged in their learning and to design virtual classrooms that

enhance a sense of community (Meyers, 2008)

I have taken several online courses with varying degrees of success. One

such course was an upper-level course where the instructor made very little effort

to comment on my work or even say goodbye at the end of the course. I left this

course with a passing grade and a feeling that something was missing. My

experience with Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Graduate Certificate in Online

Teaching and Learning (EDDL) has given me a positive experience as a contrast to

the undergrad course taken earlier. Another online course I took was an HTML

course through the Abbotsford Virtual School, which advertises themselves as

inclusive and supportive. My experience was otherwise. I did not find the teacher


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supportive and became very frustrated. This course was the only course I have ever

left without finishing. I interviewed another student who took the course the same

time I did. She also didnt complete the course and I asked her why? I asked her to

comment on what were the difficulties and what she thought would have helped to

make her experience successful. She told me the teacher was not available when I

needed help and when I received an answer, it did not help so I gave up and

dropped the course. I think YouTube video tutorials would have helped me because

I dont learn well by just reading. (Jen, S, personal communication, October 8, 2012)

The experience of my fellow learner and myself are examples of why this particular

program did not work as set up and possibly an insight into the decision The B.C.

Education Ministry made in May 2012 to revisit the online courses they offer. The

Vancouver Sun reported the B.C. Education Ministry is reducing the number of

courses eligible for per-pupil grants, citing high dropout rates and wasted dollars.

Based on my experiences with online courses, it is my opinion that learners have a

better rate of success with encouragement and attention. I would like to explore

possible methods that may enhance the learners experience and encourage greater

learner participation in the online environment.

To build intrinsic motivation and encourage learner participation the teacher

must not only teach the content, but also instill the love of learning. According to

Bain (2004), excellent teachers produce important educational results, such as

high achievement on standardized and professional tests and satisfied, inspired

students. But, most literature on online pedagogy focuses on best practices

(Keengwe & Kidd, 2010). Although best practices are an excellent guide for teachers,


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I believe learners need a deep connection to learning, which can be achieved

through:

Creating a community of learners Quality and quantity of interactions with other learners and instructor Relevant and authentic content to create a personal and emotional

connection to the subject

Creative use of videos, wikis, blogs, and conferencing Use of varied methods of teaching to cover all learning styles Fostering engagement through discussion forums, blogs Team projects and collaborative lessons offered as opportunities to

learn instead of a requirement

Allowing the students to get to know the teacher and each otherpossibly through video introductions

Building a rapport with the students and creating a presence Flexibility of deadlines Individualized feedback on assignments and activities Allowing students the opportunity to ask questions through surveys

or discussion forums

Formative and summative assessment


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Teachers must close the distance gap while teaching online and go

beyond the technology (Brinthaupt, et al 2011) and must not be seduced by

the technology or the delivery mode and give in to the temptation to use

instructional technology for its own sake. Online learning must be learner-

centered, not teacher-centered. The teacher must not think of the course as

running itself but must be hands on and ever vigilant to maintain and grow

the learners enthusiasm.

To help build a learner friendly, supportive environment I propose

that the teacher should be as available as possible, within the limits outlined

to the students, and may provide:

Online office hours Online tutorials such as You Tube or teacher created instruction A list of useful links such as organizational strategies Contact information for the teacher Timely feedback Supportive helpWithin the learner community opportunities for collaborative projects

should be offered. Working together builds a stronger community but only

when group or pair work goes along smoothly. I have worked well within a

group and also found group work to be terribly frustrating. The teacher

should be available to act as a mediator if the group dynamic runs into

difficulty and all avenues of resolution have failed.


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To keep the learners interested, lessons must be varied, relevant, and

interesting. This is a list of possible Internet tools and ideas to work toward

this:

Blogs Wikis for interaction Quizzes, surveys such as quibblo.com polldaddy.com Games Videos such as YouTube, National Film Board Brainstorm platforms such as bubbl.us, wallwisher.com Flashcards such as quizlet.com

In the process of building student intrinsic motivation to further

participation in the online community I believe the teacher will also feel an

increased level of satisfaction along with the students. What better feeling

can the teacher and student have than the satisfaction of participating in a

successful learning experience?


