INTRODUCTION
As advances in technology continue to be developed, the responsibility of people to keep pace with being proficient in these advances continues to increase. Not only is it important to learn these technologies for their employment in the workforce, but it can also serve as the conduit by which their learning needs can be fulfilled. The tools of learning and classroom settings are being quickly supplemented with videotaped lessons, which can be played on laptops, ipods and PCs’ while reclining in the barkalounger; face-to-face interaction – the bread-and-butter of formal education is being augmented and sometimes replaced by emails, skype and blogs; feedback on assignments received exclusively from the teacher can now be received (anonymously if appropriate) from classmates to deepen the learning experience. Such is the future of education in the 21st century.
With these numerous possibilities and potentials, consideration and research is necessary to determine the impact and effectiveness of new media on online learning – this is the focus of this study.
With the emergence of new technology, it is important to ascertain whether such new technology may better serve a learning goal better than technology currently being implemented in the online learning environment. As new technologies quickly emerge, some may make the erroneous assumption that a new technology will be the best one adapted for their online classroom. Only the completion of such research will allow the best possible instructional environment for people to effectively learn.
In spite of all the new technology, the crucial element that cannot be ignored is the human element. Specifically, the learning needs of adults (andragogy) are considered, and are a focal point of the questions for this study. Although the capacity of technology continues to change, the qualities by which adults better learn do not. In performing this study, we hope to better understand through the interaction of adult learners with new media in online learning, which qualities of these new media maximize humans’ learning potential.
LITERATURE REVIEW
To understand the impact of new media in online learning, this literature review will focus on three ideas relative to understanding prior and future research in this field. These include adult learning and andragogy, new media and online education and social presence and learning with new media. In an era when technology is continually changing and our global society is becoming more interconnected, people must become lifelong learners if they wish to continue being competitive. Although the expansion of technology has been a contributing factor in this change, it may also provide the solution to empower people to acquire what they need to learn. To maximize the effectiveness of these new learning tools, it is important to consider and understand the needs of adult learner, and how new media accommodates these different needs. By considering these three areas of research, a clearer picture will emerge as to what has been done, and what yet remains to be understood.
Adult Learning and Andragogy:
The term Andragogy was originally used by Alexander Kapp (a German educator) in 1833, and was developed into a theory of adult education by an American educator, Malcolm Knowles during the latter 20th century. Knowles theories can be summarized with four postulates:
1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept and Motivation to learn).
2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities (Experience).
3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life (Readiness to learn).
4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation to learning). (Knowles, 1984)
These principles were designed to clarify the difference of andragogy teaching standards from pedagogy - the learning needs of pre-adult learners. These will be important principles to consider when reviewing the different features of new media in online learning.
Fozdar (2007) researched the relationship between mobile learning and student retention. Given the lack of internet access in India, cell phones were the tool of choice to give feedback and discuss student work. Though the use of surveys, it was determined that although students appreciated the use of cell phones to provide student with flexibility, text messaging provided limited means for communicating information. This limitation led students to have misgivings about the quality of education provided in this forum. Additionally, the information provided in the study did not specifically address how the andragogy needs of students were addressed.
Glogoff (2007) conducted research on the use of blogging for hybrid classes and exclusively online classes. The advantage of communicating online for the students was that being able to give honest feedback based on anonymity was helpful for students to improve their knowledge of the information being learned in class, which assisted in enhancing their learning. During the research, it was discovered that the hybrid classes provided more feedback to each other than online only classes. Consequently, students who did not blog felt excluded from their classmates and limited in their learning. This led to the course requirement that students would be required to post at least three times a week to encourage the blogging process and the classroom community. This requirement improved the community, and demonstrated the necessity and value of the research conducted.
The activity and its research highlight the importance of student being involved in their collective learning and the opportunity of experiencing feedback from other students to learn from their mistakes and improve upon their learning activities. These features are critical to the principles for successful andragogy.
Research conducted by Witte (2007) also highlights the need to compare the difference between pedagogy and andragogy. Witte (2007) attempted to have middle school students use blogging as a forum to "provide opportunities for students and future educators to develop their digital fluency while also strengthening their traditional literacy skills" (Witte 92). Students actively used the blog, but student achievement was not discussed in her research.
Witte (2007) believed that since students liked to communicate in this forum, it could be utilized in a middle school setting for pedagogical purposes. Since an improvement in traditional literary skills was not highlighted, one cannot conclude whether this tool was effective in this forum. However, it may be the case that because of the difference of learning needs between middle schoolers and adults, blogging may be a tool better suited to the needs of adult learners.
New Media in Online Education:
As new media technology becomes available, the opportunities to use it for online educational purposes are considered. With such considerations, it is important to know what research has been done, both to anticipate the potential limitations of the new media, as well as to foresee how the new media may strengthen online education.
Luanne and Martin (2007) report on several myths held strongly by many teachers against the use of podcasting. These myths focus on the perception that students will use podcasts as a substitute for in class learning. Luanne and Martin (2007) dispute these claims saying that students can gain information from the podcasts that they may not have understood the first time, and can enhance the students' overall learning experience. Additionally, the use of podcasts has the ability of improving the classroom experience, because students can come to class with a better grasp of the material.
The misconceptions mentioned in the article seem rooted in fundamental beliefs about how education should work, as well as a lack of understanding of what role new media can play in improving online education, as well as what occurs in the classroom. To effectively utilize these technologies, educational institutions will be required to invest time to train their instructors in research-based uses that optimize the learning experience for their students. So long as these beliefs continued to be held, they will pose as a limitation to the promising role of new media in online learning.
Lam and McNaught (2006) a qualitative study was conducted to consider how effective three types of new media in online learning were for students. The first involved explaining complex concepts and ideas with a series of sequential diagrams or texts. The second involved on increasing students' motivation by utilizing multimedia materials for vivid representations in lessons. The third focused on students using multimedia for projects generated by students.
Whereas the students had difficulties in Case one, Cases two and three found great benefits; Case two found the material helpful for learning and application; Case 3 found that the multimedia tools were great for extending creative thinking and analytical skills. The results of this research were used to refine the course offerings and improve it overall (Lam and McNaught 2006) This research highlights the importance of determining not only effective uses of new media in online learning, but qualifying the type of learning that may be gained with different types and applications of the new media.
Another study comparing different new media was performed by Pegler and Mason (2005). In their research, students incorporated four different forms of communication in an online course about Learning in the Connected Economy. These forms of communication included blogging, audio technology, instant messaging and the Harvard Rotisserie system.
The research concluded that although students liked all forum (for the most part) they most strongly favored audio technology and instant messaging (Pegler and Mason 2005). The college students involved in the study chose the two systems that offered instant communication and response to each other. In this study for this class, this may prove effective. Whereas the previous study considered impact that new media had on the entire format of a class, this study only focuses on one facet of the online class. Both studies offer interesting models for the types of research that this field requires.
Social Presence and learning with New Media:
Within the educational field, conflicting opinion and conclusions from research have been obtained about the social presence (or lack thereof) in using new media. Some studies cite strong advantages offered by blogging that enhance student learning; others cite criticism in which students report feeling isolated from each other .
Research by Dickey (2004) concluded that students felt isolated and alienated from each other, because their only contact with each other was through emails, chat rooms and discussion boards. Additionally, El Mansour and Mupinga (2007) conducted research with hybrid classes in which technology problems and feelings of isolation were also reported. Both believed that quality interaction and collaboration were an important part of an effective learning environment.
Research by Sparks and Mentz (2006) used instant messaging in an online class for graduate programs. The interactions that were enabled by instant message between students as well as students and teachers proved to be powerful tools to foster strong collaboration. Students were also given control on how to use instant message, and provided each other with an enriched learning environment.
The research demonstrates the manner in which new media in online learning needs serious consideration. Whereas Dickey (2004) discovered one outcome when using different communication tools, Sparks and Mentz (2006) conclusions were quite different. Whether it is the bias of the researcher, a misalignment of technology with an online program, or a online course design flaw, further research needs to be performed to determine what technologies best compliment what programs to continually improve student learning and achievement.
METHODS
To understand the impact of new media in online learning, structured research methods were developed to assist in clarifying this relationship. For this study, research participation, instrumentation and implementation are included and outlined forthwith.
Participation
For this study, participants were selected through an informal process of acquaintances through email and face-to-face requests. The selection criteria sought to seek participants who had some higher education as well as some familiarity with online learning. The acquaintances who were contacted were all individuals who worked in secondary education in an administrative capacity; all of these people possessed at least a Bachelors' degree. All participants were sent the hyperlink in the email, and were informed that the results of their survey were anonymous.
Instrumentation
The instrument used for this study involved an online survey. The development of the questions in the survey involved graduate level students enrolled in an online Instructional Technology class reading research articles pertaining to new media and online learning. These article reports were posted on a blog for classmates to comment on and to be used to formulate potential research questions. With the submission of several questions from all of the students, the instructor formulated major areas of interest and selected three research questions for the focus of the survey:
Research Question 1: Is there a relationship between the amount of portable media (podcasts) a student consumes and their desire for portable media use in online learning?
Research Question 2: What level of involvement in planning, organizing, and making media choices do adult online learners desire?
Research Question 3: Is the use of collaboration to comment on other students’ work viewed as beneficial by online students?
Research Question 4: What media types to students express a preference for using for a variety of activities related to instructor-student interaction, student-student interaction, and student-content interaction?
From the research questions, several specific components in each question were included. Participants were asked to select on a Likert Scale from 1-5 to share their preferences towards portable media, types of media forums, and types of student involvement. An answer of one meant that they did not like it at all, and an answer of 5 meant that students liked it a lot.
In the beginning of the online survey, information is provided about the source of the survey. It also reassures the participants that it is fine if they are not familiar with some of the technology asked about in the survey. Additional information in the form of definitions is also provided to clarify the different types of technology being asked for in the survey. Finally, participants are reassured that their responses are anonymous and that they may withdraw from participating in the survey at anytime if they so choose.
