Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:866] Pre-discussion paper
From: Kinshuk (Kinshuk@massey.ac.nz)
Date: Thu 11 Jan 2001 - 06:08:02 MET
From: "Kinshuk" <Kinshuk@massey.ac.nz> Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:866] Pre-discussion paper Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 18:08:02 +1300
Dear colleagues
Please find below the pre-discussion paper on the theme 'Practical Strategies
for Teaching Computer-Mediated Classes' by Brent Muirhead, University of Phoenix
Online, USA, our moderator and summariser for the discussion. The discussion will
formally end on 26 January 2001.
The HTML version of the paper is available at:
http://ifets.ieee.org/discussions/discuss_january2001.html
Please send your comments on the paper to IFETS list at
ifets-discussion@catfish.valdosta.edu
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Practical Strategies for Teaching Computer-Mediated Classes"
* Introduction
The rapid growth of computer-mediated schools has created a need for more teachers.
Often, the new teachers enjoy taking on new challenges and bring a "pioneer" attitude
with them. It helps to be a visionary when tackling new educational problems such as
creating lectures that have substance and are interesting for students to read. A
real problem is that the literature on teaching online is just developing and
sometimes people are forced to speculate on particular teaching and learning problems
due to the absence of research studies.
Yet, contemporary learners often have legitimate instructional needs and vary greatly
in their academic abilities. Hannafin, Land, and Hill (1997) related concerns that
most learners lack the substantial self-monitoring skills that distance education
requires. They recommended that students need more academic support from their peers
and teachers. Learners must be empowered through thoughtful interaction to acquire
the necessary skills to effectively work in an open-ended environment. Distance
education places fewer restrictions on learners (e.g. often no set time to learn),
and learners must take greater responsibility for their educational experiences.
Frequently, learners are under major time constraints with work and family obligations
and being efficient with their graduate studies is an important issue.
My discussion will begin with a brief overview of several important philosophical
principles that offer a foundation for the online teaching and learning process. Then,
the discussion will focus on strategies and principles that will help online teachers
to be creative and effective teachers.
* Distance Education: Some Philosophical Observations on the Teacher's Role
Teachers realize that computer-mediated education requires developing a new
contemporary vision of learning. Adult educators such as Sherry (1996) affirm a new
teaching and learning model that stresses student-centered instruction. Ultimately,
it will demand changing the traditional role of teachers from information
transmitters to guides who arrange meaningful learner-centered experiences (Salomon,
1992). The term education describes a teaching and learning concept that transcends
just merely sharing factual information. It assumes that a capable teacher will know
where he or she is going (goal-oriented). The wise teacher seeks to guide his/her
students toward greater maturity, preparing them to effectively adapt to a rapidly
changing world (Cantor, 1996).
As educators refine their philosophy of distance learning, they are concerned about
sustaining interactivity in their educational process. Today's adult learning theories
are built upon the premise that teachers will assist their students to become self-
directed and independent. Learners must assume responsibility for their educational
experiences, but independent study has natural limitations. If learners do not
receive adequate teacher feedback and reinforcement, students will not always know
whether they possess an accurate knowledge of their subject matter. A primary goal
of adult education is to promote self-directed attitudes and behavior while
discouraging excessive dependency upon the instructor (Milheim, 1993).
The facilitator model is based on rigorous academic standards and expectations,
requiring educators who are capable of equipping students to be independent learners.
Teachers are still considered knowledge experts who have a clear understanding of
their subject matter. Yet, their new role involves promoting more self-directed
learning activities that cultivate achieving knowledge objectives through personal
study. Teachers are challenged to carefully design instructional activities that
guide their students into on-line learning situations that promote personal
acquisition of knowledge. Teachers strive to encourage positive learning habits that
foster both self-directed learning styles and genuine collaboration with other
classmates. It requires planning creative on-line instructional assignments that
intellectually stretch their students but does not confuse or overwhelm them. For
instance, teachers should not consider sharing a lecture transcript unless there were
specific questions and class discussion that supported the reading of their lecture
material. Mason and Kaye (1990) stated "that information should be designed for a
particular medium to best exploit its unique advantage" (p. 16).
