STRATEGIES FOR DESIGNING ONLINE COURSES
TO ENGAGE STUDENT LEARNING
Curtis P. Ho, PhD., , University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA
Lynn N. Tabata, , University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA
ABSTRACT
The increasing use of distance learning technologies towards Internet and web-based delivery requires a re-examination of instruction and learning. Unlike traditional face-to-face classroom instruction or even distance learning technologies such as interactive television which more closely resembles a traditional classroom, web-based courses require instructors to employ different strategies in course design and delivery that will engage student learning and promote learner-centered activities by taking advantage of the synchronous and asynchronous communication medium.
Internet and web-based instruction can be the genesis for collaborative learning by incorporating a variety of elements in the course design and delivery such as instructor-student competencies, using web and multimedia based tools (email, chat, graphics, audio), discussion groups, instructor-student interaction, student reflections, and ongoing course assessment. These elements are a composite of several educational technology courses and will form the discussion basis for this paper.
INTRODUCTION
The rapid growth and profusion of distance learning in higher education has served to challenge traditional norms and ways in which education is delivered. Technology now enables delivery of higher education in ways that increase access and educational opportunities by transcending the geographical and time barriers normally associated with traditional classroom face-to-face instruction. Technology also creates a highly interactive, learner-centered environment with vast and diverse multimedia resources that facilitate instruction and learning.
The emergence of Internet and web-based courses has thrust higher educational institutions into new distance learning environments that link students with instructors in cyberspace. This creates a greater potential for sharing information, collective learning, and reflective thinking and the means, according to Van Dusen (1997), for supporting "collaborative learning, heterogeneous groupings, problem-solving and higher order thinking skills - educational processes that a lecture format cannot facilitate" (p. 45). This focus on student-centered learning which encompasses collaborative, cooperative, and problem-based learning styles calls for the development and integration of strategies that make full use of online technology while addressing teaching and learning styles. Such a re-orientation towards teaching using web-based delivery requires more than simply learning to use the technology; it also requires learning more and different ways of teaching that engages student learning in an online environment (DeNigris & Witchel, 2000; Kearsley, 2000; Knowlton, Winter 2000; Ko & Rossen, 2001; Palloff & Pratt, 2001; Simonson, Winter 2000; Young, 2000.).
BACKGROUND
The strategies described in this paper are based on those that evolved from the development and design of online courses, such as ETEC 415, from the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) program offered through the College of Education at the University of Hawaii. The PDE program is intended for teachers in the state of Hawaii to enhance their knowledge and skills in instructional strategies through a sequence of ten post-baccalaureate courses (30 credits) designed to improve pedagogical skills. The PDE fills an important niche between the Bachelor of Education and the various Master's degrees offered by the College and provides teachers with an alternative avenue to pursue professional certification. Students completing the PDE program who hold Basic Certification then become eligible for professional certification. The PDE is designed as a two-year program that is delivered through appropriate technologies statewide using a combination of the Hawaii Interactive Television System (HITS), cable television, and the Internet.
Delivery of the PDE online courses was accomplished through WebCT, a proprietary web-based software interface used at the University of Hawaii for creating online courses. This software interface provides instructors with a variety of tools and features to facilitate delivery of course instruction and content including discussion forums, private email, chat, student webpages, among others.
The strategies arising from the PDE online courses evolve from objectivist and constructivist frameworks found within instructional system design. The objectivist model focuses on interaction between student and teacher and between the student and content with minimal consideration given to peer interaction while the constructivist framework is concerned with ideas that are already existing or is known within the individual's thinking and knowledge (Verneil & Berge, 2000, Leflore, 2000).
STRATEGIES FOR DESIGNING ONLINE COURSES
PROVIDE COURSE INFORMATION. The course syllabus acts as an anchor that links students to the course by establishing a foundation for what they will be expected to do for the course along with information about when, where, and why (Fullmer-Umari, 2000; Ko & Rossen, 2001). Information about the course will typically follow the format of a traditional syllabus and include: description, objectives, textbooks, schedule of readings and assignments, grading, attendance, participation, and instructor information. An online syllabus may incorporate hyperlinks that may be linked to lecture materials, resources, and other web sites. WebCT allows the organizing of discussions based on topics which enables students to have another means of referencing course content. In addition to providing course information, the instructor may post an introductory greeting that welcomes the students but also includes tips and guidelines for achieving success in the online environment.
Consideration might be given towards mailing introductory packets to students prior to the start of the course. Information would include the course syllabus, hardware, software, and access connection requirements as well as contact information for technical support in the event of problems.
