For this week's assignment, we were asked to examine some of the factors that go into setting up an online course. When designing an online course, decisions at the outset of the process can have positive or negative effects on the rest of the design and execution of the online course. To that end, there are 3 questions that should be answered by an online designer prior to and during the very initial stages of analysis.
What is the significance of knowing the technology available to you? As a designer working with an online learning experience, understanding and subsequently selecting the appropriate technological tools can make or break a course. Simonson, Smaldino and Zvacek (2015) state that when an instructional activity is heavily reliant upon technology, selecting the right tool and platform is imperative. To begin the process of analyzing and selecting the appropriate technologies, the course text suggests focusing first upon the essential tools you will need and then build your course around those tools (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010). Essential tools may include the ability for students to upload documents of various type, access readings and videos and engage with discussion forums. This of course is a baseline for what kind of technologies you will need. Likely, you will want to really think about what you would like the student to do to make the course engaging and then include that in your analysis of what technologies are available. Most Course Management Systems (CMS) that are available on the market today include all of these elements plus significantly more. Knowing what each of these platforms has to offer will increase your ability to deliver engaging and effective courses.
Why is it essential to communicate clear expectations to learners? One of the misconceptions of online learning is that there is less communication and guidance provided and that much of the time you are on your own to try and figure out what needs to be done. Malcolm Knowles (1990) one of the foundations of andragogy states that course design must include clear descriptions, objectives and resources in order to be effective. The course text restates this point by saying clear and unambiguous guidelines about what is expected of learners and the instructor can contribute to understanding and satisfaction in an online course. In addition, Simonson, Smaldino and Zvacek (2015) further state that at the beginning of a course, it is important to guide students as to expectations for participation, use of tools and location of resources. This cannot be stressed enough. If students in an online environment do not feel that they are supported, do not understand the expectations or feel that their instructor is unavailable, the potential for attrition increases as does the likelihood that the student will view online education negatively. Taking the time to ensure expectations and instructions are clear from the student's point of view can make all the difference between an effective online learning experience and a critical failure.
What additional considerations should the instructor take into account when setting up an online learning experience? One of the most important things an instructor can do is work to create a learning community within the online course. This was discussed previously in this course and others but it needs to be stressed again here. The course text states that the goals of a learning community are to build knowledge and competencies within learners as well as build a network of mutual respect which includes the sharing of ideas and perspectives (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010). In addition, a learning community encourages student and instructor participation which can in turn lead to a more effective online learning experience and higher satisfaction among learners (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015).
Given all of the above, my own thinking on successfully launching an online learning experience haven't changed too much. As someone already working in online instructional design as well as being an online learner myself, I have seen first hand when the elements listed above are employed and when they are neglected. Understanding the technologies available has been something that I have stressed with my subject matter experts I collaborate with. In some cases, they have desired to do something that the learning management system we use here at work can't handle and I have had to provide alternate suggestions. Additionally, I have had to work with some SME's to ensure that they are clarifying instructions for students so that assignments and assessments are easy to understand and resources are easy to access and use. Finally, I have been a part of some great learning communities in online courses and have worked to implement similar experiences into the courses I currently design.
References
Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. M. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Knowles, M. (1990). The adult learner: A neglected species (4th ed.). Houston, TX: Gulf.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., & Zvacek, S. (2015). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (6th ed.). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Dave,
ReplyDeleteAnother excellent post. I found a really good explanation on how learning communities work. Wilcoxon (2011) points out that learning communities in constructivist principles where it is directed toward learning in a social environment. Much like traditional brick and mortar institutions' study groups where a group of students get together to study and help each other learn concepts. He explains the relationship between the three different elements in a learning community:
- Teaching presence - involves the curriculum design, facilitation of course, and direction of both the cognitive and social processes towards learning.
- Social presence - participants identify with each other, trust the environment they are communicating in, and develop social relationships which conveys their individuality.
- Cognitive presence - exploring, constructing, solving, and verifying understanding and is usually carried out in four phases:
> Triggering Event - a question or problem provided to a
group, or recognition of a problem.
> Exploration - members in group voice opinions and
suggestions. Brainstorming and insightful leaps happen.
> Synthesis - integrate and summarize ideas to identify a
solution.
> Resolution - arrive at a consensus on the conclusion or a
solution to apply.
If you were training a new Online facilitator and they felt building and Online Community was not a productive use of time in the Online classroom, what would you tell them, show them, to convince them otherwise? Do you have specific examples that you could use to show them the benefits if they do or do not spend the time creating that Online community?
Anita
Resources:
Wilcoxon, K. (October 3, 2011). Building An Online Learning Community. Learning Solutions Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/761/building-an-online-learning-community
Dave - Good post and review of the three key questions. Understanding the technology has many benefits but I believe developing an effective design and objectives will help an instructional designer's selection of a tech tool a little easier.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong, understanding the tools has its benefits but when designing activities for student engagement, I believe developing the overall objective can aid in building the technology. Milkova (n.d.) notes "before you plan your lesson, you will first need to identify the learning objectives for the class meeting. Then, you can design appropriate learning activities and develop strategies to obtain feedback on student learning." (www.crlt.umich.edu) One the objectives are formulated, I believe the rest of the process will fall into place.
Mike Abrams (MFABRAMS - ID ArchiTech)
References
Milkova, S. (n.d.) Strategies for effective lesson planning. Retrieved from http://www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/p2_5