Starting to analyse the data from the UHI learner survey and follow up email interviews as well as the data from the email interview/survey completed by online course developers and facilitators sampled through CIDER.
The first task is to pull the information together in order to make meaningful observations and interpretations, and draw conclusions.
Survey monkey has a filters feature which is really useful for comparing variables and the data can be exported into excel or spss.
The surveys close in about 10 days.
The interview question I have sent has proven to be a difficult one for the learners to answer overall. It is not easy for many to think of a specific experience.
So I have decided to change it and send it to new interviewees.
—–
The new question is:
What kinds of learning materials, activities and delivery methods do you find help you to learn best in an online learning environment?
What we are looking for here is to find out what has worked for you in specific online learning experiences so that we can understand the common experience of what helps learners to learn online.
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I will also follow up those learners who have responded to the original email interview and ask if they would be willing to provide more in-depth information. (Some have already said so.)
In order to broaden the range of my research findings and to learn from the experience of e-learning experts outside of the UK, I have invited online course developers and facilitators who are members of the Canadian Institute of Distance Education Research to complete a 3-question survey.
CIDER (http://cider.athabascau.ca) is a resource portal for Canadian and International distance education researchers and a good place, I reckon, to find people who are active in distance education and know what they are talking about.
From this brief survey, I am looking to find out the type of learning materials, activities and online applications that different educators use to ensure that what their learners are actually doing will result in the desired learning outcomes.
The questions are more focused than the previous ones mentioned in an earlier post.
——- Questions ——–
** Please give a specific and concrete example to illustrate the points
you make. Thanks. **
1) What types of online learning materials and learning activities do
you provide to meet the learning outcomes and target learners’ needs?
2) How do you deliver these learning materials and activities – through
which online presentation and communication applications (e.g.
discussion board, virtual classroom, email etc)?
3) Why do you think this combination of online learning experiences and
delivery methods helps your learners to learn your subject?
**Please include in your reply: your main subject area, occupation and
organisation.
——–
The raw data will be made available at the following page at the end of May:
http://stephenaddison.edublogs.org/raw-data/
At the end of the online survey, respondents were asked to type in their email addresses if they were willing to do a follow up interview by telephone or email. So far 40 people have provided their emails.
(Another five people said yes but unfortunately they didn’t provide their email addresses so I don’t know who they are or how to contact them.)
So earlier in the week I sent out an email to 5 participants and – today to the other 35 – asking them to complete the following interview which they could return to me by email or post online in a space I’ve created. They can also choose to talk on the telephone instead if they prefer.
—Email Intervew—
Question:
. Think of a time when you successfully learned something online and tell me about it.
What we are looking for here is to find out what has worked for you in a specific online learning experience so that we can understand the common experience of what helps learners to learn online.
———
The criteria I could use to identify excellent online learners could be based on the findings in the literature. For example, Porter (1997) states that one of the 4 elements for Internet-based course success is dedicated, highly motivated learners who have the following qualities:
• Persistence
• Responsibility for own learning
• Autonomous
• Ability to pace self
Porter suggests an online student three-point test:
1. Can they manage their time?
2. Can they motivate themselves?
3. Can they work without a teacher present?
I reckon two more important aspects are those online learners who have a genuine love of learning combined with a motivating reason for learning the current subject.
I could devise a simple survey based on the above in order to identify the excellent learners from those who have volunteered to be interviewed. Of course I could just ask them whether or not they consider them to be excellent or good at online learning…
References:
Porter, L R (1997) Creating The Virtual Classroom: Distance Learning With The Internet. John Wiley & sons.
