Providing Support Structures for Distance Learners

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Providing Support Structures for Distance Learners

• Using the Ideas behind Social Development Theory
  and the Cognitive Apprenticeship Model

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Why Support Structures?

• Helps reduce student anxiety
• Provide students with accurate information about
  the course, lessons, etc.
• Assist students in their learning process
• Provides students with a way to get help

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Scaffolding

• Growing out of Vygotskys social development
  theory and an important aspect of Collins, Brown,
  and Newmans cognitive apprenticeship model,
  scaffolded learning is a method to help learners
  quickly gain independence from the instructor.
  The instructor initially supports the learners by
  focusing on ways for them to work independently.

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Before the Course Begins

• Welcoming Letter
• Course Handbook
• Orientation Meeting

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The Welcoming Letter Contains

• Why the course is important
• What benefits the student might realize in the
  course
• How the student can apply the skill and data to
  his/her professional life
• Any innovation featured (or introduced) in the
  course

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The Welcoming Letter Contains

• A statement letting the student know that he/she
  is valued by the institution and is just as
  important as an on-campus student
• Provide information on the Required Orientation
  Meeting
• Refer to the Handbook and its value to the student

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The Course Handbook

• Student concerns and learning are the primary
  areas an instructor should consider when
  developing the handbook
• Purposes are to provide students with
• A starting point
• Source of information
• A sense of security (one way to reduce anxiety)

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Handbook Contents

• Course Policies and Information
• Class Schedule or Timeline
• Readings
• Contact Information (directory information)
• Course Syllabus (often a separate document)

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Suggestions for the Course Syllabus

• Instructor biographical sketch
• Philosophy of Teaching
• Expectations at the end of the course
• Course objectives
• Topics and dates
• Homework deadlines
• Late assignment policy
• Grading policies

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Suggestions for the Course Syllabus

• Sources on the WWW
• Listserv groups
• Responses to email policy
• Suggestions of how to be successful in the course
• Student responsibilities
• Main campus visitation and remote site visitation
• Tests and exams (schedules and locations)
• Handouts and Study Guides (schedule or documents)

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Suggestions for the Course Syllabus

• Amount of time allowed for sending/receiving
  homework assignments
• Course roster with telephone and email numbers
• Office hours to call
• Course ground rules
• How to address instructor and other students
• When questions can be asked
• Group project procedural guidelines
• Forming site or Internet study groups
• How to operate special equipment for the course

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The Orientation Meeting

• Address misconceptions about DE
• Course Procedures
• Specifics about telecommunications packages used
• Special instructions on accessing class resources
• Distribute any materials needed by students
• Address Anxiety Factor
• Address the topic of What to do when things go
  wrong

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Study Guides

• Helping students navigate turbulence in distance
  education
• Helps students build appropriate conceptual
  schemas for each lesson

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Questions to Ask Yourself

• How detailed will I make the study guides?
• How much information is enough to support the
  students?
• How helpful will I be in the note-taking arena?
• How will I help the student decide what is
  important and unimportant during the lesson?

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Questions to Ask Yourself

• How will I show the structure of the
  presentation (graphics, outline, word pictures,
  etc.)?
• How much time am I willing to spend preparing
  student handouts?

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Interactivity Study Guide

• A highly organized set of student notes,
  graphics, pictures, graphs, charts, clip art,
  photographs, geometric shapes, activities,
  problems, exercises, etc. The ISG is meant to
  show the relationship and links among ideas and
  data as presented in the lessons.

Thomas Cyrs is credited with the ISG
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An ISG can contain

• An introduction to the lesson and the lesson
  objective(s)
• A substantial presentation of information
  relevant to each objective
• Instructors commentary and discussion about the
  lesson
• The associated reading(s)
• Other media to receive information from a
  different perspective
• Detailed assignment directions

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An ISG can contain

• Directions and advice regarding the preparation
  and submission of assignments
• An annotated bibliography and suggestions for
  practical activities other than the ones provided
  in the lesson
• An explanation of how the assignment(s) will be
  evaluated for the lesson.
• A set of self-testing questions to be answered or
  issues to be discussed for the purpose of
  self-evaluation

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An ISG can contain

• A clear listing of due dates for the
  assignment(s)
• Advice about how to structure time
• Information on how and when to contact the
  instructor, tutor, counselor, etc. for assistance

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Other Helpful Support Structures

• Provide a variety of resources (books, videos,
  internet resources) that students can use for
  remediation
• Providing names of helpful personnel at testing
  and support centers

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What to these Support Structures Do for Students?

• Help students with planning and organization
• Attempts to address different learning styles
• Helps improve student-content interaction
• Helps students feel connected to the instructor
  and their peers

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Typical Characteristics of Support Structures

• Content is usually organized into chunks
• Writing style is often a conversational style.
  It is acceptable to write in the first person and
  use simple vocabulary.