Procedure
Implementing the online survey involved selecting the potential pool of participants, collecting their email addresses, and preparing the email - including the hyperlink to the online survey. They were informed about the nature of the survey, the time it would take them to complete it, and that their responses would remain anonymous. They were also told that they did not need to reply to the email nor participate in the survey. Without knowing who has and who has not completed the survey, one of the difficulties is to determine the reliability and validity of the information collected. Additionally, without knowing the specific educational background and other participant demographics, valuable correlates may not be verifiable from the research collected.
RESULTS
Data collection was taken between the dates of October 29, 2007 and November 5, 2007. Once all data was received, incompleted surveys were excluded from the data studied. All complete remaining data was entered into a statistical analysis program called SPSS to determine the existence of correlates to help answer the three questions to our research questions.
Research Question 1: Is there a relationship between previous non-music
portable media (podcasts) consumption and receptiveness for portable media
use in online learning?
To answer research question 1 we are going to examine the correlation between item 2
and the three items directly related to using podcasts in courses items 3, 6 and 9.
Correlations
V2
V3
V6
V9
V2
Pearson Correlation
1
.609(**)
.465(**)
.293(*)
Sig. (2-tailed)
.000
.000
.019
N
64
64
64
64
V3
Pearson Correlation
.609(**)
1
.656(**)
.463(**)
Sig. (2-tailed)
.000
.000
.000
N
64
64
64
64
V6
Pearson Correlation
.465(**)
.656(**)
1
.407(**)
Sig. (2-tailed)
.000
.000
.001
N
64
64
64
64
V9
Pearson Correlation
.293(*)
.463(**)
.407(**)
1
Sig. (2-tailed)
.019
.000
.001
N
64
64
64
64
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Reporting the correlations:
Correlation coefficients were computed between the items related to respondent prior use of non-music podcasts and use of portable podcasts for course related purposes. All three correlations were significant at the .05 level. The correlations between prior non-music podcast use and instructional use of podcasts were positive meaning that as respondents reported more use of non-music podcasts they also reported higher preference for use of podcasts in classes. The results of the correlations are presented in table 1.
_____________________________________________________________________
Podcast/Tasks Player Enhanced
_____________________________________________________________________
Prior Use .609* .465* .293*
* P<.05
_____________________________________________________________________
Table 1 Correlations Between Prior Non-Music Podcast Use and Preference for Portability in Class Podcast Use (N = 64)
Research Question 2: What media types do students prefer to use for
different course activities related to instructor-student interaction,
student-student interaction, and student-context interaction?
To answer Research Question 2 we will examine the mean results for items 11-52 which were the items we developed for the use of different technologies for common course related communications. Included in the table are the number of participants who completed the survey (N=64), the range and mean (average) of the Likert scales for each question, and the standard deviation for each question for which data was collected.
Descriptive Statistics
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
V11
64
1
5
4.70
.749
V12
64
1
5
2.77
1.244
V13
64
1
5
3.03
1.391
V14
64
1
5
2.48
1.098
V15
64
1
5
2.95
1.290
V16
64
1
5
3.33
1.209
V17
64
1
5
2.75
1.234
V18
64
2
5
4.36
.932
V19
64
1
5
2.91
1.281
V20
64
1
5
3.41
1.269
V21
64
1
5
2.58
1.152
V22
64
1
5
2.80
1.143
V23
64
1
5
3.55
1.272
V24
64
1
5
2.78
1.253
V25
64
3
5
4.72
.519
V26
64
1
5
2.56
1.344
V27
64
1
5
2.73
1.312
V28
64
1
5
2.31
1.220
V29
64
1
5
2.56
1.355
V30
64
1
5
2.70
1.422
V31
64
1
5
2.48
1.272
V32
64
2
5
4.75
.563
V33
64
1
5
2.50
1.380
V34
64
1
5
3.00
1.480
V35
64
1
5
2.13
1.106
V36
64
1
5
2.33
1.261
V37
64
1
5
3.14
1.500
V38
64
1
5
2.14
1.180
V39
64
1
5
4.22
.967
V40
64
1
5
2.67
1.346
V41
64
1
5
3.41
1.477
V42
64
1
5
2.33
1.183
V43
64
1
5
2.58
1.295
V44
64
1
5
3.67
1.381
V45
64
1
5
2.36
1.252
V46
64
1
5
4.11
1.170
V47
64
1
5
3.22
1.453
V48
64
1
5
3.34
1.300
V49
64
1
5
3.17
1.340
V50
64
1
5
3.55
1.356
V51
64
1
5
3.39
1.410
V52
64
1
5
2.66
1.263
Another way to look at this is to look at the means for each technology across all
the items.
Email items 11, 18, 25, 32, 39, 46
Video Conference items 12, 19, 26, 33, 40, 47
Blog items 13, 20, 27, 34, 41, 48
Podcast (audio only) items 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49
Podcast (enhanced) items 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50
Threaded discussion items 16, 23, 30, 37, 44, 51
Voice over internet items 17, 24, 31, 38, 45, 52
Descriptive Statistics
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
email
64
1.67
5.00
4.4766
.61926
video
64
1.00
5.00
2.7708
1.03489
blog
64
1.00
5.00
3.1536
1.13712
pod_audio
64
1.00
4.83
2.5000
.92820
pod_enhanced
64
1.00
5.00
2.7943
1.04051
threaded
64
1.00
5.00
3.2969
1.09813
voip
64
1.00
5.00
2.5286
1.02118
Valid N (listwise)
64
Reporting these data:
Means were computed for each of the technology items across the various course related communication tasks. Email was rated as most preferred (M=4.45, SD=.62), threaded discussion was next preferred (M= 3.30, SD =1.10) with blogs almost being rated almost as highly (M=3.15, SD=1.13) and near the middle of the scale. Enhanced podcasts (M= 2.79, SD=1.04), video conferencing (M=2.77, SD=1.03), audio only podcasts (M=2.50, SD=.93) and voice over Internet (M=2.52, SD=1.02) were below the middle of the 5 point Likert scale indicating that they were not preferred for course related communication. These means are reported in table 2.
___________________________________________________
Technology Mean Standard Deviation
_____________________________________________________
Email 4.45 .62
Threaded Discussion 3.30 1.10
Blogs 3.15 1.13
Enhanced Podcasts 2.79 1.04
Video Conferencing 2.77 1.03
Audio Only Podcasts 2.50 .93
Voice Over Internet 2.52 1.02
______________________________________________________
Table 2 Means and Standard Deviations of Technologies Used for
Course Related Communication (N=64)
Research Question 3: What level of involvement in planning, organizing,
grading, and making media choices do adult online learners desire?
To answer Research Question 3 we will examine means for items 53-56 which
were the items we developed related to andragogy.
Descriptive Statistics
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
V53
64
1
5
4.28
.983
V54
64
1
5
3.77
1.165
V55
64
1
5
3.80
1.198
V56
64
1
5
4.41
.886
Valid N (listwise)
64
Reporting the data:
For items 52-56, the number of participants is included (N=64), the range and mean (average) of the Likert scores are provided, and the standard deviation of the responses for each question is calculated. These questions focused on factors directly to andragogy. In this area, the greatest consideration was given to having a choice of what media communication forum would be used for the class (M=4.41, SD=.886),. The second most important factor included what assignments would be done in class (M=4.28, SD=.983). This was followed by due dates for assignments (M=3.80, SD=1.198), and grading of assignments (M=3.77, SD=1.165), which were statistically very close. These means are reported in table 4. ____________________________________________________
Factors Mean Standard Deviation
_____________________________________________________
Types of Media Used 4.41 .886
Assignments for Class 4.28 .983
Due dates for Assignments 3.80 1.198
Grading of Assignments 3.77 1.165
______________________________________________________
Table 4: Factors related to andragogy in adult learning environments. (N=64)
Discussion
The research confirms some well-known but significant information in relation to two components of new media in online learning.
An important consideration for effective learning is for the student to be comfortable in the learning environment in which they interact. This research confirms this idea when students state that their preference for communicating through email. Most people, whether for personal purposes or professional responsibilities, utilize or rely upon email as a major means of communication. Other forms of communication including blogs, message boards, voice-over internet have yet to be mainstreamed into our daily professional and personal lives. Until other technologies are more commonplace, email will likely remain the more common mode of communication.
Because this study was performed with a random population which may not have had a high comfort level with various forms of the latest technology media, the results may not be reliable if a specified population were targeted. If a population of computer-savvy media majors were selected to participate in the survey, the results may appear quite different. With a tightly controlled population of participants who were comfortable with new technology, it could be possible to better determine the media most effective for online learning if all the media being considered were in common use for all participants involved.
It is also no coincidence that participants in the study who were experienced with non-music podcasts had a stronger preference for portable media in online learning. The portability of a podcast augments the flexibility of watching a lesson anytime. Given the numerous demands of adult learners outside of their learning circles, this is no small consideration. The research further reinforces the importance of students being comfortable in their learning environment – by not being comfortable with the format of the learning forum (new media), the students are less likely to utilize the forum.
The second component that is crucial for the success of new media in online learning is the andragogy. Whereas the conveniences of not travelling to class and flexibility are attractive to most adult learners, they are not enough to sustain the learning process. Student input into the structure of the class and the learning process is effective in any educational setting, but is crucial for adults.
No surprise, the types of media used in the course emerged as the greates considerating, thus further reinforcing the idea of being comfortable in your learning environment. Additionally, selecting the type of assignments you receive ensures that the learning involved is better directed at targeting a desired or necessary learning goal. What is interesting in the data is that students place greater value on the class setting than on the learning goals themselves – in other words, the class environment in which learning occurs is more important than the learning goals themselves. This emphasizes the importance that if you are not comfortable in your learning setting, you are not as likely to effectively learn.
Another interesting set of data around the andragogy question was the importance of due dates for assignments and their grading. Both were considered important and were almost statistically equal, but below type of media used and class assignments. Would such results be obtained from students in primary or secondary students? This is especially true of the type of students who are striving to get into Harvard, Stanford or other elite schools, for which grades are the omnipotent consideration.
When comparing these results together, it clearly demonstrates a concern about grades on the part of adults, but also emphasizes the quality of learning as the greatest priority. Such results would likely be replicated in future studies performed at the college and professional levels. What is not known is what these results would look like with primary or secondary students.
