Jason Rhode Dissertation Overview

Slideshow Transcript

1. Slide 1: Int eract ion equivalency in self- paced online learning environm ent s: An explorat ion of learner preferences Dissert at ion Defense Jason F. Rhode 1 1/17/2008
2. Slide 2: Jason F. Rhode • Ph.D. candidat e, Capella Universit y • Specializat ion: Inst ruct ional Design for Online Learning 2
3. Slide 3: Int roduct ion int eract ion self-paced learning em erging com m unicat ion approaches 3
4. Slide 4: Background • Subst ance and funct ion of online int eract ions varies • Int eract ion is essent ial for a qualit y learning experience • Unanswered quest ions concerning learners’ int eract ion preferences and degree in which int eract ions are perceived t o be equivalent 4
5. Slide 5: St at em ent of t he Problem • Int eract ion ident ified as a key elem ent t o successful online learning program s • Lit t le em pirical evidence current ly exist s as t o t he value t hat learners place upon various t ypes of int eract ions in a self-paced learning environm ent 5
6. Slide 6: Types of Int eract ions 6
7. Slide 7: Int eract ion Equivalency Theorem 7
8. Slide 8: Purpose of t he St udy • Expand upon previous research advocat ing for purposeful design of int eract ion • Exam ine t he com posit ion of t he online learning experience of adult learners in self-paced learning environm ent • Explore what form s of int eract ion self- paced online learners value m ost as well as what im pact t hey perceive int eract ion t o have on t heir overall 8 online learning experience
9. Slide 9: Research Quest ions 1. What form s of int eract ion do adult learners engage in m ost in self-paced online courses? 2. What form s of int eract ion do adult learners value m ost in self-paced online courses? • What form s of int eract ion do online adult learners ident ify as equivalent in self-paced online courses? • What im pact do adult learners perceive int eract ion t o have on t heir self-paced 9 online learning experience?
10. Slide 10: Research Design • Mixed m et hods approach • Sem i-st ruct ured in-dept h int erviews conduct ed near t he conclusion of t he course 10
11. Slide 11: Sam pling Design • Part icipant s – Online adult learners enrolled in a fully-online professional developm ent cert ificat e program offered by Valley Forge Christ ian College • Part icipant select ion – Convenience sam ple: all learners (n= 13) in Sept . 2007 sect ion of “ Advanced Web Com m unicat ions” and Aug. 2007 sect ion (n= 1) invit ed t o part icipat e – Tot al of 10 learners agreed t o part icipat e 11 (n= 10)
12. Slide 12: Part icipant Dem ographics 12
13. Slide 13: Measures • Sem i-st ruct ured, in-dept h int erviews conduct ed over t he phone, each approx. 1 hr. in lengt h • Quest ions addressed 3 m ain t ypes of int eract ion and form al vs. inform al nat ure of such int eract ions 13
14. Slide 14: Dat a Collect ion Procedures • Approval from Capella Universit y IRB and VFCC Academ ic Affairs • Inst rum ent and prot ocol was pilot t est ed • Int erviews conduct ed via phone and recorded, t ranscribed, and coded • Int erview t ranscript s sent t o int erviewees t o confirm accuracy 14
15. Slide 15: Et hical Issues • Learners had no obligat ion t o part icipat e • Int erview dat a st ored securely using assigned id codes in place of part icipant nam es • Pseudo nam es used in place of act ual nam es 15
16. Slide 16: Dat a Analysis Procedures • Ident ified em ergent t hem es from t he dat a t hat will serve as foundat ional schem a for furt her dat a organizat ion and analysis • Frequency analysis of ordinal dat a 16
17. Slide 17: Expect ed Findings • It was expect ed t hat one or m ore t ypes of int eract ion will surface as being preferred for adult learners • Learners m ay recognize cert ain int eract ions as equivalent 17
18. Slide 18: Analysis of Research Quest ion # 1 • What form s of int eract ion t o learners engage in m ost in self- paced online courses? 18
19. Slide 19: Engagem ent in Int eract ion • Well-design cont ent report ed as one of t he st rongest aspect s of t he course • Pract ical applicat ion assignm ent s am ong m ost beneficial • Overwhelm ingly posit ive responses t o course com m unit y, CMUOnet 19
20. Slide 20: Report ed Involvem ent • Most report ed using course blog and social bookm arks • Inst ruct ors blog was very helpful for m ost • Part icipant s didn’t at t em pt t o cont act out side expert s • In-course discussion was lim it ed 20
21. Slide 21: Analysis of Research Quest ion # 2 • What form s of int eract ion do adult learners value m ost in self-paced online courses? 21
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25. Slide 25: Analysis of Research Quest ion # 3 • What form s of int eract ion do online adult learners ident ify as equivalent in self-paced online courses? 25
26. Slide 26: Findings • Blogging valued equally, and in som e inst ances higher, t han asynchronous discussion via t he LMS • Int eract ions wit h inst ruct or and cont ent deem ed equivalent or nearly equivalent , wit h int eract ions wit h ot her learners of less im port ance • Part icipant s hesit ant t o agree t o any degradat ion of inst ruct or or cont ent int eract ions but m any agreed t hat learner int eract ions could be replaced 26
27. Slide 27: Analysis of Research Quest ion # 4 • What im pact do adult learners perceive int eract ion t o have on t heir self-paced online learning experience? 27
28. Slide 28: Findings • Em ail was t he preferred m ode of int eract ion wit h inst ruct or, blogging preferred for int eract ion wit h ot hers • Feedback from inst ruct or was report ed as very im port ant • Course size vs. qualit y • Part icipant s ident ified a correlat ion bet ween qualit y of int eract ion and qualit y of learning experience 28
29. Slide 29: Int eract ion Mat rix: Core Elem ent s 29
30. Slide 30: Int eract ion Mat rix: Form al 30
31. Slide 31: Int eract ion Mat rix: Inform al 31
32. Slide 32: Int eract ion Mat rix 32
33. Slide 33: Conclusions • Depending on t he specific circum st ance, not all form s of int eract ion m ay be eit her equally valued by learners or effect ive • Inform al int eract ions were as im port ant as form al int eract ions in det erm ining t he qualit y of t he online learning experience • Blogging was shown t o be equivalent t o or even superior t o inst ruct or-direct ed asynchronous discussion via t he 33 discussion board in a LMS
34. Slide 34: Furt her St udy • Explore perspect ives of learners in varying disciplines/inst it ut ions/social-cult ural backgrounds/online learning environm ent s • Differing learner populat ions • Unique aspect s of em ergent asynchronous com m unicat ions such as blogging, collaborat ive aut horship, social bookm arking, and social net working • To what ext ent can a social net work syst em m eet t he needs of designers, inst ruct ors, and learners and t herefore be capable of replacing an LMS? • What im pact does course size have on t he self- paced online learning experience? 34