Distance educators view computer-mediated education as an excellent format to
encourage a variety of adult learning styles while serving an ethnically diverse
student population. Genuine interactivity (communication, participation and feedback)
should empower learners to cultivate both self-directed instructional skills and
develop enriching dialog with other students. The issue of interactivity is a vital
issue for teachers as they seek to create class work that promotes lively academic
dialog and cultivates critical thinking skills. My interactivity research (Muirhead
1999) highlighted the fact that the quality of interactivity varies among distance
education classes. A major problem involved students not receiving adequate feedback
from their teachers. In fact, today's distance educators are developing a new set of
terms to describe the learning problems in virtual classes. The word cyberia refers
to "a place to which online students feel they have been regulated when they receive
no feedback from their instructor (Jargon Monitor, 2000, p. A51)."
* Create a Detailed Class Syllabus
Distance educators can promote student interaction by developing a detailed syllabus
for their classes. It will provide clear instructions for their online students while
offering them a time management device to integrate school work into their busy daily
lives. Also, the syllabus plays a vital role in helping students understand the
teacher's expectations and establishes a foundation for positive learning experiences.
Fullmer-Umari (2000) a faculty member at the University of Phoenix recommends that
teachers should consider using seven key elements in their syllabus:
1. Course description and overview of subjects covered during the class
2. Teacher' biographical sketch that highlights both professional and personal
experiences
3. Teacher contact information (e-mail addresses and telephone numbers)
4. Assignment schedule for each week of the course (papers, readings, etc.)
5. Review of university/class policies for attendance, grading, participation, late
assignments, tests and specific details on academic honesty.
6. Request for student biographical sketches to be e-mailed to a class online
newsgroup
7. Discuss frequently asked questions about assignments and computer problems.
The syllabus does help bring structure and sets the tone to the online educational
setting. Adult learners appreciate having a detailed syllabus because it gives them a
sense of security and enables them to direct their studies. Livengood (1987) has
stressed that online classes should give the learner the opportunity to have enough
control to influence the educational process. Obviously, the degree of personal
control varies in every learning situation. Teachers give students instructional
influence based on factors such as their knowledge of the subject matter and the type
of learning assignment. Computer-mediated education is self-paced and learners are
given various opportunities to create relevant and interesting work. The distance
education format challenges teachers to develop a learning environment that places
more responsibility on the student to accomplish academic tasks with minimal teacher
assistance. Students are treated as adults who are capable of effectively learning
new ideas and academic disciplines (Kasworm & Bing, 1992). It requires having
teachers who design relevant lesson plans and are willing to experiment with
innovative educational methods (i.e. on-line quizzes). It is an open-ended learning
model that will bring some anxious moments to the best online teachers.
* Moderating Online Discussions
Educators who are used to having a tightly controlled classroom might feel somewhat
uncomfortable monitoring online discussion forums. The discussion format has an
unpredictable dimension that makes student-centered learning dynamic but less easy to
control. Teachers appreciate the lively debates that characterize most online classes.
Frequently, learners offer thought-provoking dialogue because they have time to
reflect on the posted comments before sharing their thoughts (Lewis, Treves, &
Shaindlin, 1997).
Instructor-guided interaction during the course provides tutors with useful student
information that can help instructors get a clear picture of learner needs. The first
week of the on-line course is a good time for learners to share with their classmates
and teacher their personal and professional backgrounds. Teachers can use the data to
refine their learning objectives, assignments, and discussion forums questions to
better meet adult learning needs (Rowntree, 1995).
Educators need to be creative in moderating online discussions because every class
contains a unique set of individuals who respond differently to the operating in the
online environment. For instance, how do you handle lurkers? Sometimes, writers have
been somewhat critical of lurkers because of their apparent lack of involvement. In
reality, lurkers are learning from the online classes just by reading online postings
and communicating privately with other students. Still, it can be frustrating for
distance educators to have several people who are not taking full advantage of their
learning opportunities. Salmon (2000) offers superb insights from her action research
studies on Computer Mediated Conferencing (CMC) at the Open University (United
Kingdom). Her findings were based on a combination of content analysis of online
communication of students and teachers, focused group work and testing and evaluation
of a new teaching and learning model. Solmon provides seven relevant suggestions for
helping teachers working with lurkers:
1. Check that all participants know how to post and 'reply' to messages.
2. Give participants plenty of time to become used to the online environment before
insisting that they post their responses.