Overall, the study of new media on online learning has confirmed the value of learning relevant material for adults and working in a forum that is comfortable for the participants to use. In designing an online class, it would be prudent on the part of a professor to understand the technology comfort level of their students in order to develop the best possible balance of incorporating new media and creating a comfortable learning environment to maximize the learning potential of their students.
Citations
Berdarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education. 27 (2), 139-153.
Dickey, M. (2004). The impact of web-logs (blogs) on student perceptions of isolationand alienation in a web-based distance-learning environment. Open Learning, 19(3), 279-291.
Fozdar, B.I., Kumar, L.S. (2007) Moblie learning and student retention. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning 8, http://www.irrodl.org/index/php/irrodl/article/view/345/927
Glogoff, S. (2005). Instructional blogging: Promoting interactivy, student centered learning, and peer input. Innovate, 1 (5), 1-6.
Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lam, P., & McNaught, C. (2006). Design and evaluation of online courses containinig media-enhanced learning materials. Educational Media International, 43(3), 199-218
Luanne F., Martin M., (May 2007). Plugging into students' digital DNA: five myths prohibiting proper podcasting pedagogy in the new classroom domain. Vol. 3, No 3.
Sparks, P., Mentz, L. (2006). electronic not passing: Enriching online learning with new communication tools. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 2(4), 1-6.
Weller, M., Pegler, C., Mason, R. (2005). Use of innovative technoloties on an e-learning course. The Internet and Higher Education, 8(1), 61-71.
Witte, S. (2007). That's online writing, not boring school wirting: Writing with blogs and the Talkback Project. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 51, 92-96
Appendix
The survey itself:
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this class study about online learning being conducted as part of a class project in ETEC 543 under the direction of Dr. Brian Newberry (newberry@csusb.edu). We are interested to know more about how students view a variety of technologies used for online learning and how online courses may be organized.
The survey you are about to answer will ask about a variety of technologies that may be used in online classes. Please read through the following description of these technologies and their characteristics. In some cases you may not know very much about a particular technology. That is ok. Use your best judgment about the technology and its suitability for the described activities. Some of the technologies that this survey will ask about are:
Email - Text based asynchronous communication.
Video Conference - Video based synchronous conversation.
Blog - Student ‘owned’ webspace for posting text, graphics and documents.
Podcast - Audio file that is downloaded and played on a portable media player (iPod) or computer.
Podcast Enhanced with Graphics - Audio and visual file that is downloaded and played on a portable media player (iPod) or computer.
Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board - Text based asynchronous communication that stores threads or posts for everyone to view and respond to.
Voice Over Internet - Synchronous audio conversation, similar to a phone call but using the Internet and computers instead of phones. For example, Skype.
This survey is voluntary and completely anonymous. No attempt will be made to connect you to your responses and you may choose to withdraw from this study at any time. This survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.
By continuing on to the survey you are agreeing to participate in this study and you are stipulating that you are over the age of 18. Again, thank you for your participation.
CONTINUE TO SURVEY [button]
Do you own a personal media player (iPod etc.)? (y/n)
Directions: On the following items indicate your preference for an activity with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal.
Listen to non-music podcasts on a portable media player.
Directions: Please respond to the following items as if you were about to begin an online class that had podcasts as a way of providing course content. For the purpose of this study a podcast is an audio file that is downloaded and used by the student when and how they choose. On the following items indicate your preference for an activity with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal.
Listen to course podcasts while I engaged in other tasks such as commuting, working, walking etc.
Read a transcript of a course podcast on my computer instead of listening to the audio version.
Print a transcript of a course podcast to use as a listening guide and to help me focus on the podcast content.
Listen to an audio only podcast on a portable media player.
Listen to an audio only podcast on a computer.
Use a podcast that included visual aides such as charts, graphs and images to help illustrate the content of the podcast.
Use a podcast that included visual aides such as charts, graphs and images on a portable media player.
Use a podcast that included visual aides such as charts, graphs and images on a computer.
Directions: Please respond to the following items as if you were about to begin an online class that had a variety of communications possibilities. On the following items indicate your preference for using each media type for the listed purpose with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal. Please mark your preference for each technology based on your understanding of the technology, even if you do not posses the ability to use that technology at the present time. Keep in mind that you are rating the technology and its use for the listed purpose and not the task or purpose itself.
Communicating with the instructor about problems in class:
Email Video ConferenceBlog (Text Based)Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics) Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based) Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Communicating with other students to learn more about them:
Email Video ConferenceBlog (Text Based) Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics) Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based) Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Receiving grades and instructor evaluations of my work:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based) Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based) Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Submitting my assignments to the instructor for grading:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based) Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based)Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Sharing my assignments with other students for peer review:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based)Podcast (Audio Only)Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based)Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Receiving course lectures and course related content:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based)Podcast (Audio Only)Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based)Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Directions: Please respond to the following items about choice in online classes. On the following items indicate your preference for an activity with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal.
Having a lot of choice about the assignments that I do for the class.
Having a lot of choice about how assignments that I do for the class are graded or evaluated.
Having a lot of choice about the due dates for assignments in the class.
Having a lot of choice about the type of media or communications technologies used in the class.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Assignment 11, Results
Data collection was taken between the dates of October 29, 2007 and November 5, 2007. Once all data was received, incompleted surveys were excluded from the data studied. All complete remaining data was entered into a statistical analysis program called SPSS to determine the existence of correlates to help answer the three questions to our research questions.
Research Question 1: Is there a relationship between previous non-music
portable media (podcasts) consumption and receptiveness for portable media
use in online learning?
To answer research question 1 we are going to examine the correlation between item 2
and the three items directly related to using podcasts in courses items 3, 6 and 9.
Correlations
Would not paste properly
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Reporting the correlations:
Correlation coefficients were computed between the items related to respondent prior use of non-music podcasts and use of portable podcasts for course related purposes. All three correlations were significant at the .05 level. The correlations between prior non-music podcast use and instructional use of podcasts were positive meaning that as respondents reported more use of non-music podcasts they also reported higher preference for use of podcasts in classes. The results of the correlations are presented in table 1.
_____________________________________________________________________
Podcast/Tasks Player Enhanced
_____________________________________________________________________
Prior Use .609* .465* .293*
* P<.05
_____________________________________________________________________
Table 1 Correlations Between Prior Non-Music Podcast Use and Preference for Portability in Class Podcast Use (N = 64)
Research Question 2: What media types do students prefer to use for
different course activities related to instructor-student interaction,
student-student interaction, and student-context interaction?
To answer Research Question 2 we will examine the mean results for items 11-52 which were the items we developed for the use of different technologies for common course related communications. Included in the table are the number of participants who completed the survey (N=64), the range and mean (average) of the Likert scales for each question, and the standard deviation for each question for which data was collected.
Descriptive Statistics
Would not paste properly
Another way to look at this is to look at the means for each technology across all the
items.
Email items 11, 18, 25, 32, 39, 46
Video Conference items 12, 19, 26, 33, 40, 47
Blog items 13, 20, 27, 34, 41, 48
Podcast (audio only) items 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49
Podcast (enhanced) items 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50
Threaded discussion items 16, 23, 30, 37, 44, 51
Voice over internet items 17, 24, 31, 38, 45, 52
Descriptive Statistics
Would not paste properly
Reporting these data:
Means were computed for each of the technology items across the various course related communication tasks. Email was rated as most preferred (M=4.45, SD=.62), threaded discussion was next preferred (M= 3.30, SD =1.10) with blogs almost being rated almost as highly (M=3.15, SD=1.13) and near the middle of the scale. Enhanced podcasts (M= 2.79, SD=1.04), video conferencing (M=2.77, SD=1.03), audio only podcasts (M=2.50, SD=.93) and voice over Internet (M=2.52, SD=1.02) were below the middle of the 5 point Likert scale indicating that they were not preferred for course related communication. These means are reported in table 2.
_____________________________________________________
Technology Mean Standard Deviation
_____________________________________________________
Email 4.45 .62
Threaded Discussion 3.30 1.10
Blogs 3.15 1.13
Enhanced Podcasts 2.79 1.04
Video Conferencing 2.77 1.03
Audio Only Podcasts 2.50 .93
Voice Over Internet 2.52 1.02
______________________________________________________
Table 2 Means and Standard Deviations of Technologies Used for
Course Related Communication (N=64)
Research Question 3: What level of involvement in planning, organizing,
grading, and making media choices do adult online learners desire?
To answer Research Question 3 we will examine means for items 53-56 which
were the items we developed related to andragogy.
Descriptive Statistics
Would not paste properly
Reporting the data:
For items 52-56, the number of parcipants is included (N=64), the range and mean (average) of the Likert scores are provided, and the standard deviation of the responses for each question is calculated. These questions focused on factors directly to andragogy. In this area, the greatest consideration was given to having a choice of what media communication forum would be used for the class (M=4.41, SD=.886),. The second most important factor included what assignments would be done in class (M=4.28, SD=.983). This was followed by due dates for assignments (M=3.80, SD=1.198), and grading of assignments (M=3.77, SD=1.165), which were statistically very close. These means are reported in table 4. _______ Data collection was taken between the dates of October 29, 2007 and November 5, 2007. Once all data was received, incompleted surveys were excluded from the data studied. All complete remaining data was entered into a statistical analysis program called SPSS to determine the existence of correlates to help answer the three questions to our research questions.
Research Question 1: Is there a relationship between previous non-music
portable media (podcasts) consumption and receptiveness for portable media
use in online learning?
To answer research question 1 we are going to examine the correlation between item 2
and the three items directly related to using podcasts in courses items 3, 6 and 9.
Correlations
Would not paste properly
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Reporting the correlations:
Correlation coefficients were computed between the items related to respondent prior use of non-music podcasts and use of portable podcasts for course related purposes. All three correlations were significant at the .05 level. The correlations between prior non-music podcast use and instructional use of podcasts were positive meaning that as respondents reported more use of non-music podcasts they also reported higher preference for use of podcasts in classes. The results of the correlations are presented in table 1.
