An Alternative Approach to Web-Based Education: Technology-Intensive, Not Labor-Intensive

1. An Alternative Approach to Web-Based Education:Technology-Intensive, Not Labor-Intensive Linda V. Knight Theresa A. Steinbach James D. White

2. In a nutshell… • The most feasible approach to large-scale dissemination of factual information online is through Web posting of unedited, automatic audio and video recordings of traditional classroom sessions.

3. Outline • Common approach to Web-based education and associated problems • Alternative approach used by DePaul CTI • Advantages, limitations, keys to success

4. Typical Web-based education • Text-based posting of class notes 88% • Streaming video 28% Source: Shea et al., 2001

5. Advantages of text-based online courses • “… the most simplistic means of teaching a course over the Internet” • “… help reduce technology and resource costs including infrastructure, hardware, and software and technical support.” Sharma and Gupta, ISECON 2001

6. Disadvantage #1:Labor-intensive development and delivery • Almost three times as long to develop(SchWeber, 1998) • “40% to 50% more work on the teacher’s part”(Brown, 1998) • “The largest component of online cost is faculty time”(Charp, 1999)

7. Why are online courses so labor-intensive? • “Because of the reliance on text-based communication and a lack of visual cues, every aspect of the course has to be laid out in meticulous detail to avoid misunderstandings.” (Smith et al., 2001)

8. Disadvantage # 2:Lack of economies of scale • Marginal development cost for each course added does not decrease. • Marginal implementation cost for each student added does not decrease. • Building a virtual community

9. Disadvantage #3: Difficulty maintaining current content • Currency is a particular challenge for IT-related courses • Common practice of paying faculty one-time development fees discourages currency

10. Largely asynchronous Loss of visual and auditory clues Less spontaneous Less sense of community Loss of some communication content Disadvantage #4:Potential lack of robust interpersonal communication

11. Four disadvantages of text-based approaches • Labor intensive development and delivery • Lack of economies of scale • Difficulty maintaining current content • Difficulty generating robust interpersonal interaction

12. Alternative approach • Capture the classroom experience • Video and audio of lecture • White boards • Computer projector • Document camera • Post on Web without editing

13. CTI’s experience • 1998: Dean Epp’s vision • Automatically recording traditional classes • Managing large numbers of courses with a database driven system • 2002: • Forty-eight classrooms equipped for automatic recordings • Over 500 Web course enrollments per term • Three totally online degrees accredited by North Central Association

14. Mechanics of classroom recording • Automatic recordings during scheduled class time • Fixed microphones and cameras • Electronic whiteboards • All materials shown on classroom computer • PowerPoint slides • Web sites visited • Programming code demonstrated • Everything shown on document camera

15. The “finished” product • Unedited capturing of actual classroom experience • User interface was written by CTI’s support staff. Alternatives: • www.webct.com • www.blackboard.com

16. CTI’s User Interface

17. Watching a lecture • Ability to fast-forward • Ability to pause • Ability to switch views between white boards and computer (PowerPoint)

18. Viewing lecture and PowerPoint simultaneously

19. Viewing lecture and white boards simultaneously

20. Control Panel

21. Leverage technology; Reduce faculty time • Automatic recording • Eliminates need for creating unique lecture notes for distance learning students • Central Web repository • Facilitates distribution of notes, assignments, etc.

22. Addresses all four disadvantages of text-based approaches • Less labor intensive development and delivery • Lack of economies of scale • No difficulty maintaining current content • Less difficulty generating robust interpersonal interaction

23. Benefits to traditional classes • All CTI classrooms have up-to-date projecting computer systems and document cameras • Ability to view a missed class session • Ability to complete a course or degree, even if transferred out-of-town • Ability to review difficult material

24. Success principles: faculty • Recognize faculty as key to success • Facilitate experimentation with the technology • Never use recordings for faculty evaluation • Provide adequate technical and clerical support staff • Address intellectual property concerns • Pay for distance enrollment

25. Success principles: students • Provide technical and support services on schedule appropriate for distance students • Set expectations before enrollment

26. Limitations • Not suitable for classes involving extensive discussion and small group work • Substantial fixed cost infrastructure investment can only be overcome by large implementations

27. Keys to success • Top level administrative vision and support • Recognition of faculty as critical success factor

28. Questions / Comments ?