This document discusses best practices for meeting the needs of diverse online learners. It covers: 1) The differences between pedagogy and andragogy, and how online students have characteristics of both digital natives/millennials and adult learners. 2) A theoretical framework for effective online teaching comprising teaching presence, social presence, cognitive presence, and building an online learning community. 3) Key aspects of teaching presence include facilitating discourse, direct instruction, and instructional design/organization. Building class community also improves student satisfaction and learning. 4) Surveys show students report higher satisfaction and learning when instructors demonstrate teaching presence and build an engaged online community. The document advocates applying these theories to

1. Alexandra M. Pickett Assistant Director SUNY Learning Network Faculty Development & Learning Design 2001 Sloan-C Award for Excellence in ALN Faculty Development Improve Your Online Course Meeting the needs of diverse online learners

5. Pedagogy Andragogy Pedagogy Andragogy Pedagogy vs. Andragogy Millennials and Adult learners = online learners Brainstorm some effective strategies for meeting the needs of diverse online learners.

7. Pedagogy Andragogy Assumptions… learn best when the topic is of immediate value. approach learning as problem-solving. need to learn experientially. need to know why they need to learn something. adults children

8. Pedagogy Andragogy Today… * Adapted from Marc Prensky , 2005. Adults Content is what is important… Process is more important than content… Approach Teacher centered Self centered Focus Conventional speed Step by step Linear processing Text first Work oriented Stand alone That is all they know… Twitch speed Random access Parallel processing Graphics first Play oriented Connected Bored and disengaged by traditional educational methods and instructional design approaches. educators students Digital immigrants* Millennials/digital natives* children

9. Pedagogy Andragogy Tomorrow… Adults * Adapted from Marc Prensky , 2005. Engagement ? Approach Learner centered Still self centered Focus Twitch speed Random access Parallel processing Graphics first Play oriented Connected Exponential changes in technology/information/communication in the future… educators students Millennials/digital natives* + What is next…?? children

15. Theory Theory How people learn. Critical Inquiry in a text-based environment. The seven principles of good practice. The framework that guides us:

22. Improve Your Online Course Theory to Practice... How can you do that? Take the survey. - http://sln.suny.edu/teachingsurvey Small group activity: - Discuss the survey!! Group Reports. Tips to share. 3 2 1

25. . . . Teaching Presence: from theory to practice. . . F acilitating Discourse D irect Instruction I nstructional Design & Organization 73% of students expressed agreement that their instructors facilitated discourse effectively. 72% of student expressed agreement that their classmates facilitated discourse effectively. These percentages correlate directly to high levels of student satisfaction and reported learning.

27. . . . F acilitating Discourse D irect Instruction I nstructional Design & Organization Teaching Presence: from theory to practice. . . 76% of students expressed agreement that their instructors provided direct instruction effectively. 66% of student expressed agreement that their classmates provided direct instruction effectively. These percentages correlate directly to high levels of student satisfaction and reported learning.

29. . . . F acilitating Discourse D irect Instruction I nstructional Design & Organization Teaching Presence: from theory to practice. . . Overall, 85% of student respondents agreed that the indicators for this category were present in their courses. This percentage correlates directly to high levels of student satisfaction and reported learning.

33. . . . Class Community: from theory to practice. . . Our research shows that there is a relationship between teaching presence and the development of community in online learning environments Courses characterized by effective teaching presence are more likely to develop a stronger sense of community on the part of the students = high levels of student satisfaction and reported learning. C onnectedness L earning

35. . . . Class Community: from theory to practice. . . C onnectedness L earning Online courses that are designed to promote a sense of class community, where there are ample opportunities for interaction and the social construction of knowledge, result in online teaching and learning communities of satisfied students and faculty.

37. ? Any questions ? Any questions