_____________________________________________________________________
Podcast/Tasks Player Enhanced
_____________________________________________________________________
Prior Use .609* .465* .293*
* P<.05
_____________________________________________________________________
Table 1 Correlations Between Prior Non-Music Podcast Use and Preference for Portability in Class Podcast Use (N = 64)
Research Question 2: What media types do students prefer to use for
different course activities related to instructor-student interaction,
student-student interaction, and student-context interaction?
To answer Research Question 2 we will examine the mean results for items 11-52 which were the items we developed for the use of different technologies for common course related communications. Included in the table are the number of participants who completed the survey (N=64), the range and mean (average) of the Likert scales for each question, and the standard deviation for each question for which data was collected.
Descriptive Statistics would not paste properly.
Another way to look at this is to look at the means for each technology across all the
items.
Email items 11, 18, 25, 32, 39, 46
Video Conference items 12, 19, 26, 33, 40, 47
Blog items 13, 20, 27, 34, 41, 48
Podcast (audio only) items 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49
Podcast (enhanced) items 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50
Threaded discussion items 16, 23, 30, 37, 44, 51
Voice over internet items 17, 24, 31, 38, 45, 52
Table would not paste.
Reporting these data:
Means were computed for each of the technology items across the various course related communication tasks. Email was rated as most preferred (M=4.45, SD=.62), threaded discussion was next preferred (M= 3.30, SD =1.10) with blogs almost being rated almost as highly (M=3.15, SD=1.13) and near the middle of the scale. Enhanced podcasts (M= 2.79, SD=1.04), video conferencing (M=2.77, SD=1.03), audio only podcasts (M=2.50, SD=.93) and voice over Internet (M=2.52, SD=1.02) were below the middle of the 5 point Likert scale indicating that they were not preferred for course related communication. These means are reported in table 2.
_____________________________________________________
Technology Mean Standard Deviation
_____________________________________________________
Email 4.45 .62
Threaded Discussion 3.30 1.10
Blogs 3.15 1.13
Enhanced Podcasts 2.79 1.04
Video Conferencing 2.77 1.03
Audio Only Podcasts 2.50 .93
Voice Over Internet 2.52 1.02
______________________________________________________
Table 2 Means and Standard Deviations of Technologies Used for
Course Related Communication (N=64)
Research Question 3: What level of involvement in planning, organizing,
grading, and making media choices do adult online learners desire?
To answer Research Question 3 we will examine means for items 53-56 which
were the items we developed related to andragogy.
Reporting the data:
For items 52-56, the number of parcipants is included (N=64), the range and mean (average) of the Likert scores are provided, and the standard deviation of the responses for each question is calculated. These questions focused on factors directly to andragogy. In this area, the greatest consideration was given to having a choice of what media communication forum would be used for the class (M=4.41, SD=.886),. The second most important factor included what assignments would be done in class (M=4.28, SD=.983). This was followed by due dates for assignments (M=3.80, SD=1.198), and grading of assignments (M=3.77, SD=1.165), which were statistically very close. These means are reported in table 4. ____________________________________________________
Factors Mean Standard Deviation
_____________________________________________________
Types of Media Used 4.41 .886
Assignments for Class 4.28 .983
Due dates for Assignments 3.80 1.198
Grading of Assignments 3.77 1.165
______________________________________________________
Table 4: Factors related to andragogy in adult learning environments. (N=64)
_____________________________________________
Factors Mean Standard Deviation
_____________________________________________________
Types of Media Used 4.41 .886
Assignments for Class 4.28 .983
Due dates for Assignments 3.80 1.198
Grading of Assignments 3.77 1.165
______________________________________________________
Table 4: Factors related to andragogy in adult learning environments. (N=64)
Research Question 1: Is there a relationship between previous non-music
portable media (podcasts) consumption and receptiveness for portable media
use in online learning?
To answer research question 1 we are going to examine the correlation between item 2
and the three items directly related to using podcasts in courses items 3, 6 and 9.
Correlations
Would not paste properly
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Reporting the correlations:
Correlation coefficients were computed between the items related to respondent prior use of non-music podcasts and use of portable podcasts for course related purposes. All three correlations were significant at the .05 level. The correlations between prior non-music podcast use and instructional use of podcasts were positive meaning that as respondents reported more use of non-music podcasts they also reported higher preference for use of podcasts in classes. The results of the correlations are presented in table 1.
_____________________________________________________________________
Podcast/Tasks Player Enhanced
_____________________________________________________________________
Prior Use .609* .465* .293*
* P<.05
_____________________________________________________________________
Table 1 Correlations Between Prior Non-Music Podcast Use and Preference for Portability in Class Podcast Use (N = 64)
Research Question 2: What media types do students prefer to use for
different course activities related to instructor-student interaction,
student-student interaction, and student-context interaction?
To answer Research Question 2 we will examine the mean results for items 11-52 which were the items we developed for the use of different technologies for common course related communications. Included in the table are the number of participants who completed the survey (N=64), the range and mean (average) of the Likert scales for each question, and the standard deviation for each question for which data was collected.
Descriptive Statistics
Would not paste properly
Another way to look at this is to look at the means for each technology across all the
items.
Email items 11, 18, 25, 32, 39, 46
Video Conference items 12, 19, 26, 33, 40, 47
Blog items 13, 20, 27, 34, 41, 48
Podcast (audio only) items 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49
Podcast (enhanced) items 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50
Threaded discussion items 16, 23, 30, 37, 44, 51
Voice over internet items 17, 24, 31, 38, 45, 52
Descriptive Statistics
Would not paste properly
Reporting these data:
Means were computed for each of the technology items across the various course related communication tasks. Email was rated as most preferred (M=4.45, SD=.62), threaded discussion was next preferred (M= 3.30, SD =1.10) with blogs almost being rated almost as highly (M=3.15, SD=1.13) and near the middle of the scale. Enhanced podcasts (M= 2.79, SD=1.04), video conferencing (M=2.77, SD=1.03), audio only podcasts (M=2.50, SD=.93) and voice over Internet (M=2.52, SD=1.02) were below the middle of the 5 point Likert scale indicating that they were not preferred for course related communication. These means are reported in table 2.
_____________________________________________________
Technology Mean Standard Deviation
_____________________________________________________
Email 4.45 .62
Threaded Discussion 3.30 1.10
Blogs 3.15 1.13
Enhanced Podcasts 2.79 1.04
Video Conferencing 2.77 1.03
Audio Only Podcasts 2.50 .93
Voice Over Internet 2.52 1.02
______________________________________________________
Table 2 Means and Standard Deviations of Technologies Used for
Course Related Communication (N=64)
Research Question 3: What level of involvement in planning, organizing,
grading, and making media choices do adult online learners desire?
To answer Research Question 3 we will examine means for items 53-56 which
were the items we developed related to andragogy.
Descriptive Statistics
Would not paste properly
Reporting the data:
For items 52-56, the number of parcipants is included (N=64), the range and mean (average) of the Likert scores are provided, and the standard deviation of the responses for each question is calculated. These questions focused on factors directly to andragogy. In this area, the greatest consideration was given to having a choice of what media communication forum would be used for the class (M=4.41, SD=.886),. The second most important factor included what assignments would be done in class (M=4.28, SD=.983). This was followed by due dates for assignments (M=3.80, SD=1.198), and grading of assignments (M=3.77, SD=1.165), which were statistically very close. These means are reported in table 4. _______ Data collection was taken between the dates of October 29, 2007 and November 5, 2007. Once all data was received, incompleted surveys were excluded from the data studied. All complete remaining data was entered into a statistical analysis program called SPSS to determine the existence of correlates to help answer the three questions to our research questions.
Research Question 1: Is there a relationship between previous non-music
portable media (podcasts) consumption and receptiveness for portable media
use in online learning?
To answer research question 1 we are going to examine the correlation between item 2
and the three items directly related to using podcasts in courses items 3, 6 and 9.
Correlations
Would not paste properly
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Reporting the correlations:
Correlation coefficients were computed between the items related to respondent prior use of non-music podcasts and use of portable podcasts for course related purposes. All three correlations were significant at the .05 level. The correlations between prior non-music podcast use and instructional use of podcasts were positive meaning that as respondents reported more use of non-music podcasts they also reported higher preference for use of podcasts in classes. The results of the correlations are presented in table 1.
_____________________________________________________________________
Podcast/Tasks Player Enhanced
_____________________________________________________________________
Prior Use .609* .465* .293*
* P<.05
_____________________________________________________________________
Table 1 Correlations Between Prior Non-Music Podcast Use and Preference for Portability in Class Podcast Use (N = 64)
Research Question 2: What media types do students prefer to use for
different course activities related to instructor-student interaction,
student-student interaction, and student-context interaction?
To answer Research Question 2 we will examine the mean results for items 11-52 which were the items we developed for the use of different technologies for common course related communications. Included in the table are the number of participants who completed the survey (N=64), the range and mean (average) of the Likert scales for each question, and the standard deviation for each question for which data was collected.
Descriptive Statistics would not paste properly.
Another way to look at this is to look at the means for each technology across all the
items.
Email items 11, 18, 25, 32, 39, 46
Video Conference items 12, 19, 26, 33, 40, 47
Blog items 13, 20, 27, 34, 41, 48
Podcast (audio only) items 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49
Podcast (enhanced) items 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50
Threaded discussion items 16, 23, 30, 37, 44, 51
Voice over internet items 17, 24, 31, 38, 45, 52
Table would not paste.
Reporting these data:
Means were computed for each of the technology items across the various course related communication tasks. Email was rated as most preferred (M=4.45, SD=.62), threaded discussion was next preferred (M= 3.30, SD =1.10) with blogs almost being rated almost as highly (M=3.15, SD=1.13) and near the middle of the scale. Enhanced podcasts (M= 2.79, SD=1.04), video conferencing (M=2.77, SD=1.03), audio only podcasts (M=2.50, SD=.93) and voice over Internet (M=2.52, SD=1.02) were below the middle of the 5 point Likert scale indicating that they were not preferred for course related communication. These means are reported in table 2.
