Technical Classes Online: A Different Breed of Learning?

1. Technical Classes Online:A Different Breed of Learning? Paula San Millan Maurino, Ph.D. Francine Federman, Ph.D. Lorraine Greenwald, Ph.D. Farmingdale State College State University of New York .

2. Dissertation • Online Threaded Discussions: Purposes, Goals and Objectives • Rationale for dissertation • Interaction cannot be evaluated until instructor’s purposes, goals and objectives are known first

3. Methodology • Interviewed 30 online instructors at Farmingdale State • Analyzed “starter” questions • Analyzed database transcripts • Focus groups from private colleges

4. Research Questions • Main Research Question: • What are the purposes, goals and objectives set by online instructors for the utilization of threaded discussions? • Five Sub Questions

5. Sub Research Questions • How do faculty evaluate the success and value of online discussions? • Are threaded discussions valued for social or cognitive purposes or both? • Do instructor characteristics influence the purposes, goals and objectives? • Do student characteristics influence the purposes, goals and objectives of online threaded discussions?

6. Sub Research Question 5 • Do academic discipline and the educational level of students affect the purpose and objectives set by the instructor for threaded discussions within online courses? • Lower level vs. Higher level • Discipline • Technical vs. Nontechnical

7. Percent of Instructors Teaching Lower Level, Upper Level, and Both Lower and Upper Level Classes Lower Level Both 30% 37% Upper Level 33% Upper and Lower Level

8. Upper Level vs. Lower Level • Lower Level • More hand holding needed/supervision • Students have more time to participate • More enthusiastic • Higher Level • More experienced, mature • More to offer a discussion • Classes are so diverse, level does not matter

9. Discipline/Academic School • Did NOT have a strong effect on the goals set or use of discussions • Did affect perceptions of quality/success • More Arts and Sciences instructors considered their discussions successful

10. Discipline/Academic School • Best courses for discussion • liberal arts and humanities courses such as literature, philosophy, history and psychology • Worst courses for discussion • math classes such as calculus and statistics and business/programming classes such as accounting or database.

11. Definition of Technical • Researcher’s Definition • A course devoted to learning a specific skill. • Determined by instructor • Could be in any academic school/discipline

12. Percent of Instructors Teaching Technical, Non-Technical and Both Technical and Non-Technical Classes Both Technical 23% 27% Non-Technical 50% Technical vs. Non-Technical

13. Technical vs. Nontechnical • No pattern/relationship between • Level and technical nature of class • Just as many lower level class rated technical as upper level • No relationship between faculty profile and technical nature of class

14. Technical vs. NonTechnical • Technical classes seen as unique and different • In interviews & source documents • What makes a technical class different? • Devoted to learning a specific skill • Main focus and objective • Students immersed in “doing” or “making” • NOT general knowledge foundation • Offline • Classes may be taught in a lab • May not have class discussion or participation

15. Focus and Objective of the Course • Concerns expressed about moving a technical class online • May change nature and focus • Active to passive learning? • Is talking about an activity as important as doing it?

16. Discussion topics – What to talk about • Hard to find topics to discuss • Current trends and events most popular • Less likely to do so – main objective was making or doing • Students see discussion as “busy work” • Participate only because it is required

17. Student Time Constraints • Adding discussion increases time students must put in to complete course requirements • Alternative • Shorten time allocated to hands-on activities • Does this affect successful achievement of course objectives and learning outcomes?

18. Time Delay • Delayed response by instructor may be critical • Minor correction made by a “live” instructor in minutes may require days to correct online

19. Time Constraints of Instructors • If time lags are more important, must the instructor be accessible more often? • Are synchronous meetings necessary? • Are online office hours necessary?

20. Additional Requirements • Students may need specific software programs or equipment • Students need to be able to successfully load and set up equipment themselves • Should the instructor allow extra time at the start of the semester for this setup? • Problems with setup? • Can results of the technical activity be • Transferred between student and teacher • Student and other students?

21. Interaction Shift • Current literature points to need for and benefit of group and social interaction • Technical classes may have different needs in this area • Some students need more one-on-one interaction • Some students don’t need any – “they just get it” • Need for teacher presence is determined by whether particular students “get it”

22. Interaction Shift (cont.) • More one-to-one interaction for some students, may leave less time for other students and group interaction • Group interaction often involves one student asking others for help • Change to social dynamics of class? • Are stronger students willing to help and provide scaffolding for weaker students?

23. Administrative Concerns • Workload requirements • Size of class • Can curriculum be modified for online classes? • Should curriculum be modified for online classes? • Are all classes suited to the online format?

24. Implications • Online technical instructors may need to rethink strategies • Can individual learning activities be turned into group activities? • Break up hands-on activities into pieces and have the group put them together? • Are different textbooks/hand outs/lecture materials needed?

25. Implications • Connect the discussions to the hands on activities • Use discussions to decrease work load • To answer individual questions • To achieve teacher presence • To allow one student to help another

26. Thank you! Paula Maurino Farmingdale State University