E-Learning Survival, E-Learning Success: You Can Do It!

1. E-Learning Survival, E-Learning Success: You Can Do It! Curt Bonk, Indiana University President, CourseShare.com cjbonk@indiana.edu http://php.indiana.edu/~cjbonk http://CourseShare.com

2. Exponential Growth of the Web

3. 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) • Web-based training is expected to increase 900 percent between 1999 and 2003.” (ASTD, State of the Industry Report 2001).

4. To Cope with the Explosion, We Need Instructor E-Learning Support!!!

5. 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

6. Best of Online Pedagogical Strategies…

7. Changing Role of the TeacherThe Online Teacher, TAFE, Guy Kemshal-Bell (April, 2001) • From oracle to guide and resource provider • From providers of answers to expert questioners • From solitary teacher to member of team • From total control of teaching environment to sharing as a fellow student • From provider of content to designer of learning experiences.

8. Online Teaching SkillsThe Online Teacher, TAFE, Guy Kemshal-Bell (April, 2001) • Technical: email, chat, Web development • Facilitation: engaging, questioning, listening, feedback, providing support, managing discussion, team building, relationship building, motivating, positive attitude, innovative, risk taking • Managerial: planning, reviewing, monitoring, time management

9. Key Skills or Attributes (scale 0-3)The Online Teacher, TAFE, Guy Kemshal-Bell (April, 2001) • Ability to provide effective online fdbk (2.86) • Ability to engage the learner (2.84) • Ability to provide direction and support (2.82) • Skills in online listening (2.76) • Ability to use email effectively (2.70) • Ability to motivate online learners (2.66) • Positive attitude to online teaching (2.66) • Skills in effective online questioning (2.65)

10. Less Impt Skills or Attributes (scale 0-3)The Online Teacher, TAFE, Guy Kemshal-Bell (April, 2001) • Higher-level Web page development (.606) • Use of video/audioconferencing (1.06) • Ability to develop simple Web pages (1.45) • Skills in using online chat (1.84) • Ability to build online teams (2.10) • Skills in planning, monitoring trng (2.20) Ability to say dumb things. Ability to offend people. Ability to sleep 24 X 7. Ability to get distracted.

11. The Web Integration Continuum (Bonk et al., 2000) Level 1: Course Marketing/Syllabi via the Web Level 2: Web Resource for Student Exploration Level 3: Publish Student-Gen Web Resources Level 4: Course Resources on the Web Level 5: Repurpose Web Resources for Others ======================================= Level 6: Web Component is Substantive & Graded Level 7: Graded Activities Extend Beyond Class Level 8: Entire Web Course for Resident Students Level 9: Entire Web Course for Offsite Students Level 10: Course within Programmatic Initiative

12. Study of Four Classes(Bonk, Kirkley, Hara, & Dennen, 2001) • Technical—Train, early tasks, be flexible, orientation task • Managerial—Initial meeting, FAQs, detailed syllabus, calendar, post administrivia, assign e-mail pals, gradebooks, email updates • Pedagogical—Peer feedback, debates, PBL, cases, structured controversy, field reflections, portfolios, teams, inquiry, portfolios • Social—Café, humor, interactivity, profiles, foreign guests, digital pics, conversations, guests

13. Technological Hat • Address tool/system familiarity • Require early assignment to test technology • Have orientation task, early training • Be flexible, smooth out problems • Plan, test, support

15. Social Hat • Create community, set tone, motivate • Welcome, thank, invite, reinforce positives • Foster shared knowledge • Support humor and conversational tone • Use tools such as cafes, profiles, pictures • Invite to be candid

17. Managerial Hat • Set agenda, timetable/calendar, assignment page • Set objectives, clear times, due dates, expectations • Explain rules, assignments, intended audiences • Assign teams and coordinate meeting times • Monitor discussions and track logins • Provide weekly feedback and class updates • Manage gradebooks • Post grading rubrics

20. Pedagogical Hat • Use PBL or inquiry environment • Refer to outside resources and experts • Coordinate student interaction, team collaboration • Assign roles, set goals, foster peer feedback • Ask probing questions, refocus, nudge, instruct • Scaffold, give advice, mentor • Weave, synthesize, link ideas, provide overviews • Know when to intervene and when to leave alone

24. Review Four Key Instructor Hats • Technical—do students have basics? Does their equipment work? Passwords work? • Managerial—Do students understand the assignments and course structure? • Pedagogical—How are students interacting, summarizing, debating, thinking? • Social—What is the general tone? Is there a human side to this course? Joking allowed? • Other: firefighter, convener, weaver, tutor, conductor, host, mediator, filter, editor, facilitator, negotiator, e-police, concierge, marketer, assistant, etc.

