Moving From the Present State of E-Learning to Online Communities of Learners

1. Moving From the Present State of E-Learning to Online Communities of Learners Curt Bonk, Ph.D., cjbonk@indiana.edu Indiana University and CourseShare.com http://CourseShare.com http://php.indiana.edu/~cjbonk

2. A Vision of E-learning for America’s Workforce,Report of the Commission on Technology and Adult Learning, (2001, June) • A remarkable 84 percent of two-and four-year colleges in the United States expect to offer distance learning courses in 2002” (only 58% did in 1998) (US Dept of Education report, 2000) • The percentage of post-secondary students enrolled in distance ed is expected to triple from just 5 percent in 1998 to 15 percent in 2002.

3. The Market is Exploding! “IDC expects the market to double in size every year through 2003 when the total e-learning market will reach $11.5 billion. Corporations are particularly interested in training their employees in soft skills (leadership, sales, etc.)…growing at twice the rate of IT training.” Steven McWilliam (2000), e-learning, 1(2), p. 48. (same numbers from Merrill Lynch)

4. Software and hardware customers e-learn the ropes,Scott Tyler Shafer, Red Herring, Feb. 13, 2001 • “Since Cisco is looking to educate 800,000 people globally, the classroom model wasn’t feasible. …Cisco selected and certified 120 partner training companies…” • “Oracle says it has 1,000 developers signing up every day to take courses over the company’s Web Oracle Network (OLN)…estimates it will train 2.5 million engineers in 2001.” (this was only 500,000 in 2000)

5. How the Internet Will Help Large-Scale Assessment Reinvent Itself (2001, Feb). Education Policy Analysis Archives, Volume 9 Number 5, By Randy Elliot Bennett, Educational Testing Service, U.S.A. • In the same way that the Internet is already helping to revolutionize commerce, education, and even social interaction, this technological advance will help revolutionize the business and substance of large-scale assessment.

6. Part I. The State of E-Learning in Higher Education in U.S. http://PublicationShare.com

7. Survey #1: 222 College Faculty(Early Adopters of the Web)

8. Survey Limitations • Sample pool • Dated information • Many were Web savvy • The Web is changing rapidly • Lengthy survey • Some were administrators • Does not address all issues

9. Higher Education Fantasies • Faculty just need a bit more training. • Young faculty will jump on this. • Pedagogical tools exist to TEACH online. • Faculty will flock to sophisticated tech. • Faculty are loyal. • Web instruction is an either/or decision.

13. How Old Are Early Web Adopters?

14. Why post to MERLOT or the WLH?

15. Internet Access • 78 percent had Internet access in their current or most recent classroom. • 93 percent had computer lab accessibility. • 97 percent had home access. • Note: This is more than double the 47 percent of Americans who are users of the Internet at home as reported in a recent UCLA study (The UCLA Internet Report, 2000).

16. Any Online Teaching Experiences?

18. Who Owns Online Courses?

19. Is Teaching Online Time-Consuming?

21. Course Quality Improved Online? • 39 percent unsure; • 32 percent agree it was improved; and • 29 percent said no.

22. Courseware Systems • 83 percent were provided a Web-based platform or courseware system • 22 percent more than one. • 27 of those making a decision had more than one. • 10 percent had access to three courseware systems or conferencing tools.

23. Courseware Features Like with Current Tool • Comprehensive, consistent, customizable • Ease of use, flexible, reliable • Data and course security • Detailed statistics on bulletin board use • Good online help • Internal e-mail systems, drop boxes, chats • Posting of tasks & due dates on Web • Randomized test banks

24. What Percent of Time Teach Online?

25. Interested in Freelance Instruction?

26. Any Obstacles to Teaching Online?

27. Administrative: “Lack of admin vision.” “Lack of incentive from admin and the fact that they do not understand the time needed.” “Lack of system support.” “Little recognition that this is valuable.” “Rapacious U intellectual property policy.” “Unclear univ. policies concerning int property.” Pedagogical: “Difficulty in performing lab experiments online.” “Lack of appropriate models for pedagogy.” Time-related: “More ideas than time to implement.” “Not enough time to correct online assign.” “People need sleep; Web spins forever.” Problems Faced

29. Any Supports Needed?

30. Does technical support vary by size??

33. Online Technology Pushes Pedagogy to the ForefrontFrank Newman & Jamie Scurry, Chronicle of Higher Education, July 13, 2001, B7. “Many faculty members are still concerned whether the technology is simple and reliable enough to use for more-sophisticated learning tasks. Increasingly, however, better software is emerging that engages students in more effective learning.”