3. Check that you have a free-flowing or social conferencing area.
4. Try some humor rather than anger (e.g. don't be a lurker - be a worker)
5. Check whether one or two individuals are dominating the conference - deal
tactfully with them to create a more open and equal environment.
6. Provide a structured evaluation questionnaire or an area for reflections and/or
comments (some lurkers prefer safety in structure).
7. Allocate active participants to lurkers as mentors (pp. 136-137).
* Authentic Assessment
Authentic evaluation requires serious reflection that views the teaching and learning
process as being dynamic and somewhat fluid. If educators are serious about promoting
self-directed learning, then their assessment philosophy should reinforce the
importance of giving students opportunities to influence evaluation. A comprehensive
picture of evaluation must include student perceptions because they can provide
insights into individual testing instruments, term papers, and online class
discussions. Learner observations are valuable for gaining a good perspective on the
total educational experience. Educators can use a variety of evaluation formats
(formative and summative) that offer opportunities to improve the teaching and
learning process. Instructors can use telephone calls and e-mail messages to
individual learners as excellent ways to cultivate informal feedback that can be
used to make immediate course changes. Interactivity is enhanced when teachers ask
students open-ended questions that enable learners to share their perspectives about
the quality of their educational experiences (Wellspring, 1999). For instance,
students might have concerns about the length of discussion posting and what
constitutes mastery of the subject matter (Nunn, 1998).
The student-centered model of learning encourages teachers to view their students as
academic partners whom work together to produce relevant and meaningful learning
experiences. It requires professors who are willing to change their standard teaching
methods. Boud (1995) related that "they will need to become researchers of student
perceptions, designers of multifaceted assessment strategies, managers of assessment
processes and consultants assisting students in the interpretation of rich
information about their learning" (p. 42).
A holistic emphasis on evaluation challenges teachers to become more flexible in
their instructional plans and to consider alternative evaluation methods. Educators
need to take a fresh look at instructional procedures that help them "approach non-
traditional problems in nontraditional ways" (Willis, 1998, p. 58). Unfortunately,
some educators are complacent about their professional growth or resist making
instructional changes. Yet, teachers do have a professional responsibility to
implement innovative assessment techniques into their teaching practices (Dalin,
Rolff, & Kleekamp, 1993).
The student-centered learning model challenges teachers to carefully use descriptive
language in their written and verbal comments (phone conversations) to students.
Teachers must develop dialogues with their students that foster personal and
professional growth. Unfortunately, some professors, through attitude and verbal and
written comments, treat their students as subordinates (Hawley, 1993). Obviously,
the language of assessment must be caring and honest while providing constructive
feedback that helps the learner have a clear picture of their academic work.
Teachers are challenged by the task of evaluating on-line learner responses that are
personally relevant and affirm course learning objectives. Interactivity should
promote effective instructional feedback that helps learners be informed about the
quality of their work (Wagner, 1994). Educators recommend that tutors offer a
diversity of feedback comments that are both informational (e.g. quality of
performance) and motivational for students. Educators must integrate social
interaction during their class actives that affirms active participation and
self-directed learning (Milheim, 1995; Wagner, 1997).
Distance education literature reveals that instructors are just beginning to develop
new assessment procedures. The absence of formal evaluation guidelines places greater
responsibility on each teacher to create their own authentic assessment instruments.
Students expect personal and informative feedback on their online discussion comments
and term papers (Hodges & Hodges, 1998; Kearsley, 1998).
In my online teaching, students have related that they appreciate having my grading
rubric before doing their group projects and individual papers. The following is an
example of a basic rubric:
- Title Page (title of paper, complete name of student, name of course, teachers'
name & date submitted) Introduction (sets up discussion for reader) & Conclusion
(provides summary & closure)
- Reference Page (complete bibliographic information using APA style guide & use APA
format within paper)
- Vary sentence length /correct spelling of terms
- Demonstrates a clear focus (organization)
- Demonstrates critical analysis of subject matter
- Demonstrates relevance to profession
* Cultivating Critical Thinking Skills
A major challenge to distance educators is to create assignments and online
discussions that foster critical thinking skills. Contemporary educators are
sometimes concerned that distance education is a poor substitute for the traditional
classroom. Obviously, online degree programs should uphold high academic standards
and one way to do this is to promote critical thinking skills.
