Networking or Notworking? Building Social Presence into Digital Learning Environments Steve Wheeler University of Plymouth United Kingdom

Building Social Presence Up to 50% of students drop out of distance courses before Completion (Moore & Kearsley, 1996)

Building Social Presence High attrition rates are often blamed on loss of student motivation, social isolation or technical problems

Building Social Presence The most successful DE courses are those in which social interaction is a dominant or pervasive feature (Muilenberg & Berge, 2005)

Building Social Presence Social presence is an important feature of any successful learning activity within a digital learning environment

Building Social Presence Social presence is the perception that one is communicating with people rather than with inanimate objects (Short et al , 1976)

Building Social Presence Without a perception of connectedness students can feel isolated and demotivated

Building Social Presence Perception of distance should be seen as psychological not physical Moore (1993)

Building Social Presence Tutors should aim to provide an online equivalency to f2f experiences (Simonson, 1999)

Building Social Presence Perceptions of distance can be amplified or reduced through technology

Building Social Presence n = 305 Social Presence Autonomy Surface Tenacity .12 -.30* -.65* .02 .82 1.32* Face to Face Model

Building Social Presence n = 51 Social Presence Autonomy Surface Tenacity .11 -.84* -.15 .73* 1.75 .48 Telephone Model

Building Social Presence n = 51 Social Presence Autonomy Surface Tenacity .66* -.05 -.27* -1.94 .50 .40 E-Mail Model

Recommendations

Recommendations Integration of technologies for mobile learning in a seamless and ‘transparent’ way

Convergence of 3 Technologies

Recommendations Provide ‘humanising’ aspects of online learning such as recognisable human contacts (e.g. webcasting)

Webcasting Live or recorded lectures Accompanying media (e.g. PowerPoint; DVD) Text based interaction Video on demand

Live or recorded lectures

Accompanying media (e.g. PowerPoint; DVD)

Text based interaction

Video on demand

Recommendations Tutors should respond as quickly as possible to questions from remote learners

Recommendations Students should be encouraged to take part in collaboration online: (e.g. group problem solving; wikis, threaded discussion)

Recommendations Students need a social space - a facility that should be built into any managed learning environment

Recommendations Tutors should recognise differences in study approaches and cater for as many as possible within the design of courseware, guidance and tutorial support

Recommendations Actively encourage students to participate in regular group postings, and even to moderate the discussions

Thank you for listening Steve Wheeler Senior Lecturer in ICT and Education [email_address] www2.plymouth.ac.uk/distancelearning