e-Learning: Pathways to Teaching Excellence

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e-Learning Pathways to Teaching Excellence

• Patrick J. King Ph.D.
• To teach is
  to learn...
• Japanese
  Proverb

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e-Learning A creative approach?

• Is your approach creative, effective, engaging,
  and does it give your program an advantage over
  other other educational institutions?
• When designing course content, does it fit the
  needs of the learner?
• Do you teach skills that matter, and do you teach
  them well?

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It is a matter of view

• Our view of of being an educator,
• is linked to developed patterns of learning,
• based on experiential trial and error,
• constrained by system learning strategies,
• often limited by time and interest,
• but can be open to new ideas and strategies

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Education has changed

• While learning has been a process spanning the
  centuries. Innovations in technology have
  provided a means to teach and learn anytime, and
  anywhere.
• However, there are challenges. We can expect to
  be stretched as we adapt to new learning
  strategies just as we expect students to be
  stretched by our efforts to teach and facilitate
  their learning

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Learning settings with technology
There are three basic ways technology can be used
with instruction (Love Means, 2000) As an
instructional resource. A learning tool. A
Storage device Within these modes are a variety
of possibilities when using technology as an
instructional delivery system Course delivery
electronic, with live instruction. Course
delivery electronic, with live and streaming
video instruction. Course delivery electronic,
virtual classroom (SVI) with synchronous/
asynchronous periods of instruction with course
hour limits.
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The challenge of e-Learning
The e-learning style of instruction (Allan, 2002)
is based on Provision for visual, auditory, and
practical experiences. Diverse learning
activities. Provision for a range of different
learning styles. Facts for linear
learners, procedures for sensing
learners, and, linear orderly experiences for
sequential learners.
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Avoiding e-Learning pitfalls
Avoid the missteps caused by unfamiliarity with
curriculum and instruction design and the
requirements of e-Learning (Weaver, 2003). Your
programs success is based on your expertise and
proper use of educational resources. There are a
number of common mistakes one should
avoid Believing e-Learning is cheaper and
less time consuming than traditional classroom
instruction. Overestimating what e-Learning
can accomplish. Overlooking the shortcomings of
self-study (asynchronous learning). Believing
that e-Learning is only about course
delivery. Viewing content as a commodity
(shovel-ware). Ignoring the technology and
assuming it will always work. Failing to
consider Instructional Technology
input. Fixating on technology. Assuming
learned knowledge will be applied.
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Where does one begin?

• There is a curriculum and a method of course
  delivery
• Who are the students (backgrounds, education, and
  experiences)?
• What are their learning styles?
• How is the learning environment best presented?
• What are students required to know, and skills
  they are expected to master?
• What materials, methods, and technology is
  available?
• What is my level of of involvement in the
  learning process?

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Teaching Philosophy regarding Learners

• On a piece of paper write down a few sentences
  answering the following questions
• What is your view of educating students?
• What is your view of the student learner?
• What is your view of how student learning takes
  place?

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Who are the learners?

• Analyze your student population
• backgrounds-expectations-experience-
• technology skills-aptitudes-motivational
  levels-
• prior knowledge-limitations.

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Characteristics of Learners
Graduate level learners Are more self-guided
in their learning. They bring more, and expect
to bring more to learning situations because of
wider learning experiences They require
learning to make sense and they will not attend
class or become involved in a learning activity
just because the instructor says, do it! They
are easier to teach when the learning is
student-centered, not instructor- centered. The
paradox is establishing control by giving it up.
The best instructor gives up tendencies about
feeling good about a great delivery, is not
threatened by student input, and learns that
facilitative control is most effective (Rochester
Institute of technology, 2000 ).
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Making meaning when learning
Cognitive theory has become the trend in online
learning over the last two decades.
Constructivist Theory tends to be the mode for
design and delivery of instruction. This view
demonstrates an individuals attempts to make
meaning (Kelly, 1955). Constructivists argue
knowledge is not so much discovered, or
transmitted intact (through lecture) from one
person to another (Rourke Anderson, 2001). It
is created by individuals attempting to make
meaning and coherence to new information and to
in some individual way integrate this knowledge
with previous experience (see Piaget on
assimilation and accommodation). The implication
of such constructivist instruction is students
must interact with others by sharing, debating,
and discussing ideas. This active learning
promotes higher-order learning. Teaching should
be learner-centered. This is a matter of
designing courses with the learner in mind, not
the instructor. Helping students solve contextual
problems promotes learning.
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Problem based learning
Problem based learning (PBL) is geared to help
learners think critically, analyze and synthesize
(Bloomss Taxonomy) information to solve
technical, social, economic, and scientific
problems in todays modern, competitive society
(Dunlap Gabinger, 1996) Literature of the
last ten years (Greening, 1998 Koschman, 1994
Savery Duffy, 1996) considered principles of
PBL and offered insights to instructional
design Anchor all learning activities to a
larger task or problem, support the learner in
developing ownership and control of problem
sets, design the task to an environment to
reflect the complexity of the real world, give
ownership of the solution process to the
learner, design all learning to challenge and
support the individuals thinking, encourage
testing of alternative views, and ensure
reflection on both the content and learning
processes.
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Maximizing the learning Process
Constructivist designs maximize student learning.
Grabinger and Dunlap (2001) comment that
educators should engage learners in dynamic,
authentic learning activities that increase their
control and responsibility over the learning
process while they learn problem-solving and
collaborative skills and content. Grabinger
(2001) presents five instructional startegies
(REALs) which help generate these types of
learners Intentional learning and student
responsibility Authentic contexts and relevant,
meaningful learning Dynamic, generative
learning activities Collaboration and social
negotiating of meaning, and Extensive
reflection and self assessment. This type of
instruction promotes being a guide at the side
rather than a sage on the stage!
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Therefore, e-Learning is social

• Students will need to work in both social and
  independent learning settings to assimilate and
  integrate new skills and ideas.
• e-Learning requires students to have a wide range
  of technological skills to meet course
  requirements which can be stressful.
• e-Learning should promote a broad range of
  activities encouraging active learning through
  reflection, and discussion.

