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Online Learning: From Research to Application

Explore the latest online learning research findings, evaluation methods, and potential gaps in the field, with a focus on enhancing distance education practices and student outcomes. Discover the impact of various instructional methods and technologies in virtual learning environments.

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Online Learning: From Research to Application

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  1. Online Learning: From Research to Application Dr. Curtis J. Bonk Associate Professor, Indiana University President, CourseShare.com http://php.indiana.edu/~cjbonk, cjbonk@indiana.edu

  2. Are you ready???

  3. Brains Before and After E-learning After Before And when use synchronous and asynchronous tools

  4. Tons of Recent Research Not much of it ...is any good...

  5. Basic Distance Learning Finding? • Research since 1928 shows that DL students perform as well as their counterparts in a traditional classroom setting. Per: Russell, 1999, The No Significant Difference Phenomenon (5th Edition), NCSU, based on 355 research reports. http://cuda.teleeducation.nb.ca/nosignificantdifference/

  6. Online Learning Research Problems (National Center for Education Statistics, 1999; Phipps & Merisotos, 1999; Wisher et al., 1999). • Anecdotal evidence; minimal theory. • Questionable validity of tests. • Lack of control group. • Hard to compare given different assessment tools and domains. • Fails to explain why the drop-out rates of distance learners are higher. • Does not relate learning styles to different technologies or focus on interaction of multiple technologies.

  7. Online Learning Research Problems(Bonk & Wisher, 2001) • For different purposes or domains: in our study, 13% concern training, 87% education • Flaws in research designs - Only 36% have objective learning measures - Only 45% have comparison groups • When effective, it is difficult to know why - Course design? - Instructional methods? - Technology?

  8. Evaluating Web-Based Instruction:Methods and Findings (41 studies)(Olson & Wisher, October, 2002; International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning) http://www.irrodl.org/content/v3.2/olsen.html

  9. Web Based Instruction CBI Kulik [8] CBI Liao [18] Average Effect Size .31 .32 .41 Number of Studies 11 97 46 Wisher’s Wish List • Effect size of .5 or higher in comparison to traditional classroom instruction.

  10. Evaluating Web-Based Instruction: Methods and Findings(Olson & Wisher, in review) “…there is little consensus as to what variables should be examined and what measures of of learning are most appropriate, making comparisons between studies difficult and inconclusive.” e.g., demographics (age, gender), previous experience, course design, instructor effectiveness, technical issues, levels of participation and collaboration, recommendation of course, desire to take add’l online courses.

  11. Evaluating Web-Based Instruction: Methods and Findings(Olson & Wisher, 2002) Variables Studied: • Type of Course: Graduate (18%) vs. undergraduate courses (81%) • Level of Web Use: All-online (64%) vs. blended/mixed courses (34%) • Content area (e.g., math/engineering (27%), science/medicine (24%), distance ed (15%), social science/educ (12%), business (10%), etc.) • Attrition data (34%) • Comparison Group (59%)

  12. Some of the Research Gaps(Bonk & Wisher, 2000) 1) Variations in Instructor Moderation 2) Online Debating 3) Student Perceptions of e-Learning Envir. 4) Devel of Online Learning Communities 5) Time Allocation: Instructor and Student 6) Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Applications in Sync/Asynchronous Envir 7) Peer Tutoring and Online Mentoring: 8) Student Retention: E-learning and Attrition 9) Graphical Representation of Ideas 10) Online Collaboration

  13. Many forms of Online InstructionThe Web Integration Continuum(Bonk et al., 2001) 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

  14. Learning Improved…(Maki et al., 2000) • Intro to Psych: Lecture vs. Online • Online performed better on midterms. • Web-based course students scored higher since had weekly activities due • Lecture students could put off reading until night before exam.

  15. Learning Improved…(review by Chang, 2003) • Online outperformed peers in histology (anatomy—plant and animal tissues under microscope) course (Shoenfeld-Tacher et al., 2001) • Web enhancements raised exam performance, grades, & attitudes toward economics • Agarwal and Day (1998) • Online business communications students performed better on final exams than on campus (Tucker, 2000)

  16. Integrating Wireless Content Syllabus Magazine, May 13, 2003 • Study by Mobile Learning Corp: group of college institutions • Digital content helped first-year college accounting students learn • Online interactive exercises useful to student learning • Encouraged independent student learning, and instructors to adopt coaching role.

