I’ve conducted a focus group with 6 learners currently doing a totally online course in order to look at some of the broad issues of networked learning and to help me to develop questions for the online survey. Themes covered were: campus or home-based; how do they know they have learned something; what do they like and dislike; printing first or reading online; learning preferences; online or f2f preference.
One of the simple findings was that all 6 don’t like to do group work online via Internet classrooms due to the non-participation of some members of the group. So that is the same problem often encountered in doing group work in f2f environments.
Another finding I think is interesting is that when asked ’in the context of learning your subject, which of the following do you prefer’:
- Read a book = 4
- Watch tv programme = 3
- Listen to radio programme = 0
- Talk to friends = 6
All 6 like to talk to friends as part of their learning approach. The fact that 4 favour reading a book is interesting, bearing in mind that it is one of poorest methods for learning and recall. This suggests to me that they favour it not because it is an effective way to learn but that they feel comfortable with that way of learning.
And then: ‘if you had to choose only one, which would it be’:
- Read a book = 4
- Watch tv programme = 2.
Interestingly, no-one selected talking to friends as their primary choice which suggests to me that maybe they like to take information in by reading or watching tv, and then talk it over with friends to make sense of what they have learned.
