Blogs

1
Blogtracks 2006 Emerging Trends in the Research
on Online Learning Environments
2
Blog Presence Connections

• Janette R. Hill
• Instructional Technology

Image from myvie.ws/ archive/12/2002-11
3
What I Knew about Blogs

• Blog (weB LOG) A blog is basically a journal,
  updated on a regular basis and arranged in
  chronological order
• Used before
• Information seeking
• Class
• Eager to explore how to use for other forms of
  info sharing and connecting

Adapted from Matisse Enzer's Glossary of Internet
Terms http//www.matisse.net/files/glossary.html
Image fromhttp//www.lyptonvillage.org/shutterfl
y/writing20copy.jpg
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Presence Connections

• Why this topic?
• Long standing interesting in HCI
• Considerable research is out there.
• Short, William and Christie (1976)
• Gunawardena (1995), U New Mexico
• Picciano (2002), Hunter C. NY
• Tu (many studies), George Wash.
• Biocca et al. (M.I.N.D. labs), global
• International Society for Presence Research
• Many sessions here at AECT that you can explore

5
Presence Connections

• What did I learn?
• Its harder than it appears!
• Can be very lonely
• My insights on making it work.
• Frequent and consistent posting
• Blend of opinion and fact
• Reading and connecting with others

6

• How to get in touch...

Janette Hill janette_at_uga.edu 706-542-4035
7
Denise Domizi Informal Learning
Audio presentation
8
Michael Barbour Virtual Schools
9
Online Learning at WorkFrankie S. Jones, PhD

• Blog Discussion
• Very little rigorous research exists on the
  effectiveness of online learning at work
• Online learning is a significant portion of
  training, but it needs to be interactive and
  well-designed
• Instructional designers should design courses
  that are appealing to learners in order to
  increase the likelihood that workers will apply
  what theyve learned
• Future Blogtrack Presentations
• Motivation
• Public participation

10
Rick West Trends in the DL Literature
Cognitive Dimensions of TEDLEs Course Management
Systems History of Distance Learning
11
Metacognition in TEDLEs

• The use of hyperlinking and repetition that is
  common in these environments provides cognitive
  cueing and supports metacognitive awareness
• BUT nonlinear environments require more
  cognitive load to mentally organize material,
  reducing metacognition.
• SO, metacognitive prompting is a helpful
  strategy.
• FUTURE QUESTIONS? Whether, and in what ways,
  students are more or less prone to use
  metacognitive strategies in an information-overloa
  d, nonlinear Internet

12
Intrinsic Cognitive Load in TEDLEs

• Not very much done!
• We could learn from information literacy
  research.
• Example Jones, Ravid, and Rafaeli (2004)
  reported a trend towards high intrinsic load in
  informal online spaces, causing less
  participation.
• FUTURE QUESTIONS?
• Is ICL a predictor of attrition in DE?
• Can design compensate for high ICL in DE?
• How can you measure the ICL?
• Can a strong online community keep participation
  high in subjects with high ICL?

13
Extraneous Cognitive Load in TEDLEs

• Limited prior knowledge of the technology used
  to facilitate the distance learning environment
  could lead to increased extrinsic load
• Web-based hyperlinking, in the absence of
  organizational guides, increased extraneous
  cognitive load associated with learning.
• FUTURE QUESTIONS?
• More replication of studies to verify results
• How can design improve material organization and
  lower ECL?
• How can we ease ECL with new technologies?

14
Germane Cognitive Load in TEDLEs

• Not very much done in online environments,
  although heavily researched by many IT and DL
  folks!
• We could learn from communications research on
  navigation and surfing patterns.
• Example Eveland et al. (2004) reported
  participants learned factual information best
  from linear websites, but nonlinear sites
  improved knowledge structure density.
• NOW WHAT?
• How do you use standard GCL-building methods
  online?
• How are mental models constructed online?
• How do you measure GCL online??

15
Course Management Systems

• Literature audit found 70 research articles
• Most of these were one-shot, convenience studies
• Less than 10 were studies of more generalizable
  impacts
• But 95 of colleges and universities use CMS
  tools!
• Discussion Questions
• Why isnt more research conducted about CMS
  technologies?
• What kind of research should we be conducting
  about CMSs? What outcomes? What measures?
• Have we missed the opportunity to really see
  what happens from implementing a CMS because the
  tools are now ubiquitous?

16
Generations of Distance Education

• First Generation CBI/CAI
• Second Generation Distance transmission
• Third Generation Distance interaction
• Fourth Generation CMS tools
• Fifth Generation Mobile learning
• Sixth Generation Read/Write Internet

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Other Topics Im Discussing

• What can we learn from popular social networking
  sites?
• Are we different personalities online?
• Social Network Analysis and DE
• Can cool be created?
• The Creative Digital Divide
• Educating a global economy
• No family left behind
• Digital natives
• Sexy research

18
Making a Successful BlogTracks
Have defined goals that are discussion-based. Defi
ne your boundaries. Engage nontraditional
conference participants. Come join the
chatter! Michael Barbour, University of Georgia
(Virtual Schooling) http//mkbvs.edublogs.org/ D
enise Domizi, University of Georgia (Informal
Learning) http//denisedomizi.edublogs.org/
Janette Hill, University of Georgia (Trends and
Issues) http//janettehill.edublogs.org/ Frankie
S. Jones, University of Georgia (Corporate
Settings) http//frankiejones.blogspot.com/
Rick West, University of Georgia (Research
History) http//rickwest.edublogs.org/