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References:

Abbotsford Virtual Schoolhttp://www.avs34.com/portal/

Bain, K (2004). What the best college teachers do. Cambridge, MA: HarvardUniversity Press.

Brinthaupt, T, Fisher, L, Garner, J, Raffo, D & Woodward, J (2011). What the Best

Online Teachers Should Do. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching Vol 7, No. 4

Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985(. Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in

human behaviors. New York: Plenum.

http://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p96Wmn-

ER4QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=intrinsic+motivation+definition&ots=3cIVw2u6b9&si

g=JJu4SxR8rBGpKnlP-

daWohEa42w#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation%20definition&f=falseRetrieved October 8, 2012

Hranstinski, S (2009). Theory of online learning as online participation. Computers

and Educations Vol 52, Issue 1, January 2009 abstract

Keengwe, J., & Kidd, T.T. (2010). Towards best practices in online learning and

teaching in higher education. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 6, 533-541

Meyers, S. (2008). Using transformative pedagogy when teaching online. College

Teaching, 56(4), 219-224.

http://sites.roosevelt.edu/smeyers/files/2011/04/transformative.pdfretrievedOctober 8, 2012

Reeve, J. (2005). Understanding Motivation and Emotion (2nd ed.) Orlando:

Harcourt College Publishers.

Vancouver Sun Community Blog (2012). Adult education in BC hit by funding cuts

http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2012/05/13/adult-education-in-b-c-hit-by-

funding-cuts/ Retrieved October 8, 2012
http://www.avs34.com/portal/http://www.avs34.com/portal/http://www.avs34.com/portal/http://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p96Wmn-ER4QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=intrinsic+motivation+definition&ots=3cIVw2u6b9&sig=JJu4SxR8rBGpKnlP-daWohEa42w#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation%20definition&f=falsehttp://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p96Wmn-ER4QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=intrinsic+motivation+definition&ots=3cIVw2u6b9&sig=JJu4SxR8rBGpKnlP-daWohEa42w#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation%20definition&f=falsehttp://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p96Wmn-ER4QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=intrinsic+motivation+definition&ots=3cIVw2u6b9&sig=JJu4SxR8rBGpKnlP-daWohEa42w#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation%20definition&f=falsehttp://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p96Wmn-ER4QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=intrinsic+motivation+definition&ots=3cIVw2u6b9&sig=JJu4SxR8rBGpKnlP-daWohEa42w#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation%20definition&f=falsehttp://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p96Wmn-ER4QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=intrinsic+motivation+definition&ots=3cIVw2u6b9&sig=JJu4SxR8rBGpKnlP-daWohEa42w#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation%20definition&f=falsehttp://sites.roosevelt.edu/smeyers/files/2011/04/transformative.pdfhttp://sites.roosevelt.edu/smeyers/files/2011/04/transformative.pdfhttp://sites.roosevelt.edu/smeyers/files/2011/04/transformative.pdfhttp://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p96Wmn-ER4QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=intrinsic+motivation+definition&ots=3cIVw2u6b9&sig=JJu4SxR8rBGpKnlP-daWohEa42w#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation%20definition&f=falsehttp://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p96Wmn-ER4QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=intrinsic+motivation+definition&ots=3cIVw2u6b9&sig=JJu4SxR8rBGpKnlP-daWohEa42w#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation%20definition&f=falsehttp://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p96Wmn-ER4QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=intrinsic+motivation+definition&ots=3cIVw2u6b9&sig=JJu4SxR8rBGpKnlP-daWohEa42w#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation%20definition&f=falsehttp://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p96Wmn-ER4QC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=intrinsic+motivation+definition&ots=3cIVw2u6b9&sig=JJu4SxR8rBGpKnlP-daWohEa42w#v=onepage&q=intrinsic%20motivation%20definition&f=falsehttp://www.avs34.com/portal/

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