_____________________________________________________
Technology Mean Standard Deviation
_____________________________________________________
Email 4.45 .62
Threaded Discussion 3.30 1.10
Blogs 3.15 1.13
Enhanced Podcasts 2.79 1.04
Video Conferencing 2.77 1.03
Audio Only Podcasts 2.50 .93
Voice Over Internet 2.52 1.02
______________________________________________________
Table 2 Means and Standard Deviations of Technologies Used for
Course Related Communication (N=64)
Research Question 3: What level of involvement in planning, organizing,
grading, and making media choices do adult online learners desire?
To answer Research Question 3 we will examine means for items 53-56 which
were the items we developed related to andragogy.
Reporting the data:
For items 52-56, the number of parcipants is included (N=64), the range and mean (average) of the Likert scores are provided, and the standard deviation of the responses for each question is calculated. These questions focused on factors directly to andragogy. In this area, the greatest consideration was given to having a choice of what media communication forum would be used for the class (M=4.41, SD=.886),. The second most important factor included what assignments would be done in class (M=4.28, SD=.983). This was followed by due dates for assignments (M=3.80, SD=1.198), and grading of assignments (M=3.77, SD=1.165), which were statistically very close. These means are reported in table 4. ____________________________________________________
Factors Mean Standard Deviation
_____________________________________________________
Types of Media Used 4.41 .886
Assignments for Class 4.28 .983
Due dates for Assignments 3.80 1.198
Grading of Assignments 3.77 1.165
______________________________________________________
Table 4: Factors related to andragogy in adult learning environments. (N=64)
_____________________________________________
Factors Mean Standard Deviation
_____________________________________________________
Types of Media Used 4.41 .886
Assignments for Class 4.28 .983
Due dates for Assignments 3.80 1.198
Grading of Assignments 3.77 1.165
______________________________________________________
Table 4: Factors related to andragogy in adult learning environments. (N=64)
Assignment 11, Discussion
The research confirms some well-known but significant information in relation to two components of new media in online learning.
An important consideration for effective learning is for the student to be comfortable in the learning environment in which they interact. This research confirms this idea when students state that their preference for communicating through email. Most people, whether for personal purposes or professional responsibilities, utilize or rely upon email as a major means of communication. Other forms of communication including blogs, message boards, voice over internet have yet to be mainstreamed into our daily professional and personal lives. Until other technologies are more commonplace, email will likely remain the more common mode of communication.
Because this study was performed with a random population which may not have had a high comfort level with various forms of the latest technology media, the results may not be reliable if a specified population were targeted. If a population of computer-savvy media majors were selected to participate in the survey, the results may appear quite different. With a tightly controlled population of participants who were comfortable with new technology, it could be possible to better determine the media most effective for online learning if all the media being considered were in common use for all participants involved.
It is also no coincidence that participants in the study who were experienced with non-music podcasts had a stronger preference for portable media in online learning. The portability of a podcast augments the flexibility of watching a lesson anytime. Given the numerous demands of adult learners outside of their learning circles, this is no small consideration. The research further reinforces the importance of students being comfortable in their learning environment – by not being comfortable with the format of the learning forum (new media), the students are less likely to utilize the forum.
The second component that is crucial for the success of new media in online learning is the andragogy. Whereas the conveniences of not travelling to class and flexibility are attractive to most adult learneres, they are not enough to sustain the learning process. Student input into the structure of the class and the learning process is effective in any educational setting, but is crucial for adults.
No surprise, the types of media used in the course emerged as the greates considerating, thus further reinforcing the idea of being comfortable in your learning environment. Additionally, selecting the type of assignments you receive ensures that the learning involved is better directed at targeting a desired or necessary learning goal. What is interesting in the data is that students place greater value on the class setting than on the learning goals themselves – in other words, the class environment in which learning occurs is more important than the learning goals themselves. This emphasizes the importance that if you are not comfortable in your learning setting, you are not as likely to effectively learn.
Another interesting set of data around the andragogy question was the importance of due dates for assignments and their grading. Both were considered important and were almost statisticly equal, but below type of media used and class assignments. Would such results be obtained from students in primary or secondary students? This is espceially true of the type of students who are striving to get into Harvard, Stanford or other elite schools, for which grades are the omnipotent consideration.
When comparing these results together, it clearly demonstrates a concern about grades on the part of adults, but also empahsizes the quality of learning as the greatest priority. Such results would likely be replicated in future studies performed at the college and professional levels. What is not know is what these results would look like with primary or secondary students.
Overall, the study of new media on online learning has confirmed the value of learning relevant material for adults and working in a forum that is comfortable for the participants to use. In designing an online class, it would be prudent on the part of a professor to understand the technology comfort level of their students in order to develop the best possible balance of incorportating new media and creating a comfortable learning environment to maximize the learning potential of their students.
An important consideration for effective learning is for the student to be comfortable in the learning environment in which they interact. This research confirms this idea when students state that their preference for communicating through email. Most people, whether for personal purposes or professional responsibilities, utilize or rely upon email as a major means of communication. Other forms of communication including blogs, message boards, voice over internet have yet to be mainstreamed into our daily professional and personal lives. Until other technologies are more commonplace, email will likely remain the more common mode of communication.
Because this study was performed with a random population which may not have had a high comfort level with various forms of the latest technology media, the results may not be reliable if a specified population were targeted. If a population of computer-savvy media majors were selected to participate in the survey, the results may appear quite different. With a tightly controlled population of participants who were comfortable with new technology, it could be possible to better determine the media most effective for online learning if all the media being considered were in common use for all participants involved.
It is also no coincidence that participants in the study who were experienced with non-music podcasts had a stronger preference for portable media in online learning. The portability of a podcast augments the flexibility of watching a lesson anytime. Given the numerous demands of adult learners outside of their learning circles, this is no small consideration. The research further reinforces the importance of students being comfortable in their learning environment – by not being comfortable with the format of the learning forum (new media), the students are less likely to utilize the forum.
The second component that is crucial for the success of new media in online learning is the andragogy. Whereas the conveniences of not travelling to class and flexibility are attractive to most adult learneres, they are not enough to sustain the learning process. Student input into the structure of the class and the learning process is effective in any educational setting, but is crucial for adults.
No surprise, the types of media used in the course emerged as the greates considerating, thus further reinforcing the idea of being comfortable in your learning environment. Additionally, selecting the type of assignments you receive ensures that the learning involved is better directed at targeting a desired or necessary learning goal. What is interesting in the data is that students place greater value on the class setting than on the learning goals themselves – in other words, the class environment in which learning occurs is more important than the learning goals themselves. This emphasizes the importance that if you are not comfortable in your learning setting, you are not as likely to effectively learn.
Another interesting set of data around the andragogy question was the importance of due dates for assignments and their grading. Both were considered important and were almost statisticly equal, but below type of media used and class assignments. Would such results be obtained from students in primary or secondary students? This is espceially true of the type of students who are striving to get into Harvard, Stanford or other elite schools, for which grades are the omnipotent consideration.
When comparing these results together, it clearly demonstrates a concern about grades on the part of adults, but also empahsizes the quality of learning as the greatest priority. Such results would likely be replicated in future studies performed at the college and professional levels. What is not know is what these results would look like with primary or secondary students.
Overall, the study of new media on online learning has confirmed the value of learning relevant material for adults and working in a forum that is comfortable for the participants to use. In designing an online class, it would be prudent on the part of a professor to understand the technology comfort level of their students in order to develop the best possible balance of incorportating new media and creating a comfortable learning environment to maximize the learning potential of their students.
Assignment 11, Introduction
As advances in technology continue to be developed, the responsibility of people to keep pace with being proficient in these advances continues to increase. Not only is it important to learn these technologies for their employment in the workforce, but it can also serve as the conduit by which their learning needs can be fulfilled. The tools of learning and classroom settings are being quickly supplemented with videotaped lessons, which can be played on laptops, ipods and PCs’ while reclining in the barkalounger; face-to-face interaction – the bread-and-butter of formal education is being augmented and sometimes replaced by emails, skype and blogs; feedback on assignments received exclusively from the teacher can now be received (anonymously if appropriate) from classmates to deepen the learning experience. Such is the future of education in the 21st century.
With these numerous possibilities and potentials, consideration and research is necessary to determine the impact and effectiveness of new media on online learning – this is the focus of this study.
With the emergence of new technology, it is important to ascertain whether such new technology may better serve a learing goal better than technology currently being implemented in the online learning environment. As new technologies quickly emerge, some may make the erroneous assumption that a new technology will be the best one adapted for their online classroom. Only the completion of such research will allow the best possible instructional environment for people to effectively learn.
In spite of all the new technology, the crucial element that cannot be ignored is the human element. Specifically, the learning needs of adults (andragogy) are considered, and is a focal point of the questions for this study. Although the capacity of technology continues to change, the qualities by which adults better learn do not. In performing this study, we hope to better understand through the interaction of adult learners with new media in online learning, which qualities of these new media maximize humans’ learning potential.
With these numerous possibilities and potentials, consideration and research is necessary to determine the impact and effectiveness of new media on online learning – this is the focus of this study.
With the emergence of new technology, it is important to ascertain whether such new technology may better serve a learing goal better than technology currently being implemented in the online learning environment. As new technologies quickly emerge, some may make the erroneous assumption that a new technology will be the best one adapted for their online classroom. Only the completion of such research will allow the best possible instructional environment for people to effectively learn.
In spite of all the new technology, the crucial element that cannot be ignored is the human element. Specifically, the learning needs of adults (andragogy) are considered, and is a focal point of the questions for this study. Although the capacity of technology continues to change, the qualities by which adults better learn do not. In performing this study, we hope to better understand through the interaction of adult learners with new media in online learning, which qualities of these new media maximize humans’ learning potential.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Assignment 10, Method Section
To understand the impact of new media in online learning, structured research methods were developed to assist in clarifying this relationship. For this study, research participation, instrumentation and implementation are included and outlined forthwith.
Participation:
For this study, participants were selected through an informal process of acquaintances through email and face-to-face requests. The selection criteria sought to seek participants who had some higher education as well as some familiarity with online learning. The acquaintances who were contacted were all individuals who worked in secondary education in an administrative capacity; all of these people possessed at least a Bachelors' degree. All participants were sent the hyperlink in the email, and were informed that the results of their survey were anonymous.