34. What Instructional Activities are Needed?

37. General Recommendations • Develop Instructor Training Programs • Foster Instructor Recognition and Support • Create Instructor & Resource Sharing Tools • Develop Online Learning Policies • Conduct Online Learning Research • Form Online Learning Dev Partnerships • Create/Test Online Learning Pedagogy

38. So, any questions about the state of things?

39. Part II. Building Online Communities of Learners

40. The Good Net • “There’s an astonishing amount of warmth and human kindness from total strangers on the Net.” • Psychologist Patricia Wallace, Univ of Maryland • E-mail has led me to correspond fairly regularly with cousins I’d otherwise only see at funerals...E-mail has knit me more tightly into the fabric of my circle, not torn me out of it. • Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, Feb 22nd, 2000

41. The Bad Net... Greater Internet use: • lowered participation in family • Lower communication • Greater feelings of loneliness and depression • (Kraut, Patterson, Lundmark, Kiesler, Mukopadhyay, & Scherlis, 1998, American Psychologist).

42. “The Internet is unlike anything we’ve seen before. It’s a socially connecting device that’s socially isolating at the same time.” David Greenfield, Founder of the Center for Internet Studies (www.virtual-addiction.com), April 2000, The APA Monitor

43. The Ugly Net • “Now we have Net abuse treatment centers springing up around the country” • Kimberly Young, USA Today, Feb., 21, 2000 • Web is heavily spiced with “role-plays, deceptions, half-truths & exaggerations.” • Patricia Wallace, USA Today, Feb 21st, 2000 (The Psychology of the Internet, Cambridge Univ Press, $24.95) • “The more people use the Internet, the less time they spend with real people. And that situation has its problems.” • Marilyn Elias, USA Today, 5D, Feb. 21st, 2000

44. When unable to access the Internet or forbidden to go online, do you feel: A. Anxiety B. Depression C. Mood swings D. Irritability E. Insomnia F. Panic attacks G. Restlessness

45. How many hours per week do you currently spend online(for nonessential purposes)? • Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet? • Have you ever used the Internet to escape situational difficulties? • Does Internet use disrupt your work or job-related performance?

46. Contact the Center for On-Line AddictionsNetaddiction.comDr. Kimberly Young, Univ of PittsburghCaught in the Net (1998), John Wiley and Sons

47. I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!!! “Network”, 1976, shouted by Howard Beale (Peter Finch)

48. Howard Beale: We'll tell you anything you want to hear, we lie like [hec]. • Howard Beale: You're beginning to believe the illusions we're spinning here, you're beginning to believe that the Web is reality and your own lives are unreal! You do! Why, whatever the Web tells you: you dress like the Web, you eat like the Web, you raise your children like the Web, you even think like the Web! This is mass madness, you maniacs! ..., you people are the real thing, WE are the illusion!

49. Howard Beale: Right now, there is a whole, an entire generation that never knew anything that didn't come out of this Web! This Web is the gospel, the ultimate revelation; this Web can make or break presidents, popes, prime ministers; this Web is the most awesome [darn] propaganda force in the whole godless world, and woe is us if it ever falls into the hands of the wrong people...And when the 12th largest company in the world controls the most awesome [darn] propaganda force in the whole godless world, who knows what [stuff] will be peddled for truth on this network!?

50. Who am I Mad At??? • Administrators • Colleagues • The Registrar’s Office • Students • Textbook Companies • Bookstores ============================= • Courseware Companies • The Media