Lipman (1995) relates that "... critical thinking is skillful, responsible thinking
that facilitates good judgment because it (1) relies upon criteria, (2) is self-
correcting, and (3) is sensitive to context" (p. 146). It is one of the best
definitions on critical thinking because Lipman integrates the concepts of standards
(criteria to measure achievement), skills (especially cognitive) and personal
judgment (making wise choices) into a comprehensive educational package. Lipman
argues for a holistic instructional approach that acknowledges the importance of
both teachers and learners fulfilling their respective roles in the educational
process. Teachers must consistently affirm the independence and autonomy of their
learners by enabling them to freely pursue authentic learning objectives. Yet, the
idea of independence does not mean being totally separate or isolated from other
learners and teachers. Rather, a balanced perspective would highlight giving learners
the power to assume greater responsibility for their educational experiences while
actively working with the teacher and other students (Sammons, 1990). Therefore, the
context of learning critical thinking skills is interactive and built upon taking
individual responsibility for academic achievements. Genuine reflective thinking
requires being dedicated to improving individual academic performance by continuously
enhancing cognitive skills.
Unfortunately, the concept of critical thinking has been confused with being
something quite abstract from daily living. In reality, adults utilize critical
thinking skills in a host of situations: individuals raising questions about their
behavior in an relationship, employees who explore the rationale behind their work
assignments, managers experimenting with new forms of group work, citizens posing
difficult questions to their political leaders, and families discussing the merits
of various television shows (Brookfield, 1987).
Brookfield (1987) outlines five characteristics of critical thinking:
1. Critical thinking is a productive and positive activity.
2. Critical thinking is a process, not an outcome.
3. Manifestations of critical thinking vary according to the contexts in which it
occurs.
4. Critical thinking is triggered by positive as well as negative events.
5. Critical thinking is emotive as well as rational (pp. 5-7).
The five characteristics highlight the dynamic nature of critical thinking and help
people realize that life is filled with an enormous variety of opportunities to
engage in thoughtful analysis and action. Ultimately, it involves a careful
investigation of our personal assumptions about ourselves, our world and our
relationships to one another. Critical thinkers tend to look beyond the surface of
situations by exploring alternative perspectives. Yet, it is not a purely rational
process because people are emotional creatures and any description of their thinking
must include feelings.
Peirce (2000) shares eight strategies for teaching thinking in the online setting:
1. Design self-testing and tutorials on basic chapter content.
2. Apply the concepts of the textbook chapters to cases or issues every week.
3. Pose well-designed questions for asynchronous discussion.
4. Ask students to reflect on their responses to the course content and on their
learning processes in private journals.
5. Create cognitive dissonance: provoke discomfort, unsettle confirmed notions,
uncover misconceptions, inspire curiosity, pose problems.
6. Conduct opinion polls/surveys as pre-reading activities before assigned readings
and to arouse interest in issues or topics.
7. Present activities that require considering opposing views.
8. Assign a mediatory argument promoting a resolution acceptable to both sides (p.1).
* Conclusion
Today's distance educators face unique challenges that require a willingness to
experiment with different teaching strategies. Our discussion on teaching strategies
will involve an assortment of issues:
1. What is considered "reasonable" student access to online faculty members?
2. What criteria should be used when conducting online peer reviews of faculty
teaching?
3. What type of instructional strategies can online teachers use to humanize the
educational process?
* References
Boud, D. (1995). Assessment and learning: Contradictory or complimentary? In P.
Knight (Ed.) Assessment for learning in higher education, London: Kogan Page
Limited, 35-48.
Brookfield, S. D. (1987). Developing Critical thinkers: Challenging Adults to
Explore Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Cantor, J. A. (1995). Experiential learning in higher education: Linking classroom
and community,
http://ntlf.com/html.lib/bib/bib/95-7dig.htm.
Dalin, P., Rolff, H., & Kleekamp,. (1993). Changing the school culture, London:
Cassell.
