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InstructorExpectations 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Time Commit ment Required 13 Instructor Expectations How to Post to Discussions Helpful to Learn Prior to Online Course 5 How to Post to Discussions Figure 4: Student Learning Prior to Online Course Knowledge of Course platform How to Chat 3 How to Chat Lack of Feedback What Skills I'd Need 1 1 Lack of Feedback How to Contact Classmate How to Participate in Group Work How to Contact Classmates 13 8 5 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 Most Difficult Aspects Of Online Learning For Students Student Question 4: What is the most difficult aspect of online learning? 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 9 Ti m e Management 5 Instructor Inaccessibility Most Difficult Aspects of Online Learning 4 4 2 2 2 Postings Readings Timed Tests Lack Interaction Figure 5: Most Difficult Aspects of Online Learning for Students 1 Technology Lack Feedback How to Install Plug-ins 95
Time Management / Selfdiscipline Inaccessibility of Instructor Posting to Discussions Volume of Reading Timed Tests Lack of Interaction Specific Technologies 9 5 4 4 2 2 2 "Not knowing where I stand" online course, 8 said it would have been the time commitment (Figure 4); 11 wrote that the advice they would give a novice online learner would speak to the need for time management skills (Figure 6). These 11 responses included such comments as: "If you are a procrastinator, this might not be the class you want to take," and, "make sure you are person ally motivated and disciplined to do the work." Comments by students described their own failure to anticipate the need for near-daily check in, the need to frequently read and respond to discussion postings, or the expectation that they would work interdependently with other class members. Two students said that while they were excited about taking a distance course, as they would otherwise face a long commute, they had failed to take into account the additional time the course would require (one of these wrote, "It certainly puts fewer miles on one's car but I think the time and effort needed are greater than for a regular class"). Seven students volunteered some strategies for self-management and time management, which will likely be included in the content of the final product; of these 7, 4 students mentioned particularly the need to set up a comfortable, quiet workspace (Figure 6). As for the technology demands of online coursework, 3 students did write that a basic understanding of the particular course's platform (WebCT, BlackBoard, etc.) would have been helpful for them. Five revealed that they found reading from a co mputer screen difficult; 2 respondent s mentioned the need for an ample supply of paper and printer cartridges, indicating that they were printing out much of the course material. In terms of specific technologies, one student mentione d installing plug-ins and three mentioned online chat (Figure 4). In response to the quest ion, "What is the most difficult aspect of online learning?" four students mentioned about discussion forums: responses mentioned both the technology requirements as well as the need for competence in composing posti ngs and participating in discussions. Three students reported their frustration with problems beyond th eir control, such as the university's network going down, poorly designed features of particular courseware, etc. It seems important to note, though, that students for the most part did not perceive deficits in technology skills to be a significant problem. This is a striking contrast to the responses of instructors, many of whom spoke at length about their perception that many students were sorely lacking in basic technology skills. This may be attributed, in part, to students' lack of awareness of magnitude: that is, where one student may have a problem opening a particular file, she or he may not realize that the instructor is dealing with that problem with all 20 members of the class at once. A number of responses dealt with instructors: thirteen students spoke of unclear instructor expectations, with one adding that the lack of non-verbal instructor feedback, such as body language and eye contact, made them uncertain as to how to gauge their own performance. Though the question was not specifically asked, it appeared that students, for the most part, were not taking the initiative to clarify that information. Five students reported that they had concerns with the inaccessibility of online instructors, and 3 noted that instructor skill levels at teaching online were critical to student success (Figures 4, 5 and 6). Interestingly, though most students did report some problems, only 20% of respondents said they would take a course on "how to be an online learner" even if it were offered free for 1 hour of academic credit. As will be noted later, learner resistance may thus be a problem to the success of the proposed course. Advice For New Students Student Question 5 (EAC 783 question 6): What advice would you give someone preparing to take an online class for the first time? 1 96
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Journal of Educational Technology &
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Guidelines for authors Submissions
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Higher education staff experiences
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