Assignment 7: Online Learning

Last semester I took my first online course at UB; it was a public relations class, and the instructor was a professor who was on sabbatical. All of my “lectures” and exams were administered in Blackboard online, and a discussion forum existed where we would post assignments, and have the opportunity to comment on fellow classmates’ work. As a way to account for participation, the instructor noted how often students posted in the discussion forum. While this online format did support discussions, it was a very different communication pattern than a regular class might experience.

For example, our first assignment was to post a press release announcing our enrollment into the course, under the “Discussion Board.” This activity was designed to be an introduction to one another, where we could read about our classmates and ‘get to know each other,’ so to speak. In an online format, getting to know classmates is done very mechanically; students seek out information about other students and then leave comments for them via the discussion board. Responses are delayed and permanently recorded. In an offline class, human interactions are very different; people speak to the group usually as a whole, whereas online communicators generally have to be more direct to make up for a lack of non-verbal cues present in live conversations, like eye contact, for example. Also, it is much easier for the instructor to calculate participation grades as students’ online interactions are recorded permanently; the instructor can count at the end of the semester exactly how many times students commented in the discussion forum. Research shows that student learning in internet-mediated courses is related to the quantity and quality of postings in online discussions, and also the value that the instructor places on this type of interaction (Jiang & Ting, 2000). For this reason, I think that online discussion forums are critical for developing a sense of community in distance learning.

According to John Reid, Coordinator of Distance Education Technology at Kennesaw State University, “virtual education” can be defined as, “the study of credit and non credit courses from world-wide remote sites that are neither bound by time or physical location.” Reid says, “A big part of computer-mediated education is making the student more responsible for self-learning. Instructors in the online environment facilitate, leaving the student to find their own way. Some students like the idea of having an instructor meeting and leading class discussion with them at a regular time. In the virtual classroom students and instructors come and go at all hours. Some learners are sure to discover that this form of communication is difficult for them. How well they do at learning on their own will have a significant bearing on performance.”

I agree with Reid in that a student’s success in an online course depends on how much responsibility they take for their own learning. I remember it being difficult to remember to check the UB Learns Web site to be sure I caught any posted updates. In a traditional course, students would theoretically meet multiple times per week to receive any updates about the course—this lack of regular meetings makes it easier to disconnect from the class, and as a result miss assignments.

The ability to hear a lecture and ask the professor questions was something I missed when taking my online class. Another factor that affects students’ performance in distance learning is their learning style. Distance learning is great for some students because they don’t need to be sitting in class to grasp the material. I found that by just reading the notes posted online by the instructor, I was not able to comprehend the materials as well as I do when I hear the lecture, and see examples. I was also uncomfortable not knowing anyone in the class that I could ask questions about the homework to; I realized after taking this course how much I rely on my fellow students for clarifications and feedback. I think it’s important to have interactions with classmates about material as it seems to be an important part of learning.

Sources:
1. Swan, Karen. 2004. Relationships between Interactions and Learning in Online Environments. Kent State University: The Sloan Consortium.

2. Reid, J. E. What Every Student Should Know About Online Learning. Retrieved October 9, 2008, from University of Illinois, Illinois Online Network Web site: http://www.ion.illinois.edu/Resources/tutorials/overview/reid.html