Peter, Graham, Amanda - and other listmembers,
I also read the Hara and Kling paper, as I was preparing notes for
an internal talk here, and found it an interesting, useful and relevant
reference.
I agree that the paper presents a refreshingly honest and accurate
portrayal of the difficulties involved in networked learning.
(I would add: and teaching too!)
It is true that too often "advocates argue that the increasing number of
on-line courses will *readily* expand educational experiences" (in those
authors' words).
Our work with course teams developing online distance courses at Glasgow
repeatedly illustrates and confirms my conviction that designing,
building and managing a rewarding educational online learning experience
is a far from trivial task, which we embark on with little firm
knowledge of the factors influencing success and 'failure'. (though we
don't call it that often enough, true, Graham!)
I borrowed some of the wonderful quotes from learners in that
paper, alongside some taken from a range of our own courses, in my talk.
I agree absolutely with Peter/Trisha Greenhalgh that 'we' DE
advocates/technologists/developers, etc .. must start to listen more to
the users - both learners *and* tutors - and share our findings.
In that spirit, I am not sure how useful it is to others out of context,
but for what it's worth, I've appended below my summarised notes for my
talk, with some amendments/omissions to protect the original audience.
List members familiar with the Hara & Kling paper will no doubt spot the
references!
Sue Tickner
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Online Distance Education
Different Perspectives?
Sue
18th Jan 2000
The Challenges
• Discovering what your users want to do
iterative and interdependent - need to define fine-grained
tasks/expectations, wide range circumstances - to define we need to
discover & 1st identify
– who are they
- various ‘stakeholders’ - admin, researchers etc
- 2 main groups =
learners/tutors
– what do they do (now) & what will they do...?
Who are they?
Distance Learners
– Wide range of characteristics
• ‘traditional’
- DE - CPD ... or otherwise keen - requires effort - difficult!
– motivated, professional, mature learners
many developed own strategies, often IT-literate, good communicators ...
but others find harder to learn/risk/keep up
increasingly
– younger, more difficulties, non-traditional
WIDENING MARKET = not nec. autonomous learners, learning skills,
self-directed, need LOT OF SUPPORT/guidance.
Inc. those with physical/learning difficulties -better technology means
increased no. online
What do they do? (feel?)
Research has tended to concentrate on affective, qualitative -stress
positive - social/peer/comms, reflection, interaction etc
but now more negative aspects showing up:
MOST experience
– technical problems - cannot assume ITskills
– uncertain/mixed attitudes - enthusiastic and/or anxious -
competitive, visibility, ‘keep up’
– insufficiently explicit ‘rules’ - normal conversation - ‘I agree’
– frustration,
distress, disorientation, incomprehension
– Quotes ...
clearly show:
students’ frustrations:
• lack of prompt/clear feedback/help
• ambiguous instructions
– repeated failures
frustrations inhibit learning
Who are they?
Distance tutors
– Many inexperienced: new skills
• mediation - online = new skill. In class reliant on facial/body lang.
• timing/pacing - momentum - v- overload
• facilitating/guiding - many hats!
(quotes - tutors)
– new fears:
• recording, accountability, insecurity
• lack of control - teaching methods: std-centredness/peer lrng ...
• technical problems - & can’t help!
What do they want to do?
- not enough info HOW
• Tutors
– create a ‘community of learning’ ??
-REQUIRES:
• organisation, communication skills, adaptability - trust, credibility
– manage & enable positive online experiences
• troubleshooting, timely responses, lack of fear
• Students
– insufficient real research - Learn? !
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Sue Tickner,
GUIDE (Glasgow University Initiative in Distance Education)
69 Oakfield Avenue, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Scotland
Tel: +44 (0)141 330 3880/3870 Fax: +44 (0)141 330 4987
Email: [log in to unmask]
GUIDE URL: http://www.gla.ac.uk/Inter/GUIDE/
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