  17. Learning Worse(Wang & Newlin, 2000) • Stat Methods: Lecture vs. Online • No diffs at midterm • Lecture 87 on final, Web a 72 • Course relatively unstructured • Web students encouraged to collab • Lecture students could not collab • All exams but final were open book

  18. Learning Improved or Not…Organizational Behavior, IUSE(Keefe, Educause Quarterly, 1, 2003) • Keefe studied 4 semesters of courses, 6 sections, 118 students • Face-to-face more satisfied with course and instructor • Those in online course associated with lower grades

  19. Online Findings:Other Concerns • Requires instructor be responsive any time • Ottenhoff & Lawrence (1999). • A study of 436 educational Web sites--instructors use simple and limited communication tools • Mioduser, Nachmias, Lahav, & Oren (1998) • Few syllabi posted to World Lecture Hall utilized Web for interaction and collaboration • None utilized practitioners as mentors • Cummings, Bonk, & Jacobs (2002)

  20. Learning Improved or Not…(Sankaran et al., 2000) • Students with a positive attitude toward Web format learned more in Web course than in lecture course. • Students with positive attitude toward lecture format learned more in lecture format.

  21. Contrasting Findings are the Norm • Some courses impersonal, isolating, and frustrating (Hara & Kling, 2001) • Sense of community and lower attrition rates when support interactivity, reflection, and sharing (Harnishfeger, March, 2003)

  22. Different Goals… • Making connections • Appreciating different perspectives • Students as teachers • Greater depth of discussion • Fostering critical thinking online • Interactivity online

  23. Student Basic Quantitative • Grades, Achievement Test Scores, etc. • Number of Posts • Overall Participation • Computer Log Activity—peak usage, messages/day, time of task or in system • Attitude Surveys

  24. Student High-End Success • Message complexity, depth, interactivity, questioning • Collaboration skills • Problem finding/solving and critical thinking • Challenging and debating others • Case-based reasoning, critical thinking measures • Portfolios, performances, PBL activities

  25. Other Measures of Student Success(Focus groups, interviews, observations, surveys, exams, records) • Positive Feedback, Recommendations • Increased Comprehension, Achievement • High Retention in Program • Completion Rates or Course Attrition • Jobs Obtained, Internships • Enrollment Trends for Next Semester

  26. Electronic Conferencing: Quantitative Analyses • Usage patterns, # of messages, cases, responses • Length of case, thread, response • Average number of responses • Timing of cases, commenting, responses, etc. • Types of interactions (1:1; 1: many) • Data mining (logins, peak usage, location, session length, paths taken, messages/day/week), Time-Series Analyses (trends)

  27. Electronic Conferencing: Qualitative Analyses • General: Observation Logs, Reflective interviews, Retrospective Analyses, Focus Groups • Specific: Semantic Trace Analyses, Talk/Dialogue Categories (Content talk, questioning, peer feedback, social acknowledgments, off task) • Emergent:Forms of Learning Assistance, Levels of Questioning, Degree of Perspective Taking, Case Quality, Participant Categories

  28. Overall frequency of interactions across chat categories (6,601 chats).

  29. Network Conferencing Interactivity (Rafaeli & Sudweeks, 1997) 1. > 50 percent of messages were reactive. 2. Only around 10 percent were truly interactive. 3. Most messages factual stmts or opinions 4. Many also contained questions or requests. 5. Frequent participators more reactive than low. 6. Interactive messages more opinions & humor. 7. More self-disclosure, involvement, & belonging. 8. Attracted to fun, open, frank, helpful, supportive environments.

  30. Starter Centered Interaction (Hara, Bonk, & Angeli, 2000): Scattered Interaction (no starter): Week 4

  31. Nonnative speakers did not assume roles, Americans used role names,Ching-Fen Chang (May 2003)

  32. Ching-Fen Chang (May 2003) • …it appeared that the Web-based forum discussions especially enabled the nonnative speakers of English to contribute to the class discussions by providing more opportunities to contribute than face-to-face discussions.

  33. Schallert & Reed, AERA, April 2003 • Nonnative students do not participate equally in written discussions • Enthusiastic and frequent contributors do not necessarily make intellectually significant contributions. • Some who seem deeply engaged may be less rigorously engaged in many conversations

  34. Collaborative Behaviors(Curtis & Lawson, 1997) • Most common were: (1) Planning, (2) Contributing, and (3) Seeking Input. • Other common events were: (4) Initiating activities, (5) Providing feedback, (6) Sharing knowledge • Few students challenge others or attempt to explain or elaborate • Recommend: using debates and modeling appropriate ways to challenge others

  35. Online Collaboration Behaviors by Categories (US and Finland)

  36. Dimensions of Learning Process(Henri, 1992) 1. Participation (rate, timing, duration of messages) 2. Interactivity (explicit interaction, implicit interaction, & independent comment) 3. Social Events (stmts unrelated to content) 4. Cognitive Events (e.g., clarifications, inferencing, judgment, and strategies) 5. Metacognitive Events (e.g., both metacognitive knowledge—person, and task, and strategy and well as metacognitive skill—evaluation, planning, regulation, and self-awareness)