Fullmer-Umari, M. (2000). Getting ready: The syllabus and other online
indispensables. In K.W. White & B. H. Weight (Eds.) Online teaching guide: A
handbook of attitudes, strategies, and techniques for the virtual classroom,
Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Hannafin, M. J., Hill, J. R. & Land, S. M. (1997). Student-centered learning and
interactive multimedia: Status, issues, and implications. Contemporary Education,
68 (2), 94-99.
Hawley, P. (1993). Being bright is not enough: The unwritten rules of doctoral
study, Springfield, ILL: Charles Thomas Publisher.
Hodges, L. & Hodges, R. (1998). On-line learning and authentic assessment. In Y.
Cano, F. W. Wood, & J. C. Simmons (Eds.) Creating high functioning schools: Practice
and research, Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 185-191.
Jargon Monitor. (2000). The Chronicle of Higher Education, 57 (13), A51.
Kasworm, C. E. & Bing, Y. (1992). The development of adult learner autonomy and
self-directedness in distance education, (Report No. CE 063 391), Springfield, VA:
DYNEDRS. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 355 453).
Kearsely, G. (1998). A guide to online education,
http://www.fcae.nova.edu/~kearsely/online.html.
Lewis, D. C., Treves, J. A. & Shaindlin, A. B. (1997). Making sense of academic
cyberspace: Case study of and electronic classroom. College Teaching, 45 (3),
96-100.
Lipman, M. (1995). Critical thinking---what can it be? In A. L. Ornstein & L. S.
Behar (Eds.) Contemporary Issues in Curriculum, Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 145-152.
Livengood, M. D. (1987). Interactivity: Buzzword or instructional technique?
Performance &Instruction, October, 28-29.
Mason, R. & Kaye, T. (1990). Toward a new paradigm for distance education. In L. M.
Harasim (Ed.) Online education: Perspectives on a new environment, New York:
Praeger, 15-30.
Milheim, W. D. (1995) Interactivity and computer-based instruction. Journal of
Educational Technology Systems, 24 (3), 225-233.
Muirhead, B. (1999). Attitudes toward interactivity in a graduate distance
educationprogram: A qualitative analysis, Parkland, FL: Dissertation.com.
Nunn, D. (1998). Delivering general education subjects electronically: Part One &
Two,
http://node.on.ca/tfl/integrated/fieldnotes/nuun2.html.
Peirce, W. (2000). Teaching thinking online: Strategies for promoting disciplinary
reasoning, intellectual growth, and critical consciousness. 6th International
Conference on Asychronous Learning Networks, November 3-5, Adelphia, MD,
http://www.aln.org/alnconf2000.
Rowntress, D. (1995). Teaching and learning online: A correspondence education for
the 21st century? British Journal of Educational Technology, 26 (3), 205-215.
Salmon, G. (2000). E-Moderating: The key to teaching and learning online, London:
Kogan Page.
Salomon, P. C. (1992). The changing role of the teacher: From information transmitter
to orchestrator of learning. In F. K. Oser, A. Dick, & J. Petry (Eds.) Effective and
responsibleteaching: The new synthesis, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 35-49.
Sammons, M. (1990). An epistemological justification for the role of teaching in
distance education. In M C. Moore (Ed.) Contemporary issues in American distance
education, New York: Pergamon Press, 151-162.
Sherry, L. (1996). Issues in distance learning. International Journal of Educational
Telecommunications, 1 (4), 337-365.
The Well Spring (999). Improving distance learning,
http://wellspring.isinj.com/.
Wagner, E. D. (1997). Interactivity: From agents to outcomes. New Directions for
Teaching and Learning, 71, 19-26.
Wagner, E. D. (1994). In support of a functional definition of interaction. The
American Journal of Distance Education, 8 (2), 6-29.
Willis, B. (1998). Effective distance education planning: Lessons learned.
Educational Technology, 38 (1), 57-59.
---------------------------------------------------------
List address to send message to everyone:
ifets-discussion@catfish.valdosta.edu
Details of current discussion: http://ifets.ieee.org/discussions/discuss.html
Forum website: http://ifets.ieee.org/
Forum's contact person: kinshuk@massey.ac.nz
Info on Join/Leave List: http://ifets.ieee.org/maillist.html
---------------------------------------------------------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2a24 : Thu 11 Jan 2001 - 06:36:04 MET