6. Stating the State of E-Learning: Today and Into the Future

1. 6. Stating the State of E-Learning: Today and Into the Future Curt Bonk, Ph.D., cjbonk@indiana.edu Indiana University and CourseShare.com http://CourseShare.com http://php.indiana.edu/~cjbonk

2. What is happening in higher education? http://courseshare.com/Reports.php or http://PublicationShare.com

3. Sample of Other Recent Surveys • A Survey of Traditional and Distance Learning Higher Education Members, 2000, The National Education Association. • Quality on the Line: Benchmarks for Success in Internet-Based Distance Education, 2000, Report from Institute for Higher Education Policy; sponsored by NEA and Blackboard. • Surveying the Digital Future, 2000, 2001, UCLA. • Distance Education at Postsecondary Institutions: 1997-98, published in 1999, National Center for Educational Statistics.

4. A Vision of E-learning for America’s WorkforceReport 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.

5. Survey Finds Concern on Administrative ComputingChronicle of Higher Ed, June 22, 2001, A33, Jeffrey R. Young “Campus-technology leaders say they worry more about administrative-computing systems than about anything else related to their jobs.” (survey by Educause—an academic-technology consortium)

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

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

8. 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.

11. How Old Are Early Web Adopters?

12. Why post to MERLOT.org or the WLH?

13. 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).

14. Are you a Web Hog??? (do you hog the modem pool?) Study Says Net Users are Stressed, but Not Depressed, Los Angeles Times. New study: More time online… • Extroverts = better mood, less lonelier, & higher self-esteem. • Introverts = the lonlier, more unhappy, used Net more for entertainment not social contact. “The previously reported negative outcomes associated with the Internet had all but disappeared…except for the association with increased stress”

15. Any Online Teaching Experiences?

17. Who Owns Online Courses?

18. Is Teaching Online Time-Consuming?

21. 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.

22. 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

23. What Percent of Time Teach Online?

24. Interested in Freelance Instruction?

26. Any Obstacles to Teaching Online?

28. 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

31. Does technical support vary by size??

36. 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.”

37. What Instructional Activities are Needed?

39. 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

40. Survey #2: 201 Trainers, Instructors, Managers, Instructional Designers, CEOs, CLOs, etc.

41. More Survey Limitations • Low Response Rate • Web Interested Sample • Broad Backgrounds • Lengthy Survey • Tech Limitations

47. So what happens to the University???Note: any predictions are bound to be too conservative!!!

48. Universities Replaced? No... • Most distance lrng is mixed--Web & Live • Brick and mortar needs to be used • Online learning only approximates live lrng • Expanding birth rate = need for more educ. • Web learning is for select reasons • Most colleges will find their niche • Socialization argument • (the 18-20 year old need to party hardy)

49. Universities Replaced--Yes! • Web has more potential for active lrng. • Tchg/lrng expectations are changing fast! • Expanding birth rate • Payoffs from experiments in 3rd world countries. • Web courses can be repurposed/reused. • Web learning will increase in stability • Real chance to overthrow the system!!! • Who needs more football and drinking?

50. Forces Acting Against Replacement • Yes, radical change, but room for both • High actual costs of online learning • Difficult to be animated on the Web • Hard to measure benefits • Tenure & hard to change practices, procedures, expectations • Institutional Politics • Eye damage reports due to overexposure