Why are we doing this?
We know that Online teaching/Learning offers several educational advantages: - It offers us a tool to extend ourselves and our course beyond the limits of the traditional classroom and the traditional textbook
- It makes information retrieval easier. Furthermore, students have access to handouts and class notes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Students prefer networked computing as a way to learn. Several studies demonstrate students' affinity for this technology. Furthermore, by interacting with the course content, students become active learners.
- Networked computing promotes critical thinking: students need to evaluate the validity and the reliability of the information they find.
- Networked computing provides students with a greater variety of resources and extends the resources of the traditional classroom. It can function as a library at our fingertips.
- Networked computing is interactive and provides students with assessment feedback, sometimes instantly, as they work through course materials.
- Students can review the materials at any time. They can review what they feel is most important to help themselves learn as often as they wish.
- Students develop valuable computer literacy skills just by learning how to use the machine and the software to access your materials. And since the vast majority of any web page is text, students develop conventional literacy skills as well.
- Networked computing offers quick access to the latest news and data in just about any field.
- Networked computing allows professors to model learning behaviors for their students: students see their professors review, revise, and learn better ways to express themselves just as students themselves are learning to express ideas within a discipline.
It is the right thing to do?
Evaluation Criteria and Critique of Existing Courses
“We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.”
U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Speech, 20 Jan 1977; quoting his teacher, Julia Coleman.
How do you evaluate an online course?If you want to be successful at something, the first thing to ask is, "How is this going to be evaluated?" There are many ways to evaluate courses, The following are four different types of evaluation criteria:
1. Evaluation criteria based on "The Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education" by Arthur W. Chickering and Zelda F. GamsonMost major academic institutions have developed evaluation criteria for online courses based on "The Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education" by Arthur W. Chickering and Zelda F. Gamson
The Academic Senate of the California Community Colleges adopted this set of guidelines: Guidelines for Good Practices: Effective Instructor-Student Contact in Distance Learning
Scott Hildreth, PhD developed a graphical grid exemplifying the best practices outlined in the Academic Senate Guidelines.
"Teaching Online with WebCT"
The Academic Senate guidelines provide sound suggestions for how an instructor can use technology to teach online. It can also be used as evaluation criteria for judging how well a course or teacher utilizes the communication tools on the internet. However, the Academic Senate guidelines do not measure the course outcome--does the course achieve its goals and objectives?
Evaluating if a course achieves its goals and objectives is a difficult task and to be conclusive would involve evaluating the students skill or knowledge before and after the course. However, to some degree we can judge the effectiveness of the course based on its instructional design.
2. The Paul Allen Foundation Virtual Education Contest developed criteria for judging online coursesThe goal of the contest was to try and select the best course based on
four principle criteria:
(1) creative use of technology
(2) sound instructional design
(3) integration of active learning
(4) evidence of educational effectiveness
3. In "Making Instruction Work" Robert F. Mager summarizes how he evaluates courses"A course is effective to the degree that it accomplishes what it sets out to do accomplish. It is efficient to the degree it accomplishes its purpose with the least motion (time, effort, money)."
Review existing online courses
It is helpful to review existing online courses and critique them based on some criteria before developing your own. In the academic community this is called a literature review and in the business world it is called a market survey. The reason we survey the field before beginning is: - to learn from others
- to improve on what others have done, rather than duplicate what they have done
- to immerse yourself in the world of online education
© Valerie Landau, 2001
Evaluating Web-Based Training
Evaluation of web-based programs is important for two reasons: first, evaluation helps in the decision making to improve the program; and second, evaluation establishes accountability, (Khan, 2001, p. 515). Formative evaluation leads to planning for continuous improvement of learning, (Khan, 2001, p. 517). In general terms, for a web-based program to be valuable, it has to be justifiable, with appropriate instructional principles and evaluated regularly. This formative evaluation help improve the effectiveness of the program, (Khan, 2001, p. 509). In addition, for a program to succeed, different learning styles, and possible barriers must be addressed (Khan, 2001, p. 509).
In his study, Zane Berge, (Khan, 2001, p. 515), he explains three levels of evaluation: first, evaluating whether the stakeholder outcomes are being met, second, evaluating content and how well participants learn, and third, he adds, political and technological infrastructure since it “may have a great impact upon the interpretation and evaluation given,” (Khan, 2001, p. 520).
In his analysis, Harvi Singh, (Khan, 2001), observes Kirkpatrik’s four levels of evaluation: reaction to the program, learning and acquisition of knowledge, behavioral outcome, and whether the training achieved the desired outcome, (Khan, 2001, p. 524).
To evaluate and improve how learners use online interface and online course materials, usability testing is used. According to Michael Hughes and Loren Burke (Khan, 2001), this is the observation of users performing tasks in order to determine what changes, if any, need to be made. These usability tests need to be designed by a team of the stakeholders in order to enhance the validity and reliability of the tests (Khan, 2001, p. 524).
To bring this to a more specific situation as in my case developing and implementing online programs, the most important test is to decide whether a course is justifiable. This is an ongoing process; the learner’s characteristics and interests are always in consideration. Whether the content, tools and delivery help meet the learner’s expectation is also an ongoing process. Unfortunately most other evaluation processes mentioned above are not implemented in my college. It is too costly and time consuming. Key Questions for Online CoursesKeeping the Students Interested- Am I communicating what excites me about the topic?
- What can I add to make the students feel there is something of real value to them in this class or module?
- Have I made the inherent motivation clear? Will the student say, "Learning this is of direct benefit/interest to me?"
- Have I included external motivates and/or do I need them? Will the student say, "If I do Y I will get 100 points, my social status will increase, I receive extra privileges or notoriety."
Humor, clear writing, and good graphic design can also be external motivators.
However, humor must be used cautiously. As Jim'bo Norrena, senior academic marketing specialist at Peachpit Press says, "I've always believed 'Online Stand-up Comedy' to be about the worst idea ever presented to mankind...and it certainly has the potential to become the impetas for WWIII! "
- Is there something I can do to make the module more interactive?
- Should I add collaborative assignments to create a greater sense of community so the student feels supported and engaged?
- How can I set uniform objectives but still honor the individual approaches of the students?
- How can I accommodate different learning styles: Hear, see, and do?
- Is this course culturally sensitive? Have I presented the information in a way that respects diverse opinions and beliefs?
Obstacles to Learning
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