25. How to Combine these Roles/Hats?

26. E-Moderator • Refers to online teaching and facilitation role. Moderating used to mean to preside over a meeting or a discussion, but in the electronic world, it means more than that. It is all roles combined—to hold meetings, to encourage, to provide information, to question, to summarize, etc. (Collins & Berge, 1997; Gilly Salmon, 2000); see http://www.emoderators.com/moderators.shtml.

27. Other Hats • Weaver—linking comments/threads • Tutor—individualized attention • Participant—joint learner • Provocateur—stir the pot (& calm flames) • Observer—watch ideas and events unfold • Mentor—personally apprentice students • Community Organizer—keep system going

28. Assistant Devil’s advocate Editor Expert Filter Firefighter Facilitator Gardener Helper Lecturer Marketer Mediator Priest Promoter Still More Hats

30. 2. Questioning: "What is the name of this concept...?," "Another reason for this might be...?," "An example of this is...," "In contrast to this might be...,""What else might be important here...?," "Who can tell me....?," "How might the teacher..?." "What is the real problem here...?," "How is this related to...?,“, "Can you justify this?"

31. 5. Feedback/Praise: "Wow, I'm impressed...," "That shows real insight into...," "Are you sure you have considered...," "Thanks for responding to ‘X’...," "I have yet to see you or anyone mention..."

32. 6. Cognitive Task Structuring: "You know, the task asks you to do...," "Ok, as was required, you should now summarize the peer responses that you have received...," "How might the textbook authors have solved this case."

33. Converting a Class to the Web…

34. DO Encourage introductions Use icebreaker activities Help learn the tool State expectations up front Allow buffer for late starters DON’T Count on students to be ready to go on day one Start content-based work until everyone is ready to start Communicate in a manner that you do not wish the learners to adopt The First Week: Do’s and Don’ts

35. Selecting Instructional Media • Determine, as best you can, the technology that learners will be using • Only use that media which will truly enhance the instruction (or, don’t use media for media’s sake) • Make configuring computers (plug-ins, etc.) as easy as possible • Provide transcripts of media elements for learners without plug-ins or with slow connections

36. Assignment Guidelines • Be as explicit as possible regarding expectations • Provide a model whenever possible • State how to turn assignments in • Include file saving and uploading directions as relevant • State when to turn in assignments (may need to include time zone)

37. Designing Discussion • Remember, “discussion” is a generic title given to a complex activity • Discussion can take on many formats • Discussion doesn’t just “happen” -- it must be carefully designed and facilitated

38. Common Instructor Complaints • Students don’t participate • Students all participate at the last minute • Students post messages but don’t converse • Facilitation takes too much time • If they must be absent, the discussion dies off

39. More Reasons Why... • Students post messages but don’t converse, because… • They must post a min # of messages • They think the instructor wants to see how much they know • Not been taught to value conversation • They don’t know how to have an online conversation • Need modeling, good discussion prompts, clear expectations, multiple answers.

40. Redirect Off-Task Students

41. Dealing with Difficult Learners(Barbazette, Feb 2002) • Confront known disruptive participants and ask for help before the event • Know who question askers are and ask for their help before they interrupt • Ask direct questions of talkers and nonparticipants • Ask each person to make a summary of the learning pts • Acknowledge various pts of view. • …that’s an interesting question, how have you handled similar situations? • …how do others of you view this issue?

42. Guide Behavior With Questions and Info

43. Reducing Online Problems or Disruptions • Ask yourself, why are they off task? Look at the pedagogy? • Do they value the assignment? • Are tasks relevant, challenging, & current? • Are ideas valued and woven into the discussion? • Are you organized? • Are students in the right class or level?

44. What to do? Keep it HumanJennifer Hoffman, Learning Circuits; Jan. 2000.; Judith Smith, August, 2001; Clive Sheperd, Jan 2002) • Keep the learning process social • Design breaks • Have agenda or structure; establish rules/procedures • Call on by first names • Point to role models, archives, or course alumni • Ask about interests • Include anecdotes and examples • Provide consistent feedback • Allow or foster learning communities

45. If can’t control, then what to do? • Join up • Give up • Commit suicide • Find a new job • Protest e-learning

47. Is it that simple? NOPE!!!

48. There is a Problem…

49. But How Avoid Shovelware???“This form of structure… encourages teachers designing new products to simply “shovel” existing resources into on-line Web pages and discourages any deliberate or intentional design of learning strategy.” (Oliver & McLoughlin, 1999)