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The Power of Online Learning: Creating & Nurturing an Effective Online Learning Community. Fred Rovai. Topics Covered. What Online Learning Research Tells Us What Regent SET Data Tells Us Community of Inquiry Model Online Learning That Works Online Learning That Does Not Work.
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The Power of Online Learning: Creating & Nurturing an Effective Online Learning Community Fred Rovai
Topics Covered • What Online Learning Research Tells Us • What Regent SET Data Tells Us • Community of Inquiry Model • Online Learning That Works • Online Learning That Does Not Work
What Online Learning Research Tells Us • On average, online student outcomes are better than F2F student outcomes • Blended courses have better outcomes relative to purely F2F & online courses
What Online Learning Research Tells Us • A substantial number of distance educationapplications • provide better achievement results • are viewed more positively • have higher retention ratesthan F2F counterparts • A substantial number of distance education applications are far worse than F2F counterparts
What Online Learning Research Tells Us • Effects are larger when online learning takes place within a community of inquiry • Frequent opportunities for active learning • Frequent & constructive feedback • Active teacher guidance & support
SACS Policy – Distance Education • Comparability of distance education programs to campus-based programs & courses is ensured by the evaluation of educational effectiveness.
What Regent SET Data Tells Us • Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) • Spring Semester 2011 • N = 7,714 • Response rate = 54.30% • Variable: % students who select 4 or 5 from 5-point Likert Scale • higher is better
University Means – Selected SET Items % 4 or 5 Goal = 90%
School Means % 4 or 5 Goal = 90%
University Perceived Learning Means % 4 or 5
Sense of Community • Imagine… • being the only student in your school or program • there is nobody to talk to about things you don’t understand • Results… • feelings of isolation, loneliness • low satisfaction • student attrition
Community Building • Create activities that build a sense of community • Sense of belonging, connectedness • Shared values / goals • Active interaction & participation • Mutual interdependence & trust • Collaborative learning
Community of Inquiry Model • Addresses the learning needs of its members through collaborative learning • Essential Features: • problem or question driven • involves critical thinking & discourse • requires self-direction • Includes small-group work • Includes student reflection
Online Learning That Works • Student-centered learning environment • Strong sense of community • Authentic tasks in an information-rich, tool-rich environment • Collaborative learning with synchronous and asynchronous communications • Learning at pace and time of learner‘s choosing • Emphasizes pedagogy over technology • Alignment of assessments with learning goals • Emphasis on constructed response assessments
Online Learning That Does Not Work • Teacher-centered learning environment • Extensive use of talking heads • Taped lectures (passive learning) • Lengthy learning objects • Failure to contextualize learning activities • Limited &/or untimely feedback to students • Activities that don’t take advantage of technology • Emphasis on selected-response assessments
Challenges • Awareness & understanding of true inquiry • too much focus on content & lecturing • too little effective use of collaboration • Faculty orientation (resistance) • Heightened need for time management • Commitment to fundamental redesign using communication technologies