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Interactivity
In a report (University of Illinois, 2003), it
was found fostering electronic learning requires
a balance of individual and group learning.
Online discussion can actually be superior to
classroom discussion because shy students are
more apt to contribute from behind a computer
screen. An expanded e-Learning environment can
include classroom and distance learning either in
synchronous or asynchronous modes. That is
students can chat live with instructors/students
or contribute in a threaded discussion. The
combination of bricks and mortar classroom work
and the anytime anywhere environment best meets
the needs of group and individual study. Live and
synchronous/asynchronous moments promote and
foster positive learning.
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Writing e-Learning course objectives

• 1. Outline content
• 2. Lay out course map
• 3. Define curriculum relationship
• 4. Select learner activities (with Training)
• 5. Flow chart course
• 6. Produce media (slides, DVDs, video)
• 7. Author course and write content
• 8. Test and evaluate course material
• 
  (Kurtus ,2003)

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Basic principles
Start with the learner, not with content.
Consider what learners know, what they need to
know, and what they need to do on their jobs.
Always teach skills that matter. Some topics may
be of interest to you but consider the type and
volume of content before you wade into course
design. Remember to embed content within context.
Content is a realistic set of details that
facilitate transfer of concepts...context is why,
not how...is relevant, useful...anticipates
student needs...learning is most effective when
students demonstrates practice and performance.
(DigitalThink,
2001) Course design in e-Learning can promote
personalization, privacy, community, and,
accessibility. It can be an anytime anywhere
focus on learning rather than logistics. The goal
is to bring together web-based technologies with
sound learning and design principles creating
e-learning that changes performance
(DigitalThink, 2001).
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Course objective Components


Objectives are designed to show student
competency. They are basic goals restated with
performance in mind (SDSU Educational Technology,
1996). Writing of objectives requires the
intended result be not how the subject is taught,
but rather the intended result of such
instruction. It is important to remember
objectives not only help the instructor, but,
they also help students for three reasons (SDSU
Educational Technology, 1996) In order to
design a course one must have a sound basis by
which success can be measured. The purpose of
instruction is to improve student
performance. Stated prior to instruction, they
help student organization and promote progress
of the desired outcome.
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Identifying objectives
What are the desired learning outcomes or course
objectives? What knowledge will students
acquire? What skills will the students
learn? What abilities of the students will be
enhanced? How will outcomes be assessed? How
will students know they are successful?
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Objectives Learning
It is important to consider the (3) Learning
Domains when building objectives Cognitive
(thinking/knowledge) Affective
(feelings/choices) Psychomotor (physical
skills/performance) When objectives reflect the
learning domains break them into LWBATs and
LWCTs (Shuman Ritchie, 1996) LWBAT
Learner will be able to... LWCT Learner
will choose to...
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Building objectives
ABCDs (Leno, 1999) Audience (who are your
students)? Behavior (what do you want your
students to do)? Condition (what conditions for
learning will you impose to promote mastery of a
particular skill). Degree (how will students be
evaluated)? The author goes on to say, a
typical instructional hour of a class should have
about 10 objectives, but this may vary with the
level and discipline of the course. Some topics
are more process-oriented, others are hands-on,
but you should strive to conceptualize your
course objectives on outcomes stated in terms of
what you expect the students to do in order to
demonstrate that they have learned the important
things. Objectives are built on a foundation of
selected outcomes.
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Writing objectives
Learning objectives are centered on the learner,
not the teacher. Learning objectives deal with
outcomes, not the process. Learning objectives
are based on measures that are objective, not
subjective. Learning objectives ask for learner
behaviors that are specific, not
vague. (Illinois College
of Optometry, 2005) So Reduce all objectives
to simple statements. Make criteria reasonable
and specific Detail what can be used for
learning Tell the learners what you want them
to do
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Fitting it all into a three hour course?

• Course content (know what type of learners your
  students are when building course content and
  layout).
• Make class notes part of a required reading list.
  Making more than three or four major points in a
  lesson inhibits student transfer of learning. If
  you attempt to cover more than three pages of
  course notes in class students can tune out.
• If some elements require a lecture format video
  these and deliver in video streaming format.
• Use PBLs during class time.
• Use online threads (asynchronous) and chats
  (synchronous) as part of class time.

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What did they learn?

• Schedule assessments as learning points are
  achieved.
• Assessments can be standard question/answer exams
  or,
• Subjective individual or group projects.
• Consider the use of pass/fail projects.

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A last thought...
Once we recognize that learning is not automatic
just because one uses electronic technologies,
then it is easy to accept that both learners
and instructors need to be prepared for, and
comfortable with, this new educational environment
. The online environment is not a classroom.
Techniques effective for group instruction in a
closed room do not necessarily work in a
networked, computer-based, distance education
setting. Here are some basic skills to
consider. A level of comfort and familiarity
with computers and learning software The ability
to multi-task, as the online environment often
requires you to pay attention and work with
several dimensions of teaching at the same
time. The ability to present materials and
project enthusiasm without direct visual feedback
from student. Instructional design skills that
emphasize the designing creation of interactive
teaching activities Online moderating skills
that recognize the stages of development
in teaching online (Woodill, 2004).
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References
References on file and available upon request at
the office of Dr. Patrick King, Director of the
Center for Teaching and Learning with Technology
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