  37. Some Findings (see Hara, Bonk, & Angeli, 2000) • Social (in 26.7% of units coded) • social cues decreased as semester progressed • messages gradually became less formal • became more embedded within statement • Cognitive (in 81.7% of units) • More inferences & judgments than elem clarifications and in-depth clarifications • Metacognitive (in 56% of units) • More reflections on exper & self-awareness • Some planning, eval, & regulation & self q’ing

  38. Surface Processing making judgments without justification, stating that one shares ideas or opinions already stated, repeating what has been said asking irrelevant questions i.e., fragmented, narrow, and somewhat trite. In-depth Processing linked facts and ideas, offered new elements of information, discussed advantages and disadvantages of a situation, made judgments that were supported by examples and/or justification. i.e., more integrated, weighty, and refreshing. Surface vs. Deep Posts(Henri, 1992)

  39. Critical Thinking (Newman, Johnson, Webb & Cochrane, 1997) Used Garrison’s five-stage critical thinking model • Critical thinking in both CMC and FTF envir. • Depth of critical thinking higher in CMC envir. • More likely to bring in outside information • Link ideas and offer interpretations, • Generate important ideas and solutions. • FTF settings were better for generating new ideas and creatively exploring problems.

  40. Unjustified Statements (US) 24. Author: Katherine Date: Apr. 27 3:12 AM 1998 I agree with you that technology is definitely taking a large part in the classroom and will more so in the future… 25. Author: Jason Date: Apr. 28 1:47 PM 1998 I feel technology will never over take the role of the teacher...I feel however, this is just help us teachers... 26. Author: Daniel Date: Apr. 30 0:11 AM 1998 I believe that the role of the teacher is being changed by computers, but the computer will never totally replace the teacher... I believe that the computers will eventually make teaching easier for us and that most of the children's work will be done on computers. But I believe that there…

  41. ID Indicators Examples 1 Social acknowledgement/ Sharing/Feedback HHello, good to hear from you…I agree, good point, great idea 2 Unsupported statements (advice) II think you should try this….This is what I would do… 3 Questioning for clarification and extend dialogue ·Could you give us more info? ·…explain what you mean by…? \\ 4 Critical thinking, Reasoned thinking-judgment II disagree with X, because in class we discussed….I see the following disadvantages to this approach…. Indicators for the Quality of Students’ Dialogue(Angeli, Valanides, & Bonk, in review)

  42. Social Construction of Knowledge(Gunawardena, Lowe, & Anderson, 1997) • Five Stage Model 1. Share ideas, 2. Discovery of Idea Inconsistencies, 3. Negotiate Meaning/Areas Agree, 4. Test and Modify, 5. Phrase Agreements • In global debate, very task driven. • Dialogue remained at Phase I: sharing info

  43. Problem-Based LearningDistance Ed, 23(1), 2002 Practical learning issues generated more interactions and higher levels of interaction than theoretical issues Communities of learners need to negotiate identity and knowledge and need milestones (chat session agreements, producing reports, sharing stories, and new work patterns) Group development: (1) negotiate problem and timetable, (2) divide work in subgroups, and (3) produce drafts of products

  44. Social Constructivism and Learning Communities Online (SCALCO) Scale.(Bonk & Wisher, 2000) ___ 1. The topics discussed online had real world relevance. ___ 2. The online environment encouraged me to question ideas and perspectives. ___ 3. I received useful feedback and mentoring from others. ___ 4. There was a sense of membership in the learning here. ___ 5. Instructors provided useful advice and feedback online. ___ 6. I had some personal control over course activities and discussion.

  45. Tasks Overwhelm Confused on Web Too Nice Due to Limited Share History Lack Justification Hard not to preach Too much data Communities not easy to form Train and be clear Structure time/dates due Develop roles and controversies Train to back up claims Students take lead role Use Email Pals Embed Informal/Social Problems and Solutions(Bonk, Wisher, & Lee, in press)

  46. Shy open up online Minimal off task Delayed collab more rich than real time Students can generate lots of info Minimal disruptions Extensive E-Advice Excited to Publish Use async conferencing Create social tasks Use Async for debates; Sync for help, office hours Structure generation and force reflection/comment Foster debates/critique Find Experts or Prac. Ask Permission Benefits and Implications(Bonk, Wisher, & Lee, in press)

  47. More Implications • Include Variety: tasks, topics, participants, accomplishments, etc. • Make interaction extend beyond class • Have learners be teachers • Find multiple ways to succeed • Add personalization and choice • Provide clarity and easy navigation

  48. Ten Ways Online Ed Matches or Surpasses FTF, Mark Kassop, Technology Source, Michigan Virtual Univ, May/June 2003 • Student-centered learning • Writing intensity • Highly interactive discussions • Geared for lifelong learning • Enriched course materials • Online demand interaction and support • Immediate feedback • Flexibility • An intimate community of learners • Faculty development and rejuvenation

  49. My Evaluation Plan…

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