Instrumentation:
The instrument used for this study involved an online survey. The development of the questions in the survey involved graduate level students enrolled in an online Instructional Technology class reading research articles pertaining to new media and online learning. These article reports were posted on a blog for classmates to comment on and to be used to formulate potential research questions. With the submission of several questions from all of the students, the instructor formulated major areas of interest and selected three research questions for the focus of the survey:
Research Question 1: Is there a relationship between the amount of portable media (podcasts) a student consumes and their desire for portable media use in online learning?
Research Question 2: What level of involvement in planning, organizing, and making media choices do adult online learners desire?
Research Question 3: Is the use of collaboration to comment on other students’ work viewed as beneficial by online students?
Research Question 4: What media types to students express a preference for using for a variety of activities related to instructor-student interaction, student-student interaction, and student-content interaction?
From the research questions, several specific components in each question were included. Participants were asked to select on a Likert Scale from 1-5 to share their preferences towards portable media, types of media forums, and types of student involvement. An answer of one meant that they did not like it at all, and an answer of 5 meant that students liked it a lot.
In the beginning of the online survey, information is provided about the source of the survey. It also reassures the participants that it is fine if they are not familiar with some of the technology asked about in the survey. Additional information in the form of definitions is also provided to clarify the different types of technology being asked for in the survey. Finally, participants are reassured that their responses are anonymous and that they may withdraw from participating in the survey at anytime if they so choose.
Procedure:
Implementing the online survey involved selecting the potential pool of participants, collecting their email addresses, and preparing the email - including the hyperlink to the online survey. They were informed about the nature of the survey, the time it would take them to complete it, and that their responses would remain anonymous. They were also told that they did not need to reply to the email nor participate in the survey. Without knowing who has and who has not completed the survey, one of the difficulties is to determine the reliability and validity of the information collected. Additionally, without knowing the specific educational background and other participant demographics, valuable correlates may not be verifiable from the research collected.
Appendix
The survey itself:
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this class study about online learning being conducted as part of a class project in ETEC 543 under the direction of Dr. Brian Newberry (newberry@csusb.edu). We are interested to know more about how students view a variety of technologies used for online learning and how online courses may be organized.
The survey you are about to answer will ask about a variety of technologies that may be used in online classes. Please read through the following description of these technologies and their characteristics. In some cases you may not know very much about a particular technology. That is ok. Use your best judgement about the technology and its suitability for the described activities. Some of the technologies that this survey will ask about are:
Email - Text based asynchronous communication.
Video Conference - Video based synchronous conversation.
Blog - Student ‘owned’ webspace for posting text, graphics and documents.
Podcast - Audio file that is downloaded and played on a portable media player (iPod) or computer.
Podcast Enhanced with Graphics - Audio and visual file that is downloaded and played on a portable media player (iPod) or computer.
Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board - Text based asynchronous communication that stores threads or posts for everyone to view and respond to.
Voice Over Internet - Synchronous audio conversation, similar to a phone call but using the Internet and computers instead of phones. For example, Skype.
This survey is voluntary and completely anonymous. No attempt will be made to connect you to your responses and you may choose to withdraw from this study at any time. This survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.
By continuing on to the survey you are agreeing to participate in this study and you are stipulating that you are over the age of 18. Again, thank you for your participation.
CONTINUE TO SURVEY [button]
Do you own a personal media player (iPod etc.)? (y/n)
Directions: On the following items indicate your preference for an activity with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal.
Listen to non-music podcasts on a portable media player.
Directions: Please respond to the following items as if you were about to begin an online class that had podcasts as a way of providing course content. For the purpose of this study a podcast is an audio file that is downloaded and used by the student when and how they choose. On the following items indicate your preference for an activity with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal.
Listen to course podcasts while I engaged in other tasks such as commuting, working, walking etc.
Read a transcript of a course podcast on my computer instead of listening to the audio version.
Print a transcript of a course podcast to use as a listening guide and to help me focus on the podcast content.
Listen to an audio only podcast on a portable media player.
Listen to an audio only podcast on a computer.
Use a podcast that included visual aides such as charts, graphs and images to help illustrate the content of the podcast.
Use a podcast that included visual aides such as charts, graphs and images on a portable media player.
Use a podcast that included visual aides such as charts, graphs and images on a computer.
Directions: Please respond to the following items as if you were about to begin an online class that had a variety of communications possibilities. On the following items indicate your preference for using each media type for the listed purpose with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal. Please mark your preference for each technology based on your understanding of the technology, even if you do not posses the ability to use that technology at the present time. Keep in mind that you are rating the technology and its use for the listed purpose and not the task or purpose itself.
Communicating with the instructor about problems in class:
Email Video ConferenceBlog (Text Based)Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics) Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based) Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Communicating with other students to learn more about them:
Email Video ConferenceBlog (Text Based) Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics) Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based) Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Receiving grades and instructor evaluations of my work:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based) Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based) Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Submitting my assignments to the instructor for grading:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based) Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based)Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Sharing my assignments with other students for peer review:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based)Podcast (Audio Only)Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based)Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Receiving course lectures and course related content:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based)Podcast (Audio Only)Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based)Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Directions: Please respond to the following items about choice in online classes. On the following items indicate your preference for an activity with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal.
Having a lot of choice about the assignments that I do for the class.
Having a lot of choice about how assignments that I do for the class are graded or evaluated.
Having a lot of choice about the due dates for assignments in the class.
Having a lot of choice about the type of media or communications technologies used in the class.
CLICK WHEN DONE [button]
Participation:
For this study, participants were selected through an informal process of acquaintances through email and face-to-face requests. The selection criteria sought to seek participants who had some higher education as well as some familiarity with online learning. The acquaintances who were contacted were all individuals who worked in secondary education in an administrative capacity; all of these people possessed at least a Bachelors' degree. All participants were sent the hyperlink in the email, and were informed that the results of their survey were anonymous.
Instrumentation:
The instrument used for this study involved an online survey. The development of the questions in the survey involved graduate level students enrolled in an online Instructional Technology class reading research articles pertaining to new media and online learning. These article reports were posted on a blog for classmates to comment on and to be used to formulate potential research questions. With the submission of several questions from all of the students, the instructor formulated major areas of interest and selected three research questions for the focus of the survey:
Research Question 1: Is there a relationship between the amount of portable media (podcasts) a student consumes and their desire for portable media use in online learning?
Research Question 2: What level of involvement in planning, organizing, and making media choices do adult online learners desire?
Research Question 3: Is the use of collaboration to comment on other students’ work viewed as beneficial by online students?
Research Question 4: What media types to students express a preference for using for a variety of activities related to instructor-student interaction, student-student interaction, and student-content interaction?
From the research questions, several specific components in each question were included. Participants were asked to select on a Likert Scale from 1-5 to share their preferences towards portable media, types of media forums, and types of student involvement. An answer of one meant that they did not like it at all, and an answer of 5 meant that students liked it a lot.
In the beginning of the online survey, information is provided about the source of the survey. It also reassures the participants that it is fine if they are not familiar with some of the technology asked about in the survey. Additional information in the form of definitions is also provided to clarify the different types of technology being asked for in the survey. Finally, participants are reassured that their responses are anonymous and that they may withdraw from participating in the survey at anytime if they so choose.
Procedure:
Implementing the online survey involved selecting the potential pool of participants, collecting their email addresses, and preparing the email - including the hyperlink to the online survey. They were informed about the nature of the survey, the time it would take them to complete it, and that their responses would remain anonymous. They were also told that they did not need to reply to the email nor participate in the survey. Without knowing who has and who has not completed the survey, one of the difficulties is to determine the reliability and validity of the information collected. Additionally, without knowing the specific educational background and other participant demographics, valuable correlates may not be verifiable from the research collected.
Appendix
The survey itself:
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this class study about online learning being conducted as part of a class project in ETEC 543 under the direction of Dr. Brian Newberry (newberry@csusb.edu). We are interested to know more about how students view a variety of technologies used for online learning and how online courses may be organized.
The survey you are about to answer will ask about a variety of technologies that may be used in online classes. Please read through the following description of these technologies and their characteristics. In some cases you may not know very much about a particular technology. That is ok. Use your best judgement about the technology and its suitability for the described activities. Some of the technologies that this survey will ask about are:
Email - Text based asynchronous communication.
Video Conference - Video based synchronous conversation.
Blog - Student ‘owned’ webspace for posting text, graphics and documents.
Podcast - Audio file that is downloaded and played on a portable media player (iPod) or computer.
Podcast Enhanced with Graphics - Audio and visual file that is downloaded and played on a portable media player (iPod) or computer.
Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board - Text based asynchronous communication that stores threads or posts for everyone to view and respond to.
Voice Over Internet - Synchronous audio conversation, similar to a phone call but using the Internet and computers instead of phones. For example, Skype.
This survey is voluntary and completely anonymous. No attempt will be made to connect you to your responses and you may choose to withdraw from this study at any time. This survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.
By continuing on to the survey you are agreeing to participate in this study and you are stipulating that you are over the age of 18. Again, thank you for your participation.
CONTINUE TO SURVEY [button]
Do you own a personal media player (iPod etc.)? (y/n)
Directions: On the following items indicate your preference for an activity with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal.
Listen to non-music podcasts on a portable media player.
Directions: Please respond to the following items as if you were about to begin an online class that had podcasts as a way of providing course content. For the purpose of this study a podcast is an audio file that is downloaded and used by the student when and how they choose. On the following items indicate your preference for an activity with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal.
Listen to course podcasts while I engaged in other tasks such as commuting, working, walking etc.
Read a transcript of a course podcast on my computer instead of listening to the audio version.
Print a transcript of a course podcast to use as a listening guide and to help me focus on the podcast content.
Listen to an audio only podcast on a portable media player.
Listen to an audio only podcast on a computer.
Use a podcast that included visual aides such as charts, graphs and images to help illustrate the content of the podcast.
Use a podcast that included visual aides such as charts, graphs and images on a portable media player.
