Module 1: Strategies and Tactics for Online Teaching and Learning

In this section: Can students learn online? What are the benefits of online learning? What are the limitations of online learning? What does an online course look like?

Can students learn online? The Internet computer is another place--often less expensive to build, get to, and maintain, than a classroom--where teachers and students gather to learn. There is often an unspoken belief that computer mediated communication (CMC) is less effective and less personal than face to face (F2F) discourse. Many faculty, however, have discovered that they can use CMC to create an effective student-centered learning community. One way to increase your skill at designing online instruction is to participate in an online course yourself, as you are now doing. One of the most important tasks for designing an online course is determining appropriate instructional activities and which technologies to use to deliver those activities. Possibilities for delivering online learning activities include ordinary email, web pages, synchronous chat rooms, asynchronous forums and listservs, and document and screen sharing. The question becomes which delivery methods best effect the objectives and content we have in mind for learners. What are the benefits of online learning? There are already many courses online, but are they working and are learners learning? The question is a fair one and should be asked frequently. Initial studies of serious endeavors indicate that the answer is "yes." A big advantage to computer mediated communication (CMC) is that activities are independent of time and place (Harasim, 1989). This creates greater freedom for students. They may log on at any time and examine the history of an ongoing discussion. Messages may be sent and read at the learners' convenience. Harasim (1990) also suggests that computer conferencing amplifies intellectual development by encouraging divergent thinking. Others (for example, Moore & Kearsley, 1996) contend that the medium removes some of the less pleasant aspects of face-to-face conversations. Interruptions are no longer an issue. Learners are not on the spot in discussions, are able to contribute at a pace comfortable to each individual, can reflect more thoroughly on content, and may be able to better organize their discourse than they might in face-to-face discussion. Lapachet (1994) reminds us that opportunities for extending conversation outside the conventional classroom also help instructors keep from always dominating discussions. The current text-based nature of CMC reduces considerations of race, physical features, age, socioeconomic status, and gender. Participants can focus on the content of the messages and not the characteristics of the senders, so that principles--not personalities--predominate (McCreary, 1990; Harasim, 1989). What are the limitations of online learning? The most anticipated limitation is the lack of human interaction that most instructors and students expect from an online course. Ironically, many online faculty and students alike report that the sense of personal interaction in an online course can be even greater than that experienced in a classroom, let alone a large lecture hall. There is already a little research on and some suggestions as to how to facilitate rich interaction in online course settings (For example: Feenberg, 1989; Berge, 1996; and Harasim. et al., 1995): Pedagogical suggestions: Establish clear objectives Provide relevant material Require contributions Prohibit online lecturing Social recommendations: Teach "nettiquette" Dyadic partnering Address students by name in online discussions Use private e-mail to individualize instruction. Technical suggestions: Choose software carefully Be prepared to support students with technical problems There are more specifics about establishing and maintaining online learning communities in T3 Module 4, but bear in mind that all learning is, in a sense, communal. No less than in a face-to-face classroom, an online course should reflect the personalities of the individual participants, both instructors and students. What does an online course look like? There are many different answers to that question, because there are many different types of courses that one might put online. In general, courses that involve collaboration among students, student-centered activities, and a facilitative role for the instructor lend themselves most easily to online delivery. Here are a few examples of online course delivery activities to give you a feel for what an online course looks like: Instructor led discussions Guest lecturing, coaching, and mentoring Small group discussions and brainstorming Individual presentation and sharing Peer evaluation rubric (assessment criteria) for class projects

Page authors: Gail Lucas & Bob Hoffman
URL: coe.sdsu.edu/t3/module1/connect.htm
Last updated: 1/26/98