Is Learning Different?Online, Blended and Face to Face

http://flic.kr/p/cT2gc1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsdkrebs/6628819053

Good Teaching Practice

• Teaching students not contentAmbrose, 2010

• Motivation

• Developing community

• Fostering respect

• Class tone

• Timely, appropriate feedback

• Interaction

Match

• the method to the content

• the expectation to the developmental level

• the assessment to the outcome

Good Teaching Practice

http://childpsych.umwblogs.org/developmental-theories/jean-piaget/ http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/genpsylearning.html http://www.tedxedmonton.com/speaker-georgesiemens.html

Focus – BC Asynchronous Senior Level DL Courses – What is, not what should be

• Most DL schools in BC currently offer continuous enrolment in upper level courses resulting in asynchronous student participation.

• This results in courses “reminiscent of the old model of correspondence education”

Lemieux, 2012

• Some courses that are much like the old textbook method—read this and answer these questions—discourage an active interest”

BCTF

• Requires more self-motivation, self-direction and time management

Héctor Álvarez-Trujillo, 2008

• Disproportionately high drop out rate

Bishop, 2002; Spitzer, 2001

• Higher levels of dissatisfaction Shermis, Mzumara, Olson &

Harrington, 2001

Online (Asynchronous)

Asynchronous Online Learner Experience is Different

• Learning online requires considerably more self-motivation, self-direction and time management

Álvarez-Trujillo, 2008

• Online learning has a disproportionately high student dropout rate

Bishop, 2002; Spitzer, 2001

• Online learners have higher levels of dissatisfaction

Shermis, Mzumara, Olson, & Harrington, 2001

Why?

• Teachers engaged in DL report that “collaboration and group work was difficult to manage in an asynchronous environment where finding a group students who were at similar points in the course was “near-miraculous.” Lemieux

Constructivist Theory

Group work “should be encouraged to facilitate constructivist learning”

Hooper & Hannafin, 1991; Johnson & Johnson, 1996; Palloff & Pratt, 1999

A learning community both support and challenge each other, leading to effective and relevant knowledge construction

Wilson, 1997

Ally, Theory and Practice of Online Learning

Online(Asynchronous)

• Interaction is critical to creating a sense of presence and a sense of community...to promote transformational learning

Murphy & Cifuentes, 2001

The lack of community can cause DL students to feel isolated, which can lead to frustration

The Importance of Interaction

In asynchronous online courses, the “interpersonal camaraderie [is lacking] that increases student motivation to learn

Sapp, Simon, 2005

Student sense of belonging and community is diminished

Without collaboration, online students can feel isolated and frustrated. Consequently, they discontinue or are “dropped” due to inactivity.

Collaborative learning illustrates potential gains in cognitive learning tasks, increased

completion rates and acquisition of critical social

skillsKirby & Boak, 1987

Asynchronous Online

• absence of body language cues problematic

Russell, 2001

• Without the visual or auditory anchors, many students...become disoriented

Spitzer, 2001

Benefits of Interaction are Clear• Constructivist and connectivist theorists stress the value of

peer-to-peer interaction in investigating and developing multiple perspectives

Anderson 57

• Collaborative learning illustrates potential gains in cognitive learning tasks...increas[es] completion rates and acquisition of critical social skills

Kirby & Boak, 1987

• Peer interaction is critical to the development of communities of learning

Rumble, 1999; Wegner, McDermott, &Snyder, 2002

How Does This Affect Learning for the DL Student?

• Students currently engaged in asynchronous online courses often feel isolated.

• The lack of community, collaboration and stimulating content often result in lower level learning, boredom and frustration.

• The lack of meaningful student-student engagement means that students do not develop multiple perspectives.

Face to Face Students

Feel a sense of community and experience a high level of support. This leads to engaged, active learning.

Increased socialization creates a cohesive and supportive learning environment Russell, 2001

Discussions ...

[are] more authentic because participants … talk to each other in real time, see their facial expressions and clarify matters immediately

King, 2001; Yu, 2002

Blended Learning—Best of Both Worlds

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sanjoselibrary http://www.flickr.com/photos/deliciouspapa/3231743396/

• Communities of learning

• Co-creation of learning

• Multiple, diverse opportunities for interaction

Thank you!

What questions/comments do you have for us?

ReferencesÁlvarez-Trujillo, Hector. "Benefits and Challenges for the Online Learner." N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.

Ambrose, S. M. (2010). How Learning Works 7 Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Anderson, T. (Ed.). (2008). The Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: AU Press.

Bates, T. (2010, July 20). Comparing apples with oranges: online vs face-to-face learning in community colleges. Retrieved November

15, 2012, from Online Learning and Distance Education Resources: Online Learning and Distance Education Resources

BC Ministry of Education. (2012, September). Learning Empowered by Technology. Retrieved November 15, 2012, from BC's

Education Plan: http://www.bcedplan.ca/actions/technology.php

Caspi, A. E. (2006, May). Participation in class and in online discussions: Gender differences. Computers and Education.

Ra'anana, Israel. Retrieved November 2012, from

http://www.fsc.yorku.ca/york/rsheese/psyc1010/wiki/images/6/6e/Meggy.pdf

Contact North. (2012). A New Pedagogy is Emerging. Retrieved November 16, 2012, from Ontario Online Learning Portal for Faculty

and Instructors: http://www.contactnorth.ca/trends-directions/evolving-pedagogy

Gunawardena, C. N. (n.d.). Distance Education. Retrieved 2012, from http://ocw.metu.edu.tr/file.php/118/Week10/Gunawardena-

McIsaac-distance-ed.pdf

Hawkey, Colleen, Ph.D, and Larry Kuehn, Ed.D. "BCTF Research Report." BCTF Research Department, Sept. 2007. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.

<bctf.ca/publications.aspx?id=5630>.

Lemieux, Kimberly J. "The Experience of Teachers in Distributed Learning Environments: Implications for Teaching." ROYAL ROADS

UNIVERSITY, June 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.

<http://dspace.royalroads.ca/docs/bitstream/handle/10170/518/lemieux_kimberly.pdf?sequence=1>.

Wang, Qiyun, and Huay Lit Woo. "Comparing Asynchronous Online Discussions and." British Journal of Educational Technology 38.2

(2007): 272-86. Web. 14 Nov. 2012.