Use a podcast that included visual aides such as charts, graphs and images on a computer.
Directions: Please respond to the following items as if you were about to begin an online class that had a variety of communications possibilities. On the following items indicate your preference for using each media type for the listed purpose with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal. Please mark your preference for each technology based on your understanding of the technology, even if you do not posses the ability to use that technology at the present time. Keep in mind that you are rating the technology and its use for the listed purpose and not the task or purpose itself.
Communicating with the instructor about problems in class:
Email Video ConferenceBlog (Text Based)Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics) Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based) Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Communicating with other students to learn more about them:
Email Video ConferenceBlog (Text Based) Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics) Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based) Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Receiving grades and instructor evaluations of my work:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based) Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based) Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Submitting my assignments to the instructor for grading:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based) Podcast (Audio Only) Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based)Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Sharing my assignments with other students for peer review:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based)Podcast (Audio Only)Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based)Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Receiving course lectures and course related content:
EmailVideo ConferenceBlog (Text Based)Podcast (Audio Only)Podcast (Enhanced with Graphics)Threaded Discussion or Bulletin Board (Text Based)Voice Over Internet (Example: Skype, Audio Only)
Directions: Please respond to the following items about choice in online classes. On the following items indicate your preference for an activity with a 1 meaning that you do not like it at all and a 5 meaning that you like it a great deal.
Having a lot of choice about the assignments that I do for the class.
Having a lot of choice about how assignments that I do for the class are graded or evaluated.
Having a lot of choice about the due dates for assignments in the class.
Having a lot of choice about the type of media or communications technologies used in the class.
CLICK WHEN DONE [button]
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Assignment 8, Literature Review
Introduction:
To understand the impact of new media in online learning, this literature review will focus on three ideas relative to understanding prior and future research in this field. These include adult learning and andragogy, new media and online education and social presence and learning with new media. In an era when technology is continually changing and our global society is becoming more interconnected, people must become lifelong learners if they wish to continue being competitive. Although the expansion of technology has been a contributing factor in this change, it may also provide the solution to empower people to acquire what they need to learn. To maximize the effectiveness of these new learning tools, it is important to consider and understand the needs of adult learner, and how new media accommodates these different needs. By considering these three areas of research, a clearer picture will emerge as to what has been done, and what yet remains to be understood.
Adult Learning and Andragogy:
The term Andragogy was originally used by Alexander Kapp (a German educator) in 1833, and was developed into a theory of adult education by an American educator, Malcolm Knowles during the later 20th century. Knowles theories can be summarized with four postulates:
1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept
and Motivation to learn).
2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities (Experience).
3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or
personal life (Readiness to learn).
4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation to learning).
(Knowles, 1984)
These principles were designed to clarify the difference of andragogy teaching standards from pedagogy - the learning needs of pre-adult learners. These will be important principles to consider when reviewing the different features of new media in online learning.
Fozdar (2007) researched the relationship between mobile learning and student retention. Given the lack of internet access in India, cell phones were the tool of choice to give feedback and discuss student work. Though the use of surveys, it was determined that although students appreciated the use of cell phones to provide student with flexibility, text messaging provided limited means for communicating information. This limitation led students to have misgivings about the quality of education provided in this forum. Additionally, the information provided in the study did not specifically address how the andragogy needs of students were addressed.
Glogoff (2007) conducted research on the use of blogging for hybrid classes and exclusively online classes. The advantage of communicating online for the students was that being able to give honest feedback based on anonymity was helpful for students to improve their knowledge of the information being learned in class, which assisted in enhancing their learning. During the research, it was discovered that the hybrid classes provided more feedback to each other than online only classes. Consequently, students who did not blog felt excluded from their classmates and limited in their learning. This led to the course requirement that students would be required to post at least three times a week to encourage the blogging process and the classroom community. This requirement improved the community, and demonstrated the necessity and value of the research conducted.
The activity and its research highlight the importance of student being involved in their collective learning and the opportunity of experiencing feedback from other students to learn from their mistakes and improve upon their learning activities. These features are critical to the principles for successful andragogy.
Research conducted by Witte (2007) also highlights the need to compare the difference between pedagogy and andragogy. Witte (2007) attempted to have middle school students use blogging as a forum to "provide opportunities for students and future educators to develop their digital fluency while also strengthening their traditional literacy skills" (Witte 92). Students actively used the blog, but student achievement was not discussed in her research.
Witte (2007) believed that since students liked to communicate in this forum, it could be utilized in a middle school setting for pedagogical purposes. Since an improvement in traditional literary skills was not highlighted, one cannot conclude whether this tool was effective in this forum. However, it may be the case that because of the difference of learning needs between middle schoolers and adults, blogging may be a tool better suited to the needs of adult learners.
New Media in Online Education:
As new media technology becomes available, the opportunities to use it for online educational purposes is considered. With such considerations, it is important to know what research has been done, both to anticipate the potential limitations of the new media, as well as to foresee how the new media may strengthen online education.
Luanne and Martin (2007) report on several myths held strongly by many teachers against the use of podcasting. These myths focus on the perception that students will use podcasts as a substitute for in class learning. Luanne and Martin (2007) dispute these claims saying that students can gain information from the podcasts that they may not have understood the first time, and can enhance the students' overall learning experience. Additionally, the use of podcasts has the ability of improving the classroom experience, because students can come to class with a better grasp of the material.
The misconceptions mentioned in the article seem rooted in fundamental beliefs about how education should work, as well as a lack of understanding of what role new media can play in improving online education, as well as what occurs in the classroom. To effectively utilize these technologies, educational institutions will be required to invest time to train their instructors in research-based uses that optimize the learning experience for their students. So long as these beliefs continued to be held, they will pose as a limitation to the promising role of new media in online learning.
Lam and McNaught (2006) a qualitative study was conducted to consider how effective three types of new media in online learning were for students. The first involved explaining complex concepts and ideas with a series of sequential diagrams or texts. The second involved on increasing students' motivation by utilizing multimedia materials for vivid representations in lessons. The third focused on students using multimedia for projects generated by students.
Whereas the students had difficulties in Case one, Cases two and three found great benefits; Case two found the material helpful for learning and application; Case 3 found that the multimedia tools were great for extending creative thinking and analytical skills. The results of this research were used to refine the course offerings and improve it overall (Lam and McNaught 2006) This research highlights the importance of determining not only effective uses of new media in online learning, but qualifying the type of learning that may be gained with different types and applications of the new media.
Another study comparing different new media was performed by Pegler and Mason (2005). In their research, students incorporated four different forms of communication in an online course about Learning in the Connected Economy. These forms of communication included blogging, audio technology, instant messaging and the Harvard Rotisserie system.
The research concluded that although students liked all forum (for the most part) they most strongly favored audio technology and instant messaging (Pegler and Mason 2005). The college students involved in the study chose the two systems that offered instant communication and response to each other. In this study for this class, this may prove effective. Whereas the previous study considered impact that new media had on the entire format of a class, this study only focuses on one facet of the online class. Both studies offer interesting models for the types of research that this field requires.
Social Presence and learning with New Media:
Within the educational field, conflicting opinion and conclusions from research have been obtained about the social presence (or lack thereof) in using new media. Some studies cite strong advantages offered by blogging that enhance student learning; others cite criticism in which students report feeling isolated from each other .
Research by Dickey (2004) concluded that students felt isolated and alienated from each other, because their only contact with each other was through emails, chat rooms and discussion boards. Additionally, El Mansour and Mupinga (2007) conducted research with hybrid classes in which technology problems and feelings of isolation were also reported. Both believed that quality interaction and collaboration were an important part of an effective learning environment.
Research by Sparks and Mentz (2006) used instant messaging in an online class for graduate programs. The interactions that were enabled by instant message between students as well as students and teachers proved to be powerful tools to foster strong collaboration. Students were also given control on how to use instant message, and provided each other with an enriched learning environment.
The research demonstrates the manner in which new media in online learning needs serious consideration. Whereas Dickey (2004) discovered one outcome when using different communication tools, Sparks and Mentz (2006) conclusions were quite different. Whether it is the bias of the researcher, a misalignment of technology with an online program, or a online course design flaw, further research needs to be performed to determine what technologies best compliment what programs to continually improve student learning and achievement.
Citations:
Berdarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education. 27 (2), 139-153.
Dickey, M. (2004). The impact of web-logs (blogs) on student perceptions of isolationand alienation in a web-based distance-learning environment. Open Learning, 19(3), 279-291.
Fozdar, B.I., Kumar, L.S. (2007) Moblie learning and student retention. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning 8, http://www.irrodl.org/index/php/irrodl/article/view/345/927
Glogoff, S. (2005). Instructional blogging: Promoting interactivy, student centered learning, and peer input. Innovate, 1 (5), 1-6.
Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lam, P., & McNaught, C. (2006). Design and evaluation of online courses containinig media-enhanced learning materials. Educational Media International, 43(3), 199-218
Luanne F., Martin M., (May 2007). Plugging into students' digital DNA: five myths prohibiting proper podcasting pedagogy in the new classroom domain. Vol. 3, No 3.
Sparks, P., Mentz, L. (2006). electronic not passing: Enriching online learning with new communication tools. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 2(4), 1-6.
Weller, M., Pegler, C., Mason, R. (2005). Use of innovative technoloties on an e-learning course. The Internet and Higher Education, 8(1), 61-71.
Witte, S. (2007). That's online writing, not boring school wirting: Writing with blogs and the Talkback Project. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 51, 92-96
To understand the impact of new media in online learning, this literature review will focus on three ideas relative to understanding prior and future research in this field. These include adult learning and andragogy, new media and online education and social presence and learning with new media. In an era when technology is continually changing and our global society is becoming more interconnected, people must become lifelong learners if they wish to continue being competitive. Although the expansion of technology has been a contributing factor in this change, it may also provide the solution to empower people to acquire what they need to learn. To maximize the effectiveness of these new learning tools, it is important to consider and understand the needs of adult learner, and how new media accommodates these different needs. By considering these three areas of research, a clearer picture will emerge as to what has been done, and what yet remains to be understood.
