Blogtracks 2006 Emerging Trends in the Research on Online Learning Environments

1. Blogtracks 2006 Emerging Trends in the Research on Online Learning Environments

2. Blog: Presence & Connections Janette R. Hill Instructional Technology Image from: myvie.ws/ archive/12/2002-11

3. What I Knew about Blogs… • Blog (weB LOG): A blog is basically a journal, updated on a regular basis and arranged in chronological order • Used before… • Information seeking • Class • Eager to explore how to use for other forms of info sharing and connecting Adapted from Matisse Enzer's Glossary of Internet Terms: http://www.matisse.net/files/glossary.html Image from:http://www.lyptonvillage.org/shutterfly/writing%20copy.jpg

4. Presence & Connections • Why this topic? • Long standing interesting in HCI • Considerable research is out there…. • Short, William and Christie (1976) • Gunawardena (1995+), U New Mexico • Picciano (2002), Hunter C. NY • Tu (many studies), George Wash. • Biocca et al. (M.I.N.D. labs), global • International Society for Presence Research • Many sessions here at AECT that you can explore…

5. Presence & Connections • What did I learn? • It’s harder than it appears! • Can be very lonely • My insights on making it work…. • Frequent and consistent posting • Blend of opinion and “fact” • Reading and connecting with others

6. How to get in touch... Janette Hill janette@uga.edu 706-542-4035

7. Denise Domizi: Informal Learning Audio presentation

8. Michael Barbour: Virtual Schools

9. Online Learning at WorkFrankie S. Jones, PhD • Blog Discussion • Very little rigorous research exists on the effectiveness of online learning at work • Online learning is a significant portion of training, but it needs to be interactive and well-designed • Instructional designers should design courses that are appealing to learners in order to increase the likelihood that workers will apply what they’ve learned • Future Blogtrack Presentations • Motivation • Public participation

10. Rick West: Trends in the DL Literature Cognitive Dimensions of TEDLEs Course Management Systems History of Distance Learning

11. Metacognition in TEDLEs • The use of hyperlinking and repetition that is common in these environments provides cognitive cueing and supports metacognitive awareness • BUT nonlinear environments require more cognitive load to mentally organize material, reducing metacognition. • SO, metacognitive prompting is a helpful strategy. • FUTURE QUESTIONS?: Whether, and in what ways, students are more or less prone to use metacognitive strategies in an information-overload, nonlinear Internet

12. Intrinsic Cognitive Load in TEDLEs • Not very much done! • We could learn from information literacy research. • Example: Jones, Ravid, and Rafaeli (2004) reported a trend towards high intrinsic load in informal online spaces, causing less participation. • FUTURE QUESTIONS? • Is ICL a predictor of attrition in DE? • Can design compensate for high ICL in DE? • How can you measure the ICL? • Can a strong online community keep participation high in subjects with high ICL?

13. Extraneous Cognitive Load in TEDLEs • Limited prior knowledge of the technology used to facilitate the distance learning environment could lead to increased extrinsic load • Web-based hyperlinking, in the absence of organizational guides, increased extraneous cognitive load associated with learning. • FUTURE QUESTIONS? • More replication of studies to verify results • How can design improve material organization and lower ECL? • How can we ease ECL with new technologies?

14. Germane Cognitive Load in TEDLEs • Not very much done in online environments, although heavily researched by many IT and DL folks! • We could learn from communications research on navigation and surfing patterns. • Example: Eveland et al. (2004) reported participants learned factual information best from linear websites, but nonlinear sites improved knowledge structure density. • NOW WHAT? • How do you use standard GCL-building methods online? • How are mental models constructed online? • How do you measure GCL online??

15. Course Management Systems • Literature audit found 70+ research articles • Most of these were one-shot, convenience studies • Less than 10 were studies of more generalizable impacts • But 95% of colleges and universities use CMS tools! • Discussion Questions: • Why isn’t more research conducted about CMS technologies? • What kind of research should we be conducting about CMSs? What outcomes? What measures? • Have we missed the opportunity to really see what happens from implementing a CMS because the tools are now ubiquitous?

16. Generations of Distance Education • First Generation: CBI/CAI • Second Generation: Distance transmission • Third Generation: Distance interaction • Fourth Generation: CMS tools • Fifth Generation: Mobile learning • Sixth Generation: Read/Write Internet

17. Other Topics I’m Discussing … • What can we learn from popular social networking sites? • Are we different personalities online? • Social Network Analysis and DE • Can “cool” be created? • The Creative Digital Divide • Educating a global economy • No family left behind • Digital natives • Sexy research

18. Making a Successful BlogTracks Have defined goals that are discussion-based. Define your boundaries. Engage nontraditional conference participants. Come join the chatter! Michael Barbour, University of Georgia (Virtual Schooling) * http://mkbvs.edublogs.org/ Denise Domizi, University of Georgia (Informal Learning) * http://denisedomizi.edublogs.org/ Janette Hill, University of Georgia (Trends and Issues) * http://janettehill.edublogs.org/ Frankie S. Jones, University of Georgia (Corporate Settings) * http://frankiejones.blogspot.com/ Rick West, University of Georgia (Research History) * http://rickwest.edublogs.org/