Presentation given at the Post University eLearning Conference on Friday September 17, 2010

1. Is anybody out there?Closing the cyber gap in eLearning to increase motivation Mark P. Fazioli, PhD September 17, 2010 Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

2. About Me Director of Instructional Design Post University PhD in Instructional Design Capella University Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

3. Outcomes Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning Explain the cyber gap that exists in online learning Describe immediacy and social presence Understand how to use elements of immediacy and social presence to close the cyber gap and increase motivation in online courses

4. Ponder this… What do you think “cyber gap” means? Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

5. Ponder this… Do you think the cyber gap has an effect on learner motivation? Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

6. Personalization Principle Moreno & Mayer, 2004 Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

7. Personalization Principle Personalization of narration allows learners to exert less mental effort when learning new concepts in computer-based learning environment, increasing learning (Moreno & Mayer, 2004) Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

8. How learning improves People work harder to understand material when they feel they are in a conversation with a partner rather than simply receiving information There is a feeling of participation and activity—learning is once again active Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

9. Enhancing Social Presence Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

10. Social Presence Awareness of the presence of another person with possibility for interaction (Short, Williams & Christie, 1976). Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

11. Makes interactions appealing, thereby increasing learner motivation. Fostering social presence in a learning environment creates a level of comfort. Learning environments that lack social presence are viewed as impersonal reducing the comfort level and the interaction within the course. Social Presence Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

12. Social Presence Using social characters (social agents) creates a connection between the course room and the students. CASA – Computer As Social Agents.

13. Social Presence So what do you think are other ways to increase social presence in an online course? Breakout into groups of four… Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

14. Immediacy Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

15. Immediacy The psychological distance which a communicator put between themselves and the object of communication (Gunawardena, 1995). Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

16. Immediacy Verbal“we”, “you”, “our” and “your”, and humor Nonverbalannouncements, discussion threads, emails Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

17. Motivation Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

18. Motivation The hypothetical concept that explains the initiation, direction, intensity and persistence of goal-directed behavior (Good & Brophy, 1990). Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

19. Motivation Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

20. Motivation ARCS Model Attention Relevance Confidence Satisfaction Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

21. How to close the gap Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

22. Media Objects Static photos Avatars Video Audio Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

23. Language & Tone Formal NarrationMonologue-style using third person Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

24. Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

25. Language & Tone Conversational Narration“you”, “your”, “I”, “our”, and, “we” Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

26. Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

27. Language Activity Take the script you’re given, and in your groups convert it to a more conversational format. Be ready to share your ideas! Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

28. Making it work in online Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

29. Faculty information Use a video or photo with a conversational script Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

30. Announcements & Email Be personalized and friendly in style Write as though you are talking directly to the learners Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

31. Instructional Strategies Narrative case studies in storytelling format Assignment directions Include audio in PowerPoint presentations Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

32. Address modalities Be sure to hit both visual and verbal modalities Have a picture of the instructor nearby when there is a page of text Include audio notes to remind learners that the instructor is a human! Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

33. Questions Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning

34. Contact Info Mark Fazioli, PhDPost UniversityDirector of Instructional Design(203) 591-5688mfazioli@post.edu Shaping the Future: New Possibilities for Online Learning