Adult Learning and Andragogy:
The term Andragogy was originally used by Alexander Kapp (a German educator) in 1833, and was developed into a theory of adult education by an American educator, Malcolm Knowles during the later 20th century. Knowles theories can be summarized with four postulates:
1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept
and Motivation to learn).
2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities (Experience).
3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or
personal life (Readiness to learn).
4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation to learning).
(Knowles, 1984)
These principles were designed to clarify the difference of andragogy teaching standards from pedagogy - the learning needs of pre-adult learners. These will be important principles to consider when reviewing the different features of new media in online learning.
Fozdar (2007) researched the relationship between mobile learning and student retention. Given the lack of internet access in India, cell phones were the tool of choice to give feedback and discuss student work. Though the use of surveys, it was determined that although students appreciated the use of cell phones to provide student with flexibility, text messaging provided limited means for communicating information. This limitation led students to have misgivings about the quality of education provided in this forum. Additionally, the information provided in the study did not specifically address how the andragogy needs of students were addressed.
Glogoff (2007) conducted research on the use of blogging for hybrid classes and exclusively online classes. The advantage of communicating online for the students was that being able to give honest feedback based on anonymity was helpful for students to improve their knowledge of the information being learned in class, which assisted in enhancing their learning. During the research, it was discovered that the hybrid classes provided more feedback to each other than online only classes. Consequently, students who did not blog felt excluded from their classmates and limited in their learning. This led to the course requirement that students would be required to post at least three times a week to encourage the blogging process and the classroom community. This requirement improved the community, and demonstrated the necessity and value of the research conducted.
The activity and its research highlight the importance of student being involved in their collective learning and the opportunity of experiencing feedback from other students to learn from their mistakes and improve upon their learning activities. These features are critical to the principles for successful andragogy.
Research conducted by Witte (2007) also highlights the need to compare the difference between pedagogy and andragogy. Witte (2007) attempted to have middle school students use blogging as a forum to "provide opportunities for students and future educators to develop their digital fluency while also strengthening their traditional literacy skills" (Witte 92). Students actively used the blog, but student achievement was not discussed in her research.
Witte (2007) believed that since students liked to communicate in this forum, it could be utilized in a middle school setting for pedagogical purposes. Since an improvement in traditional literary skills was not highlighted, one cannot conclude whether this tool was effective in this forum. However, it may be the case that because of the difference of learning needs between middle schoolers and adults, blogging may be a tool better suited to the needs of adult learners.
New Media in Online Education:
As new media technology becomes available, the opportunities to use it for online educational purposes is considered. With such considerations, it is important to know what research has been done, both to anticipate the potential limitations of the new media, as well as to foresee how the new media may strengthen online education.
Luanne and Martin (2007) report on several myths held strongly by many teachers against the use of podcasting. These myths focus on the perception that students will use podcasts as a substitute for in class learning. Luanne and Martin (2007) dispute these claims saying that students can gain information from the podcasts that they may not have understood the first time, and can enhance the students' overall learning experience. Additionally, the use of podcasts has the ability of improving the classroom experience, because students can come to class with a better grasp of the material.
The misconceptions mentioned in the article seem rooted in fundamental beliefs about how education should work, as well as a lack of understanding of what role new media can play in improving online education, as well as what occurs in the classroom. To effectively utilize these technologies, educational institutions will be required to invest time to train their instructors in research-based uses that optimize the learning experience for their students. So long as these beliefs continued to be held, they will pose as a limitation to the promising role of new media in online learning.
Lam and McNaught (2006) a qualitative study was conducted to consider how effective three types of new media in online learning were for students. The first involved explaining complex concepts and ideas with a series of sequential diagrams or texts. The second involved on increasing students' motivation by utilizing multimedia materials for vivid representations in lessons. The third focused on students using multimedia for projects generated by students.
Whereas the students had difficulties in Case one, Cases two and three found great benefits; Case two found the material helpful for learning and application; Case 3 found that the multimedia tools were great for extending creative thinking and analytical skills. The results of this research were used to refine the course offerings and improve it overall (Lam and McNaught 2006) This research highlights the importance of determining not only effective uses of new media in online learning, but qualifying the type of learning that may be gained with different types and applications of the new media.
Another study comparing different new media was performed by Pegler and Mason (2005). In their research, students incorporated four different forms of communication in an online course about Learning in the Connected Economy. These forms of communication included blogging, audio technology, instant messaging and the Harvard Rotisserie system.
The research concluded that although students liked all forum (for the most part) they most strongly favored audio technology and instant messaging (Pegler and Mason 2005). The college students involved in the study chose the two systems that offered instant communication and response to each other. In this study for this class, this may prove effective. Whereas the previous study considered impact that new media had on the entire format of a class, this study only focuses on one facet of the online class. Both studies offer interesting models for the types of research that this field requires.
Social Presence and learning with New Media:
Within the educational field, conflicting opinion and conclusions from research have been obtained about the social presence (or lack thereof) in using new media. Some studies cite strong advantages offered by blogging that enhance student learning; others cite criticism in which students report feeling isolated from each other .
Research by Dickey (2004) concluded that students felt isolated and alienated from each other, because their only contact with each other was through emails, chat rooms and discussion boards. Additionally, El Mansour and Mupinga (2007) conducted research with hybrid classes in which technology problems and feelings of isolation were also reported. Both believed that quality interaction and collaboration were an important part of an effective learning environment.
Research by Sparks and Mentz (2006) used instant messaging in an online class for graduate programs. The interactions that were enabled by instant message between students as well as students and teachers proved to be powerful tools to foster strong collaboration. Students were also given control on how to use instant message, and provided each other with an enriched learning environment.
The research demonstrates the manner in which new media in online learning needs serious consideration. Whereas Dickey (2004) discovered one outcome when using different communication tools, Sparks and Mentz (2006) conclusions were quite different. Whether it is the bias of the researcher, a misalignment of technology with an online program, or a online course design flaw, further research needs to be performed to determine what technologies best compliment what programs to continually improve student learning and achievement.
Citations:
Berdarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education. 27 (2), 139-153.
Dickey, M. (2004). The impact of web-logs (blogs) on student perceptions of isolationand alienation in a web-based distance-learning environment. Open Learning, 19(3), 279-291.
Fozdar, B.I., Kumar, L.S. (2007) Moblie learning and student retention. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning 8, http://www.irrodl.org/index/php/irrodl/article/view/345/927
Glogoff, S. (2005). Instructional blogging: Promoting interactivy, student centered learning, and peer input. Innovate, 1 (5), 1-6.
Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
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Sunday, October 21, 2007
Assignment 7, Research Ideas
In my current position of Math Curriculum Specialist for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, I work with students that are in Alternative Education and Juvenile Court School settings. Recently, we have adopted a program called Acellus, which involve online videotaped math instruction in all subject from basic math through Calculus. My research interest is to determine if this program can positively impact student learning in math and student achievement.
The questions I would ask in forming the research is as follows:
1. How do we select students to participate in the research (experimental group)?
2. How do we define and/or measure student progress?
3. How much time do students access the program?
4. What type of demographics do we collect on students?
5. How long do we conduct the study?
6. How do we ensure that teachers involved are trained and continue to have access to technology to conduct research.
Possible research model:
Based on the annotated bibliography provided in Assignment 6, I would first select teachers that would volunteer to become familiar with the Acellus program and would have access to the necessary technology for students to participate in the online program. Students would have to be randomly selected for the control and the experimental group. The control group would receive math instruction face to face. The experimental group would receive Acellus online instruction. For the research, we may have to provide both forms of instruction, depending on what parents asked for - this is a potential limitation of the research model.
Within our school system, we currently use Star Math and Star Reading to determine the grade level that each student functions at. This test is administered when a student first arrives and every 40 days they remain with us. The test is norm-referenced and could serve as a measure to determine academic progress in math. The testing could be performed over the course of one year to determine its effectiveness - given that students only come to us if they have been either expelled or arrested, this is another potential limitation to the research model.
The type of demographics to be collected on students would include age, ethnicity, sex, and also grade level, as well as reading and math level. Correlations could be determined to exist between age (due to maturity), and reading level - research indicates that illiteracy inhibits math acquisition. Other correlations may be considered as further questioning about the research evolves.
A survey could also be used to determine what students liked or disliked about the Acellus online program, to determine the possible components of the program that were effective or ineffective in helping students learn. Such information would be very useful to determine what qualities of online education programs were effective with the population of students so accustomed to failing in the traditional settings.
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated from the bloggers in the audience.
The questions I would ask in forming the research is as follows:
1. How do we select students to participate in the research (experimental group)?
2. How do we define and/or measure student progress?
3. How much time do students access the program?
4. What type of demographics do we collect on students?
5. How long do we conduct the study?
6. How do we ensure that teachers involved are trained and continue to have access to technology to conduct research.
Possible research model:
Based on the annotated bibliography provided in Assignment 6, I would first select teachers that would volunteer to become familiar with the Acellus program and would have access to the necessary technology for students to participate in the online program. Students would have to be randomly selected for the control and the experimental group. The control group would receive math instruction face to face. The experimental group would receive Acellus online instruction. For the research, we may have to provide both forms of instruction, depending on what parents asked for - this is a potential limitation of the research model.
Within our school system, we currently use Star Math and Star Reading to determine the grade level that each student functions at. This test is administered when a student first arrives and every 40 days they remain with us. The test is norm-referenced and could serve as a measure to determine academic progress in math. The testing could be performed over the course of one year to determine its effectiveness - given that students only come to us if they have been either expelled or arrested, this is another potential limitation to the research model.
The type of demographics to be collected on students would include age, ethnicity, sex, and also grade level, as well as reading and math level. Correlations could be determined to exist between age (due to maturity), and reading level - research indicates that illiteracy inhibits math acquisition. Other correlations may be considered as further questioning about the research evolves.
A survey could also be used to determine what students liked or disliked about the Acellus online program, to determine the possible components of the program that were effective or ineffective in helping students learn. Such information would be very useful to determine what qualities of online education programs were effective with the population of students so accustomed to failing in the traditional settings.
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated from the bloggers in the audience.
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