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO DEVELOP ONLINE COMPETENCIES. Students who may be unfamiliar with an online environment may need to develop skills necessary to be able to successfully engage and navigate the course. Assistance may be provided by answering student questions as they arise but also through providing mini-exercises at the start of the course that will have students perform specific tasks or as a scavenger hunt" built around various online course features that they will need to know in context with the course activities and requirements. Activities could include: 1) writing and posting a self-introduction on the public discussion forum which may include information about academic background, professional affiliations, hobbies, perceptions and expectations about the course, 2) replying to another person's previously posted message, 3) reviewing the course calendar to view and post entries, 4) sending a private email message to the instructor, 5) printing materials from the course site such as messages, the course syllabus, lectures, assignments, or a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) list, and 6) using some of the WebCT functions such as "search," "compile," "attachment."
Supplemental aids may include orientation workshops designed to provide students with hands-on training and providing lists of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), may also help in providing additional support to students (Ko & Rossen, 2001).
INCORPORATE STUDENT BIOGRAPHIES. "Humanizing" an Internet or Web-based course may be facilitated by having participants provide biographical information and a photo (DeNigris & Witchel, 2000; Weiss, Winter 2000). Students may post a self-introduction on the course bulletin board or create a web page that includes information about their interests, studies, work experience, location, educational goals and plans. This provides an opportunity for the students to gain a sense of who is in the class and the diversity of the participants.
PROVIDE TIMELY AND FREQUENT FEEDBACK. The online environment, unlike a traditional face-to-face classroom, is less structured due being unbounded by time. Students tend to miss the instant feedback from their professors (Young, 2000) that they would receive in a face-to-face situation. Although no national studies have been conducted as yet on student retention in online courses, anecdotal information suggests that the independent nature of online courses and infrequent feedback from an instructor could be contributing factors (Carr, 2000).
It is argued that providing students within timely and frequent feedback to their messages and assignments promotes interaction and may help motivate students. In providing timely and frequent feedback, however, it is critical that students are tracked to ascertain their course access and participation (Cornell & Martin, 1997, pp. 94-95). By doing so instructors will be able to intervene by communicating with the students to inquire if they are experiencing any difficulties with the course.
PROMOTE INDEPENDENT LEARNING. The online environment requires students to become seekers of information and knowledge without relying as heavily on the professor to review the material, highlight key points, and ask provocative questions. Online students require independence and initiative to acquire knowledge and this may be facilitated by not only providing hyperlinks to resources and tutorials but encouraging students to find and share resources. In addition, learning modules or course units could be made readily accessible to students, allowing them to seek and explore and progress at their own pace.
ENHANCE THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE THROUGH MULTIMEDIA DELIVERY. Students may find it challenging to adapt to an online environment that is mired in text-based delivery. To enhance the learning experience for auditory and visual learners, consideration should be given towards incorporating multimedia delivery. Auditory and visual materials based on lectures, videotapes, musical recordings, photographs, and streaming video could be made available to students either through hyperlinks. Audio and video clips could be digitized and burned onto CD ROM disks that are distributed to the students in advance of a particular course module or assignment.
Also incorporating "chat" features within the course to permit synchronous communication enables students to collaborate on assignments or discussions and allows including guest lecturers to enrich class discussions.
INCORPORATE COOPERATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING MODULES. A variety of cooperative learning techniques ranging from panel discussions, symposia, project-based learning, synchronous/asynchyronous conferencing, and group investigations may be included in an online course (Bonk & Reynolds, 1997, p. 173). Including group activities into an online course provides opportunities for collaborative and cooperative work providing there are guidelines and reasonable goals and objectives established beforehand. In this capacity, instructors become facilitators and supervise or moderate discussions. Facilitation skills include "demonstrating an open and accepting attitude, listening to understand, and responding to clarify" (Addesso, 2000, p. 118).
Group discussions may encompass posting messages, both public and private, and using chat. To facilitate group activities, the instructor may consider establishing groups by either 1) assigning students to groups, or 2) identifying specific topics of discussion and then allowing students to select a group. It is also important to define what the end product should be, what it should include, and where in the online environment it should be presented (Ko & Rossen, 2001, p. 115). Rotating roles and members within each group is an effective means of "ensuring true sharing and cooperation in the work" (Ko & Rossen, 2001, p. 114).
BUILD-IN STUDENT REFLECTIONS. Ongoing student feedback should be incorporated in the course design to help the instructor assess the effectiveness of the course, the learning competencies and comprehension by the students, and adjust accordingly. Feedback could be obtained through surveys or periodic questions directed to the students, asking about their experiences with the course delivery, format, and content.
CONDUCT ONGOING ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION. To ensure fair and meaningful assessment of student performance, careful consideration should be given towards developing criteria that links performance with objectives. Traditional evaluation tools as quizzes and surveys may be administered to assess learning competencies in the online environment.
FUTURE IMPLICATIONS
Ongoing developments in technology ensure the continued evolution in teaching and learning in the online environment. While currently much of online instruction is centered around text-based content, technological advances in hardware, software, and Internet connection speeds will enable increasing use of multimedia-based content. Incorporating video and audio to current text-based material provides greater opportunities to deliver an enriched learning environment to online instruction. However the actual impact and effect of such multimedia tools on teaching and learning merits further study and investigation.
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TCC 2001 Online Conference
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